The Corporate Escapee

Reaching the $1 million threshold is a milestone for all entrepreneurs. But that doesn’t mean everyone actually gets there. In fact, less than 2% of all American businesses have been able to get past this marker. And with the right approach, you can also be a part of that elite group. In today’s episode, we take a deep dive into the millionaire mindset with Chicago-based business consultant Brad Farris. Brad leads his team of consultants at Anchor Advisors to get creative services firms reach their million-dollar objective through strategic decision-making and goal realignment. Learn the most common pitfalls of expanding your business, why you can’t reach that $1M mark, and what you can do to ensure unlimited growth. We'll talk about: Anchor Advisors [1:57] The Value of Specialization [5:56] Higher Client Qualification [11:19] Becoming Attractive to Clients [12:26] Challenges of Reaching $1M [3:55] Solving Burnout [13:55] The Art of Selling Services [18:49] Doing Outreach [22:15] The Role of Salespeople [27:08] Raising Prices [35:15] Take a Vacation [36:48] Resource Links: Brett Trainor Website (https://bretttrainor.com/) Download Startup to Scaleup: A 4-Part Framework to Grow Your B2B Business to $10 Million (https://bretttrainor.com/resources/) Anchor Advisors (https://anchoradvisors.com) Business Growth Assessment Test (https://learn.anchoradvisors.com/accelerate-your-business-growth/) About Our Guest: As Principal Advisor, Brad Farris guides business owners through the pitfalls and joys of growing their business. Brad is passionate about helping business owners find better ways to do things, make more money and enjoy life more. Brad is a speaker and author. If you liked this episode, please don’t forget to tune in, subscribe, and share this podcast. Connect with me and learn more about growing your business: Email: [email protected]: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bretttrainor/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCySoKsETeKxu-Fnf2VfE7Gg Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TrainorBrett Twitter: https://twitter.com/Brett_Trainor Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bretttrainor/

What does it take to build a high-performing team? Is it about getting the best talents? Or building the best program? We have a unique episode this time as I interview Gene Heidkamp, the basketball coach at Benet Academy. The Redwings netted the 3rd most wins in Northern Illinois from 2010-2020 making them one of the most successful high school basketball programs of the decade. I believe B2B startups can learn several lessons from Coach Heidkamp’s approach. From how he built the program, getting the team to buy in, dealing with adversity, to setting the expectations for the season, this interview definitely gives us an insider look into the mind of a great leader. Be sure to catch this episode as it’s a must listen! We’ll talk about: What made the Benet Program successful [04:50] The importance of sacrifice in the success of the program [06:09] Coach Heidkamp’s philosophy [07:53] Why defense is the backbone that leads to wins [13:06] The key is to be detail oriented [15:41] Dealing with adversity [18:57] How the Coach got the team to buy in [20 :13] The approach towards those who don’t buy in [24:22] Everybody needs to bring in value and be valued [27:21] Focusing on presence instead of setting expectations on wins [30:54] What can we expect from the team this year [33:06] Why the Coach stays away from preseason predictions [34:30] The one thing Coach Heidkamp highly recommends [35:59] Resource Links: Brett Trainor Website (https://bretttrainor.com/) Download Startup to Scaleup: A 4-Part Framework to Grow Your B2B Business to $10 Million (https://bretttrainor.com/resources/) About Our Guest: Gene Heidkamp is the long-time teacher and head basketball coach at Benet Academy. During his tenure, he led the Redwings to win 300 games. Having had only three Division I scholarship players in the last decade, Coach Heidkamp is one of the top high school coaches in Illinois and has led the team to achieve tremendous success. If you liked this episode, please don’t forget to tune in, subscribe, and share this podcast. Connect with B2B Founder: Subscribe on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCySoKsETeKxu-Fnf2VfE7Gg/

Has staying in your comfort zone made you stagnant? We’re living in a very developed world that has granted us comforts our ancestors likely couldn’t even imagine. But this has somehow impacted our health and our ability to grow. Today’s episode is going to be very different from my usual, but I guarantee the message will resonate with a lot of B2B founders. Michael Easter, author of The Comfort Crisis, comes in to talk about what’s really causing the physical and mental health issues we’re seeing become more prevalent, despite modern science. Michael gives us the blueprint for leveraging the power of discomfort so that we can tap into our evolutionary instincts and our need to be challenged. Doing this will allow us to dramatically improve our health and happiness. For the startup founders there who’ve been neglecting their health and have been feeling stuck, don’t miss this episode. We’ll talk about: Michael’s inspiration for writing the book [02:08] When is too much comfort bad? [06:59] How to push ourselves out of our comfort zone [09:15] Sheltering our kids is us failing them [15:09] Experiencing difficult helps us be more grateful [17:01] Finding the happy medium [21:29] Why fad diets don’t really work [27:17] We are most likely overeating, without knowing about it [32:08] How to optimize our fitness [35:22] The benefit of rucking [38:30] Do you need to go to the gym? [40:13] One thing that Michael highly recommends [43:31] Resource Links: Brett Trainor Website (https://bretttrainor.com/) Download Startup to Scaleup: A 4-Part Framework to Grow Your B2B Business to $10 Million (https://bretttrainor.com/resources/) The Comfort Crisis: Embrace Discomfort To Reclaim Your Wild, Happy, Healthy Self by Michael Easter (https://www.amazon.com/Comfort-Crisis-Embrace-Discomfort-Reclaim/dp/0593138767) Michael Easter Website (https://eastermichael.com/) About Our Guest: Michael Easter is a leading voice on how humans can integrate modern science and evolutionary wisdom for improved health, meaning, and performance in life and at work. He travels the globe to embed himself with brilliant but often overlooked scientists, thinkers, and people living at the extremes and shares the best of his findings and experiences in books, articles, and other media. Michael’s investigations have taken him into ancient monasteries in Bhutan, US Special Forces training grounds, high-tech genetic labs in Iceland, Fortune-500 boardrooms, the world’s most remote wilderness areas, and more. He is the author of The Comfort Crisis. You can also find his writing in Men’s Health, Outside, Men’s Journal, Cosmopolitan, Vice, Esquire, Scientific American, Women’s Health, and more. He also shares his thoughts on a Medium feed. If you liked this episode, please don’t forget to tune in, subscribe, and share this podcast. Connect with B2B Founder: Subscribe on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCySoKsETeKxu-Fnf2VfE7Gg/

The global workforce is fast becoming remote and borderless. The current technologies in the human resources space pose so many challenges for companies like Eppione, but along with it comes the enormous potential for scale and profitability as well. In this episode, David Kindlon, shares with us how their company is catching up with the demands from HR tech platforms and how they are disrupting the insurance industry through their SaaS. We’ll talk about: How David started in the HR tech space [01:49] Finding the RIGHT co-founders in business [08:25] From mere idea to actual product with early adopters [10:03] SaaS is where the future of money is for Eppione [11:45] The insurance industry is still using old tech stacks [15:08] Global remote work changes the landscape for HR technology [16:53] The pivot directed by user feedback [19:19] What David would have done in the early stages of the business [21:38] Be ready with a plan before getting funding [23:18] When should the business have processes in place? [24:11] Funding is finding the RIGHT money [27:57] Don’t be afraid of competition [30:05] The one thing David recommends [34:39] Resource Links: Brett Trainor Website (https://bretttrainor.com/) Download Startup to Scaleup: A 4-Part Framework to Grow Your B2B Business to $10 Million (https://bretttrainor.com/resources/) Check out David’s intelligent HR solutions - (https://eppione.com/) About Our Guest: David Kindlon is the CEO of Eppione, an intelligent HR solutions company from Ireland with several locations in the world. Their cloud-based solutions enable companies to have flexibility and understand their unique workforce. David is passionate about supporting businesses to empower, nurture, and inspire their workforce through technology Connect with David through his LinkedIn. If you liked this episode, please don’t forget to tune in, subscribe, and share this podcast. Connect with B2B Founder: Subscribe on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCySoKsETeKxu-Fnf2VfE7Gg/

The world of selling has changed so much. It’s no longer just putting up a website and a couple of clicks later - Bam! You just made a sale. David Premier comes back to the show as we get knee deep into founder-led selling. Why are we seeing founders struggle and face a lot of inefficiencies? David goes over the little, but actually big misses that stop startups for getting over that hurdle. From the image you need to present the prospective buyer to how you make that discovery call, learn what’s going to make your customers buy. So tune in now. We’ll talk about: A quick background on David [02:17] Why you need to look at how you speak to a customer [04:30] Being consistent with your mission and vision will get you farther [08:54] How to move from features & benefits to problem solving [11:58] Think about how you can sound different [16:52] People buy the product that aligns with their mental image [18:08] Think about that unknown, unspoken [24:33] Get them to tell you what they don’t want you to know [25:13] Tips for making that discovery call [23:00] What a customer tells you isn’t what the objection is about [29:02] You don’t have to overcome all objections [27:44] Your message and marketing are for helping shape the customer’s journey [33:03] The one thing that David highly recommends [36:45] Resource Links: Brett Trainor Website (https://bretttrainor.com/) Download Startup to Scaleup: A 4-Part Framework to Grow Your B2B Business to $10 Million (https://bretttrainor.com/resources/) Cerebral Selling Website (https://cerebralselling.com/) About Our Guest: David Priemer is the Founder and Chief Sales Scientist of Cerebral Selling, a modern sales training built through the lens of science and empathy. David is the author of the highly recommended book, Sell The Way You Buy, which came out last April 2020. Get more of his free content on their YouTube. Or connect with David on Instagram or Twitter. If you liked this episode, please don’t forget to tune in, subscribe, and share this podcast. Connect with B2B Founder: Subscribe on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCySoKsETeKxu-Fnf2VfE7Gg/

In a busy world of entrepreneurship, staying fit and healthy has always been quite a struggle. In this episode, Gav Gillibrand, takes us back memory lane to his journey from being a male stripper back in the ’90s to being a Fitness Instructor and now to being a Fitness and Nutrition Coach. Learn how he was able to scale a one-on-one, service-based profession to a highly scalable and highly profitable Fitness and Nutrition Coaching business. Learn how working less but making more can be made possible by knowing We’ll talk about: How Gav transitioned from the world of stripping to the world of fitness [01:37] Scaling the personal trainer profession [09:30] LinkedIn as the best B2B platform to connect with ideal clients [13:04] Power of video for fitness and nutrition coaches [17:38] People want to buy from a person not a company [21:51] It’s okay to say things some people disagree with [24:20] The benefits of staying healthy for busy entrepreneurs [33:31] Gav’s goal to educate people on the myths of weight loss [35:53] Two schools of thoughts in nutrition [40:30] Your WHY is what will get you to the finish line [46:41] Resource Links: Brett Trainor Website (https://bretttrainor.com/) Download Startup to Scaleup: A 4-Part Framework to Grow Your B2B Business to $10 Million (https://bretttrainor.com/resources/) Visit Gav Gillibrand’s website and subscribe to his newsletter (https://gavgillibrand.com/) You can grab a copy of Gav Gillibrand’s book here (https://gavgillibrand.com/the-ghg-method-order-now/) About Our Guest: Gav Gillibrand is a fitness and nutrition expert with over a decade of experience and success in helping people lose weight. From being a fitness instructor to a fitness and nutrition coach, Gav specializes in helping busy executives become great role models and leaders both in their family life and business. He is also known for his book, The GHG Method, which employs practical and actionable weight-loss methods designed for busy entrepreneurs and executives. Back in the ’90s, he made a TV appearance on “Blind Date” and made a career as a professional revue artist (male stripper) in the UK. Connect with Gav through his LinkedIn. If you liked this episode, please don’t forget to tune in, subscribe, and share this podcast. Connect with B2B Founder: Subscribe on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCySoKsETeKxu-Fnf2VfE7Gg/

Getting known, getting leads, and getting sales are all part of online marketing. But the popularity of paid ads shifted businesses to think of marketing as merely budget considerations. However, SEO pioneer Damon Burton believes that SEO is making a full circle as more entrepreneurs get burned out by paid ads. Damon has been in the SEO space for almost 15 years and has seen its evolution over the years. He has worked with a wide variety of businesses from mom and pop stores to multi-billion dollar companies and startups. Listen to him as he shares why SEO remains a strong choice for long-term online marketing efforts and how SEO should be done right over a period of time to experience its full benefits. We’ll talk about: Damon as an early adopter of SEO [02:13] The evolution of SEO and paid ads [04:26] Why SEO is more stable and scalable than paid ads [05:38] Long term and short term objectives of SEO [09:17] Understand your audiences when doing paid ads [14:13] The difference between transactional item and emotional purchase [16:10] Why simplistic websites outperform the most visually amazing websites [17:43] Do the content you feel comfortable making [21:35] Audio content transcripts are pleasing to search engines [25:15] The role of schema in helping search engines understand your website [27:53] SEO has the biggest return on profit and better client retention [32:03] What to look for when outsourcing SEO work for your business [35:13] How social proof helps build your social media credibility [39:19] Figure out what format works for you [46:22] The one (actually two) thing that Damon recommends [52:23] Resource Links: Brett Trainor Website (https://bretttrainor.com/) Download Startup to Scaleup: A 4-Part Framework to Grow Your B2B Business to $10 Million (https://bretttrainor.com/resources/) Connect with Damon on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/damonburton/) Check out Damon’s SEO Company (https://www.seonational.com/) Get a copy of Damon’s book for free (https://trusting.clickfunnels.com/optin1589481029888) Read Damon’s published articles in Forbes About Our Guest: Damon Burton has been in the Search Engine Optimization space for almost 15 years and is one of the early adopters of SEO. His company, SEO National, has optimized websites for INC5000 companies, NBA teams, and businesses featured on Shark Tank. Burton has published the SEO book, "Outrank: Your Guide to Making More Online By Showing Up Higher on Search Engines and Outranking Your Competition." He also has tons of published articles in Forbes, He is a husband and father of three and has been featured on Entrepreneur, BuzzFeed, USA Weekly, and has spoken at conferences. If you liked this episode, please don’t forget to tune in, subscribe, and share this podcast. Connect with B2B Founder: Subscribe on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCySoKsETeKxu-Fnf2VfE7Gg/

For years, entrepreneurs focus on the benefits and features of their products and services. However, many are equally baffled why they are hardly hitting their sales targets. In this episode, Michael F. Schein brings to the discussion table how the Power of Hype is making people act on something with much gusto. Being good enough at what you do is not enough to make people buy from you these days. Entrepreneurs must find that formula to set themselves apart from the norm and make a solid following from like-minded, loyal followers. Find out the strategies on how to use hype for business success and increase your sphere of influence. We’ll talk about: How Michael got started in this business [02:20] What led Michael to write his book The Hype Handbook [03:01] Founders tell stories to sell [06:26] Tools and principles on how to hype things up [09:25] Crafting a story when selling features and benefits doesn't work anymore. [13:00] The importance of authenticity in marketing yourself [20:22] The 2 kinds of businesses every B2B founder should know [25:12] How to apply the concept of the Bible and the Church in building your authority [33:38] Know what Michael is into now that is not for everyone [39:26] Resource Links: Brett Trainor Website (https://bretttrainor.com/) Download Startup to Scaleup: A 4-Part Framework to Grow Your B2B Business to $10 Million (https://bretttrainor.com/resources/) Michael F. Schein’s Website (https://michaelfschein.com/) Get a copy of Michael’s Book “The Hype Handbook” 12 Indispensable Success Secrets From the World’s Greatest Propagandists, Self-Promoters, Cult Leaders, Mischief Makers, and Boundary Breakers. (https://michaelfschein.com/the-hype-handbook/) Subscribe to Michael F. Schein’s Hype Book Club (https://hypereads.com/) Curious how Michael can turn consultants into celebrities? Check https://microfamemedia.com/ About Our Guest: Michael F. Schein is a writer, speaker, entrepreneur, and hype artist. He helps entrepreneurs and consultants build authority in their niche. He is the author of The Hype Handbook: 12 Indispensable Success Secrets From the World’s Greatest Propagandists, Self-Promoters, Cult Leaders, Mischief Makers, and Boundary Breakers. He is a prolific author with articles published in Fortune, Forbes, Inc., Huffington Post, and Psychology Today. He speaks to international audiences spanning from the northeastern United States to the southeastern coast of China. Michael is the founder and president of MicroFame Media, a marketing agency that has launched campaigns and created content for companies including eBay, Magento, The Medici Group, University of Pennsylvania, Gordon College, University of California Irvine, United Methodist Publishing House, Ricoh, LinkedIn, and Citrix. Connect with Michael on Twitter and Facebook. If you liked this episode, please don’t forget to tune in, subscribe, and share this podcast. Connect with B2B Founder: Subscribe on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCySoKsETeKxu-Fnf2VfE7Gg/

Are trade shows now a distant memory? In today’s time and with the climate brought about by COVID-19, trade shows look like a thing of the past. But one entrepreneur saw the opportunity to fill the gap in the space and modernize what used to be so common. CampfireSocial’s Founder and CEO Erica Bishaf shares her journey so far as a startup in its early stages. As the first omnichannel platform designed solely for industry verticals and organizations, they are at the forefront of what could be revolutionary. The path from startup to scaleup often starts with solving a problem. So this episode is sure to help you see what challenges a young startup faces as it builds and grows. We’ll talk about: Erica’s background and why she started CampfireSocial [01:20] What are trade associations and what are they for? [05:31] How Erica is modernizing the trade show [06:42] Applying the same idea in the pet space to trade associations [08:51] Her first priorities during the early days of her startup [13:05] Your team has to be on board with your passion [20:03] The impetus for her to start fundraising [22:30] The biggest challenges for her company [26:02] What would she have done differently [28:33] What’s next for CampfireSocial [30:28] Why feedback matters to them [33:33] The one thing Erica recommends [35:06] Resource Links: Brett Trainor Website (https://bretttrainor.com/) Download Startup to Scaleup: A 4-Part Framework to Grow Your B2B Business to $10 Million (https://bretttrainor.com/resources/) CampfireSocial Website (https://www.campfiresocial.io/) About Our Guest: A 20+ year veteran in market intelligence, strategy, and trade shows, Erica Bishaf is the Founder and CEO of CampfireSocial. A tech entrepreneur, Erica saw the need for a platform designed for industry verticals and organizations to cultivate communities and drive revenue growth. Email Erica at [email protected] If you liked this episode, please don’t forget to tune in, subscribe, and share this podcast. Connect with B2B Founder: Subscribe on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCySoKsETeKxu-Fnf2VfE7Gg/

Growing a startup at this time is different from what it used to be. It will take more than the sales call and networking and promoting features and benefits. In another episode focused on digital transformation, digital marketing, and branding, Little Bird Marketing’s own Momma Bird, Priscilla McKinney gives her own take on what every founder should be doing now to scale their startup. It’s time to get with the times, so tune in to grab these awesome digital marketing takeaways. We’ll talk about: Priscilla’s amazing work on marketing [02:35] How companies can cut through the noise [04:59] Getting the branding and message aligned [10:50] It’s no longer sales enablement because the buyer has control [15:59] Ask yourself how you can help your customer [18:35] Your team doesn’t want the company reliant on the founder [23:04] How startups can connect with their audience [26:05] Why you shouldn’t sell: Two things that happen before a buying decision [29:52] Why you should continue to take care of current clients [33:44] Having a great product or service just won’t cut it anymore [41:25] The one thing Priscilla recommends [43:01] Resource Links: Brett Trainor Website (https://bretttrainor.com/) Download Startup to Scaleup: A 4-Part Framework to Grow Your B2B Business to $10 Million (https://bretttrainor.com/resources/) Grab the free resources from Little Bird Marketing (https://littlebirdmarketing.com/) Ponderings from the Perch Podcast (https://podcast.littlebirdmarketing.com/) About Our Guest: As the CEO and Momma Bird at Little Bird Marketing, Priscilla McKinney helps their clients with inbound marketing and social media lead generation. As a creative team, Little Bird is dedicated to providing top-notch content marketing solutions and strategic insights to our amazing clients. This award-winning digital agency serves revenue-minded leaders. Their proprietary content marketing system called S.O.A.R helps those looking to scale who need confidence for the short-term and long-term goals. Priscilla is also the host of Ponderings from the Perch podcast. Get in touch with Priscilla through her LinkedIn or Twitter. If you liked this episode, please don’t forget to tune in, subscribe, and share this podcast. Connect with B2B Founder: Subscribe on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCySoKsETeKxu-Fnf2VfE7Gg/

Do you know why your customers choose you? Sure, your sales rep may have told you why, but do you really know for sure? Today’s episode will take you on a deep dive into customer insights. Vennli’s CEO Mary Claire Mandeville gives us lots of reasons why B2B companies need to start leveraging customer feedback more, what you should be doing about market research, customer insights, and even customer experience no matter what stage your startup is, and how this can help startups as they start to scale. Start with the customer and you can’t go wrong. So tune in now. We’ll talk about: Mary’s journey from sales to CEO [01:27] The core competencies of Vennli [04:08] Why B2B companies aren’t leveraging services more [05:56] Building a company starts with the voice of the customer [09:48] Why you should want to hear not so good news [11:58] Leadership need to always stay in touch with customers [16:28] Two important factors key to scaling to $10 million [18:24] How to sell to multiple buyers in an organization [22:38] A good cadence for getting feedback [25:40] The future will include customer experience analysis [28:54] It’s time to embrace making the customer the hero [31:48] The one thing Mary recommends [35:00] Resource Links: Brett Trainor Website (https://bretttrainor.com/) Download Startup to Scaleup: A 4-Part Framework to Grow Your B2B Business to $10 Million (https://bretttrainor.com/resources/) Vennli Website (https://www.vennli.com/) Podcast Ep 22. How to Grow and Scale a Startup, Even If You Don’t Enjoy Running One with Shark Tank Winner, Martin Hill (https://bretttrainor.com/2019/10/29/how-to-grow-and-scale-a-startup-even-if-you-dont-enjoy-running-one-with-shark-tank-winner-martin-hill/) About Our Guest: Mary Claire is the CEO at Vennli. She is driven to help individuals and organizations reach their full potential. In between receiving her BBA and MBA from the University of Notre Dame, this Oklahoma native spent a couple years in between working in Guatemala and Nicaragua for a social enterprise organization. Prior to joining Vennli, Mary Claire was VP of Business Development at a company in the solar industry. At Vennli, she focuses on developing the Chicago and Notre Dame markets. If you liked this episode, please don’t forget to tune in, subscribe, and share this podcast. Connect with B2B Founder: Subscribe on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCySoKsETeKxu-Fnf2VfE7Gg/

The sales first approach isn’t going to cut it anymore. When the market is filled with stiff competition, it’s time to bring out your key differentiator- your CEO. For today’s show, I finally have the real proof why content is king. Inbound CEO Marti Sanchez shares with us what he does and how he helps B2B CEOs build their personal brands and create trust through high-quality content. Listen to this episode and find out why content is definitely king! We’ll talk about: How Marti went from ghostwriting to personal branding for CEOs [02:02] Why content is important for founders [08:09] Content is about providing value and building trust [10:05] Everyone has ideas, execution is what matters [11:41] Start with 1-2 long-form pieces to build trust [16:22] How early-stage founders can get started on content [13:32] Speed of execution is key [18:17] Inbound revenue should be the only metric you look at [21:23] Most of your leads aren’t the ones liking your content [23:18] Why a content-first approach is better than a sales first approach [25:20] Targeting problem-aware and solution-aware prospects is easier [27:35] The CEO or founder is your company’s differentiator [32:38] The one thing that Marti recommends [37:43] Resource Links: Brett Trainor Website (https://bretttrainor.com/) Download Startup to Scaleup: A 4-Part Framework to Grow Your B2B Business to $10 Million (https://bretttrainor.com/resources/) Check out Marti Sanchez’s Podcast, Podium Stories (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/podium-stories-with-marti-sanchez/id1505931491) About Our Guest: Marti Sanchez is the Founder and CEO of Influence Podium. As an Inbound CEO, he represents his company’s brand and uses thought leadership content to drive new business, attract top talent, and channel partnerships. His company helps B2B CEOs build their brand by getting placed on relevant podcasts and creating high-quality content for them. You can reach out to Marti by sending him an email here: [email protected]. Or you can connect with him via his LinkedIn or Twitter. If you liked this episode, please don’t forget to tune in, subscribe, and share this podcast. Connect with B2B Founder: Subscribe on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCySoKsETeKxu-Fnf2VfE7Gg/

In another bonus episode, I’m sharing my second time to be a guest at M&A Unplugged, which is hosted by Domenic Rinaldi. For this episode, I talked about my strategy for helping B2B startups achieve scalable growth. I’ll be talking about my template for analyzing a company’s growth barriers, strategies for growth, and how to implement those strategies without making bad investments that won’t provide a return. Whether you are an existing owner of a business or you are contemplating your business acquisition and want to grow it, you wouldn’t want to miss this episode. Here are the topics we covered: Intro to this episode [01:15] The stats in the startup space & what Brett found out about what’s preventing scalable growth [03:08] Why will Brett’s methodology work for any company [06:22] The three levers to look at when it comes to growth [07:11] Brett’s discovery process for finding where the plateau is [08:38] Most of the time the owners aren’t as accurate in revenue reporting [09:52] Finding the true opportunities and their costs [11:33] Brett’s approach to analyzing the client and the market [13:54] You might want to consider hiring a market research company [16:28] What the net promoter score is [19:08] Check if your message is aligned with your audience [20:11] How to test and find the areas that are paying off [24:07] Pitfalls to avoid when doing growth strategies [26:27] Brett’s Growth Readiness Assessment [28:35] Why so many businesses plateau [30:57] Resource Links: Download my free Growth Readiness Assessment (https://mailchi.mp/bretttrainor.com/growth-readiness-checklist) Grab the free best practices and checklists for how to conduct diligence from Sun Acquisitions (http://www.sunacquisitions.com/) or K2 Adviser (https://www.k2adviser.com/) You can also listen to this episode on M&A Unplugged Ep. 94 (https://sunacquisitions.com/podcasts/94-how-to-break-through-the-business-growth-plateau-with-brett-trainor/)

As a founder, you are a critical component to your startup’s ability to grow and succeed. And I’m not talking about who you know. This time, it’s all about how well you know yourself. Leaders lead and pave the way for businesses to reach new heights. Today’s guest is very passionate about helping entrepreneurs transform their organizations by first looking within and leaning into their personalities and finding that meaningful purpose to tap into that powerful energy that will drive growth. Dive into this inspirational episode to help you build the backbone of a business built for success. Tune in now. We’ll talk about: Minter's life and global background [02:05] Companies need to have a purpose [03:24] What led to him writing his book, You Lead [04:47] Why entrepreneurs should lean into their personalities [11:41] Create a brand that is real for people [16:39] Make your purpose meaningful [16:49] The two components needed for long-term success [14:56] Purpose is key to unlocking discretionary energy [20:17] Be intentional with your communication [26:14] How to harness that discretionary energy in a remote workforce [23:28] Why you shouldn't only surround yourself with like-minded people [30:11] The critical work entrepreneurs need to do on their own selves [33:27] The one thing Minter highly recommends [42:06] Resource Links: Brett Trainor Website (https://bretttrainor.com/) Download Startup to Scaleup: A 4-Part Framework to Grow Your B2B Business to $10 Million (https://bretttrainor.com/resources/) How to Change Your Mind by Michael Pollan (https://www.amazon.com/Change-Your-Mind-Consciousness-Transcendence/dp/1594204225) Being Mortal by Dr. Atul Gawande (http://atulgawande.com/book/being-mortal/) Lost Connections by Johann Hari (https://thelostconnections.com/) Minter Dial Website (https://www.minterdial.com/) YOU LEAD, How Being Yourself Makes You A Better Leader by Minter Dial (https://minterdial.com/books/you-lead) The Last Ring Home Documentary Film (http://www.thelastringhome.com/) Minter Dialogue Podcast (https://www.minterdial.com/resources/podcasts/) About Our Guest: Minter Dial is a professional speaker, elevator and a multiple award-winning author, specialized in leadership, branding and transformation. An agent of change, he's a three- time entrepreneur who has exercised twelve different métiers and moved countries fifteen times. Minter's core career stint of 16 years was spent as a top executive at L’Oréal, where he was a member of the worldwide Executive Committee for the Professional Products Division. He’s author of the award-winning WWII story, The Last Ring Home, as well as prize-winning business books, Futureproof and Heartificial Empathy. His latest book on leadership, You Lead, How being yourself makes you a better leader came out in January 2021. He’s been host of the Minter Dialogue weekly podcast since 2010. If you liked this episode, please don’t forget to tune in, subscribe, and share this podcast. Connect with B2B Founder: Subscribe on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCySoKsETeKxu-Fnf2VfE7Gg/

In this bonus episode, I’m sharing my guesting at the B2B Growth podcast. I get to talk with Lesley Crews of Sweetfish Media about how to shift your mindset and focus on growth. On top of that, I share my four-point plan for growth - something that I encourage B2B startups to use as a framework as early as now. Here are the topics we covered: What exactly is demand generation? Why do we need to have an organizational approach to it? [01:35] The need to shift our mindset from a sales perspective to a buyer’s perspective [02:42] Change is inevitable. Growth is optional. [04:06] The one thing B2B marketers need to stop doing [05:25] Why there’s no such thing as a marketing-qualified lead & why you shouldn’t force your prospect through the buying process [07:23] The four-point framework to move from startup to scaleup [10:17] How to get started on building a demand gen framework [16:11] How startups get demand gen wrong [18:42] Resource Links: Brett Trainor Website (https://bretttrainor.com/) Download Startup to Scaleup: A 4-Part Framework to Grow Your B2B Business to $10 Million (https://bretttrainor.com/resources/) You can also listen to this episode on B2B Growth Ep. 2024 (https://sweetfishmedia.com/show/b2b-growth/how-to-build-a-four-point-demand-gen-strategy/)

Climate change is a controversial topic for many. But let’s face it. We all want to continue living on our planet. Imagine combining capitalism and climate change. Serial entrepreneur Norman Crowley is at the forefront of climate capitalism as he pushes forward with his Cool Planet Group. Norman talks with me today about his own entrepreneurial journey and the tough lessons he has picked up. Get to know this inspirational startup founder who has already successfully sold 3 businesses by tuning in now. We’ll talk about: Starting his entrepreneurial journey at 15 [01:38] Energy efficiency through Clarity [04:59] Electrify: Converting classic cars to electric cars [06:01] The future of food with Cell Ag [06:45] From gaming to climate change [04:22] His approach to growing his B2B ventures [08:21] You have to jump with both feet and learn new stuff all the time [13:56] Ask yourself this: Would you want to go drinking with this hire? [19:27] How to attract the right talent to help build the business [16:07] Lazy people blame not having a process as a reason for failure [22:21] What’s changed in B2B since the past 15 years [25:31] The key to success is humanizing your business [27:49] The one thing that Norman recommends [28:49] Why founders should make sure to get good sleep [31:08] Resource Links: Brett Trainor Website (https://bretttrainor.com/) Download Startup to Scaleup: A 4-Part Framework to Grow Your B2B Business to $10 Million (https://bretttrainor.com/resources/) Cool Planet Group Website (https://www.coolplanetgroup.ie/) About Our Guest: Norman Crowley is an inspirational international entrepreneur who founded multiple successful businesses including The Cloud - Europe's largest WIFI operator, Inspired Gaming Group - the world's largest company in the server-based gaming domain, and Trinity Commerce. His most recent venture is the Cool Planet Group, a family of environmentally positive businesses and brands that push the boundaries of sustainability. Connect with Norman through his Twitter. If you liked this episode, please don’t forget to tune in, subscribe, and share this podcast. Connect with B2B Founder: Subscribe on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCySoKsETeKxu-Fnf2VfE7Gg/

Standing out when tons of other companies offer similar products is a challenge. But in this day and age, it pays to be creative. And it pays to be different. Today, we have a very unique guest, Jesse Cole is the owner of the baseball team, Savannah Bananas. And I believe he has the blueprint for businesses to stand out and separate themselves from the crowd. When different is better than better, you want to make sure you are highlighting what makes you YOU. Get to know this passionate entrepreneur and learn what it takes for your startup to stand out. We’ll talk about: How Jesse is changing baseball through differentiation [01:12] Constraints force creativity, but you learn by doing [05:19] Own the problems [08:37] Create Noise [09:26] The 3 Loves [09:55] Why do you do what you do [10:53] The blueprint for becoming the ONLY [08:10] Different is better than better [14:01] Why you should create the ‘Wow’ factor [19:41] Make sure you develop raving fans [17:01] Focus on what you can control [24:43] What else Jesse is thinking about next [26:58] You have to keep pushing forward & do new things [29:40] Set aside time to think about the future [30:45] The one thing Jesse recommends [33:24] Resource Links: Brett Trainor Website (https://bretttrainor.com/) Download The Growth Readiness Checklist (https://bretttrainor.com/resources/) The Miracle Morning: The Not-So-Obvious Secret Guaranteed to Transform Your Life (Before 8AM) (https://www.amazon.com/Miracle-Morning-Not-So-Obvious-Guaranteed-Transform/dp/0979019710) The Savannah Bananas Website (https://thesavannahbananas.com/) About Our Guest: Jesse Cole owns the baseball team, Savannah Bananas, which has currently sold out 32 straight games and has a waitlist in the thousands for tickets. Jesse is also the author of "Find Your Yellow Tux - How to Be Successful by Standing Out,” and the host of the Business Done Differently Podcast. Jesse believes to be successful you need to Stand Out and Be Different. He is passionate about creating attention, loving your customers more than your product, and loving your employees more than your customers. Get in touch with Jesse through his LinkedIn. If you liked this episode, please don’t forget to tune in, subscribe, and share this podcast. Connect with B2B Founder: Subscribe on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCySoKsETeKxu-Fnf2VfE7Gg/

Selling to a founder’s network is very different from selling to those outside the network. As startups reach that threshold, they find that what worked before is no longer getting them the leads to scale and grow. So for my 100th episode, I got back my first guest, Tim Caito. Tim and I revisit what he talked about before, the value and power of differentiation. Now, I believe this has become increasingly valuable as buyer expectations have become much higher. In this digital-first world we’re in, what are the things startups need to do as they’re planning to scale? Well, you’d have to tune in to find out. We’ll talk about: Tim’s background and the work he does [02:36] Sometimes founders end up as barriers to their startup’s growth [04:54] Selling is just problem solving [08:40] Crazy founder syndrome is real and it’s a problem [15:03] What makes you different makes you relevant [22:35] Tim’s process of reverse engineering and forward engineering differentiation [29:56] Aim to get the collective ‘Yes’ [34:43] Make your differentiation relevant to the customer [36:22] Customer expectations are now much higher [41:29] Sheer volume won’t get you to where you want to go [45:49] The one thing Tim recommends [52:07] Resource Links: Brett Trainor Website (https://bretttrainor.com/) Download Startup to Scaleup: A 4-Part Framework to Grow Your B2B Business to $10 Million (https://bretttrainor.com/resources/) Force Management Website (https://www.forcemanagement.com/) About Our Guest: With over 40 years of sales, management, professional development, and business consulting experience, Tim Caito has been helping organizations win better deals and improve critical seller-buyer relationships. Tim is Senior Partner at Force Management, where he is responsible for Customer Success and Strategy. His previous work experience includes helping teams create and execute sales strategies and providing global sales training to transform the productivity and profitability of sales organizations. If you liked this episode, please don’t forget to tune in, subscribe, and share this podcast. Connect with B2B Founder: Subscribe on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCySoKsETeKxu-Fnf2VfE7Gg/

Reaching $10M in revenue is a very important milestone. And why wouldn’t it be when less than 1% get there. Any startup already making half a million to a million dollars in revenue is most likely thinking about scaling. But if you’ll be using the same tactics and sales strategy then you might not give yourself the best chance. In this guest-free episode, I’ll be sharing my 4-part framework which I’ve used to help companies grow to $10M in revenue. After speaking with quite a number of subject matter experts, I’ve been able to tweak and refine what’s worked, especially as we move to a digital-first approach where flexibility is necessary. Why wait any further? Get into the episode now. We’ll talk about: Why $10M in revenue is a critical milestone [01:33] What’s stopping startups from getting to that milestone [03:52] The 4 parts of my framework: ACES [04:39] A: Align your company, customer, and offer [05:36] C: Connect with your prospects [09:00] E: Enable your buyer [11:25] S: Build support into the DNA of your organization [15:34] Recap of ACES [17:09] Resource Links: Brett Trainor Website (https://bretttrainor.com/) Download Startup to Scaleup: A 4-Part Framework to Grow Your B2B Business to $10 Million (https://bretttrainor.com/resources/) If you liked this episode, please don’t forget to tune in, subscribe, and share this podcast. Connect with B2B Founder: Subscribe on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCySoKsETeKxu-Fnf2VfE7Gg/

The story of Pepperi is a story of success. Being in business for almost 12 years, this B2B sales platform has reached heights that most B2B founders dream of. What did it take to get there? That was a question I wanted to dive into. So I got Pepperi’s CEO and Cofounder, Ofer Yourvexel, to tell us himself. From offering one unified business logic to the ‘Wow’ factor that got the attention of customers, Ofer reveals that they don’t even do outbound calls. How did he build the momentum that got Pepperi to where they are today? You’d have to tune in to this episode to find out. We’ll talk about: Ofer’s personal and work background [01:23] What Pepperi offers that others don’t have [05:15] Making a pivot to get things right [08:07] The benefit of being profitable and not needing investors [10:18] The key selling proposition that hooked their first customers [11:35] Nurturing customers instead of chasing them [14:26] The impact of COVID-19 on Pepperi [18:24] What Ofer would have done differently [24:17] What’s the focus for Pepperi in 2021 [26:03] The one thing Ofer recommends [28:39] Resource Links: Brett Trainor Website (https://bretttrainor.com/) Download The Growth Readiness Checklist (https://bretttrainor.com/resources/) Pepperi Website (https://www.pepperi.com/) About Our Guest: With almost 30 years spent working in technology, Ofer Yourvexel has played an executive role in companies such as Amdocs. In 2009, he co founded Pepperi, a B2B sales platform for brands and wholesale distributors. Pepperi connects field sales and B2B e-commerce on a single, flexible, enterprise-grade platform. Ofer has also spent six years as an officer in the Navy. If you liked this episode, please don’t forget to tune in, subscribe, and share this podcast. Connect with B2B Founder: Subscribe on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCySoKsETeKxu-Fnf2VfE7Gg/

The saying hindsight is 20/20 holds true most of the time. Learning from the mistakes made by businesses that have either gone up or gone under is a worthy exercise. In this nearly hour-long episode, digital transformation expert, Lynda Roth, takes us back with stories from companies that rode the wave of technology change and those that didn’t and sunk in the process. We hear about companies such as Sears and Amazon, Blockbuster and Netflix, and even a little sewing pattern maker who craftily built a business digitally. Don’t get left behind and grab the lessons you can pick up in this episode. Tune in now. We’ll talk about: Getting into and being a pioneer in I.T. [01:58] Stories of success & failure in the midst of technology change [08:05] The contents of her book - Digital Transformation [16:56] Comparing Sears to Amazon [19:31] Comparing Sears to Emerson Electric [23:58] Whatever business you’re in, start as a digital company [26:59] How a little sewing pattern maker grew through digital [28:38] When new tech changes a previous solution [34:52] Online stores have to replicate the experience in-store [38:44] An example of digital being driven by data [45:26] Mine the gold from subscription and data [47:51] Reimagine your business as a 21st-century business [50:16] Lessons from the Blockbuster story [53:29] The one thing Lynda recommends [55:06] Resource Links: Brett Trainor Website (https://bretttrainor.com/) Download The Growth Readiness Checklist (https://bretttrainor.com/resources/) Digital Transformation: An Executive Guide to Survive and Thrive in the New Economy (https://www.amazon.com/Digital-Transformation-Executive-Survive-Economy/dp/198225727X) About Our Guest: For over 20 years, Lynda Roth has been leading business and technology transformations. She is the author of the book, Digital Transformation: An Executive Guide to Survive and Thrive in the New Economy. Lynda is also a frequent speaker on topics such as I.T.-driven business optimization, successful outsourcing approaches, establishing or growing an internal I.T. department, and creating a high-functioning organization with strategic I.T. You can connect with Lynda by emailing her at [email protected] If you liked this episode, please don’t forget to tune in, subscribe, and share this podcast. Connect with B2B Founder: Subscribe on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCySoKsETeKxu-Fnf2VfE7Gg/

Marketing is no longer what it used to be. Forget coaxing customers to attend a demo. Using education to raise buyer awareness is now key. Chris Walker from Refine Labs joins me today as we go over their own way of helping B2B companies grow through marketing. Chris comes from a very unique background (engineering) and this gives him an advantage of looking at the entire ecosystem of revenue and not broken down into silos. So if you’re looking into transitioning your revenue acquisition model to drive demand from digital, Chris is just the right man to help you make those crucial changes. Tune in to this episode to grab insights from this highly disruptive demand marketer! We’ll talk about: How an engineering background gave Chris the advantage in marketing [01:51] Losing his own money as a vital point in his experience [04:33] The gap in the marketplace that Chris saw [06:13] Removing assumptions that are no longer true [08:06] The benefit of working with a blank slate [09:07] Barriers preventing companies from driving demand from digital [10:26] Attribution is not marketing against sales [12:38] Why you shouldn’t measure social channels the same way with Google [13:27] The first step for founders is to know what they’re good at [20:25] Adspend is a cost of doing business [22:41] Why buyer intent is a critical factor to sales [24:45] The major shifts in the buying process [25:35] Customer success should be part of your product [29:48] Through education, you create awareness [31:51] You don’t really need salespeople [33:46] Companies need a recurring revenue model driven by customer acquisition [35:50] How COVID impacted sales and marketing [38:59] The one thing Chris recommends [41:36] Resource Links: Brett Trainor Website (https://bretttrainor.com/) Download The Growth Readiness Checklist (https://bretttrainor.com/resources/) Refine Labs Website (https://www.refinelabs.com/) State of Demand Gen Podcast (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/state-of-demand-gen/id1511588213) About Our Guest: Chris Walker is the CEO at Refine Labs, a marketing consulting firm focused on growing B2B SaaS companies. Their Revenue Engine Optimization Formula combines revenue operations, growth marketing, and buyer enablement. If you liked this episode, please don’t forget to tune in, subscribe, and share this podcast. Connect with B2B Founder: Subscribe on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCySoKsETeKxu-Fnf2VfE7Gg/

It’s an exciting time for the B2B startup world. With so many opportunities present and probably triggered by the current climate, we’re seeing trends rising for innovative companies to get the spotlight. What are those and what should you do to get one step ahead of the competition? Today, I got Eva Nahari from DNX Ventures. As a Principal at DNX, we go over what’s she’s working on, her thoughts on the difference between AI and ML, the areas of her focus, and how automation & streamlining processes are key at this time. Jump into this powerful episode to find out what this venture capitalist sees coming up next. We’ll talk about: The journey from Sweden to DNX Ventures in California [01:40] Moving from angel investing to VC [09:18] Her role and what’s she’s working on at DNX [13:44] Key things to think about when scaling [19:00] Select & prioritize where you put resources [21:32] Put confidence in your pipeline [22:43] What Eva looks for in potential investments [24:17] Differences between machine learning & artificial intelligence [29:48] COVID and the focus of her thesis [32:07] We’re seeing greater automation of non-value-added tasks [33:12] Never underestimate back-end innovation [36:13] Expect more entrepreneurs to become more innovative [39:26] See more migration to cloud [42:43] The one thing Eva recommends [44:29] Resource Links: Brett Trainor Website (https://bretttrainor.com/) Download The Growth Readiness Checklist (https://bretttrainor.com/resources/) DNX Ventures Website (https://www.dnx.vc/) About Our Guest: Eva Nahari is a Principal at DNX Ventures, a VC fund focused on early-state B2B startups. Prior to joining DNX, she worked 9 years at Cloudera building products and go-to-market strategies and helping businesses scale. Keen on AI, machine learning, and autonomous systems, Eva looks to invest in companies building SaaS, Cloud, ML-Enabled Enterprise Software, and DevOps that could revolutionize how IT is delivered to enterprises. Eva has also spent time as an angel investor and startup mentor. You can reach her via LinkedIn and Twitter. If you liked this episode, please don’t forget to tune in, subscribe, and share this podcast. Connect with B2B Founder: Subscribe on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCySoKsETeKxu-Fnf2VfE7Gg/

The COVID-19 pandemic certainly did a heavy number on the B2B startup space. We’ve seen businesses reach accelerated growth. And we’ve also seen businesses shut down. What does this mean for the venture capitalist world? And what can we expect as we push forward into 2021? Cofounders Capital’s Tim McLoughlin comes back one-year post-pandemic. We catch up as he shares how they have shifted in the current climate, the opportunities coming out that startups should grab, and what else he sees in the tech space. Jump into this powerful episode to find out what this venture capitalist sees coming up next. We’ll talk about: Cofounders Capital investments in North Carolina [01:58] The amount of deal flow they get [04:34] Don’t do this in your pitch email to VC funds [06:18] Putting a COVID lens on startups [09:47] The opportunity present in building the culture for a remote workforce [12:53] A look ahead to 2021: Will the acceleration of certain trends continue? [16:34] Will there be consolidation in the B2B tech space? [19:20] Ease of buying is a competitive advantage [23:09] Be thoughtful, purposeful about going out and building your network [26:31] Tim’s First Check podcast launching in March 2021 [31:24] Resource Links: Brett Trainor Website (https://bretttrainor.com/) Download The Growth Readiness Checklist (https://bretttrainor.com/resources/) Cofounders Capital Website (http://cofounderscapital.com/) Ep. 68: A Deep Dive Into the Mindset of a B2B Venture Capital General Partner: Who Gets the Money and Why with Tim McLoughlin (https://bretttrainor.com/2020/09/15/a-deep-dive-into-the-mindset-of-a-b2b-venture-capital-general-partner-who-gets-the-money-and-why-with-tim-mcloughlin/) First Check Podcast with Tim McLoughlin (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/first-check-with-venture-capitalist-tim-mcloughlin/id1555319334) About Our Guest: As a Partner at Cofounders Capital, Tim McLoughlin is very involved in the North Carolina startup ecosystem. He has served as adviser and board member to several early-stage software companies. Prior to joining CoFounders Capital, Tim was an Entrepreneur in Residence for the Idea Fund Partners. If you liked this episode, please don’t forget to tune in, subscribe, and share this podcast. Connect with B2B Founder: Subscribe on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCySoKsETeKxu-Fnf2VfE7Gg/

The success of a company is dependent on its customers staying with them. But when you’re too focused on chasing new leads, customer success often takes a back seat. Well, there’s no longer room for doing that. In this specialized episode on customer success, Kathleen Marcell joins me as we go over what startups can do to start building that into their process. Kathleen consults with companies helping them grow faster through increasing revenue from current customers. So this episode certainly provides a load of strategies growing companies can use. We’ll talk about: Kathleen’s background and work [01:55] Kathleen’s definition of customer success [05:57] Put yourself in your customer’s shoes [08:45] How to get started on building in customer success [07:47] Kathleen’s process for onboarding [12:20] Smoothing out the transitions to another department [14:29] Balancing customer success and revenue [19:05] The right time to put in a Customer Success Manager [22:59] Close the loop by having a feedback process [27:45] Common pitfalls made by companies [31:53] What’s next for Kathleen [36:18] The one thing Kathleen recommends [37:41] Resource Links: Brett Trainor Website (https://bretttrainor.com/) Download The Growth Readiness Checklist (https://bretttrainor.com/resources/) Carema Consulting Website (https://caremaconsulting.com/) About Our Guest: With 10 years of experience building customer success teams, Kathleen Marcell has extensive experience working with enterprise software. She has worked in multiple verticals and across different departments including hiring, support, and implementation teams. She has helped companies provide a seamless onboarding experience for their customers. You can connect with Kathleen through her LinkedIn. If you liked this episode, please don’t forget to tune in, subscribe, and share this podcast. Connect with B2B Founder: Subscribe on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCySoKsETeKxu-Fnf2VfE7Gg/