Business Growth Lab

Do you want to make more income? Do you have a problem explaining what you sell? Many service providers can explain what they do and how they do it, but can’t explain in one sentence what they sell. A confused entrepreneur will have a hard time making a sale. A key to solving this confusion is simplicity. In this episode, we share 6 “Ones” that can simplify your business and help you make that important sale today. WHAT YOU’LL DISCOVER IN THIS EPISODE: A confused business owner can’t sell (01:33) Simplicity is key (04:01) The 6 Ones to create more income (09:32) One person (09:52) One problem (13:01) One product or program (14:55) One platform (15:32) One sales process (18:02) One million dollars (21:39) For full show notes and links visit: ‎https://samanthariley.global/podcast/248

It seems like January passed by in the blink of an eye. You may feel this way because you’ve been so busy working. But are you busy doing the right things? Or are you procrastinating? Is this busy-ness moving the needle towards your goals? In this episode, we discuss three tips on how to increase your visibility and attract leads. By establishing and re-establishing relationships using these methods, you continue the conversations with clients, instead of leaving them in the dark. You may also find opportunities in the least likely places. WHAT YOU’LL DISCOVER IN THIS EPISODE: Are you busy doing the right things or are you just procrastinating? (01:18) Moving to what you should be doing vs taking time out (02:40) What will make your day successful? (05:37) How do you show up to people? (09:19) “Low-hanging fruit” (10:17) How to reach out to someone you haven’t spoken to in a while (13:30) Emails keep your list warm (16:16) You can have varied engagements via social media (18:36) Take advantage of the power of personal outreach (21:07) For full show notes and links visit: https://samanthariley.global/podcast/247/

Have you ever had a challenge with effectively managing client expectations? Whether you have a new client or a client you’ve been working with for some time, setting and managing client expectations early and often is key to a lasting relationship. In this episode of the Thought Leaders Business Lab, we share the five-step process for dealing with expectations between you as the business owner, and your client. Managing client expectations is much easier when you set objectives and boundaries at the beginning of your relationship. It is essential that you share the same end goal as your client or customer. While unforeseen hiccups can happen at any phase of working with a client, there are ways to ease the situation and deal with problems as they arise. Of course, every project is different, but client expectation management is an art you can hone and master. WHAT YOU’LL DISCOVER IN THIS EPISODE: We can’t always get it right (2:50) When should you start setting up client expectations? (5:38) Checking in periodically with yourself and your client (6:16) Relationships are a two-way street (6:45) The process prior to signing up new clients (8:17) The foundation stage takes the most time and work (8:40) Celebrating small wins along the way (10:35) Breaking down the steps along the way to set expectations (11:20) Setting expectations per phase (12:33) The five-step process for dealing with misalignment of expectations (15:08) Step One: Acknowledging the breakdown (15:12) Being grateful vs being defensive (16:30) Step Two: Empathize with your client or customer (18:00) Step Three: Getting clarification of what’s going wrong (18:56) Step Four: Way forward (19:32) Step Five: Agreement of the way forward (20:45) Having check-in points with your clients (20:55) For full show notes and links visit: https://samanthariley.global/podcast/246/

The most efficient way to make money is to let your money work for you. This means taking control of your finances then using that control to further improve your financial stability. How can you set yourself up for financial security by making your money work for you? In this episode, I speak with Brian J Brown of Predictable Wealth Advocates, on building wealth and investing in your business. He shares his insights on having the right systems in place to set yourself up for success in this competitive world. Either you work for your money or your money works for you. The choice is all up to you. Are you setting your business and your future up for success? WHAT YOU’LL DISCOVER IN THIS EPISODE: What do I do with my money? (3:25) Putting money back into your business (4:29) Coming up with our own strategy (5:24) Listening to other people and copying them (5:44) Where do you start? (6:25) Where to put your money (6:40) Infinite banking (8:08) Stages of growing your wealth and business (10:18) Investing in your business (11:00) Difference of entrepreneurship and investment (11:39) Asset allocation (13:26) Two currencies: Money and time (15:40) Choosing both business and investment (17:12) For full show notes and links visit: https://samanthariley.global/podcast/245/

New Year’s is the time when many people start making their resolutions. But the thing about resolutions is that they often carry with them the weight of failure. Instead of a new year’s resolution, create a theme to carry you through your year instead. Choosing an overarching theme each year allows your year to take shape in various aspects of your life, versus setting goals in just one specific area. It’s a lens that we can use to make decisions in every area of our life. In this episode, Tim and I share the themes we each chose for this year, plus the 3 key areas to focus on when choosing yours. We hope this episode will give you some ideas to set up for a successful 2021. Share your thoughts with us in the Thought Leaders Business Lab Facebook Group! WHAT YOU’LL DISCOVER IN THIS EPISODE: Double down on know-like-trust (4:10) What is a theme? (4:39) How to come up with your new year’s theme? (5:20) 2021 is the year to niche down (8:25) Does this feel like flow? (12:30) 3 areas to focus on (13:36) What do you want your life to feel like? (14:50) Who do you want to work with? (16:27) Who do you want to have at your dinner table with your children? (17:00) Creating space to make room for the right clients (18:45) What do you need to do to 10x your income? (21:00) Saying yes too often (22:00) For full show notes and links visit: https://samanthariley.global/podcast/244/

Many people are afraid of pursuing their passions because of the fear that nothing will come from this pursuit. Some don’t even know what it is that they want to do in life. If you’re one of these people, then David Henzel’s story might resonate with you. David is a serial entrepreneur who has bootstrapped several successful businesses. A life-changing event made him realise that doing things out of love instead of fear results in success. In this episode, David shares his journey from a misfit in Germany to an entrepreneur in Los Angeles who makes an impact in many people’s lives. He shares the professional and personal lessons he has learnt after many bumps he has encountered along the way. David’s passion to provide value to other people shines so brightly that opportunities and success inevitably follow his work. WHAT YOU’LL DISCOVER IN THIS EPISODE: How David discovered his purpose and passion in life (01:13) Applying business principles to personal life (03:51) Pivoting from one venture to a portfolio of businesses (05:55) The birth of Upcoach (08:03) 2020 has made people reevaluate their lives and businesses (10:00) How to get clear on what you want to do (11:32) How to overcome your fears and do things out of love so you provide value (14:29) Good things happen when you provide value to other people (19:15) Don’t expect something back but always be open to opportunities (23:08) Importance of aligning your business with your mission, vision and values (25:48) Final tips to find your passion in life (34:20) For full show notes and links visit: https://samanthariley.global/podcast/243/

Businesses are built on partnerships. Partnerships are the easiest way to build, grow, and scale your business. In this episode, I speak with Laura Sprinkle and delve into the topic of affiliates, and how you can use them to scale your business. By partnering strategically and in alignment with your values, you can create a partnership program which is a win-win-win-win - that’s a quadruple win! Partnerships are an ecosystem, a group of people whose values aligned come together to serve the greater good. Want to learn how to leverage affiliates to scale your business? Let’s dive in... WHAT YOU’LL DISCOVER IN THIS EPISODE: What are affiliate partnerships? (2:06) How to use affiliate partnerships in the right way for your business (3:02) Making an impact with affiliates and clients (3:35) Win, win, win, win method (3:42) Money is meant to move and flow (5:34) Getting rid of the objections around affiliate marketing (7:05) Removing the negative connotation around affiliates (8:26) The ecosystem of business (9:48) Getting clear with your values in your business (10:04) Are your partners upholding their values? (11:00) Knowing if your partners align with your values and business (13:50) Start with the people closest to you (16:12) Transferring trust through partnerships (18:34) Start building relationships (21:00) Never expect anything in return (21:25) Technology used for affiliate partnerships (22:45) Numbers behind affiliate partnerships (27:13) Having leveraged programs (30:19) Growing the ecosystem of business and partnerships (30:50) What makes a successful affiliate campaign? (32:05) Phases of affiliate partnerships (32:40) For full show notes and links visit: https://samanthariley.global/podcast/242/

The overwhelm of running an online business in a rapidly changing world is something a lot of business owners feel. From building a website, to CRM, to SEO, and the systems & processes needed for your business, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed with all the tech stuff. Because of this, many business owners tend to shy away from technology; run from the things that can actually help to grow and scale your business. In this episode, I speak with Anke Herrmann, Business Coach and Tech Mentor. She shares her thoughts on what it is that makes tech difficult to understand, and how we can find this tech world so much easier to navigate, just by asking the right questions. Want to learn how to stop the overwhelm and tame the tech monster? Let’s dive in... WHAT YOU’LL DISCOVER IN THIS EPISODE: Building a business is a crash course in personal development (4:10) The things we find easy are often the most overlooked things (5:45) What is it that makes tech difficult? (7:20) Limiting beliefs that are holding you back (12:30) Knowing what tech you need for your business (15:35) Start with what you want to create (22:20) Reverse engineering the results you want to achieve (23:05) Getting clear on the questions you want to ask (23:25) What looks like a tech problem never is (24:40) How to know what tech to implement (29:10) Solving the wrong problem (32:00) Asking the right questions to solve your problem (34:10) For full show notes and links visit: https://samanthariley.global/podcast/241/

2020 was a crazy year. The world has been turned upside down and things will never be the same. But as we look to the future, let’s bring our learnings from 2020 into the new year. This episode, I speak with Kiri-Maree Moore and dive into how we are preparing for 2021 in our business and what we see as the challenges and opportunities in the new year. Strong relationships, connections and collaboration are more important than ever, as the main tools to grow your business. By being aware, prepared, and proactive, the pandemic will serve as a catalyst for positive change as we move forward into 2021. WHAT YOU’LL DISCOVER IN THIS EPISODE: Leaders giving from a full tank (4:30) Challenges faced throughout last year (6:00) Zoom fatigue (6:45) Fast-paced year vs time to slow down (7:13) Pivoting our business during the pandemic (10:49) Being more effective working online (16:26) Just because that was our norm, doesn’t mean that doesn’t need to be the norm moving forward (17:00) Taking control of things we can control (18:45) Pillars to hold our core business visions (20:25) Disruption, Innovation, Collaboration, Contribution (21:20) How decisions affect our business outcomes (22:45) The power of collaboration and partnerships (24:50) Building a core team for your business (27:38) Burnout and knowing when to take a break (31:00) Give yourself permission to take a break (32:39) What does refueling look like for you? (34:00) How to get excited about your business and work (34:39) The boundaries that need to be put in place (36:30) Taking time out for yourself can be collaborating with others (37:10) Curate spaces in our culture for refueling (38:26) Challenges that may come up in 2021 (40:40) The importance of consistency (42:15) The importance of transparency (44:50) Stop worrying about what others are thinking (47:30) The biggest advantage for this year (48:41) Creating data-driven decisions (49:50) The power of human connection (56:40) Join the discussion thread for this episode over at The Thought Leaders Business Lab Community Facebook Group. For full show notes and links visit: https://samanthariley.global/podcast/239

Although 2020 has brought us so many challenges, it has also opened up the opportunity to sit with ourselves and do a deep dive into what is truly important in life. As entrepreneurs, our health and wellness is the number one vital tool to help our business grow. The secret to why some entrepreneurs are able to succeed and sustain their business growth is because they first take care of themselves. In this episode, I talk with Heather Denniston, a seasoned chiropractor, on finding your wellness why, letting go of excess energy expenditures, and bringing light to the holes in your wellness strategy. Join us as we dive into how you can optimize your personal vitality to improve your health, grow your business, and live your best life. WHAT YOU’LL DISCOVER IN THIS EPISODE: Taking deep dives and getting quiet (4:57) Knowing the importance of reflection and the courage to act on it (5:57) Finding your joy, dreams (6:30) You are your own priority project (9:00) The importance of your health to your business (9:59) Energy Leakage Liability (12:26) Decision Fatigue (13:31) Pillars of the Wellness Amplifier Program (18:23) Creating a consistent pattern (22:21) Finding your wellness why (24:14) The benefits of staying healthy to move forward with your business (25:00) The power of habits (27:16) Morning movement and morning routines (28:42) 4 Chronotypes (30:55) Head down and head up time (31:25) Finding the routine and flow that works for you (33:00) Our mind and body are a partnership (34:50) Building self-compassion (38:08) For full show notes and links visit: https://samanthariley.global/podcast/238/

As entrepreneurs, we love to hack things - find the easy way, the fast way, and the pathway of least resistance. We normally focus on business processes, systems, and outcomes. But have you ever tried to hack your human? In this episode, I chat with Alexandra Laws, Peak Performance coach to elite athletes, on how you can hack your human to unlock your unique human code and release your own inner champion. Alex has decoded the strategies she used with professional athletes to achieve world class status and has now applied them to leaders and entrepreneurs so that you can achieve radical shifts in daily capacity, stamina and contribution to grow your business. Hacking your human means, having energy left over after meeting your mental, physical and emotional demands of the day. This way, you are able to make decisions faster and pivot in order to be resilient in your business and in life. Challenge yourself to be a different operating human every day by hacking your human. WHAT YOU’LL DISCOVER IN THIS EPISODE: Hacking your human (1:20) We are our business (2:01) Thinking outside of the box (3:40) Assessment tools (6:33) Hack your human instead of your human hacking you (7:03) POOP Acronym (8:00) Getting uncomfortable and find your inner champion (9:03) Realizing the benefits of breaking through your comfort zone (13:25) Uncomfortable = resilience (14:12) Hyper synchronicity (15:30) Being quick to pivot (16:37) Building your neural reserve (19:15) Looking at challenges with gratitude (20:40) Having a performance routine everyday (21:50) Building routines throughout the day (22:47) Getting control of your mind (25:10) REM sleep (27:10) Sleep is the number one mechanism to hack (27:42) For full show notes and links visit: https://samanthariley.global/podcast/237

Why did you start your business? What is the purpose of your business? By knowing your purpose for starting and growing your business, you can create a more sustainable one that you will enjoy for years to come. In this episode, I am joined by Lydia Lee as we delve into the importance of building a meaningful business that’s intentionally designed from your strengths, values, and personality. When your business is in alignment with your choices, values and strengths, you can show up as your best self for your clients and your business and live the lifestyle you truly desire. WHAT YOU’LL DISCOVER IN THIS EPISODE: Build a business you want to keep (2:18) Identify how your business aligns with your lifestyle choices (2:49) Getting clarity on what you can do (3:20) The more focused you are the more you can attract clients (4:16) The sweet spot (5:00) Deep interest is part of longevity (5:47) Impact of your work (6:19) How do you know what type of business to start? (8:14) Every breakdown, you can choose to have a breakthrough (10:47) There’s no success story that goes straight from A to B (12:43) Hustle mentality (13:45) Causing a disservice to yourself and your clients by burning yourself out (14:05) Finding balance when starting your business (15:10) Know where you are over committing and where you are under committing (16:55) What is enough for the life you want? (19:20) Work smarter, not harder. (19:40) Building a team for your business (24:02) Understand what is causing you pain or anxiety in your business (26:00) Commit to one thing really well (29:05) For full show notes and links visit: https://samanthariley.global/podcast/236

As a business owner, it’s important to look at your business holistically so you see the bigger picture. However, there are some parts of the business puzzle that are often overlooked. One of these is focus. In a day filled with so many tasks, how do you take the next step forward? What do you do when you’re overwhelmed by so many things and your inner drive for perfection freezes you in one spot? How do you even begin to know what you don’t know? In this episode, award-winning business and marketing coach Shannon Stone discusses the importance of focus in starting and expanding a business. She gives valuable tips on how to know which task to focus on, evaluate what works and what doesn’t, and what to do when you’re stuck in fancy procrastination mode. WHAT YOU’LL DISCOVER IN THIS EPISODE: You need to understand why you are implementing a strategy (02:56) The number one block that prevents business growth: inability to know what to focus on (04:41) Start with the symptoms and dissecting the individual components (06:40) Have a conversation with an expert (08:40) Focus on the next step forward (10:05) Continuously question the things that come up for you (11:29) Work through the overwhelm and the drive for perfection (13:06) Pushing against the comfort zone vs staying in it (14:11) Reflect on great and low points and what contributed to these events happening (16:02) Tips to know what works and what doesn’t (19:23) Find the balance between the big vision and how to make it happen (21:30) Importance of regular progress meetings to check up on “fancy procrastination” (24:08) Learn when the fancy stuff like websites or CRM are needed and when they’re not (25:27) Business can be easier through focus (29:37) For full show notes and links visit: https://samanthariley.global/podcast/235/ ‎

Whilst the global pandemic has led to many businesses experiencing a downturn, there is good news for some industries, including consultancy. As professionals and experts find themselves out of jobs, there’s been an upward trend of these specialists turning to consultancy and offering their expertise to organisations. However, knowledge and speciality are not enough to build and sustain a consultancy business. In this episode consultancy expert Michael Zipursky shares the steps and formulas to build, sustain and expand a consultancy business. WHAT YOU’LL DISCOVER IN THIS EPISODE: Trends in consultancy during 2020 (02:50) Don’t start with marketing; start with ideal client clarity using a niche scoring method (07:25) The three-part formula to develop your magnetic message (09:39) Apply your message to all your chosen platforms and materials (11:43) Reach out to your ideal client and add value to their lives instead of focusing on the sale (12:24) Consistent follow-ups win (14:10) Adjust your mindset from sales to long-term value-based relationships (16:34) Strategy vs Tactics (20:42) We all have a tremendous potential to take action (27:40) For full show notes and links visit: https://samanthariley.global/podcast/234/

Knowing the deeper “why” of your business provides the foundation on which to build everything else. There has to be a higher reason for your business aside from just making a profit. Having a clear and compelling brand purpose serves as your guiding star for all the decisions you make in your business - from the clients you attract, to the team members you bring on. Join us in this episode as we unpack the importance of brand purpose to drive your business forward. Purpose-driven companies outperform their competitors because they have a solid foundation for every action they do in the business. What is your reason for being besides making money? WHAT YOU’LL DISCOVER IN THIS EPISODE: What is a brand? (3:19) Managing your day-to-day work (4:09) Thinking in silos (5:10) Understanding your brand (5:25) Your brand is how others think of you (6:00) What is the importance of building a consistent brand? (7:40) Know, Like, Trust (7:55) Delivering the solution to your client’s problems (8:25) Revisiting your vision and mission to get more clarity (9:13) Bringing in the right team members (10:28) Unpacking the brand (12:10) What is your brand promise? (12:17) Difference of a vision and mission for your business (14:23) Brand purpose (15:30) Attracting an ideal client (21:31) For full show notes and links visit: https://samanthariley.global/podcast/233/

232: Marketing with Heart vs. Marketing with Hype with Cindy Schulson When it comes to marketing, a lot of people think that it’s all about creating hype around a product or service so customers will buy. Marketing expert Cindy Schulson emphatically states that this is not true. Marketing is all about sending out a message. Today’s world is so noisy that hype often overshadows the message. So, how do you make sure that your message is effectively received by your target audience? In this episode, Cindy shares her formula on how to put your heart and mind into your message so it will stand out among the billions of messages marketed to people each day. She emphasises the importance of getting clarity, a focused niche and the art of connecting different messaging platforms to attract your ideal client. WHAT YOU’LL DISCOVER IN THIS EPISODE: What marketing is - and what it isn’t (01:07) Cindy’s work criteria for “smartypants” (02:23) Taking a stand against the hype (04:07) The evolution of the Magnetic Message Formula (07:17) 5 Messaging Platforms (08:31) Get clarity to create a captivating message (08:53) Don’t niche hop (10:06) Put your heart and mind into your message to make it unique (11:19) People are attracted to different experts, so it’s okay to leave some people out (14:54) Picture your niche as a nest that will give birth to and nurture something wonderful (16:31) Tip to turn hype into trust (17:38) How to balance learning and implementing (19:04) A bold promise still needs to be realistic (22:20) Be authentic about your promises and the different possible results (24:19) Be open to the different perspectives of your clients (25:49) The art of connecting the different messaging platforms (28:16) For full show notes and links visit: https://samanthariley.global/podcast/232/

As the visionary of your company, you need to set up your systems so you can scale your business. In this episode, SYSTEMology founder, David Jenyns discusses the importance of and misconceptions about business systems. He shares the 7 stages of his SYSTEMology process, the steps to complete the Critical Client Flow exercise, and several tips and resources to help business owners start, change and upgrade their systems to gain more profit and clients in the coming years. WHAT YOU’LL DISCOVER IN THIS EPISODE: David’s work and how it optimises his clients’ systems and processes (01:19) The importance of systemising an owner from the daily operations of a business (03:13) Misconceptions about systems and processes and how to overcome them (05:35) Where do you start? (08:24) The Critical Client Flow (09:44) Systemise how you make money (12:02) Start with what you are doing, not with what you want to do (13:30) Get out of the ‘Rollercoaster Income’ (15:20) Allan Dib’s marketing systems (15:57) The 7 Stages of the SYSTEMology Process (18:25) Who records and stays on top of the systems? (23:30) “You don’t have to be a systems person to own a systemised business” (28:30) As a visionary, level up your systems to solve higher quality problems (30:40) Now is the perfect time to change your systems (33:06) The art and science of building a business through SYSTEMology (34:38) For full show notes and links visit: https://samanthariley.global/podcast/231/

There may be many things standing between you and a million dollar business, including your mindset and understanding exactly what needs to be done to be able to scale. You may have a product or service that gets great results. You may be great at marketing and sales. But you still can’t get the results you want. So what do you do? In this episode, Samantha talks with Breanne Dyck, co-founder of The Visionary CEO Academy, on how to use the right moves to scale your business. They discuss how you keep the personal touch as you scale and how you tap into the zone of genius of your team... even if you think you’re the best at doing a job. They also geek out about kittens, coffee, martial arts, and Hamilton. Because business should also be fun… :) WHAT YOU’LL DISCOVER IN THIS EPISODE: Keep the personal touch despite being in an online space (04:01) 2 different messages on how to scale a business (04:52) When you feel something is wrong with your business (07:09) What to do when you’ve learned all the moves but still can’t scale (08:20) Ask the question underneath the move (10:21) How to get answers to the deeper questions (12:06) The value exchange: value to the business, value to the client (15:09) What to give to your team (16:37) Your team could do something better than you (17:45) Imagine you have a billion dollar business (19:09) Tap into the zone of genius of your team members and receive multiple benefits (20:48) Your ability to solve problems may be holding you back from scaling (22:19) What if it’s true that you’re the best person to do a job? (24:52) Hamilton as an analogy about being the best person for a job (27:27) Imagine you have the option and opportunity to do a job (30:30) How to keep the personal touch while scaling your business (33:00) Personal touch doesn’t necessarily mean your personal touch (34:29) Delegation is a deception (35:40) For full show notes and links visit: https://samanthariley.global/podcast/230/

Isaac Newton said it perfectly, “If I have seen further, it is by standing on the shoulders of Giants”. This simply means, building on the knowledge and success made by others in order to help with your own growth and success. When it comes to business success, there is no one single formula. Which makes it difficult to boil everything down to a short list of boxes that you have to tick to become successful in business. In this episode, we delve into the traits for business success that we have learned through our own experiences. We discuss the traits we have observed successful entrepreneurs have and the way they conduct themselves in their businesses. Finding success in entrepreneurship is no easy task, but focusing on taking imperfect action will move the needle for your business. And remember, building a successful business is not a sprint, but a marathon. WHAT YOU’LL DISCOVER IN THIS EPISODE: Longevity, tenacity, grit and resilience (1:46) How do you wow people to build relationships? (3:50) Not being afraid to invest in relationships (5:16) Understanding the power of people (5:40) Without people you don’t have customers (5:50) Surrounding yourself with the right people (6:27) The value of networking (7:24) Prioritizing your time (7:59) Business growth comes in small bites (9:50) Focusing on one thing per week (10:03) Deepening business relationships (11:03) Working on your business vs working in your business (12:50) Taking action (14:00) Taking imperfect action (14:17) There is nothing perfect for everyone (15:40) Perfectionism vs procrastination (16:00) How long should you block out working on your business (16:30) Asking for feedback and ideas (19:36) Successful people know that they can’t do it alone (20:11) Don’t be afraid to be vulnerable (21:20) For full show notes and links visit: https://samanthariley.global/podcast/229

Speaking at events, conferences or webinars is a great way to build your profile, your credibility, and position yourself as the expert in your field. The global pandemic has opened up more online speaking engagements and has made it even more accessible for business owners to speak at different online events. Speaking is one of the best ways to share your expertise. It is also a muscle that continually needs to be strengthened. In this episode, Laurie-Ann Murabito shares the importance of using speaking engagements as a way to build the know-like-trust factor with your audience, and the opportunities available to you as an expert. Gaining speaking opportunities is a great way to increase your business’ exposure. But for those who are just starting out, remember that everyone has a day one and the only way you can get better is to go out and start practicing and flexing that muscle. WHAT YOU’LL DISCOVER IN THIS EPISODE: Definition of speaking (6:58) There are no boundaries for speaking engagements (8:05) How COVID has changed the way we do business (8:30) The shift to virtual events and meetings (9:00) Speaking is one of the best ways to share our expertise (10:25) Speaking is a muscle to be strengthened (12:10) Everyone has a day one (13:06) Importance of business owners to be out speaking (13:39) Know, like and trust factor (13:54) Everyone has a speech inside of them (14:00) How to hook your audience (14:50) Your first line of your talk is the same as a sales page (15:20) Have a point, supporting data, and Q&A (16:14) Having an impactful end of your presentation (17:10) Ending in your own words (18:08) Show your personality online (19:49) Showing up in a raw and authentic way (22:25) Talking about what you are passionate about (22:48) Making sure people know what you do (23:25) Getting clarity around your specific expertise (24:47) Experience, Enthusiasm, Market Demand (25:29) It’s about changing the wording (25:47) For full show notes and links visit: https://samanthariley.global/podcast/228/

People are winding down as the year comes to a close. It’s chock-full of holidays. People are shifting their focus on personal things rather than work. So, it’s no wonder why many entrepreneurs also step back and slow down their businesses during this season. However, for most business owners, the months from November until January are the busy season. In this episode, Samantha and Tim discuss why slowing down may not be the right move for your business. Rather, the busy season can be the perfect period to sign more clients. They also share some do’s and don’ts during the busy season so you can have a profitable three months and prepare your business for 2021. WHAT YOU’LL DISCOVER IN THIS EPISODE: The busy season: slow down vs step on the gas (02:28) COVID’s effect on the internationalisation and expansion of certain businesses (04:11) This is not the time to change your organisational structure (07:19) Don’t start developing new programs (09:35) Make sure you have your marketing plans in place (12:33) People are spending money so grab this opportunity to offer your service to your target clients (14:25) Don’t offer discounts; but do offer value adds (17:40) Map your business and lifestyle plans for 2021 (19:22) For full show notes and links visit: https://samanthariley.global/podcast/227

Whether you’re running a million-dollar company or a small mom-and-pop shop, it’s a given that you will make mistakes. It’s what you do when you go through the challenges of being a business owner that will determine the future of your journey. But when these challenges crop up, do you keep going or do you stop? In this episode, serial entrepreneur Joel Primus opens up about his personal and professional highs and lows, from the moment that ended his career as a professional runner to his first business mistake. His vulnerability and honesty about his journey may resonate with what you’re going through, so join Samantha and Joel in the Business Lab and take a listen. WHAT YOU’LL DISCOVER IN THIS EPISODE: Who is Joel Primus? (01:39) Entrepreneurship is a journey (04:01) The moments that challenged Joel’s journey (06:27) First steps you can take when something goes wrong (09:12) Challenges affect people physically, mentally and viscerally (11:33) Can you get to self-awareness without going through challenges? (12:56) Experiences don’t matter if you don’t listen to the lesson (14:31) We are born into traditions and belief systems that affect our behaviours (15:48) The entrepreneurship journey gives you the chance to unlock your true self (18:42) There is a duality in experiences (21:23) Your body will whisper signals for change until it screams (22:15) You need somebody to help you get back on track and fight your villains (24:28) Business doesn’t stop while you’re going through challenges on your journey (26:22) “It’s not freedom from, it’s freedom as” (28:21) Thank life for giving you chances to do better and level up (30:35) Learning from mistakes and constant review can make you overcome challenges easier (32:19) Is getting the finer things in life and fulfilment an and/or situation? (36:00) Life is something to be enjoyed (40:08) Ask yourself, “Am I lying to myself?” (42:35) Ask yourself, “How am I complicit in creating the conditions I don’t like or don’t want?” (43:57) Final words of wisdom from Joel (48:46) For full show notes and links visit: https://samanthariley.global/podcast/226/

Social media can have a heavy influence on our daily life. Did you know that an algorithm within social media platforms tracks your behaviour and curates the content that will show up in your feed based on what you do, what you see and what you follow? This means that you create what you see on social media, so you don’t have to be just a passive receiver of content. In this episode, Sam and Tim talk about how social media can alter your reality and how you can get back some control over what content you receive. If you are overwhelmed by social media’s effects on your life and business, then enter the Business Lab and take a listen to today’s episode. WHAT YOU’LL DISCOVER IN THIS EPISODE: How social media influences our daily lives (02:27) What kind of world are you creating with your social media? (05:30) Your thoughts will be amplified and influenced by what you read (07:55) Conversations need to be authentic and aligned with your values (11:43) What are your values? (13:11) Do the people around you and you connect with and share similar values? (14:30) Include social media in your 2020 review and 2021 plans (17:36) Social media is just a tool for engagement (19:05) For full show notes and links visit: https://samanthariley.global/podcast/225/ ‎

Connecting, building and nurturing authentic and genuine relationships is key to growing your business. Being part of an alchemy network means having a community of people who you trust and opens up many opportunities for your business. But where do you begin? In this episode, Dov Gordon, the Alchemist Entrepreneur, shares how you can build authentic relationships for your business growth and become an "Under-the-Radar" leader in your industry - and enjoy a consistent flow of ideal clients. The best clients usually come from referrals and relationships. But building relationships takes time and effort. You can’t put a price on a relationship and you never know where they may lead. Focusing on relationships is one of the best investments you can make towards your long term business growth. WHAT YOU’LL DISCOVER IN THIS EPISODE: Becoming an under-the-radar leader (1:40) Referrals are unpredictable (2:30) We all have different personality types (3:10) Operate in your zone of genius (3:39) The 3 questions you must ask (9:45) Creating a compelling message (12:35) Being a savvy student as an entrepreneur (13:50) Authenticity is who you are when you get rid of everything else (14:05) Why we struggle to communicate what we do (19:03) Your unique voice (19:23) An Alchemy Network (21:30) Willingness to lose everything (3:30) Separate your colleagues and your prospects (31:08) Having a community with trust (36:26) Building a community (36:30) Curating and conversation (39:39) For full show notes and links visit: https://samanthariley.global/podcast/224/

Did you know that the average Australian business owner makes less in a year than an employee earning minimum wage? As a business owner, you should know that your business revolves around people paying for your product or service. You need money to come in so your business can continue to trade. Despite being an essential component of any business, however, some entrepreneurs rarely discuss or even avoid the subject of pricing. In this episode, Samantha and Tim tackle this highly important topic. They discuss why you need to increase your prices, how to analyse your finances, and what exercises you can do to arrive at your ideal pricing. WHAT YOU’LL DISCOVER IN THIS EPISODE: Your business revolves around charging out your product or service (02:13) Why increase your prices? (02:50) A reverse engineering exercise to arrive at your ideal pricing (03:20) The average business owner in Australia withdraws just $44,000/year (04:18) A spreadsheet of expenses and fees vs. pricing (06:09) Add in your ideal life and plans (08:20) Do the exercise regularly (10:07) Hidden costs of services (10:57) Would you double your prices today even if you lose half of your clients? (12:25) Look at the supply and demand (13:33) If you could 10X your price tomorrow, what would you need to change? (16:13) It’s normal to be nervous when increasing your prices (16:54) Know the value you bring to the table (17:05) There are different perspectives about the value of a product or service (18:28) Things to put in place to work around pricing (20:37) Address your mindset about pricing (22:24) “Expensive” is relative (23:13) A tip for fixed-price projects (23:58) You may have money blocks (25:26) A challenge to you regarding your pricing (26:30) For full show notes and links visit: https://samanthariley.global/podcast/223

What could your business look like if you stopped letting doubts, fears and worries influence your business growth decisions? Most entrepreneurs and business owners want to create an impact. But many don’t reach their full potential because they don’t know what their unique superpower is and don’t lean into it. In this episode, we speak with Melanie Benson, a Revenue Strategist and Business Performance Optimizer, and discuss how entrepreneurs can accelerate their impact and income by making their business perform 10 times better. The pandemic has opened up so many opportunities for you to show up online and make your business more visible to your ideal clients. We delve in to the mistakes that business owners are making by not taking advantage of these opportunities. By understanding your superpower, and leaning in to it, you have more opportunity to amplify the results of your business and the impact you make with your expertise. WHAT YOU’LL DISCOVER IN THIS EPISODE: Leaning in to your superpower (1:35) Getting out of the invisibility cloak (1:50) Struggling to stand out and be seen (3:08) Creating messaging that your ideal audience will connect with (4:00) The result of not being clear on your message (4:25) Focussing on solutions rather than process (5:50) People hire you to get an outcome (6:10) What do you do for your clients? (7:59) Who is your ideal client and what are their problems? (9:40) What is your most inspiring superpower? (11:36) Most people can’t see their own superpower (11:59) Learn to ask the right questions to get the best answers (13:30) How do we keep people engaged through our communication? (16:51) Creating a golden thread to create engaging communication (16:59) Getting lost in your own stories (19:43) Understand the value of the offer you will make (20:48) Knowing the difference between a good opportunity and a great one (21:30) Transferring your credibility in an authentic way (21:50) We see in other people what we can’t see in ourselves (23:45) What makes you unique? (26:45) Understand who you are and who you’re not (29:46) The power of podcasting (31:40) For full show notes and links visit: https://samanthariley.global/podcast/222/

Growing and scaling your business entails a lot of hard work and dedication and with all the moving parts in your business, this can often bring up a lot of questions.In this episode, we answer your questions regarding growing your business, and the systems and processes within your business. From personal branding, to niching down to the importance of a sales pipeline, we delve into all of these topics in today’s episode. Have more questions for us? Leave it in the comments below!WHAT YOU’LL DISCOVER IN THIS EPISODE: Personal branding and making connections (2:34) Having a clear definition of who you serve (3:20) Niching down (4:48) Being authentic (7:15) Acknowledging your personal values (7:30) Knowing what you don’t align with (7:45) Being consistent (8:12) Using a content calendar for consistency (10:38) Managing your pipeline of opportunities (12:47) Deciding when you need a system (13:26) Sales pipeline (14:12) Sales are the lifeline of your business (17:30) For full show notes and links visit: https://samanthariley.global/podcast/221/

Growing and scaling your business entails a lot of hard work and dedication and with all the moving parts in your business, this can often bring up a lot of questions. In this episode, we answer your questions regarding growing your business, and the systems and processes within your business. From personal branding, to niching down to the importance of a sales pipeline, we delve into all of these topics in today’s episode. Have more questions for us? Leave it in the comments below! WHAT YOU’LL DISCOVER IN THIS EPISODE: Personal branding and making connections (2:34) Having a clear definition of who you serve (3:20) Niching down (4:48) Being authentic (7:15) Acknowledging your personal values (7:30) Knowing what you don’t align with (7:45) Being consistent (8:12) Using a content calendar for consistency (10:38) Managing your pipeline of opportunities (12:47) Deciding when you need a system (13:26) Sales pipeline (14:12) Sales are the lifeline of your business (17:30) For full show notes and links visit: https://samanthariley.global/podcast/221/

Did you know that over 60 billion messages are sent out every single day? This includes ads, personal posts, newsletters, memes, and much more. In this overcrowded world, how do you make sure that your message stands out? How do you capture the attention of a reader who’s got a short attention span and is accustomed to scrolling through hundreds of messages every hour? In this episode, Brendan Kane answers these questions and more. He shares how he helps brands, whether personal, corporate or celebrity, to go beyond the dream of getting a million followers and achieve the ultimate goal of getting and retaining their audience’s attention through great hooks. He emphasises that you don’t have to change who you are or what you offer to do this. It’s all about how you contextually shape your message and pull out the most genius parts of it so you can get people to stop and check out more of your content. Brendan’s expert tips and strategies are based on years of experience creating and analysing successful hooks. WHAT YOU’LL DISCOVER IN THIS EPISODE: Get to know Brendan’s work (01:41) “How do I get more followers?” is not the right question to ask (03:04) A million followers will not matter if you don’t grab their attention (03:28) Once you master gaining attention, the followers will come (04:44) First pillar of a great hook: grab the attention within 2-5 seconds (06:04) Second pillar: retain the attention (06:14) Third pillar: deliver the message authentically (06:29) Tips to make your message authentic (08:06) Design content that will resonate with another person’s view of the world (09:15) Communicate in a way that the widest audience receives it (11:04) You don’t have to change who you are or your product or service (13:13) Brendan’s journey (14:24) Strategy for people who are struggling to find out who they are or what makes them unique (21:52) Start to keep tabs on books or ads that grab your attention (23:53) There’s a big difference between what people want vs. what they need (26:14) What happens when you don’t go to the right people (28:06) Don’t rely on one hook (29:48) Commercial companies that are masters in creating hooks (30:32) Service-based businesses that have created great hooks (32:24) Over 60 billion messages are sent out every day (36:20) “Hook Point” (38:23) If we don’t have attention, we’re not working in our zone of genius or creating an impact (39:51) For full show notes and links visit: https://samanthariley.global/podcast/220/

Running a business is a huge undertaking and requires shouldering major responsibility and managing resources efficiently. Investing in productivity for your business can be a tricky balance. There are tools and professionals out there that can give you a helping hand in order to improve the productivity in your business and move the needle forward. In this episode, we delve into the non-essentials that you should invest in for your business productivity and growth. Remember that your business is your livelihood and you need to take it seriously. If you treat it like a hobby, your results will mirror your actions. WHAT YOU’LL DISCOVER IN THIS EPISODE: Fear of spending (5:07) Who are you surrounding yourself with to move forward? (7:00) What is it that you don’t know because you don’t know where to look for it? (7:51) The cost of doing business (8:57) Investment vs a cost (9:30) Accounting platform (12:30) We can’t create more time (13:00) Investing in CRM (14:49) Outsourcing (17:09) Hiring the best for your business (18:52) Outsource other tasks in order to focus on your zone of genius (22:00) For full show notes and links visit: https://samanthariley.global/podcast/219/

Accessing your higher self starts with your mindset. In this episode, I speak with the “Bruce Lee of Revenue Generation”, Erik Luhrs, on how to scale your business and create more profit and fulfillment. By accessing your higher mind, you can then leverage that to redevelop your Brand, Positioning and Go-To-Market activities. If you look at your entire sales process from beginning to end, sales is where the river meets the sea. The goal is to get more water flowing faster, which is more people and more money moving faster. When creating sales, don’t look at the bottom or middle of the mountain. To get the biggest bang for your buck, go straight to the top of the mountain and change your mindset so that your mountain gets bigger and your river head gets wider. By hiking to the top of the mountain and shifting your mindset first, everything will follow. Are you ready to journey up the mountain? WHAT YOU’LL DISCOVER IN THIS EPISODE: The aim of marketing (3:30) Lead generation (3:46) Positioning comes before lead generation (4:08) Brand comes before positioning (4:45) The founder comes before positioning (4:49) It all starts with the mindset (6:10) The process of sales starts with the right mindset (6:45) Stepping into the higher version of yourself (11:28) Where do you find leads? (14:04) Two aspects of your moniker (17:38) Mixing context with curiosity (24:10) Positioning yourself in the marketplace (25:20) Imposter Syndrome (26:20) Beingness of ego (26:50) The ego is both sides of the coin (27:07) Meditation to divorce your higher self from the ego (27:35) The real work of success is working on yourself and becoming a more successful version of you (28:29) Imposter syndrome (29:40) The fact that you have imposter syndrome proves that you are not an imposter (31:04) Changing and evolving of your brand (32:22) How you view your business (33:13) You are always growing as a person and so does your brand (34:38) Positioning in Martial Arts (36:49) For full show notes and links visit: https://samanthariley.global/podcast/218/

Don’t cancel the year that woke you up. We have less than 90 days before 2021 begins. Have you started planning for the new year ahead? 2020 has been a crazy year and the pandemic has exposed the different strengths and weaknesses of businesses, but has also created massive opportunities. With no end to the pandemic in the near future, we still need to plan for the year ahead. Smart business leaders know that now is the time to seize the opportunity to develop a business plan for 2021. In this episode, we delve into how you can finish the year strong and understand what and where to focus when planning for the next year. Have you started your plans for 2021? WHAT YOU’LL DISCOVER IN THIS EPISODE: Getting into planning mode (1:45) What do you want 2021 to look like? (2:00) 2021 planning process (3:09) Blending finishing 2020 and starting 2021 (3:25) Backward reflection is as important as looking forward (3:48) Fundamentals needed in your business (5:22) Your business is here to solve customers’ problems (5:37) Don’t cancel the year that woke you up (5:57) How can your vision take as many people to their vision as possible? (6:40) You need a plan in place to be able to make a pivot (7:44) Mapping things on your lifestyle and then your monetary goal (7:50) Know what lifestyle you want first (8:30) Reverse engineering to achieve your goals (9:50) Take a look at your programs and pricing (10:27) Focusing on your marketing and sales (14:10) Marketing is not a quick thing (15:15) Sales are the lifeblood of your business (16:35) Aligning your 2021 goals with your 2020 plans (18:50) A business doesn’t sleep (20:29) The more you understand your customer, the more you can create solutions for them (24:00) Consistency for the win (27:10) Showing up doesn’t mean being busy and hustling (27:35) Showing up means being consistent (28:26) Join the discussion thread for this episode over at The Thought Leaders Business Lab Community Facebook Group. For full show notes and links visit: https://samanthariley.global/podcast/217/

Successful business owners don’t just communicate with their customers for sales. It’s said that your network is your net worth, and business owners who have genuine relationships with their network are those who will find it easier to grow and scale. In this episode, we are joined by Larry Perkins as we delve into building relationships. Business relationships are an integral part for success and creating genuine and lasting business relationships don’t just happen overnight. They need to be nurtured and developed through consistent and dedicated work. WHAT YOU’LL DISCOVER IN THIS EPISODE: Consulting as a trust-based business (3:00) Reminding people that your business exists (4:00) Looking for new opportunities through your existing contacts (6:38) People are afraid to reach out to their existing contacts (7:35) The brain has a finite number of information it can keep (8:40) Making yourself top of mind by reaching out and staying in touch (9:00) Cold outreach (14:10) Using your time to reach out to people (16:50) Using your time intentionally (17:30) High-trust business (17:56) The four parts of the business cycle (18:00) Strategic serendipity (19:35) Moving from informing people about your business to making them really understand your business (21:55) People like talking about themselves (22:40) Getting curious about the person and their problems rather than sales (23:09) Everything is a relationship business (27:50) Getting to know your customers really well (29:00) For full show notes and links visit: https://samanthariley.global/podcast/216/

In today’s bonus episode of the podcast, I have another case study for you with my good friend and client, Kate Burr. Kate shares her journey of the frustration of educating herself and knowing what needed to be done to make money in her business, but not being able to apply the knowledge to actually work for her. Are you intrigued to know how she did it? It’s all in today’s episode. IN THIS EPISODE YOU’LL LEARN: How assumed knowledge can really mess with your future success. Why the order of action is so important. The a-ha moment when everything fell into place. The key things Kate has learnt that has had her successfully growing her income.

Today I’m bringing you a bonus episode of the podcast, to introduce you to an entrepreneur with an inspiring story. This is a story of someone who was burnt out, overwhelmed and didn’t know where to turn next. Today you’re going to meet Rebecca Andelin, who is a student of mine in Business Success Academy, and she’s going to share her story of how she transformed from burnt out, overwhelmed, and unable to grow her business despite working long hours to a thriving business owner who has rediscovered a zest for life. The doors to Business Success Academy are open for a short time. Learn more at https://samanthariley.global/success or DM me on Instagram @TheSamRiley IN THIS EPISODE YOU’LL HEAR: Rebecca’s reason for joining Business Success Academy and how it was a turning point for her life and business The steps Rebecca took for going from burned out to energised How she was able to create boundaries and slow down, to enable here to grow her business. The system Rebecca implemented to stop Bright Shiny Object Syndrome constantly holding her back

Having subconscious blocks and fears are things that affect every single one of us. These are the sneaky thoughts that tell you you’re not good enough or the debilitating feeling of making a mistake. You may not know it, but your mental blocks and fears may be affecting not just you, but your business and team as well. You may be unconsciously disempowering your staff or confusing a red flag with fear that leads to a costly mistake. In this episode I chat with Amira Alvarez, a mindset and business strategist who helps women entrepreneurs scale their businesses. We dive deep into the mental blocks and fears that stop people at different levels of their businesses. If you’ve ever wondered why you are struggling to get to the next level and something is stopping you, then this episode may help you see just what the universe is trying to tell you. ** Have you registered for my upcoming live masterclass, Transform Your Knowledge Into A Profitable Online Business And Do Work That Matters? Click here to reserve your spot: samanthariley.global/masterclass

You cannot run two marathons in different directions at the same time. In today’s overly busy world, we often find ourselves feeling overwhelmed and unable to focus on things that can actually help our business grow. When you are trying to achieve too much, it can feel like you can’t gain momentum and get ahead. In this episode, we delve into the 4 problems you need to address in order to focus, increase your productivity, and consistently achieve your goals. By addressing these problems and implementing the solutions in your business, you can move the needle forward. Yes, 2020 has been a crazy year, but there are still plenty of opportunities for improvement and growth. What do you want to achieve by the end of the year? WHAT YOU’LL DISCOVER IN THIS EPISODE: Using the universal energy (3:32) The 90-day plan (5:00) Business sprints (5:50) 30-day plan to increase your productivity (6:00) Breaking down projects into tasks (6:40) Give yourself permission to rest and let go (7:33) Normal deliverables vs things that will move the needle forward (8:00) The path toward your goals is not a linear path (8:40) Setting weekly goals (9:16) Setting too many goals (11:44) Doing too much can lead to being unfocused (12:18) Setting 1 to 3 goals at a time (12:50) Spending time on things that don’t matter (14:30) Being busy for the sake of being busy (15:20) Different stages of your business requires different focuses (15:55) Sorting out your sales first (17:58) Not having support or accountability (18:30) The importance of having a mentor (20:35) Ask better questions to move forward (22:20) Join the discussion thread for this episode over at The Thought Leaders Business Lab Community Facebook Group. For full show notes and links visit: https://samanthariley.global/podcast/212-increase-your-productivity-and-consistently-achieve-your-goals

You cannot run two marathons in different directions at the same time. In today’s overly busy world, we often find ourselves feeling overwhelmed and unable to focus on things that can actually help our business grow. When you are trying to achieve too much, it can feel like you can’t gain momentum and get ahead.In this episode, we delve into the 4 problems you need to address in order to focus, increase your productivity, and consistently achieve your goals. By addressing these problems and implementing the solutions in your business, you can move the needle forward. Yes, 2020 has been a crazy year, but there are still plenty of opportunities for improvement and growth.  What do you want to achieve by the end of the year?WHAT YOU’LL DISCOVER IN THIS EPISODE: Using the universal energy (3:32) The 90-day plan (5:00) Business sprints (5:50) 30-day plan to increase your productivity (6:00) Breaking down projects into tasks (6:40) Give yourself permission to rest and let go (7:33) Normal deliverables vs things that will move the needle forward (8:00) The path toward your goals is not a linear path (8:40) Setting weekly goals (9:16) Setting too many goals (11:44) Doing too much can lead to being unfocused (12:18) Setting 1 to 3 goals at a time (12:50) Spending time on things that don’t matter (14:30) Being busy for the sake of being busy (15:20) Different stages of your business requires different focuses (15:55) Sorting out your sales first (17:58) Not having support or accountability (18:30) The importance of having a mentor (20:35) Ask better questions to move forward (22:20) Join the discussion thread for this episode over at The Thought Leaders Business Lab Community Facebook Group.For full show notes and links visit: https://samanthariley.global/podcast/212-increase-your-productivity-and-consistently-achieve-your-goals

Marketing a Service, Advice or Software, is more like proposing marriage than it is just selling a washing machine. In order to turn leads into clients, you must first establish a relationship of trust and influence. In this episode, Tom Poland shares the steps towards an effective, inbound lead generation system for your business in order to turn leads into quality clients. Creating an opportunity to get to know your clients first is essential to establish rapport before talking about business. Through inbound marketing, you are able to give your prospects a sample of your brand, services, and ideas, discover who is interested, and then generate quality leads. Lead generation is essential for your business growth, to get more customers and more profits *** Have you registered for my free masterclass, "How To Transform Your Knowledge Into A Profitable Online Business And Do Work That Matters"? Click here for more details and to register your spot ***

If you want something to last the test of time, it needs solid foundations — from building a skyscraper to laying pavements. And creating your business is no different. A building with a good foundation won’t collapse when the next earthquake comes. A pavement won’t shift and go wonky when you lay a good foundation. Starting a business is the same. With good foundations, your business can withstand issues, attract clients, and build partnerships as it grows and becomes successful. In this episode, Sam and Tim talk about the five foundations of a successful business. These foundations need to be in place to guide you on how to position yourself, remind you to be consistent with your branding, improve your strategies to grow your audience, and help you leverage partnerships. *** Have you signed up for my free masterclass, How To Transform Your Knowledge Into A Profitable Online Business And Do Work That Matters? Click the link for more details and to save your spot ***

With the rise of digital advancement and automation, people appreciate personalization even more. In this episode, search engine marketing expert, Damon Burton shares with us how he has grown his business and how you can use these techniques to grow yours. We delve into the practical ways to create genuine relationships with your clients, balancing automation and personalization, and the importance of SEO for your business. With SEO, when you write good content, solve problems, and answer questions, it will future-proof your SEO. If you can provide content that solves problems uniquely, you can rank uniquely. But with the information overload of what you have to do for your business to grow, this may cause analysis-paralysis. Instead of overthinking things, try taking imperfection actions and start. Start in order to figure out what’s going to work. Once you start, don’t give up. WHAT YOU’LL DISCOVER IN THIS EPISODE: Search Engine Optimization (4:00) People want to work with people they can trust (08:09) The importance of transparency (8:30) Justifying your rates (9:36) Niching down (12:33) Starting with high ticket prices (12:43) Building relationships with your clients (14:20) Balancing automatization and personalization (15:00) Anti-automation (18:25) Removing decision fatigue (19:55) Automate the systems but not the relationships (20:11) Creating a team before taking on big talents (24:30) Client retention (30:48) Providing transparency with your clients (31:26) Educating your clients and setting expectations (32:46) How SEO applies to coaches and mentors (35:09) You can’t rank uniquely without providing something unique (36:36) Google wants to provide an answer to user’s problems (37:16) Google’s auto-complete results (39:40) Using answerthepublic.com (40:35) Google can only rank what it can read (42:50) Voice search (43:29) Repurposing your content (44:34) Doing one thing really well (45:28) You have to start (50:15) Reach out to your fellow entrepreneurs (51:25) For full show notes and links visit: https://samanthariley.global/podcast/209-automate-systems-not-relationships-with-damon-burton

Typically, marketing is all about connecting to as many people as possible with the hope that someone will buy your product or service. The Dream 100 strategy uses a different approach. If you use it, you make a list of just 100 ideal clients and focus your marketing on these people. How different would your business be if you implement this strategy? We’re about to find out. In this episode, we launch the Dream 100 Challenge. We will use social media (specifically LinkedIn) to find our dream client avatars, practise a nurture-before-connecting approach, and create a system to follow up on these prospects. We’ll be doing the challenge for a month and reporting on our results by October. Want to join this exciting challenge? Listen to this episode for the parameters. WHAT YOU’LL DISCOVER IN THIS EPISODE: What is the “Dream 100” and who is Chet Holmes? (01:52) Your business doesn’t need as many customers as you want (04:44) Ideal client avatar vs. dream client avatar (06:30) Questions to ask when you want to determine your dream client? (08:23) The “Dream 100” Challenge (10:58) Using social media to find dream client avatars (12:04) Nurture the relationship before connecting (13:53) Systemise the workflow (17:35) A commitment to join the challenge (21:03) RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE: The Ultimate Sales Machine by Chet Holmes Join the discussion thread for this episode over at The Thought Leaders Business Lab Community Facebook Group. CONNECT WITH SAMANTHA RILEY SamanthaRiley.global Connect with me on Instagram and Facebook Connect with me on LinkedIn CONNECT WITH TIM HYDE Win More Clients Connect with Tim on Facebook Connect with Tim on Instagram For full show notes and links visit: https://samanthariley.global/podcast/208-the-dream-100/

Have you ever wondered how to use case studies to grow your business? Case studies are used by businesses to show how their product or service has been implemented successfully by their customers and clients. They are an invaluable asset that establishes social proof of the results people could likely achieve by working with you. In this episode, Anfernee Chansamooth shares 5 ways you can use case studies to grow your business. When you understand just how valuable case studies are in educating your prospects and increasing conversions, you won’t think twice about investing in case studies for your business. WHAT YOU’LL DISCOVER IN THIS EPISODE: Is your content producing the results you want for your business? (2:49) Are you investing your energy in the right place? (3:15) The power of using case studies (4:49) Case studies vs Testimonials (5:20) Fake and negative reviews (6:29) Ways you can use testimonials for your business (7:48) Using a case study interview to create a blog post (8:45) Posting your case studies on your social channels (11:27) Using your case studies in your email list (11:36) Putting your case study in your nurture sequence (12:30) Case studies in your presentations (13:20) Using case studies in your sales process (15:21) Case studies to frame your discovery calls (16:59) Understanding what your prospects want (18:37) Uncover your client’s pain points (18:57) Case studies must share tangible results (21:04) The art of soliciting good stories (22:57) Sharing relatable case studes (25:47) Allocating a budget to re-market your case studies (29:59) For full show notes and links visit: https://samanthariley.global/podcast/207-5-ways-to-use-case-studies-to-grow-your-business-with-anfernee-chansamooth Join the discussion thread for this episode over at The Thought Leaders Business Lab Community Facebook Group.

Your website is the backbone of your business. It is a way to position yourself online as an authority through a strong and professional destination. Sure, you may have your social media accounts but they are rented space. At any moment, these social media accounts can be shut down. In order for your business to succeed in the online marketplace, you’ve got to have a professional website. In this episode, we delve into the importance of a website for your business and understanding what your website is for and where it sits in your marketing process. We also dive into the mistakes that a lot of business websites make and how to optimize your website for growth. Without a strong website, you are missing out on opportunities for customers to identify who you are. WHAT YOU’LL DISCOVER IN THIS EPISODE: How important is a website for your business? (2:20) You don’t own your social media accounts (3:23) Understanding what websites are for and where it sits in your marketing process (4:43) Websites for authority positioning and lead generation (5:39) Turn traffic into inquiries (6:05) Collecting email addresses (6:55) 75%-96% of people will never go back to your website (7:10) Lead magnets in exchange for your prospects email address (7:46) Are you making the 3 biggest mistakes?(9:06) Do you need a contact form on your website? (13:09) Not positioning yourself as an authority and not collecting leads (15:57) Single-page vs multi-page sites (16:33) Essentials of your business website (18:23) Your services and programs (21:22) Blog or podcast? (22:13) Contact page (22:50) Join the discussion thread for this episode over at The Thought Leaders Business Lab Community Facebook Group. For full show notes and links visit: Samanthariley.global

Business plans that were made 3 or 4 months ago may come off as dissonant today. With today’s financial and economic crisis, it is critical for businesses to think about their audience and what they’re going through. Understanding their client’s needs and how these needs have shifted in the last few months is key to pivoting your business. In this episode, we delve into marketing as a holistic approach and re-aligning your business through authentic connection, understanding, and empathizing with your audience. Businesses can set themselves apart and thrive in today’s crisis through a holistic marketing approach by understanding that every little task is part of a bigger strategy and that everything is connected. As an entrepreneur, collaboration, not competition is key. WHAT YOU’LL DISCOVER IN THIS EPISODE: Marketing is a holistic approach (1:46) Doing the deeper work with your ideal client avatar (2:45) Trial and error (3:02) The biggest opportunity for businesses right now (3:33) Connection, understanding, and empathy (4:52) Connecting with your audience on a deeper level (5:17) Human connection cannot be automated (5:30) Reaching out to your audience (5:55) The Law of Reciprocity (6:30) Pivoting from your audience’s perspective (6:45) Copy-catting (6:57) Being visible as a leader (7:46) Authentic leadership (8:25) Empathy with small business owners (9:18) The importance of a support network (14:55) Out of adversity comes opportunity (17:50) Collaboration over competition (18:36) Using the online space for your business (19:16) Monetizing your skills (20:09) Where should people focus when building a knowledge-based business? (21:44) Low-leverage pivoting (23:27) Getting your message out clearly (24:46) Online program creation (30:39) The massive influx of e-learning (32:31) Finding your community (34:26) Being emotionally invested in your client’s outcome (35:27) Join the discussion thread for this episode over at The Thought Leaders Business Lab Community Facebook Group. For full show notes and links visit: https://samanthariley.global/podcast/205-out-of-adversity-comes-opportunity-with-jonathan-callinan

The first few months of 2020 felt like business as usual, then the rapid escalation of the pandemic forced a massive overnight transition into remote work. Six months in, some are now wondering what the “new normal” is going to look like. In this episode, we discuss what business owners should be focusing on right now - having the right mindset, reframing your goals, and optimizing your systems and processes in your business. Tha pandemic has made us more deliberate about where we are taking our businesses and our brands. Rather than seeking to turn back the clock and returning to normal, let us instead implement the lessons we can take from this experience in order for us to move forward both in our businesses and our lives. WHAT YOU’LL DISCOVER IN THIS EPISODE: The concept of the new normal (1:56) The desire to go back to the way things were (2:10) The new normal is something that is right now (2:57) What does your new reality look like? (4:19) We need to act more conservatively (4:58) Setting goals (5:45) Pivoting and realigning (7:09) Predicting as far as we can (7:44) Surviving and thriving in the recession (8:05) Opportunities in the adversity (8:17) This is a wealth-distribution event (8:34) What business owners should be focusing on right now (9:10) Attracting the wrong audience (10:04) Zone of trust (11:19) Why cutting marketing budgets is dangerous (11:30) Mid-year planning (12:59) Contingency plans and continuity plans (14:39) Being more deliberate about where you’re taking your business (16:40) Online learning (16:48) Looking at your systems and processes (17:48) Going back to your old ways is a dangerous place (18:29) The right mindset (19:20) Reframe your goals and how you are going to achieve your goals (20:16) Join the discussion thread for this episode over at The Thought Leaders Business Lab Community Facebook Group. For full show notes and links visit: https://samanthariley.global/podcast/204-the-new-normal

Staying top of mind and making sure that current and prospective customers are aware of your brand is important for any type of business, but even more so during COVID lockdowns. Giving promotional products is one way to keep engaging your customers. But what type of gifts will effectively connect you with people you can’t meet face-to-face? When you think of promotional products, do you immediately think of another mug, pen, or notepad with your company’s logo on it? Are cheap promotional products less effective than expensive ones? In this episode, I speak with Oksana Koriakova, marketing and brand engagement maverick and entrepreneur, about how to wow your clients using promotional gifts. Oksana freely shares her expertise, ideas and methods for using promotional products as part of your marketing strategy. Get out those free notepads and pens you’ve received at past conferences as this episode is chock full of tips you won’t want to miss. WHAT YOU’LL DISCOVER IN THIS EPISODE: How to wow your clients using gifts (01:37) Top of mind and awareness are critical during COVID (03:22) Who leads your “thank you” department? (04:54) What do you do before and after your service? (05:26) You are not your customer (06:29) You don’t need a million-dollar budget, you just need to be smart (07:07) Use five-sense marketing for more engagement (07:24) Find the right product to take your customer on a journey (10:20) Oksana’s 5-step ‘Purpose Before Product’ process (11:33) Maximising bulk promotional products but still giving customers what they value (12:59) Tips to help your existing customers to refer you (15:22) Promotional products to effectively promote digital events and your company’s messages (19:50) You need a system and research so you can take your customers on a journey (28:13) By adding value to your service, you may end up helping other businesses even through virtual means (31:58) For full show notes and links visit: https://samanthariley.global/podcast/203-promotional-products-to-effectively-market-your-company-with-oksana-koriakova

Today’s advanced digital age has changed the way we find clients and do sales. Using social networks to find, connect with and nurture sales prospects is an art that must be practiced. With the numerous platforms online, LinkedIn is the largest online networking site in the world. Putting up a profile and posting content isn’t enough. What’s important is to really connect with people coming from a place of genuine generosity. In this episode, we assess how you can use your LinkedIn profile to attract clients and help grow your business by optimizing your profile, creating content that relates to your ideal client, and genuinely connecting with people. Connect and converse with people as if you were in a room with them. LinkedIn is the world’s largest networking site. So treat it like one. WHAT YOU’LL DISCOVER IN THIS EPISODE: Nailing one social media platform before picking up more (2:55) Opportunities on LinkedIn (4:14) Your LinkedIn headline (6:12) Should your LinkedIn profile be your online resume? (7:04) Position your LinkedIn profile as a sales resource (7:26) Incongruence is a red flag (8:00) Using your banner as prime real estate (9:00) Commenting on other peoples content (10:30) Your about section (12:23) Reflecting the pain points of your ideal clients on your profile (13:06) Remember you call to action (13:40) Should you offer a lead magnet on your profile? (14:07) The importance of having a website (16:29) Positioning yourself as the authority (17:28) Publishing regular content (18:10) Long-term strategy: Building trust and authority (19:09) How often should you post content on LinkedIn? (19:43) Having a good mix of content (20:26) The Rule of Thirds for photos and videos (21:15) Engage with people (22:52) Treat LinkedIn as a networking site (24:04) Connecting from a place of genuine generosity (25:10) Know, Like and Trust (21:52) Join the discussion thread for this episode over at The Thought Leaders Business Lab Community Facebook Group. For full show notes and links visit: https://samanthariley.global/podcast/202-amplify-your-results-on-linkedIn

Sales can sometimes be associated with money-grabbing and greed. Because of this mindset, many coaches sabotage themselves because they don’t want to be seen as that sleazy person. This mindset can make asking for money difficult for entrepreneurs. In this episode, we chat with the Queen of Sales Mindset herself, Christine Schlonski. We deep dive into the sales power formula and debunk the mindset of sales being sleazy and slimy, and give tips for you to understand how you can sell and still be authentic in the process. It’s not about the money but what money can do for you. The more money your business has, the more you can do with it to help yourself and others around you. When your cup is full the more you can learn, grow, and give, and money is just the vehicle for this. WHAT YOU’LL DISCOVER IN THIS EPISODE: It all starts within (6:07) Sales Power Formula (6:21) The more money you have, the more choices you have (8:13) You can’t give from an empty cup (10:00) It’s about what money can do for you (10:06) Transform money into something better (11:50) The more your cup is full the more you can learn, grow, and give (12:02) Being clear on what is important to you (12:25) The effects of bliss and happiness vs frustration (13:27) Look at what you are giving and what are you asking (14:14) Keeping calm and staying focused (15:35) Getting clear on your values (16:42) Show up as the best version of yourself (16:50) Connect with people and exchange ideas (19:08) Don’t buy into everything (19:40) What can you do today to support someone on their journey? (20:35) Recognize and see your own value (22:07) Value for clients (26:45) The richer people are, the more they value their time (30:20) The ripple of impact (31:28) Surrounding yourself with the right people (35:29) The more you say NO, the more you can say YES (39:30) For full show notes and links visit: https://samanthariley.global/podcast/201-heart-centred-selling-with-christine-schlonski

Today’s episode marks a huge milestone as we are celebrating our 200th episode of the Thought Leaders Business Lab. Thank you so much for being part of our journey! In this episode, we feature our listeners who have supported us throughout our 200 episodes and the questions you asked about our experiences and learnings as partners in business and life. WHAT YOU’LL DISCOVER IN THIS EPISODE: Fun facts of the Thought Leaders Business Lab (1:32) Is the term “life partners should never be business partners” a myth? (4:57) How do you work through your disagreements? (8:43) Do you call each other on your BS when it’s needed and how do you help each other stay focused and in your zone of genius? (12:28) Risk tolerance levels when working together (21:57) How do you keep your business boundaries? (29:00) Burnout (29:17) Marriage comes first, business comes second (33:23) Not operating in your optimal state (34:20) Blocking your calendars out (35:08) The quality of your life depends on the questions that you ask (37:47) The biggest question we ask each other during these times (38:29) What are the biggest opportunities that entrepreneurs can take advantage of? (41:13) Re-aligning more often to stay on track (46:36) Communicating self-sabotages to each other (50:06) Empowering one another (53:35) How do you keep the flame in your relationship? (54:30) How do you honor each other’s energy? (57:51) How did you know it was time to start together in your business? (1:01:00) For full show notes and links visit: https://samanthariley.global/podcast/200-celebrating-200-episodes/