Onward Nation

Mark Stoner, author of "BLUE-COLLAR GOLD: How To Build A Service Business From The Dirt Up," has been in the chimney industry for 30-years. He ran a one-truck company for 18-years until 2003, when he changed his path and built a multi-million dollar chimney company only a few years later. Mark is the current president of the Chimney Safety Institute of America, is the past vice president and treasurer, and has also served as the National Chimney Sweep Guild Ethics Committee Chairman. Mark was also featured on Season 2 of the CNBC-TV series "Blue Collar Millionaires."

• Mark's background
• Why you shouldn't do anything that you can pay somebody else to do
• Why it's really what you do between the hours of 7pm-2am that will change the trajectory of your life
• Why the leadership of people is so important
• Why you need to focus really hard on what's in front of you
• Why you should get your business to a self-sustaining level before looking for other opportunities
• Why Mark believes that you need to build your business like you are going to sell it
• Why you need to think about how you are going to be working yourself out of a job
• The importance of reading every single day
• Why you need to understand the difference between a job & a business

• Website: markstoner.com
• Book: "BLUE-COLLAR GOLD: How To Build A Service Business From The Dirt Up"

Stephen is the CEO of Predictive ROI and the host of the Onward Nation podcast. He is the author of two bestselling books, speaker, trainer, and his digital marketing insights have been featured in SUCCESS, Entrepreneur, The Washington Post, Forbes, Inc. Magazine, and other media.

Good Morning, Onward Nation and welcome to Episode 480 – this week's solocast.

And I am so fired up for this discussion – that I can hardly wait to share a major win from one of our Predictive ROI clients and avid listeners!

No hyperbole – this win is really off-the-charts amazing.

Here's a brief backstory.

Many Onward Nation listeners are business owners whose primary focus each day is to drive business development for their company. To drive new revenue, from new customers, and within new markets.

All of that is consistent with the small business revenue data we consistently see…that points to how 43 percent of owners are cite growing revenue as the top challenge within their company – so – winning at biz dev needs to be at the forefront of an owner's vital priorities.

And breaking down the 43 percent for a second – that number – 43 percent – represents over 12 million business owners in this country who are concerned about growing revenue.

One of the proactive and super successful biz dev strategies proactive business owners have implemented is to put a podcast out in front of their core business – and then – to use their show as I like to call, a Trojan Horse of Sales – meaning – their podcast drives new client revenue into their core business by opening up biz dev relationships with the guests they interviewed for their show. Very smart and my Predictive ROI team are experts at helping owners of business-to-business professional services firms drive hundreds of thousands, if not millions of dollars in new revenue into their companies, through our Podcasting for Profit System. It is awesome.

If you haven't started your own podcast – but – you like the sound of having a Trojan Horse of Sales out in front of your business – then I encourage you to go back to Episode 445 of Onward Nation for the full recipe – in complete transparency – so you can take and apply all of the step-by-step ingredients.

And then, a couple weeks ago, I took our biz strategy even deeper during Episode 460 by taking you on a deep dive into how to get a $10,000 to $100,000 sponsor for your podcast.

But – I want to make sure I am very clear here – the recipe I shared in Episode 460 was not my recipe. It is a recipe I learned directly from the brilliant and super talented Linda Hollander. Linda is one of today's leading authorities on how to sell sponsorships to top tier sponsors – and – our incredible guest on Onward Nation and she was kind enough to let me pick her brain for Chapter 16 of my upcoming book. Thank you, Linda – you are a rock star!

Now, Linda's sponsorship recipe is not just any recipe – it's a recipe that can help you sell a $10,000 to $100,000 sponsorship for your business.

Again, no hyperbole. It is truly that awesome.

Here…I'll prove it.

Dave Mammano, a three-time guest here at Onward Nation, host of the Avanti Entrepreneur Podcast, and one of our Predictive ROI clients…decided to sit down and really study Episode 460. He wanted to learn from Linda all about how to get a sponsor – and then – what did he do?

He immediately…and I do mean immediately, Onward Nation…he immediately applied what he learned. He went to work creating what Linda calls the "Sponsorship proposal."

He then emailed me the draft and I could see that he had applied Linda's insights and wisdom exactly as she had recommended.

He wrote his story – he shared insights into the good – the challenges along the way – and all of those things that make Dave the amazing, awesome, and incredible business owner he is today.

He talked about his previous company that he recently sold and the story behind his latest venture. All in brilliant storytelling form.

Dave's proposal also included details about his podcast, his YouTube channel, and all of the other ways he communicates with his growing nation of true fans within in his community.

And when he was all done – he went out and started to sell it.

Then Dave called me a few days later and let me know that he sold a $30,000 sponsorship to the company called, Paychex.

Yes, Onward Nation – Dave sold a $30,000 annual sponsorship that stretched over his podcast, YouTube channel, all of the other properties within his business.

Definitely an incredible result outcome for Dave – but – it is also a real testament to the community, purpose, and high-quality content his Avanti Entrepreneur team are building.

And one of the most incredible aspects of the sales process is that the negotiations with Paychex were never about monthly downloads, website traffic, social media shares, or email optins.

Instead, the focus was about aligning the Paychex brand with Dave's content and his ever-growing nation of true fans because both companies serve the same customers.

So Onward Nation, your ability to sell your own $30,000 or even a $50,000 sponsorship, or a $100,000 sponsorship rests solely on you creating "properties" that attract the prospects and customers who your sponsor wants to be doing business with – and – that you create the type of culture a prospective sponsor wants to be aligned with.

That should be your biz dev strategy, Onward Nation.

And of course, it's exciting to think about building a YouTube channel with hundreds of thousands of subscribers or a super popular Instagram account.

But for most small business owners…becoming Internet famous…is not what is going to move the needle…and it shouldn't be your vital priority.

To be clear…I am not saying credibility on social media doesn't matter…but…what I am saying is that just because you don't have a million followers, doesn't mean you can't build an incredible core business where sponsors will absolutely want to pay you $50,000 to be part of the special relationship you are building with your customers and nation of true fans.

What you do need above anything else is the confidence to know that it is possible.

That you can do it.

That you can be successful.

That you can deliver value to a sponsor.

That you have built an audience, a customer base, a loyal following – no matter the size – who value you, who love you, who appreciate your opinion, your insights, and they look to you for guidance. How amazing is that, right? You have so much to be grateful for.

Okay, let's bring Dave's success, and how you can do it too, back into focus.

I didn't want to get you all fired up – and encourage you to go out there and start selling – without taking an opportunity to arm you with even more strategy and step-by-step process.

Yes, the recipes provided in earlier episodes will provide you with the right tactical ingredients – but in addition to Dave's success story – I also received feedback from other listeners who felt they needed more detail. In fact…they wanted a lot more detail.

When I shared Dave's story with them…they encouraged me to ask him to come back to the show and take us step-by-step through each and every detail that he experienced along the way.

Great push back, Onward Nation – thank you.

So I asked Dave – and – he agreed to come back and share each and every step…all the granular detail.

How he wrote his story.

What he decided to include or exclude.

How he designed the Pitch Deck or the visual format of his proposal.

How he presented it to Paychex.

And every detail in between.

Dave is going to share his story with you in full transparency because hearing his words may help move past any of the reservations – any of the hesitancy – any of the fear you may be feeling – that may be holding you back.

And we are going to air that interview two weeks from today, Onward Nation…Episode 490 on Wednesday, May 10th. Be sure to listen…download it…share it with other business owners who you think can benefit from the recipe…this biz dev strategy could be a game changer for your business and my hope is you will take advantage of it right away.

So, Onward Nation, here's what I want to leave you with today.

The key to success with this biz dev recipe, or any of the biz dev recipes we share here, is to get out of your own head, to allow yourself to study this recipe, and to give yourself the opportunity to apply it.

Who cares if the first prospective sponsor you approach says no?

So then you make some revisions to your proposal and you keep right on going.

Just think about all of the studios and production companies that told George Lucas no – that his idea for Star Wars wasn't going to go anywhere.

Or, the many editors from many publishers who told JK Rowling that her story about a young boy, a wizard named Harry, didn't have what it took to be successful.

Well, billions and billions of dollars in sales later, and we all know what happened when the creators of Star Wars and Harry Potter believed enough in their purpose and vision – amazing things!

Will your business enjoy similar success?

I don't know – but the point is – the only way you will know for sure is if you get out there and try.

Some sponsors will say no – but all you need is 1 to say yes.

Be sure to listen to Episode 490 that will air two weeks from today – May 10th – and you will get the exact roadmap – the exact recipe from Dave Mammano's success.

So with that said…I want to say thank you.

Thank you for being here and for making Onward Nation what you listen – what you study – and maybe what you take with you on your morning run – or your daily commute.

However we fit into your compressed schedule – I want you to know how much I appreciate you sharing some of your invaluable time with me today.

And I encourage you to listen to tomorrow's episode with Mark Stoner, who built and scaled his business from a one-man operation to now being featured in the primetime television show Blue Collar Millionaires on CNBC.

You will not want to miss, Mark, Onward Nation. He is rock solid awesome!

Until then – onward with gusto!

Tom Hogan is the author of "THE ULTIMATE START-UP GUIDE: Marketing Lessons, War Stories, And Hard-Won Advice From Leading Venture Capitalists And Angel Investors," has more than 25-years of marketing experience, including roles as vice president of marketing at Oracle, Borland, Lucent, and VitalSigns Software. As Oracle's original creative director, he managed the global advertising, direct marketing, seminar/trade show, and creative departments.

• Tom's background
• The story behind how Tom & his partner launched 45 startups in the last 8 years with Crowded Ocean
• The four levels of marketing in hi-tech today
• How sales-based marketing works
• The importance of listening to the guys on the front-line
• How to structure your company & what to hire to
• Why Tom tells his startups that they only need two marketing employees
• Why you have to hire by function – not by intelligence
• Why you have to base your business on what the market is telling you

• Website: www.crowdedocean.com
• Book: "THE ULTIMATE START-UP GUIDE: Marketing Lessons, War Stories, And Hard-Won Advice From Leading Venture Capitalists And Angel Investors"

Dr. Paul Zak is the author of the new book "TRUST FACTOR: The Science Of Creating High-Performance Companies", is founding Director of the Center for Neuroeconomics Studies and Professor of Economics, Psychology, and Management at Claremont Graduate University. He was part of the team of scientists that first made the connection between oxytocin and trust. His TED talk on the topic has received more than 1.4 million views. Paul is also the author of "The Moral Molecule", has appeared on ABC World News Tonight, CNN, Fox Business, Dr. Phil, and Good Morning America.

• Dr. Zak's background
• Why Dr. Zak believes that it's our decisions that make us interesting
• How any positive social interaction will trigger the release of oxytocin
• The importance of managing your energy
• Why Dr. Zak believes that there is no work-life balance – only work-life integration
• How getting up & walking around can profuse your brain with fresh, oxygenated blood
• Why it's so important to know where you are going
• How empowering individuals around you to be successful can free you up to have more cognitive space
• The importance of listening more as you become more successful
• Why it's so important to have a good culture fit when hiring people
• Why Dr. Zak believes that the most difficult part of managing an organization is the people
• How to create a high trust organization & the benefits of having one

• Website: www.pauljzak.com

• Book: "TRUST FACTOR: The Science Of Creating High-Performance Companies"
• Free Tools: ofactor.com

Dr. John Hayes was introduced to the franchise community in 1979 while an assistant professor at Temple University. Dr. Hayes has since been a franchisee of several concepts, a franchisor of a major American franchise company, and a consultant for franchisors in the U.S. and abroad. For more than 25 years he has taught "The A to Zs of Buying a Franchise," the most popular symposium at the International Franchise Expo. Dr. Hayes has also written several books with franchisors, including "Start Small, Finish Big, Fifteen Key Lessons to Start-and-Run Your Own Successful Business," with Fred DeLuca, the co-founder of Subway Restaurants.

• Dr. Hayes background
• Why it's important for your personality to fit when considering to become a franchisee
• Why business owners need to master selling
• The importance of trusting your own instincts
• Why it's so important to follow the franchisor's system
• Free resources to look into to determine if you are a good fit to be a franchisee
• Strategies to ensure success as a franchisee

• Website: www.howtobuyafranchise.com
• Website: tituscenterforfranchising.com

Kevin Van Eekeren started his career as a logistic officer for a S.W.A.T. team, that gave him insight into the criminal justice world and he soon found that training S.W.A.T. teams was the best way to reduce the use of force while ensuring national security. Fulcrum Tactical was born out of that idea and within 18 months he took it from a charity to a for-profit company. He started investing in startups on the side but focused on Fulcrum Tactical and his new venture, Fulcrum Farms, a sustainable farm producing high-quality meat and eggs for families and restaurants in the Chicagoland area. After 6-years Kevin sold Fulcrum Tactical and moved on to investing in startups full-time by starting Fulcrum Investing. He is also the co-host of a podcast called "The State of Logic."

• Kevin's background
• Why Kevin believes that all business owners should be somewhat of a holist
• The best way to save time and money
• Why Kevin aims to be objective with information that he receives when making a decision
• Why you need to be an expert in whatever you're trying to accomplish
• Why Kevin believes that there is not a point in running a business unless you can run it morally
• Why Kevin firmly believes in hiring the right people the first time
• Why Kevin looks for employees that want to constantly be learning & have a thirst for knowledge
• Making sure that the way you're running the business is what's best for the business
• Why it's important to give your employees honest feedback as to how they are doing

• Twitter: @FulcrumTactical
• Email: [email protected]
• Website: fulcruminvesting.com
• Podcast: The State of Logic

Lolly Daskal is the founder of Lead from Within, a global leadership and consulting firm based in New York City. With more than 30-years of experience in her field, Lolly is one of the most sought after executive leadership coaches and leadership consultants worldwide. Lolly has worked with a top-shelf roster of clients, including many Fortune 500 companies and organizations of all sizes in a wide range of industries. Lolly uses a heart-based leadership approach designed to help people achieve their full potential to make a difference in the world. Lolly was named one of the Top Leadership Experts to Speak at your next event, and Top 50 Leadership and Management Experts by Inc. Magazine — and — The Huffington Post named Lolly the most inspiring person in the world.

• Lolly's background
• Lolly's approach to coaching: empowering yourself by leading from within
• How fixing someone else's problem can be disempowering
• Utilizing your weakness in a way that allows you to stand in your greatness
• Why you need to understand who you are being while you are living & leading
• Why you need to ask yourself "What did I do great today?"
• How failures always have something to teach us
• Embracing the whole of who we are – both strengths & weaknesses
• Why it's important to find a mentor that can speak to you at a 'heart' level
• Why leaders need to embrace who they hire with great skills & ask them to help
• Why you need to choose greatness

• Website: www.theleadershipgapbook.com
• Website: www.lollydaskal.com
• Twitter: @LollyDaskal
• LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/lollydaskal

Amy Bruske, author of BUSINESS IS BUSINESS: Reality Checks for Family-Owned Companies, is the president of Kolbe Corp and leads seminars for business leaders throughout the world. She was recently named Business Owner of the Year by the Phoenix chapter of the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO).

• Amy's background and the goals of Kolbe Corp
• How Amy marries business with human behavior studies
• Why being "the smartest person in the room" doesn't always yield productivity
• The definition of "conative"
• How the conative part of the mind can be used as a model for success
• Why you should focus more on the end result than the process whenever possible
• The recipe for "analysis paralysis" and how to avoid it
• Why people fail in organizational training courses
• How running a business is similar to parenting
• Amy's prioritization techniques
• Why it's important to measure mental energy rather than time
• When to say "no"
• Amy's daily habits for achieving success and reducing stress
• What to aim for as an entrepreneur
• Why "good advice" can be harmful

• Book: "Business is Business: Reality Checks for Family-Owned Companies"
• Website: www.kolbe.com
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/AmyKBruske

Sara Taylor is the president and founder of deepSEE Consulting. She is a nationally-recognized speaker and consultant specializing in the areas of leadership, diversity, and organizational effectiveness. With over 25-years of experience, Sara balances her real-life anecdotes with research-based theories to deliver for her reader what she delivers for her clients.

• Sara's background
• Why it's important to develop our skills for experiencing others
• Why people need to feel more comfortable with talking about differences
• The stage of development that we all get stuck in
• How you're missing out on the complexity when you focusing on similarities
• How we pay most of our attention to frames, but it's our filters that are actually in control of us
• The 'golden' & 'platinum' rules
• Why we need to get to the level of seeing unconscious filters
• How, in order to be effective with other people, you need to be able to respond based on their filters – not yours
• Why you need to approach both your personal & professional life with positive intent
• Why you need to take accountability for your own filters

• Website: filtershift.com
• Website: www.deepseeconsulting.com
• Book: "Filter Shift: How Effective People SEE the World"

Tony Grebmeier is a builder. While most well-known for building a multi-million dollar business with his childhood friends, it is Tony's mission to build a community where struggling entrepreneurs know they can achieve anything they want despite their past. In 2001, he built his second supplement company, ShipOffers, with two of his childhood best friends. Fifteen years later, ShipOffers is an eight-figure business that has been an Inc. 5000 Company for the past three years. In 2015, Tony launched his podcast, "Entrepreneur Unplugged" to bring together his loves for business, radio, and life. Tony welcomes guests to share to-the-point, actionable tips for business success, but also share their journey in an authentic and transparent way.

• Tony's background
• Why asking for help is not a sign of weakness but actually a sign of greatness
• Tony's purpose in life: to help people and live in gratitude
• Tony's 'Living a Fulfilled Day' worksheet and how it contributes to his success
• Why it's critical to stop and spend some time in reflection
• Visualizing and being present in everything that you do
• The importance of having integrity and being authentic with people
• How mastering communication can help you to create anything you want in this world
• How people treat you the way you train them to treat you
• Why it's important to create chemistry in your organization
• Knowing what you're passionate about & living out your dream

• Website: www.tonygrebmeier.com
• Email: [email protected]
• Podcast: tonygshow.com
• Email: [email protected]