The Thoughtful Entrepreneur

Unlocking the Power of Persuasive Communication with Brevity Pitch In this insightful episode of The Thoughtful Entrepreneur, we sat down with Kelvin Johnson Jr., CEO of Brevity Pitch, to explore how AI-driven tools can revolutionize the way professionals pitch and present their ideas. Brevity Pitch is designed to help individuals craft concise, compelling messages for high-stakes situations, from job interviews to investor pitches. The Brevity Advantage Kelvin highlighted a key problem in modern communication: dwindling attention spans. With research suggesting attention spans average just 7-8 seconds, capturing your audience's interest quickly is essential. Brevity Pitch tackles this challenge with an AI-powered platform that simplifies and refines pitch creation through structured frameworks and actionable insights. Whether you’re networking at a trade show, preparing for a sales meeting, or crafting a standalone deck for venture capitalists, Brevity Pitch offers tailored solutions for over 100 scenarios. By leveraging user-friendly tools similar to TurboTax for tax filing, the platform guides users through step-by-step pitch creation with prompts, examples, and even video feedback capabilities. The Role of Storytelling Kelvin shared the story of Sophia, an entrepreneur whose initial pitch left investors confused. Using Brevity Pitch, she transformed her message into a concise and memorable narrative, ultimately raising pre-seed funding. This example underscores the importance of blending data with storytelling to resonate with diverse audiences, from bold visionaries to structured analysts. More Than Just a Tool Beyond pitch creation, Brevity Pitch integrates features like "Pitchback," enabling users to practice their delivery and receive peer feedback. The platform also emphasizes audience analysis, helping users tailor their communication style to personality types, such as bold leaders or data-driven investors. Join the Brevity Revolution With a starting price of just $39.99 per user annually, Brevity Pitch is accessible for individuals and teams alike. Whether you’re looking to raise capital, grow sales, or ace your next job interview, Brevity Pitch can elevate your communication game. Use the code brevitykelvin at checkout for one free month to see how Brevity Pitch can transform your pitches. Visit brevitypitch.com to get started! Additional Resources: Link to the Microsoft study on attention spans: Microsoft Attention Span Study An article about storytelling in business: Why Storytelling is Key to Success A guide to pitching investors: How to Pitch Investors   Apply to be a Guest on The Thoughtful Entrepreneur: https://go.upmyinfluence.com/podcast-guest   Links Mentioned in this Episode: Want to learn more? https://www.brevitypitch.com/ On LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/brevitypitch/ On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brevitypitchofficial/ Don’t forget to subscribe to The Thoughtful Entrepreneur and thank you for listening. Tune in next time!   More from UpMyInfluence: We are actively booking guests for our The Thoughtful Entrepreneur. Schedule HERE. Are you a 6-figure consultant? I’ve got high-level intros for you. Learn more here. What is your #1 Lead Generation BLOCKER? Take my free quiz here. Want to learn more about all the podcasts managed by UpMyInfluence? Opt in here.

In this episode of The Thoughtful Entrepreneur, your host Josh Elledge speaks with Brandon Cockrell, founder and president of Linchpin Sales Interactive. Brandon shares his passion for helping businesses increase sales and profitability. With over 10 years of sales and marketing experience, he and his team have developed a robust system that will ensure long-term business success. From identifying the most profitable and efficient way to sell products and services to getting more loyal customers, everything is guaranteed to achieve the desired results.Brandon also explains their top funnel strategies for getting the most effective results. With Linchpin's concept of being a tool that holds everything together, Brandon's vision is for their partners to see them as the most vital part of their success - the one who helps, drives and cares for their success month after year. Key Points from the Episode:Understanding Top Funnel StrategiesLinchpin's Business ConceptThe Biggest Divider Between Brands Today and in the Future About Brandon Cockrell: Brandon Cockrell has over 12 years of successful sales, marketing and business development. Much of this experience was in helping large businesses and corporations maximize their revenue growth. His decision to start his own business came from his desire to help companies that really need it and, more importantly, to appreciate it. This led him to discover the needs and problems that Linchpin Sales Interactive now solves. He and his team are dedicated to one thing: doing whatever it takes to help their clients achieve their goals and succeed in their business. His number one saying is "you should do business with us because we genuinely care about your success and aim to prove it". About Linchpin Sales Interaction: Linchpin Sales Interactive was started by Brandon Cockrell after 12 successful years in sales and marketing with major companies, such as Wells Fargo and the PGA TOUR. Over the years, and after meeting with thousands of business owners and managers, Brandon noticed a common problem with all businesses. They had issues bringing more quality customers into their doors consistently and predictably. It was then that he decided to do something about it - and he didn't want to stop there. He wanted to ensure that everything Linchpin did for his clients had a purpose, was completely transparent and could provide a proven return on investment. This being the company's core mission, it has quickly grown to have a full team of experts (which is led by his wife, Maghan) helping businesses of all sizes, and in multiple markets across the countries, to produce massive results. Now they are thrilled to have the first fully automated A-to-Z marketing solution (their Business Builder marketing program) designed to help their clients get the results they've always wanted and start focusing on the things they value most about their business. Tweetable Moments:04:54 - "We want to ensure that they see your brand everywhere they go online. And obviously, implementing a strategy like that works regardless of industry and market because it's all about touchpoints, and people tend to overthink it, right?"10:00 - "We don't need to try selling everybody at the top of the funnel. We need to find a way to get more people into your database so we can sell them on the backend because you're going to be more profitable from that standpoint, plus you're going to be more set up for success." Apply to be a Guest on The Thoughtful Entrepreneur: https://go.upmyinfluence.com/podcast-guestLinks Mentioned in this Episode:Want to learn more? Check out Linchpin Sales Interactive website at https://linchpinsales.com/Check out Brandon Cockrell on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandon-cockrell-0b66a02b/Check out Brandy Cockrell on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/linchpinsales/Check out Linchpin Sales Interactive on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/company/linchpin-sales/Check out Linchpin Sales Interactive on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/linchpinsales/Check out Linchpin Sales Interactive on Youtube at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOrywaW8G9UL4uZg4a1zE0wDon’t forget to subscribe to The Thoughtful Entrepreneur and thank you for listening. Tune in next time! More from UpMyInfluence:We are actively booking guests for our The Thoughtful Entrepreneur. Schedule HERE.Are you a 6-figure consultant? I’ve got high-level intros for you. Learn more here.What is your #1 Lead Generation BLOCKER? Take my free quiz here.Want to learn more about all the podcasts managed by UpMyInfluence? Opt in here.

In this episode of The Thoughtful Entrepreneur, your host Josh Elledge speaks with Rusty Shelton, Founder & Chairman at Zilker Media. Rusty shares the impact of building a people-driven brand to easily earn your audience's trust. He says that to become a “thought leader”, you have to lead like someone who has something to teach. You call for authority and focus on impact - not ego. Earn those impressions and build trust like that, Rusty says.Rusty also explains the importance of avoiding transactional or fixed-term relationships with customers from a business model perspective. Instead, he recommends developing long-term customers through visibility and authenticity. He believes the best leaders today are those who are willing to be candid. They reflect well for themselves and their business. Rusty provides some tips for referral marketing and customer acquisition. He recommends anyone who wants to do marketing a little differently to read his FREE book for a pragmatic roadmap to thought leadership. Key Points from the Episode:What is a People-Driven Brand?Practical Tips on How to become a Thought LeaderAdvantages of Authority Marketing About Rusty Shelton: Rusty Shelton first spoke at Harvard on the changing world of PR and marketing at the age of 23. He is a bestselling author, dynamic keynote speaker and successful entrepreneur. He is the co-author (alongside Adam Witty) of Authority Marketing: How to Leverage 7 Pillars of Thought Leadership to Make Competition Irrelevant (ForbesBooks, 2018), which features a foreword from Steve Forbes, and co-author (alongside Barbara Cave Henricks) of Mastering the New Media Landscape: Embrace the Micromedia Mindset (Berrett-Koehler, 2016), which debuted at #2 on the Austin American-Statesman bestseller list.An active keynote speaker, Rusty speaks to tens of thousands of people every year about how to build thought leadership, navigate the changing media landscape and make a bigger impact with Authority Marketing. He has been on faculty at more than 20 Harvard Medical School CME courses over the past 15 years and has spoken for YPO, EO, SXSW Interactive, Oregon State University and numerous Fortune 1000 companies.An EO Member with two exits under his belt prior to the age of 35, he is the Founder & Chairman of Zilker Media, Senior Marketing Strategist at Advantage Media Group, Publisher at ForbesBooks and a partner in Catch Engine and Think Engine.Rusty’s commentary on the changing world of PR and marketing has been featured in Forbes, Inc. Magazine, Wharton and many other top media outlets. An avid Texas Longhorns fan, he sits on the University of Texas Texas Exes PR Committee and is a proud member of Entrepreneurs’ Organization (EO) in Austin, where he has served on the board.He lives just west of Austin in Spicewood with his wife, Paige and three children (Luke, Brady & Sadie) and their very rowdy black lab, Charlie. Rusty loves to play golf, fish, coach his sons’ sports teams and is the QB for Lake Travis’ top “old man” flag football team. About Zilker Media: Zilker Media was founded to help clients make a positive impact and, along the way, to provide them with the most enjoyable agency experience they will ever have. They specialize in public relations, digital marketing, and platform development, and they're often used by authors, speakers, thought leaders, and brands looking for an experienced, innovative agency experience. and enjoyable - an experience that incorporates everything needed to succeed in the new media landscape under one roof.Zilker Media is the go-to agency for Captain Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger, Chicken Soup for the Soul and many more. Its roots go back to an award-winning agency, Shelton Interactive, founded by Zilker Media CEO Rusty Shelton in Austin in 2010. The agency represented some of the world's best-known authorities and brands, managed the launches of more than 30 New York Times and Wall Street Journal Bestsellers, was named one of the nation's top 10 marketing agencies in 2015 and 2016 by research firm Clutch, and has led digital strategy for some of the biggest best-sellers.Their namesake, Zilker Park, was founded in 1917 and remains the soul and gathering point of their bustling city, hosting iconic Austin events, such as Austin City Limits, Blues on the Green, Zilker Kite Festival and Trail of Lights, and is the home of Barton Springs. Their team grew up at Zilker Park, and to this day, not only are they regulars there, but they continue to be inspired by the creativity and community the park inspires in Austin and beyond. Tweetable Moments:01:16 - "The best way to accelerate trust with your audience is to lead as a thought leader with something to teach rather than an operator with something to sell."03:11 - "The biggest value in PR being quoted in Forbes or doing an interview like this is somebody is thinking about taking a job at your company. They're thinking about working for you." Apply to be a Guest on The Thoughtful Entrepreneur: https://go.upmyinfluence.com/podcast-guestLinks Mentioned in this Episode:Want to learn more? Check out Zilker Media’s website at https://zilkermedia.com/Check out Zilker Media on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/company/zilkermedia/Check out Rusty Shelton on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/rustyrshelton/Check out Rusty Shelton on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/rustyrshelton/Check out Zilker Media on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/ZilkerMedia/Check out Zilker Media on Twitter at https://twitter.com/zilkermediaCheck out Zilker Media on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/zilkermedia/Don’t forget to subscribe to The Thoughtful Entrepreneur and thank you for listening. Tune in next time!  More from UpMyInfluence:We are actively booking guests for our The Thoughtful Entrepreneur. Schedule HEREAre you a 6-figure consultant? I’ve got high-level intros for you. Learn more here.What is your #1 Lead Generation BLOCKER? Take my free quiz here.Want to learn more about all the podcasts managed by UpMyInfluence? Opt in here.

In this episode of The Thoughtful Entrepreneur, your host Josh Elledge interviews Brendon Baker, director of Valuable Change Co and author of Valuable Change. Brendon shares his passion for helping leaders bring about the change they want to achieve in their organization, without expending too many resources, effort, time, and emotional capital that ultimately doesn't pay off. He proposes to think holistically with these 3 priorities: clarity, dynamics within your teams and good delivery – which stimulate and create influence. Brendon also shares some tips on how to counter natural human resistance to change and get people excited. He teaches leaders how NOT to make change so scary - that people automatically reject the idea - by applying his quick and easy techniques. He coaches them on the concept of change leadership and trains them properly for this role.Brendon recommends anyone looking to change their organization read his book, “Valuable Change”, written for all levels of changed leaders who want to build a highly effective and holistic technique. His missions? To help change leaders drive real value and fight unnecessary complexity. Key Points from the Episode:How to Make Change NOT Too Scary for PeopleThe Concept and Role of a Change LeaderReintroducing Simplicity to High Traffic Areas of an Organization About Brendon Baker: Brendon converts others to a radical new idea - keep it simple. As a leading expert in the field, Brendon Baker has consulted over $10 billion in key transformational projects and programs across a range of industries. This has included public infrastructure, business/cultural transformations, shared services implementations, redesigns, process reviews, technology deployments, social policy and more. Brendon's mission is clear: to help change leaders create real value. About Valuable Change Co: The Valuable Change Co. was founded on one central mission: To help change leaders create real value. In a world filled with armies of consulting grads, sitting in dimly lit rooms, retroactively justifying why the latest “transformational” initiative was implemented, they are converting others to a radical new idea: Keep it simple. Whether you're leading a massive, multi-million dollar, cross-organizational program or need to create fundamental change in your own teams - they can help. They will never borrow your watch to tell you the time. They avoid conflicting and self-serving advice by only entering into engagements that make sense to both parties. They strive from the start to align their goals with yours. The core of Valuable Change Co is based on honesty and integrity. They want your change to succeed. They want your employees to succeed. They want you to succeed. They will always tell you honestly and directly how to achieve this. Tweetable Moments:00:53 - "It's all about change leadership. And change leadership isn't just about coming up with a solution to the problem and delivering it. Change leadership is about thinking about things holistically and thinking about three key priorities."05:51 - "When you start asking those two questions, you then start to be able to drive better influence, and you start to be able to lead toward the decisions that you're looking for from the people that you're looking to change." Apply to be a Guest on The Thoughtful Entrepreneur: https://go.upmyinfluence.com/podcast-guestLinks Mentioned in this Episode:Want to learn more? Check out Valuable Change Co’s website at https://valuablechange.com/Check out Valuable Change Co on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/company/valuablechange/Check out Brendon Baker on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/brendon-baker-valuablechange/Check out Valuable Change Co on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/ValuableChangeCo/Don’t forget to subscribe to The Thoughtful Entrepreneur and thank you for listening. Tune in next time! More from UpMyInfluence:We are actively booking guests for our The Thoughtful Entrepreneur. Schedule HERE.Are you a 6-figure consultant? I’ve got high-level intros for you. Learn more here.What is your #1 Lead Generation BLOCKER? Take my free quiz here.Want to learn more about all the podcasts managed by UpMyInfluence? Opt in here.

In this episode of The Thoughtful Entrepreneur, your host Josh Elledge speaks with Marcos Olson, Founder at Pliancy. Marcos is passionate about helping any new modern business evolve through information technology. He operates completely opposite to what an IT generalist normally does - doing everything at once, which he says will only slow things down and increase the risk of failure. With their operations staff working together, the goal of reducing risk, increasing speed of execution, and delivering positive results is most likely to be achieved.Marcos shares insight into what Pliancy does. He also shares some tips on how to attract investors and easily scale their business. He recommends certain activities for growth and better retention of customers and employees, like building relationships with customers and focusing on quality and results, instead of competing on price. Adapting to virtual work environments, Marcos says his team is leveraging technology to improve their business. Key Points from the Episode:Overview on Pliancy DoesPractical Tips for Attracting InvestorsThe Advantages of Having More People Intertwined in All Units About Marcos Olson: Marcus Olson discovered his love of technology by dismantling and reassembling salvaged computers from a closed Black & Decker office. He also learned the basics independently so he could create his own simple text games. He is now CEO and Founder of Pliancy, a technology-focused professional services firm that helps growing start-ups scale their enterprise IT.Marcus explains why we should always focus on the driving value behind the companies we work for. He also discusses the value of being prepared and showing up fully, so that opportunities can be seized. About Pliancy: Pliancy specializes in providing end-to-end IT solutions and ongoing support to today's most successful capital management and life sciences organizations. They are committed to solving your problems and adapting to your needs. They also help you innovate and equip yourself for your future.Pliancy's goal is to set companies up for success by training them to mastery - being available when and where you need them, innovating towards simplicity and solving problems effectively. Pliancy also focuses on ensuring safety through a refined process. They provide training that reduces errors and builds compliance and awareness in your workflow. They also act as your entire technology department. They will remove technological barriers and simplify where possible. Pliancy is located in New York, San Francisco, Palo Alto, South San Francisco, San Diego, Austin, TX and Boston, MA. Tweetable Moments:05:05 - "A startup is not about building a long-term sustainable business in its early years, the first five years. It's about finding the product, and market fit, getting the scale, and focusing on their core problem or what they're most engaged in."08:36 - "Scaling consultative services, professional services, is really difficult." Apply to be a Guest on The Thoughtful Entrepreneur: https://go.upmyinfluence.com/podcast-guestLinks Mentioned in this Episode:Want to learn more? Check out Pliancy’s website at https://pliancy.com/Check out Pliancy on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/company/pliancy/Check out Marcus Olson on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcusolson/Check out Pliancy on Twitter at https://twitter.com/pliancy_Don’t forget to subscribe to The Thoughtful Entrepreneur and thank you for listening. Tune in next time! More from UpMyInfluence:We are actively booking guests for our The Thoughtful Entrepreneur. Schedule HERE.Are you a 6-figure consultant? I’ve got high-level intros for you. Learn more here.What is your #1 Lead Generation BLOCKER? Take my free quiz here.Want to learn more about all the podcasts managed by UpMyInfluence? Opt in here.

In this episode of The Thoughtful Entrepreneur, your host Josh Elledge speaks with Meena Kumari Adnani, high performance and business coach, CEO of Strong & Shine. Meena shares her passion for empowering female business leaders to succeed by following the 3 frameworks of Strong & Shine: Personal Growth, Personal Brand, and Personal Wealth. She talks about the impact on low self-esteem and self-confidence, cultural background, family beliefs and upbringing, and self-cancellation – all of which are obstacles to making you a millionaire.Like other men and women leaders she admires, Meena encourages entrepreneurs to be driven by their vision - not their background, education, or lack thereof. She shares her belief that failure is not the opposite of success. Failure  is a root of success, if not a prerequisite for it. She says failure is one step closer to success - the glamor behind every success story we hear. She added that if you don't have a desire to succeed, you're most likely afraid to fail.Meena also provides some practical advice on how to break through to success. She offers individual and group coaching sessions according to the needs of the person or company. She also tackles issues of wealth management, attraction marketing, and optimizing social media presence. Her tagline? To help women get rich.  Key Points from the Episode:3 Frameworks of Strong & ShineWhat Keeps People from Believing they Can SucceedWomen Entrepreneurs that Meena AdmiresSome Most Common Mistakes Online Entrepreneurs Make About Meena Kumari Adnani: Meena Kumari Adnani is a former lawyer and senior executive, turned high performance and business coach for women entrepreneurs, and motivational speaker. She was a successful business executive, serving on the board of one of Indonesia's most profitable listed companies.For 25 years, Meena has held leadership positions in leading companies, leading business and legal affairs, business development, marketing and sales. She is a qualified barrister in England and Wales and a barrister in New York. Tweetable Moments:03:35 - "What is it that stops people from thinking that they can create success or become millionaires? There are many beliefs around it. Some of the beliefs is people, I think, subconsciously think that their past equates to their future."05:25 - "I always say there is no such thing as an overnight success." Apply to be a Guest on The Thoughtful Entrepreneur: https://go.upmyinfluence.com/podcast-guestLinks Mentioned in this Episode:Want to learn more? Check out Strong & Shine’s website at https://www.strongandshine.com/Check out Strong & Shine on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/company/strong-shine/Check out Meena Kumari Adnani on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/meena-kumari-adnani/Check out Strong & Shine on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/strongandshine/Check out Meena Kumari Adnani on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/fabiennefredrickson/Check out Meena Kumari Adnani on Youtube at http://www.youtube.com/STRONGANDSHINEDon’t forget to subscribe to The Thoughtful Entrepreneur and thank you for listening. Tune in next time! More from UpMyInfluence:We are actively booking guests for our The Thoughtful Entrepreneur. Schedule HERE.Are you a 6-figure consultant? I’ve got high-level intros for you. Learn more here.What is your #1 Lead Generation BLOCKER? Take my free quiz here.Want to learn more about all the podcasts managed by UpMyInfluence? Opt in here.

In this episode of The Thoughtful Entrepreneur, your host Josh Elledge speaks with Fabienne Frederickson, founder and owner of Bold Heart, business growth mentor, coach and speaker.  Fabienne shares her background and expertise in business development. She has worked in multi-digit companies for 14 years and wants to share what she has learned throughout those years. She teaches female entrepreneurs to create a self-managed business that doesn't require them to manage their day-to-day operations and instead focus on exponential growth activities.Fabienne says Bold Heart is also about helping entrepreneurs get their lives back: having planned a vacation, having it all – whatever EVERYTHING is for them. One of her tasks is to reverse the points of resistance and teach her clients how to adopt the right mindset to leverage their business. The whole idea is to move from a position where they do everything themselves - showing up again and again - to creating something that is evergreen, automated, and can be done by others. Fabienne also talks about providing her clients with an amazing support system to work with. They have developed a 2-year program, along with a guaranteed system that will help them get from where they are now to where they want to be. On top of that, there's a FREE assessment, a FREE book, and a FREE strategy call for anyone who is serious about moving forward. Key Points from the Episode:What is Bold Heart’s mission?Practical Advice to Avoid Taking Too Much Time at WorkWhat is an Omnipresent Marketer? About Fabienne Frederickson: Fabienne Fredrickson is an inspirational mentor to thousands of clients worldwide, an international speaker and founder of Boldheart (formerly Client Attraction Business School). As one of the most influential and highly-acclaimed success mindset speakers and mentors in the world, Fabienne believes in the capacity for each and every person to become the full expression of their purpose here on earth by taking a no-excuses approach to growing within and willingness to “play a bigger game”. Her mindset teachings, born out of Fabienne's personal experiences and challenges and once anticipated, are now embraced by women around the world who seek a catalyst for their personal and professional growth and to live a life they love.  About Bold Heart: The Boldheart Business program powerfully guides women (and some wonderful men) to go beyond their current results using a combination of their 20+ year formula for success: personalized strategy, structured accountability, and loving community. Their mission is to show self-employed women how to take full control of their business, growth and income, while encouraging them to create the most rewarding lives of freedom and fulfillment. Tweetable Moments:01:54 - "What I've learned is that to make two times, five times, ten times more, you actually need to work less."07:31 - "Every once in a while you do show up and initiate something, but it's about having ten times more presence and being on surround sound with just your niche of ideal clients." Apply to be a Guest on The Thoughtful Entrepreneur: https://go.upmyinfluence.com/podcast-guestLinks Mentioned in this Episode:Want to learn more? Check out Bold Heart’s website at https://boldheart.com/Check out Bold Heart on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/company/boldheart/Check out Bold Heart on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/IAmBoldheart/Check out Fabienne Frederickson on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/fabiennefredrickson/Check out Fabienne Frederickson on Twitter at https://twitter.com/fabienneCheck out Bold Heart on on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/iamboldheart/Don’t forget to subscribe to The Thoughtful Entrepreneur and thank you for listening. Tune in next time! More from UpMyInfluence:️We are actively booking guests for our The Thoughtful Entrepreneur. Schedule HERE.Are you a 6-figure consultant? I’ve got high-level intros for you. Learn more here.What is your #1 Lead Generation BLOCKER? Take my free quiz here.Want to learn more about all the podcasts managed by UpMyInfluence? Opt in here.

In this episode of The Thoughtful Entrepreneur, your host Josh Elledge talks with Dacia Coffey, Author of the book “Corporate Caffeine: Boosting B2B Growth through Sales and Marketing Alignment”, a Fractional Chief Marketing Officer, CEO & Founder of The Marketing Blender. Dacia talks about diving deeper into the value companies can bring to their audience. Their corporate values ​​center on Truth, Growth, High Level Accountability, Fun, and Service Leadership - the backbone of everything they do. She says she loves serving the B2B world, viewing them as society's unsung heroes for their enormous contributions. It is her mission to help them extrapolate high-level thinking, build an ascending career for all their versatile employees, mature their marketing in a sophisticated way and increase their return on investment.When asked about the importance of the role of a fractional CMO, Dacia puts it simply: to have individual and organizational impact, strategic alignment and accelerated revenue growth without those huge overheads. She also discusses creating real connections with your audience on various platforms, being aggressive in creating strategy, and unlocking organizational potential. Key Points from the Episode:Blender Corporate ValuesThe Importance of Having a Fractional CMO in the B2B WorldThe role of social media in the B2B spaceHow to Engage as a Fractional CMO About Dacia Coffey: Dacia is a sales and marketing strategist who has orchestrated over 100 organizational transformations over her 20-year career. She was also a professional speaker for 10 years. As CEO of The Marketing Blender, a B2B sales and marketing alignment agency, she helps clients transform their businesses and drive revenue growth. She is also a member of the Forbes Agency Council, is a Forbes contributor, and was named the Advertising Federation of America Shooting Star.Called to help others, she writes and speaks about how to maximize influence. Her mission is to teach people how to use their work to bless the world and unleash their own calling and potential. Her vision is to help create a business world full of meaning, prosperity and connection for all.With an energetic style, Dacia draws on her experience as a top salesperson, editor and three-time business owner. Her approach and ideas are practical, actionable and proven to give audiences and marketing clients the tools they need to catalyze change and growth. Dacia lives in Fort Worth, Texas with her husband and three sons. She enjoys yoga, running, hiking and reading. She is a board member of the Women's Center of Tarrant County, serves on the advisory board of Junction AI, chairs her church's annual festival, and is a mentor in the University of North Texas Professional Leadership Program. About The Marketing Blender: The Marketing Blender is a full-service B2B marketing agency focused on accelerating growth. By creating a smarter marketing mix aligned with your sales cycle, they maximize your return on investment. They accelerate revenue growth by executing the strategy's seven fundamentals: branding, website development, advertising, digital marketing, trade shows, and sales and marketing alignment. This framework helps their clients recognize their areas of opportunity to spend smarter and grow faster. In short, they craft a marketing plan with messages and media designed to get real results.Marketing Blender aligns sales and marketing from first impression through deal close, while monitoring data to provide insight and support to areas that are costing you lost opportunities. It's hard to stand out in today's crowded marketplace, but they know how to use the latest technologies and tools to gain exposure and inspire their prospects to engage and take action. Tweetable Moments:06:01 - "We've got a lot of this corporate marketing out there that's pretty bland. Talking about products and services. Nobody buys a product or service in B2B."08:42 - "So if you want followers, you need to be a follower. If you want engagement, you need to engage." Apply to be a Guest on The Thoughtful Entrepreneur: https://go.upmyinfluence.com/podcast-guestLinks Mentioned in this Episode:Want to learn more? Check out The Marketing Blender’s website at https://www.themarketingblender.com/Check out The Marketing Blender on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-marketing-blender/Check out The Marketing Blender on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/themarketingblender/Check out Dacia Coffey on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/daciacoffey/Check out Dacia Coffey on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/daciacoffey/Check out The Marketing Blender on Twitter at https://twitter.com/BlenderB2BDon’t forget to subscribe to The Thoughtful Entrepreneur and thank you for listening. Tune in next time! More from UpMyInfluence:️We are actively booking guests for our The Thoughtful Entrepreneur. Schedule HERE.Are you a 6-figure consultant? I’ve got high-level intros for you. Learn more here.What is your #1 Lead Generation BLOCKER? Take my free quiz here.Want to learn more about all the podcasts managed by UpMyInfluence? Opt in here.

In this episode of The Thoughtful Entrepreneur, your host Josh Elledge talks with Dr. Cindy McGovern, author of the book "Sell Yourself: How to Create, Live and Sell a Powerful Personal Brand." Dr. Cindy shares her thoughts on why people often shy away from doing sales. She's aware of the common biases and negative opinions about it, but believes there's a way to get over with the icky factors - like she did, and redefine selling as helping others.Dr. Cindy herself and her team of professionals help salespeople to sell themselves and their ideas really well - without being pushy, manipulative and boastful. Their goal is to train them to embrace their inner salesperson so they can elevate the facets of their brand. Her advice to sales professionals? Never forget to rebrand yourself to have enthusiastic fans who trust you. She says that when trust is established, it would be easier to build a network that will see you as their best choice.Dr. Cindy also talks about the different courses and mentoring programs offered at their consulting firm. This includes coaching people to bring their most amazing qualities and attributes into their work. Key Points from the Episode:What Sales are NOTPractical Advice on How to Build a Great Framework to Attract BusinessPersonality of the World's Most Successful SalespeopleBrand Communication Elements About Dr. Cindy McGovern: Known as the First Lady of Sales®, Dr. Cindy has worked with major organizations over the past 18 years to not only help them grow, but to transform their human capital into confident salespeople at all levels of their business. Dr. Cindy also works one-on-one with individuals to walk them through her process and turn them into better, more confident salespeople, no matter what they're selling! Using tools from her Doctorate in Organizational Communication and years of consulting, Dr. Cindy developed sales cultures across various industries to change human behavior at a fundamental level. Her goal is to help people to get over the ick factor in selling so they can embrace their inner salesperson. Because everyone sells every day, Dr. Cindy wants to be a resource to help people to learn how to sell more effectively. With a business motto of “Grow Big or Go Home,” Dr. Cindy transforms businesses and individuals to increase growth and revenue.  Backed by an equally experienced team, Dr. Cindy is the face of Orange Leaf Consulting and is working with McGraw-Hill to release her second book this fall, titled Sell Yourself: How to Create, Live and Sell a Powerful Personal Brand.  Tweetable Moments:01:46 - "I believe that sales is a life skill, not a business skill."06:31 - "So the old sales tactics were ABC: always be closing. I think it's ABC: always be curious."18:12 - "If you see something in another person, tell them that. Help them to see that talent and that work, and then hopefully, that person will start to own it." Apply to be a Guest on The Thoughtful Entrepreneur: https://go.upmyinfluence.com/podcast-guestLinks Mentioned in this Episode:Want to learn more? Check out Dr. Cindy McGovern’s website at https://drcindy.com/Check out Dr. Cindy McGovern on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/drcindy/Check out Dr. Cindy McGovern on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/DrCindyMcGovern/Check out Dr. Cindy McGovern on Twitter at https://twitter.com/1stladyofsalesCheck out Dr. Cindy McGovern on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/1stladyofsales/Check out Dr. Cindy McGovern on Youtube at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCaDspQq6WXDPJq3IAMAs9pg/Don’t forget to subscribe to The Thoughtful Entrepreneur and thank you for listening. Tune in next time!  More from UpMyInfluence:️We are actively booking guests for our The Thoughtful Entrepreneur. Schedule HERE.Are you a 6-figure consultant? I’ve got high-level intros for you. Learn more here.What is your #1 Lead Generation BLOCKER? Take my free quiz here.Want to learn more about all the podcasts managed by UpMyInfluence? Opt in here.

In this episode of The Thoughtful Entrepreneur, your host Josh Elledge chats with Executive Performance Coach, Elizabeth Louis. Elizabeth shares a bit of her background, upbringing, training in psychology, and her radical transformation on controlling emotions and mastering her mindset. Her passion is to help entrepreneurs and financial advisors increase their income by adjusting their mindsets and strategies. She operates knowing that most core beliefs are established at a very early stage and rarely revisited. Her goal? For people to break free from their limited core beliefs and develop the right mindset for success.Elizabeth offers private and group coaching sessions that can empower people to identify thought traps, tap into mindfulness, and grow in connection and love. She specializes in performance, trauma and crisis therapy, group psychoeducation and mental health coaching. Key Points from the Episode:Defining one’s mindsetThe truth about man’s coping mechanismsPractical tips to increasing self-awareness About Elizabeth Louis: Elizabeth Louis is a personal and professional development coach who focuses on the importance of mindset and perception. She is a motivational and inspirational speaker, life strategist and warrior, empowering people to live, as an authentic self. Her witty, direct and transparent style of communication educates individuals by showing them that life is a choice. According to Elizabeth, we can either CHOOSE to let our brain and emotions control us by reacting, or we can choose to take control and react, as we consciously desire.Elizabeth believes that success is a state of mind; if a business or person does not thrive, it is because of their thoughts, paradigms and the perception that person chooses to see. As a coach, she helps clients identify their paradigms and crush them by encouraging the individual to decide to stay in an empowering mindset. She has built her practice on the trinity of neuroscience, positive psychology and biblical principles of success.Elizabeth completed her Masters of Science in Positive Psychology with a sub-specialty in Coaching Psychology in September 2017. Her background is quite complex and intricate. As a young child, she experienced a domino effect of death, extreme abuse, violence, an eating disorder that should have killed her, and other traumatic events. However, her invincible mindset led her to run her first business at the age of 13; become a professional model at 15; move out at the ripe age of 16 and work on a wildlife documentary in South Africa at 24 before entering the career field she has arguably been doing all her life. Tweetable Moments:00:46 - "At the end of the day, people do business with people. I think sometimes we forget that business is made up of people."01:02 - "So many people want to talk strategy, but your strategy means nothing if you have the wrong mindset." Apply to be a Guest on The Thoughtful Entrepreneur: https://go.upmyinfluence.com/podcast-guestLinks Mentioned in this Episode:Want to learn more? Check out Elizabeth Louis’ website at https://elizabethlouis.com/Check out Elizabeth Louis Coaching on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/company/elizabeth-louiscoaching/Check out Elizabeth Louis on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/louiselizabeth/Check out Elizabeth Louis on Twitter at https://twitter.com/elizabethlouis_Check out Elizabeth Louis on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/elizabethlouiscoaching/Don’t forget to subscribe to The Thoughtful Entrepreneur and thank you for listening. Tune in next time! More from UpMyInfluence:We are actively booking guests for our The Thoughtful Entrepreneur. Schedule HERE.Are you a 6-figure consultant? I’ve got high-level intros for you. Learn more here.What is your #1 Lead Generation BLOCKER? Take my free quiz here.Want to learn more about all the podcasts managed by UpMyInfluence? Opt in here.