The Remarkable Project

Are you feeling a little nervous? Nervous about the economy. Nervous about your business? Or just a sense of unease when it comes to what the next 12 months might look like in this new world of business. 

Well today we wanted to do something a little different. Here at Remarkably, we have the privilege of having what many would call quite intimate conversations with business owners about how they are feeling in not only a post-covid business environment but also in the financial climate that many think we have yet to feel properly. 

The other unique position we are in is that we get to speak to experts regularly about what business owners should be doing right now to ensure they protect themselves for what is to come – whatever that may be. Overwhelmingly, the feedback is just two things. 

Make sure you solidify the relationships you have around you.

And 

Lean into experience as an asset. 

So today, we are going to replay an episode from Season One with, who many describe, as the Godfather of Experience Marketing – Mr Joseph Pine.

Mr. Pine is an internationally acclaimed author, speaker, and management advisor who has dedicated his career to exploring the changing landscape of business and the role of experience in creating value for customers. He has authored several best-selling books, including "The Experience Economy" and "Authenticity: What Consumers Really Want".

In this episode, we will delve into Mr. Pine's insights on the Experience Economy, a concept he co-created with his partner James Gilmore. The Experience Economy describes the shift from a service-based economy to an economy where experiences are the key driver of growth and differentiation.

We will explore how businesses can create memorable and authentic experiences for their customers and why this is crucial in today's hyper-competitive marketplace. Mr. Pine will share his thoughts on the impact of technology on the Experience Economy, and how companies can leverage it to enhance the customer experience.

Join us as we uncover the insights and wisdom of Mr. B. Joseph Pine II on the Experience Economy and the power of customer experience in creating value for businesses and customers alike.

Get connected with Joseph Pine at
www.strategichorizons.com
Twitter:  @joepine
LinkedIn: /joepine

Recommended Books:

• The Experience Economy by Joseph Pines II

https://www.amazon.com.au/Experience-Economy-Competing-Customer-Attention/dp/1633697975/

In this episode of The Remarkable Project Jay reconnects with one of the Podcast’s first guests, high-impact scientist, author and public speaker Paul Zak, to talk about why simple explanations often signal deep understanding, how community-building bolsters brand love in the brain, and what S.I.R.T.A. means to extraordinary experiences.

Dr. Paul J. Zak, PhD, has been on a quest to understand the neuroscience of human connection, human happiness, and effective teamwork. His academic lab and companies he has started develop and deploy neuroscience technologies to solve real problems faced by real people.​

Paul was one of the first scientists to integrate neuroscience and economics into a new discipline: neuroeconomics. His research has identified the brain processes that support such behaviours as trustworthiness, generosity, and sacrifice.

His work has been ground breaking in the academic, public, and now in business and healthcare settings. Fascinated by how to reduce the amount of wasted energy in creating experiences that are of no actual value to the end user, Paul looks at ways to harness brain imaging to understand what truly delights our customers. In his new book, Immersion: The Science of the Extraordinary and the Source of Happiness, he discusses the transition to an experience economy, as people increasingly crave the extraordinary, with his research showing that there’s a scientific formula to consistently create remarkable experiences. 

A professor of economics, psychology, and management at Claremont Graduate University, he is the author of two other ground-breaking books – Trust Factor and The Moral Molecule – and also a regular TED speaker, four-time tech entrepreneur, and corporate consultant.

Remarkable Takeaways

• Why being able to slow down and explain a concept or subject in simple terms often signals deep understanding.
• How building a community around those who love your brand actually helps reinforce and enhance the brain basis for that love.
• The five key stages of creating an extraordinary experience – S.I.R.T.A.

Connect with Paul

Find him on Linkedin

Learn more about Paul’s work at his website

 Purchase the book on Amazon here

In this episode of The Remarkable Project Jay speaks with Mark Carpenter, a master storyteller, educator and author, about why listening to yourself as well as others plays into powerful stories, how clarity, simplicity and impact affect story shareability, and what it is about great storytelling that builds credibility. 

Mark Carpenter is a serial storyteller. Even as a child, he loved to tell stories (mainly to get attention). He leveraged that ability into a career in marketing communications and public relations, then as a college professor and corporate facilitator.

These days, Mark teaches people how to more intentionally tell stories that teach, lead, sell, and inspire to accomplish business and personal goals. He is the co-author of the best-selling book “Master Storytelling: How to Turn Your Experiences Into Stories that Teach, Lead, and Inspire” and co-creator of the Master Storytelling Workshop.

Leveraging a 20-year career in corporate communication, 10 years working as an adjunct professor of communication, and 15 years facilitating training, Mark couples a lively, engaging style with purposeful, impactful learning.

When he’s not training, speaking, coaching, or creating new content, Mark is likely hiking or snowshoeing in the mountains near his home in Utah in the United States, playing the piano, bragging about his grandchildren, or writing children's books.

Remarkable Takeaways

• Why listening not only to other people and their experiences, but also your own emotional responses, provides the foundations for great stories. 
• How clear intent, simplicity and just the right amount of impact positively affect the shareability of a story. 
• The chemical connections which mean finding information through a well-told story often makes it more credible to the recipient than presenting pure facts and data. 

Connect with Mark

Learn more about his words and work at the Master Storyteller website
Check out some of his content on YouTube
Read his book: Master Storytelling: How to Turn Your Experiences Into Stories That Teach, Lead, and Inspire.
Find him on Linkedin

In this episode of The Remarkable Project Jay speaks with Account-Based Marketing (ABM) expert Shahin Hoda, about why client lifetime value is a crucial consideration when shaping an ABM strategy, how ABM addresses three main areas in driving growth, and the importance of being able to clearly identify target markets when assessing ABM options.

Shahin Hoda is the Founder of xGrowth, a B2B growth agency helping organisations close more mid-market and large enterprise deals. He’s making that happen by popularising Account-Based Marketing (ABM) in Australia, working alongside B2B leaders to implement ABM strategies and build predictable revenue engines.

When he’s not busy building ABM campaigns, he’s either playing a game of Tennis in Richmond (which he usually loses) or looking up smoothie recipes (because let’s be honest, who doesn’t like a nice smoothie).

Remarkable Quotes

"If your budget is tight and your client's budgets are tight, you want to be laser focused on the ones that are very suitable for what you're trying to offer."

"Lifetime value, however you measure it, needs to be large enough to justify the investments you want to put in."

"You have to tell them that “I want you to do business with me”.

Connect with Shahin

Find him on Linkedin

Learn more about the work Shahin does with xGrowth via their website 

In this episode of The Remarkable Project Jay speaks with keynote speaker, futurist, educator and author Mark Schaefer, about why personal trust is more critical in community building than ever, how the pandemic highlighted customers’ need to belong, and the importance of preserving community culture

Mark W. Schaefer is a globally-recognised keynote speaker, educator, business consultant, futurist, and author who writes for {grow} – one of the world’s top marketing blogs. Mark has worked in global sales, PR, and marketing positions for more than 30 years, and now provides consulting services as Executive Director of US-based Schaefer Marketing Solutions. He specialises in marketing strategy and social media workshops, with his clients include both start-ups and global brands such as Adidas, Cisco, Johnson & Johnson, Dell, Pfizer, The US Air Force, and the UK government.

Mark has advanced degrees in marketing and organisational development, and is a faculty member of the graduate studies program at Rutgers University in New Jersey.

He is the bestselling author of 10 books including ‘The Tao of Twitter’ (the world’s top-selling book on Twitter), ‘The Content Code’, named by INC magazine as one of the Top Five marketing books of the year, and ‘KNOWN’, the all-time bestselling book on personal branding. Mark’s new book ‘Belonging to the Brand: Why Community is the Last Great Marketing Strategy’ describes an essential new path to connect to customers in the modern digital world. His written works are used as textbooks at more than 50 universities, have been translated into 15 languages, and can be found in more than 750 libraries worldwide.

 He is a regular contributing columnist to The Harvard Business Review, and continues to be a popular guest on many national television shows and periodicals including the Wall Street Journal, Wired, The New York Times, CNN, National Public Radio, CNBC, the BBC and the CBS NEWS.

Remarkable Takeaways

• Why personal trust is becoming increasingly critical in community building, as people seek more meaningful experiences and less standard value exchanges with brands.
• How the recent pandemic highlighted the unchanging and permanent need of customers for community and belonging, cementing its status as a crucial marketing strategy for businesses.
• The importance of protecting the culture of a community, to ensure it remains safe, nurturing and validating for likeminded people to step into and collaborate, co-create, and advocate for something they want to change or achieve.

Connect with Mark

Find him on LinkedIn

Follow him on Twitter

Learn more about Mark’s work, books and beyond via his website 

In this episode of The Remarkable Project Jay speaks with business strategist, speaker and author Bryan Kramer, about why authenticity is a personal perception, how important simplicity is in brand building, and the power of creating community intimacy.

Once described as the “Zen Master to Digital Marketers” by Forbes, Bryan Kramer is a renowned business strategist, global keynote speaker, executive trainer and coach, investor, two-time bestselling author including a TOP 150 USA best-selling book, and Forbes contributor.

Bryan also created a global movement and is known for his keynotes, book, and talks on the H2H concept, stating “There is no B2B or B2C, it’s Human-to-Human, H2H.”

He is the CEO of H2H Companies, an executive coaching company, and co-owner of PureMatter, a Silicon Valley marketing agency founded in 2001, which earned a spot as one of the “Fastest Growing Companies” three years in a row by the Silicon Valley Business Journal. Becoming a global leader in Digital and Influencer Marketing space, PureMatter works with some of the world’s most notable brands and helps modern businesses speak “human”

Even with 33 years of business experience under his belt, Bryan still calls himself a “relentless entrepreneur” and an optimist.

Remarkable Takeaways 

• Why authenticity means something different to everybody, and what to do with that knowledge when it comes to business.
• How important it is to lean into simplicity and avoid inward-facing jargon as you look to scale and strengthen brand love.
• The power of creating intimacy and truly committing to what’s in it for “them” rather than you when building out communities.

Connect with Bryan 

Find him on Linkedin

Learn more about him and his businesses at his website

In this episode of The Remarkable Project Jay speaks with the co-founder of immersive hospitality company Viral Ventures, Aden Levin, about why reiteration of ideas is so key to ensuring a conversation-worthy customer experience over time, how strong data, customer insights and trusted partners provide commercial and creative validation, and the importance of fine details when it comes to both products and organisations. 

Aden Levin is the co-founder of Viral Ventures, a leading immersive hospitality company that uses data and technology to drive global experiences. They operate 18 venues globally, offering uniquely different experiences which range from the “rude dining” of Karen’s Diner through to creative cocktails at The Alice.

Every aspect of Viral Ventures’ business is focused on creating unusual, unexpected and remarkable experiences that provide customers with something which steps beyond the typical.

Aden’s expertise and experience draws from over 15 years of work in the events industry, stemming from the UK where he co-founded Mainstage Festivals, an outfit who run well-known music festivals in Europe and were featured on hit TV show Dragon’s Den.

These days, via Viral Ventures, he helps pioneer and bring to market quality (and quirky) hospitality entertainment. In 2021 Aden and his business partner James were voted ‘Hospitality Young Entrepreneurs Of The Year’ in the Business News Australia Awards, and Viral Ventures has received multiple other awards and recognition for its ongoing global success.

Remarkable Takeaways

• Why listening and reiteration of ideas is so key to ensuring a conversation-worthy customer experience over time.
• How strong data, customer insights and trusted partners provide crucial commercial and creative validation, even after success.
• The importance of the small touches and fine details when it comes to not only products, but also how businesses and teams are run.

Connect with Aden

Find him on Linkedin

Learn more about Viral Ventures and their venues via their website

In this episode of The Remarkable Project Jay speaks with Entrepreneur, Author and Master Presenter, Paul Dunn, about why an abundant mindset benefits both sides of the impact exchange, how collective knowledge contributes to competitive advantage, and the idea that sharing your giving improves its cumulative impact on the world.

Paul Dunn is a four-time TEDx speaker, entrepreneur, author and much more besides.

He is a Senior Fellow in one of the World’s Leading Think Tanks, consulting to and leading-edge businesses around the world, and was honoured as a Social Innovation Fellow in his new home of Singapore, something he shares with film-star and philanthropist Jet Li and former Walmart Chairman, Rob Walton.

Paul was one of the first 10 people in Hewlett Packard in Australia, before going on to create one of the country’s first computer companies and The Results Corporation, where he helped develop and grow 23,000 small and medium scale business enterprises. 

His programs are estimated to be used by almost a quarter-of-a-million companies around the world, but he continues to push boundaries, featuring in Forbes Magazine alongside Sir Richard Branson in a global piece on ‘disrupters’ in business.

Paul's books, ‘The Firm of the Future’ and ‘Time’s UP’, co-written with Ron Baker, are best sellers. He is the co-founder of B1G1: Business for Good, the history-making Global Giving Initiative that’s already enabled businesses to create over 312 Million giving impacts globally. 

He speaks passionately to audiences around the world about Purpose and how we now can (and almost certainly need to) move beyond being Purpose-Driven to becoming Impact-Driven.

Remarkable Takeaways

• Why adopting an abundant mindset in business from the get-go benefits both sides of the impact exchange.
• How collective knowledge contributes to competitive advantage.
• The idea that sharing your giving improves its cumulative impact on the world.

In this episode of The Remarkable Project Jay speaks with Michael Croaker, a long-standing leader in the world of theme park entertainment and experiences, about why learning how to be truly memorable can have profound business benefits, how storytelling and “predictable irrationality” contribute to the creative process, and the fine balance between messaging and memorable moments.

Michael Croaker is an award winning 30-year theme park veteran.

At 18 he was the youngest Live Show Announcer in the history of Sea World, and by his mid-20s he’d become Head of Show Production, writing and developing live park content and providing creative oversight broadly across the business.

Going on to assume the role of Entertainment Manager for Wonderland Sydney, Michael successfully introduced powerhouse entertainment properties Marvel, Dreamworks and Hasbro into the park during his tenure. He was then Appointed to the role of Head of Entertainment for Village Roadshow Theme Parks in 2005, where he not only led diverse creative teams through compelling day trade content within Warner Bros. Movie World, Sea World and Paradise Country, but, together with his creative team, produce an annual series of large-scale park events including Fright Nights, Hooray For Hollywood, Carnivale and White Christmas.

Today, he also manages to find time to work as a Communication Coach with his business, Stand & Deliver, and is host of the Park Life Podcast, a celebration of people and stories from within the theme park and attractions industry 

Whenever asked about what business he’s in, Michael’s answer is always the same, “the business of hardwiring memories for life”.

Remarkable Takeaways

• Why learning how to be truly memorable can have such profound human and commercial influence on business.
• How understanding the irrationality of individuals and the power of story helps creators harness their own quirks and biases to craft compelling outcomes for customers.
• The way business owners and leaders should be thinking about weaving key messages into memorable moments, without diluting their impact.

Connect with Michael 

Find him on Linkedin

Check out his Instagram 

Learn more about his business Stand & Deliver via their website

In this episode of The Remarkable Project Jay speaks with Stacey Brown Randall, an expert, coach and keynote speaker on the subject of referrals, about why it’s crucial to understand what’s REALLY happening when a referral takes place, how to define referrals and why it’s important to distinguish them from other forms of word-of-mouth, and the biggest misconceptions about why someone will or won’t refer your business.

Stacey Brown Randall is a referrals expert and coach, author, keynote speaker, and Podcast host.

She believes the easiest way to grow a business is through referrals, but knows that going after them can feel awkward. Even desperate. So, Stacey teaches business owners how to generate referrals naturally – without asking, manipulating or incentivising – to ensure that they don’t have to compromise their values or their relationships as they go about it.

Her focus areas are business owners in the legal, financial, professional services, real estate and design industries, and she’s the multiple award-winning author of ‘Generating Business Referrals Without Asking’.

Stacey also hosts the ‘Roadmap to Grow Your Business’ Podcast and speaks nationally on the topic of building long term success through quality referral generation.

Remarkable Takeaways

• Why it’s crucial to understand what’s REALLY happening when a referral takes place.
• How to define referrals and why it’s important to distinguish them from other forms of word-of-mouth.
• The biggest misconceptions about why someone will or won’t refer your business.

Connect with Stacey

Find her on Linkedin and Instagram

Learn more about her work and book with a visit to her website