In this final episode of Connect, Engage, Inspire, Danny and Audra take you behind the scenes of Firepole Marketing, in a sneak peak of what's to come in our brand new podcast, Business Reimagined.

SNEAK PEAK: Check out the BLOOPER REEL for the team interviews on our Business Reimagined page at iTunes! Also, the first and second BR episodes include interviews with Sean Platt and Mitch Joel!

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Keynotes

At 1:40 - The team is made up of people from around the world, with diverse backgrounds, but for most of us, we came to Firepole for the same reasons.

At 8:14 - Team members share their experiences applying for and being hired, and whether or not the staff lived up to expectations.

At 13:57 - Team members talk about their relationships with their students, and how much it really means.

At 17:02 - Firepole doesn't just expect their students to learn, the opportunitiy and expectation is also part of the team culture.

At 19:30 - Firepole team members give their best advice to students and entrepreneurs based on what they've learned and experienced as part of the team.

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Don't forget to check out the new podcast, Business Reimagined. It's already in iTunes and Firepole Marketing.com

In terms of business growth, what do you consider yourself? A mouse, a gazelle, or an elephant? Today’s guest Verne Harnish, talks about  his passion – helping businesses scale up, and what it takes to become a 'gazelle.'

So let's get started! All you have to do is click the play button below.

Podcast runtime: 22 min 15 seconds

At 0:39 – Verne explains exactly what a gazelle is, in terms of scaling up businesses, and how it’s determined by growth rather than income.

At 5:52 – Verne goes into detail about the three disciplines and four decisions that make up the Rockefeller habits, and it starts with relationship. Next is strategy, the nexecution, and the fourth? Cash.

At 12:01 – Just like Tim Ferriss owns the phrase ‘four hour,’ Verne talks about how you can position and cement yourself in others’ minds with the right word or words.

At 17:06 – Verne discusses the huge problem Michael Dell, a billion dollar business, how their common sense solution can help anyone, and the two biggest weaknesses in companies scaling up.

At 19:27 – When businesses speak Spanish, and banks speak Portuguese, what do you do? Vern says you get a mentor who is strong in Portuguese, and bridge the gap.

If you liked what you heard here, please 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!)

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For those of you interested in software startups, there can be a lot of hurdles, from funding to competition, and the rapidly changing landscape of technology. Today’s guest, founder of Mailbird Andrea Loubier, talks about her journey and navigating those hurdles, as her company has grown from fledgling to full flight.

Podcast runtime: 23 min 03 seconds 

At 4:55 – Andrea talks funding, where hers came from, and why she built her business from the ground up from overseas.

At 7:34 – Startups are tough, and Andrea talks about how she took a small investment, in addition to her bootstrapped funds, and experimented with pricing and scale.

At 13:08 – Mailbird has a lower price point, and Andrea discusses why that’s scary, and why it’s necessary, and how it can work.

At 15:22 – Andrea has always listened to her customers to direct her software, but she discusses the limitations on ‘feature requests.’

At 16:53 – Having a great piece of software isn't enough, and Andrea discusses some of the things they've tried as marketers, from Google AdWords to soft launches on blogs.

If you liked what you heard here, please 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!)

And if you’re loving the podcast and have a moment to spare, we’d *really* appreciate it if you could leave us a short review and 5-star rating on iTunes (if you think we deserve it).

Defining your brand can be a situation like ‘the chicken or the egg.’ Is it what you think you are and try to convey, or is it what your audience perceives about you, and decides you are? Today, Danny talks with author and brand coach Libby Gill, who has run the gamut of brands, from being the spokesperson of Jerry Springer, to where she is now, which is helping new and established business owners embrace authentic brand.

Podcast runtime: 23 min 20 seconds

At 1:26 – Libby talks about her time as the spokesperson for the Jerry Springer Show, chair-throwing and all, and whether or not it was ‘for real.’

At 5:56 – There are several ways to find out if your branding is effective and authentic, and it’s no more difficult that simply asking.

At 8:23 – With new entrepreneurs building their brand, Libby has some excellent advice on where to start, beginning with ‘What’s the purpose?’ She goes on to talk about course-correcting if you’ve had a false start.

At 13:40 – Libby’s book, Capture the Mindshare and the Market Share Will Follow, goes into detail about how you can peer into people’s brains and see how they make buying decisions, and how it can help shape your own brand.

At 19:04 – Libby tells the true story of the little girl who grew one tiny cabbage seed, and fed those in need. From there, it was 50 gardens, then she took her idea, founded a nonprofit, and energized thousands of others to do the same.

If you liked what you heard here, please 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!)

And if you’re loving the podcast and have a moment to spare, we’d *really* appreciate it if you could leave us a short review and 5-star rating on iTunes (if you think we deserve it).

It’s not always easy to approach JV partners to help promote your product or business. Is your first instinct to find a potential partner whose audience would be a perfect fit, and use that as your pitch? The truth is, approaching a potential partner from that angle is one of the biggest mistakes newer entrepreneurs make. Today, Danny talks with JV Attraction Coach Andy Hussong, and he walks you through the do’s and don’ts of building JV partnerships.

Podcast runtime: 25 min 52 seconds 

At 2:53 – Andy talks about what it takes to bring joint venture partners on board, beyond having a solid product that fits their audience, and the number one thing NOT to do when approaching potential partners.

At 5:37 – Andy expands on other common mistakes entrepreneurs make when approaching potential JV partners that will leave them dead in the water.

At 8:32 – Andy lays out how to create a great experience for your new JV partners, that will also more effectively promote your product in a ‘brainstorm call.’

At 12:46 – When entrepreneurs put their audience first, Andy points out that reciprocal promotions can be ridiculous, and that there are other ways to reciprocate besides promoting products that don’t suit your audience, just because someone else promoted your products.

At 15:43 – Andy talks about where to actually find JV partners, and how cold approach them, one step at a time.

If you liked what you heard here, please 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!)

And if you’re loving the podcast and have a moment to spare, we’d *really* appreciate it if you could leave us a short review and 5-star rating on iTunes (if you think we deserve it).

Gamification is a term that’s being thrown around a lot these days in business and marketing. From badges to leaderboards and beyond, everyone is trying to build their products with the type of gaming that makes them downright addictive. But it’s not always as simple as a points system, especially when you consider what you’re trying to gamify.

Today, Danny's guest is Nir Eyal, author of Hooked, and host of a number of different workshops focused on building habits.

Podcast runtime: 24 min 32 seconds 

At 2:05 – Nir how his own pursuit of knowledge in the gaming and advertising lead to the creation of his book, which he self-published first, and then had picked up by a traditional publisher.

At 7:12 – Nir explains what gamification actually is – from points, badges, and leaderboards, but that it’s more than just that.

At 9:12 – In the workplace, Nir gives his take on gamification can go very right, or very wrong, when it comes to human behavior.

At 12:53 – Nir explains that adding in gamification doesn’t have to be either in conception or after the fact, that it can be either/or, or both, but one is definitely more expensive than the other.

At 14:50 – Nir talks about exactly WHAT makes something habit-forming, and it has to do with how often your product is used.

If you liked what you heard here, please 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!)

And if you’re loving the podcast and have a moment to spare, we’d *really* appreciate it if you could leave us a short review and 5-star rating on iTunes (if you think we deserve it).

Advertising on Facebook doesn't require ninja skills to be profitable. Instead, it needs a personal touch, and plenty of touch points.

Danny's guest today is Keith Krance, co-author of The Ultimate Guide to Facebook Advertising. Keith talks with Danny about how to approach people on Facebook, website custom audiences and organic traffic, and building goodwill. He also gives his thoughts on whether or not a busy business owner has the time to manage a Facebook ad campaign.

Podcast runtime: 25 min 17 seconds 

At 4:40 – Keith talks about what you actually need to start advertising on Facebook, not just putting ads out there, but how to do it profitably.

At 7:39 – Keith talks about touch points and how many people need before making a purchase decision. He also discusses how to approach people with those touch points, and tailoring that strategy to a Facebook environment, including his thoughts on lead magnets and promoted posts.

At 12:36 – Keith goes deeper into website custom audiences on Facebook and organic traffic. He talks about ways to build goodwill on Facebook that, while it might not lead to an opt-in right away, it’s still an extremely effective strategy.

At 17:28 – Keith gives his ‘yes, but’ answer to how business owners can spend three hours a week managing their Facebook campaigns, and whether or not they can stay current.

At 18:56 – Keith breaks down his final thoughts on why you’ll fail at Facebook advertising without one single thing, and it’s not ninja targeting or bidding techniques.

If you liked what you heard here, please 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!)

And if you’re loving the podcast and have a moment to spare, we’d *really* appreciate it if you could leave us a short review and 5-star rating on iTunes (if you think we deserve it).

It's not always about the money - even when you have it. Today's guest Jayson Gaignard, had made it to the top. But he was living someone else's definition of success.

Today, Danny talks with Jayson about how landed a quarter of a million dollars in debt. More importantly, he shares how he turned everything around, and now makes his living as a 'people connector' - something far more fulfilling for him than the hands-off business he had built before.

Find out how Jayson got started in the Mastermind realm, and how you can, too.

Podcast runtime: 22 min 41 seconds

At 1:21 – Jayson talks about his 6 million dollar, 4 hour a week business, and why it ended up putting him in a quarter of a million dollars in debt, but also pointed him in the direction of his actual passion.

At 6:04 – Jayson was never the traditional type, when it comes to networking, but believes in quality over quantity. Even those who stick to the sidelines at social events can succeed.

At 8:17 – Jayson talks about the core benefit of Mastermind events, and the unexpected ROI.

At 12:06 – Jayson explains his two strategies for putting together, and attracting the type of people you want at a Mastermind event.

At 16:41 – Jayson answers the burning question, ‘why do a podcast,’ and how his dear friend’s passing from stage-four melanoma inspired him to create one.

If you liked what you heard here, please 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!)

And if you’re loving the podcast and have a moment to spare, we’d *really* appreciate it if you could leave us a short review and 5-star rating on iTunes (if you think we deserve it).

If you've ever wondered why people do what they do, and make the mistakes they make, you'll love today's podcast with Dan Ariely.

Dan is an author, and a leader in the field of behavioral economics, and while that might sound a little too academic, it's not! Dan's a charming and funny person, and he has an incredible way of teaching through stories and clever examples.

He's also the one who can also tell you what your customers will be happy to spend their money on, when it comes to online businesses.

Podcast runtime: 23 min 15 seconds 

At 2:27 – Dan talks about exactly what behavioral economics is, and what it means – we make the same mistakes, over and over, and no one is immune.

At 5:12 – Dan talks about locking himself out of his house, and his experience with a locksmith that spells out what exactly it is that makes people HAPPY to spend their money on.

At 11:23 – Dan addresses the problem online entrepreneurs and course builders face with communicating the value of the business or the course they have created, especially when they have scaled it up to be less hands-on.

At 14:37 – Dan shares lab results on how often, and how much, people lie.

At 16:15 – Dan talks about cheaters, like accounting fraud and insider trading, and the slippery slope that makes their lies unique.

If you liked what you heard here, please 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!)

And if you’re loving the podcast and have a moment to spare, we’d *really* appreciate it if you could leave us a short review and 5-star rating on iTunes (if you think we deserve it).

Today, Danny talks with Nathalie Lussier about her early successes and failures, her popular list building software, as well as how she created a 30-Day List Building challenge that she only succeeded at when she opened the challenge to her information-hungry audience.

Nathalie is an incredibly talented online marketing educator and entrepreneur who's been featured on sites like ProBlogger, VentureBeat, Forbes, and The Blog of Tim Ferriss.

Podcast runtime: 20 min 55 seconds

Key Points

At 3:20 – Nathalie discusses how she released her popular software, for free, iterated, and added services people requested in feedback to create a paid version.

At 4:12 – Nathalie understood early that list building was important, and having a list is something no one can take away from you, like social media. She took on the 30-Day List Building Challenge, which she initially failed. She realized people wanted to know what she was doing in her business, and succeeded when she rebuilt it for her audience.

At 8:54 – There’s another side to promotions and list building, and that’s being an affiliate. Nathalie talks about taking real ownership of a promotion from the affiliate’s side of things, and treating the product like it was your own.

At 13:06 – Nathalie divulges her first failure, a huge success, and another failure in product launches, and WHY they happened.

At 18:00 – Nathalie gives her ‘three-hour’ game plan for the 30-day Challenge, beginning with the understanding that we have internal barriers that keep us from succeeding.

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If you liked what you heard here, please 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!)

And if you’re loving the podcast and have a moment to spare, we’d *really* appreciate it if you could leave us a short review and 5-star rating on iTunes (if you think we deserve it).