Summary:

In this episode, Dave conducts an hour-long interview with business growth expert, author, father, and husband Dan Kuschell. Listen as Dan shares how he parlayed a passion and desire for baseball into a successfully entrepreneurial career, what makes direct response marketing such a powerful tool, and the challenge of balancing parenthood with professional success.

Time Stamped Show Notes:

• 00:27 – Dave welcomes Dan to the program
• 00:59 – CEO—Creator of Elegant Opportunities
• 02:45 – Sleeping on 2-4 hours a week for 10 years
• 03:25 – Surgery (a health scare) was Dan's wake-up call to slow down
• 05:00 – The 7 stages of loss
• 06:35 – Ask yourself—what do I want?
• 07:25 – He who has his health has a thousand wishes, he who does not only has one
• 08:25 – Dan was in the Genius Network for 5 years
• 10:45 – Dave didn't feel like an adult until he was 30 years old
• 13:05 – Find great people and build systems around those people
• 16:00 – Who am I—at my core—as a human being and what do I stand for?
• 18:00 – 90% of success is mental
• 18:40 – Always have backup plan (an exit strategy)
• 21:20 – What would you do if you KNEW you couldn't fail?
• 23:30 – Find different things to package
• 25:50 – Can direct response marketing work within the B2B space?
• 26:05 – The future of business is a combination of psychology and technology
• 27:15 – Who are our TOP 50 business prospects and how are we working to get their attention?
• 28:20 – Being a good human being is one of the best ways to market
• 29:28 – Never lose sight of the fact that the person on the other end of the phone, email chain, sale—whatever—is a human
• 30:43 – Dan's passion for personal development is derived from a want to help his mother
• 32:20 – Figure out what you want, and then find a way to do that while delivering on someone else's need
• 33:39 – Joe Polish is an expert a human behavior
• 35:30 – Principles versus tactics
• 37:00 – It's not your company working with people—it's people working with people
• 38:28 – The mindset and routine of someone who owns and operates 5 unique businesses
• 40:05 – 6 Key business skill to running a winning business
  • Influence
  • Marketing
  • Hiring
  • Emotional Mastery
  • Leadership
  • Productivity
• 44:30 – What if you challenge yourself to have a 1% improvement weekly? At the end of the year, what type of growth would that produce?
• 47:25 – Family man versus Business man
• 52:49 – Nobody craves the mistake—we crave the knowledge gained from the mistake
• 55:00 – C-H-A-M-P-I-O-N
• 57:15 – Find a way to add value to small businesses
• 59:45 – GeniusNetwork.com

3 Key Points:

1. Always be willing to ask yourself, what would I do if I KNEW I couldn't fail?
2. Challenge yourself to improve your business in one of 6 key capacities by 1% per week.
3. Have a backup plan—just when you think things won't go wrong, they will.

Resources Mentioned:

• Genius Network – The program Joe started to connect highly influential, successful people
• Bootstrap Business – One of Dan's books on Bootstrapping business
• A Champion in the Making: Awaken the Champion Within Your life – Another one of Dan's books
• Growth to Freedom™ -- Dan's podcast
• com – One of Dan's influential businesses

Credits:

Show Notes provided by Mallard Creatives

Summary:

In this episode, Dave interviews Tim Jennings, a U.S. Army Veteran and long-time resident of Fort Bragg, one of the largest military installations in the world. Together, they talk about what military personnel go through during training and active duty, what life is like following discharge, and how the U.S. Military creates natural entrepreneurs through its emphasis on leadership and initiative.

Time Stamped Show Notes:

• 00:30 – Dave welcomes Tim Jennings
• 01:26 – Talking Fort Bragg
• 01:31 – American Dream U and the military transition
• 03:40 – Dave recounts his experience at Fort Bragg
• 04:55 – Dave looks tiny next to Tim J
• 05:16 – Tim's role in the army
• 08:00 – Tim shares why he joined the service
• 09:41 – Went to West Point with the help of football
• 10:25 – "No one else is going to do it. It's got to be me."
• 11:41 – Start with Why by Simon Sinek
• 12:20 – The Why that is baked into the military
• 13:34 – Life in Afghanistan
• 14:04 – Soldiers and junior officers don't want to talk about the Why on a political level
• 14:48 – Typical mission in Afghanistan – talk to local leaders
• 16:12 – Action versus Attacks
• 17:55 – Prep Work and debrief of the mission
• 20:01 – Blue Angels Show
• 21:38 – Recruiting/Hiring/Training in the military
• 22:12 – Quality control is essential for hiring
• 25:00 – Passion is the key to being a good soldier
• 25:15 – Sometimes you don't need the Why –just say yes and let the chips fall where they may
• 25:48 – If you want to be good at giving direction, don't be afraid to dive into the trenches with your subordinates
• 27:01 – Time shares the leadership lessons learned in the military
• 29:00 – Recall and cherish the relationships you've built
• 29:37 – Allow subordinates to make decisions but guide them as they do so…give them intelligent autonomy
• 31:00 - Admiral William McRaven's Graduation Speech – "Make Your Bed"
• 33:19 – Tim's 3 different mentors
• 35:43 – Tim's keys to life—community, family, profession and personal
• 40:02 – More on Fort Bragg
• 41:44 – Dave thanks Tim and everyone in the military for their service

3 Key Points:

1. "No one else is going to do it. It's got to be me."
2. If you want to be good at giving direction, don't be afraid to dive into the trenches with your subordinates.
3. Don't just blindly give your subordinates (employees) autonomy—consciously guide them along the way.

Resources Mentioned:

• Entrepreneur's Organization – The EO Network
• Fort Bragg – One of the largest army bases on the planet
• American Dream U – An organization that helps military members transition to life outside the military
• Start with Why by Simon Sinek – Book mentioned by Tim
• Blue Angels Show – U.S. airshow where debriefing is of great importance

Credits:

• Show Notes provided by Mallard Creatives

Summary:

In this episode, Dave interviews Mark Lack, author of Shorten the Gap, and young-adult life coach, who has been enjoying a wealth of personal success currently at the age of 25. Listen as Mark shares the experiences that helped him become the man he is today, and hear the key advice he has to give to both parents and young-adults alike.

Time Stamped Show Notes:

• 00:35 – Dave introduces Mark
• 02:05 – Mark's transition to mass impact
• 04:57 – Mark talks about his professional paintball career
• 08:23 – Mark's childhood
• 08:56 – It all changed for Mark when he was in high school
• 09:50 – Mark as a normal high school student with insecurities
• 10:33 – Discovering Tony Robins
• 10:56 – Realizing you haven't reached your full potential
• 11:45 – Focus not on "having" but focus rather on "becoming and giving."
• 12:45 – Dave shares his high school life
• 13:21 – What helped Mark gain confidence in high school
• 14:52 – Validation is not gained from the external but the internal
• 15:55 – Modeling the patterns of being confident
• 17:04 – Attributes that lead to success and happiness
• 19:03 – People want security more than they want to take risks…it's why so few of us realize our dreams
• 20:20 – Necessary commitments for success
  • 21:22 – Never ending improvement
  • True emotional mastery of yourself
  • Define and choose what your experiences mean
• 23:16 – You have a lot of time; focus on learning something and doing it well
• 23:53 – Mark's advice for parents raising a teenager: Have good discretion and be the filtration system for them to know when to do X and when not to do X
• 29:09 – Support children in their endeavors and passion
• 29:48 – Mark shares how he wanted to skip college and how he becames a totally different person year after year
• 35:12 – LEAP (Leadership Excellence Accelerated Potential) Foundation
• 38:28 – Mark's Short and Long-Term Vision
• 39:55 – Never stop improving yourself; become more; have more; give more

3 Key Points:

1. Don't focus on "getting and having." Instead focus on "becoming and giving."
2. Real validation can only be gained from yourself—no one else.
3. Always work to improve yourself and your experiences by helping others improve.

Resources Mentioned:

• Entrepreneur's Organization – The EO Network
• Shorten The Gap – Mark's book
• Tony Robins – Inspirational Speaker
• LEAP Foundation – Leadership Excellence Accelerated Potential
• Mark Lack – Today's guest

Credits:

• Show Notes provided by Mallard Creatives

Summary:

In this episode, Dave interviews Victoria Labalme, a keynote speaker, performing artist, and creator of Rock the Room. Listen-in as we hear Victoria share her experiences as an artist and as a speaker. Plus, she also shares some awesome public speaking tips for all the entrepreneurs out there.

Time Stamped Show Notes:

• 00:30 – Dave welcomes Victoria
• 00:47 – The Through Line and Rock the Room
• 02:01 – Victoria's background in the performance arts –on comedy
• 02:56 – Life at Stanford University
• 03:42 – Victoria on Stand-Up Comedy
• 05:01 – Performing on Sex and the City to jumping on at Carolines
• 05:53 – "I learned great awareness of time in comedy"
• 07:00 – Filmed vs Live shows
• 07:34 – Delivering script whilst making it feel authentic in that moment
• 08:38 – Delivery and messages whether clip, live, or seminar depend on the audience
• 09:37 – Don't go past the point of boredom
• 10:14 – English Literature Major and a Poetry Major
• 11:14 – How performing arts and helping businesses can operate side-by-side
• 13:08 – Structured Spontaneity and Constellation Technique
• 14:28 – Marcel Marceau
• 16:15 – How do you crystallize your message as an executive?
• 18:00 – How small entrepreneurs can communicate with their employees better
• 19:15 – KDF Technique –Know, Do, and Feel
• 20:44 – We're all communicating along different aspects of our Throughline
• 21:45 – Creating an experience
• 23:08 – Victoria's upbringing
• 24:20 – Victoria's parents
• 26:15 – Overcoming nerves on stage
  • Think about your audience, not yourself
  • Prepare, prepare, prepare
• 27:48 – It's not about confidence; It's about connection
• 29:06 – Slow-Walk-in-to-the-Crowd Technique
• 30:32 – Micro Rehearsing Technique
• 34:18 – Keeping them (audience) in mind and that there's business value coming
• 36:14 – Managing stories in a presentation
• 39:00 – Recycling information
• 40:33 – Victoria's not-so-good stage experiences / Misuse of Content
• 43:18 – Before-Presentation routines
• 45:55 – victorialabalme.com
• 46:26 – rocktheroom.com

3 Key Points:

1. If you're saying something from the heart, it's going to feel authentic as long as you're staying true to your message.
2. Don't go past the point of boredom.
3. It's not about confidence; It's about connection

Resources Mentioned:

• Entrepreneur's Organization – The EO Network
• The Through Line – Victoria's company
• Rock the Room – another one of Victoria's companies
• Stanford University – where Victoria studied college
• Sex and the City – series where Victoria is part of
• Carolines – where she performs on stage
• Marcel Marceau – Victoria's mentor
• victorialabalme.com – Victoria's website
• rocktheroom.com – Victoria's website

Credits:

• Show Notes provided by Mallard Creatives

Summary:

In this episode, Dave conducts a length interview with Joe Polish, founder of too many amazing things to name here. Listen as Dave and Joe discuss the origins of The Genius Network, why money isn't as valuable of an ingredient to happiness as is often perceived, how interpersonal relationships are the cornerstone of professional success, and much, much more!

Time Stamped Show Notes:

• 00:29 – Dave introduces Joe Polish
• 02:09 – The story of Joe's passage through adversity
• 03:00 – Focus on making yourself useful to LOTS of people
• 03:44 – Money earned ethically is a by-product of value creation
• 06:12 – Finding meaning and, therefore, happiness
• 06:54 – Nothing tastes as great as being lean feels
• 09:10 – Often times, the things that will make you the happiest have nothing to do with materiality
• 11:15 – At the end of the day, the person you need to be most connected with is you
• 11:35 – The things that are the most enjoyable in life are the things that are the hardest to do
• 14:57 – Necessity is the mother of invention—most successful people create, not from a place of inspiration, but from a place of desperation
• 16:24 – Don't ever forget what it's like to have fun
• 18:26 – Are you treating yourself like a million-dollar race horse? You should
• 19:45 – Don't become a behavior addict
• 21:31 – He who has his health has 1,000 ambitions, he who does not only has one
• 24:50 – Irritated oysters make pearls
• 25:42 – Most of the money we make in this world comes from transforming other peoples' bad news into good news
• 29:19 – An entrepreneur who takes resources from a lower level of productivity to a higher one
• 31:03 – One of the challenges with self-help is trying to learn "what to do"—that's not how it works—you need to get to the true causal root of your problems before you can learn what to do
• 37:43 – Are other people making money in your industry? Yes?—then there's nothing wrong with the industry, there's something wrong with you
• 38:50 – Learn fundamental business skills—until you have those, the industry doesn't matter
• 40:20 – You're not entitled to anything, you need to figure out how to make it work
• 41:48 – Any problem in the world can be solved with the right sales letter
• 42:50 – Educate people on how to make a buying decision—it's the only way to get them to think about something other than price
• 49:55 – Just make it easy for someone to understand what you do
• 54:40 – Starting the Genius Network
• 59:30 – It's not about what you LEARN in the Genius Network, it's about the connections you make
• 64:00 – It's not about Joe Polish the man representing the brand—it's about the incredibly people and relationships that have created the brand
• 65:30 – Joe joined EO in 1995
• 66:33 – How do you deal with things when they're not working? When you're feeling overwhelmed?
• 67:31 – There are going to be times when you straight-up don't wanna play anymore—but remember that feelings aren't facts
• 67:55 – Amateurs wait for inspiration, professionals do it with a headache
• 68:30 – Don't worry alone, get the facts, and have a plan
• 69:03 – Stay connected—Vitamin C
• 69:29 – Your attention is your most valuable asset
• 69:38 – Be willing to destroy anything in your life that is no excellent
• 70:15 – Nothing feels good in the middle…it feels good at the end
• 72:09 – Protect your confidence and protect your gratitude

3 Key Points:

1. Necessity is the mother of invention—create from a place of desperation, not inspiration.
2. Be willing to destroy anything in your life that is not excellent.
3. If you're really hell-bent on making money, find a way to transform other people's bad news into good news.

Resources Mentioned:

• Entrepreneur's Organization – The EO Network
• Joe Polish – Marketing wiz, creator of Piranha Marketing and Genius Network, host of two podcasts
• I Love Marketing – Joe's podcast with Dean Jackson
• 10X Podcast – Joe's Podcast with Dan Sullivan
• Piranha Marketing – Joe's marketing company
• Genius Network – The program Joe started to connect highly influential, successful people

Credits:

• Show Notes provided by Mallard Creatives