Mickie Kennedy is an expert at helping small businesses, authors, and startups increase their visibility and credibility.    Mickie founded eReleases 22+ years ago after realizing that small businesses desperately need a press release service they can actually afford, giving them access to the media and to a national newswire – all with a personal touch.    Mickie lives in Baltimore County, Maryland.    CONNECT WITH MICKIE:  

#380: Mickie Kennedy

The Online Success Journey shares the real stories of entrepreneurs who encounter speed bumps and detours, but journey through to find success.  This is not your typical podcast, but one that takes a hard look in the rear-view mirror to let you see how successful people overcame obstacles to reach the top.

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 Have you ever wondered what it truly takes to build a thriving business in today's competitive landscape?     If you are seeking insights into navigating the complex world of entrepreneurship, then join us in a candid conversation with Olly Richards, founder of StoryLearning.com, to uncover the truths, challenges, and triumphs of his entrepreneurial journey.     ⚉  Transforming an idea into a revenue-generating powerhouse     ⚉  Navigating "10 million challenges"     ⚉  What is the significance of education and experimentation?     ⚉  Recognizing signs of progress and knowing when to pivot     ⚉  Advice for beginners     ⚉  Branding, positioning, and attracting ideal customers     ⚉  Defining Success on Your Own Terms Lessons Learned and Future Aspirations     ⚉  Fast talk         Olly Richards had a series of random careers, from jazz musician to English teacher, before eventually starting a blog on his passion – language learning – and growing it into a $10 million business. Today, he writes a newsletter teaching other online entrepreneurs how to scale their businesses to 7+ figures, using StoryLearning as a “living case study”.    As he was scaling StoryLearning, Olly constantly struggled to find other successful entrepreneurs who taught freely how they were growing their businesses. In the end, he had to figure it all out for himself, and committed to, one day, providing mentorship to others looking to navigate the perils of scaling. When StoryLearning turned 10, Olly launched his newsletter, teaching strategy and mindset to scale education companies to 7+ figures.    Olly, from the UK, started his career as a jazz musician in the UK, playing professionally for seven years. He decided that career wasn’t for him, and instead trained as an English teacher. At 28, he took a teaching job in Japan and started a new career, later moving to Qatar and Egypt.    Throughout all this time, Olly’s passion was learning foreign languages, and he taught himself eight languages. While living in the Middle East, he decided to channel this passion into creative output, and started a Wordpress blog teaching others techniques for learning foreign languages. Over the next 10 years, Olly grew his business from fledgling blog to multi-million dollar business, publishing dozens of books and becoming one of the most renowned language companies on the internet.    Today, Olly is involved in multiple successful education companies as an investor, mentor and advisor, but his passion is still teaching and working with others. His newsletter focuses specifically on helping 6-figure business owners make the leap to 7+ figures and beyond.          RESOURCES:      ⚉ [Case Study] Anatomy of a $10M Online Education Business - https://ollyrichards.co/      ⚉ [Book] The Surrender Experiment: My Journey into Life's Perfection by Michael A. Singer - https://www.amazon.com/Surrender-Experiment-Journey-Lifes-Perfection/dp/080414110X           CONNECT WITH OLLY:    

#395: From Passion to Profit and Lessons in Resilience with Olly Richards of StoryLearning

Are you intrigued by the remarkable journey of individuals who transition from seemingly unrelated fields into the heart of the tech industry?   Have you ever wondered about the pivotal moments and lessons learned in building a successful business?   Find out how Shane explored his professional path from the culinary world and oil rigs to the dynamic realm of technology.     ⚉  Shane's diverse professional experiences   ⚉  How Shane's upbringing influenced his perspective and career choices   ⚉  The criteria for success   ⚉  The highs and lows of building a company   ⚉ Joining the company and growing the business   ⚉  How to leverage your strengths for business expansion   ⚉  Navigating the Intersection of Technology and Human Connection   ⚉  The importance of mentors   ⚉  Breaking into the field of tech with zero background   ⚉  Fast talk    Shane Mishler is the Chief Operating Officer for SD Tech. Shane oversees the daily operations of the company. He partners with the owner to design and implement business strategies, plans, and processes. Shane is actively involved in all of the company’s investments, clients, strategic franchise partners, and expansion activities. During his tenure, the company’s revenue has more than tripled, and their active client list includes over 200 companies.    CONNECT WITH SHANE:  

#394: Navigating Career Transitions, The Power of Human Connections, and Growing a Start-Up Tech Business | Shane Mishler

In the world of online and web, nothing can beat the role and importance of a website in a business.   But how can entrepreneurs and business owners leverage their websites effectively to grow their businesses?   What are the key elements to consider when designing a website or landing page?   And how can individuals navigate the challenges and failures that often come with starting a business?  Join us in this insightful conversation with Peter as he shares his journey from being an IT manager to owning a successful business, and so much more...    ⚉  Peter's background and motivation for entrepreneurship   ⚉  Learning from failure - pivoting and perseverance / Learning from failure after failure   ⚉  How do you know you are successful?   ⚉  Peter's pivotal moment after 2 failed businesses   ⚉  Leveraging websites for business growth   ⚉  Starting Over: What would you do differently?   ⚉  Valuable lessons from mentors   ⚉  Important Lessons in Business: Pivot, Perseverance, Honesty, Humility   ⚉  AI's Role in Shaping WordPress Websites   ⚉  Recommended AI Tools and Practices   ⚉  Fast talk segment    Peter Guirguis, a seasoned digital expert, is the dynamic force behind SwiftPress Support, a game-changing venture offering unparalleled technical support to WordPress website owners. With a rich history as the founder of Grace Digital Solutions, Peter has a proven track record in crafting exceptional websites for diverse clientele, from businesses to personal brands. His commitment to excellence is evident in his ability to communicate intricate technical details to non-tech-savvy clients, ensuring they achieve their digital goals. Now, with SwiftPress Support, he’s expanding his horizons to offer SEO, Google Ads, landing page design, and comprehensive care plans including web hosting. A recognized figure in the digital space, Peter has been honored multiple times by the Wells Fargo Leaders Club. When he’s not revolutionizing the digital landscape, he’s actively engaging with his community, sharing insights, and building connections.    MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:   ⚉  [Book] Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman - https://amzn.to/3IqLr42     CONNECT WITH PETER:  

#393: Business Lessons, Pivots, and Leveraging AI for Unlocking Growth and Success | Peter Guirguis

In a world where businesses are constantly vying for attention and loyalty, one man stands out as a beacon of success in the realm of customer experience.   David delves into his journey, highlighting key moments, lessons learned, and the magic of infectious energy that propels him forward.  ⚉  From Harvard to Silicon Valley  ⚉  Unveiling the magic of customer experience  ⚉  Embracing adversity as a path to success  ⚉  Making it to the Inc. 5000's list  ⚉  How to remain true to yourself in the face of challenges  ⚉  The importance of employee alignment with company core values  ⚉  Lessons learned in business  ⚉  The power of infectious energy  ⚉  How David's engineering background shaped him as a CEO  ⚉  Improving your internal dialogue  ⚉ "The person who dies with the best stories wins."    David G. Ewing, CEO of Motiv, is a trailblazer in customer experience innovation. With over 25 years in the industry, he's transformed insights into substantial revenue for 500+ clients.   A Harvard cum laude Engineering graduate, David's leadership has earned Motiv a spot on the Inc 5000 list. As president of The Entrepreneur's Association in Austin, he's dedicated to empowering fellow entrepreneurs. Beyond business, he's a devoted husband of 19 years and a passionate coach for his son's robotics team.    MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:   ⚉  Chewy - https://www.chewy.com/   ⚉  Molly’s Game by Molly Bloom - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Molly%27s_Game   ⚉  [Book] The Hard Thing About Hard Things: Building a Business When There Are No Easy Answers - https://www.amazon.com/Hard-Thing-About-Things-Building/dp/0062273205     CONNECT WITH DAVID:  

#392: The Power of Customer Experience: Lessons in Business and Leadership from David Ewing

In this episode, let's unfold the journey, insights, and strategies that have propelled Aleric's business to new heights and generated over two hundred million dollars in sales for his clients.   ⚉  Who is Aleric Heck, and what is his turning point as a YouTube content creator ⚉  Passion fuels success  ⚉  The challenges and the learning curve  ⚉  Success metrics for Aleric and AdOutreach  ⚉  The strategic move that propelled AdOutreach into rapid growth  ⚉  Can anyone really learn how to use YouTube ads?  ⚉  YouTube vs. Facebook Ads  ⚉  Insights from business and the entrepreneur's mindset  ⚉  The most dangerous belief an entrepreneur can have  ⚉  The delicate balance of team dynamics  ⚉  What contributed to Aleric's success  ⚉  Valuable insights from mentors  ⚉  The YouTube ad strategy     Aleric is a YouTube Ads Expert & the Founder of AdOutreach. He has been on YouTube for over 12 Years, first growing a YouTube Channel to over 500,000+ Subscribers.   Over the last 7 Years, Aleric has taught thousands of Entrepreneurs & Business Owners how to Grow & Scale their business using laser-targeted YouTube Ads. Collectively, Aleric has helped his clients generate over $200 Million+ in sales from YouTube Ads & scaled his own business to over 8 Figures.    RESOURCES:  (FREE GIFT!) YouTube Ad Strategy PDF - https://www.adoutreach.com/gift   YouTube Ad AI Targeting Software - https://www.keywordsearch.com/      CONNECT WITH ALERIC:  

#380: Mickie Kennedy

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