Creative Collaboration: Conversations with Veronica & Jillian

Jillian Vorce asks Veronica Guguian about her perspective on experimentation and how she incorporates it into her work. Veronica explains that experimentation is like playing, but there are different approaches when experimenting with one's own business versus working for a client. She gives examples of projects she has experimented with, such as the space conference and online networking during the pandemic. Veronica emphasizes the importance of celebrating successes and learning from failures in experimentation. Jillian also shares examples of other companies, like Booking.com and Impactiv8, that have successfully used experimentation to grow their businesses.

Both Jillian and Veronica agree that having a flexible mindset and willingness to try new things is crucial for successful experimentation.

Veronica Guguian emphasizes the importance of asking yourself different scenarios and coming up with solutions to overcome fear and negative thoughts. She believes in understanding both sides of a situation before making informed decisions.

Jillian Vorce discusses the need for a culture of experimentation and curiosity, even in smaller businesses. She suggests using tools like A/B testing to improve customer experience and streamline internal processes. Both speakers highlight the resistance to change due to fear or comfort in existing practices.

Veronica Guguian emphasizes that she is a consultant and marketeer, not a coach. However, sometimes she finds it necessary to guide clients through their challenges and help them understand what needs to change. She believes that rediscovering the initial passion for one's business is crucial for growth and success. Veronica encourages businesses to reassess their values, mission, communication strategies, target audience, services offered, and overall approach to doing business.

Jillian Vorce adds that change can be difficult because of fear and complacency but stresses the importance of clarity to prioritize and effectively communicate with stakeholders.

Both Veronica and Jillian agree on the significance of providing clarity as consultants by helping clients simplify their approaches and clean up any clutter hindering progress. They conclude by encouraging listeners to share their current experiments in the comments or private messages.

People & Resources Mentioned in This Episode:

1) https://support.google.com/optimize/answer/11417589?hl=en

2) https://www.crazyegg.com/

3) https://www.clickfunnels.com/

4) https://lp.leadpages.com/

5) https://www.optimizely.com/

6) https://www.mailerlite.com/

7) Booking.com example: https://hbr.org/2020/03/building-a-culture-of-experimentation

8) Impactiv* example: 

https://thejilliangroup.com/change-management-impacts-sustainable-growth/#impactiv8

9) https://baseconference.amsterdam

10) https://jamesaltucher.com/

11) https://seths.blog/about/

About Veronica Guguian

- Website: https://spinideas.nl/

- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/veronica-guguian

About Jillian Vorce

 - Website: https://thejilliangroup.com/better 

- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jillianvorce

Credits

-  Music Composed by BeeLa Music

-  Voiceover by Amanda Balagur

In this episode, Veronica and Jillian discusse different pricing structures such as project fees and hourly rates, considering factors like team members' experience and overall costs when calculating retainers.

Veronica shares her experience with pricing in the market and emphasizes the value of a service when determining prices.

Jillian talks about different website pricing examples she encountered in the past and how it made her think about pricing based on results, experience, training, or overall value delivered to clients. She started using a retainer model early on in her business to avoid the hassle of changing orders and providing clients with a fixed line item in their budget. She believed it was more efficient and allowed for front-loading work. This approach helped her maintain clients for about three years on average.

Veronica Guguian has a similar approach, offering a fixed price per month for marketing strategy services, and later adding implementation services based on client needs. She discusses the importance of allocating budget and considering involvement in a project when determining revenue. She explores the differences between freelancers and companies, emphasizing the need for building relationships with clients.

Jillian Vorce shares her experience of not charging by the hour and highlights the value of relationships in her work.

They also discuss marketing's role in presenting oneself and helping businesses structurally, ultimately leading to more valuable advice. Both Veronica and Jillian agree on the significance of customization and consider hiring themselves for their own teams' work while focusing on client deliverables.

They finalize by mentioning  receiving positive feedback on their podcast launch and discussing future topics suggested by listeners.

People & Resources Mentioned in This Episode:

1. How to Sell Your Services on Retainer https://www.theagentsofchange.com/jillian-vorce
2. Pay What You Want model 

About Veronica Guguian

- Website: https://spinideas.nl/

- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/veronica-guguian

About Jillian Vorce

 - Website: https://thejilliangroup.com/better 

- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jillianvorce

Credits

-  Music Composed by BeeLa Music

-  Voiceover by Amanda Balagur

In this episode, Veronica Guguian emphasizes the importance of incorporating technology into businesses and discussing how to use it effectively. Jillian Vorce agrees, highlighting the need for business owners to be open-minded and educated about technology rather than resistant. 

Jillian shares her perspective on starting with where you're at and not waiting for perfection when it comes to AI. They both encourage listeners to explore AI and provide resources for further learning. Overall, they highlight the potential power of AI in streamlining workflows and focusing on higher value tasks as human beings.

Veronica Guguian discusses the use of AI in marketing, highlighting the importance of using it as a tool and adapting content to align with brand identity. Jillian Vorce agrees that AI can replace certain functions performed by marketers but emphasizes the need for human perspective and editing to ensure content is aligned with company values.

Jillian Vorce discusses three AI tools in this part of the transcript. The first tool is Fireflies, which allows her to be present in conversations by automatically taking notes and transcribing meetings. The second tool is Dex CRM, which uses AI to generate custom text for conversation starters on LinkedIn and other platforms. The third tool is Chat GPT, which Jillian uses for various purposes such as show notes, blog topic outlines, and social media posts. She also mentions Andy Crestodina's article about using Google Analytics Four with AI for targeted content creation and recommends two AI experts: Christopher Penn from TrustInsights and Kim Reynolds. Veronica Guguian expresses interest in exploring these tools further to incorporate AI into their business strategy.

The conversation ends with plans for future podcast episodes on growing a team and pricing structure. They schedule another meeting for next week to discuss further details and topics.

People & Resources Mentioned in This Episode:

1. Fireflies (for Zoom, google meet, etc - the recap is my favorite feature. Also works for transcriptions, to organize "to dos" discussed during the meeting and more
2. dexcrm - CRM Ai built-in to help with conversation starters (LinkedIn, etc)
3. ChatGPT - Helpful for podcast show notes, blog topic outlines and ideas
4. DALL-E2 and Midjourney for image creation
5. Magai - brings together ChatGPT + image creation - you can create & edit images, create folders - for client, personal, etc.
6. Andy Crestodina of Orbit Media:  GA4 + Ai 
7. Christopher Penn of TrustInsights.ai 
8. FREE ebook: AI Tools Guide for Business Owners and Paid Media Professionals by Kim Reynolds

About Veronica Guguian

- Website: https://spinideas.nl/

- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/veronica-guguian

About Jillian Vorce

 - Website: https://thejilliangroup.com/better 

- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jillianvorce

Credits

-  Music Composed by BeeLa Music

-  Voiceover by Amanda Balagur

Today, Jillian Vorce discusses how she built client teams. She emphasizes the importance of having a diverse team that includes the client’s target audience as well as outside perspectives. Veronica Guguian agrees and acknowledges the challenges of pricing and finding backups for contractors. They both stress the need to pay everyone, including themselves, and discuss the difference between being a freelancer and running a business. Jillian explains how she negotiated rates with contractors based on guaranteed business opportunities. They also talk about the value of experience in understanding clients' needs and building personalized teams for each project.

Jillian Vorce discusses her approach to client relationships, explaining that she values finding the best solution for the client rather than maximizing profits. She also emphasizes the importance of building a core team and bringing in additional skills as needed. Jillian and Veronica Guguian discuss their approaches to learning and development within their companies, using internal projects as opportunities for growth. They touch on the topic of tools and mention some they have used or are currently testing. The conversation also explores personal preferences when it comes to digital tools versus traditional methods like pen and paper.

Jillian discusses the inefficiency of traditional note-taking and the benefits of working online with digital tools. She mentions using Teamwork for project management but is currently considering other options. Jillian also talks about using Airtable for content and workflow management. Veronica Guguian agrees on the importance of digital tools for efficiency but emphasizes the need for human connection and shared values within a team.

Finally, they both discuss the importance of saying goodbye to clients or team members when values no longer align. Additionally, Jillian highlights her practice of offering professional development opportunities to her contractors and freelancers as a way to expand their skills and benefit her business.

People & Resources Mentioned in This Episode

• https://airtable.com/
• https://www.teamwork.com/
• https://www.notion.so/
• https://basecamp.com/
• https://trello.com/
• https://asana.com/
• https://miro.com/
• https://fireflies.ai/
• https://otter.ai/
• https://www.grammarly.com/

About Veronica Guguian

- Website: https://spinideas.nl/

- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/veronica-guguian

About Jillian Vorce

 - Website: https://thejilliangroup.com/better 

- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jillianvorce

Credits

-  Music Composed by BeeLa Music

-  Voiceover by Amanda Balagur

Today Veronica Guguian emphasizes the importance of both marketing and sales, as they are interconnected and necessary for success. She believes that good marketing helps attract clients, while focusing solely on clients without a proper marketing strategy can lead to inefficiency. Jillian Vorce agrees, noting that confusion often arises when clients expect social media posts or lead volume to directly result in sales.

They discuss the significance of understanding MQLs (marketing qualified leads) and SQLs (sales qualified leads) to identify areas for improvement in the sales process. They both stress the need for effective collaboration between the marketing and sales departments, highlighting that blaming one department over another is counterproductive.

They also mention how conventional organizational structures with silos create competition instead of synergy. Additionally, they discuss utilizing marketing strategies to provide service not just to customers but also within the company itself, such as supporting salespeople with relevant content and addressing objections upfront.

Jillian Vorce emphasizes the importance of proactively creating positive impressions and demonstrating your brand to make yourself memorable. She believes that even if someone has a good experience with a competitor, reaching out and offering help can still leave a lasting impression. Veronica Guguian agrees with this approach and mentions how she introduces clients to other companies, including her competitors, if they can't work together.

To close, Jillian and Veronica posed questions for the listeners, asking them to share their perspectives on the relationship between sales and marketing, how they perceive the collaboration between these two functions, and whether their own companies have siloed or collaborative approaches. The action item is to encourage listeners to provide their insights and experiences on these topics.

People & Resources Discussed in This Episode:

Mcdonalds & burger king collaboration 

https://medium.com/worthix/a-day-without-a-whopper-mcdonalds-and-burger-king-come-together-for-a-good-cause-55e1e16a5d74

About Veronica Guguian

- Website: https://spinideas.nl/

- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/veronica-guguian

About Jillian Vorce

 - Website: https://thejilliangroup.com/better 

- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jillianvorce

Credits

-  Music Composed by BeeLa Music

-  Voiceover by Amanda Balagur

Todays' episode starts with Veronica Guguian discussing the importance of not waiting for perfect conditions to start a business or launch a new product or service and advises to test ideas on a small scale before implementing them. She then shares her experience with developing a service called Marketing Buddy, which involved consulting and guiding clients in marketing implementation. Veronica tested the idea with peers, made adjustments based on their feedback, and started selling it within one month. She later merged the service into her existing offerings to provide better value to clients.

Jillian Vorce discusses the catch-22 concept of waiting for more experience before getting started and highlights the importance of overcoming imposter syndrome. She emphasizes the value of having a personal board of advisors and shares her own experience with seeking advice and feedback. Jillian also talks about her journey in scaling her brand and embracing sustainability through B Corps certification.

Veronica Guguian adds that it's important to have both cheerleaders and critics, as well as being resourceful in finding answers when faced with challenges. The conversation concludes with a discussion on collaboration opportunities and the need to stop making assumptions.

Veronica Guguian discusses the imposter syndrome and the importance of collaboration. She emphasizes that life is not perfect, and making mistakes can lead to learning and fun experiences. Jillian Vorce agrees, adding that adults are experiential learners. 

They conclude the episode by encouraging  listeners to take action and not strive for perfection in their business endeavours.

People & Resources Discussed in This Episode:

1. Keith Ferrazzi, Never Eat Alone 
2. Frank van den Horst
   1. https://www.linkedin.com/in/frankvandenhorst/
   2. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AGui87o2NXk,
3. Deep Economy, the wealth of Communities and the Durable Future

https://info.kpmg.us/news-perspectives/people-culture/kpmg-study-finds-most-female-executives-experience-imposter-syndrome.html

About Veronica Guguian

- Website: https://spinideas.nl/

- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/veronica-guguian

About Jillian Vorce

 - Website: https://thejilliangroup.com/better 

- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jillianvorce

Credits

-  Music Composed by BeeLa Music

-  Voiceover by Amanda Balagur

Today Veronica Guguian and Jillian Vorce discuss their perspectives on creativity in business. They emphasize the importance of adding a personal touch and finding what makes a company or individual unique. 

They share examples of how creativity can lead to meaningful connections and business opportunities, such as Veronica's online networking events during the pandemic and Jillian's experience with providing value through personalized content creation. Both agree that embracing creativity can have great benefits in various aspects of life and business.

Veronica Guguian then emphasizes the importance of adapting ideas to fit one's own company identity and audience. Jillian Vorce highlights the value of collaborating with competitors as a creative approach.

They conclude the episode by encouraging embracing creativity in various aspects of business, such as content creation and ways of providing value. 

People & Resources Mentioned in This Episode

1. https://escreo.com/
2. https://spinsucks.com/communication/pr-pros-must-embrace-the-peso-model/
3. https://espreedevora.com/
   1. https://headliner.ai
   2. https://www.swellai.com
4. https://www.wpbeginner.com/research/marketing-statistics-trends-and-facts-updated/

About Veronica Guguian

- Website: https://spinideas.nl/

- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/veronica-guguian

About Jillian Vorce

 - Website: https://thejilliangroup.com/better 

- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jillianvorce

Credits 

-  Music Composed by BeeLa Music

-  Voiceover by Amanda Balagur

Welcome to episode 3 of Creative Conversation: Conversations with Veronica and Jillian. 
 

Veronica's Lessons Learned:

• Surround Yourself with Curiosity:
  • Veronica emphasizes the importance of being curious and surrounding oneself with curious people.
  • She believes that curiosity leads to new opportunities, innovation, and adaptability.
  • Veronica links this lesson to the power of networking and meeting new individuals.
• Be Careful with Strategic Partnerships:
  • Veronica stresses the significance of choosing strategic partnerships wisely.
  • She shares personal experiences of entering partnerships without proper background checks or clear agreements.
  • Veronica highlights the importance of conducting due diligence and setting strong agreements in partnerships.
• Trust Your Gut Feeling and Say No:
  • Veronica encourages entrepreneurs to listen to their instincts and not be afraid to say no.
  • She shares her personal struggle with turning down clients or opportunities that didn't feel aligned.
  • Veronica believes that forcing situations that don't feel right can hinder growth and success.

Jillian's Lessons Learned:

• Have a Support System:
  • Jillian emphasizes the need for a support system outside of one's business or family.
  • She mentions the value of having a group of people who can provide candid feedback, celebrate wins, and offer encouragement.
  • Jillian reflects on her experience of not having such a support system earlier and how it affected her.
• Track Your Time and Prioritize:
  • Jillian discusses the importance of keeping track of personal time and managing it effectively.
  • She emphasizes the need to allocate time to revenue-generating activities and avoid getting lost in supporting tasks.
  • Jillian acknowledges the challenge of finding the right balance between working in the business and on the business.
• Work on Your Big Goals First, Daily:
  • Jillian shares advice from a business coach about working on one's big goals first each day. This concept comes from Jim Collins, BHAG
  • She recommends dedicating focused time to important projects before getting caught up in emails, social media, or other distractions.
  • Jillian suggests that prioritizing big goals helps maintain alignment and fall in love with the business again.
    
     

People & Resource Mentions In This Episode:

• BHAG via Jim Collins: https://www.jimcollins.com/concepts/bhag.html
• Founder of WyseMinds, Julie Perkins: https://wyseminds.com/about-us/

About Veronica Guguian
- Website: https://spinideas.nl
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/veronica-guguian 

About Jillian Vorce
- Website: https://thejilliangroup.com
-  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jillianvorce

Credits
-  Music Composed by BeeLa Music
-  Voiceover by Amanda Balagur

Welcome to episode 2 of Creative Conversation: Conversations with Veronica and Jillian. 

Jillian had a lightbulb moment that led her to start her own business at the age of 22. She realized the importance of how she presented herself and actively listening in networking situations. By genuinely caring about people and building relationships, she was able to grow her network and create opportunities for herself.

Veronica Guguian relates to Jillian's approach of networking without an agenda and emphasizes the need to maintain relationships. Both speakers believe that being curious, actively listening, and finding common ground are key aspects of successful networking.

They also highlight the value of organic connections, both within and outside their industries. Veronica emphasizes the significance of connecting with people beyond just potential prospects or clients, including collaborators and former clients. 

The conversation concludes with a discussion about being proactive in building relationships rather than waiting until a position of need arises. They consider engaging their audience in a panel or live stream to further explore different approaches to networking.

People & Resources Mentioned During This Episode

-  This article by @ChrisBrogan which categorizes people's approaches to networking into three buckets.
-  This company, GSES-System and it's founder, Kelly Ruigrok  
-  Jillian's TEDx, The Lens of Connectivity
-  Amsterdam American Business Club

About Veronica Guguian

-  Website: https://spinideas.nl/

-  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/veronica-guguian
 

About Jillian Vorce

-  Website: https://thejilliangroup.com

-  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jillianvorce

Credits:
-Music Composed by: BeeLa Music
-Voiceover by Amanda Balagur
 

Today Veronica and Jillian started by sharing fun facts about themselves, highlighting their early ventures into entrepreneurship.

Jillian reveals that she started her first business at the young age of 22, which was an Internet marketing business during the early days of online shopping. She reminisces about educating consumers about the internet and online shopping when it was still a novel concept. 

Veronica's fun fact showcases her entrepreneurial spirit and her involvement in the rapidly evolving world of e-commerce. She shares her experience of launching an e-commerce platform for French designer clothes. Veronica explains how she had to educate people about the safety and convenience of online shopping, particularly in Eastern Europe, where the adoption of technology was relatively slower. She also mentions the challenges and unexpected expenses she faced while running her business.

The conversation takes an interesting turn when Jillian mentions a successful businesswoman she met 20 years ago, who organized trunk shows for exclusive clothing lines. This prompts her to realize that she needs to follow up with this person and maintain business relationships—a valuable lesson in networking and nurturing connections.

The hosts then shift their focus to discussing helpful tools for business management. Jillian recommends an Ai tool called Fireflies, which transcribes and recaps meetings, making it easier to capture important details and action items. Veronica adds to the conversation by mentioning another similar tool called Otter.ai and expresses her preference for handwritten notes, which she finds more effective for memory retention.

They conclude the episode by briefly discussing data security and customer privacy, hinting at a future episode dedicated to the topic. They also tease a potential guest speaker, a lawyer specializing in data protection and privacy laws, who could provide valuable insights on the subject.


About Veronica Guguian

-  Website: https://spinideas.nl/

-  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/veronica-guguian

About Jillian Vorce

-  Website: https://thejilliangroup.com

-  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jillianvorce

Credits
Music Composed by: BeeLa Music
Voiceover by Amanda Balagur
Podcast post-production by Melina Dio