Craig Swanson is a “professional partner” who specializes in helping business owners scale through the powerful tool of community collaboration. In this episode, Craig explains the value of co-creating with your audience, why simpler is better when it comes to scaling, and the importance of embracing experimentation!

Using Community Collaboration for Business Growth with Craig Swanson, CreativeLive

At Beyond 8 Figures, we believe in DELIBERATE entrepreneurship. It means creating a solid foundational framework for your entrepreneurial journey,  building from a place of passion, and intentionally aligning your actions with your goals so that you can create success on your terms.

Join A.J. Lawrence, the journeyman entrepreneur with several 7 figure exits, as he shares honest conversations with successful entrepreneurs about their experiences starting and scaling businesses to $10M and beyond, the realities of being a modern-day entrepreneur, advice for practicing deliberate entrepreneurship, and more!

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What happens when a struggling business adopts a structured business system? Such a simple change in management can lead to monumental growth. Join us for a conversation with Steve Maly, the founder of Maly Marketing, who took his marketing agency from chaos to clarity by implementing the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS). 
About Steve Maly Steve Maly is a seasoned entrepreneur who has guided his agency, Maly Marketing, to win several awards, including the Friend of Tourism award from Nebraska Tourism. He often speaks at conferences throughout the Midwest, teaching other businesses how to make their marketing efforts successful and measurable.  
 Outside of work, Steve enjoys playing golf and is committed to learning more every day, both in his field and beyond. He's also very involved in his community, serving on the board of the Nebraska Travel Association and the Lincoln Chamber's policy advisory committee, among other roles. Key insights for your business:Leverage your background. Your life experiences are a great source of unique perspectives and strengths that can drive your business vision and strategy. No matter the challenges you face, it can guide your decision-making, giving you an advantage in the competitive market.Adapt and evolve through systems. Structured business systems like EOS help entrepreneurs clarify business operations, align teams, and facilitate scalable growth. Adding more structure can help you address challenges systematically and ensure consistency in business practices.Embrace strategic networking. Actively seek out and participate in networking groups, masterminds, and industry associations that align with your business goals. These connections will provide critical insights, opportunities for collaboration, and access to new markets.Prioritize learning from every experience. Encourage your team to experiment, learn from outcomes, and iteratively refine approaches, even if these experiments fail. Invest in people and delegation. Investing in capable team members not only enhances business capacity but also allows you to focus on strategic growth and client engagement. Why waste time on the tasks others can handle for you?
 Steve’s best advice for entrepreneurs:“I knew if we continue to do the same things we've been doing, we're gonna continue to get the same results. And so I kind of had to take the leap of faith.” (10:46)
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From Freelance Gigs to a Thriving Agency with Steve Maly, Maly Marketing

Failures might knock you down, but the real test is how you rise. In this episode, Brad Pedersen, founder of Lomi, shares the crucial lessons of his entrepreneurial journey and explains how learning from failure can lead to building a more robust business model. 
About Brad Pedersen Brad Pedersen is an entrepreneur with a knack for innovation and sustainability. In 2008, he founded a leading toy company in Canada and later merged it to co-found Basic Fun. Brad also co-founded Pela, where he introduced sustainable phone cases, creating a new market category valued at $100M.  
 His latest success is launching the Lomi, the world’s first smart waste kitchen composter, through a $9.8M crowd-sourced campaign. Brad lives in British Columbia, where he enjoys the outdoors and focuses on making a positive impact through his community-driven businesses. Key Insights:Learn from every failure. When something goes wrong, dissect the situation to identify missteps and implement new strategies. This continuous improvement cycle not only prevents future failures but also enhances overall business resilience and efficiency.Prioritize strategic financial planning. Regularly reviewing your financial status helps you make informed decisions, anticipate cash flow shortages, and secure funding before it becomes a crisis, thereby ensuring sustained operational capability.Encourage reflection and feedback. Regular introspection allows you to stay relevant and responsive to market changes, which is vital for maintaining a competitive edge and adapting to consumer demands quickly.Cultivate resilience. Entrepreneurial resilience leads to quicker recovery from setbacks, minimizing downtime and maintaining customer trust and business continuity during challenging times.Harness the power of community. Engaging with your local community increases brand loyalty and awareness, while collaborating with other businesses can lead to new partnerships, expanding your network and resources, which in turn fuels business growth and innovation.
 Brad’s best advice for entrepreneurs:“I am going to feel the most fulfillment when I'm either growing or giving, period. That's it. And part of giving is creativity and giving into a business and challenging yourself to become the best and brightest version of yourself.” (27:39)
 
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Bouncing Back and Rebuilding Stronger with Brad Pedersen, Lomi

If starting a lifestyle brand has always been a dream of yours, this episode with Eric Bandholz, founder of Beardbrand, is a real treat. He shares how maintaining full control through bootstrapping allowed him to prioritize ethical sourcing and customer relationships over rapid growth. His story is a real inspiration for anyone who wants to create a business that not only succeeds financially but also supports their quality of life while staying true to their personal values. 
About Eric Bandholz Eric Bandholz started Beardbrand in 2012 with a simple goal: to make men feel awesome. From its beginnings as an online community, Beardbrand has grown into a major brand in the $3.2 billion beard care market, now offering a broad range of grooming products and even a brick-and-mortar barbershop in Austin. Eric attributes his success to staying true to his core values, especially freedom, which is grounded in stoic principles of focusing on what you can control.  
 A graduate of the University of South Carolina, Eric left the corporate world behind to create a community-centric brand. Operating as a bootstrap venture, Eric has steered Beardbrand, focusing on sustainable growth and independence, avoiding external investments. He advocates for the lifestyle business model, encouraging a balance between personal well-being and professional success.  Key Insights:Incorporate your core values into your business strategy. Core values are much more than psychology mumbo-jumbo; they shape every decision you make in your business. They help to reflect what your company stands for and attract customers who share these beliefs.Enjoy your entrepreneurial journey. Even though everyday tasks might often feel like a drag, finding meaning in them can help to maintain motivation and prevent burnout. And remember that there’s always something to celebrate, no matter how small.  Leverage bootstrapping for greater control. Using your own money to fund your business can keep you in control and help you make quick decisions that are right for your business without external pressure. Focus on sustainable business growth. Choose growth strategies that fit your goals and business vision. Opting for steady, predictable growth is better than chasing overnight success, as it helps to maintain product quality, protects your reputation, and ensures your business grows in a manageable way.Build and engage your community. Hosting events, starting discussions on social media, creating loyalty programs, featuring spotlight customers, offering behind-the-scenes content… These are just a few ways you can turn your buyers into brand advocates and build a community that supports your growth. 
Eric’s best advice for entrepreneurs:"What matters is that you're enjoying the journey [...] When you can focus on building today and what I'm doing at this moment, then it doesn't really matter where you end up."
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Growing Your Niche: Unlocking Explosive Business with Eric Bandholz, Beardbrand

As your business grows, what worked before won't always work anymore. This is where business adaptability becomes crucial. Entrepreneurs need to be ready to change and update their strategies and processes, ensuring they can keep pace with their business's growth. Having been through growing and selling his own company, Feras Alhlou knows firsthand the importance of adapting and evolving to meet the changing business environment. Today, he joins us to talk about the power of resilience, the art of delegation, and the strategic use of technology to streamline operations. 
About Feras Alhlou Feras Alhlou is a seasoned entrepreneur with a golden touch for growing businesses from the ground up. He's taken companies from zero revenue to impressive 7 and 8 figures, showcasing his skills in Silicon Valley and beyond. In 2019 he sold his previous company, e-Nor, his digital marketing consultancy, to dentsu, a leading global media company.  
 Now he uses his passion for sharing his knowledge in his current project, Start Up With Feras, guiding new entrepreneurs to make good, informed decisions about business. Besides his business acumen, Feras has a lifelong commitment to nonprofit organizations. Fun fact, he also holds a 3rd-degree black belt in Aikido! Key Insights:Embrace change. As your business grows, what used to work might not cut it anymore. Learn to stay flexible and change your game plan as you go, which ensures that you're always moving forward, not just treading water. (04:41)Delegate to elevate. Trying to do everything yourself can hold your business back. By handing off tasks to others, you free up your time to focus on big-picture strategies and growth and your business can grow more smoothly and faster. (09:23)Implement goal-oriented frameworks. Frameworks like OKRs help everyone on your team pull in the same direction toward shared goals. This organized approach makes your team more efficient and effective, leading to faster progress and better results. (11:38)Cultivate an open and honest work environment. Building a business where everyone feels free to share their thoughts and ideas creates a strong, united team. This leads to better decision-making, happier employees, and a more adaptable company. (15:47)Stay ahead with technology and trends. Staying updated on what’s happening in your (and other industries) allows you to spot and seize opportunities that others might miss. (22:52)
 Feras’s best advice for entrepreneurs:“Success is also when you're making it big and you're profitable, and you share it with your team, those who have helped you grow the business.” (31:29)
Get a free 30-minute session with Feras 

 Connect with Feras Alhlou:LinkedinYouTubeInstagramXStart Up With Feras 
Resources Mentioned:Good to Great by Jim CollinsMeasure What Matters by John Doerr and Larry Page
Follow Beyond 8 Figures:LinkedinXWebsiteAffiliate Disclaimer: Some links in this episode are affiliate links. If you make a purchase through these links, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Rest assured, we only promote products/services we believe will benefit your entrepreneurial journey. 

Grow Your Business Against All Odds with Feras Alhlou, Start Up With Feras

When it comes to continuous improvement methods, there’s no one better than Justin Breen, founder of BrEpic Network, to talk about the best tools for slow but steady personal and professional growth. In this conversation, he shares his best pracices, from strength assessments to pattern recognition, that have shaped his entrepreneurial journey and also helped numerous businesses thrive in competitive landscapes. About Justin Breen Justin Breen is the dynamic force behind BrEpic Network, a cutting-edge public relations firm that connects and elevates visionary entrepreneurs and brands. Justin's unique approach to business and life has been shaped by his experiences as a top-tier journalist, acclaimed author, and relentless innovator. His books, "Epic Business" and "Epic Life," have inspired countless individuals to pursue greatness through simplicity, focus, and a relentless commitment to improvement. Beyond his professional accolades, Justin is a sought-after international speaker known for his compelling insights into the power of networking, storytelling, and mindset. He has a knack for distilling complex concepts into actionable steps that anyone can follow to achieve their fullest potential. Key Insights:Play to your strengths. Operating in your zone of genius results in higher productivity and a greater quality of work. Once you pinpoint your innate strengths, prioritize tasks that align with them and strategically delegate the rest. This boosts overall team efficiency and allows everyone to work in their areas of expertise. (06:45)Transform weaknesses into opportunities. What you’ve considered your weaknesses can be used as learning moments and give you new ideas for growth, like a new market niche, a unique product feature, or an innovative service model that sets you apart from the competition. (12:02)Win the right game. Take time to reflect on what success truly means to you. Then, create your own success metrics based on your values and goals. For instance, if community impact is vital to you, measure success by the difference you make in other people's lives rather than just your profits. (18:05)Be your own leader first. Before leading others, ensure you are effectively leading your own life. This includes maintaining a healthy work-life balance, nurturing personal relationships, and committing to personal growth and self-improvement. (22:29)Work on your mindset. The right mindset attracts the right network and invites new opportunities. Develop and nurture a growth mindset to set the stage for positive outcomes and the right opportunities that resonate deeply with your aspirations. (41:44)Justin’s best advice for entrepreneurs:“If you have the right mindset, it attracts the right network, and then that network creates the right opportunities for you.” (42:01)
Get Justin’s Map of EQ and IQ

 Connect with Justin:XInstagramLinkedIn
 Resources Mentioned:Join BrEpic NetworkRead Epic Life by Justin BreenKolbeGallup Clifton StrengthfindersThe EnneagramWorking GeniusGood to Great by Jim CollinsBuilt to Last by Jim CollinsThe Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams
 Follow Beyond 8 Figures:LinkedinXWebsiteAffiliate Disclaimer: Some links in this episode are affiliate links. If you make a purchase through these links, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Rest assured, we only promote products/services we believe will benefit your entrepreneurial journey.  


Using Community Collaboration for Business Growth with Craig Swanson, CreativeLive

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