The Elite Entrepreneurs Podcast

Shaun Buck has been a successful serial entrepreneur for almost two decades. He currently owns and operates The Newsletter Pro, based out of Boise, Idaho. The Newsletter Pro has only been operating since 2011, but it has rapidly grown into the nation’s largest custom newsletter company, mailing millions of newsletters annually. The Newsletter Pro has been recognized for its tremendous growth by Inc. Magazine, making the Inc. 500 list twice and the Inc. 5000 list once. The Newsletter Pro has also been named one of the best places to work in Idaho for the past four years. Shaun was named “Man of the Year” by the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and is a successful business coach to owners of million-dollar businesses. What the podcast will teach you: ●   How Newsletter Pro helps customers through their online and offline newsletter, sending millions of newsletters per month●   Why offline, physical newsletters are still highly relevant even in the digital era, and how physical newsletters have high penetration and conversion rates●   How Newsletter Pro has grown to a 25,000-square-foot building with 75 employees in just nine years in business●   Shaun shares insights from his book Stop Losing Customers!: Transform Your Business, Life, and Profits by Getting Customers to Stay Longer, Spend More, and Cheerfully Refer!●   Why relationship-building was the key to Newsletter Pro’s growth and is the cornerstone of Shaun’s book, and what strategies Shaun uses to build strong relationships●   How Shaun made the transition from day-to-day operations to taking the time to build strategic relationships, and why properly nurturing prospects is vital●   How long-term nurturing of relationships for more than a year helped Newsletter Pro generate more than 1.2 million dollars in revenue●   What steps business owners can take to improve and smooth out their marketing strategy as they grow their business●   How to get a free copy of Shaun’s book Stop Losing Customers! and other free resources through the Newsletter Pro websiteResources: ●   Complimentary copy of Stop Losing Customers! by Shaun Buck: Text “EEP” to (208) 269-9111●   Website: www.NewsletterPro.com●   Website: www.newsletterPro.com/freebook

Marco Santarelli is an investor, author, Inc. 5000 entrepreneur, and the founder of Norada Real Estate Investments, a nationwide provider of turnkey cash-flow investment property. His mission is to help one million people create wealth and passive income and put them on the path to financial freedom with real estate. He is also the host of the top-rated podcast Passive Real Estate Investing.What the podcast will teach you:Why bringing more people into your business to delegate work to is the key to growth once your concept is proven and your business is establishedWhy putting the right people into the right roles and implementing systems to support your business is the key to growthWhat services Marco’s business, Norada Real Estate Investments, offers to their real estate investor clientsWhat challenges and obstacles Marco faced during the process of establishing and growing his business and how he overcame those growth challengesWhy your time as a business owner is best spent doing work that is the “highest and best use” of your time, delegating less valuable business drivers to staffHow Marco recognized the need to hire employees and delegate work and responsibility to free him to focus on other aspects of his businessWhy bringing in someone and handing off the sales process can result in a temporary decline in sales, and why it is necessary to take the leap anywayHow hiring an employee to handle the business’s sales allowed Marco to focus on marketing and business developmentWhy you have to “get out of your own way” and learn to automate and delegate to be able to scale your business effectivelyWhat current challenges and opportunities Marco is working on to further grow Norada Real Estate InvestmentsResources:Website: www.NoradaRealEstate.comPodcast: www.passiverealestateinvesting.comFacebook: www.facebook.com/NoradaRealEstateInvestmentsLinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/marcosantarelliTwitter: www.twitter.com/MarcoSantarelli

Brett Gilliland is the Founder and CEO of Elite Entrepreneurs, a company that specializes in giving $1M+ business owners the knowledge, processes, and tools to grow to $10M and beyond. Brett is an expert in organization development, leadership, and strategy and spent 10 years helping Infusionsoft grow from $7M in revenue to over $100M. Brett was involved in the foundational work of Purpose, Values, and Mission at Infusionsoft and facilitated the strategic planning process for many years. One of Brett’s favorite professional accomplishments is co-creating Infusionsoft’s Elite Forum along with Clate Mask and building the Elite business inside of Infusionsoft. As the leader of the Elite business, Brett has helped hundreds of struggling seven-figure business owners overcome their biggest challenges and achieve new levels of success. He also played a central role in the development of Infusionsoft’s Leadership Model and was serving as the VP of Leadership Development when the decision was made to spin the Elite business out of Infusionsoft. As the new owner of Elite Entrepreneurs, Brett can’t think of anything else he’d rather be doing professionally. When Brett isn’t busy helping $1M+ businesses succeed, he is a family man who enjoys spending time with his beautiful wife, Sharon, and their 8 children. What the podcast will teach you:·        Why it is important to focus your daily activities toward your long-term goals for your company, and why aligning everyone to the company’s Vision is key·        Why getting your team organized and aligned early is important to avoid deeper problems as you progress toward $10 million in revenue·        Brett explains the Big 3 concept as the three most essential responsibilities of a given role within your company·        Why the Big 3 are daily operational tasks and responsibilities that are vital to the continued success and operation of the business·        How to measure the Big 3 through results-based and activity-based metrics, and why each role’s measurements should vary·        Why you should set your own Big 3 for the quarter, then set your team members’ Big 3 based on what will further your own progress·        Why the Big 3 cascades down throughout the company, and why the Big 3 can help align everyone to your goals for the business·        Why it is important to pick clear, easily tracked numbers to set as your measurement, and why weekly self-reporting creates accountability and ownership·        How using the Big 3 approach to organizing work and giving ownership with accountability can help you both in the short term with which day-to-day tasks to focus on, but also in the long term as it helps you achieve your goals Resources:·        Email: info@GrowWithElite.com·        Website: https://growwithelite.com/

Mary Crafts has a 100% all-in zest for life. As the founder of Culinary Crafts, Utah's largest off-premise catering company, and 20-time winner of Best Of State, Mary has created thousands of impressive events throughout the state for over 35 years. Mary is a masterful caterer and a resourceful businesswoman who has served thousands of clients, including many A-list celebrities (Oprah Winfrey and Sir Elton John, for example), two presidents of the United States, and hundreds of Fortune 500 companies. During the 1980s and 90s, Mary hosted a cooking show on KBYU TV that established her reputation as a food celebrity in Utah. Mary has been called a trendsetter in her industry and an ambassador for all things related to food and events.Mary’s involvement in community non-profits, business networks, and education has put her in the spotlight as one of Utah’s most influential women. Recently Mary received The Hero Award from Silicon Slopes Magazine and the Pathfinder Award from the Salt Lake City Chamber of Commerce. She has also been named “One of Utah’s Coolest Entrepreneurs,” is a recipient of Utah Valley University’s Kirk Englehardt Ethics Award, and is one of Utah’s businesswomen who received the “30 Women to Watch” award.Mary's current endeavors include hosting her weekly podcast, "Crafting a Meaningful Life," as well as offering her expertise as a keynote speaker, business and marketing consultant, and team builder. Mary is thrilled to share her hard-won life lessons with others as only she can, with her insatiable zest for life and heartfelt badass attitude. To stay in touch, tune in to her podcasts or visit her website at www.MaryCraftsInc.com.What the podcast will teach you:Why Mary’s current mission in life is to help people overcome their fears and achieve success through her podcast “Crafting A Meaningful Life”Why Mary achieved a dramatic health and fitness journey at 50 years old, and why she decided to challenge herself and her fears by hiking Mt. Kilimanjaro at 65Mary shares her experiences climbing the mountain and the steps she took to prepare herself for the physical and mental challenge of making it to the summitWhat challenges and obstacles Mary faced as a business owner at around the $1 million in revenue markHow Mary’s role evolved over time as she ran and grew her business and how she leaned into her strengths during that evolutionHow Mary learned to take risks and bring in more employees despite her reservations that her company couldn’t afford it, and why delegation was the secret to her successWhy designing and implementing repeatable systems was a difficult but necessary step for Culinary CraftsWhy planning your business’s finances is a key step for growth, and why it is important to maintain control at all timesHow Mary lost 40% of her business in just two months after the 2008 economic crash, and how she weathered the downturn through good credit and honest business dealingWhy integrity is the most powerful asset and important resource you have at your disposal as a business ownerResources:Website: www.MaryCraftsInc.comFacebook: www.facebook.com/mary.craftshomerInstagram: www.instagram.com/marycrafts/

Scott has spent the last 20 years building and selling technology products, leading three Silicon Valley startups each to their first millions in revenue. Now with SalesQualia, Scott works with startups across the world, helping them grow their sales faster. His clients include enterprise SaaS, analytics, consulting, and food product companies across the higher education, FinTech, retail and food services industries. He is a top writer on Quora and the author of three books – Startup Selling: How to sell if you really, really have to and don’t know how, 52 Sales Questions Answered, and recently published, Stop Hustling, Start Scaling: Ramp Up Your B2B Startup’s Repeatable Revenue with The Q Framework. Outside of work, Scott is an accomplished endurance athlete as a three-time Ironman, ultra-marathon runner and marathon swimmer. He lives in Davis, California with his wife and son. What the podcast will teach you:Why the first $1 million in revenue is the most difficult milestone to achieve, and how Scott’s Q framework’s seven questions help business owners reach that pointWhy repeatable systems are the key to reaching $1 million, and why hustling and hard work can only take you so farHow to get a PDF version of Scott’s book Stop Hustling, Start Scaling: Ramp Up Your B2B Startup’s Repeatable Revenue with The Q Framework from his websiteHow repeatability can be built into all aspects of a sales funnel, and why many business owners struggle at the top of the funnel with lead generationWhy drilling down to the 2-4 lead generation activities that are most effective for your business is better than trying everything or relying on a single methodWhy consistency in your systems and processes is vital, and why it is important to explain to your employees why a process is structured the way it isHow to create an implementation plan for your sales to ensure that the process is smooth and consistent for your customersWhy you should systemize the first minute, hour, day, week, month, quarter and year after you close a deal to guarantee the value of the sale to your customersResources:Website: https://salesqualia.com/Stop Hustling, Start Scaling by Scott SambucciStartup Selling by Scott Sambucci52 Sales Questions Answered by Scott SambucciLinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/scottsambucci/Twitter: @scottsambucci

Nick Powills, CFE, founded No Limit Agency in 2008 and served as a chief brand strategist for the Chicago-based firm.No Limit is a full-service communications agency that establishes and elevates brands by bridging public relations, social media, marketing, advertising, digital, and creativity to best strategize well-rounded and successful campaigns for over a hundred global franchisees’ brands. By presenting visionary ideas and building genuine relationships, No Limit can create effective media branding strategies to help companies grow.Nick currently leads a staff of writers, media strategists, designers, social media experts, and digital producers in an office think-tank where brands are humanized for solid and compelling media stories.Powills founded 1851 Franchise and ESTATENVY, two content marketing publications and platforms.Prior to starting No Limit at the age of twenty-seven, Nick spent three years working at a PR agency. He mastered the art of building rapport with media outlets and creating newsworthy pitches for earned media placements. He holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Drake University in Iowa.What the podcast will teach you:Why did Nick’s book, Sticks & Stones, take five years of the challenge to write, and what benefit Nick has received from completing his effortHow Nick’s book demonstrates that being told you aren’t good enough or can’t do something can serve as a powerful motivation to help you achieve your goalsHow Nick’s company, No Limit Agency, has managed the impressive feat of being on the Inc 5000 list of fastest-growing companies six timesWhy not investing in human resources, recruitment, and company culture was a mistake Nick made and a valuable lesson he learnedWhat challenges do Nick and his team face after crossing the $1 million in revenue mark, and how do they work to overcome those challenges?Why the business leadership is often at the core of the problems the company is facing, and why it falls to the business leader to make the necessary changesWhy it is important to understand that the level of employee commitment will vary throughout your companyLooking for small wins every day can help you overcome mindset obstacles that are holding your company back.What steps No Limit Agency has taken to help employees feel more engaged, fulfilled, and appreciated for their workResources:Website: stickstonesoar.comWebsite: nolimitagency.comWebsite: https://1851franchise.com/Sticks & Stones by Nick PowillsLinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/powills/

Brett Gilliland is the Founder and CEO of Elite Entrepreneurs, a company specializing in giving $1M+ business owners the knowledge, processes, and tools to grow to $10M and beyond. Brett is an expert in organization development, leadership, and strategy and spent ten years helping Infusionsoft grow from $7M in revenue to over $100M. Brett was involved in the foundational work of Purpose, Values, and Mission at Infusionsoft and facilitated the strategic planning process for many years.One of Brett’s favorite professional accomplishments is co-creating Infusionsoft’s Elite Forum with Clate Mask and building the Elite business inside of Infusionsoft. As the leader of the Elite business, Brett has helped hundreds of struggling seven-figure business owners overcome their biggest challenges and achieve new levels of success. He also played a central role in developing Infusionsoft’s Leadership Model. Brett served as the VP of Leadership Development when deciding to spin the Elite business out of Infusionsoft. As the new owner of Elite Entrepreneurs, Brett can’t think of anything else he’d rather be doing professionally. When Brett isn’t busy helping $1M+ businesses succeed, he is a family man who enjoys spending time with his beautiful wife, Sharon, and their eight children.What the podcast will teach you:How a recent encounter with an old acquaintance prompted Brett to wonder why we are so desensitized to living our dreams that “living the dream” has become a sarcastic replyWhy the 3-5% of entrepreneurs and business owners that have achieved the $1 million in revenue mark are often worn down, exhausted, and deflatedWhy a business owner’s job is to cut through the chaos and lead themselves and their team to a place of less stressBrett relates a story of taking his wife and eight kids fishing at a mountain lake and the frustration of no fish biting, and he shares how this parallels running a business.How to turn a chaotic and disorganized company into a well-organized, coordinated, and efficient businessSetting a clear vision through purpose, values, and mission is the first step to turning chaos into order.Why it is necessary to establish the right team in your company to turn your vision into realityWhy a consistent and regular meeting rhythm can help you more effectively plan your business strategy and execute your planWhy dedicated business leaders can double or triple their revenue in just 18-24 months as long as they take the proper steps to get their organizations focusedResources:Email: info@GrowWithElite.comWebsite: https://growwithelite.com/

Eric Sprague and his business partner, Larry Wilberton, were college roommates. For 13 years they successfully ran and later sold a seven-figure per year water damage restoration business. Upon the sale of that business, Eric and Larry went to work on their passion project: MorningTechMeeting.com. The website is a monthly membership of daily video training devoted to teaching blue-collar service technicians the soft skills to create better client experiences. Eric is known as the “Tech Whisperer” for his down to earth style which helps him connect with service technicians in a way that they are comfortable with. Eric also coaches blue-collar service business owners and managers to help them build better systems and process flows. What the podcast will teach you:·        How Eric and Larry went into business together and how they grew the business they founded in 2008 to seven figures.·        How following a marketing plan to the letter without deviating from the plan was the key to Eric and Larry’s explosive growth·        Why finding the right coaches to teach Eric and Larry the skills they needed was vital for their success·        Why hiring and staffing with the right people was one of the significant obstacles Eric and Larry ran into on their journey to seven figures.·        What significant time-saving improvements, cultural changes, and processes Eric and Larry implemented that made a massive difference in their business·        How canceling their daily morning meeting for three weeks caused morale to plummet and caused the employees to mutiny.·        Why soft skills are the best way to build a powerful company reputation, and why Eric and Larry moved into teaching those skills to their employees·        Training their employees in soft skills and how to communicate with customers effectively was the key to scaling the business.·        Why relationship-building with their team helped Eric and Larry become better, more effective leaders·        How Eric and Larry’s current business, Morning Tech Meeting, helps business owners outsource their morning meetings·        How to find Eric and Larry’s podcast, Blue Collar Nation, and what topics the podcast series coversResources:·        Website: www.morningtechmeeting.com ·        Email: larry@morningtechmeeting.com ·        Facebook: www.facebook.com/morningtechmeeting/ ·        Facebook: www.facebook.com/eric.sprague.50 ·        Facebook: www.facebook.com/larry.wilberton ·        LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/morning-tech-meeting/ ·        LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/eric-sprague-55b16522/ ·        LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/larry-wilberton-42b13116/

As the CEO (Chief Excitement Officer) of Sparks of Hope & Certified Fearless Living Coach, Sha Sparks empowers women to peel away the layers of their own negative inner dialogue, limiting beliefs, and fear that stems from verbal abuse and loss, which prevents them from living the life they want. As a Fearless Communicator, she is passionately impacting audiences across the country in a positive manner that empowers a spark of excitement for them to take action out of their comfort zone towards their goals. When working with Sha, you will experience a higher level of confidence, self-acceptance, and self-love giving you permission to step out of your comfort zone and fully participate in life. Her motto is when we share our own lessons learned of overcoming obstacles, we ignite a tiny spark of hope, love, connection, and community in other people. And when we ignite that spark, the whole world lights up. What the podcast will teach you: Resources:

Fear is a forgotten and overlooked Superpower, the gatekeeper of everything we want is on the other side of this feeling. Meet Brian Muka, the Fear Sherpa himself, former US Navy Special Operations Officer, Bomb Technician, and published author of Your Secret Superpower, Tame Fear to Thrive. He has written a book on how to harness fear and make it work for them, instead of against them.Having to face his fears on a daily basis when he was a Navy special operations officer, Muka says, “Overcoming fear is a tremendous waste of a potent fuel.” In his new role as a performance coach and speaker, he doesn’t teach or recommend simply overcoming fear. “I inspire others to harness fear by commanding it and its minions: stress, worry, doubt, shame, guilt, procrastination, regret, workaholism, and perfectionism.”Muka teaches his clients how to dance with courage. “It’s what’s on the other side of what feels difficult where our next breakthrough lives, and it is where our best life is waiting for us to leap towards it,” he explains. Brian employs nutrition, and mindfulness when it matters most, and teaches his clients: 1. breathe, 2. smile, and 3. gratitude as a powerful reminder of how to be at our best when it matters most.What the podcast will teach you:How Brian began thinking about how to transform fear during his time in the Navy, and how he got his unique title of the Fear SherpaHow Brian’s unusual background helped him learn to reframe fear or anger and replace them with gratitudeWhy Brian takes a systematic approach to his work and helps his clients overcome their fearsWhat common fears many seven-figure business owners have to face, and why “imposter syndrome” is a major hurdle many must crossWhy the fear of the unknown isn’t the problem, and why the problem is the fear of leaving the knownHow the lessons in fear Brian learned in his military career translate to the kinds of fear entrepreneurs faceWhy the longer you procrastinate and avoid facing the thing you fear, the more the fear grows exponentiallyBrian shares a profound quote from American author Marianne Williamson that addresses our fear of our own powerHow to connect with and work with Brian or to learn more about his coaching work, his book, or his teachingQuote:Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, and fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. You playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people will not feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It is not just in some of us; it is in everyone and as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give others permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others. –Marianne Williamson, A Return to LoveResources:LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/brianmuka/Website: fearsherpa.comYour Secret Superpower by Brian Muka: https://amzn.to/2sIp8U8Facebook: facebook.com/brian.muka