My Quest for the Best with Bill Ringle - the podcast for ambitious business owners.

By Bill RingleBusiness Entrepreneurship Management

My Quest for the Best with Bill Ringle - the podcast for ambitious business owners. episodes

December 04, 2024Personal growth accelerates business growth with guest expert Byron Morrison
Byron Morrison, author of The Effective CEO
Bill Ringle and Byron Morrison discuss how you as a business leader can avoid becoming the bottleneck in your own business by working on your mindset, emotional control, and performance routines.
>>> Visit MyQuestforTheBest.com for complete show notes and more expert advice and inspiring stories to propel your small business growth. My Quest for the Best is a top-rated small business podcast with over 300 episodes of thought-provoking and insightful interviews with today’s top thought leaders and business experts. Host Bill Ringle’s mission with this show is to provide the strategies, insights, and resources that will unlock the growth potential of your business through these powerful conversations.
Interview Insights
Top 3 Takeaways
While as leaders, our goal is to lead our organizations to success, we should not neglect essential areas in our personal lives, like our relationships and our health, to keep up our high energy. Our energy directly impacts our performance which directly affects the people we lead.
Not prioritizing our personal development tanks our ability to lead.
Instead of committing to following a to-do list, we should instead figure out what works best by aligning our energy and our schedule to what’s most important.
Read the Show Notes from this Episode
A unique source of inspiration for Byron when he was growing up is Tome Delonge from Blink 182. [05:52]
Byron shares how the artist he looked up to and his band, through their music, influenced his career as a businessman. [02:38]
The impact Byron wants to achieve when he wrote The Effective CEO. [04:29]
Byron recalls the day he decided to change as a person, which led to him writing his first bestselling book, Become a Better You, and starting his business. [05:33]
CASE: Matthew was a client of Byron’s who runs a small advertising agency. He was struggling with his team not getting on board and him not knowing how to effectively delegate. [07:33]
Why our personal lives should not be brushed off to purely focus on our role as leaders. [09:05]
A key principle is figuring out your energy and how to structure your schedule to align with that. [11:20]
CASE: Jason who runs a tech startup in Silicon Valley. Jason loves his to-do lists, not realizing that this practice of checking the boxes is a terrible approach for CEOs. [13:06]
How to effectively implement and commit to time blocking and make it a part of your work style. [15:40]
My Quest for the Best lightning round begins. [24:36]
Expert Bio
Byron Morrison is the author of the books “The Effective CEO” and “CEO In Control”, as well as being a speaker and coach. He helps CEOs take control and become more effective in their role so that they can maximize their time, lead with confidence and grow a business without losing their sanity.
Contact Info and Social Media for byron Morrison
Primary website
Travels from: Warwick, Warwickshire
Connect on: LinkedIn | Instagram | YouTube | Facebook

Resources Mentioned During the Interview
Below are key people, places, books, quotes, websites, and other resources that we discussed, so you can explore further.
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Awaken the Giant Within- How to Take Immediate Control of Your Mental, Emotional, Physical and Financial Destiny! by Tony Robbins
High-Performance Habits- How Extraordinary People Become That Way by Brendon Burchard
Authored by byron Morrison
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29 min
November 06, 2024Your Message Matters with guest expert Johnathan Milligan
Jonathan Milligan, author of Your Message Matters: How to Rise Above the Noise and Get Paid for What You Know
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Bill Ringle and Johnathan Milligan discuss what it means to share a message, be a messenger, and find your voice so that you can be paid for your knowledge and expertise for entrepreneurs, experts, and small business leaders.
>>> Visit MyQuestforTheBest.com for complete show notes and more expert advice and inspiring stories to propel your small business growth. My Quest for the Best is a top-rated small business podcast with over 300 episodes of thought-provoking and insightful interviews with today’s top thought leaders and business experts. Host Bill Ringle’s mission with this show is to provide the strategies, insights, and resources that will unlock the growth potential of your business through these powerful conversations.
Interview Insights
Top 3 Takeaways
There is power in being specific, so create a specific message that is worth sharing and that you can monetize.
It is better to narrow it down to a specific audience and provide a specific solution to target a particular problem. It lets our niche know that we are the experts in this subject matter, and the solution we offer is worth more than their money.
Find out what kind of messenger you are, if you’re a writer, a teacher, a speaker, or a coach. If you know your strength, you can build a business that you love, and that will make you better at serving others.
Read the Show Notes from this Episode
As a kid, Jonathan got his first glimpse of how to run a business by observing his grandfather and witnessing how both his customers and employees trust him. [01:05]
When the need to handle a delicate matter arose during his teaching career, Jonathan remembered how his grandfather acted when challenges arose and handled the situation in the same calm and caring manner as his grandpa did. [03:02]
Know your message, how to be an effective messenger, and create a message that is not only worth sharing but also something you can monetize.[05:21]
Bryan was a student of Jonathan’s who had a good message, but it was not specific enough for his target audience. Jonathan helps him learn how the more specific a message is, the more powerful it is. [06:57]
Jonathan shares his own story of how he succeeded by narrowing down his message to a specific audience. [09:00]
His Influencer Voice Assessment breaks down the kinds of messenger roles into four: Writer, teacher, speaker, and coach. [11:46]
Martha was a student of his who wanted to start a business that would enable her to use her experience and knowledge as a consultant to help others. However, she does not want to be a coach and fears this is the only way to move forward if she wants to make something of herself. After she took Influencer Voice Assessment, Jonathan was able to help her move forward with a career that not only suits her better but she actually loves. [13:43]
Jonathan talks about four keystone habits that make effective messengers: Creating free value, capturing habits, compiling habits, and connecting habits. [17:08]
My Quest for the Best lightning round begins. [24:34]
Expert Bio
Jonathan Milligan is an author, blogger, speaker, and online business coach. He has spent the last decade guiding and directing creative professionals on how to pursue meaningful work. Since 2009, Jonathan has run his own portable lifestyle business online. Today he teaches others how to build a business with their passion, story, or message. He lives in Jacksonville, Florida, with his wife, Charity, and their two kids.
Contact Info and Social Media for Jonathan Milligan
Primary website
Travels from: Jacksonville, FL – Florida
Connect on: Twitter | LinkedIn | Instagram | Facebook
Resources Mentioned During the Interview
Below are key people, places, books, quotes, websites and other resources that we discussed, so you can explore further.
Discover Your Message Challenger
The Elite Road Warrior: Six Energy Habits to Master the Business Travel Life by Bryan Paul Buckley
31 min
October 04, 2024From Management Mess to Leadership Success
Scott Jeffrey Miller, author of Management Mess to Leadership Success
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Bill Ringle and Scott Jeffrey Miller discuss the importance of being clear and explicit with your intent in all communications for small business leaders because in the absence of details, people make up stories and those stories can become a(nother) mess.
>>> Visit MyQuestforTheBest.com for complete show notes and more expert advice and inspiring stories to propel your small business growth. My Quest for the Best is a top-rated small business podcast with over 300 episodes of thought-provoking and insightful interviews with today’s top thought leaders and business experts. Host Bill Ringle’s mission with this show is to provide the strategies, insights, and resources that will unlock the growth potential of your business through these powerful conversations.
Interview Insights
Top 3 Takeaways
Declare your intention on why you called this meeting or are taking this course of action. This provides clarity and lessens the probability of misinterpretations. Most importantly, remember to keep your actions aligned with your stated intentions.
Manage expectations by setting boundaries on what you cannot do. It is better to say ‘no’ and let people down early on rather than make a commitment you wouldn’t be able to fulfill. That will break trust, harm your relationship, and damage your reputation.
Do not stretch your people more than their abilities or temporary limits. It is better to give your employees wins by setting attainable goals. Let your people know and feel that you care about them as people, not just their work roles.
Read the Show Notes from this Episode
How radio host Bruce Williams left a profound mark on Scott’s passion for business and how the world really works. [01:12]
Who would benefit from reading your book, Management Mess To Leadership Success? [04:15]
Steve Jobs’ behavior from 30 years ago is one of the most discussed examples when discussing leadership behavior. What was a humbling moment when what you thought one of your best leadership moments turned out to be one of your weakest? What did you do to bounce back from that terrible meeting with the team? [08:11]
What would you say is the significance of declaring our intent and the consequences if our actions do not align with it? [13:30]
Blaine Lee wrote, “Nearly all if not all, conflict arises from mismatched or unfulfilled expectations.” Can you elaborate on this problem with unfulfilled expectations and how to avoid them? [18:12]
CASE: Canadian manager proved that you can still follow through with your commitment even after being released from it. This story is a showcase of dedication and true commitment. [20:45]
Can you explain the analogy of jockeys and their prized horses and how it relates to leaders and their prized people? [24:04]
What is the lesson from the goose and the golden egg metaphor that explains why good leaders know not to force productivity from their employees? [26:44]
CASE: Pete reported to Scott and was afraid to make specific requests because of a reading dyslexia. [29:30]
Just because employees are free to declare their intent, how can those intentions be still be grounded to what is within reasonable limits? [33:33]
My Quest for the Best Lightning round begins. [41:01]
Expert Bio
Recruited by Dr. Stephen R. Covey’s team, Scott built a 26-year career in the world’s most respected and influential leadership development firm, serving nearly every role imaginable.
From a front-line salesperson to project manager, sales leader, general manager, vice president, chief marketing officer to executive vice president of thought leadership. Scott’s professional roles evolved as he became a multi-bestselling author, radio and podcast host, leadership coach, columnist, and global keynote speaker. He continues to consult with FranklinCovey and is proud to continue their collaboration as he expands his influence through new books, speeches, and coaching offerings.
Scott currently serves as the Special Advisor on Thought Leadership for the Franklin Covey Company and hosts their weekly podcast series, On Leadership, with Scott Miller.
Contact Info and Social Media for Jeffrey Scott Miller
Primary website
Travels from: Salt Lake City, Utah
Connect on: Twitter | LinkedIn | Facebook
Check out Scott’s podcasts!
FranklinCovey On Leadership with Scott Miller
C-Suite Conversations with Scott Miller
Resources Mentioned During the Interview
Below are key people, places, books, quotes, websites, and other resources we discussed so that you can explore further.
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change by Stephen R. Covey
The POWER PRINCIPLE: INFLUENCE WITH HONOR by Blaine Lee
Franklin Covey
Career Builder
47 min
February 27, 2023Using Data Visualization to Extract the Hidden Insights and Stories in Your Business with guest expert Steve Wexler
Steve Wexler, author of The Big Picture: How to Use Data Visualization to Make Better Decisions – Faster
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Bill Ringle and Steve Wexler discuss the approaches and benefits of presenting data as charts, images, and infographics to make better decisions, build consensus, and tell a better story about the results you are producing for small business managers and leaders.
>>> Visit MyQuestforTheBest.com for complete show notes and more expert advice and inspiring stories to propel your small business growth. My Quest for the Best is a top-rated small business podcast with over 350 episodes of thought-provoking and insightful interviews with today’s top thought leaders and business experts. Host Bill Ringle’s mission with this show is to provide the strategies, insights, and resources that will unlock the growth potential of your business through these powerful conversations
Interview Insights
Top 3 Takeaways
If you are data literate, you can read data faster, interpret them better, and be quicker in making decisions and providing solutions.
The goal of data visualization is to provide the most significant degree of understanding in the least amount of effort. It spares us from cognitive overload because it is easier to understand what we can quickly see.
Collaboration is about creating something far more significant than what you can make independently.
Read the Show Notes from this Episode
Steve talks about his fourth-grade teacher, Mario Messi, who developed his love of reading. He is part of Steve’s pursuit of data literacy. [01:45]
How do the best leaders create the best conditions that allow their people to be their best and perform at their best? [04:29]
How can you recognize the good work of your colleagues with a genuine understanding of your people’s contributions? [05:18]
The Big Picture and The Big Book of Dashboards are geared toward data visualization practitioners. Steve talks about his fear in writing about this topic of serving some things that experts may already know about. [06:07]
Why do people tend to cling to their old tools, like spreadsheets, even if they are not as effectively reporting data as data visualization. Does this relate to data literacy? [08:19]
How do know if you are data literate? [10:16]
Why do we see so many bar charts? Are they ever appropriate to use? [11:43]
What are a few differences between data visualization versus storytelling? How to go from being just data literate to be able to use data to tell a story or make a decision. [14:27]
What are the four components of setting the stage for effective data visualization? [16:00]
What was it like to work with Seth Godin on his book collaboration, The Carbon Almanac, using your expertise in data visualization? [21:15]
What is the significance of Charlie Menard’s chart (chapter 8)? Why is it considered the Mona Lisa of data visualization? Are there improvements you found? [23:25]
Talk about some of the distinctions you’ve learned in collaboration versus compromise. [25:34]
My Quest for the Best lightning round begins. [29:32]
Expert Bio
Steve Wexler is the founder of Data Revelations, author of The Big Picture: How to Use Data Visualization to Make Better Decisions—Faster (winner of Data Literacy’s Most Insightful Data Book), and co-author of The Big Book of Dashboards: Visualizing Your Data Using Real-World Business Scenarios.
Steve has worked with ADP, Gallup, Johnson & Johnson, Deloitte, ExxonMobil, Convergys, Consumer Reports, The Economist, SurveyMonkey, Con Edison, D&B, Marist, Cornell University, Stanford University, Tradeweb, Tiffany, McKinsey & Company, and many other organizations to help them understand and visualize their data. A Tableau Zen Master (Hall of Fame) and Iron Viz winner, Steve also serves on the advisory board to the Data Visualization Society and is co-host of the popular webinar series Chart Chat (winner of Data Literacy’s most interesting podcast award).
His presentations and training classes combine an extraordinary level of product mastery with the real-world experience gained through developing thousands of visualizations for dozens of clients. Steve has taught in both large and small organizations and is known for conducting his workshops and presentations with clarity, patience, and humor.
Contact Info and Social Media for Steve Wexler
Primary website
Travels from: Briarcliff Manor, NY
Connect on: Twitter | LinkedIn
Resources Mentioned During the Interview
Below are key people, places, books, quotes, websites, and other resources that we discussed, so you can explore further.
Chart Chat podcast and webinar series on data visualization
The Big Book of Dashboards: Visualizing Your Data Using Real-World Business Scenarios.
Amanda McCullough, executive director of The Data Visualization Society.
How Charts Lie: Getting Smarter about Visual Information by Alberto Cairo
Cool Infographics: Effective Communication with Data Visualization and Design by Rany Krum
Troy Magnus, president of Focused Objective
Charles Minard
The Carbon Almanac: It’s Not Too Late – edited by Seth Godin, created by the CARBON ALMANAC NETWORK, a team of over 300 researchers, writers, artists, and chart specialists located in 40 countries.
The 4 elements of setting the stage for data visualization: 1. Somebody needs to know the data. 2. Somebody has to know the tool. 3. Have stakeholders help steer decision-making. 4. Be able to iterate quickly as you get feedback from others. (Source: The Big Picture by Steve Wexler)
The Visual Display of Quantitative Information by Edward Tufte
33 min
February 20, 2023Write a book to serve as a lighthouse that guides and serves your prospects, customers, and clients with guest expert Anne Janzer
Anne Janzer, author of Get the Word Out: Write a Book That Makes a Difference
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Bill Ringle and Anne Janzer discuss the beneficial reasons for writing a book, overcoming common obstacles, and how to maximize a book as part of your business growth strategy for small business leaders.
>>> Visit MyQuestforTheBest.com for complete show notes and more expert advice and inspiring stories to propel your small business growth. My Quest for the Best is a top-rated small business podcast with over 350 episodes of thought-provoking and insightful interviews with today’s top thought leaders and business experts. Host Bill Ringle’s mission with this show is to provide the strategies, insights, and resources that will unlock the growth potential of your business through these powerful conversations.
Interview Insights
Top 3 Takeaways
Thought leaders do not put out their ideas to the world for glorification but to serve their clients, students, customers, and colleagues.
By modeling the tone and style of their writing, thought leaders give their audiences the information and insights that they need.
Writing for your readers makes you a part of a community. In fact, you create and expand your community.
Read the Show Notes from this Episode
Denise Brosseau’s quote on “Thought leaders speak on behalf of others” highly influenced Anne’s book. [01:11]
What does ‘service authorship’ mean? [02:22]
How come writing isn’t a solitary activity as many expect? How writing for others else helps authors focus and produce. [03:22]
CASE: Sarah changed her book structure based on who she wanted to serve. Twice! [04:43]
What is the ‘pond metaphor’ and what can it teach us about reaching a bigger audience by starting small? [05:56]
What does it mean to a writer to ‘prime the pump in writing’? [08:16]
CASE: Kathy Capino exemplifies how a book does not always end up as the author expects when starting. Her research and interactions changed the texture and nature of her book. [09:20]
CASE: Steve transitioned from writing his memoir to writing a business book. [10:18]
What are the six steps of the sprint framework? Start with the easy, prime, relax, incubate, notice, and trust your future self. [11:55]
How does it help authors to be more collaborative and less competitive? [21:42]
Expert Bio
Anne Janzer is an award-winning author, nonfiction writing coach, and unabashed writing geek committed to helping people make a positive impact with their writing. She supports and encourages writers and authors through her books, blog posts, webinars, and teaching.
Her writing-related books explore the science and practice of effective writing.
Before she started writing books, Anne was a freelance marketing consultant, working with more than a hundred technology businesses to articulate positioning and messaging in crowded markets.
She’s been writing business emails longer than she cares to admit—and has made all of the mistakes in her latest book, and more, over the years. She wants to save others from the same problems.
Contact Info and Social Media for Anne Janzer
Primary website
Travels from: San Luis Obispo, CA
Connect on: Twitter | LinkedIn | Instagram | Facebook
Resources Mentioned During the Interview
Below are key people, places, books, quotes, websites, and other resources that we discussed, so you can explore further.
My Quest for the Best interviews:
192: Understanding Subscription Marketing with guest expert Anne Janzer
378: Always review before you click Send with guest expert Anne Janzer
Denise Brosseau
Books by Kathy Caprino:
Breakdown Breakthrough
The Most Powerful You
Radical Candor
Dilbert Cartoon
25 min
February 13, 2023How to gain the unfair advantage in growing your small business with expert Stu Henecke
Stu Heinecke, author of How to Grow Your Business Like a Weed: A Complete Strategy for Unstoppable Growth
Bill Ringle and Stu Heinecke discuss growing like a WEED model to grow, conquer, and protect your turf for small business owners.
>>> Visit MyQuestforTheBest.com for complete show notes and more expert advice and inspiring stories to propel your small business growth. My Quest for the Best is a top-rated small business podcast with over 300 episodes of thought-provoking and insightful interviews with today’s top thought leaders and business experts. Host Bill Ringle’s mission with this show is to provide the strategies, insights, and resources that will unlock the growth potential of your business through these powerful conversations.
Interview Insights
Top 3 Takeaways from this Interview
In a world of stiff competition, you have got to cultivate unfair advantages or you will perish.
If you are optimistic, you do your work with more excitement, effort, determination, and conviction. Feeling depressed only diminishes your performance.
Scaling is an excellent example of an unfair advantage because it goes beyond just you. It involves meaningful relationships with people that can help you advance your business.
Read the Show Notes from this Episode
‘Deal with what is’ is a message that Stu extracted from delving into the weeds.[00:37]
What are the admirable traits of weeds that we can emulate to gain an unfair advantage to grow our business? [03:21]
How can weeds be seen as conquerors? Is there a formula to follow to grow your business like a weed? [04:46]
Can optimism be defined as the absence of depression? What can we learn about boundless optimism from the dandelion? [06:25]
What are the six attributes that define the “grow your business like a weed” mindset? [07:06]
What is the difference between growing your business and scaling your business? [08:23]
What can you tell me abou the power of operating on a collective scale? Stu shares how he and his Author’s Leverage group scale collectively. [09:57]
What is the Chief Weed Officer (CWO)? Why is having a recorded process important? [13:10]
Weeds are often treated as pests but how they grow and thrive has inspired us to use them as metaphors for complimenting growth. [15:21]
Why are founders not supposed to be part of the deliverables? [16:50]
Expert Bio
Dubbed by the American Marketing Association the “Father of Contact Marketing,” STU HEINECKE is a Wall Street Journal cartoonist, hall of fame-nominated marketer and the bestselling author of How to Get a Meeting with Anyone and Get the Meeting!
Stu is also the founder of Cartoonists.org, a group of WSJ and New Yorker cartoonists who donate their art to help charities raise funds. Heinecke is author of How to Grow Your Business Like a Weed: A Complete Strategy for Unstoppable Growth.
Contact Info for Stu Heinecke
Primary Website
Travels from: Freeland, WA
Connect on LinkedIn | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram
Books Authored by Stu Heinecke
View on Amazon
Resources Mentioned During the Interview
My Quest for the Best interview: Using creativity and humor to make contact and build your business with guest expert Stu Heinecke
Authors Leverage
David Petraeus
Barry McCaffrey
The 6 Elements of a GROWTH mindset from the Chief Weed Officer
Irrepressible Optimism
Ruthless Persistence
Brutal Urgency
Fearsome Aggression
Nimble Adaptability
Alien Resilience
25 min
February 06, 2023Removing the friction from your customer journey with guest expert Melina Palmer
Melina Palmer, author of What Your Customer Wants and Can’t Tell You: Unlocking Consumer Decisions with the Science of Behavioral Economics
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Bill Ringle and Melina Palmer discuss how to identify and apply the science underlying the decisions your customers are making each day for small business leaders.
>>> Visit MyQuestforTheBest.com for complete show notes and more expert advice and inspiring stories to propel your small business growth. My Quest for the Best is a top-rated small business podcast with over 300 episodes of thought-provoking and insightful interviews with today’s top thought leaders and business experts. Host Bill Ringle’s mission with this show is to provide the strategies, insights, and resources that will unlock the growth potential of your business through these powerful conversations.
Interview Insights
Top 3 Takeaways
Execute a successful strategy by leveraging language patterns to influence people to choose you and feel good about choosing you.
Make it easy for your buyers to do business with you and support them in the process.
Know your worth and use the tools and insights of behavioral economics to be confident in naming your price.
Read the Show Notes from this Episode
Paul McCartney became a legend even though he couldn’t read sheet music. This surprising fact about the legendary ex-Beatle inspired Melina when she realized that you don’t have to have the skill already present when you want to pursue something. [01:28]
Behavioral economics decodes what makes us buy things. [03:49]
Language is a very powerful determinant of what we buy or if our products get sold or not. [06:04]
Melina discusses the five wording mistakes we need to avoid.[08:08]
Why we should not be afraid to say our price. Melina shared a story of one of her clients who were hesitant to name her price but was both shocked and rewarded that the client wanted her most expensive package. [11:56]
How do you use insights from behavioral economics to make prices attractive to your buyers? [13:57]
What is the hot-cold empathy gap? [17:10]
CASE: Steve asked for help with his company’s messaging. With Melina’s help, they took a complicated company statement into a simple question that is easy to understand and gets the customer thinking they need what is offered.[18:08]
What does the elevator experiment show about nudges, or incorporating a bit of friction into an existing process, and how it can change buying outcomes? [23:58]
What are some examples of reframes that help nudge people into changing behavior? When vs. if, anyone vs. everyone, and question vs. statement. [25:44]
What about understanding the brain’s rules makes it easier for people to choose you? [27:34]
My Quest for the Best lightning round begins. [28:23]
Expert Bio
Melina Palmer is the founder and CEO of The Brainy Business, which provides behavioral economics consulting to businesses of all sizes from around the world. Her podcast, The Brainy Business: Understanding the Psychology of Why People Buy, has downloads in over 170 countries and is used as a resource for teaching applied behavioral economics for many universities and businesses. Melina obtained her bachelor’s degree in business administration: and marketing and worked in corporate marketing and brand strategy for over a decade before earning her master’s in behavioral economics.
A proud member of the Global Association of Applied Behavioral Scientists, Melina has contributed research to the Association for Consumer Research, Filene Research Institute, and writes the Behavioral Economics & Business column for Inc Magazine. She teaches applied behavioral economics through the Texas A&M Human Behavior Lab.
Her first book, What Your Customer Wants and Can’t Tell You, was a finalist in two categories of the International Book Awards. Her second book, What Your Employees Need and Can’t Tell You, is focused on changes within your organization.
She teaches applied behavioral economics through the Texas A&M Human Behavior Lab.
Contact Info and Social Media for Melina Palmer
Primary Website
Travels from: Tacoma, WA
Connect on: Twitter | LinkedIn | Instagram | YouTube | Facebook
Resources Mentioned During the Interview
Below are key people, places, books, quotes, websites, and other resources that we discussed, so you can explore further.
Get your free gift from Melina for My Quest for the Best listeners
Listen and enjoy The Brainy Biz Podcast
The Beatles
Sir Paul McCartney
Nudge: Improving Decisions About Health, Wealth, and Happiness
A More Beautiful Question: The Power of Inquiry to Spark Breakthrough Ideas
37 min
January 30, 2023Your customers want their problems solved and sales is the first step with guest expert Nikki Rausch
Nikki Rausch, author of The Selling Staircase: Mastering the Art of Relationship Selling
View on Amazon
Bill Ringle and Nikki Rausch discuss relationship selling as working with your prospect to solve a problem and not at them to make a sale for small business leaders.
>>> Visit MyQuestforTheBest.com for complete show notes and more expert advice and inspiring stories to propel your small business growth. My Quest for the Best is a top-rated small business podcast with over 300 episodes of thought-provoking and insightful interviews with today’s top thought leaders and business experts. Host Bill Ringle’s mission with this show is to provide the strategies, insights, and resources that will unlock the growth potential of your business through these powerful conversations.
Interview Insights
Top 3 Takeaways
Selling is not about you; it is about the clients.
Offer what the client needs, not what they can afford. Remember, we are not just selling to them; we are providing a solution for their problem.
Selling is a process of building trust, creating curiosity, and discovering through conversations.
Read the Show Notes from this Episode
Nikki recalls working at her grandfather’s tool store and how this experience honed her skills in selling. [01:00]
Armed with experience and her grandfather’s wisdom, Nikki was impressed at her first job, being so natural at selling she got promoted at eighteen. [02:35]
Working for Hitachi America, Nikki observed Patrick, a more tenured employee who was not only killing it with sales but was creating customer loyalty. He taught her what it means to ‘make it about the customers.’ [06:52]
Nikki talks about selling as a process: Building trust, creating curiosity, and discovery. [10:03]
Selling, according to Nikki, starts at the discovery process because it is in this step where the conversation, virtually or in person, happens. [13:18]
Lisa was a client of Nikki’s who has her clients ready to take the next step with her. But Lisa was confused with the steps and was taking two steps back. [16:14]
How to prospect a client. Nikki likens this to the difference between calling versus calling a dog. [23:34]
Nikki talks about The Sales Maven Society and how this group didn’t only become a place of learning but a community of people helping each other. [26:32]
My Quest for the Best lightning round begins. [31:25]
Expert Bio
CEO of Sales Maven, Nikki Rausch has the unique ability to transform the misunderstood process of “selling”.
With 25+ years of selling experience, entrepreneurs and small business owners now hire Nikki to show them how to sell successfully and authentically.
Nikki has written 3 books, all available on Amazon and she has a podcast called Sales Maven which you can find on your favorite podcast platform.
Contact Info and Social Media for Nikki Rausch
Primary website
Travels from: Boise, ID
Connect on: Twitter | LinkedIn | Instagram | Facebook
Resources Mentioned During the Interview
Below are key people, places, books, quotes, websites and other resources that we discussed, so you can explore further.
The Sales Maven Podcast
The Sales Maven Society
Hitachi
37 min
January 16, 2023Performance conversations that can transform your business with expert Christopher D. Lee
Christopher Lee, author of Performance Conversations: How to Use Questions to Coach Employees, Improve Productivity, and Boost Confidence (Without Appraisals)
Bill Ringle and Chris Lee discuss how your managers can adopt a coaching methodology to improve your business conversations and performance for small business leaders.
>>> Visit MyQuestforTheBest.com for complete show notes and more expert advice and inspiring stories to propel your small business growth. My Quest for the Best is a top-rated small business podcast with over 300 episodes of thought-provoking and insightful interviews with today’s top thought leaders and business experts. Host Bill Ringle’s mission with this show is to provide the strategies, insights, and resources that will unlock the growth potential of your business through these powerful conversations.
Interview Insights
Top 3 Takeaways
Waiting until the very end to give a performance review is doing your direct reports a disservice because it is a delay for improvement. You allowed your team to continue a substandard performance for a long time only to give them a bad review. Coach as soon as you can.
Performance conversation, like any fruitful conversation, must be two-way. It is not just the leaders giving feedback and what their direct reports can change to improve performance, but also the employee can open up to their leaders and ask for help.
Never let your personal biases affect your performance evaluation.
Read the Show Notes from this Episode
A.G Garson was a black millionaire business owner for Birmingham, Alabama, whose presence in their community was heavily felt by Chris and served as his most significant influence growing up. [01:04]
Be ‘forward-looking’ in your performance conversations. Chris weighs in on why looking forward is fairer to employees. CASE 1: Sally, an A-tier employee, who performed great most of the year but didn’t have the best start, was worried her early performance would shade her most recent performance. [02:34]
Christopher explains the biases when leaders try to manage past performance, i.e., waiting until the end to give the bad news instead of correcting through coaching ASAP. [05:22]
Christopher highlights the difference between a judge and a coach. [07:06]
The mutually beneficial of coaches/leaders and their clients/direct reports. [09:08]
Christopher reminds us that a conversation is two-way. For example, in a performance conversation, it is not just the manager who talks but also the employee who can ask for help. [12:15]
CASE 2: Karen is an HR in the Pittsburgh area who had an issue with ‘the tail wagging the dog.’ How do we catch ourselves when we are being unfair with our judgments? [13:44]
A performance conversation, as defined by Christopher, is structured and tailored. [16:07]
A tip on how to create a positive performance conversation. [19:18]
Expert Bio
Chris is the chief human resources officer for William & Mary, the nation’s second-oldest university. Before this role, he was Associate Vice Chancellor for Human Resources for the Virginia Community College System, a network of 23 colleges serving over 200,000 students in the commonwealth. He has over 25 years of experience as a chief human resources officer in higher education, having worked at public and private institutions.
He is a consummate human resource professional with experience as an author, consultant, lecturer, and accomplished practitioner. He is a former question writer for the PHR and SPHR examinations administered by the Human Resources Certification Institute (HRCI). He is the author of numerous human resources-related articles and four books, including Performance Conversations: How to Use Questions to Coach Employees, Improve Productivity, and Boost Confidence (Without Appraisals).
He has presented at conferences and consulted with clients in the US, Canada, Australia, and South Africa on HR-related topics. He holds a master’s degree in HR Management, a doctor of philosophy degree in HR Development, and is a certified human resource professional. Chris is also a retired Lieutenant Colonel from the United States Marine Corps Reserves.
Contact Info and Social Media for Christopher Lee
Primary Website
Travels from: Williamsburg, VA
Connect on: LinkedIn
Resources Mentioned During the Interview
Below are key people, places, books, quotes, websites and other resources that we discussed, so you can explore further.
The International Coaching Federation
23 min
January 09, 2023Business success is easier when you stop doing the things that make it hard, confusing, and unclear with guest expert Michael Neill
Michael Neill, author of The Inside-Out Revolution: The Only Thing You Need to Know to Change Your Life Forever
Bill Ringle and Michael Neill discuss ways to have and communicate a clear vision as a small business leader so that you and your people know how to contribute to success.
>>> Visit MyQuestforTheBest.com for complete show notes and more expert advice and inspiring stories to propel your small business growth. My Quest for the Best is a top-rated small business podcast with over 300 episodes of thought-provoking and insightful interviews with today’s top thought leaders and business experts. Host Bill Ringle’s mission with this show is to provide the strategies, insights, and resources that will unlock the growth potential of your business through these powerful conversations.
Interview Insights
Top 3 Takeaways
We do better when we live in what we’re thinking instead of living in our circumstances. Therefore, let’s control the content of our thinking so that we’re not exaggerating situations. Making mountains out of molehills creates fear, anxiety, and other negative emotions that if they grip us will cause us to make bad decisions.
Work effortlessly, and that means without the tightness, the struggle, and the constant pressure. We can do more when we are in the flow state and aligning ourselves at the speed of life.
Never re-establish or rebuild your business with discouragement as a foundation. Defeat this negative emotion before making business decisions.
Read the Show Notes from this Episode
“If we love what we do, it’s going to improve. If we don’t, that’s probably not what we should be doing”- Michael shared this valuable lesson he learned from his father. [01:25]
The message of the book Inside Out Revolution and the power of perceiving our reality. [03:18]
How we get from the point of understanding, we can create our own story to owning our capacity to change it. [06:24]
CASE 1: Alice is the wife of one of Michael’s clients who turned her husband’s behaviors into the source of her negative emotions. After a conversation with Michael, she could traverse from the point of creating reality to changing it. [07:30]
CASE 2: Bob was a very burnt-out CEO whose emotional turmoil almost made him go through a very bad business decision. After venting his frustration to Michael, Bob could calm down, take a step back, and remember how he could run his business successfully for many years. Now Bob is 6 million dollars richer and running a business he loves. [10:35]
Dr. George Pransky, Michael’s former mentor, likened how our mind works to that of a race car. But instead of revolution per minute, the mind is measured per TPM- Thought Per Minute. [13:48]
Moving towards the flow state. Michael talks about the ‘seemingly effortless’ way of doing things. [17:46]
Introducing the new normal has not been a pleasant ride for many people. Michael shares his observations on why some thrived when many failed and the qualities these people possess. [18:32]
CASE 3: Fred was a CEO who had all stacks against him when the lockdowns were implemented. Owning bars, music venues, and restaurants, he belongs to the industry that was hit the most by this. But Fred did not re-establish his business with discouragement as a baseline. While the lockdown was not the best for him, he managed a sustainable burn rate. [20:47]
The Las Vegas gambling metaphor and how people can tap into their sense of power and ease with their business. [24:31]
My Quest for the Best lightning round begins. [26:42]
Expert Bio
Michael Neill is an internationally renowned transformative teacher, author, broadcaster, and speaker, described as having the unique ability to “blend the sacred with the profane.” The inside-out understanding at the heart of his work challenges the cultural mythology that stress, pressure, and other symptoms of “seriousness” are necessary for adaptation and growth in business or any area of life.
In his role as CEO of Genius Catalyst Inc., from its inception in the UK in 1990 to its incorporation in the USA in 2007, Michael has spearheaded its growth from consultancy to a multi-media organization delivering services to tens of thousands of loyal customers each year through live training, online courses, and self-study programs.
He has also spent more than three decades as a coach, adviser, friend, mentor, and creative spark plug to founders, CEOs, celebrities, royalty, and those who are up to something in the world. His global client base is wide and diverse, having served clients in North America, the UK, Europe, and the Middle East in investment, sales, energy, manufacturing, the entertainment and media industry, and more. He has been consistently ranked alongside Jack Canfield, Tony Robbins, and other legends in the field as one of the world’s top 30 coaching thought leaders and continues to run a small private practice working with high performers in their fields of expertise.
A gifted communicator, Michael has authored six best-selling books, including Creating the Impossible, The Inside-Out Revolution, The Space Within, and Supercoach. His books have been translated into more than 25 languages, and his public talks, retreats, and seminars have touched and transformed lives at the United Nations in over 60 countries and on six continents around the world. His TEDx talks, ‘Why Aren’t We Awesomer?’ and ‘Can a TEDx Talk Really Change the World?’ have been viewed by over two million people around the world, and his blog and podcast, Caffeine for the Soul, has been entertaining and inspiring audiences around the world for more than 20 years.
Contact Info and Social Media for Michael Neill
Primary Website
Travels from: Woodland Hills, CA
Connect on: Twitter | LinkedIn | Instagram | Facebook
Resources Mentioned During the Interview
Below are key people, places, books, quotes, websites and other resources that we discussed, so you can explore further.
Why Aren’t We Awesomer
Can A Ted Talk Really Changed The World
Listen to Michael’s podcast: Caffeine for the Soul
George Pransky
The Missing Link: Reflections on Philosophy and Spirit The Missing Link
Star Trek
33 min

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