Onward Nation

Lee Caraher started Double Forte in 2002 as a new kind of communications firm designed to provide the best service in the business. Previously Executive Vice President at Weber Shandwick, president and founder of Red Whistle, and Vice President of SEGA, Lee has managed multiple offices and hundreds of people of all ages and was named in the 40 under 40 by PRWEEK Magazine. She holds a bachelor's degree in medieval history -- which she finds useful every day. She lives with her husband and two sons on the San Francisco Peninsula.

Lee gets up, doesn't look at email, goes for a walk, listens to a podcast, showers, dresses, and is off to work -- master your calendar, don't let your calendar master you. ONWARD!

Focus is your friend.

Success is delivering on currency -- and currency isn't just money.

Lee has two provisions in place in her contracts -- and Lee tells the reasons why here.

1. Don't try to do it by yourself
2. Figure out a side gig

• Website: www.leecaraher.com
• Twitter: @LeeCaraher
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/LeeCaraher1

Swen Nater didn't make his high school basketball team and didn't start one college game. Yet, Onward Nation…he made it to the NBA. But Swen didn't just make it to professional basketball; he excelled. His INCREDIBLE STORY, from being born in the Netherlands and rising the NBA, is a must hear — and that is why I invited Swen to be here this morning. After his playing career, Swen went on to become an executive at a Fortune 500 company, has authored six books, and is now a highly sought after speaker.

Swen uses the same tactics in life that he did when rebounding in the NBA -- it's how you face change that's important. ONWARD!

You've got to work hard to be the best you can be -- Swen gets up at 4 AM and reads.

Swen was horribly abused as a kid -- and Swen tells the whole story here.

You haven't taught until they've learned."

"Great teachers have high expectations."

1. Make the effort to become the best you're capable of

• Website: www.swennater.com

Nathan Jamail has either been setting sales records or training others on how to do so for more than two decades. Nathan has produced top performing sales teams in business sales, direct consumer sales, indirect sales, as well as distribution and marketing for several Fortune 100 companies. Today, he is the president of Jamail Development Group where he trains, coaches, and mentors sales professionals and leaders in many industries. His latest book "The Leadership Playbook", is ideal for all leaders in any capacity- teaching successful coaching principals. He is known as an invincible sales leader, with the ability to take the lowest producing areas of the country and build exemplary business teams. His coaching and programs implement strong positive belief systems and creates winning environments within organizations cultivating the highest levels of success. His coaching and training programs have helped organizations increase their productivity up to and over 300%.

Nathan gets up 30 minutes earlier than he likes to -- use this extra time to get your mind right. ONWARD!

Commit to "The Big 3" -- Nathan writes down the big three things he needs to get done tomorrow.

Nathan ran out of all of his savings in just 30 days -- and Nathan tells the whole story here.

"You've got to be able to coach people."

"Practice your skill."

1. You've got to be willing to go for broke
2. There is no work that's out of bounds
3. There's no such thing as life and work balance -- be present

• Website: nathanjamail.com

Craig Haworth is passionate youth sports coach, a husband, a father of three, and a believer that coaches can change the self-esteem and future of the young people we coach. He believes in his passion so much that he started Winning Youth Coaching in 2014 to share coaching successes and lessons with other parent coaches who share this passion of the impact, responsibility, and fun of positive coaching. He is also the host of a successful podcast where he interviews great coaches from around the country, writes a blog, and shares expert resources. Craig has also co-founded a mastermind of like-minded entrepreneurs in the youth sports space, called the Sportepreneurs.

Craig is deliberate about scheduling out when he checks email and social media -- get the "time vampires" off your bus. ONWARD!

Make sure you're learning as much as possible -- Craig listens to audio books and podcasts.

Craig launched to crickets -- and Craig tells the whole story here.

"Define who your customer is and understand their needs."

"Have a clear vision of where you're going."

I would have reset my mindset -- I would have chosen to be confident.

Sell a product before you build it.

An individual would realize my vision -- and it's up to me to communicate that vision effectively.

1. You have to have the passion
2. Be ready to not make money for two years

• Website: www.winningyouthcoaching.com
• Website: www.winningyouthcoaching.com/onwardnation

Alan Becker is the CEO and Founder of Retirement Solutions Group, Inc., and founder of RSG Investments, Inc., a leader in the world of financial security for pre-retirees and retirees. With over 18 years of helping his clients learn to plan with purpose, Alan utilizes his proprietary financial tools in addition to the best available industry services.

Alan begins his day by thinking in the shower, spending time with his family, and working on his physical and mental health -- make sure the beginning of the day prepares you for the day ahead . ONWARD!

If it's not good enough for family, it's not good enough for clients.

Success is how you impact others people lives.

Alan believes that you have to invest in yourself -- and Alan tells the reasons why here.

An "A player" has to go to work, put in the time, and be willing to do what others won't.

1. Lead by example
2. Be open to others opinions

1. Figure out what your brand represents and always put that foot forward

1. Drop your ego -- there's no I in team
2. Trust your team
3. Take a chance

• Website: rsgusa.net
• Email: [email protected]

Craig Ballantyne is a productivity and success transformation coach from Toronto, Ontario, Canada, and the author of The Perfect Day Formula: How to Own the Day and Control Your Life. He's been a contributor to Men's Health Magazine since 2000. On his own journey to success, Craig had to overcome crippling anxiety attacks, and he beat them with his 5 Pillars of Transformation. Today, Craig shows men and women how to use the 5 Pillars to lose 10 to 75 pounds, get a raise, make more money, find the love of their life, and overcome any obstacle in the way of success.

Craig utilizes the "brain dump" to get his ideas down on paper -- success today started last night. ONWARD!

Wake up 15 minutes early -- Craig gets up early and uses that time to think about his #1 priority.

Craig had crippling anxiety attacks -- and Craig tells the whole story here.

"You need the skill of saying no."

"You can't out give the universe."

I would have put in the system of getting up right away in the morning and writing.

Come in, be prepared, and focus on your #1 priority.

An individual would leverage great content.

1. Pick your one bullet -- you can't do 19 things at once
2. Take a 100-year approach for your business -- do what you'll be proud of

• Website: www.earlytorise.com
• Website: www.craigballantyne.com

Jodi Flynn left a successful career in the financial industry to help business leaders who are experiencing self-doubt and overwhelm in order to overcome stress, get organized, and create the business and the life they've dreamt. Jodi is also the host of the brilliant podcast, Women Taking the Lead, where she inspires women to overcome self-doubt and lead with confidence, integrity, and a sense of humor.

Jodi begins her day by checking her phone, and after that she puts it away and stretches, meditates, exercises, and gets going -- go forth into the day calm and relaxed. ONWARD!

"Life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all." -- Helen Keller

Success means being financially secure and doing meaningful work.

Jodi believes you shouldn't suppress the fear -- and Jodi tells the reasons why here.

An "A player" is someone who is in the right culture -- they're working for a team aligned in their vision.

1. It can't be about you -- find out what your protege wants
2. Listen from a place of curiosity

1. Reach out to the people you admire and try to work with them or their coach
2. Delegate some of the day-to-day

• Website: womentakingthelead.com/

Nicole is a true leader, risk-taker, and entrepreneur. She grew up in a family-owned business, which taught Nicole what it took to be a leader. She worked her way up to president of ROC Communications, an automotive electronics retailer with $5 million in annual sales. During her tenure, the company grew from a one-location, $1 million a year company with 10 employees to a multi-location, $5 million a year company with 60 employees. Fast forward to today — and after several successful ventures — Nicole is now the owner of Break the Ice Media. A boutique marketing and communications firm with a focus on food, wine, travel, and hospitality. Nicole and her team specialize in collaborations that leverage resources of multiple partners for the creation of successful marketing programs in the travel and hospitality industry. Nicole and her team think of these programs as coop-etition where partners cooperate with their competition to create a program that is larger than one they can execute alone.

Nicole lists out the top five things she needs to get done each day -- even if the tasks are small -- you need to list them out to stay focused. ONWARD!

Remember to breathe -- Nicole uses deep breathing techniques to unclutter her mind.

Nicole had to step away from the business and hire an employee she couldn't afford when her daughter got sick -- and Nicole tells the whole story here.

"You just have to keep putting one foot in front of the other."

"Change the words you tell yourself."

I would have understood my finances.

Collaboration.

An individual would be dedicated to themselves.

1. Be decisive
2. Be strategic
3. Trust your instincts

• Website: breaktheicemedia.com
• Email: [email protected]

David Blackston founded the Blackston Financial Group in 1998 and is also a Certified Estate Planner®, Certified Senior Advisor®, Investment Advisor Representative, and a Licensed Insurance Agent. He has over 40 years of experience in the financial industry and is one of the authors of the recently published book, "Have You Ever Been Bitten by an Elephant? The Definitive Guide for Retiring Well." David's unique approach to financial planning includes investment advisory services, tax forecasting, and estate planning — all working together to provide a comprehensive plan for clients. His methods include safe money, risk money, and how these two competing worlds can be brought together to provide a worry-free lifestyle.

David has mentors that keep him in check -- if you don't have a mentor, get one. ONWARD!

David felt that he wasn't worthy of mentors -- and David tells the whole story here.

"Be the exception."

1. Believe in yourself
2. Get a mentor

• Website: blackstonfinancialgroup.com
• Phone: (888)319-5656
• Website: [email protected]

Charles Kirkland is the founder of the Media Buyer Association and has deep expertise in paid online traffic. He was frustrated with his limited ability to help more than a few coaching students at a time and angry that the business owners he could not reach were being lead down a path by hucksters. So he set out to change the situation by created a paid traffic community that would allow him to interact with thousands of business owners, share his expert knowledge, save others from seeing their businesses die slowly from lack of quality traffic.

Charles gets plenty of sleep, exercise, and water -- staying up until you fall over while hyped up on caffeine is not the answer. ONWARD!

Don't waste effort planning what you want to wear -- Charles lays out his clothes every evening before bed.

Charles had Google close his ad accounts -- and Charles tells the whole story here.

"The ability to learn new skills quickly."

"You need to do one thing really, really, really good."

I would have put in systems that could be repeatable by someone else.

Always optimize.

1. Believe in yourself
2. Just keep going

• Website: mediabuyerassociation.com