Entrepreneur and CEO of The Media Manager, Brian Bos joins the show to share his unique story and background. In this episode, Alissa and Brian discuss the importance of confronting fear, making calculated risks and developing strong relationships as an entrepreneur. Brian opens up about failures he has learned from throughout his career as well as the ever-evolving nature of his business model.

What We Covered:

02:02 – Brian shares his entrepreneurial genesis story and how he achieved over 3,500% growth for his organization, Media Manager

10:55 – Brian speaks to balancing entrepreneurship and his relationships

17:17 – How Media Manager made the 2019 Inc. 5000 List of Most Successful Companies in America three years quicker than the average organization

19:38 – The importance of building and strengthening relationships as an entrepreneur

21:45 – Brian details how Media Manager’s business model has evolved over the years

25:39 – Brian opens up about an early failure in his career that he overcame

31:50 – Final advice Brian would give to aspiring entrepreneurs

Tweetables:

“In today’s day and age, the culture of the company is essentially the most important thing.” (05:21) (Brian)

“The idea that entrepreneurship, in really probably any industry, is an 8-5 job is laughable. I mean it’s not even close.” (12:12) (Brian)

“Our business is a little bit unique in the sense that what we do is really performance-based. So, making sure that we are honest, transparent and accountable is really how we develop positive relationships.” (20:48) (Brian)

“If you’re an entrepreneur or want to be an entrepreneur it is definitely not going to happen overnight. That first year was an absolute grind from all aspects of the business.” (32:18) (Brian)

Links Mentioned:

Alissa’s Website – https://www.daire2succeed.com/makingthelistpodcast/

Brian’s LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/brian-bos-4163947/

Media Manager Website – https://www.themediamgr.com/

Daniel Moshe, entrepreneur, business owner and CPA firm technology guru, joins the show to share the story of how he overcame management roadblocks and worked himself out of a job by applying EOS. In this episode, Alissa and Daniel break down and analyze the importance of communication, innovation and setting core values to sustain growth within an organization.

What We Covered:

01:45 – Daniel talks about how his company Tech Guru made the 2019 Inc. 5000 List of Most Successful Companies in America and how they have sustained their growth

08:09 – How Daniel has used EOS implementation to promote innovation throughout his organization

12:04 – The moment Daniel realized it was alright to be himself as an entrepreneur

17:22 – Best practices for internal communication and maintaining sustainability

19:35 – Daniel breaks down the Trash Can Test and his State of the Company Meetings

26:02 – The importance of living by your own set of core values

31:28 – Lessons Daniel would have preferred to learn earlier in his career

40:34 – Final advice Daniel would give to aspiring entrepreneurs and where listeners can follow Daniel

Tweetables:

“As the adage goes, ‘When the leader turns his/her head and looks in a different direction, so does everybody else.’” (06:37) (Daniel)

“Learner is number one for me. And I love learning by doing and learning by teaching.” (11:02) (Daniel)

“It’s not just ya know you finish school and you go work for a company. You can start your own company. And I definitely try to teach that to my boys. But I think that would be so cool to have an Entrepreneurial Day at school.” (15:19) (Daniel)

“We [Tech Guru] have four core values: Caring, Accountable, Responsive and Empathetic.” (21:28) (Daniel)

“Part of living your ideal life is surrounding yourself with people who you really want to be spending your time with. And that, by definition, is that they share your values.” (30:21) (Daniel)

“If there’s anything I wish I could have learned and applied much sooner, it would be the way that we work with our people.” (36:15) (Daniel)

Links Mentioned:

Alissa’s Website – https://www.daire2succeed.com/makingthelistpodcast/

Daniel’s LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/danmoshe/

Daniel’s Website – https://www.stronginsix.com/

Tech Guru Website – https://www.techguruit.com/

Books Mentioned:

Traction

Entrepreneurial Leap

Rich Anderson, visionary entrepreneur and CEO of Imagine IT, joins the show to share poignant insights and learnings he’s acquired throughout his career. With a background in accounting, mergers and acquisitions, and social development, Rich is a wealth of entrepreneurial knowledge. In this episode, Alissa and Rich discuss the abundance mindset, the attitude of gratitude and universal laws like the Law of Attraction.

What We Covered:

01:58 – Rich’s unconventional entrepreneurial journey

10:58 – The power of culture

17:09 – The Law of Attraction and other universal laws

20:21 – Taking on all organizational responsibilities and an event that nearly destroyed Rich’s business

26:13 – How a single client led to a unique and prosperous partnership opportunity 

37:09 – Rich recalls a critical lesson he learned in leadership

39:14 – The number one tip Rich would give to aspiring entrepreneurs

Tweetables:

“I remember as, a kid, having Dad come ask if he could borrow some of our allowance to go buy groceries. So, entrepreneurialism has it’s knocks, and my story is no different. Some of my first ventures of entrepreneurialism did not go well.” (04:26) (Rich)

“I tell people I got my MBA, I just paid for it with elbow grease.” (16:51) (Rich)

“The universe provides.” (28:33) (Rich)

“One of my coaches pulls me aside as we were working through a hard thing a couple years back. And we’re like, ‘Oh my gosh, it’s gonna be so great when we get through this.’ He goes, ‘You know what the reward is for solving all these problems, right?’ We said, ‘Yeah, we’re done with them.’ And he’s like, ‘No, you have a whole new set of problems to solve.’” (37:30) (Rich)

“If we’re expanding happiness in the world, which you know is our ‘why,’ then I’m happy to let everyone else take credit for it because that means it’s working.” (38:55) (Rich)

Links Mentioned:

Alissa’s Website – https://www.daire2succeed.com/makingthelistpodcast/

Rich’s LinkedIn –  https://www.linkedin.com/in/richarddanderson/

Imagine IT Website – https://www.imagineiti.com/

Books Mentioned:

Good To Great

The Power of Vulnerability

Episode Summary:

Shane Johnson, founder of Chromebook Parts, joins the show to discuss patience, work ethic, and the genesis of his entrepreneurial journey. Shane is a passionate CEO who had the foresight to capitalize on an opportunity in the marketplace which has paid dividends ever since. In this episode, Alissa and Shane talk about the difference between confidence and arrogance, the importance of vulnerability, and coming to peace with fear of failure.

What We Covered:

02:36 – Shane’s business background and the genesis of Chromebook Parts

11:16 – The incredible growth and success of Shane’s business

14:11 – How Shane’s confident humility impacts his personal and business relationships

20:48 – Maintaining a pulse on company culture and handling confrontation

26:52 – The future of Chromebook Parts

30:16 – Entrepreneurial advice Shane would give to his younger self

36:50 – Where listeners can follow Shane and Chromebook Parts

Tweetables:

“I would say that that confidence was what gave me the ability to kind of ignore those voices – or just not listen to them – and go right to it anyway.” (10:53) (Shane)

“I think my industry experience came into play. And then my vision, always being a problem-solver, an innovator, listening to people’s pain points or issues. And then just having a passion for solving them and fixing them.” (13:37) (Shane)

“Really addressing my strengths and my weaknesses and then sharing that with my staff is helping. It’s a new thing right now so it’s not complete – it’s a work in progress. But, I would say that by doing that, it’s been helpful in my relationships with my employees here.” (18:07) (Shane)

“As they say, ‘Revenue or sales can solve a lot of problems.’ But, as you get into the first couple of years, you get to that point where you’re generating revenue, you’re making a profit, you have employees. Right then you need to start focusing on process, procedures and putting things in place so you can scale.” (35:44) (Shane)

Links Mentioned:

Alissa’s Website – https://www.daire2succeed.com/makingthelistpodcast/

Shane’s LinkedIn –  https://www.linkedin.com/in/shane-johnson-5331b33a/

Chromebook Parts Twitter – @ChromebookParts https://twitter.com/ChromebookParts

Shane’s LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/shane-johnson-5331b33a/

Shane’s Website – https://www.chromebookparts.com/Default.asp

Books Mentioned:

Rich Dad Poor Dad

Dare To Lead

Hey there! Well, we are in interesting times, aren't we? 

We'll all taken a proverbial pause, maybe freaked out a little, and questioned how you'll move forward. 

And now... let's take back control of what we can control. What we feed our minds, how we care for ourselves, and our inner game. 

Let's do this together. 

In today's episode, we invited Josh Pribyl, the founder of JP Ecommerce and Bare Home. Josh is an incredible example of just starting, even from scratch, and it still can help you build an empire, if you just remain persistent and consistent. We have an interesting discussion throughout this episode as we exchange business pointers, life lessons, feasible tactics and more.

• It's not unheard of to have a great year and to be able to carry that.
• The key is to have the vision and just try to stay ahead.
• You've got to separate personal interest and what you actually enjoy doing and figure out what you should be doing to drive growth.

• [02:30] How Josh came to be in the position he's in now.
• [03:39] From extra long sheets to an empire.
• [05:26] How the business came to be.
  “I always had the vision that one day, I saw myself just running a large company.”
• [06:22] The first single sale that confirms Josh's idea can work.
• [07:02] What the first hire was for Josh.
• [07:55] Looking back on the business' steady growth over the years.
• [08:41] The hockey stick moment.
• [11:25] The next big "normal" step Josh took.
• [11:47] The first INC 5000 application
• [12:30] The key to continued massive growth
  “If you wait on these growth activities because you're bogged down by everyday activities, other things are going to slide.”
• [12:58] Alissa's favorite book
  “Your vision has led the pack for how you've been able to create success.”
• [13:52] Josh relating to Alissa's favorite book
  “I make sure I get done the few things that are going to drive the biggest growth.”
• [15:02] How Josh figured out his personal growth drivers.
• [17:34] The potholes Josh could've avoided had he known what he knows now.
• [19:37] Why ads are a tough thing but essential and tips on how to use them.
  “If it's not converting at or above the industry average, your site isn't up to par yet.”
• [23:18] Keeping employees engaged amidst massive growth
• [26:51] An advice to Josh's former self.
  “Don't be so conservative. Take a little more risks. Spend a little more to invest on growth.”
• [26:41] Where to find Josh

• Bare Home Website
• JP Ecommerce Inc
• Connect with Josh on LinkedIn
• Connect with Josh on Twitter
• The E-Myth by Michael Gerber

This fifth episode is a landmine of tips, practical methodologies, and lots of stuff that you can easily apply to your business and become just as successful as our guest today. Kristi is very much an epitome of success. Her titles and acknowledgements-Emmy Award-winning news reporter, 2019 Women in Business to name a few, in both business and personal life, and all her other achievements, all speak as to what kind of person she is, what she's become, and the discipline she's exercised to enjoy a flourishing business. Join us as we exchange views and important lessons and together be inspired to do great for ourselves and those who are under our employ, and to find the wisdom amidst challenges.

• Life happens for you, not to you.
• You are the average of the five people you surround yourself with; surrounding yourself with a really good tribe is so vital.
• Your dreams weren’t put inside you to torture you, they were put inside you to drive you and to help you back up when you fall on your knees, not if you fall and scrape your knees, but when you do.
• Do the dream, don’t just have a dream; don’t just tell people about your dream, but do your dream and then see what happens.
• Kristi’s driving force for culture was to build a place where families could come first.

• [00:45] Who is Kriti Piehl?
• [02:42] Kristi explains the different types of media
• [04:27] Kristi gives us more of her background story
  “It really, for me, came down to wanting to help people with my passion.”
• [09:45] How Kristi waved through hefty waters.
  “I was not going to allow my career to dictate my life any longer.”
• [12:05] A walk through on how Media Minefield's first build process was.
  “It was the right time and I had the right people around me who believed in it.” 
• [15:19] Alissa shares a similar sentiment as Kristi's
• [16:50] The challenges Kristi faced and what would have been her advice to herself?
  “You want to be a disruptor so why are you trying to build something other people have built? Do you and do it better than anyone else and then other people will follow you.”
• [20:05] What Kristi's always loved to do.
• [21:15] Alissa shares the four things that make you awesome.
• [23:24] How Kristi managed the growth of her team
  “I had an obligation to see how far that could go.”
• [28:15] The piece of advice from Kristi for those who want a stable business growth.
  “We have to believe that our greatest asset is the people around us.”
• [31:46] How Kristi decided what kind of culture she wanted?
  “It’s about ensuring that we have the right kind of people who can really thrive in this kind of environment.”
• [33:47] Where to find Kristi?

• Media Minefield Website
• Kristi Facebook
• Kristi Twitter
• Kristi LinkedIn
• Kristi Instagram
• Media Minefield Facebook
• Media Minefield Twitter
• Media Minefield LinkedIn
• Media Minefield Instagram

The episode today is nothing short of awesome. It's packed with nuggets of wisdom all throughout. We sit down today with a remarkable individual and business owner who's brought his company to the Inc. 5000 list 10 times. Yep, 10 times! Imagine that. He’s also been named as Executive of the Year in Real Estate for 2019. Of course, successes as huge as these don’t happen overnight (like I've repeatedly said). Find out what Kevin Ortner did to make that happen and what he continues to do to ensure stability, scalability, profitability of his business all the while maintaining their culture of people-first. Bring out those pens and notepads and make sure to jot down important pointers that will surely be useful in your own business.

• You can’t paint a mural on the wall and hope that everybody will like it.
• Don’t grow just because there’s more money behind it.
• You can’t just write your culture down on a culture planning map and then have that end up being your culture one day.

• [03:00] Kevin gives us a quick rundown of his humble start.
• [07:12] Why investing in people first is the greatest thing Kevin did with his business early on.
  “We took off the ones that we weren’t great at or didn’t like and gave it to someone else.”
• [09:51] Sharing responsibilities when there's more than one visionary in the leadership.
  “We knew where our strengths lay with each other and played on those.”
• [11:40] A big pothole Kevin faced and how they got through it.
• [14:02] How Kevin grew and fused their culture over the years as they were ramping up.
• [17:06] Alissa shares the same firm belief with Kevin.
• [17:59] How fast did Kevin's employee growth go?
• [18:42] Where else is Renters’ Warehouse expanding to?
• [20:00] The pros and cons and some insights on scaling and whether to franchise or be a corporation.
• [24:30] The one thing Kevin wish someone had said to him when he was just starting.
  “Surrounding yourself with the right resources, the right people, who can help you out and be supportive of you I think is really important.”
• [26:00] Alissa's stance on getting a coach.
  “You cannot read the label from inside your own jar. That’s the reason to get a coach.”
• [27:40] Kevin's podcast and where to find him.

• Rent Estate Podcast
• Renters Warehouse
• Connect with Kevin on LinkedIn
• Connect with Kevin on Twitter
• Connect with Kevin on Facebook
• Rent Estate Revolution: Today's Key to Retirement Security, Financial Freedom & the New American Dream