In this episode, I share my experiences and insights from my current personal, creative, and working retreat in the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee. I explore the importance of breaking free from habitual patterns and establishing new routines. This extended episode demonstrates the authentic and transparent communication style I use in my Train With Cliff Audio Journal Podcast.

I explore how I capture inspired ideas and discuss my current reading list, which includes "The Prosperous Coach" and "The Artist's Way." I examine how to balance content creation, coaching, and business development effectively. Additionally, I share my upcoming plans to explore and implement new habit tracking tools.

You'll learn about my process for refining my marketing message and value proposition. I also discuss my commitment to investing in professional development and strengthening client relationships.

I also share my journey of overcoming technical challenges with internet connectivity and finding solutions through Starlink Mini for remote work.

Key Takeaways:

Thank you for listening to this episode. I'd love to hear your thoughts and feedback at [email protected].

Are Your Daily Routines Serving You?

As we approach the start of 2025, I invite you to reflect on this question: Are the routines that make up your daily and weekly life delivering the results you truly desire? If not, perhaps it's time to shake things up.

In this episode, I share my personal decision to completely break away from my current routines for a transformative, three-week creative retreat in the Smoky Mountains. This isn’t just about rest—it's about gaining clarity, reigniting creativity, and designing intentional strategies for my personal and professional life.

Key Takeaways:

The Illusion of the Perfect Routine

Over the years, I’ve chased the "Holy Grail" of routines, only to realize that no single set of habits works forever. Life evolves, and so should your routines.

Breaking Free to Gain Clarity

Stepping away from your familiar environment can unlock creativity and help you realign with what truly matters in your life and business.

The Importance of Intentionality

From journaling to workouts, I explore how routines can lose their meaning when they become stagnant, and how intentionality can breathe new life into them.

A Call to Reset

Whether it’s through a long retreat or a simple change in scenery, there’s power in breaking patterns to foster growth.

A Unique Opportunity

I’m offering one-on-one mentoring sessions during my time in the Smoky Mountains. Together, we’ll uncover what’s holding you back, create actionable strategies, and ensure you leave with clarity and momentum for the year ahead.

Insights You’ll Gain:

Your Challenge for the New Year:

Reflect on your current routines. Are they helping you achieve the life you want? If not, I encourage you to create your own version of a personal creative retreat

If this resonates with you, I’d love to hear your thoughts! And if you’re interested in joining me in the Smoky Mountains for an exclusive mentoring experience, email me at [email protected].

Let’s take everything you do to the next level!

In this episode, I’m diving deep into a metaphor that has shaped much of my success in the past: seed planting. This concept has been a powerful reminder for me that the results we see in our lives and businesses are directly tied to the seeds we consistently plant, not just the harvest we hope to reap.

Don't judge the success of today by the harvest that you reap, but by the seeds that you sow.

Earlier today, I spent time journaling by hand, clarifying my vision for the year ahead. With the help of Claire (The name I gave to Chat GPT), who formatted and evaluated my notes, I gained clarity on what I’m calling my Seed Planting Strategy for 2025. This strategy is about spreading seeds—my content, engagement, and connections—across multiple fertile grounds of opportunity.

I've used this metaphor in the past, and it's always produced incredible harvests. However, I realized my previous approach had a flaw—I was planting seeds daily until I achieved so much success that I became comfortable and stopped planting altogether. This time, I'm committed to planting seeds consistently across a variety of fields.

What is the Seed Planting Strategy?

I explain how planting seeds daily across different fertile grounds (platforms and mediums) can create long-term success. I also share lessons from my past successes and the challenges I faced when I stopped planting seeds.

The Seed Planting Framework

I walk you through the outline of my strategy, including specific actions I plan to take, such as live streams, podcast interviews, email newsletters, and handwritten notes. I share how this approach ensures I’m consistently engaging with my audience while leveraging opportunities I’ve previously overlooked.

The Goals Behind the Strategy

I highlight Six Desired Outcomes I’m striving for in 2025:

Why Start Now?

I share why this clarity has inspired me to take action immediately instead of waiting until January 1st. I encourage you to reflect on your own opportunities for planting seeds and to commit to consistent action today.

If you’re inspired by the idea of planting seeds and want to develop your own strategy for personal and professional growth in 2025, I’d love to help. Consider joining one of my programs:

Together, let's make 2025 a year of growth, influence, and consistent seed planting—creating abundant harvests for years to come. Email me today at [email protected] to discuss how we can work together in the year ahead.

This episode comes with a bit of a backstory. What started as a conversation for my hobby podcast about Amateur Radio, Cliff’s Notes on Amateur Radio, turned into something much bigger—a treasure trove of insights about the entrepreneurial journey.

I sat down with Jim Newcomb, founder of Lido Radio Products, to talk about his fascinating history in Amateur Radio. But as we dove deeper into his story, it became clear that this conversation wasn’t just about radios; it was about the serendipitous twists and turns of life, the mentors who shape us, and the grit and creativity it takes to turn a simple idea into a thriving business.

Jim shares how a chance job at Icom America introduced him to the world of Amateur Radio, how he identified an unmet need in the market, and how he balanced pursuing his passion while meeting his immediate financial needs—a lesson every entrepreneur can benefit from.

Whether you’re just starting out, building momentum, or dreaming of the next big thing, this episode is packed with inspiration and actionable insights for your entrepreneurial journey.

If you're a full-time self-employed business owner and you're serious about taking your business and life to the next level, apply for the Next Level Mastermind today. Join a group of like-minded individuals committed to thriving in their businesses while creating the margin for personal growth. Don't just survive—thrive with the power of a supportive mastermind community.

In this episode, I guide you through understanding what it means to recalibrate your internal emotional homeostasis and provide actionable steps to foster long-term emotional stability, resilience, and balance.

Through simple practices like breathwork, mindfulness, meditation, nutrition, and sleep, I'll show you how to gradually shift your nervous system's baseline toward a calmer, more centered state.

By the end of this episode, you'll understand how training your nervous system can fundamentally transform your emotional landscape and improve your overall quality of life.

In this episode, my wife, Stephanie, and I discuss the importance of shared vision and personal dreams in a relationship. We explore how our journey to help others rediscover their ability to dream big dreams began and evolved over time.

We share the "50 Things I Want" exercise—a powerful tool that can transform your life. We provide step-by-step instructions for completing this exercise, along with personal success stories and practical implementation tips.

I'm offering free access to the "Free the Dream" online course to anyone who emails me to request it. This course provides a structured approach to turning your dreams into reality. To get access, email [email protected] with "Free The Dream Course" in the subject line.

In this episode, I speak about the enduring power and benefits of audio-first content creation, specifically podcasting. Even as the media landscape continues to evolve, I firmly believe that audio podcasting remains a highly valuable and underutilized strategy for building your message, business, and influence.

I share my own extensive experience in the podcasting world, having launched over 50 of my own shows and published more than 4,800 episodes over the past 19 years. I also reflect on my role as the "Podcast Answer Man," helping over 40,000 people successfully launch their own audio podcasts.

Throughout the episode, I highlight the 6 key benefits that audio podcasting offers, which include:

I also address the impact of platforms like Clubhouse and short-form video, acknowledging the shifts in attention, but emphasizing the enduring value of consistent, high-quality audio content.

Ultimately, I make a strong case for the power of audio-first content creation and encourage listeners to consider implementing this strategy as a means of elevating their message and business.

I invite you to reach out to me directly if you're interested in exploring opportunities to work together on your entrepreneurial journey. My email address is [email protected]

In this episode, I explore a common struggle many entrepreneurs face: feeling like they've wasted years on the wrong path. I share two transformative quotes that have deeply influenced my understanding of the entrepreneurial journey.

Key points:

Focusing too much of your time, effort, and attention on avoiding problems can lead to unfulfillment, even when financial success is achieved. Instead, I emphasize the importance of pursuing what genuinely excites and fulfills you so that you can experience fulfillment each day of your journey through life and business.

Call to Action:

If you're feeling like you've wasted years or even decades on the wrong path in your entrepreneurial journey, I'm here to help. I offer several opportunities to work together and explore what you truly desire to create in this world:

Don't spend another day feeling unfulfilled in your entrepreneurial journey. Let's work together to align your business with your true desires and create a path that resonates with your heart and soul. Email me today at [email protected].

In this episode, I'm thrilled to share a proven method for quickly and effectively outlining presentations, talks, webinars, or any form of communication. At the core of this approach are nine focusing questions I learned from my public speaking mentor.

Whether you're a seasoned speaker or just starting out, this episode will equip you with the tools to create clear, impactful presentations on the fly. So, let's dive in and transform the way you prepare for your next speaking engagement!

If you’re ready to take your personal and professional growth to new heights, I’d love to support you on that journey. Here are some ways we can work together:

Imagine being part of a group of entrepreneurs who are all dedicated to pushing boundaries and achieving more. The Next Level Mastermind is a place where entrepreneurs like yourself come together to get real, focused, and supported. In this group, we meet every week to dive deep into our biggest challenges, celebrate wins, and gain powerful insights. You'll be surrounded by peers who truly understand the entrepreneurial journey—people who face the same unique challenges and make the tough decisions that come with building a business. This group gets what it's like to be where you are.

Whether it's business strategy, personal growth, or just a fresh perspective, the Next Level Mastermind is here to support you. Curious to learn more? Visit NextLevelMastermind.info and secure your spot.

If you’re an aspiring or early-stage entrepreneur who hasn’t quite hit $10,000 in monthly revenue yet, I’ve designed a program just for you. My Building an Online Business course, packed with actionable steps, has helped countless entrepreneurs start strong. And the best part? You can access this course for free.

Upon completing the course, you’ll be invited to join two complimentary sessions in my Next Level Coaching Program, where I’m here to answer any questions, tackle obstacles, and share insights that help you grow faster. Simply email me at [email protected] with "Next Level Coaching Program" in the subject line to get started.

This December, Stephanie and I are thrilled to host an intimate workshop specifically for entrepreneurial couples committed to building a life and business together. If you and your spouse are aligned on growing a business or simply want to be, this event is for you.

Whether you’re working on the same business or supporting each other from different niches, we’ll work on strategies that elevate your business approach and strengthen your marriage.

We’re limiting this event to just five couples, creating an environment where everyone can feel supported and connected. This is a rare opportunity to spend time with us in a small, focused setting to build a thriving, successful partnership.

To learn more, email [email protected] with "December Couples Workshop" in the subject line.

In this episode, I take you on a thrilling journey from my days as a nervous wreck to becoming a confident public speaker. It's a tale of transformation that many can relate to, filled with challenges, breakthroughs, and valuable lessons learned along the way.

I'll reveal four game-changing strategies that not only revolutionized my approach to public speaking but also helped me overcome my fears and anxiety. These aren't just theoretical concepts - they're battle-tested techniques that I've personally used to go from shaky starts to standing ovations.

Whether you're a seasoned speaker looking to refine your skills or someone who breaks into a cold sweat at the mere thought of addressing an audience, this episode promises insights that could transform your public speaking experience.

Strategy #1 - Developing a Reproducible Outline

Strategy #2 - Audience-Centered Mindset

Strategy #3 - Master Your Bookends

Strategy #4 - Out-Loud Rehearsal

If you're an early-stage entrepreneur or aspire to elevate your business and life, I'd like to personally invite you to take the next step towards building a thriving, sustainable business.

Many people falter not due to a lack of passion or effort, but because they overlook the crucial foundational steps in creating a solid business. I've developed a proven 11-Step Formula for Building an Online Business and packaged it into an online course that has already transformed the lives and businesses of numerous entrepreneurs.

I'm currently offering this course for FREE!

Yes, you read that right! You can access the same strategies that have helped other entrepreneurs transition from merely surviving to thriving in their online businesses.

To get free access to this transformative course, simply email me at [email protected] with the subject line "Free Building an Online Business Course".

In your email, briefly share how you discovered me, your entrepreneurial aspirations, and where you currently stand in your journey. Keep it concise—two or three paragraphs—and I'll provide you with free access to the course.

Don't pass up this chance to unlock the strategies and insights that will propel your business from survival to success. I'm eager to hear from you—and even more excited to learn about your transformation after you dive into the first module!

Email me today! [email protected]