Podcast – Go Fire Yourself

Interview with Marc Renson (AmbitionBistro.com) When you pour your personality into your business, you end up attracting customers who love you and what you do. And when you attract great customers, you create a business that YOU love. My guest on this episode—Marc Renson—did just that when he opened his restaurant Ambition Coffee and Eatery in a historic building in Schenectady, NY. He brought his personality and his vision to life and has turned his little eatery into a hangout for celebrities like Bradley Cooper, Penn & Teller, and other cool guests. Since he was young, Marc Renson has always loved music, food and Hollywood. In the year 2000, he quit his job as a food production manager to open his own restaurant. Today, he’s an entrepreneur, chef and author. He loves being the connecting force that brings all types of interesting people together. Tune into this episode to learn why his business has been thriving for the past 14 years when most restaurants close their doors in a fraction of that time. Cool stuff mentioned in this episode: Ambition Coffee & Eatery (Marc’s restaurant) HARO Is the Coffee Fresh? (Marc’s book) Think and Grow Rich   Did this podcast rock your world?   If you liked this podcast, leave a review on iTunes!! You will be immediately showered in gold and diamonds and all things sparkly. Visit www.gofireyourself.com/review to check out the iTunes page. Plus…sharing this episode on social media will undoubtedly add to the glitter fest. Satisfaction is guaranteed.

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Interview with Eric West (MixNMatchCreamery.com) Liquid nitrogen ice cream is the business idea that took my guest—Eric West—from his day job at the calling center at Wells Fargo, to opening up his business called Mix ‘n Match Creamery in Portland, Oregon. Within one year, Eric went from having this business idea pop into his head, to turning it into an ice cream food cart, and just recently opened up his first brick and mortar location. And he did it with very little capital and without going into dept. The truth is that native Portlander Eric West has always been an entrepreneur at heart. From selling parking spots at age 7, to starting a window cleaning business at age 15, he has always owned some kind of business in every stage of his life. But in the spring of 2013, he decided to take a major risk and quit his day job to open Mix ‘n’ Match Creamery, selling artisan, made-to-order, liquid nitrogen ice cream. He’s hear on the show to share his story about why he’s been so successful at implementing his business idea and growing it at record speed. So tune in to this episode to hear how Eric turned his sweet idea into a reality, quit his job, and never looked back. Did this podcast rock your world?   If you liked this podcast, leave a review on iTunes!! You will be immediately showered in gold and diamonds and all things sparkly. Visit www.gofireyourself.com/review to check out the iTunes page. Plus…sharing this episode on social media will undoubtedly add to the glitter fest. Satisfaction is guaranteed.

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Interview with Cynthia Sanchez (OhSoPinteresting.com) Sometimes when you pour your time and energy into one of your hobbies, it inadvertently becomes a profitable business. That’s exactly what happened with my guest today—Cynthia Sanchez. Cynthia was working as a radiation oncology nurse when she started her blog and podcast Oh So Pinteresting because she loved talking about the social media site, Pinterest, with her friends. Within 9 months, her hobby had turned into a full-blown business and she left her nursing career for good. Today, Oh So Pinteresting is a blog, podcast and social media consulting business geared towards helping other small businesses. Cynthia and her team work with all types of businesses to create and implement Pinterest and other social media solutions. Her clients range from companies in the sports apparel industry to Beverly Hills jewelers and she’s been featured by Social Media Examiner and Entrepreneur as a leading Pinterest expert. Tune in to this episode to find out what she did to gain traction on her business so quickly and how you can follow in her footsteps. Cool stuff mentioned in this episode: Oh So Pinteresting Smart Passive Income with Pat Flynn AppSumo Social Media Examiner Meetup.com Agents of Change Did this podcast rock your world?   If you liked this podcast, leave a review on iTunes!! You will be immediately showered in gold and diamonds and all things sparkly. Visit www.gofireyourself.com/review to check out the iTunes page. Plus…sharing this episode on social media will undoubtedly add to the glitter fest. Satisfaction is guaranteed.

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Interview with Derek Coburn (CadreDC.com) There’s a problem with the business networking events that you’re attending—traditional networking doesn’t work. It’s like trying to use Morse code because you’re unaware that iPhones exist. But here on the show today is Derek Coburn, author of the new book, Networking is Not Working (launching on April 28th) to school us on non-traditional networking methods that are actually effective in growing your client base and building your business. In 1998, Derek graduated college and began his career as a financial adviser and built an extremely successful wealth management business. When the economy took a downturn a few years ago, he had to devote more of his time to his existing clients. He started using non-traditional networking strategies to help his clients and help his business, and when his revenue tripled from his efforts, he knew he was onto something. Afterwards, he and his wife founded Cadre—and un-networking community in Washington DC (and now in Baltimore) that connects over 100 CEOs and business leaders. Now, Derek’s channeled the wildly effective networking strategies that he’s learned from growing two successful companies into his latest book and he’s sharing his “non-networking” secrets in this episode. So before you waste your time handing out another business card, check out what Derek has to say. Cool stuff mentioned in this episode: CadreDC (Derek’s networking community) Networking is Not Working (download the first chapter of Derek’s book) Chris Brogan   Did this podcast rock your world? If you liked this podcast, leave a review on iTunes!! You will be immediately showered in gold and diamonds and all things sparkly. Visit www.gofireyourself.com/review to check out the iTunes page. Plus…sharing this episode on social media will undoubtedly add to the glitter fest. Satisfaction is guaranteed.

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Interview with Jason Weisenthal (Founder of WallMonkeys.com) If Jason Weisenthal had a superpower, it would be turning small businesses into successful, thriving companies. After growing his first business into a million dollar company, he started on his second business in 2008 called WallMonkeys which has grown from a basement business into the world’s largest library of print-on-demand wall graphics. Like so many entrepreneurs before him, Jason conceived his latest business after searching high and low for a product that wasn’t out there: custom wall decals made from photos of his kids playing sports. Even though it’s not all sunshine and roses during the launch phase of any business, Jason’s combination of business savvy, intelligence, and grit has paid off in a major way. Wallmonkeys has generated enormous demand for products that, just a few years ago, didn’t exist. Tune in to this episode as Jason pulls back the curtain to reveal the truth about what it really takes to survive AND excel in the small business world. Cool stuff mentioned in this episode (plus other things Jason recommends): WallMonkeys.com (Jason’s website) Steal Like an Artist by Austin Kleon CadreDC.com MastermindTalks.com GrowCo (in Nashville!)   Did this podcast rock your world? If you liked this podcast, leave a review on iTunes!! You will be immediately showered in gold and diamonds and all things sparkly. You’d be a moron to miss out on that, right? Visit www.gofireyourself.com/review to check out the iTunes page. Plus…sharing this episode on social media will undoubtedly add to the glitter fest. Satisfaction is guaranteed.

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Interview with Rob Farrington (TheStrapSmith.com) Rob Farrington—a.k.a. The Strap Smith—has brought Tim Ferriss’s “lifestyle design” idea to life. He spends his days skiing, motorcycle racing, learning to fly planes and sailing in the Caribbean in addition to running his successful company which makes high-end leather watch bands that attract celebrity customers such as Jay Leno. Check out his company at TheStrapSmith.com. But it wasn’t always this way. Rob graduated with a Masters in Physical Therapy and worked a day job in the field for six and a half years before resigning to run his business. Along his journey, there have been both major sacrifices and major payoffs. Like other entrepreneurs, he has a few other irons in the fire in addition to his watch strap business but everything he does is specifically designed to ensure lots of play time in the outdoors. In this episode, you’ll go along for the ride in Rob’s life as he shares his story of escaping his mediocre day job to becoming a passionate, free-spirited entrepreneur. Rob’s Top Book Recommendations: The 4-Hour Work Week by Tim Ferriss Think and Grow Rich by Napolean Hill How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie  The Monk and The Riddle by Randy Komisar The 80/20 Principle by Richard Koch The Art Of Learning by  Josh Waitzkin The Compound Effect by Darren Hardy Training the Samurai Mind translated and edited by Thomas Cleary The Total Money Makeover by Dave Ramsey   Did this podcast rock your world? If you liked this podcast, leave a review on iTunes!! You will be immediately showered in gold and diamonds and all things sparkly. You’d be a moron to miss out on that, right? Visit www.gofireyourself.com/review to check out the iTunes page. Plus…sharing this episode on social media will undoubtedly add to the glitter fest. Satisfaction is guaranteed.

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Interview with Gene Hammett (Founder of LeadersintheTrenches.com) Would you be able to pick yourself back up after losing 3 million dollars in your business in one day? Well, that’s exactly what my guest today—Gene Hammett—did after his two multi-million dollar businesses went under in a short period of time . Today, Gene lives to tell the tale and he’s has built his entrepreneurial career back up as a business strategist and the founder of Leaders in the Trenches. When Gene looks back on this super-successful million-dollar online ticket selling businesses, he claims, “These businesses just didn’t feel right to me. I wanted to add more value to the world and I would have picked something else if I could do it all over again.” But Gene has proven that it’s never too late to follow your passion and create the business of your dreams. Now, with over 20 years of experience in business, Gene is fiercely committed to inspiring and working with high‐achieving leaders in small businesses who want to lead with confidence and achieve true financial freedom (in months, not years). Basically, he helps small business owners just like you transform from stagnate, stressed out, and struggling to thriving, growing, and loving their work. And he’s here on the show to share some life-changing advice for new entrepreneurs who are currently in the trenches trying to build great businesses and permanently exit their day jobs. Cool stuff mentioned in this episode: Leaders in the Trenches (Gene’s website) Faceplant: Lessons for When Life Trips You Up (Gene’s wife’s book)   Did this podcast rock your world? If you liked this podcast, leave a review on iTunes!! You will be immediately showered in gold and diamonds and all things sparkly. You’d be a moron to miss out on that, right? Visit www.gofireyourself.com/review to check out the iTunes page. Plus…sharing this episode on social media will undoubtedly add to the glitter fest. Satisfaction is guaranteed.

The post GFY 047: When Making Millions of Dollars Isn’t Enough appeared first on Go Fire Yourself.

Interview with Jackie Laulainen (founder of TheBudgetMindedTraveler.com) Location-independence is a dream for many entrepreneurs. Being able to work from anywhere in the world—at your home, on the beach, in Thailand or ANYWHERE else—is a sign you have achieved ultimate freedom in your life. I’m guessing you’d jump on a plane tomorrow if you knew the bills were going to be paid while you were gone, right? But here’s what you might not know—you don’t have to be making a ton of money to get started living a life of freedom and traveling the world. On this episode of GFY, I’m chatting with Jackie Laulainen who’s designed her life and business so she can make money while having one amazing adventure after another. Jackie Laulainen a travel blogger at The Budget-Minded Traveler. She has been to more than 37 countries in the last 12 years and is passionate about inspiring and equipping others to travel the world as well…on a budget. She is also the author of The Aspiring Traveler’s Handbook, a step-by-step preparation guide to planning an international trip. Besides traveling the world as often as she can, Jackie does freelance web design from her home in Bozeman, Montana. Today, she’s joining me on the show to talk about what it was like to quit her day job as a legal assistant to work for herself and travel the world full-time. Don’t miss hearing her inspiring story! Cool stuff mentioned in this episode: TheBudgetMindedTraveler.com Simple Start Web Design The Aspiring Traveler’s Handbook (Jackie’s book)   Did this podcast rock your world? If you liked this podcast, leave a review on iTunes!! You will be immediately showered in gold and diamonds and all things sparkly. You’d be a moron to miss out on that, right? Visit www.gofireyourself.com/review to check out the iTunes page. Plus…sharing this episode on social media will undoubtedly add to the glitter fest. Satisfaction is guaranteed.

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Interview with Pete Sveen (founder of DIYPete.com) What if you could live anywhere in the world, make cool stuff, videotape how you did it, and companies would pay to sponsor you? That’s a pretty awesome business model, right? On this episode of GFY, I’m hanging out with Pete Sveen—a.k.a DIY Pete—who has done just that by turning his passion for building furniture and modern rustic decor into a profitable online business. Pete is an avid entrepreneur and outdoorsman from Bozeman, Montana. After he graduated college, Pete packed up a U-haul and moved to Montana to start a business. Today, he owns a niche e-commerce store named signsofthemountains.com which makes and sells ski and trail signs. In addition, he runs two niche blogs: (1) ThinkEntrepreneurship.com which is blog and podcast devoted to help entrepreneurs grow their businesses. (2) DIYPete.com in which he provides instructional plans and videos to facilitate Do-It-Yourself building projects. It’s not just a fluke that Pete has founded several successful businesses while still in his 20’s. Listen up to this episode to find out how he did it and how you can do it, too! Cool stuff mentioned in this episode: DIYPete.com ThinkEntrepreneurship.com Real Mean Real Style Check out my article in which I talk more about Pete   Did this podcast rock your world? Let’s try some reverse psychology: If you liked this podcast, don’t review it on iTunes at www.gofireyourself.com/review. Just don’t think about the warm fuzzy feeling that you’ll get to participate in the show. And please for the love of God don’t tell anyone about this episode by using the social share icons below.

The post GFY 045: Building a Creative DIY Online Business From Scratch appeared first on Go Fire Yourself.

Interview with Lori Cheek (founder of Cheek’d — cheekd.com) When Lori Cheek was out to lunch with a colleague six years ago, the idea for her revolutionary online dating business hit her like a freight train. At the time, she was an architect in New York City working on projects in Paris for companies like Christian Dior. Not a bad gig, but Lori decided to give it all up in pursuit of her newfound passion. Today, Lori is no longer building structures, she’s building relationships. Lori is the Founder and CEO of Cheekd.com — the reverse engineered dating site coined by the New York Times as “the next generation of online dating.” Other press for Cheek’d includes the American Express Open Forum pegging Lori as “The Digital Dating Disruptor” and “One of the Top 10 CEOs to Watch in 2013.” Not bad for a small town Kentucky girl, huh? In this GFY episode, you’ll get the inside scoop of what it’s like to finance, market, and grow a successful business from scratch (Note: it’s not the fairytale story you might think). Tune is as Lori shares how she bootstrapped Cheek’d all the way from a basic idea to the carpet of Shark Tank. Don’t miss watching Lori Cheek and her business Cheek’d on ABC’s Shark Tank on February 28th! Cool stuff mentioned in this episode: Cheekd.com Lori will be on Shark Tank on 2/28 The New Dating Tools: A Card and a Wink (New York Times Article featuring Cheek’d) Entrepreneurship Isn’t Always Pretty (latest article on GFY about Lori) Did this podcast rock your world? Let’s try some reverse psychology: If you liked this podcast, don’t review it on iTunes at www.gofireyourself.com/review. Just don’t think about the warm fuzzy feeling that you’ll get to participate in the show. And please for the love of God don’t tell anyone about this episode by using the social share icons below. 🙂

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