Learning from Smart People

Learning from Smart People

By Rob OliverBusinessEntrepreneurship
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Learning from Smart People episodes

  • 175 Stephen Shortt: How to Successfully Transition Leadership in Family (and other) Businesses

    We learn how to successfully transition leadership in family businesses and other businesses from Stephen Shortt on this episode of the Learning from Smart People Podcast with Rob Oliver. As someone who has spent his entire life working in 2 family businesses, he knows the ups and downs of successfully transitioning between generations. What he learned applies to businesses beyond family businesses but that’s where he started and learned.

    Here are some key points as Stephen Shortt and Rob Oliver talk about how to successfully transition leadership in family businesses:

    · It is important that your family does not destroy your business and that your business does not destroy your family!

    · It pays to sit down and think about your “Why?”
    · The family business can become seen as a member of the family
    · Deciding to sell a family business can be difficult, especially getting everyone to agree that it’s a good idea
    · Even if you own the business, you need to work together with other members of the family
    · You need to know your own purpose, the purpose of your business and how those factors relate
    · There are lots of ways to make money, why are we doing it this way?
    · Once you establish the purpose of the business, it guides everything you do
    · The five P’s of Succession: Purpose, Pick, Preparation, Promote, Patience
    · Figuring out where you want to go starts with figuring out where you are
    · The best leader for the business may be different depending what phase of business you are in
    · Develop an inside hustle for helping younger family members “earn their chops”
    · Transition can happen gradually

    You can learn more about Stephen Shortt through the links below:

    Website: https://successfulsuccession.com

    All the Social Links: https://successfulsuccession.com/social

    Thanks for listening to the Learning from Smart People Podcast! Please Subscribe, leave a comment and follow us on social media:

    Twitter: http://twitter.com/LFSPPodcast

    Instagram: http://instagram.com/LFSPPodcast
    Facebook: http://facebook.com/LFSPPodcast
    LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lfsppodcast/
    LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/imroboliver/
    YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbWV_LuUad7ZWuE9j5D9v-w

    You can also use the “Contact” page on the “Learning from Smart People” website:

    https://www.learningfromsmartpeople.com

    33 min
  • 174 Eric Williams: How to Improve Your Marketing (and Leadership)

    Eric Williams shares how to improve your marketing and leadership in this episode of the Learning from Smart People Podcast with Rob Oliver. Eric Williams is a certified business coach and marketing expert. He understands that many entrepreneurs and small business owners go into business to pursue something they are passionate about, not many go into business because they have the desire to RUN a business. Using a variety of tools, he helps his clients to better engage their target audience and grow their businesses.

    On a side note, welcome back to the podcast! I took the summer off but I am back and look forward to spending some quality time together. New episodes will be released every Thursday (and I’ve got a great lineup for you.)

    Here are several of the discussion points that Eric Williams shared as he talked about how to improve your marketing and leadership:

    • Eric grew up in a family where his parents owned their own business.

    • He saw the gaps that occurred because people didn’t have the expertise to run their own businesses
    • If your business is not successful, it as an exponential impact on the people around you
    • These statistics are not good for business is being handed from one generation to the next
    • It takes different skills to start a business, to grow a business, to scale a business
    • The best coaches were not the best players
    • Leadership is a stewardship of people
    • If you confuse you lose, clarity is the key, confusion is the enemy
    • The clearer you can be with your people, the better
    • There’s a difference between knowledge and practical application
    • People make choices based on what they understand fastest
    • When you stop talking about problems, people stop listening
    • Know the difference between features and benefits
    • Always play the guide, never the hero
    • Heroes are the weakest characters because they need something
    • They need someone outside of themselves to help them grow and solve their issue
    • When you talk about what you do, people understand how you can help them or someone they know
    • The “Will you marry me?” Factor as it relates to your Call to Action

    To learn more about Eric Williams, check them out through the links below. (Especially look for him on Tik-Tok.) Be sure to take advantage of his free offer to evaluate your website.

    Website: http://212consultingservices.com

    Tik-Tok: http://tiktok.com/@BusinessCoachEric
    Instagram: http://instagram.com/212Consulting
    Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ericw712/ 

    Thanks for listening to the Learning from Smart People Podcast! Please Subscribe, leave a comment and follow us on social media:

    Twitter: http://twitter.com/LFSPPodcast

    Instagram: http://instagram.com/LFSPPodcast
    Facebook: http://facebook.com/LFSPPodcast
    LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lfsppodcast/
    LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/imroboliver/
    YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbWV_LuUad7ZWuE9j5D9v-w

    You can also use the “Contact” page on the “Learning from Smart People” website:

    https://www.learningfromsmartpeople.com

    35 min
  • 173 2 Year Anniversary Re-release of Ron Swauger Interview


    Ron Swauger is the General Sales Manager at Riverview Chevrolet. He joined us today on “Learning from Smart People” to talk about the difference between Price and Value. His insights were on point and are relevant for anyone involved in sales, marketing or customer service.

    • Price is what you pay – Value is what you receive
    • Selling Value builds strong customer relationships
    • Value and Customer Service are virtually synonymous

      • If you are looking to get a car with great value and a low price, you can contact Ron at Riverview Chevrolet.

      412-751-2900

      http://www.RiverviewChevy.com

      The restaurant Ron mentioned is Arlechinno’s in McMurray.

      Check them out at: http://arlecchinopgh.com/

      32 min
    • 172 Anastasia Lipske: How to Grow Your Brand with Podcast Guesting

      We learn how to grow your brand with podcast guesting from Anastasia Lipske on this episode of the Learning from Smart People Podcast with Rob Oliver. Anastasia founded a full-service speaking and podcast Guest booking company. Our organization helps clients find the right audience where they can share their expertise.

      Here are some of the major points that Anastasia Lipske shared about how to grow your brand with podcast guesting:

      · The concept of paying someone to find places where you can speak for free, it seems counterintuitive, but it has value!

      · The difference between using speaking as a marketing tool and being a speaker who earns their income from speaking engagement.
      · When you stumble upon something that is useful and it works, the referrals follow
      · The definition of a platform marketing speaker
      · If you can do something at “blesses the audience” it will resonate with some of them and they will want to do business with you
      · You can’t become a top earning speaker overnight, you need to “pay your dues” in the free speaking circuit
      · The “I’ve heard of you somewhere” phenomenon
      · COVID is one of the most powerful forces behind the advancement of podcasting
      · One of the best ways to get visibility for your podcast is to be a guest on other podcasts
      · Why Anastasia prefers podcast guesting over speaking
      · Tips for being a good podcast guest
      · Understanding the goal of a podcast host
      · Listen to a podcast before you asked to be on it
      · Apple Podcast can give you a quick overview of a podcast
      · Personalizing your pitch increases your chance of getting booked
      · The definition of a one sheet and how to prepare one
      · Don’t forget your contact information!
      · Promote yourself as a guest or speaker, not your business
      · Maximizing the value of each podcast appearance

      You can learn more about Anastasia Lipske and Access Speakers through the links below:

      Website: https://accessspeakers.biz/

      Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AnastasiaVioletLipske/
      LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anastasialipske/

      Thanks for listening to the Learning from Smart People Podcast! Please Subscribe, leave a comment and follow us on social media:

      Twitter: http://twitter.com/LFSPPodcast

      Instagram: http://instagram.com/LFSPPodcast
      Facebook: http://facebook.com/LFSPPodcast
      LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lfsppodcast/
      LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/imroboliver/
      YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbWV_LuUad7ZWuE9j5D9v-w

      You can also use the “Contact” page on the “Learning from Smart People” website:

      https://www.learningfromsmartpeople.com

      35 min
    • 171 Todd Randall: How to Create a Business that Supports Your Lifestyle

      Today, we learn how to create a business that supports your lifestyle from Todd Randall. He joined Rob Oliver on this episode of the Learning from Smart People Podcast from his office in Florida. Todd knows what he’s talking about. He is the CEO of eight organizations and has annual revenue of $6 million plus. As a result, he travels extensively pursuing his hobby of playing polo. His businesses are all set up to allow for remote management.

      Here are some of the topics Rob Oliver and Todd Randall covered in their discussion of how to create a business that supports your lifestyle:

      · Todd started as a pharmacist but know he wanted to be a busine

      sperson
      · His failures provide the life experiences to make him an excellent coach
      · Sometimes superstars don’t make the best coaches, it’s the “B players”
      · Managing a team requires a different skill set than selling
      · Studying the people who are successful in your business will teach you what sets them apart
      · If you are going to succeed, it takes prep
      · We don’t all have multiple opportunities; we just need one!
      · Some people look down on franchising
      · You have to find the balance between confidence and rate of return
      · Making the decision to become an entrepreneur is one of the more difficult choices in life
      · There are experiences that show us exactly what we need in life
      · Some people are looking for the million dollar a year idea
      · Entrepreneurship requires both business acumen and creative passion
      · You may have more business acumen than you realize
      · Most companies are spinoffs of other companies
      · Several real-life examples of what he’s talking about
      · Relationships are an undervalued asset
      · Coaches help people find their authentic niches
      · Creating a bridge between your hobby and your business is another possibility

      You can find out more about Todd Randall and his company through the links below. Check out his Facebook group for all of the training videos.

      Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BeachviewCoaching/

      Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/todd-randall-2aa24/

      Thanks for listening to the Learning from Smart People Podcast! Please Subscribe, leave a comment and follow us on social media:

      Twitter: http://twitter.com/LFSPPodcast

      Instagram: http://instagram.com/LFSPPodcast
      Facebook: http://facebook.com/LFSPPodcast
      LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lfsppodcast/
      LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/imroboliver/
      YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbWV_LuUad7ZWuE9j5D9v-w

      You can also use the “Contact” page on the “Learning from Smart People” website:

      https://www.learningfromsmartpeople.com

      32 min
    • 170 Leslie Hassler: How to Grow Your Business and Reach Your Goals

      In this episode of the Learning from Smart People Podcast, Leslie Hassler talks with Rob Oliver about how to grow your business and reach your goals. She is a speaker, author and business strategist. Leslie helps women-owned, service-based industries to achieve more profits, cash flow and success. Her proprietary method is called the Scaling Rich™ method.

      Here are some of the major points covered as Rob Oliver and Leslie Hassler talk about how to grow your business and reach your goals:

      · Leslie’s entrepreneurial journey and how she learned the lessons that she teaches (the hard way)

      · Going through the struggles of being an entrepreneur creates empathy with the people she serves
      · We can learn business lessons from things that are going on around us that are not necessarily business related
      · You cannot be static in your understanding of business and be effective
      · When we share stories, we make ourselves relatable and anchor our teaching points
      · What’s the difference between growing a business and scaling a business?
      · The investment into growth has an even exchange, investing in scaling has a higher return on investment
      · It starts with figuring out where you want to go with your business
      · Growth is about building the foundations, profitability is about maximizing the return on those investments
      · There is no “Profit Fairy”
      · The six elements of profitability
      · Tips for supporting the profit of your business
      · Many people fear the numbers, it’s actually just third grade math!
      · Reverse engineering profitability is not that complicated
      · You cannot make up in volume what you lose in margin
      · The things that we are willing to pay more for are culturally based

      You can learn more about Leslie Hassler and the Scaling Rich™ method through the links below. Be sure to take advantage of her free download as well.

      Website: https://www.yourbizrules.com/

      Download: https://www.yourbizrules.com/21-ways-to-fund-business-growth/
      Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/YourBizRules/
      Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leslie.hassler/
      LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lesliehassler/

      Thanks for listening to the Learning from Smart People Podcast! Please Subscribe, leave a comment and follow us on social media:

      Twitter: http://twitter.com/LFSPPodcast

      Instagram: http://instagram.com/LFSPPodcast
      Facebook: http://facebook.com/LFSPPodcast
      LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lfsppodcast/
      LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/imroboliver/
      YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbWV_LuUad7ZWuE9j5D9v-w

      You can also use the “Contact” page on the “Learning from Smart People” website:

      https://www.learningfromsmartpeople.com

      33 min
    • 169 Graham Brown: How to Build Your Brand

      Graham Brown joins Rob Oliver in this episode of the Learning from Smart People Podcast to talk about how to build your brand. Graham is an authority on podcasts. He has founded a podcast agency called Pikkal & company. (It’s pronounced like “pickle”, you will learn that as you listen to the podcast! I forgot to ask him before we started.) In this episode, we talk about brand building and podcasting.

      Here are some of the topics that Rob Oliver and Graham Brown talk about in this episode of Learning from Smart People:

      · The story of how a guy from England ended up in Singapore doing podcasting

      · Everybody has a great story to share
      · There are elements of your story that other people can identify with
      · We are all living our own version of the “hero’s journey”
      · One of the key elements is getting a stage to share your story
      · People follow people, not brands and that is the doorway into business
      · We need to unlock the human potential of our brands
      · Storytelling is everybody’s business
      · People will forget what you told them, but they will remember how you made them feel
      · Stories don’t have to be trilogies or epics, they can be one line or even one word
      · Great storytellers take away uncertainty
      · You need a stage, a story, and the system
      · Determine whether you need to start your own podcast or be a guest on someone else’s
      · Go forward in an agile manner
      · Refine your narrative after each presentation
      · Find your start and the “why” will become apparent
      · Podcast guesting is about finding a host whose avatar matches yours

      You can learn more about Graham Brown and connect with him through the website and social media links below:

      Website: https://www.grahamdbrown.com/

      Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/grahamdbrown/

      Thanks for listening to the Learning from Smart People Podcast! Please Subscribe, leave a comment and follow us on social media:

      Twitter: http://twitter.com/LFSPPodcast

      Instagram: http://instagram.com/LFSPPodcast
      Facebook: http://facebook.com/LFSPPodcast
      LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lfsppodcast/
      LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/imroboliver/
      YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbWV_LuUad7ZWuE9j5D9v-w

      You can also use the “Contact” page on the “Learning from Smart People” website:

      https://www.learningfromsmartpeople.com

      33 min
    • 168 Alison Proffit: How to Bring More Joy into What You Do (and How You Do It!)

      In this episode of the Learning from Smart People Podcast with Rob Oliver, we hear how to bring more joy into what you do and how you do it from Alison Proffit. Alison is a life and business coach based in Colorado. As you will learn, she has had some ups and downs in her life and her business which have given her tremendous insights. She works with people in their pursuit of joy.

      Here are some of the topics covered as Alison Proffit shares how to bring more joy into what you do and how you do it on this episode of the Learning from Smart People Podcast with Rob Oliver:

      · Alison’s backstory of creating a vision for where she would be in the future. Amazingly, that vision had her living in a different place and doing a different job

      · The roller coaster experience of moving 9 times, getting fired multiple times, trying to start a business and getting a divorce, all within two years!
      · Living safely isn’t always most joyful
      · The ups and downs are formative in our experience
      · You must allow your employees whole human being to show up at work
      · The baseball analogy, finding the difference between playing it safe and being too risky
      · Most people’s goal is to be joyful
      · Your intuition helps you recognize when you are not aligned with your own values
      · Don’t live looking in the rearview mirror, learn from what happens and move forward
      · Every experience as a learning opportunity and not a referendum on your intelligence
      · How you do anything is how you do everything
      · Everything is energy
      · Joy comes from a culture that makes people feel valued and safe
      · Joy is the best business strategy
      · Sometimes we need to reevaluate our business practices to line them up with our values
      · Everyone must create their own definition of joy and happiness
      · Being in the moment provides more opportunities for joy
      · The longer we are alive the more judgments we learn
      · We are born as beings of love
      · The KISS method: Keeping It Soulfully Simple
      · There are a million paths to everything
      · We must reverse engineer the “When I have this, I will do this, then I will be this” concept
      · We are not taught how to tune into ourselves nor how to set boundaries
      · Your joy is yours and nothing can ever change that

      You can learn more about Alison Proffit and the work that she is currently doing through the website and links below. You can also schedule an introductory session with her:

      Website http://www.getsoulfulsuccess.com

      Scheduling https://calendly.com/alison-proffit-coach/30min
      LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/proffitcoach/

      Thanks for listening to the Learning from Smart People Podcast! Please Subscribe, leave a comment and follow us on social media:

      Twitter: http://twitter.com/LFSPPodcast

      Instagram: http://instagram.com/LFSPPodcast
      Facebook: http://facebook.com/LFSPPodcast
      LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lfsppodcast/
      LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/imroboliver/
      YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbWV_LuUad7ZWuE9j5D9v-w

      35 min
    • 167 Jill Lublin: How to Get Publicity for Yourself and Your Business

      In this episode of the Learning from Smart People Podcast with Rob Oliver, we learn how to get publicity for yourself and your business from Jill Lublin. Jill is a best-selling author and international speaker. She hosts a publicity crash that helps her clients to obtain publicity. She also helps authors obtain book deals and foreign rights agreements. I have personally learned a great deal from her.

      Here are some of the topics covered as Jill Lublin and Rob Oliver talk about how to get publicity for yourself and your business:

      · How Jill went from being in law school to start her journey of promotion and publicity

      · Jill’s definition of public relations and publicity
      · Publicity helps to keep you top of mind
      · The media cares about what experts have to say and you have expertise!
      · Creating the “I have heard of you somewhere” effect
      · You must learn how to expand your expertise
      · Use everything you’ve got to pitch yourself to the media: ethnicity, gender, any identifying factor
      · The media needs stories every day, they have airtime to fill
      · Check the national day calendar to see if there is a holiday that you fit into
      · There are 10,000 radio shows looking for 4000 guests every day
      · Learning the art of pitching
      · The importance of an engaging subject line
      · Don’t be afraid to pick up the phone and call a producer
      · The local media needs you and is a great opportunity to build your media portfolio
      · Publicity gives you a leg up on your competition
      · The do’s and don’ts of media appearances
      · Tips for being a good guest
      · You must be of value and of benefit to be a great guest
      · “Drip Gold” – give away valuable information
      · Be sure to use soundbites
      · Creating a list of 3 solutions that can be easily shared
      · Learn how to speak, write, and think in headlines
      · How is what you do relevant to what’s going on?

      You can learn more about Jill Lublin and her publicity master class using the links below. Make sure to take advantage of her free action guide:

      Website: http://JillLublin.com

      Twitter: http://twitter.com/jilllublin
      Facebook: http://facebook.com/publicitycrashcourse
      Instagram: http://instagram.com/jilllublin
      LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/in/jilllublin

      Thanks for listening to the Learning from Smart People Podcast! Please Subscribe, leave a comment and follow us on social media:

      Twitter: http://twitter.com/LFSPPodcast

      Instagram: http://instagram.com/LFSPPodcast
      Facebook: http://facebook.com/LFSPPodcast
      LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lfsppodcast/
      LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/imroboliver/
      YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbWV_LuUad7ZWuE9j5D9v-w

      You can also use the “Contact” page on the “Learning from Smart People” website:

      https://www.learningfromsmartpeople.com

      31 min
    • 166 Sandra Lane: How to Organize Your Life and Business

      In this episode you’ll learn how to organize your life and business as Rob Oliver talks with Sandra Lane on the Learning from Smart People Podcast. Sandra is based here in Pittsburgh and helps her clients, and their businesses, elevate their productivity and focus on what really matters. Her tips are practical and apply whether you are working from home or in the office.

      Here are several of the key points that Sandra Lane and Rob Oliver covered as they talked about how to organize your life and your business:

      · Why Sandra didn’t have to learn to pump gas as a girl

      · Sandra’s path to starting her own business
      · The progression of her business from being hands-on to more consulting and speaking
      · Organization is about running your own space more efficiently which makes you more productive
      · Structuring your office in a way that is conducive for work
      · Preparation for a productive day starts the night before
      · Everything you do the night before is one less thing you have to do the morning of
      · Set up a “shutdown” procedure in the office to prepare you for the next morning
      · We need to carefully set boundaries
      · Phone rings, door knocks, text alerts, emailed dings are all things that stop us from doing work
      · Let the other people in your house know when you are working and should not be disturbed
      · The human brain cannot multitask well
      · Become familiar with Parkinson’s law
      · You need to “block” your schedule
      · Set aside times during which you will focus on a single task
      · Don’t forget to set a time to end your day
      · Schedule time to check and process email, to take a break, go for a walk, etc.
      · Use whatever means is most comfortable for you to create your schedule
      · Making work a contest or making it fun is a great motivator
      · Be sure that you maintain a high level of quality
      · “Strive for less” – the less stuff you have, the less clutter you have, the easier it is to find things
      · Utilize a “one in, one out” rule
      · The 80/20 rule applies to what we wear as well
      · “Sleep deeply!”
      · Develop a sleep routine to ensure good rest
      · Why you shouldn’t sleep with your smart phone beside the bed

      You can learn more about Sandra Lane and Organization Lane through the links below:

      You can learn more about Sandra Lane and Organization Lane through the links below:

      Website: https://organizationlane.com/

      Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/organizationlane
      Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/organizationlane/
      Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sandra-lane/

      Thanks for listening to the Learning from Smart People Podcast! Please Subscribe, leave a comment and follow us on social media:

      Twitter: http://twitter.com/LFSPPodcast

      Instagram: http://instagram.com/LFSPPodcast
      Facebook: http://facebook.com/LFSPPodcast
      LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lfsppodcast/
      LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/imroboliver/
      YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbWV_LuUad7ZWuE9j5D9v-w

      You can also use the “Contact” page on the website:

      https://www.learningfromsmartpeople.com

      35 min

    About Learning from Smart People

    From the publisher's feed

    It's impossible to be an expert on everything. Learning from the experts helps us gain an understanding of how to be better at the tasks we undertake. On "Learning from Smart People" you'll gather…