
The Self-Employed Life
The Self-Employed Life Podcast (formerly Creative Warriors) provides business and personal development strategies for self-employed business owners that create sustainable success.
A community of self-employed and small business owners, entrepreneurs, innovators and ambitious individuals that need creative solutions in business. Being self-employed and a business Warrior is a mindset, a spirit and a challenge. We need a different way of doing business. This is business with a soul.
We discuss marketing, branding, productivity, mindset, building meaningful relationships with customers and living a fulfilling life. In the self-employed life, it's all personal.
Small business consultant, business coach for entrepreneurs, keynote speaker, TEDx speaker, and author of The Self-Employed Life and LINGO, host Jeffrey Shaw, interviews bestselling authors and experts who will change your way of thinking and provide practical ideas that you can apply directly in your life and business. Two episodes each week- one content-rich interview with an expert and Coaching Break offers a 15-minute break to receive coaching from your host.
Latest episodes

Aug 21, 2024 • 16min
954: It's Not About You! It's About How Your Customers See Themselves
I'm not saying don't put great effort into building an amazing brand and of course creating compelling brand messaging. Hell, I wrote the book on it. But I am saying that it's actually not about you or your business. It's about aligning how your ideal customers see themselves with your brand. Find out why it's important and how to do it in this episode. Contact Jeffrey – Website Books Watch my TEDx LincolnSquare video and please share! Valuable resources to help you – Take The Self-Employed Assessment! Ever feel like you're all over the place? Or frustrated it seems like you have everything you need for your business success but it's somehow not coming together? Take this short quiz to discover the biggest hidden gap that’s keeping you from having a thriving Self-Employed Ecosystem. You’ll find out what part of your business needs attention and you'll also get a few laser-focused insights to help you start closing that gap. The Self-Employed Business Institute You know you're really good at what you do. You're talented, you have a skill set. The problem is you're probably in a field where there is no business education. This is common amongst self-employed people! And, there's no business education out there for us! You also know that being self-employed is unique and you need better strategies, coaching, support, and accountability. The Self-Employed Business Institute, a five-month online education is exactly what you need. Check it out! Host Jeffrey Shaw is a Business Coach, Keynote Speaker, TEDx Speaker, and author of LINGO and The Self Employed Life. Also, Founder of The Self-Employed Business Institute, The Exceptional Business Academy and responsible for dedicating May 4th as National Self-Employed Day on the U.S. National Calendar. Supporting self-employed business owners with business and personal development strategies they need to create sustainable success.

Aug 14, 2024 • 42min
953: Nimrod Vromen - Is Happiness and Success Possible in a World with AI?
In this episode of the self-employed life, I had the pleasure of speaking with Nimrod Vromen, co-founder of founded Consiglierian, an innovative consulting firm for startups and investors, and YTech Runway Ltd. about the advancement of AI. His experience in a world of technology gives the ability and perspective required to share his thoughts on the future world. In this episode, Nimrod answers questions regarding people’s happiness, the impact jobs will have, culinary experiences, and much more in a world where AI is everywhere. Nimrod Vromen lives and breathes startups, investors(private and VC), and acquirers. With over 15 years of experience in the high-tech sector, Nimrod has represented hundreds of startups from inception through their entire life cycle. Among them are several businesses he guided from the inception of their idea, through their evolution, to becoming a mature company and/or being acquired. In 2020, Nimrod, together with the firm and Mr. Moshe Levin (an experienced venture capitalist and executive), founded Consiglieri – an innovative consulting firm for startups and investors in Israel and around the world. As part of his activity in the startup ecosystem, he also co-founded and co-manages YTech Runway Ltd., a platform for entrepreneurs and investors. And be sure to subscribe to The Self-Employed Life in Apple Podcasts or follow us on Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts so you don’t miss an episode. Everything you need can all be found at jeffreyshaw.com. Remember, you might be in business FOR yourself but you are not in business BY yourself. Be your best self. Be proud and keep changing the world. Guest Contact – Consiglierian YTech Runway Ltd LinkedIn Contact Jeffrey – SelfEmployedNewsletter.com JeffreyShaw.com Books by Jeffrey Shaw Business Coaching for Entrepreneurs Watch my TEDx LincolnSquare video and please share! Valuable Resources – The Self-Employed Business Institute You know you're really good at what you do. You're talented, you have a skill set. The problem is you're probably in a field where there is no business education. This is common amongst self-employed people! And, there's no business education out there for us! You also know that being self-employed is unique and you need better strategies, coaching, support, and accountability. The Self-Employed Business Institute, a five-month online education is exactly what you need. Check it out! Take The Self-Employed Assessment! Ever feel like you're all over the place? Or frustrated it seems like you have everything you need for your business success but it's somehow not coming together? Take this short quiz to discover the biggest hidden gap that’s keeping you from having a thriving Self-Employed Ecosystem. You’ll find out what part of your business needs attention and you'll also get a few laser-focused insights to help you start closing that gap. Have Your Website Brand Message Reviewed! Is your website speaking the right LINGO of your ideal customers? Having reviewed hundreds of websites, I can tell you 98% of websites are not. Fill out the simple LINGO Review application and I'll take a look at your website. I'll email you a few suggestions to improve your brand message to attract more of your ideal customers. Fill out the application today and let's get your business speaking the right LINGO! Host Jeffrey Shaw is a Small Business Consultant, Brand Management Consultant, Business Coach for Entrepreneurs, Keynote Speaker, TEDx Speaker and author of LINGO and The Self Employed Life (May 2021). Supporting self-employed business owners with business and personal development strategies they need to create sustainable success.

Aug 7, 2024 • 14min
952: Help Your Customers Feel Great About Their Investment
It's your responsibility to not just "sell" your customers, but it should also be your goal to help them feel great about the investment they make in your services. Especially if what you offer is high ticket. Here are a few ideas to help your customers feel great about the investment they make in your goods and services. Contact Jeffrey – Website Books Watch my TEDx LincolnSquare video and please share! Valuable resources to help you – The Self-Employed Business Institute You know you're really good at what you do. You're talented, you have a skill set. The problem is you're probably in a field where there is no business education. This is common amongst self-employed people! And, there's no business education out there for us! You also know that being self-employed is unique and you need better strategies, coaching, support, and accountability. The Self-Employed Business Institute, a five-month online education is exactly what you need. Check it out! Take The Self-Employed Assessment! Ever feel like you're all over the place? Or frustrated it seems like you have everything you need for your business success but it's somehow not coming together? Take this short quiz to discover the biggest hidden gap that’s keeping you from having a thriving Self-Employed Ecosystem. You’ll find out what part of your business needs attention and you'll also get a few laser-focused insights to help you start closing that gap. Have Your Website Brand Message Reviewed! Is your website speaking the right LINGO of your ideal customers? Having reviewed hundreds of websites, I can tell you 98% of websites are not. Fill out the simple LINGO Review application and I'll take a look at your website. I'll email you a few suggestions to improve your brand message to attract more of your ideal customers. Fill out the application today and let's get your business speaking the right LINGO! Host Jeffrey Shaw is a Small Business Coach, Brand Management Consultant, Business Coach for Entrepreneurs, Keynote Speaker, TEDx Speaker and author of LINGO and The Self Employed Life (May 2021). Supporting self-employed business owners with business and personal development strategies they need to create sustainable success.

Jul 31, 2024 • 42min
951: Lisa McLeod - Increase Sales with Your Noble Purpose
In this episode of the Self-employed Life, I had the pleasure of speaking with Lisa McLeod, author of best seller Selling with a Noble Purpose: How to Drive Revenue and Do Work that Makes You Proud, along with four other exceptional books, about the importance of having a noble purpose in business. We discussed how making helping people the mindset of a business will not only provide a better life for the client, but also creates a more successful business and personal life. Lisa stated that people in business whose purpose is to help as many people as they can as best as they can are more successful than those that are in it just for money. Lisa McLeod is the global expert on purpose-driven business. She is the author of five books, including her bestseller: Selling with Noble Purpose: How to Drive Revenue and Do Work That Makes You Proud. Lisa has spent two decades helping leaders increase competitive differentiation and emotional engagement. She developed the Noble Purpose methodology after her research revealed that salespeople who sell with Noble Purpose, outsell salespeople who focus on targets and quotas. Lisa is a former Procter & Gamble Sales Leader who founded her own firm, McLeod & More, Inc. in 2001. She helps leaders at organizations like Cisco, Roche, Volvo, and Dave & Busters drive exponential revenue growth. Lisa has keynoted in 25 countries and authored over 2,000 articles. She has made appearances on the Today Show and the NBC Nightly News, and her firm’s work has been featured in Forbes, The Wall Street Journal, and NPR. Lisa’s leadership book, Leading with Noble Purpose: How to Create a Tribe of True Believers is a breakthrough book that shows leaders how to win the hearts and minds of their teams and customers. And be sure to subscribe to The Self-Employed Life in Apple Podcasts or follow us on Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts so you don’t miss an episode. Everything you need can all be found at jeffreyshaw.com. Dia Bondi, thank you so much for being here! Remember, you might be in business FOR yourself but you are not in business BY yourself. Be your best self. Be proud and keep changing the world. Guest Contact – Read her book, Selling with a Noble Purpose: How to Drive Revenue and Do Work that Makes You Proud Contact Jeffrey – SelfEmployedNewsletter.com JeffreyShaw.com Books by Jeffrey Shaw Business Coaching for Entrepreneurs Watch my TEDx LincolnSquare video and please share! Valuable Resources – The Self-Employed Business Institute You know you're really good at what you do. You're talented, you have a skill set. The problem is you're probably in a field where there is no business education. This is common amongst self-employed people! And, there's no business education out there for us! You also know that being self-employed is unique and you need better strategies, coaching, support, and accountability. The Self-Employed Business Institute, a five-month online education is exactly what you need. Check it out! Take The Self-Employed Assessment! Ever feel like you're all over the place? Or frustrated it seems like you have everything you need for your business success but it's somehow not coming together? Take this short quiz to discover the biggest hidden gap that’s keeping you from having a thriving Self-Employed Ecosystem. You’ll find out what part of your business needs attention and you'll also get a few laser-focused insights to help you start closing that gap. Have Your Website Brand Message Reviewed! Is your website speaking the right LINGO of your ideal customers? Having reviewed hundreds of websites, I can tell you 98% of websites are not. Fill out the simple LINGO Review application and I'll take a look at your website. I'll email you a few suggestions to improve your brand message to attract more of your ideal customers. Fill out the application today and let's get your business speaking the right LINGO! Host Jeffrey Shaw is a Small Business Consultant, Brand Management Consultant, Business Coach for Entrepreneurs, Keynote Speaker, TEDx Speaker and author of LINGO and The Self Employed Life (May 2021). Supporting self-employed business owners with business and personal development strategies they need to create sustainable success.

Jul 24, 2024 • 25min
950: Business as a Life-Transforming Experience: The New Standard?
Imagine a world where doing business was life-transforming. When you made every customers day better because of their interaction with you. Imagine if life-transforming was new new standard instead of "great" customer service and "great" experiences. Not only is it possible, it may become necessary. Find out why and how to accomplish this lofty goal. More details about The Exceptional Business Academy Contact Jeffrey – Take the Self-Doubt Survey Website Books Watch my TEDx LincolnSquare video and please share! Valuable resources to help you – The Self-Employed Business Institute You know you're really good at what you do. You're talented, you have a skill set. The problem is you're probably in a field where there is no business education. This is common amongst self-employed people! And, there's no business education out there for us! You also know that being self-employed is unique and you need better strategies, coaching, support, and accountability. The Self-Employed Business Institute, a five-month online education is exactly what you need. Check it out! Take The Self-Employed Assessment! Ever feel like you're all over the place? Or frustrated it seems like you have everything you need for your business success but it's somehow not coming together? Take this short quiz to discover the biggest hidden gap that’s keeping you from having a thriving Self-Employed Ecosystem. You’ll find out what part of your business needs attention and you'll also get a few laser-focused insights to help you start closing that gap. Have Your Website Brand Message Reviewed! Is your website speaking the right LINGO of your ideal customers? Having reviewed hundreds of websites, I can tell you 98% of websites are not. Fill out the simple LINGO Review application and I'll take a look at your website. I'll email you a few suggestions to improve your brand message to attract more of your ideal customers. Fill out the application today and let's get your business speaking the right LINGO! Host Jeffrey Shaw is a Small Business Coach, Brand Management Consultant, Business Coach for Entrepreneurs, Keynote Speaker, TEDx Speaker and author of LINGO and The Self Employed Life (May 2021). Supporting self-employed business owners with business and personal development strategies they need to create sustainable success.

Jul 17, 2024 • 43min
949: Dia Bondi - Higher Success By Asking Better Questions
In this episode of self-employed life, I had the pleasure of speaking with Dia Bondi, author of “Asking like an Auctioneer”, about how to ask better questions. Dia shared valuable insights on why asking questions is a success strategy and how to become better at doing it. We discussed the challenges that people have when asking questions, such as feeling guilty and facing rejection, and how to best overcome those fears. We also discussed that being able to ask questions as a skill set is not just a nice-to-have or something that necessarily comes natural or easy, but that it is a success strategy. Dia’s journey of being an auctioneer gives her great experience on how to ask questions, which she is able to share with others. Overall this episode provides excellent advice on how to improve careers and lives through the power of asking questions. Dia Bondi is a Communications Catalyst for high-impact people. In her private coaching and programs, she works with professional C-level leaders, VC backed founders and ambitious professionals guiding, helping them find their voice and lead with it. Her workshops and talks are hosted by corporations including Quartz, Salesforce, Google’s X.team, and Dropbox. In global sport, she helped Rio de Janeiro secure the 2016 Summer Olympics. After attending auctioneering school for fun, she translated the techniques she learned into a program that prepares ambitious professionals and especially women, to ask for more and leave nothing on the table called Ask Like an Auctioneer. She’s been featured on CNBC Make It, Forbes and Fast Company. Her book, Ask Like an Auctioneer, is available now. Listen to her podcast, Lead With Who You Are. And be sure to subscribe to The Self-Employed Life in Apple Podcasts or follow us on Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts so you don’t miss an episode. Everything you need can all be found at jeffreyshaw.com. Dia Bondi, thank you so much for being here! Remember, you might be in business FOR yourself but you are not in business BY yourself. Be your best self. Be proud and keep changing the world. Guest Contact – Listen to her podcast, Lead With Who You Are Read her book, Ask Like an Auctioneer Contact Jeffrey – SelfEmployedNewsletter.com JeffreyShaw.com Books by Jeffrey Shaw Business Coaching for Entrepreneurs Watch my TEDx LincolnSquare video and please share! Valuable Resources – The Self-Employed Business Institute You know you're really good at what you do. You're talented, you have a skill set. The problem is you're probably in a field where there is no business education. This is common amongst self-employed people! And, there's no business education out there for us! You also know that being self-employed is unique and you need better strategies, coaching, support, and accountability. The Self-Employed Business Institute, a five-month online education is exactly what you need. Check it out! Take The Self-Employed Assessment! Ever feel like you're all over the place? Or frustrated it seems like you have everything you need for your business success but it's somehow not coming together? Take this short quiz to discover the biggest hidden gap that’s keeping you from having a thriving Self-Employed Ecosystem. You’ll find out what part of your business needs attention and you'll also get a few laser-focused insights to help you start closing that gap. Have Your Website Brand Message Reviewed! Is your website speaking the right LINGO of your ideal customers? Having reviewed hundreds of websites, I can tell you 98% of websites are not. Fill out the simple LINGO Review application and I'll take a look at your website. I'll email you a few suggestions to improve your brand message to attract more of your ideal customers. Fill out the application today and let's get your business speaking the right LINGO! Host Jeffrey Shaw is a Small Business Consultant, Brand Management Consultant, Business Coach for Entrepreneurs, Keynote Speaker, TEDx Speaker and author of LINGO and The Self Employed Life (May 2021). Supporting self-employed business owners with business and personal development strategies they need to create sustainable success.

Jul 10, 2024 • 17min
948: The Important Mindset Shift to Be Exceptional
Discover the important mindset shift required to be exceptional in your field, standing out and achieving success in both personal and business growth. Embrace your individuality for excellence, filter advice, and prioritize uniqueness to excel in the business realm.

Jun 26, 2024 • 18min
947: Coaching Break - Operating at a Higher Level
What's the foundation of raising your standards, operating at a higher level, being exceptional and blowing away your clients? You have to listen in and find out! HINT: It doesn't actually have anything to do with you. More details about The Exceptional Business Academy Contact Jeffrey – Take the Self-Doubt Survey Website Books Watch my TEDx LincolnSquare video and please share! Valuable resources to help you – The Self-Employed Business Institute You know you're really good at what you do. You're talented, you have a skill set. The problem is you're probably in a field where there is no business education. This is common amongst self-employed people! And, there's no business education out there for us! You also know that being self-employed is unique and you need better strategies, coaching, support, and accountability. The Self-Employed Business Institute, a five-month online education is exactly what you need. Check it out! Take The Self-Employed Assessment! Ever feel like you're all over the place? Or frustrated it seems like you have everything you need for your business success but it's somehow not coming together? Take this short quiz to discover the biggest hidden gap that’s keeping you from having a thriving Self-Employed Ecosystem. You’ll find out what part of your business needs attention and you'll also get a few laser-focused insights to help you start closing that gap. Have Your Website Brand Message Reviewed! Is your website speaking the right LINGO of your ideal customers? Having reviewed hundreds of websites, I can tell you 98% of websites are not. Fill out the simple LINGO Review application and I'll take a look at your website. I'll email you a few suggestions to improve your brand message to attract more of your ideal customers. Fill out the application today and let's get your business speaking the right LINGO! Host Jeffrey Shaw is a Small Business Coach, Brand Management Consultant, Business Coach for Entrepreneurs, Keynote Speaker, TEDx Speaker and author of LINGO and The Self Employed Life (May 2021). Supporting self-employed business owners with business and personal development strategies they need to create sustainable success.

Jun 19, 2024 • 46min
946: Cliff Goldmacher – The Power of Songwriting in Business
In this episode of The Self-Employed Life, I had the pleasure of interviewing Cliff Goldmacher, a Grammy-recognized songwriter, about the parallels between songwriting and business. Cliff shared valuable insights on how songwriting can help improve creativity, communication, collaboration, and innovation in the business world. We discussed the importance of balancing emotion and story in communication, the power of repetition in messaging, and the significance of vulnerability and risk-taking in creativity. Cliff's journey from songwriter to speaker and thought leader exemplifies the idea that the way you do anything is the way you do everything. Overall, the episode provided a unique perspective on how songwriting principles can be applied to enhance business practices and creativity. Cliff Goldmacher is a GRAMMY-recognized, #1 hit songwriter, two-time TEDx speaker and author who, for the past nine years, has been helping organizations innovate and build their creative confidence by teaching them to write songs. Cliff’s work has been featured in Forbes and Cliff’s book, The Reason For The Rhymes: Mastering The Seven Essential Skills of Innovation by Learning to Write Songs, encapsulates the principles of his workshops. Cliff’s clients include Deloitte, Bank of America, IDEO, the ATD and Vanderbilt’s Owen Graduate School of Management. And be sure to subscribe to The Self-Employed Life in Apple Podcasts or follow us on Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts so you don’t miss an episode. Everything you need can all be found at jeffreyshaw.com. Cliff Goldmacher, thank you so much for being here! Remember, you might be in business FOR yourself but you are not in business BY yourself. Be your best self. Be proud and keep changing the world. Guest Contact – https://www.thereasonfortherhymes.com/ Cliff Goldmacher on LinkedIn (@cliffgoldmacher) Contact Jeffrey – SelfEmployedNewsletter.com JeffreyShaw.com Books by Jeffrey Shaw Business Coaching for Entrepreneurs Watch my TEDx LincolnSquare video and please share! Valuable Resources – The Self-Employed Business Institute You know you're really good at what you do. You're talented, you have a skill set. The problem is you're probably in a field where there is no business education. This is common amongst self-employed people! And, there's no business education out there for us! You also know that being self-employed is unique and you need better strategies, coaching, support, and accountability. The Self-Employed Business Institute, a five-month online education is exactly what you need. Check it out! Take The Self-Employed Assessment! Ever feel like you're all over the place? Or frustrated it seems like you have everything you need for your business success but it's somehow not coming together? Take this short quiz to discover the biggest hidden gap that’s keeping you from having a thriving Self-Employed Ecosystem. You’ll find out what part of your business needs attention and you'll also get a few laser-focused insights to help you start closing that gap. Have Your Website Brand Message Reviewed! Is your website speaking the right LINGO of your ideal customers? Having reviewed hundreds of websites, I can tell you 98% of websites are not. Fill out the simple LINGO Review application and I'll take a look at your website. I'll email you a few suggestions to improve your brand message to attract more of your ideal customers. Fill out the application today and let's get your business speaking the right LINGO! Host Jeffrey Shaw is a Small Business Consultant, Brand Management Consultant, Business Coach for Entrepreneurs, Keynote Speaker, TEDx Speaker and author of LINGO and The Self Employed Life (May 2021). Supporting self-employed business owners with business and personal development strategies they need to create sustainable success.

Jun 12, 2024 • 22min
945: Coaching Break - Great Isn't Good Enough
Customers expect great today. Great customer service, great experience, great quality, great attention to details. The problem is meeting their expectations doesn't impress them. If you don't meet their expectations they won't come back or even worse, tell everyone. The only thing left to do is be exceptional. Find out how you can move your business from great to exceptional and stand out above the rest. More details about The Exceptional Business Academy Contact Jeffrey – Take the Self-Doubt Survey Website Books Watch my TEDx LincolnSquare video and please share! Valuable resources to help you – The Self-Employed Business Institute You know you're really good at what you do. You're talented, you have a skill set. The problem is you're probably in a field where there is no business education. This is common amongst self-employed people! And, there's no business education out there for us! You also know that being self-employed is unique and you need better strategies, coaching, support, and accountability. The Self-Employed Business Institute, a five-month online education is exactly what you need. Check it out! Take The Self-Employed Assessment! Ever feel like you're all over the place? Or frustrated it seems like you have everything you need for your business success but it's somehow not coming together? Take this short quiz to discover the biggest hidden gap that’s keeping you from having a thriving Self-Employed Ecosystem. You’ll find out what part of your business needs attention and you'll also get a few laser-focused insights to help you start closing that gap. Have Your Website Brand Message Reviewed! Is your website speaking the right LINGO of your ideal customers? Having reviewed hundreds of websites, I can tell you 98% of websites are not. Fill out the simple LINGO Review application and I'll take a look at your website. I'll email you a few suggestions to improve your brand message to attract more of your ideal customers. Fill out the application today and let's get your business speaking the right LINGO! Host Jeffrey Shaw is a Small Business Coach, Brand Management Consultant, Business Coach for Entrepreneurs, Keynote Speaker, TEDx Speaker and author of LINGO and The Self Employed Life (May 2021). Supporting self-employed business owners with business and personal development strategies they need to create sustainable success.
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