The Growth Lab by LOCALiQ

Andre and Tracy are in Dallas today talking with Rob Frost-Dean. Rob is part of the LOCALiQ team and is the director of SEO services. Rob works directly with clients and manages the team that helps them with their SEO campaigns. We get so many questions and find that there is so much confusion about SEO that we’re really happy to have Rob here today to help shine a light on the world of SEO.

Before joining ReachLocal in 2015, Rob was the director of Professional Services at SearchDex, an SEO agency that is headquartered in Dallas. Rob has over 20 years of business experience in diverse work sectors including journalism. Rob helps demystify SEO and explain what it encompasses. He also shares some of his SEO success stories helping local and small businesses. We also learn a few quick tips that you can implement in your SEO strategy. 

Show Notes:

• [08:14] Rob began working in journalism. He was very interested in design and interaction with people. This led to web development and IT support. 
• [09:17] He's worked in a number of fields and lived in a number of cities.
• [09:39] Rob was working for an SEO agency in Dallas and ReachLocal asked him if he was interested in working with them. 
• [11:47] SEO should be looked at as part of a comprehensive strategy. 
• [12:29] We really have to understand what the people are looking for and make sure everything from the website to the business listings to the content are published in a way that reaches the people. 
• [13:18] SEO isn't the same for everybody. The campaign starts with the website. It's important to know your audience and understand your competition. Make your website as attractive and user-friendly to your audience as possible.
• [14:17] Then focus on the other online aspects such as your directory and listings and things like that. All of this is important especially the customer generated content or the reviews.
• [15:24] You want to have a consistent presence where everyone knows who you are and where to find you.
• [15:47] Then you Branch out to social media and paid ads.
• [18:24] Google is a moving target with all of the algorithm changes. 
• [21:14] SEO takes time. New clients have some type of SEO right off the bat. There will also be seasonal fluctuations and things need to be tested. SEO is a long-term play.
• [23:22] Organic search continues to grow. 
• [24:01] Download speed matters on a website. Mobile speed is important. Content needs to be informative. Use Google Analytics to see if your content is performing. 
• [26:43] Rob shares a success story of creating a web presence for a pond supply company. They focused on making this company the pond authority. People interacted through social channels. They used this interaction to generate content and FAQs that would generate more traffic. 
• [31:34] Make your content important and useful. If you are an emergency plumber be available for emergencies. 
• [32:34] The education phase of search includes reading blogs and reviews. Off site content like reviews is important. 
• [33:39] Be an expert in the space. Be an authority. Be trustworthy. This is important for all businesses regardless of size. 
• [34:44] They also worked on a local presence for a financial institution. They wanted to make sure all of the information was correct across all directories. 
• [36:37] When people come to a page expecting one thing and they get something else, you will have a high bounce rate.
• [38:12] Audit your site and travel through it as if you were a customer. Fix any dead ends or content issues. Check your directory listings and see how you show up online. Google your business name and then your business address. 
• [39:39] Look at your reviews and respond to them. 

Links and Resources:

• ReachLocal
• Rob Frost-Dean on LinkedIn

Subscribe for free on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, or wherever else you like to listen. If you like the show, please give us a five star rating and leave a review. 

When you do that, you help people just like you find us and our amazing guests. We'll also give you a shout out on the next episode.

Paul Wiley is the co-founder of Opargo which is a company that uses the data optimization and predictive analytics used in the airline industry to help make healthcare more efficient for physicians and patients. Paul has a background in the airline industry, and he worked at Sabre Holdings. They sent him back to business school and through what he calls a meaningful collision, he discovered a need and an opportunity which led to Opargo.

We talk about how data can be used to make significant and surprising changes. Paul also shares how data can’t be used unless it is tracked. He also gives actionable tips and a three-step process to look at your business and your data to really understand where opportunities are and where to go. These tips can be used in small and large businesses. This show will give you a better understanding of the possibilities of improving your operations with the use of data. 

Show Notes:

• [06:03] Paul worked at United Airlines and Sabre Holdings on the corporate side.
• [06:29] Paul went back to business school, and while he was there, he met a doctor who had the problem of working more and making less money.
• [06:48] He started looking into if there was an opportunity to apply yield management and the data aspects of the airline industry to the healthcare industry to help physicians become more efficient and help patients get better care.
• [07:02] They use predictive analytics to understand which patients are coming in and who needs care the most.
• [07:25] Yield management is the idea of a limited amount of supply and a limited amount of demand and applying these together to be as efficient as possible.
• [07:48] Grocers came up with the original idea of yield management.
• [13:16] Data can be used for all sorts of purposes, even why you are having trouble finding tech talent, and where to place your office.
• [15:17] Paul shares a story about helping a specialist get patients. They pulled the historical data. They also looked at referral patterns. He was getting his brother-in-laws patients in as fast as possible. The story is that it's important to have a Happy Thanksgiving. 
• [19:03] They look at how busy providers are. Some are too busy, but there may be some that are under utilized. They look at methodologies to help utilization be evened out. This helps get patients in faster.
• [22:41] Meaningful collisions are opportunities to learn and grow.
• [23:26] You want to be purposeful and intentional with each encounter.
• [24:58] Paul shares how Opargo was started by a meaningful collision. 
• [26:51] Listen to understand instead of listening to respond.
• [28:06] Being intentional in a conversation can be a great help when looking to hire for talent.
• [30:42] To affect change through data you have to track it. What drives your customer behavior and how can you take action with that type of buyer? You need to take the information and drive changes in your business. 
• [33:39] Pick one place where you can have an impact and build from there. 
• [34:20] Base decisions on data not emotion.

Links and Resources:

• Opargo
• Paul Wiley
• Paul Wiley on LinkedIn

Subscribe for free on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, or wherever else you like to listen. If you like the show, please give us a five star rating and leave a review. 

When you do that, you help people just like you find us and our amazing guests. We'll also give you a shout out on the next episode.

Nobody likes conflict, especially workplace conflict. That's why we are excited about today's guest Dr. Liane Davey. She is an author, motivational speaker, and organizational psychology expert. Her advice has helped some of the largest corporations in the world, but also applies to small teams. She is the author of You First: Inspire Your Team to Grow Up, Get Along, and Get Stuff Done and The Good Fight: Use Productive Conflict to Get Your Team and Organization Back on Track. 

In this conversation, we learn why conflict can actually be good and desirable as long as it is handled in a healthy way. Dr. Davey also shares two magic phrases that diffuse tears and anger. We also learn a three step validation process that can turn potential conflict into an opportunity for communication. She also shares her concept of conflict debt and how to deal with things so that conflict doesn’t build into a negative part of the team dynamic. 

Show Notes:

• [06:28] Dr. Davey has always been fascinated with factories. As she got older, she realized that teams are the modern factories in business. 
• [07:05] She also discovered the field of organizational psychology and studied how teams and team dynamics affect innovation. 
• [07:25] She has spent the last 25 years helping teams deal with the messy people stuff, so they can get back to business. 
• [07:43] Dr. Davey got an email from Google this week while working in Silicon Valley, since she was in the neighborhood she stopped by and had a great conversation. 
• [09:05] Her and her husband work with executive teams helping them with business strategy and how teams operate together to be better aligned. 
• [10:19] Dr. Davey shares how conflict debt is a lot like credit card debt. 
• [12:07] The interest on conflict debt can get so debilitating that businesses can't be the business they were meant to be. 
• [13:14] Connectivity can be causing some of these issues. Now there is no escape.
• [15:01] Dr. Davey shares a story about how conflict adverse leaders can fail to do their job. 
• [17:16] As a manager, the first responsibility is to let people know that conflict is normal. Conflict is the purpose of the teamwork. 
• [18:57] Everyone running a small business should have a conversation with the team saying that if the sales person isn't annoying you the sales person isn't working enough. 
• [20:00] The number one thing you can do in your business is to help people understand where they're supposed to be putting tension on things.
• [21:20] The most important moment is the first moment that you mess up. What you do when things go wrong determines who can be trusted. 
• [22:34] Validate the thing someone says. Ask a question to understand where they are coming from. Say their truth. 
• [24:59] When humans are validated they are then willing to pivot.
• [26:47] Have a conversation about conflict and tension and clear the air using validation techniques. 
• [28:49] Solving a mistake made for a customer is an opportunity to build a much stronger relationship with that customer. 
• [31:35] Conflict resolution only takes a couple of minutes to set things right up front. 
• [35:15] What we can change is us. Teams are a dynamic. You changing your role will change the team. 
• [37:33] We stay out of things for many reasons. 
• [39:35] When people don't feel heard or understood, they come across as the wicked team member. 
• [41:02] If you still have human employees, you still have emotions. You want healthy non-drama interpretation. 
• [42:45] If someone starts to cry, you say this is important. What do I need to know? The same thing works when someone starts screaming. 
• [45:28] The only people at work that get upset are the people who are engaged.
• [46:35] Dr. Davey shares a story about a woman leading an all male team who used emotion to do its job. 

Links and Resources:

• Liane Davey
• Liane Davey on Facebook
• Liane Davey on Twitter
• Liane Davey on LinkedIn
• You First: Inspire Your Team to Grow Up, Get Along, and Get Stuff Done
• The Good Fight: Use Productive Conflict to Get Your Team and Organization Back on Track

Subscribe for free on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, or wherever else you like to listen. If you like the show, please give us a five star rating and leave a review. 

When you do that, you help people just like you find us and our amazing guests. We'll also give you a shout out on the next episode.

Amie Smith is a true entrepreneur who after having her own consulting business and spending a career in corporate communications decided to spend some time learning about one of her interests. That interest turned into a passion, and she completely changed her career trajectory and opened a bakery. Amie had a love of baking and felt there was a shortage of authentic pastries like she enjoyed when she was growing up. 

She opened AMIE Bakery in Osterville, Massachusetts. It’s a beautiful speciality bakery that makes guests feel like family. Amie is a driven business person and understands the importance of hiring the right experts and focusing on small steps during an expansion effort. She shares her contagious compassion along with solid business advice. This conversation will inspire you and might also just make you hungry.

Show Notes:

• [06:22] AMIE Bakery is a small specialty bakery in Osterville. Massachusetts. 
• [07:07] Amie Smith began her career in corporate communications. She had her own consulting company.
• [08:11] In 2008, her business had a downturn, and she had time to enroll in a professional pastry program. 
• [09:37] Amie wanted to do something that she loved, but the classes sparked so many things that she loved. 
• [10:14] Amie wants to share the gift of authentic pastries with the world.
• [11:22] Amie always felt like Osterville needed a neighborhood bakery, she also knew she wanted to retire there one day. 
• [12:20] Working in a bakery is physically and mentally demanding. It's a different kind of work, but you get used to it.
• [13:11] She also had a lot of administrative work to do. Running a business, it's hard to be in the kitchen all the time. She is more of a creative director. 
• [14:15] Amie is fortunate enough to have an amazing team. She still works 12-15 hour days with the launch of a new location. 
• [15:26] She wears multiple hats but wouldn't have it any other way.
• [16:16] It's important for business owners to give over power and get help like hiring a manager.
• [17:01] It's important, if you want your business to succeed, that you do delegate and you do trust.
• [18:13] It's important to always have cash flow and really listen to your team. The team is in the trenches.
• [20:42] It's also important to educate your team and let them know why things are done a certain way. Communication is everything.
• [23:29] Amie is always planning ahead. She is always looking forward. She is also obsessed with food and building a brand. She has to decide what she is going to work on now and focus. 
• [25:15] She hired an agency to create her brand and launch. She then found a space and opened. She had the vision and executed and grown from there. 
• [26:13] They are also expanding their academy and class offerings and would like to expand that into YouTube or TV. 
• [26:34] Shipping product is another segment that she is working on.
• [27:06] She has a lot of great expansion ideas and projects. AMIE is a play on the French word for friend, and Amie has a lot of brand expansion ideas from mixes to baked products and educational products. 
• [27:53] It's hard to do everything at once, so Amie's plan is to carve out a plan and then get the right people in place to execute. 
• [28:01] She likes to hire people who are experts in what they do. 
• [28:42] Andre and Amie have been friends for years. 
• [29:09] Osterville is a beautiful community. A garage that Amie had her eye on finally became available. She hired a builder and built the facility that she needed. She hired experts to help her become successful. 
• [32:32] When someone has a dream and wants to do something that they are passionate about, they just need to try. It will be a lot of hard work and preparation. If your willing to do the work, put in the time, plan ahead, and have the resources you need, you will succeed. 

Links and Resources:

• AMIE Bakery
• AMIE Bakery on Facebook
• AMIE Bakery on Twitter
• AMIE Bakery on Instagram
• A Sweet Look at AMIE Bakery

Subscribe for free on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, or wherever else you like to listen. If you like the show, please give us a five star rating and leave a review. 

When you do that, you help people just like you find us and our amazing guests. We'll also give you a shout out on the next episode.

Ryan Levesque is here with us today. Just in case you don’t know Ryan, he is the Inc. 500 CEO of The ASK Method® Company, and the #1 national best-selling author of Ask, which was named by Inc. as the #1 Marketing Book of the Year. His work has been featured in the Wall Street Journal, USA Today, Forbes, and Entrepreneur and over 250,000 entrepreneurs subscribe to his email newsletter offering business advice. 

Ryan started from humble beginnings but went on to attend an Ivy League college, have a successful corporate career in China, and give it all up to start over to build his own business. In this episode, he shares his struggles and successes and the winning framework he discovered for business success. We talk about his book Ask and his new book Choose. He shares the five marketing must haves for a viable business today, and so much more. 

Show Notes:

• [07:41] Ryan came from a blue-collar background. He was the first in his family to go to college. He went to an Ivy League school and studied neuroscience, East Asian studies, and Chinese.
• [08:02] After graduating, he worked on Wall Street.
• [08:36] Ryan then decided to live and work in China. He and his wife spent five years in China. He was opening up sales offices for AIG.
• [09:02] Ryan felt unfulfilled. He had a great salary and a great corporate career. Then he woke up one day wondering is this it.
• [10:02] Ryan wanted independence and freedom. It was his goal to make $10,000 a month, so he could quit his job. He then discovered, his company might go under. This was the sign he had been looking for to finally make the leap.
• [11:58] If you've ever felt like you have more to give, the time to make a footprint and leave a mark is now.
• [12:17] Ryan quit his job and moved into student housing with his wife. 
• [13:05] They had a lot of conversations about what type of business for Ryan to start. His wife showed him an idea from Etsy. 
• [14:49] His wife pointed out how lucrative teaching can be. They started teaching people how to make Scrabble tile jewelry. 
• [16:25] Ryan learned the lesson that they had stumbled upon a fad market. 
• [17:07] They went back to the US and his wife got a job.
• [17:28] Ryan started researching evergreen hobbies. The one he stumbled upon was gardening and orchid care.
• [18:59] They moved to Austin, where they live now and grew their business.
• [19:16] They have done this in 23 markets and are now in their third year of being on the Inc. list of fastest growing companies. 
• [19:43] They went into several niche markets refining the method that he teaches. Some examples are memory improvement, water filtration, teaching how to play tennis, golf, and guitar and dog training markets. 
• [20:28] Every niche followed the same path where they would identify a market opportunity, ask a series of questions to understand the unmet need, and build a funnel to generate sales. 
• [21:01] A few years ago, they shifted their focus to teaching this methodology. They wrote the book called Ask. It became a runaway success. Ask is about figuring out what people want to buy. 
• [21:35] Their new book Choose. is about how to choose the right market to go into in the first place. 
• [21:54] Choose is about who you want to sell to. Many people make the mistake of focusing on what. You need to identify who is your who.
• [25:38] When you get refined clarity about who you are serving, it makes all of the other decisions easy.
• [29:04] We've been teaching this methodology for years, they are proven processes. 
• [30:31] If you start your business in the wrong market, you will never get to where you want to go. 
• [32:00] The five market must haves include being in an evergreen market, being in an enthusiast market, an urgent problem, future problems, and be in a market filled with PWMs or players with money. 
• [34:29] Use Google Trends to see if your Market is Evergreen.
• [36:25] You want to be in an enthusiast market not a problem solution market.
• [38:52] You need to find a burning urgent problem that people need to solve now. 
• [40:41] You are now set up to be a trusted adviser in that space and solve future problems. 
• [42:38] PWMs or players with money are able to buy what you are selling. You can't sell to broke people. 
• [43:59] The dog market is filled with PWMs where people spend a disproportionate amount of their income. 
• [46:32] The fear of giving up good to go after great holds so many people back. The Choose Method is designed to mitigate risk through a repeatable process. 

 Links and Resources:

• Ryan Levesque
• Get Choose Free Plus the Audio Version and 25 Markets to Go Into
• Ryan Levesque on Facebook
• Ryan Levesque on LinkedIn
• Bucket.io
• Jim Collins
• Google Trends

Subscribe for free on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, or wherever else you like to listen. If you like the show, please give us a five star rating and leave a review. 

When you do that, you help people just like you find us and our amazing guests. We'll also give you a shout out on the next episode.

Kevin Tuohy joins Andre and Tracy for part two of their interview. Kevin is the founder of The Shoeshine Guild where he and his team offer an unparalleled shoeshine experience for special event attractions and in-store experiences. They have locations in New York, San Francisco, and Osaka, Japan. He was also featured in the documentary The Art of the Shine. 

Kevin is an entrepreneur, artist, entertainer, and sobriety advocate. On last week's episode, he shared his childhood and upbringing with us in his own colorful way. He also talked about his 30 years of sobriety that began when he had a white light experience at a facilitated event. This week we continue our conversation as Kevin shares more about that white light experience. 

Show Notes:

• [02:07] Kevin wasn't happy with himself. He went to the event that his sisters had talked him into going to. He walked into a dark room and they started doing creative visualization.
• [02:28] As Kevin was walking through his emotional junkyard, he had a white light experience. His eyes were closed and he saw a light. He also heard a voice say Kevin you have a problem with drugs and alcohol. He then started having the thought that he didn't want to drink anymore. He wanted to be sober.
• [03:31] This was August 16th, 1988. He started telling everyone that he is sober. It was like a switch, he had no desire to drink. 
• [05:14] He had so much energy, he didn't know what to do. He was overwhelmed with a wave of hatred towards past grievances. All of his feelings bubbled to the surface. 
• [06:51] He started going to meetings, praying, working out, and looking for any help he could get. 
• [07:53] He smoked two to three packs a day. He also worked as a bar back. He was searching for something and running out of things to do. 
• [09:39] Six years later, he became suicidal. Until he met a new woman. She taught him to take a written inventory, and he discovered that the 12 steps really did work. 
• [16:06] Kevin became an overzealous AA advocate and really tried to convince everybody he knew to get involved.
• [17:30] After getting out of the army, Kevin said that he would never shine another pair of shoes, but this woman who he met was actually a shoeshiner. He tried shoe-shining, and he loved it.
• [18:32] He started managing a shoeshine stand in San Francisco. He hired all of his friends, and they became the sober shoeshine crew.
• [19:54] He ended up wanting to buy the shop. He put together a business plan and his professional customers helped him. 
• [22:24] They built beautiful chairs, and he had one stand. He ended up buying another stand and then another. They started swing dancing and shining. They did eight seasons with the Giants, and then took over the Moscone Convention Center. They grew and did conventions all over the country.
• [24:35] He got a call from JetBlue, and they asked him to open up a stand at JFK. This was how Kevin ended up back in New York after being in San Francisco for so long. 
• [27:32] They were voted best shoeshine in the world by Vanity Fair. They also took over a shop in Chelsea Market where Kevin spends most of his time now.
• [28:37] They also have a shop at Delta in LaGuardia. They also have a shop in the tallest building in San Francisco. What has happened with his business has been amazing for Kevin.
• [29:53] Kevin authentically shows up as himself. He loves expanding his business and just opened up a shop in Osaka, Japan.
• [31:19] Kevin and Andre are next door neighbors. People come to him for very custom work. 
• [33:52] There is a lot of help out there. Don't be afraid to look for what will help you and ask questions. You can even hit up Kevin.
• [34:51] Kevin loves helping people and believes in self-examination, prayer, and meditation. Writing and meditating are so powerful. 

Links and Resources:

• Kevin Tuohy Interview Part 1
• The Shoeshine Guild
• The Art of the Shine
• Kevin Tuohy on Instagram
• Kevin Tuohy on Facebook
• The Shoeshine Guild on Twitter
• [email protected]

Subscribe for free on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, or wherever else you like to listen. If you like the show, please give us a five star rating and leave a review. 

When you do that, you help people just like you find us and our amazing guests. We'll also give you a shout out on the next episode.

Designer Jay Ferracane is here today. Jay is the perfect guest for this show. He is as passionate about design as he is about business. Jay is the creative director and founder at Angry Bovine. Jay is a traditionally trained graphic designer with a diverse client and employment background. He is passionate about delivering creative works that build brands and clearly communicate client objectives. 

In this episode, we spend a lot of time talking about the importance of having a brand no matter what size your business is. Jay feels that a brand is a promise and the logos and design are what portray that promise. Jay shares his story of how he started working as a designer and how and why he started his design company Angry Bovine. He also talks about the design process that he and Tracy used when coming up with branding materials for the LOCALiQ events. 

Show Notes:

• [06:32] Jay is a traditionally trained graphic designer. He learned communication and layout in the International Swiss style. 
• [07:46] Right out of design school, Jay started working at an Internet startup. Communicating through pictures was an interesting challenge. 
• [09:22] Jay was a junior designer with a wide skill set. He was also one of the only designers, so he took every opportunity that was offered to him. 
• [10:16] Jay worked through both dot com booms. 
• [10:35] Working at an agency is what inspired him to start his own business. 
• [11:47] In 2008, Jay moved to Boulder, CO. He had independent clients come to him, which made it very convenient for him to start his own design business. 
• [13:07] It's really cool to look back and ask why that worked. 
• [14:39] Jay likes to work directly with decision makers and not dilute the process. 
• [17:20] A lot of Jays design relationships are ongoing.
• [17:37] Angry Bovine was critical with the launch of LocaliQ and then they got pulled into The Growth Lab. 
• [18:13] The one thing Jay can't teach clients is curiosity and enthusiasm. 
• [18:29] The Growth Lab does live events all over the county. They wanted a lively brand and turned to Jay. Jay and his team created logos and banners for the live events. 
• [20:40] Tracy said it was like Jay understood what was in her heart.
• [21:18] He has been a creative director and designer on both sides of the fence. You learn more about your clients on the walk to the conference room. 
• [22:53] Jay wanted to know what it was like taking the show on the road. What she wanted to carry is part of the design process. He is interested in the execution and the aesthetic. 
• [25:44] Big businesses still use people like Jay, just in a different role. Small businesses should never underestimate the investment in brand. 
• [26:36] You want to be the easiest to understand and the most engaging when compared to your competitors. Brand matters and creates a rule book to live by. Your brand is who you are and what you stand for as a brand. 
• [29:22] Your written brand isn't chiseled in stone. Your brand can evolve with your business.
• [31:49] Use your brand document to determine what you should do as a service and for your mission.
• [32:05] A brand is a promise. Logos and things are what draw you into that promise.
• [33:11] Building a community is a really strong business tool. 
• [35:47] Entrepreneurs are creatives who make stuff happen. They are the experts of their brand.
• [37:35] There are so many great resources out there. Take a leap of faith and find someone to help with your branding within your budget. 
• [39:55] Propose a price. Don't be afraid to find someone to help you build your brand. 
• [41:19] You own your authenticity. You just need to put it into practice.  

Links and Resources:

• Angry Bovine
• Jay Ferracane on LinkedIn
• @angrybovine on Twitter
• Design Is a Job by Mike Monteiro

Subscribe for free on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, or wherever else you like to listen. If you like the show, please give us a five star rating and leave a review. 

When you do that, you help people just like you find us and our amazing guests. We'll also give you a shout out on the next episode.

Journalist, author, and business owner Jeannie Ralston is here today. Jeannie is the founder of NextTribe a magazine for women who are 45 + that offers information, inspiration and a healthy dose of irreverence. Jeannie began her career as a journalist in New York and wrote for several well known publications. She then got married, moved to Texas, and started a lavender farm. 

Eventually, Jeannie and her husband took their two sons and moved to Mexico before traveling the world and homeschooling her sons. Jeannie wrote about these experiences and realized that her cumulative life experience qualified her to do many things including run her own business. Jeannie is a champion for women and women in business in the 45 + age group. The mantra of her magazine is age boldly. We have an inspiring conversation that many women and people over 40 can relate too. 

Show Notes:

• [11:54] Jeannie is joining us today from Texas. 
• [12:32] She has a background in journalism and after college, worked in New York at several popular magazines including Allure, Time, Life, and more. 
• [13:37] After her kids went to college, she wanted to find something out there for her, so she founded her own business and website. 
• [15:02] Jeannie's first taste of being an entrepreneur was being a lavender farmer in Blanco, Texas. This was a big change from New York. 
• [16:07] Her husband was inspired by the lavender farms in Provence. 
• [17:02] They ended up with 96 different lavender related products and made it into a real business. 
• [17:48] Her first book was about a New York journalist becoming a lavender farmer.
• [18:20] The family then sold the lavender business and moved to Mexico. After 4 years in Mexico, they traveled the world and homeschooled their children.
• [19:00] She also wrote a book about that experience.
• [20:12] Jeannie has had so many careers that have benefited all of her business experience. 
• [21:04] NextTribe also curates trips for women which Jeannie is an expert at planning. They have retreats in Mexico at areas that she knows well. 
• [24:14] Jeannie spoke at SXSW on a panel for women entrepreneurs who are 45 + years old. 
• [28:32] A lot of women with incredible experience can't get an interview because of ageism. This is one reason why women keep starting businesses. 
• [30:06] Her panel was well received, because so many women want to start businesses and make it work. 
• [32:28] Some issues that hold women back are fear and self excluding.
• [35:23] When in your 50s with nothing to prove is a great time to start a business. 
• [36:36] NextTribe is equal parts information with a healthy dose of irreverence. It was important to have the best writers providing content. Jeannie had a long list of contacts that she could rely on. 
• [39:54] Good writing is able to identify thoughts and feelings that readers have but can't articulate.
• [45:19] Advertisers are becoming more aware and looking at Jeannie's age group as viable for advertisers.
• [48:05] Now more women are doing their own thing and setting the parameters that they want. 
• [51:48] If women can have more control it would be a great change in the corporate culture. 
• [53:10] Look through your contacts and appreciate your network and don't self exclude to start your business and make the most of your life experience and push into those areas. 

Links and Resources:

• Jeannie Ralston
• NextTribe
• Jeannie Ralston on LinkedIn
• The Unlikely Lavender Queen: A Memoir of Unexpected Blossoming
• The Mother of All Field Trips: Homeschooling Two Kids in 14 Countries
• SXSW
• Tammy Shaklee
• Lyndie Benson
• Ricki Fairley
• NextTribe OUTLOUD

Subscribe for free on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, or wherever else you like to listen. If you like the show, please give us a five star rating and leave a review. 

When you do that, you help people just like you find us and our amazing guests. We'll also give you a shout out on the next episode.

We have a really interesting guest on our show today. Jenny Thompson is the CEO and Founder of SafetyPIN Technologies, as well as the author of The 3-Day Business Cleanse: How to Get the Sh*t Out of Your Business and Get Things Moving Again. In today’s episode, Jenny shares her business background. She talks about being promoted to manager and the mistakes she made as a young new manager. She realized she needed to improve her leadership skills and in the process became a better leader and a better business person.

We have a no-holds barred conversation about what it takes to run a business and manage people. Jenny shares when cuts need to be made with products and people. She even shares a straight forward firing script. We also talk about the four quadrants that are included in the 3-Day Business Cleanse. This a fun and lively conversation. Jenny even has a hilarious story about how she was inspired to create a new start-up called SafetyPIN. 

Show Notes:

• [04:27] Jenny decided to dictate her book, because it was the same process that she is given in presentations. She shared the presentation with her dogs, and they were riveted.
• [06:10] The process of dictating it made it a better book.
• [07:58] Jenny worked for a health publisher, and there was a sink or swim mentality. She went from 1 employee to 45 employees. She shares (in her book) how this was a learning experience. She realized that she was a horrible boss and lost sight of the hierarchy when being promoted. 
• [13:43] Jenny knew it was time to brush up on her leadership skills and read The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership.
• [14:17] As a boss, you're going to have to be willing to be the most hated person in the building. Jenny took responsibility for her previous actions and started working on her leadership skills. 
• [16:55] She started bringing people who she clicked with into the company. 
• [18:23] She decided to do an audit of all of the products that her business was promoting. If a product didn't contribute $50,000 net, they got rid of it. 
• [19:49] Eliminating distractions is such an important part of focus and resources. 
• [21:41] The Three Day Cleanse is about unpacking. How you define what you do is important because it defines your KPIs. The first day they define what the business does, and they look at the products, then they redefine the SWOT analysis. 
• [24:29] Marketing is like sex. What you do is fine, but what everyone else does is either extreme or prudish. 
• [25:16] What are you better at than anybody? Every company has something that the employees are embarrassed by. Customers should be able to take time with the product. Stop doing the thing employees are embarrassed by. 
• [30:28] Sales goals can limit success. Goals define failure. Jenny looks at dreams as opposed to goals. They break down dreams that are real and attainable. 
• [34:37] Distractions need to be identified and gotten rid of. 
• [36:37] Starting at no and letting people defend products is a much better starting point. 
• [38:01] Day two is where they create the product grid and assess everything. Resources aren't only money. In fact, money is the least important resource.
• [38:41] A low opportunity and a high resource product gets a skull and crossbones and that project is killed.
• [41:02] Significant opportunity without significant resources is the thing that we focus on.
• [42:32] When doing a 3-day cleanse, hire a facilitator that's not afraid of the CEO.
• [44:19] On day 3, they do a creative brainstorming to position the five most important things that they are going to work on.
• [45:29] Have someone you know and trust facilitate for a small business. 
• [46:52] It's important to be able to fire people who aren't performing. This can be an issue especially for small businesses.
• [47:52] Reticence to fire people is a weakness in leadership. If you would be relieved that the person is resigning, then firing them is probably a good idea. Give someone you want to stay a raise. 
• [49:14] Jenny shares her firing script. 
• [54:24] Jenny has her own startup called SafetyPIN which is a universal trust badge representing online screening.  

Links and Resources:

• jENERATE Marketing
• jENERATE Marketing on Facebook
• @jeneratemktg on Twitter
• The 3-Day Business Cleanse: How to Get the Sh*t Out of Your Business and Get Things Moving Again
• The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership: Follow Them and People Will Follow You
• SafetyPIN

Subscribe for free on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, or wherever else you like to listen. If you like the show, please give us a five star rating and leave a review. 

When you do that, you help people just like you find us and our amazing guests. We'll also give you a shout out on the next episode.

Musician turned business owner Tara Buzash is here with us today. This is the perfect episode for small business owners, because Tara shares really specific ways that she has had to overcome obstacles in her business and her life. She also has some really fun stories about working in the wedding industry about proposals and marriage. 

Tara is a pianist, composer, educator, and business woman. In 2008, Tara and a partner founded Sweet Harmony as a music duo to play at weddings, proposals, and events. It’s now a network of over 200 musicians serving all over the country. Tara has performed at The Kennedy Center, NJ Women in Jazz Festival, and many other prestigious stages. She has a Master’s degree in Jazz Piano Performance from Rutgers and too many credentials to name. We are thrilled to have her join us today. 

Show Notes:

• [06:48] Tara has always loved music and is a jazz pianist. Tara and a violinist friend of hers created Sweet Harmony where they play music at weddings.
• [08:05] Tara has been playing piano since she was a child. 
• [09:36] After 10 years of classical lessons, Tara began learning jazz piano. Jazz opened a new world of improvisational playing for her.
• [11:30] Tara started learning Chinese in High School and lived in China after college. She was totally immersed in the language. She taught jazz piano. It was a very rich experience.
• [14:00] When Tara returned to the states, she started building her career as a music teacher.
• [17:44] The business Sweet Harmony has been growing thanks to Tara's business plan of removing the obstacles and letting growth happen organically. 
• [18:30] Tara shares examples of where fear can take over, and she would end up being the obstacle. She realized that she needed to research and expand to meet customer requests. 
• [20:37] Prayer has helped Tara with running her business.
• [21:08] Her business is 10 years old. It didn't take long to add more musicians to the network. They now have a network of several hundred. 
• [23:31] Sweet Harmony will be there for you up to the day of the wedding. 
• [25:00] Tara shares top skills she has honed as a business owner like not letting emotions run the day and considering everything before making decisions.
• [26:56] Because of Sweet Harmony's fast growth, Tara has to remain nimble and be willing to readjust when needed. 
• [27:23] Sweet Harmony has experienced exponential growth including 100% growth in the beginning years. 
• [29:05] Social media is becoming more important. 
• [30:56] When it comes to running a business, you have to find time and make sacrifices, but the rewards are great.
• [32:55] It helps to think like a big brand and remove friction.
• [34:22] Some people are very particular about their music choices. Sweet Harmony does charge when they have to learn new music. 
• [36:09] Having favorite songs played live is very special. 
• [37:01] They offer small ensembles and play a variety of music.
• [38:26] They have an app coming out in a year. They want to offer quick, easy, and quality.
• [40:29] Technology has created an open playing field for businesses of all sizes.
• [44:59] Tara went to play for a marriage proposal and she was so into her solo that she missed her cue when a plane flew over to pop the question. 

Links and Resources:

• Sweet Harmony
• Tara Buzash
• @TaraBuzash on Twitter
• Tara Buzash on Facebook
• Think Like an App with Neal Polachek
• Oscar Peterson
• Chick Corea
• Jason Moran
• Jessica Williams
• Hank Jones
• John Coltrane and Johnny Hartman
• New York Standard
• Lionel Hampton

Subscribe for free on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, or wherever else you like to listen. If you like the show, please give us a five star rating and leave a review. 

When you do that, you help people just like you find us and our amazing guests. We'll also give you a shout out on the next episode.