The Friday Habit

Happy Friday everyone! This is the second part of a two-part episode recorded on Ben’s birthday, where we dive deep into his backstory to learn more about why he ticks the way he does. If you're looking for a fun, relaxing listen—this is it! Main TopicsHow Ben won over his wife by joining a Jewish dance team. Lessons learned from previous jobsThe transition to becoming an entrepreneurHow to build systems around your faultsTakeaways from episodes 72 & 73:Make space for creativitySet appropriate expectationsBuild systems around your faultsAction Item(s): Be intentional — think about where you want to beRead The Road Less StupidConnect with Ben:Ben’s WebsiteBen’s InstagramKnapsack Creative – Ben's Company Connect with us:Email usDownload The Friday Habit GuideBrand Viva WebsiteMark’s FacebookMark’s LinkedIn

Happy Friday everyone! This episode was recorded on Ben’s birthday, so naturally, we dive deep into his backstory to learn more about why he ticks the way he does. If you're looking for a fun, relaxing listen. This is it! Main TopicsIce breaker question, where you get weird insights into our guest & host’s minds. This week’s question, “Is a hotdog a sandwich?”We learn a little about Ben’s childhoodGrowing up with space for creativityLearning sales strategies from the Boy ScoutsImportance of talking about emotionsConnect with Ben:Ben’s WebsiteBen’s InstagramKnapsack Creative – Ben's Company Connect with us:Email usDownload The Friday Habit GuideBrand Viva WebsiteMark’s FacebookMark’s LinkedIn

Happy Friday everyone! Unfortunately, we don't have Ben with us today, he is off gallivanting the beaches of Maui, but we do have my friend And Mathisen who is the co-founder and CMO of GloveBox App. Andy welcome to the show! Andy has done everything from working at a startup to joining the family business, to starting a business of his own designed to revolutionize the insurance industry, one glovebox at a time.Main TopicsAndy, did you always want to go into the insurance industry?Tell us about your first job out of college?How did you come to work for the family business?Where did the idea for GloveBox come from?What’s it like working with family?How do you balance a family with starting your own company?Recap/Takeaways:Andy shares a little about what it was like growing up in the insurance industry and how much that has shaped his career. Failure is easy to learn from.Andy and his brother, Ryan, noticed there was a lot of time wasted on calls that didn't bring revenue and they sought a solution.Their app, GloveBox, allows customers to have access to the information they need the most. Their solution has reduced wasted call time for the company and increased customer retention because customers have quick, easy access to the information they need through their phones. Action Item: If you have a cool idea to change the way things are done, pursue it!Connect with Andy:Follow Andy on LinkedinConnect with us:Email usDownload The Friday Habit GuideKnapsack Creative Ben’s InstagramBen’s WebsiteBrand Viva WebsiteMark’s FacebookMark’s LinkedInThanks for listening to The Friday Habit.Until next time. Live every day like it’s Friday.

Laura Treonze is an executive coach who specializes in behavioral understanding to enhance company culture, maximize executive talent and boost employee engagement. She combines psychology with experiential coaching methods to help individuals and teams break through limiting beliefs to increase productivity and profit. Main Topic NotesHow did you get into executive coaching?So how do you enhance company culture and boost employee engagement with behavioral understanding.?Speaking about employee engagement, what are your thoughts about hiring and how do we do it right?Whats the secret to attracting abundance into your life.Recap / TakeawaysTop 3 rules for navigating life:Define and create your experienceStay resourceful (don't get stuck on one path)Be grateful for where you areHire based on culture fit first (most skills can be trained)Ask your employees:How can I show you how much I appreciate you?How can I support you?Often when hiring we're not asking enough questionsWhen hiring or looking for feedback in your organization ask: If you could change one thing about the organization, what would it be?Don't create goals in a vacuum. Close the gap between goals of the individuals on your team and the goals of the companyIn a review, ask first where they think they are before you telling them what you thinkIf you can match your people with the correct work then they will be more engagedWhen things go wrong don't stay with just how and why I got here, spend more time on what needs to happen next, who do I need to talk to move forward?Action ItemDefine the experience you wantConnect With LauraPurposeful-Life.coGo to TheFridayHabit.com to find show notes for this episode. There you can also find links to our websites and ways to get in touch. At the bottom of the page you can download our guide to the Friday Habit system that will show you how to set aside one full day each week dedicated to working on your business instead of in your business.If you enjoyed this episode please subscribe and leave us a review in the Apple podcasts app. If you have a question or a topic you’d like us to cover don’t forget to record us a quick voice memo and send it to [email protected] for listening to The Friday Habit.Until next time. Live every day like it’s Friday.

Laura Treonze is an executive coach who specializes in behavioral understanding to enhance company culture, maximize executive talent and boost employee engagement. She combines psychology with experiential coaching methods to help individuals and teams break through limiting beliefs to increase productivity and profit. Main Topic NotesHow did you get into executive coaching?So how do you enhance company culture and boost employee engagement with behavioral understanding.?Speaking about employee engagement, what are your thoughts about hiring and how do we do it right?Whats the secret to attracting abundance into your life.Recap / TakeawaysTop 3 rules for navigating life:Define and create your experienceStay resourceful (don't get stuck on one path)Be grateful for where you areHire based on culture fit first (most skills can be trained)Ask your employees:How can I show you how much I appreciate you?How can I support you?Often when hiring we're not asking enough questionsWhen hiring or looking for feedback in your organization ask: If you could change one thing about the organization, what would it be?Don't create goals in a vacuum. Close the gap between goals of the individuals on your team and the goals of the companyIn a review, ask first where they think they are before you telling them what you thinkIf you can match your people with the correct work then they will be more engagedWhen things go wrong don't stay with just how and why I got here, spend more time on what needs to happen next, who do I need to talk to move forward?Action ItemDefine the experience you wantConnect With LauraPurposeful-Life.coGo to TheFridayHabit.com to find show notes for this episode. There you can also find links to our websites and ways to get in touch. At the bottom of the page you can download our guide to the Friday Habit system that will show you how to set aside one full day each week dedicated to working on your business instead of in your business.If you enjoyed this episode please subscribe and leave us a review in the Apple podcasts app. If you have a question or a topic you’d like us to cover don’t forget to record us a quick voice memo and send it to [email protected] for listening to The Friday Habit.Until next time. Live every day like it’s Friday.

Mae Karwowski is the founder and CEO of Obviously, a leading global influencer marketing agency and technology platform.Recap / TakeawaysIf you’re pivoting your business, you don’t have to pivot hard. You can taper off one service and grow the other simultaneouslyIt’s important to know what you’re good at, and what you’re not good at. Identify which things that you need to get better at, and which things you need to outsource.If you’re looking to promote your brand on social media, a great way is to create helpful tip or DIY videos on TikTok and a longer form version on YouTube.If you want to be an influencer, make sure you own your audience. Get a website and a way to sign people up to your newsletter so you can own that audience.If you need to spend time thinking about big picture vision, then block it off on your calendar like it’s a meeting.Action ItemWrite out your priorities for the following quarter and even the next 3 upcoming quartersConnect with Maewww.obvious.lylinkedin.com/in/maekarwowski/twitter.com/maewowinstagram.com/maewowGo to TheFridayHabit.com to find show notes for this episode. There you can also find links to our websites and ways to get in touch. At the bottom of the page you can download our guide to the Friday Habit system that will show you how to set aside one full day each week dedicated to working on your business instead of in your business.If you enjoyed this episode please subscribe and leave us a review in the Apple podcasts app.If you have a question or a topic you’d like us to cover don’t forget to record us a quick voice memo and send it to [email protected] for listening to The Friday Habit.Until next time. Live every day like it’s Friday.

Mae Karwowski is the founder and CEO of Obviously, a leading global influencer marketing agency and technology platform.Recap / TakeawaysIf you’re pivoting your business, you don’t have to pivot hard. You can taper off one service and grow the other simultaneouslyIt’s important to know what you’re good at, and what you’re not good at. Identify which things that you need to get better at, and which things you need to outsource.If you’re looking to promote your brand on social media, a great way is to create helpful tip or DIY videos on TikTok and a longer form version on YouTube.If you want to be an influencer, make sure you own your audience. Get a website and a way to sign people up to your newsletter so you can own that audience.If you need to spend time thinking about big picture vision, then block it off on your calendar like it’s a meeting.Action ItemWrite out your priorities for the following quarter and even the next 3 upcoming quartersConnect with Maewww.obvious.lylinkedin.com/in/maekarwowski/twitter.com/maewowinstagram.com/maewowGo to TheFridayHabit.com to find show notes for this episode. There you can also find links to our websites and ways to get in touch. At the bottom of the page you can download our guide to the Friday Habit system that will show you how to set aside one full day each week dedicated to working on your business instead of in your business.If you enjoyed this episode please subscribe and leave us a review in the Apple podcasts app.If you have a question or a topic you’d like us to cover don’t forget to record us a quick voice memo and send it to [email protected] for listening to The Friday Habit.Until next time. Live every day like it’s Friday.

Main Topic NotesWhat kind of culture do you want to have in your company?What do you do to intentionally affect culture?What does your leadership/team structure look like?What differences do you notice between having a 5 person team and a 18 person team?Were there any unexpected effects?How do you keep communication efficient between team members?Do you still have all-hands meetings?How do you handle remote work?What mistakes have you made that we could learn from?Recap / TakeawaysBe transparent with your team and give them authority instead of just responsibility (let them see the impact)Hiring a new employee can 10x your productivity in ways you don’t expect once they start using their superpowersThink of your employees as an investment, not a costAt first you hire when you’re swamped, but eventually you need to identify opportunities and invest in employees to solve those problemsSpend time in your sweet spot and hire people that balance out your weaknessesYour ability to grow is dependent on how much trust you are willing to put into the people you hireHow to decide whether to grow or not: What are you good at, and what do you WANT to do?Go to TheFridayHabit.com to find show notes for this episode. There you can also find links to our websites and ways to get in touch. At the bottom of the page you can download our guide to the Friday Habit system that will show you how to set aside one full day each week dedicated to working on your business instead of in your business.If you enjoyed this episode please subscribe and leave us a review in the Apple podcasts app.If you have a question or a topic you’d like us to cover don’t forget to record us a quick voice memo and send it to [email protected] for listening to The Friday Habit.Until next time. Live every day like it’s Friday.

Main Topic NotesWhat kind of culture do you want to have in your company?What do you do to intentionally affect culture?What does your leadership/team structure look like?What differences do you notice between having a 5 person team and a 18 person team?Were there any unexpected effects?How do you keep communication efficient between team members?Do you still have all-hands meetings?How do you handle remote work?What mistakes have you made that we could learn from?Recap / TakeawaysBe transparent with your team and give them authority instead of just responsibility (let them see the impact)Hiring a new employee can 10x your productivity in ways you don’t expect once they start using their superpowersThink of your employees as an investment, not a costAt first you hire when you’re swamped, but eventually you need to identify opportunities and invest in employees to solve those problemsSpend time in your sweet spot and hire people that balance out your weaknessesYour ability to grow is dependent on how much trust you are willing to put into the people you hireHow to decide whether to grow or not: What are you good at, and what do you WANT to do?Go to TheFridayHabit.com to find show notes for this episode. There you can also find links to our websites and ways to get in touch. At the bottom of the page you can download our guide to the Friday Habit system that will show you how to set aside one full day each week dedicated to working on your business instead of in your business.If you enjoyed this episode please subscribe and leave us a review in the Apple podcasts app.If you have a question or a topic you’d like us to cover don’t forget to record us a quick voice memo and send it to [email protected] for listening to The Friday Habit.Until next time. Live every day like it’s Friday.

1. Build legitimacyHow to build legitimacy with your website:Create a great impression with a professional designShow examples or case studies of your workShare your knowledge through blog postsDisplay quotes from happy customersFeature logos of respected companies you’ve worked withShow photos of your team with relevant biosInclude a press section with places you’ve been featured2. Help people discover youHow to help new people find your website:Strategically use keywords in your page titles and URLsWrite long-form blog posts than answer customer questionsUse alt text for your images so people can find themSet up a Google My Business profileList your company website in online directoriesGet respected websites to link to youFollow other SEO best practices3. Build your email listHow to build your email list through your website:Include a sign-up box in the footer of every pageAllow people to subscribe and get blog posts deliveredOffer a valuable lead magnet in exchange for an email4. Make sales for youHow to make sales through your website:Set up a store on your site (it’s easy with Squarespace)Add digital products like guides, videos, or coursesSell workshops as a service productUse Calendly or Acuity to charge for time on your scheduleSell physical products and ship them to your customersOr open a merch shop and let Printful do the fulfillmentInclude FAQs to help customers take the leap5. Increase quality of leadsHere’s how to increase the quality of leads from your site:Be clear about your niche (only those that fit will reach out)Publish your pricing (this will disqualify some leads)List the types of problems you don’t solve on your siteChange your contact form to a detailed application (only the most interested leads will make it through)Action ItemIdentify your top priority for your website, then make one small improvement to help it meet your goal better.Go to TheFridayHabit.com to find show notes for this episode. There you can also find links to our websites and ways to get in touch. At the bottom of the page you can download our guide to the Friday Habit system that will show you how to set aside one full day each week dedicated to working on your business instead of in your business.Subscribe & ReviewIf you enjoyed this episode please subscribe and leave us a review in the Apple podcasts app.Voice MemoIf you have a question or a topic you’d like us to cover don’t forget to record us a quick voice memo and send it to [email protected] for listening to The Friday Habit.Until next time. Live every day like it’s Friday.

Main Topic NotesWhat are some of your first memories?Where did you grow up?What were you like as a kidWhat was your education like?What was your first job?What has your career looked like?How has your background informed who you are now?Where do you hope to go from here?Go to TheFridayHabit.com to find show notes for this episode. There you can also find links to our websites and ways to get in touch. At the bottom of the page you can download our guide to the Friday Habit system that will show you how to set aside one full day each week dedicated to working on your business instead of in your business.Subscribe & ReviewIf you enjoyed this episode please subscribe and leave us a review in the Apple podcasts app.Voice MemoIf you have a question or a topic you’d like us to cover don’t forget to record us a quick voice memo and send it to [email protected] for listening to The Friday Habit.Until next time. Live every day like it’s Friday.

Icebreaker QuestionWould You Rather Live One Life That Lasts 1,000 Years Or Live 10 Lives That Last 100 Years Each?Would You Rather Be Without Elbows Or Be Without Knees?Main Topic NotesWhat are some of your first memories?Where did you grow up?What were you like as a kidWhat was your education like?What was your first job?What has your career looked like?How has your background informed who you are now?Where do you hope to go from here?Go to TheFridayHabit.com to find show notes for this episode. There you can also find links to our websites and ways to get in touch. At the bottom of the page you can download our guide to the Friday Habit system that will show you how to set aside one full day each week dedicated to working on your business instead of in your business.Subscribe & ReviewIf you enjoyed this episode please subscribe and leave us a review in the Apple podcasts app.Voice MemoIf you have a question or a topic you’d like us to cover don’t forget to record us a quick voice memo and send it to [email protected] for listening to The Friday Habit.Until next time. Live every day like it’s Friday.

Main Topic NotesProfessional Whitewater Kayaking Athlete?You work with a family member, how is that going? What is business process mapping and how do you incorporate marketing?Please tell us more about your tagline “Be Human otherwise Automate!” Why is this your tagline?What made you realize that “the Human” aspect was so important in automation? How do you apply this to your business?What do you think is coming up in the field of automation for sales and marketing?Recap / TakeawaysWhatever you're doing in life, pay attention and you'll find parallels to running a businessSaying "we've always done it that way" kills businessesIt may be worth it to bring in a consultant (a fresh pair of eyes) to identify wasteImplement something in your business for continuous improvement (Kai zen)Goal with creating processes is to make it hard for people to fail at their job (not just to save time or money)Keep asking how you can eliminate yourselfLead generationConversionDelivery of promiseDelighting afterwardAsk for referralsIf you have a company that requires your time do this:Ask people what you're doing for peopleCharge more for your timeCreate some type of digital knowledge product that will scale without youWhen you're trying to accomplish something, don't ask how to do it, ask who can do it for meAction ItemRecord what you do every 15 minutes for 3 daysConnect with Sam:https://mobilepocketoffice.comhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/samovett/Connect with us:To submit questions/comments, including voice memos: [email protected] https://www.thefridayhabit.com/[email protected] https://www.instagram.com/benjaminmanleyhttp://www.benjaminmanley.com/https://www.brandvivamedia.com/https://www.facebook.com/Marklab2https://www.linkedin.com/in/marklab2/

Main Topic NotesProfessional Whitewater Kayaking Athlete?You work with a family member, how is that going? What is business process mapping and how do you incorporate marketing?Please tell us more about your tagline “Be Human otherwise Automate!” Why is this your tagline?What made you realize that “the Human” aspect was so important in automation? How do you apply this to your business?What do you think is coming up in the field of automation for sales and marketing?Recap / TakeawaysWhatever you're doing in life, pay attention and you'll find parallels to running a businessSaying "we've always done it that way" kills businessesIt may be worth it to bring in a consultant (a fresh pair of eyes) to identify wasteImplement something in your business for continuous improvement (Kai zen)Goal with creating processes is to make it hard for people to fail at their job (not just to save time or money)Keep asking how you can eliminate yourselfLead generationConversionDelivery of promiseDelighting afterwardAsk for referralsIf you have a company that requires your time do this:Ask people what you're doing for peopleCharge more for your timeCreate some type of digital knowledge product that will scale without youWhen you're trying to accomplish something, don't ask how to do it, ask who can do it for meAction ItemRecord what you do every 15 minutes for 3 daysConnect with Sam:https://mobilepocketoffice.comhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/samovett/Connect with us:To submit questions/comments, including voice memos: [email protected] https://www.thefridayhabit.com/[email protected] https://www.instagram.com/benjaminmanleyhttp://www.benjaminmanley.com/https://www.brandvivamedia.com/https://www.facebook.com/Marklab2https://www.linkedin.com/in/marklab2/

This is the second part of Mark and Ben’s interview with Go Nimbly cofounder, Jason Reichl, so if you haven’t listened to the first part, go back to Episode 58 and get caught up! Jason says that there are two key questions you should ask yourself when it comes to setting goals:How do I enact change that sticks?How do I communicate about that change implementation? And why?He says that if you do not communicate goals and the changes that will be a part of reaching those goals in a way that is recognizable to your team, your aims will not be effective. People need to understand specifically what you are proposing in order to jump on board. Part of this process is making your organization’s mission very visible and apparent and then having your team cast visions for themselves in a way that aligns with your mission framework. Once you are all on the same page regarding organizational mission and goals, Jason recommends encouraging your team to pursue innovation and have the freedom to collaborate and brainstorm in unconventional ways like Patrick Condon taught him. This incubator model is a great one for avoiding the silo syndrome of departments being afraid of change and becoming territorial. Jason talks about tracking momentum KPIs instead of some of the more traditional KPIs that put too much emphasis on the wrong targets and metrics which could contribute to silos circling their wagons. Another practice that Jason has implemented at Go Nimbly is culture squads, groups that come together and meet on certain issues in order to create best practices. Systems and processes like this are one of Jason’s passions in the organization because they set up the guardrails for projects and allow the team space to be proactive and innovative. The action item after this episode is to think about and write out a vision for yourself one year out. Be very specific – what you want to see, hear, taste, smell, do, etc.Connect with Jason:https://gonimbly.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/betterjasonhttps://twitter.com/betterjason?lang=enConnect with us:To submit questions/comments, including voice memos: [email protected] https://www.thefridayhabit.com/[email protected] https://www.instagram.com/benjaminmanleyhttp://www.benjaminmanley.com/https://www.brandvivamedia.com/https://www.facebook.com/Marklab2https://www.linkedin.com/in/marklab2/

Come on in and take a seat for part one of Mark and Ben’s conversation with Jason Reichl, cofounder of Go Nimbly, lover of design thinking, master of optimizing revenue operations, and a guy who has a love/hate relationship with the Eisenhower Matrix. If you have marketing, sales, or customer service staff in your business, Jason’s insights could be gamechangers. Jason came from a creative background but he always had a firm grasp of the business aspects of every endeavor, so even his mediocre projects became successful. Through his early work experiences, Jason realized that he had a knack for creating the framework and disciplines needed to fill in the gaps that the customer might experience through the marketing, sales, and customer services processes and with Go Nimbly he wants to provide a product that makes all of those aspects of the customer experience more effective and efficient. During this episode, Jason also talks about how he prioritizes the important over the urgent, perhaps reclassifying important things as urgent as well to ensure that they take precedence. He goes a level deeper than the Eisenhower Matrix does by asking himself if the urgent thing in front of him is a reverberation of a previous decision that could have been mitigated by taking a different course of action earlier. Every strategy decision, Jason says, has a dark underside and it is important to recognize and comprehend the effects early on and to remain committed to the strategy so that your people will follow suit and continue to trust in your strategic capabilities. “Even over” statements also help Jason provide clarity as a leader because they establish the core principles and values at Go Nimbly that will never be relinquished. Tune in next week for the conclusion of the interview with Jason Reichl!Connect with Jason:https://gonimbly.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/betterjasonhttps://twitter.com/betterjason?lang=enConnect with us:To submit questions/comments, including voice memos: [email protected] https://www.thefridayhabit.com/[email protected] https://www.instagram.com/benjaminmanleyhttp://www.benjaminmanley.com/https://www.brandvivamedia.com/https://www.facebook.com/Marklab2https://www.linkedin.com/in/marklab2/

When Joel started the creation process for Norman in 2012, he didn’t have many resources besides an idea and a dream. He thought at the time that he was working on a short film, but after the first few weeks of shooting it became apparent to him and the actor who played Norman that the film had the potential to be feature-length, so they shifted their mindset to fleshing out the story more. Most Saturday mornings for about 3 years, they could be found at another friend’s house, which was the main filming location, working on various scenes until Joel’s vision had been brought to fruition.Along the way, Joel was met with a lot of push back from people who wanted to know why he wasn’t doing things a certain way, but he was committed to his process and he is very pleased with the end result. He attributes the film’s success to the collaboration and buy-in from everyone involved in the film, from the actors to the musician who wrote the score to the other members of the crew (like Ben, who did some design work) that each contributed their own parts. Joel ran the film with an open-door policy, constantly showing the actors and crew the footage from various cuts for feedback. Joel worked very closely with his brother Jonah who is an audio engineer during post-production to make sure that every sound heard during the film was exactly right. Joel’s wife Joy, who works for Ben at Knapsack Creative, has always been extremely supportive of Joel’s ideas, which Joel says is such a blessing.Looking back, Joel affirms his decisions to make everything as high-quality as possible along the way – not cutting any corners – because the cumulative effect of all of those decisions increased the overall quality of Norman by 15% at least. Now that the film has been released, Joel anticipates several more months (if not longer) of promoting the film and he hopes to use any proceeds to help fund a future film. For listeners who are working towards their own goals, Joel encourages you to announce what you are doing and surround yourself with accountability, to learn what you are bad at and ask for help with those things, and to carefully consider the details because they really do matter.Connect with Joel:https://www.normanthefilm.com/https://www.projectvolare.com/ [email protected]://www.facebook.com/Normanthefilm/https://www.instagram.com/normanthefilm/ https://vimeo.com/channels/647286https://www.youtube.com/user/NormanTheFilm Connect with us:To submit questions/comments, including voice memos: [email protected] https://www.thefridayhabit.com/[email protected] https://www.instagram.com/benjaminmanleyhttp://www.benjaminmanley.com/https://www.brandvivamedia.com/https://www.facebook.com/Marklab2https://www.linkedin.com/in/marklab2/

On this episode of The Friday Habit, Ben and Mark talk with Joel Guelzo about how he bootstrapped a sci-fi film of such high quality that people are shocked to hear that it only cost $40,000 plus countless volunteer hours from Joel’s family and friends. Joel came up with the idea for a story about a time-traveling scientist who used his invention for his own selfish purposes, to escape his life circumstances, and goes through a journey of self-realization before he is faced with the need to return back to the present time before the world as he knows it ceases to exist.Joel had such a specific vision for the movie that he wanted to be responsible for every single aspect, from the videography to the music to the visual effects to the audio engineering to the set design and costumes. But since he has a full-time job, Joel had to prioritize the film on nights and weekends. All told, Norman took 9 years of those night and weekends to complete, but as of February 2021, the film has been released to the world through streaming services and on DVD/Blu-ray and Joel feels such a sense of relief that there is no more tinkering to be done.Joel’s journey to becoming a filmmaker was quite organic, starting as a child borrowing the family camcorder to shoot scenes that he wrote for his action figures and then being asked as a young adult to film family events and occasions before he embraced his role as a videographer and began shooting weddings. As a kid, his motivations for shooting those short films was to gain the attention of his family members and gain credibility. That desire to be believable still motivates him today, and since Norman was his first feature-film, he felt like he was continually having to prove himself for people to take him seriously.Be sure to come back next week for the conclusion of our conversation with Joel!Connect with Joel:https://www.normanthefilm.com/[email protected]://www.facebook.com/Normanthefilm/https://www.instagram.com/normanthefilm/ https://vimeo.com/channels/647286https://www.youtube.com/user/NormanTheFilm Connect with us:To submit questions/comments, including voice memos: [email protected] https://www.thefridayhabit.com/[email protected] https://www.instagram.com/benjaminmanleyhttp://www.benjaminmanley.com/https://www.brandvivamedia.com/https://www.facebook.com/Marklab2https://www.linkedin.com/in/marklab2/

Now that listeners have a pretty good understanding of where Jeremy has come from and what motivates him to keep innovating, the rest of the interview drills down more into business operations. Considering their rapid growth, Swag.com has had to be very adaptable and creative while ensuring that new employees are trained to catch the vision of the business and stay in touch with what consumers want. Over the years, this quest to the most beneficial user experience has taken many iterations and requires an understanding that it is always being tweaked and improved. Swag.com had to adapt during 2020 as every business did, branching out into sourcing and selling face masks to clients in lieu of their traditional promotional items orders. Another quick pivot they implemented was offering to hold inventory for clients to be shipped at a future date to one address or multiple addresses. This added yet another layer of complexity to the business, but one that they feel is worth it to keep providing solutions to clients’ problems. Jeremy spends most of his time working with the user experience and technology aspects of the business, but he is very involved with operations as whole since clients’ needs and wants are always changing. Jeremy has been intentional about seeking out mentors to support and push him throughout his entrepreneurial journey, from his dad to the CEO of Envy Sport to Jesse Itzler. He says that each of these men helped him learn various aspects of business and entrepreneurship that have benefitted him in various ways, always being receptive to his questions and suggestions and giving credence to his ideas. In order to keep sharp, Jeremy typically spends an hour and a half per day working out and walking, which he feels like gives him the mental space he needs to sort his day out and set priorities. The action item after listening to this interview is to put a deadline on the things you keep saying you’re going to do. You will never be “ready” to jump in with both feet, but if you set a deadline, you won’t have any option but to give it a shot.Connect with Jeremy:[email protected]://swag.com Connect with us:To submit questions/comments, including voice memos: [email protected] https://www.thefridayhabit.com/[email protected] https://www.instagram.com/benjaminmanleyhttp://www.benjaminmanley.com/https://www.brandvivamedia.com/https://www.facebook.com/Marklab2https://www.linkedin.com/in/marklab2/

Jeremy Parker is the son of an entrepreneur, so that creative and daring spirit was engrained in him from an early age. So when he found himself winning a film festival with his documentary in college and still feeling unfulfilled, his logical next step was to finish his degree and then start his own business. He jumped into the high-end t-shirt industry with very few concrete plans, but through a very innovative marketing strategy, he caught the eye of Mark Cuban and got an immediate sales bump that allowed him to remain in the business long enough to get a good handle on the various aspects of the business: production, distribution, marketing, and customer service. Also early in his career, Jeremy was given the opportunity to spearhead a new division of Envy Sport that ended up facilitating design contests for over 100 colleges and universities that created new licensed designs that were sold in the schools’ bookstores. After this, he went into business with his brother essentially serving as agents for the first YouTube influencers. They would secure sponsorships from big name companies and sign YouTube stars to product placement deals. This eventually expanded to the same type of advertising deals with celebrities on Twitter before anyone else had thought of leveraging their platforms in this way. Jeremy’s current business endeavor, along with his partner Josh, is Swag.com. Jeremy and Josh noticed a gap in the market for promotional apparel and items and decided to do something about it. They acquired the domain name and set out to be traveling salesmen in order to determine what types of products customers wanted and how they should structure the business to accommodate customer needs. They went after Facebook to be their first customer because they figured that if they had Facebook on board, they could get basically anyone else: big or small. Their pitch was successful, and the rest is history. In 5 years, their revenue went from $350,000 in 2016 to $15.5 million in 2020. For the rest of the conversation, come back next week!Connect with Jeremy:[email protected]://swag.com Connect with us:To submit questions/comments, including voice memos: [email protected] https://www.thefridayhabit.com/[email protected] https://www.instagram.com/benjaminmanleyhttp://www.benjaminmanley.com/https://www.brandvivamedia.com/https://www.facebook.com/Marklab2https://www.linkedin.com/in/marklab2/

Welcome back to The Friday Habit podcast for the conclusion of the interview with David Burkus, author of Leading from Anywhere. He explains that the source of a lot of confusion and contention regarding managing a remote workforce is misaligned expectations. Specifically, expecting that presence and responsiveness equal productivity, as is the common belief for managers of in-person teams. However, productivity both inside and outside of the office should be defined by outcomes and the progress being made to reach those outcomes. It is important that leaders set up systems to support this outcomes-focus as well as hold team members accountable for their assigned objectives rather than monitoring their daily work. Whether your team has been working remotely for several months or several days, it is a good idea to establish a team working agreement which spells out norms, platforms for different types of requests or questions, and how your team feedback loop is going to work. Instituting a daily standup meeting for the team to share their answers to scrum-type questions is a great way to keep folks on track and engaged with their work and other team members who are collaborating on the same projects. This makes one of David’s other recommendations more attainable: work sprints. Work sprints are dedicated segments of time that are intended to take one task or project from start to finish in a very efficient manner. Once your team starts working in sprints, you have set up a natural evaluation timeframe that could be an avenue to provide a real-time feedback loop to all team members should you choose to integrate this into your framework. It has long been known that annual performance evaluations are not ideal for spurring on continuous improvement and addressing any concerns or issues.While video conferencing has become the new normal for internal and client meetings alike, there are some times when it is better to revert back to audio-only meetings. “Zoom fatigue” is very real and it can be tiring and distracting to be on yet another video call where you feel like you have to be “on”, able to read and react to the nonverbals of your team members. Even if your team decides to stay remote or move to a hybrid schedule, do not neglect in-person meetings when it is appropriate to be together. One idea that David provided on this episode was to spend the money that you’ve saved by not having to rent office space on sending everyone to a conference or a team retreat to build rapport and interconnectedness. David’s action item after this episode is for you to brainstorm and work up a team working agreement with and for your team.Connect with David:https://davidburkus.com/https://twitter.com/davidburkus?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidburkushttps://www.ted.com/speakers/david_burkushttps://www.amazon.com/David-Burkus/e/B0091L00NG%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share Connect with us:To submit questions/comments, including voice memos: [email protected] https://www.thefridayhabit.com/[email protected] https://www.instagram.com/benjaminmanleyhttp://www.benjaminmanley.com/https://www.brandvivamedia.com/https://www.facebook.com/Marklab2https://www.linkedin.com/in/marklab2/

David Burkus started out his career as a business school professor who was inspired and intrigued by the narrative nonfiction books being written by people like Malcolm Gladwell. On this episode of The Friday Habit, David tells Mark and Ben about how that inspiration became action when he realized that he wanted to help people work and lead more effectively by using storytelling techniques combined with science. He decided to advance his education by earning a Master’s in Organizational Psychology and a Doctorate in Strategic Leadership, providing him with the foundation to embark on his writing journey.Now, David has written 4 or 5 books (depending on how you classify his Audible project) on the intersection of psychology and business to help teams do their best work. He has written on the misconceptions of the creative process, setting up an effective work climate and culture, networking and its integration with science, declaring your company’s purpose and motivating people to join your cause, and leading from anywhere. David also provides some insight into the nonfiction writing industry, which he says starts with having a platform of your own. David started his podcast in 2010, back before there was adequate technology to support podcasting, and he was later approached by an agent based on the content and following he had built up there. Once he had an agent, they worked together to create a proposal which was sent to various publishers and the bidding/offer process began. If you do not get any publisher offers the first time around, you can tweak your proposal and try, try again. Once he had signed with a publisher, the bulk of the writing began, with lots of input and feedback from his editor. We will pick back up in the conversation next week!Connect with David:https://davidburkus.com/https://twitter.com/davidburkus?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidburkushttps://www.ted.com/speakers/david_burkushttps://www.amazon.com/David-Burkus/e/B0091L00NG%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share Connect with us:To submit questions/comments, including voice memos: [email protected] https://www.thefridayhabit.com/[email protected] https://www.instagram.com/benjaminmanleyhttp://www.benjaminmanley.com/https://www.brandvivamedia.com/https://www.facebook.com/Marklab2https://www.linkedin.com/in/marklab2/

Whether you have created 2021 business goals yet or not, Ben and Mark have some great pointers on this episode of The Friday Habit for you to keep in mind as you try to crush your goals. Here are 5 common mistakes that may undermine your business goals and how you can shift the equation to point you in the right direction.Setting the wrong goals – If your goals are unclear or vague, you will lack direction. Instead, make sure that your goals are specific, measurable, and achievable.Forgetting your goals – If your goals are not top of mind, you will forget why they are important to you and what your desired end results are. Document your goals and make them impossible to ignore.Under-planning for your goals – If you don’t have a plan in place, you will likely never start on your goals or you will never get where you want to go. Consider using time blocking (as discussed on Episode 47 of the podcast) and setting recurring events on your calendar to allow the adequate time for you to work towards your goal. Choose your tools and location ahead of time and have a back-up plan for if something makes you deviate from your plan.Doing it alone – If you do not have anyone in your corner to keep you accountable, you will likely stop working towards your goals. In fact, studies have shown that having accountability increases the likelihood of success by 95%. Schedule check-ins with a like-minded peer, coach, or mentor ahead of time and stick to the plan. One great resource is Motivated Mornings (link below).Giving up with it’s not working – If you give up at the first obstacle or challenge along your path to reach your goal, you will never get there. Instead, expect to face challenges and experience failures along the way. Use those speedbumps to reevaluate your methods and then get back on the path.Your action item after this episode is to create new 2021 goals and set up back up plans and accountability check-ins to keep you on track.Links mentioned:https://www.motivatedmornings.work/ Connect with us:To submit questions/comments, including voice memos: [email protected] https://www.thefridayhabit.com/[email protected] https://www.instagram.com/benjaminmanleyhttp://www.benjaminmanley.com/https://www.brandvivamedia.com/https://www.facebook.com/Marklab2https://www.linkedin.com/in/marklab2/

We dive a bit deeper into the four pillars of building an authority brand with Curt Mercadante during this episode of The Friday Habit. When it comes to the right ways to gain attention for your business or brand, Curt says that it is important to have a LinkedIn presence and consistently publish content there. But this will not be effective unless you have a concrete understanding of who your ideal client is. The accuracy pillar addresses this, nudging you towards creating those personas that you will keep in mind as you go about every brainstorming and strategy conversation. Be confident enough to cast a small net into that small pond, making the message relevant to your niche and talking directly to them. Curt calls every person who engages with his LinkedIn posts to make that connection.This flows right into the next pillar, which is alignment. The right message conveyed to the right audience should draw people to you rather than you feeling like you have to lure them in with pitches or sales techniques. Your impact story will resonate with them and you will be able to speak to their wants without forcing or manipulating them because you are genuinely trying to provide them with something of value that will improve their lives. Finally, authenticity means providing a quality product or service consistently. When people see and hear you through avenues like video content, they will feel like they know you long before they reach out to you about your services and these types of clients are more likely to be loyal and tell others about you. Don’t try to be someone you are not and play to your strengths in every scenario. Your action item after this episode is to call at least one potential client tomorrow. Curt says that talking with people is the best way to hone your message. Connect with Curt:https://www.curtmercadante.com/https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/freedom-mindset-radio/id1352804152 https://www.amazon.com/Five-Pillars-Freedom-Lifestyle-Comfort-ebook/dp/B07WLLBGRD https://twitter.com/curtmercadantehttps://www.linkedin.com/in/curtmercadantehttps://www.facebook.com/curtmercadante/ Connect with us:To submit questions/comments: [email protected] https://www.thefridayhabit.com/[email protected] https://www.instagram.com/benjaminmanleyhttp://www.benjaminmanley.com/https://www.brandvivamedia.com/https://www.facebook.com/Marklab2https://www.linkedin.com/in/marklab2/

Our guest on this episode of The Friday Habit podcast is Curt Mercadante, Founder of Merc Enterprises, author, certified Gallup Strengths trainer, certified human behavior specialist, and host of The Freedom Mindset Podcast Radio show. Curt shares his insights about creating an authority brand rather than just a commodity brand, providing value, attracting customers, and cultivating loyalty. Every business, he points out, started as a thought which led to an idea which manifested in a business which comes with inherent authority, but many people are not tapping into this authority to improve the lives of other people. The four pillars of building an authority brand are: Attention – Gaining followers, likes, views, and shares is just the beginning.Accuracy – Creating a client persona based on demographics, behaviors, and attitudes is essential to understanding and relating to your audience.Alignment – Your audience wants to know what is in it for them, so don’t bombard them with your accomplishments and accolades. Create your impact story in the form of one simple sentence.Authenticity – Consistently communicating to your audience will establish the know, like, and trust factor.Many businesses focus their strategies on social media because this his how they think they can reach the most people, but social media is just a tool and it is not reliable for gaining leads or loyal customers. It is crucial to consistently communicate your message, being aware of your niche and the best ways to reach the personas you have established. Rather than focusing on results, dial into the process and reverse engineer your long-term goals to determine your outcomes. Come back next week for the conclusion of Mark and Ben’s conversation with Curt! Connect with Curt:https://www.curtmercadante.com/https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/freedom-mindset-radio/id1352804152 https://www.amazon.com/Five-Pillars-Freedom-Lifestyle-Comfort-ebook/dp/B07WLLBGRD https://twitter.com/curtmercadantehttps://www.linkedin.com/in/curtmercadantehttps://www.facebook.com/curtmercadante/ Connect with us:To submit questions/comments: [email protected] https://www.thefridayhabit.com/[email protected] https://www.instagram.com/benjaminmanleyhttp://www.benjaminmanley.com/https://www.brandvivamedia.com/https://www.facebook.com/Marklab2https://www.linkedin.com/in/marklab2/

Merry Christmas, everyone! Ben and Mark take a break from their previously scheduled programming to bring you reminiscences from Christmases past and some great ideas for bonding as a family or as a work team. Mark paints a picturesque scene from Christmas mornings spent at his grandmother’s house as a big, happy, Italian family and the laser tag set that brought him such joy. Ben remembers the surprising happiness that came from receiving his first pocket-sized “video game” as well as the electric train set and race cars that every young boy looks for under the tree. As a native Ohioan, Ben talks of strange delicacies called buckeyes and scotcheroos – if you know, you know. While Mark’s favorite treats of molasses cookies and no bake cookies are more universally known. In the days leading up to Christmas, the Labriola family can be seen walking around Target in their Christmas jammies so the kids can shop for each other, while the Manley family opts for quiet nights by the fire sipping egg nog. Ben’s family has donned the moniker of “The Christmas Ninjas” this year, hoping to deliver surprise gifts to families in need. Both Mark and Ben have been known to pull a prank or two in their day, and if you’re looking for some unique ideas, you’ll have to listen in for all the details. Since there is no action item this week, you might just have the time to prank someone in your life. Connect with us:To submit questions/comments: [email protected] https://www.thefridayhabit.com/[email protected] https://www.instagram.com/benjaminmanleyhttp://www.benjaminmanley.com/https://www.brandvivamedia.com/https://www.facebook.com/Marklab2https://www.linkedin.com/in/marklab2/

Time blocking is the topic on this episode of The Friday Habit, and Ben’s insights could be beneficial to you whether you currently use time blocking in your business or not. Time blocking is helpful in a business because it keeps you away from overcommitting, it makes you better at estimating how long things will take you, and you can have foresight in working with your clients to ensure that you are providing them with adequate time for their project. At Knapsack, Ben and his team rely on time blocking because of their structure of creating websites for clients in one day. They have a very well-established framework for each project, so they know the 4 different client sessions involved in each website build, how long they will each take, and when/if they can fit them in within the client’s timeframe. They aim to walk away from each project without any homework because they have accounted for every possible contingency within their time blocking system. During any given week, Ben has meetings scheduled on Mondays and Wednesdays (including 3 hours on Wednesday mornings that are set aside for support requests), he commits Tuesdays and Thursdays to client work, and Fridays are reserved for working on the business rather than in the business (The Friday Habit).While not every business has the ability to structure and schedule things out to the same extent as Knapsack, most service-based companies could employ time blocking to some degree. When you get a new order, instead of just putting it on a to-do list, go ahead and place a time block for it on your calendar and then stick to it when that time comes around. The more you do this, the better you will be at estimating how much time certain tasks take you, and you may find that this will help you adjust your pricing models to be more realistic and/or be more detailed about what is included in your different services. Even when it comes to your life outside of work, you could block off thinking time, gym time, time for various errands, or anything else that you may have trouble prioritizing.Your action item this week is to put every step of your next project into your schedule and then stick to those tasks when the times come. Ben also recommends that you time block at least 2 hours of your Friday to work on your business, and you can find more information about what this looks like at TheFridayHabit.com.Connect with us:To submit questions/comments: [email protected] https://www.thefridayhabit.com/[email protected] https://www.instagram.com/benjaminmanleyhttp://www.benjaminmanley.com/https://www.brandvivamedia.com/https://www.facebook.com/Marklab2https://www.linkedin.com/in/marklab2/

With the end of the year quickly approaching, it is a good idea to recalibrate your business, looking inward to determine where you are, how you got here, and where you want to be. This episode of The Friday Habit is all about this topic and integrating this introspection into your process occasionally. Here are the four questions and where Mark and Ben currently find themselves on their answers:Why do you have your own business? Mark was unexpectedly laid off a few years ago and immediately decided to ramp up his side hustle into a full-time gig. Now that he has been working for himself for so long, he couldn’t see himself going back to working for someone else. Ben knew that he wanted to leave his full-time job to build his own thing, so he tested the waters in order to know whether his business would be viable. He loves the security, control, and freedom of having his own business and he is greatly fulfilled by helping his clients be successful.What kind of business do you want to build? Mark’s long-term vision for Brand Viva Media fluctuates in size and scope, but his overall mission of leaving things better than he found them remains constant. He wants to be intentional with the culture his business has, the services they provide, and work-life balance for himself and his employees. Ben aims to have the optimal sized team to accomplish Knapsack’s mission, working smarter and making lives better along the way. He has enough previous work experience to know what he doesn’t want to do, so he tries to swing the door the other way and serve as an incubator for innovative concepts and business ideas in his community.What kind of boss do you want to be? Mark wants to be the kind of boss that he would like to have, motivated by empathy and able to relate to his team. He wants to be self-aware and generous, lifting people up and providing value in every interaction. Ben wants to leave space for fun and productivity to coexist. He emphasizes the importance of hiring the right people who are motivated and coachable and then trusting them to do their jobs.What kind of life do you want to have? How does your business support that? Mark wants to have autonomy and freedom, providing an environment that allows him and his employees to pay their bills while still having plenty of time with their loved ones. Ben finds freedom in systematizing his business, being innovative within a set of boundaries and enriching the lives of his team members and clients every day. Your action item after this episode is to think about these questions and plot a course forward.Connect with us:To submit questions/comments: [email protected] https://www.thefridayhabit.com/[email protected] https://www.instagram.com/benjaminmanleyhttp://www.benjaminmanley.com/https://www.brandvivamedia.com/https://www.facebook.com/Marklab2https://www.linkedin.com/in/marklab2/

Our guest on this episode of The Friday Habit podcast is Jeremy Slate, host of the Create Your Own Life podcast and co-founder along with his wife of the Command Your Brand agency. As we discussed in our last episode, Jeremy built his success on a series of hard-earned lessons. He found his passion in helping others grow and evolve their businesses, but none of it would work without a few core principles that drive his days – the first one being, without fail, getting to his exercise routine first thing. Jeremy follows his morning cup of bulletproof coffee with a trip to the gym for a very specific weightlifting workout (links below), something he tracks consistently in a notebook. Other key ingredients in his routine include a 10-minute cold shower and deferring calls and outside communication until after 10a, which gives him time to clear his decks mentally and practically before diving into the day. In terms of nutrition, Jeremy believes everyone needs to determine the balance of foods that best optimizes their individual metabolism. Ultimately the thing that creates balance and harmony elsewhere in his life is a commitment to family first. His wife (and business partner) helps Jeremy keep perspective and together they organize their business around life -- not the other way around. It’s all about small linear progressions. Anyone can get started today by trying one or all of the health and fitness practices Jeremy recommends. Links:https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/press-release-template-ht Connect with Jeremy:https://www.commandyourbrand.com/7reasons www.jeremyryanslate.comJeremy’s preferred workout:https://ast-ss.com/max-ot/toc/About bullet proof coffee:https://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/14/style/the-cult-of-the-bulletproof-coffee-diet.htmlAbout Frank Zane - Mr. Olympia https://www.frankzane.comConnect with us:https://www.thefridayhabit.com/[email protected] https://www.instagram.com/benjaminmanleyhttp://www.benjaminmanley.com/https://www.brandvivamedia.com/https://www.facebook.com/Marklab2https://www.linkedin.com/in/marklab2/

On this special holiday edition of The Friday Habit, Ben and Mark bring listeners their very timely gift guide for entrepreneurs and clients. These are things that Ben and Mark have either received, given, or purchased for themselves and they are now self-proclaimed unofficial brand ambassadors. Here are the gifts they recommend and why:Miir water bottles – These water bottles are vacuum-insulated and feature a very minimal design as well as helping to fund clean water projects worldwide.Link: miir.comShure MV7 podcast microphone – This would be more of splurge purchase for friends or clients who are looking to launch a podcast or improve the quality of their existing show. It is easily the best mid-level microphone out there, featuring XLR and USB inputs, a headphone output, and compatible software.Link: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08G7JN6J7/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 CRKT Techliner pen – A good pen is something that will have a daily impact on your life, but most people would never buy a good pen for themselves. This pen is minimal in design and has a handy magnetic lid. Link: crkt.com/williams-tactical-pen.htmlBluetooth speaker sleep mask – Mark uses this sleep mask every night to block out light and to fall asleep listening to music, a podcast, an audiobook, or the Portal app.Link: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07T6FNLQV/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 Ember mug – This is the ultimate mug for hot beverages and most likely a mug that people would not buy for themselves, so you can knock their socks off with this gift. The Ember mug is connected by Bluetooth to an app on your phone which will allow you to control and maintain a specific temperature for your drink.Link: ember.comPersonalized leather field notes sleeve – No matter how advanced technology becomes, you can’t replace good ol’ pen and paper, and this personalized leather field notes sleeve is the perfect addition to that small moleskin your entrepreneur friend carries around in their pocket.Link: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B085YF2Y2N/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 Apple gift card for the Soulver 3 app – If your gift recipient is constantly looking for a way to solve the word problems that come up in business without having to try to make everything fit into an Excel formula, Soulver is just what they need but they don’t know it yet. Give them a gift card to Apple and let them find out what they have been missing.Link: https://soulver.app/Connect with us:To submit reviews: [email protected] https://www.thefridayhabit.com/[email protected] https://www.instagram.com/benjaminmanleyhttp://www.benjaminmanley.com/https://www.brandvivamedia.com/https://www.facebook.com/Marklab2https://www.linkedin.com/in/marklab2/

Our guest on this episode of The Friday Habit podcast is Jeremy Slate, host of the Create Your Own Life podcast and co-founder of the Command Your Brand agency with his wife. Jeremy went to college with the hopes of becoming a college professor one day, but after he finished his Masters’ degree and entered the job market, he realized that he was either overqualified or underqualified for every job he was interested in. Jeremy had bad break after bad break before he taught himself how to build websites and he launched his first (unsuccessful) podcast before landing on the Create Your Own Life podcast that has served him well and turned his career around. Things started to click for Jeremy when he realized that he could be a successful lifelong learner, and he launched Command Your Brand with his wife as a way of combining his love for learning with passing along his acquired knowledge to businesses looking to get more involved in their public relations. Public relations is the avenue for making good works known, literally spotlighting the organization’s relationship with the public. Jeremy’s 3 main tips for people wanting integrate more PR into their operations are: (1) Know what is news worthy or interesting, (2) Employ the small pond strategy, and (3) Have a plan for what you will do with the PR. He also recommends learning how to write a great press release, making a list of the “small ponds” you are a part of, and learn the terminology so you can get the word out.Links:https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/press-release-template-ht Connect with Jeremy:https://www.commandyourbrand.com/7reasons Connect with us:https://www.thefridayhabit.com/[email protected] https://www.instagram.com/benjaminmanleyhttp://www.benjaminmanley.com/

On this episode of The Friday Habit, Ben and Mark discuss the idea of making time and space for thinking, planning, and reflection, as inspired by the book “The Road Less Stupid” by Keith Cunningham. What if you were to spend the same amount of time thinking as you do mindlessly scrolling through social media? You may be surprised by how much clarity you can gain from setting aside this intentional thinking time, even if it is only 15 minutes a day.In his book, Cunningham outlines the 5 core disciplines of thinking time:Find the unasked question – Ask better and better questions of yourself until you nail down the core problem. Separate the problem from the symptom – Don’t stop at just diagnosing the symptom; there is always a root issue that needs to be uncovered and addressed.Check your assumptions – Don’t rely on your feelings or perceptions about how things are going; rely on facts and try to be objective.Consider second-order consequences – Think about the long-term implications and the potential domino effects of your actions.Create the machine – Design the process, execute, and surround yourself with the adequate resources.Also within the book, Cunningham offers self-reflection questions for further discovery. You may also find it helpful to set a timer during your thinking time, have specific materials and a dedicated space for thinking, and to bake thinking time into your schedule and then commit to doing it even if you have other things come up. Your action item after this episode is to block off 2 hours of dedicated thinking time for next week.Links:“The Road Less Stupid” by Keith Cunningham: https://www.amazon.com/Road-Less-Stupid-Keith-Cunningham/dp/0984659269 Connect with us:https://www.thefridayhabit.com/[email protected] https://www.instagram.com/benjaminmanleyhttp://www.benjaminmanley.com/ https://www.brandvivamedia.com/https://www.facebook.com/Marklab2https://www.linkedin.com/in/marklab2/

Our topic on this episode of The Friday Habit is emotional intelligence. Mark and Ben start out the episode by posing a couple of hypothetical scenarios and talking through the emotional intelligence implications of the typical responses to the situations. Emotional intelligence is your ability to understand and manage your own emotions and recognize the emotions of others, which are key components of being a good manager and leader.The four competencies of emotional intelligence are:Self-awareness – This is knowing the effect of your emotions on yourself and others. Studies have shown that while 95% of people think they are self-aware, only 10-15% truly are. The quarterly team check-ins discussed in Episode 26 and participating in a 360-degree feedback loop are great ways to gauge your self-awareness.Self-management – How do you handle stressful situations? Do you overcome setbacks easily? What are your coping mechanisms? The answers to these questions are a good indication of your self-management.Social awareness – Social awareness is your ability to “read a room” and be perceptive of others, recognizing the dynamics and emotions that are at play on your team at any given time. Another way to describe your social awareness is as your level of empathy and understanding of those around you and how those things affect the way you communicate and collaborate.Relationship management – Are you coaching or mentoring others? Do you properly address issues, or do you tend to avoid conflict? These are key indicators of your relationship management, but if you are self-aware and socially aware, you likely already know the state of your relationship management.Your action items after listening to this episode are to go back and listen to Episode 26 about quarterly team check-ins and to take the Psychology Today Emotional Intelligence test (link below).Links:https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/tests/personality/emotional-intelligence-test Connect with us:https://www.thefridayhabit.com/[email protected] https://www.instagram.com/benjaminmanleyhttp://www.benjaminmanley.com/https://www.brandvivamedia.com/https://www.facebook.com/Marklab2https://www.linkedin.com/in/marklab2/

On this episode of The Friday Habit, Ben summarizes the main points of one of his favorite books: “Fix This Next” by Mike Michalowicz. As we all learned in that one college psychology class, humans have needs in life that fall into 5 basic categories as defined by Maslow, from most basic to most complex: physiological, safety, love and belonging, esteem, and self-actualization. Maslow explained that certain needs must take priority over others as we go through life and it is important to prioritize the most basic before moving up the hierarchy.Michalowicz believes that a similar concept can be applied to businesses, and while two hierarchies might seem like a lot to place into the already-full hands of entrepreneurs, hopefully you will find that understanding the different levels will simplify things for you. He defines the business hierarchy of needs, from most basic to most complex as: sales – creation of cash, profit – creation of stability, order – creation of efficiency, impact – creation of transformation, and legacy – creation of permanence. In “Fix This Next”, Michalowicz outlines 5 questions for entrepreneurs to ask themselves about their businesses pertaining to each level of the hierarchy, providing a framework for areas to focus on before moving on to the next level. By asking yourself these 25 questions, you should be able to easily identify gaps and problems that need to be addressed and establish principles that will guide your actions moving forward. This is a great read for anyone who has built their own business or brand and anyone who wants to in the future, but this book does not fully serve its purpose if you don’t take action after reading it. Links:“Fix This Next” book: https://www.amazon.com/Fix-This-Next-Change-Business/dp/0593084411“Fix This Next” Book Website: https://fixthisnext.com/Free Resources mentioned: https://s3.amazonaws.com/MikeMichalowicz/FTN/FTN-Graphics-Charts.pdf Connect with us:https://www.thefridayhabit.com/[email protected] https://www.instagram.com/benjaminmanleyhttp://www.benjaminmanley.com/ https://www.brandvivamedia.com/https://www.facebook.com/Marklab2https://www.linkedin.com/in/marklab2/

This episode of The Friday Habit podcast is this second part of our interview with Claire Chandler, author of “The Whirlpool Effect” and thought leader on great company culture. She begins by offering an exercise that founders can do in order to gain clarity and make decisions more easily. Claire suggests writing down and drawing a circle around the core principles your company started with. Then, draw another circle that includes what’s currently working well. The third and last circle should describe goals for the future. Once you have all three circles, move them together to create a venn diagram and see which ideas overlap. This exercise not only helps get things out of your head and onto paper, but finding that sweet spot of the overlap also helps create clarity for decisions that need to be made. Claire explains that this focus and clarity can be hard for founders who tend to have “shiny object syndrome.” She talks about how to confront this tendency and also goes over the FOMO (fear of missing out) that many founders feel when making an important decision. Being a founder involves uncertainty, risk, and unknown, but Claire reminds listeners that most barriers to success are mental. Her advice in this episode will help founders fight what’s holding them back from making their business everything they dreamed of. Connect with Claire: https://www.amazon.com/Whirlpool-Effect-Claire-R-Chandler/dp/B07DP4T39Jhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/clairechandlersphr/https://www.clairechandler.net/https://www.talentboost.net/https://twitter.com/claire_talenthttps://twitter.com/TalentBoost Connect with us:https://www.thefridayhabit.com/[email protected] https://www.instagram.com/benjaminmanleyhttp://www.benjaminmanley.com/ https://www.brandvivamedia.com/https://www.facebook.com/Marklab2https://www.linkedin.com/in/marklab2/

Our guest on this episode of The Friday Habit is Claire Chandler, author of “The Whirlpool Effect” and thought leader on great company culture. During Claire’s career, she has noticed that startups and small companies tend to have really good collaboration and culture, but as the companies begin to scale, they fall apart. There is a disconnect, she explains, between the people and the culture once a second generation of employees are brought on board because they do not have the context of the culture that has been laid out by the founder from the beginning.Her biggest recommendation for leaders before and after they notice this culture disconnect is to be crystal clear about the mission of the business, employing self-awareness and authenticity as you are communicating with your employees and stakeholders. Until this clarity is achieved and communicated, it will be impossible to replicate the culture and mission for new employees and receive their buy-in to the organization. After building this foundation, it is time for the founder to approach the “Founder’s Dilemma” of being hands-on in the business while training your people and trusting them enough to delegate tasks to them with your full confidence. Claire wraps up this first part of the interview with the concept of “telling them why” when it comes to giving directives and making decisions, which will help your employees understand your reasoning and learn for next time. Connect with Claire: https://www.amazon.com/Whirlpool-Effect-Claire-R-Chandler/dp/B07DP4T39Jhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/clairechandlersphr/https://www.clairechandler.net/https://www.talentboost.net/https://twitter.com/claire_talenthttps://twitter.com/TalentBoost Connect with us:https://www.thefridayhabit.com/[email protected]

We are picking right back with Mark and Ben’s interview with Matthew Barnett on this episode of The Friday Habit. Matthew continues to expand on his vision for customer service, being accessible and hospitable to every customer (or potential customer) who contacts your team. His approach is data-driven, recognizing that satisfied customers come back and buy more or new products and they also recommend your products or services to others. A great next step in improving your customer experience is visually mapping out their journey with you, taking note of the touchpoints, typical conversion points, and any gaps that you could look into filling. You can also reach out to advocates of yours or loyal customers for their feedback on the customer experience. Matthew recognizes that many people are hesitant or unsure about starting a business because of the unknowns, but he says that the best way to get into the market is just to do it. Start a website, post a few products, and see what happens. If you have a good idea, you will know pretty quickly based on the demand, but if you don’t attract customers after a little while, you might need to have an honest conversation with yourself about the feasibility of the type of company you want to have. You might need to take a step back and offer people what they really want or need as a milestone along the path to where you eventually want to end up. Finally, Matthew emphasizes the importance of setting up a culture and having scheduled team meeting, especially for global teams. Outside of work, he tries to read a book per week and he is a part of a founders group that serves as a mastermind of sorts, which is a great resource and source of accountability for him and the other members.Links:https://www.bonjoro.com/videofunnelplaybook “The Lost and Founder”: https://www.amazon.com/Lost-Founder-Painfully-Honest-Startup/dp/0735213321 “The Hard Thing About Hard Things”: https://www.amazon.com/Hard-Thing-About-Things-Building/dp/0062273205“Traction”: https://www.amazon.com/Traction-Get-Grip-Your-Business/dp/1936661837 “Viral Loop”: https://www.amazon.com/Viral-Loop-Facebook-Businesses-Themselves/dp/1401323499 Connect with Matthew:https://www.verbate.com/https://www.bonjoro.com/https://au.linkedin.com/in/mbjbarnettConnect with us:https://www.thefridayhabit.com/[email protected] https://www.instagram.com/benjaminmanleyhttp://www.benjaminmanley.com/https://www.brandvivamedia.com/https://www.facebook.com/Marklab2https://www.linkedin.com/in/marklab2/

On this episode of The Friday Habit podcast, our guest is Matthew Barnett, founder of Verbate, a company using video data for qualitative research, and Bonjouro, an app that makes it simple to integrate video into your business operations and connections with your audience. After growing up in the U.K., Matthew decided to take the leap across the huge pond and start his adult life in Australia. He found this entrepreneurial spirit was beneficial in getting out in his new community and meeting new people who were on similar journeys. Before long, he had launched Verbate, a consulting firm that helps clients curate and analyze video feedback. Matthew started recording videos to send to clients and prospects as a conversion tactic and realized that this software was something that a lot of his current clients wanted to be able to use as well.Within 12 months, Bonjouro had outpaced Verbate and Matthew has never looked back. He and his team have found that businesses use Bonjouro for 4 main purposes: (1) leads – in response to inquiries, (2) activation – welcoming new customers, (3) reactivation – following up with lapsed clients, and (4) to ask for reviews and referrals – customer service follow up after delivery. The feedback they have received from the users of the app underlines the importance of that personal touch that can be achieved through video. Matthew is a huge advocate of automating processes but never relationships as evidenced by his passion for effective customer support teams. He believes that support is a growth channel and you should always go above and beyond for your clients because they will become your biggest fans and advocates if you surprise them. Connect with Matthew:https://www.verbate.com/https://www.bonjoro.com/https://au.linkedin.com/in/mbjbarnettConnect with us:https://www.thefridayhabit.com/[email protected] https://www.instagram.com/benjaminmanleyhttp://www.benjaminmanley.com/https://www.brandvivamedia.com/https://www.facebook.com/Marklab2https://www.linkedin.com/in/marklab2/

On this episode of The Friday Habit, successful entrepreneur Kevin Urrutia continues his conversation with Mark and Ben from the previous episode, so go back and listen to that episode if you missed it! Kevin describes the thought process that led him to get into e-commerce after the cleaning company he was running got to a certain sustainable point and he wanted to gain some new experience in a different field. He started out selling outdoor gear but realized that the barriers to entry were so low that he was facing a lot of competition, so he recruited the help of his architect brother to design a luggage line called Chester Travels. This business had a much higher barrier to entry and requires more capital to be tied up in inventory, but he has found that the profit margin is higher than his cleaning company which only requires payment when there is a job but relies entirely on people, who are unpredictable.Kevin and his friend Wilson have worked on business ideas together for their whole adult life, but Voy Media was their first partnership. They launched it to connect with other founders and open up conversations about all of their combined knowledge and experience to package up content that people would want. They are still working out the details of how to make this an educational company that will provide value to current and aspiring founders. Kevin says that one of the biggest pitfalls that leaders fall into is wanting everyone around them to be like them, when there is incredible value in surrounding yourself with team members that bring different perspectives and strengths to the table. So rather than looking for people who think and act like he does, Kevin focuses on hiring people with raw intelligence and good problem-solving skills because if they have both of these skills, they will be able to handle anything thrown their way. He emphasizes the importance of curiosity in all of life, having that drive to figure out what you don’t know or don’t know how to do yet. Finally, he encourages entrepreneurs to remember that your passion for the end result should drive you and that you don’t have to love everything you do as long as you have that passion. Links: “Measure What Matters” by John Doerr: https://www.amazon.com/Measure-What-Matters-Google-Foundation/dp/0525536221“The Great CEO Within” by Matt Mochary: https://www.amazon.com/Great-CEO-Within-Tactical-Building-ebook/dp/B07ZLGQZYC Connect with Kevin:https://chestertravels.com/https://voymedia.com/https://www.linkedin.com/in/urrutiahttps://twitter.com/danest?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor Connect with us:https://www.thefridayhabit.com/[email protected] https://www.instagram.com/benjaminmanleyhttp://www.benjaminmanley.com/ https://www.brandvivamedia.com/https://www.facebook.com/Marklab2https://www.linkedin.com/in/marklab2/

On this episode of The Friday Habit, Ben and Mark talk with Kevin Urrutia, co-founder of Voy Media in NYC and many startups along the way. Kevin went to school for computer science and started a web development consulting business by generating leads through Craigslist. When he graduated, he got a job in Silicon Valley working for Mint.com, but he knew within a month that this 9-5 structured work culture was not what he wanted, so he jumped ship to work for a startup called Zaarly. This was the perfect situation for him and he was even able to continue working remotely when he moved back to New York until he realized that his heart wasn’t in it anymore. All this time, he had been building startups with varying levels of success and now that he was back in New York City, he and his buddy decided to put all of their experience to work building a cleaning company organized by online scheduling. They hired their own maids from Craigslist and paid them only when they had work for them, and this model has worked great for them over the past 5 years. They have expanded to several different areas of NYC as well as Chicago and Boston. Kevin explains that their keys to success were having a phone number, having local web pages, and optimizing their SEO. They have also acquired smaller companies to give them more market share.Be sure to come back next week for the conclusion of our conversation with Kevin! Connect with Kevin:https://voymedia.com/https://www.linkedin.com/in/urrutiahttps://twitter.com/danest Connect with us:https://www.thefridayhabit.com/[email protected] https://www.instagram.com/benjaminmanleyhttp://www.benjaminmanley.com/ https://www.brandvivamedia.com/https://www.facebook.com/Marklab2https://www.linkedin.com/in/marklab2/

On this episode of The Friday Habit, Ben shares his 5 practices that will make you a better leader in the hopes that they will be an encouragement to you and will be spurred on in your influence of those around you. 1. Learn your weaknesses – This is how you will grow and come to trust those around you to fill in the gaps. Be vulnerable about what you need and what you expect from others that will allow you to play to your strengths.2. Define your “why” – You will work the hardest for what you care about. Once you have this passion defined, you will be able to identify what fits and what doesn’t.3. Make concrete goals – They should be specific, measurable, actionable, realistic, and time-bound. This is a way of making the invisible visible.4. Listen to your team – Learn to trust your team or they will stop buying in to your mission. Create space to listen to them, perhaps during a weekly meeting, and know that frontline workers are going to be the closest to the problems.5. Stay curious – Commit to lifelong learning through podcasts, masterminds, audiobooks, networking, and video content. It is easy to be distracted or overwhelmed, but if you are not growing, you’re dying.Your action item after this episode is to learn your weaknesses and take the assessment at https://www.16personalities.com. Connect with us:https://www.thefridayhabit.com/[email protected] https://www.instagram.com/benjaminmanleyhttp://www.benjaminmanley.com/ https://www.brandvivamedia.com/https://www.facebook.com/Marklab2https://www.linkedin.com/in/marklab2/

In this episode of The Friday Habit, Mark provides 5 of the top ways to be a more positive person. It has been proven time and again that your emotions have the power to change your body at a cellular level, so here are a few techniques to ensure that those are positive changes rather than negative.Have a lens of positivity – Let your first reaction to any situation be to ask yourself “What is this trying to teach me?” Even when you can’t control the circumstances, you can control how you respond to them. You can choose to make the best of it, and you will likely find that things weren’t as bad as they seemed when you look back.Be grateful – Many people spend some time every morning thinking about or writing down a list of things they are grateful for. It is hard to be negative when you are aware of how many things in your life are going well, even the simplest things.Get enough sleep and exercise – Set routines for yourself to ensure that you go to bed at a reasonable time and you have time set aside in your day to exercise, even if it is just taking a break to walk outside during the workday. There are physical and mental benefits to getting 6 or more hours of sleep per night as well as through the release of endorphins during exercise.Look to gain experiences more than possessions – You never look back on material things with joy, but memorable experiences are always worth it. Your kids won’t remember what you gave them for their 8th birthdays, but they will remember the road trip you took as a family.Help others – Acts of kindness have a way of positively impacting the people you are serving as well as boosting your own satisfaction and happiness. You can’t be negative while helping people and gaining a better perspective on how fortunate you are in life.Your action item after this episode is to integrate gratitude into your routine, writing down a list of things you are grateful for every day.Connect with us:https://www.thefridayhabit.com/[email protected] https://www.instagram.com/benjaminmanleyhttp://www.benjaminmanley.com/https://www.brandvivamedia.com/https://www.facebook.com/Marklab2https://www.linkedin.com/in/marklab2/

On this episode of The Friday Habit, Ben and Mark discuss lead magnets, the tools that allow you to trade something of value to the consumer for their email address. Even with social media dominating the digital landscape, email is still the most cost-effective method of communication for lead generation, so what should you be doing to tap into this power?1. E-book2. Self-evaluation checklist3. Access to a free online course4. A series of helpful emails sent weekly5. Access to a private Facebook or Slack group6. Mythbuster PDF7. Access to a single how-to video8. 5-day video series9. Spreadsheet-based tool10. Free quiz with results sent via email11. Specialized interactive calculator – Calculoid is a great resource for this.12. Fill out worksheets 13. Access to a free webinar – Just make sure the content is interesting and not only a sales pitch.14. Cheat sheet15. Free demo or sampleWhen thinking through which lead magnet would be a good starting place for you, consider this question: “What is the first step someone needs to take before they are ready to hire you?” Here are 4 key criteria for finding the right one for you:· Something your audience actually wants – You could ask your current clients for their input on this.· Something closely related to your product or business· Something that you have the skill to create· Something that will build trust, be a good experience for the consumer, and be usefulNow that you have decided which lead magnet to use, make sure you have your basic sales funnel systematized. Your next steps could look something like this:1. Trigger an automatic email to welcome/thank them for joining2. Add them to your mailing list3. Follow up with a personal video response4. Invite them to take the next action5. Set them up in a drip campaign of a series of emailsConnect with us:https://www.thefridayhabit.com/[email protected] https://www.instagram.com/benjaminmanleyhttp://www.benjaminmanley.com/ https://www.brandvivamedia.com/https://www.facebook.com/Marklab2https://www.linkedin.com/in/marklab2/

You’ve heard people talk about their mastermind groups before, but maybe you’ve just assumed that you aren’t “big” enough to be a part of one. Or, maybe you’ve never been invited, or perhaps you don’t know what’s in it for you. In this episode of The Friday Habit podcast, Ben and Mark break down for you the benefits and how-tos of creating your mastermind.A mastermind group typically consists of 4-8 participants who are in a similar industry or stage of personal or professional life who meet regularly. So, what could you gain from being a part of a mastermind?Gain an outside perspective – Sometimes, all you need is to get out of your own head and get someone else’s take on your challenge or dilemma. It is even better if that person has knowledge of your business and your previous endeavors.Make learning automatic – By having people in your group who are above and below you in terms of experience in certain situations, you have a built-in community that can help you learn as you go.Achieve more goals – Accountability is key in accomplishing any goals, and this group provides that opportunity.Build strong friendships – Spending time with each other and discussing your goals and accomplishments will lead to an enhanced community that could extend beyond business.If you are considering starting your own mastermind group, here are a few suggestions for getting started:Make a list of people to addSet up a group meeting to discuss the potential of starting a groupEstablish ground rules such as meeting timing, adding new members, attendance expectations, etc.Add a recurring event on your calendarSet up a shared Google Doc for resources and/or a Slack channelStay organized and consistentYour action items after this episode are to make a list of people to add to your mastermind and set up a group call.Connect with us:https://www.thefridayhabit.com/[email protected] https://www.instagram.com/benjaminmanleyhttp://www.benjaminmanley.com/https://www.brandvivamedia.com/https://www.facebook.com/Marklab2https://www.linkedin.com/in/marklab2/

Delegating is a buzzword that is overused and underutilized in business. In this episode of The Friday Habit, we will outline five tips to using delegation effectively to help you accomplish more, serve more customers, and make more profits.1. Identify what can be delegated – Ask yourself these questions:Is this something that only I can do?Is this the best use of my time and energy?Can someone else do this?What should I be doing?2. Delegate to the right person – Try to match up the task with someone based on their skills, interests, experience, capacity, and career goals. Chances are, you have someone on your team who is looking for a challenge in the exact area you need to release some responsibilities.3. Provide clear direction – Define the goal or the “why” behind the task. Set expectations for the output, in terms of the effort and time commitment expected. Be available for questions.4. Stay organized – To be able to delegate tasks, you should have all of the relevant information in one place, such as a project management system, so you can easily pass it off to someone else.5. Make delegation a team effort – Communicate with your team. Discuss why and how you are planning to implement more delegation and encourage others to do the same. Ask for feedback regarding the tasks you are planning to delegate. Give them the freedom to call you out if you try to pick those tasks back up again. A great avenue for this is a brief weekly meeting.Your action item after this episode is to schedule a 30-minute meeting with your team to discuss the goals of delegating certain tasks and solicit feedback about how everyone could implement delegation where appropriate.Connect with us:https://www.thefridayhabit.com/[email protected] https://www.instagram.com/benjaminmanleyhttp://www.benjaminmanley.com/https://www.brandvivamedia.com/https://www.facebook.com/Marklab2https://www.linkedin.com/in/marklab2/

This episode is the second part of Mark and Ben’s conversation with Allan Langer, an expert in the field of pricing and how to sell more by selling less. Ben asks Allan about the best ways to delegate some of the selling to other team members so you can focus on other things. Allan explains the importance of having a sales philosophy that can be easily enumerated, absorbed, and replicated by your team members. He also says that even after this pandemic is over and things go “back to normal,” Zoom will continue to be a vital resource and should replace any phone calls you were previously scheduling with your clients. Allan explains most of the time when a client says, “we’ll get back to you,” that either means that they are not the right person to make the decision or they are nervous about spending the money. To make people feel more comfortable about making a purchase, Allan recommends some form of social proofing, showing them that other people “like them” have recently made this purchase or that you have helped business just like theirs before. It also helps if you involve the client in the process, being upfront about your pricing from the beginning and allowing them to “build their own” product and choose which options are best for them. In your conversations with them, make sure you emphasize the added value and how your product or service will specifically help them, focusing on the return on their investment.Some people might say that these strategies are manipulative because you are forming your strategy around the psychology of the human brain and how it has been proven to react to certain things. But all you are really doing is giving them what makes them feel better and improve their lives by getting the right thing in their hands. To learn more about Allan’s strategies, be sure to check out his book!Connect with Allan:https://allanger.com/ https://www.amazon.com/Secrets-Selling-More-Less-Reinventing/dp/1794315497 Connect with us:https://www.thefridayhabit.com/[email protected] https://www.instagram.com/benjaminmanleyhttp://www.benjaminmanley.com/https://www.brandvivamedia.com/https://www.facebook.com/Marklab2https://www.linkedin.com/in/marklab2/

Allan Langer, the bestselling author of “The 7 Secrets to Selling More by Selling Less," joins Ben and Mark on this episode of The Friday Habit. Allan has committed his career to understand and teach about pricing psychology and consumer behavior, and his insights could be game-changers for entrepreneurs and business owners. Allan has found that most decision-makers come up with their pricing based on a computer-generated algorithm or a formula they have created to get them their desired profit margin. However, what if this method is severely undercutting the margins you could be making if you had a pricing strategy? You have probably noticed that most prices end in the number nine, but did you know that this practice is grounded on research that shows that consumers feel good about paying for products or services ending in nine? They haven’t been able to determine why, but repeated studies have shown this result. A second pricing strategy that Allan recommends is to always provide your clients with three-tiered options. You could use the movie theater popcorn example of a small for $5, a medium for $7.50, or a large for $8.00. By making the large only slightly more expensive than the medium, you are positioning it as the best option psychologically, which will make your customer feel good about their purchase from the beginning. You can sell with integrity and still get the client to choose the option that is best for both of you. In regards to determining your pricing strategy from the start, Allan says it is imperative to decide what you’re worth and stick with it. Do good work, and don’t devalue your services just to attract the “price shoppers." You don’t want to work with them anyway. Come back next week for the conclusion of our conversation with Allan!Connect with Allan:https://allanger.com/ https://www.amazon.com/Secrets-Selling-More-Less-Reinventing/dp/1794315497 Connect with us:https://www.thefridayhabit.com/[email protected] https://www.instagram.com/benjaminmanleyhttp://www.benjaminmanley.com/https://www.brandvivamedia.com/https://www.facebook.com/Marklab2https://www.linkedin.com/in/marklab2/

In this episode of The Friday Habit, Mark and Ben share why and how to effectively conduct quarterly check-in meetings with each of your team members, including the benefits this can bring to your business. Essentially, check-ins are pre-arranged, lasting approximately an hour. Check-in meetings offer opportunities to discuss how things are going, provide feedback, and meet with each employee individually.So why do you need to implement this practice into your business?These meetings provide a space for intentionally staying connected with your team by building this communication time into your structures and culture.When employees know you are setting aside this time and ask them how things are going, they are more likely to provide honest feedback than they would have without this structured time.It is a great opportunity to review job descriptions with each team member. This will ensure their actual job functions align with what is written in their job description, and you can discuss any adjustments that need to be made.Most businesses conduct annual performance reviews (if they conduct them at all), but quarterly meetings are much more effective for true performance evaluations in a less intense environment.How should you implement this structure for the first time?Give your employees a heads-up that this will be coming before scheduling a meeting on their calendar.Set expectations for honest and clear communication.Establish a performance review chart and communicate the criteria ahead of time. Perhaps send a blank chart to each employee a week prior to their quarterly check-in. This will allow them to do some self-evaluation and then compare notes during your meeting.Recognize each team member’s strong and weak areas verbally during the check-in.Prepare a list of general questions to lead the discussion.Discuss any necessary pay raises, responsibility shifts, and job title changes as well as their career plans and how those align (or don’t align) with those of the company long-term.Be humble and receptive to their feedback, and then do what you say you are going to do.Your action item after this episode is to implement these quarterly check-ins by communicating the purpose to your team and then schedule them.Connect with us:https://www.thefridayhabit.com/[email protected] https://www.instagram.com/benjaminmanleyhttp://www.benjaminmanley.com/https://www.brandvivamedia.com/https://www.facebook.com/Marklab2https://www.linkedin.com/in/marklab2/

We’ve all felt it, and on this episode of The Friday Habit we are talking about it: imposter syndrome. Perhaps right now you lack confidence in your skills and you feel inadequate no matter how successful you are. Here are 8 keys to building your personal brand and pressing into it with confidence:Specialization – Have a niche and be confident in describing it to others.Leadership – Think about where you want to be a leader and get involved in those communities.Personality – Be genuine and people will gravitate towards you.Distinctiveness – By being authentically you, you are expressing your brand identity in a unique way that will engage people.Visibility – Be seen repeatedly and consistently by networking and telling people what you do.Utility – Be the same publicly and privately and be committed to continuous growth.Persistence – Be willing to fail and look stupid while you are growing your brand. It will take time to get where you want to be.Goodwill – Create a positive impact and provide value to those you come in contact with. Be kind, pay it forward, and give good advice rather than primarily being concerned with your bottom line.Your action item after this episode is to reverse engineer yourself to become who you want to be and to confidently proclaim what you do when you are asked.Links:Blog post: https://medium.com/@brandviva/8-ways-to-get-over-your-imposter-syndrome-and-start-building-your-personal-brand-2529484e9022https://www.videoask.com/Connect with us:https://www.thefridayhabit.com/[email protected] https://www.instagram.com/benjaminmanleyhttp://www.benjaminmanley.com/https://www.brandvivamedia.com/https://www.facebook.com/Marklab2https://www.linkedin.com/in/marklab2/

We pick back up mid-conversation with Greg Hickman on this episode of The Friday Habit. He is talking about how agencies and businesses that function mostly in the full-service space spend too much time and energy thinking that the grass is greener on the DIY side of things, and vice versa. Ultimately, your best bet is to find a sweet spot right in the middle and then branch out in either direction to have multiple income streams and a variety of clients. He describes this as a ladder with one-to-one higher-cost product offerings at the top and several rungs down you get to one-to-many self-service product offerings. Greg encourages businesses to have 1-3 product offerings and to never have more product offerings than you have employees. Here are a few questions Greg recommends you ask yourself about your business:What does this market need?What do I need?What am I designing this for?What are my goals?Is it worth it?At the end of the episode, Greg describes his top 3 action items for listeners:Document your current process and focus on doing what you are good atWrite out your 3-5 year goals and reverse-engineer your life to get thereFind a mentor to shorten your learning curveConnect with Greg:[email protected] https://altagency.com/ https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIMW0w-FD3yXlz3MR0aAEqAConnect with us:https://www.thefridayhabit.com/[email protected] https://www.instagram.com/benjaminmanleyhttp://www.benjaminmanley.com/https://www.brandvivamedia.com/https://www.facebook.com/Marklab2https://www.linkedin.com/in/marklab2/