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What Might You Bring Into Existence in the New Year?

30 December, 2022

Contributed by Brian Kight, an entrepreneur, coach, keynote speaker and EO member in Colorado. Brian is the founder of Daily Discipline, through which he shares powerful mindsets and explores personal skills that help accelerate the path to achieving your biggest priorities. In his work as a coach, he helps teams simplify and execute on leadership, culture and discipline.

Today is the most important day of your life.

When you see a beautiful sculpture or hear a moving song, remember that a person made that. It did not exist. They brought it to life. They pulled inspiration, formed a vision, gathered resources, applied their skills, and turned a fleeting idea into a spectacular reality.

People bring things like art, music, books, and even entire nations into existence through personal willingness and ability. They fight through boredom, doubt, and distraction. They apply talent, skill, and determination.

We see and experience the result of those efforts. I want you to consider with whom those efforts began and the creator’s personal experience.

All the people who created the music you love, the products you rely on, and the books that have changed your life have traded conformity for excellence. They discarded certainty to chase opportunity. They exchanged valuable parts of their own lives to create value that impacted the lives of others. They heard the doubts, their own and from others, and stepped forward anyway.

Most importantly, these people didn’t have to do all that work. They didn’t have to devote themselves. They didn’t owe us anything. These people honored their gifts by voluntarily bringing them to the world. In some cases, they were well compensated for their contribution. In other cases, they were ridiculed or ruined, only later gaining the proper recognition for their devotion and impact.

They did not sit idly by believing greatness belonged to other people. They did not hide their talents behind fear, bury their potential behind doubt, or allow their visions to fade into the universe, never to be realized.

They did not possess immediate, flawless, and limitless talent. Nor were they endowed with magical powers or divine intervention. They were like you. They are like you.

They simply chose to put what was inside them to work. And what they didn’t have inside them, they decided to learn. And what they struggled to learn, they struggled with until they understood it. And what they couldn’t learn, they persevered through. And what they couldn’t persevere through, they accepted and worked with instead.

This and more is within you, too.

It has been within anyone who has made a contribution to our world and anyone who has allowed their possibilities to lie dormant.

These decisions explain the history of our world. They will tell our future too. The only unknown is who will be among the courageous creators that author our next chapters and who will simply consume what others devoted their lives to create.

Answer the call. Do the work.

This post originally appeared on Daily Discipline, a free daily message to accelerate your path to your biggest priorities, and is reposted here with permission.

For more insights and inspiration from today’s leading entrepreneurs, check out EO on Inc. and more articles from the EO blog.

Categories: Entrepreneurial Journey Inspirational Make a Mark

Tags: Brian Kight Daily Discipline entrepreneurs' organization eo colorado

Why now is the ideal time to learn from your successes

28 December, 2022

Contributed by Brooke Lively, an Entrepreneurs’ Organization (EO) member in Fort Worth. Brooke is founder and president of Cathedral Capital, which provides strategic financial advice to drive profit by creating customized teams of financial professionals to analyze data trends and guide entrepreneurs through their numbers so they can predictably scale and grow their businesses. Brooke recently shared 4 Timely Business Lessons to Improve Your Company’s Future Profitability on EO on Inc.

I love what we at my company call the “quiet period”. That time between Christmas and New Year’s when we don’t schedule client calls or meetings with colleagues. The week that we use to catch up and think. And it’s the thinking that I find most valuable.

What worked this year? And the reverse of that same coin: What didn’t work? What will we continue to do, and what do we need to delegate, automate or simply eliminate?

Note what didn’t work

Let’s start with what didn’t work, because that is where everybody always focuses. Take a step back and look at this year’s initiatives. Which ones didn’t work and why? And don’t just settle on the first why—really dig. Was it the wrong time of year, or did it not have the full support of a really well-thought-out marketing campaign?

Where are the bottlenecks in your company? These are always great places to find efficiencies and therefore leaking profit. My caution to you here is, again, don’t settle for the surface problem. Keep asking what we call the AWE question, “And What Else?” And what else could be causing that? And what causes that? And what causes that? Keep asking until you actually get to the root cause of the bottleneck or problem. Stop treating the symptoms in your business and start treating the actual problems.

Don’t overlook goals achieved

But it’s the things that did work this year that I want you to think about the most. Dan Sullivan wrote a book called The Gap and the Gain after discovering that entrepreneurs suffered from a high level of depression and dissatisfaction. They felt like they were always reaching for, but never achieving their goals—even when they were really successful. Can you guess why? Because every time they got close to a goal, they moved the finish line.

I remember trying so hard and for so long to hit that elusive US$1 million mark in revenue. I scratched and clawed my way toward it with incremental progress. I felt like I would never get there.

And then one night I was at an EO event, and somebody asked me when I would graduate from EO Accelerator and join EO. “As soon as I hit US$1 million in revenue, of course,” was my response. They asked how close I was. Close, I thought.

So I pulled up QuickBooks on my phone, and it turns out I had annualized US$1 million in revenue a couple of months earlier. And I had missed it. Why? Because I had already recorded several months over $85K, so I had moved my monthly goal to $100K.

I moved my goal from US$1 million to US$1.2 million so fast that I never noticed I had hit my original goal. I didn’t stop and celebrate. When you do this, goals become like the horizon—no matter how fast you run, how much you sell, or how hard you grind, you will never reach it. And that is demoralizing.

Celebrate your successes

So take the quiet period this year and look back. What were the milestones you skipped over almost without noticing? What projects went well? What parts of your business are running like a well-oiled machine? Pick those out. Celebrate them! Then dissect them, because they hold the secret to your profitability.

If you can learn the lessons of your success, nothing can stop you in 2023.

For more insights and inspiration from today’s leading entrepreneurs, check out EO on Inc. and more articles from the EO blog.

Categories: Best Practices Lessons Learned WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS

Tags: Brooke Lively CathCap Cathedral Capital entrepreneurs' organization EO Fort Worth

Digital marketing survival strategies for tough economic times

22 December, 2022

As every business owner knows, certain things are outside of your control when it comes to the success of your company. The economy is one example. No matter how hard you work, you can’t control economic trends and market fluctuations, but you can tweak your strategies to accommodate difficult financial times and proactively prepare your business for your customers’ mindsets during these periods.

With some level of economic recession widely expected in 2023, here are six ways you can prepare for survival in what may be a difficult economic environment.

1. Adjust your business model

Businesses need to be flexible and know how to adapt, especially when the economy dips. You might find that foot traffic slows or people spend more in some areas than others in a bid to save money. Knowing how to pivot your business model to stay valuable to your audience is the key to riding out tough times. Whatever direction you decide to go in, make sure you adapt your digital strategy to suit. For example, make sure to update your Google Business Profile, so customers know what services you offer and so that your website is optimized for new search terms to reflect the way your customers are searching now.

2. Trim the fat on socials

There’s no denying that social media offers incredible marketing opportunities for businesses, and it should absolutely form part of any digital marketing strategy. But when you want to leverage your position in an economic dip, targeting your focus is the way to go. Look at the results you’re getting from different platforms, and focus your attention on one or two platforms that offer the best ROI for your efforts.

You want to maximize engagement and profits without maximizing your time and expenditure, so reduce your workload by identifying inefficiencies. When a challenging period begins to ease, you can always reintroduce those other platforms.

3. Manage your reputation

In a crisis, people want to work with businesses they can trust, so your online reputation makes a huge difference in times of economic difficulty. Trust is incredibly important to any customer, particularly when finances may be tight. Customers want to know that they’re not wasting their hard-earned money and that the companies they work with will deliver on their promises.

To emphasize to your audience that you’re a business they can trust in trying times, update your tone of voice to ensure your company comes across as sincere and genuine. It’s also a best practice to highlight reviews and testimonials on your site that showcase your reputation by staying active and engaged with your customers.

4. Develop your email content

Email marketing is an ideal way for businesses to develop a personal connection with customers and connect more on a human level. When you’re trying to keep your business afloat during challenging times, having a list of loyal subscribers you can create personalized communications for can make all the difference to your engagement levels. You can automate much of the email process too, which increases efficiency and cuts back on operating costs.

Nurturing your loyal client base is essential in difficult times, so it is critical to make sure you understand the needs of your customers and respond accordingly. Email marketing offers a platform for learning more about what your customers are interested in and engaging with, but also in providing content that’s tailored to them. It’s a personalized conversation with your customers to build those relationships.

5. Respond to data

In order to grow your business in any economic climate, rely on data rather than intuition. Smart business owners know that you shouldn’t make decisions without data-driven insights to back them up. Otherwise, you’re relying simply on luck, which is not a guarantee that you’ll beat the competition. Take the time to learn about your customers and any changes that have occurred in your industry, so you can chart the right course of action for your brand.

It’s essential that you don’t lose sight of your company’s goals or avoid overlooking your current customers. It can be tempting to panic and try to gain new customers, but the ones you have now represent a strong foundation for keeping your business in a positive position. Focus on client retention and developing those relationships, as well as maintaining your reputation to instill trust and loyalty.

6. Optimize your Google Ads

When finances are tight, you don’t want to waste money unnecessarily. One area where that’s a risk is Google Ads. Digital advertising is a fantastic way to generate targeted traffic fast, but it’s also worth reviewing your ads to make sure you’re skipping any keywords that are no longer relevant or that aren’t garnering results. By telling Google you don’t want to show ads for negative keywords, you can optimize your spend and keep that marketing budget for better use today or further down the road.

Contributed by Annie Button, an established business writer based in the UK who focuses on business growth and development, branding, digital marketing and HR trends to help businesses thrive. You can read her article about

For more insights and inspiration from today’s leading entrepreneurs, check out EO on Inc. and more articles from the EO blog.

Categories: PR/MARKETING STRATEGY

Tags: Annie button entrepreneurs' organization Google Ads Google Business Profile

The 4 main types of selling (and when to use them)

20 December, 2022

At its core, sales is the process of convincing a customer to purchase something by using a series of planned and polished communication techniques. Good selling involves helping customers understand what they need and want so that they’re more likely to buy your products.

There is no one-size-fits-all solution for selling products—what works for one company or industry may not work for another. And if sales stagnate, it’s time to ask questions and explore new methods.

The key is to find a distinctive sales strategy that benefits your business. To help you do so, I’ve detailed the four main types of selling along with the right time and situation to use them so that you can determine which would be most beneficial for your company.

There are different sales methods that you can use to appeal to your customer. Interestingly, many people who have been in sales for a long time are unaware of these four main types of selling. They include:

1. Solution selling

In the solution selling methodology, the salesperson takes a comprehensive approach to understand a prospect’s needs and then recommends products based on the client’s problem. The solution-selling method puts the customer’s needs and wants at the center of the selling process, making it more personalized and tailored to them.

In this case, your prospects know they have a problem but are unsure how to fix it, so the most important sign to look for in clients is that the client needs a tailor-made support solution that meets their specific needs. You can use this method for products or services with a slightly longer buying process, where the ROI is high. This is an excellent option if your clients are looking for long-term solutions.

2. Transactional selling

Sales representatives negotiate with customers to promote products or services in transactional selling. The sales process typically involves identifying potential customers, developing relationships with them, pitching them a product or service, and closing the sale. Your ideal prospect knows what their problems are and what possible solutions there are, but they want a custom-made product.

With this strategy, the representative usually gets in touch with the customer and then attempts to negotiate a sale. This method works better when the sales representative and customer have a pre-existing relationship. You can use this method for short sale cycles—retail, real estate or automotive—and one-time purchases.

3. Consultative selling

The consultative selling approach is about creating value and trust with potential customers and exploring their needs. With consultative selling, the salesperson’s primary goal is to establish a relationship with the customer; their second objective is to identify and provide the customer with the product they need. This is a complex sales approach to implement because it requires a highly experienced salesforce who are good communicators that ask the right questions and engage with customers throughout their journey. The end goal of consultative selling is to establish a consulting relationship with the client.

Consultative selling can be an effective sales strategy in any industry that aims to generate long-term revenue and profit rather than simply making a quick sale. For example, purchasing a car. In that case, the car salesperson takes the time to ask the client several questions about their needs and purpose before making a suggestion.

4. Provocative selling

Provocation-based selling targets a problem the customer is not aware of, but that is critically important. Once the customer is informed about the issue, they are willing to take care of it. The salesperson must create urgency and show that the customer’s current chosen method is not a safe option. Sales professionals see these challenges as opportunities to show that their products are not just a nice addition but essential.

You can use the provocative selling method to help increase sales during normal situations and when business is slow. You can use digital marketing services like digital PR, video marketing, influencer marketing services, and many more. It gives your customers an insight into your business and how you can assist them with their needs.

Get ready to market!

Focusing on your goals and expectations helps you figure out the most suitable sales strategy for your specific business and industry. Think about what you want to achieve and what steps you need to take to get there. The answers will help you focus your sales efforts and ensure that you’re on the right track.

Contributed to EO by Greg Walthour, the founder and CEO of SocialSEO, a digital marketing firm that made the 2022 Inc. 5000 list and offers a variety of digital marketing services including SEO, SEM, social media, influencer, email, Amazon, and video. Based in Colorado Springs, Colorado, SocialSEO is a national brand with a diverse client portfolio.

For more insights and inspiration from today’s leading entrepreneurs, check out EO on Inc. and more articles from the EO blog.

Categories: Sales

Tags: entrepreneurs' organization Greg Walthour Inc. 5000 SocialSEO

EO Members Share Their Favorite In-Person Moments from 2022

16 December, 2022

In 2022, EO members enjoyed a long-awaited return to in-person events at the global, regional and local levels. We asked EO members about their most memorable moments and inspiring in-person encounters in the EO community. Here’s what they shared:

EO Global Leadership Conference (GLC) and MyEO Women Summit

“It’s been great being back together, especially with other leaders at EO’s Global Leadership Conference (GLC), where we learned together in our respective tracks and also learned from great speakers. Daniel Pink’s presentation, The Power of Regret, provided an opportunity to rethink and re-frame my mindset.

“The MyEO Women Summit in Barcelona was also fantastic, with 100 other women and men experiencing the sounds, sights, and flavors of Spain. Winnie Hart‘s presentation on how to Stand Out as a Thought Leader provided great tools that reaffirmed why I do what I do.”

— Katty Douraghy, EO US Central Bridge, president, Artisan Creative

UGG founder Brian’s Smith’s story at EO GLC

“I am happy that in-person learning is back. I get tremendous value from the speakers and opportunities to connect with fellow EOers in our chapter.

“My favorite learning event this year was hearing UGG founder Brian Smith’s story at EO GLC. His story reminded me we’re on an entrepreneurial journey—it’s not a destination. It was inspiring to hear how his perseverance carried him through, and how he discovered new micro-niches that resulted in UGG achieving levels he never thought possible.

“We have all faced challenges in the last few years. Brian’s story was a prime example of entrepreneurial spirit and determination.”

— Rick Gardiner, EO Minnesota, founder and CEO, iAffiliate Management

Meeting new EO friends at global events

“Meeting EO members from all over the world for the Tomorrowland Music Festival (near my hometown) was an unforgettable experience! We had drinks together, partied together and of course there’s a strong level of trust amongst EO members so it’s very easy to connect.

“More recently, 90+ members were together in Qatar for the football World Cup. There were members from all over—including Ecuador, Argentina, India, and the US. We met up for football games, exchanged tickets, explored the city together and helped each other if needed—because we could easily trust each other as part of the EO family.

“I think that’s the most important thing in both those events: Thanks to EO, you are immediately connected into a network of people whom you can trust and rely on without having to look for it in a foreign country.”

— Shrowen Shah, EO Belgium, owner of Passion Je we ls

Skiing and talking business with EO friends

“I went skiing with two EO members in Breckenridge, Colorado. One from Florida and the other from Colorado. I’d never skied with either of them—and they don’t know each other.

“We talked personal and business. My Florida EO friend shared e-commerce resources, and I sent him two podcasts that pertained to his business. He was in town with family, so I got to meet them.

“My Colorado EO friend just purchased an iconic zip line and rafting company. We talked strategy and EOS on the chairlift. We thoroughly enjoyed sharing our common love for skiing and business.”

— Byron Walker, EO Colorado, founder and CEO, Survival Frog

EO Entrepreneurial Masters Program, Year One

“For me, it was EO Entrepreneurial Masters Program (EMP), Year One. It is fascinating to share the experience with 65 like-minded entrepreneurs and learn together for four days of full networking and knowledge.

“The best thing is that we meet every year for three years, which allows us to keep in touch. I even have an EMP Forum aside from my regular EO Forum, which makes the relationship with seven other entrepreneurs outstanding. I can’t wait for our next in-person session!”

— Alex Kassab, EO South Florida, co-founder, Morelia Gourmet Paletas

Our in-person team retreat

“We held our 2022 in-person retreat in Fayetteville, NC. Why Fayetteville? Because my second-in-command/integrator just had a baby. To make it easier for her, we rented a beautiful home nearby, where we stayed together.

“We cooked and ate meals together, played games, plus of course, we did strategy and planning work. It was incredible. Several team members had never met, and it strengthened those relationships 100-fold.”

“I showered them with love and attention. I cooked for them—bacon, of course!—and created experiences that bonded us.

“As convenient as it is to work remotely, nothing replaces in-person connections. Laughing with each other, challenging conversations, and just hanging out all make such a difference.”

— Wendy Lieber, EO South Florida, co-founder and CEO, ContentBacon

Reconnecting with my team

“For me, it’s been reconnecting and rebuilding the collaborative and fun environment we once had (you can’t quite build culture over Zoom!). We started with a “come as you please” approach to getting our team used to being back in the office. We had been working remotely for over a year; we needed a grace period.

“We then adopted a hybrid work model where team members would be in the office 2-3 days a week, on the days of their choosing. We finally landed on a more structured hybrid model of being in the office Tuesdays through Thursdays and working from home the rest of the week. This framework has really worked well for us! For teams like ours that require creative thinking and collaborative engagement, it feels like the optimal model.

“We prioritize team bonding and collaboration during our days in the office. Overall, we’ve had a smooth transition back into the office, and we credit our hybrid approach. Having a structured plan has allowed us to be flexible yet still have collaborative, engaged time together on a regular basis.”

— Zahir Palanpur, EO Atlanta, founder and CEO, Azul Arc

For more insights and inspiration from today’s leading entrepreneurs, check out EO on Inc. and more articles from the EO blog.

Categories: international members MyEO Experiences

Tags: Alex Kassab Artisan Creative Azul Arc Brian Smith Byron Walker ContentBacon Daniel Pink emp entrepreneurial masters program entrepreneurs' organization EO Belgium eo colorado EO Florida EO GLC eo minnesota EO South Florida EO US Central Bridge EOAtlanta GLC 2022 Global Leadership Conference iAffiliate Management katty douraghy MyEo Women Passion Jewels Rick Gardiner Shrowen Shah Survival Frog Tomorrowland Music Festival wendy lieber Winnie Hart Zahir Palanpur

Upgrade Your Leadership Skills to Stabilize Your Team and Maintain Momentum

14 December, 2022

The pandemic was the strongest catalyst for workplace change I’ve seen in my lifetime. It disrupted the way work was done, which means it also impacted how leaders operate. Remote and hybrid work became the new normal overnight, and leaders had to quickly transition to new processes and systems.

Why was the shift to remote work so powerful? It challenged leaders to think beyond the status quo. As a business consultant, I saw senior leaders shift their teams to fully remote work when, prior to the pandemic, they only allowed flexible schedules on an individually earned basis. Leaders displayed tremendous adaptability during the pandemic—an outcome my consulting company’s been pushing for years.

Luckily, the change seems permanent even as the world opens up again. Some companies are going fully remote while others have drastically expanded their flexible work policies. In many ways, hybrid and remote work created corporate excitement around trying new things. It’s helped leaders reframe their mindset from why something can’t work to how it can work.

According to Gallup, leaders in this new landscape need to “lean on the leadership actions that are empirically proven to stabilize organizations and help them succeed.”

Here are three action steps to better lead your company in an ever-evolving business world:

1. Be deliberate about establishing one-on-one connections.

Building relationships is important, but some leaders deprioritize team development when things get busy. During the early stages of the pandemic, it seemed leaders made extra effort to connect as employees went virtual. Don’t lose that progress.

Sit down with your employees and have expectation conversations. Share what they can expect from you as their leader (proactive communication, interest in their personal development, transparency, etc.). Ask them what else is important to them from a leadership perspective. Then, share the expectations you have of them (client relationships, quality of work, how they engage and support the team, etc.).

After these conversations, you should schedule regular one-on-one meetings. Work with your employees to figure out agendas and cadences that work for them. For example, some of my team members prefer weekly meetings laser-focused on development, and others prefer monthly check-ins to chat about personal updates. These are meetings for employees, so focus on what they want to talk about. Take time to get to know your people personally, and be willing to let your walls down.

2. Stop communicating on a “need to know” basis.

Don’t filter what communication you give employees. You can help people trust you and the company more by sharing the good, the bad, and the ugly. Paychex reports that more than 84 percent of employees with transparent leaders are satisfied with their employers. If your team doesn’t know what’s going on in the business, they can’t help you solve problems.

Be sure to talk about the health of the company in terms of financials, customer wins and losses, and overall strategy. Position this communication not as a one-way presentation but rather collaborative conversation. By sharing the challenges or problems you encounter, you can leverage the collective group’s ideation power and uncover more solutions. And when you communicate how much you value people’s ideas, they’ll be more likely to make suggestions and work harder.

It’s likely that employees may have questions and concerns when you share information. Even if you don’t have all the answers, that’s okay. It gives you the chance to hear people out and demonstrate that perfection isn’t expected.

3. Boost engagement by relying on your team.

Engagement decreases when employees don’t feel needed or appreciated. Recognition increases employee productivity, loyalty and retention. You must view team members as more than just sets of hands. Their potential extends beyond the jobs they do every day.

There are countless ways to engage workers. For example, Southwest Airlines gives workers control over certain job aspects, such as their uniforms and work-life balance. Encourage your employees to help set department goals, improve productivity, or share hiring responsibilities. When you engage employees, you give them a chance to make a difference. This adds meaning to their work and helps them provide better service to your customers.

Once you’ve engaged your team, you’re going to hear new ideas and recommendations. Whether you consider a team member’s idea good or bad, take the time to listen. Think about what’s truly possible. Instead of saying no off the bat, start asking questions: “How do you see this working? What obstacles do you expect, and how do you plan to overcome them?”

Covid-19 forced businesses to be more flexible—and the workforce responded positively. Now, the onus is on you as a leader to maintain that momentum, hear out new ideas, and believe in employees. Remember: The old way of doing things isn’t always the best way.

Contributed to EO by Gloria St. Martin-Lowry, the president of HPWP Group, which promotes leadership and organizational development through positivity, coaching, and problem-solving. HPWP is driven to create high-performing workplaces by partnering with courageous leaders who value the contributions of team members.

For more insights and inspiration from today’s leading entrepreneurs, check out EO on Inc. and more articles from the EO blog.

Categories: LEADERSHIP PEOPLE/STAFF

Tags: best practices entrepreneurs' organization Gloria St. Martin-Lowry HPWP Group Southwest Airlines

7 Tips for Success from a PR and Connection Superhero

9 December, 2022

Justin Breen self-describes as “a Dad who happens to be an entrepreneur.” His own father died when Justin was just 13, so spending time with his sons, ages 8 and 10, takes precedence over all else.

Five years ago, Justin started his public relations company, BrEpic Communications, with zero business experience. After being a journalist for 20 years, Justin created his company for two reasons:

1. To create stories that people will understand and that the media wants to cover.

2. To get those stories out into the world.

Justin joined EO Accelerator and leveraged his global network to achieve success. He quickly qualified to join EO Chicago. As a connecting superhero for visionary entrepreneurs with an abundance mindset, he partners with numerous EO members.

In a recent EO 360° podcast episode with host Dave Will (EO Boston), Justin shared seven significant takeaways that will benefit every entrepreneur who wants to grow and scale:

1. Know your skill set

Justin says he excels in exactly two areas: “I’m a great dad, and I’m great at connecting people on a global level. I don’t care about revenue, office space or employee count. I do what I do, and the rest takes care of itself. I provide value to the right people, and then great things happen.”

Justin’s greatest skill is seeing complexities, simplifying them into patterns, and then acting on it. “I don’t overthink it,” he says. “I activate, maximize and achieve.”

2. Know your brain

Justin is a fan of strengths finders, specifically the Kolbe Index. “Your Kolbe score describes how your brain works,” Justin explains.

The Kolbe Index identifies four instinctual styles that identify how people activate in every situation:

“Quick starters” who use trial and error to swing into action.
“Fact finders” who require information and research.
“Follow through-ers” who use a very methodical approach.
“Implementers” who figure things out via model-building or other tools.

Justin’s personal Kolbe number shows high quick-start, high follow-through and high fact-finder scores. He takes action and does things rapidly rather than talking things through at length. “I just say it, do it, don’t overthink it —and it just gets done.”

Justin notes that many visionary entrepreneurs are great at ideation but not follow-through. That helps Justin tailor what he offers to high-level entrepreneurs: “I simplify their story into an immediate message and then introduce them to the right people in my global network. It causes a chain reaction, and awareness grows from there.”

3. Know your audience

Justin shares a unique view of his work: “I don’t compete with anybody; I just collaborate with people at the highest level,” he says. “I have a four-step process. I only partner with the .1% of people who live in abundance and who are visionaries that look at PR and connection as investments. If someone asks how much my services cost or what the ROI is, we’re not going to work together.”

While some people may think that limits his audience, Justin points out: “There are 8 billion people on the planet — 0.1% of 8 billion is 8 million. Those 8 million are the people who create the ideas that change the world. That’s who I work with.”

4. Know the formula for success

Justin’s formula for creating a successful global company is simple: See a problem, create a solution, solve the problem—and you have a successful global company.

He did it with his first company, and he’s doing it again with BrEpic Network, which he describes as LinkedIn without all the fluff. It’s currently available by invitation only, and it’s a high price point, high-opportunity platform.

“I was annoyed by platforms that let everyone in because, at the highest level, you don’t have time for people trying to sell you things. People at that level just want the connections. That’s what we provide.”

5. Know where to get heard

While the Wall Street Journal and Forbes came up in the conversation as places entrepreneurs gain PR exposure, Justin says that podcasts such as EO 360° and EO Wonder and Maestros del Escalamiento are far better platforms to share entrepreneurial stories. Here’s why:

The host is an entrepreneur, not a journalist, so they’re coming from a place of abundance rather than scarcity.
You get a deep dive and get to know someone for a full 45 minutes, not three to five minutes like on tv or radio.
The audience may not be as large, but it’s a far more qualified audience who are interested in what high-level entrepreneurs have to share.

6. Know your value

While media opportunities are great, it’s how you leverage those connections that counts. For example, if you gain an introduction to a high-level entrepreneur who hosts their own podcast or has another platform, they may also become collaborators or potential investors.

Justin and Dave discussed that PR is not always about getting the word out to the masses. It’s about getting in front of the two or three influencers who are really significant to you and your product.

“The people I partner with understand the value of the connections with other high-level, visionary entrepreneurs. They see the long-term, long-game, building relationships approach, and know its value.”

7. There are no excuses

Though Justin didn’t have the benefit of a lot of years with his father, the eight or so years he remembers are significant. His dad taught Justin at least two lessons that he uses daily: The cream rises to the top, and there’s no tolerance for people who make excuses.

“As a result, I only partner with the cream that rises to the top—because they are the people who will do whatever it takes to make things happen,” Justin shares. “And just like my father, I have no tolerance for people who make excuses.”

“There are no excuses. Not at this level. If you have the right mindset, you’ll figure it out.”

For more insights and inspiration from today’s leading entrepreneurs, check out EO on Inc. and more articles from the EO blog.

Categories: BUSINESS GROWTH PR/MARKETING Public Relations

Tags: BrEpic Communications BrEpic Network Dave Will entrepreneurs' organization EO 360 EO 360 podcast EO Accelerator EO Chicago EO Wonder Justin Breen Kolbe Index Maestros del Escalamiento

3 Ways to Improve Engagement in Front-Line Employees

7 December, 2022

Employee burnout figures are on the rise, a fact that no company should ignore. According to Gallup research from 2021, nearly three-quarters of all employees report sometimes feeling burned out. And that’s not good for them or their organizations.

Yet burnout isn’t inevitable, including among frontline employees. Frontline workers tend to be especially susceptible to burnout. Often, they’re the ones who deal with immediate, customer-facing issues. Take healthcare workers in the US, for example. The problem of burnout among medical staff members has reached such a critical level that it’s being addressed by the Surgeon General.

Fortunately, there are steps you can take to prevent even your frontline teams from experiencing burnout. As Gallup also noted, employees who felt engaged and recognized were less likely to experience burnout. At the same time, they were more productive and not as quick to tender their resignations as their burned-out coworkers.

Here are three engagement strategies that could help your frontline workers avoid burnout:

1. Publicly acknowledge high performers.

Every company has high performers. You want yours to stick around. Show them they’re valued by publicly acknowledging them regularly. For instance, you might want to give out high-quality Employee of the Month plaques as rewards for outstanding efforts. A plaque represents your gratitude in a very tangible and displayable way. This helps frontline workers feel more connected to, and essential in, their roles.

In addition to giving plaques and awards, be sure to highlight Employee of the Month winners in your newsletter and on social media. You can’t say “thank you” enough to the frontline team members who make your organization thrive.

2. Give frontline workers more authority.

Working directly with consumers, customers, patients, and other end users can be challenging. It’s even more challenging when frontline employees can’t do anything without approval. It’s much easier to promote widespread engagement by giving your frontline team members the authority to make decisions within specified parameters.

Consider your customer service personnel. It might save time and money to give them the ability to spend up to a certain dollar amount on each unhappy customer. The dollar amount doesn’t matter — $10, $25, $100, or more — but the sentiment will indicate that you trust their judgment. Don’t be surprised if your frontline personnel start thinking strategically and using their authority in ways that improve your brand image and processes.

3. Hire from within.

Reporting from SHRM reveals that companies that promote from within tend to lose fewer people than those that primarily hire externally. This makes logical sense, given that employees can see that they will be rewarded for longevity. Additionally, they realize that they have the opportunity to embark on a true career—not just have a job—with their employer.

If you don’t already have career mapping and succession planning in place, consider making it happen. Whenever you have a job available above entry-level, be sure all your employees know about it. Frontline workers who are interested can apply. Even if you decide to hire someone else, you’ll know which workers would like to be upwardly mobile in your organization. Think about tapping into their enthusiasm by offering professional training. The next time a role opens up, they might be better suited for candidacy.

No business can afford to lose frontline team members because of disengagement and burnout. Remember: Your frontline people serve as the voices and faces of your company. You need them to succeed. And they’re ready to do their best as long as you treat them with the respect and appreciation they deserve.

Contributed to EO by Mike Szczesny, the owner and vice president of EDCO Awards & Specialties, a dedicated supplier of employee recognition products, branded merchandise, and athletic awards. Szczesny takes pride in EDCO’s ability to help companies go the extra mile in expressing gratitude and appreciation to their employees. He also shares great ideas around how to leverage awards in your company’s marketing efforts.

For more insights and inspiration from today’s leading entrepreneurs, check out EO on Inc. and more articles from the EO blog.

Categories: Company Culture PEOPLE/STAFF

Tags: EDCO Awards & Specialties employee engagement entrepreneurs' organization Mike Szczesny

What I Learned from Quitting a Stable Job to Start My Own Company

2 December, 2022

(And no, it didn’t start as a side hustle.)

After graduation, many job-seekers hunt down positions in established companies with a large pool of clients. That’s precisely what I did as a new lawyer. Working for a big firm provides financial stability, mentorship, exciting cases, and the potential for upward mobility.

But it’s not the best choice for everyone. Some lawyers find the grind of an established firm to be too much, often citing poor work-life balance, limited control, or long hours as reasons for branching out on their own.

In this case, opening a solo practice may be the best choice. However, it’s a challenge to get a law firm—or any newly established company—off the ground. It takes time and dedication to become profitable.

Looking to quit your stable position to venture out on your own? You can do it! And no, you don’t need to start with a side hustle.

Here are five lessons I learned from quitting my job to start my own firm, which apply to anyone looking to make the leap from employee to entrepreneur:

1. Plan your departure carefully

How you leave your current job can make or break your future. It’s important to leave on good terms with transparency to maintain a good relationship. You may be able to rely on your old firm to bring clients into your new one through referrals.

Your established firm may have difficulty fitting small clients into a busy schedule. Referring them to you benefits both of you, but that won’t happen if you leave on bad terms or try to steal clients before you go.

2. Create a client acquisition strategy

Lawyers used to rely on their reputations to bring in new clients. The market has gotten more competitive, however, and clients find lawyers in any number of ways. It takes more than a name and social network to attract new business.

Before you venture out on your own, you need a client acquisition plan to gain momentum for your new firm. A mix of marketing methods, including traditional radio or television ads combined with digital marketing through search or social media, is important.

However you choose to approach your client acquisition, it’s vital to have a strategy with client profiles, a well-functioning website, marketing objectives, and a well-rounded marketing mix. Without a plan, you won’t know what works and what doesn’t.

3. Do the math

Planning the financial aspects of starting a business is challenging. Most people struggle to anticipate all the costs and set an appropriate budget, but this is important for your success.

There’s no hard-and-fast number for what it costs to start a law firm or any new company. You can estimate your costs, however, and determine your budget.

Consider all your expenses, including technology, services, office space and supplies, and professional expenses like licensing and insurance. If you plan to staff or outsource, consider that in your budget.

Lawyers may benefit from a virtual firm. This is a good way to start with low overhead and helps you estimate your costs before you’re stuck with an office building lease. You can set a timeline to open a physical office in the future.

Remember to consider all your expenses. Some often overlooked expenses include office furniture and décor, office supplies like paper, staplers, and filing cabinets, and staff amenities like a coffee machine or a table and chairs for a breakroom.

Ideally, you’ll have enough money set aside to cover your professional and personal expenses for a year or so. If your firm performs well and you have unexpected expenses, you’ll have a cushion to get by until you can bring in more clients.

4. Nurture your network

If your former law firm can give you referrals, that’s a great start for your new firm. If not, you can rely on your personal and professional networks to get referrals. Don’t be shy about reaching out to people who may need your services.

For example, if you’re a family law attorney, you can speak to local therapists and counselors. If you’re in personal injury law, contact the local healthcare providers to see if they have referrals for you.

Start networking as soon as possible. If you’re planning to open your own firm, letting people know early is a good practice to get your name out there in advance. It’s not appropriate to speak to your current firm’s clients, however, unless you’ve already discussed your plan to open your own firm.

5. Venture out on your own

Going solo isn’t a small undertaking, but it’s well worth it! You’ll have control over your practice and your career, and there’s a sense of satisfaction when you tackle the obstacles to create your future success.

Contributed to EO by Maxwell Hills, the founder of Hills Law Group a premier Orange County divorce law firm. Max’s entrepreneurial career stretches back to his teenage days when he had his music used in Grey’s Anatomy and ESPN. Max leveraged that experience to build Hills Law Group from 0 customers and $0 in revenue into a respected firm in the industry.

For more insights and inspiration from today’s leading entrepreneurs, check out EO on Inc. and more articles from the EO blog

Categories: Entrepreneurial Journey Lessons Learned STARTUP

Tags: entrepreneurs' organization Hills Law Group Maxwell Hills Orange County

The Excuse Leaders Must Remove From Their Vocabulary

30 November, 2022

There’s a response to a commonly asked question that’s become a conversational crutch:

“How’s it going?”

“Good! Just busy.”

This exchange is ubiquitous in both our personal and professional lives. It’s as if busyness carries a certain status symbol. Yet, being “busy” doesn’t make us happier; and it doesn’t make us more productive. It just means we are filling all of our available time.

Years ago, in one of our quarterly offsite meetings, a leadership team member told our facilitator, “I just don’t have enough time!” The facilitator looked at her, then at all of us, and said, “As a leader, ‘not enough time’ is an excuse you all must take out of your vocabulary. If you are waiting for all this free time to come, it’s never going to happen. It’s about what you prioritize and how you use your time. Effective leaders know how to prioritize what’s most important.”

His words have stuck with me. Even though I still find the phrasing “I’ve been busy!” on the tip of my tongue when someone asks me how I’ve been, I make a conscious effort not to say it. I try and remind my team to do the same.

Instead of hopelessly waiting to be given the gift of more free time, consider what high-achievers do to stay focused and accomplish large, long-term goals. They:

Accept that time is a precious and fixed resource
Know how to separate urgent from important
Align their top priorities with their core purpose and or core values
Don’t book 100% of their time; they value rest and relaxation
Constantly look for things that they should stop doing
Are selective about the people they give their energy to

Management guru Peter Drucker has said that effective leaders record, manage and consolidate their time. If we were more accountable and honest with ourselves about our time and how we spend it, I think we’d all be far more effective and happier. Turns out, most people aren’t very accurate in recollecting how they spent their time in a given day or week.

When an important task isn’t getting done, it’s important to acknowledge and admit that you have chosen to spend your time on less important tasks (i,e., posting on Facebook and Instagram). Instead of saying. “I didn’t have enough time,” try saying, “I chose to do X today instead of Y,” or “I’m getting distracted,” or “I’m focusing on the wrong things.”

This honesty and accountability will help you use your time more wisely, accomplish more and be less “busy.”

“The price of anything is the amount of life you exchange for it.”
– Henry David Thoreau

This post originally appeared on Robert Glazer’s Friday Forward newsletter and is reprinted here with permission.

Contributed by Robert Glazer, a former EO Boston member who is the founder and chairman of the board of Acceleration Partners, a global partner marketing agency and the recipient of numerous industry and company culture awards. He is the author of the inspirational newsletter Friday Forward and #1 Wall Street Journal bestselling author of five books: Elevate, Friday Forward, How To Thrive In The Virtual Workplace, Moving To Outcomes and Performance Partnerships. He is also the host of The Elevate Podcast.

For more insights and inspiration from today’s leading entrepreneurs, check out EO on Inc. and more articles from the EO blog.

Categories: LEADERSHIP PEOPLE/STAFF WORK-LIFE INTEGRATION

Tags: acceleration partners entrepreneurs' organization eo boston Friday Forward Peter Drucker robert glazer

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1. Know your skill set

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4. Know the formula for success

5. Know where to get heard

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1. Publicly acknowledge high performers.

2. Give frontline workers more authority.

3. Hire from within.

(And no, it didn’t start as a side hustle.)

1. Plan your departure carefully

2. Create a client acquisition strategy

3. Do the math

4. Nurture your network

5. Venture out on your own