The Mind Your Business Podcast

In this episode, I’m on the road in Toronto, Canada and speaking with my good friend Stu McLaren. Stu’s been in this industry for a long time, but he’s just getting started. You’ll hear how he’s launched and built his new business venture from zero to over $5 million in just 8 months! He’s adopted an extremely abundant mindset over the years and he shares how this has contributed to his amazing success. You’ll hear how it’s really just about getting clear on what’s important to you and aligning your life and business with those people and things. Do this and you’ll not only make more money, but you’ll make a much greater impact on the lives of others.  In this episode you’ll learn: The #1 thing that Stu has learned from the great mentors he’s had – and what it has to do with ego How to stay relevant in the world today Saying “No” to opportunities can be hard, but why you’ll need to do it… How Stu decides which opportunities to pursue (and no, money is not the main indicator)! The significant realization he made when it comes to his own relationship with money The greatest gift we have as entrepreneurs, according to Stu The “90/10” dream and how it’s made Stu a better businessman - while attracting high quality people into his life Details about his upcoming podcast and live event!

On this episode, I’m speaking with my good friend Laura Hames Franklin. You’ll discover why I’ve always referred to Laura as my “secret weapon”, and today she reveals fascinating details on how we can all think like Albert Einstein. Keep an open mind because we’re talking about how you can improve your own mind body connection in order to access your full potential!  In this episode you’ll learn:   There’s an Einstein in all of us! What’s really blocking people from reaching their full potential How “genius” to Laura is having harmony between the left and right brain She demonstrates a simple two-minute exercise you can do to strengthen the connection between your left and right brain How your whole body is affecting your life and holds infinite possibilities  

Today I’m speaking with Annette Stepanian, a lawyer for entrepreneurs and creatives. The topics we’re talking about aren’t sexy or flashy, but they are absolutely essential for business owners to think about NOW, before something happens. This is about protecting you, and your business, and about how to be smart as you grow. Have no worries, Annette is breaking it all down on this episode of The Mind Your Business Podcast! In this episode you’ll learn: As business owners, we have a responsibility to proactive when it comes to legal issues The first steps you should take (and some common mistakes made by entrepreneurs) There are special considerations for online businesses versus brick and mortar ones Your biggest asset is your content – protect it and don’t infringe on content belonging to others! Which actions you can take if someone has stolen your intellectual property, and the mindset I have around this issue Why a contract is a necessity, especially for entrepreneurs with service-based companies Independent contractor or employee? Classifying wrong can be an expensive mistake… The decision on becoming an LLC is a personal one that you don’t need to rush!

Today I’m joined by a listener of the podcast, and student of Business by Design, Kelli Wise. Kelli discusses her journey of how she got to where she is today in her business, and opens up about the tough times she’s had and how she was able to turn things around. She is a great example of how you don’t necessarily need to have a huge email list to have a successful launch, if you have the right mindset and take the right action steps.  In this episode you’ll learn: The confirmation Kelli received that she was indeed impacting the lives of her students The critical step she took after creating her offer and testing it in the marketplace How her program is helping creative entrepreneurs brand and market themselves to stand out How Kelli took a breakdown from her first webinar and used the experience to pivot internally and propel herself forward Why confidence and belief in yourself plays such a key role in how others will see you Why Kelli refers to herself as the “Chief Executive Cheerleader” for her audience and what plans she has going forward in her business

Discover how to craft your perfect day through intention and self-discovery. Reflect on how definitions of perfection evolve over time. Learn three practical strategies for prioritizing activities that bring joy. Understand that every day can be approached as an open canvas, allowing for flexibility and fun. Feel the day first to enhance your experience—it's all about emotional awareness!

Discover how to create a fulfilling vision for your life and business without falling into the hustle trap. Learn why patience is key to success and how childhood passions can guide your current ventures. The importance of establishing personal and business values is emphasized, along with practical tips to boost productivity. Align your strengths with your business model to achieve financial success while maintaining boundaries for a balanced life. Plus, get actionable steps to craft a clear business vision that propels you forward!

In this special bonus episode, James talks about how you can take your goal and actually turn it into a tangible result – like cash in the bank! He shares why it’s so important to not just set big goals, and how you can create the specific action steps to get there. It’s necessary to blend things such as manifestation and spirituality with the action steps and the right plan. For James, the more he balances and integrates these things together, the better the results. For a long time, his goal number seemed so far off and he just didn’t know how he was going to actually accomplish it. However, when you do know how to accomplish your goals the right way, you can literally create money on demand. Being in the right environment is critical for achieving the results you’re after. To accommodate his growing team, James just moved his team to a bigger office, complete with a deck and view of the ocean. The importance of your environment can’t be underestimated! After moving to New York in 2012 and almost burning out, James returned to Laguna Beach and he now has a much deeper appreciation for his hometown and where he chooses to live and operate his business. It’s also key to find your “sweet spot.” For him, video creation has always been a fun and inspiring way to grow his business. You too should be infusing your creativity into your daily life, both personally and professionally. Remember that a goal is not something that defines you or something you should identify your self-worth with. You are not measured by the levels at which you accomplish your goals, because you are the one that created the goal in the first place! Steps to Accomplish Your Goals Redefine the word, “Goal” A goal is simply the indicator for the game that you are going to create, and it just identifies the level at which you need to show up. It allows you to determine what you need to do to play that game. For example, a 7-figure launch will require more stepping up than would a $10,000 launch. For James it wouldn’t matter if he hit his goal, but what would really matter is if he stepped up and did what he said he was going to do for the launch. Make three goals For your next launch or promotion, set three goals: an audacious one that will stretch you (and literally cause others to think you were insane!), a safe goal or minimum you’d need in order to still be happy, and finally, a goal that lands somewhere in the middle of the other two. Identify what it’ll take Who do you need to be, and what is it going to take, in order for you to show up and align with your goals? Consider what it would look like if you were unstoppable! You can still do you manifestations and set your intentions, but you absolutely must have a plan because no result is possible without inspired action. Whatever platform or strategy you are using for your launch, you’re going to need a launch plan. There is no one “right way,” but the problem is most people choose parts of multiple plans and then they don’t execute fully on any of them. Begin with the end in mind and work backwards. You should start with the last steps, as these are the ones that are the 5% of activities which generate 95% of the results. Before taking action you will need indicators of performance, as every phase or step has mini-goals within the plan that correlate the main goal. A lot of times we just need to be shown exactly what to do and then focus on the right things to put us back in the driver’s seat of goal setting. As the CEO or visionary of your business, you need to not just set big goals, but also to create a plan from that goal on how you’ll get there. Identify the right action items to get you the results and don’t forget that goal setting is just about setting up the game that you are about to play. Don’t be afraid to fail and as you play bigger games, you’ll learn some big lessons! Submit Your Question! LINKS: Get James’ Free Webinar Launch Calculator! The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey

In this episode I’m joined by Dr. Mcayla, who is a licensed psychotherapist, Brain Training and MindSet Expert as well as an EMDR specialist. We’re talking all about our core beliefs – what they are and how to change them! In this episode you’ll learn: How Dr. Mcayla really began to understand what her true story was What EMDR, or “Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing” is all about Why isn’t the mind talked about more often, and in particular, the psyche? How we’re constantly defining ourselves while we sleep… Most of our actions, feelings and behaviors come from the subconscious mind, but not many of us know what we have there! Ways that our ego will counteract our core beliefs How I survived when I was younger… Why the subconscious mind will push back memories that don’t make us look good! Society doesn’t define our truths; what defines us is the kind of person we are  

Online Business Strategist Zach Spuckler shares mindset shifts for business growth and team expansion. He emphasizes the importance of self-awareness, hiring a team, and valuing oneself in pricing decisions. The podcast discusses launching products through challenges, encouraging action in business, and the power of taking risks for progress.

Are you marketing yourself online and feel like your message is falling flat? Maybe people aren’t getting your offer and you’re looking for a way to connect with your audience? On today’s show, James looks at how using surveys (the right way!) can lead to more effective messaging and more sales. He shares the right questions to ask, how to ask them so you’ll get people to actually fill out your survey, the software he recommends and most importantly, how to properly interpret the answers you receive. Your online niche is most likely always evolving, and surveys are a powerful way to stay in touch with your marketplace. When it comes to strategies to use with your surveys, Ryan Levesque has an excellent book, Ask. In his book, he talks about the “one question” survey, which simply proposes the following question: When it comes to _________, what is the number one biggest struggle or frustration you have right now? Your job is to get really specific on the topic when you ask this question. The more specific the phrasing is, the more specific answers you will receive. When you give your audience specific instructions for completing the survey question, ask them to be as detailed as possible and try to deter one-word answers such as “time” or “money.” By having this question by itself on a page, it’ll have the full attention of the reader. There are follow-up questions that James notes can be used effectively as well. If you ask for the person’s name, email and phone number, but make this optional. The people who do give you this information will be your more qualified prospects!  James’ six-question survey: 1. Have you ever tried _________? If no, why not? Asking this will qualify the prospect, and the “why not” part gives you a list of the person’s objections. 2. What is the biggest obstacle or struggle that you are currently facing? Here you are looking for the problem, or source of pain for him or her. 3. What are the negative consequences of this struggle? By digging deeper, you will discover why it’s such a problem for them and what they are afraid will happen. 4. What is your ideal solution to this problem? When this question is answered, they actually tell you what they’re looking for which is extremely valuable information for you to have! 5. What are the positive consequences and results of solving this problem? This will tell you where they are heading, or what they are moving towards, in their own words. 6. If you had the chance to ask me one question, what would it be?  Towards the end of this podcast episode, James actually gives the one question that people ask him most often, as well as his answer… You can use either the one-question survey, the six-question one or a combination of the both. It’s important though to only send whatever you decide to use to your own list or community. Asking another group of people to complete your survey might not lead to answers from your ideal client. There are multiple software platforms you can use to create your surveys, including Google Forms, which is free. However, James’ recommends looking at Survey Monkey or Survey Funnel, which have more features and functions, as well as the ability to ask just one question per page. How do you interpret all of the survey results? First, read them all. It helps to print them out and read the question each time out loud, followed by the answer. Better yet, you can have someone else read them to you. The important thing is not to judge the responses, and to just be present with the words. Someone might not be able to fully communicate what he or she is trying to say with just words, but you can still feel the energy or emotion behind the response. It is helpful to tally the answers to see what’s the most popular problem that others are facing. James created a big poster board and explains how he used it to analyze the problems and possible solutions. Interpreting this information could lead you to your next offer, course, podcast episode, blog or email to your list! Ultimately it’s not about the quantity of completed surveys received, it’s all about the quality of your interpretation and how you are able to use the information in your business.  Submit Your Question! Share Your Review on iTunes! LINKS: Getting Started With Surveys – James’ Free PDF or text “survey” to 5202177548  Ask. by Ryan Levesque Survey Monkey Survey Funnel