Ray Edwards Show

True or False:

• You can't be a real artist and make money.
• Most other professions are more reliable and stable than any kind of art.
• A lower percentage of artists make a stable, livable income than other
• For art to be pure, the artist should not do it for the money.
• The only way for an artist to "make it" they must "sell out."

If you answered TRUE to ANY of those statements, you need some de-programming.

In this week's episode Jeff Goins will help set you straight.

Click here to download or listen to this episode now.

Spiritual Foundations

Our word for this episode comes from Ephesians 4:29, "Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers."

We all know what happens if your computer gets a corrupted hard drive. It's been infected and is no longer capable of properly performing the task it was assigned.

The same is true for the words you speak. If they are infected with negative and hurtful attitudes they are no longer capable of performing the task they were given from God.

What is that task?

Your words were designed to edify, uplift, and encourage those around you…and yourself.

Selah.

Tip of the Week

Our tip of the week, not surprisingly, is connected to our guest Jeff Goins and his new book, "Real Artists Don't Starve: Timeless Strategies for Thriving in the New Creative Age."

One of the things I love most about this book is that it debunks the myth of the starving artist.

As a side note, be sure to listen to the interview before you buy the book because he has a link that will hook you up with a couple hundred dollar's-worth of free bonuses!

Feature Presentation: "Real Artists Don't Starve: An Interview with Jeff Goins"

In this episode, bestselling author and creativity expert Jeff Goins dismantles the myth that being creative is a hindrance to success by revealing how an artistic temperament is, in fact, a competitive advantage in the marketplace.

Here are some highlights from our conversation:

• Starvation is a choice (5:06)
• Be like Mike…Michelangelo that is (6:56)
• The myth of the starving artist (10:18)
• How to become a thriving artist (10:55)
• The New Renaissance (12:04)
• The legacy of Henri Murger (12:15)
• Why Santa Claus is so powerful (14:08)
• Stop feeding the beast (16:03)
• The edge of acceptable (19:04)
• Are you an artist? (19:38)
• Mindset, Market, and Money (21:06)
• What story are you telling yourself? (23:13)
• The Two-Story Exercise (25:33)
• Connect your art with an audience (26:30)
• Believe it until you become it (27:25)
• Eat your vegetables (29:12)
• Debunking the idea of luck (30:33)
• Ernest Hemingway's version of luck (32:20)
• Strategy vs Hustle (33:48)
• Steal your way to success (35:23)
• Standing on the shoulders of giants (40:20)
• Practice in public (41:08)
• Share something today (45:31)
• George Lucas, Pixar, and profits (48:10)
• Your responsibility as an artist (54:45)

Resources Mentioned in This Episode

• Jeff Goins
• Real Artists Don't Starve: Timeless Strategies for Thriving in the New Creative Age
• The Icarus Deception: How High Will You Fly?
• Great by Choice: Uncertainty, Chaos, and Luck–Why Some Thrive Despite Them All

How To Help

Subscribe to the show through Apple Podcasts and give us a rating and review. Make sure you put your real name and website in the text of the review itself. We will mention you on this show.

Get The Transcript

Right-Click and "Save As" to Get the PDF Transcript.

Here's the problem: you want to build a business, an organization, a church, or a body of work. Something that has long-term significance and impact. Yet it often feels like you're forced to focus on short-term gains.

In this episode, we'll introduce you to a way of leadership that is simpler, more elegant, less stressful… and more effective.

Click here to download or listen to this episode now.

Spiritual Foundations

This week I want to talk about the promises made to Abraham and how they still belong to believers today.
God promised Abraham that he would be blessed to be a blessing. Some people argue that this just applies to "spiritual" blessings, but in this week's episode I'll propose to you that we are, in fact, "heirs of the world" – according to "the promise".

Tip of the Week

I've discovered a new meditation app that is worth checking out, it's called Headspace.

The cool thing about it is that it comes with little cartoon movies that demonstrate the principles of meditation and they are narrated by a guy with a fantastic British accent.

They offer a free 10-day trial, so it's worth giving it a try.

Student Success Story

Our first student success story focuses on Jen Gordon. She is a talented landing page designer, marketer, and in her words…"a darn good listener."

Jen used her creativity and her copy skills to create Hope Decks, a collection of 60 inspirational Bible verse postcards with custom artwork on every card.

If you're looking for a meaningful gift of encouragement, you can't go wrong with Hope Decks.

Feature Presentation: "Catch and Release Leadership: How to Start a Movement"

Recently a friend of mine asked me about my goal of fostering a movement on one million Kingdom-minded millionaires…he then reminded me of the book The Master Plan of Evangelism. It's a manual for growing any type of organization.

It's a small, but powerful book, and the basis for today's episode.

Here are some highlights from our discussion…

• Sean's Rant of the Week – Special Edition (7:58)
• How to get your message everywhere (29:15)
• The selection process (30:50)
• The value of the inner circle (31:45)
• Success from apparent failure (33:05)
• The most successful movement in history (34:03)
• Hang around time (34:48)
• The Apprentice (35:09)
• Transfer your skills (35:43)
• Watch me (36:08)
• Radical delegation (37:12)
• Giving the right answer (38:01)
• Caked in dust (38:40)
• Putting it all together (39:45)
• The stunning power of duplication (43:44)

Resources Mentioned in This Episode

• Headspace Meditation App
• Jen Gordon
• Hope Decks
• The Master Plan of Evangelism by Dr. Robert E. Coleman

How To Help

Subscribe to the show through Apple Podcasts and give us a rating and review. Make sure you put your real name and website in the text of the review itself. We will mention you on this show.

Get The Transcript

Right-Click and "Save As" to Get the PDF Transcript. 

Too often we go through life bouncing from one random event to the next, always reacting to our circumstances and allowing them to dictate our lives.

If you're ever going to take control of your destiny, you have to be able to learn to adjust to circumstances using your own personal grit, determination, and the ability to focus on significance instead of success. Today's guest, Aaron Walker, can help you do just that.

Click here to download or listen to this episode now.

Spiritual Foundations

Proverbs 27:17 tells us that, "As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another." But what does that look like in our day-to-day life?

It's not just about getting another person's opinion, it's a process that sometimes generates heat and friction…it's not always easy or pleasant, but it is always profitable.

Tip of the Week

I've been doing a lot of video lately, and I've discovered something really fun and promising for those who don't want to spend a lot of time learning the intricacies of Adobe Premiere.

Adobe Spark makes it easy for everyone to transform their ideas into stunning visual stories. It allows you to create professional quality graphics, web pages, and animated videos for blogs and more…and the best part is no design experience is necessary.

Feature Presentation: "The View from the Top with Aaron Walker: Living a Life of Significance"

Aaron Walker is a veteran entrepreneur who has started, bought, and sold twelve successful companies over the past 38 years. He has a strong desire for personal development and meets regularly with such luminaries as Dave Ramsey, Dan Miller, and Ken Abraham.

Aaron enjoys a 37-year marriage to his beautiful wife, Robin, and today he invests the majority of his time helping others grow in success and significance as President and Founder of View from The Top, a premier life and business coaching company.

Here are some snippets from our conversation:

• Swami Ray makes a prediction (9:45)
• Transformed lives matter (10:35)
• Blindsided by tragedy (12:40)
• You can't handle the truth! (13:30)
• Prioritize your priorities (14:03)
• Pessimist vs Realist (15:40)
• Been there, done that (16:20)
• Get off the mat (17:10)
• Can't couldn't do it… (17:12)
• The MasterMind Transformation (18:06)
• The counsel of the multitudes (20:15)
• Who are your 5 people? (21:18)
• How to start from zero (21:54)
• You aren't owed anything (24:32)
• The fast track to a changed life (26:57)
• Take out the garbage (30:41)
• Telling the truth in love (31:36)
• Is it okay to be significant? (34:17)

Resources Mentioned in This Episode

• Adobe Spark
• Thinkific
• View from the Top Bonuses

How To Help

Subscribe to the show through iTunes and give us a rating and review. Make sure you put your real name and website in the text of the review itself. We will mention you on this show. PLEASE USE THE APPLE PODCAST APP!

Get The Transcript

Right-Click and "Save As" to Get the PDF Transcript. 

You are the pioneer. The entrepreneur. The explorer. The risk-taker. But you find yourself married to, or in business with, a settler. A homesteader. A risk-avoider.

In this episode, our very special guest is going to blow your mind with her insights about how to harmonize these polar opposites, and prove that they are better together than apart.

Click here to download or listen to this episode now.

Spiritual Foundations

Our verse this week is from Psalm 18:22…"He who finds a wife finds what is good and receives favor from the LORD."

That has certainly been the case with me as you'll discover later in this episode.

Tip of the Week

Word of Warning: My tip this week won't work for people who are paranoid about being tracked by their phone.

I have fallen in love with an app called Life Cycle.

This app automatically tracks your life and presents it to you in a way that lets you see what you're doing with your time.

If you're looking to make changes about the ways you spend your time, this may just be the app for you.

Feature Presentation: "Married To The Business: The Pioneer and the Settler"

In this episode I'm having a conversation with a very wise woman…my wife Lynn. She is the most authentic and honest person I know, and she has a totally contagious laugh.

Here are some snippets from our conversation:

• The origin of the Pioneer and the Settler (4:35)
• Not for women only (5:05)
• Wagons Ho! (5:28)
• The shooting gallery (6:01)
• On a gravy train with biscuit wheels (6:26)
• An unethical dilemma (7:44)
• What a freak-out feels like (8:04)
• Be the conductor of your own train (8:45)
• Asking the awkward question (9:44)
• Genesis and the kitchen table (11:18)
• The recipe for a great husband and father (12:05)
• Ray gets busted (13:03)
• The dilemma of letting go (13:29)
• Clash of the Titans (15:05)
• The value of a Safe Space (15:28)
• Doing the brave thing (16:18)
• Same song…48th verse (17:09)
• Know the other person's heart (18:15)
• How to stay married (19:17)
• The foundation of faith (21:40)
• What to say to your younger self (23:05)
• Don't sweat the small stuff (24:03)
• Lynn's message to the younger Ray (24:24)
• The sexy snort (25:12)
• Escaping the performance trap (25:45)
• Proper care and feeding of Settlers (26:04)
• Lynn drops a Truth Bomb (26:28)
• The 3-Sentence Rule (27:48)
• Mansplaining (29:50)
• Essential meaningful purpose (30:22)
• Stay in your lane (31:12)
• Rapid fire bonus questions (33:36)
• Has the journey been worth it? (35:13)

Resources Mentioned in This Episode

• Life Cycle
• Sleep Cycle
• Brave Communication by Dan Farrelly
• Bethel School of Supernatural Ministry, Redding, California
• Stuart Saves His Family

How To Help

Subscribe to the show through iTunes and give us a rating and review. Make sure you put your real name and website in the text of the review itself. We will mention you on this show. PLEASE USE THE APPLE PODCAST APP!

Get The Transcript

Right-Click and "Save As" to Get the PDF Transcript.

You hear so many people saying you should write a book. Your business may be struggling, and it's tempting to buy into the idea that writing a book will give your business that boost you need.

The credibility and authority a book would give you are huge. Your book can get you interviews, speaking gigs, and sell more of your products, services and programs.

But is writing a book the move for you?

Click here to download or listen to this episode now.

Spiritual Foundations

The Bible has some interesting advice for us…"My brethren, let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment." James 3:1 (NKJV)

I think that's another way of saying, "With great power comes great responsibility." So if you choose to become a teacher, or an author, be prepared to take it seriously and grow some rhinoceros skin because people will take a poke at you.

Tip of the Week

I've noticed that most people grossly underestimate the time it takes to do things.

I use Nozbe to help me overcome that challenge. It has helped me become a productivity ninja. It helps me deal with my incoming tasks, prioritize them, manage them within projects and get them done quickly and effectively…and that is a beautiful thing.

Feature Presentation: Should I Write a Book?

5 Reasons to Write a Book

1. A good book can build your reputation, authority, and credibility.
2. A good book will be a legacy that lives on after you are gone.
3. A book causes you to test, clarify, and strengthen your thinking.
4. A book can get you interviews, speaking engagements, and sales.
5. While you probably won't make a fortune by publishing a book, you can make one explaining the book.

5 Reasons Not to Write a Book

1. A bad book can ruin your reputation.
2. A book never goes away – copies will always exist.
3. You will never be happy with it.
4. It's hard to do.
5. Authors rarely make any money from writing a book.

And…you guessed it…some snippets from our conversation:

• They "wrote the book" on that (13:27)
• Get out of my head! (14:27)
• Anger is an energy (16:01)
• The pathway to the stage (17:15)
• The hub of your business (18:07)
• Express yourself! (19:45)
• The toothpaste is out of the tube (21:27)
• You can run, but you can't hide (22:10)
• Satisfaction NOT guaranteed (22:34)
• You get out what you put in (23:13)
• If you write it, they may not buy it (24:31)
• Tell me about your platform (26:38)
• Do you have a plan? (27:09)

Resources Mentioned in This Episode

• Nozbe
• David Allen's Getting Things Done
• Michael Hyatt's Free To Focus
• Awaken The Giant Within

How To Help

Subscribe to the show through iTunes and give us a rating and review. Make sure you put your real name and website in the text of the review itself. We will mention you on this show. PLEASE USE THE APPLE PODCAST APP!

Get The Transcript

Right-Click and "Save As" to Get the PDF Transcript.

You hear so many people saying you should write a book. Your business may be struggling, and it’s tempting to buy into the idea that writing a book will give your business that boost you need. The credibility and authority a book would give you are huge. Your book can get you interviews, speaking gigs, […]

You have customers but they are cheap, complain a lot, and are a pain to deal with. If they aren't controlled, corralled, and completely ejected they can eat your time, your cash flow, and your business alive.

This week we're going to show you how to fix that problem and prevent it from ever happening again…so you only deal with cool people that you like.

Click here to download or listen to this episode now.

Spiritual Foundations

Is there a scriptural foundation for only working with good clients who appreciate your work and pay you what you're worth?

I'm so glad you asked. Check this out:

"You shall not muzzle an ox while it treads out the grain," and, "The laborer is worthy of his wages." 1 Timothy 5:18 (NKJV)

In this week's episode Sean and I give you some additional insight on this verse that I think you'll find valuable.

Tip of the Week

This week's tip is the wonderful and magnificent service known as Amazon Subscribe & Save.

You can set up regularly scheduled deliveries and earn savings on everything from diapers to toothpaste to dog treats…literally thousands of everyday products from Amazon and Amazon Marketplace.

My ambition in life is to never run another errand again, and this service may just make that possible.

Feature Presentation: How Do I Attract Better Customers?

A 10-Step Plan That Works

I finally got relief from my dire situation when I fired the clients who were the big trouble-makers and got really clear about who I WANTED to work with. You can do this too, by simply following this 10-step plan:

1. Set the Criteria for Being a "Good" Client. Define the qualities of your ideal customer. Be on the lookout for these unicorns.
2. Set the Criteria for Being a "Bad" Client. Define the qualities that make you miserable or stressed with clients. Swear that you will never take another client, nor keep a client, who has ANY of these qualities,
3. Purge the Scourge. Examine your existing client base and get rid of any stinkers.
4. Preach the "Good Client Gospel." Publish your "Do's and Don'ts" clearly, frequently and boldly.
5. Develop a "Bad Client Mythology." Tell client horror stories and make them part of your Company Mythology – so your prospective clients know how you identify "bad apples" – and let them know what happens to bad apples.
6. Develop a keen sense of discernment about people. Every time I have taken on a bad client, I always had a nagging feeling deep inside that I had ignored. Trust your sensors.
7. Make them work for it. If they really want to work with you, make them prove it. Put some hurdles in place. Weed out the clients who ignore, break, or try to circumvent the rules of being accepted as your client.
8. Be Expensive. While his alone can be a good filter, it is not 100% effective. There are some nasty, needy, broken, and/or crazy people who have lots of money.
9. Listen to Your Team.
10. Be completely unreasonable. While it will help you screen out the "problem children," it will also cause the Good Clients to want you even more.

And…you guessed it…some snippets from our conversation:

• For vegetarians only (9:10)
• Sean "sparkly" rant (9:35)
• The Force is strong with this one (12:15)
• Ray & Sean tackle The Great Unicorn Debate (12:27)
• Are you willing to take the oath? (13:23)
• The Bad Client Story (14:03)
• Make it known throughout the land (15:24)
• Only gather ripe apples (16:21)
• Trust your gut, not your wallet (17:13)
• The Edwin Moses Strategy (18:37)
• Be a Rolex, not a Timex (19:22)
• Trust your team (20:42)
• Take a look in the mirror (21:39)

Resources Mentioned in This Episode

• Amazon Subscribe & Save
• Squatty Potty

How To Help

Subscribe to the show through iTunes and give us a rating and review. Make sure you put your real name and website in the text of the review itself. We will mention you on this show. PLEASE USE THE APPLE PODCAST APP!

Get The Transcript

Right-Click and "Save As" to Get the PDF Transcript. 

You have customers but they are cheap, complain a lot, and are a pain to deal with. If they aren’t controlled, corralled, and completely ejected they can eat your time, your cash flow, and your business alive. This week we’re going to show you how to fix that problem and prevent it from ever happening […]

For many business owners, cash-flow can be a huge problem. Most businesses that fail do so because of this one problem…they run out of money.

Cash-flow is the lifeblood of a business, and in this episode we're going to give you several ways to solve this problem before THEY come and take your stuff.

Click here to download or listen to this episode now.

Spiritual Foundations

Here's a little encouragement for the week ahead:

"And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:19 (NKJV)

So ask yourself. "How rich is God?" Your needs will be supplied according to His riches, not yours. I would rather have His standard of measure…how about you?

Selah.

Tip of the Week

This week's tip comes from our good friend Ernie "The Attorney" Svenson…and it may upset some people in the legal community.

If you're looking for a premium DIY solution for the most common legal situations then you'll love this app called ShakeLaw.

If you're a freelancer, for example, you can generate agreements straight out of this app. There are a bunch of options included with ShakeLaw and I think it's worth checking out.

Feature Presentation: How Do I Solve a Cash-Flow Problem?

You can beef up cash-flow with these 7 short-term solutions:

1. Reach out to past and present customers
2. Ask for referrals
3. Personal services
4. Consulting/Coaching
5. Affiliate Sales
6. Get a temporary job
7. Direct selling

And…as always…some snippets from our conversation:

• Sean's rant of the week (9:40)
• Why this advice is unpopular (10:45)
• Reach out and touch someone (11:34)
• Rusty's Wisdom (12:15)
• Ask and ye shall receive (13:44)
• Ray's Way of mining for referral gold (14:20)
• Skills to pay the bills (15:46)
• What comes easily to you? (16:29)
• Try selling OPS (17:42)
• Embrace the Stop-Gap (19:25)
• What do you really value? (21:45)
• Sean's rant of the week – Part 2 (22:13)

Resources Mentioned in This Episode

• Ernie "The Attorney" Svenson
• ShakeLaw

How To Help

Subscribe to the show through iTunes and give us a rating and review. Make sure you put your real name and website in the text of the review itself. We will mention you on this show. PLEASE USE THE APPLE PODCAST APP!

Get The Transcript

Right-Click and "Save As" to Get the PDF Transcript. 

For many business owners, cash-flow can be a huge problem. Most businesses that fail do so because of this one problem…they run out of money. Cash-flow is the lifeblood of a business, and in this episode we’re going to give you several ways to solve this problem before THEY come and take your stuff. Click […]