Get Your Message Heard

OK, no need to bury the lead — the title of this post says it all: "It's time to hit the pause button on Get Your Message Heard." 

It's not a hasty (or easy) decision, and it is one that I've literally spent the last 3 months debating. 

The driving force behind all that deliberation is my core and foundational belief that what matters most for all of us is playing to our strengths as much as we possibly can. It's simply never made sense to me for people to work so hard on becoming good at stuff they don't do well when they can create far more impact when they get better at doing the things they already do well. 

That's why I found the book Now Discover Your Strengths by Donald O. Clifton and Marcus Buckingham so compelling when it first came out. Completing the included assessment and learning my top 5 strengths (from the list of 34 total strengths) was liberating and affirming. 

It also put a lot of things into perspective for me. Like why I always think about the bigger picture and believe so strongly in the power of mapping a vision and then speaking it into existence. 

You see the Strengths Finder Assessment (now known as the CliftonStrengths Assessment) revealed that four of my five strengths were in the area of strategic thinking and the fifth was in the area of influence. In other words, I am wired to think about what it possible and the to work through others to make the vision a reality.  

That explains just about everything I have ever done in my life. And it confirms why so much of my time is spent thinking about the future and seeking ways to make it better than the past. 

A side effect of this gifting is the constant evaluation of everything I do with an eye on how it can be made better and whether it should still be done. That latter not being the easiest thing for most of us to think about. 

As I've traveled the recent journey that's been shared in the last few episodes of the podcast, one nagging question has haunted my mind daily: Am I spending most of my time doing the work that I do best? The work that I was designed to do. 

Why did thinking about that question lead me to the decision to hit pause on the podcast? 

Because I realized that the path it was on was not aligned with the path I am evolving in my business. And, more important, that the resources, effort, and energy I was devoting to creating the weekly episodes were being misallocated and keeping me away from doing work that needs to be done to serve the people I am here to serve. 

Not an easy, or comfortable, admission, but a necessary one that I believe is 100% correct at this moment in time. Here's why: 

The journey I have been on since I sold my niche business and made the decision to pivot my work has led me to reconnect with my core passions of working with individuals and teams to map strategic visions and communicate them into existence. But that is not what we've been talking about on Get Your Message Heard. 

That's because Get Your Message Heard was a key part of my journey to discover (actually rediscover) what really lights me up — the work I want to devote the rest of my life to doing. And, frankly, I am proud of the body of work that came out of that process because I know it will help others as they navigate their path to creating their impact. 

But it's time to take a step away from the weekly work of putting out an episode so I can redirect my effort and energy to creating the foundational messages that will attract the clients I can serve best as I move forward. 

Whether that will lead me back to a podcast in the future is unclear to me at this moment. But I know what I most need in my business at this moment in time is a clear path for the people I am here to serve — a path that helps them see what is possible for them and enables them to decide if I am the right person to help them pursue it. 

So this episode formally announces my decision to HIT THE PAUSE BUTTON and stop sharing a weekly show UNTIL I gain clarity on how to make the show (or whatever replaces it) serve the audience more than it serves me. 

Thank you to all who have listened to the show since it started just over two years ago. I am grateful and it is my sincere hope that you found the insight you needed in the conversations. I hope you'll stay tuned as things evolve and wish you much success in Getting Your Message Heard and creating your impact on the world.

If you've been listening to the last few episodes of Get Your Message Heard, you've recognized that a lot of thinking has been going on in my world. In fact, I've done more (and better) strategic thinking about my business in 2019 than I have allowed myself to do in a long time. 

A big driver of that has been the realignment of myself with my brand and my vision. Let me explain. 

For years I've been living out of balance. Medicating myself with sugar and riding the emotional roller coaster that comes with that — something that it took me much too long to realize was in my way. 

In this week's episode I share a bit more about that and reveal the real story behind my 60+ pound weight loss, including the inciting incident that 'woke' me to the need to FINALLY solve a lifelong problem. 

It's not being shared to push anyone to make a similar journey, but instead to help Get Your Message Heard listeners understand why this change in the way I physically walk the planet now has been so impactful in my vison for my work. If that inspires someone to take action and change something in their life that is in their way, that will be a bonus from sharing the story. 

There is one other thing that led me to share my journey back to what I weighed when I graduated from high school — the desire to push the people who listen to the show to think bigger about who they are, why they are here, and what they can accomplish. 

I recorded this episode while driving home from 3-days working with a client and meeting with some mastermind colleagues. During the latter I had a photographer grab some new action shots — I simply could not continue to see the disconnect between who I am now and the photos of who I used to be (which still shows on the podcast image, by the way). 

As I drove into the sunrise that morning, I was struck by just how much potential we all have and started wondering how many of the people I engage with are trapped by something they have not even acknowledged, let alone taken action to change. So, I opened my Rev.com recording app and decided to record this episode while thinking about that and starting my day. 

I hope the story serves you and stimulates you to take action on something that you know you need to fix. Because arriving on the other side a major change amazing. Being forever changed and knowing it is incredible and opens doors you never even knew were closed. 

YOUR TURN: I'm curious — what's your story? What's in your way that you need to fix? What dream do you have that you're not pursuing because it feels too big? Please share a comment or send an e-mail to [email protected] and let me know how I can help you get started.

What I love most about having a podcast is the chance to dive into deeper conversations about things that intrigue me and will serve you. This week's interview aligns perfectly with that. 

Why did you invite this guy to be a guest? 

Sam Qurashi and I met in the Heroic Public Speaking Graduate School program last spring. His soothing presence and amazing voice caught my attention immediately. But more important the way he carried himself and his helpful manner of engaging made me immediately realize that he had a lot of value to deliver to my audience. 

That became even more clear when I learned that he had done something few of us do — he started building his audience before he defined and started his business. 

The result: He is approaching 300,000 followers on Instagram as he prepares to launch his new business next month. 

That's why I invited him to join me for a conversation and share some insight into how he did it and some advice on what we can do to be more effective in serving people using Instagram. 

Before I share a bit about our conversation, let me introduce you to Sam. 

Who is this guy? 

Sam Qurashi worked as a Psychiatric Resident in an addiction Hospital for about seven years, and throughout that time, he had the opportunity to interact with over 10,000 patients. However, for a plethora of reasons, he decided to walk away from his medical career. One of the main reasons for doing so was that he had a strong belief that there was a more effective way to help people.  

As a result, his journey into the world of, what he calls, unorthodox psychology began, and he started interviewing experts that are living beyond the frame of Psychology but are masters of the mind in a unique way.  

That led him to people like… 

The top cold reader in the world who can convince anyone that he's psychic even though he isn't, 

The top pickpocket in the UK who can elegantly step into anyone's comfort zone because of his mastery of space and attention,  

The horse whisperer who can communicate with horses through eye contact and body language, and many, many, more.  

  He then entered the world of social media to share his message on Instagram, a platform of which he had no idea about. But after analyzing and deconstructing that platform while utilizing his knowledge of human behavior, he was able to quickly grow his page from 300 followers to over 200,000 followers in less than 13 months. He was recently interviewed by Joe Polish who's the founder of Genius Network, the largest marketing mastermind group in the world. 

What's in the Interview? 

My conversation with Sam covered a range of topics, with insights into how to be effective with Instagram at the core — that part of the interview is one that I recommend listening to several times while taking notes and mapping your own strategy. It will be worth it. 

Here are a few of the insights Sam shared: 

• Commit to your message — nothing in more important that keeping your posts focused around the message you are seeking to share with people. 

• Don't Rely on Recycling the Same Content — people who follow you want to see more from you, not the same old stuff, and if they don't, they will stop following you. 

• Be Consistent — People love patterns and the secret to getting them engaged with you is to make it clear that you deliver new stuff consistently. It doesn't have to be every day, but a pattern that is clear from your bio page will connect better than random sporadic posts. 

• Use Stories — Share the story of you and who you are in your Instagram stories. Share what you do in your posts.   

• Promote the Page, Not the Product — Your goal should be growing your base of followers so they know what you are about and who you are before you start promoting things to them.  

As always, we closed our conversation with a book recommendation and Sam shared one of my favorites: Never Split the Difference by Chris Voss. I love the insight Sam shared from the book about seeking a 'No' instead of a 'Yes' when negotiating. His insight into why this is powerful was a highlight of the conversation. 

You can learn more about Sam by following him on Instagram @Samqurashi — you'll love the content he shares and so much more. 

Thanks for joining me Sam. 

Your Turn — Got a Question?  

One of my favorite questions to ask is "How can I help you?" and one of my favorite ways to do that is by answering our questions. If you have one you would like me to address on the podcast, please send it to: [email protected] and put "Question for Podcast" in the subject line then insert your question in the body.

Kevin McBroom — What are some creative ways you suggest to overcome self-limiting beliefs/imposter syndrome? 

Jeanette Bronee — How do you gain clarity about why your message matter so you can craft the message? 

Mike Brennan — What is the most effective way to determine interest of other surrounding initiative you are looking to launch? 

Jason Smith —For business goals you set a financial milestone or customers served goal? 

Bill McConnell — I'm taking a huge leap of faith into an online business concept I've never done before. My money up front. No guarantees on the backend. Exciting potential and value in the middle. What words of encouragement and direction would you give when it comes to getting my "marketing" message heard for this event? 

Murtaza Versi — Why is it important to have a coach or mentor to help clarify self-imposed obstacles? 

Paul Klein — In regards to income, how much financial runway in terms of months do you recommend when making a pivot or what I am calling going from "Client & Project" work and moving to "Content & Products" work? 

Kevin Breeding — How do you decide when to invest in yourself by getting outside expert help? How do you know it's time versus when you are just buying another course to keep yourself busy instead of doing the hard work we like to avoid? 

Tom Schwab — How can I accelerate or fast track results? I've heard stories of people who spend years speaking for free at Rotary, coffee clubs, and even the opening of an envelope before they ever get paid on stage. 

John Hulen — (1) What are a few of the best ways to turn speeches/keynotes into performances? (2) What are some ways the server audiences before and after the performances? (3) What are some ways I can help other entrepreneurs who don't speak in front of audiences understand the need for and how to improve their speaking abilities? 

Aime Miyamoto — Along the theme of integrating the brand dynamics of authority and relatability what would you recommend regarding an intentional approach to share the "realities of the bumpy and often experimental/unpredictable road of entrepreneurship" with your audience with authenticity and still embody the grounded and compelling presence of expertise and professional authority? This is a dance I've been struggling with. 

Barbara Burns Churchill — I want to create a larger speaking presence this year and want to know the fastest way to do that. I don't have a book (yet) and you speaking as a business development tool to connect with leaders so I can help their organizations with my programs. Advice? 

Thanks for listening to this unscripted Q&A. 

Michael 

P.S. Submit Your Question: If you have a question you would like me to address in a future episode, please send it to: [email protected] and put "Question for Podcast" in the subject line then insert your question in the body. 

One of my main objectives for the year ahead is to be more experimental — to stop overthinking and over complicating everything and take more chances.  

That's exactly what I did for my 100th episode. 

Here's how that worked. 

I scheduled time to record the episode on a Wednesday after an aborted attempt at something that was way too complicated and had too many opportunities for failure that would impact others. [If it had only been me at risk I might have pushed through, but I hate wasting other people's time, so I opted for the safe route and chose a different path.] 

Early on Wednesday morning I posted on Facebook that I was recording my 100th episode @ 1 pm and invited people to submit questions that I could answer. Then I sent 10 direct messages to people who I knew might share a question and personally invited them to do so. 

By noon I had 24 questions and was ready to record my responses at 1 pm.  

Then I had another idea — why not broadcast the recording LIVE on Facebook. After all, that had been the initial plan. 

So, I did.  

It took me close to two hours to answer all of the questions and episode 100 and 101 were born as a two-part Unscripted Q&A. I hope you find value in these two shows and invite you to submit your questions so I can address them in future episodes here: [email protected] Just put Question for Podcast in the subject line and insert your question in the body. 

Here are the questions I responded to in this episode:  

Jeff Meister — You've been working in this space for a while but you're not getting the traction you want or expect. You feel like you need to make a pivot. How do you do this without scrapping or losing everything you have done so far and one of the first five or so "essential steps" to take? 

Matt Cubbler — What is the best and most proven way to drive listeners to find and then subscribe to your podcast? 

Trivinia Barber — How do you prep for your shows? I just started my podcast and want to streamline my prep process! 

Justin Schenck — (1) In the first 100 episodes what's the most rewarding part so far? (2) When building your speaking business what do you find potential bookers want to hear more of from the speakers they hire? 

Mary Villoni — Working in the nonprofit industry I find that my clients struggle with telling their story on paper. Often times their mission gets clouded with big words about helping large populations of people that seem impractical. What advice would you give to help craft the charity message so it attracts more donors? 

Doug Fitzgerald — How do you plan, prepare, and stay consistent in sharing your great value-added content on social media to get your message heard? 

Antoine Dupont — (1) One of the biggest mistakes you see business owners make over and over again? (2) What are the three business books that should be given to any new business owner? 

Ernie Lansford — What have been your greatest challenges you faced personally getting your message heard? How did you overcome them? 

Kevin Monroe — Knowing what you know now, if you were starting fresh are working to upload for your business today, how would you prioritize your time and where would you focus your energy? 

Colleen Dupont — How do you whittle down your message? Your authentic voice. 

Terry Wood — What were the biggest challenges you faced in transitioning into full-time employment and stepping out of the traditional marketplace? 

Jen Singer — How do you soldier through a speech when you're handling tough times behind the scenes? 

Please join me next week for the responses to the remaining 12 questions. 

Michael 

P.S. Submit Your Question: If you have a question you would like me to address in a future episode, please send it to: [email protected] and put "Question for Podcast" in the subject line then insert your question in the body.

Last week, as a lead up to the 100th episode of Get Your Message Heard next week, Michael took a step back and to explore where we've been and where we're going. In today's "Part II" he reveals a bit more about the path forward (if you missed it, you might want to listen to  Episode 98 before diving into this one so you get the full context).  

Now, sit back, settle in, and envision that you're having "Part II" of that one-on-one conversation with Michael that we started last week about what Get Your Message Heard has meant to his business, his clients, and his vision for the future.  

Here are a few highlights: 

• Repel the Wrong Ones — Focusing your work on serving the people you are best suited to serve is the key to growing your business. Find the ones who fit by leveraging your strengths to deliver solutions to the specific problems they have that transform their lives. Then map your messaging to attract those people and that will help the ones who don't fit recognize it which will save you time, effort, and energy! 

• You've Got to Silence the Voices — A big part of the journey in the early episodes of Get Your Message Heard was about silencing the voices that constantly strive to convince us of what we can't do. They hold us back, make us overthink and hesitate to act, and generally get in the way every time we start to gain momentum.  

So how do you silence them? Get clear on the "core framework" you use to solve the problems you solve for the people you serve. Recognize that what you find easy is often amazing to others and find ways to do more of what you do best. That will quiet the voices because you will be aligned and on purpose. 

P.S. It might take some work to get clear and there will be some trial and error, some testing and learning, and some less than fulfilling moments. But taking regular action is the only path! 

• Choose a Definable Audience and Talk Directly to Them — Growing a business is not easy, particularly in the early stages. You start with an idea, you find a couple of clients and start delivering your products or services, then you begin to build a team that allows you to serve more of them. Then one day you realize you are operating at (more likely, beyond) your capacity. It's time to scale the business. 

At that point two things matter most: (1) defining the audience you are seeking to attract, and (2) crafting all of your messaging to attract them. This is where Michael's sweet spot is: Helping entrepreneurs, business owners, and cause leaders who are ready to scale up map their messaging so they can speak their vision into existence. 

The secret sauce boils down to 3 steps: 

• Making sure your messages are crafted so the audience will RELATE to it. Using their words, speaking to their problems, painting the picture of the transformation they want and need. 

• Committing to REPEAT those messages until you are almost tired of sharing them because the reality is that many aren't listening or hearing what you want them to the first few times. When they start smiling, nodding, and finishing your sentences you're getting close to having said it enough. 

• Enabling those who hear your messages to REPLAY them just like they do their favorite song. It may sound slightly different (like a live or in concert version), but the gist of the message is there. And that gives you leverage and makes scaling of your efforts possible! 

• Learn from Guests and Add Your Insights — Shifting Get Your Message Heard from a solo show to an interview show has changed things in many ways. One thing that listeners have shared with Michael is that they sometimes wish they heard more about how he sees the insights shared in the interviews.  

That's why one change that is coming is the inclusion of regular solo episodes where Michael will tie things together and call out the most valuable insights from the recent episodes. And if enough listeners share their questions there will be regular Q&A episodes. 

P.S. If you have a question, please send it to [email protected] and it will be addressed on a future episode. 

• You Need Pathways for Clients & Customers — One thing that has become clearer than anything else during the life of Get Your Message Heard is the power and importance of having clear pathways for the people who want to engage with you. If, like Michael, you have a servant heart, it is difficult to say no to people who don't fit or whom you just don't have the capacity to serve. 

In some cases, they aren't ready for what you can deliver, and it would be a disservice to try and help that at the place where they are. In other cases, there is a mismatch of values and vision that needs to be acknowledged to maintain your integrity to the work you do. That's why you need to know (before you are inundated) how you will handle the path of prospective clients and where you will lead them when they raise their hand to engage with you. 

Listen in to learn more about these things and to identify the insights that will best serve you.

With the 100th episode of Get Your Message Heard just around the corner, it's time to take a step back and explore where we've been and where we're going. In today's episode Michael gets personal about the path he has been on since launching the podcast and sets the stage for sharing a bit about the path forward (tune in to Episode 99 next week to learn more about that). 

Before diving in to the content of the episode, Michael shared an opportunity that can help you get some personal visibility for your brand…here are the details: 

A chance to join Michael for the Live Recording of Episode 100 — One of the most rewarding things that has happened since Get Your Message Heard was launched is the moments when listeners reach out to share an insight you've received from an episode of the podcast that helped them.  

If you're one of those people Michael wants to know what helped you and wants you to help him share it with others who might also benefit. All you have to do is complete this one-week challenge: 

• Share at least three insights you've gotten from episodes of Get Your Message Heard on at least two social media platforms between January 7th and January 14th to be entered into a drawing where 5 listeners will be invited to join Michael for the Facebook LIVE recording of Episode 100.  

• Be sure to do these three things: 

• Link to the episode's blog post — each episode has a post that can be found at http://www.MichaelHudson.com/### (where ### is the episode number) 
• Tag Michael in the post — you can find Michael on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter @DrMichaelHudson 
• Use the hashtag #ChangeImpactAction to make it easy for the posts to be found. 

• What if you're not a social media person? Then you can send an email to [email protected] and share your insights directly with Michael. But if you do use social media, please follow that path as the goal is to reveal the value of the podcast to others. 

That's all there is to it: Share 6 posts on social media following these steps and you'll be entered. You can start anytime, but posts must be up by 5 pm on Monday, January 14th to be considered. 

Oh, and block your calendar for 2 pm to 3:30 pm Eastern on January 15th so you will be available for the Facebook Live Broadcast (and please join me even if you aren't one of the 5 selected)! 

PS: The one person who 'blows me away' with their sharing of their insights will receive a complimentary 90-minute deep dive strategy call with me…Who will that be? 

Now, sit back, settle in, and envision that you're having a one-on-one conversation with Michael about what Get Your Message Heard has meant to his business, his clients, and his vision for the future. Here are a few highlights: 

• Use 3 Words to Guide Your Year — Michael is a fan of Chris Brogan's approach of choosing three words at the beginning of the year to set your mind on what you want to achieve. His 3 words for 2019 are #ChangeImpactAction 

• Acknowledge and Own Your Superpowers — Most of us spend too much time and energy trying to become better at things we don't do well, instead of focusing on doing what we do well better. One of the lessons that's emerged from doing 97 episodes of the podcast is the recognition that focusing on your strengths is the path to real impact.  

That's what enables you to get clear on the problem you are here to solve for the people you are meant to serve. If you're unclear about what they are, consider using the Clifton Strengths Finder to identify your strengths and then start working every day to align your actions to live into those strengths! 

• You Need a Velvet Rope — We've all seen the velvet rope at movie premieres and nightclubs, even if only in the movies. The truth is you need a velvet rope in your business that makes it clear who you serve and who you don't serve. It is the only path to clarity for you and the best way to increase your influence, impact, and income. Don't make the mistake of trying to serve everyone because that is NOT why you are here. (You can learn a lot more about this concept by reading Michael Port's Book Yourself Solid. 

• The Journey Takes Time — Michael shares the story of his journey (that began in the fall of 2014) of refocusing his work from serving a single niche to doing the 'great work' he believes he was put on the planet to do. A key pivot point was encountering Michael Bungay Stanier's book Do More Great Work and hearing the keynote about it at a conference where completion of a simple pie chart revealed what was missing in Michael's work. 

• You've Got to Respect the Process — Truth be told it took much longer for the Get Your Message Heard podcast and Michael's new work to get traction. One reason was that there were some things that needed to be sorted out personally before the change could full take hold. It also helped that after selling the niche business at the end of 2015 Michael continued working with a handful of clients and wound their projects down in 2016, 2017, and early 2018. That backstop of revenue bought some time to map the path forward, probably more than was required. 

All of these things combine to explain why the path forward for Get Your Message Heard will continue to evolve in some important ways as Michael homes in on serving the people he can best help — tune in to Episode 99 next week to learn more. 

Now out of the interviewer's chair and straight onto the guest seat; surely it is a delight to see a little twist isn't it?

Michael Hudson has spent much time over 90+ podcast episodes interviewing some of the brightest minds on the planet, working as host of the "Get your message heard" podcast.

He is a coach, speaker, idea-junkie, and creator of Vision Speaker™ system, a proven process to help leaders deliver dynamic presentations to communicate change.

On his website, www.michaelhudson.com he share insights from working with over 2,500 businesses over the past 30 years, ranging from academia, finance, small business, and politics.

But at the heart of it all, he is a teacher, coach, and "idea-junkie" that wants to help grow leaders do work that truly matters.

Today, he will be interviewed by a close friend, Jody Maberry, a marketing consultant and podcaster who has pretty much been there from the beginning.

Achieving a stability in podcasting 

Michael Hudson is a slow learner, as he puts it. His podcasts have been on the air for close to 100 episodes, and his commitment to seeing the process through has been kept stable by a desire to observe protocols and try new things over time.

Hudson believes that putting out his thoughts and ideas, speaking out loud each time – especially during his podcasts – has helped him understand perspectives to each view, separating what makes sense from what doesn't.

"I'm a shiny object guy, I'm an idea guy, you know, there's nothing that thrills me more than to get an idea and say 'lemme go see if somebody else has done it, how can I learn' and all of that stuff" Hudson says.

The weekly commitment to his podcasts offered the chance to build a focusing process and be able to speak to people consequently influencing them.

Core lessons learned from early podcast episodes

Hudson has a teaching style that includes fixing up a few key points and expanding on those points throughout his lecture.

It is no wonder that his fundamental belief, as he puts it, says "Your journey teaches you lessons that others need to know, and the reason you were brought to this planet is to share those lessons,"

The second point to that belief is that "if you don't figure out what those lessons meant, you could never share them effectively." And a lot of the first podcast episodes were centered on how he figured things out for himself.

Hudson also learnt that it is never easy to know just who is listening in on your program, and who you are impacting per time and this inspires him to keep doing what he does.

How he charged things up

Hudson learned to stop being a stereotype in the kind of questions he asks during podcasts. Now, he focuses on making it a conversation. In his own words: "Let the conversation flow."

Initially he would pick out at a bunch of questions – usually 9 or 10 – and ask them to the guests during the show, but down the line, he realized that it was all kind of boring when he did that.

Right now, there are only two questions he will almost certainly ask; what the guests are grateful for in their business, and what book(s) they can recommend for the listeners out there..

Hudson also learned a big lesson on time; going higher than you think you can. He makes a dream list of guests to be invited on air. And despite initial fears on getting a rejection, he goes ahead and makes contact nonetheless.

Framing the show to look like a show is also very important to Hudson.

"Prepare your guests so that they know what to expect," Hudson said, while speaking on ways to get your guest fully involved and making the podcast episode lively.

He normally gives his guests a specific sheet that offers pointers on what the show will entail. "When the guests get that, they will pay attention and they will help you make that show a success." Hudson said.

Guests that really made a great show and challenged Hudson

He recalls quite a lot of cases where he had guests come on his podcast show and then after a while realized that they had offered so much more insight than he had expected.'

Refusing to mention any names, he recalled the excitement in interacting with certain guests who repeatedly showed that they 'know their content' and are well driven on their chosen path.

The future of "Get your message heard" podcast

"What comes next is really trying to take the work to a new level" as Hudson puts it. He is focused on discovering clarity on his central theme and what his true message is.

He confirmed that the future would all be about "Resonance, Repeating and Replay" for his podcast series.

The upcoming three episodes will feature more explanation on these 3 concepts.

His reasons for podcasting and advice for those who desire the path

Hudson believes that being a podcaster provides clarity to you on your own thinking, and that there truly is nothing more valuable than that.

He also believes that podcasting offers the chance to execute the 'three Rs'; to resonate your ideas to your audience, then have a chance to repeat those ideas at any time, then of course your ideas get replayed by other people over time.

It is quite obvious that Hudson places value on being known for a precise set of values that his work represents, something like a niche and not just running around discussing every topic or idea.

Resources

www.jodymaberry.com

www.michaelhudson.com

Terry Weaver is a renowned speaker, author, event producer, podcaster, Ideapreneur. 

His real passion is helping people "live life alive" and he does this by traveling around the world and speaking to audiences including young school students.

He leads Mastermind Groups and hosts an annual event called "the thing" where creative minds, entrepreneurs and leaders interact and receive coaching.

He is the author of the book "Making Elephants Fly" which is centered on his passion and work pretty much summarized in one piece.

As one who has ventured into the music industry as an Artiste manager; he has had the opportunity to work with various talents and meet lots of creative personalities along the way. 

Terry and his wife Leslie live outside Nashville, Tennessee.

Terry's passion and work

Terry believes that he is a square peg in a round hole, one of the misfit types who can be revolutionary about the reactions they build up from their environment. He has the "one thing" idea which centers on focusing on the strengths of an individual.

"There is a lot of people that really believe that you should be super focused on just doing one thing," Terry emphasized, "I have had to learn to lean away from my weaknesses and lean in to my strengths, and some part of leaning into my strengths involves acknowledging what others might consider a weakness."

It is quite easy to deduct that Terry values a lively work atmosphere, one where his best abilities are honed and required more often. He considers himself a great starter, more than a 'continuity-process' type.

Point of gratitude in Business

As a great lover of creative work, and someone who has worked with Disney, Terry is grateful that anyone is even paying attention to his message, regardless of the medium used.

"I always say that great coaches aren't paid because they are highly successful, great coaches are paid because they failed a ton. And they can help you save yourself the time and energy from making some of those same mistakes that they made." Terry said.

Terry lives with an appreciation for the current age and time we exist in, with the level of opportunities available to professionals.

About early beginnings and career growth

In the 90s, Terry was a youth pastor. And over the years he grew in public speaking, having to speak at churches, colleges, and high schools.

His passion grew with more engagement – he was also an Artiste manager, working with musicians – and basically, one thing always led to the other for him.

At some point, Terry – his wife actually – realized that the music industry wasn't going to be sustainable enough for his career. Hence, the focus on coaching grew.

Now, Terry spends more time coaching, creating experiences, writing, and he's part of a Disney podcast that takes a little chunk of his time weekly.

Thought pattern

Terry believes that focusing on what you can do, is a great way to keep winning and not get paralyzed mentally. He emphasizes this in his book "Making Elephants Fly."

He borrowed a quote from Bryan Dickson and put it thus; "What's obvious to you is magic to others, to help someone else, you don't have to be ten steps down the road, you just have to be one."

It is no surprise that Terry is quite huge on originality, as he prefers to be himself all the time when he is on stage, and he believes that authenticity will always have an audience.

He confirms that using his own life experiences in his speeches, and even admitting that he is no expert on everything topic, has given him more of a bond with his audiences.

Resources

Podcast: Making Elephants Fly

www.terryweaver.com

It is always inspiring to see a couple who share similar interests and use their passion to touch lives.

Ann Sheybani and Walt Hampton, J.D are one such couple. 

Ann Sheybani is the author of How to Eat the Elephant:  Build Your Book in Bite-Sized Steps. She received her Masters in Creative Writing and Literature from Harvard University.  

She's an elite book coach with a sales and marketing bent and also helps successful entrepreneurs create powerful, expert-positioning books. 

Her husband, Walt Hampton, J.D. Biography is the Executive Director of Summit Success, LLC, a global personal and professional development firm. 

He is a business coach, law firm management consultant, leadership trainer & motivational speaker, also the founder of the Positive Leadership Academy.

Walt is a leading authority on the application of Positive Psychology in the workplace. He is the best-selling author of Journeys on the Edge: Living a Life That Matters, named a Top 10 Non-Fiction Book in 2013, and a 2014 winner of the North American Book Awards. He is also the author of The Power Principles of Time Mastery: Do Less, Make More, Have Fun. 

A 1984 graduate of The Cornell Law School, Walt practiced law in the areas of corporate and commercial litigation and criminal defense. He was the managing partner of a law firm for more than 25 years. 

Walt's passions are high-altitude mountaineering, ultra-distance running, blue-water sailing & adventure photography. He and Ann Sheybani live in Castletownshend, Ireland and Collinsville, Connecticut.

Business background

It is quite interesting to know that a little while after Walt and Ann were married, more than a decade ago, the missus found a way to drag her husband to a Tony Robbins 3-day event: "unleash the power within" – and as Walt explains it; he didn't really want to be there.

However, this was a game-changing event for the couple. They were both engaged in Tony's 'mastery university,' and later on, Walt was invited by Tony's team to apply for the school of coach training. 

Walt would go on to become one of 70 elite results coaches under Tony Robbins at the time, a role that afforded him the opportunity to use his analytical, problem solving and listening skills more frequently.

"It was so much fun, and because I'm entrepreneurial, I thought well; if Tony can do it, I can do it [too]. So Ann I, now more than a decade ago, created Summit Success" Walt said rather enthusiastically

The couple has worked side by side over the last decade, doing the work of consulting and coaching.

What Ann & Walt are grateful for?

"I think we are grateful for the opportunity to work with each other, that's a great gift," Walt said while treating the topic with so much emotion. Looking through the exploits of Ann and Walt, it is easy to detect that being able to reach out to individuals through their work is a thing of pride and fulfillment for the couple. "I think when we started, we had about two and a half people and I think they were relatives on our list, and now we have tens of thousands of people from all around the world, and it's a great gift to be able to touch so many lives," Walt said. Ann believes that creating a deep connection with people is vital in their line of business.

She said "When we work with people, we get to know them at such a good level; it's a very intimate relationship that we have with the folks that we work with. And I think it's what's missing in so many people's lives,"

Summing it up perfectly, Ann put it this way: "It's great to be paid for reading, but it's even better to get  really close to the people we work with."

Defining the need for clarity in the message provided to the audience

Ann believes in being known for something in your niche. Knowing who your target market is and what significant result your clients will get out of your work.

She emphasizes that trying to cast your nets wide and speak to the general public, will cause a situation where almost no one identifies with your work, be it a book or any other kind of business.

"The other thing is that there are a lot of folks who just want to sound smart, so they want to put all of their concepts all their big quotes in there, and they don't want to show that they have probably been there first class." She said.

The renowned author is adamant that sharing stories about step by step processes to solving situations, especially stories from your own experience, go a long way in helping people.

"To tell the truth about who you are in your business, in conversations, in a book, it is to make yourself free because you are no longer hiding, you are no longer waiting to be uncovered for who you really are" Ann said.

Issues encountered during work

Walt recalls not being fond of the technical problems that occur with the podcast sessions sometimes, naturally.

And of course, you would expect that the couple gets to be on the road a lot while having to juggle a packed schedule. They enjoy this phase of the business but admit that it can be quite cumbersome.

Managing a family and a business together

Ann and Walt developed ways to work together and achieve the desire always to want to be in charge, over the years.

"Walt and I are used to being in charge and taking the lead, so we had to learn how to balance – and how to dance" Ann recollects.

It is quite interesting that the duo took tango lessons a few years ago, knowing that there has to be just one leader per time while they dance. They gradually developed systems to work as a team and plan everything down to the barest minimum.

The couple seems to have developed mastery in creating time to have fun and relax – fun fact: they are both introverts.

"For both of us, we can be three weeks, five weeks, six weeks on the road doing great events and then we've got to come back to our little Irish hillside where we get quiet" Walt said.

Tips for effective in communication

Walt believes that it "makes sense to slow down" when the stakes are high. Slowing the action down is a very important tool in his work, and it aids his message being put across to clients.

Ann, however, speaking off of the experience she gathered during research on negotiations during high-stress situations, concluded that it is important to "feel comfortable" during high stakes communication. She reaches that this habit is learnable.

Walt encourages speakers and writers always to define the journey they want to take their audiences through. He sees this as a sure way to keep engagement at a maximum.

Resources

annsheybani.com