Notes From The Executive with Mina Amso

Bill James is a Certified Speaking Professional and Kiwi Sales Powerhouse with over 30 years of experience transforming sales teams. He's worked in industries like banking, finance, and retail. Bill has helped companies achieve millions in revenue through his award-winning "3 Piece Sales" process and expert strategies for sales growth, client retention, and zero-cost offline marketing. This episode is for introverts learning to sell, top performers refining their skills, or business owners navigating tough times, this conversation is packed with insights to help you take action and drive results. Bill is an expert when it comes to how to close a deal faster, sharing his secrets as a top sales expert. 00:00 - Introduction: Who is Bill James? 02:31 - How growing up shaped his problem-solving skills and career in sales 03:40 - Overcoming challenges: five redundancies in six years 04:24 - Why everyone is in sales, even if they don’t realise it 06:00 - The Rule of Two No's: A sales technique that guarantees success 07:40 If you want to work smarter, how can you get your sales game on point? 08:30 How to going back to sales basics makes you more money 17:15 - Phone, email, or text? What really works in modern sales 18:15 - How different generations prefer to communicate in business 20:34 - Why you should stop saying “just” in sales conversations 30:00 - Leveraging existing customers to generate more sales 33:50 - How do you keep getting sales? 34:41 - Planning for the future: How to secure long-term business success 40:32 - Referrals made simple: Bill’s proven process to double your business 46:00 - Introvert vs extrovert: Who makes a better salesperson? 52:22 - Understanding client styles before you meet them 56:19 - Simplify sales: How to stop overcomplicating and start succeeding

Mark Trafford is a property entrepreneur who scaled his construction and renovation business, Maintain To Profit, to generate annual revenues of up to $20 million.  His construction business was scaled to over 13 franchise licenses and 12,000 clients across New Zealand, Mark is transforming the property market by combining systems-driven operations with expert branding.  0:00 – Introduction: How Mark Trafford scaled a $20M+ franchise business 3:08 – Why Mark left corporate life to follow his entrepreneurial dream 5:22 – How to start and scale a business in New Zealand 07:10 – The challenges of being a small business owner in New Zealand 08:50 – The impact of personal challenges on business success 10:25 – Mark’s timeline to achieving financial stability in business 14:26 – How Mark built a scalable construction and renovation business 18:00 – How to get media exposure for your business 21:30 – Why collaborations are key for business marketing success 25:11 – What is TNG The Networking Group  25:46 – Why networking is essential for small business success in New Zealand 34:00 – Lessons from a $500,000 business mistake 45:29 – Insights into the New Zealand construction industry in 2024 48:00 – What Maintain To Profit offers to franchisees49:30 – What it costs to buy a franchise in New Zealand 55:58 – Is now the best time to buy or sell a property in New Zealand? 57:00 – Mark’s personal notes on focus, drive, and business success

Igor Portugal has extensive experience spanning three decades in the IT industry, encompassing software development, cybersecurity, telecommunications, and cloud computing. He is the Chief of Growth and Investor at Blacklock Security, and CEO of Octovox and Streamgenius. He is recognized for his ability to build businesses from the ground up and for his advocacy of open-source solutions. His leadership has significantly contributed to the advancement of New Zealand's digital economy. Follow Igor https://www.igorportugal.com/Igor Follow Me www.instagram.com/notesfromtheexecutivepodcast In this episode, we dive deep into how AI in cybersecurity is changing the way we protect against cyber threats. Igor Portugal shares how artificial intelligence helps businesses and people stay safe online by spotting problems faster than ever. We talk about how AI processes huge amounts of data, finding patterns that traditional methods miss. Igor explains how AI-enhanced antivirus systems and tools like spam filters and phishing detection with AI make it harder for bad guys to trick us. You'll also hear about security centers (SOCs), where AI analyzes logs to stop attacks before they happen. But it’s not all tech talk—Igor shares real-life examples of how machine learning in cybersecurity works to protect networks and why ethical concerns in AI cybersecurity matter. We also cover the cool side of AI, like creating new jobs and making tech easier for everyone to use. If you want to know how AI and network security can make the internet safer and how it helps stop things like AI impersonation, this episode is for you! 👉 Watch to learn how AI and cybersecurity are teaming up to protect us in the digital world!

Discover the secrets to hiring success with Ronnie Cheung, founder of Talent Connection NZ. Learn about cultural fit, psychometric testing, and avoiding costly hiring mistakes. Learn how to improve your hiring process with recruitment strategies that focus on cultural fit, psychometric testing, and employee retention. Perfect for business owners and HR pros! Ronnie is an HR Expert Recruitment Consultant and Career Coach with over 12 years of experience across various industries, helping migrants succeed in New Zealand's job market. Her mission is to bridge the gap between candidates and employers by aligning skills with opportunities. She is passionate about better hiring decisions, reducing stress and boosting productivity for businesses. Follow Ronnie https://www.talentconnection.co.nz/ Follow me https://www.instagram.com/notesfromtheexecutivepodcast/ Sponsor The Networking Group https://www.tng.org.nz/

Zoltan Mark is the Founder and Director of Marksmen IT. The company started 5 years ago from scratch, now making six figures. Zoltan is originally from Hungary, he moved to New Zealand 12 years ago, in 2012. Marksmen IT provides managed IT services for small and medium-sized kiwi businesses in New Zealand. He talks about why it's easy to run a business in New Zealand and the Hidden Challenges Immigrant Entrepreneurs Overcome. Follow Zoltan   / marksmen-it   Follow Me   / notesfromtheexecutivepodcast  

Maria Moell Lundqvist, Founder and Managing Director of Tomatis New Zealand. From an exciting international career in multinational tech companies in Sweden and Belgium to managing director of a small business in New Zealand, Maria has profound experience in leadership, education, technology, quality management, and coaching. The Tomatis Method is a training technique that uses the power of sound to improve brain function -- with lasting results. As one of only nine worldwide certified instructors in the Tomatis Method, Maria is passionate about training new practitioners and coaching her private clients to vastly improved performance using Tomatis. Follow Maria   / mariamoell   Follow Me   / notesfromtheexecutivepodcast  

Richard Ellis is a health and mindset coach. His mission is to help individuals find their own version of health.    00:00 Intro 01:57 Richard Ellis’s Mission and Background 04:00 Richard Ellis’s Career Transition and Current Role 09:00 Burnout and how it creeps 16:00 Always keep something in the tank 18:30 Impact of just turning up to work and not being productive 19:30 Engagement and Education in Health Coaching 24:00 Power of physical exercise on mental health 26:30 Men's Health and Activity Levels 35:30 Sleep tips and how to get a good night sleep 40:30 Balancing Work and Self-Care 47:30 Entrepreneurial Challenges and Adaptations 52:00 Final Thoughts and Future Plans   Follow Richard https://www.linkedin.com/in/richellis/   Follow me linkin.bio/notesfromtheexecutive

Megan Lamont is the founder of Vertigro Property Management, a company based in the North Shore and Hibiscus Coast region of Auckland, New Zealand. Megan Lamont has over 22 years of experience in the property management industry. She now directs a small team to run her property management business and shares insider secrets in this field. (00:00) Intro (01:50) Early experiences and family background (03:00) Childhood and family dynamics (04:30) Impact of political life on family (07:00) Balancing career and family (11:07) Celebrity and public life (14:00) Transition to property management (15:50) Building a property management business (22:00) Challenges and opportunities in the rental market (33:00) How can you add value to your property (36:00) Who should be your advisor? (42:00) Tenant selection and property management practices (50:00) Regulation and best practices in property management (54:00) What do you look for in a property manager? (55:30) Advice for aspiring property owners   Follow Megan www.vertigro.co.nz   Listen on: Apple podcast – https://shorturl.at/aJ18i Spotify - https://shorturl.at/2fps7   Follow me: https://www.instagram.com/notesfromtheexecutivepodcast/

Naveed is the Founder & Managing Director of Home Advantage Limited. He’s a Personal Finance Consultant. He's also a business coach.   He comes with over a decade of experience helping over a 1000 Kiwis achieve their financial goals. Follow Naveed www.homeadvantage.co.nz https://www.facebook.com/HomeAdvantageNZ/ Giveaway Mention the word NFTE and get a Free and No Obligation In Home or Zoom Consultations and a 50% special discount to the first 10 who opt in for a full-fledged Financial Plan done by Naveed’s team of experienced financial advisers. Watch on YouTube https://youtu.be/ttFRKttAiF0 Follow Me https://www.instagram.com/notesfromtheexecutivepodcast/

Kathryn Sanford is a top personal branding expert on LinkedIn. She faced the challenge of being fired from three jobs. With over a decade of experience, Kathryn guides hundreds of people through uncovering their "why" and translating that into an authentic, compelling brand. Her own story of resilience and reinvention has inspired countless individuals to take control of their careers. Follow Kathryn: www.m2m.co.nz https://www.linkedin.com/in/kathrynsandford/   Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/nK66TR0ls3I?si=l3tkfZATguWy_1Gk   Follow me: https://www.instagram.com/notesfromtheexecutivepodcast/