• Uncovering the transformative wisdom from interviewing 30 great minds with guest expert Scott Jeffrey Miller
    Jul 8 2024
    Scott Jeffrey Miller, author of Master Mentors Volume 2: 30 Transformative Insights from Our Greatest Minds Bill Ringle and Scott Jeffrey Miller discuss the importance of being clear and explicit with your intent in all communications for small business leaders because in the absence of details, people make up stories and those stories can become another mess. >>> Visit MyQuestforTheBest.com for complete show notes and more expert advice and inspiring stories to propel your small business growth. My Quest for the Best is a top-rated small business podcast with over 300 episodes of thought-provoking and insightful interviews with today’s top thought leaders and business experts. Host Bill Ringle’s mission with this show is to provide the strategies, insights, and resources that will unlock the growth potential of your business through these powerful conversations. Interview Insights Top 3 Takeaways We can't have a work-life balance every day. There are busy seasons and seasons of relaxation. You don't have to meet someone in person to make them your mentor. It could be anyone who is wise or experienced that you can learn from. A mentor doesn't need to be someone perfect or someone who is always successful. A mentor can also be someone who failed because we can learn from their failures so we won't fall into the same traps they fell into. Read the Show Notes from this Episode Two quotes that guide Scott: Life happens for you, not to you. Live life through the lens of "I get to..." rather than I have to our I ought to do something. [01:38] Highlights from the Miller family's Italian holiday. [04:41] Work-life balance advice given to him by The Biggest Loser fitness coach Jillian Michaels. [07:03] What does it take to be a 'Master Mentor'? [08:41] Scott gives further emphasis on the concept 'vulnerability is leadership competency.' [14:59] Master Mentors contains Hidden Stories that readers can watch by scanning the QR codes at the end of the chapters. One from Chapter featuring Leena Rinne is discussed for its powerful impact. [16:20] Another hidden gem accessible by QR in his book is the funny story of Ed Mylett, one of the top business leaders and performance experts, and the Mercedes kit car he purchased. [20:11] My Quest for the Best lightning round begins. [27: 22] Expert Bio Recruited by Dr. Stephen R. Covey’s team, Scott built a 26-year career in the world’s most respected and influential leadership development firm, serving nearly every role imaginable. From a front-line salesperson to project manager, sales leader, general manager, vice president, chief marketing officer to executive vice president of thought leadership. Scott’s professional roles evolved as he became a multi-bestselling author, radio and podcast host, leadership coach, columnist, and global keynote speaker. He continues to consult with FranklinCovey and is proud to continue their collaboration as he expands his influence through new books, speeches, and coaching offerings. Scott currently serves as the Special Advisor on Thought Leadership for the Franklin Covey Company and hosts their weekly podcast series, On Leadership, with Scott Miller. Contact Info and Social Media for Jeffrey Scott Miller Primary website Travels from: Salt Lake City, Utah Connect on: Twitter | LinkedIn | Facebook Check out Scott's podcasts! FranklinCovey On Leadership with Scott Miller C-Suite Conversations with Scott Miller Resources Mentioned During the Interview Below are key people, places, books, quotes, websites, and other resources we discussed so that you can explore further. My Quest for the Best Interview: 410: From Management Mess to Leadership Success with guest expert Scott Jeffrey Miller Listen to more inputs from Scott Miller on On Leadership Podcast. Bonus Content! Master Mentors Vol 2 Hidden Story: Leena Rinne
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    39 mins
  • How to avoid and recover from the distractions that can derail your progress with Scott Belsky
    Jul 1 2024
    Scott Belsky, author of The Messy Middle: Finding Your Way Through the Hardest and Most Crucial Part of Any Bold Venture Scott Belsky and Bill Ringle discuss the pitfalls to avoid and the practical tips for getting back on track for small business leaders. >>> Visit MyQuestforTheBest.com for complete show notes and more expert advice and inspiring stories to propel your small business growth. My Quest for the Best is a top-rated small business podcast with over 300 episodes of thought-provoking and insightful interviews with today’s top thought leaders and business experts. Host Bill Ringle’s mission with this show is to provide the strategies, insights, and resources that will unlock the growth potential of your business through these powerful conversations. Interview Insights Top 3 Takeaways from this Interview Self-awareness is the only sustainable competitive advantage in business. Hardship brings your teams together and equips you to endure for the long haul. Nobody wants to inflict pain on their team, but quick and controlled pain is better than a drawn-out infection. Read the Show Notes from this Episode Scott shares how he learned about his work ethic and personal empathy from his father, an orthopedic surgeon. [01:39] He shares how his father's lessons had helped him when he was tired and unfocused as a young man. [2:49] Shares his experience as he wrote The Messy Middle. [3:29] He talks about the "relative joy of creating." [5:04] How you define when you're in a Messy Middle and how you orient others that this is part of the project. [7:59] What are some effective ways to harness that conviction when leading your teams? [10:13] Scott imparts advice about dealing with the long game. [13:39] How to effectively develop teams. [15:56] The consequences of fake wins at the expense of hard truth, and how to move forward from it. [21:15] How to deal with your team truthfully in the context of Elizabeth Holmes' very public, disastrous experience. [22:53] How Scott leads organizational change. [26:27] My Quest for the Best Lightning Round begins [28:50] Subscribe to My Quest for the Best Click to listen and subscribe on your favorite place to enjoy podcasts below so you are the first to know when a new episode is released. My Quest for the Best is the podcast where ambitious small business leaders discover strategies and tactics to unlock their growth potential. Give us a 5-star rating and positive review to make it easier for other small business owners to find and benefit from our work! Expert Bio Scott Belsky is an entrepreneur, author, early-stage seed investor, and now serves as Adobe’s Chief Product Officer. Scott's passion is to make the creative world more productive, connected, and adaptive to new technologies. He founded Behance, the leading online platform for millions of professionals in the creative industry to showcase and discover creative work, and served as CEO until Adobe acquired Behance in 2012. Scott actively advises and invests in businesses that cross the intersection of technology and design, and help empower people. He is an early advisor and investor in Pinterest, Uber, Carta, sweetgreen, and Periscope as well as several others in the early stages. Through his work as a founder and investor, Scott has become an advocate for technology and community initiatives that empower creative people and help businesses leverage the creative potential of their people. He is the author of two national bestselling books, Making Ideas Happen and The Messy Middle, and Scott founded 99U, a publication and annual conference devoted to productivity in the creative world. Contact Info for Scott Belsky Web address: http://www.scottbelsky.com/ Travels from: New York, NY Social Media Links: ​Books Authored by Scott Belsky Resources Mentioned During the Interview
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    36 mins
  • Building your content marketing muscles with guest expert Pamela Wilson
    May 30 2023
    Pamela Wilson, author of Master Content Marketing Bill Ringle and Pamela Wilson discuss how content marketing differs from social media marketing and what steps to take to attract leads that become profitable customers for small business marketers. >>> Visit MyQuestforTheBest.com for complete show notes and more expert advice and inspiring stories to propel your small business growth. My Quest for the Best is a top-rated small business podcast with over 300 episodes of thought-provoking and insightful interviews with today’s top thought leaders and business experts. Host Bill Ringle’s mission with this show is to provide the strategies, insights, and resources that will unlock the growth potential of your business through these powerful conversations. Interview Insights Top 3 Takeaways People should stop asking whether to put high-quality content or not. Our content should always be high-quality. Focus on building your content on your primary website. While posting on sites such as LinkedIn is great, there is a chance you may be taken off at any moment. It is not content marketing without a call to action. Read the Show Notes from this Episode The power couple of Eleonor and Franklin Roosevelt are Pamela's biggest inspirations. [01:17] Pamela talks about how she got into content marketing. [03:44] Why call to action are necessary. [05:26] Pamela gives tips to address the concern of where we should put our content and why it is better to do it on your OWN website. [11:14] Why do we have to put our best stuff and post consistently? [15:56] Pamela talks about Roberta, a client she used to work with who manages a sales team, and how practicing consistency on high-quality posting got them a lot of traffic. [18:20] To lessen the pressure, Pamela reminds us that everyone just starting content marketing should not feel like they should immediately be able to post the best pieces. [24:59] My Quest for the Best lightning round begins. [27:22] Expert Bio Pamela Wilson is a 30+ year business owner, executive coach, and corporate consultant. She's published three books and has created and marketed dozens of online courses for herself and others. Pamela is a keynote speaker and frequent podcast guest. Pamela created the Offer Accelerator Program and serves as the program's head coach and business advisor. In her role as a digital marketing consultant Pamela has worked with local, national, and international clients. Contact Info and Social Media for Pamela Wilson Primary website Travels from: Nashville, Tennessee Connect on: Twitter | LinkedIn | Facebook Resources Mentioned During the Interview Below are key people, places, books, quotes, websites, and other resources that we discussed, so you can explore further. Eleanor Roosevelt Franklin Roosevelt Published by Pamela Wilson
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    33 mins
  • The best leaders value profits and people with guest expert Andrew Bryant
    May 15 2023
    Andrew Bryant, author of The New Leadership Playbook: Being human whilst successfully delivering accelerated results Bill Ringle and Andrew Bryant discuss details of decisiveness, inclusiveness, and accountability as leadership plays that leaders of small and mid-size companies can use now. >>> Visit MyQuestforTheBest.com for complete show notes and more expert advice and inspiring stories to propel your small business growth. My Quest for the Best is a top-rated small business podcast with over 400 episodes of thought-provoking and insightful interviews with today’s top thought leaders and business experts. Host Bill Ringle’s mission with this show is to provide the strategies, insights, and resources that will unlock the growth potential of your business through these powerful conversations. Interview Insights Top 3 Takeaways Responsibility is personal. I am responsible for my thoughts and my actions. Accountability is an agreement. It's something that people use to forge a contract. A single universal type of leader is a myth. Different leaders excel under different circumstances. Talent is rare, but strength is something each of us can acquire. It may be by strengthening ourselves or hiring someone whose strong suit complements our weak areas. Read the Show Notes from this Episode Andrew's first work experience was at his father's hardware store when he was 10. By observing his father's interactions with clients and employees, he learned how to have an executive presence. [01:14] His father's teaching of honesty, authenticity, and being true to oneself played a major role in Andrew's career in landing him his first CEO client. [02:46] Why is leadership a process? [05:21] Explain more about how no perfect leadership style fits all businesses at all times under all circumstances. [06:16] What are responsibility and accountability, and how they differ from each other? [09:44] Why decisiveness is critical to good leadership. CASE: Gustav responded to a crisis of his company's baby formula possibly being contaminated. [13:28] What can wel learn from the insight that people and profits are not an either-or consideration, but that both can be served? [17:55] My Quest for the Best lighting round begins. [22:41] Expert Bio Andrew Bryant is the founder of Self Leadership International and the world's leading expert on self-leadership. He has written two books on the topic, Self-Leadership: How to Become a More Successful, Efficient, and Effective Leader from the Inside Out (Bryant & Kazan, 2012) and Self Leadership: 12 Powerful Mindsets & Methods to Win in Life & Business (Bryant, 2016), and The New Leadership Playbook – Being Human whilst delivering Accelerated Results (Bryant, 2022). He has also contributed to many blogs, books, and articles on self-leadership and leadership. Andrew has coached hundreds of leaders and leadership teams to become the best version of themselves and to scale their companies. He has international experience with clients from Asia, Australasia, the United States of America (USA), Europe, The Middle East, and Africa. Not only has Andrew worked across geographical locations and cultures, but he has also transformed and developed leaders across industries, including the airline industry, software and hardware companies, pharmaceutical manufacturers, professional services, banking, finance, manufacturing, hospitality, and travel. Contact Info and Social Media for Andrew Bryant Primary website Travels from: Kennebunk, ME Connect on: Twitter | LinkedIn | Instagram | YouTube | Facebook Resources Mentioned During the Interview Below are key people, places, books, quotes, websites and other resources that we discussed, so you can explore further. Brian Tracy Nelson Mandela Published by Andrew Bryant
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    28 mins
  • Retaining top talent demands that you create a culture of growth, respect, and opportunity with guest expert Merrylue Martin
    May 8 2023
    Merrylue Martin, author of The Big Quit Survival Guide: Tools and Tactics to Attract the Best, Retain Top Performers & Nail the Talent War Merrylue Martin and Bill Ringle discuss the dangers of a dull work culture or toxic interactions that go unchecked and what you can do to attract and retain top talent for small business leaders. >>> Visit MyQuestforTheBest.com for complete show notes and more expert advice and inspiring stories to propel your small business growth. My Quest for the Best is a top-rated small business podcast with over 400 episodes of thought-provoking and insightful interviews with today’s top thought leaders and business experts. Host Bill Ringle’s mission with this show is to provide the strategies, insights, and resources that will unlock the growth potential of your business through these powerful conversations. Interview Insights Top 3 Takeaways The pandemic ushered in an era in which 'respect' is the currency that makes people stay in their job. Leaders who make an extra effort to keep their top performers usually do. No matter how high the pay, if employees feel that they are undervalued, disregarded, and disrespected, they move on. At least those with the most potential and ambition move on. Know your employees. Take a quick survey of what they like and dislike, or ask any questions that will give you a better understanding of who they are. This way, you'll know how to give them respect in a way that matters most. Each person defines respect differently. Show Notes from this Episode Merrylue shared about her friend Joanna who, during one of the darkest moments, reminded her that our quest is not to be perfect but only to be our best. [01:44] The pandemic accelerated changes that were already been building up tensions. Merrylue explains why today's work environment is no longer "your grandfather's workplace." [07:26] Why is it important to avoid overloading top performers? [11:16] What is one of the dangers of top performers quitting? It tends to be a domino effect. After all, these are people their peers look up to. [13:40] What are stay interviews? What are some of the advantages stay interviews have over exit interviews? [17:20] Respect is defined differently by different people. Sally and Leroy's answer to the question, "What is it that would be most respectful to you," could not be further from each other. [20:15] What are the 3Rs that can be used to retain talent? Requirements, Rewards, and Respect. [24:16] CASE: Sandy works in the film industry in LA. She feels like she doesn't get enough respect at work, so despite the excellent pay, she dreads her working hours. [27:52] CASE: Jim works for a start-up company. Unlike Sandy, Jim isn't paid that much, but Jim loves his work. He is always looking forward to going to work, and that is because he feels like he is being treated like gold. [29:34] My Quest for the Best lightning round begins. [34:56] Expert Bio Merrylue Martin is a celebrated leadership strategist with decades of successfully working with global leaders and business owners of all types and sizes to make their employees feel uniquely respected, appreciated, fulfilled, and engaged. The recent release of her new book, The Big Quit Survival Guide, has received rave reviews and best-seller status in Amazon’s Office Management category. As a Fortune 50 senior executive, educational administrator, management consultant, and business owner, she has comprehensive experience in creating and delivering strategies that engage and retain top performers. Dr. Martin is an honored graduate of the Women’s Leadership program at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. Her doctorate in organizational leadership and published dissertation from Pepperdine University uncovered the research that resulted in business and leadership practices that directly drive an employee’s decision t...
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    43 mins
  • The invaluable lessons contained in feedback with guest expert Chuck Mollor.
    May 1 2023
    Chuck Mollor, author of The Rise of the Agile Leader: Can You Make the Shift? Chuck Mollor and Bill Ringle discuss insights about how you can benefit from messages contained in feedback from 1:1s to 360s for small business leaders. >>> Visit MyQuestforTheBest.com for complete show notes and more expert advice and inspiring stories to propel your small business growth. My Quest for the Best is a top-rated small business podcast with over 300 episodes of thought-provoking and insightful interviews with today’s top thought leaders and business experts. Host Bill Ringle’s mission with this show is to provide the strategies, insights, and resources that will unlock the growth potential of your business through these powerful conversations. Interview Insights Top 3 Takeaways When our business grows, so do our responsibilities. As leaders, we need to learn how to change where we spend our time, delegate obligations, and know when to hire external help. Receiving 360 feedback will give us words that can hurt us. But feedback is critical because we might be 100% assured that we are competent enough with a job that sometimes we need our people to point out when and where we're falling short. When our own people are hesitant to share their honest feedback even when asked, that is a sign of lack of trust and an urgent matter we need to fix. Read the Show Notes from this Episode Chuck talks about his greatest influence growing up, his best friend's father Frank, who is also a father figure to him. [01:44] Understanding how the size of our organization affects how we communicate and how we care about our people. [04:28] How does a manager's time shift as an organization grows? [07:31] The five drivers of growth: growth, direction, integrity, innovation, engagement, and urgency. [09:33] Recognizing when we're not doing our job and when to seek external help. [11:42] What can you learn from receiving 360 feedback that can make you a better leader?.[14:26] CASE: Mike and why lack of trust alarm bells sound if our people don't talk to us even when asked. [18:37] My Quest for the Best lightning round begins. [26:22] Expert Bio Chuck Mollor is the founder, CEO, advisor, and executive coach at MCG Partners, an organization that helps develop leaders and teams, optimizing both businesses and individual talent. His new book and best-selling book, The Rise of the Agile Leader: Can You Make the Shift?, is a guide for the aspiring, mid, and seasoned c-leader and executive that introduces a new leadership paradigm, a roadmap of what makes a great leader, and what organizations must do to develop great leaders. Contact Info and Social Media for Chuck Mollor Primary website Travels from: Middleboro, MA Connect on: Twitter | LinkedIn Resources Mentioned During the Interview Below are key people, places, books, quotes, websites and other resources that we discussed, so you can explore further. Item1 Published by Chuck Mollor
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    30 mins
  • A published book changes lives for the author and their readers with guest expert Chandler Bolt
    Apr 17 2023
    Chandler Bolt, author of Published: The Proven Path From Blank Page To 10,000 Copies Sold Bill Ringle and Chandler Bolt discuss the top obstacles and paths to becoming a published author based on 6,000 success stories at Self Publishing School for ambitious SMB leaders. >>> Visit MyQuestforTheBest.com for complete show notes and more expert advice and inspiring stories to propel your small business growth. My Quest for the Best is a top-rated small business podcast with over 400 episodes of thought-provoking and insightful interviews with today’s top thought leaders and business experts. Host Bill Ringle’s mission with this show is to provide the strategies, insights, and resources that will unlock the growth potential of your business through these powerful conversations. Interview Insights Top 3 Takeaways Push hard for your dreams, and even harder when people tell you that you can't make it. Do not wait for the perfect time to write a book. Write now or you might write never. Push yourself and test whether something is possible or not. Read the Show Notes from this Episode His brother Seth, who plays bass in Grammy-nominated rock band NEEDTOBREATHE, inspired Chandler to reach hard for his dreams even when people tell him it's impossible. [01:13] A New York Times article quoted a survey that found that 81% of people want to write a book, but only 1% actually do. Chandler details why for some people, someday becomes never. [03:07] How can you help aspiring authors overcome internal conflicts that prevent them from getting through their first drafts? [04:42] What are the four most common reasons why people write books? Passion, shared experience, becoming a full-time author, and growing your business. [06:38] What would you say to debunk the myth that if we share our experience and knowledge in writing, people won't need us anymore and why generosity is the key to business growth and longevity? [07:59] When your first self-published book didn't exactly rake in the success and the money you expected, how did meeting SAM through your book manager help? Every self-published author needs to know what SAM represents.[10:38] Why was copy writing pivotal for you when you released your first book and had $15,000 in credit card debt? [12:43] Why do expert authors need to approach marketing like a Toyota Camry, not like a Lamborghini? [14:51] How does the Amazon algorithm and a series of steps to use "Amazon juice" to get your book more readers and recommendations? [21:06] My Quest for the Best lightning round begins. [24:44] Expert Bio Chandler Bolt is the author of Published, The Proven Path From Blank Page To 10,000 Copies Sold. As a seven-time bestselling author and CEO of Self-Publishing School and selfpublishing.com, Chandler knows exactly how instrumental writing books can be in sharing your message and even growing and scaling your business. His message is that you can't wait for the “perfect time” in life to get writing, the perfect time to get writing is now. Contact Info and Social Media for Chandler Bolt Primary website Travels from: Fort Myers, FL Connect on: Twitter | LinkedIn | Facebook | Instagram Resources Mentioned During the Interview Below are key people, places, books, quotes, websites, and other resources that we discussed, so you can explore further. Tony Robbins Oprah Grammys Think You Have a Book in You? Think Again by Joseph Epstein in the New York Times NEEDTOBREATHE Michael Hyatt 80/20 Sales and Marketing: The Definitive Guide to Working Less and Making More by Perry Marshall Published by Chandler Bolt
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    31 mins
  • Find your greater potential with guest expert Jim Wetrich
    Apr 10 2023
    Jim Wetrich, author of Stifled: Where Good Leaders Go Wrong Bill Ringle and Jim Wetrich discuss the traps and solutions to the causes of working in isolation, ignorance, and unawareness to gain greater clarity and effectiveness for small business leaders. >>> Visit MyQuestforTheBest.com for complete show notes and more expert advice and inspiring stories to propel your small business growth. My Quest for the Best is a top-rated small business podcast with over 400 episodes of thought-provoking and insightful interviews with today’s top thought leaders and business experts. Host Bill Ringle’s mission with this show is to provide the strategies, insights, and resources that will unlock the growth potential of your business through these powerful conversations. Interview Insights Top 3 Takeaways Managers should have a classification system for who should be back at the office, continue working remotely, or work hybrid, and must be very clear-cut as to why because of the nature of these employees' or this department's job, they can be more efficient in this kind of work environment. Always be explicit about what you say. Any misinformation or misrepresentation of a process or path can capsize our credibility and demotivate our people. Fairness is not treating your people the same but based on their needs because some people need more assistance than others, while some need to be held more accountable. Remember that your employees are at different levels of the growth curve. Read the Show Notes from this Episode Jim got his first job as a grocery bagger for State Brothers and his first boss, David Gamon, made him realize that with the right leadership, work can be fun no matter what position you hold. [01:03] His former manager's influence seeped through his next, proving that in some cases, it is not enough to explain; it would be more efficient to demonstrate. [04:08] A big problem in today's work is that some people want things to go back to how they were before the pandemic lockdown while others fully embrace remote work. Each have their reasons. How can leaders handle this issue to benefit both the company and the employees? [07:15] A big problem for most remote managers is trusting that their employees are working. What are some of the best tips on how managers can better work with employees despite the physical distance. [11:25] CASE: Mike is a manager who failed to be explicit when discussing his promotion paths to his employees. As a result, expectations were crushed, and his credibility tanked. [16:10] The dangers of being a 'know-it-all' manager. Jim gives excellent points on why leaders should say, 'I don't know' more often. [18:51] My Quest for the Best lightning round begins. [25:50] Expert Bio James G. Wetrich, LFACHE is the CEO of The Wetrich Group of Companies and the author of Stifled: Where Good Leaders Go Wrong. His writing has also appeared in the 2021 anthology series Quitless: The Power of Persistence in Business and Life, a USA Today and WSJ best seller. Having led teams on three continents for more than 40 years and consulted with over 100 companies, Jim has seen great leaders who have thrived and ones that have failed. A noted expert in leadership, Jim’s leadership lessons are as highly sought after by today’s business students as they are among Baby Boomers. From 2006 to 2014, Jim built a team at Molnlycke Health Care that grew the revenue over 7 times and the EBITDA over 20 times creating over $1BN growth in enterprise value and taking the US business from number 5 to number 1 in the served market with an employee satisfaction index of over 95%. Jim is passionate about diversity and inclusion and hosted a two-day meeting for all women in the organization (not just high potentials) to discuss their unique challenges. As the founder and CEO of The Wetrich Group of Companies, Jim focuses now on coaching and mentorship and spre...
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    32 mins