The Business of You with Rachel Gogos

In today's world, personal branding isn't just for business owners – it's for everyone.

Whether you're applying to college, building a career, leading a team, or simply figuring out your next move… your personal brand is what sets you apart. It's how people remember you, refer you, and recognize your potential—even when you're not in the room.

Dr. Carmen Bell-Ross is an educator, leadership development expert, and the founder of SP Grace. Through her College Smarter Method and professional development programs, she helps people – from teens to executives – build confidence, get clear on who they are, and show up with purpose in high-stakes spaces.

Your Story Is Your Strategy

Whether you're leading a team, applying for a role, or stepping into your next chapter, personal branding helps you connect the dots between where you've been and where you're headed. Dr. Carmen shares how clarity around your values, strengths, and experiences creates a personal "X Factor" that makes you memorable, relatable and unmistakably you.

Confidence Comes from a Plan

Most people feel stuck not because they're unqualified but because they don't have a clear path forward. Dr. Carmen's approach helps individuals take ownership of their next step with a customized roadmap rooted in self-awareness and strategic positioning. When you know who you are and what you stand for, everything else falls into place with more ease and confidence.

Enjoy this episode with Dr. Carmen Bell-Ross…

Soundbytes

14:41 - 14:58 "That X factor is kind of like your own personal secret sauce. It's like a personal little recipe. And so people can taste it and go, hmm, that's good, but it's missing something. And then you just sprinkle that secret sauce, and it just elevates it. So that X factor is an essential piece."

27:43 - 27:53 "The introduction of AI has been hugely game-changing. And so the world has to change to keep up. We have to change, and we have to be able to flow with where that goes."

28:23 - 28:41 "It's okay to be in a super competitive environment, and that's what the goal is. It's fine if you go to the Olympics; the Olympics are super competitive. But the thing is, if you've trained for the Olympics, yes, you're ready when you get there, so you are competitive too."

Quotes

"I'm always teaching people how much easier it would be for us to get things done if we extended each other a little bit more grace."

"Just be honest with yourself, because then you could be genuine, and you could be authentic."

"Stop and ask yourself why you're actually in this role. Do you actually care about the success of the people that you're leading?"

Links mentioned in this episode:

From Our Guest

Website: https://spgrace.com/elevate/

Connect with Dr. Carmen Bell-Ross on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-carmen-bell-ross-9378467/

Connect with brandiD Download our free guide to learn 16 crucial website updates that attract more leads and convert visitors into clients: https://thebrandid.com/website-tweaks/

Ready to elevate your digital presence with a powerful brand or website? Contact us here: https://thebrandid.com/contact-form/

"They all hate you." That's what a young David Bishop heard from his regional manager, and it turned his view of leadership on its head. If you've ever questioned your leadership style or wondered why your team isn't as aligned as they could be, this episode is packed with insights that will shift how you think about growth.

David Bishop is a top executive coach to leaders at companies like Netflix, Google, and Amazon. Before that, he ran two global media giants as President of Sony Pictures and MGM Home Entertainment.

Leading Through People, Not Just Performance

David unpacks the personal stories and pivotal moments that shaped his leadership—from managing a record store to launching game-changing products like DVD and Blu-ray. He explains why creating a culture of engagement isn't just good ethics, it's smart business. When people feel safe, aligned, and invested, performance and profit follow.

Why Culture Can't Be Left to Chance

You'll learn why engagement surveys aren't just for HR, and how David helps leadership teams turn feedback into real behavioral shifts. He breaks down his process for aligning teams, measuring values, and moving founders from "do-it-all" mode into strategic leadership. If you're building something bigger than yourself, this episode offers a playbook for doing it with more clarity, alignment, and impact.

Enjoy this episode with David Bishop...

Soundbytes

08:18 - 08:38 "I learned that if you have people who are really invigorated to come to work and they feel they can do that in a psychologically safe environment, and they can contribute, then profits go up."

11:36 - 12:13 "It's important to have the distinction of having a happy workplace versus an engaged workplace… People can come in and be with their friends and be happy, but not be productive. But what I look for in a culture, in a team, is high levels of engagement. Where people spring out of bed in the morning and really feel that they are working for a common purpose."

35:01 - 35:18 "It's not just about the product or the services that you're selling, or about the consumers. Of course the end user is really important, but people often look over the culture."

Quotes

"If you want to change a culture, measure it."

"My approach to leading people was always about creating an environment of high engagement."

Links mentioned in this episode:

From Our Guest

Website: https://thedavidbishopgroup.com/

Connect with David Bishop on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thedavidbishopgroup/

Connect with brandiD

Download our free guide to learn 16 crucial website updates that attract more leads and convert visitors into clients: https://thebrandid.com/website-tweaks/

Ready to elevate your digital presence with a powerful brand or website? Contact us here: https://thebrandid.com/contact-form/

What if the key to scaling a business isn't knowing the industry inside and out–but knowing how to fix what's broken?

Brendan P. Keegan is a six-time CEO, two-time bestselling author, and founder of bFEARLESS Ventures. He's raised over $10 billion in capital, led six companies to exit, and grew Merchants Fleet from $500 million to $2.5 billion–without ever working in fleet management before. Now retired at 55, Brendan spends his time investing in bold ideas and living out his mission to build one million fearless leaders.

The Power of Curiosity and Problem-Solving

You don't need to be the expert in the room, but you do need to be the one who asks better questions. Brendan shares why curiosity, not credentials, became the throughline of his career. From turning around struggling startups to transforming a 55-year-old legacy business, he explains how to spot broken systems, challenge assumptions, and lead a team through massive growth–even when you're the new kid in the industry.

Why Fear Holds You Back (And What to Do About It)

Think fear isn't shaping your decisions? Think again. Brendan calls it the FUD factor–fear, uncertainty, and doubt–and says it quietly shapes how most people show up at work and in life. In this episode, he breaks down how to build fear-resilient leadership: how to stop waiting until you're "ready," how to make decisions without all the answers, and why the best leaders move fast, stay coachable, and push others forward along the way.

Enjoy this episode with Brendan P. Keegan…

Soundbytes

18:56 - 19:48 "Our number one thing we hired was intellectual curiosity. Across the board. Period…As many skills as you think you have, you don't. Your first job, you don't know how to do 20% of it, 25% of it. But do you work hard? Are you a fast learner? Those are the things that are going to matter, you know. When you lose, are you coachable? In entry-level positions, I'm 100% attributes, nothing on skills or experience."

11:48 - 12:35 "Can I just ask you a question? What did I do to get put in the penalty box? Why?" He goes, "What do you mean?" I said, "I got this other thing up and running. It was going great. I was killing it, and you moved me over here." He goes, "Because it was broken." And I said, "But why did you do that to me?" To which he replies, "You're great at fixing things."

I didn't see that when I looked in the mirror, but that mentor telling me, "You're great at fixing things. Brendan, you take your technology engineering mind and you think, what's the problem? So many people just jump in and start fixing things without thinking about the process. You're really good at fixing things. I challenge you to spend the rest of your career not in a given industry, but focused on fixing and transforming things."

42:33 - 43:03 "Have the courage to fail and the faith to succeed. Have the courage to say, 'I'm going to go try out for that team, and I might not make it, and that's okay.' But then–have the faith: 'I am going to show up in the best shape of every single person trying out for that team. I might not have the best basketball skills, but I'm going to be the best-conditioned athlete. I'm going to be so conditioned that the coach takes me and thinks he can teach me basketball.'"

Quotes

"Have the courage to fail. Be willing to do things you don't think you can do, but also have the faith that you're going to succeed."

"Go take the mic. Go be the one in front."

"​​If you don't have a mentor, you're short-changing your career. You will not go as far in your career. Mentors help you. They enlighten you."

Links mentioned in this episode:

From Our Guest

Website: https://brendanpkeegan.com/

Connect with Brendan Keegan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brendanpkeegan/

Connect with brandiD

Download our free guide to learn 16 crucial website updates that attract more leads and convert visitors into clients: https://thebrandid.com/website-tweaks/

Ready to elevate your digital presence with a powerful brand or website? Contact us here: https://thebrandid.com/contact-form/

Have you ever wondered how some service businesses seem to dominate their local markets while others struggle to get seen? The secret might be simpler than you think – and it all starts with how you show up on Google.

Today's guest breaks down what really works in local SEO, how to increase your visibility without increasing your workload, and why finding your niche might be the smartest move you can make.

Bradley Benner is a leading local SEO expert and the founder of multiple businesses, including TreeCareHQ, Semantic Mastery, Semantic Links, and Semantic SEO. With over a decade of experience in agency building, lead generation, and SEO coaching, Bradley helps both business owners and marketing professionals create systems that convert clicks into clients.

Why Local SEO Still Matters

Even with the rise of AI-driven search, Google Maps still drives the majority of local leads – nearly 70%, according to Bradley. But most business owners aren't optimizing their Google Business Profiles the right way. From posting geo-tagged photos to writing location-specific content, Bradley shares actionable strategies that help local businesses get seen and generate results.

He also emphasizes why local businesses should aim to rank in both Maps and traditional search results. It's not just about visibility – it's about building long-term authority and creating a safety net when algorithms shift.

Why Niching Down Changes Everything

In 2020, Bradley made a pivotal shift by focusing solely on tree service contractors – a decision that helped him streamline his processes, scale faster, and build a thriving local agency. By specializing, he was able to reuse assets, simplify his marketing, and generate predictable results for his clients. Today, his white-label SEO agencies serve other marketers looking for efficient, proven systems.

Whether you're a service-based business owner or a marketing pro supporting them, this episode is packed with practical SEO insights and long-term strategy.

Enjoy this episode with Bradley Benner…

Soundbytes

8:20-8:34 "Just because we may have a skill like being able to know how to get stuff to rank in Google, that doesn't mean that you're going to be effective at being able to convert that skill into money – not just for yourself as the SEO professional, but for the business that you're selling that service to."

10:14-10:34 "In 2020 I niched down. I finally decided to ignore anybody else other than tree contractors from my own local SEO agency. And boy, that was the biggest thing, the best thing I could have ever done. Because it simplified my business significantly from the workload."

Quotes

"If you can build enough brand strength, you can typically rank well, even if you have terrible SEO."

"About 70% of the leads that are generated from Google Search come from maps."

"One of the most valuable things that they can do is just train their technicians to take three to five photos from a mobile device."

"AI is changing search behavior fast. If your business isn't feeding the model, you're invisible."

Links mentioned in this episode:

From Our Guest

Website: https://semanticmastery.com/

Connect with Bradley Benner on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bradleybenner/

Connect with brandiD

Download our free guide to learn 16 crucial website updates that attract more leads and convert visitors into clients: https://thebrandid.com/website-tweaks/

Ready to elevate your digital presence with a powerful brand or website? Contact us here: https://thebrandid.com/contact-form/

LinkedIn is a powerful tool for your business–but only if you use it properly. Today's guest will show you how to make the most of this platform with authentic, non-spammy connection strategies.

Colin Hirdman started his first business a week after graduating from college with no background in business or marketing. He's the co-founder of Monkey Island Ventures, along with two of his childhood best friends. Over the last 18 years, they've built over a dozen software and service businesses. Their newest venture, Rainmaker, helps people in sales roles build their network, leads, and sales through LinkedIn.

The LinkedIn Philosophy

There are three components for success on LinkedIn. The first piece is philosophy. You need to be authentic and genuine. Speak to people with a conversational tone. The second aspect is approaching it with an educational mindset, because no one wants to be sold on LinkedIn. Jumping right into sales tactics doesn't work. Focus on building relationships, not pitching meetings. Lastly, try to understand the pain points your prospects are experiencing. What do they want to be educated on, and what can you teach?

Grow Your Audience

The easiest way to build an audience on LinkedIn is to identify your ideal client profile and use Sales Navigator to find people who meet that criteria. Another option is to attend LinkedIn events in your industry. Start building a prospect list of people who are participating in those events. You can also use influencers as a proxy: if there's someone in your niche with a large following, reach out to them for a connection. If their connections are open, you'll be able to see them in Sales Navigator.

The final step is to create proactive connection campaigns. In Colin's business, they connect with 25 people a day, Monday through Friday, which works out to 500 connections per month. Out of those, around 20-25% will connect back. If a prospect doesn't connect within 30 days, they withdraw the invite and then re-invite those people at a later date.

Enjoy this episode with Colin Hirdman…

Soundbytes

9:30-10:01 "We came up with the five F's, which are freedom, finances, friendship, family, and fun. And those are the five F's that the three of us live by. I would highly recommend, if you have someone as a business partner that you can just innately trust and rely on to go through the ups and downs of what it's like being in business…I highly encourage you to do that, because when you're doing it all yourself, it can be lonely at the top."

13:27-13:46 "LinkedIn is incredibly powerful because it's the only business social network out there. It's growing like crazy. Everyone's trying to crack the nut of how you leverage LinkedIn, but you have to approach it still in wanting to build relationships, and having that educational mindset is absolutely paramount."

Quotes

"Nobody wants to be sold on LinkedIn."

"Everyone is trying to crack the nut of how you leverage LinkedIn, but you have to approach it still in wanting to build relationships."

"If you approach LinkedIn the right way, that's where you can have a lot of success."

"The messages that you are sending should not be salesy in any way. It should be providing value. It should establish you as a thought leader."

Links mentioned in this episode:

From Our Guest

Website: https://www.rainmakergrows.com/

Connect with Colin Hirdman on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/colinhirdman/

Connect with brandiD

Download our free guide to learn 16 crucial website updates that attract more leads and convert visitors into clients: https://thebrandid.com/website-tweaks/

Ready to elevate your digital presence with a powerful brand or website? Contact us here: https://thebrandid.com/contact-form/

Have you ever considered opening a franchise? Maybe you're looking for a new investment opportunity, or you're attracted to a business model where all the systems are already up and running.

Today's guest breaks down what you need to know beforehand, the best industries to invest in, and what separates successful owners from the rest.

Jon Ostenson is the Founder and CEO of FranBridge Consulting, an Inc. 5000 company and a top 1% franchise consultant. He's also the author of the bestselling book Non-Food Franchising. Jon draws on his experience as a former Inc. 500 Franchise President and Multi-Brand Franchisee to help his clients select their franchise investments. Jon is a frequent contributor on franchising for publications such as Forbes, Inc., and Bloomberg.

Why Invest in a Franchise

The franchise model offers some advantages over starting your own business. For one, the business has already proven to be successful. The franchise has a playbook for what works and what doesn't–all you need to do is execute it. You also have a community of other franchisees running the same business, where you can learn from each other and exchange best practices.

What Makes a Successful Franchise Owner

Some entrepreneurs struggle to run a franchise because they don't like following the playbook; they aren't coachable or willing to learn. As an owner, you need to trust the franchise that you bought into. The most successful franchise owners are the ones who follow the system the closest. You can innovate within the system, but don't try to reinvent the wheel.

The second-most important characteristic is to be good with people. If you're a good person to work for and with, everything runs more smoothly. Being well-liked can even turn into a competitive advantage.

Enjoy this episode with Jon Ostenson…

Soundbytes

5:10-5:35 "The model has been proven out in other markets. You've got a playbook. It's all about going out and executing. So you're essentially starting on third base. You've got bulk buying of services or products, you get those synergies, but you also get a community of other franchisees, other people running the same business, day in, day out, in their markets, and you're constantly learning from each other and exchanging best practices. You're in business for yourself and not by yourself."

18:43-19:10 "Our top performers had two characteristics. One, they were good with people, and that's just business 101. They're someone that people want to work for, work with. No, they don't have to be gregarious, but they're decent people. And then secondly, they're willing to follow a system. They've got the humility to say, hey, there's a reason why I bought into a franchise. I'm going to come in and trust you. The ones that follow the system the closest were most successful."

Quotes

"For most people, franchising is a better path to business ownership, because it allows you to have those training wheels."

"You've got to be someone that people want to work with."

"If it were easy, everybody would be a business owner."

"As long as you can be someone that people want to work for and find your competitive advantage."

Links mentioned in this episode:

From Our Guest

Website: https://franbridgeconsulting.com/

Connect with Jon Ostenson on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonostenson/

Connect with brandiD

Download our free guide to learn 16 crucial website updates that attract more leads and convert visitors into clients: https://thebrandid.com/website-tweaks/

Ready to elevate your digital presence with a powerful brand or website? Contact us here: https://thebrandid.com/contact-form/

Does it feel like no matter how hard you work, there's never enough time? As an entrepreneur, there's always more work to do–but that doesn't mean you can't enjoy the process. Today's guest will help you break free from the stress cycle and enjoy calmer, more peaceful productivity.

Erin Harrington helps busy, overwhelmed high achievers align their work with their well-being, empowering them to integrate success across all areas of life and make time for what truly matters. Anchored in a lifelong passion for self-care and spirituality, Erin's journey began with balancing life goals amid significant challenges. As a top-performing sales leader in a startup that successfully went public, she faced burnout despite her accolades.

Later, confronting complex neurological disabilities led her to discover that managing her stress response was key to well-being. This transformation from survival to thriving fueled her passion for helping others. Now, she shares the concepts and tools that reshaped her life. She is the Founder of Soul Values and author of The Whole Life Planner: An Integrated Toolkit for Purpose, Productivity, and Peace.

What Makes Entrepreneurs Susceptible to Stress

Entrepreneurs are wired differently from most people: they're visionaries, problem solvers, and high achievers. But those strengths can backfire when you fall into the stress response trap.

At the end of the day, when you still have this long list of things that you intended to get done and didn't make it through all of them, that starts to impact other areas of your life. Stress can show up as constant firefighting, decision fatigue, work-life compartmentalization, perfectionism, or feeling like you never have enough time.

The good news is, you can train your brain to respond differently, with a few simple changes.

Adding Microhabits to Your Day

Erin recommends shifting a few small things throughout your day to help counteract stress. First, try a brain dump in the morning, writing down everything that's on your mind: ideas, problems, reminders. This helps clear the mental clutter and improve your decision-making.

Next, try celebrating wins at the end of each work day, however small. Some days you may be celebrating financial windfalls, but other days it could be as simple as remembering to eat lunch or getting outside for a walk in the sunshine. Lastly, avoid distractions, especially things like scrolling social media (which can easily hijack your body's stress response).

Enjoy this episode with Erin Harrington…

Soundbytes

6:06-6:25 "Entrepreneurs are wired for stress naturally. They are naturally wired differently. They're visionaries, they're problem solvers, and naturally high achievers. But these strengths can backfire when they fall into the stress response trap."

12:58-13:19 "Our brains crave habits. It literally wants to have reinforced habits. And so when you make these micro adjustments, whether you're using my tools or whatever else that you're doing, daily habits really do increase your effectiveness. It's proven by science."

Quotes

"As an entrepreneur, if you take small daily micro actions, you can actually fuel your work."

"I want people to take that control back, because it's available to you, and it's not as hard as you think."

"You don't need to spend hundreds of hours in therapy. It's simple rewiring that can be achieved by anyone, by small shifts in micro habits."

Links mentioned in this episode:

From Our Guest

Website: https://soulvalues.com/

Connect with Erin Harrington on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/harringtonerin/

Connect with brandiD

Download our free guide to learn 16 crucial website updates that attract more leads and convert visitors into clients: https://thebrandid.com/website-tweaks/

Ready to elevate your digital presence with a powerful brand or website? Contact us here: https://thebrandid.com/contact-form/

What's the difference between a successful freelancer and one who struggles with feast or famine? It's not how good you are at your craft, but how you position yourself to clients.

Amy Posner is a seasoned online entrepreneur and business coach who helps digital creative freelancers build breakthrough businesses. Over her 30-year career, she's launched six successful businesses (five of which are still in business today) and mentored thousands of freelancers to success.

Now, Amy focuses on empowering freelancers to grow the business they want by teaching them the skills they need to attract the right clients inside her Complete Breakthrough Freelancer course and on her podcast, Business Badassery.

Overcoming Feast or Famine

The biggest challenge for freelancers is feast or famine–a windfall of work followed by a period of little to no income. The best way to overcome this is with business systems and processes, so you always have another project in the pipeline.

Amy teaches her students skills like writing proposals, selling on calls, and communicating the value they deliver. Many successful freelancers give their clients expert strategic advice, but are selling themselves as order takers–someone who does nothing more than follow orders and create deliverables. If you position yourself as a strategist, you're perceived as much more valuable.

The Difference between an Order Taker and an Expert

The primary difference between order takers and experts is that experts deliver an experience, not just deliverables. It starts on the discovery call, when you first connect with the client. High-quality clients want a strategic partner, someone they can trust to give them expert advice and who is interested in getting results.

Once you've landed the client, you need to deliver on the experience you've promised. When in doubt, overcommunicate and overdeliver. Again, systems and processes come in handy here. Keep the client in the loop on what's happening, especially for longer projects. Be reliable and do what you say you're going to do.

Enjoy this episode with Amy Posner…

Soundbytes

12:29-12:43 "I see so many successful freelancers who are giving expert advice, and they're counseling as experts, but they're selling themselves as a creator of deliverables. And you're seen in a very different light."

18:02-18:21 "The truth is, you don't need a unique perspective. You need a perspective. If a client's going out looking, they don't care that I think the same thing you do. They care what I think. So they're not looking necessarily for originality. They're looking for a stake in the ground, that you believe in something and that you have something to say."

Quotes

"What I noticed was that you could be really great at your craft. And if you didn't have commensurate business skills, you didn't do as well as mediocre craftspeople who had the business side down."

"Nobody gets into business to sell stuff. They get into business because they love doing a thing."

"I'm a chronic over-deliverer. I like to get invested in people and in getting results."

Links mentioned in this episode:

From Our Guest

Website: https://amyposner.com/

Connect with Amy Posner on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amyposnerbusinessgrowthmentor/

Connect with brandiD

Download our free guide to learn 16 crucial website updates that attract more leads and convert visitors into clients: https://thebrandid.com/website-tweaks/

Ready to elevate your digital presence with a powerful brand or website? Contact us here: https://thebrandid.com/contact-form/

Omar Alvarez is on a mission to reinvent how we connect—by bringing storytelling back to the heart of technology. With his startup KINNECT, he's doing exactly that—creating a platform that helps people share their life stories, from past experiences to future dreams, in a way that's meaningful, inclusive, and easy to use.

Not only has he secured support for his vision, but he's now poised to disrupt an outdated market and drive innovation, building a fresh space where technology meets human connection.

With professional experience at some of the world's most iconic storytelling brands like Nike, Levi's, Hilton, and Hims and Hers, Omar brings a unique blend of creative expertise and personal passion to every piece of the KINNECT experience

Creating Connections at Work

KINNECT creates social spaces for people to connect and drive belonging, whether with your family, friends, or team at work. Each environment is hyper-personalized.

One big challenge–and opportunity–in the marketplace is creating connections in the workforce. How do you feel like you belong when you work remotely or never see the higher-ups? Employees want to know about the people they work with, who their executives are, and who's responsible for big decisions at the company. To be effective at work, you have to feel like you're part of a team. KINNECT is hoping to help bridge that gap.

Securing Funding

In the beginning, the thought of raising capital was daunting for Omar. The odds were stacked against him. But he didn't let the odds hold him back.

At the end of the day, investors are just people. Omar shares his story and the mission behind KINNECT (which was partly inspired by the death of his grandfather), and the right people connect with the product. Some people have told Omar it's unprofessional to share personal stories, but he knows it's important for investors to believe in the founder–and that means being authentic to who he is. To date, he's raised over $400,000 in funding.

Enjoy this episode with Omar Alvarez…

Soundbytes

6:32-6:43 "I really want to think about all the beautiful and cool things about social media and ways of connection today, but I want to cherry-pick what I like about them and then build a complete opposite direction."

28:52-29:06 "I was like, All right, I have this amount of money. I have this big vision. How am I going to build an AI that is not going to change the algorithm to focus on behaviors for purchasing, but instead, how can I use the algorithm to actually help people?"

Quotes

"How do you feel like you belong at work when there's such little information and little ways of actually driving belonging besides like a random Slack huddle?"

"To be effective at work, you have to feel like you're part of a team."

"Investors are also people. They should definitely look at the needs for business growth. But why not let someone who is Latino, first-generation, English as a second language? Why can't I just act that way too in building a company that is venture scalable?"

Links mentioned in this episode:

From Our Guest

Website: https://www.kinnect.club/

Connect with Omar Alvarez on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/heraldalvarez/

Connect with brandiD

Download our free guide to learn 16 crucial website updates that attract more leads and convert visitors into clients: https://thebrandid.com/website-tweaks/

Ready to elevate your digital presence with a powerful brand or website? Contact us here: https://thebrandid.com/contact-form/

Ever wish there was a cheat sheet on exactly what to look for in your employees? Fred Meyers has cracked the code on how to hire, develop, and retain great team members.

As the founder of Queensboro, Fred is an early pioneer and 40+ year veteran of the custom logo apparel business, selling directly to small and medium-sized businesses. As technology evolved, from 800 numbers and fax machines to personal computers, the internet, and mobile devices, Fred navigated each marketing shift. From small print ads and direct mail to catalogs and digital campaigns, he adapted using custom-built software, often developed on tight budgets.

The 4P System

A few years after recovering from the 2008 recession, Fred had a realization that to build a truly great company, he needed a great team. From that moment on, building and developing his team has been the highest priority. He realized that great employees had four characteristics in common: what he calls the 4P's.

The first P is for productivity: the person can do their job, and they have the basic skills. The second is that they're positive and bring good energy to the group. They're easy to communicate with. The key to communication is trust. It's not just about what they say, but their actions too.

The next P is for principled, which is how they engage with others. Do they treat other people the way they want to be treated? The final P is for proactive: they're always seeking to improve and take responsibility for whatever comes across their path. They have a growth mindset and love learning.

Recruiting based on the 4P's has led to a compassionate, non-traditional group of people on Fred's team. Instead of looking at where someone went to college or what credentials they have, they hire based on what kind of person they are.

Enjoy this episode with Fred Meyers…

Soundbytes

8:27-8:51 "I've always seen the way people have their favorite articles of clothing, the favorite garments, you know, and they the way they feel about these, these pieces of clothing, are far greater than what they should based on the fact that it's some cotton, it's a couple of buttons, maybe a little bit of color. But there's some magic that goes on there, and I saw potential for that magic."

18:27-18:56 "Why aren't we doing better? Why aren't we doing better? And I'm on lap 50, and I think I was 50 at the time when it happened, and just thinking about that too, and I hit the wall, and I said, Ah, we're not doing better because we're not better. We're actually performing to our level of ability."

39:21-39:38 "We've got a lot of really compassionate and somewhat nontraditional people here, because we're not looking as much for credentials or where do you go to college, that kind of thing. But what's in your heart?"

Quotes

"I try to model the way I lead and be a boss based on the environment that I would want to work in."

"You're doing as good as you should be doing, so how do you do better?"

"We're not looking as much for credentials or where you went to college, but what's in your heart?"

Links mentioned in this episode:

From Our Guest

Website: https://www.queensboro.com/

Connect with Fred Meyers on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/fred-meyers-12250b3/

Connect with brandiD

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