The Pollinator Podcast

Gustavo Fernandez is one of the top corporate photographers in the country, doing both high-level corporate headshots and major events for some of the largest companies in the world.     I was expecting to just talk about how folks screw up their headshots... but we talk about so much more.  How you show up online and make first impressions, yes. But also: 🔴How you turn a hobby into a business and career - and what that journey looks like ⚫How to find your niche and a sustainable business model, even when you like a lot of things 🔵Matching your professional image to your client's expectations 🟢Cringe-worthy mistakes in your headshots and branding images 🔴Where a small business can get the most bang for their buck with professional photos ⚫Understanding how to find the actual type of photographer you need 🔵How to pick the photographer that is going to best be able to capture your brand 🟢Why you should always pick up the phone...  Connect with Gustavo here https://www.linkedin.com/in/gustavofernandez/ Visit his website http://www.gustavofernandez.com/ Check out his Social Media: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gustavofernandezphotographer/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gustavofernandez/Twitter: https://twitter.com/gustavo #clientcultivation #preparethesoil #pollinatorpodcast #sales #marketing #strategy #clientcultivationcycle #thepollinatorpodcast

James Fernandez is a serial entrepreneur that became a video producer almost by accident.

His companies now produce professional videos for real state and architecture as well as special events and commercials.

But the key thing that makes James a "producer" and not just a camera guy and video editor is that he truly understands that video - especially marketing video - has to have a point.

You can't just "make a video" because everyone else is.

We discuss:

🔴How to make a point with video

⚫When to use pro video vs your cell phone

🔵Where video can fit in your branding, marketing, and sales processes

🟢How to tell if you're talking with a guy that understands marketing, vs one that just knows how to work a camera

And more!

If you've been wondering how to best use video, when it's worth it to hire a pro, and how to avoid not blowing your budget on something that generates 0 return, check this conversation out.

Contact James Fernandez here https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-fernandez-2a63914/

Visit their websites here:

Aerial Recon https://aerialreconmedia.com/

Moccai Films https://moccaifilms.com/

Connect on Instagram

Aerial Recon https://www.instagram.com/aerial_recon/

Moccai Films https://www.instagram.com/moccaifilms/

#clientcultivation #preparethesoil #pollinatorpodcast #sales #marketing #strategy #clientcultivationcycle #thepollinatorpodcast

Consistency is key when it comes to Social Media... but how is a small business owner supposed to pull that off?  Vanessa Rodriguez is a powerhouse in digital marketing (though she would never say that about herself).  Along with managing one of the fastest-growing virtual networking groups in South Florida (and probably anywhere), she also manages social media for a broad array of companies.  With so many people focusing on the creative aspects of social, I wanted to talk about how to manage it.  We get into a lot of different topics, like:  How often should you be posting? What to avoid? Who you should be creating content for? What even is quality content? How can small business owners find the time to be consistent? And what's up with all these groups on social media these days?  If managing social media has you feeling overwhelmed, definitely check out this episode.  Connect with Vanessa Rodriguez here https://www.linkedin.com/in/vanessa-pace-rodriguez-905667178/ Send her an email to [email protected]  Visit their website https://www.southfloridaprofessionals.com Follow them on Social Media Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SFLProsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/sflpros/ https://www.instagram.com/insouthflorida_official/ #clientcultivation #preparethesoil #pollinatorpodcast #sales #marketing #strategy #clientcultivationcycle

For this edition of The Pollinator Podcast, we have our very first power couple.  They are partners both in crime and business.  Their most recent business endeavor is helping businesses hire offshore talent. Whether its scheduling appointments and managing calendars or customer service, data entry, and bookkeeping, they may have the right fit for you.  Connect with Raquel Gomes here https://www.linkedin.com/in/raquel-g-abb517b/ Connect with Demetrio Rico here https://www.linkedin.com/in/demetriorico/ Visit their website https://www.getstafi.com/ Or send them an email to [email protected]  #clientcultivation #preparethesoil #pollinatorpodcast #sales #marketing #strategy #clientcultivationcycle

Connect with Chris here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-colston-94020114/ Visit Second Chance Credit's website here: https://2ndchancecredit.net/ Send him an email  to [email protected]  #clientcultivation #preparethesoil #pollinatorpodcast #sales #marketing #strategy #clientcultivationcycle

SHOW LESSA $52,000 analogy?  When what you do is complex, it can be difficult to explain it in under a minute.  That's where analogies come in.  They don't "simplify" complexity, they help increase people's capacity for the complexity by tapping into what they already understand.  A lot of powerful, and useful storytelling in this episode.  Connect with Zac here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zachary-s... Visit his website http://homericconsulting.com/ Or you can send him an email to [email protected]  #clientcultivation #preparethesoil #pollinatorpodcast #sales #marketing #strategy #clientcultivationcycle

Everybody wants to beat the Google Algorithm and get on page one.  But as soon as the algorithm changes, it's like the marketing world is coming to an end.  My friend James Schulman, however, has an "unbeatable" hack for consistently generating quality traffic to your website... and it's something that you can do for yourself.  It's not necessarily easy, but it is simple.    In one of the most practical marketing conversations I've had in a while, we dig into several topics like:  🔴How have SEO tactics changed in the last decade ⚫What "gaming the system" gets you in the short term and long term 🔵What the number one skill any content creator and marketer needs 🟢How the "curse of knowledge" is hurting you 🔴Why focusing on keyword research is often a bad idea for small businesses, and what they should do instead ⚫Why (and how) you need to do it yourself before hiring an SEO company 🟢How to avoid the bad actors out the, what questions to ask, and the red flags to look out for  If you've been thinking about an SEO strategy, make sure you check out this episode before getting your hands dirty.  Connect with James here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-schulman-094b1241/ You can also follow him on Twitter https://twitter.com/linwoodschulman  #clientcultivation #preparethesoil #pollinatorpodcast #sales #marketing #strategy #clientcultivationcycle

Automation is amazing. When it works.  But the promise of simplifying our days can quickly be lost in the complications of multiple systems. Carlos Garcia is a sales workflow and process consultant with a long background in business banking.    We talk about a lot of the pitfalls when trying to implement technology and automation in your business, and how to get the most out of it with things like:  - Automating outreach within the sales process - Nurturing cold leads into warm ones - "Training" your technology systems to get the most out of them - Breaking down silos between departments - Identifying problems with checkpoints before trying to automate solutions - Understanding and attributing sources of leads  - Identifying issues with intake, and other bottlenecks in your business that limit growth    Connect with Carlos here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/exceedsales/ Send an email to [email protected]  Visit his website: www.exceedsalestraining.com  Check out his Social Media Channels Facebook @ExceedSales Instagram @exceedsales  If you'd like a free trial of the technology systems Carlos recommends, try those here:  TaxDome 14 day free trial - All-in-one platform for CPAs, bookkeepers, and accounting firms. Great for CRM, workflow management, document storage, among other easy-to-use functions. Try it for 14 days free, no credit card required. - https://taxdome.com/?fpr=carlos39 Pipedrive CRM 30 day free trial - All-in-one sales platform for growing revenue. The first CRM was designed by salespeople, for salespeople. Do more to grow your business. Try it for 30 days free, no credit card required! https://pipedrive.grsm.io/gsdbozt53zqp #clientcultivation #cultivatethesale #pollinatorpodcast #sales #marketing #strategy #clientcultivationcycle

What can a former competitive coffee barista teach you about marketing?  A lot.  Probably one of the greatest conversations I've had mixing business and marketing philosophy with practical action.  Having your messaging defined and aligned is not just beneficial, it's vital.  Without it, your business will suffer.  But we dive into so much more than why having your messaging on point is crucial.  We answer things like:  - What questions to ask to diagnose a messaging problem - How to go beyond external problems and address the internal problems people face - How to help save the world, even if you're not saving the whole thing - The fundamental purposes of a business and the responsibilities of entrepreneurs - When doing the right things in your business are actually wrong  Zach was also kind enough to leave some practical resources you can access at: www.missiondrivenimpact.com/pollinator  Worth multiple listens.  Connect with Zach here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zachthanasilangkul/  #clientcultivation #pollinatorpodcast #sales #marketing #strategy #clientcultivationcycle #preparethesoil

Maybe you have no plan to take your business to a billion dollars in revenue, but that doesn't mean you can't learn lessons from a man that has.    Robert Hacker is the director of StartUp FIU at Florida International University, an instructor with the Goldman Sachs 10k Small Businesses, a former professor at the MIT Sloan School of Business, and helped found and build a massive retailing business in Indonesia, which grew to be valued at over a billion dollars.  And while his goal is to help create the next Google in Miami, we dive deep into how the lessons from the Entrepreneur's toolbox can be used by Small Business owners anywhere and of any size.  Even those that have just started out of the Great Resignation.  Why you should have Doubling Sales as a Target (maybe even every month!).  What you should do BEFORE worrying about financing your business.  The physicist's approach - to solving complex business problems and defining markets.  Maybe you have no plan to take your business to a billion dollars in revenue, but that doesn't mean you can't learn lessons from a man that has.    As well as some insights into how the shifting economic and fiscal policies (massive money printing) are going to continue to affect the small business environment, and the single most important skill everyone needs to have moving forward... even if they never start a business.  You can connect with Robert Hacker here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/roberthacker/  Visit StartUp FIU's website https://startup.fiu.edu/  You can also send an email to Robert here [email protected]