Leveling Up with Eric Siu

We know the importance of networking, but many of us either shy away from it or take the wrong approach. Today's guest, Jordan Harbinger, does things differently, and it shows. As a Top 50 iTunes podcast host for over 12 years, Jordan deconstructs the playbooks of the most successful people on the planet, sharing their strategies and providing practical insights. In this episode, we hear about Jordan’s podcasting journey, and how building his show from scratch for a second time showed him the true power of his network and connections. We discuss the difficulties that came with starting over, including self-doubt and being unable to compensate the team fairly, and their resolutions. Jordan also shares some of his invaluable relationship development insights. Rather than calling it networking, which he feels has been tainted by sleazy salesman, Jordan’s approach is more authentic, and it recognizes the importance of making small deposits every day. Instead of ignoring most people and only reaching out to those who are can immediately do something for you, Jordan knows that opportunities are just ‘over the horizon’, which means front of as many people’s minds as possible. We get some actionable steps as well as a teaser of his free networking course. Along with this, we also discuss current podcast numbers, why he is spending so much on his show at the moment and some of the obstacles with podcasting ads. This was a great discussion, with so many key takeaways. Be sure to tune in today!

TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES:

[00:41] Before we jump into today’s interview, please rate, review, and subscribe to the Leveling Up Podcast!

[00:25] Get to know today’s guest, Jordan Harbinger, and some of his accomplishments.

[01:51] How Jordan started his first and second podcasts and current numbers. 

[05:20] Jordan’s team’s loyalty and how he paid them before the show was making money. 

[07:11] The story of how Jordan’s team decided to work for low pay or free. 

[09:50] Overcoming doubts and putting on a brave face as a leader.

[11:15] How Jason leveraged his network when he took a second go at his show. 

[13:34] Jason’s approach to building relationships and what he does differently.

[14:44] Why Jason believes that most opportunities are ‘over the horizon’. 

[16:36] The mistakes that most people make when they approach networking.

[17:57] People are more likely to help people who show a genuine interest in them. 

[19:31] Networking is only awkward if you have not laid the groundwork.

[22:25] You are probably not as good at networking as you think you are, so learn more!

[23:06] Some of Jordan’s short networking drills.

[24:35] The key to successful systems: Easy to implement and quick results.

[25:20] How Jordan and Eric met, and the development of the relationship.

[26:59] Invest in building relationships early on; it’s much harder to do it when you need help.

[31:08] Jordan’s podcast numbers, including growth rates and where he sees it going.

[33:51] Give yourself permission to experiment!

[36:00] Why we need to re-think what a lifestyle business means.

[37:34] The reason Jordan is investing $600,000 into podcast growth.

[40:27] The common challenges in the podcast advertising space.

[42:16] Why Jordan believes that now is a great time to spend money on podcasts.

[43:46] Hear about the ads that Jordan buys on other podcasts and the results he’s seen.

[45:56] The benefits of having people search for you on Google.

[46:45] Jordan’s favorite podcasting tool and his must read book.

Resources From The Interview:

• Jordan Harbinger
• Jordan Harbinger on Twitter
• Jordan Harbinger on Instagram
• The Jordan Harbinger Show
• The Jordan Harbinger Show on YouTube
• Gary Vaynerchuk
• Pandora
• Jason DeFillippo
• Jason Calacanis
• 6 Minute Networking a Free Course
• Seth Godin
• DoorDash
• Joe Rogan on Twitter
• Tim Ferriss
• PodcastOne
• Chartable
• T.I.

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

Connect with Eric Siu: 

• Growth Everywhere
• Single Grain
• Eric Siu on Twitter

Although marketing has evolved a great deal over the past 100 years, the same principles still apply because human psychology has not changed. This is why is, no matter how complicated the marketing landscape gets, simple copywriting remains the most powerful. No-one knows this better than today’s guest, Craig Clemens, an exceptional copywriter, brand-builder, and positioner. As co-founder of Golden Hippo, a leader in direct-to-consumer marketing that builds innovative health, beauty, and pet care brands, Craig knows that it takes to connect with customers effectively. In this episode, we dive into Craig’s fascinating marketing journey, including some of the profound sales and life lessons he learned from his time as a telemarketer. We also gain insights into Craig’s copywriting process, where he highlights the importance of market research. He does not believe in selling products but instead offering unique solutions to people's problems. We also hear more about Golden Hippo and its distinct approach to building brands. Along with this, we touch on politics, where Craig dissects how effective marketing is key to building momentum and a dedicated support base. Tune in today!

TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES:

• [00:21] Before we jump into today’s interview, please rate, review, and subscribe to the Leveling Up Podcast!
• [01:07] Craig’s background and his journey from telemarketing to where he is now. 
• [04:38] Some of the biggest lessons that Craig learned from his time in telemarketing. 
• [06:16] Craig’s recommendations about the best copywriting resources.
• [07:28] Why successful companies are some of the best examples of great copywriting.
• [09:29] Hear why you should be wary about studying venture-backed companies’ ads.
• [10:59] What Craig’s daily copywriting and creative process looks like. 
• [12:17] The unique things about market research compared with other types of research.
• [13:56] Why good copywriting is about doing the simple things really well.
• [14:25] Gary Halbert’s copywriting advice and some of his seminal work.
• [17:56] Golden Hippo’s current hiring needs and reopening their offices. 
• [18:28] Details about Craig’s company before Golden Hippo, Breakthrough Media.
• [19:56] Golden Hippo’s founding story and current employee numbers.
• [21:13] Hear more about Golden Hippo’s unique culture around each of their brands.
• [22:32] The ads that Craig has written have generated over $1 billion in sales revenue!
• [24:16] Important lessons that Craig has learned about leadership as his career has evolved.
• [27:23] Marketers and founders that Craig is currently following.
• [28:46] Craig’s take on politics and the role that marketing plays in the political landscape.
• [33:37] Hear about Craig’s favorite business book and best business tool.

Resources From The Interview:

• Craig Clemens Twitter
• Craig Clemens Instagram
• Craig Clemens LinkedIn
• Golden Hippo

• Double Your Dating
• Claude C. Hopkins
• Robert Collier

• Alexa

• WeWork

• Robert Pittman
• Gary Halbert
• Hemingway Editor
• Rachel Hollis
• The Boron Letters
• Tribal Leadership

• John Reese
• Dean Graziosi

• Brendon Burchard
• Donald Trump Twitter
• Mike Bloomberg
• Barack Obama
• Tim Ryan

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

Connect with Eric Siu: 

• Growth Everywhere
• Single Grain
• Eric Siu on Twitter

Steve Gatena, CEO of Pray.com, joins us today to talk about entrepreneurship and what it takes to run the world’s #1 app for daily prayer and biblical audio content. For Steve, being a successful entrepreneur is all about starting simple, building momentum and experience, practicing extreme ownership, and never forgetting the value of one’s networks. Our guest has an impressive background, and he starts by explaining the different companies he was a part of in media production, and how he made the transition from these service-based business models to becoming the CEO of a venture-backed tech firm. He talks about how some business models are more difficult than others to run and how fortunate he was to cut his teeth on easier ones which gave him the skills he needed to launch a software product firm, the most complex of all. We get into some of Steve’s secrets for running Pray.com so well, talking about the relationship between religion and marketing, building a global A team of investors and executives for a remote-first firm, and the value of self-awareness in hiring and delegating to staff. Steve also weighs in on how he made multiple pivots before landing on Pray.com's premium subscription business model, and what listening to one’s customer means when the audience and amount of user personas that subscribe to Christianity is so humongous. For all this and so many more amazing nuggets from Steve as far as books, tools, and other resources for building agile systems, be sure to tune in! 

TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES:

• [00:41] Before we jump into today’s interview, please rate, review, and subscribe to the Leveling Up Podcast! 
• [02:25] Steve’s journey from the media production world to being the CEO of Pray.com!
• [06:10] Using one business as a platform for another and how to be an entrepreneur.
• [08:31] The story behind the helicopter gimbals invented by Steve’s partner.
• [09:39] The secret to entrepreneurship: Get experience and build more complex businesses.
• [12:11] Vital resources for building a startup, from books to courses and one’s network.
• [13:58] Mike Jones, networking events, and how Steve built his executive/investor teams.
• [19:50] The Pray.com podcast and how they make their money through subscriptions.
• [21:37] Figures Steve is free to share: Subscribers, figures per year, growth rates.
• [22:50] How Pray.com is optimizing their funnels based on different user personas.
• [25:33] The strategy going forward: Adding value through content and community.
• [27:44] Unexpected challenges and blessings Steve has experienced along the way.
• [28:52] Energy Steve gets from his cofounders and what building an A team means.
• [32:22] How Pray.com sources their global team of engineers, making them a remote-first firm!
• [34:28] The value of joining peer groups and how well helping others scales.
• [35:14] Steve’s hiring process and the best books on refining this methodology.
• [37:17] Tools and books Steve uses to optimize agile systems at Pray.com.
• [38:12] Core values and how Steve handles areas his knowledge lacks in being the CEO.
• [42:19] Steve’s favorite tools and why he is switching from Mixpanel to Amplitude.
• [43:36] Business model pivots, and how Pray.com arrived at the premium content model.
• [49:06] Steve’s favorite business book; why he loves The Personal MBA.

Resources From The Interview:

• Steve Gatena on LinkedIn
• Pray.com
• Life, Leadership, and Legacy
• REP Interactive
• Video Fort
• HELNET

• Entrepreneurs’ Organization
• Pete Carroll
• Seahawks
• Mark Sanchez
• New York Jets
• Red Bull
• Marriott
• Coldwell Banker
• Herbalife
• Discovery Planet Earth
• Mission Impossible
• Transformers
• CSI
• Law & Order
• Children’s Hospital
• UCLA Medical
• Science
• Greylock
• Sequoia Scouts
• Y Combinator
• Startup School
• Andrew Wilkinson on LinkedIn
• Tiny
• Cineflex
• Channel Dynamics
• Steve Blank
• The Startup Owner’s Manual
• Mike Jones on LinkedIn
• Dollar Shave Club
• Mike Dubin on LinkedIn
• Katie Stanton
• Breaking Bad
• Ryan Beck on LinkedIn
• Mike Lynn
• Merrill Lynch
• Matt Potter on LinkedIn
• Anthony Pompliano
• Extreme Ownership
• Who
• Scaling Up
• Spotify
• Atlassian
• Confluence
• Jira
• Trello
• Mixpanel
• Amplitude
• Hubspot
• The Mom Test
• Josh Kaufman
• Paul Graham
• Startup=Growth

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

Connect with Eric Siu: 

• Growth Everywhere
• Single Grain
• Eric Siu on Twitter

Today, we are going to talk about seven years of operating lessons from taking over my ad agency! This is a multi-part series that talks about the most powerful lessons learned throughout the journey. When I first started running the business I didn't listen to the team and employees were leaving left and right. When I finally dropped down to one employee, I decided it was time to make a change. These are the lessons that helped me turn my business around and if you put them into action they can help you too!

Many great tech companies have emerged from a founder trying to solve a pain point in their own lives, and AppDirect is no different. As the only end-to-end platform that helps deliver digital services on any device and accelerate time to market, the company has raised $350 million and is not slowing down anytime soon. Dan Saks is the President and Co-CEO of AppDirect, and he is here to share various insights on working in the business. In this episode, Dan sheds light on how the closure of his family’s 100-year-old furniture business opened his eyes to the need to connect businesses with the right technology. When he was graduating from college, SaaS and cloud services were in their infancy, and Dan recognized their power to help businesses thrive and bridge unequal access to technology. We get an overview of how AppDirect connects distributors of services so businesses can consume the applications they need. We then zoom out from the product-level view to a look at AppDirect’s long-term vision. It is unusual for a company to have this type foresight, so Dan explains why looking at the overarching problem of how to deliver cloud services to business frames their goals and allows for a highly iterative development process. This long-term thinking is also inextricably tied to their values, and we learn about how the company established theirs and how the strong culture stems from them. Along with this, Dan also presents illuminating insights on thinking about partnerships, AppDirect's interview process, and its ideas around peak performance and a holistic approach to wellness. Tune in today!

TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES:

• [00:41] Before we jump into today’s interview, please rate, review, and subscribe to the Leveling Up Podcast!
• [00:47] Get to know Dan, his story, and what led him to found AppDirect.
• [01:58] How AppDirect works and creates technological connections. 
• [03:08] Hear about AppDirect’s business model and the way they generate income.
• [03:32] Some of AppDirect’s numbers, including workforce size, active users, and partnerships.
• [04:08] AppDirect’s founding story and how they look to solve problems from the bottom up.
• [05:46] Challenges that AppDirect faced in getting its product to market and lessons learned.
• [07:50] How AppDirect managed to create a long-term vision so early on in its inception. 
• [09:12] Dan’s words of encouragement for anyone starting a business.
• [09:40] AppDirect’s recruiting methodology and how it is optimized for long-term growth. 
• [10:40] Interview techniques to understand candidates’ passion and gauge how they align with AppDirect’s values.
• [12:19] How AppDirect’s values are woven into activities from interviews to annual reviews.
• [13:39] The process of establishing a methodical approach to values. 
• [16:00] Culture-related resources that have been valuable to Dan.
• [17:03] What the role of a co-CEO entails and dividing responsibilities. 
• [18:38] Dan’s tips on partnerships and the importance of understanding their different forms. 
• [20:18] Hear about biohacking and the ways that Dan incorporates it into his life and AppDirect.
• [22:23] How AppDirect encourages its employees to take care of themselves.
• [23:43] The importance of letting people define their own work lives.
• [24:29] Dan’s personal OKRs and how he uses them to make time for his passions.
• [26:33] Dan’s must read book, favorite business tool, and inspirational resources.

Resources From The Interview:

• Dan Saks on LinkedIn

• AppDirect

• Peter Thiel
• StarVest
• Office 365
• Dropbox

• René Obermann
• Angela Merkel
• Isadore Sharp
• Four Seasons
• Sam Walton

• Bill Gates
• Ray Dalio on LinkedIn

• Harvard Business School

• Oura Ring
• Ben Greenfield

• OKR

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

Connect with Eric Siu: 

• Growth Everywhere
• Single Grain
• Eric Siu on Twitter

The more agile companies can be in the current volatile landscape, the better. Smartsheet is a collaboration software platform that helps companies optimize functionality and one of the things that makes it different is that it is not purpose-built. With 2572 documented use cases to date, Smartsheet possesses the kind of wide applicability that companies need to stay light-footed enough to keep up, and all without having to write a line of code! Today we have its CMO, Anna Griffin, join us on the show to talk more about how the software works as well as speak to the things that make her tick and how she got to be where she is today. Anna gets into her journey into the B2B space and what feeds into her out of the box approach to marketing. We turn our attention to Smartsheet next and hear from Anna about the platform’s fluidity and how they approach marketing it when the product does so many different things. She makes a case for how well the software lends itself to bottom-up adoption, and then we hear a few metrics that prove many larger firms are taking to it in a top-down way too. Anna gets into some of her unusual strategies for winning over these big enterprise clients next, and from there we dive a bit more into the places she finds her inspiration. For all this and more from a unique CMO with a flair for marketing and an equally outstanding product that is here to stay, be sure to tune in!

TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES:

• [00:21] Before we jump into today’s interview, please rate, review, and subscribe to the Leveling Up Podcast!
• [00:50] How Anna arrived in the B2B space bringing an emotional approach to marketing.
• [02:20] The range of uses for Smartsheet – its agility – and why this means they need a CMO.
• [04:57] Competitors of Smartsheet like AirTable that give an idea of what the platform does.
• [05:36] How Smartsheet makes money and spreads due to its wide applicability.
• [07:48] That Smartsheet is built for scale and is adopted in bottom-up and top-down ways.
• [09:05] How valuable such a flexible product like Smartsheet is in an agile environment.
• [09:38] Metrics that show how Smartsheet is attacking top-down marketing.
• [10:27] How Smartsheet markets itself when it’s capabilities are so wide.
• [11:44] The success of community and traditional marketing for Smartsheet.
• [13:30] Anna’s mashup mindset: How she combines pep talks and more into marketing. 
• [15:35] Where Anna gets her inspiration, from country music to her favorite books.
• [16:53] The ‘Uberization’ of customer service that has upped customer expectations.
• [17:26] Anna’s favorite business tool and some of the podcasts she listens to regularly.
• [19:05] Why Anna’s favorite business book is Pretty Good Advice.

Resources From The Interview:

• Anna Griffin on LinkedIn
• Smartsheet
• NoCode
• AirTable
• Microsoft
• Google
• Monday
• Asana
• Apple
• Steve Wozniak
• Wall Street Journal
• The Last Dance
• Jeff Rosenblum
• Uber
• Instagram
• OZY
• Shelley Zalis on Twitter
• The Female Quotient
• Leslie Blodgett on Instagram
• Bare Escentuals

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

Connect with Eric Siu: 

• Growth Everywhere
• Single Grain
• Eric Siu on Twitter

Business travel may not be happening as frequently anymore due to the COVID pandemic, but that does not concern today’s guest, Avi Meir. He is CEO and Co-Founder of TravelPerk, a ground-breaking business travel platform that offers companies of any size a one-stop-shop to book all of their travel in a single space. Avi is a travel industry veteran with fifteen years of experience. In this episode, we learn more about the platform, including the pain points they look to solve, how they generate income, and the ways they are reimagining business travel. We also learn about Avi’s choice to base the business in Barcelona, an unconventional destination for a tech company. Not only does the city offer a great quality of life, but Avi also believes that it influences their ability to attract top talent. Naturally, the conversation goes to COVID and how TravelPerk has been impacted. Avi shares the remarkable decision they have made to not let anyone go, and how they have used a combination of government relief and out of pocket payments to ensure their employees are furloughed with 80% pay. Aside from the practicalities of having to rehire, Avi knows that a drastic restructuring would harm the company culture, which they value tremendously. We discuss why figuring out core values is the foundational step to fostering a great culture, and learn what TravelPerk did to establish theirs. Along with this, Avi talks about their FlexiPerk product, which has been a pandemic standout and his hot take of why 2021 will see more business travel growth than 2019! Be sure to tune in today!  

TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES:

• [00:41] Before we jump into today’s interview, please rate, review, and subscribe to the Leveling Up Podcast!
• [01:10] An introduction to Avi, his background, and how he came to found TravelPerk.
• [02:25] Learn more about TravelPerk and its mission as a business travel platform. 
• [03:36] Hear about how the platform makes money through commission and products.
• [05:10] The typical amount customers can expect to pay on TravelPerk and the costs they save.
• [07:28] Some of TravelPerk’s numbers, including employee count and growth rate.
• [08:45] Why Avi decided to found TravelPerk in Barcelona which is not a typical tech hub. 
• [10:47] How TravelPerk manages to recruit great talent and its international workforce.
• [12:44] Hear how Israeli culture influences their prolific innovation and work ethic. 
• [14:39] How TravelPerk has dealt with COVID, including the decision to furlough employees.
• [17:59] Avi shares some COVID-related statistics about the business travel industry. 
• [20:23] The FlexiPerk product TravelPerk offers and its strength, particularly during the pandemic.
• [23:16] What culture means at TravelPerk and some unique ways the company fosters it
• [24:00] TravelPerk’s core values and how they were defined.
• [27:08] Hear Avi’s contentious prediction for the future of the travel industry.
• [28:00] Despite all the pandemic-related shifts, the need for human connection still remains.
• [28:49] Avi’s must read books and favorite business growth tool.
• [32:01] Why Avi tries to stay away from social media where possible.

Resources From The Interview:

• Avi Meir on Twitter
• Avi Meir on LinkedIn
• TravelPerk
• Hotel Ninjas
• Booking.com

• Expedia
• Airbnb
• IESE
• Start-up Nation
• Jim Collins

• Chris Voss
• Slack
• Notion
• Qassim Suleimani

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

Connect with Eric Siu: 

• Growth Everywhere
• Single Grain
• Eric Siu on Twitter

What does it take to be successful as a new CEO? Whenever you're joining a new company, it's important to avoid rocking the boat at the beginning. In this session we discuss ways to have a successful transition into any company at the executive level.

Joining us today is Gino Wickman, the founder of EOS Worldwide—a leadership team development company—and the creator of Entrepreneurial Leap, Rocket Fuel, and the bestseller Traction, which you have heard many founders rave about. Contrary to what other books on entrepreneurship want to make you believe, not everybody is cut out to be an entrepreneur—so says Gino who has established himself as an authoritative voice on the subject over the past 20 years. According to him, there are six essential traits that every true entrepreneur has, and as controversial as it seems, he believes that a person is born with these traits and cannot necessarily acquire them at will. He also distinguishes between a visionary and an integrator, the former coming up with the great ideas and then pivoting to the next and the latter who is skilled at implementing and maintaining those ideas and keeping things consistent. These are some of the reasons why his books and entrepreneurial philosophies are radically different from the many others on the market. In this episode, he gets into what EOS (entrepreneurial operating system) is and what it means for entrepreneurs and their leadership teams, and he talks about recognizing the need for a system that would help businesses to manage their human energy more effectively. After all these years, Gino’s dream is not to ride off into the sunset and leave it all behind but rather to take up a new role as a coach and mentor to aspiring entrepreneurs—because this is what gets him fired up and performing at unusual energy levels. Tuning in, listeners will also hear about his latest book and project Entrepreneurial Leap and how it is helping first-timers to formulate a plan and take action! 

TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES:

• [00:41] Before we jump into today’s interview, please rate, review, and subscribe to the Leveling Up Podcast!
• [01:00] Gino talks about his entrepreneurial journey and being an EOS implementer at heart.
• [02:03] Redirecting his energy toward teaching entrepreneurs and what he hopes to achieve.   
• [02:55] The value of having spent the past 25 years learning from established companies. 
• [04:03] What EOS is all about and how it serves entrepreneurs and their leadership teams. 
• [05:13] Identifying the need for an operating system to orchestrate and manage human energy. 
• [06:44] Working hands-on with clients and getting referrals—the secret to Gino’s success. 
• [08:32] Why he bothers with coaching and teaching despite his success.  
• [09:53] Gino discusses Entrepreneurial Leap and why he has a 10-year timeline for the project. 
• [11:09] How this book is different from the many other books on entrepreneurship out there. 
• [13:03] An overview of the six essential traits of a true entrepreneur. 
• [13:44] What it means to be a visionary versus an integrator in the context of entrepreneurship. 
• [15:57] The positions that are typically occupied by a visionary and integrator in an organization.
• [17:07] What EOS clients do when they grow beyond the ideal 10–250 employee mark. 
• [19:08] The benefits of implementing EOS and Entrepreneurial Leap early on in a startup. 
• [20:36] The roadmap that Gino created to help aspiring entrepreneurs formulate an action plan. 
• [22:20] What Gino’s current work structure and team look like after selling EOS Worldwide. 
• [23:42] The three different ways of implementing EOS in your business.
• [24:53] Doing what he loves and other reasons for Gino’s consistently high energy levels.
• [27:24] Gino makes a case for the power of writing and planning with pen and paper. 

Resources From The Interview:

• Gino Wickman on LinkedIn
• Entrepreneurial Leap
• Entrepreneurial Leap Website
• Traction
• Rocket Fuel
• EOS Worldwide
• Tesla

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

Connect with Eric Siu: 

• Growth Everywhere
• Single Grain
• Eric Siu on Twitter

As a B2B business, attracting an audience to your website to convert them into sales leads is not an easy process, but Madison Logic does it all for you. Madison Logic is an account-based marketing service that helps B2B companies convert their best accounts faster and today we learn more about the firm from its Co-Founder and COO, Vin Turk. Vin opens by explaining how he got the idea to streamline conversions in the B2B space before explaining exactly what it is that Madison Logic does. We move on to discuss how the firm makes its money on both the lead and display side before chatting more about their ideal customers. Vin shares some impressive metrics about growth and ROI, mentioning their unique journey without VC backed capital and how being featured on INC 5000’s list six times back to back made a difference in this respect. We get into exits, spinoffs, and the company’s long term vision next, before drilling down on their customer acquisition model which includes a brilliant strategy to become more vital to current ones. Wrapping up with Vin, we chat about how Madison Logic keeps values consistent in the firm as far as strategy and corporate culture, and hear some amazing tips from him around continuous self-evaluation and reflection, so be sure to tune in!

TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES:

• [00:21] Before we jump into today’s interview, please rate, review, and subscribe to the Leveling Up Podcast!
• [00:40] The story of Vin’s idea to streamline conversions that grew into Madison Logic.
• [02:49] A real example of how Madison Logic connects sellers to buyers in the B2B space. 
• [04:58] How Madison Logic partners with news outlets to market to their clients.
• [05:48] Madison Logic’s business model making money on a cost per lead basis.
• [06:36] Ideal clients: enterprise and mid-market B2B technology companies.
• [07:30] Metrics around growth, ROI, employee count, and international offices. 
• [08:12] Why being featured on the INC 5000 list six times was beneficial to Madison Logic.
• [09:43] Exits and spinoffs Madison Logic has gone through; its long term play. 
• [11:38] Customer acquisition and why ML is focusing on expanding current customers.
• [13:33] ML’s favorite tools for contact discovery, automated outreach, accounts intel, and more.
• [14:32] The size and structure of the sales team at Madison Logic.
• [14:58] How Madison Logic keeps vision and values for corporate culture and strategy aligned. 
• [18:15] ‘Not sweating the small stuff’ at Madison Logic by trusting in overall growth.
• [19:42] Book recommendations from Vin and Eric for how to run a better business.
• [20:50] Vin’s favorite business tools and why he loves Slack and Domo.
• [21:25] The best way to get in touch with Vin online and learn more about Madison Logic.

Resources From The Interview:

• Vin Turk on LinkedIn
• Vin Turk Email
• Madison Logic
• The Department of Defense
• Northeastern University
• Info Week
• IBM
• Oracle
• Intel
• Dell
• Cisco
• Inc 5000
• Clarion Capital
• Bombora
• Salesforce
• Marketo
• Bizable
• LinkedIn Sales Navigator
• ‘Dharmesh Shah Vectors Elon Musk’
• Ben Horowitz
• Mark Cuban
• Slack
• Domo

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