Grow A Small Business Podcast

For this week's QFF episode, Rob interviews Gail Kasper, a speaker, TV host, and author. She's based in Los Angeles, California. She has an organization called Gail Kasper Television, a communication-to-training organization. She uses her amalgamation of experiences to assist her listeners in achieving executive-level sales and communication. All of us fear something, fear of success, fear of rejection, fear of abandonment, etc. Specializing in being logical rather than emotional; Gail Kasper helps small-medium business owners with her creation which she calls, the Systematic Attitude Development Technique; a technique that trains business owners to not be overwhelmed by emotional response, and to act logically rather than emotionally. For small-medium business owners that are coming to work on Monday morning, Gail implied to ask their employees, "Why are they here?" Gail asks her employees that because she values the belief in the product that her employees have a passion for, will take the company a long way. Because you can't be standing by yourself, you need an army. This Cast Covers: Gail Kasper, is a speaker, TV host, and author. The motivation element. Not letting fear consume the better of you. Making sure everything is going according to plan. Being logical instead of being emotional. Systemic attitude development techniques. Focusing on one thing at a time. Capitalizing on opportunities based on logic rather than emotions. The value of having a consultant and a coach. Assembling a team that will support your business. Links: Gail's Linkedin Gail's Website Gail's Twitter Additional Resources: Unstoppable: 6 Easy Steps to Achieve Your Goals by Gail Kasper Quotes: "If we stop ourselves before even getting started, then we've just failed." — Gail Kasper. "Many times in life, it's right when we're on the verge of success that we decide that we're going to quit." — Gail Kasper. "The leaders got to be like, just like a coach on a team." — Gail Kasper. "A belief in the product that you have a passion for that is going to take any company over the top." — Gail Kasper. "You can't be standing in it by yourself. You need that army with you that can support your efforts." — Gail Kasper.

In this episode, Troy interviews Victor Purlnik, who's based in Berlin, Germany. Victor's the founder of a company named Trustshoring. A company that helps companies without technical leadership launch and scale their business with remote developers from Eastern Europe. Helping over 300 startups and businesses. Realized his passion isn't in programming but in referring people to people and teams that they can work with despite being a freelance web developer at the ripe old age of 14, he started Trustshoring, bootstrapped, and self-funded, in 2016, at the age of 23. Now growing 50-60% year over year on average, earning half a million US dollars per month or 6 million a year. In the field of remote work, trust is an important factor to create a healthy culture inside his business. For example, not using any monitoring tools that record screens. Victor said, "I think people appreciate it if you put your trust in them … because when people feel unsafe, they can't perform." This Cast Covers: Victor starting out as a freelance web designer. When and why he started his company, Trustshoring. Outsourcing for talent capable of taking on the job. How Victor funded Trustshoring. Fast decision-making. Providing clarity to your people, helping them make better decisions on their own. Positive effect of putting trust in your people. Learning through different business coaches. Keeping it together, is the hardest thing in growing a small business. Building an audience for your business. Links: Victor's Linkedin Victor's Company Website Victor's Twitter Additional Resources: The Ultimate Sales Machine: Turbocharge Your Business with Relentless Focus on 12 Key Strategies by Chet Holmes Thinking in Bets: Making Smarter Decisions When You Don't Have All the Facts by Annie Duke Quotes: "When you run your own company, you obviously see who's a great fit for you." — Victor Purolnik. "For me, that sort of success is when I can, … when I don't have to ask permission when I can sustain myself." — Victor Purolnik. "Fast decision-making, having to make decisions on the spot about what to do and not regretting them later." — Victor Purolnik. "Trust … people appreciate it if you put your trust in them." — Victor Purolnik. "When people feel unsafe, they can't perform." — Victor Purolnik.

In this episode, Troy interviews Joe Rockey, he's involved with multiple real estate entities as an owner or equity partner. Joe's based in Pittsburgh, United States of America. He graduated with a degree in Accounting and Finance from Duquesne University, because he believed every business needs to know how to get money, and financing is one of the ways of doing it. In the middle of some form of economic recession. Joe was a financial advisor at AXA Equitable before diving into the world of real estate. He started flipping houses, earning $3 million at the end of the third year. Shortly after, Joe decided to commit to the rental model; now, handling 40 units, almost on the fly with little to no stress. On day one of starting out; according to Joe, it is critical for a small-medium business owner to have a strong mentality, that you're going to stick with the vision you have in mind. "It's going to work. Just believe in yourself at work." This Cast Covers: Who is Joe Rockey? How Troy and Joe knew each other? Field of business Joe Rockey is present in. The collapse of Lehman Brothers. Joe Rockey's origin story. The concept of house flipping. Taking calculated risks in making expenses. Communicating effectively with people involved in the business. Handling a business with mental endurance. Upsides of believing in yourself. Links: Joe's Linkedin Joe's YouTube Joe's Podcast Additional Resources: Extreme Ownership: How U.S. Navy SEALs Lead and Win by Jocko Willink The Millionaire Real Estate Agent by Gary Keller The 4-Hour Workweek: Escape 9-5, Live Anywhere, and Join the New Rich by Timothy Ferriss Quotes: "You make six cents a can, you make a billion cans, everyone's happy. I'd rather make one can and make a billion off of it." —Joe Rockey "Do not be afraid of expenses. Most people bottle themselves up and ruin their profitability because of fear of expenses." —Joe Rockey "Communication. You got to be able to communicate with people effectively." —Joe Rockey "You're going to deal with a lot of things that are going to tell you, no, I mean, there's just no way around that." —Joe Rockey "Just believe in yourself at work … you need to have confidence and can't be foolhardy." —Joe Rockey

In this week's Quick Fire Friday episode, Rob interviews Jessica Kriegel based in Sacrameto, California, United States. Jessica is a Chief Scientist of Workplace Culture at Culture Partners, leading research and strategy on best practices in workplace culture. Managing a firm without the best participation of your own staff may be challenging; here is where culture can become beneficial and should be addressed. Jessica helps company owners execute their own strategy and purpose for business transformation, such as recognizing the necessary activities, beliefs to apply, and experiences to generate. Jessica has demonstrated via strategy and purpose that having a meaningful and quantifiable culture can add glitter to the business's image and help them obtain the greatest outcomes from the services they provided. She feels that culture is the finest tool we have for shaping our views for a better future. This Cast Covers: Who is Jessica Kriegel Expert in culture and managing people. Leading research and strategy around workplace culture. Helps organizations of all sizes across all verticals across the globe Having a fortune 10 company client. Helping clients in a three-year cultural journey. Understanding the impact of the business in the community. Helping the organization achieve its goals and understand the context in which decisions are getting made. Building a business with a good purpose. Come in with a framework that helps people align culture to their customized strategy. Links: Jessica's Linkedin Additional Resources: Culture Partners Quotes: "If people are blank enough, then culture is usually the answer to that problem." "Everything is driven through purpose and strategy." "Whatever it is you're trying to achieve, all of these things can be accomplished through culture." —Jessica Kriegel "Culture is the experience that we have, that shape our beliefs." —Jessica Kriegel "Understand the needed actions, what beliefs needs to have, and what experiences need to create."

In this episode, I interview Greg Ramsay, the Founder, and CEO of The NZ Whisky Collection based in Hobart, Australia. Greg has set up his own business together with his two business partners to flourish the Whisky industry around the country. With over 10 years of golfing experience and a keen interest in whisky, Greg has decided to build a ready-made whisky business to share its history to people and develop his passion and happiness. The NZ Whisky Collection was established in 2011 and has been running for over 11 years. Growing 67% a year in sales for the first few years with over 3 FTEs. Greg has said that growing a small business requires resilience and thick skin in order to help make more progress in growing a small business. So he says "I couldn't have done anything but the mind businessman I just wouldn't be good in a nine-to-five job, and but a lot of other people you're going into business you've got to resilience." This Cast Covers: He worked in consulting firms like golf, whisky, and tourism projects and businesses for 11 years together with Troy Trewin. Expert in visionary leadership and management. Buying a cashflow-ready whisky product. Reinventing the brands and opening up a lot more sales channels around the world. 10 years of exporting products in 300 stores abroad. Qualified as a single malt master class barman. Got a job with a Golf Management Company and worked in 26 states. Growing 67% a year in sales for the first few years. Got 360 fabulous investors that joined along the journey of building a distillery. Flourishing the Whisky industry around the country. Links: Greg's Linkedin Greg' Facebook Additional Resources: The NZ Whisky Collection The E Myth Revisited by Michael Gerber Quotes: "Success is a sense of peace and harmony." —Greg Ramsay "Don't get too fussy with money coming inside the door but get fussy when you're putting it out." —Greg Ramsay "You can never control your income, you can just do your best at it." —Greg Ramsay "Put the right people behind visions to avoid misconceptions. —Greg Ramsay "Make sure that everything is visible around and you don't lock yourself away." —Greg Ramsay

In this GASB Podcast episode, Troy interviews George Liu, founder of Gym Pillars, he's based in Los Angeles, United States of America, but he was born in Japan and raised in China. Then moving to the U.S. at the age of 10. Growing up George had a hard time looking at himself in the mirror, he had issues with his self-esteem. That's what led him to design – Health Marketing Entrepreneurship, his college major. The concept of fitness, self-improvement, and disciple was heavily embedded in George's mind, he bravely started his company bootstrapped; Gym Pillars, empowering gym owners and changing lives through health and fitness. Although he was temporarily hindered by the impact of the pandemic, it didn't stop him. Making a comeback in April of 2022, hitting the $100,000-a-month mark. In George's fast business growth journey, he recommends "double down and build a strong foundation and focus on word of mouth." Because of the power of word of mouth or in simple words, referrals; It functions with or without you putting effort into it, giving you sales without chasing the new shiny customer, a powerful marketing feature that most small-medium business owners neglect. This Cast Covers: George's different life experiences that led him to fitness. Starting Gym Pillars and how it makes money. Ikigai, Japanese for a reason of being. Building a strong foundation and focusing on the power of word of mouth. Overcoming the frustration of learning to do something for the first time. Marketing the product is the most important in business. Focusing on one thing and one thing only. Fulfilling your end of the terms when hiring a person. Having a clear understanding of whom you're hiring. The vitality of a leader's self-awareness. Links: George's Linkedin George's Facebook George's Website Additional Resources: DotCom Secrets: The Underground Playbook for Growing Your Company Online by Russell Brunson Quotes: "What success means is this … doing what you love, what you're good at, what you can get paid for, and also doing something that you believe the world needs." — George Liu. "Double down and build a strong foundation and focus on word of mouth." — George Liu. "Learning how to do something for the first time, … the frustration that came along with it, it was extremely painful." — George Liu. "You need to nail down the product you needed to develop. You need to build better results, and you have to show people how much you care." — George Liu. "The business is a reflection of you, for you to assume ownership and be willing to look in the mirror. That's one of the most effective ways for you to grow your business." — George Liu. Music from https://filmmusic.io "Cold Funk" by Kevin MacLeod https://incompetech.com. License: CC by http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0

In this week's Quick Fire Friday episode, Michael interviews David Dilger. David is a specialized employment and safety lawyer in Edge Legal's newly formed Employment & Safety practice and is based in Hobart, Australia. David's role is to assist managers in becoming effective managers. Growing a business requires knowledge to become accountable, and applying a process approach to something fundamentally a people game is putting the wagon before the horse. David has developed a people-first mindset that he can apply to everything he does. Such as self-awareness on how you manage people. Through proper observation and dealing with different personalities, David has mastered managing conflicts with people and becoming a good manager. For he believes that If you don't understand people, you don't understand business. This Cast Covers: Who is David Dilger? Discussing the importance of understanding people. Known mutual people over many years and working together with Michael. Spending a lot of time training managers on how to manage people. Been a lawyer by trade. Did an MBA program with an emphasis on human resource management. Worked for an employer rep for the TCCI. Became a state winner and national finalist of a franchise network. Sharing the people-first mentality that you can use in all you do. Changed away from being pure legal advisers to managing people and assisting businesses. Links: David's Linkedin Additional Resources: Edge Legal Quotes: "Growing a business requires knowledge to become accountable." —David Dilger "Once you know how they behave, what basically floats their boat, you will become a more effective manager." —David Dilger "When you have unnecessary or unmanaged conflict, you need to break the shackles." —David Dilger "If you don't understand people, you don't understand business." —David Dilger "A focus has got to be tailored, the focus has to be tailored, or otherwise, you're just wasting your time." —David Dilger Music from https://filmmusic.io "Cold Funk" by Kevin MacLeod https://incompetech.com License: CC by http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0

In this GASB episode, Troy interviews Jodie Nevid, the founder of The Seven Effect. She's based in Adelaide, Australia. Jodie had a humble beginning doing business in their family's driveway at the age of 10 selling her old toys and show bags. She was in the corporate world for a while, but shortly after she went back to doing business because it's her passion. In 2014, she launched The Seven Effect, a coaching, and education company. Specializing in helping working women, assisting them in the leap from employee to entrepreneur. The Seven Effect is composed of a team with 10 people, 6 of whom are FTEs. They're earning $550,000 a year and are on track to a million by the end of next year. Of course, her success story wasn't all smooth-sailing. She faced obstacles and complications. Jodie read and studied the 80/20 principle, which asserts that a minority of causes should lead to a majority of results; a good reminder for small-business owners to simplify things and not overwork themselves. This Cast Covers: The Seven Effect is a coaching and education company. Jodie's different businesses before The Seven Effect. Jodie's passion for business. The Seven Effect's growth. The 80/20 principle. The freedom that growing a small business brings. Planning and goal setting, are what every business owner should develop. Building a kickass culture with the four fundamentals. Handling a business partner exiting. Business owners remind themselves to have fun. Links: Jodie's Linkedin Jodie's Company Jodie's Twitter Additional Resources: Building a StoryBrand by Donald Miller What Is the Pareto Principle—aka the Pareto Rule or 80/20 Rule? Quotes: "The big lesson is in your greatest losses." — Jodie Nevid "Often they're riddled with fear or overwhelmed or confused about how to make their first six figures." — Jodie Nevid. "The hardest part is hiring employees who wanted a job, not a career." — Jodie Nevid. "Not just reading, but truly studying the 80/20 principle and implementing it into your life." — Jodie Nevid. "Every business owner should have a life plan as well as a business plan. Because if you don't, your business becomes your life." — Jodie Nevid. Music from https://filmmusic.io "Cold Funk" by Kevin MacLeod https://incompetech.com. License: CC by http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0

In this episode, Troy interviews Jye Smith, founder of DOUBLE STAR CO. He's based in Sydney, Australia. Jye has a background in communications and was working as a PwC for less than 18 months, and currently the president of Vibewire, a non-profit org. Acting on his realization to build his own advertising agency thinking he could do it better himself. Jye Smith founded DOUBLE STAR CO, a unique brand and design agency, that gives brands a voice, a style, and an identity. Earning over $1.2 million last year with 7 FTEs, an increase of 66% in growth, and 20% in margin. As per Jye, building a sustainable and kickass culture to help grow the business is understanding how to assemble your team. Meditating on what is needed to kickstart the team such as understanding each other's communication styles. To gain the desired result for your business. This Cast Covers: The identity of Jye Smith. Having experience working in a progressive accounting firm. How Troy and Jye knew each other. Key numbers that illustrate DOUBLESTAR CO's growth. Focusing more on improving margins, rather than growing the top line and team. What foundation should culture be built on. The importance of autonomy in a business especially in your staff. Adapting to the ever-changing standard of a fast-growing business. Hiring people who think like you. Understanding how to assemble your team together. Links: Jye's Linkedin Jye's Twitter Jye's Company Additional Resources: The McKinsey Way by Ethan Rasiel Quotes: "If you can't see your way out, then the best thing you can always do is to ask for advice." — Jye Smith. "But the worst thing they can do is not think about things themselves." — Jye Smith. "Try to work out where you want to be in six months and think about what you can do today to make sure that happens." — Jye Smith. "Don't get caught up in being reactive. Don't be caught up in being emotional." — Jye Smith. "Help everyone understand communication styles because everyone reads things wrong these days." — Jye Smith. Music from https://filmmusic.io "Cold Funk" by Kevin MacLeod https://incompetech.com. License: CC by http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0

In this week's QFF episode, Michael interviews Hamish McKenzie, co-founder of McKenzie Pitch Partners. He's based in Toronto, Canada, however, Hamish's a proud Aussie from Tasmania. He studied accounting at a university, then went into corporate banking. Gathering experience and wisdom, paving the way to what he is now, a sought-after pitch consultant. As Hamish defines it, pitching is the effort to win a piece of business. It is the final nail in the coffin to entice investors. This is why it's critical to understand and to be efficient with what you're pitching; Hamish McKenzie specializes in this field. He helps small-medium business owners develop and refine their pitching and presentation skills. As Hamish quotes what famous American William Edwards Deming says, "If you can't describe what you do, as a process, you don't know what you're doing." Very well said. This Cast Covers: The concept of pitching. Who is Hamish McKenzie? How Michael and Hamish knew each other. Hamish's career before becoming a renowned pitch consultant. How the term pitch should be defined. The real reason behind people buying things. Involvement of psychology in pitching. The importance of initiating a relationship before pitching. Criticalness of small-medium business owners' understanding of what they're pitching. Listening attentively to clients. Links: Hamish's Linkedin Hamish's Website Hamish's Twitter Additional Resources: Pitch: What you're not doing makes all the difference by Hamish McKenzie Why People Don't Listen? by Hugh Mackay Quotes: "We define pitch as the effort that goes into winning a piece of business." — Hamish McKenzie. "People buy things for two reasons, the right reason and the real reason … But the real reason is emotional." — Hamish McKenzie. "Discipline is more important than talent." — Hamish McKenzie. "As famous American William Edwards Deming says, 'If you can't describe what you do, as a process, you don't know what you're doing.'" — Hamish McKenzie. "The more you listen, the more you get to understand the client, and the more you're going to be able to develop a solution." — Hamish McKenzie. Music from https://filmmusic.io "Cold Funk" by Kevin MacLeod https://incompetech.com. License: CC by http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0