In The Trenches

Damon Burton is a remarkable figure who, nearly two decades ago, outsmarted a billion-dollar company by outranking their website on Google. This victory was just the beginning for Damon, who went on to author a best-selling SEO book and establish “SEO National”, an international search engine marketing firm that boasts clients like NBA teams and businesses featured on Inc 5000 and Shark Tank. In today's episode, we talk about dealing with the challenges of rapid growth and evolving team dynamics, as Damon unveils how to maintain quality and intentionality in an age where AI threatens to over-simplify the complexities of SEO. In this broadcast, Damon Burton and I talk about: [00:00:00] Introduction to Damon Burton, the start of his entrepreneurial journey  [00:07:08] Benefits and risks with Damon’s slow and steady approach to building and growing his business  [00:11:20] How detailed documentation and SOPs can simplify the hiring process, and what questions Damon uses in the hiring process [00:14:

Danny Flood is a vibrant individual whose life experience spans a range of diverse chapters, all encapsulating an adventurous spirit and a penchant for non-traditional living. About eight years ago, you would have found him in the bustling city of Bangkok, living a life many only dream of. A pioneer in the realm of location independence, Flood was immersing himself in the digital nomad lifestyle, long before it gained mainstream recognition.   As a young man, Danny was no stranger to structure and discipline, having served in the military – an experience that shaped him in many ways. Following his service, he sought to expand his horizons and attended the Art Institute, where he earned a degree in advertising. This conventional path, which typically leads to a corporate career, didn’t quite align with Danny's ambitions.   Facing what he called a quarter-life depression, Flood was confronted with the daunting prospect of 40 years tethered to an office desk, a future that seemed an ill fit for his free spirit.

Noah Kagan is the founder of AppSumo, dubbed the premier software deal site for solopreneurs, and 8 other million-dollar businesses. He is an entrepreneur with a keen eye for unique business angles and the innate ability to transform the ordinary into extraordinary revenue streams. In his book “Million Dollar Weekend”, Kagan brought to light the company's behind-the-scenes strategies.  These insightful revelations cemented Kagan's reputation as an innovative storyteller in the digital marketplace. His approach is laced with a no-nonsense attitude, challenging others to look within and extract their unique selling points.  Noah's story exemplifies how, with the right perspective, even the commonplace elements of a business can be repackaged into bestsellers, encouraging entrepreneurs to reexamine the overlooked facets of their operations for hidden gems of opportunity. In this broadcast, Noah Kagan and I talk about (timestamps): [00:00:00] Introduction to Noah Kagan and his book “Million Dollar Weekend” [

Robbie Samuels is an accomplished networking expert who has dedicated over a decade to teaching people the art of networking at conferences and events. After years of balancing his day job with speaking engagements, Robbie took the bold step of quitting his job to focus on networking full-time. This led him to create his own podcast, "On the Schmooze," which he has been hosting since its launch in 2016. In 2017, Robbie released his first book, which focused on networking events and became a valuable resource for professionals seeking to build meaningful connections. His expertise and contributions didn't stop there - Robbie ran a successful group coaching program, authored articles for Harvard Business Review, and was even invited to give a TEDx talk. Everything seemed to be falling into place for Robbie, however, just two months after his TEDx talk was published in January 2020, the pandemic struck, and the world shifted. Suddenly, networking became a challenge as everyone found themselves confined to t

Jane Duncan Rogers is an accomplished author, entrepreneur, and award-winning Life and Death coach. She is passionate about creating a world where dying, death, and grief are considered a natural, normal, and nourishing part of the conversation, with end-of-life plans becoming as commonplace as birth plans.  In today's conversation, we dive into Jane's journey from a self-published book to a thriving 6-figure business. We explore her experiences in the longevity space, her personal memoir, "Gifted by Grief," and the birth of her company, Before I Go Solutions. Jane shares her insights on end of life planning, the importance of leaving a legacy, and the training she offers for individuals interested in becoming end of life plan facilitators. I hope you enjoy today's conversation, and if you do, please share this interview with others, and leave a review on iTunes, Spotify, or wherever else you're listening to this. [00:00:00] Introduction to Jane Duncan Rogers and the story of how she wrote and published he

Nicholas Todd Bullock (NT Bullock) is the founder of Sequential Pictures. He is a filmmaker who discovered his passion for creating videos long before the advent of YouTube. In the mid-90s, he got hold of his father's camcorder and fell in love with capturing moments on camera. Despite the limitations of the time, like the absence of editing software like Final Cut Pro or access to free training and tutorials (again -- this was pre-YouTube), Bullock persevered. He worked multiple jobs to save up for a computer and a video capture card, recorded tons of skits and short films with his friends, and eventually published his work online -- and went viral with one of his first parodies published on youtube: "STAR WARS: A Lost Hope". Since then, he's filmed and produced dozens of short films, parodies, and skits, as well as feature films. In today's conversation, Todd shares his 'origin story', how he got started in film, what inspired him to create and publish these skits and parodies, what the reception has been,

  Justin Brooks is the founder of Adskills.com, the world's largest online school for digital advertising. His company teaches advertisers how to install proven campaign frameworks and training the next generation of media buyers and connecting them with great clients or jobs.   Today, we’re gonna dive into his experiments and forays into “pay what you want” pricing, what he loves about it, what has worked well, and also what hasn’t.   In this broadcast, Justin and I talk about:   Justin’s company AdSkills and how long he’s been in the business of selling courses What payment model he prefers to use when delivering his services Justin’s foray into “pay what you want” pricing How the “pay what you want” pricing model surpassed “free plus shipping” in a split test and what happened when he introduced “bump selling” Some of his other findings from the split test experiments How he utilized “pay what you want” to boost sales and draw in customers at a coffee shop meetup What is Justin’s philosophy beh

  Art Bell is the former TV executive who founded The Comedy Channel, which became Comedy Central. He continued his television career as President of CourtTV. After Art left the TV business, he took some writing courses and found he loved writing. Constant Comedy: How I Started Comedy Central and Lost My Sense of Humour is his first book, not counting a humor book he wrote with a couple other guys while at Comedy Central.   Today, Art and I are going to talk about creative processes, the business of comedy, and the up and down journey that entrepreneurs and creatives go through.   In this broadcast, Art and I talk about:   Art’s journey to finding what he actually wanted to do for his career The inspiration behind his book Constant Comedy: How I Started Comedy Central and Lost My Sense of Humour Why you need to use every skill in your toolkit, no matter the job How Art managed the leaps between professions The importance of knowing and believing that your idea is inevitable and how to use that knowl

  David Jenyns is the author of SYSTEMology, host of the Business Systems Simplified podcast and a serial business owner. Recognised as a high achieving businessman, you will find many of his keynotes on YouTube.   In today’s episode, David and I discuss his proprietary 7-step process for systemizing your business. We break down the method for those looking to turn an early startup success into a repeatable process that can scale with you and your business. Because if you don’t have systems, you don’t have a business. Period.     In this broadcast, David and I talk about:   How the renowned Michael Gerber changed David’s business adventure The benefits of applying a systematic approach to starting a business Why you need to consider working on projects for free  Linearity of business growth and why is it important Identifying and understanding the values of being a system thinker Embracing systems and processes to systemize your business (even if you’re not tech savvy) David’s go-to process for ev

  Chris Prefontaine 3- time best-selling author, founder and CEO of SmartRealEstateCoach.com and host of the Smart Real Estate Coach Podcast. Chris founded Smart Real Estate Coach in 2014, bringing in his son Nick, daughter Kayla, and son-in-law Zachary to help grow the company. Chris and his team coach investors on how to properly scale and automate their real estate investing businesses throughout North America, without using their own cash, credit, or taking out bank loans to buy a property. Chris and his family buy and sell homes in their own market every month and then mentor, coach, and consult students and associates all around North America to do the exact same thing.   I brought Chris onto the podcast today to talk about how to invest in real estate with no capital. Not only that, but Chris shares pretty much everything you need to know about real estate in 2020 and beyond.    In this broadcast, Chris and I talk about:   The low-down on how Chris broke into a saturated industry Effective real

  Michael Neeley is an authority strategist, business mentor and podcasting veteran. Along with hosting many podcasts, Michael is a writer, a motivational speaker, a personal development coach, and the creator of the transformational program The Art of Forgetting.    In today’s conversation, Michael and I discuss the ins and outs of starting a podcast in 2020 from tax write offs to gaining tremendous traction relatively quickly. If you’re thinking about starting a podcast, then grab a pen and paper and take some notes.   In this broadcast, Michael and I talk about:   How have podcasts changed from 2003-2020 Why 2020 is the perfect year to start a podcast Clever ways to set the initial focus of your podcast The best way to plan your podcast episodes in advance Michael’s top recommendations regarding podcast sponsorships and advertising How to make money from your podcast The low down on tax write offs for podcasters Embracing evergreen content rather than hot button content Michael’s traction boo

  David McKnight is the founder of McKnight Image Lab and the author of The Zen Executive Presence. He is an image consultant and professional coach who specializes in helping ambitious and busy professionals craft and leverage their personal image and brand to generate wealth, success and confidence.   In today’s broadcast, David and I discuss where style and leadership intersect and how to leverage your appearance and presence to get promotions, grow your business, and be more confident in social settings.   In this broadcast, David and I talk about:   David’s incredible journey from stylist to consultant Using your appearance to differentiate yourself from the competition The importance of using your image and style intentionally to signal confidence, credibility and capability The four aspects of your clothing that you need to be aware of What is the most powerful item you can have in your wardrobe Understanding and implementing David’s “Triangle of Power” David’s explanation of the four pilla

  Daniel Scrivner is the CEO of Flow, which is a project management software. Previously he was the Head of Design at Digit and Square. He's worked for some of the most respected brands in the world including Apple, Nike, Disney, and Target.   In today’s broadcast, Daniel and I discuss how someone who worked at Apple and Square was able to take his accrued knowledge into different spaces and into his own company. We dive into many topics ranging from design to creative thinking in general.     In this broadcast, Daniel and I talk about:   The thing that sparked Daniel’s love for design Daniel’s take on the idea of a “silver bullet” to success Why you need to put in reps to establish soft skills of business and design How Daniel navigated unexpected career paths and the fear of failure The simple reason why Daniel feels uncomfortable when comfortable How Daniel still uses insights he gained from working at Apple and Square in his business Daniel’s creative process of “wide-open exploration” when st

  Nathan Hirsch is a serial entrepreneur and expert in remote hiring and e-commerce. He is the founder and CEO of FreeeUp.com and the co-founder and COO of Portlight. Nathan is an expert at building efficient systems and processes, sales strategies, and business management.    In today’s broadcast, Nathan Hirsch takes us behind-the-scenes of his acquisition and investment journey and he shares his bootstrap strategies to grow his business into a multimillion-dollar business in a little less than 4 years.    In this broadcast, Nathan and I talk about:   How Nathan began his entrepreneurial journey using the Amazon Marketplace Behind the scenes of Nathan’s acquisition journey How Nathan figured out what to prioritize in his business Where did Nathan know to put his effort when it came to software Nathan’s strategies to get his business “sales” ready The best rules of thumb when it comes to hiring developers How you can make your business a business that someone wants to buy The top 2 things Nathan

  Jovana Miljanovic was born and raised in Serbia. She built a brick and mortar style business where she ran in-person workshops from scratch and then pivoted to helping people around the world through her virtual education platform. Now Jovana helps women start and scale their businesses online, and she hosts her own podcast, the Jovana Miljanovic Podcast on YouTube.   In this broadcast, Jovana Miljanovic walks us through how to build your business in 2020 from scratch, regardless of the constantly shifting economic and social landscape that we’re all in. She also shares why you need to prioritize doing things that make you uncomfortable (in business and life) and how to stick to your goals for an extended period of time.   In this broadcast, Jovana and I talk about:   Behind the scenes of Jovana’s entrepreneurial journey The positives of bartering your services during the start-up phase to kick start your business How Jovana realized she needed to support women in business The reason why Jovana shi

  Danny Iny is the founder and CEO of Mirasee and best-selling author of nine published books, including Leveraged Learning, Teach and Grow Rich, The Audience Revolution, and Engagement from Scratch!. He is the host of the Business Reimagined Podcast and is also the creator of the acclaimed Course Builder’s Laboratory training program, which provides all the instruction, coaching, and support that entrepreneurs need to build and launch a profitable online course.   I’ve had Danny on the podcast before where he shared how to grow a 7-figure business. If you want to hear his backstory, go ahead and give episode 44 a listen.   In today’s broadcast, Danny Iny walks us through the ins and outs of e-learning (what it is, how it works, how the e-learning industry is growing and changing, and how to take advantage of it by creating and selling courses online).   In this broadcast, Danny and I talk about:   The low-down on eCourses from 2015 to 2020 Danny’s top 2 tips so you can start making a meaningful amou

  David Hassel is a serial entrepreneur and the co-founder and CEO of 15Five, which is what he views as his opportunity to help organizations and individuals reach their potential and become ‘organizationally-actualized’. He and his team have developed industry leading people management software to drive high performance for over 2000 customers via a suite of features, including weekly check ins.   I brought David onto the podcast today to talk about how to transition into remote work and optimize the online working space. This conversation is geared towards leaders, managers and owners who now find themselves being thrust into managing a remote team. We also talk about ways that you can optimize your remote work, even if your team is distributed across the world.   In this broadcast, David and I talk about:   How did David get to into the entrepreneurial lifestyle Was David’s company always focused on remote work What should you implement to make remote work effective How can you provide a sense of

  Edward Kay works with associations who are frustrated by the inability to get digital and web technology working for them. Clients come to him who are struggling with terrible website-to-membership-database integration, lack of member self-service and important data isolated in unconnected systems. Edward is passionate about making tech deliver for membership organisations and associations.   On this week’s episode, I sit down with Edward Kay, a membership technology specialist and the founder of Tall Projects, which provides digital services for membership organizations and associations. I brought Edward on the call to talk about his journey into freelancing; specifically how he keeps his operation lean, how he moved away from trading time for money to a recurring revenue subscription model, and why it’s so important to niche down and then maybe niche down some more.   My big takeaway from this episode is that the crux of success is discipline work. And that it’s completely possible to land great clie

  Samir Patel is the founder and managing partner of Trophy Point Investment Group. He bought his first hotel when he was a junior in college. Samir has successfully served as an officer in the US Army serving as the chief operations officer of a 1,000 person organization. He has engaged in real estate transactions/investments, acquisition of businesses and creating businesses for 10 years.   In today’s episode, Samir and I discuss how to mitigate downside risk by spotting financial liabilities and closing them up and more broadly, handling the chaos.    In this broadcast, Samir and I talk about:   How does Samir turn companies around Where did Samir’s entrepreneurship journey begin How did Westpoint shape Samir’s business mindset How was Samir able to handle his side hustles while on active duty What caused Samir to pursue business ventures full-time What it’s like to turn around after bankruptcy The importance of honesty and knowing when to let people go The importance of communication and aski

Gaetano Caruana is the founder of EarlyParrot, which is a referral marketing software that has helped hundreds of businesses generate high-quality leads through referrals. EarlyParrot was built out of a need and soon evolved into a flexible platform that can be plugged into any sales firm.   Today, I sit down with Gaetano Caruana to discuss how to grow your email list and scale your revenue with an automated referral marketing system. I know that sounds like a lot, but it’s truly not that complex. We’ll also dive into how easy it is, how profitable it can be, how a referral program can increase your brand awareness and customer loyalty, why referrals are typically higher quality leads and why that matters to you and your business. Gaetano will also share how referral programs lower the cost of acquisition and so much more.   My big takeaway for this episode is for you to listen to the part where we talk about exclusivity. Now, I’m just going to leave it at that. You’ll have to listen to the rest of the ep