Business Owner Freedom

Business Owner, do you ever wonder if you are in the right business, or why you chose to be a business owner at all. If so, listen in as you might find some gold nuggets to help you start the process of figuring this out for your self.

Join Victor Hallock and me as we discuss in a live and unscripted coaching format his desire to transition his business focus and his life.

We covered several topics including...

1. VISION STORY and the importance of starting here.

2. What he learned from his past business.

3. How to determine where he wants and needs to go next in his journey.

4. What are the critical next action steps.

5. What skills he needs to master.

6. And much more...

We will follow up with him in a year to see his progress and if he agrees in a few weeks or so to see what details he determines fit his vision.

Connect with Business Owner Freedom:

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LinkedIn

Facebook

If you have questions or show subject suggestions, you can submit those via email to [email protected].

If you truly enjoyed the show, don't forget to leave a positive rating and review on iTunes. We have prepared more episodes for the upcoming weeks, so join us again next week! Thank you for tuning in to the Business Owner Freedom Podcast!

Copyright © 2018 BOFP

Join me in a discussion with Craig Cody, CPA and Certified Tax Coach. It was an enlightening and rewarding conversation.

When planning your taxes for your business, there is no better time than today! Learn from what you have just experienced from last year's taxes and make positive changes now. Find the right CPA, and be proactive in your approach.

Our discussion today included these points and more:

1. How being proactive helps your business tax situations.

2. What is the biggest mistake owners make from his CPA point of view.

3. The importance of your business entity.

4. The importance of the what and how of communication.

5. When to involve your attorney.

6. Taking advantage of the recent tax changes - qualified business deduction.

7. The relationship with your CPA and what you should expect.

8. The 10 biggest mistakes that cost business owners thousands.

9. Bookkeepers vs. CPA's - why each has their proper place in working with your business.

10. How to get a free resource from Craig.

Contact Craig

For additional insights go to www.BusinessOwnerFreedom.com to join our community. We look forward to getting to know you.

Connect with Business Owner Freedom:

Website

LinkedIn

Facebook

If you have questions or show subject suggestions, you can submit those via email to [email protected].

If you truly enjoyed the show, don't forget to leave a positive rating and review on iTunes. We have prepared more episodes for the upcoming weeks, so join us again next week! Thank you for tuning in to the Business Owner Freedom Podcast!

Copyright © 2018 BOFP

Join me in a discussion with Todd Palmer, CEO of Extraordinary Advisors. Here are some things we discussed.

"Life Well Lived but Not Well Planned" - Todd Palmer

1. He fired his entire company and started over.

2. How changing his mindset changed his trajectory.

3. Where to start the reframing process.

4. A great place to do a self or employee assessment for free.

5. How he started hiring outside of his industry to grow his business and to get the right team - and you can too.

6. What the biggest bottleneck is in most companies.

7. How to tackle the hiring dilemma today.

8. He gives an example of a cultural shift to keep the business progressing.

9. How to identify the real leaders and why that is key.

Contact Todd

For additional insights go to www.BusinessOwnerFreedom.com to join our community. We look forward to getting to know you.

Connect with Business Owner Freedom:

Website

LinkedIn

Facebook

If you have questions or show subject suggestions, you can submit those via email to [email protected].

If you truly enjoyed the show, don't forget to leave a positive rating and review on iTunes. We have prepared more episodes for the upcoming weeks, so come by again next week! Thank you for tuning in to the Business Owner Freedom Podcast!

Copyright © 2018 BOFP

Join me in a solo cast about a question I was asked, about the value of budgets. The value is hidden in the 'process'. Listen in to find out why!

For additional insights go to www.BusinessOwnerFreedom.com to join our community. We look forward to getting to know you.

Connect with Business Owner Freedom:

Website

LinkedIn

Facebook

If you have questions or show subject suggestions, you can submit those via email to [email protected].

If you truly enjoyed the show, don't forget to leave a positive rating and review on iTunes. We have prepared more episodes for the upcoming weeks, so come by again next week! Thank you for tuning in to the Business Owner Freedom Podcast!

Copyright © 2018 BOFP

Allison De Paoli is a problem solver extraordinaire. She resides in and works from the great city of San Antonio. She has worked for over 25 years in the health benefits space as a consultant and advisor. In our conversation she helps us, Small Business Owners, understand how to navigate the decisions around providing Quality Care to our employees.

"You want to take care of your employees....and you need to control your costs." – Allison De Paoli

If you are considering health insurance for your team or if you need to investigate affordable options, if you are currently providing benefits, this is a must listen to episode.

What You will Discover 1. How you start the process of getting Health Insurance for your employees while controlling costs. 2. Basic steps for forming a new group. 3. Understand the benefits of a group plan for your employees. 4. What you need to consider if you currently have a plan and need to cut cost. 5. Where a business owner should start and how to find a proper advisor in the quality care field. 6. Get an inside look at how a business advisor works and how engaging with one may help you get quality care and reduce costs. 7. Data - who owns the data and why it is important. 8. Understand the benefits advantage roadmap and some of the tools they recommend. 9. Level funding proposal - what it is and how it works. 10. Definitions of key terms. 11. Self Funded vs. Fully Funded

To hear more from Allison, download and listen to the episode!

Connect with Allison De Paoli:

Website with give away

Connect with Business Owner Freedom:

Website

LinkedIn

Facebook

If you have questions or show subject suggestions for us, you can submit those via email to [email protected].

If you truly enjoyed the show, don't forget to leave a positive rating and review on iTunes. We have prepared more episodes for the upcoming weeks, so come by again next week! Thank you for tuning in to the Business Owner Freedom Podcast!

Copyright © 2018 BOFP

Ryan Cote is a Partner and Director of Digital Services at Ballantine. He is also a husband and father. Listen to his expert take on how SEO should be utilized for the local business. His insights are clarifying.

We discuss:

Why SEO is key for a small business.

The pros and cons pf pay per click vs. SEO.

Why SEO is the long tail solution.

Insights into keywords and how they work.

Why 'good' content should be unique and provide high value.

How retargeting is the key to brand awareness.

Backlinks - what they are and how they work.

Listen for his tip at the end of the show - if you aren't taking advantage of it, you are missing out!

Connect with Ryan Cote:

Website

LinkedIn

Connect with Business Owner Freedom:

Website

Facebook

LinkedIn

If you have any questions or subject requests, please email us at [email protected]

If you truly enjoyed the show, don't forget to leave a positive rating and review on iTunes. We have prepared more episodes for the upcoming weeks, so we will see you again next week!

Thank you for tuning in to the Business Owner Freedom Podcast!

Copyright 2018 BOFP

Business Owner Freedom is a weekly podcast for created for small business owners. Some of the podcasts are interviews and a portion are topic based. We invite you to join us weekly to obtain multiple points of view. If you have specific questions, please reach out to us at [email protected]. Today is a solo cast entitled Isolation is the Enemy.

What is Isolation

Isolation can be described as solitude, being alone, being cut off (just to mention a few). Gregory explains the reasons many of us allow this to happen in our lives during this episode. As someone who works with business owners, Gregory sees many of the struggles they are experiencing and that they often try to handle on their own and become isolated. Business owners need to step out and get out from behind those things that cause them to be isolated. Be involved in a mastermind of business owners to network and share the daily struggles and gain advice.

"It can be said that isolation is the enemy of improvement; it can also be said that isolation is the enemy of excellence; it can also be said that isolation is the enemy of growth; and it can also be said that isolation is the enemy of healing." – Gregory Gray

Eliminate the Isolation Points in Your Life

Gregory advises business owners to hire a business coach, hire a smart and capable CPA that understands your business and hire an attorney to have at your disposal to answer your questions so you don't make mistakes. These things alone will fasttrack your business in more ways than you can imagine. Joining a mastermind group also helps from being isolated.

"I am part of a mastermind group that has taken me to the next level; it is called ISI or Iron Sharpens Iron and is a men's based mastermind group from all walks of life and we meet weekly. If you are interested in this mastermind you can go to viewfromthetop.com and Aaron Walker is the gentleman who runs this group." – Gregory Gray

Step Out of Your Isolation

Finding those people who will look you in the eye and tell you that you are going in the wrong direction in your business and discuss the reasons why and what else might be beneficial is crucial for business owners. Mastermind colleagues will challenge you and affirm you.

"I am asking you to step out of your isolation. Look for a mastermind group. Look for a group of friends to be your virtual board of directors to run things by in your business." – Gregory Gray

Trust

You need to surround yourself with people you can trust. People who will tell you the truth and help you when needed. People you can confide in and help you steer your business in the right direction. Look for the right fit in a mastermind and take your relationships to the next level.

"There is no better friend than one that will tell you the truth." – Gregory Gray

If you have questions for us, you can submit those via email to [email protected]. You can also go to Businessownerfreedom.com\mastermind if you are interested in joining a mastermind of like-minded business owners. Enjoy the Journey!

To hear more about Gregory Gray's business insight, download and listen to the episode!

Connect with Business Owner Freedom:

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LinkedIn

Facebook

If you truly enjoyed the show, don't forget to leave a positive rating and review on iTunes. We have prepared more episodes for the upcoming weeks, so come by again next week! Thank you for tuning in to the Business Owner Freedom Podcast!

Copyright © 2018 BOFP

Tracey Osborne is the CEO of Daring Woman, Inc. Listen to the story Tracey shares in this episode and how she found her purpose. She has been and continues upon an extraordinary journey. Check out the website for more information as well. You will hear about her business journey and how she was a typical corporate employee that moved into entrepreneurship for some life events, particularly to stay home with children and how that has spurred more entrepreneurial events in her life. Tracey is now transitioning into a new business today and you'll learn about how her great vision is starting to manifest itself into a wonderful business. Enjoy the journey.

Tracey Osborne-Entrepreneurial Journey

Tracey actually started her entrepreneur journey when she was 18, trying to sell avon, but the past decade she has been a virtual assistant. Tracey didn't think she knew what she was doing, but she had the resources and the people that she could reach out to for help. Prior to that, Tracey was a vice president for a small finance company. It was just Tracey and the owner.

"We're really good friends and everything and it really taught me how to network because I had to, he just kind of threw me to the sharks one day and said, hey I'm, I have to go to this luncheon but I can't make it so I need you to go for me." – Tracey Osborne

New Venture

Tracey was experiencing a lack of joy with her job so she started doing some google research on a Saturday about virtual assisting. She then built a websites and by Monday her business was born. Her networking background enabled her to start telling some other really big networking people about her new business and within just a couple of months she was able to give notice at her job and she's been home ever since.

"I am the cream of the crop now, but there was just so much to learn and my clients were all wonderful over the past 10 years, you know, they've taught me about business, they've taught me about softwares that I didn't know when and things like that. And so I was able to become one of the top virtual assistants in the industry before I decided to shut it down. So you did that business for how many years I did it for 10 years." – Tracey Osborne

New Business Venture

In July of 2017, Tracey had nagging voice saying that she needed to be doing something more. Tracy did not want to do business plans so she had to work her way through her business. She finally figured out that her business was a social impact organization that harnesses the power of media in order to help women find their voice and become unstoppable.

"So we just launched the first magazine. The print version is at the printer, but the digital digital version is up and we're already working on the next three, four issues. So I am really, really excited about it. It's a lot of fun and a lot of, I don't know what the heck I'm doing, but we're going to figure this out, which is probably my favorite way to think." – Tracey Osborne

Challenges of Starting a Business

One challenge that Tracey faced was trying to start her business alone. She didn't really have too many people to talk to and she had to call all her clients and cut down her workload. She no longer had the money to hire a coach, which is what she really needed. The challenge continued until Tracey was able to start bringing on some team members to help her out. She's a survivor of domestic abuse, has been homeless and has her own story. Tracey wants this story to help somebody else who can't speak yet to the things that they might be alone and don't know where to turn.

"So by connecting these women through the blog for the magazine, through my podcast, we just launched an online community for women at thedaringwomanproject.org. By connecting these women, we can now come together and support one another and help these, help these women who need to know that they're not alone. It needs to know that there's light at the end of the tunnel and need to know that there is somebody out there who has their back." – Tracey Osborne

To hear more about Tracey Osborne's journey, download and listen to the episode!

Connect with Tracey Osborne

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Website

Email

Twitter

Connect with Business Owner Freedom:

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LinkedIn

Facebook

If you have questions for us, you can submit those via email to [email protected].

If you truly enjoyed the show, don't forget to leave a positive rating and review on iTunes. We have prepared more episodes for the upcoming weeks, so come by again next week! Thank you for tuning in to the Business Owner Freedom Podcast!

Copyright © 2018 BOFP

Danny Bauer is not only a good friend and fellow coach, he is a remarkable leader. He is the founder and author of Better Leaders Better Schools. He is impacting the world through developing leaders who in turn are impacting kids across the world. Listen to his wisdom and insight in this episode.

Danny Bauer-Three Ventures

Danny has three ventures that takes approximately 70% of his time. Better Leaders Better Schools is a coaching program and leadership community. He serves school principals through a podcast, a mastermind, and coaching. He loves education and loves to teach. Danny helps others with their podcasting and their mastermind groups as well.

"What fires me up in the morning is the opportunity to help and serve people. I could trace that all the way back to high school; I loved tutoring my peers. When I saw that they got it, saw that light in their eye, see that longing in their heart and their operating within their strengths, and see their dreams become a reality that's what gives me energy; that's my oxygen." – Danny Bauer

Starting a Business

Danny claims that he had a lot of dumb luck at the beginning. He also had a job while starting his business. He dedicated his time to his job and focused 100% and then what time he had left he dedicated time to his business. Danny found the cultural fit in a district he was working in was not good. He found the woman of his dreams and decided that he would move overseas and began working virtually 100%. Now he has found a rich life.

"The way that I think about it is the school I left had about 1,300 kids, that is a pretty large school and impact. I work with 41 leaders now and if we say 1,000 kids per school, I've increased my impact to 41,000 through coaching." – Danny Bauer

Scarcity

Easy connect to your customers

Manages his end of day energy windows

Challenges

Danny does not want to fail in his virtual business. He is trying to replace is previous income with his virtual journey and has found some consistency. Coaching principals has been such a positive experience but deals with imposter syndrome being in an uncomfortable zone at times. It does get easier each time.

"I'm afraid of failure. It's scary." – Danny Bauer

Scarcity Model

The one thing that would change Danny's business would be exposure. He likes marketing and writing interesting copy and he knows that once people know what he does, they will find it a meaningful asset to their leadership. He has an application process to a permanently closed group and he has to vet the applicants to become members of his leadership community. Having scarcity to his mastermind made it explode.

"The scarcity model absolutely works." – Danny Bauer

To hear more about Danny Bauer's business journey, download and listen to the episode!

Connect with Danny Bauer

Website

Facebook

Insta

Twitter

LinkedIn

Connect with Business Owner Freedom:

Website

LinkedIn

Facebook

If you truly enjoyed the show, don't forget to leave a positive rating and review on iTunes. We have prepared more episodes for the upcoming weeks, so come by again next week! Thank you for tuning in to the Business Owner Freedom Podcast!

Copyright © 2018 BOFP

Business Owner Freedom is a weekly podcast for created for small business owners. Some of the podcasts are interviews and a portion are topic based. We invite you to join us weekly to obtain multiple points of view. If you have specific questions, please reach out to us at [email protected].

Letting Go to Grow Your Business

Example: A business that has been around for 15 years and only grew in the first 5 years has become stagnant and the owner refuses to let go. The business has leveled off and is stuck. Why is the business stagnant?

1. They want to run the business from a command and control standpoint.
2. They want to be the person that is seen as the smart person in the business-their ego keeps them from letting go.
3. People-not hiring the best people
4. Processes

High Performance Business

"A performance business is one that can run with the business owner being absent for an extended period of time." – Gregory Gray

A high performing business will have processes in place that people can follow when the business owner is gone. This creates a culture of trust and benefits the business. Customers want a business where employees have the autonomy to make decisions as needed. If these processes are not in place, this will limit your growth.

Hiring the Right Team

Teaching your people to hire through the processes that are in place is essential to forming a high performing team. With the exception of key roles where the business owner should be involved, ensuring that systems are in place and clearly defined and understood by those who hire. A manager should be trusted to make the decisions to make the hire for their team without the business owner.

"Having a high performance team is a sure path to Business Owner Freedom." – Dan Miller

Communication and Delegation

True delegation is a part of communication and is extremely important. When you delegate you must give the employee the tools to make decisions. Authority must be given for success. The employer cannot assume responsibility of the delegation. The employee must assume the responsibility to get the task time. The employer must ensure that the employee does get the task done. Make sure your employees you delegate to have the tools and the right to make decisions to help grow your business.

"Delegation is giving somebody the responsibility to get something done." – Dan Miller

To hear more about the four reasons a business may be stagnant and how to Let Go to Grow, download and listen to the episode!

Connect with Business Owner Freedom:

Website

LinkedIn

Facebook

If you truly enjoyed the show, don't forget to leave a positive rating and review on iTunes. We have prepared more episodes for the upcoming weeks, so come by again next week! Thank you for tuning in to the Business Owner Freedom Podcast!

Copyright © 2018 BOFP