Rising Tide Startups

When you meet someone like Chris McShanag, you can't help but feel energized by the passion they bring to their work. In this latest episode of the Rising Tide Startups, our host, Kevin Prewett, had the pleasure of chatting with this virtual assistant industry trailblazer, whose story of transitioning from the asset-intensive sector to launching MedVA, BizVA, and OrthoVA is as inspiring as it is informative. These services are not just addressing staffing issues and refocusing professionals on their core activities but truly revolutionizing how healthcare providers and entrepreneurs tackle their workload.

Chris McShanag is a transformational leader who brings extensive experience in delivering successful business solutions through innovative and scalable solutions. As a natural entrepreneur, Chris has led numerous organizations, ranging from startups to established enterprises, across diverse industries such as healthcare, mining, utilities, and consulting, consistently steering them toward success.

Here are the key takeaways from the conversation:

The keys to business growth are client retention and value creation. 

High client retention indicates satisfied and loyal customers, which are crucial for stable revenue streams and forecasting growth.

The agency offers high-quality services that bring tangible benefits, such as saving businesses up to $80,000 annually in staffing costs and increasing productivity by 40% with virtual assistants. 

The "most important number and decision" concept helps businesses to identify a crucial metric that guides decision-making and aligns the efforts of different departments towards the company's goals.

Virtual assistance is not just a trend; it's a strategic tool that is shaping the future of business efficiency and operations across industries

The operational framework of virtual assistant agencies includes the following elements:

Billing Practices: Agencies typically charge their services on a retainer or hourly basis. The exact billing method can vary depending on the agency's structure and the client's needs.

Earnings Distribution: Agencies manage how earnings are distributed, which includes paying virtual assistants (VAs) and covering operational costs.

Recruitment and Training: Agencies are responsible for recruiting, training, and providing ongoing support to VAs. This ensures a high retention rate and consistent service quality for clients.

Managed Services: Agencies maintain relationships with clients through managed services, which may include flat-rate billing, onboarding processes, and productivity reporting to ensure clients are receiving the value they expect.

Client and VA Relationship: Agencies take steps to protect their interests, preventing clients from directly hiring VAs away from the agency. This can involve offering benefits to VAs and providing seamless service replacements to maintain a reliable service to clients.

Listen to the full conversation here:

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@risingtidestartups

Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rising-tide-startups/id1330525474

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2eq7unl70TRPsBhjLEsNZR

 Connect with Chris:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christopher-d-mcshanag-10aa362/ 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chris.mcshanag 

BizVA: https://www.bizva.ph 

MedVA: https://www.medva.com

 

If you enjoyed the show, follow, subscribe and please leave us a 5-star rating on Spotify, Youtube or Apple Podcasts.

Shoutout to our Great Sponsor:  Naviqus Virtual Services - Hassle-free administrative support services that are efficient, affordable, and tailored to your needs. Email [email protected] now to jumpstart your business for 2024!

Imagine having a strategic partner working remotely yet closely with you, handling complex tasks that go beyond the traditional virtual assistant's to-do list. That's the reality Gina's company, Athena Executive Services, offers to swamped business owners.  

In the latest episode of Rising Tide Startups podcast, we interview Gina Cotner, the founder and CEO of Athena. Gina is a driven individual who is passionate about helping others live lives of their own design. She firmly believes that many people go through life feeling like they just have to survive, without realizing that they can design their lives the way they want. With this passion in mind, she founded Athena Executive Services in 2016. 

Athena pairs high-caliber, virtual Executive Assistants around the United States with successful business owners, entrepreneurs, and executives. Through her work, Gina helps her clients achieve their goals and live their lives to their fullest potential.

Here are the key takeaways from the conversation:

The Power of Virtual Partnership: Athena was born to provide high-caliber assistance for busy executives, capable of managing complex tasks remotely, similar to the support a high-level executive assistant would provide in a corporate setting.

Unique Approach to Executive Support: Athena stands out by pairing executive assistants with performance coaches, providing not only administrative support but also a deep understanding of business strategies.

Executive Assistants vs. Virtual Assistants: VAs work remotely; EAs bring business expertise and professionalism. They're indispensable partners who drive business growth.

Lessons in Business Leadership: The following are the wisdom acquired by Athena over the years:

Importance of tracking conversion rates and the surprising benefits of meticulous data analysis. 

Letting go of clients who are not fully utilizing services 

Gina also reflects on the influence of Robert Kiyosaki's "Cash Flow Quadrant" on her entrepreneurial strategy, highlighting the balance of trust with verification as a guiding principle.

Listen to the full conversation here:

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@risingtidestartups

Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rising-tide-startups/id1330525474

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2eq7unl70TRPsBhjLEsNZR

 Connect with Gina:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/athenaea 

Athena: https://athenaexecutiveservices.com

 

If you enjoyed the show, follow, subscribe and please leave us a 5-star rating.

Shoutout to our Great Sponsor:  Naviqus Virtual Services - Hassle-free administrative support services that are efficient, affordable, and tailored to your needs. Email [email protected] now to jumpstart your business for 2024!

Join us as we kick off the new year with a very special conversation on Rising Tide Startups, featuring the Czarina Lei Pineda. In this episode, Czarina (or Cha as her friends call her) shares her journey working as a virtual assistant and the unexpected turns that led to her collaborating with our host, Kevin Prewett, in enhancing the workflow of this great podcast. Cha's impact on the show includes streamlining the processes which in turn gave rise to the launch of a virtual services  agency collaboration, called Naviqus. 

Listen in as Cha recounts the rewarding experience of being part of Rising Tide family and how it has developed into partnerships and mentoring, driving both her personal and professional growth.

Here are the key takeaways from the conversation:

Naviqus represents a paradigm shift in the virtual assistance industry, focusing on fair wages and exceptional talent. 

The agency's mission is to match businesses with top-notch virtual specialists, ensuring that both parties benefit, creating a “Win-Win!. This approach not only enhances the service quality for the client, but also enhances and augments the work of highly-gifted virtual assistants by providing them great compensation and status within the network.

Services Offered, to name a few, include:  administrative support, social media management, email marketing, SEO, web design, and podcast editing, among others.

In summary, Naviqus is committed to quality, affordability, and ethical business practices while fostering sustainable partnerships between virtual specialists and global clients.

Listen to the full conversation here:

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@risingtidestartups

Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rising-tide-startups/id1330525474

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2eq7unl70TRPsBhjLEsNZR

 Check out Naviqus:

Website: https://naviqus.com

Email: [email protected]  

 

If you enjoyed the show, follow, subscribe and please leave us a 5-star rating.

Shoutout to our Great Sponsor:  Naviqus Virtual Services - Hassle-free administrative support services that are efficient, affordable, and tailored to your needs. Contact Naviqus at [email protected] now to jumpstart your business for 2024!

Welcome to another episode of The Rising Tide Startups, hosted by Kevin Prewett. In this episode, join us as we feature Shawn Lemon's journey. Shawn, a seasoned consultant, has seamlessly transitioned and became a pioneering Digital Organizer

From his roots at the Genius Bar, Shawn ventured into entrepreneurship, launching Digital Organizer. Shawn shares his personal and professional triumphs, sharing insights on simplifying digital complexities, streamlining emails, and reclaiming over 15 hours weekly for fulfilling pursuits. With a unique blend of tech expertise, a passion for growth, and a distinct perspective, Shawn Lemon adeptly navigates individuals and businesses through the digital landscape.

Here are the key takeaways:

Digital Organizer helps businesses organize their digital files, data, and information to enable more efficient management of data, emails, files, and tech stacks.

Embracing Digital Organization: Digital organization is crucial for modern enterprises as it affects productivity and employee well-being.

Pricing and Services: Pricing services require balancing value and market expectations. Efficiency in core services leads to a sustainable business model.

Whether it's organizing a large collection of unsorted photos or streamlining your business's technology stack, taking control of your digital world can help you save time and be more productive. 

Remember that the key to success in the digital age is not just about organizing—it's about optimizing.

Listen to the full conversation here:

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@risingtidestartups

Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rising-tide-startups/id1330525474

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2eq7unl70TRPsBhjLEsNZR

 Catch up with Shawn Lemon here:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shawnlemon 

The Digital Organizer: https://thedigitalorganizer.com

 

If you enjoyed the show, follow, subscribe and please leave us a 5-star rating.

 

Your company or brand needs its own branded podcast.  PodBrand Media is an innovative and affordable way to generate new leads and create repurposable content. Learn more at  https://Podbrandmedia.com

 

Get your personal podcast off the ground with "How to Start a Podcast in 24 Hours" course by David Ezell. Learn podcasting essentials and save 20% by using the code RISING at realdavidezell.com/courses. Don't wait, start your podcast today.

This episode, Jason Shapiro, founder of 82i, shares about his transition from investor to founder. 82i provides affordable and accessible advanced financial expertise and advisory services to startups, with an innovative pricing model based on hourly rates and no commitments.

Jason Shapiro, the founder of 82i, forged his path from roles in investment firms like Resolve Growth Partners and Clayton Dubilier & Rice. Starting his finance career at Lazard and previously teaching high school math for Teach for America, Jason's deep interest in entrepreneurship led him to establish 82i, aiming to support founders with sophisticated financial expertise and a novel approach to advisory services.

Here are the key takeaways:

The Story of 82i: Jason brainstormed ideas about entrepreneurship to help entrepreneurs. He wrote down 82 ideas after recalling wisdom from various founders.

The 82i as an alternative to employment for startups: 82i provides expert services on a fractional basis for startups. They offer CFO, CRO, and operations services based on an hourly rate with no commitments. This flexible and affordable alternative to traditional employment helps startups address any business issue.

Four essential characteristics of entrepreneurship: soft skills are mentioned as crucial for successful entrepreneurship. These include strategic intuition, persistence, emotional intelligence (EQ), and creativity.

Strategic intuition involves the ability to make smart decisions even when you don't have all the information. 

Persistence is the ability to keep pushing forward even in the face of adversity. 

EQ refers to the ability to understand and manage your own emotions and understand and influence the emotions of others. 

Creativity involves thinking outside the box and coming up with innovative solutions.

The importance of teamwork and a strong company culture: At 82i, personal growth and development are the focus. They prioritize making employees develop faster than they would elsewhere. 

Listen to the full conversation here:

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@risingtidestartups

Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rising-tide-startups/id1330525474

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2eq7unl70TRPsBhjLEsNZR

 

Catch up with Jason Shapiro here:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasondshapiro 

Eighty2i: https://www.eighty2i.com

 

If you enjoyed the show, follow, subscribe and please leave us a 5-star rating.

 

Your company or brand needs its own branded podcast.  PodBrand Media is an innovative and affordable way to generate new leads and create repurposable content. Learn more at  https://Podbrandmedia.com

 

Get your personal podcast off the ground with "How to Start a Podcast in 24 Hours" course by David Ezell. Learn podcasting essentials and save 20% by using the code RISING at realdavidezell.com/courses. Don't wait, start your podcast today.

What happens when a university student transitions into entrepreneurship right after graduation? We've got the right person to talk about this - our guest Eric Harrison, founder of Thrive: Bootstrapped. Join us as he shares his challenges, the mentorship gap he aims to bridge for bootstrap founders, and the valuable insights he's gathered along the way. 

Eric is a passionate advocate for startups and small businesses. When he started his first company at just 20 years old, he faced the uphill battle of navigating the business world with little experience. Despite early setbacks and the eventual scaling of his business, Eric's determination and thirst for knowledge led him to work closely with a small startup, helping it achieve over $1 million in revenue. 

Today, he's on a mission to support founders who, like himself, believe in their business's potential and are determined to see it succeed. 

Here are the key takeaways:

The Boomerang strategy: This strategy includes leaving a startup job to learn and gain experience elsewhere, to return later to start his own successful business.

Building and Engaging a Successful Community: Eric Harrison's community set up a successful referral. Trust was built when he referred a client to another member. 

Nature versus nurture: Eric debates whether entrepreneurial success is due to inherent traits or external experiences, stressing confidence-building, celebrating wins, and following community guidelines for growth.

Relationship Building: it refers to entrepreneurs establishing and nurturing connections with clients and advisors. Eric Harrison emphasizes founders taking the lead in sales and highlights the benefits of having a team of advisors for business growth.

Listen to the full conversation here:

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@risingtidestartups

Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rising-tide-startups/id1330525474

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2eq7unl70TRPsBhjLEsNZR

 

Catch up with Eric Harrison here:

Thrive: https://www.thrivebootstrapped.com 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/eric.harrison.73 

 

If you enjoyed the show, follow, subscribe and please leave us a 5-star rating.

 

Your company or brand needs its own branded podcast.  PodBrand Media is an innovative and affordable way to generate new leads and create repurposable content. Learn more at  https://Podbrandmedia.com

 

Get your personal podcast off the ground with "How to Start a Podcast in 24 Hours" course by David Ezell. Learn podcasting essentials and save 20% by using the code RISING at realdavidezell.com/courses. Don't wait, start your podcast today.

Welcome to this week's episode of The Rising Tide Startups Podcast, featuring Aviv Ben-Yosef, an R&D Impact Expert with a knack for helping tech companies triple their Impact-per-Engineer, even in as little as 90 days. He’s a tech executive turned consultant, who possesses an extraordinary talent for leading successful teams.

Aviv's unique journey started from being a coding prodigy to being a coach and advisor to high-impact tech leaders. Today, he leverages this experience to guide tech executives on their path to building highly- effective teams. This expertise has earned him a spot in the Million Dollar Consulting Hall of Fame. Aviv's approach to leadership emphasizes the value of listening and observing, setting the stage for innovative solutions in the tech world.

Here are the key takeaways:

Less is more: Effective listening and observation are key to his leadership approach. He values writing less code to achieve greater results in his coding philosophy.

Instant Gratification: Aviv encourages his team to focus on results over the number of hours worked. Engineers can develop what he calls "superpowers," which are unique skills or abilities that have a positive impact on the entire company.

The role of constraints in promoting creativity: limitations can encourage team members to think more creatively and find innovative solutions to challenges. 

Work and Appreciation: Encouraging teams to set aside time to work on projects beyond their job responsibilities, fosters a culture of productivity. 

Listen to the full conversation here:

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@risingtidestartups

Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rising-tide-startups/id1330525474

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2eq7unl70TRPsBhjLEsNZR

 

Catch up with Aviv Ben-Yosef here:

Website: https://avivbenyosef.com 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/avivbenyosef 

 

Lead with a customer-centric product vision. Grab a copy of Ben’s book Build What Matters here: https://www.prodify.group/resources/book

 

If you enjoyed the show, make sure to follow, subscribe and please leave us a 5-star rating.

 

Your company or brand needs its own branded podcast.  PodBrand Media is an innovative and affordable way to generate new leads and create repurposable content. Learn more at  https://Podbrandmedia.com

 

Get your personal podcast off the ground with "How to Start a Podcast in 24 Hours" course by David Ezell. Learn podcasting essentials and save 20% by using the code RISING at realdavidezell.com/courses. Don't wait, start your podcast today.

Welcome to another episode of the Rising Tide Startups. In this episode, we had the pleasure of hosting a conversation with Ben Foster, experienced product management expert. Ben is a co-founder of Prodify, a boutique advisory and coaching firm specializing in product management and related disciplines. He's also the Chief Product Officer at WHOOP, adding to his rich history in the realm of product management. 

Prior to his current roles, he served as the Chief Product Officer at GoCanvas and the VP of Product and Design at Opower, which went public in 2014. Notably, he started his journey during the dot-com boom, amid the rapid growth and eventual implosion of the tech industry.

If you’re interested in product management, tune in to this episode and gain some valuable insights.

Here are some takeaways:

The Importance of Product Management: Product management blends customer needs, business needs, and supporting technology. It was formalized as a specific role during the Silicon Valley boom.

The Importance of Understanding Customer and Business Needs: Product management is the art of harmonizing customer needs with business objectives. It's about finding that balance between what the market demands and what the company aims to achieve.

Exploring the Unknown Unknown: It's about being prepared to deal with unexpected challenges and staying agile in an ever-changing environment.

The Power of Clear Vision and Strategy: A clear product vision and strategy are essential for team alignment and success. It keeps everyone focused on overarching business goals while articulating a path to realize the product vision.

A Customer-Centric Approach: To make a lasting impact and raise industry standards, product managers must embrace a mindset that prioritizes customer satisfaction and needs. 

Listen to the full conversation here:

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@risingtidestartups

Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rising-tide-startups/id1330525474

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2eq7unl70TRPsBhjLEsNZR

 

Catch up with Ben Foster here:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benfoster 

Prodigy: www.prodify.group 

 

Lead with a customer-centric product vision. Grab a copy of Ben’s book Build What Matters here: https://www.prodify.group/resources/book

 

If you enjoyed the show, make sure to follow, subscribe and please leave us a 5-star rating.

 

Your company or brand needs its own branded podcast.  PodBrand Media is an innovative and affordable way to generate new leads and create repurposable content. Learn more at  https://Podbrandmedia.com

 

Get your personal podcast off the ground with "How to Start a Podcast in 24 Hours" course by David Ezell. Learn podcasting essentials and save 20% by using the code RISING at realdavidezell.com/courses. Don't wait, start your podcast today.

In the ever-changing world of Artificial Intelligence (AI), it can be tough to keep up with the latest tech and figure out how to use it for your business. In this episode of the Rising Tide Startups podcast, hosted by Kevin Prewett, we chat with the brilliant Shanif Dhanani, founder of Locusive, a company that bridges the gap between data and AI. Shanif shares his journey and gives valuable insights for aspiring entrepreneurs.

Shanif's journey from software to data science and now the forefront of AI showcases a unique perspective that simplifies AI to its core – math uncovering patterns. His wisdom on entrepreneurship, his vision, risk tolerance, optimism, and ability to see the bigger picture, provides valuable lessons for aspiring business leaders. He encourages us to embrace AI and use it to its fullest potential as it has the potential to transform industries and societies.

Here are a few takeaways:

The Intersection of AI and Data - AI is a mathematical tool for pattern recognition that requires ample data. Locustive uses data to empower businesses with AI-driven products and consulting services.

Fall in love with the problem - Find the problem first, figure out how to best solve it, and then apply whatever technology you need to solve that problem. 

Passion and Focus - The idea of "failing forward" can be a useful tool to help entrepreneurs push through difficult times. Passion and focus are keys for entrepreneurs to succeed.

AI is basically a branch of computer science - AI will not take over the world. AI is just math that requires regulation and rules of decency. It will not take over the world.

In Conclusion:

The path from data science to AI can be challenging, but a clear vision, resilience, and a grasp of the bigger picture can lead to transformative change.

Listen to the full conversation here:

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@risingtidestartups

Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rising-tide-startups/id1330525474

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2eq7unl70TRPsBhjLEsNZR

 

Catch up with Shanif here:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shanifdhanani 

Locusive: https://www.locusive.com

 

If you enjoyed the show, make sure to follow, subscribe and please leave us a 5-star rating.

 

Your company or brand needs its own branded podcast.  PodBrand Media is an innovative and affordable way to generate new leads and create repurposable content. Learn more at  https://Podbrandmedia.com

 

Get your personal podcast off the ground with "How to Start a Podcast in 24 Hours" course by David Ezell. Learn podcasting essentials and save 20% by using the code RISING at realdavidezell.com/courses. Don't wait, start your podcast today.

Check out our newest podcast episode for Rising Tide Startups featuring Dana Lindahl, a thriving entrepreneur who is the founder and CEO of Legendary Podcasts. Dana shares his journey from freelance writing to starting a cold email company, and ultimately transitioning into podcasting guesting services. 

Through his experiences, he emphasizes the importance of adaptability and growth in the entrepreneurial world. Tune in to learn more about his insights on lead generation and how it has shaped his business model. Dana also offers valuable advice on team development, delegating tasks, and exploring new opportunities in the podcasting industry.

This episode is packed!  Here are a few takeaways: 

The Art of Lead Generation - Dana stresses the significance of directing prospective clients to appropriate resources, not just a homepage.

Podcasting Benefits and Challenges -  Podcast hosts have vast networks that lead to opportunities, but attribution tracking is challenging.

Running a Two-Sided Marketplace - Dana has valuable insights into business management from leading a two-sided marketplace. He emphasized the importance of upfront service fees, avoiding overselling, and GDPR compliance.

Listen to the full conversation here:

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@risingtidestartups

Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rising-tide-startups/id1330525474

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2eq7unl70TRPsBhjLEsNZR

 

Catch up with Dana Lindahl here:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dana-lindahl 

Website: http://www.legendaryleadgen.com 

 

If you enjoyed the show, make sure to follow, subscribe and please leave us a 5-star rating.

 

Your company or brand needs its own branded podcast.  PodBrand Media is an innovative and affordable way to generate new leads and create repurposable content. Learn more at  https://Podbrandmedia.com

 

Get your personal podcast off the ground with "How to Start a Podcast in 24 Hours" course by David Ezell. Learn podcasting essentials and save 20% by using the code RISING at realdavidezell.com/courses. Don't wait, start your podcast today.