The Financial Gravity Podcast

Frank Cottle is the Founder and CEO of Alliance Virtual Offices, a company that combines three essential elements — people, place, and technology — to provide mobile or remote professionals with virtual offices. In this episode, Frank and John discuss the shift from people working from home to working in community spaces, how the concept of community plays into productivity at work, and the changing trend in what people look for in an office space. Tune in to find out more about this fascinating industry!

Key Takeaways:

[:19] Who is Frank and what does he do?

[1:25] There has been a shift from people working from home to people working in community spaces. Frank shares his perspective on this topic and how technology and contracting as an employment model play a part in this trend.

[5:14] John and Frank discuss the concept of community and how it plays into productivity at work.

[9:41] Why is co-working gaining popularity globally?

[15:37] John has noticed a trend in how people approach office spaces for their companies — it's no longer about what the space does, but more about the amenities and facilities available. Frank shares his insights on this.

[18:10] Words matter. Frank elaborates on why he doesn't refer to the people he works with as clients or tenants, but as members or partners instead.

[20:28] What were some things that Frank does in his company that have revolutionized the industry?

[23:30] All entrepreneurs are inventors and all inventors are entrepreneurs. Frank and John discuss this idea, and how charitable organizations should function as enterprises rather than asking for handouts.

[32:20] How did Frank get into the industry of virtual spaces?

[38:38] Each generation has its own view of how they want to establish their own identity and their own culture — industries have to morph to keep up with these changes in perspectives.

[40:04] Business is a result of relationships. While AI may be developing at unprecedented rates, the human element is still crucial to businesses. John and Frank discuss the role of AI in his industry.

[43:46] Get in touch with Frank and learn more about the virtual spaces industry via his websites!

Mentioned in This Episode:

Alliance Virtual Offices

Allwork.Space

Upwork (Formerly oDesk)

Abundance 360

Humans Are Underrated: What High Achievers Know That Brilliant Machines Never Will, by Geoff Colvin

Willrobotstakemyjob.com

Entrepreneurs' Organization

Michael Tindall is the founder and CEO of Opus Global Services, a global virtual business that helps business owners and entrepreneurs scale up and increase productivity by custom hiring team members that are dedicated to their success so that they can really be the CEO of their business, instead of working in the business. Tune in to this episode to find out more about how Michael and his team are disrupting the industry and how they can help you take your business to the next level by hiring the right people.

Key Takeaways:

[:20] John introduces his guest — Michael Tindall.

[1:20] What is Opus Global Services, and what does it do?

[5:25] How did Michael get into this business?

[9:57] John and Michael discuss one of the challenges that come with trying to grow and expand the business — hiring the right people to fill the gaps.

[14:09] Michael's company is disrupting the industry and pioneering a new way of doing things.

[16:49] What is the technology Michael employs to help him work with clients?

[19:37] What is Michael's unique ability that allows him to do what he does?

[22:08] What are some of the challenges Michael has had in his entrepreneurial journey, and how has he overcome them?

[28:12] How did Michael's upbringing affect his approach to money matters?

[33:05] John talks about how important failure is to success.

[34:31] Get in touch with Michael via email to find out more about how he can help you grow your business!

[35:03] Michael is another example of the fact that millennials are not lazy, and they can build successful businesses!

Mentioned in This Episode:

Opus Global Services

Email Michael Tindall

Togger Akin on LinkedIn

Financial Gravity Podcast "Episode 65: Richard Chapo — Navigating Internet Law"

Skype

Zoom

Harvest

Whatsapp

Predictable Success: Get Your Organization on the Growth Track — and Keep it There, by Les McKeown

The Charged Life Blog, by Brendon Burchard

Entrepreneurs Organization

Richard Chapo is an attorney focused on internet law who advises small and large companies about the ever-changing laws surrounding the internet. In a time where almost every business has an online aspect of it, it is crucial to understand some of the intricacies of navigating internet law. John and Richard discuss many different facets aspects of internet law on this fascinating podcast, ranging from copyright infringement, piracy, personal brand and marketing, and even Artificial Intelligence. Tune in to find out more!

Key Takeaways:

[:19] John introduces his guest for this episode — Richard Chapo.

[3:16] John believes the law is not something that is cut-and-dry, and binary; it is something that needs to be navigated. Richard shares his views on this idea.

[4:45] When dealing with the law, it's really a matter of weighing outcomes, possible different bad outcomes. Richard shares an example that illustrates this from copyright infringement.

[7:34] The issue of 'fair use' is almost always subjective. How can businesses evaluate that moving forward?

[9:42] Small companies used to get off being pursued, but now with the internet, stricter control is necessary to cut down on blatant piracy. John and Richard discuss this issue with examples from the movie industry.

[16:11] How did Richard get started with internet law?

[20:10] One of the things that have really changed is the mentality of consumers — a lot of the younger generation are not as worried about personal privacy safety. Richard gives some examples of this from different industries.

[23:32] It is more and more important for companies to figure out what their business is, really, and identify their brand, and their comfort level with that brand.

[27:33] It's important to have your legal documents in order, even though you may be operating in a purely online space — these documents can protect you.

[31:43] Dealing with the law may not be fun, but it's just something that companies have to do, whether they like it or not.

[34:53] With regard to evaluating transgressions against the law, it is crucial to remember that on the internet, sharing is encouraged — people who do share illegal content, aren't doing it maliciously.

[38:27] Richard and John discuss artificial intelligence and robots and their impact on the future.

[44:42] John and Richard talk about having a personal brand, the marketing involved and the money involved in using people as brands.

[49:37] Richard explains more about the concept of right to publicity, and how this highlights the fact that the web evolves faster than the law. The law is playing catch up with the web now.

[55:45] Another facet of the internet law deals with Section 230 (defamation) and the entire industry built around this — reviews.

[58:52] There are no real easy answers — things aren't as binary as they are presented. Sometimes, it's about picking the best option of worst options you have.

[1:02:35] Contact Richard via his website if you want to find out more about what he does and how he can help your business navigate internet law!

Mentioned in This Episode:

Richard Chapo

The Last Blockbuster on Twitter

Silk Road

Rich Allen is the founder of Tour de Profit, a company aimed at helping small business owners avoid failure and achieve success. As a business coach, Rich draws on his own father's negative experiences as an entrepreneur, and his own positive experiences building and growing his business to help other small business owners avoid the same pitfalls. Rich and John discuss his two books and his metaphor for understanding the key elements of your business. How is your business like a bike? Tune in to find out.

Key Takeaways:

[:19] John introduces his guest for this episode — Rich Allen.

[1:45] What are Rich's books about?

[4:15] Rich's dad was an entrepreneur. How has that informed his perspective and how he advises people?

[6:35] What made Rich want to overcome his father's challenges and go down the same path, despite the negative experiences?

[9:55] John reflects on how cool entrepreneurship has become and how the media focuses on the sexy part of entrepreneurship, but it's a very difficult road to be on.

[11:30] There has been a change in the economy from the past. Where in the past, most people worked for large corporations, now the economy is driven by small business owners.

[13:22] Rich uses a bike in his books as a metaphor. He explains what this metaphor means with regard to steering the business in the right direction.

[17:17] Rich gives another example of how a business is like a bike in terms of its wheels and brakes.

[21:34] How do the indicators on your bike relate to your business?

[25:33] What does the seat of a bike represent in a business?

[27:18] John and Rich discuss millennials in business and the kind of compensation packages they demand.

[31:00] The last aspect of a bike that reflects a business is the water bottle — it's your clarity break.

[40:08] Rich used the framework that he had created to analyze and solve the problems in his father's business, and in his own business too.

[44:23] What is Rich's superpower?

[48:02] Rich adds one more thing to the bike analogy — your team in business is like a peloton (a group of riders).

[50:32] What app or technology does Rich use that impacts his day-to-day life?

Mentioned in This Episode:

Rich Allen, Tour de Profit

Tour de Profit: A 52 Stage Race to Grow Your Business, by Rich Allen

The Ultimate Business Tune Up: A Simple Yet Powerful Business Model That Will Transform the Lives of Small Business Owners, by Rich Allen

Start with Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action, by Simon Sinek

Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us, by Daniel Pink

Leaders Eat Last: Why Some Teams Pull Together and Others Don't, by Simon Sinek

Predictable Success, by Les McKeown

Trello

Smartsheet

Nicole Wipp is the Founder of Wipp Enterprises, a company dedicated to helping entrepreneurs and corporations build energized, productive, and profitable teams. Nicole employs different tools to ensure that the right person is taking the right step at the right time in companies' workflows. Tune in to this episode as she and John discuss the importance of getting people into roles that are geared toward how they are hardwired and how she helps companies create detailed systems to manage their workflows and produce the best results.

Key Takeaways:

[:18] John introduces his guest for this episode — Nicole Wipp.

[1:34] What is Nicole's elevator pitch and overall, global approach to business?

[2:42] When it comes to energizing teams, how does Nicole reconcile hiring for specific roles with the silliness that is open floor plans and free lunches, etc.?

[6:05] What are some tools that Nicole uses to determine the best fit between a particular individual and a specific role?

[8:19] John and Nicole discuss the importance of getting people into roles that are geared toward how they are hardwired.

[10:27] Is it important that all team members are speaking the same language in terms of the tools used?

[11:19] Nicole brings up the point that some people may resist taking different assessments because they feel too boxed in.

[13:55] What does Nicole mean by building productive teams?

[14:56] There is conflict in every business. How does Nicole deal with conflicts that arise, and how do the tools she uses help with that?

[16:48] What advice does Nicole have for leaders who are trying to encourage their teams to make more decisions without involving them?

[21:46] Nicole shares more about the overall structure of how she works with teams.

[25:11] How does Nicole's background in running teams and building different companies relate to what she's doing now?

[31:49] Entrepreneurs may be able to see two or three steps ahead in the process, but employees may not. Nicole talks about how she helps businesses craft the backbone of the processes that make them run seamlessly.

[34:02] Systems are important in order for businesses to scale up. Nicole's company helps create those systems with detailed processes and workflow that ensure the right people are taking the right step at the right time.

[36:51] Leaders need to be able to enable their teams to create the processes necessary to maintain the proper functioning of the business.

[40:19] What technology or apps does Nicole use to help her run her life better?

[41:57] How does Nicole separate between workflow and project management software?

[46:08] Get in touch with Nicole via LinkedIn or her websites!

Mentioned in This Episode:

Nicole Wipp

Nicole Wipp on LinkedIn

Wipp Enterprises

Strategic Coach

Dan Sullivan / Unique Ability

Kolbe Index

StrengthsFinder (Now CliftonStrengths)

DISC Personality Assessment

"Financial Gravity Podcast Episode 42: Jason Kos - Growth Through Human Analytics"

Nice Girls Don't Get The Corner Office: 101 Unconscious Mistakes Women Make That Sabotage Their Careers, by Lois P. Frankel, Ph.D.

Earn It: The Tools You Need to Earn the Money You Want, by Jill E. Young

E-Myth Series, by Michael E. Gerber

Entrepreneurial Operating Systems 

MyCase

LiquidPlanner

dapulse

Clarizen

Asana

Basecamp

Microsoft Dynamics

Infusionsoft

Smartsheet

Mike Scher is the Founder of Frontline Selling, a company that focuses on teaching salespeople the top strategies to more effectively engage B2B buyers. With over 14 years of experience in the industry under his belt, Mike and his company have come up with new methodologies that amalgamate human, digital, and social sales strategies into a comprehensive, multi-pronged approach that yields the best results. Tune in to this episode to hear Mike's insights into how best to engage your B2B buyer and achieve the success you want!

Key Takeaways:

[:22] John introduces his guest for this episode — Mike Scher.

[1:36] What is Mike's company and what does he do?

[3:33] How is what Mike is doing differently from other sales techniques and strategies?

[5:10] Many salespeople simply guess their way through the sales process. John and Mike discuss some of the changes in sales methodologies over the years and some of the offerings of Frontline Selling.

[9:30] The Staccato methodology employs a mix of human, digital, and social points of contact to establish that first meaningful contact.

[14:00] Mike talks about the difficulties of A/B testing.

[15:20] Sales is art and science, but far more art. Mike and John share their views on the art of sales that makes it successful.

[17:44] There are a lot of businesses doing what Mike is doing, but not really. He explains what that means.

[19:35] How can Mike help John sell his product? They discuss some of the challenges John faces in his business when it comes to selling his product, and how to overcome them.

[27:30] Mike's company takes traditional sales techniques and modifies them to work in today's world. He elaborates on what kind of metrics should be used to assess success.

[32:35] There is a difference between social selling inside an organization and outside an organization.

[35:01] Get in touch with Mike for more information via his website, LinkedIn, or just give him a call!

Mentioned in This Episode:

Mike Scher on LinkedIn

Frontline Selling

Call Mike Scher at (770) 262-3009

"The Rise of the 'Silent Sales Floor' is Killing Business," by Tony Hughes on LinkedIn

Staccato Methodology

When Greg Blatt moved from New York to Texas and back again, he was ordered to pay $430,065 in taxes, plus interest and fees. However, thanks to his new dog, he won his petition for refund of that money.

Key Takeaways:

[:21] In 2009 Greg Blatt became the CEO of Match, a group of dating sites and moved from New York to be near Match's headquarters in Dallas.

[1:39] Blatt liked Dallas but had to move back to New York for a promotion.

[2:55] Upon moving back to New York, Blatt was audited and was hit with $430,065 in taxes plus interest and penalties.

[3:16] New York's taxes are much higher than Texas's.

[3:26] Administrative law judge, Diane Gardener, issued a 23-page opinion about Blatt's case in which she said his move to Dallas had been complete because his dog was there.

[4:02] Today we've learned that home is where the dog is, or home is where the tax savings are, so call Financial Gravity when you're ready to save and we'll help you feather your nest.

Mentioned in This Episode:

Financial Gravity

Rom Krupp is the CEO of Marketing Vitals, and is very active in the Artificial Intelligence (AI) space, dealing specifically with the restaurant vertical. By employing big data and machine-learning type software, Rom's company helps restaurants solve the question of what marketing works and what doesn't. On this episode, he talks about AI in the restaurant industry and how AI can impact the analysis of big data to drive decision making.

Key Takeaways:

[:19] John introduces his guest for this episode — Rom Krupp.

[:55] What is Rom's business and what does he do?

[2:12] How did Rom end up in the restaurant industry?

[6:29] Why is Rom involved with AI?

[9:25] What is the difference in building a machine-learning type software and a typical rules-based software?

[13:41] In order for there to be pattern recognition, there has to be a massive amount of data.

[15:15] Rules-based software breaks down very quickly if the conditions change, but AI's capability is dealing with the change.

[19:28] Rom shares some case studies about his experiences in the restaurant industry.

[26:30]There are many companies that misuse the term 'business intelligence.' Rom explains how this leads to the challenge of having to overcome negative reception.

[28:15] Rom's business launched in April 2014 but has evolved since then.

[30:40] Rom talks about how McDonald's used data to make some decisions, and some other examples of how restaurants have evolved as a result of making decisions based on data.

[36:05] Where is Rom from, and what is his background?

[44:32] What is Rom's unique ability that has brought him to this point?

[45:14] Where does Rom see the future of the restaurant industry? How will technology change how employees operate within that space?

[48:42] What apps does Rom use?

[51:42] Get in touch with Rom via his website!

Mentioned in This Episode:

Marketing Vitals

Rom Krupp on LinkedIn

Financial Gravity Podcast "Episode 33: Shama Hyder — Marketing Zen Extraordinaire"

Financial Gravity Podcast "Episode 37: Elizabeth Marshall — Thought Leaders"

Amazon Web Services

Outlook

LinkedIn

Starbucks app

College football coaches make more than anyone else in academia, but the linebackers at the IRS want to intercept forty percent of that. At least one coach has devised a play to weave around them and come out on top when it really matters, after taxes.

Key Takeaways:

[:21] The 2017 college football season has kicked off.

[:49] Football coaches make much more than anyone else in academia.

[1:20] Alabama's Nick Saban makes more than $7 million per year, and the linebackers at the IRS want their share of that.

[1:46] Michigan's Jim Harbaugh has found a way to weave around the IRS and come out on top.

[3:37] Football teams have all kinds of ways to put points on the board, and the best coaches put together game plans to harness all those opportunities. It works the same way with taxes, so call Financial Gravity before you get to the red zone and let us come up with your best game plan.

Mentioned in This Episode:

Financial Gravity

Marshall Sylver is a hypnotist, multimillionaire maker, and uber-successful entertainer who speaks at various places, but at the end of the day, he is still a businessman. He comes from humble beginnings but has built himself up to where he is today through hard work and his certainty that he will be successful. On this episode, John and Marshall discuss the importance of mindsets and how they can influence your success. Tune in for some of Marshall's tips about being certain of your success.

Key Takeaways:

[:21] John introduces his guest for this episode — Marshall Sylver.

[1:13] What does Marshall teach in his millionaire maker?

[2:00] John and Marshall discuss the difference between abundance vs. scarcity mindsets and the employee vs. entrepreneur mindsets.

[4:31] Marshall believes that most people don't understand monetization.

[5:38] Marshall shares about his new brand, Certainty, and how certainty plays a big role in his success.

[7:36] How does Marshall reconcile the certainty of setbacks with the certainty of success?

[9:47] Surrender and forgiveness are two crucial aspects of finding your life perfect.

[13:57] John and Marshall discuss the global shift toward things being more laser-focused and, at the same time, more wide-reaching.

[16:48] How did Marshall get into hypnotism?

[20:35] People tend to be more grateful when they have gone through tough times.

[24:17] What are Certainty Centers designed to do?

[27:06] More and more entrepreneurs are combining charity and business.

[30:50] Marshall shares an anecdote from chess — never get mad at the game, learn the rules and play within them to your advantage.

[33:52] To find out more about Marshall and what he does, check out his websites!

Mentioned in This Episode:

Marshall Sylver

Certainty Inc.

The Law of Attraction: The Science of Attracting More of What You Want and Less of What You Don't, by Michael Losier

Financial Gravity Podcast "Episode 31: Abundance 360 — Looking to the Future"