INspired INsider Podcast

Today we have Greg Smith co-founder of Thinkific which is a platform that has everything you need to create and launch courses on your own site. Greg is a recovering lawyer and for the past 10 years he has taught thousands of students online with his own course and now with Thinkific has helped many others create their own online courses. He's worked with companies like Intuit and Hootsuite, including service professionals like accountants, lawyers, doctors, and many more. Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn: [1:15] Jeremy introduces his guest, Greg Smith. [2:30] What led Greg to create his first online course? [7:30] How did Greg get the word out about his course? [9:15] Greg talks about making the switch to working on Thinkific full time. [14:00] Non-scalable tactics that Greg has used. [18:00] How has Thinkific changed over the years? [21:15] What integrations have Greg and his team added? [23:30] Early challenges faced with building the Thinkific platform. [27:00] Getting back to the basics. [29:30] Building a high-quality team. [34:30] Why does Greg offer a free plan on Thinkific? [38:30] Greg talks about the gamification features they’ve included. [41:30] What marketing tactics have been helpful? [45:00] Why it’s important to add value that the audience wants. [48:00] Common objections that people have to creating a course. [51:00] Popular topics on Thinkific. [54:30] Who should be using Thinkific? [56:00] The lowest point in business for Greg. [58:30] The proudest moment in business. [59:45] Book recommendations from Greg. In this episode… As a business leader, you know that one of the best ways to connect with your audience is to provide a valuable product or content that keeps them coming back for more. In what ways is your organization succeeding with this strategy? Do you need to re-evaluate your approach? Would your client and customers say that you offer a good value? On this episode of Inspired Insider, you’ll hear from entrepreneur and innovator, Greg Smith. In his conversation with Jeremy, Greg opens up about what led him to create his first online course, how he ended up creating Thinkific, challenges he’s faced along the way, why he’s focused on building a solid team, and so much more! Don’t miss a minute of this engaging episode featuring Greg! Did you know that your business could use an online course to educate your customer base? It’s true! Using online courses, your business could position itself as a leader and go-to resource in your industry. It’s actually a lot easier than you might think! Greg Smith and his team at Thinkific have created an amazing platform that can help you create and deliver valuable content to your customers right away! You can learn more about what Thinkific has to offer by checking out the link to their site in the resources section at the end of this post! While it can be hard to set yourself apart from all the other contenders in your industry there are still ways that leaders like you can think outside of the box and surprise your customers. One of the amazing tactics that Greg Smith used for years included posting his personal cell phone on his company’s website so potential clients could call him anytime to discuss their services. That strategy might sound crazy but Greg’s conversion rates on those calls were through the roof! It’s been said that if you want to get results you’ve never had you’ve got to be willing to do things you’ve never done - that’s true! What ways can you think outside of the box to make your business stand out? A huge challenge that comes up when you are building a massive platform that is packed full valuable tools and resources is how to engage clients with little to no resources. How do you build something that even businesses on a shoestring budget can use? For Greg Smith and his team at Thinkific, the answer was simple - create a free option. Greg is so confident in the quality of the Thinkific platform that he is willing to give away a ton of value just to help others succeed. This tactic that Greg uses also makes financial sense, as businesses build and expand using the tools provided by Thinkific, they see the value and end up committing to a higher tier of service. What lessons can you draw from Greg’s strategy? At the end of the day, a healthy business doesn't rest solely on the shoulders of its singular leader. If you have any hope of building a long-lasting and thriving business, you’ve got to start thinking of the team you have around you. According to Thinkific’s co-founder, Greg Smith, having the right people in the right positions has made all the difference in the growth and health of their platform. Greg doesn’t just talk a good game, he pours time and resources into his hiring process, taking it very seriously. Make sure to check out some of the resources that have helped Greg on this vital aspect of his journey by checking out the links provided at the end of this post! Resources Mentioned on this episode https://www.thinkific.com/ https://twitter.com/GregTravels The Alchemist Quora Intuit Who: The A Method for Hiring Hootsuite Jack Canfield Verne Harnish Jim Collins Your Oxygen Mask First Mastering the Rockefeller Habits High Output Management https://later.com/ Seth Godin 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.

Kailey Donewald is the co-founder of Sacred Serve, a Chicago-based company innovating ice cream that is fully organic, raw vegan gelato made from whole coconuts. All flavors are dairy-free, vegan, and paleo and strictly free of gluten, dairy, corn, soy, GMOs, stabilizers, fillers, and preservatives. They are challenging the conventional route of pint-sized packaging with their super unique looking 10oz containers. They have 40 locations across Chicago. Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn: [1:15] Jeremy introduces his guest, Kailey Donewald. [2:20] Tackling the challenge of logistics. [4:30] Finding new ways to market and engage with the right audience. [6:00] Good advice that Kailey has received. [9:00] The biggest mistake made so far. [10:15] Low point - financial restrictions. [11:30] Milestone - signing on with the first distributor and going to vegan events. In this episode… Can you think of specific business lessons that have been helpful for you on your journey? Did you have to learn them the hard way or did you have mentors who helped guide you along the way? What does it look like to build a business that goes deep before it spends resources to go wide? On this episode of Inspired Insider, you’ll hear from entrepreneur and innovator, Kailey Donewald. In her conversation with Jeremy, Kailey opens up about the decision to focus on her local market before expanding, advice she’s picked up along the way, some of the challenges she faced, and even some milestones. Don’t miss this fascinating episode featuring Kailey and Sacred Serve! The impulse that many business leaders follow is the decision to go wide with their brand and business rather than taking the time to go deep. Let’s face it, deep work is hard work! It can take a ton of resources and energy to penetrate a local marketplace, is it even worth it? Kailey Donewald seems to think so! That’s why she's taken deliberate steps to invest in her own community to get the word out about her high-quality brand, Sacred Serve. Kailey is convinced that before she can take her business to a wider marketplace, she needs to make sure her message can connect locally. Advice can be a tricky thing to follow. How do you know the advice is good advice? Ultimately it comes down to whether or not you trust the person giving you the advice. For Kailey Donewald, the advice that impacted her and her business the most was the advice to get really good at a specific niche. In many ways, this goes back to Kailey’s decision to go deep not wide with marketing her brand. While they could offer a whole range of products at Sacred Serve, they’ve chosen to pour all their time and resources into perfecting just a few select products. Listening to Kailey, you really get the sense that she is taking the time to learn and grow as a leader and that’s infectious! Resources Mentioned on this episode http://sacredserve.com/ 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.

Michael Eldridge is the founder of Safety Glasses USA. His experience as a U.S. Marine veteran, auto mechanic and assembly line technician amplified the importance of vision safety. In 2000, he turned his knowledge into one of the internet's most popular companies for protective eyewear. They have grown to 20+ employees and have supplied protective eyewear and safety equipment to hundreds of thousands of satisfied customers around the world. In 2012, Michael started an online community forum for people interested in EDC (Everyday Carry) called EDC Planet.     Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn: [1:15] Jeremy introduces his guest, Michael Eldridge. [2:30] Michael talks about how he first started selling safety glasses online. [9:15] What were the most popular safety glasses then? Now? [12:00] From safety eyewear to expanded safety options. [17:30] Michael talks about getting into private labeling. [23:00] How did Michael move from a Yahoo ecommerce store? Where did he go? [26:30] What systems do Michael and his team use? [27:30] Michael talks about building the business and taking it to the next level. [34:30] The toughest hire and finding space to grow. [40:45] Surprising niches that order safety eyewear and the danger of blue light. [44:20] The value of a good mentor. [46:17] Don’t be a copycat, create unique content! [50:00] Michael shares some lessons he learned as a Marine. [57:00] What is EDC? [59:30] A low moment in business for Michael. [1:00:50] Milestones and proud moments along the way. [1:02:15] Take care of your customer or someone else will! In this episode… What does it take to build out a small startup into a growing and thriving ecommerce business? Is it as hard as it sounds? What lessons can be learned from the process? On this episode of Inspired Insider, you’ll hear from entrepreneur and innovator, Michael Eldridge. In his conversation with Jeremy, Michael opens up about the early days of his startup, how they expanded to provide more safety equipment, how he grew the business over the years, the value of a good mentor, why it’s important to create your own content, and much more! You don’t want to miss this fascinating episode with Michael! What were the early days of building an ecommerce business like? How did businesses thrive without all the tech, tools, and apps that are available today? For Michael Eldridge and his business partner, much of it came down to trial and error. They worked hard to find what would work with their niche audience and they were determined to carve out their own corner of the budding ecommerce marketplace. Fast forward a few years later and now their business is known as the go-to authority on safety glasses and additional helpful safety equipment. What can you learn from Michael’s journey? Where will you take your next business idea? Do you know a product so well that you know you can improve it and help your target audience? After getting to know a niche product like safety glasses for so long, a natural progression is to branch out and start a private label line of products. That’s exactly what Michael and his team at Safety Glasses USA are working toward. They know safety glasses inside and out and now they are excited to bring their unique spin on the product to the marketplace. Don’t let a great idea and a great idea pass you by! Learn from Michael’s example and put yourself out there! Who has made a significant impact on your journey as a business leader? Have you been the recipient of a helpful mentoring relationship? According to Michael Eldridge, having the right mentor at the right time made all the difference. Michael was fortunate to connect with prolific entrepreneur, Joe Palko. Over the course of their friendship, Joe has taken the time to help guide Michael as he sought to build and expand his ecommerce business. Hearing Michael, you really get the sense that he’s appreciative and humbled by Joe’s investment. If you don’t have a mentor, now might be a good time to consider finding one or better yet, if you’ve enjoyed success, why not consider passing on your hard-fought wisdom to someone else? Let’s face it, one of the worst things about the internet and ecommerce businesses if coming across all of the copycats and unoriginal people who go in and copy and paste the hard work of others. What can you do to push back against the growing wave of low-quality content? Produce your own content or hire someone to do it for you! Don’t take the easy way out, learn from Michael Eldridge’s example and lean the power and significance of putting high-quality content out there with your name on it! This goes beyond a legal issue, it speaks to the heart of who you are as a leader. Impress your target audience and take the time to produce content you can be proud of, you won’t regret it! Resources Mentioned on this episode Safety Glasses USA Safety Glasses USA - BLOG https://twitter.com/MikeEldridge73 Shopify ChannelAdvisor Joe Palko & Solid Cactus BigCommerce 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.

Today we have Tom Kulzer founder of AWeber.They are one of the top email marketing providers on the planet and help over 100,000 businesses build their audience. They started all the way back in 1998. Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn: [1:30] Jeremy introduces his guest, Tom Kulzer. [2:15] Tom talks about the culture he’s created at AWeber. [7:00] The lowest moment in the journey so far. [9:00] Milestones that Tom is proud of. [10:00] Tom talks about how AWeber has impacted client businesses. In this episode… Have you ever worked in an environment that sapped your morale? How long did you have to endure working there? What steps have you taken as a business leader to create a positive company culture that people are proud to be part of? On this episode of Inspired Insider, you’ll hear from innovator and business leader, Tom Kulzer. In his conversation with Jeremy, Tom opens up about the company culture at AWeber, some of the challenges he faced along the way, milestones he is proud of, and much more! You don’t want to miss a minute of this engaging episode featuring Tom! Let’s face it, collaboration and communication trumps isolation and confusion any day! So why don’t more organizations work hard to make sure their employees are on the same page and enjoy a collaborative environment? The truth is, creating that type of company culture requires time, energy, and resources while the opposite is the norm. If you want to enjoy a healthy and vibrant work culture, you’ve got to be willing to go against the grain. If you end up going down that path, you’ll discover what Tom Kulzer and his team at AWeber discovered, collaboration is worth the extra effort! While Tom Kulzer would like to look back at his career and his time building his company, AWeber with a load of milestones he could point to, he says all that stuff is fleeting. The one thing that stands out from all the rest in Tom’s perspective is the core values they’ve been able to build upon over the years. Central to those core values is the concept of connecting people in better and more efficient ways. You can tell, listening to Tom that he is especially proud of that key value enshrined in his company. Tom is able to look back and point to specific examples where that significant value played out and to this day, continues to keep his company delivering top quality service all these years later. Resources Mentioned on this episode www.aweber.com 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.

Today we have Erika Szychowski, founder of Good Zebra which is a protein-packed animal cracker set out to challenge the snack food industry. Good Zebra has 12 grams of protein per 2-ounce servings, NO refined sugar – it is sweetened with only organic honey and coconut sugar and has no artificial ingredients or preservatives. The 11 unique spirit animals found in Good Zebra are inspired by street and tattoo art, the flavors include vanilla, lemon, and chai with peanut butter and chocolate not far behind. Good Zebra can be found in Peet's Coffee & Tea across the nation, select retailers, on Amazon and on the Good Zebra website. Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn: [1:15] Jeremy introduces his guest, Erika Szychowski. [3:00] Launching a brand in China. [6:30] Erika talks about how she came up with the name, Good Zebra. [18:00] What led Erika to branch out and work in the food industry? [23:00] Leaving the corporate world behind and becoming an entrepreneur. [28:00] Why create an animal cracker product? [32:30] What were some of the first Good Zebra snacks like? [35:30] Why did Erika include protein in her product? What source of protein was used? [38:00] How has Erika leveraged her branding background to market Good Zebra? [44:30] Erika talks about connecting with Peet’s Coffee. [47:30] Considering how consumers shop in grocery stores. [50:00] Where is Erika trying to locate her product? [54:00] Erika talks about working with the Rolling Stones. [58:00] How to connect with Erika and Good Zebra. In this episode… How does someone go from branding expert to entrepreneur? What caused this career shift? How has the experience as a branding expert applied to life as an entrepreneur? You’ll find out from business leader and innovator, Erika Szychowski on this episode of Inspired Insider! In her conversation with Jeremy, Erika opens up about her time in corporate America, what led her to branch out on her own to start Good Zebra, why she was drawn to the snack food industry, how she’s been able to get her product on grocery store shelves, and so much more! Don’t miss this great opportunity to learn from Erika’s fascinating story! Have you ever had an idea that you were sure someone else must have capitalized on? What if that was an original idea that you should have followed up on? Sure it sounds crazy but how do you know if you don’t investigate? For Erika Szychowski, that idea was a propionate, healthy, and delicious animal cracker that she eventually created a business around. Erika’s story serves as a prime example of why risk and curiosity is the entrepreneur's best friend! What can you learn from Erika’s story? What great idea do you need to pursue so you can bring your genius to the marketplace? Erika Szychowski became an entrepreneur reluctantly. After working tirelessly in corporate America for years, she decided to step back for a well-deserved break. As Erika describes it, she was more pushed to break out of the mold and chase the path to lead a startup by those around her than any emotional pull within herself. Four months later, Erika came back to this idea of starting something from scratch because every other option literally made her feel sick. Her story is actually more common than you may think among many entrepreneurs. One of the big takeaways from Erika’s story is how important it is to give yourself the time and space to investigate and then move toward what you know you need to do next. Where did the idea for a healthy animal cracker come from? Why does the market need a protein packed and adult-oriented animal cracker? Believe it or now, Erika was ready to throw in the towel because her initial idea of a protein cookie faced numerous roadblocks and she felt like it was leading to a dead end. Then in a moment of clarity at 2 am, Erika went back to her drawing board and revisited the idea of a child’s animal cracker snack. From there she went to work crafting and marketing a fun nostalgic idea that would eventually become a protein-packed animal cracker snack for adults. As if coming up with the idea and going through the creation process of a protein-packed animal cracker wasn't hard enough, Erika Szychowski had to go to work convincing grocery stores why they should give her product a chance. Too often, these grocery stores wanted to put her product with snack foods when she wanted to see it marketed alongside energy bars and other healthy snacks she was competing against. Erika is still fighting the good fight to help us change the way we shop, in the meantime she is working hard to get her product in the best position as possible to succeed. Resources Mentioned on this episode www.goodzebra.com https://twitter.com/eatzebrasnacks https://www.facebook.com/GoodZebra/ 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.

Today we have Josh Felber, Co-Founder of Primal Life Organics and host of the hit show, Making Bank. Josh is a serial entrepreneur with more than 28 years of starting and growing several multi-million dollar companies (including one with $5 Billion in annual revenues). He is married with 3 kids and has twin boys. Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn: [1:50] Jeremy introduces his guest, Josh Felber. [2:45] Josh talks about his vivid vision for Primal Life Organics. [6:00] Who is on Josh’s top 100 list? [10:30] What is Paleo Pets? [12:45] Josh talks about teaching his kids the entrepreneurial lifestyle. In this episode… What does it look like to pass on and cultivate the entrepreneurial spirit in the next generation of leaders? How can you build up and invest in the young leaders around you? On this episode of Inspired Insider, you’ll hear from innovator and business leader Josh Felber. In his conversation with Jeremy, Josh touches on his vivid vision for Primal Life Organics, who is on his top 100 list to interview, how his kids are catching the entrepreneurial bug, and so much more! You don’t want to miss a minute of this engaging episode featuring Josh! Have you ever been so moved by a vision and dream for the future that you work tirelessly to achieve it? What was that like? How did you create tangible goals along the way? For Josh Felber, his vivid vision for Primal Life Organics is to reach 50 million in revenue in three years, foster a vibrant culture of health with people fired up about helping others, and create a sustainable approach to the products they are putting out on the marketplace. What can you learn from Josh’s vivid vision? Where will your vivid vision take you and your organization? Let’s face it, at the end of the day just about everyone wants to leave a positive impact on the world around them, right? From foundations and living trusts, wealthy and successful individuals are hard at work to ensure that their monetary influence lasts longer than they will live. Beyond money, is there a way that leaders like you can impact the next generation? What if there was a way to fan the flames of the entrepreneurial spirit in the next generation? Josh Felber is doing just that with his children! He doesn’t want to see the freedom and joy of life as an entrepreneur end with him, he wants his children to take this gift and run with it! Josh has been able to utilize some great resources to help prepare his children for a life seen through an entrepreneurial lens, make sure to check out the resources section at the end of this post to learn more! Resources Mentioned on this episode Primal Life Organics www.joshfelber.com www.MakingBanktv.com www.paleopets.com Jordan Harbinger BeFulfilled - Tony Grebmeier Jay Abraham Tony Robbins ClickFunnels Glenn Beck Arch Angels Mastermind Tom Bilyeu Jeff Bezos Richard Branson Elon Musk Perry Marshall Gary Vaynerchuk Entrepreneur Network Spotify I Heart Radio www.freefidgetspinners.co Kidpreneurs Funnel Hacking Live https://ourrescue.org/ 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.

Today we have Sarah Chalos co-founder of I Heart Keenwah with Ravi Jolly. I Heart Keenwah makes "superfoods" accessible to consumers with a range of tasty food products, including quinoa based snacks such as Himalayan pink salt chocolate quinoa puffs, peanut butter chocolate quinoa puffs and many more. They can be found in thousands of stores across the U.S. and globally in places like Whole Foods, CVS, 7-11 and of course on Amazon and their website. Before I Heart Keenwah, Sarah studied engineering at MIT, worked in R&D, manufacturing at Abbott Laboratories, earned her MBA at Chicago Booth and consulted for big corporate clients at Bain & Company. The most impressive part is that Sarah does all this while raising 2 kids. Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn: [1:10] Jeremy introduces his guest, Sarah Chalos. [2:30] Juggling life as a professional and a parent. [5:30] How did past business experience help Sarah with launching her startup? [7:30] Why did Sarah go get her MBA? [9:30] How did the idea to build a business around quinoa come about? [12:15] Sarah talks about early quinoa creations and going to the farmers market. [17:00] Taking the product to Whole Foods and expanding production. [20:00] Advice that Sarah has for leaders considering their first startup. [21:30] How did things change once Sarah was able to go full time? [24:30] What was the next line quinoa snacks that Sarah and her team developed? [30:00] Sarah talks about getting different labels and certifications for her product. [31:00] Why is Bolivian quinoa a superior crop? [34:45] Sarah’s go-to quinoa recipe. [36:00] What is on the horizon for I Heart Keenwah? [37:00] What made Sarah decide to grow her team? Who did she hire first? [38:45] Which conferences and trade shows do Sarah and her team attend? [39:45] What’s worked and hasn’t worked on the marketing front. [41:00] The lowest moment in business so far. [42:30] Sarah talks about a proud moment in her business. In this episode… How have you been able to learn and adapt along the way in your professional career? Have you been put in many situations where this was necessary? What worked and what didn’t? On this episode of Inspired Insider, you’ll hear from entrepreneur and innovator Sarah Chalos. In her conversation with Jeremy, Sarah opens up about her business career, what led her to start I Heart Keenwah, adjustments she has had to make along the way, why quinoa is such an awesome product, and so much more! You don’t want to miss a minute of this engaging episode! One of the biggest struggles as a professional is maintaining a healthy work-life balance. Do you think that work-life balance is even possible? How do navigate both roles without one suffering? On this episode of Inspired Insider, Sarah Chalos shares her experience as a mother and a driven business professional. According to Sarah, her role as an entrepreneur actually empowers her as a parent. When family obligations come up, due to her role, she is able to move things around and be there for her family. To hear more about Sarah’s story and how she rocks both her professional and personal life, make sure to listen to this episode! If you have any hope of advancing as a business leader, you’ve got to be willing to evolve, adapt, and learn along the way. In what ways have you done this? Have you seen leaders that you want to emulate display a willingness to adapt and adjust to new information and new situations? On this episode of Inspired Insider, you’ll hear from Sarah Chalos as she goes over how she’s adapted and evolved as an entrepreneur. One of the most impressive aspects of Sarah’s story is the fact that she went to school to get her MBA because she knew that she’d need it to pursue her dreams. Find out what valuable lessons you can learn from Sarah’s story by listening to this helpful episode! The struggle that many startup entrepreneurs face is deciding when to start paying a full-time salary to the business owner. For many, this narrow window comes and goes and the business is worse off. If done with the right timing, a small business can capitalize on this growth opportunity to have its innovative leader dedicated to full-time involvement. What can you learn from this pivotal moment in the life of a small business? Find out on this episode of Inspired Insider as Sarah Chalos reveals the moment she was able to focus on I Heart Keenwah in a full-time capacity and the impact that decision had! Let’s face it, developing a food product is not for the faint of heart. Even if you develop a product that tastes amazing, you still have to fight tooth and nail to get that product on grocery store shelves. Entrepreneurs and innovators that enter the consumable products arena are some of the toughest leaders on the marketplace today! On this episode of Inspired Insider, you’ll get the chance to learn from one of those tough as nails leaders, Sarah Chalos. Sarah and her team have worked hard to bring delicious and healthy quinoa snacks to kitchen tables all over the country. Discover what drives Sarah and how she’s been able to get her product in stores like Whole Foods by listening to this exciting episode, you don't’ want to miss it! Resources Mentioned on this episode http://www.iheartkeenwah.com/ https://www.amazon.com/iheartkeenwah 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. Learn great tips in our HTML blog about web development. Learn how to implement useful features for your website!

Today we have Aimy Steadman co-founder of Beatbox Beverages who started the company with Justin Fenchel, Jason Schiek, Dan Singer, and Brad Schultz. They were drawn together by their love for music and the entrepreneurial spirit of Austin, Texas. the founders of Beatbox Beverages set out to make the world’s tastiest portable party punch, and since 2011 have grown into a million dollar company with distribution in Krogers, 7-11, Walmart, HEB, Ralphs and many more all over the country. They were even featured on the hit TV show Sharktank! Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn: [1:20] Jeremy introduces his guest, Aimy Steadman. [3:00] The unique challenges of working in the alcohol industry. [4:00] Putting together a compelling video. [6:00] The lowest moment in business so far. [9:30] Managing stress and keeping a healthy mindset. [11:00] Proud moments on the journey. [13:00] Aimy talks about getting her product into retail stores. In this episode… How do you grapple with stress in the workplace? Have you discovered healthy coping mechanisms and behaviors that help you thrive in some of the most stressful environments? Are you still looking for ways to help you cope? On this episode of Inspired Insider, you’ll hear from entrepreneur and innovator, Aimy Steadman. In her conversation with Jeremy, Aimy opens up about the story behind Beatbox Beverages, why they decided to create a video of an older woman going to a music festival, how she copes with stress in the workplace, and much more! Don’t miss this great opportunity to learn from Aimy! One helpful way of dealing with stress in the workplace is by focusing on helpful practices like mindfulness and meditation. For Aimy Steadman, meditation and a book called “Mindsight” have been helpful tools she's used as she ran into high levels of stress while building up her business, Beatbox Beverages. What can you learn from Aimy’s story? How will you cope with stress in a healthy and productive way? Learn more helpful insights on stress management and more by listening to this informative episode of Inspired Insider, you don’t want to miss it! Branding has been a big buzzword in the business world lately, and for good reason! Branding is simply how your business tells their story and communicates it to the public. How would you rate your business when it comes to branding? Do you have a compelling brand? Does your brand take risks when it comes to storytelling? On this episode of Inspired Insider, you’ll hear from Aimy Steadman as she explains why Beatbox Beverages chose to feature the story of a 78-year-old woman going to her first music festival on their website. While it may sound crazy, Aimy and her team decided to feature 78-year-old Sue’s story as a way to showcase their brand’s retro vibe and that it can appeal to all age groups. Learn more about Beatbox Beverages and their unique brand strategy by listening to this exciting episode! Resources Mentioned on this episode www.beatboxbeverages.com Beatbox Beverages on Facebook Beatbox Beverages on Twitter Shark Tank Mindsight Headspace 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.

Franz Jordan is the Co-Founder of Sellics which is a powerful all-in-one tool that combines everything sellers need to be successful on Amazon. Sellics evolved from Franz’s first company Marketplace Analytics, a German data analytics company that was the first of its kind to focus on Amazon SEO back in 2014. You can manage and optimize your Sponsored Product campaigns entirely in the Sellics PPC Manager. Other features include a profit dashboard, keyword ranking optimizer, competitor monitoring, and much more. Companies such as Bosch appliances, Lego, and Brita are some of the businesses that use Sellics.  Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn: [1:10] Jeremy introduces his guest, Franz Jordan. [2:20] Why did Franz start Sellics? [6:15] Franz explains why he pivoted from his first business. [11:20] What was the first version of Sellics like? [13:00] Landing the first big client and setting a price point. [20:30] What is working to improve rankings on Amazon? What is a super URL? [25:30] How sellers and use autocomplete to identify keywords and other tips. [27:30] Franz talks about Sellics’ review management tool. [29:45] Addressing client’s pain points and creating new solutions. [32:00] How are sellers using Sellics’ profit dashboard? [35:30] Franz talks about Sellics’ inventory control tool. [38:30] Biggest mistakes that sellers make with using Pay Per Click campaigns. [42:40] Tips for optimizing a PPC campaign strategy. [49:00] Franz talks about using negative keywords. [51:50] The three options to consider when your ecommerce product isn’t selling. [54:50] What is Sonar? Why is available for free? [58:15] Pushback Franz and his team have received to using Sellics. In this episode… What does it take to build a business that helps ecommerce sellers make the most of their brand and compete in some of the toughest marketplaces? On this episode of Inspired Insider, you’ll hear from entrepreneur and innovator Franz Jordan. In his conversation with Jeremy, Franz opens up about his journey of starting several businesses, why he loves helping fellow entrepreneurs, challenges he faced along the way, what it was like landing that first big client, why they give away one of their tools for free, and so much more! You don’t want to miss a minute of this engaging episode featuring Franz! Have you ever taken a risk only to fall flat on your face? Sure you have, it’s part of the human experience! What do you do when that failure is tied up in your business? How do you recover? How do you learn from that experience and move forward? On this episode of Inspired Insider, you’ll hear from Franz Jordan as he explains how he pivoted from his first business and ended up launching Sellics. While it was a frustrating and heartbreaking experience, Franz explains that he learned valuable lessons from the failure of his first business that has led to exponential growth with Sellics. To hear the full story from Franz’ perspective, make sure to listen to this powerful episode! When was the last time that your organization pushed the envelope? How can your business stay relevant and stand out from all of your competition? On this episode of Inspired Insider, you’ll hear from Franz Jordan as he explains how Sellics keeps up with market demand by introducing innovative solutions. Staying relevant in the ecommerce industry can be expensive but Franz and his team are passionate about developing solutions that matter to the pain points faced by their clients. Hear all about the amazing tools and platforms that Sellics offers to ecommerce businesses and more by listening to this informative episode! How did you know that your company was headed for stable ground? Did that moment come when you were able to hire those first key team members? Or did that moment come when you landed that one client that made you realize that you were making an impact on your niche market? For Franz Jordan and his team at Sellics, that moment came when they landed their first large-scale client. While they waited on pins and needles for the client to get back to them about their bid, Franz wasn’t sure what would happen and what the outcome would mean for their business. When the response finally came, they were all elated! Get the inside view of how this all unfolded from Franz’ perspective by listening to this episode of Inspired Insider! Why would a business give away tools for free? How is this a sustainable business model? What does this practice communicate to a business's customer base? On this episode of Inspired Insider, you’ll hear from entrepreneur and innovator Franz Jordan. Franz believes that serving his customer base with great value tools like Sonar will show them that Sellics is about more than making a profit. At the end of the day, Franz and his team genuinely want to help sellers get their products out to the marketplace with the best tools available. To hear more about Franz’ innovative approach, make sure to check out this engaging episode, you don’t want to miss it! Resources Mentioned on this episode www.sellics.com http://sonar-tool.com/us/ Groupon www.podio.com www.asana.com Intro Music by Kidd Russell Sponsor for this episode Rise25 is where entrepreneurs of 6,7, and 8 figure businesses come together live and in person every few months to solve their biggest business challenges through this high-level Mastermind group. Each member leaves each week with lifelong friendships and actionable steps to take their business to the next level. Check out Rise25.com - a group run by myself and cofounder John Corcoran. Rise 25 is application only.

Today we have Sadie Scheffer founder of Bread SRSLY, it’s the Bay area's first gluten-free sourdough bread company. The company began late in 2011 after a bout of gluten-free sourdough experiments in Sadie's home kitchen. The bread is free of any gluten, eggs, dairy, soy, sugar, tree nuts, peanuts, potatoes and some other things I am missing....but I am sure it is not free of good taste! She began to send 40, 60, 100 loaves out into the world, delivered by ladies on bikes. Most weeks she biked 100 miles plus to get the bread out. They are now found in stores all over California and have expanded into Arizona and Idaho including some regional Whole Foods and Safeways. Production has gone from her home kitchen to their 6th commercial kitchen. Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn: [1:15] Jeremy introduces his guest, Sadie Scheffer. [2:55] Sadie talks about designing new packaging. [8:15] Getting certified gluten-free from the National Celiac Association. [10:30] A low moment in business for Sadie. [14:15] Milestones that Sadie is proud of. In this episode… They say it’s never a good idea to judge a book by its cover, what about a product by its packaging? Should product packaging be an area of concern for business leaders? On this episode of Inspired Insider, you’ll hear from entrepreneur and innovator Sadie Scheffer. In her conversation with Jeremy, Sadie explains why and how she changed her product’s packaging, why it was so important to get a “Gluten Free” certification from the National Celiac Association, key milestones for Bread SRSLY, and much more! You don’t want to miss a minute of this engaging episode featuring Sadie! When was the last time you really put some critical thought into the packaging of your product? Do you think your clients and customers pay close attention to your packaging and branding? According to Sadie Scheffer packaging was so important that she ended up redesigning it to help eliminate concerns about her product. The last thing you want people to do is to make snap judgments in the negative direction about your product based on its appearances alone! Find out why Sadie and her team made the change and how it impacted her business by listening to this helpful episode of Inspired Insider! Did you know that you can tell a lot about a leader from the way they handle adversity? It’s true! Take a look at some of the leaders you admire, chances are they faced a difficult and challenging time in their career and rose above it. How can leaders like you tap into that same strength and determination? On this episode of Inspired Insider, you’ll hear from Sadie Scheffer as she opens up about a recent low point in the life of her business and how she persevered. While it wasn’t easy, Sadie points to the amazing team she was able to gather around her as the reason why she has been able to keep her business growing and maintaining momentum during a challenging period. Discover more of Sadie's story and the lessons you can learn from it by listening to this episode! Resources Mentioned on this episode http://www.breadsrsly.com/ Check out Jeremy’s interview with Abigail Wald Intro Music by Kidd Russell Sponsor for this episode Rise25 is where entrepreneurs of 6,7, and 8 figure businesses come together live and in person every few months to solve their biggest business challenges through this high-level Mastermind group. Each member leaves each week with lifelong friendships and actionable steps to take their business to the next level. Check out Rise25.com - a group run by myself and cofounder John Corcoran. Rise 25 is application only.