Prophets of Profit

Prophets of Profit

By Scott Margolin and Brian CalifanoBusinessInvestingCareers
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Prophets of Profit episodes

  • POP035: The Secret to Solving Any Business Puzzle With Eric Holtzclaw

    If there’s a problem in your business, Eric Holtzclaw can solve it. Whether it’s a marketing misstep or operational impasse, this award-winning speaker and coach finds it, fixes it, and sets you free to do what you do best. Today he discusses the biggest challenges facing startups and entrepreneurs, and why you need to be prepared to make the tough, yet necessary changes in order to achieve success.

    In this episode, we’ll cover:
    • Knowing when it’s time to fire yourself.
    • How business strategies and financial planning differ between generations.
    • The best approaches to finding investors (and how to decide if you need one at all).
    • Valuable advice on social media and assembling a board of advisors.
    • Eric V. Holtzclaw has founded multiple successful start-ups, including one of the first profitable Internet enterprises and a company that appeared on the Inc. 5000 list three years in a row. He shares his entrepreneurial knowledge as a regular contributor to Inc. Magazine and as a co-host of the podcast, The “Better You” Project. Eric also answers business startup and growth questions as host of the daily radio show, The Eric Holtzclaw Show on biz1190 AM.

      The best places to find Eric:
      • ericholtzclaw.com
      • LinkedIn
      • Twitter
      • Inc.com
      •  

        Are you prepared to handle the biggest challenges faced by business owners?

        Don’t get blindsided by problems that other talented leaders have already solved.

        We’ve teamed up with Dr. Hector Lozada, Professor of Economics at Seton Hall to survey business owners ranging from start-up founders to seasoned CEOs. What came out of it is a cheat sheet for sidestepping the roadblocks, bottlenecks, and challenges that plague your colleagues and competitors.

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        The post POP035: The Secret to Solving Any Business Puzzle With Eric Holtzclaw appeared first on Accelerating CFO.

        32 min
      • POP034: Making Content Matter With Brian Honigman

        As a social media and content marketing consultant, Brian Honigman helps business leaders become better storytellers, deliver superior content, and connect with their audiences. Today this masterful marketer reveals his winning approach to content creation and distribution, how to sniff out SEO scammers, and why social media (if used correctly) can double your business.

        In this episode, we’ll cover:
        • The power of content marketing for emerging businesses.
        • Why a balance of data and intuition makes for a solid content strategy.
        • How to avoid the SEO hype and think beyond the buzzwords.
        • Why social media and content need to align with your business objectives.
        • Brian Honigman is the CEO of Honigman Media, a content marketing consultancy that provides strategy on content distribution and content production. He’s worked with a range of clients from growing startups like Sumall and Amerisleep to established brands like Thomson Reuters, Marc Ecko and People Magazine.

          As a consultant for both content marketing and social media, Brian is a regular contributor to the Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Entrepreneur and others. He is also a frequent professional speaker at industry conferences and company events about social media, content marketing and related topics. He has spoken at UNICEF, NATO, HuffPost Live among others. Brian is also an adjunct professor in marketing at NYU’s school of Professional Studies.

          The best places to find Brian:
          • brianhonigman.com
          • LinkedIn
          • Twitter
          • Facebook
          •  

            Are you prepared to handle the biggest challenges faced by business owners?

            Don’t get blindsided by problems that other talented leaders have already solved.

            We’ve teamed up with Dr. Hector Lozada, Professor of Economics at Seton Hall to survey business owners ranging from start-up founders to seasoned CEOs. What came out of it is a cheat sheet for sidestepping the roadblocks, bottlenecks, and challenges that plague your colleagues and competitors.

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            First Name
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            The post POP034: Making Content Matter With Brian Honigman appeared first on Accelerating CFO.

            32 min
          • POP033: Building A Community (And Giving Back To It) With Tim McDonald

            Tim McDonald takes community to a whole new level. Not only is he the former Director of Community for The Huffington Post, Tim inspires leaders to take action and make a social impact within their communities and across the globe. Today he discusses the importance of social entrepreneurship, his incredible work with No Kid Hungry, and why even the smallest of initiatives can make a major difference within your community.

            In this episode, we’ll cover:
            • Why leaders need to start thinking with greater perspective.
            • How small businesses can make a massive impact.
            • Why building partnerships within your community is a philanthropic and financial win-win.
            • How to develop a solid, social media strategy for any kind of business.
            • Ending childhood hunger in America with #nokidhungry.
            • Tim McDonald builds communities through individual relationships that inspire change and ignite movements. As the Purveyor of Purpose at Be The Change Revolutions, Tim leads the overall vision, strategy and execution of key client accounts on social media, blogger and influencer outreach. He is also the Co-Founder of CreatingIs, and is the former Director of Community for The Huffington Post, where he set strategies and oversaw a team of moderators for over 300 million comments and 70,000 bloggers. Tim is also passionate about making social impact in the world, and is an active member of team No Kid Hungry.

              The best places to find Tim:
              • No Kid Hungry
              • Be The Change Revolutions
              • LinkedIn
              • Twitter
              •  

                Are you prepared to handle the biggest challenges faced by business owners?

                Don’t get blindsided by problems that other talented leaders have already solved.

                We’ve teamed up with Dr. Hector Lozada, Professor of Economics at Seton Hall to survey business owners ranging from start-up founders to seasoned CEOs. What came out of it is a cheat sheet for sidestepping the roadblocks, bottlenecks, and challenges that plague your colleagues and competitors.

                * indicates required
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                First Name
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                The post POP033: Building A Community (And Giving Back To It) With Tim McDonald appeared first on Accelerating CFO.

                32 min
              • POP032: Making A Global Impact With Shimmy Mehta

                During his hectic career in finance, Shimmy Mehta found it difficult to follow his philanthropic passions and recognized the need for a simple and meaningful way for busy professionals to give back to the community. This led Shimmy to launch Angelwish.org, a digital nonprofit that provides an accessible way to grant wishes to millions of children who suffer from chronic illnesses. Today he takes us behind the scenes of his incredible charity, and discusses the global importance of paying it forward.

                In this episode, we’ll cover:
                • The incredible mission that sets Angelwish apart from other charities.
                • How to brand and market your nonprofit organization.
                • How to contribute to Angelwish.
                • In 1999, Shimmy Mehta identified a lack of convenient and meaningful opportunities for busy professionals to give back to the community. His research with various hospitals and his own philanthropic passions led him to found Angelwish – a web based nonprofit empowering individuals to grant inexpensive, high impact wishes to children living with HIV/AIDS.

                  The best places to find Shimmy:
                  • LinkedIn
                  • Angelwish.org
                  • Twitter
                  • Facebook
                  •  

                    Are you prepared to handle the biggest challenges faced by business owners?

                    Don’t get blindsided by problems that other talented leaders have already solved.

                    We’ve teamed up with Dr. Hector Lozada, Professor of Economics at Seton Hall to survey business owners ranging from start-up founders to seasoned CEOs. What came out of it is a cheat sheet for sidestepping the roadblocks, bottlenecks, and challenges that plague your colleagues and competitors.

                    * indicates required
                    Email Address *

                    First Name
                    Last Name


                    The post POP032: Making A Global Impact With Shimmy Mehta appeared first on Accelerating CFO.

                    36 min
                  • POP031: Becoming a Social Media Master With Stephen Monaco

                    Stephen Monaco used social media marketing to turn ProComm into a global success story. Today he talks about what it takes to build a worldwide brand in the 21st century. No matter the size of your organization, you’ll come away from this interview with tons of usable business strategies.

                    In this episode, we’ll cover:
                    • The differences between B2B and B2C digital marketing.
                    • The importance of personal touch-points.
                    • How to select social media platforms that make sense for your specific business.
                    • Why digital marketing ROI isn’t what you think it is (and why that’s okay).
                    • Stephen Monaco is a pioneer in digital strategy and is recognized as one of the first to engage consumers via online communities. His creative marketing prowess was the driving force behind the world’s best-selling PC data communications software of all time.

                      The best places to find Stephen:
                      • stephenmonaco.com
                      • LinkedIn
                      • Twitter
                      •  

                        Are you prepared to handle the biggest challenges faced by business owners?

                        Don’t get blindsided by problems that other talented leaders have already solved.

                        We’ve teamed up with Dr. Hector Lozada, Professor of Economics at Seton Hall to survey business owners ranging from start-up founders to seasoned CEOs. What came out of it is a cheat sheet for sidestepping the roadblocks, bottlenecks, and challenges that plague your colleagues and competitors.

                        * indicates required
                        Email Address *

                        First Name
                        Last Name


                        The post POP031: Becoming a Social Media Master With Stephen Monaco appeared first on Accelerating CFO.

                        29 min
                      • POP030: How To Succeed On Broadway With Vivek Tiwary

                        Vivek Tiwary is the award-winning writer of The Fifth Beatle: The Brian Epstein Story. It may have had humble beginnings as a personal project by a “nerdy kid at Wharton,” but it soon became a New York Times bestseller and global phenomenon. But Vivek’s impressive career in the arts doesn’t stop there – he is also a Tony Award winning Broadway producer, screenwriter, and founder of Tiwary Entertainment Group. Today he discusses his profound connection to Brian Epstein, what led him to a fascinating career in the arts, and how to succeed on Broadway.

                        In this episode, we’ll cover:
                        • Vivek’s unparalleled research into the life and career of Brian Epstein.
                        • What it means to have an historical mentor (and why everyone should have one).
                        • Why growing up in New York City inspired his love of the arts.
                        • The business of entertainment, and how to make money on Broadway.
                        • Vivek J. Tiwary is a #1 New York Times bestselling author and Tony Award-winning Broadway producer. His graphic novel The Fifth Beatle won numerous literary awards including the Will Eisner Comic Industry Award and two Harvey Awards. The Fifth Beatle is a Lambda Literary Finalist for Best LGBT Graphic Novel, and has been added to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Library and Archives. Vivek is now writing the screenplay and co-producing a feature film adaption of The Fifth Beatle, which has secured the rights to Beatles music.

                          On Broadway, Vivek’s productions have won a combined 25 Tony Awards and over 44 Tony nominations, including such groundbreaking works as Green Day’s American Idiot, A Raisin In The Sun, and Mel Brooks’ The Producers. Vivek is currently working with Alanis Morissette to adapt her album Jagged Little Pill for Broadway. He lives in New York with his inspiring wife, their delightful children, and a feisty papillon.

                          The best places to find Vivek:
                          • tiwaryent.com
                          • Twitter
                          • Facebook
                          • fifthbeatle.com
                          •  

                            Are you prepared to handle the biggest challenges faced by business owners?

                            Don’t get blindsided by problems that other talented leaders have already solved.

                            We’ve teamed up with Dr. Hector Lozada, Professor of Economics at Seton Hall to survey business owners ranging from start-up founders to seasoned CEOs. What came out of it is a cheat sheet for sidestepping the roadblocks, bottlenecks, and challenges that plague your colleagues and competitors.

                            * indicates required
                            Email Address *

                            First Name
                            Last Name


                            The post POP030: How To Succeed On Broadway With Vivek Tiwary appeared first on Accelerating CFO.

                            43 min
                          • POP029: How To Make Powerful Connections With Geoff Woods

                            Nobody makes connections like Geoff Woods. As a dynamic entrepreneur and host of the popular podcast, The Mentee, Geoff is famous for connecting with influential leaders and adding value to those who mentor him. Today he demonstrates how to connect with noteworthy players, form meaningful and authentic relationships, and how to make these potential mentors recognize the excellence within you.

                            In this episode, we’ll cover:
                            • The best approaches to networking and connecting with high-level players.
                            • Why you have to be more interested than interesting.
                            • The magnates who helped shape his career.
                            • Why you need to add value to your connections in order to build relationships (and how to do it).
                            • How to get vulnerable and connect on a raw, human level.
                            • Geoff Woods is the host of the top business podcast, The Mentee. After hearing the Jim Rohn quote, “you are the average of the five people you spend the most time with,” Geoff sought out to surround himself with high-level CEOs and successful entrepreneurs. Because he has been mentored by many of these heavy hitters, Geoff was able to quit his six figure corporate sales job and go full-time as an entrepreneur in less than ten months.

                              Geoff has been featured in Entrepreneur.com and is considered the authority on building meaningful relationships with high-level influencers, and he publishes his actual conversations with his mentors on in his podcast.

                              Questions from the show:

                              “One of my biggest issues is managing my finances between my business and my personal accounts. How do I pay myself regularly when the work is anything but regular?”

                              —Nick Hoefly at nickhoefly.com (@NHoefly)

                              “My online business is getting an updated site. The current site is, honestly, really ugly from a design perspective. My partners and I can’t seem to decide if we should start marketing before the new launch or if we should wait until after the launch. If we start marketing now, we can build up hype for the launch day with our current subscribers. On the flip side, if we start a marketing push now, people might see the current site and, which might turn them away. Should we start marketing now or should we wait?”

                              —Gordon Wood

                              The best places to find Geoff:
                              • geoffwoods.com
                              • findthebestmentors.com
                              • The Mentee Podcast
                              • LinkedIn
                              •  

                                Are you prepared to handle the biggest challenges faced by business owners?

                                Don’t get blindsided by problems that other talented leaders have already solved.

                                We’ve teamed up with Dr. Hector Lozada, Professor of Economics at Seton Hall to survey business owners ranging from start-up founders to seasoned CEOs. What came out of it is a cheat sheet for sidestepping the roadblocks, bottlenecks, and challenges that plague your colleagues and competitors.

                                * indicates required
                                Email Address *

                                First Name
                                Last Name


                                The post POP029: How To Make Powerful Connections With Geoff Woods appeared first on Accelerating CFO.

                                37 min
                              • POP028: Uncovering Your Emotional Intelligence With Alexander Hamilton Dunlop

                                Alexander Hamilton Dunlop just might be our most enlightened guest. As a strategic advisor, teacher, and founder of the Global Center of Spiritual Nutrition, Alexander helps people discover their character, find inner clarity, and uncover their own unique way of making decisions. Today he discusses why emotional intelligence is the essence of everything, and how to use it to leverage our strengths, remove self-doubt, and to avoid making poor decisions based on our weaknesses.

                                In this episode, we’ll cover:
                                • Why emotional intelligence is the center of all decision making.
                                • His incredible, mathematical system utilizing a deck of cards.
                                • How to break through mental barriers, discover your strengths, and act with boldness.
                                • A fascinating, impromptu session with co-host Scott Margolin.
                                • How emotional intelligence makes you an effective and successful entrepreneur.
                                • Alexander Hamilton Dunlop is a Strategic Advisor, Guide and Teacher of Life who brings more than 20 years of professional coaching and consulting experience to his position as Founder and Director of the Global Center of Spiritual Nutrition. A charismatic speaker and workshop leader who provides life-changing counsel to clients located on six continents, Alexander is acknowledged as the world’s leading expert on the spiritual tool known as the Book of Life.

                                  Alexander has been featured in Forbes Magazine, and has been interviewed by numerous media including A Better World TV and is the author of 123 IB, a full-length book of spiritual photography and poetry. He is a certified teacher of yoga and a Board-Certified Holistic Health Practitioner. He holds a Master’s degree in Roman Catholic Theology from Weston Jesuit Theological Seminary and a Bachelor’s degree in Social Studies from Harvard University.

                                  Questions from the show:

                                  “As a software engineer, most of my ideas/solutions are web based. I have a difficult time monetizing an idea because it isn’t tangible. What are some ways to do this? I’ve thought of a subscription model or a pay-per-use model, but if the user doesn’t have a reason to use my idea/solution often, these models may not make sense.”

                                  —Spencer Wright

                                  “I’m bad at time management. I get distracted easily, which probably means I’m not as productive as I’d like to be. As an entrepreneur, this is bad. Is this a common obstacle among business owners? Are there any daily rituals that could be helpful.”

                                  —Craig Stewart

                                  The best places to find Alexander:
                                  • Global Center of Spiritual Nutrition
                                  • alexanderhamiltondunlop.com
                                  • Facebook
                                  •  

                                    Are you prepared to handle the biggest challenges faced by business owners?

                                    Don’t get blindsided by problems that other talented leaders have already solved.

                                    We’ve teamed up with Dr. Hector Lozada, Professor of Economics at Seton Hall to survey business owners ranging from start-up founders to seasoned CEOs. What came out of it is a cheat sheet for sidestepping the roadblocks, bottlenecks, and challenges that plague your colleagues and competitors.

                                    * indicates required
                                    Email Address *

                                    First Name
                                    Last Name


                                    The post POP028: Uncovering Your Emotional Intelligence With Alexander Hamilton Dunlop appeared first on Accelerating CFO.

                                    37 min
                                  • POP027: Becoming a Sales Evangelist With Donald Kelly

                                    There’s a reason why Donald Kelly is called the Sales Evangelist. He is a dynamic sales coach and public speaker who helps entrepreneurs and sales professionals maximize their potential and make more money. Today he discusses game-changing moments in his career, how your business can become a sales force to be reckoned with, and what led him to pay it forward on his popular podcast.

                                    In this episode, we’ll cover:
                                    • Why only 20% of the sales force brings in 80% of the business.
                                    • Why you need to define your customer down to the tiniest detail.
                                    • The Golden Rule.
                                    • Important and effective conference hacks.
                                    • The power of Twitter and other social media outlets.
                                    • Donald Kelly is a sales trainer who has successfully taken his sales methodology and systems to create the very successful podcast The Sales Evangelist. Donald teaches effective ways for salespeople and entrepreneurs to find more qualified prospects, close more deals and make more money through motivating sales training, online courses, one-on-one coaching, workshops, seminars and dynamic keynote presentations.

                                      Questions from the show:

                                      “How can a company use their content to tell their story and use it to share their brand? What are some scalable steps a company can take to brand online?”

                                      —Brendan Colarusso of brendancolarusso.com (@BrendanColaruso)

                                      “What is the most effective marketing platform to use when you are first starting out and you have a small budget?”

                                      —Brandon Smith of securelysend.com (@bcsman).

                                      The best places to find Donald:
                                      • The Sales Evangelist
                                      • Twitter
                                      • LinkedIn
                                      •  

                                        Are you prepared to handle the biggest challenges faced by business owners?

                                        Don’t get blindsided by problems that other talented leaders have already solved.

                                        We’ve teamed up with Dr. Hector Lozada, Professor of Economics at Seton Hall to survey business owners ranging from start-up founders to seasoned CEOs. What came out of it is a cheat sheet for sidestepping the roadblocks, bottlenecks, and challenges that plague your colleagues and competitors.

                                        * indicates required
                                        Email Address *

                                        First Name
                                        Last Name


                                        The post POP027: Becoming a Sales Evangelist With Donald Kelly appeared first on Accelerating CFO.

                                        36 min
                                      • POP026: The Small Business Champion With Nina Kaufman

                                        Nina Kaufman is not your average attorney. In just 15 years, Nina has helped thousands of small businesses build the legal foundations needed to save time, generate profits, and equip them for a successful future. Today she discusses how she discovered her niche with entrepreneurs, and what they can do to build a stronger and more fulfilling business.

                                        Nina L. Kaufman, Esq., the owner of Ask The Business Lawyer, is an award-winning small business attorney, speaker, and frequent contributor to Entrepreneur.com. Her creative approaches to serving the small business community garnered her the SBA’s 2011 regional Women in Business Champion of the Year Award, and Forbes Magazine called Nina, “One of the 25 Most Influential Women Tweeting about Entrepreneurship.” She has also been featured in the Wall Street Journal, HuffingtonPost.com, and the American Bar Association Journal.

                                        In this episode, we’ll cover:
                                        • Why she chose small business clients over big-time, corporate law.
                                        • How to drive your value as an attorney to small businesses.
                                        • Common missteps entrepreneurs make that can affect their long-term goals.
                                        • How to define and attain your ideal business.
                                        • The importance of the entrepreneur’s prenup.
                                        • Questions from the show:

                                          “People don’t know what they don’t know…so they aren’t able to get help in their weaknesses. As an entrepreneur in consulting, how do you point out to your clients where they need help? How do you show their weaknesses without damaging your business relationship? Do you just report the facts?”

                                          —Susan Jones of readysetstartup.com (@ReadySetStartup)

                                          “What is a realistic expectation for a small business to get financing? What qualifiers are most funders looking for?”

                                          —Nick Cavarra of socialpunchmarketing.com (@Ncavarra)

                                          The best places to find Nina:
                                          • askthebusinesslawyer.com
                                          • businessexponential.com
                                          • LinkedIn
                                          •  

                                            Are you prepared to handle the biggest challenges faced by business owners?

                                            Don’t get blindsided by problems that other talented leaders have already solved.

                                            We’ve teamed up with Dr. Hector Lozada, Professor of Economics at Seton Hall to survey business owners ranging from start-up founders to seasoned CEOs. What came out of it is a cheat sheet for sidestepping the roadblocks, bottlenecks, and challenges that plague your colleagues and competitors.

                                            * indicates required
                                            Email Address *

                                            First Name
                                            Last Name


                                            The post POP026: The Small Business Champion With Nina Kaufman appeared first on Accelerating CFO.

                                            38 min

                                          About Prophets of Profit

                                          From the publisher's feed

                                          Scott Margolin and Brian Califano are here to help you find solutions to your most persistent, aggravating, and costly business problems. Each week, they feature a co-host drawn from the ranks of the…