The Self-Employed Life

Ever feel like you're not smart enough for business? That maybe you don't have the IQ you need? To be honest, it's not about your IQ. It's about your emotional intelligence. Let's face it, most business isn't conducted with logic: it's conducted with feelings. If you can unlock that emotional intelligence, you can tap into what really makes your customers tick. You'll be able to pull yourself out of the equation and begin to really help them. Now, I want to be clear: it's not about manipulating your customers. Manipulation happens with ill-intent. Instead, you want to be able to understand their emotions to know how to help them. To better understand all of the components that come along with emotional intelligence, I've brought on a very special guest: Jim Rembach. Jim Rembach is a certified Emotional Intelligence practitioner and former call center supervisor. Jim is the Founder of Beyond Morale, Call Center Coach, Ai for CX and a founding member of the Customer Experience Professionals Association's CX Expert Panel, Advisory Board Member for Customer Value Creation International (CVCI), Advisory Board Member for CX University, Host of the Fast Leader Show podcast, and an ICMI Top 50 Thought Leader and CX Influencer with IQPC. He specializes in applying Emotional Intelligence to Customer Experience and Employee Engagement to lead organizations in their customer-centric transformations. He is also a Certified Employee Retention Specialist, Certified Better Place to Work Expert, and an Empathy Mapping Expert. Download this episode today and learn how you can unlock the skill that's far more important than IQ: emotional intelligence. CONSTRAINT AND GRACE WARRIOR "It's not what you do that makes you great. It's who you are that makes what you do great." -Jim Rembach Highlights - Sometimes you have to adapt your own lingo to your potential clients. Anyone can build their emotional intelligence. When there's an emotional connection, it's harder to break up with your business. Don't generalize your customers, especially in a negative manner. When you give words to what you're thinking, it gives them power. Remove yourself from the equation and interpret things as the customer. Your emotional intelligence means more than your IQ. Since the year 2000, empathy has been plummeting at a huge rate. Entrepreneurs who unlock their emotional intelligence will be at a greater advantage. A business that comes from empathy should come naturally. Without a system for your emotional intelligence, you're in trouble. Guest Contact - Jim's Website Jim's Twitter Jim's Podcast Jim's Free Resource! Contact Jeffrey - Website Coaching support My book, LINGO: Discover Your Ideal Customer's Secret Language and Make Your Business Irresistible is now available! Watch my TEDX LincolnSquare video and please share! Mentions- 17hats Resources - 12 Must-Have Mindsets for Uncommon Entrepreneurs! A FREE tool for Creative Warriors to help you get clear on the ways you need to think differently to get the results you want. We've been handed a whole bunch of malarky about who we are and how business works that simply doesn't work for us. It's time to set it straight! This tool will give you the insights you need to think your way to success as a Creative Warrior and keep you on track. Check out the Creative Warriors RESOURCE page! A collection of the best companies, hand-selected, to help you succeed! You'll find vendors, services, products, and programs to help you Create, Serve, and Be Prosperous! All these companies have been used and approved by Jeffrey and most are used every day in his business. Music by Jawn

There are plenty of tips and suggestions out there about how to be more productive. But like a lot of business advice and how-tos, they don't necessarily work for right-brained, creative thinking and innovative people. Karen Fritz has a superpower to see patterns in the chaos. Since much of creativity comes from chaos, that's a great place to start when trying to learn to be more productive! The Talking Stick is in your hands now. Let us hear from you. Be part of the conversation - Join our community Facebook group, Creative Warriors Unite, at www.joinwarriors.com and share your feelings and continue the conversation. If you want to apply to be a guest on Creative Warriors Talking Stick, CLICK HERE. Guest Contact - Karen's Fritz website- PurposeDrivenProcess.com Contact Jeffrey - Website Coaching support My book, LINGO: Discover Your Ideal Customer's Secret Language and Make Your Business Irresistible is now available! Watch my TEDX LincolnSquare video and please share! Resources - 12 Must-Have Mindsets for Uncommon Entrepreneurs! A FREE tool for Creative Warriors to help you get clear on the ways you need to think differently to get the results you want. We've been handed a whole bunch of malarky about who we are and how business works that simply don't work for us. It's time to set it straight! This tool will give you the insights you need to think your way to success as a Creative Warrior and keep you on track. Check out the Creative Warriors RESOURCE page! A collection of the best companies, hand-selected, to help you succeed! You'll find vendors, services, products, and programs to help you Create, Serve, and Be Prosperous! All these companies have been used and approved by Jeffrey and most are used every day in his business. Music by Jawn

As creatives we've all heard about the importance of creating good habits. After all, it's not people who decide their destiny: it's their habits that decide it for them. One problem I've noticed a lot of people I coach have is that they try to do too much all at once. They try to change their entire routine for the day, and it makes things complicated. Chances are a huge change, even an hour or more, can be nearly impossible to turn into a habit. You're more likely to fall back into your old habits and not make the progress you want. The secret is to instead only change your routine by 5 minutes. You also don't need to change your routine completely. By doing what today's guest calls "habit stacking", you're able to shift to add a new habit to your day and make the transition easier. As you incorporate the new habit you may find yourself naturally spending more and more time on it without hesitation. These small changes, over the course of time, will lead to huge results. To dive more into this I brought on the author of Success if 5 Minutes a Day: Karen Briscoe. Karen Briscoe is principal owner of the Huckaby Briscoe Conroy Group (HBC) with Keller Williams. The HBC Group has been recognized by the Wall Street Journal as one of the 250 Top Realtor® teams in the United States. Through HBC Group, Karen and her business partner Lizzy Conroy launched Community Charity Champions to raise funds for local nonprofit groups and organizations and was awarded the Social Corporate Responsibility Award for 2012 by the Greater McLean Chamber of Commerce. In addition, Karen has been a board member for Lift Me Up!, a therapeutic horseback riding program for children and adults with disabilities in Great Falls, Virginia, since 2006. Her family is actively involved at Trinity United Methodist Church in McLean, Virginia. Download this episode today to hear how you can make small changes that will have big a big impact. THE RESOURCE WARRIOR "People don't decide their futures, they decide their habits. Their habits decide their future." -Karen Briscoe Highlights - Everyone has 5 minutes a day to invest in their knowledge. Applying one thing a day means you'll be more able to apply the knowledge later. If you find things that stick well together, you're more likely to build a strong habit. Work on the business as much as you work in the business. If you want to learn to do something different, turn to a different industry. Acknowledge your customer's feelings. We never know all the circumstances in people's lives. Explain things by framing through others. Guest Contact - Karen's Website Karen's Twitter Karen's 5 Minute Success Podcast Karen's Book Commit to Get Leads: Success in 5 Minutes a Day Karen's Free Gift! Contact Jeffrey - Website Coaching support My book, LINGO: Discover Your Ideal Customer's Secret Language and Make Your Business Irresistible is now available! Watch my TEDX LincolnSquare video and please share! Mentions- 17hats Resources - 12 Must-Have Mindsets for Uncommon Entrepreneurs! A FREE tool for Creative Warriors to help you get clear on the ways you need to think differently to get the results you want. We've been handed a whole bunch of malarky about who we are and how business works that simply doesn't work for us. It's time to set it straight! This tool will give you the insights you need to think your way to success as a Creative Warrior and keep you on track. Check out the Creative Warriors RESOURCE page! A collection of the best companies, hand-selected, to help you succeed! You'll find vendors, services, products, and programs to help you Create, Serve, and Be Prosperous! All these companies have been used and approved by Jeffrey and most are used every day in his business. Music by Jawn

Many Creative Warriors tend to think it's impossible to harness the thing they are best at: creativity. They think it's just a fountain that you let explode, and try to sort it all out later. There is a way to help with this, and it's by creating a solid system. It seems like rules would restrict your creativity, and a system would burn you out: but that's actually not true. A good system will allow your mind to do what it does best. It'll autonomize the tedious things that waste your time every day. The trick is to find the right system for you. When you make that discovery, you're going to make every moment in your life more valuable. You're going to appreciate your work more, have more time outside of your business, and get rid of the anxiety that being an entrepreneur brings. To dive deeper into this, I brought on an amazing expert on systems: Marina Darlow. Marina Darlow is a systems' expert, and a productivity geek. She sees her job as helping impact-driven entrepreneurs get 10-20 more productive hours a week, stop leaking money, and prevent stress-fuel breakdowns. An engineer by training, Marina came to a realization a couple years ago: working for a conglomerate is not as inspiring as she wants her life work to be. The quest for inspiration brought her to found Vision Framework, a company that builds small, purpose-driven businesses from the inside, helping entrepreneurs run their companies with ease by putting effective, easy-to-use, and fun systems in place. Download this episode today, and learn how you can build the right system that unlocks your creativity. THE SYSTEM WARRIOR "Systems that work well for you are one of the best cures for anxiety." - Marina Darlow Highlights - People think you need to either be creative or follow the rules. It's possible to use rules and systems to give direction to your creativity. Not having systems dilutes the best of you. Systems help optimize your limited resources. Small business owners have to deal with a large range of emotions. There are methods and containers to help optimize your system. Too many people tend to neglect a project management system. You don't need to reinvent the wheel when it comes to creating systems. Let your system be your boss. Just sit and right stuff down, and you will begin to see patterns. The value of a system is making time more enjoyable. Guest Contact - Marina's Website Marina's Twitter Marina's Free E-Course Contact Jeffrey - Website Coaching support My book, LINGO: Discover Your Ideal Customer's Secret Language and Make Your Business Irresistible is now available! Watch my TEDX LincolnSquare video and please share! Mentions- 17hats Resources - 12 Must-Have Mindsets for Uncommon Entrepreneurs! A FREE tool for Creative Warriors to help you get clear on the ways you need to think differently to get the results you want. We've been handed a whole bunch of malarky about who we are and how business works that simply doesn't work for us. It's time to set it straight! This tool will give you the insights you need to think your way to success as a Creative Warrior and keep you on track. Check out the Creative Warriors RESOURCE page! A collection of the best companies, hand-selected, to help you succeed! You'll find vendors, services, products, and programs to help you Create, Serve, and Be Prosperous! All these companies have been used and approved by Jeffrey and most are used every day in his business. Music by Jawn

I wrote an article years ago called, When Your Purpose Is Out To Kill You. In the case of our guest, Paula Brown, a near-death experience helped her find her purpose. And then, as is often the case, when we find our purpose it can feel like it's out to kill us. Metaphorically that is. Because of what we sacrifice. How hard it is to transition. That we can feel like we have no choice but to follow what's in our hearts and the quest we've been handed. I think you will be able to relate to Paula's experiences. The Talking Stick is in your hands now. Let us hear from you. Be part of the conversation - Join our community Facebook group, Creative Warriors Unite, at www.joinwarriors.com and share your feelings and continue the conversation. If you want to apply to be a guest on Creative Warriors Talking Stick, CLICK HERE. Guest Contact - Paula Brown's website Your 5-Step Purpose Quest Map Contact Jeffrey - Website Coaching support My book, LINGO: Discover Your Ideal Customer's Secret Language and Make Your Business Irresistible is now available! Watch my TEDX LincolnSquare video and please share! Resources - 12 Must-Have Mindsets for Uncommon Entrepreneurs! A FREE tool for Creative Warriors to help you get clear on the ways you need to think differently to get the results you want. We've been handed a whole bunch of malarky about who we are and how business works that simply don't work for us. It's time to set it straight! This tool will give you the insights you need to think your way to success as a Creative Warrior and keep you on track. Check out the Creative Warriors RESOURCE page! A collection of the best companies, hand-selected, to help you succeed! You'll find vendors, services, products, and programs to help you Create, Serve, and Be Prosperous! All these companies have been used and approved by Jeffrey and most are used every day in his business. Music by Jawn

There's one thing I've always been intrigued to study, and I'm sure you have too: body language. The idea that people may be saying more than they realize; that you're uncovering their secrets. It's a really exciting thing. There are a lot of myths, though, in the study of body language. The first is that people can't lie with their bodies. Of course we can, and of course we all do. All it takes is being aware of what your body is doing, and know what other people may be reading. For example, in conference rooms I'm often cold so I tend to cross my arms. I'm well aware that this can come off as aggressive or that I'm not caring, so I tend to force myself to keep them uncrossed. I'm essentially lying. When you try to read someone's body, you need to consider a lot of details - including the environment. Our digital world also has in impact on our body language, and there are things that even a book written ten years ago can't take into account. Like when I'm speaking, a lot of times I see people with their heads down and looking at their phones. That can seem like they aren't paying attention. I started to notice that people would come up to ask questions and they were reading from their phones. It turned out people weren't distracting themselves, they were actually more engaged. They were taking notes on their phone. I was trying to read their body language, creating assumptions, and I couldn't have been more wrong. To dive deeper into this topic for today's episode of Creative Warriors, I have brought in a body language expert: Mark Bowden. Mark discusses his new book, Truth and Lies, as well as the myths many of us have about body language. He dives into the complexity involved in this subject, and how you can accurately start trying to "read" people. Download this episode today to learn the truth about what people's actions are telling you. THE DON'T PANIC WARRIOR "It's our job to manipulate. That's what causes us to be able to survive." - Mark Bowden Highlights - The best advice ever given to humanity: "Don't Panic." Lying and telling the truth are the two most important social skills we have. People tend to jump to negative conclusions about body language. All body language is a display of power, or a response to a display of power. When you need to make positive contact with people you don't know, you need to create trust and credibility as quickly as possible. Try to use an open palm when you point, it will be better received. Often times people project their beliefs on other people's body language. Suspending your own judgment will allow you to understand a situation fully. Always listen to your gut instinct if you think something is wrong. Try to show up less indifferent to the world around you. Manipulation is not always a bad or selfish thing. Guest Contact - Mark's Website Mark's Twitter Mark's Book Truth and Lies Mark's Free Online Video Course Contact Jeffrey - Website Coaching support My book, LINGO: Discover Your Ideal Customer's Secret Language and Make Your Business Irresistible is now available! Watch my TEDX LincolnSquare video and please share! Mentions- 17hats Resources - 12 Must-Have Mindsets for Uncommon Entrepreneurs! A FREE tool for Creative Warriors to help you get clear on the ways you need to think differently to get the results you want. We've been handed a whole bunch of malarky about who we are and how business works that simply doesn't work for us. It's time to set it straight! This tool will give you the insights you need to think your way to success as a Creative Warrior and keep you on track. Check out the Creative Warriors RESOURCE page! A collection of the best companies, hand-selected, to help you succeed! You'll find vendors, services, products, and programs to help you Create, Serve, and Be Prosperous! All these companies have been used and approved by Jeffrey and most are used every day in his business. Music by Jawn

Does it seem crazy to have a conversation with an addiction expert on a podcast about entrepreneurship? Let me ask you this. Have you ever felt like your reality was different than what people thought about you? Have you ever felt like an "imposter?" The truth of entrepreneurship is that the image of success and happiness we project isn't always what's going on behind the scenes. Not that different than what an addict and the people him or her are managing. Very compelling conversation. The Talking Stick is in your hands now. Let us hear from you. Be part of the conversation - Join our community Facebook group, Creative Warriors Unite, at www.joinwarriors.com and share your feelings and continue the conversation. If you want to apply to be a guest on Creative Warriors Talking Stick, CLICK HERE. Guest Contact - Jeff Jones' website Contact Jeffrey - Website Coaching support My book, LINGO: Discover Your Ideal Customer's Secret Language and Make Your Business Irresistible is now available! Watch my TEDX LincolnSquare video and please share! Resources - 12 Must-Have Mindsets for Uncommon Entrepreneurs! A FREE tool for Creative Warriors to help you get clear on the ways you need to think differently to get the results you want. We've been handed a whole bunch of malarky about who we are and how business works that simply don't work for us. It's time to set it straight! This tool will give you the insights you need to think your way to success as a Creative Warrior and keep you on track. Check out the Creative Warriors RESOURCE page! A collection of the best companies, hand-selected, to help you succeed! You'll find vendors, services, products, and programs to help you Create, Serve, and Be Prosperous! All these companies have been used and approved by Jeffrey and most are used every day in his business. Music by Jawn

If you're like me, chances are you don't like the idea of networking. It might feel a little sleazy, and conjure up images of a guy at an event passing out business cards to everyone he meets. In reality, that isn't networking - or at least it shouldn't be. You're already in a huge network. You're probably six degrees away from meeting everyone you already need and want to meet. The thing to work on is not making new connections, but maintaining and leveraging the network you already have. Don't let your old connection die. Keep up with people any chance you can, even if it's just an email to see how they are doing. This way it's not awkward when you find out you could use their help. To dive further into this, I brought back on the show a networking expert: David Burkus. David Burkus is a best-selling author, a sought after speaker, and associate professor of leadership and innovation at Oral Roberts University. His forthcoming book, Friend of a Friend, offers readers a new perspective on how to grow their networks and build key connections—one based on the science of human behavior, not rote networking advice. He's delivered keynotes to the leaders of Fortune 500 companies and the future leaders of the United States Naval Academy. His TED talk has been viewed over 1.8 million times and he is a regular contributor to Harvard Business Review. We sat down for this episode of Creative Warriors, and David shared some amazing insights on common mistakes people make when networking, and what you can do to really leverage your existing (and expansive) network. We cover everything from social media, to live events. Download this episode now and learn what it truly means to be a networker. THE WHO CAN HELP ME WARRIOR "A network is a three-dimensional thing, not a list." - David Burkus Highlights - Other people's advice is generally auto-biographical. A network is not something you build, it's something you are already in. Build a strong network by deepening your connection with people around you. Try to have your social network life mirror the way you are in person. Make sure you have clear rules about who you accept into your network. We're all six degrees away from being introduced to anyone. If you're on Facebook, you're only 4.7 people away from anyone. It's possible for anyone to be a super connector. Don't try to be the next Oprah. Be the Oprah of _______. Be more personal than a like or a comment. Guest Contact - David's Website David's Twitter David's Book David's Gift Contact Jeffrey - Website Coaching support My book, LINGO: Discover Your Ideal Customer's Secret Language and Make Your Business Irresistible is now available! Watch my TEDX LincolnSquare video and please share! Mentions- 17hats Resources - 12 Must-Have Mindsets for Uncommon Entrepreneurs! A FREE tool for Creative Warriors to help you get clear on the ways you need to think differently to get the results you want. We've been handed a whole bunch of malarky about who we are and how business works that simply doesn't work for us. It's time to set it straight! This tool will give you the insights you need to think your way to success as a Creative Warrior and keep you on track. Check out the Creative Warriors RESOURCE page! A collection of the best companies, hand-selected, to help you succeed! You'll find vendors, services, products, and programs to help you Create, Serve, and Be Prosperous! All these companies have been used and approved by Jeffrey and most are used every day in his business. Music by Jawn

The inequality between men and women in the corporate world is well documented and often a topic of conversation. Rightfully so. But why is there a disparity between men and women in entrepreneurship? An area of life that both men and women should be in charge of their destiny. Did you know women often charge less than men for the same services? Cynthia and I tackle this very touchy subject, deciding that talking about it is the only way to bring about change. The Talking Stick is in your hands now. Let us hear from you. Be part of the conversation - Join our community Facebook group, Creative Warriors Unite, at www.joinwarriors.com and share your feelings and continue the conversation. If you want to apply to be a guest on Creative Warriors Talking Stick, CLICK HERE. Guest Contact - Cynthia's website Cynthia's Book- She Markets: A Guide for Women Entrepreneurs Contact Jeffrey - Website Coaching support My book, LINGO: Discover Your Ideal Customer's Secret Language and Make Your Business Irresistible is now available! Watch my TEDX LincolnSquare video and please share! Resources - 12 Must-Have Mindsets for Uncommon Entrepreneurs! A FREE tool for Creative Warriors to help you get clear on the ways you need to think differently to get the results you want. We've been handed a whole bunch of malarky about who we are and how business works that simply don't work for us. It's time to set it straight! This tool will give you the insights you need to think your way to success as a Creative Warrior and keep you on track. Check out the Creative Warriors RESOURCE page! A collection of the best companies, hand-selected, to help you succeed! You'll find vendors, services, products, and programs to help you Create, Serve, and Be Prosperous! All these companies have been used and approved by Jeffrey and most are used every day in his business. Music by Jawn

Most entrepreneurs I know enter a business looking to do what someone else does, only do it better. In the end, how much better can you do? 10%? 15%? You don't want to do what everyone else does, you'll just get lost in the crowd. Instead, do the exact opposite. The first trick is to look at what the competition is doing - then see what upsets you about it. Does it take too long to get the product? Is it tough to do? Look at every single negative aspect and find ways to make it better. Second, find a way to for people to experience something for themselves. Don't force an experience on them, just set them up for something and sit back to see if they will engage it. On this episode of The Creative Warriors, we are joined by Jesse Cole. Jesse is the Owner of Fans First Entertainment, who owns and operates the Savannah Bananas and the Gastonia Grizzlies. The teams have welcomed more than 1 million fans to their ballparks and have been featured on MSNBC, CNN, and ESPN. Jesse's teams have been awarded Organization of the Year, Entrepreneur of the Year, Business of the Year and have won three CPL Championships. Jesse is an in-demand speaker and author of "Find Your Yellow Tux - How to Be Successful by Standing Out" released in January 2018. Jesse is also the host of the Business Done Differently Podcast. Jesse believes to be successful you need to Stand Out and Be Different. He is passionate about creating attention, loving your customers more than your product and loving your employees more than your customers. Jesse's mantra is "Whatever's normal, do the exact opposite." Jesse does practice what he preaches. He took a sport most people considered boring (baseball) and turned it into something magical. Download this episode now to learn how you can turn your industry upside down. WARRIOR OF GRATITUDE "Be different, stand out, and create your own path." - David Burkus Highlights - Embrace the fact that you are different. Put fans first. Your employees can be your biggest fans. Set the stage for people to create their own experiences. When you create attention, everyone starts paying attention to you. 16% of the best ideas come from work. When you get up in the morning, write down 10 ideas. Look at what frustrates you about a company, and do the exact opposite. If you could create the perfect experience, what would it look like? To discover what you want to be known for, write your own obituary. Guest Contact - Jesse's Website Jesse's Twitter Jesse's Book Jesse's Gift Set Contact Jeffrey - Website Coaching support My book, LINGO: Discover Your Ideal Customer's Secret Language and Make Your Business Irresistible is now available! Watch my TEDX LincolnSquare video and please share! Mentions- Listen to Jeff's episode on Jesse's podcast Business Done Differently! 17hats Resources - 12 Must-Have Mindsets for Uncommon Entrepreneurs! A FREE tool for Creative Warriors to help you get clear on the ways you need to think differently to get the results you want. We've been handed a whole bunch of malarky about who we are and how business works that simply doesn't work for us. It's time to set it straight! This tool will give you the insights you need to think your way to success as a Creative Warrior and keep you on track. Check out the Creative Warriors RESOURCE page! A collection of the best companies, hand-selected, to help you succeed! You'll find vendors, services, products, and programs to help you Create, Serve, and Be Prosperous! All these companies have been used and approved by Jeffrey and most are used every day in his business. Music by Jawn