Scaling UP! H2O

Hey Scaling Up Nation! Fellow Mastermind member Conor Parrish is interviewing me in part one of a two-part series starting today. Conor Parrish is Director of Business Development at FCT Water Treatment. He attended Drake University, graduated with a degree in Environmental Science, and then moved to Colorado to take an opportunity with FCT Water. He has his CWT and has been in the industry for 6 years; it is a privilege to have him on the show.

For those who have been longtime listeners, you'll know that I was hoping that my staff would listen to it when I started the podcast. I never imagined that what began as a passion project would turn into something that thousands of water treaters listen to each week.

I am humbled and honored to be the host of this podcast. It has allowed me to teach and give back to the professional water treatment industry I care about so much.

I hope you enjoy today's episode!

Your roadside friend, as you travel from client to client,

- Trace

Timestamps:

James' Challenge: "Determine the volume of a cooling or closed loops system by calculation and tracer addition." [5:25]

Conor Parrish interviews Trace Blackmore [7:30]

Why do you do the podcast each week? What is your motivation? [8:50]

What was the most challenging podcast you've ever created? [11:14]

How has the podcast evolved since 2017? [14:48]

As the show evolved, what are some of the changes you've seen when asking guests to be on the show or what topics guests want to discuss? [19:00]

What have listeners told you about the impact of this podcast? Anything new on the podcast that we can look forward to it? [21:20]

How do you balance all of your commitments? [28:25]

What advice would you give to a water treater feeling burnout in their job? [45:50]

Trace's Challenge: When was the last time you worked on your leadership style? [52:55]

Quotes:

"I love this podcast because it allows me to teach others about water treatment." - Trace Blackmore

"The podcast and Mastermind allow me to help raise that bar in the water treatment industry." -Trace Blackmore

"The reason the Scaling UP! H2O podcast is a success is because I have such great guests!" - Trace Blackmore

"One of the bad things about this podcast is that there is a lot of technology needed, and I am a technology junkie, so I'm always wanting to buy that next new gadget to make the show better." - Trace Blackmore

"I'm humbled and pleased that people enjoy the podcast." - Trace Blackmore

"Whenever someone asks me to do something, I always ask myself: If I say "Yes" to this, what am I inherently saying "No" to?" - Trace Blackmore

"Have you ever been too busy driving to stop for gas?" - Stephen Covey

"When you put a value on your time, you realize what the cost is when you're doing something else." - Trace Blackmore

Connect with Conor Parrish:

Website: fcwater.com

Links Mentioned:

166 The One Where We Celebrate Halloween

Ray Baum Memorial Water Technologist of the Year Award Recipient

178 Pinks and Blues Questions From The Nation!

Rocketbook

Rising Tide Mastermind

Books Mentioned:

Atomic Habits by James Clear

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey

Nation! We've received many write-ins from our audience asking how to invest and start saving for retirement. We listened, and I brought in one of the smartest guys I know about those subjects, Wealth Advisor Scotty Neal. Scotty is a friend I met through our Mastermind group, and he has over 25 years of Wealth Advisory experience. Scotty is part of a Wealth Advisory Team that primarily works with a small group of successful business owners, professionals, and executives who are five years out (or less) from an exit. He is an expert at listening to his clients' needs and catering a financially sound investment plan crafted to his clients' specific wealth goals.

Scotty is going to share financial advice with Scaling Up! H2O listeners which he would give to people who are just starting their investment journey, to individuals well into their retirement years. We're going to discuss everything from credit card debt to creating your first budget to which program is right for you:401(k), IRA, ROTH IRA, Mutual Funds to BBQ, yes, that's right, BBQ.

I hope that if you listen to today's podcast, you will be empowered to take steps towards securing your financial future. We love hearing from you, our listeners! If you have an idea for a future show, or have a question you'd like me to answer in a Pinks and Blues Questions from the Nation episode, please send us a message HERE. Thanks and enjoy today's podcast!

Timestamps:

Trace's challenge: Everyone has expectations of you. Are those expectations clear? The next time you are talking with someone, make sure both sides clarify the expectations so you can equally move forward with confidence [00:10]

James' Challenge: Explain cycles of concentration to a non-technical person. [06:15]

Introducing Scotty Neal [10:20]

Let's talk about money [16:10]

How do I know if I am saving enough? [27:50]

What is the best way to invest in your future: 401(k), IRA, Roth IRA, Mutual Funds, SEP? [29:45]

How do stimulus checks work? [33:45]

Where should I start investing and how do you know what's best for me? [39:00]

What is the advice you give to people with different levels of investment experience? [42:12]

What is the biggest mistake people make over and over again when it comes to investing? [53:20]

Lessons learned from Trace's first financial advisor, his grandfather [59:30]

Quotes:

"Save money for your future. You need to pay yourself just like you are paying your other bills." - Trace Blackmore

"Time. Time. Time spent in the market is the number one thing that affects investment returns." - Scotty Neal

"From age 0-18 you are a "consumer" and only take financially from your parents. From age 18-65 you are a "consumer" but you're also a "producer" because you are working; that's your time to make money and save money. From age 65 till the end, you're back to being a "consumer" because you are not working." - Scotty Neal

"You've got money coming in and out. The difference is savings and investable dollars." - Scotty Neal

"You have to deny yourself in order to invest." - Scotty Neal

"Have money make money for you." - Scotty Neal

"Ask yourself: Is this a want, or a need?" - Scotty Neal

"You make what you make. You need to spend less in order to invest." - Scotty Neal

"When it comes to 401Ks, I tell my employees, "Invest at least the minimum that will allow you to take the maximum of what I can give you." - Trace Blackmore

"A 401K, is part of your pay. You have to take it. It's free money!" - Scotty Neal

"There has never a better time to start investing than right now." - Scotty Neal

"Get a Will." - Scotty Neal

"Stick. Stay. And Make It Pay."- Scotty Neal

"Save. Save. Save. Early and Often." - Scotty Neal

Links Mentioned:

The Rising Tide Mastermind

173 The One With the Exit Plan

179 The One That Teaches Us to Communicate Better With Others Kathleen Edelman Part 2

184 The One Where I Interview My Mastermind Mentor

178 Pinks and Blues Questions From The Nation!

Books Mentioned:

The Millionaire Next Door by Thomas J. Stanley

The Whistler by John Grisham

The Rooster Bar by John Grisham

I Said This, You Heard That Workbook by Kathleen Edelman

I Said This, You Heard That 2nd Edition by Kathleen Edelman

Nation! I am so excited to introduce you to the man who leads my weekly Mastermind group, Aaron Walker.

Aaron Walker has founded more than a dozen companies over the past 42 years. He attributes much of his success to having surrounded himself with his Mastermind counterparts. Aaron spent a decade meeting weekly with Dave Ramsey, Dan Miller, Ken Abraham, and other outstanding entrepreneurs. Aaron is the founder of Iron Sharpens Iron Mastermind that now hosts 20 groups with National and International members. Aaron lives in Nashville, Tennessee, and he has so many wonderful stories and advice to share today!

As you know, I lead several Mastermind groups myself. A large reason I can pour into other leaders in the water treatment industry is because of the individuals I meet with weekly in the Mastermind group. Aaron says to think about a Mastermind as "Your own personal board of directors" who help you personally and professionally. Life is way too difficult to do it alone. We are built as human beings to work with other people. I've found that joining a Mastermind can help you grow through vulnerability, coaching, honesty, and camaraderie.

If you are a water treater interested in joining a Mastermind, please visit scalinguph2o.com/mastermind to learn how together we can raise up the water treatment industry.

Timestamps:

Upcoming Events [1:30]

James' Challenge: "Review all your accounts to ensure you've lived up to all your obligations. If not, develop a plan." [6:20]

Introducing Aaron Walker AKA "Big A" [11:40]

A kid working at a pawn shop in Nashville [13:12]

Life after "retiring" at 27 years old [18:16]

The journey from Aaron's first Mastermind group with Dave Ramsey to leading his own group [22:00]

So what is a Mastermind? [32:34]

How do you define success? [39:02]

Lightning Round Questions [43:35]

Trace's Leadership Challenge [47:00]

Quotes:

"We've all got superpowers and we've all got blind spots." - Aaron Walker

"Dang! You don't know what you don't know." - Aaron Walker

I've read thousands of books as a result of being in a Mastermind." - Aaron Walker

"A Mastermind is your own personal board of directors." - Aaron Walker

"It's about legacy and helping others transform."- Aaron Walker

"Today I would measure 'success' in terms of others success, instead of my own." - Aaron Walker

"If we're not having fun, we need to change direction." - Aaron Walker

"If you don't have a mentor, you are missing out on a golden opportunity." -Trace Blackmore

"Life is way too difficult to do it alone. We are built as human beings to work with other people." -Trace Blackmore

"A leader is somebody who makes other leaders." - Captain David Marquet of The United States Navy

Aaron's Southern Sayings: "That's as useless as tits on a boar hog" and "That's a big gentleman."

Connect with Aaron Walker:

LinkedIn: in/aaronwalkerviewfromthetop

Website: www.viewfromthetop.com

Links Mentioned:

Rising Tide Mastermind

Aaron's Mastermind Website

029 The One with the Submarine Captain (with Captain David Marquet)

Books Mentioned:

Band of Brothers: The War Memoirs of Major Dick Winters by Cole C. Kingseed & Richard D. Winters

The Success Principles by Jack Canfield

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Steven Covey

Never Split The Difference by Chris Voss

Turn The Ship Around! by Captain David Marquet's

Today's guest is Neil Sahota, an IBM Master Inventor, United Nations A.I. Advisor, professor at UC Irvine, and globally-recognized speaker and author. Neil is a founding member of the UN's Artificial Intelligence for Social Good Committee, and he's here to talk about how we can harness the power of AI and use it for social good. Neil is also the author of "Own the A.I.Revolution", providing a future-forward look at A.I., focusing on how businesses can use it to commercialize while doing good in the world. We'll discuss things like the challenges posed by A.I. and how we can overcome them, as well as which skill-sets are going to be most important in the near future.

In our interview, I was amazed by how A.I. can help our businesses, lives, and water infrastructure worldwide. Data allows us to make better decisions. We make better decisions when we have better data. When we don't have data, we're not making decisions; we're making guesses. So how good are your guesses?

Timestamps:

Upcoming events for water treaters (see links below) [1:50]

Introducing Neil Sahota, Artificial Intelligence Expert [8:13]

How is A.I. being used to improve our water infrastructure around the country? [14:15]

What does a water treater need to know about A.I., and how can they start using it? [16:18]

How can A.I. improve our capacity and collection of water in agriculture? [19:36]

Why Neil wrote the "Own the A.I. Revolution" and how it can help your business [22:33]

Positioning A.I. for social good and working with The United Nations A.I. for Good Initiative [24:33]

How do you help people to develop a world-class culture? [28:32]

What can't A.I. do? [31:15]

Lightning round questions [34:00]

Outro [38:11]

James' Challenge: Test boiler sulfite, both immediately on a sample, and again an hour later on the same open sample. [41:02]

Quotes:

"Artificial Intelligence is a machine that can mimic human thinking to do low-level type tasks that require some cognition." - Neil Sahota

"Maximize the use of the water we have." - Neil Sahota

"A.I. unlocks a toolset that we've never had before, now we can do way more than that." - Neil Sahota

"We can use A.I. to influence consumer behavior on their water usage habits."- Neil Sahota

"Data is the fuel for A.I." - Neil Sahota

"We have to bring people together who want to make solutions." - Neil Sahota

"Small things add up." - Neil Sahota

"I believe in the power of storytelling so people can hear the actions and outcomes." - Neil Sahota

If I can inspire people, soon we are saving a million gallons of water a day." - Neil Sahota

"Do something and share that story." - Neil Sahota

"Saving money and saving the planet. It's a double win!" - Neil Sahota

"Changing the culture takes time and a lot of effort, but it is well worth it." - Neil Sahota

Data allows us to make better decisions. We make better decisions when we have better data. When we don't have data, we're not making decisions; we're making guesses. So how good are your guesses?"- Trace Blackmore

"We need other people to help us get better." - Trace Blackmore

"You never know how far the ripples will reach." - Trace Blackmore

"Until next week, try something new, try to learn something new, and do something new; and be the reason that somebody cracks a smile." - Trace Blackmore

Connect with Neil Sahota:

Website: neilsahota.com

LinkedIn: in/neilsahota

Links Mentioned:

The United Nations A.I. for Good Initiative

Episode 168 with Jared Gabel

Scaling Up Business Webinar Series

Rising Tide Mastermind

Books Mentioned:

Own the A.I. Revolution by Neil Sahota

Scaling UP! Nation, after multiple listeners called or wrote in asking how we create the weekly podcast, we decided to devote today's episode to how we make the most popular water treaters podcast happen for you, our listeners.

Today I have guests Lauren Vonfeldt and Sean Dooley on the show with me. Lauren is my Executive Assistant, and she does everything from booking the guests, to creating the website posts, to designing and executing our marketing campaigns.

Sean is our audio magician. He is an Audio Engineer and makes our episodes sound fantastic by eliminating unwanted sounds, making transitions seamless, and polishing the episodes with added touches to make them sound great each and every week.

Lauren and Sean have brought their expertise, passion, and positivity to every episode we have done over the past four years, and I could not create this weekly podcast without them.

Our show is continually improving because of our listeners, and we would love to hear from YOU! If you have not yet, please click the "submit a show idea" at the top of our site and let us know what you would like on future episodes.

Timestamps:

James' Challenge "Leave the customer's lab space or work area cleaner than you found it." [00:32]

Introductions about the team who creates the weekly podcast show [02:00]

First things first: guests, data gathering, planning, strategy, and fact-finding [07:15]

Recording the podcast [14:25]

Audio editing [21:57]

Adding the podcast to the website and making a marketing plan [24:00]

Highlighting the best parts of the show with Audiograms [27:45]

Monthly brainstorming meetings [30:30]

How we came up with "The Best Of 2020 Episode" [32:12]

Lightning Round Questions [37:45]

Quotes:

"He created the show to share his knowledge and the knowledge of all the people he knows with the audience." - Sean Dooley

"It's not just me. It takes a team, and I couldn't do the podcast without them." - Trace Blackmore

"This week, learn something new and take care of each other." - Trace Blackmore

"It's all about improving and making each episode the best one yet." - Lauren Vonfeldt

"Our goal is to make this show the best thing possible for the water treatment industry." - Lauren Vonfeldt

"Make the show the best it can be." - Sean Dooley

Links Mentioned:

Submit a Show Idea On Our Website

Lauren Vonfeldt's website

Sean Dooley on LinkedIn

Legionella Episode 150

Legionella Episode 152

Legionella Episode 153

The Best Of 2020 Episode 174

Jeff Henderson Episode 115

I am thrilled to introduce you to two water geeks who love water AND talking about water just as much as I do; friends, bloggers, writers, and the hosts of the podcast "Water We Talking About?", Jim Lauria and Adam Tank. Today Jim and Adam will talk about how to become a water advocate by using social media.

Jim Lauria is the VP of sales and marketing for Mazzei Injector Company. He got his chemical engineering degree from Manhattan College, has been working in water for 20 years.

Adam Tank has been working in the water industry for 10 years. He started as a microbiologist and quality engineer in the CPG world and he is now Director of Software Solutions for a water startup called Transcend Water focused on automating the preliminary design of water treatment assets, in this case, water and wastewater treatment facilities.

If you take nothing else away from today's podcast, please consider that water is something that everyone on the planet needs, and that you, the real people making things happen behind the scenes, owe it to your community to share what you do and why water is essential, and there isn't an easier way to do that then through using social media.

Timestamps:

James' Challenge: "Draw a process flow diagram for your customers; complete with feed points, water meters, blowdown, pre-treatment, boilers, cooling towers, chillers, etc. [03:15]

Jim Lauria and Adam Tank, who are you and how did you meet? [07:30]

What are you doing to advocate for water and the water industry and how are you creating content? [14:13]

What are your two different approaches to content creation? [21:40]

How should someone get started with content creation? [26:20]

LinkedIn Advice [28:43]

Tagging content [38:25]

What's the one takeaway you want people to get from this interview? [41:34]

Lightning Round Questions [43:07]

Quotes:

"When you tell your story on water... the goal is to be focused on the value of water for everybody." - Adam Tank

"Water, it is a global good that ultimately is critical for life on earth." - Adam Tank

"One of the good things about mentoring is that it is a two-way street." - Jim Lauria

"Just keep posting and connecting, you never know what could lead to a direct sale." -- Jim Lauria

"Don't be scared of posting something that you think is routine, or wouldn't be interesting, because people outside of the sector or industry don't have a clue what happens in water." - Adam Tank

"Catalog the things you find exciting, take a picture, write a sentence, and put it out in the world." - Adam Tank

"Think of LinkedIn as a business lunch and Facebook as a backyard BBQ. Dress and act accordingly." -- Jim Lauria

"Don't just sell. Provide value and people will come back to you."- Adam Tank

"Tell good stories. And get people engaged in the value of water." -- Jim Lauria

"Just start. Don't worry about crafting the perfect post. Just post something." - Adam Tank

"Never underestimate your ability to influence other people." -- Jim Lauria

"Don't be afraid to embrace change." - Adam Tank

Links Mentioned:

Episode 47 with Jim Lauria

Adam Tank's website

Jim Lauria's website

Water Online

Rising Tide Mastermind

Imagine H2O

120 Water

Jim and Adam's podcast "Water We Talking About?"

Books Mentioned:

How to Get Your Money Back From Big Companies - Jim Lauria

Hey Scaling Up Nation! If we have a worthwhile goal, it's hard, it takes a long time, and it's probably not fun. Water treaters are constantly on the go, in the car, working long hours, but we need to take the time to take care of ourselves.

Today my guest is a physical therapist, Dr. Andrew Kneeburg. Dr. Kneeburg has helped me get out of pain, find some practical steps to keep me healthy, and inspired me to make better choices so I can keep doing the things I enjoy. He is passionate about getting people out of pain and moving again.

Dr. Kneeburg graduated from PT school in May of 2016 and has been practicing outpatient orthopedics for 5 years. He has such a refreshing and down to earth approach to stay healthy and I think if you listen to his advice in today's podcast, it could change the trajectory of your life for the better. I hope today's episode inspires you to take better care of yourself.

Timestamps:

Healthy goals for 2021 [00:01]

Dr. Andrew Kneeburg introduction [10:50]

What can we do so we stay healthy and not hurt ourselves as industrial water treaters? [15:20]

What's water got to do with it? [19:50]

Do we need to stretch every day? [22:30]

What are the exercises water treaters should be doing? [26:28]

What's the key to working out? [33:40]

What's the importance of sleep? [35:10]

What to watch out for when starting a new exercise routine [36:23]

Lightning round questions [40:30]

The 7th Habit, the Habit of Self [44:10]

James' Challenge: Update your LinkedIn profile to be a calling card for your prospect or customer versus just a resume for your next job. #JC21 and #ScailingUPH20 [ 50:26]

Quotes:

"Stay active, stay healthy, eat the right things" - Dr. Andrew Kneeburg

"Strengthen yourself so you can be healthy for the long-haul." - Dr. Andrew Kneeburg

"There isn't one single diet that works for everyone, find a diet that works for you." - Dr. Andrew Kneeburg

"Do the exercise movements that simulate what you're doing at work to help you stay healthy." - Dr. Andrew Kneeburg

"You don't have to be at the gym 2-3 hour, you just need 20-45 mins of moderate to strenuous exercise." - Dr. Andrew Kneeburg

"Bottomline: You only have one body and one life, take care of it." - Dr. Andrew Kneeburg

"If we're not taking care of yourselves, then we cannot take care of others" – Trace Blackmore

"What are we doing to take care of ourselves?" – Trace Blackmore

Links Mentioned:

Journal

AWT (Association of Water Technologies)

Rising Tide Mastermind

Books and Articles Mentioned:

The Truth About How Much Water You Should Really Drink

How much should the average adult exercise every day?

A Systematic Review of the Effects of Exercise and Physical Activity on Non-Specific Chronic Low Back Pain

7 Habits of Highly Effective People

12 Week Year

My guest today is back for part 2 of a lesson in communication. She is Temperaments expert, and I Said This, You Heard That author, Kathleen Edelman. Her mission is to help people use words that build others up. She teaches that "The words you use are a gift that you give to other people". That statement should make us want to think about our words more carefully! Today, Kathleen further explains the Four Temperaments and what to do when we experience miscommunication. If you missed part 1 of this interview, please check it out on episode 117.

Nation! I cannot have a conversation with Kathleen and not learn something new about the I Said This, You Heard That study. I would consider myself a diligent student of her material for the past two years, and there is always more to learn.

Learning about Temperaments is, hands down, one of the best things I have done to understand how my words sound to people as I am speaking with them. It has been a gamechanger in how I communicate with my team and my family and friends.

I hope that the next time you're speaking to someone else, you choose words that are a gift from you to them.

Visual Reference:

Timestamps:

Introducing Kathleen [5:55]

Trace, what was your biggest takeaway from the I Said This, You Heard That Book? [10:00]

Describe the 4 Temperaments [13:25]

How do we use the Temperaments in our communication? [19:50]

What to do when you make a communication mistake [29:20]

How can we identify other people's Temperaments and communicate better? [32:40]

Being aware of how your own weaknesses affect others [42:50]

Don't use your Temperament as a weapon or an excuse [48:05]

Lightning round with Kathleen [51:51]

James' Challenge: "Send handwritten notes to those who have helped you" [1:55]

Quotes:

"We are responsible for bringing out the best in each other." - Kathleen Edelman

"If we take the time to be intentional, the reward is so much greater." - Kathleen Edelman

"The person responsible for being the best version of me is ME." - Kathleen Edelman

"Your Temperament never changes, but personality can change over time." - Kathleen Edelman

"Every Temperament can be a good leader." - Kathleen Edelman

"It's never too late to start communicating better." - Kathleen Edelman

"Learning about the Temperaments has been a game-changer on how I communicate." - Trace Blackmore

Links Mentioned:

117 The One With Temperament Expert, Kathleen Edelman

Episode 281 The One About The Power of Kindness with Kathleen Edelman

Rising Tide Mastermind

Books Mentioned:

I Said This, You Heard That Workbook by Kathleen Edelman

I Said This, You Heard That 2nd Edition by Kathleen Edelman

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey

Atomic Habits by James Clear

The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom

The Bone Collector by Jeffery Deaver

Beneath a Scarlet Sky by Mark Sullivan

This is one of my favorite shows because I always look forward to answering questions from you! My team and I love digging in to gather the BEST answers for you. Thank you for always making these shows such a success by submitting your questions!

Today we're going to dive into how do you ensure you have the best result from your sample; what makes a complete service report, what to do if you don't have any other choice than to take a sample from the boiler sight glass; and what are some of my favorite tools?

Please join me to hear the answers to your questions, and after listening, if you have a show idea or want to ask me a question, please go to scalinguph2o.com and click the "Submit a Show Idea" at the top of the page. I look forward to hearing from you.

Timestamps:

Time Management [1:40]

Upcoming 2021 Events [3:30]

How Do You Ensure You Have The Best Result From Your Sample? /How Do You Know If You Can Trust Your Sample? [13:50]

Understanding What Your Test Is Doing [23:50]

What Should Be On A Good Service Report? /What Makes A Complete Service Report? [25:02]

How Do You Produce A Podcast? [31:47]

What If You Don't Have Any Other Choice but To Sample from The Boiler Sight Glass? [33:14]

What Are Your Top 10 Favorite Things? [35:30]

Can You Give Us More Financial Advice? [45:15]

James' Challenge: "Conduct an elution study on a water softener" [50:42]

Quotes:

"Get in the habit of scheduling time for yourself." -Trace Blackmore

"Try to elevate your knowledge and understanding of the tests you run." -Trace Blackmore

"The 4 things you need to stay organized: emails, contacts, tasks, and notes from the day." - Trace Blackmore

"Money is a tool; it is never the destination." -Trace Blackmore

"You need to look at the money you get in 3 buckets: How much do you need to live on? How much do you need to save? What is the money you are going to give to?" - Trace Blackmore

Links/Products Mentioned:

175 The First One of 2021

150 The One Where We Talk Legionella Basics

151 The One Where We Talk About Legionella

152 The One Where We Talk More About Legionella

153 The One Where We Answer Your Questions About Legionella

167 The One With John Fenton

092 The One About My TED Talk Experience

LED Rechargeable Light Kit

006 Service Reports

111 The One With Eric Russo

Rocketbook

Erlenmeyer Flask

SteriPen

Digital Titrator

Leatherman Multi Tool

Backup Charger

Sous Vide Cooker

Sense Device

Oculus VR

Keep Talking And No One Explodes Game

130 How IRA Works

Rising Tide Mastermind

Books Mentioned:

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People - Stephen R. Covey

What creates excellent customer service experiences resulting in clients becoming passionate fans of your company? What if some simple steps could change a client's experience with your company from mediocre to magical; would you take them?

Today my lab partner on Scaling UP! H2O is Dennis Snow. Dennis honed over 20 years of customer service skills with the Walt Disney World Company. Today Dennis is a full-time speaker, trainer, and consultant who helps organizations achieve customer service, employee development, and leadership goals. Dennis launched a Disney Institute division responsible for consulting with some of the world's largest companies. This division quickly became the fastest-growing venture of the Disney Institute and experienced nearly 100% repeat business. He also spent several years with Disney University, teaching corporate philosophy and business practices to cast members and the leadership team. In his last year with Walt Disney World, Dennis' leadership performance ranked in the top 3% of its leadership team.

Scaling UP! Nation, join us today as we learn from Dennis's tried and true methods to turn your business from unimpressive to the most impressive in the industry when it comes to excellent customer service. My challenge to you is this: "Do a little something that pushes you to become better at whatever it is that you deem you need to become better with" [57:17]

Timestamps:

How a 3-month job at Disney became a 20-year career [05:55]

Turning a "Tragic Moment into a Magic Moment" [09:50]

Empowered Employees and Coachable Moments [11:29]

What Is the Customer Asking [13:05]

What Is Backstage Vs. On Stage [16:10]

How To Create Moments of "WOW" For The Customer [20:50]

Seeing And Solving The Potential Points of Pain [25:58]

Communicating The Right Message Throughout The Company [30:18]

What Is Your Book, "Lessons From The Mouse" About? [39:33]

What's The Bottomline [42:28]

Lightning Round Questions [44:15]

James' Challenge: "Clean, Organize, and Update Your Water Testing Kit And Equipment" [56:13]

Quotes:

"From the moment you express interest in a job, to the moment you leave, everything in between is training." -Dennis Snow

"Maintaining your guest or client's dignity is critical." - Dennis Snow

"Take what is important to you as an organization and build it into every process that impacts your employees." -Dennis Snow

"Don't generate tasks, create experiences." -Dennis Snow

Connect with Dennis Snow:

Website: www.snowassociates.com

LinkedIn: in/dennissnow

Phone: (407) 294-1855

Links Mentioned:

167 The One with John Fenton

AWT (Association of Water Technologies)

James McDonald's LinkedIn #JC21 and #ScalingUpH20

Books Mentioned:

Lessons From The Mouse by Dennis Snow

Unleashing Excellence by Dennis Snow

Story 10X by Michael Margolis

The Infinite Game by Simon Sinek

Hamilton by Ron Chewnow