Leveling Up with Eric Siu

If you build an audience and continue to stay consistent with the value you provide them and the way you leverage it, the results will begin to snowball over time. Tune in to this episode and hear about the rise of paid newsletters, as well as how to build and provide value to your audience. You’ll also learn some ways to leverage your audience and some figures about how much you can expect to make per year! TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES: [00:21] Before we jump into today’s interview, please rate, review, and subscribe to the Leveling Up Podcast! [00:25] The rise of Substack which allows people to make money from paid newsletters. [00:25] Four forms of leverage, and the value that your audience has. [01:50] Building an audience and how to leverage it once you have one. [02:41] How the Leveling Up and Marketing School communities works and how they make money. [03:25] The snowballing effects of providing consistent value to a community. [04:09] Different platforms for leveraging an audience beyond newsletters. Resources From The Interview: Hunter Walk Naval Ravikant Charli D’Amelio Leave Some Feedback: What should I talk about next? Who should I interview? Please let me know on Twitter or in the comments below. Did you enjoy this episode? If so, please leave a short review here Subscribe to Leveling Up on iTunes Get the non-iTunes RSS Feed Connect with Eric Siu: Growth Everywhere Single Grain Eric Siu on Twitter

The route to a successful and growing online business is hard to imagine without the assistance that is provided by peer groups or masterminds. In this episode, Eric unpacks just how helpful these can be, and have been for him, explaining how you can join up with existent networks or even start your own. There is a wide range of options for any size or level of business, so do not sleep on this great resource! TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES: [00:21] Before we jump into today’s interview, please rate, review, and subscribe to the Leveling Up Podcast! [00:33] What is a peer group and what are the different forms they take? [01:04] Events, activities and networking — characteristics of different groups. [01:50] What to do when starting out and getting going in a mastermind. [02:41] Prerequisites for joining groups and the different options available. [03:19] Having fun and relaxing while sharing and networking. Resources From The Interview: Leveling Up YPO Entrepreneurs' Organization Burger King Jayson Gaignard Vistage Tiger 21 Leave Some Feedback: What should I talk about next? Who should I interview? Please let me know on Twitter or in the comments below. Did you enjoy this episode? If so, please leave a short review here Subscribe to Leveling Up on iTunes Get the non-iTunes RSS Feed Connect with Eric Siu: Growth Everywhere Single Grain Eric Siu on Twitter

Eric had made a plan to move to Puerto Rico during November of this year and today on the Leveling Up Daily show, he explains why he backed out of this plan and decided to stay in LA. With the island lifestyle, great food, community, and attractive tax laws, there were a number of reasons that Puerto Rico started to look very attractive, but with a bout of sickness and in the context of the year we have all had in 2020, Eric found that when it came down it, it did not make so much sense. Tune to hear it all! TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES: [00:21] Before we jump into today’s interview, please rate, review, and subscribe to the Leveling Up Podcast! [00:24] The plan that Eric had to move to Puerto Rico at the beginning of November 2020. [01:01] The situation regarding taxation in Puerto Rico right now. [01:29] Safety and lifestyle on the island — attractions to living there. [01:51] The factors that made Eric rethink the decision and ultimately back out. [03:00] Hurricanes and a lack of infrastructure in Puerto Rico. [03:56] Recommendations for keeping options open for destinations like Puerto Rico. [04:29] Further resources to check out while exploring your options. Resources From The Interview: Leveling Up Ramit Sethi Money Dials Sovereign Man Leave Some Feedback: What should I talk about next? Who should I interview? Please let me know on Twitter or in the comments below. Did you enjoy this episode? If so, please leave a short review here Subscribe to Leveling Up on iTunes Get the non-iTunes RSS Feed Connect with Eric Siu: Growth Everywhere Single Grain Eric Siu on Twitter

The routes to getting funding for a company are not as limited as they once were. The road has widened and it is now more possible than ever to get financing from smaller investors. For this episode, Eric shares his story about crowdfunding and the platforms that suited the company's needs. The importance of your audience and network are also explored, so make sure to join us for this important discussion! TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES: [00:21] Before we jump into today’s interview, please rate, review, and subscribe to the Leveling Up Podcast! [00:35] What the funding and acquisition landscape looks like right now. [02:09] The work that had to go into crowdfunding and the platform that was used. [02:35] Promotion across platforms and audience — making use of your resources. [03:14] Things have changed; you can find money and get funded from anywhere! [03:48] It is worth considering all the options for financing to find the right one. Resources From The Interview: Leveling Up ClickFlow TechCrunch CrowdEngine StartEngine Angels and Entrepreneurs Leave Some Feedback: What should I talk about next? Who should I interview? Please let me know on Twitter or in the comments below. Did you enjoy this episode? If so, please leave a short review here Subscribe to Leveling Up on iTunes Get the non-iTunes RSS Feed Connect with Eric Siu: Growth Everywhere Single Grain Eric Siu on Twitter

Today we're going to discuss the big fight scheduled for February 2020 between Floyd Mayweather and Logan Paul.

In today's episode of Leveling Up Daily, we talk about the marketing process of the Leveling Up book, and how we have been getting email addresses for 15 cents a pop! Utilizing the powerful targeting offered by Facebook and using giveaways and competitions to entice users has proven great for collecting contact information. Plus, the opportunity for the development of this strategy into a fully-fledged book funnel make this path an almost sure winner! Tune in to hear all about it and stay tuned to find out how it all turns out in the coming months! TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES: [00:21] Before we jump into today’s interview, please rate, review, and subscribe to the Leveling Up Podcast! [00:24] Combining Facebook ads and King Sumo giveaways! [01:01] The contest we have been running across different platforms and channels. [02:08] The logic around email information and conversion. [03:03] Possible evolutions of this sales funnel and what the future months will look like. [04:02] How the premise of the book ties in with the strategies discussed here! [04:56] Thinking about the future and the best marketing for younger generations. Resources From The Interview: Leveling Up KingSumo Fortnite League of Legends Russell Brunson Leave Some Feedback: What should I talk about next? Who should I interview? Please let me know on Twitter or in the comments below. Did you enjoy this episode? If so, please leave a short review here Subscribe to Leveling Up on iTunes Get the non-iTunes RSS Feed Connect with Eric Siu: Growth Everywhere Single Grain Eric Siu on Twitter

Charli D’Amelio has grown to the point where she has built a massive audience on TikTok since she started in only 2019. While her fame is partly a sign that almost anybody can rise to stardom on social media these days, there are also many lessons that we can learn from the example she has set. Tune in and hear about the value of diversifying platforms and content, serving your audience, and the future of content creator business models. TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES: [00:21] Before we jump into today’s interview, please rate, review, and subscribe to the Leveling Up Podcast! [00:25] The rise of Charli D’Amelio and how many followers she has. [00:49] Almost anybody can get huge on social media these days. [01:14] The ability to move from one platform to another; knowing when to diversify. [02:01] Diversifying as far as making different kinds of content too. [02:11] Working with agencies and knowing when and how to monetize. [03:03] How Charli is leveraging code, capital, labor, and media. [03:20] Hiring a good team. [03:47] Figuring out how best to serve your audience. [04:05] Selling more than just merchandise to the audience you have built. Resources From The Interview: Gary V Logan Paul Naval Ravikant Charli D’Amelio Leave Some Feedback: What should I talk about next? Who should I interview? Please let me know on Twitter or in the comments below. Did you enjoy this episode? If so, please leave a short review here Subscribe to Leveling Up on iTunes Get the non-iTunes RSS Feed Connect with Eric Siu: Growth Everywhere Single Grain Eric Siu on Twitter

In this episode, Eric explains why he put 50% of his business' cash sheet into bitcoin. This may seem like a bold move, but as he explains here, there are some great arguments for bitcoin's utility and safety, and plenty of successful people who are doing the same. This is not financial advice per se, but definitely worth thinking about in the current uncertainty of the US and the world. TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES: [00:21] Before we jump into today’s interview, please rate, review, and subscribe to the Leveling Up Podcast! [00:24] The current political and economic climate and why this influenced Eric's strategy. [01:20] What might happen in the coming months with different commodities. [02:01] The case for bitcoin — the strongest cryptocurrency. [02:30] Looking back at the highs and lows of bitcoin over the last decade. [03:35] A few of the high profile backers of bitcoin currently. [04:03] Practicality and utility; the argument for bitcoin's strengths. [04:57] Some food for thought around cryptocurrency and bitcoin. Resources From The Interview: Leveling Up Michael Saylor Square Jack Dorsey Chase PayPal CitiBank Blackrock Leave Some Feedback: What should I talk about next? Who should I interview? Please let me know on Twitter or in the comments below. Did you enjoy this episode? If so, please leave a short review here Subscribe to Leveling Up on iTunes Get the non-iTunes RSS Feed Connect with Eric Siu: Growth Everywhere Single Grain Eric Siu on Twitter

In this episode, Eric shares findings from Hootsuite’s annual report that talks about which social media platform investors are most excited about. You’ll learn which platforms rank the most highly for growing audiences organically, reaching business goals, and more. Eric also compares his use of these platforms to the findings in the report. Tune in today! TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES: [00:21] Before we jump into today’s interview, please rate, review, and subscribe to the Leveling Up Podcast! [00:25] An introduction to Hootsuite’s social media trends report. [01:09] Which platforms investors are most excited about. [01:40] How Eric’s usage of the different platforms compares to the findings. [03:19] Using WhatsApp groups for marketing. [04:09] Eric ranks the platforms in terms of the amount he markets organically on them. [05:16] Rankings for social platforms that are effective for reaching business goals. [05:30] How Eric’s usage of the different platforms compares to the findings. Resources From The Interview: Hootsuite Leave Some Feedback: What should I talk about next? Who should I interview? Please let me know on Twitter or in the comments below. Did you enjoy this episode? If so, please leave a short review here Subscribe to Leveling Up on iTunes Get the non-iTunes RSS Feed Connect with Eric Siu: Growth Everywhere Single Grain Eric Siu on Twitter

We are returning to the story of MrBeast and his YouTube success for this episode and today we unpack a lesson about the role of trust in getting conversions on your offer. It is not always about how good your offer is, in most cases, as with the example of MrBeast giveaways, trust needs to be established before someone will commit. Listen in to hear how you can apply this to your business. TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES: [00:21] Before we jump into today’s interview, please rate, review, and subscribe to the Leveling Up Podcast! [00:25] MrBeast's sizable following and outlandish video content! [01:01] How trust can disarm defense mechanisms in people. [02:55] Taking a lesson from Gary V and boxing strategy! [03:10] Making sure of your offer, and how you package it. [03:42] Getting more customers and conversions through trust. Resources From The Interview: Leveling Up MrBeast Gary V Jab, Jab, Jab, Right Hook Leave Some Feedback: What should I talk about next? Who should I interview? Please let me know on Twitter or in the comments below. Did you enjoy this episode? If so, please leave a short review here Subscribe to Leveling Up on iTunes Get the non-iTunes RSS Feed Connect with Eric Siu: Growth Everywhere Single Grain Eric Siu on Twitter

For this episode of Leveling Up Daily, we look at how MrBeast took a leaf out of Jeff Bezos' book and got himself to 46 million YouTube subscribers! Lessons here include the power of delaying and allowing growth to compound, and we see with this example how patience can pay off in a big way. MrBeast's audience and revenue growth is truly inspiring, so make sure to tune in to hear it all. TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES: [00:21] Before we jump into today’s interview, please rate, review, and subscribe to the Leveling Up Podcast! [00:25] Who is MrBeast and what does he do on his YouTube channel? [01:20] Demonetization of MrBeast's channel and what this means for his revenue. [01:40] Looking at the lead that MrBeast took from Jeff Bezos and Amazon. [02:26] The power of reinvesting for growth — how Amazon grew to their current size! [04:00] MrBeast's reinvestment strategy with his content channels. [05:10] Delaying and compounding — avoiding taxation on profits. [05:52] Taking care of yourself first and then aiming for massive growth. Resources From The Interview: Leveling Up MrBeast Jeff Bezos Whole Foods PillPack Zappos Twitch Blue Origin Patriots Bill Belichick Warren Buffett Leave Some Feedback: What should I talk about next? Who should I interview? Please let me know on Twitter or in the comments below. Did you enjoy this episode? If so, please leave a short review here Subscribe to Leveling Up on iTunes Get the non-iTunes RSS Feed Connect with Eric Siu: Growth Everywhere Single Grain Eric Siu on Twitter

Today we are going to talk about how Spotify is heating up deep podcasting Wars with its $575 million spending spree.

Messaging and marketing have a key role to play in the divided political situation in America. In this episode, we explore how Trump uses messaging to spread polarizing opinions, and how news and social media entities are the channels through which these tensions play out. Tune in for all this as well as to learn the importance of being aware of biases in the media we consume. TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES: [00:21] Before we jump into today’s interview, please rate, review, and subscribe to the Leveling Up Podcast! [00:38] Why America is still very divided based on vote counts. [01:44] BLM vs MAGA and how Trump’s great messaging won him the last elections. [02:49] COVID and examples of Trump’s messaging that polarizes people. [03:55] Competing messages between media organizations and Trump. [04:17] How powerful social media is for spreading polarizing messaging. [05:05] Curating the information we receive and being aware of its influence. Resources From The Interview: Naval Ravikant on Twitter Leave Some Feedback: What should I talk about next? Who should I interview? Please let me know on Twitter or in the comments below. Did you enjoy this episode? If so, please leave a short review here Subscribe to Leveling Up on iTunes Get the non-iTunes RSS Feed Connect with Eric Siu: Growth Everywhere Single Grain Eric Siu on Twitter

In aid of the release of his new book, Leveling Up!, Eric has laid out the goal of appearing on one hundred podcasts in the next 12 weeks! Today we get to hear why podcasts are a great way to promote something like a book, how Eric is going about sourcing shows to approach, and the thought and planning that goes into presenting to different audiences. Tune in to hear how you can utilize these great resources for marketing yourself! TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES: [00:21] Before we jump into today’s interview, please rate, review, and subscribe to the Leveling Up Podcast! [00:56] Eric's goals right now with the book and the 12 week period he has laid out. [01:11] Why podcasts? Natural affinity to hosts and guests and huge audiences. [02:09] Eric's method for finding marketing podcasts to appear on using Chartable. [03:12] Topics to discuss on podcasts; finding enough content to keep it interesting. [04:14] Leveling up within your own business, and then beyond! [04:46] Using Mixmax to evaluate what is working and what is not. [05:19] Getting placed on big podcasts and staying clear on your goals. Resources From The Interview: Oprah Today Show Chartable Anthony Pompliano Mixmax Leave Some Feedback: What should I talk about next? Who should I interview? Please let me know on Twitter or in the comments below. Did you enjoy this episode? If so, please leave a short review here Subscribe to Leveling Up on iTunes Get the non-iTunes RSS Feed Connect with Eric Siu: Growth Everywhere Single Grain Eric Siu on Twitter

In this episode of the daily Leveling Up podcast, Eric talks about the outreach he is doing to market his new book, Leveling Up! You will get to hear about why he thinks that influencer marketing is where it is at currently, and how he is going about these strategies. So to catch all the good stuff about value for money, sourcing influencers and more, join us today! TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES: [00:21] Before we jump into today’s interview, please rate, review, and subscribe to the Leveling Up Podcast! [00:25] Why Eric is aspiring to influencer marketing! [01:45] How Eric has been finding gamers using Twitter and email. [02:26] The messaging used to connect and collaborate with influencers. [02:57] The costs involved in this kind of marketing. [03:43] The value that you can get for your money in the influencer space. [04:03] Testing different influences and finding the best route before going all-in. [04:54] How to support Eric and his new book! Resources From The Interview: Followerwonk Mixmax Mail Merge Ninja Leave Some Feedback: What should I talk about next? Who should I interview? Please let me know on Twitter or in the comments below. Did you enjoy this episode? If so, please leave a short review here Subscribe to Leveling Up on iTunes Get the non-iTunes RSS Feed Connect with Eric Siu: Growth Everywhere Single Grain Eric Siu on Twitter

Today we are going to talk about how Amazon is continuing to dominate the world and how they're getting into pharma and continuing to eat everyone's lunch.

Today, we are going to talk about how Bitcoin is continuing to skyrocket and why it's here to stay. So as of this recording, Bitcoin is at about 18.5 K right now, which is an all time high, but the, I think there's a couple of things to look at here. In this episode we'll dive in and talk about both sides.

If you want to build a community you have to focus on how you can provide value to them, but once you have one you can save a lot of money on marketing. Connecting people is Lloyed Lobo’s superpower, and today we talk to him about how he built a community of over 60,000 people and the returns this investment of his time is producing. Lloyed is Co-Founder and President of Boast.AI, and he is also one of the Co-Founders of the amazing Traction Conference. Before getting into the topic of community, Lloyed gives us the rundown of how Boast fuels the growth of innovative companies by automating R&D tax applications and more. From there, Lloyed talks about how the aims at Boast, to serve their clients, grew into early community-building events that evolved into the Traction Conf. We hear tips and tricks from Lloyed about the best ways of building a community, key learnings he had on his journey, and about the incredible conference Traction has evolved into. Lloyed highlights that a community-building strategy should only be used if you are prepared to give without expecting anything in return and if connecting people is truly your passion. For all you need to know about bringing people together and the power of leveraging networks as a secret marketing weapon, tune in today! TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES: [00:21] Before we jump into today’s interview, please rate, review, and subscribe to the Leveling Up Podcast! [01:04] An overview of Boast’s services automating R&D tax applications and more. [00:40] How the mission to expand Boast and build a community birthed Traction. [04:36] The complexities of the R&D tax credit system in the U.S and Canada. [09:50] How Boast is using a fund to offer R&D returns quarterly. [11:12] Boast’s model for making money by taking a percentage of R&D returns. [11:35] Key learnings Lloyed had on the road to building Traction. [16:36] The last few years of Traction, how it has evolved and what it involves. [17:35] How Lloyed built Boast and his community using a philosophy of giving, not marketing. [19:43] The time it took to build Traction from its less formal stages to where it is now. [20:01] Community building tips: Email lists, in-person events, cadence, and a passion for connecting. [23:30] The return on investment of building a community. [24:47] The key to building a successful business and the steps to building a community. [28:28] Using Nir Ayal’s Hooked model to keep communities engaged. [29:39] Lloyed’s favorite book and different sources he gets his knowledge from. [31:07] Brilliant webinars Lloyed has recently engaged with. Resources From The Interview: Lloyed Lobo Lloyed Lobo Email Boast.AI Launch Academy Salesforce Twilio TechStars Founder Institute Startupfest Mars Eventbrite Josh Fechter Blitzmetrics Dennis Yu on Twitter Matt Epstein Nir Eyal Rippling Zenefits Must-read books: Hooked, Blitzscaling Leave Some Feedback: What should I talk about next? Who should I interview? Please let me know on Twitter or in the comments below. Did you enjoy this episode? If so, please leave a short review here Subscribe to Leveling Up on iTunes Get the non-iTunes RSS Feed Connect with Eric Siu: Growth Everywhere Single Grain Eric Siu on Twitter

As Eric prepares to release his new book, Leveling Up, he takes this opportunity to spill the beans on his inspiration and motivation for writing it! Eric talks about the time he has spent on its creation over the last five years, the publishing model he selected, and how he aims to tap into the discourse around habits, with his own take on improvement and and progress. Tune in to hear it all from the man himself! TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES: [00:21] Before we jump into today’s interview, please rate, review, and subscribe to the Leveling Up Podcast! [00:25] When the book was started and the time it has taken to write it. [01:22] The reason that Eric decided to write and publish Leveling Up. [02:35] Servicing the huge gaming community across the world! [03:23] The idea of the 'power-up', and relating it to the conversation around habits. [03:41] The main goal for the book: Refining the messaging and helping people. Resources From The Interview: World of Warcraft EverQuest Street Fighter Atomic Habits The Power of Habit Page Two The Coaching Habit Leave Some Feedback: What should I talk about next? Who should I interview? Please let me know on Twitter or in the comments below. Did you enjoy this episode? If so, please leave a short review here Subscribe to Leveling Up on iTunes Get the non-iTunes RSS Feed Connect with Eric Siu: Growth Everywhere Single Grain Eric Siu on Twitter

In this episode, Eric shares the lessons that he learned from losing $200,000 trying to start a coaching program. He talks about not having sales nailed down, why good marketing alone is not enough to sell a product, and other key lessons he learned from this loss. To hear more, tune in today! TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES: [00:21] Before we jump into today’s interview, please rate, review, and subscribe to the Leveling Up Podcast! [00:38] The benefits of doing a post-mortem after you complete a project. [01:10] What prompted Eric to start a training program when the pandemic hit. [01:50] How the campaign for the program was received. [02:15] The problem Eric faced by not having a sales team for the program. [02:50] Some of the things that went really well for Eric. [03:50] Lessons learned from the failure of the training course. [05:27] If you don’t have passion for your product, don’t pursue it. Resources From The Interview: Traction Leveling Up Leave Some Feedback: What should I talk about next? Who should I interview? Please let me know on Twitter or in the comments below. Did you enjoy this episode? If so, please leave a short review here Subscribe to Leveling Up on iTunes Get the non-iTunes RSS Feed Connect with Eric Siu: Growth Everywhere Single Grain Eric Siu on Twitter

In this episode, Eric talks about giving away free content and why it can be such a successful business model. We hear about some examples of brands who have done this and why delaying gratification, if you can, will help you win. TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES: [00:21] Before we jump into today’s interview, please rate, review, and subscribe to the Leveling Up Podcast! [00:22] What Eric means by “the business of free content”. [00:50] Fortnite’s business model, giving away free content, and why this is so effective. [02:14] If possible, try to prolong giving away free content as long as you can. [03:02] How MrBeast has leveraged the free content model successfully. [04:10] Eric’s approach to monetizing Leveling Up and Marketing School. [05:12] Deferring gratification will put you in a better spot than most. Resources From The Interview: Mr Beast MrBeast on Twitter MrBeast on YouTube Fortnite Tim Sweeney Joe Rogan Bill Belichick Leveling Up Leave Some Feedback: What should I talk about next? Who should I interview? Please let me know on Twitter or in the comments below. Did you enjoy this episode? If so, please leave a short review here Subscribe to Leveling Up on iTunes Get the non-iTunes RSS Feed Connect with Eric Siu: Growth Everywhere Single Grain Eric Siu on Twitter

In this episode, we talk about the importance of being patient in business. As entrepreneurs, it is easy to fall into the comparison trap and want to move as quickly as possible. Eric talks about the similarities between compound interest and business success and why a slow and steady approach is the best-kept secret out there. TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES: [00:21] Before we jump into today’s interview, please rate, review, and subscribe to the Leveling Up Podcast! [00:29] The comparison trap that many entrepreneurs tend to fall into. [01:27] Avoid comparing yourself with someone who has been in business for longer than you. [01:40] The magic number of years it takes to really see success and gain traction. [03:08] Experience compounds in the same way interest does, so be patient! [03:53] What Eric has learned from trying to achieve things too quickly. [04:59] There is no such thing as quick success, despite how it may appear. [05:39] Pre-order Eric’s book from your favorite bookseller. Resources From The Interview: Albert Einstein Warren Buffett Chai with Pabrai Leave Some Feedback: What should I talk about next? Who should I interview? Please let me know on Twitter or in the comments below. Did you enjoy this episode? If so, please leave a short review here Subscribe to Leveling Up on iTunes Get the non-iTunes RSS Feed Connect with Eric Siu: Growth Everywhere Single Grain Eric Siu on Twitter

Welcome to Growth Bites, a shorter format of Leveling Up, where Eric provides daily insights to help you step up your game. In this episode, we talk about why copywriters are the best hire you can make, the contributions they make to your business, and where to find the best ones in the business. Be sure to tune in today! TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES: [00:41] Before we jump into today’s interview, please rate, review, and subscribe to the Leveling Up Podcast! [00:52] Why Eric believes the best hire you can make is a copywriter. [01:18] Hear about some of the skills that copywriters have. [02:11] Eric’s positive experience of working with copywriters. [03:25] Some of the best copywriting books out there, according to Eric. [03:53] Words are what help products to sell. [04:25] Advice for those looking to find the best copywriters out there. [05:30] How to get your hands on the first chapter of Eric’s upcoming book. Resources From The Interview: Marketing School Podcast Agora Financial Breakthrough Advertising The 16-Word Sales Letter Ben Settle Leveling Up Leave Some Feedback: What should I talk about next? Who should I interview? Please let me know on Twitter or in the comments below. Did you enjoy this episode? If so, please leave a short review here Subscribe to Leveling Up on iTunes Get the non-iTunes RSS Feed Connect with Eric Siu: Growth Everywhere Single Grain Eric Siu on Twitter

Email productivity ranks highly on the list of desirable outcomes for business owners, and today we have Rahul Vohra on the show, the brains behind the fastest email experience available, Superhuman! Rahul explains the philosophy behind the company and why the product has created its own buzz, more than anything. We get into some of the early periods of their story and the work that Rahul did before founding Superhuman too. Rahul does a great job sharing some of the secret sauce that has gone into the success he and his company have experienced, giving a detailed rundown of their marketing funnel and the important conversations he had with customers early on. We touch on the power of word of mouth, gaining the attention of the right investors, and how a history in game design has informed the way that Rahul thinks about email. Their tool is such a great example of finding a need in the market and servicing it with almost pinpoint accuracy, and the way that Rahul and his team have gone about this is truly inspiring, you will not want to miss this! TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES: [00:21] Before we jump into today’s interview, please rate, review, and subscribe to the Leveling Up Podcast! [00:46] Rahul's backstory leading up to his work on Superhuman. [01:23] How Rahul's company, Rapportive, was acquired by LinkedIn. [04:24] Some interesting financial and business metrics of Superhuman! [06:04] The marketing strategy around the launch and waitlist model of Superhuman. [07:49] The methods that Superhuman used for customer development and how they generated such intense loyalty. [11:30] The power of word of mouth marketing combined with small paid experiments. [13:04] Efficient customer meetings and injecting a company into the news cycle. [19:21] Clarifying the customer funnel at Superhuman! [21:00] Rahul's reflections on working with Marc Andreessen. [24:02] Getting the attention of big venture capital firms; different routes to explore. [27:28] The influence of game design on Rahul's philosophy towards Superhuman. [30:39] The exciting future of Superhuman that has Rahul looking forward! [31:20] Business trends that Rahul is currently excited about as an angel investor. [32:09] The music tool that keeps Rahul on track and productive! [32:32] Two great book recommendations from Rahul. [33:13] Connecting with Rahul online and on social media. Resources From The Interview: Rahul Vohra on LinkedIn Superhuman Rahul Vohra on Twitter Andreessen Horowitz Netscape Marc Andreessen Todd and Rahul's Angel Fund Brain.fm Must read books: The Art of Game Design, Gardens of the Moon Leave Some Feedback: What should I talk about next? Who should I interview? Please let me know on Twitter or in the comments below. Did you enjoy this episode? If so, please leave a short review here Subscribe to Leveling Up on iTunes Get the non-iTunes RSS Feed Connect with Eric Siu: Growth Everywhere Single Grain Eric Siu on Twitter

Today we have Melanie Deziel, the founder and chief content officer at StoryFuel, a company that equips marketers, creators, and sales professionals with the skill and strategies that they need to tell better brand stories. Because human beings are storytellers by nature, we connect far better with stories than cold, hard facts, and Melanie helps people to leverage brand narratives to promote their businesses by speaking to people’s emotional side. For her, good content marketing is audience-centered and focuses on their needs and wants, so you should consider content that educates or helps them through a certain process – that’s why good DIY videos get so many views! In this episode, Melanie talks about her background working for large media brands, why she decided to go on her own to pursue entrepreneurship, and the different ways they teach brands about content marketing. She dishes out some tips for finding inspiration and creating captivating brand stories and how they help people to get past their limiting beliefs and start producing the content they have always talked about. Also, be sure to check out her new book The Content Fuel Strategy in which she shares all her expertise and best practices! TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES: [00:41] Before we jump into today’s interview, please rate, review, and subscribe to the Leveling Up Podcast! [01:52] Melanie’s background in journalism and how she got involved in content marketing. [02:24] Hear about the big media companies she worked for, including The Huffington Post. [03:00] Discovering that going on her own would offer her far more business opportunities. [03:33] Their focus on educating brands about creating and leveraging content for marketing. [04:40] How they make their money through speaking engagements, consulting, coaching, etc. [05:53] Where most people fall short with content marketing – not putting the audience first. [07:12] Why brand stories will always be relevant to the impression we make on others. [08:20] Examples of how our everyday experiences can be rich sources of inspiration. [09:08] Using process-focused, ‘how to’ content, and other advice for telling better brand stories. [11:14] The advantages of thinking like a journalist and how to apply it to content marketing. [12:56] How ‘content therapy’ helps people conquer their limiting beliefs about creating content. [14:08] Melanie talks about The Content Fuel Framework and what readers will get out of it. [16:07] Hear how the Inbox When Ready plug-in can help you keep control of your inbox. [17:42] How the books Exactly What to Say and How to Be Antiracist changed her life. [18:26] The best people to teach you about using Twitter and the entrepreneurial journey. Resources From The Interview: Melanie Deziel on LinkedIn StoryFuel The Content Fuel Framework AnswerThePublic The Huffington Post The New York Times They Ask You Answer Content Marketing Institute Native Advertising Institute HubSpot Inbox When Ready Rand Fishkin on Twitter Must-read book: Exactly What to Say and How to Be Antiracist Leave Some Feedback: What should I talk about next? Who should I interview? Please let me know on Twitter or in the comments below. Did you enjoy this episode? If so, please leave a short review here Subscribe to Leveling Up on iTunes Get the non-iTunes RSS Feed Connect with Eric Siu: Growth Everywhere Single Grain Eric Siu on Twitter

Today we have Timothy Sykes on the show! Tim is the CEO of TLC Media, which is an educational community that allows members to interact with the best traders online. Their philosophy is one of transparency and so the experts on the platform, including Tim, show all their wins and losses. Our guest is also the co-founder of Karmagawa, which is a social charity, dedicated to improving living conditions and the environment around the world. Tim currently funnels all of his stock trading profits into this cause and one of his main goals is to inspire and help others to give more! Tim tells us about his approach to the aspects of his life, from being real and leading by example, to differentiating yourself in a market. We also get into some thoughts on going viral and Tim's attitude of experimentation for his wide-ranging ventures. He explains his commitment to playing to his strengths and outsourcing the rest, before we discuss a long term attitude towards success and putting impact over profits. Tim urges listeners to get loud and get attention, and makes a strong case for more honesty in the business and trading worlds. To hear it all from an energetic and impactful figure, join us today! TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES: [00:21] Before we jump into today’s interview, please rate, review, and subscribe to the Leveling Up Podcast! [01:03] Tim's social and charity work and the resultant founding of Karmagawa. [02:28] The transition Tim made from focussing solely on materialism. [03:36] The financials around Karmagawa and how it remains possible. [05:30] Tim's aspirations to inspire others to give more! [07:26] The optics of charity and getting away from looking slimy and fake. [08:52] How Tim stays abreast of all the issues he wants to help with. [10:34] An overly busy schedule and Tim's continual challenge of keeping up! [12:01] How Tim's educational business operates; the lessons he offers from TLC Media. [12:59] A look at the growth of TLC Media and the speed at which this happening. [14:09] Tim's focus on his strengths and the employment and outsourcing around those. [16:20] This moment in history; remote work, considering health, and bringing back morality. [18:31] Tim's daily routine content stack; trading, charity work, eating, and more! [19:56] The pricing at TLC Media for different programs. [20:29] The evolution of Tim's business strategy and marketing plan. [21:20] Changes in the mission and the ongoing task of cutting through the BS. [23:39] Tim's advice for growing your Instagram account and going viral. [27:01] Throwing everything out there to see what sticks; forget about the strategy! [29:19] Impact over profit — gaining credibility through honesty. [30:41] The business trends that have Tim excited right now. [33:47] The media that Tim has recently enjoyed the most. [35:29] Tim's must-read book recommendation: Hit Makers. Resources From The Interview: Timothy Sykes TLC Media Karmagawa Bow Wow Chuck Finney Bill Gates Warren Buffett Robinhood CELCIUS Elon Musk Tesla Evernote mmhmm Kardashians Medici Game of Thrones Dan Bilzerian Must read book: Hit Makers Leave Some Feedback: What should I talk about next? Who should I interview? Please let me know on Twitter or in the comments below. Did you enjoy this episode? If so, please leave a short review here Subscribe to Leveling Up on iTunes Get the non-iTunes RSS Feed Connect with Eric Siu: Growth Everywhere Single Grain Eric Siu on Twitter

Joining us on Leveling Up today is the CEO of kovai.com, Saravana Kumar! Kovai is an enterprise software company, and we get to hear from our guest about their past, present, and exciting future! Saravana is an amazing person and an excellent entrepreneur, who has a number of balls in the air. Apart from his main work at Kovai he is also dedicated to helping the community and spreading skills and wealth to people beyond himself! We talk about establishing a community in a niche market, something that Kovai has done so well in the last few years before we get into their customer acquisition strategies and how they make money. Saravana also unpacks important moments in the company's evolution, such as the move to India from the UK that was made in aid of scaling. We finish off this great chat with our usual questions, with Saravana sharing his favorite business book and tools, and how these have helped him up his game. So for all of this and a whole lot more, make sure to tune in with us today! TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES: [00:31] Before we jump into today’s interview, please rate, review, and subscribe to the Leveling Up Podcast! [01:30] Saravana's personal story and path leading to his current position and company. [03:50] The move that Kovai made to India in order to scale more quickly. [06:38] Kovai's important numbers currently; revenue and employees. [07:14] The lead up to hitting the $1 million annual recurring revenue mark. [08:05] The bootstrap model that Saravana and Kovai have relied on. [09:37] Reasons that Saravana has turned down all the venture capital he has been offered. [11:27] The economic model for Kovai and where they make their money! [12:30] Customer acquisition strategies at the company and what has been working recently. [14:34] Saravana's ambitions for spreading wealth, learning and expertise to others. [17:15] How Saravana splits his time between his different projects and passions. [18:36] The two business tools that have helped Saravana recently with his company. [19:21] A must-read book recommendation from Saravana! [20:42] The impact that the Traction framework had on Saravana and his systems. Resources From The Interview: Saravana Kumar Kovai.co SaaStock Microsoft Zapier Azure Zendesk Intercom Freshdesk HelpSTAR Pipe OneNote Microsoft Teams Slack Tim Ferriss Traction Must read book: The Millionaire Fastlane Leave Some Feedback: What should I talk about next? Who should I interview? Please let me know on Twitter or in the comments below. Did you enjoy this episode? If so, please leave a short review here Subscribe to Leveling Up on iTunes Get the non-iTunes RSS Feed Connect with Eric Siu: Growth Everywhere Single Grain Eric Siu on Twitter

Joining us for this episode is Erik Kostelnik, the co-founder and CEO at Postal.io, a leading B2B offline engagement platform that automates direct mail and gifting in the sales and marketing world, helping businesses to improve their customer acquisition and better engage with prospects. While their customer base might seemingly tell a different story, this company has been operational for only 78 days and has achieved remarkable growth amid the pandemic and the economic crisis facing many other companies. Erik shares how their technological advancements have allowed their customers to achieve unusual results, explaining that regular mail is often better received than email and, since it has been proven that the coronavirus cannot live on mail pieces, it has remained a trusted form of communications between businesses and their customers. Postal.io works on a subscription basis that caters to a range of customer needs, from the most basic $19/mo package to a comprehensive one for teams of plus-minus a thousand. Erik talks about why businesses should consider scaling their direct mail and gifting, why they had to adjust their industry and persona market fit early on, the success they had with the growth strategies of creating a marketplace and maintaining a close relationship with integration partners, and how they went about hiring the best executive staff. TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES: [00:41] Before we jump into today’s interview, please rate, review, and subscribe to the Leveling Up Podcast! [00:24] Erik talks about his sales and leadership story over the last 20 years. [01:01] Get a sense of what postal.io offers and an example of a practical use case. [02:18] How the firm’s technology has enabled their customers to achieve unexpected results. [04:05] The importance of scaling your personal direct mail, gifting, donations, and more. [04:28] Erik talks about their subscription-based model that offers something for everyone. [05:52] The firm’s impressive customer count after just 78 days and amid the pandemic. [07:37] Why it is 100% safe to receive and open physical mail and packages. [08:13] How people’s response to mail and email differs and how it can be leveraged. [09:52] Erik responds to a question about how long it will take them to get to product-market fit. [11:52] Why they have had to adjust their industry and persona market fit. [12:38] The success they have had with the growth strategy of creating a marketplace. [13:45] Maintaining a close relationship with integration partners and providing value to them. [14:21] Erik shares how he defines and thinks about risk analyses. [15:49] Why technology entrepreneurs must take a step back at times. [17:23] How they went about hiring a full staff of executives from their trusted network. [17:48] The tool that Erik uses to read without the bother of advertisers and blockers. [18:14] Erik’s app for getting the most important summaries from all kinds of business books. Resources From The Interview: Erik Kostelnik on LinkedIn Postal.io Outreach Hive Cisco VMware Salesforce SalesLoft Zapier Marketo Mayfield Just Read getAbstract Coronavirus IX: Evictions (John Oliver) Must-read book: Lincoln on Leadership Leave Some Feedback: What should I talk about next? Who should I interview? Please let me know on Twitter or in the comments below. Did you enjoy this episode? If so, please leave a short review here Subscribe to Leveling Up on iTunes Get the non-iTunes RSS Feed Connect with Eric Siu: Growth Everywhere Single Grain Eric Siu on Twitter

In this episode, we have Pete Lamson, the CEO of JazzHR, an SMB-focused recruiting software/applicant tracking system company designed to streamline the hiring process. Unlike most of their competitors who are focused on the mid- and enterprise market, JazzHR serves small businesses of anything between 50 and 500 employees, offering a solid product that they continue to improve as well as delivering industry-leading customer support. Pete discusses why customer retention is such a high priority for them and how, during the height of the COVID pandemic, they remained laser-focused on getting results for their customers and investors. As part of their customer experience strategy, they offer free onboarding services that allow their customers to get comfortable and confident with their software so that they can get the most out of it – just one of their many strategies for offering top-class customer support. Switching the topic to his role as CEO, Pete discusses his recruitment by JazzHR four years ago and how the founder Don Charlton managed to strike the perfect balance between supporting him while also giving him enough space to develop his own ideas, and he advises listeners on the most important considerations for any new CEO. For more on recruitment software, founder-CEO relationships, and customer experience, be sure to tune in! TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES: [00:21] Before we jump into today’s interview, please rate, review, and subscribe to the Leveling Up Podcast! [00:49] Pete talks about his entrepreneurial career and his biggest influences along the way. [02:19] Learn what kind of business JazzHR is and how Pete and his team make money. [03:11] How their solution simplifies and improves the recruiting process for their customers. [04:11] Hear some impressive metrics on their ARR, number of employees, and growth rate. [05:04] What makes JazzHR different from other recruitment software companies. [06:53] Some of the positive feedback they are getting and their focus on customer retention. [07:45] Advice for driving good customer experience, including offering onboarding services. [10:53] Pete talks about their approach to onboarding new customers and the time it takes. [11:35] Being recruited as the CEO four years ago and how the board equipped him to succeed. [13:58] Get a sense of how effectively the founder Don Charlton supports Pete as the CEO. [17:10] The actions Pete and his team have had to take to keep afloat when the pandemic hit. [20:03] Overcoming the downturn by continuing to prioritize results for customers and investors. [21:03] The most important PMF-related questions to consider as a new CEO. [23:10] Pete talks about Sisense as his most trusted tool, especially in the context of COVID. Resources From The Interview: Pete Lamson on LinkedIn JazzHR Carbonite Indeed ZipRecruiter Taleo Greenhouse Don Charlton on LinkedIn Kommute Sisense Must-read book: The Hard Thing About Hard Things Leave Some Feedback: What should I talk about next? Who should I interview? Please let me know on Twitter or in the comments below. Did you enjoy this episode? If so, please leave a short review here Subscribe to Leveling Up on iTunes Get the non-iTunes RSS Feed Connect with Eric Siu: Growth Everywhere Single Grain Eric Siu on Twitter

In almost all situations, the more personalized the piece, the more you will have to pay, and the waiting time for made-to-order is months, but it doesn’t have to be that way. Today’s guest is Christiane Lemieux, Founder and CEO of The Inside, an online furniture store that provides custom made, on-demand furniture that remains exclusive by utilizing technology. Christiane is a creative tech entrepreneur, and today we talk to her about what this means while exploring her journey launching Dwell Studio, The Inside, and what is in store for the world from her new company, Lemieux Et Cie. Christiane gets into the business models of her different companies, how she bridged technology with creativity at different stages of her career, and her strategy and vision for the launch of Lemieux Et Cie. She weighs in on the innovations the technology-powered, furniture on-demand model at The Inside brings to the world of made-to-order e-commerce. Christiane shares about how she is taking her products a tier higher with Lemiuex Et Cie, and why she plans to launch her new business in the IRL retail world. Christiane also details some of her experiences building a best in class, remote-first tech team as she transitioned from her position at Wayfair into a then-fledgling The Inside. For a great conversation about innovation that blends design and technology, make sure you tune in for this interview with Christiane Lemieux. TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES: [00:21] Before we jump into today’s interview, please rate, review, and subscribe to the Leveling Up Podcast! [01:09] Christiane’s journey from starting Dwell Studio and how she became a creative tech entrepreneur. [02:10] Selling Dwell Studio to Wayfair, working there, and the tech that went into starting The Inside. [03:08] Made on demand furniture that remains exclusive by utilizing technology: How The Inside works. [03:35] Not needing a warehouse and having no waste: Advantages of The Inside’s business model. [04:19] Products at The Inside, and their pricing which starts from as low as $20. [04:40] Why the custom order model at The Inside produces stickier customers. [06:04] How COVID is affecting digitally-first companies and businesses selling homeware. [07:35] The higher-end offerings by Christiane’s new company Lemieux Et Cie. [09:17] Getting people back on the streets and why Lemieux Et Cie is not enabling e-commerce instantly. [09:58] How The Inside landed its first customers using the usual D2C advertising playbook. [10:44] Challenges growing The Inside; escalated marketing costs for second wave D2C companies. [11:57] Retail competitors and the launch plan for Lemieux Et Cie once they enable e-commerce. [13:55] The difference between a creative entrepreneur and a tech one and what blending them means. [14:57] How Christiane leveled up at Wayfair and by hiring her own engineers for The Inside. [15:55] Building a brilliant, remote tech team from scratch by using Toptal. [17:11] A valuable tool Christiane uses and recommends for tweaking your stack rank. Resources From The Interview: Christiane Lemieux on LinkedIn Lemieux Et Cie The Inside Dwell Studio Wayfair West Elm The Architectural Digest Anthropologie Warby Parker Hudson’s Bay Toptal Slack Peloton Trello Leave Some Feedback: What should I talk about next? Who should I interview? Please let me know on Twitter or in the comments below. Did you enjoy this episode? If so, please leave a short review here Subscribe to Leveling Up on iTunes Get the non-iTunes RSS Feed Connect with Eric Siu: Growth Everywhere Single Grain Eric Siu on Twitter

Today, we are going to talk about seven years of operating lessons from taking over my ad agency! This is a multi-part series that talks about the most powerful lessons learned throughout the journey. This is part 3 of the series! When I first started running the business I didn't listen to the team and employees were leaving left and right. When I finally dropped down to one employee, I decided it was time to make a change. These are the lessons that helped me turn my business around and if you put them into action they can help you too!

Most people create the product they have in mind and then try to build a brand around it, but not Mario Nawfal, the CEO of the Athena Group of Companies. What has led to Mario’s success is his business philosophy of first testing a range of products to see which ones do well, and then to begin building out a brand around a product that is already on the consumer radar and trending. For him, it is all about leveraging the momentum of a popular product or service and getting your timing right. Just take 2020 as an example. Those who have become millionaires by selling PPE and hand sanitizers would have been nowhere the year before. In this episode, Mario talks about his group of e-commerce and agency companies, sharing how the avant-garde growth hack strategies developed by the latter are used to boost the business of the former. And while service-based businesses such as agencies are not easily scalable, Mario shares how they are still getting great value out of these organizations and using them to benefit the group at large. Our guest talks about the lessons he learned from Froothie, one of his early companies, regarding the importance of creating a community, and shares about his collaboration with growth hack specialists Jared Codling and Kyrill Krystallis. Tuning in, listeners will also hear Mario’s views on starting a company from scratch versus acquiring an existing one, and much more! TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES: [00:21] Before we jump into today’s interview, please rate, review, and subscribe to the Leveling Up Podcast! [00:47] Find out how Mario got started in e-commerce and eventually expanded into B2B. [01:33] When Mario's entrepreneurial journey started and challenging himself in the agency space. [02:12] Hear about the extent to which Mario is personally involved in the companies he owns. [03:00] Mario shares some numbers on the growth of his group of companies. [05:45] The importance of testing and building a brand around a product that is proving to work. [06:43] Overcoming the problem of making money on inexpensive items with a low AOV or LTV. [07:37] Learn about the innovative growth-hacking services offered by his agencies. [08:55] How Mario’s agencies can serve his existing e-commerce businesses and vice versa. [09:40] Advice for building a brand around a product in a highly competitive market. [12:52] The lessons from Froothie about the power of a strong brand and community. [14:28] Mario shares his perspective on what growth hacking is and the best strategies to use. [17:38] The genius way that Jared Codling built his community and extensive database. [19:02] Using Phantombuster as a beginner and where you can find videos for tips and tricks. [20:38] Building new businesses from scratch versus buying existing e-commerce businesses. [21:34] A resource for growth hacking tools and the most important one for your health. [24:14] One of the biggest mistakes you can make as an entrepreneur: neglecting your health. Resources From The Interview: Mario Nawfal Mario Nawfal on LinkedIn Mario Nawfal on Instagram Athena Capital Athena Group of Companies Tiny Capital Andrew Wilkinson on Twitter Warren Buffett Froothie Phantombuster Kylie Jenner on Instagram Kylie Cosmetics Kanye Bill Gross TED Magento Marketing School Kyrill Krystallis on LinkedIn Jared Codling We Are Growth Hackers Inside Insight Hack Your Agency Top Fucking Secret The Real Yellow Pages Slack FreeStyle Libre Levels Must-read book: The Obstacle is the Way Leave Some Feedback: What should I talk about next? Who should I interview? Please let me know on Twitter or in the comments below. Did you enjoy this episode? If so, please leave a short review here Subscribe to Leveling Up on iTunes Get the non-iTunes RSS Feed Connect with Eric Siu: Growth Everywhere Single Grain Eric Siu on Twitter

In the 70's the Patels from India created a method for acquiring motels and in time earned a massive fortune that could take care of their entire family. In this clip we do a book summary of one of my new favorite books, The Dhando Investor, and discover how you can mitigate risk in your investments and create massive wealth!

Today we talk to Henry Schuck, Co-Founder and CEO of ZoomInfo (formerly DiscoverOrg) about best practices for steering the ship of a startup and scaling it until it goes public. ZoomInfo provides subscription-based sales and marketing intelligence to its clients in the form of accurate B2B content and company information to accelerate the growth of their marketing teams! Henry starts by summing up his education and career, sharing the story of co-founding DiscoverOrg, wearing multiple hats while scaling it to the point of going public, and then acquiring ZoomInfo. From there, we get into some of Henry’s habits that took him from startup CEO to public company CEO. He talks about mastering the skills needed to see DiscoverOrg through its first five years, how to let go of staff who served their purpose but are now holding the company back, and how bringing on investors changed the internal dynamics of the firm for the better. Henry also gets into his ‘pebble in the shoe’ method for aligning his teams with his vision, what goes into ZoomInfo's growth engine, and the people and resources he consults to stay sharp and constantly get better. For all this and more on the topic of continuous improvement and directing a publicly owned company from Henry, be sure to tune in. TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES: [00:21] Before we jump into today’s interview, please rate, review, and subscribe to the Leveling Up Podcast! [01:00] Henry’s education and how he co-founded DiscoverOrg and acquired ZoomInfo. [03:11] Wearing multiple hats, imposter syndrome, and the first five years of DiscoverOrg. [05:00] Why Henry decided to bring on investors and what he learned about hiring after. [07:25] How Henry dealt with being accountable to people other than his co-founder after going public. [08:21] Dealing with letting go of employees who aren’t good enough to help you scale. [12:35] How Henry handled scaling so well; constantly mastering the skills involved. [14:00] Get great at something, train somebody else to do it, and then move on. [15:36] How Henry steers the ship by pointing out what’s wrong with existing systems. [16:52] Winning by constantly iterating versus ‘that’s how it’s always been done’ thinking. [19:02] ZoomInfo’s growth engine and how it works using a specialization sales funnel. [20:41] Figuring out how to get, and take action on, metrics for one’s business. [22:50] People Henry consults with to get advice on how to be a better CEO. [23:52] Why the reMarkable tablet is a tool that’s made a recent impact on Henry. [24:28] Henry reads analyst reports to get better and stay informed. [25:27] Two must-read book recommendations from Henry. [27:17] The most compelling thing Henry recently read: Every analyst report on ZoomInfo! [28:03] How to find Henry online, get in touch with him, and learn more about him. Resources From The Interview: Henry Schuck on Twitter Henry Schuck on LinkedIn Henry Schuck Email ZoomInfo DiscoverOrg University of Nevada Ohio State University The Carlyle Group The E-Myth YPO EO Oura Ring Evernote reMarkable Smartsheet Morgan Stanley Ben Horowitz Must read book: Ogilvy on Advertising, The Hard Thing About Hard Things Leave Some Feedback: What should I talk about next? Who should I interview? Please let me know on Twitter or in the comments below. Did you enjoy this episode? If so, please leave a short review here Subscribe to Leveling Up on iTunes Get the non-iTunes RSS Feed Connect with Eric Siu: Growth Everywhere Single Grain Eric Siu on Twitter

From an airplane designer to a marketing expert, today we are joined by Guy Yalif, the co-founder and CEO of Intellimize, a company that automatically optimizes websites to drive revenue and customer acquisition using machine learning. After making the unusual leap from a career in aerospace engineering, Guy accumulated considerable marketing experience by working in the startup space as well as for big brands like Twitter, Yahoo, and Microsoft. In this episode, he talks about the value that Intellimize offers its customers, including the unique ability to personalize the web experience for each user while also providing useful insight that can be leveraged to refine their messaging. Their sophisticated software gathers and interprets data to make suitable suggestions to site visitors, thereby boosting conversion rates and making a big difference in the sales department. In general, their customers are seeing a remarkable 46% improvement on the metrics they care about since Intellimize is all about focusing on those aspects that are most pertinent to their customers. For them, success is about ensuring that their customers are happy and successful, which is the exact reason why they are seeing such rapid growth themselves. To hear more from seasoned marketer Guy Yalif, be sure to tune in for this episode of Leveling Up! TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES: [00:41] Before we jump into today’s interview, please rate, review, and subscribe to the Leveling Up Podcast! [00:55] Guy talks about his unusual transition from aerospace engineer to marketing expert. [01:57] Hear how Intellimize will personalize the web experience for each unique visitor. [03:15] The value of a customized home page and how they interpret personalization. [04:11] Using the tool to make money through personalization and get useful insights. [05:02] Find out how Intellimize helped Stella & Dot achieve a 52% increase in conversion. [06:48] How Intellimize knows the right messaging and experience for any given customer. [07:56] The data Intellimize gathers to identify and suggest suitable products for site visitors. [09:39] Leveraging machine learning to figure out what works without any manual input. [10:53] How Intellimize makes money and the size of the companies and websites they cater to. [11:59] Why it is not necessarily wise to sell your software on a price-per-test basis. [12:32] Building a system to work with little traffic and to be faster than traditional testing. [13:38] How customers are seeing a 46% improvement on the metrics they care about. [15:14] Why Intellimize will get more out of data than a marketing team. [16:54] How Intellimize works with customers’ marketing teams to code the suggested ideas. [19:07] The biggest growth challenge Intellimize have had — finding the right team members. [20:19] The overarching objective of ensuring that customers are happy and successful. [21:14] Guy shares how using an Oura Ring has allowed him to leverage the power of sleep. [23:40] The two people Guy most likes to learn from – Tod Sacerdoti and Doug Knopper. Resources From The Interview: Guy Yalif on Twitter Guy Yalif on LinkedIn Intellimize Segment Drift Looker Stella & Dot Unilever Emburse Payments Tableau ClickFlow Dermalogica Oura Ring Quantified Self 37signals (Basecamp) Tod Sacerdoti on Twitter Doug Knopper on LinkedIn FreeWheel Must-read book: Getting Real Leave Some Feedback: What should I talk about next? Who should I interview? Please let me know on Twitter or in the comments below. Did you enjoy this episode? If so, please leave a short review here Subscribe to Leveling Up on iTunes Get the non-iTunes RSS Feed Connect with Eric Siu: Growth Everywhere Single Grain Eric Siu on Twitter

This is a special bonus episode where we take a sneak peek into our virtual event and share a portion of one of the talks from the event. In this episode, we're sharing the mic with investing legend, Roland Frasier, who goes into detail about how to buy an existing business with no money down.

Although marketing has evolved a great deal over the past 100 years, the same principles still apply because human psychology has not changed. This is why is, no matter how complicated the marketing landscape gets, simple copywriting remains the most powerful. No-one knows this better than today’s guest, Craig Clemens, an exceptional copywriter, brand-builder, and positioner. As co-founder of Golden Hippo, a leader in direct-to-consumer marketing that builds innovative health, beauty, and pet care brands, Craig knows that it takes to connect with customers effectively. In this episode, we dive into Craig’s fascinating marketing journey, including some of the profound sales and life lessons he learned from his time as a telemarketer. We also gain insights into Craig’s copywriting process, where he highlights the importance of market research. He does not believe in selling products but instead offering unique solutions to people's problems. We also hear more about Golden Hippo and its distinct approach to building brands. Along with this, we touch on politics, where Craig dissects how effective marketing is key to building momentum and a dedicated support base. Tune in today! TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES: [00:21] Before we jump into today’s interview, please rate, review, and subscribe to the Leveling Up Podcast! [01:07] Craig’s background and his journey from telemarketing to where he is now. [04:38] Some of the biggest lessons that Craig learned from his time in telemarketing. [06:16] Craig’s recommendations about the best copywriting resources. [07:28] Why successful companies are some of the best examples of great copywriting. [09:29] Hear why you should be wary about studying venture-backed companies’ ads. [10:59] What Craig’s daily copywriting and creative process looks like. [12:17] The unique things about market research compared with other types of research. [13:56] Why good copywriting is about doing the simple things really well. [14:25] Gary Halbert’s copywriting advice and some of his seminal work. [17:56] Golden Hippo’s current hiring needs and reopening their offices. [18:28] Details about Craig’s company before Golden Hippo, Breakthrough Media. [19:56] Golden Hippo’s founding story and current employee numbers. [21:13] Hear more about Golden Hippo’s unique culture around each of their brands. [22:32] The ads that Craig has written have generated over $1 billion in sales revenue! [24:16] Important lessons that Craig has learned about leadership as his career has evolved. [27:23] Marketers and founders that Craig is currently following. [28:46] Craig’s take on politics and the role that marketing plays in the political landscape. [33:37] Hear about Craig’s favorite business book and best business tool. Resources From The Interview: Craig Clemens Twitter Craig Clemens Instagram Craig Clemens LinkedIn Golden Hippo Eben Pagan Double Your Dating Claude C. Hopkins Robert Collier Eugene Schwartz Alexa Crunchbase WeWork Breakthrough Advertising Robert Pittman Gary Halbert Hemingway Editor Rachel Hollis The Boron Letters Tribal Leadership Russell Brunson John Reese Dean Graziosi Tony Robbins Brendon Burchard Donald Trump Twitter Mike Bloomberg Barack Obama Tim Ryan Must read book: Ready, Fire, Aim Leave Some Feedback: What should I talk about next? Who should I interview? Please let me know on Twitter or in the comments below. Did you enjoy this episode? If so, please leave a short review here Subscribe to Leveling Up on iTunes Get the non-iTunes RSS Feed Connect with Eric Siu: Growth Everywhere Single Grain Eric Siu on Twitter

Today, we are going to talk about seven years of operating lessons from taking over my ad agency! This is a multi-part series that talks about the most powerful lessons learned throughout the journey. When I first started running the business I didn't listen to the team and employees were leaving left and right. When I finally dropped down to one employee, I decided it was time to make a change. These are the lessons that helped me turn my business around and if you put them into action they can help you too!