No BS Mastery Podcast

Entrepreneurs can be a pretty Type A bunch. But what if letting go–even just a little–lets in your next big thing?   Are there opportunities right in front of you that you don’t dare explore?   Sometimes we, and I definitely mean me too, can be so myopic in our thinking that our business needs to look a certain way, that we miss the opportunities right in front of us.   On today’s episode I’ve got serial entrepreneur and badass business owner, David Mamanno. David is a 7-time business owner who now helps others achieve their entrepreneurial dreams.   He’s also the host of the Gonzo Experience podcast, the author of Crash & Learn, a three-time Inc. Magazine 5000 Growth Company winner, a TEDx speaker, an adjunct professor at the University of Rochester.   He is also a big believer in being open to opportunities and making work a joy by taking the time to try new things in pursuit of finding your calling.   Whether it’s stand up comedy, a networking and speakers group for local businesses or starting a podcast, even the paths and opportunities that didn’t end up being your calling are experiences and skills you can use. And David has done all of those things and more.   Tune into this episode to hear: Why following your passion first and figuring out the money second might disappoint your parents, but can lead to more joy and more success How David still calls on his time taking comedy classes at Second City in Chicago in the work he does today How his next business idea practically fell in his lap and his best advice for how to find your next big idea How starting with integrity is the difference between grand idea and delusions of grandeur   Learn more about David Mammano: DavidMammano.com Connect with David on LinkedIn Connect with David on Facebook The Gonzo Experience Podcast Watch David’s College Standup Set   Learn more about Pia: No BS Agency Owners Free Facebook Group The Show Your Business Who's Boss Crash Course Start reading the first chapter of my book Piasilva.com   Resources: *Crash and Learn: Lessons in Business*, David Mammano Email David at david@davidmammano.com for a free copy! Small Is the New Big: And 183 Other Riffs, Rants, and Remarkable Business Ideas, Seth Godin Show Your Business Who’s Boss Ep 15: The Joy Of The Smart Hustle, Building Fan Base, And Thriving In The Life You Want With Ramon Ray

From burned out to noped out, was there a moment that made you realize you’d had enough?   Today, we're going to talk to Kia Abrera about her journey from burnt out, working until four in the morning at her high level agency job to finally calling it quits and starting her own thing.   Kia is the co-founder and CEO of Braveworks Inc., a 6-figure video strategy and production company that specializes in videos with attitude. She creates scroll-stopping content that takes brave expert-preneurs from ME TOO to GO TO.   I met Kia last year when she joined my Badass Business Bootcamp, and then leveled up into working with me in my group coaching program, so I’ve had the pleasure of getting to know her and her business intimately. She is such a great example of how it takes more than expertise in your field to build a successful agency.   Today, we'll talk about the challenges of selling creative services in a market that sees the tangible output, but doesn’t understand the value of the creative process.   And we’ll discuss how the perception and expectation of “cheap” labor in the Philippines has created additional challenges for her business when selling premium services to an international market.   Tune into this episode to hear: The table-flipping moment that made Kia realize she had to quit her ad agency job Why she puts her pricing on an intake form, before a discovery call is even on the calendar How your content marketing needs to account for three levels of audiences How Kia is finding work-life balance on an international schedule by packaging video services into intensives   Learn more about Kia Abrera: Braveworks Inc Kia-Abrera.com Instagram: @kia_abrera The Brave Founders Jumpstart Kit   Learn more about Pia: No BS Agency Owners Free Facebook Group The Show Your Business Who's Boss Crash Course Start reading the first chapter of my book Piasilva.com  

  On today’s episode I’ve got serial entrepreneur and badass business owner, Matt Inglot.   Matt owns several businesses, including Freelance Transformation that helps freelancers become more successful, and Tilted Pixel, his agency that helps grow membership website companies.   I met Matt years ago when he invited me on his podcast and we’ve stayed in touch since just because we are so aligned in our philosophy on business, and because he was also solely focused on helping service businesses grow for the longest time.   We talk about the importance of iteration and of taking the opportunity with every client, every project, to take what you’ve learned and do it better next time, so you can raise the value–and the price–of your services.   We also talk about how Matt found his niche with membership businesses and how he grew his skill set so that he could grow his offerings and his business.   You’ll never get it perfect on the first try, but if you take each experience and learn from it, you can build a REALLY BOSS business pretty quickly.   Tune into this episode to hear: Matt’s evolution from agency to product business back to agency, and why he made the shifts that he did The surprising math behind membership pricing models The hard truth about moving from service business to passive income business, what it takes to succeed, and why it can feel like an interest-free loan to your future self How over-the-top marketing messaging is messing with our brains   Learn more about Matt Inglot: Tilted Pixel Freelance Transformation Twitter: @mattinglot Connect with Matt on LinkedIn   Learn more about Pia: No BS Agency Owners Free Facebook Group The Show Your Business Who's Boss Crash Course Start reading the first chapter of my book Piasilva.com   Resources: Freelance Transformation Podcast Ep 113: From Failure to $500,000 in Client Work with Pia Silva  

  Do you want to write a book?   Do you know WHY you want to write a book? Do you have something you absolutely have to get on your soapbox about? Or do you wonder why your voice should even be the one to tell this story?   Without clarity on WHY you want to write a book, you probably won’t be able to create the kind of book that can really move people, change them, inspire them.   On today’s episode I am delighted to share the brilliant and badass Jennie Nash.   Jennie is a highly sought after book coach whose clients have landed top New York agents and six-figure book deals with Big 5 houses such as Penguin, Simon & Schuster, and Hachette. She herself is the author of 9 books in 3 genres and is the creator of the Killer Book Proposal Method.   Given that amazing resume, it’s no wonder that  she is now on a mission to raise the bar in the book coaching industry as the founder and CEO of Author Accelerator, which has trained and certified more than 70 book coaches in both fiction and nonfiction.   We had an eye opening conversation about the power of a book to transform the reader, how to think about writing your book, book proposals and agents and just everything you didn’t know you needed to know about writing a killer book and proposal.   We also talk about the current state of publishing, Jennie’s biggest book-related pet peeves, and what a book coach actually does. If you think you have a book in you, you definitely want to listen closely.   Tune into this episode to hear: Debunking common misconceptions about how agents and publishers actually buy books Why following your passion is smarter than trying to follow the market Why she believes there’s room for everyone’s stories, and why not everyone should write a book How a book coach takes you from idea to manuscript or proposal with one on one support you won’t get at an agency or publishing house   Learn more about Jennie Nash: Jennienash.com Author Accelerator Book Coaches Instagram: @jennienashbookcoach Twitter: @jennienash Facebook: @jennienash Connect with Jennie on LinkedIn Grab your copy of I How an Idea Becomes a Book   Learn more about Pia: No BS Agency Owners Free Facebook Group The Show Your Business Who's Boss Crash Course Start reading the first chapter of my book Piasilva.com  

  On today’s episode, I’m excited to chat with badass marketer and business owner, Aga Conboy.   Aga is an incredible example of what’s possible when you do the work and show up for your business.   Aga believes that busy professionals have been cheated into believing that just because some forms of marketing are now accessible by anyone – social media – they should take on their own marketing on top of trying to run a business.   She believes that just because you can, doesn't always mean that you should.   Aga’s company Agaland Brand launches epic marketing for busy professionals, taking them from None to Done in 90 days— you know I love that!   She started her business less than 3 years ago and, as you’ll hear, found my stuff really early on, joined my Bootcamp, and basically set up her business in my Badass Model and never looked back.   Fueled by her music-loving nature and the belief that you can’t have a rocking brand without rocking content, Aga pulls her clients’ marketing out of the shadows and into the spotlight with her 90-day method.   Her clients don't have time to get quickie degrees in marketing, but they wanna reach rockstar status in their field, so they bring in Aga’s rockstar team to do it.   Tune into this episode to hear: How Aga used the confidence she got from doing a free lead product for a friend and turned it into a $600 product A badass personal development book we both swear by that you must read The money stories we get from our parents, especially when they are immigrants And what it’s like to grow a business when you literally live in paradise   Learn more about Aga Conboy: Agaland Brand LinkeIn @agawestfal Instagram @agaland_brand   Learn more about Pia: No BS Agency Owners Free Facebook Group The Show Your Business Who's Boss Crash Course Start reading the first chapter of my book Piasilva.com   Resources: You Are a Badass at Making Money by Jen Sincero  

  Today, I'm bringing on a serious badass in the coaching and consulting world.   Badass business owner, Carl Gould.   Now, it seems like everyone and their mother is a business coach these days but Carl is going to put us all to shame.   First: he built 3 (!) multi-million dollar businesses by the age of 40.   Then, he started and launched the super successful business and coaching advisory company, 7 Stage Advisors, where, since 2002, Carl has mentored the launch of over 5,000 businesses and has trained, certified, and accredited over 7,000 business coaches and mentors.   Carl has written 9 books, co-authored books like Blueprint For Success with Ken Blanchard and Stephen R. Covey, and he has spoken at Tony Robbins’ Unleash the Power Within seminar. Plus, he has run the New York City Marathon twice!   So, yeah. He’s done some things.   On top of all this, he's just a really cool, laid-back guy with a lot of great war stories and I am so excited for him to share them with you.   Tune into this episode to hear: How building a business that addressed the main customer complaints in the landscaping industry was the Genesis of the Obnoxious Offer How it’s the job of a CEO to push limits and that when you reach the edge of your comfort zone it’s time to redefine, recalibrate your goals. Why people are always willing to overpay - bragging rights! – and why overpaying creates a partner in success How Carl’s contribution to the coaching and consulting community has become some of the standards in the industry And why in the beginning, not being afraid to make it all about you helps create a story that clients can relate to   Learn more about Carl Gould: 7 Stage Advisors carlgould.com LinkedIn @carlgould   Learn more about Pia: No BS Agency Owners Free Facebook Group The Show Your Business Who's Boss Crash Course Start reading the first chapter of my book Piasilva.com   Resources: Pia’s Forbes article - Guaranteed Press, Obnoxious Offers, And A Better Way To Qualify Prospects  

  I’m really lucky to know a lot of amazing people.   And there are a few that aren’t technically entrepreneurs!   Dr. Cynthia Armand is my dear friend from college. We met our freshman year at the auditions for the prestigious dance troupe Precision and we were the only two freshmen to get in.   We became fast friends and eventually co-directed the dance group as seniors–something that I am extremely proud of.   These days Cynthia is an Assistant Professor of Neurology at Montefiore-Einstein and the Fellowship Director at the prestigious Montefiore Headache Center here in NYC. She is on the founding board of the Society of Haitian Neuroscientists, where she also serves as Vice President.   She is the current web editor at JAMA Neurology and the host of the JAMA Neurology author interviews podcast. She is also heavily involved in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion work and headache education with the American Headache Society.   Cynthia is an avid lover of neurology and health news with a strong interest in patient education as well as social media as a valuable means of patient empowerment and knowledge.   In college, it was clear that Cynthia was always going to be a doctor. She loved acting and performing but becoming a doctor always came first. It was exciting to talk with her about how these two loves came together.   Tune into this episode to hear: How Cynthia made room for dance even while attending med school How, despite all of her successes, she still struggles with imposter syndrome, and what she has done to address this What she is doing to address the stigma and misconceptions around migraine disease How can we improve healthcare around headache medicine when it comes to diversity, equity, and inclusion   Learn more about Dr. Cynthia Armand: Instagram: @cynplifiedmd Twitter: @cynarmandmd   Learn more about Pia: No BS Agency Owners Free Facebook Group The Show Your Business Who's Boss Crash Course Start reading the first chapter of my book Piasilva.com  

  I invited Jesse onto the show right after he came back from a seven month stint in Afghanistan which happened to coincide with COVID happening so he came back to the States to a very different world and that was pretty fascinating.   I had him on because I wanted to see how he was doing and I knew he'd always have some good stories and it ended up being really applicable to a lot of the things that I find entrepreneurs are dealing with.   He starts by sharing about the first five times that he jumped out of a plane in Army Ranger school and how terrifying each of those five jumps were. I mean, literally risking his life but also almost dying in every single one and managing to keep going back. I don't know how he did that.   And that was 55 jumps ago.   It’s so powerful to hear this story, because even though it's a really different kind of fear than maybe what you and I experience every day, it reminds me of all the times I’ve done things that really scare me—and how I can’t even really remember how I felt scared of them now since I’ve done them so many times.   We’ve been revisiting past episodes that really stood out and today is the last episode in that series   Make sure to go back and re-listen to the full episode with Jesse, EP 20: Contracting Coronavirus In Afghanistan, Engaging With Fear, And A Different Approach To Personal Growth With Jesse Sommer   Learn more about Jesse: We Don’t ‘Remember History’ By Erecting Monuments by Jesse Sommer All of Jesse’s columns on The Altamonte Enterprise   Learn more about Pia: No BS Agency Owners Free Facebook Group The Show Your Business Who's Boss Crash Course Start reading the first chapter of my book Piasilva.com  

  We’ve been revisiting past episodes that really stood out and today I am bringing back my dear friend and speaking coach, Brett Lavender.   If you like the way that I sound on this podcast, you can thank Brett, because I think I would sound very different if I had not worked with him for so many years.   I want to replay this clip for you because Brett just dropped so many gems about how to adjust how you speak to be more powerful, to be more influential, to make your message land and have people perk up their ears and listen and see you as an authority.   No matter what business you're in and no matter if you're going to be a professional speaker or just always speak to people one-on-one, there is a CLEAR difference in how people react back to you when you are speaking from a position of power and when your voice carries power and conviction.   To go back and relisten to the full episode with Brett, you can listen to it by clicking here!   Learn more about Brett: thepersuasivelion.com LinkedIn: Brett Lavender   Learn more about Pia: No BS Agency Owners Free Facebook Group The Show Your Business Who's Boss Crash Course Start reading the first chapter of my book Piasilva.com  

  We’ve been revisiting past episodes that really stood out and today I am bringing back Episode 10 with my dear friend Jean Tang.   Jean is the owner of MarketSmiths, a copy and content writing company which now employs twenty people!   I’ve known Jean since almost the beginning, back when she was just a one-person shop. She actually wrote one of the first iterations of our website copy—I think we even bartered with her—and Steve drew the cartoon images for her TedX talk.   In this episode, we talked about creating content and copy for your brand, which you can apply to your business and we talked about the act of creating content and copy with a client, which is more about the management and presentation of creative work to clients, which you can apply to your business in a different way.   To go back and re-listen to the full episode, you can listen to it by clicking here!   Learn more about Jean: MarketSmiths.com TedX: Declaring War on the Bland LinkedIn: MarketSmiths Facebook: MarketSmiths Instagram: @copywritingforhumans   Learn more about Pia: No BS Agency Owners Free Facebook Group The Show Your Business Who's Boss Crash Course Start reading the first chapter of my book Piasilva.com