Smart Business Revolution | Turn Relationships into Revenues | Networking | More Clients | Relationship Advice

Blair Enns is the Founder and CEO of Win Without Pitching, a sales training and coaching organization for creative professionals. He has advised hundreds of design firms, advertising agencies, and other creative authorities on how to deprogram themselves from the standard approach to win new business.  Blair is the author of The Win Without Pitching Manifesto and Pricing Creativity: A Guide to Profit Beyond the Billable Hour. He is also the co-host of the 2Bobs podcast and 20% - The Marketing Procurement Podcast. In this episode of the Smart Business Revolution Podcast, John Corcoran interviews Blair Enns, the Founder and CEO of Win Without Pitching, about his manifesto for helping companies pitch and win better business deals. They also discuss Blair's specialization principle, tips for having conversations about money, and the secret behind the success of Blair's 2Bobs podcast.

Eric Farewell is a lifelong entrepreneur who started working at the age of seven and had his first business selling airplanes on the Internet at the age of 13. Eric has a background in aviation, travel, and adventure. In 2011, he launched Aviator Paramotor, which offers life-changing powered paragliding experiences. As the Founder and CEO of Aviator Paramotor, Eric spends his time teaching paramotoring, catering to students’ unique needs, and traveling around the world to exhibitions and events. In addition to his paramotoring business, Eric acquired the National STOL (Short Takeoff and Landing) competition, which showcases the excitement of aviation worldwide. He’s also the author of the book Farewell to Normal: A Transformational Guide to Adventure, Excitement, and Personal Happiness. In this episode of the Smart Business Revolution Podcast, John Corcoran interviews Eric Farewell, Founder and CEO of Aviator Paramotor, about his lifelong entrepreneurial journey. Eric discusses starting his first business at age 13, his experience in paramotoring, and his involvement with the National Short Takeoff and Landing (National STOL).

Paul Bresenden is the Founder and President of 454 Creative, a marketing agency based out of Orange County, California. The company specializes in designing marketing strategies for mid-market firms with a focus on credit unions and higher education. Paul is also the Managing Partner of KidCEOs, an entrepreneurial startup for kids, and a board member of the Entrepreneurs' Organization (EO). He is the seventh of nine children, born to Russian immigrants. In this episode of the Smart Business Revolution Podcast, John Corcoran sits down with Paul Bresenden, the Founder and President of 454 Creative, to talk about Paul's entrepreneurial journey and the business lessons he learned from EO. They also discuss the KidCEOs initiative and the strategies Paul used to increase his EO chapter's member retention rate.

Ryan Niddel is a CEO, board member, and entrepreneur who specializes in improving company revenue by increasing EBITDA through operational efficiency, lean manufacturing principles, and more. He has contributed to the acquisition or exit of over 11 companies, helping their collective revenue surpass $200 million. Additionally, he’s tripled the revenue of more than five companies in just a couple of years.  Ryan is currently a principal in a private equity group, the CEO of two eight-figure companies, and sits on the board of directors for several other companies. He began his entrepreneurial journey at the age of 10 with a local lawn mowing operation, which was the catalyst for his entrepreneurial success. Since then, Ryan has built a reputation as Ohio’s top business growth specialist, developing skills to boost a company’s profitability, achieve a higher valuation, and sell for significantly more revenue.  In this episode of the Smart Business Revolution Podcast, John Corcoran talks with CEO, board member, and entrepreneur Ryan Niddel. Ryan shares his journey from being a lawn-mowing kid to becoming a successful entrepreneur and CEO. He discusses stories that shaped his career, how he rebounded after a failed business, and why he now embraces his past failures. Ryan also talks about his approach to growing a business and why small steps are the answer to success.

Julie Broad is the Founder and President of Book Launchers, a company that helps entrepreneurs write, publish, and launch books. She is an author, speaker, and former real estate investor and trainer. Julie was inspired to start Book Launchers from her personal experience of struggling to publish a book. After self-publishing it in 2013, she began helping others get their books — and messages — out into the world. She has helped entrepreneurs, thought leaders, and industry experts build audiences and accelerate their career growth. In this episode of the Smart Business Revolution Podcast, John Corcoran sits down to interview Julie Broad, the Founder and President of Book Launchers. Julie explains why she self-published her book, how she helps clients create audiobooks and online courses, and her tips for successfully launching and marketing books.

Bruce Eckfeldt, the Founder and CEO of Eckfeldt & Associates, is a consultant, coach, author, and speaker. He started his career as an architect and later transitioned to digital product development. He is also an expert in business and operational growth strategy, talent planning, performance coaching, and using Agile/Lean to achieve operational excellence. In 2003, Bruce founded Cyrus Innovation, one of the first Agile/Lean consulting firms, and worked with companies such as Boeing, Kaplan Test Prep, Simon & Schuster, Eze Software, and The New York Times. The company was an Inc. 5000 honoree for five years in a row.  After more than a decade of developing products and coaching companies to adopt Agile/Lean practices, Bruce sold Cyrus Innovation in 2014 to focus on broader organizational development initiatives. He has served as interim CEO, COO, and other executive roles across different high-tech and professional service companies, leading them through periods of high growth and leadership transition. He has also been a member of the Entrepreneurs’ Organization (EO) since 2007. Bruce Eckfeldt, the Founder and CEO of Eckfeldt & Associates, joins John Corcoran in this episode of the Smart Business Revolution Podcast to talk about business coaching and strategies for scaling a company to the Inc. 5000 list. They also discuss how to overcome imposter syndrome, the value of structured business frameworks, and challenges in the cannabis and psychedelics industries.

Jason Feifer is the Editor-in-Chief of Entrepreneur Magazine. He is also a podcast host, author, keynote speaker, and startup advisor. He started his career as a community newspaper reporter before transitioning to freelance writing, later working for larger magazines including Men’s Health, Fast Company, and Maxim.  Jason is the host of the Build for Tomorrow podcast and author of Build for Tomorrow: An Action Plan for Embracing Change, Adapting Fast, and Future-Proofing Your Career. His goal is to help people seize new opportunities and become more resilient and adaptable in a world of constant change. Jason Feifer, the Editor-in-Chief of Entrepreneur Magazine, joins John Corcoran in this episode of the Smart Business Revolution Podcast to talk about creating content that engages audiences and builds strong relationships. Jason also shares tips for adapting to change, how to build a successful media business, and the value of providing customized user experiences. 

Cap Treeger is a serial entrepreneur, investor, and author. He has invested directly in several dozen early-stage ventures and indirectly in hundreds more through local angel and venture funds. He is also a Wall Street Journal and national best-selling author of Finding the Way: The Entrepreneur’s Tale. He enjoys sharing experiences of his own successes and failures to pay forward what he has learned from his mentors and hopefully assist others in finding their way. In this episode of the Smart Business Revolution Podcast, John Corcoran interviews Cap Treeger, a serial entrepreneur, investor, and author, about best practices for finding and working with mentors. They also talk about following your passion when starting a business, how to overcome discouragement, and Cap's investment strategy.

Rebecca (Reb) Risty is the Founder and CEO of REBL Marketing, a B2B content marketing agency. The company helps clients turn viewers into customers by writing and producing amazing video content that makes brands stand out from the competition. Based out of San Diego, Reb helps her clients update their branding, create clear and concise messaging, and transform their digital presence through video marketing. In this episode of the Smart Business Revolution Podcast, John Corcoran interviews Reb Risty, the Founder and CEO of REBL Marketing, about best practices for creating and optimizing video content. They also talk about Reb's entrepreneurial journey, the importance of video marketing, and tips for repurposing content.

Michael Portz is a leadership coach and the Co-founder of CoA Academy, which helps leaders succeed with ease through remote leadership programs. Michael has more than 25 years of experience as a manager, serial entrepreneur, and coach. He has lived on almost every continent, established various brands, and led teams of up to 2,500 people. He also helped scale a company to 400 people with a turnover of $500 million in sales within four years.  Michael is the author of Chief of Anything and Six Situations of Feedback. He is an angel investor, a member of the Entrepreneurs Organization (EO), and an EO Accelerator trainer. He also served as President of the EO Qatar Chapter for two years. In this episode of the Smart Business Revolution Podcast, John Corcoran interviews Michael Portz, a leadership coach and the Co-founder of CoA Academy, about leadership development and the value of people skills. They also talk about Michael's experience working at Vodafone, his entrepreneurial ventures, and why he started a leadership academy.