INspired INsider Podcast

Today we have Tom Ross founder and CEO of Design Cuts. He has built an audience of 400,000 designers and grew the business to multiple 7 figures with more than 16 full-time staff. He is also one of the hosts of The Honest Designers Show which is one of the most popular shows in the design community and host of The Honest Entrepreneur Show where he gives a candid look at the life of an entrepreneur. Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn: [1:30] Jeremy introduces his guest, Tom Ross. [2:40] Tom talks about some of the clients that he has worked with. [4:30] Common challenges in the design community. [7:00] Tom explains why Pinterest is so popular with designers. [8:30] What was it like dealing with health difficulties? [11:00] Why it’s important to loosen up and have fun. [12:30] Tom talks about some proud moments in his career. In this episode… Have you ever wondered what life is like for designers? What does it look like in the creative world behind the designs you see on the marketplace? On this episode of Inspired Insider, you’ll hear from designer and entrepreneur Tom Ross. In his conversation with Jeremy, Tom opens up about seeing his designs out in the world, common challenges that the design community deals with, why Pinterest is so popular with designers, challenges he has faced along the way, and much more. Don’t miss a minute of this powerful episode featuring Tom’s story! Let’s face it; most people think that their job is the most stressful or most difficult job out there, it tends to be very subjective in many respects. The truth is unless you are in the industry, you don’t know what it is like to deal with all the unique stressors that come up. According to Tom Ross, most of the public is unaware of the toll many designers deal with day in and day out. These are the creative folks who work to make big companies and small startups look aesthetically pleasing; there are bound to be some challenges. You can learn more about the design community and the great resources available by checking out the link to Design Cuts located in the resources section.  What is your outlet for getting some distance between you and the stressors and challenges of your office? Do you hit the basketball court, binge-watch Netflix, reach for some comfort food, or do you do something different? At the end of the day, we all need a way to take the work hat off at some point and relax. Tom Ross learned this lessons the hard way, he worked so hard and challenged himself so much that his physical and mental health took a turn for the worse. Thankfully, Tom found his way to a healthier path and now regularly prioritizes fun and relaxation in his life. What can you learn from Tom’s story? Resources Mentioned on this episode The Honest Entrepreneur The Honest Designers www.DesignCuts.com www.TomRoss.co Dribble Intro Music by Kidd Russell Sponsor for this episode Rise25’s mission is to connect you with your best referral partners and customers. We do this in 3 ways… Our Done for you Media - We help your company completely run and launch your own podcast. we distribute your show across more than 11 different channels including a dedicated blog post and social media. You simply show up and talk and we do everything else. Our team has been working with podcasters since 2009. I personally credit podcasting as the single best thing I have done for my business and my life. It has allowed me to connect with the founders/ceo’s of P90x, Atari, Einstein Bagels, Mattel, Rx Bars, and many more. Besides making best friends and finding my business partner..podcasting has led to relationships with countless customers and referral partners. Our Done for you Lead Generation- We manually send a consistent flow of customized outreach messages to your ideal clients and referral sources that you want to connect with to generate more business and clients - this is not paid traffic by the way. Our Done for you VIP Events - We do live in-person VIP Days and receptions. These are 100% outsourced VIP days for software companies and conference organizers so we can help you serve your highest level customers.  It may or may not involve Elvis costumes - See video Rise25 VIP Days have a proven track record of helping companies to get more referrals, increase retention with their VIP customers, and get more engaged new customers without adding extra work to that company’s plate. Rise25 has hosted VIP events in cities such as Austin, Chicago, Santa Barbara, San Diego, New York, Sonoma, and Las Vegas to name a few. Since these each require a lot of humans to do the work we have limited bandwidth and only want to work with the right company. so if any sound interesting to you go to Rise25.com and contact us or email support (at) rise25.com. If your company wants to attract and connect with your highest level customers and referral partners then you can learn more and contact us to find out if your company qualifies at Rise25.com. Rise25 was cofounded by Dr. Jeremy Weisz and John Corcoran.

Ryan Lee is the founder of REWIND and the Superfood bar. The company can be found on rewindtoday.com - Ryan has over twenty-two years in the health and fitness industry (Master's Degree in Exercise Physiology, Created the world's fastest workout video, ect). Anyone who follows Ryan knows he is obsessed with living a good and healthy life with his wife and four kids at the forefront. Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn: [1:20] Jeremy introduces his guest, Ryan Lee. [3:20] Ryan talks about a challenging moment in business. [6:00] What was Ryan’s early career like? [7:45] Ryan opens up about his health and the journey of developing a health bar. [14:30] You can’t please everyone. [19:30] Ryan talks about the early versions of the Rewind bar and how it has evolved. [24:00] The key to a profitable consumable product. [28:00] What is the Rewind Institute? [33:00] Who is the Rewind Bar for? [36:00] Why did Ryan choose the name “Rewind?” [39:15] How did Ryan build the team at Rewind? [44:30] Ryan talks about his marketing efforts. [47:00] Why isn’t the Rewind Bar available on Amazon? [52:00] What is next for REWIND? In this episode… What does it take to build your tribe? How can a brand cultivate a following of passionate and energetic customers? Is building a tribe the most practical way of growing a business? On this episode of Inspired Insider, you’ll hear from innovator and business leader Ryan Lee. In his conversation with Jeremy, Ryan opens up about his early career, how he responded to challenges involving his health, what it took to get Rewind off the ground, why he is passionate about building a tribe of followers, and so much more. You don’t want to miss a minute of this powerful episode featuring Ryan’s story! You can tell a lot about a leader when they face adversity. Let’s face it; no one runs toward adversity, more often than not, we avoid it like the plague! When adversity strikes, what will be your response? Will you rise to the occasion or will your pack up and leave town? Ryan Lee had a successful business selling vitamin supplements when everything came crashing down around him. The failure of his business could have been the end of Ryan’s story, but he chose to bounce back and try again. Today, Ryan’s new company, Rewind is thriving, and much of that success is due to the lessons he learned through those tough moments of adversity.  As you look back on your journey, can you recognize turning points that led you to where you are today? Was there a clear deciding moment that caused you to pursue the career you are in today? For Ryan Lee, that moment came when he was faced with some daunting health challenges. Determined to get his weight and his general health under control, Ryan started by changing his diet. Unfortunately, he found that there was a severe lack of options on the marketplace for health bars to start his day off on the right foot. That was the launching point for Ryan and his journey to create the Rewind bar. What can you learn from Ryan’s story?  Surveying the landscape of health foods today, you’ll notice that most brands don’t have a clearly defined message that resonates with customers. Does a brand even need a clear message as long as it’s selling products? According to Ryan Lee, the messaging is as important as the product. At Rewind, Ryan and his team have put in a lot of effort into cultivating and building a tribe around their brand. The Rewind brand is built on nostalgia and fun; they even include amazing references to 70’s and 80’s pop-culture on their website! For brands to stand out in an increasingly crowded marketplace, they’ve got to learn to build their tribe; Rewind has done just that!  What role should a business play in contributing to social good? With the rise of Toms, Warby Parker, and other brands connect their profits to charitable causes, many organizations are scrambling to present an image of “Giving back.” While many organizations give back to the community because it makes business sense, there are some that do it because they genuinely care about the community they are rooted in. With the Rewind Institute, Ryan and his team want to make sure that giving back isn’t just a gimmick or PR stunt. The Rewind Institue opens up the Rewind office space to hard working inner city youth and teaches them how to start their own business. You can learn more about the Rewind Institue by checking out the link in the resources section. Resources Mentioned on this episode Check out the Rewind website The Rewind Institute Rewind on Facebook Rewind on Instagram Rocket Fuel Fiverr Intro Music by Kidd Russell Sponsor for this episode Rise25’s mission is to connect you with your best referral partners and customers. We do this in 3 ways… Our Done for you Media - We help your company completely run and launch your own podcast. we distribute your show across more than 11 different channels including a dedicated blog post and social media. You simply show up and talk and we do everything else. Our team has been working with podcasters since 2009. I personally credit podcasting as the single best thing I have done for my business and my life. It has allowed me to connect with the founders/ceo’s of P90x, Atari, Einstein Bagels, Mattel, Rx Bars, and many more. Besides making best friends and finding my business partner..podcasting has led to relationships with countless customers and referral partners. Our Done for you Lead Generation- We manually send a consistent flow of customized outreach messages to your ideal clients and referral sources that you want to connect with to generate more business and clients - this is not paid traffic by the way. Our Done for you VIP Events - We do live in-person VIP Days and receptions. These are 100% outsourced VIP days for software companies and conference organizers so we can help you serve your highest level customers.  It may or may not involve Elvis costumes - See video Rise25 VIP Days have a proven track record of helping companies to get more referrals, increase retention with their VIP customers, and get more engaged new customers without adding extra work to that company’s plate. Rise25 has hosted VIP events in cities such as Austin, Chicago, Santa Barbara, San Diego, New York, Sonoma, and Las Vegas to name a few. Since these each require a lot of humans to do the work we have limited bandwidth and only want to work with the right company. so if any sound interesting to you go to Rise25.com and contact us or email support (at) rise25.com. If your company wants to attract and connect with your highest level customers and referral partners then you can learn more and contact us to find out if your company qualifies at Rise25.com. Rise25 was cofounded by Dr. Jeremy Weisz and John Corcoran.

Michael E. Gerber is a true legend of entrepreneurship. Inc. Magazine
 calls him “the World’s #1 Small Business Guru” — the entrepreneurial and small business thought leader who has impacted the lives of millions of individuals and hundreds of thousands of companies worldwide for over 40 years. Michael is the author of the mega-bestseller “The E-Myth Revisited” and five other E-Myth books concerning small business and entrepreneurship. Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn: [0:45] Michael Gerber joins the podcast to talk about Beyond the E-Myth. [2:15] What is Radical U? [4:20] Closing thoughts from Jeremy and Michael. In this episode… How does the entrepreneur of today carve out a niche for themselves not only to survive but to thrive? Are there leaders out there who can help lead the way and guide a new generation of innovators? On this episode of Inspired Insider, you’ll hear from the legendary author and business leader, Michael Gerber. In his conversation with Jeremy, Michael opens up about “Beyond the E-Myth,” why he created Radical U, and much more. You don’t want to miss a minute of this fascinating episode featuring Michael’s seasoned perspective! What does it take to future-proof your business? Let’s face it; many self-employed people are just scraping by. What if there was a way to shift perspective and focus on building a sustainable product rather than just a side-gig? Michael Gerber has developed a template of sorts to help these entrepreneurs expand their business and get them from a business of one employee to one thousand employees. This isn’t just theory for Michael; he has built this innovative approach based on decades of experience and observation. What can you learn from Michael’s story? If you are ready to awaken the entrepreneur within, Michael Gerber has developed a university so you can get started. At Radical U, you get Michael's proven 8-step-radical-system for building the perfect business for you to be preeminently successful at leading a transformational life. Described as a trade school for entrepreneurs, attending Radical U might be the critical turning point you need as you enter 2019. What are you waiting for? Find out if Radical U is the next step you need to take by visiting the website located in the resources section at the end of this post. Resources Mentioned on this episode Michael's website Radical U Intro Music by Kidd Russell Sponsor for this episode This is part of the Prosper Show Ecommerce Mastery Series where top Sellers and Experts teach you what really works to boost your ecommerce business. They have an amazing conference with some of the top Amazon sellers and industry leaders. ***************************************************************** Rise25’s mission is to connect you with your best referral partners and customers. We do this in 3 ways… Our Done for you Media - We help your company completely run and launch your own podcast. we distribute your show across more than 11 different channels including a dedicated blog post and social media. You simply show up and talk and we do everything else. Our team has been working with podcasters since 2009. I personally credit podcasting as the single best thing I have done for my business and my life. It has allowed me to connect with the founders/ceo’s of P90x, Atari, Einstein Bagels, Mattel, Rx Bars, and many more. Besides making best friends and finding my business partner..podcasting has led to relationships with countless customers and referral partners. Our Done for you Lead Generation- We manually send a consistent flow of customized outreach messages to your ideal clients and referral sources that you want to connect with to generate more business and clients - this is not paid traffic by the way. Our Done for you VIP Events - We do live in-person VIP Days and receptions. These are 100% outsourced VIP days for software companies and conference organizers so we can help you serve your highest level customers. It may or may not involve Elvis costumes - See video Rise25 VIP Days have a proven track record of helping companies to get more referrals, increase retention with their VIP customers, and get more engaged new customers without adding extra work to that company’s plate. Rise25 has hosted VIP events in cities such as Austin, Chicago, Santa Barbara, San Diego, New York, Sonoma, and Las Vegas to name a few. Since these each require a lot of humans to do the work we have limited bandwidth and only want to work with the right company. so if any sound interesting to you go to Rise25.com and contact us or email support (at) rise25.com. If your company wants to attract and connect with your highest level customers and referral partners then you can learn more and contact us to find out if your company qualifies at Rise25.com. Rise25 was cofounded by Dr. Jeremy Weisz and John Corcoran.

Mike McKim is the co-founder of Cuvee Coffee Roasting Company. Cuvee Coffee Roasting Company has been providing independent coffee houses and coffee enthusiasts with sustainable artisan blends, single origin, and estate coffees since 1998. Mike is also a board chairman at the non-profit, Operation Supply Drop that supports today's active duty military and their families. Cuvee Coffee is a nationally recognized specialty coffee roaster with its roots firmly established in Texas. Cuvee Coffee and cold brew can be found at their website, Whole Foods, Heb, Central Market, Target, and soon to be limited Safeways. Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn: [1:35] Jeremy introduces his guest, Mike McKim. [2:45] What is Bunker Labs? How did Mike get involved? [5:45] Why does Mike introduce himself including his failures? [9:30] Mike talks about serving in the military. [11:45] What was post-military life like for Mike? [16:45] How did Mike end up starting his own coffee business? [20:00] What are Cuvee Coffee popular products? Why cold brew coffee? [28:00] Misconceptions about CBD products. [30:45] Why high-quality ingredients can make all the difference. [36:00] Mike talks about his wife’s role in the business. [37:30] Coming up with new products and ideas for the business. [39:00] Expanding the team at Cuvee Coffee. [40:30] Mike shares how the business has evolved over the years. [43:30] Tools and resources that Mike and his team use to succeed. [45:20] Mike’s lowest moment in his career. [47:00] The power of networking. [48:20] Mike shares some proud moments in his career. [50:00] What led Mike’s son to follow his footsteps? [51:45] What is Operation Supply Drop? [54:30] How to connect with Mike and Cuvee Coffee. In this episode… Does persistence pay off or is that just a common lie we’ve all believed? Should you keep working toward something that you struggle to gain ground with or move on to something more promising? On this episode of Inspired Insider, you’ll hear from entrepreneur and business leader, Mike McKim. In his conversation with Jeremy, Mike opens up about his time in the military, why he mentions his failures, what led him to start his own coffee company, challenges he has faced along the way, and much more. Don’t miss a minute of this powerful episode featuring Mike’s story!  As you survey the values you hold, which one stands out more than the others? What would the people you work with and your close friends and family say are your closely held values? Drawing on his time in the military, Mike McKim points to persistence as the trait that has stuck to the core of his development as a leader. Through all the ups and downs of his military career, Mike is thankful for the lessons learned, the most important one being that persistence pays off. This value didn’t just transfer over to Mike’s personal life; it is cemented in the foundations of his business, Cuvee Coffee.  When most people think of coffee, they think of Seattle, not Austin. When most people think of the beverage of Texas, they think of sweet tea or Shiner Bock. Why would a military veteran decide to go into the coffee business in Texas of all places? Following his passion for coffee, Mike McKim decided to expand the passion project and take it from roasting coffee beans out of his garage and to a larger platform. Mike went to work making cold calls and drumming up any business he could to get his new venture off the ground. As it often does in Mike’s story, persistence paid off! Now Cuvee Coffee is a thriving coffee roaster based out of Austin, TX. What can you learn from Mike’s journey?  What is more important to an organization, profits or integrity? It all depends on the character and values of the person at the top of the organizational chart. At Cuvee Coffee, Mike McKim leads an amazing team that is willing to adapt and change as the market demands while holding to its values. Heeding the words of wisdom he received from his uncle, Mike is dedicated to keeping his ingredients high quality, refusing to cut corners to increase the bottom line. This attitude in business doesn’t just happen overnight; you have to bake this dedication to quality into the very foundation from the start. To learn more about Cuvee Coffee, make sure to check out the link in the resources section at the end of this post!  Have you figured out how to play to your strengths and minimize your weaknesses in your career? How did you identify your strengths? What led you to notice your weaknesses? Any successful business leader will be able to tell you pretty quickly where they excel and where they delegate, can you say the same? Learning the hard way, Mike McKim discovered that he should stay away from the financial side of his business and yield to his wife’s strengths on that front. Having learned that valuable lesson, Mike and his wife thrive in their current roles at Cuvee Coffee. Don’t be afraid to admit when you need to play to your strengths; it’s not a sign of weakness, it’s a sign of wisdom! Resources Mentioned on this episode Cuvee Coffee Slack Cropster Operation Supply Drop Bunker Labs Pour Your Heart Into It Intro Music by Kidd Russell Sponsor for this episode Rise25’s mission is to connect you with your best referral partners and customers. We do this in 3 ways… Our Done for you Media - We help your company completely run and launch your own podcast. we distribute your show across more than 11 different channels including a dedicated blog post and social media. You simply show up and talk and we do everything else. Our team has been working with podcasters since 2009. I personally credit podcasting as the single best thing I have done for my business and my life. It has allowed me to connect with the founders/ceo’s of P90x, Atari, Einstein Bagels, Mattel, Rx Bars, and many more. Besides making best friends and finding my business partner..podcasting has led to relationships with countless customers and referral partners. Our Done for you Lead Generation- We manually send a consistent flow of customized outreach messages to your ideal clients and referral sources that you want to connect with to generate more business and clients - this is not paid traffic by the way. Our Done for you VIP Events - We do live in-person VIP Days and receptions. These are 100% outsourced VIP days for software companies and conference organizers so we can help you serve your highest level customers. It may or may not involve Elvis costumes - See video Rise25 VIP Days have a proven track record of helping companies to get more referrals, increase retention with their VIP customers, and get more engaged new customers without adding extra work to that company’s plate. Rise25 has hosted VIP events in cities such as Austin, Chicago, Santa Barbara, San Diego, New York, Sonoma, and Las Vegas to name a few. Since these each require a lot of humans to do the work we have limited bandwidth and only want to work with the right company. so if any sound interesting to you go to Rise25.com and contact us or email support (at) rise25.com. If your company wants to attract and connect with your highest level customers and referral partners then you can learn more and contact us to find out if your company qualifies at Rise25.com. Rise25 was cofounded by Dr. Jeremy Weisz and John Corcoran.

Casey Gauss is the founder and CEO of Viral Launch, an Indianapolis-based tech company offering innovative software and creative services to Amazon Sellers. Casey founded the company in 2014 when he was 21. He has gone on to leverage his passion for tech, building cool things, learning, and helping others through the expansion of the company to over 40 employees. He continues—nose to the grind—in his obsession with Amazon market philosophy, helping a growing number of Amazon businesses achieve success in the world’s largest ecommerce marketplace. Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn: [0:40] Jeremy introduces his guest, Casey Gauss. [1:30] Casey talks about Viral Launch and popular features. [2:30] Why did Casey start Viral Launch? What was his early career like? [4:00] Casey talks about his passion for the ecommerce industry. [6:00] Challenges that Casey has faced along the way. Customer success stories. In this episode… Did you know that a large part of what makes ecommerce sellers successful is an impulse to follow the data? It’s true! Some sellers might catch some good luck being in the right place at the right time, but more and more sellers are looking to the cold hard data to fuel their rise to the top. On this episode of Inspired Insider, you’ll hear from innovator and entrepreneur, Casey Gauss. In his conversation with Jeremy, Casey opens up about how he started Viral Launch, why he loves to follow the data, personal and professional challenges he’s faced along the way, and much more! Don’t miss a minute of this powerful episode featuring Casey’s story!  What has led to your growth and development as a business leader? Have you had the good fortune to connect with great mentors who have invested in you? Or is your story more of a scrappy rise from adversity? Casey Gauss’ story an inspiring one that showcases his endurance and determination. He built the original coding and platform for Viral Launch in an apartment in Indianapolis with socks on his hands because he couldn’t afford to turn on the heat. Casey has taken that signature scrappy and can-do attitude and has built it into his business. Make sure to check out Viral Lanch and the fantastic work they are doing to equip ecommerce leaders with the best tools available.  What type of impact will all your hard work leave on the industry that you work in? Is your organization helping to add a more collaborative and worthwhile environment? At Viral Launch, Casey Gauss and his team are doing everything they can to chart the way forward for ecommerce sellers and small businesses. Their mission is to equip entrepreneurs with the insight, tools, and partnerships needed for lasting success. After working with thousands of brands in the Amazon ecosystem including performing over 17,000 product launches, Viral Launch has garnered enough knowledge, experience, and data to launch successful brands time and time again. What can your organization learn from Viral Launch’s example? Resources Mentioned on this episode www.viral-launch.com Follow The Data Intro Music by Kidd Russell   Sponsor for this episode This is part of the Prosper Show Ecommerce Mastery Series where top Sellers and Experts teach you what really works to boost your ecommerce business. They have an amazing conference with some of the top Amazon sellers and industry leaders. ***************************************************************** Rise25’s mission is to connect you with your best referral partners and customers. We do this in 3 ways… Our Done for you Media - We help your company completely run and launch your own podcast. we distribute your show across more than 11 different channels including a dedicated blog post and social media. You simply show up and talk and we do everything else. Our team has been working with podcasters since 2009. I personally credit podcasting as the single best thing I have done for my business and my life. It has allowed me to connect with the founders/ceo’s of P90x, Atari, Einstein Bagels, Mattel, Rx Bars, and many more. Besides making best friends and finding my business partner..podcasting has led to relationships with countless customers and referral partners. Our Done for you Lead Generation- We manually send a consistent flow of customized outreach messages to your ideal clients and referral sources that you want to connect with to generate more business and clients - this is not paid traffic by the way. Our Done for you VIP Events - We do live in-person VIP Days and receptions. These are 100% outsourced VIP days for software companies and conference organizers so we can help you serve your highest level customers.  It may or may not involve Elvis costumes - See video Rise25 VIP Days have a proven track record of helping companies to get more referrals, increase retention with their VIP customers, and get more engaged new customers without adding extra work to that company’s plate. Rise25 has hosted VIP events in cities such as Austin, Chicago, Santa Barbara, San Diego, New York, Sonoma, and Las Vegas to name a few. Since these each require a lot of humans to do the work we have limited bandwidth and only want to work with the right company. so if any sound interesting to you go to Rise25.com and contact us or email support (at) rise25.com. If your company wants to attract and connect with your highest level customers and referral partners then you can learn more and contact us to find out if your company qualifies at Rise25.com. Rise25 was cofounded by Dr. Jeremy Weisz and John Corcoran.

Dan Meadors is a co-founder of The Wholesale Formula with Eric Lambert. They began selling on Amazon as a hobby with an original investment of only $600. They worked nights and weekends buying products on clearance at local retail stores and selling them on Amazon for a profit. It only took a few months before they saw the potential to turn this hobby into a business as they both left their day jobs to sell on Amazon full-time. Since then they have been able to generate over $20,000,000 in sales on Amazon. Dan and Eric have developed their own unique system to take advantage of wholesale opportunities called The Wholesale Formula. Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn: [1:25] Jeremy introduces his guest, Dan Meadors. [2:40] Dan talks about how he got started in the ecommerce industry. [15:15] What was venturing into the Private Lable model like? Why switch to wholesale? [21:30] Why did Dan decide to stop attending trade shows? [25:30] Dan talks about breaking into the wholesale market. [28:30] Helping products sell. [30:00] Software and tools that Dan his team use. [32:45] What Dan looks for in a product that he will wholesale. [42:30] Dan explains how wholesale works. [45:30] What is the difference between branded and unbranded wholesale? [47:30] Feedback from using The Wholesale Formula. [51:40] Dan opens up about challenges they’ve faced along the way. [54:45] The proudest moment in business for Dan. [56:45] How to connect with Dan and The Wholesale Formula. In this episode… How does an idea go from a long shot dream to reality? What does it take to star in your very own ecommerce success story? On this episode of Inspired Insider, you’ll hear from entrepreneur and business leader, Dan Meadors. In his conversation with Jeremy, Dan opens up about how he got started in the ecommerce industry, why his approach evolved over the years, how he developed The Wholesale Formula, challenges they’ve faced along the way, and much more! If you’d like an inside look at an impressive ecommerce success story, you’ve come to the right place. Don’t miss a minute of this engaging episode featuring Dan! Who doesn’t want to enjoy the freedom and profit that comes from running your own small business? You get to set your own hours, enjoy vacations whenever you want, and pile up a sizeable bank account. What’s not to love? If only that were the truth! Let’s face it; most small business leaders are a little crazy, you have to be to put your livelihood on the line! Dan and his business partner, Eric knew that stepping out to start their ecommerce business wouldn’t be easy, but they were determined to chart their course. What can you learn from their story?  Have you ever met someone who was so dedicated to achieving their goal that it kind of shocked you? That’s how you would feel if you met Dan Meadors. Dan and his business partner, Eric have been through a lot as they’ve built their ecommerce business. From dabbling with retail arbitrage to trying out a private label model and then finally landing on the wholesale angle, the guys have been through a lot. With every twist and turn on their journey, the one thing that has kept them going is a clear vision of where they want to be, masters of their journey.  What is it that sets the average business leader apart from those that take it another step further? Are they hungrier? Are they more intelligent? Or are they simply more lucky than all the rest? When you take a look at Dan Meadors’ story, the key ingredients that pop out is his willingness to adapt and change to find the right route to success. If you peel back to the success that Dan and Eric have enjoyed, the critical factor is their ability to switch gears to find a more lucrative angle. How important is flexibility and evolution to your success story?  Beyond all the amazing success that Dan and Eric have been able to build with their business model, they’ve wanted to take it one step further. Dan and Eric now accept students a couple of times a year to teach them The Wholesale Formula, a blueprint of the exact steps they used to build their multi-million dollar Amazon business. As Dan looks back at some of the most notable moments during his career in business, what he’s most proud of is how he’s been able to help men and women learn to build their businesses. Resources Mentioned on this episode The Wholesale Formula The Wholesale Formula on Facebook The Wholesale Formula on Twitter The Wholesale Formula Blog Jungle Scout RestockPro Repricer Intro Music by Kidd Russell Sponsor for this episode Rise25’s mission is to connect you with your best referral partners and customers. We do this in 3 ways… Our Done for you Media - We help your company completely run and launch your own podcast. we distribute your show across more than 11 different channels including a dedicated blog post and social media. You simply show up and talk and we do everything else. Our team has been working with podcasters since 2009. I personally credit podcasting as the single best thing I have done for my business and my life. It has allowed me to connect with the founders/ceo’s of P90x, Atari, Einstein Bagels, Mattel, Rx Bars, and many more. Besides making best friends and finding my business partner..podcasting has led to relationships with countless customers and referral partners. Our Done for you Lead Generation- We manually send a consistent flow of customized outreach messages to your ideal clients and referral sources that you want to connect with to generate more business and clients - this is not paid traffic by the way. Our Done for you VIP Events - We do live in-person VIP Days and receptions. These are 100% outsourced VIP days for software companies and conference organizers so we can help you serve your highest level customers.  It may or may not involve Elvis costumes - See video Rise25 VIP Days have a proven track record of helping companies to get more referrals, increase retention with their VIP customers, and get more engaged new customers without adding extra work to that company’s plate. Rise25 has hosted VIP events in cities such as Austin, Chicago, Santa Barbara, San Diego, New York, Sonoma, and Las Vegas to name a few. Since these each require a lot of humans to do the work we have limited bandwidth and only want to work with the right company. so if any sound interesting to you go to Rise25.com and contact us or email support (at) rise25.com. If your company wants to attract and connect with your highest level customers and referral partners then you can learn more and contact us to find out if your company qualifies at Rise25.com. Rise25 was cofounded by Dr. Jeremy Weisz and John Corcoran.

Stephan Aarstol is the founder of Tower Paddle Boards and the No Middle Man Project. Founded in 2010 and funded by billionaire Mark Cuban, Tower Paddle Boards is one of the biggest success stories in Shark Tank history. With only $100K in lifetime sales at the time of the pitch, Mark Cuban invested just $150K, and since then Tower has done over $30M in sales. Tower was the #1 brand out of over 2 million 3rd party sellers signed up for the pilot Amazon Exclusives program. They also have branched into Tower Electric Bikes and Tower Beach Club. Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn: [1:25] Jeremy introduces his guest, Stephan Aarstol. [3:15] Stephan talks about the Five-Hour work day. [9:30] Why a full 8 hour work day is not realistic. [12:30] Stephan hopes up about a low moment in his career. [15:30] A proud moment in business for Stephan. In this episode… When was the last time you considered the efficiency of your work week? Do you often put in over 40 hours at the office each week? What if you are putting in more time than you need to? On this episode of Inspired Insider, you’ll hear from business leader and entrepreneur Stephan Aarstol. In his conversation with Jeremy, Stephan opens up about shifting to a five hour work day, what led him to make this significant change at his company, how he’s endured some challenging periods in his business, and much more. You don’t want to miss a minute of this powerful episode featuring Stephan’s story!  If you’ve been in entrepreneurial or business circles for very long, chance are you’ve heard about the four-hour work week. But have you heard about the five-hour workday? Let’s face it, Tim Ferriss’ approach won’t work for everyone, and in many ways, it is not scalable for an entire organization. Stephan Aarstol wanted to give himself and his employees more freedom and control over their lives, that’s why he introduced the five-hour workday. With the five-hour workday, Stephan has trained his workforce to work smarter, not harder. The idea started as an experiment and ended up paying huge dividends! Do you think your workplace could make the shift?  How would you rate yourself when it comes to dealing with adversity? Whether you like it or not, at some point in your professional career you are going to have to confront adversity head-on. Stephan Aarstol and his team at Tower Paddle Boards are dealing with a roadblock in their business with the internet sales tax. Sure they could throw their hands up in the air and get frustrated about this added layer of complexity to their business, or they could deal with the challenge in a practical way. Never one to shy away from a problem, Stephan and his team are taking this challenge in stride. Resources Mentioned on this episode Follow Stephan on Twitter Tower Paddle Boards The Five Hour Workday NoMiddleman.com The 4-Hour Workweek Intro Music by Kidd Russell Sponsor for this episode Rise25’s mission is to connect you with your best referral partners and customers. We do this in 3 ways… Our Done for you Media - We help your company completely run and launch your own podcast. we distribute your show across more than 11 different channels including a dedicated blog post and social media. You simply show up and talk and we do everything else. Our team has been working with podcasters since 2009. I personally credit podcasting as the single best thing I have done for my business and my life. It has allowed me to connect with the founders/ceo’s of P90x, Atari, Einstein Bagels, Mattel, Rx Bars, and many more. Besides making best friends and finding my business partner..podcasting has led to relationships with countless customers and referral partners. Our Done for you Lead Generation- We manually send a consistent flow of customized outreach messages to your ideal clients and referral sources that you want to connect with to generate more business and clients - this is not paid traffic by the way. Our Done for you VIP Events - We do live in-person VIP Days and receptions. These are 100% outsourced VIP days for software companies and conference organizers so we can help you serve your highest level customers.  It may or may not involve Elvis costumes - See video Rise25 VIP Days have a proven track record of helping companies to get more referrals, increase retention with their VIP customers, and get more engaged new customers without adding extra work to that company’s plate. Rise25 has hosted VIP events in cities such as Austin, Chicago, Santa Barbara, San Diego, New York, Sonoma, and Las Vegas to name a few. Since these each require a lot of humans to do the work we have limited bandwidth and only want to work with the right company. so if any sound interesting to you go to Rise25.com and contact us or email support (at) rise25.com. If your company wants to attract and connect with your highest level customers and referral partners then you can learn more and contact us to find out if your company qualifies at Rise25.com. Rise25 was cofounded by Dr. Jeremy Weisz and John Corcoran.

Tara Bosch is the founder of SmartSweets, her mission is to help you kick sugar! She started SmartSweets after forming an unhealthy relationship with food and seeing the negative effects sugar has on our health. After spending months recipe testing in her kitchen with a gummy bear mold from Amazon, Tara created a healthy gummy bear. Tara and her team were able to raise 3.6 million dollars to get their business off the ground. Today, you can find SmartSweets in over 10,000 stores like Whole Foods, Target, GNC and many online channels. Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn: [1:55] Jeremy introduces his guest, Tara Bosch. [3:00] Tara talks about her relationship with her grandmother. [5:45] Navigating self-talk and keeping it positive. [8:00] What led Tara to create SmartSweets? [10:20] Creating the very first versions of SmartSweets. [14:00] Tara talks about the evolution of packaging for SmartSweets. [16:00] How did Tara raise funds for the business? [18:20] Tara shares her experience on Dragon’s Den and the aftermath. [20:30] Putting it all on the line. [22:20] Growing the team and building out the business. [26:00] Why were so many people interested in SmartSweets at trade shows? [27:45] Tara opens up about the ingredients they use in SmartSweets. [30:30] Participating in the Thiel Fellowship. [32:20] Tools and software that Tara and her team use. [34:45] Hiring new team members. [40:30] Lessons learned along the way. [44:00] How Tara keeps her products from melting while in transit. [45:30] A low moment in business for Tara. [47:20] Milestone reached, getting on the shelves at Whole Foods. In this episode… Imagine what it would be like to finally kick sugar from your diet. No longer dealing with addiction to sweets and that guilty feeling of letting your body down, sounds nice right? On this episode of Inspired Insider, you’ll hear from business leader and entrepreneur, Tara Bosch. In her conversation with Jeremy, Tara opens up about why she started SmartSweets, how she began the production process, challenges she faced along the way, what it took to expand the team, and much more. Don’t miss a minute of this compelling and engaging episode featuring Tara’s story!  Do you have that one person in your corner who you can count on day in and day out? Maybe for you, it’s a parent or childhood friend. What challenges has that person helped you through? For business leader Tara Bosch, the person who was there to encourage her along the way was her grandmother. Tara fondly looks back at the time she spent with her grandmother and points to their mutual love of sweets that led her to start SmartSweets in the first place. Not only is it a good idea to stop and remember those who have helped you on your journey, but it’s also a good idea to consider who you can do the same for.  While it’s helpful to have family members and mentors in your corner, the one constant through your whole life will the be the person you see in the mirror. How do you treat yourself? Do you give yourself enough slack? Do you challenge yourself enough? One important lesson that Tara Bosch has learned on her journey is the value of keeping your self-talk positive. Often the business leader can be their own worst critic, take it easy on yourself! Think of inner dialogue as your number one fan, not your number one critic. This simple mindset shift can have a significant impact on your chances of success both personally and professionally.  Let’s face it; the average American is hooked on sugar, it’s almost as ubiquitous as salt! From salads to cereal, sugar is in much of the food you eat. What do you do if you want to kick sugar from your diet? How do you do that while still enjoying deserts and snacks? SmartSweets created the first candy that kicks sugar naturally. Their snacks are free from added sugar, sugar alcohols and artificial sweeteners. Every ingredient they use is non-GMO, always real and never artificial. Make sure to check out the link to the SmartSweets website located in the resources section at the end of this post to learn more! Have you found that one thing that lights you up? Are you able to pursue that passion professionally? Tara Bosch knew that starting a business selling sugar-free candy was a huge risk, but she jumped in head first because she knew it was what she was meant to do. Tara started SmartSweets after her love affair with candy turned into an unhealthy relationship with food. She experienced the adverse effects sugar has on our health, and she wanted to be part of the solution. This venture was far from easy for Tara; she struggled for months recipe testing in her kitchen with a gummy bear mold from Amazon until she finally found the right formula. The challenges only increased from there, but Tara was committed and saw the process through. Now SmartSweets is a thriving business moving forward and helping people finally kick sugar from their diet. Resources Mentioned on this episode SmartSweets SmartSweets on Amazon Giftology Hootsuite ActiveInbox Shopify Dragon's Den Mixmax Intro Music by Kidd Russell Sponsor for this episode Rise25’s mission is to connect you with your best referral partners and customers. We do this in 3 ways… Our Done for you Media - We help your company completely run and launch your own podcast. we distribute your show across more than 11 different channels including a dedicated blog post and social media. You simply show up and talk and we do everything else. Our team has been working with podcasters since 2009. I personally credit podcasting as the single best thing I have done for my business and my life. It has allowed me to connect with the founders/ceo’s of P90x, Atari, Einstein Bagels, Mattel, Rx Bars, and many more. Besides making best friends and finding my business partner..podcasting has led to relationships with countless customers and referral partners. Our Done for you Lead Generation- We manually send a consistent flow of customized outreach messages to your ideal clients and referral sources that you want to connect with to generate more business and clients - this is not paid traffic by the way. Our Done for you VIP Events - We do live in-person VIP Days and receptions. These are 100% outsourced VIP days for software companies and conference organizers so we can help you serve your highest level customers.  It may or may not involve Elvis costumes - See video Rise25 VIP Days have a proven track record of helping companies to get more referrals, increase retention with their VIP customers, and get more engaged new customers without adding extra work to that company’s plate. Rise25 has hosted VIP events in cities such as Austin, Chicago, Santa Barbara, San Diego, New York, Sonoma, and Las Vegas to name a few. Since these each require a lot of humans to do the work we have limited bandwidth and only want to work with the right company. so if any sound interesting to you go to Rise25.com and contact us or email support (at) rise25.com. If your company wants to attract and connect with your highest level customers and referral partners then you can learn more and contact us to find out if your company qualifies at Rise25.com. Rise25 was cofounded by Dr. Jeremy Weisz and John Corcoran.

Jason Miles is the founder of Pixie Faire. He started a family business with his wife at the time called Liberty Jane at their kitchen table in 2008. In 2013 they launched Pixie Faire, which has become the world's largest online marketplace in their niche. The site averages 50-60 thousand transactions a month and they have had over 2million of their patterns downloaded. People describe Jason’s wife, Cinnamon Miles as “the Vera Wang of the 18 inch crowd.” In 2014 Jason retired from a 20-year career in non-profit management to work on the business full-time. They also started Sew Powerful a non-profit organization focused on creating purposeful products at a sewing cooperative in Zambia. Jason has several bestselling books published by McGraw-Hill on social media, “Instagram Power”, “Youtube Marketing Power”, “Pinterest Power.” He is also one of the most popular ecommerce instructors on Udemy. Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn: [1:40] Jeremy introduces his guest, Jason Miles. [4:00] Jason talks about his work with non-profits in Zambia. [9:00] Why the poverty in Zambia resonated with Jason. [14:00] Closing thoughts from Jeremy and Jason. In this episode… When was the last time you were moved to make a difference, big or small? Where you inspired to donate during the most recent natural disaster? Or have you considered giving to an organization like the Salvation Army that has more of a seasonal appeal? On this episode of Inspired Insider, you’ll hear from special guest and business leader, Jason Miles. In his conversation with Jeremy, Jason opens up about his work with non-profits in Zambia, what led him to start his own non-profit, why the poverty in Zambia resonated so strongly with him, and much more. You don’t want to miss a minute of this powerful episode featuring Jason’s story!  Jason Miles has dedicated his life to working with non-profits studying the field during his time in college. Jumping at the chance to work with a non-profit in Zambia, Jason wanted to make the most of his time there, so he volunteered to travel to one of the most impoverished communities in the capital city. Once there, Jason’s experienced changed him. He saw such massive need on a scale he had never imagined before, but he also saw hope. Hope was in the eyes of mothers who were scraping together everything they could to make jewelry and save up for classroom supplies. From that moment on, Jason was convinced that he had to make a difference in light of what he saw.  That moving experience in Zambia led Jason to start his own non-profit, Sew Powerful. Sew Powerful’s goal is to empower women to make a better life. They strive to train and equip women so they can feed their kids, keep them in school, and make a difference in their community. Sew Powerful accomplishes this ambitious goal with a five-fold focus inspired by the women who work in the communities they serve. They wanted their children well educated. They wanted a school lunch to serve. They wanted clean water and bathrooms. They wanted the kids (and the community) physically healthy. They wanted to personally work and make money in support of these goals. Find out more about Jason’s heart for their work in Zambia by checking out the link to Sew Powerful located in the resources section at the end of this post. Resources Mentioned on this episode www.pixiefaire.com www.sewpowerful.org www.winningonshopify.com Sew Powerful 2016 3 Esthers Farm Success From This Weekend Intro Music by Kidd Russell Sponsor for this episode Rise25 creates 100% outsourced VIP days for software companies and conference organizers to serve their highest level customers. Rise25 VIP Days have a proven track record of helping companies to get more referrals, increase retention with their VIP customers, and get more engaged new customers without adding extra work to that company’s plate. Rise25 partners and collaborates with entrepreneur-focused communities, with particular emphasis on creating events for high volume Amazon sellers, Walmart sellers, multichannel ecommerce sellers, and founders who want to take their business to the next level. Rise25 has hosted VIP events in cities such as Austin, Chicago, Santa Barbara, San Diego, New York, Sonoma, and Las Vegas to name a few. If your company appreciates the value of bringing your highest level customers together to connect and collaborate, you can learn more and contact us to find out if your company qualifies at Rise25.com. Rise25 was cofounded by Dr. Jeremy Weisz and John Corcoran.

Courtney Nichols Gould is the CEO of SmartyPants Vitamins. SmartyPants Vitamins have a gummy obsession which started because they believed that the very best vitamins are an all in one combination of different nutrients that would save money, time and peace of mind for customers. Their products can be found on Amazon, in Whole Foods, Kroger, Target, Costco and many more locations all over the US. Their bottle is the one with the cute owl winking at you. For every bottle sold they make a 1 for 1 grant to Vitamin Angels to provide children in need with nutrients and they have made over 6.2 million nutrient grants to date. Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn: [1:15] Jeremy introduces his guest, Courtney Nichols Gould. [3:00] Courtney talks about her love of pranking people. [5:00] Why didn’t Courtney go to Harvard Business School? [7:00] Courtney opens up about her career working at various startups. [11:45] Why is transparency so important to Courtney and her business? [19:30] Standing out with the Vitamin Angels project. [21:20] Courtney talks about the product line and which product came first. [24:00] Creating an all in one vitamin. [26:00] Launching a product on Amazon. [28:00] Testing the product on friends and family. [30:40] What led Courtney to take SmartyPants Vitamins to retail stores? [35:00] The value of embracing customer feedback. [37:30] Courtney talks about some of their bestselling vitamins. [39:00] Why did Courtney and her team divide their products based on gender? [41:00] Courtney shares her low and high moments in business. In this episode… What is the role of transparency in business? Does an organization have a responsibility to be transparent toward its customers or is it just a courtesy? On this episode of Inspired Insider, you’ll hear from business leader and entrepreneur Courtney Nichols Gould. In her conversation with Jeremy, Courtney opens up about her love of pranking, why she decided not to attend Harvard Business School, how she started SmartyPants Vitamins, why they launched their product on Amazon, and so much more. Don’t miss a minute of this entertaining and engaging episode featuring Courtney!  When you decide to move forward in your career choosing the right path can be a difficult one. What led you to make the critical decisions you’ve made on your professional journey? Did you have an ultimate goal that led you down the path you chose? Courtney Nichols Gould decided to forgo an excellent opportunity to attend Harvard Business School because she knew that the typical corporate environment wasn’t for her. Instead, Courtney decided to pursue her prospects in the realm of startups. What can you learn from Courtney’s story? Have you made similar bold moves in your career?  Which values does your organization highlight? Is accountability or quality customer service necessary to your business? How did the organization decide on which values to prioritize and publicize? At SmartyPants Vitamins, they honed in on transparency as one of the primary values for their new and highly successful brand. SmartyPants Vitamins believes that it’s customers have a right to know what it is they are feeding themselves and those they care about most. Simply put, they are convinced that they have a legal and moral responsibility to tell people exactly what their products contain. You can learn more about SmartyPants and their values by checking out a link to their website located in the resources section at the end of this post.  What does it look like to build a vitamin company dedicated to making a difference? Can access to high-quality vitamins make a difference in people’s lives? Beyond just providing a great vitamin option to the marketplace, Courtney Nichols Gould and her team at SmartyPants Vitamins want to expand their impact even further. For every bottle of SmartyPants sold, they make a 1-for-1 nutrient grant to Vitamin Angels, a non-profit that helps at-risk populations – especially pregnant women, new mothers, and children under five – gain access to life-changing vitamins and minerals. It’s great to hear about amazing organizations like SmartyPants Vitamins committed to making a positive impact in the world! With the rise of the ecommerce sector, should businesses abandon retail options and focus on getting their product featured on platforms like Amazon? Should businesses flee the retail industry and focus exclusively on ecommerce options? While reports of the death of the retail sector are greatly exaggerated, the smart business leader would be wise to hedge their bets. Courtney Nichols Gould is focused on putting her brand, SmartyPants Vitamins in the best position to succeed. As the business got off the ground they focused on solidifying a positive presence on Amazon that resulted in huge sales and a wave of glowing customer reviews. Building off of their success with Amazon, Courtney and her team have expanded their reach to retailers like Whole Foods, Kroger, Target, Costco, and more. Resources Mentioned on this episode Check out the SmartyPants website SmartyPants on Facebook SmartyPants on Twitter SmartyPants on Instagram Intro Music by Kidd Russell Sponsor for this episode Rise25 creates 100% outsourced VIP days for software companies and conference organizers to serve their highest level customers. Rise25 VIP Days have a proven track record of helping companies to get more referrals, increase retention with their VIP customers, and get more engaged new customers without adding extra work to that company’s plate. Rise25 partners and collaborates with entrepreneur-focused communities, with particular emphasis on creating events for high volume Amazon sellers, Walmart sellers, multichannel ecommerce sellers, and founders who want to take their business to the next level. Rise25 has hosted VIP events in cities such as Austin, Chicago, Santa Barbara, San Diego, New York, Sonoma, and Las Vegas to name a few. If your company appreciates the value of bringing your highest level customers together to connect and collaborate, you can learn more and contact us to find out if your company qualifies at Rise25.com. Rise25 was cofounded by Dr. Jeremy Weisz and John Corcoran.