Above The Business

This week on the Leadership Podcast, Andy Andrews - noted by Zig Ziglar as the “best speaker I have ever seen” -  joins Bradley to talk about truth, growing a business, and how challenges can become your hero journey.A few of the nuggets he shared in this episode are:Everyone says, “Don’t sweat the small stuff,” but all the small stuff adds up.  You’d better sweat it!How you choose to see things is truly perspective, and the good news is that it’s a choice!There is a difference between what is true to you and what truth actually is.Having a deeper understanding of something is different than having a deep understanding.

If you’ve ever been in a place with your business where you feel like everything is going right, you may view risk as your friend.  It seems like nothing can fail, so why not take your best shot, right?  Unfortunately, when you operate from this mindset, you are more likely to set yourself up for an unwelcome surprise.Instead, you should control risk by implementing a few simple practices. Find out what they are when you catch Episode 136: The Bottom Line - Risk.

In this episode, Bradley sits down with Rob Dubé to discuss The 10 Disciplines.  Rob is the author of donothing: the most rewarding leadership challenge you will ever take, a speaker, writer, podcaster, and hosts an annual mindfulness retreat for entrepreneurs.   Mastering the 10 Disciplines provided Rob the space in his life to hire a CEO to run imageOne allowing him to focus on making a greater impact in the world by helping entrepreneurs master their inner self. This proven process will enable you to create space in your life while managing and maximizing your energy.These 10 Disciplines include…Tend your thinkingTime offKnow thyselfBe stillKnow your 100%Say no oftenDon’t do 25 hour workPrepare every nightPut everything in one placeBe humbleIf you’re ready to unlock these disciplines in your life, listen to this episode!

Most of the business owners I meet are not great managers. While leadership is a journey, and quite a few of my clients are great leaders, the majority of owners in the world have a visionary approach. You may feel like you have “bright, shiny object syndrome,” and it can hurt your management abilities. Ask yourself these questions:“Do my team members accomplish my expectations?”Then, “Are my team members equipped and trained to do the tasks I expect?”Finally, “Are my team members aware of my expectations?”If you are unsure about any of these, or if the results in your business do not reflect your answers to those questions, listen for a simple managerial framework that you can use to grow your leadership.

This week on the leadership podcast, Carey Wallace joins Bradley to discuss buying and selling independent insurance agencies.  Carey is the founder of Agency Focus, and her business helps independent owners determine their value and put together a plan to sell or buy an agency.  In this episode, you’ll learn:The importance of building business assetsStrong, tight financialsEducating yourself on the process of buying or selling a businessYou’ll also learn many important terms around buying and selling businesses that you’ll need to know as you explore this opportunity.Over the past 14 years, Carey Wallace has worked with hundreds of independent insurance agencies helping them understand their agency’s value and turn that knowledge into an actionable plan for their future. Carey is a Certified Exit Planning Advisor, CEPA and provides a variety of business consulting services through the company she founded, Agency Focus, LLC.  Learn more about Carey’s agency when you visit www.agency-focus.com

As an owner, we’ve discussed protecting your confidence and giving your team your energy. Now, it’s time to give your business what it needs most: Thinking Time. Bradley has trained on this before, but it is more difficult to implement than it sounds.When you’re making decisions based on emotions or a “gut feeling,” we know that you’re not taking the time to think it through. This is where thinking about your business becomes important. Sound crazy? Listen to find out why!

This week on the Leadership Podcast, David Allen joins Bradley to discuss how you can actually begin Getting Things Done (GTD).  His system has helped over 2 million people accomplish more with ease and elegance through ​​clearing their mind and sharpening their focus.David’s 5 Steps to Getting Things Done are based on one simple principle: “Your mind is for having ideas, not holding them.”  He explains that your mind is for having ideas, but most owners expect their brains to “hold” ideas.  The fact of the matter is that your head is a crappy office.  It simply cannot hold everything you’re asking it to.If you’ve ever found yourself walking around with anxiety because everything you need to do is rolling around in your head, you’re probably not getting things done.  In fact, when you are thinking about everything and trying to handle it all at once, you aren’t going to be very productive.  David shares how to fix this.Finally, David recommends that you spend time thinking “of” things rather than about things.  This is similar to a principle from E-Myth that Bradley frequently quotes.  Another way to think about it is to work “on” your business rather than “in” your business.If you’re ready to get everything out of your brain and begin getting it all done, listen to this episode!Learn more about David Allen's international network of GTD coaches here: https://gettingthingsdone.com/

In this second installment of the 3 part M.I.T. series, Bradley talks about the most important thing you can do for your team. He shares how giving your energy to your team is crucial, and how you can show up as the best version of yourself for them.

This week on the Leadership Podcast, Bradley interviews Richard Fenton and Andrea Walton. Richard and Andrea are the founders of Courage Crafters, Inc., and the authors of the best-selling book, Go for No! They speak internationally, teaching business, sales, and entrepreneurial audiences how to overcome their fear of rejection and achieve extraordinary sales success by hearing 'no' more often.In this episode, they address mindset issues around failure and receiving a “no.” Richard shared his experience of a closed sale that was more expensive than he was used to.  He felt successful until his supervisor asked him when his client said “no.”  Richard realized that he didn’t ever get a no, and that he had left money on the table due to his mindset.This moment began Richard’s journey to developing the philosophy of going for no.  He and Andrea train people how to improve sales by overcoming their fear of failure.  When you internalize failure, you will cripple yourself as a salesperson.Learn how to set “no” goals as you develop your sales skills in this episode!Learn more about Club Capital's services for insurance agencies at www.club.capitalGet your copy of "Go For NO!" when you visit https://www.goforno.com/

As a business owner or entrepreneur, what is the most important thing (M.I.T) for yourself? Bradley shares why protecting your confidence is #1, and how you can do that.