SEASON: 4 EPISODE: 9

Episode Overview:

A Grow Through It Mindset is about embracing challenges and setbacks as opportunities for personal and professional growth. It's the belief that through effort, learning, and persistence, individuals can evolve and adapt in the face of adversity. This mindset encourages individuals to approach difficulties as learning experiences, view failures as stepping stones towards improvement rather than as reasons to give up.

Ultimately, a Grow Through It Mindset fosters resilience, adaptability, and a positive attitude, which are valuable traits in both business and everyday life. To help us understand how to develop a Grow Through It Mindset is entrepreneur, speaker and coach, Keith Sampson.

Guest Bio:

Keith Sampson works in the payments industry as the national sales director for North American Bancard. He is also the owner of Trident 21, providing payment solutions, growth and attention tools, as well as consulting.

With a passion for helping people, he created a program called Gift Card Surge to help area businesses and individuals meet the needs of his community, especially in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.

Resource Links:

• Website: https://www.trident21.com
• Product Link: https://www.trident21.com/our-approach

Insight Gold Timestamps:

04:10 We learned these principles of how to grow a business

05:44 It goes back to my second watershed moment in life

07:10 There's two choices you have here

07:14 You can either choose to Go Through It, or you can choose to Grow Through It!

09:15 I’ve learned far more through the failures than I ever did the successes

10:21 Here's a framework you can adopt today

13:48 Do I prioritize investing in myself?

14:41 Will Guidara, the author of Unreasonable Hospitality

18:15 Gratitude spirals upwards

19:38 Three things you're grateful for and then one thing you wanted to pray for

22:11 Ridiculous Resiliency

23:35 How do I become proactively resilient?

24:38 Number four is Playing the Long Game

28:24 If you love what you're doing, there's no such thing as retirement

28:34 The level of success that people can achieve based on the people that they surround themselves with

30:58 AI is not going to replace us, AI is going to elevate us

32:36 Cloud 9 multisport that's in Winona Lake, Indiana

Connect Socially:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/iamkeithsampson/

Blog: https://www.trident21.com/trident-21-blog

Email: Ksampson@trident21.com

Sponsors:

Rainmaker Digital Solutions: https://www.rainmakerdigitalsolutions.com/

Resources: https://becomingpreferred-podcast.com/resources/

Next Episode: Employing Humor For Competitive Advantage with Courtney Bickert!

SEASON: 4 EPISODE: 8

Episode Overview:

In today’s competitive marketplace, finding and keeping the right employees can be a challenge. What if you could create the kind of workplace where everyone wants to work? From ideas on inspiring teamwork to inspiring workplace communication, my guest today says that your workplace culture is your #1 competitive advantage.

To help us understand how you can elevate your culture and become the preferred employer of choice, is author, speaker and coach, Michael Kerr.

Guest Bio:

Michael Kerr is a Hall of Fame speaker who speaks about inspiring workplace cultures, workplace culture leadership, and businesses that leverage their humor resources to drive outrageous results. Michael’s Inspiring Workplaces blog has been listed as one of the top-75 workplace blogs in the world.

Michael is also the author of 9 books, including “The Humor Advantage: Why Some Businesses Are Laughing All the Way to the Bank,” “The Jerk-Free Workplace,” “Hire, Inspire, and Fuel Their Fire: How to Recruit, Onboard, and Train New Employees to Live Your Culture Out Loud” and most recently, hot off the presses, “Small Moments, Big Outcomes: How Leaders Create Cultures That Fuel Extraordinary Results.”

Resource Links:

• Website: https://mikekerr.com/
• Product Link: https://mikekerr.com/books/

Insight Gold Timestamps:

01:21 I worked in this soul-sucking, fun-sucking organization

03:44 Everybody has a culture, doesn't mean they have a good culture, or a culture that is right for them

05:49 I'm glad you brought up the WestJet example

07:18 This is one of the keys I've seen in so many companies around the world

08:38 I’m a big fan of rituals and traditions

09:56 You're never done building a great culture

12:30 You're only as good as the poorest behavior you tolerate

14:07 So many companies have the same list of values, yet….

17:24 A culture is a culture regardless of where you do your work from

19:28 The starting point for me is getting your hiring right

21:03 They relentlessly hire for attitude first and foremost

22:43 When we're talking about bringing our humor to work….

24:08 If you infuse your meetings with a spirit of fun and creative energy….

25:47 One example that I love, because it shows how simple this can be

27:37 When you have a more fun work environment….

29:17 Everything goes back to intention

31:07 A company I visited in Copenhagen, Denmark

32:28 A huge key to all of this, of course, is communication

Connect Socially:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelkerr3/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCeaRB1AE5C_RWBjK87wwRYg

Blog: https://mikekerr.com/inspiring-workplaces-blog/

Email: mike@Mikekerr.com

Sponsors:

Rainmaker Digital Solutions: https://www.rainmakerdigitalsolutions.com/

Resources: https://becomingpreferred-podcast.com/resources/

Next Episode: Developing a Grow Through It Mindset with Keith...

SEASON: 4 EPISODE: 7

Episode Overview:

Welcome to this episode of Becoming Preferred, where we’re going to deep dive into the world of modern selling and performance excellence. I'm thrilled to have Rob Harrison, the CEO of Magnifyde, joining us today. Rob is a seasoned sales leader with a track record of driving exponential growth and empowering sales teams to achieve their full potential.

In this episode, Rob and I will unravel the intricate dynamics of today's marketplace, shedding light on the essential elements that underpin successful performance selling. We'll dissect the crucial role of mindset in navigating the ever-evolving sales landscape and uncover the power of cultivating effective habits that breed sustained success. Join me now for my conversation with Rob Harrison.

Guest Bio:

Rob is the Co-founder & CEO of Magnifyde, has years of experience leading sales teams and has a background of serving twelve years in the British military. He has developed a technique that exponentially increases company closure rates across multiple platforms. He is also the creator of Magnifyde Academy, where he molds inexperienced individuals into sales masters. His impressive track record includes skyrocketing monthly revenue for many of his clients from $10k to over $100k in a matter of months.

He has spoken at several in-person and virtual sales events such as M&A Mastery, Upgraded Coach 100K/Month Sales Machine, 5D Coaching Live, and Read the Lead.

Resource Links:

• Website: https://magnifyde.io/
• Product Link: https://magnifyde.io/#solutions

Insight Gold Timestamps:

03:43 I got lucky enough to be in the right place at the right time

07:38 You still need to be the subject matter expert, even if you're a salesperson

08:18 Take the word enthusiasm, and the last four letters, the I A S M for I Am Sold Myself

09:27 How do you attack the mindset of the person

10:36 It's having the right mindset before you get going

12:54 What's the biggest common challenge that you see?

14:41 Never done sales before, but willing to learn

15:22 So you have to retrain them on the process, so that becomes the default

17:17 Enthusiasm has to be there

18:29 A groundbreaking technique that significantly improves company closure rates

20:26 Before they know it, 60% of their work week is actually spent in sales

23:27 Let's talk about the process on habits and skills

25:20 Then it became totally normal to wake up either before my alarm, or on my alarm at 5am

27:27 People are motivated differently

29:30 Appointment setters are also very important to be a subject matter expert

Connect Socially:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rob-harrison-665699216/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/magnifyde.io

Blog: https://magnifyde.io/category/all/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rob.h.8/

Email: rob@magnifyde.io

Sponsors:

Rainmaker LeadGen Platform Demo: https://bookme.michaelvickers.com/lite/rainmaker-leadgen-platform-demo

Rainmaker Digital Solutions:

SEASON: 4 EPISODE: 6

Episode Overview:

In today’s world, change is the only constant, and the bar for success is only rising higher. Gone are the days when being “good enough” could satisfy customers and beat back the competition. So what’s the solution? Leaders and businesses must evolve from being good to great to superior.

My guest in this episode, says gaining a superior edge is more important than ever and to share with us his insights is author, speaker, and coach, Rusty Komori.

Guest Bio:

RUSTY KOMORI is an inspirational keynote speaker, executive coach, and tennis professional based in Honolulu, Hawaii. From 1994 through 2015, he was the head tennis coach at Punahou School, where his boys’ varsity teams won an unprecedented 22 consecutive state championships, a national record in all sports that stands to this day. In 2014, he was named NHSCA’s Coach of the Year and inducted into Creighton University’s Hall of Fame.

Today, Komori is a sought-after keynoter and executive coach with a diverse client roster, including Kaiser Permanente, the YWCA, and the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Association. He’s the host of the televised series Beyond the Lines and the author of three books, including his newest release, Superior: Creating a Superior Culture of Excellence (Blackstone Publishing; May 7, 2024)

Resource Links:

• Website: https://sites.google.com/view/rustykomori/home
• Product Link: https://www.amazon.com/Beyond-Game-Rusty-Komori/dp/1948011301/ref=sr_1_3?dchild=1&keywords=beyond+the+game&qid=1588308251&sr=8-3

Insight Gold Timestamps:

02:34 The four P's of achieving success, People, Purpose, Process and Performance

04:15 And then, when we're going for our 17th consecutive state championship….

06:46 I would tell them that I am not going to protect you from a challenge

09:16 There's two types of people in the world

11:41 What kind of obstacles do you see with businesses that they're challenged with?

12:59 There's a gigantic difference between being a great person versus being a great leader

15:08 I'm trying to change the narrative from mental health to mental fitness

16:10 What is mental toughness?

17:33 You introduced the concept of the four P's of achieving success

20:39 Talk about purpose

22:11 Every single minute in practice matters, because it either gets us closer to achieving our goal or it doesn't

23:50 I like to focus on performance goals, because….

25:40 You call it my 1 % principle. How does that work?

28:09 Those are all key areas that we need to focus on

30:02 Don't practice until you get it right, practice until you can't get it wrong

31:13 I share the difference between good, great, and superior

Connect Socially:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rusty-komori-220008147/

Facebook: www.facebook.com/rusty.komori

Twitter: twitter.com/rustykomori

Instagram:

SEASON: 4 EPISODE: 5

Episode Overview:

Are you ready to elevate your marketing game with a true industry luminary? Today we have the privilege of welcoming a renowned marketing expert whose insights have reshaped countless businesses' success trajectories. With a laser focus on effective strategies, common pitfalls, and the art of capturing your ideal clients' attention, my guest is set to unravel the mysteries of the fiercely competitive marketplace.

Brace yourselves for an unfiltered, no-nonsense discussion that promises to revolutionize your approach to marketing. Get ready to absorb a wealth of knowledge and practical wisdom as we dive into the dynamic world of marketing. Join me now for my conversation with marketing expert, Jarrod Lopiccolo.

Guest Bio:

With one foot firmly in Reno and the other across the pond at our Bristol, UK office, Jarrod’s globetrotting nature has led him to make meaningful connections with people all over the world. His attention to listening first lets him learn what makes people tick and, admittedly, helps him harness the insights to propel Noble’s success.

Over the last two decades Jarrod has grown a creative digital performance marketing agency from a single-laptop endeavor to an international company. To date, Noble partnered with brands like Visit Lake Tahoe, Santa Monica, Autodesk, The Islands of Tahiti, Niantic Inc., Adobe, Disney, Visa, Google and more. His passion for creating beautiful human experiences (and his architectural background) have helped Noble translate the best of the real world into virtual architecture.

A mentor, father, husband and visionary, Jarrod has held leadership roles with several non-profit and public-private initiatives in Nevada. He previously served as Co-Executive Director of the San Francisco/Silicon Valley Inc. Magazine’s Business Owners Council, was a board member for Northern Nevada Development Authority (NNDA) and an advisory board member for the Nevada Center for Entrepreneurship & Technology (NCET). He’s taken the stage around the world at Destinations International’s Annual Convention, Social Media Week Bristol, eTourism, DMA West, University of Nevada – Reno, University of Nevada – Las Vegas and Truckee Meadows Community College, just to name a few.

Outside of his office in Reno, Nevada, Jarrod likes to keep his hands busy. He prides himself on being an early adopter, trying any interesting technology that comes on the scene and attending CES in Vegas just for the fun of seeing into the future (and how it can be applied to digital marketing, of course). His passion for photography has led him to new horizons–Iceland, in the near future–and led him to form a group for agency photogs throughout the country.

Resource Links:

• Website: https://noblestudios.com/
• Product Link: https://noblestudios.com/what-we-do/

Insight Gold Timestamps:

03:56 The example we use is Starbucks

06:15 We've got so much content that we're digesting on a daily basis

07:15 One particular example comes to mind

08:54 It starts with Think, Make, Market, and then finally ends with Measure

10:05 It's really important not to throw all of your money into one channel

12:41 At the end of the day, you're going to need to measure

15:10 We have to still do almost all the things we were doing 20 years ago, but we have to do more now

17:10 It's so hard to get our brand in front of consumers today because there are so many distractions

22:38 For the majority of us, where we no longer are selling local

25:05 Our mantra is: Let's be better every day!

27:17 One of the areas of focus that you...

SEASON: 4 EPISODE: 4

Episode Overview:

Get ready to unlock the secrets to financial empowerment and work-life harmony with my guest, Kyle Smith. As a financial expert committed to empowering small and medium-sized businesses, Kyle brings unparalleled transparency and guidance to the table. His advocacy for fostering a healthy work-life balance within teams while emphasizing the critical role of financial controls in both professional and personal spheres is nothing short of inspiring.

Today, we delve into the art of achieving financial stability and harmonizing work and life, where invaluable insights and game-changing strategies await. Get ready to supercharge your financial acumen and nurture a harmonious work-life dynamic as we embark on this transformative journey with my guest, Kyle Smith.

Guest Bio:

Kyle Smith, CPA, a finance graduate from UT McCombs School of Business, is deeply committed to helping small and medium-sized businesses thrive. He began his career in Austin, gaining experience as an accountant and Controller for various bar and restaurant groups. His passion for guiding SMBs led him to earn his CPA and specialize in cost management accounting as Director of Finance at Celis Brewery.

Kyle’s journey continued at Scalefactor, a software development company, where he advised clients across various industries. His ultimate aspiration was realized when he became a co-partner at Strata Cloud Accountants. Kyle specializes in working with business owners to align personal and company goals and help teach businesses the financial acumen needed to hold themselves accountable to those goals. All with the mission to help businesses and business owners be more profitable.

Strata Cloud Accountants was born from a collective vision among friends who shared work philosophies and principles. Their values center around family and freedom, aiming to provide clients with financial freedom and their team with a strong work-life-family balance.

Resource Links:

• Website: https://stratacloudaccountants.com/
• Product Link: https://stratacloudaccountants.com/welcome-becoming-preferred-listeners/

Insight Gold Timestamps:

02:50 I had a secret aspiration to be a professional poker player

05:01 We really had the mission of aligning people's goals with the goals of the business

06:28 A big thing for people is doing too much too fast

07:38 If I just spend 30 minutes a month on one area of the business

10:02 Mike Tyson said, you have a plan until you get punched in the face

11:20 It takes passion

14:23 What are the common pitfalls businesses encounter?

16:36 And that timing is super, super tough

19:34 Which brings us to KPIs

22:22 Dennis Rodman played for the Chicago Bulls

25:08 Should we have more than one account?

27:24 Are you correctly priced?

29:13 A lot of people don't know the leverage that they have

30:38 When's the time to go into debt?

Connect Socially:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kyle-smith-cpa-9582038a/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stratacloudaccountants

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stratacloudaccountants/

Email:

SEASON: 4 EPISODE: 3

Episode Overview:

How can businesses communicate more value and uniqueness in today’s price-driven, hyper-competitive markets, or in a market that is saturated with options? In an era dominated by price-driven hyper-competitive markets, businesses must constantly grapple with the challenge of standing out from the crowd and becoming the preferred choice of their customers.

My guest on today’s episode is here to unravel the complexities of this landscape and share invaluable perspectives and insights on how organizations can authentically differentiate themselves, communicate their unique value proposition, and navigate the competitive fray with confidence. So if you’re ready to gain a deeper understanding of how to effectively communicate value and uniqueness in today’s marketplace, you’re going to enjoy my conversation with returning guest, author, speaker and coach, Jim Pancero.

Guest Bio:

Jim Pancero is a seasoned professional in sales and sales leadership training and consulting. He is renowned for his expertise in enhancing the effectiveness of sales teams across various industries. With over 40 years of experience in the field, he has built a reputation for his comprehensive understanding of sales processes and his ability to implement innovative strategies that drive success. His approach focuses on helping organizations increase their competitive edge and profitability through proven sales techniques and leadership development.

Jim’s methodology emphasizes the importance of proactive selling and advanced sales leadership. He provides detailed training and coaching aimed at evolving the skills of sales professionals from traditional order-taking to more strategic, value-driven selling. His workshops and seminars are tailored to address the specific challenges faced by his clients, ensuring that they learn practical skills that can be immediately applied to their work. Jim's clients include businesses ranging from small companies to Fortune 500 corporations, all benefiting from his deep insights and actionable solutions.

Beyond training, Jim Pancero actively contributes to the sales community through his YouTube channel, where he shares a wealth of sales training videos and tips. He is also a prolific speaker at industry conferences and events, where he discusses trends in sales strategies and leadership. His commitment to sharing knowledge and empowering sales professionals is evident in his extensive body of work, which includes articles, online resources, and direct consultancy services that have helped countless sales teams achieve their full potential.

Resource Links:

• Website: www.pancero.com
• Product Link: www.advancedsalesuniversity.com

Insight Gold Timestamps:

02:08 We have gone through a major cultural shift and how buyers buy

05:05 Customers are saying, prove yourself

06:21 One of the weakest and most ineffective advertising is….

08:49 Old selling language

09:27 I talk about the importance of getting higher, wider, and deeper

10:38 The toughest single question in selling is….

13:37 The messaging they communicate usually tends to have little to do with the customer

17:34 We call it opera singers

18:36 Something I call the X's and O's test

19:48 Price is never the issue, unless it is the issue

21:56 We're not talking solutions until we know that there's a problem

23:28 There are 4 fundamental reasons of why people buy in a competitive environment

26:08 I use ChatGPT under DALL-E

28:02 On LinkedIn, everybody's a seller and there's very few buyers

29:39 With magic, we use a concept...

SEASON: 4 EPISODE: 2

Episode Overview:

Advertising doesn't have to be a guessing game. It’s a predictable science, and one that we can understand. Businesses want results, but often struggle to navigate the complexities of advertising effectively. Traditional media methods are costly and digital platforms are constantly evolving.

Most companies are unsure if their campaigns are delivering the desired results, and they lack the ability to objectively know if they are wasting ad budgets or missing out on opportunities.

My guest today will share with us strategies employing the latest technologies to transform advertising into the exact science that it should’ve always been, so you can forecast advertising success, before you even spend a dime. Join me now for my conversation with advertising expert, Skip Wilson.

Guest Bio:

Skip Wilson, a luminary in advertising, embarked on his journey at 16 as a copywriter, evolving into a digital media pioneer. From shaping CNN Special Project's iReport team to spearheading iHeartMedia's digital expansion, Skip's expertise spans decades.

As founder of DRAFT Media Partners, he champions innovation, earning accolades like "Most Intuitive Software Developer" and "Best Marketing Software Developer." His relentless pursuit of excellence continues to redefine advertising, offering practical insights and transformative solutions for businesses navigating the digital age.

Resource Links:

• Website: https://www.draftadvertising.com/
• Product Link: https://virtualmarketingassistant.draftadvertising.com/optin1654290045958

Insight Gold Timestamps:

04:53 I was selling mostly sports programming and news talk

06:57 If it didn't work, we’d blame the sales guys

08:51 You have tools that help your clients predict the outcome before they even spend dollar one

10:22 I always viewed it as an art AND a science

10:54 There's no campaign failure, there's only feedback

12:46 It creates this bigger need for tools to streamline those processes

15:58 If you can do that, you absolutely should be going all in on advertising

17:29 I’m a big believer of testing creative rather than doing a bunch of marketing

20:35 An ad should always have just one goal

21:57 Sequential marketing and sequential advertising is the way to get people in

23:19 Nobody cares about a tire ad unless you're in market for tires

24:17 draftmediapartners.com you can sign up for a free consultation

25:45 You want to put yourself in that mindset of that consumer

26:23 The biggest tool, the biggest free value thing is….

28:16 I try to think of something that can tell a story

31:02 One of the first things that we added to our reporting

32:20 Virtual Campaign Planner

Connect Socially:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/skipwilson/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/draftadvertisingtechnology

Twitter(X): https://twitter.com/DRAFTagency

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0ptICdLnHRkOpL6_RliCIQ

Instagram: