The Secret is You with Chris Cicchinelli

Chris Cicchinelli talks with LPK Chief Growth Officer Valerie Jacobs talk about forecasting future trends and then taking action on them. Plus, how she created her own job and persuaded people that they need a trend forecaster.

Chris visits with rockstar Mark Schulman to learn how to find passion in life. As the drummer for icons P!nk, Cher, Stevie Nicks, and many more, he has learned from strong women. Chris and Mark talk about why attention to details is so important. Plus, how you can ensure you’re on the top of your game EVERYDAY.

New York Times bestselling author Shawn Achor joins Chris to talk how happiness and success are linked. Just think about this, when the brain becomes more positive, your chance of success increases. It’s a science called positive psychology. Chris dives deep into how you can create happiness, the results optimists see, and if everyone can be happy.

In life, and in business, what is the number one thing we are all selling? You already know the answer.

Chris breaks down how you can move up to the next level with your clients. People ask how he got to this point in his business. He had to learn early on to be grateful and happy which led him to the secret of growing. Plus, what his mom, Pure Romance Founder Patty Brisben, told him that gave him a new outlook on business.

We all have a lot on our plates when it comes to tasks, business calls, family matters. We wake up striving to check everything off your list. But entitled people can get in the way and steal time. Those people, hijackers, contact us because they know CEOs are problem-solvers. Losing that time makes us lose our focus.

We all have an inner and outer ring we’re going after. The inner ring is the bullseye of what we’re trying to accomplish. The outer ring is the steps we’re taking to get there. If you take that 5-minute call from someone interrupting your day, it will take hours to get back on track. Why? Because then you have to get refocused. Start looking at your time monetarily. Everything you do needs to lead to the inner circle. Don’t get caught up in loving to serve people. As a business owner, we have to focus on the mission at hand. 

Throughout your day, take some time to meditate. This allows stress levels to melt away and it sharpens memory. Also, accomplish To Do List tasks every day. Chris’ preferred method of getting things done is the avalanche method. Do the most important task early on and then go down to the least important. Also, try the snowball method. This starts with the easiest tasks of the day. Third, learn to delegate. Business owners decide how best to spend our time.  Give attention and time and put more detail in your work. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, change your state. 

To get to the comfortable lifestyle you want, you have to be uncomfortable. If you see Chris in real life, the last thing he wants to hear is how lucky he is. Chris spent 3 years traveling in a U-Haul with his mom to promote the business. Up-and-coming business owners always ask how to get to his level. Here’s how: commit to the process, detach from the outcome. When you do the uncomfortable over and over again, that’s where you see progress. Let’s break down LUCK. L is for love. If you do not love what you do, you need to find it ASAP. U is for unstoppable. We are our own creators of destiny. Use fear as fuel. C is for consistency. Most people are consistently inconsistent. People who think consistency is boring probably already have a boring life. K is for kindness and karma. Live life by helping others around you and you’ll shift and grow to serve others. Luck is preparation meeting opportunity. That’s how you make your own luck.

In today’s world, marketing matters. Chris explains the negative and positives of marketing and branding during a pandemic. Now is the time to reassure your customers that your business is doing well and that it is also OPEN. We have to tell the customer what is going on and stay connected with them. One way to do this is by refreshing your products and packaging. During COVID-19, our process has changed. You can’t send a party experience to someone in the mail. Consider how you take an in-home party experience and transform it when you’re delivering a package. Also, make sure you have a follow-up system in place. There is a lot of noise in the market place. We are getting inundated with ads, but we are not making the experience easier for the customer. Be a problem solver, not the problem. You don’t want a one-time sale, you want a customer who will stay with you forever. Always focus on the lifetime value.

“If you can't fly then run, if you can't run then walk, if you can't walk then crawl, but whatever you do you have to keep moving forward.” - Martin Luther King Jr. Martin Luther King Jr. lived an amazing and inspiring life through his actions and speeches. Chris talks about the 10 things that this civil rights icon lived by that we should replicate in our daily lives. For example, as an adult it can be hard to dare to dream. But, if you don’t dream, then you’re risking not getting ahead in life. Right now, we see a lot of hate in the world. We must remember to lead with love. You can’t inspire change by sitting still. You have to go out into the world and be educated. Go out and serve others and not yourself first. An important aspect of inspiring change is also forgiving others. This may involve stepping outside of your comfort zone. Fight for your family to have the currency of life, which is choice. Commit to your vision without evidence. Fear, logistics, and failure will hold back that vision. Don’t let anyone take away your vision. It matters. We are some of the most powerful creatures. Make sure you continue to be clear about where you want to go.

Chris is speaking to everyone who says, “I am an entrepreneur.” He breaks down how to avoid 8 mistakes. Ask yourself, what is it that you’re truly going after? This way you can improve every day and people around you can see how excited you are to do business. What you’re selling matters, but also find a way to know and love your customers. 10% of sales come from products and 90% come from marketing. Set yourself up for success by surrounding yourself with people with the same mission. Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant spent years without winning a championship. There was one catalyst that changed all that: coach Phil Jackson. Think about the people who are going to help you get ahead. We just started 2021, and now is the perfect time to commit to doing life different.

Chris breaks down how you run into 2021 with a new vision. We have pivoted due to the pandemic, but now we have to try harder. The greatest way you’re going to make a different is with your attitude. How you respond to difficult circumstances will determine how far you go in life. Attitude comes from different things, like home life, background, or environment and your mindset affects everyone around you. What you are thinking about is what you are bringing about. If you talk like a loser, you are going to lose. Also, you can’t change how other people act, but you can change how you react to them. Begin the new year with a challenge: say more positive things about people.