The Corporate Escapee

In our second re-broadcasting for the holiday break, we have the episode with top-rated podcaster and author, Steve Glaveski, who shared where he came up with the idea for his book, “Time Rich: Do Your Best Work, Live Your Best Life.” Steve and I also discussed the necessity of establishing an entrepreneurial mindset in children, as well as how it extends to situations beyond business. Finally, we look back to pre-COVID working circumstances and analyze how businesses are dealing with the current difficulty of working from home. Let’s look back at this episode that teaches us to be more productive. Tune in now! We talked about: Steve’s professional experience [02:07] Teaching an entrepreneurial mindset to kids [05:49] The idea behind Time Rich [9:36] Flow state: Avoiding time and productivity waste [14:40] Tim O’Reilly’s business model for the new economy” [22:23] The power of the rule of two [29:36] Presence and significance of the Pareto’s principle [32:30] PCOATS roadmap [36:47] Steve’s take on nootropics use [42:26] Tips on increasing memory retention [44:26] Time to embrace asynchronous communication [46:37] What’s next for Steve [52:40] The one thing Steve recommends [55:33] Resource Links: Brett Trainor Website (https://bretttrainor.com/) Download The Growth Readiness Checklist (https://bretttrainor.com/resources/ Steve Glaveski Website (https://www.steveglaveski.com/) Download the Time Rich’s first chapter and automaton guide (https://www.timerichbook.com/) Know more about nootropics and ergogenic health (https://www.instagram.com/ergogenic_health/) Time Rich: Do Your Best Work, Live Your Best Life (https://amzn.to/38NpJa4) The Top Five Regrets of the Dying (https://amzn.to/3lwnR97) Collective Campus Website (https://www.collectivecampus.io/) NoFilter Media Website (https://www.nofilter.media/) About Our Guest: An entrepreneur, author, and podcaster, Steve Glaveski is on a mission to untap the potential of people to lead more meaningful lives. He forwards this mission through his different ventures, such as the Collective Campus, an innovation accelerator; the Lemonade Stand, a children’s entrepreneurial program; and his podcast, Future Squared. In his latest book, he shares how being time rich is more valuable than living “comfortably miserable” lives. Connect with Steve Glaveski : LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/steveglaveski/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/steveglaveski Connect with me and learn more about growing your business: Email: [email protected] LinkedIn: 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/ If you liked this episode, please don’t forget to tune in, subscribe, and share this podcast.

We're taking a short break over the holidays so I've chosen to re-air a couple of the most impactful episodes - impactful both from a business and a personal perspective. So today, we have the episode with Chris Walker of Refine Labs where we went over his company’s ways of helping B2B companies grow through marketing. Chris comes from a very unique background (engineering) which allows him to look at the full revenue ecosystem rather than breaking it down into silos. If you want your revenue acquisition process to rely on digital to create demand, Chris is the man to call. Join me as we look back to this very insightful episode! We talked about: 1. How an engineering background gave Chris the advantage in marketing [01:36] Losing his own money as a vital point in his experience [04:20] 2. The gap in the marketplace that Chris saw [06:00] Removing assumptions that are no longer true [07:53] 3. The benefit of working with a blank slate [08:54] 4. Barriers preventing companies from driving demand from digital [10:13] 5. Attribution is not marketing against sales [12:25] 6. Why you shouldn’t measure social channels the same way with Google [13:14] 7. The first step for founders is to know what they’re good at [20:12] 8. Adspend is a cost of doing business [22:28] 9. Why buyer intent is a critical factor to sales [24:32] 10. The major shifts in the buying process [25:22] 11. Customer success should be part of your product [29:35] 12. Through education, you create awareness [31:38] 13. You don’t really need salespeople [33:33] 14. Companies need a recurring revenue model driven by customer acquisition [35:37] 15. How COVID impacted sales and marketing [38:46] 16. The one thing Chris recommends [41:23] 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 Chris Walker: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-walker-41597028/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/ChrisWalker171 Connect with me and learn more about growing your business: Email: [email protected] LinkedIn: 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/ If you liked this episode, please don’t forget to tune in, subscribe, and share this podcast.

In the last episode, I led you through the Zero to Ten growth approach, which is divided into four frameworks: ACES (Align- Connect- Enable- and Support). Today, I'll delve deeper into the first framework's essential components and consequences - alignment. Believe me, it’s much more difficult to market if your company and offerings are not aligned from the get-go, especially to those who do not know you. So hop into the episode now and rid your company of that trouble! 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/) Have of a copy of Anthony Condouris’ book “run_frictionless” (https://runfrictionless.com/buy-run-frictionless/) Connect with me and learn more about growing your business: Email: [email protected] LinkedIn: 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/ If you liked this episode, please don’t forget to tune in, subscribe, and share this podcast.

The face is the mirror of the mind and this is why it is important for everyone, even for business owners, to have at least a bit of knowledge in reading facial expressions. So today, Emotions Expert Dan Hill gives us a mini-masterclass on the most important emotions to look out for and how you should interpret and properly react to them. This can be really powerful for you, especially in a digital-first zoom first world that we're in to better understand what the other side is actually thinking versus what they're saying. Tune in now to enable yourself to communicate better with the people around you! We’ll talk about: Introduction [00:00] The rationale behind Dan’s new book “Blah Blah Blah” [2:19] What Dan is working on today [5:22] The basics of facial coding [8:16] Why emotions are more powerful than the dollars [10:40] What you should look out for when facial coding as a business owner [12:23] Interpreting happiness in the business world [16:13] Dealing with different emotions you get out of a sales pitch [22:49] You as the embodiment of your own business [25:24] The dynamic between fear and anger and how to manage them properly [29:19] How to read contempt and the stakes it involves for your business [37:43] Sadness: Its indicators, upsides, and downsides in the business [45:02] Signs of stress among the people around you [48:03] 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/) Sensory Logic Website (https://www.sensorylogic.com/) “Famous Faces Decoded” by Dan Hill (https://www.sensorylogic.com/famous-faces) Have a copy of Dan’s book “Blah Blah Blah” (https://www.sensorylogic.com/blahblahblah) Have a copy of Dan’s book “Emotionomics” (https://www.sensorylogic.com/emotionomics) Check out Episode 56 with Dan Hill (https://bretttrainor.com/2020/06/24/utilizing-facial-coding-emotion-to-scale-your-startup-with-dan-hill/) About Our Guest: Dan Hill is a PhD holder, author, lecturer, and trainer who specializes in interpreting emotions and facial expressions. Dan founded Sensory Logic to help companies better understand the dynamic between the two currencies in life: dollars and emotions. He has appeared on Good Morning America, The Today Show, Fox, CNN, and ESPN and has advised with over half of the world's top 100 corporations. The Wall Street Journal and the New York Times have both written about him. Connect with Dan Hill: Email: [email protected] Twitter: https://twitter.com/EmotionsWizard LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dan-hill-emotionswizard/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Emotionswizard/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emotionswizard/ Connect with me and learn more about growing your business: Email: [email protected] LinkedIn: 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/ If you liked this episode, please don’t forget to tune in, subscribe, and share this podcast.

Because B2B growth is nuanced, you must grasp the various revenue levers. You can't just hire a sales leader or a marketing leader and expect to solve your growth problems. So in this episode, I'll walk you through the Zero to Ten System, which will help you break past owners' capacity and go from one-to-one selling to one-to-many selling. This system is a combination of my experience in helping grow startups from 0 to 10 million dollars in 2+ years which I have improved with the insights that I got from my interviews with subject matter experts.. You’ll surely get a lot of value from learning this framework so hop into the episode now! 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 me and learn more about growing your business: Email: [email protected] LinkedIn: 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/ If you liked this episode, please don’t forget to tune in, subscribe, and share this podcast.

Video marketing offers a lot of amazing and exclusive business benefits but entrepreneurs rarely use it to grow their businesses. If you’re one of those entrepreneurs, I’m telling you, you’re missing out a lot. Today, I'm pleased to have Clockwise Productions’ Nina Froriep to teach us how to attract ideal clients through video marketing. Nina also shares the DOs and DON’Ts of video marketing which you can use as a guide once you decide to try it out for your company. Tune into this episode now to learn how you can empower your brand through video marketing. We’ll talk about: Introduction [00:00] Nina’s beginning in filmmaking and the goal she developed with it [1:48] People’s reluctance to try out video marketing [6:03] Sharing what makes you stand out from other businesses in your industry [10:19] The first steps that Nina take when helping someone start with video marketing [13:20] Why Nina prefers working with businesses in the $120k-$500k mark [18:51] DOs and DONTs of video marketing [24:31] Maximizing the value you can provide in 60-second videos [30:23] The best situation where you can go for longer videos [35:17] Establishing familiarity between your prospects and yourself through video marketing [37:53] Some parting wisdom from Nina [40:56] 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/) Clockwise Productions website (https://clockwiseproductions.com/) Join Nina’s FREE Masterclass on Dec. 14 (https://clockwiseproductions.com/masterclass/) Tune in to Episode 124 with Ethan Beute (https://bretttrainor.com/2021/10/13/podcast-ep-124-how-being-20-more-human-can-dramatically-drive-growth-with-ethan-beute/) About Our Guest: Nina Froriep enables business coaches, consultants, and service-based entrepreneurs to grow their businesses with easy + fun video marketing so they can attract their ideal clients. Nina has been in TV, film, and video production her entire life. She’s seen it all from the early days on independent features, to big national TV commercials, corporate mega-shows, and (Emmy award-winning) documentary films, including one she produced and directed, called Abraham's Children. Connect with Nina Froriep: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nina-froriep/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/VideoMarketingConsultant/ Connect with me and learn more about growing your business: Email: [email protected] LinkedIn: 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/ If you liked this episode, please don’t forget to tune in, subscribe, and share this podcast.

In this episode, I want to share some of the biggest changes in buyer expectations in the B2B landscape and how you can use them to your advantage. I touch on why you need to think about business growth the way an ecommerce company would even if you're a services company, which is ultimately digital-first. Lastly, I talk about the mismatch between buyers and the traditional buying process brought by the pandemic and how you can align with the new normal undertakings. I’m very thankful for how you have welcomed this new series and may you keep having me as your guide on your way to your $10-million revenue. Tune in now! 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 me and learn more about growing your business: Email: [email protected] LinkedIn: 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/ If you liked this episode, please don’t forget to tune in, subscribe, and share this podcast.

In this episode, I welcome back Eva Nahari, a principal at DNX Ventures, an early-stage Venture Capital firm investing in B2B Startups. Why am I bringing venture capitalists back to the program? Eva is on the front lines of new technologies within the B2B space from which you can get potential business ideas or areas you can move your business into. You’ll surely learn technologies that can help improve your business in efficiency and growth from everything that Eva shares in this episode. Eva also gives her two cents on scaling through bootstrapping and raising which will help you decide on which between the two should you adopt for your business. This episode is loaded with insights on the hottest B2B SaaS platforms and growing your startup so tune in now! We’ll talk about: Introduction [00:00] Eva’s transition to B2B investing and mentoring [3:39] Squadcast and its workflow-based UI-guided tool [5:54] Quark.ai and how it provides better customer support [8:34] Macrometa: The Cloud for the Edge [14:07] What’s next on the horizon for Eva [17:13] Do you need to get salespeople when expanding? [21:47] Eva’s thoughts on bootstrapping and raising [25:05] The best-case scenario for founders bootstrapping or raising [28:37] Should you bootstrap all the way to your first million? [32:52] The biggest challenges that Eva sees from the founders she onboards [34:36] 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/) DNX Ventures website (https://www.dnx.vc/) Squadcast Website (https://www.squadcast.com/) Quark website (https://quark.ai/) Macrometa website (https://www.macrometa.com/) About Our Guest: Eva Nahari is a Principal at DNX Ventures, a venture capital firm specializing in early-stage B2B companies. Prior to joining DNX, she spent 9 years at Cloudera, where she helped organizations scale by developing products and go-to-market strategies. Eva is interested in investing in firms that are developing SaaS, Cloud, ML-Enabled Enterprise Software, and DevOps solutions that potentially alter how IT is provided to businesses. Eva has also worked as a startup coach and angel investor. Connect with Eva Nahari: Twitter: https://twitter.com/EvaNahari LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/evanahari/ Substack: https://substack.com/profile/26323472-eva-nahari\ Connect with me and learn more about growing your business: Email: [email protected] LinkedIn: 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/ If you liked this episode, please don’t forget to tune in, subscribe, and share this podcast.

Today, I'm diving into the #1 blocker that keeps businesses from getting to the $10-Million revenue which is.. the owners’ capacity. No matter how good you are at growing your business on your own, there will come a time that you’ll have to go beyond yourself. And what’s great about it is you don't have to overcome that learning curve by yourself. Join me in this episode as I help you figure out how you can conquer this obstacle. If you have any questions regarding growing your business, drop a comment and I will try to answer them in the upcoming episodes. 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 me and learn more about growing your business: Email: [email protected] LinkedIn: 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/ If you liked this episode, please don’t forget to tune in, subscribe, and share this podcast.

Why should your ultimate goal be $10 million in revenue? Today, I welcome you to Episode 1 of the BizOwner360, a new B2B Zero to Ten series to guide you as you grow your businesses to $10 million. If you have been listening to this podcast, you’ll know that the tactics and success stories we share are all for our goal of reaching the $10 million revenue mark. But why exactly $10 million? Take a listen as we kick off this very special series. 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/) Tune in to the Podcast Ep. 69 with Domenic Rinaldi (https://bretttrainor.com/2020/09/22/what-founders-need-to-do-to-maximize-their-startups-value-with-sun-acquisitions-managing-partner-domenic-rinaldi/) Connect with me and learn more about growing your business: Email: [email protected] LinkedIn: 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/ If you liked this episode, please don’t forget to tune in, subscribe, and share this podcast.

Welcome to a special episode of the B2B Zero to Ten Podcast. Today, I want to introduce “BizOwner360”, a new weekly series that will serve as another resource for you as you break through and grow your businesses to $10 million. This will air every Friday in addition to the current regular weekly episodes and will also be available on my YouTube channel. Here, we start with Episode 1 where I tell you why $10 million in revenue should be the objective of every business owner. Tune in now and let’s get this started! 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/) Tune in to the Podcast Ep. 69 with Domenic Rinaldi (https://bretttrainor.com/2020/09/22/what-founders-need-to-do-to-maximize-their-startups-value-with-sun-acquisitions-managing-partner-domenic-rinaldi/) Connect with me and learn more about growing your business: Email: [email protected] LinkedIn: 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/ If you liked this episode, please don’t forget to tune in, subscribe, and share this podcast.

There are many ways digital marketers rip-off business owners that you should be wary of if you want to attain the ROI you deserve in the “digital marketing first” space we’re in. We will be talking about 5 of these schemes and how you should deal with them with Sean Rosensteel who becomes our show’s second third-timer. Sean also brings to the table his company’s sure-fire digital marketing framework that you can easily adapt for your own business. After this episode, you’ll surely be able to work out with your digital marketer the corporate success that you’re aiming for so tune in now! We’ll talk about: 1. Introduction [00:00] 2. The one time when Sean got ripped off [2:23] 3. The issue in digital marketing specializations [6:00] 4. The biggest way digital marketers can rip business owners off [8:40] 5. What you should take note of when meeting with a digital marketer [10:22] 6. Two reasons why digital marketers recommend expensive technology [12:58] 7. Defining success with your digital marketer [21:09] 8. The problem with digital marketers who don’t guarantee their work [25:53] 9. Laying your defense: Sean’s three-step framework for starting digital marketing [35:04] 10. Going on offense: Choosing your best promotional activities [46:13] 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/) Get a copy of Sean Rosensteel’s book, “The School of Intentional Living” (https://www.seanrosensteel.com/) Get a copy of Donald Miller’s book, “Building a Story Brand” (https://www.amazon.com/Building-StoryBrand-Clarify-Message-Customers/dp/0718033329) Download “9 Ways Digital Marketers Rip You Off” (https://www.savvyproweb.com/) Tune in to B2B Zero to Ten Episode 122 with Sean Rosensteel: (https://bretttrainor.com/2021/09/29/podcast-ep-122-the-roi-of-building-hassle-free-websites-for-your-zero-to-ten-journey-with-sean-rosensteel/) Tune in to B2B Zero to Ten Episode 65 with Sean Rosensteel: (https://bretttrainor.com/2020/08/25/schools-in-session-intentional-living-is-the-key-to-real-success-with-author-sean-rosensteel/) About Our Guest: Sean Rosensteel is the owner of Savvy Pro Web, a company helping business owners build hassle-free websites that generate a steady flow of qualified leads. Sean is also the founder of The Intentional Living Academy and the author of “The School of Intentional Living”, a book that provides insightful tips on achieving goals in the most efficient way. Connect with Sean Rosensteel: Website: https://www.seanrosensteel.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/seanrosensteel/ Connect with me and learn more about growing your business: Email: [email protected] LinkedIn: 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/ If you liked this episode, please don’t forget to tune in, subscribe, and share this podcast.

It's never too early to build your data infrastructure. You can always start small and scale it. Today, I welcome back Govind Balu, Founder of QuaXigma, to chat about the power in the strategic value of data analytics, and ultimately machine learning and artificial intelligence. Govind and I dive into ways on how to set up a business for a smooth sailing data & analytics system. Govind also shares how his firm helps businesses accelerate their digital transformation by creating customer-centric solutions. You’ll surely come out of this episode with the perfect idea on how you’ll do data analytics for your business so tune in now! We’ll talk about: Introduction [00:00] Data challenges that Govind see in SMEs [04:11] Govind’s data organization tip for small companies [6:21] Having the right data on making business decisions [11:47] Keeping your database clean starting from the early days [14:02] Including data strategies to customer journey roadmap [18:10] Enabling your eCommerce strategy with data, AI, and ML [22:19] Considerations to take note of for a better customer experience [26:20] Govind’s piece of advice for startups [31:16] Developing data strategies doesn’t have to be complicated [34:33] Professional recommendations from Govind [36:22] 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/) Qua Xigma website (http://www.quaxigma.com/) Tune in to Episode 42 with Govind Balu at (https://hardwiredforgrowth.libsyn.com/42-why-data-analytics-could-be-the-difference-between-success-and-failure-for-your-startup) About Our Guest: Govind Balu is the Founder and CEO of QuaXigma, a Data Analytics firm that aims to create customer-centric solutions that accelerate digital business transformation and unleash actual value by re-engineering the power of data and AI. Govind has worked in the data and analytics industry for nearly three decades. Prior to founding his own company, he worked as a lead data scientist for companies including Bank of America and Allstate. Connect with Govind Balu: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/govindbalu/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/quaxigma/ Website: http://www.quaxigma.com/contact.html Connect with me and learn more about growing your business: Email: [email protected] LinkedIn: 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/ If you liked this episode, please don’t forget to tune in, subscribe, and share this podcast.

With the simple goal of making the process of baking easier and more fun for everyone, our guest for today was able to build a fast-growing brand. So if you’ve always known that you’re going to end up in the entrepreneur world but just don't have the idea as to how yet, this episode is for you. Today, I welcome Shelley Gupta, co-founder of BāKIT Box, a new company that is modernizing the way of baking and is currently gaining a lot of traction. Shelley and I break down the origin of BāKIT Box and how she went from being a singer-songwriter to working as a management consultant to ultimately co-founding BāKIT Box. There's a lot of interesting learning and you can hear the tactics and the approach Shelley and her partner took in their early days so tune in now! We’ll talk about: Introduction [00:00] How Shelley got started with BāKIT Box [03:01] The inseparability of owners from their brand [5:18] Shelley’s journey from working for Accenture to founding BāKIT Box [8:51] How BāKIT Box makes baking simpler and more fun [11:32] The first steps that Shelley took in building BāKIT Box [14:27] Shelley’s framework for growing BāKIT Box [16:17] Who Shelley envisioned as their ideal customers [19:18] Shelley’s small pivots and goals for BāKIT [20:53] What Shelley would have done differently with BāKIT Box [24:59] Funding and outsourcing for BāKIT Box [26:07] What’s next for Shelley and BāKIT Box [28:55] Shelley’s personal recommendation [30:40] 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/) BāKIT Box website (https://www.bakitbox.com/) About Our Guest: Shelley Gupta is the Co-Founder of BāKIT Box, a new and fast-growing company that is modernizing the way of baking. Before co-founding BāKIT Box, Shelley worked as a singer-songwriter for years then transitioned to a career in management consulting. Connect with Shelley Gupta: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shelley-gupta/ Email Address: [email protected] Connect with me and learn more about growing your business: Email: [email protected] LinkedIn: 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/ If you liked this episode, please don’t forget to tune in, subscribe, and share this podcast.

Without fully understanding the various factors that surround a business problem, you will never develop the best solutions to them. This is the key philosophy that Garreth Chandler, who joins me in this episode, uses in delivering the needs of their clients and employees in his company, The Evolved Group. Garreth and I talk about the business decisions that he had to make to help The Evolved Group succeed, including his huge pivot from consulting business to a tech-enabled services company. He also touches on the biggest changes that he has observed in the consulting and technology industry and how he adapted to them. This episode is a valuable guide for you if you’re looking to start a B2B business so tune in now! We’ll talk about: Introduction [00:00] What motivated Garreth to build The Evolved Group [02:33] The customers that Garreth targeted at his company’s early growth stage [6:31] The flow of business that Garreth had in his company’s beginning [7:56] When Garreth started doing a one-to-many business strategy [11:28] The Evolved Group and how they solve their clients’ problems [15:03] The market that The Evolved Group is servicing [21:26] It's better to be different than to be better [23:30] The competency-based view of business [27:01] The biggest changes with some of Garreth’s go-to market [31:56] A market area that Garreth thinks is ripe with opportunity [34:18] The focus for the Evolved Group in the near future [37:46] A learning from Garreth [39:16] Garreth’s experience writing a book with Michael Haynes [42:18] 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 Evolved Group Website (https://www.theevolvedgroup.com/) “Listen, Innovate, Grow” by Michael Haynes and Garreth Chandler (https://amzn.to/345oxLa) About Our Guest: Garreth is the founder and CEO of The Evolved Group, a cutting-edge global insights tech firm that specializes in working with consumers and organizations to better understand their behavior, markets, and transformation. With 25 years of experience in market research on both the client and supplier side, Garreth has developed successful research and technology start-ups and is a published author. Connect with Garreth Chandler: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/garreth-chandler-5821172/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8b6Sf1MQulZouppdq9NSuw The Evolved Group: https://www.theevolvedgroup.com/contact/ Connect with me and learn more about growing your business: Email: [email protected] LinkedIn: 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/ If you liked this episode, please don’t forget to tune in, subscribe, and share this podcast.

There are no shortcuts when it comes to setting up your company for success. It takes building a winning culture that works best not just for your market but for your team as well. Best Practice Biz CEO and Founder Kobi Simmat joins me in this episode to share his Zero to Ten journey from a freelance consultant to the CEO of a multinational company. Kobi also talks about the most important principles that he teaches to business owners who seek his advice on growing their company. This episode imparts best company practices and philosophies that you can also apply for your business so tune in now! We’ll talk about: Introduction [00:00] Kobi’s life before building Best Practice Biz [06:05] Problems that Best Practice Biz solves [12:14] Lessons that Kobi gained when he was starting to scale [15:18] Reviewing your business activities in the previous week [23:24] The easiest way to create a grant culture [30:04] The value in helping people do the work they love [33:03] Kobi’s insights on the power of content [39:12] Why you should edit your website daily [45:43] Looking at yourself as a consumer [49:50] The ultimate test that is a cash flow-positive business [55:13] Kobi’s #1 tip [57:28] 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/) Best Practice Website (https://bestpractice.biz/) Best Practice Recruitment Tips (https://bestpractice.biz/recruitment) Michael Schein’s “The Hype Handbook” (https://www.amazon.com/Hype-Handbook-Indispensable-Propagandists-Self-Promoters/dp/B099BRM28V/) Tune in to the Podcast episode with Norman Crowley (https://bretttrainor.com/2021/05/11/how-this-serial-b2b-entrepreneur-has-changed-growth-strategies-and-why-content-is-the-key-to-scaling-with-norman-crowley/) Tune in to the Podcast episode with Jennifer Fondrevay (https://bretttrainor.com/2021/08/31/podcast-ep-118-what-now-how-ma-can-impact-your-zero-to-ten-journey/) About Our Guest: Kobi Simmat is the Founder and CEO of Best Practice Biz, a global company improvement firm. With over 25 years of experience in business consulting, Kobi aspires to release the potential in everything by providing pleasant, adaptable business solutions, and a commitment to continuous progress. Kobi has counseled in over 7 countries, 50 sectors, and over 50,000 people to date Connect with Kobi Simmat: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kobisimmat/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kobisimmat/ Email: [email protected] Connect with me and learn more about growing your business: Email: [email protected] LinkedIn: 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/ If you liked this episode, please don’t forget to tune in, subscribe, and share this podcast

As we get caught up in how much the modes of communication have advanced today, we tend to forget the most important aspect which is you, the human. In this episode, BombBomb Chief Evangelist Ethan Beute talks us through his new book, “Human-Centered Communication” which provides insights on building a better reputation for your company from the communication side of doing business. Ethan also gives his take on dealing with prospects that are yet to go “buy now” mode and balancing our focus between the emotion and the message when communicating with our market. Ethan unloads so many valuable bits of wisdom on how you can drive growth to your business so jump into this episode now. We’ll talk about: Introduction [00:00] The benefit of video messaging to businesses [04:19] What motivated Ethan to write his second book [9:35] The value in prioritizing helping over selling [15:34] Dealing with leads that are not yet on the “buy now” mode [23:28] The human-centered design model of digital communication [31:01] Giving a stronger sense of trust to your market [37:43] Being on emotion rather than being on message [39:54] The Golden Rule in doing business [42:56] Allowing your business to be 20% more human [45:23] A recommendation from Ethan [50:05] 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/) BombBomb Website (https://bombbomb.com) Tune in to Episode 43 with Ethan Beute (https://hardwiredforgrowth.libsyn.com/rehumanize-your-business-to-improve-customer-experience-and-accelerate-growth) Get a copy of Ethan Beute’s book “Rehumanize Your Business” (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07QFYQ7G4/) Order Ethan Beute’s book “Human-Centered Communication” (https://bombbomb.com/book/human-centered/) Check Winning By Design YT Channel (https://www.youtube.com/c/WinningByDesign) About Our Guest: Ethan Beute is the Chief Evangelist of BombBomb, a company that makes it easy for businesses to build customer relationships through email, text, and social media. Ethan’s second book which he co-authored with Stephen Pacinelli and is called “Human-Centered Communication: A Business Case Against Digital Pollution” discusses how we reduce unwelcome digital distractions. Ethan is also the host of the highly regarded “The Customer Experience Podcast.” Connect with Ethan Beute: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ethanbeute/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/ethanbeute YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/ethanbeute The Customer Experience Podcast: https://bombbomb.com/blog/topics/the-customer-experience-podcast/ Connect with me and learn more about growing your business: Email: [email protected] LinkedIn: 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/ If you liked this episode, please don’t forget to tune in, subscribe, and share this podcast.

In the B2B world, we experience almost the same kind of problems. So sometimes, all it takes is thinking of your own situation to come up with something that delivers your market’s needs. This is how Ray McKenzie developed an incredible software called “Starting Point,” a platform that compliments his first company, “Red Beach Advisors.” Along with Digital Marketing Expert Sean Rosensteel, who co-hosts this episode with me, we touch on the principles and processes that Ray applies to provide a great customer experience through their software services. Ray also talks about common challenges in delivering Software as a Service (SaaS) and ways that he deals with these obstacles. This episode provides tons of wisdom and inspiration on scaling a SaaS business into a $10-million company so tune in now! We’ll talk about: Introduction [00:00] The beginning of Ray’s management consulting firm [04:57] How Ray allocates resources on his two companies [11:25] Ray’s goals with Red Beach Advisors and Starting Point [14:13] What Ray has been doing from the sales side [17:29] On-boarding with Starting Point and its service categories [19:24] Common objections that Ray gets and how he responds to them [22:28] The gap of providing full transparency during the sale-close process [26:46] The importance of providing great customer experience [30:48] What’s in store for Ray’s companies in Q4 2021 [35:19] Ray’s industry of priority and how he approaches them [38:19] Starting Point’s biggest challenge and how Ray busts through it [40:36] Ray’s personal and professional recommendation [44:06] Biggest takeaways from the episode [46:43] 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/) Request a demo with Starting Point (https://www.startingpoint.ai/) Achieve efficient growth and success with the Red Beach Advisors (https://www.redbeachadvisors.com/) About Our Guest: Ray McKenzie is the founder of Starting Point, a software company that helps businesses delight their customers and clients by increasing customer care and support, reducing workflow to boost productivity. Starting Point is also used by Ray to enable his first company, Red Beach Advisors. Connect with Ray McKenzie: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/raymondmckenzie Twitter: https://twitter.com/RayMc209 Connect with me and learn more about growing your business: Email: [email protected] LinkedIn: 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/ If you liked this episode, please don’t forget to tune in, subscribe, and share this podcast.

Is your website not generating enough ROI despite all the money and effort that you’ve poured into it? You might have fallen to the trap of conventional marketing strategies that no longer work. Today, Digital Marketing Guru Sean Rosensteel exposes web development mistakes and myths that you should avoid if you want your business to stay on top. Sean and I weigh in on the right mindset to have when starting a business website. Sean also provides useful alternatives and his own lead generation framework that is so easy to follow and surely going to work for you. Tune in to this episode now to learn new and effective ways to generate more ROIs through your website! We’ll talk about: Introduction [00:00] A great way to lay the groundwork for your digital business [07:05] The missing big ingredient in business websites today [14:04] The Story Brand Framework [16:08] SEO writing in WordPress vs. other platforms [24:20] Is SEO still a conducive strategy for your business? [26:26] Sean’s recommended alternative for SEO [30:59] Finding areas where your fish are already swarming [35:15] The three phases of lead generation [39:34] The Curb Appeal [47:16] The value in simplifying technologies for your business [51:20] Sean’s professional recommendation [57:03] 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/) Get a copy of Sean Rosensteel’s book, “The School of Intentional Living” (https://www.seanrosensteel.com/) Get a copy of Donald Miller’s book, “Building a Story Brand” (https://www.amazon.com/Building-StoryBrand-Clarify-Message-Customers/dp/0718033329) Book a call for a hassle-free website (https://www.savvyproweb.com/) About Our Guest: Sean Rosensteel is the owner of Savvy Pro Web, a company helping business owners build hassle-free websites that generate a steady flow of qualified leads. Sean is also the founder of The Intentional Living Academy and the author of “The School of Intentional Living”, a book that provides insightful tips on achieving goals in the most efficient way. Connect with Sean Rosensteel: Website: https://www.seanrosensteel.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/seanrosensteel/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/seanrosensteelfan/ Connect with me and learn more about growing your business: Email: [email protected] LinkedIn: 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/ If you liked this episode, please don’t forget to tune in, subscribe, and share this podcast.

People don’t spend their money on a product or a service. What they buy are the life-changing solutions that they will get from whatever you are offering. So how do you get your clients into trusting you with providing answers to their lives’ biggest problems? That’s what User Experience Specialist Valerie Kent and I address in this episode where she shares the philosophy she had behind her iconic webcam covers and when she built her women tech-focused company, Lee London. We also touch on the business pivots that Valerie had to take and how he managed her way through them. This episode is full of insights on how you can come up with a brand that your customers will love on your way to your $10-million revenue goal so tune in now! We’ll talk about: Introduction [00:00] The start of Valerie’s entrepreneurial journey [03:30] The first business lessons that Valerie learned [10:53] Why Valerie went through retailers instead of individual consumers [12:36] Valerie’s next journey after she parted ways with Nordstrom [16:38] The birth of Valerie’s company Lee London [19:01] Steps Valerie took in putting up Lee London [22:37] Building a community beyond selling a product [27:10] How Valerie deals with the front and back sides of a business [30:43] A recommendation from Valerie [32:23] 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/) About Our Guest: Valerie Trent is the founder of Lee London, a women-tech oriented company that develops products aimed at empowering people to use technology in the way they want. Ever since starting in the business world, Valerie has always advocated for making women’s lives better. Connect with Valerie Trent: Website: https://leelondon.com/ Email: [email protected] LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/valerie-trent-a560139 Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/leelondondesign/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LeeLondonDesign/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/leelondonco https://twitter.com/valerietrent Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leelondondesign/ Connect with me and learn more about growing your business: Email: [email protected] LinkedIn: 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/ If you liked this episode, please don’t forget to tune in, subscribe, and share this podcast. EbC7COcamtw2PAOhfZQG

Are you having trouble adapting your B2B business strategies to today’s disruptive world? If you answered yes, this episode is for you. Leading SMB Growth Expert Michael Haynes joins me to talk about how you should strategize to keep your company on top amidst constantly changing consumer needs. We cover topics such as understanding the demands of a market, overcoming weaknesses of a company, and Michael’s new mastermind program called “Empower.” Tune in now to make sure your company never stops growing with the tons of wisdom that Michael unloads in this episode! We’ll talk about: Introduction [00:00] What’s going on in the SMB world? [05:30] Michael’s take on sales and marketing alignment [07:56] Going digital with sales and marketing strategies [11:29] Collaboration and co-creation beyond alignment [16:00] Understanding and delivering the needs of your buyers [18:47] Thinking bigger to drive business growth [20:21] Knowing when to do automation and outsourcing [25:40] Being aware of your gaps and how to fulfill them [30:18] Your clients as your referral engine [33:47] The rise of M&A deals in SMEs [36:25] Referrals, advocacy, and partnerships [38:50] Michael’s newly launched mastermind “Empower” [40:55] Michael’s piece of advice (Part 3) [44:07] Resource Links: Download Startup to Scaleup: A 4-Part Framework to Grow Your B2B Business to $10 Million: (https://bretttrainor.com/resources/) “Listen, Innovate, Grow” by Michael Haynes: (https://amzn.to/345oxLa) Learn more about The Empower Mastermind Group: (https://youtu.be/qoadUfZfrnI). Listen to Podcast Ep 72. Refocus, Reignite, and Rise: Jumpstarting Growth in 2020 with B2B SMB / SME Adviser Michael Haynes: (https://bretttrainor.com/2020/10/13/refocus-reignite-and-rise-jumpstarting-growth-in-2020-with-best-selling-author-michael-haynes/) Listen to Podcast Ep 8. Listen, Innovate, Grow- A Blueprint for Acquiring Business Customers with Michael Haynes: (https://bretttrainor.com/2019/08/10/listen-innovate-grow-a-blueprint-for-acquiring-business-customers-with-michael-haynes/) ‘Create Togetherness’ by Jeff Davis (https://www.amazon.com/Create-Togetherness-Transform-Marketing-Expectations/dp/1733450408) ‘The Velocity Mindset’ by Ron Karr (https://www.amazon.com/Velocity-Mindset%C2%AE-Resistance-Buy-Results_Faster/dp/1645436284/) 'NOW WHAT? A Survivor's Guide for Thriving through Mergers & & Acquisitions' by Jennifer Fondrevay (https://jenniferjfondrevay.com/now-what-by-jennifer-fondrevay/) About Our Guest: Michael Haynes is the Founder and Principal Consultant at Listen Innovate Grow with over 20 years of experience working with firms ranging from micro-businesses to large corporations in Australia and Canada to develop and implement customer strategies and programs that help them expand their businesses. Connect with Michael Haynes: Listen, Innovate, Grow Website https://listeninnovategrow.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-haynes-lig/ Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/2Excellyourbiz Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MichaelHaynesB2BAdviser Connect with me and learn more about growing your business: Email: [email protected] LinkedIn: 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/ If you liked this episode, please don’t forget to tune in, subscribe, and share this podcast.

One brilliant idea can result in a product or service that customers patronize. But coming up with an idea is just the first step. It takes great development, adaptation, harmonization, and execution of several ideas before you finally end up with something that your clients will keep coming back to. In today’s episode, I welcome Danielle Gillespie, founder of Ideas Last, a tech geek who has thrived on building rock solid products that people love for 25 years. Danielle and I talk about the approaches she does to help companies propel to success starting from one business idea. She also provides useful tips on getting the most out of business ideas and how to adapt or ditch them according to customers’ needs. If you have an idea on how you can start a business that will bring you good fortune but you’re lost as to how you will maximize it, this episode is the perfect guide for you. We’ll talk about: Introduction [00:00] How Danielle’s framework helps startup ideas flourish [03:26] Planning your company’s success with Danielle [06:20] Adapting original ideas into something that people want [10:06] Having the idea and passion to solve a problem [15:40] When you should pivot and make a market shift [18:05] Being receptive to criticisms [22:26] Danielle’s advice on growing a $10-million business [23:30] The approach used by Danielle in getting great hires [27:50] What Danielle looks forward to for startups in the near future [31:54] Danielle’s accountability tip [37:12] 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: Danielle Gillespie has over 25 years of experience developing tech products in different industries including hospitality, health and wellness, manufacturing, retail and first responders. She founded her own company, Ideas Last, and has held various product development roles. Danielle actively advises a handful of startup tech companies and has helped bring several concepts to life that began as an idea on a paper napkin, combining client demand with budget, timeline, and business case. She excels in converting consumer feedback and data into a positive user experience. Connect with Danielle Gillespie: Website: https://www.daniellegillespie.net/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniellegillespie Twitter: https://twitter.com/dgillespie_irl Medium: https://medium.com/@dgillespie_irl Connect with me and learn more about growing your business: Email: [email protected] LinkedIn: 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/ If you liked this episode, please don’t forget to tune in, subscribe, and share this podcast.

Closing a merger and acquisition deal is just the beginning. Majority of M&A deals fall short of pre-deal expectations, and the key difficulty is ensuring that the deal delivers the value that prompted the decision to get into the agreement in the first place. In today’s episode, I am joined by none other than the M&A Whisperer herself Jennifer J. Fondrevay who has been a part of three separate multibillion-dollar merger and acquisition deals. Jennifer and I chat about ways of pulling through mergers and acquisitions, a subject that she also covers in her book “NOW WHAT? A Survivor's Guide for Thriving through Mergers & Acquisitions.” Most companies that undergo mergers and acquisitions do not get the valuation that they originally intended. Majority of these deals also fail because of the workforce being unable to pivot and adapt as rapidly as the leadership expected. If you’re worried that yours could end up the same, then this episode will help you find a way to change that. We’ll talk about: Introduction [00:00] Going through an M&A is a matter of when [04:10] What CEOs need to prepare for during M&A [06:00] Power and influence of culture in an M&A [09:59] Dealing with the new reality of the workforce [11:47] How to avoid becoming a “former rock star” [15:37] Being crystal clear when approaching the deal [18:07] Premortem Exercises - Scenario Planning [20:19] The challenge of giving up old ways [25:32] Overcommunication as a key to a successful M&A transition [28:44] Trends in the new normal set-up of businesses [31:18] Jennifer’s piece of advice to fellow workaholics [36:33] 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/) Get a copy of Jennifer’s book “NOW WHAT? A Survivor's Guide for Thriving through Mergers & Acquisitions” (https://jenniferjfondrevay.com/now-what-by-jennifer-fondrevay/) About Our Guest: Jennifer J. Fondrevay is the founder of Day1 Ready, an M&A consultancy agency that works with forward-thinking business executives to redefine what day one looks like in the M&A deal experience. Jennifer has been on both sides of the deal equation as a Fortune 500 C-Suite "survivor" of three multibillion-dollar acquisitions. She witnessed countless growth strategies fail due to a workforce that couldn’t pivot and adapt as quickly as leadership anticipated. Her satirical business book, “NOW WHAT? A Survivor's Guide for Thriving through Mergers & Acquisitions,” helps middle managers navigate business transformation to find the opportunities in change. Connect with Jennifer J. Fondrevay: Website: https://jenniferjfondrevay.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifer-fondrevay Twitter: https://twitter.com/jjfondrevay Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jenniferjfondrevay Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGusxCB8gysRPpB8B4RQBJA Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jfondrevay Connect with me and learn more about growing your business: Email: [email protected] LinkedIn: 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/ If you liked this episode, please don’t forget to tune in, subscribe, and share this podcast.

By now everyone knows how crucial content marketing is. Effective content marketing connects your business to the right customers and amplifies your brand message. But while B2C brands are nailing it, B2B businesses are having a much harder time finding and distributing their content. Today we have Jonathan Gandolf, Co-Founder and CEO of The Juice, sharing with us his unexpected journey from craft beer to content marketing and how he envisions the future of B2B marketing. Find out the most common problems marketers have, how content marketing has evolved over the years, and what you can do to make your vision a reality. We’ll talk about: Introduction [00:00] Jonathan’s career background [02:18] Getting involved with High Alpha [04:12] How Jonathan’s craft brewery cut through the noise [05:19] Who High Alpha is and what they do [08:23] The problem with B2B content distribution [13:35] The vision for The Juice [16:09] Becoming the co-founder of The Juice [12:53] The value of surveying over 100 marketers [18:07] The growth of content marketing due to a pandemic [22:38] Being the B2B content hub [24:35] What Jonathan would have done differently [26:40] What’s next for The Juice [28:00] The one thing that Jonathan recommends [30:34] 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 Juice website (https://www.thejuicehq.com/) Talk to Your Persona: Here’s How We Talked to 100 Marketers in 100 Days (https://www.thejuicehq.com/blog/talk-to-your-persona-heres-how-we-talked-to-100-marketers-in-100-days) About Our Guest: Jonathan Gandolf is the co-founder and CEO of B2B content hub The Juice. He started his career in digital marketing with Salesforce ExactTarget Marketing Cloud where he spent years gaining insights and experience in content marketing, relationship marketing, and product management. After leaving tech and 4 years of pursuing his craft brewery dreams, he found himself getting drawn back into the biz, surrounded by like-minded colleagues and an idea he pursued relentlessly. Within a year of conceptualizing, The Juice was born and Gandolf has been busy growing his B2B content hub while also prospecting for new businesses with VC company High Alpha. If you liked this episode, please don’t forget to tune in, subscribe, and share this podcast. Connect with Jonathan Gandolf: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathan-gandolf/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/JDGandolf Connect with me and learn more about growing your business: Email: [email protected] LinkedIn: 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 Zero to Ten even mean? If you’ve been listening to my podcast, then you know how often I talk about scaling a startup from 0 to $10 million in revenue. That’s the goal I’ve been helping startups to reach. So as I do a rebrand of my podcast, I find it fitting to make that a part of my podcast name. In this short and special episode, I’ll tell you what pushed me to make this change and what you can expect as we head towards 120 episodes and beyond! We’ll talk about: Why I’m making this change [00:41] What to expect [01:38] The history of my podcast [02:38] It’s not a traditional podcast [03:51] 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/