Are you an entrepreneur that is afraid to spend money on marketing to reach your customers? Do you have the mindset that your customers are not buying products and services? 

Are you worried that you're not going to have enough money and that you're taking chances spending money on marketing and not getting enough results from it?

These are the three key questions our Dollars & Data host Coleman Smith is asking us to consider as we think about embracing fearless marketing. If you feel this way, don't worry: Cole's been there too. But the truth is that 2023 is the perfect time to seize an opportunity! 

There are three key areas that you can reduce the fear you might have – and start looking at innovation that can drive your business. 

Maybe you need to change some of the ways you've been omni-marketing, but it's not about pulling the brakes on your marketing spend. It's about using fear to motivate you. Perhaps the landscape is less competitive – and that means there's more opportunity there for you!

Whether it's looking at your existing data to see what you can do differently, or finding new partners and trying something different, there are plenty of ways to be more agile, and more fearless in your marketing as you grow your business and see out these challenging times. Please join us!

"Use fear as a catalyst for innovation." ~ Coleman Smith

In This Episode:

- Using fear as a catalyst for innovation

- How to see opportunity in challenging times

- Looking at your data to turn those pennies into dollars

- Asking questions with your data-driven analytics

- Adaptability: what can you do differently in changing times?

- How agile are you in your business? 

- Appreciating that more fear means less competition

- Looking for new ways to find vertical, niche markets

- Assessing your market positioning and value proposition

- Cultivating brand resilience and growing your brand when it's cheaper 

And so much more!

Connect with Cole Smith:

- Email - [email protected]

- Website - www.gz6g.com

- Facebook- https://www.facebook.com/GreenZebra/

- LinkedIn- https://www.linkedin.com/company/greenzebra

- YouTube- https://www.youtube.com/c/GreenzebraNetgzm/featured

How do you establish a growth mindset? How do you build resilience in your business? And how are you creating mindfulness in your business on a day-to-day basis? 

These are the questions our host William 'Cole' Smith is asking us to consider as he cuts to the heart of what is required to build a mental mindset.

As entrepreneurs, we are going to face challenges and have doubts. And so it's how we prepare ourselves for those moments that will ensure we survive in business in the long run. 

From finding the right mentor to compiling a 'to do' list, and from alleviating stress with a timeout in nature so that we can return refreshed to solve our business problems, Cole is offering us great advice from his many years of experience as an entrepreneur. 

If you are looking for practical ways to improve your mindset so that you can up your entrepreneurial game, then this episode is an absolute must! Please join us! 

"When you don't know what you don't know, the best thing to do is read, write your list (your things to do list), set your goal, and ask people." ~ William "Cole" Smith

In This Episode:

- How are you building your mental mindset?

- What daily habits are cultivating mindfulness in your business? 

- Cultivating a growth mindset versus a fixed mindset 

- Building resilience when the market fluctuates

- Writing down the Top 10 things you need to do

- The importance of reviewing your goals daily 

- Failing forward with a growth mindset

- The importance of alleviating stress so you can think clearly and solve your business problems

And so much more!

Resources (Books Cole recommends):

- Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance - https://www.amazon.com/Grit-Passion-Perseverance-Angela-Duckworth/dp/1501111108

- Mindset: The New Psychology of Success - https://www.amazon.com/Mindset-Psychology-Carol-S-Dweck/dp/0345472322/

- The Resilience Factor: 7 Keys to Finding Your Inner Strength and Overcoming Life's Hurdles: https://www.amazon.com/Resilience-Factor-Finding-Strength-Overcoming/dp/0767911911

- Bounce: Mozart, Federer, Picasso, Beckham, and the Science of Success - https://www.amazon.com/Bounce-Matthew-Syed-audiobook/dp/B003IF3808/

- Option B: Facing Adversity, Building Resilience, and Finding Joy - https://www.amazon.com/Option-B-audiobook/dp/B06Y15MP72/

Emotional Agility: Get Unstuck, Embrace Change and Thrive in Work and Life - https://www.amazon.com/Emotional-Agility-Susan-David-audiobook/dp/B01FYC3262

Connect with Cole Smith:

- Email - [email protected]

- Website - www.gz6g.com

- Facebook- https://www.facebook.com/GreenZebra/

- LinkedIn- https://www.linkedin.com/company/greenzebra

- YouTube- https://www.youtube.com/c/GreenzebraNetgzm/featured

How can I grow my business? And how can I protect my business by ensuring that my computers are running smoothly so that I can do my finances, marketing, communication, and everything else properly? Cole Smith is back, with more technology for business owners to think about. 

This week we’re focusing on the overall health of your business and putting together an infrastructure plan for your business operations that involves your IT. What can a management service provider give you? How much ‘added value’ can a business advisor then bring?  

What is your internet speed? What does your network even look like? Are you still relying on cables, or is your team wireless? 

Being able to work remotely, or set up an office quickly, relies on setting up your connectivity quickly. From your smart TVs and handheld devices to your computers and printers, they all need to work together in a harmonious efficiency so you can focus on growing your business. 

How you answer all these tricky questions is covered in this high-speed connectivity episode of Dollars & Data. Peace of mind awaits. Please join us. 

"The infrastructure to your business is your key to success." ~ William "Cole" Smith

In This Episode:

- What does business infrastructure actually mean in terms of IT? 

- What is an MSP? Do I also need a business advisor? 

- Evaluating the infrastructure in technology

- Looking at ways to monetize your business with a smart IT business assessment

- Using office TVs to communicate your business brand

- Evaluating your computer network for cyber security vulnerabilities

- What software are you using to complement your IT hardware?

And so much more!

Connect with Cole Smith:

- Email - [email protected]

- Website - www.gz6g.com

- Facebook- https://www.facebook.com/GreenZebra/

- LinkedIn- https://www.linkedin.com/company/greenzebra

- YouTube- https://www.youtube.com/c/GreenzebraNetgzm/featured

What does visionary leadership look like – and how do we build a path to sustainable growth? What measures do we need to put in place for that to happen?

How is your purpose going to drive your business forward? Without a vision, we're driving blind. Creating a vision gives your business a clear sense of reality. Cole is reminding us in this impactful episode of Dollars and Data that our vision is our roadmap – and from there, we can work out where we are going. 

Up next is communicating our vision which involves articulating our core values, as it is defining our purpose that becomes the fuel in our tank as we grow our business. How we then align our vision with the technology on hand is the next challenge for us as business owners. 

Your business passion can be contagious. How we inspire those around us when we have a vision that others don't quite see is expertly articulated by Cole in three key topics. Please join us. 

"A vision is really created so that you have a roadmap to share with other people." ~ Coleman Smith

In This Episode:

- Exploring the importance of defining your purpose

- Identifying your core values

- Communicating your vision

- Aligning your vision with technology

- Defining your long-term goals and factoring in changing technology

- Attracting likeminded people that share your vision

And so much more!

Connect with Cole Smith:

- Email - [email protected]

- Website - www.gz6g.com

- Facebook- https://www.facebook.com/GreenZebra/

- LinkedIn- https://www.linkedin.com/company/greenzebra

- YouTube- https://www.youtube.com/c/GreenzebraNetgzm/featured

Are you ready to unleash your business potential? To do that as a business owner, you're going to need to have a positive mindset. We can often get bogged down as business owners when the network is down or a customer is complaining. 

In this deep dive about having a positive mindset, Cole reminds us that in order to overcome any negativity, we need to appreciate that we are problem solvers as business owners. We also create lots of benefits for those around us. 

Overcoming setbacks and turning those failures into success are all possible with a positive growth mindset. Are you creating self-belief so that you can incorporate a culture of positive mindset into your business? 

From practicing gratitude and setting realistic goals to taking care of your mental and physical health, Cole is on the money with this advice from the heart that will leave you feeling positive after giving it a good listen. Please join us!

"Business owners are problem solvers. We're not just in business to make money. We're in business to solve problems." ~ Coleman Smith

In This Episode:

- How do you get out of your own way to create a positive mindset? 

- Understanding the territory of running your own business

- What gets you up in the morning? Focusing on your passion

- What are the benefits of running your own business? For you and others

- What is the difference between a positive mindset and a positive growth mindset?

- Setting bite-sized goals

- Having self-confidence and self-belief

- Appreciating the power of resilience

- What is your 12-month vision?

- Practicing gratitude and challenging your negative thought patterns

And so much more!

Connect with Cole Smith:

- Email - [email protected]

- Website - www.gz6g.com

- Facebook- https://www.facebook.com/GreenZebra/

- LinkedIn- https://www.linkedin.com/company/greenzebra

- YouTube- https://www.youtube.com/c/GreenzebraNetgzm/featured

How do you feel when you put your car keys in the ignition and your car won't start? It's frustrating, right? Your IT business setup – from your WiFi network settings to your office printer, and from your email passwords to your cloud-based accounting packages –  all needs to work seamlessly so that you can get on and do your job. 

And your job as a business owner is to drive the car. You want to focus on the things that you love doing, like growing the business. But in a world with increased cyber security risks, and lots of moving parts when it comes to your IT infrastructure, consideration needs to be given to the right IT-managed approach.

Do you have someone in-house do it? Do you outsource it to professionals, known as MSPs (Managed Service Providers)? When did you last backup your data, and do you understand your cloud solutions? 

Coleman is breaking down the IT-managed benefits and the costs, as we consider an IT strategy that will ultimately save us time and money. As always, Coleman’s advice is on the money. Meaning that, with Dollars & Data, he's got your pocket and potential as a small business owner in mind. Please join us. 

"Everyone should put an IT strategy in place." ~ Coleman Smith

In This Episode:

- What does IT networking/MSP involve?

- What are the benefits of managed IT services?

- What common IT issues are you dealing with as a business owner?

- Where are your IT threats most likely to come from? 

- When did you last backup your data? 

- Unpacking some of Coleman's cost-saving recommendations

- What IT strategy should you consider? 

- Understanding cyber security and a global future

And so much more!

Connect with Cole Smith:

- Email - [email protected]

- Website - www.gz6g.com

- Facebook- https://www.facebook.com/GreenZebra/

- LinkedIn- https://www.linkedin.com/company/greenzebra

- YouTube- https://www.youtube.com/c/GreenzebraNetgzm/featured

What expectations are you setting for yourself as a business owner and your staff who are working remotely? What are the pros and cons of working from home versus coming into the office every day? How are you setting KPIs and getting everyone's buy-in for your business plan?

Cole is asking some super important business questions for us as business owners (or even just worker bees looking to conduct ourselves appropriately) as we consider a future work environment that will most likely involve a hybrid of home and office environments. 

From working on his family farm (an old school version of 'remote' work), to then using bulky cell phones and BlackBerrys while growing his media business around the world, Cole brings a wealth of experience to this conversation. 

Looking back on how we used to do things to see that in many ways we've always worked remotely allows us to envisage a future where we embrace modern communication tools and create a hybrid home/work environment that brings out the best in us as modern-day business entrepreneurs. 

"The future of work is gonna become a hybrid." ~ Coleman Smith

In This Episode:

- How Cole set up hybrid teams, including work-from-home and work-from-office

- How to manage work/life balance with the right tools 

- Creating expectation lists and tasks for your remote workers

- Investing in the right communication tools: cameras, phones, printers, microphones!

- Does your 'work from home' solution offer privacy? 

- How to create the perfect 'work from home' environment to convince your bosses it's a good idea

And so much more!

Connect with Cole Smith:

- Website - www.gz6g.com

- Facebook- https://www.facebook.com/GreenZebra/

- LinkedIn- https://www.linkedin.com/company/greenzebra

- YouTube- https://www.youtube.com/c/GreenzebraNetgzm/featured

If you're a small business owner, I'm certain you've tried to handle your digital marketing on your own at some stage. Depending on the size of your business, it's hard to keep up with the learning curve. Things are changing all the time, and there is always a new social media platform to market your product on.

Is it worth getting in an agency? Will they ask the right questions to get the right results? Do you have the right data to set the right KPIs? In this episode, I'm sharing my experience as we explore Small Business Challenges with Digital Marketing. 

Let's take a look at what's out there, from Facebook ads to Instagram, and from Google ads to Pinterest, let's consider what will work best for you and your company. Then let's consider the pros and cons of managing your own digital marketing, or whether it's worth hiring somebody else – or even an agency. 

Digital marketing – when you get it right – has a lot of upside. It can help you grow your brand, which will in turn increase your business revenue. Getting it right is the tricky part, though. And it sure can be time-consuming! I hope I can shed some light in this regard. Let's dive into the show…



In This Episode:

- Appreciating Digital Marketing as a way to build your brand and increase sales

- Understanding the digital marketing landscape: which platforms work best?

- What are the pros and cons of managing your digital marketing yourself?

- What to consider when it comes to hiring the right digital marketing person or agency

- Why the future of digital marketing (with AI) looks bright for small business owners

And so much more!

Connect with Cole Smith:

Website - www.gz6g.com 

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/GreenZebra/ 

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/greenzebra 

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCiVJ0wUhy1NNcJuluTV-Slw/

Artificial Intelligence! How can you use it in your business? This is a great topic for me because, for the past twenty years, I've been building companies. And to do that, you have to have a vision for the future. 

I'm Cole Smith, and I have thought about tools and technologies that haven't been created yet, based on the speed of internet connectivity. The vision of the future with AI is here now. Like the revolution of the computer, or the internet itself, AI is a game-changer set to redefine how we do things. 

How we can automate tasks, teach AI to become our personal assistant and learn our preferences, and how we can integrate it successfully into our business are some of the things I'm talking about today. 

I'm addressing some of the big-picture stuff here – we can look at the specifics of things like ChatGPT in a future episode. But for today, I'd like to address an outlook or appreciation of how you can use AI in your business and in your life. Thank you for joining me.  

In This Episode:

- What are the benefits of using AI in your business?

- Using AI as a personal assistant that will remember your in

- What are some of the challenges we are likely to face with the advent of AI?

- How can we integrate AI into our business?

- How is AI changing business in general? 

- The four different types of Artificial Intelligence

- How can we use AI to check for plagiarism? 

- Using AI to automate costs and increase efficiency

- Smart prompts for ChatGPT and chatbots 

- How Cole has used AI to screen potential work candidates

- Does Cole believe there will be time travel? 

- How does Cole plan to start implementing AI in his business?

And so much more!

Connect with Cole Smith:

Website - www.gz6g.com 

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/GreenZebra/ 

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/greenzebra 

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCiVJ0wUhy1NNcJuluTV-Slw/

Are you a business owner who feels overwhelmed by the amount of data that's out there and you just don't know where to begin with using it in your business? I’m here to assure you that you needn't fear –- data is something that you should get a handle on, in order to grow your business – but the opportunities should absolutely outweigh the overwhelm.

It starts with understanding the simple data that exists in reading a financial statement. Build your business with a strong, data-driven foundation where you look at the numbers and learn how to stretch pennies into dollars in your business, based on the data.

From there you can look at data analytics for your competitors, your social media accounts, and new marketing opportunities. From there you can harness data to optimize your operations and predict new market trends.  

I’m encouraging you to embrace all that data has to offer you as an entrepreneur. It's a brave new world out there, full of awesome experiences. Be a part of that world and learn how to use data to help your business grow. Let’s learn about data-driven analytics and all that it has to offer. Please join me.

In This Episode:

- Where do you start with understanding the power of data?

- Why financial data is so important in your business - understanding your financial statements

- Using data to stretch pennies into dollars in your business

- Harnessing data for optimizing operations and predicting market trends

- Hiring a consultant to help you with data analytics

- Understanding data mining 

- Where are you spending money - and how can you save money? (using data)

- Data analytics: use it, test it, analyze it – and repeat! 

And so much more!

Connect with Cole Smith:

Website - www.gz6g.com 

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/GreenZebra/ 

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/greenzebra 

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCiVJ0wUhy1NNcJuluTV-Slw/