Leveling Up with Eric Siu

Today’s episode of Leveling Up is a little different as AdSkills Founder Justin Brooke and our host Eric Siu interview each other. Justin has a wealth of experience in the advertising industry, having run an agency for years. In addition to founding AdSkills, he is also known for generating millions of clicks in a day, and his crowning achievement of sourcing 17,000 leads in one day. Tuning in today, you’ll hear about AdSkills, how it is different from other marketing training companies, and how Justin uses book funnels to successfully acquire customers. Justin also provides some practical tips for anyone out there who wants to write a book and use the book funnel method. Eric talks about the concept of seeing life as a video game and discusses what he’s learned through the process of writing and publishing his book Leveling Up. Tune in to hear how he managed to generate $65,000 in book sales in a few hours and also provides a valuable growth hack tip for using Non-Fungible Tokens to grow your email list. 

TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES:

• [00:41] Justin Brooke, Founder of AdSkills, introduces himself in 30 seconds.
• [01:18] Eric Siu introduces himself in 30 seconds.
• [02:16] Justin talks about AdSkills; how it is different from other marketing training companies and how the business model works.
• [04:23] How Justin uses book funnels to acquire customers.
• [05:17] Eric provides some background into self-liquidating offers.
• [05:40] Justin explains how he makes a profit using this method and how long it usually takes.
• [08:41] In response to coach and consultant pretenders being called out on Clubhouse, Justin explains some of his credentials and achievements that prove his authority in his field. 
• [10:57] Justin explains how someone who wants to use the book funnel method can get started.
• [12:07] Justin’s favorite marketing tools right now: Zoom, AdEspresso, Revealbot, and Flick.
• [13:47] Justin introduces Eric for his podcast audience.
• [14:51] Eric talks about the concept of seeing life as a video game and leveling up. 
• [15:40] Eric gives a growth hack tip for people building an email list: Non-Fungible Tokens as a giveaway. 
• [18:07] What Eric learned in the process of completing his book Leveling Up.
• [19:12] How Eric managed to generate $65,000 in book sales in a few hours.
• [20:37] The most impactful book Justin’s ever read: The Ultimate Sales Bible.
• [21:23] The most impactful book Eric’s ever read: The Hard Thing About Hard Things.

Resources From The Interview:

• AdSkills 
• 48 Hour Books 
• ShipOffers
• Zoom
• AdEspresso
• Revealbot
• Flick

• Leveling Up

• Leveling Up Bulk 

• The Ultimate Sales Bible 

• The Hard Thing About Hard Things 
• Justin Brooke on LinkedIn
• Justin Brooke on YouTube

Leave Some Feedback:

• What should I talk about next? Who should I interview? Please let me know on Twitter or in the comments below.

• Did you enjoy this episode? If so, please leave a short review here

• Subscribe to Leveling Up on iTunes

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Connect with Eric Siu: 

• Growth Everywhere

• Single Grain

• Leveling Up

• Eric Siu on Twitter

• Eric Siu on Instagram

Today we are going to talk about M&A Transaction Structures: Asset Sale vs Stock Sale!

Today, Eric gives a rundown of the core questions you should be asking during the due diligence of mergers and acquisitions and the implications of each question. Tuning in, you’ll find out how to ascertain what discounts you can negotiate, what assets you could potentially exclude from the sale, what hidden risks you may be taking on, and if the company’s profitability and future potential are worth the price. This episode will help you decide whether or not you want to acquire a business and negotiate a better price.

TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES:

• [00:33] The first question you should ask during mergers and acquisitions: Why are you interested in exploring the sale?
• [00:45] Question two: What are your plans with the money?
• [01:11] Question three: Who are the A-players on the team?
• [01:30] Question four: What does your marketing and sales engine look like? 
• [02:02] Question five: What other assets do you have?
• [02:27] Question six: Who would be staying long term with the company?
• [02:39] Question seven: Who is at the cap table?
• [02:50] Question eight: What is your trailing 12 months revenue and trailing 12 months profit?
• [02:58] Question nine: What has your growth rate been over the last three years?
• [03:09] Question 10: Who are your competitors?
• [03:14] Question 11: Do you have any customers that account for more than 10 percent of revenue?
• [03:29] Question12: What is the customer life-time value?
• [03:42] Question 13: What is the churn rate of employees, customers, and revenue?
• [03:56] Question 14: How many customers do you have right now?
• [04:01] Question 15: If it’s a service business, what capacity are you at?
• [04:21] Question 16: What is your marketing stack or sales stack?
• [04:28] Question 17: If it’s a dev team, what languages are you using?
• [04:35] Question 18: What growth opportunities exist?
• [04:43] Question 19: What are your core capabilities or core focus? 
• [05:09] Let Eric know in the comments if he has missed any questions and subscribe.

Leave Some Feedback:

• What should I talk about next? Who should I interview? Please let me know on Twitter or in the comments below.

• Did you enjoy this episode? If so, please leave a short review here

• Subscribe to Leveling Up on iTunes

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Connect with Eric Siu: 

• Growth Everywhere

• Single Grain

• Leveling Up

• Eric Siu on Twitter

• Eric Siu on Instagram

Today’s guest is Shawn Merritt the co-founder and CTO of Toucan, a Chrome extension that allows you to learn a new language while you browse the internet. Shaun, together with his other co-founders, found a way to level up the existing habits that people already have by creating a chrome extension that allows users the opportunity to passively learn a language without taking any time out of their day. Tune in to find out how Toucan works, and how it is different from other language-learning platforms. Shaun gives us some insight into how the company was established and how it has grown and achieved a vast amount of success in just two years. Hear about their journey thus far, how they are monetizing this product, marketing it, and how they use advertising as a deeper form of learning through their ingenious “Own The Word” concept.

TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES:

• [00:41] Shaun explains how he and his co-founders came up with the idea for Toucan.
• [01:29] How Toucan works to teach people new languages passively without taking time out of their day.
• [01:58] How Toucan is different from other language-learning platforms.
• [02:54] How it launched, people’s reactions to it, and how they grew and monetized it.
• [04:12] A case study example of how to use Toucan. 
• [05:05] The most common languages used and requested.
• [06:08] Insight into the different difficulty settings and how it adapts as you learn. 
• [06:57] How Toucan works as a passive form of engagement to enable people to progress quickly.
• [07:42] How they make money through premium features.
• [09:00] How they use advertising as a deeper form of learning through their ‘Own the word’ concept.’
• [09:33] How partnerships with advertisers work.
• [10:09] How are they growing through word of mouth, ‘own the word’, and partnerships. 
• [11:35] The grand vision for Toucan: To find ways to teach other things passively too.
• [12:07] Shaun’s favorite business tool Obsidian, and favorite business book Thinking in Systems.
• [12:56] Bonus question: Where Shaun gets his information from.

Resources From The Interview:

• Toucan

• Obsidian 

• Must read book: Thinking in Systems

• Shaun Merritt’s email

Leave Some Feedback:

• What should I talk about next? Who should I interview? Please let me know on Twitter or in the comments below.

• Did you enjoy this episode? If so, please leave a short review here

• Subscribe to Leveling Up on iTunes

• Get the non-iTunes RSS Feed

Connect with Eric Siu: 

• Growth Everywhere

• Single Grain

• Eric Siu on Twitter

While Twitter may be old, it is one of the places where some of the smartest and most successful people in the world engage with each other, and it is one of the most helpful social media platforms that exists today. In this episode, Eric gives us some tips on how to make the most of it. Tune in to hear about the power of Twitter advanced search, how to use tweet storms, other best practices, and even formatting tips, to help you level up your Twitter reach. 

TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES:

• [00:19] Why Eric believes Twitter is one of the most helpful social media platforms today.
• [00:52] The first tip: how to benefit from Twitter advanced search.
• [01:48] How you can make use of tweet storms. 
• [02:31] Why Eric would choose Twitter over blogging if he was starting today.
• [02:44] Why you should post links in the comments instead of the tweets.
• [03:16] Why you shouldn’t just retweet, you should reply.
• [03:39] How to tag someone in a tweet so that it looks like a tweet and not a reply.
• [04:01] Formatting tip: how to create bullets instead of dashes.
• [04:14] Let Eric know if he missed anything, and subscribe.

Leave Some Feedback:

• What should I talk about next? Who should I interview? Please let me know on Twitter or in the comments below.

• Did you enjoy this episode? If so, please leave a short review here

• Subscribe to Leveling Up on iTunes

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Connect with Eric Siu: 

• Growth Everywhere

• Single Grain

• Leveling Up

• Eric Siu on Twitter

• Eric Siu on Instagram

If you’re looking for a new career, this episode is for you! From TikTok to Snapscan, LinkedIn, YouTube, and Podcasts, there have been a lot of developments in social media recently, and these platforms have evolved to the point where there is a need to develop new roles. Today on Leveling Up, Eric gives a breakdown of four new social media careers for 2021 and beyond; roles that even Eric is currently trying to fill in his own business. To find out what opportunities exist for you, or what new roles you may need to establish in your company, tune in today!

TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES:

• [00:22] Eric introduces the topic by mentioning some of the recent developments across different social media platforms. 
• [00:45] The first new role: native writers who are really good at creating content for one specific platform.
• [01:36] Short form video creator: for platforms like TikTok, Snapchat Highlights, YouTube Shorts, and Instagram Reels. 
• [02:20] Content refresher: Updating content that is performing well to improve SEO.
• [03:03] Thumbnail creator: YouTube Thumbnails are as important as headlines. 
• [03:59] The importance of having people dedicated to specific channels.
• [04:15] How to go about getting one of these jobs.
• [04:51] Don’t forget to hit the subscribe and bell buttons.

Resources From The Interview:

• MrBeast

Leave Some Feedback:

• What should I talk about next? Who should I interview? Please let me know on Twitter or in the comments below.

• Did you enjoy this episode? If so, please leave a short review here

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Connect with Eric Siu: 

• Growth Everywhere

• Single Grain

• Leveling Up

• Eric Siu on Twitter

• Eric Siu on Instagram

A recent report from the Internet Advertising Bureau indicates that US podcast revenues are skyrocketing and are projected to be at over $2 billion by 2023. Today on Leveling Up, Eric breaks down the most important points of this report. Tuning in you’ll hear how the figures in this report relate to Eric’s experiences in podcasting. Find out how brand advertising is approaching parity with direct response and what this means, which content genres are most popular among podcast advertisers, why D2C brands maintain the top advertiser category, and why bigger brands are now buying in. With the growth of the podcast industry and the low competition rates, discover what opportunities you may be missing in the podcast industry today. 

TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES:

• [00:26] An introduction to the recent report by the Internet Advertising Bureau on the growth of podcast advertising revenue.
• [01:01] The types of sponsorships Eric gets for his Marketing School podcast.
• [01:46] Why mid-rolls are more premium than pre-rolls and post-rolls.
• [02:17] The most important shift: brand advertising is approaching parity with direct response.
• [03:07] News as the top content genre for podcast advertisers. 
• [03:32] Other points from the article relating to D2C brands as the top advertiser category and bigger brands buying in.
• [03:51] Eric’s thoughts on the opportunities that exist in podcasting.
• [04:29] Don’t forget to hit the subscribe and bell buttons.

Resources From The Interview:

• U.S. Podcast Ad Revenues Grew 19% YoY in 2020; set to exceed $1B this year and $2B by 2023 

Leave Some Feedback:

• What should I talk about next? Who should I interview? Please let me know on Twitter or in the comments below.

• Did you enjoy this episode? If so, please leave a short review here

• Subscribe to Leveling Up on iTunes

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Connect with Eric Siu: 

• Growth Everywhere

• Single Grain

• Leveling Up

• Eric Siu on Twitter

• Eric Siu on Instagram

Today Eric discusses if personality tests are actually helpful from a business perspective. Tuning in you’ll hear about his three favorite personality tests, how they work, and how they differ. Eric gives a breakdown of what these different tests have said about him and compares his personality test results to those of a team member, Noah. Eric explains how these tests can be used to help team members understand each other’s strengths and weaknesses to work well together, as well as identify gaps that can be filled in with other personalities. Find out whether or not personality tests may be useful for your business and how to choose the one that’s right for you.

TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES:

• [00:21] Eric explains how personality tests are used in business.
• [00:55] The personality tests that Eric finds useful starting with Ray Dalio’s PrinciplesYou test. 
• [01:55] Eric uses the PrinciplesYou test to compare his personality to a team member’s personality.
• [04:04] How the test can be used to identify gaps and find team members with the right personalities to fill them. 
• [06:04] Another test that Eric recommends: The Predictive Index. 
• [06:16] How The Predictive Index shows you your key strengths and blind spots.
• [07:41] The StrengthsFinder test and how it compares to the other personality tests.
• [08:03] What StrengthsFinder says about Eric and Noah’s personalities. 
• [09:37] Closing thoughts on why Eric thinks personality tests do actually work and the importance of choosing the right one.
• [09:56] Let Eric know in the comments if he missed any great personality tests, subscribe, and hit the bell button. 

Resources From The Interview:

• PrinciplesYou 
• The Predictive Index 
• StrengthsFinder

Leave Some Feedback:

• What should I talk about next? Who should I interview? Please let me know on Twitter or in the comments below.

• Did you enjoy this episode? If so, please leave a short review here

• Subscribe to Leveling Up on iTunes

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Connect with Eric Siu: 

• Growth Everywhere

• Single Grain

• Leveling Up

• Eric Siu on Twitter

• Eric Siu on Instagram

How do you start a successful business in the heavily crowded world of CRM? Today on Leveling Up, we talk to Andy Fowler, Cofounder and CEO of Nutshell, a user-friendly sales automation CRM that helps sales reps win more deals with fast onboarding, powerful reporting, and 100 percent free support. He shares some insight into how the business was established, how they developed a reputable sales process for sales automation, and why they made their developers and engineers answer customer calls when they first started out. Tuning in, you’ll learn why Nutshell is different from other CRMs and how, by listening to their customers, refining their product, and providing great service, they have grown into a successful company. Hear why they still make their product team members work with their support team and how they are managing to bring in more customers through helpful content than paid advertising. Tune in to discover how Nutshell has grown to the point that they are bringing in more than five million dollars in ARR, and the future plans for the company, including the launch of Nutshell Marketing!

TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES:

• [00:16] Introduction to Andy Fowler, Cofounder and CEO of Nutshell.
• [00:57] How Andy met his Nutshell co-founders in high school.
• [01:43] How Nutshell started out of the need for a CRM product for a friend’s business. 
• [03:41] Find out how Nutshell is different from the other CRMs out there: being easy to use.
• [04:29] Why their reputable sales process for sales automation sets them apart.
• [07:14] Nutshell’s new product: Nutshell Marketing.
• [07:52] Nutshell’s number of customers, number of employees, and current ARR.
• [09:29] How Nutshell competes in the crowded space of CRM through listening to customers, refinement, and great service.  
• [10:39] Some frameworks for customer development: why they make members of the product team get involved with the support team to hear directly from customers.
• [12:16] Nutshell’s marketing strategy: how they are bringing in more customers through helpful content than paid advertising. 
• [15:05] Why they chose a free-trial offering over freemium.
• [16:50] How they raised five million dollars and the long-term vision for the company.
• [18:43] Where the company was at year three when most companies start making a profit.
• [20:21] How Andy is getting better as a CEO by delegating the stuff he can do well.
• [20:52] Andy’s favorite business book, The War of Art, and business tool, Google Sheets. 
• [22:52] Who can benefit from Nutshell: a sales team that takes many months to close a deal.

Resources From The Interview:

• Andy Fowler on Twitter
• Nutshell 
• Google Sheets 
• Hammer Spoon

• Must read book: Leveling Up

• The War of Art

Leave Some Feedback:

• What should I talk about next? Who should I interview? Please let me know on Twitter or in the comments below.

• Did you enjoy this episode? If so, please leave a short review here

• Subscribe to Leveling Up on iTunes

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Connect with Eric Siu: 

• Growth Everywhere

• Single Grain

• Eric Siu on Twitter

Today we are going to talk about the Peter Principle and how to avoid it.