Business Reimagined with Danny Iny

Being delusional isn’t necessarily a bad thing, or so says Randy Gage. It’s all about whether or not your delusions serve you. Picture a teenager sitting in a prison cell for robbery. Now imagine him telling himself he’d be a millionaire by age 35. Would you think he was delusional? And what if he accomplished it? Today’s guest Randy Gage, did just that. He started out poor, landed in prison, lost everything he owned, and nearly died. But then he turned it all around, starting with his mindset. What Randy learned about the victim vs. victor mentality changed his life, and now he teaches it to others. Key Points At 2:10 - Randy talks about what landed him in prison at a young age, and how that same thing continued to ruin his life, to the point he considered suicide. At 6:05 - Why the Law of Attraction can be utter crap, and the real solution to prosperity that goes beyond simple wishing. At 13:00 - Randy's prosperity tipping point, and YOURS begins with one fraction of a percent toward the positive, and how to program yourself to get there. At 17:40 - Randy and Danny discuss how it's not necessarily a bad thing to be a little bit delusional, if it serves you well. At 24:00 - Why Randy expects success every day in everything, and why you should, too. Enjoying the podcast? Help us spread the word! Never miss an episode! Subscribe to us on iTunes or by RSS. (If you’re subscribing by RSS for the first time, go to your podcast player, and enter the RSS link – your player will know how to handle it!) When you rate and review, you help us reach others. Leave us a short review and a rating on iTunes, and every week we'll mention a reviewer by name and share what they had to say!

Mitch Russo is no stranger to success in business, and most often, he done it from locations that might surprise you. From his spare bedroom to Machu Picchu, Mitch has devised and developed systems for creating ‘invisible organizations.’ He has recruited top talent from around the world, perfected a method of training them efficiently, explored what mindset a successful CEO needs, and he even wrote a book on the subject. Today, Mitch and Danny talk about the concept of an ‘invisible organization,’ and how it’s within reach for just about everyone, whether you have a brick and mortar business, or are just starting out. Key Points At 1:00 - Mitch tells the story of a chance meeting with Chet Holms, how he built his sales force, and his eventual partnership with Tony Robbins. At 5:50 - Mitch explains what an invisible organization is, and how he was able to run BBI from destinations like Machu Picchu. At 9:40 - Mitch goes into detail about what's in his book, and how going invisible can happen for brick and mortar businesses. At 14:20 - The heart of the invisible organization, Mitch says, is how you train your employees. The most important part is creating a learning management system that does the work for you. At 23:10 - It might seem like learning management systems and working virtually could make employees feel isolated, but Mitch explains why that's not the case. Enjoying the podcast? Help us spread the word! Never miss an episode! Subscribe to us on iTunes or by RSS. (If you’re subscribing by RSS for the first time, go to your podcast player, and enter the RSS link – your player will know how to handle it!) When you rate and review, you help us reach others. Leave us a short review and a rating on iTunes, and every week we'll mention a reviewer by name and share what they had to say!

Gini Dietrich is the founder and CEO of Arment Dietrich, a Chicago-based integrated marketing communication firm and the author of the top PR blog, Spin Sucks. But if you're wondering what an 'integrated marketing communication firm' actually is in relation to PR, you're not alone. Today Gini talks with Danny about how she's reimagining the often misunderstood industry of PR, and how you can apply her innovations to your own business. Key Points At 5:20 - Gini rips away the curtain about what the PR industry actually is, and what they do. At 8:40 - The myth of separate silos for advertising, sales, brand, PR, etc., leads to a complete lack of vision and scale for the whole company. At 10:40 - There might be fewer silos in small businesses, but they're just as devastating - sometimes even moreso - and why that is. At 14:35 - Gini reveals how she started her company without a clear vision, and why that might not be such a bad thing. At 18:00 - Gini's shocking business strategy change that cost her all but two of her clients, but ended up doubling her return shortly after. Enjoying the podcast? Help us spread the word! Never miss an episode! Subscribe to us on iTunes or by RSS. (If you’re subscribing by RSS for the first time, go to your podcast player, and enter the RSS link – your player will know how to handle it!) When you rate and review, you help us reach others. Leave us a short review and a rating on iTunes, and every week we'll mention a reviewer by name and share what they had to say!

Srikumar S. Rao is a best-selling author, TED speaker, and former professor at many of the world's top business schools, including Columbia, Kellogg, the London Business School, and Berkley. But you might be a little surprised at the subject matter. Today, Danny and Srikumar talk about the deeper questions of meaning, purpose, and happiness at work, and the conclusions might surprise you. At 2:00 - Dr. Rao was very successful working on the film, 'Exorcist,' but explains why he ultimately left the industry. At 4:45 - Srikumar talks about how the most successful people often believe they are not at all successful, and are, in fact, insecure. At 8:00 - Dr. Rao asks one compelling, but simple question, that completely outlines the difference in motivations between those who are happy, and those who are not. At 14:30 - Srikumar's work might seem a little out there to some, but he talks about his time teaching in some of the top business schools, and the reactions his students had to his teachings. At 19:30 - Dr. Rao goes through two steps you can implement within 24 hours, and his own students often see immediate results. Enjoying the podcast? Help us spread the word! Never miss an episode! Subscribe to us on iTunes or by RSS. (If you’re subscribing by RSS for the first time, go to your podcast player, and enter the RSS link – your player will know how to handle it!) When you rate and review, you help us reach others. Leave us a short review and a rating on iTunes, and every week we'll mention a reviewer by name and share what they had to say!

Annie Hyman Pratt, once known as the Bean Queen, grew her family's business, The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf, from a small store chain to a celebrated national brand. Even with all that success, she learned a lot of hard lessons along the way. Today, Annie uses all she learned and helps other businesses who are undergoing large scale change, rapid growth, and reorginazation. Today, Annie and Danny talk about the #1 thing that will sink a company, even if they have a perfect strategy. Key Points At 3:50 - Annie talks about what it was like having the company she grew from 7 stores to worldwide sold out from under her. At 5:50 - Annie talks about the one thing that will sink a company, even if their strategy is perfect. At 12:30 - All about how Annie learned the hard way that criticism and blame will not help accomplish goals. In fact they do just the opposite. At 16:30 - Most problems start with owners and managers. Annie reveals her different approach to problems with employees, that begins with confronting your own fears, and sharing them. At 26:20 - Annie shares her vision for the future of business, a better way that takes in to account that people make mistakes, but in embracing this, even greater things can be achieved. Enjoying the podcast? Help us spread the word! Never miss an episode! Subscribe to us on iTunes or by RSS. (If you’re subscribing by RSS for the first time, go to your podcast player, and enter the RSS link – your player will know how to handle it!) When you rate and review, you help us reach others. Leave us a short review and a rating on iTunes, and every week we'll mention a reviewer by name and share what they had to say!

Ted McGrath is a coach to speakers and entrepreneurs, a performer, and an expert in the use and application of stories in business. But what makes him so unique in this? Because he takes the approach in marketing that we aren't all alike, that while we can relate to each other, we are all very different - and extraordinary - people. And it's this message we should share in our businesses. Ted walks the walk and discusses his own difficult, and sometimes embarrassing, past, from his feelings of not being good enough, to almost dying after he discovered in his twenties that he was earning six figures. Key Points At :59 - Ted talks about what he actually does, which is more of a movement, and how he doesn't keep any parts of his life separated from that. At 7:03 - Ted loves being center stage, but his feelings of inadequacy almost killed him, literally. He made six figures as a 20 year old, and that day he almost overdosed and died on the kitchen floor. At 10:50 - When Ted started his one man show, part of it was having to talk with his family about all the deep and dark secrets he had held in for so long, before he laid it out on stage. At 20:00 - Ted talks about the origin of the one man show, and how putting the most difficult parts of his life on display helps his audience realize and share their own stories. At 24:00 - Ted drills down to the core of his message: that while we may have things in common, we're all extremely different. And that should be carried over to marketing. Enjoying the podcast? Help us spread the word! Never miss an episode! Subscribe to us on iTunes or by RSS. (If you’re subscribing by RSS for the first time, go to your podcast player, and enter the RSS link – your player will know how to handle it!) When you rate and review, you help us reach others. Leave us a short review and a rating on iTunes, and every week we'll mention a reviewer by name and share what they had to say!

Ryan Levesque is the author of the best-selling book Ask, and creator of the Ask Formula, one of the most important paradigm shifts to influence online marketing in the last decade. That's impressive in and of itself, but Ryan is also a truly self-made man. He has found himself starting from nothing more than once in his life, and has ingeniously reimagined himself and his circumstances to rise to the top time and time again. From paying his own way through Brown, to Scrabble tile jewelry, the great success of Ask, and everything in between, Ryan is truly an inspiration. Key Points At 2:44 - Mitch talks through the life cycle of the market online, starting with the iconic 'publishing button,' and how it's become something very different these days. At 5:47 - While everyone agrees that the cream rises to the top, Mitch goes into why he thinks that now is still a fantastic time for indie publishers to make their mark. At 12:46 - Mitch talks about what he thinks would happen if he were to have just now started his blog, and contrasts that with the wild success of others who are newer to the online realm. At 18:46 - Danny and Mitch discuss Seth Godin's book, 'The Dip,' and talk about how to know the difference between a dip, and a dead end. At 25:18 - Exit strategies, what Billy Idol and Mitch Joel have in common, and how lunacy could easily factor in. Enjoying the podcast? Help us spread the word! Never miss an episode! Subscribe to us on iTunes or by RSS. (If you’re subscribing by RSS for the first time, go to your podcast player, and enter the RSS link – your player will know how to handle it!) When you rate and review, you help us reach others. Leave us a short review and a rating on iTunes, and every week we'll mention a reviewer by name and share what they had to say!

Charles H. Green is the co-author of the well known book, The Trusted Advisor, and founder and CEO of Trusted Advisor Associates. He's taught for Kellogg and Columbia business schools and written for the Harvard Business Review, American Laywer, and the CPA Journal. He also write the blog, TrustMatters. Charles is bringing a revolutionary idea to business, a sense of trust that extends not only to customers, but also to employees. In today's podcast, Danny and Charles talk reciprocity, how being trustworthy isn't enough, staying personal while scaling, and much more. Key Points At 2:45 - Charles explains what trust actually IS, and it's more than most people realize. This definition of trust is the foundation for businesses and trustworthiness. At 4:40 - Charles addresses the topic of trust in business, and how they're focusing on the wrong problem. At 11:00 - Charles tells the story of how being personal with people can establish business relationships that are much more lasting. At 13:26 - Danny and Charles talk about trust and scale, and Charles dispells a common myth about the personal touch taking too much time. At 18:23 - Charles talks about how trust extends not just to customers, but also to employees, in building a very flexible company that can scale well. Enjoying the podcast? Help us spread the word! When you rate and review, you help us reach others. Leave us a short review and a rating on iTunes, and every week we'll mention a reviewer by name and share what they had to say!

Tad Hargrave has made a career of teaching business skills to the people who are on a mission to change the world – which is hard, because they're the same people who tend to be most resistant to the concept of business! Tad manages to walk the line gracefully through his work at Marketing For Hippies, with an incisive sensitivity that I know you'll appreciate. On today's show, we dig into the deep meaning of what sales is really about, and reach some surprising conclusions. Key Points At 3:04 - Tad discusses why there's no way to strike a balance between posturing and collapsing, and how doing to creates an ineffective, muddy middle. At 7:00 - Danny and Tad talk about how integrity can slip when cash flow is low, and what to do about it. At 13:10 - Danny explains his alternative to the zero-sum mentality, and Tad follows up with the idea of shuffling value around. At 16:10 - Tad talks about niches that can't afford to pay, sustainability, and how a different business model might be in order. At 19:40 - Tad and Danny discuss sustainability that goes beyond one's on business and marketing, and asks the question, 'what would happen if everyone took this tactic?' Enjoying the podcast? Help us spread the word! When you rate and review, you help us reach others. Leave us a short review and a rating on iTunes, and every week we'll mention a reviewer by name and share what they had to say!

In making the very first episode of Business Reimagined, I interviewed 19 other Firepole team members. While the best is included in episode 00, I've gathered the FUNNIEST stuff right here, for your enjoyment. Don't forget to check out episodes 01 and 02 for interviews with Sean Platt and Mitch Joel! We'd love if you take a moment and subscribe and leave a review. Each week, we'll mention a reviewer and share what he or she had to say!