Making Waves at C-Level: Business Tips for Executives, Leaders, and Entrepreneurs

Why should C-Level executives care about their own personal LinkedIn or other social media? Come on, they have busy jobs, they don't want to be self-promotional, and who wants to hear their pontifications?  

Richard Bliss, the president of BlissPoint Consulting says "Your ability to master a 21st century communication tool calls into question your ability to lead a 21st century organization".

In this interview you will learn more about how to use LinkedIn than you ever have anywhere else. 

About Richard Bliss

As a LinkedIn Top Voices and experienced executive communications manager and Social Media Coach, Richard Bills works with executives and sales teams, helping them become more comfortable with social media and more fluent in social conversations. He helps them build their platform and confidence to reach their audience effectively.

Executives must have mastery of 21st-century communication tools to be successful at leading 21st-century organizations. These tools offer incredible opportunities to connect, increase brand awareness, and reach more people through thought-leadership, advice and social conversation.

Curious and passionate about what drives corporate success, Richard Bliss has worked with start-ups and high-growth technology companies in EMEA, Asia Pacific, and Latin America. He has helped them position for multi-million-dollar revenue growth and acquisition by focusing on the global market while leveraging local diversity.

All this experience has allowed him to execute tactical programs to drive demand generation, new revenue and increase brand awareness by defining brand vision & strategies and building high-caliber Social Selling Sales Teams. 

Other Things You Might Like To Know About Richard Bliss:

• He published the book “DigitalFirst Leadership” in 2021, as a guide to help executive master the language of social media.

• He has lived in Latin America and Asia

• He is fluent in Spanish

• He is an expert in crowdfunding

You can follow him on Twitter at @RichardBliss and follow him on LinkedIn (look for the DOT before his name).

https://thomsinger.com/Richard-Bliss

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In this episode we talk about communications for executives. Many of us put of "Berlin Walls" around parts of our hearts and souls, and they hold us back in being the best we can be. Often when people have issues in communications they have blocks.

Christine Morlet, CSP joins the conversation on "Making Waves at C-Level". She lives in the South of France, but works with executives all around the world as a speech coach and energy healer.  

About Christine Morlet

Christine Morlet is a Certified Speaking Professional (CSP), Business Advisor, Coach and Consultant focused on improved sustained Profitable Deals.

She has extensive experience across a broad spectrum of businesses – from small start-ups to large multinational corporations; from high tech manufactured products through basic commodities, to people based services businesses.

Christine Morlet can help your sales force understand what’s the real difference between Haggling and Negotiating and get much better results within a 30-45 Keynote Speech.

She has worked all around the world with several organization including BOCCARD Industrial Group, French Association for Professional Speakers, CAPSUGEL- PFIZER GROUP, Bouygues UK and International Federation for Professional Speakers.

Christine Morlet is fluent in French, German and English.

https://thomsinger.com/podcast/christine-morlet

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Jeremy Torisk's “Become Your Own C.E.O.” mindset took him from a homeless kid, digging ditches to a C-Suite Title, Operating a National Telco Construction Company with over $60 Million Dollars in yearly revenue.

After 30-years in the Telco Industry, the company sold in 2021, which allowed Jeremy to shift from building his own legacy to helping others to do the same!

By sharing the stories behind the struggles, along with the process, strategies & tactics that proved effective over time, he's added SCIENCE the mix, to help companies across America with Employee Retention, Platinum Communication, and Exponential Growth.   

He has a weekly Podcast called "The Go PROcast, where he invites Business Doers on, to discuss the secrets to their success too. And in his "SPARE TIME" he speaks to audiences small and large about how to get their workforce Engaged and to spread the "Become your Own CEO Mentality". 

Please enjoy this interview with Jeremy Torisk, the author of LARBOR TO LEADERSHIP.

https://thomsinger.com/podcast/jeremy-torisk

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Thom Singer started this podcast, originally called "Cool Things Entrepreneurs Do" in 2014. His life looked very different at the time. He had no idea how this show would impact his business and his soul.

In this episode, celebrating 700 episodes, Thom looks at the evolution of his life (and this podcast) over seven years and 700 episodes.  

If you have not talked to someone in the past 5 years, you really do not know them. People change and grow. Fresh experiences and new people have an impact on people's soul. Thom sees himself as changed (for the better) over the past seven years, and he is happier and more fulfilled in his life. 

Check out this retrospective, and feel free to reach out to him and share your thoughts. Thom (at) ThomSinger.com.

https://thomsinger.com.podcast/episode-700 

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In this episode we again visit the idea of the Great Resignation. Karl Ahlrichs joins me for a chat about what C-Level executives need to know.

Check out this post by Karl Ahlrichs

Why Your Employees Quit and How to Prevent It

By Karl Ahlrichs

My employer has hundreds of clients, and I am fortunate to work with some of them as a consultant. Therefore, I have the viewpoint of an inside outsider.  When I was talking with Thom Singer on his Podcast recently, I reflected that I have noticed something powerful - most employees don’t quit because of money, or because the task is too difficult, but because they no longer feel that their boss hears them or cares about them. Here are a few simple reasons why your employees quit and actions that you can take to reduce the chances of having to re-staff.

Listening

It starts with the boss. Based on my unscientific survey of simply asking people why they quit, more than half led with their main motivation for leaving a job was their relationship with their boss. It’s alarming - that communication issues are at least partially responsible for our nation’s high turnover rate. If your employees are unhappy at work, if they don’t feel like they can be honest with you and if they don’t see themselves as part of your team—they may quit. What can you do? Listen to them. Or, as a start, appear to listen to them.

It's not the money

Even if you can offer more money than other employers, that won’t help you retain talent. Money is a very small part of why employees quit (only about 30 percent of workers leave for better pay), and it’s easy to get a wage bump if another employer offers one. The main reason employees leave is because they don’t like their boss or feel valued by them. Disengagement and Resignation

When it comes to disengagement and resignation, relationships are critical. If people feel they can’t talk to their boss, if they feel that their opinions aren’t listened to, or if they feel as though their ideas and contributions aren’t respected, chances are high that they will look for opportunities elsewhere.

Empathy

Good bosses demonstrate empathy by showing their team that they’re invested in them as people and not just employees. They take an interest in what’s going on outside of work, especially when things are difficult. On a surface level, empathy is similar to listening—but it goes beyond simple attention and understanding; it means being willing to say I feel your pain without feeling judged or called out. This kind of management is good for your employee’s health, both physically and mentally.

Mental Health

One of these reasons for quitting your job might be mental health. When an employee is stressed at work, it’s hard to focus on anything else in life. Having mental health support in a company can help employees feel heard and cared for so they don’t feel forced to leave. Building trust and empathy with your employees is important not only to build a better relationship but also keep them around longer. Don’t forget that you need to take care of yourself too! Make sure you look after your own mental health so you can be prepared for what’s ahead.

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This episode is a fun chat with the cofounders of City Bonfires. These are two suburban dads who started a company during the pandemic (now their fulltime jobs) making candles and selling all you need for Smores. Yes, candles in a can and marshmellows.... and a business is born.

Thom Singer saw their ad on Instagram and knew they had to be guests on the "Making Waves at C-Level" podcast. This episode is a throwback to when the show was called "Cool Things Entrepreneurs Do"....as this is true coolness in action. 

About City Bonfires

As you can imagine, Covid-19 has impacted many industries across the globe. Maryland natives, Chris McCasland, a sports and concert industry broker and restaurateur, and Michael Opalski, a senior restaurant industry salesman, both endured a loss of income during the pandemic. As the story goes, both were at home for long periods of time with their families (Chris' son Brooks is 4 and Mike's son Alex is 12 and daughter Anna is 9). While at home, Chris started teaching himself e-commerce and searching for cool product ideas. He came up with City Bonfires, a portable, reusable mini bonfire that you can take on all of your outdoor adventures. He enlisted the help of Mike who came up with the design of the product. A 4 inch by 2 inch round metal tin that is filled with non-toxic soy wax. Unlike other soy wax-based products, City Bonfires entire surface becomes the flame - creating a mobile heat source - a mini bonfire!

Thus, City Bonfires was born! Each City Bonfire is handmade in Maryland with American-made materials by two Dads whose jobs were impacted by Covid-19.

We believe that bonfire nights are the best nights. Gather around our City Bonfire and make memories! As Covid-19 has taught us, life is best spent making memories with our family and friends. So get outside, light up the starry sky and make lasting memories!

Co-founder of City Bonfires! Chris is from Germantown, Maryland - in Montgomery County, outside of Washington, D.C. Prior to the pandemic, Chris was in the concert, sports and event ticket industry. He is a part-owner of Quincy's Bar & Grille in Rockville @quincyssouth and Potomac @quincyspotomac. He lives in Potomac with his wife and son, Brooks (5).

Here are a few things about Chris:

 Dad Superpower? Grilling

 What's Your Fav Family Activity?  Watching the @nationals

 Parenting True Confession? It's ME who eats all the Goldfish

Co-founder of City Bonfires! Michael is from Easton, Maryland -  on the Eastern Shore. He went to Clemson University and lives in Potomac, Maryland with his wife and two kids.

Here are a few fun things about Michael:

 Dad superpower? “Keeping it fun!”

 Fav Show to Binge Watch: Big Bang Theory

 Fav Song for a Family Dance Party: @lizzobeeating Truth Hurts

https://www.thomsinger.com/podcast/city-bonfires

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Ernesto Verdugo helps baby boomers and Gen Xers think and earn like successful YouTubers.  

Ernesto is best defined as a Change Catalyst because his interventions create results in record times.

His speaking style quickly engages audiences and individuals to change and think differently. His presentations are thought provoking, entertaining, insightful and straight to the point. Participants on his events are always left with a strong urge to take action. He is a master in the art of anticipation. An avid trend hunter ready to identify new opportunities in the horizon for individuals and organizations.

Ernesto has been speaking and training since 1994 and has worked with tens of thousands of individuals from over 120 countries in 57 different countries. Simply, Google his name and you’ll find among the over 460,000 results, he is listed as the 247th most traveled human being in the universe. He works with a wide range of global organizations and provides them with a competitive edge based on his unique understanding of the world.

His intervention success is based in his belief that behavior is an outcome not an input. He understand that to bring an individuals into action you need to change their belief system. And that requires a very different approach. Ernesto’s methodology can quickly nudge old habits into new behaviors providing the spark needed to reset the mindset of your organization.

Ernesto Verdugo is the 247th most traveled person in the universe. He worked for Renaissance Cruises and KLM Royal Dutch Airlines before becoming a full-time speaker and trainer. He’s worked with people from over 120 nationalities in 57 countries. He is a Little League baseball coach a private pilot and a master juggler. He lives with his wife and two kids in the Woodlands, Texas.

https://thomsinger.com/podcast/ernesto-verdugo

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Episode 696 is a chat with Jay Baer, a marketing consultant and Hall of Fame Speaker. Jay knows customers and he is a Licensed Tequila Sommelier.

About Jay Baer

Jay Baer is the world’s most inspirational customer experience, customer service, and marketing keynote speaker. New York Times best-selling author of six books. A 7th-generation entrepreneur. The founder of five, multi-million dollar companies. Certified tequila sommelier. Lover of all things plaid.

Jay Baer, CSP, CPAE has spent 29 years in digital marketing and customer experience, consulting for more than 700 companies during that period, including 36 of the FORTUNE 500. He’s the founder of Convince & Convert, a consultancy that provides content marketing, social media, and customer experience advice and counsel to some of the world’s most important brands.

His newest book, Talk Triggers, is the complete guide to creating customers using strategic, operational differentiators that compel word of mouth. In the best companies, the customers do the marketing. Talk Triggers is the instruction manual for making businesses grow with customer conversation.

Hug Your Haters – Jay’s book on modern customer service and customer experience techniques – revolutionized the way business thinks about customer interactions, and was named one of the top 3 business books of 2016 by Strategy + Business.

His second book, Youtility: Why Smart Marketing is About Help not Hype, was #3 on the New York Times business best seller list, and a runaway #1 Amazon best seller.

Jay’s Convince & Convert blog was named the world’s #1 content marketing blog by the Content Marketing Institute, and is visited by more than 250,000 marketers each month. Jay also hosts and produces the Social Pros podcast, and the Standing Ovation podcast, which features professional speakers exploring their on-stage stories.

He also has a Talk Triggers show about word of mouth, featured on Youtube and as a podcast.

A fixture in social media, Jay has been named a top influencer of CMOs, B2B marketers, small business owners, and digital marketers. He’s also one of the world’s top Global Gurus in customer service and customer experience.

Convince & Convert is the fifth multi-million dollar company Jay has started from scratch. Before his move into digital marketing in 1994 he was a brand marketer and a political consultant, with major roles in state, federal and presidential electoral campaigns.

Befitting his roots in Arizona, Jay is a certified tequila sommelier, and creates custom tequila education/live tasting programs for in-person and virtual events.

Jay lives in the idyllic college town of Bloomington, Indiana with his wife and travels from Indianapolis to speaking opportunities world-wide.

https://thomsinger.com/podcast/jay-baer

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This is the last episode of "Making Waves at C-Level" for 2021. What a two years it has been. Thom Singer shares how he got focused to set clear goals for the new year... and the three areas of focus he will have moving forward: Mind, Body, and Money.

In the last two years he had lost some of his mojo due to the closing of the in-person meeting business where he had worked for over a decade. His income went to zero for a while, and he had to get scrappy to survive. Now he has many areas of business that he is engaged in to earn money (instead of just being a speaker), but it also means for the first time in his life he needs more structure and systems in place to ensure things do not fall through the cracks.  

He shares the process he went through in this short episode that is available on on the podcast apps and on YouTube at https://youtube.com/c/thomsinger. (Please subscribe to his YouTube Channel).

Thanks for being a listener in 2021. Thom wants your feedback and guest ideas for the new year.  

http://thomsinger.com/Year-End-2022-Goal-Setting

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This episode of "Making Waves at C-Level" is one of two solo episodes with Thom Singer sharing his thought. In this "rant" he talks about what he learned the last two years in the pandemic.  

For many the business experiences during Covid have been very different. Some were hit hard, others simply worked from home and had little other disruptions. Thom is honest and open about the bumps in the road he faced, and now that things are better, he shares what he did to get from there to here.

Thanks for being part of this podcast. Thom wants all people who listen to this episode to reach out to him via social media or by email at [email protected]

https://thomsinger.com/podcast/what-I-learned

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