Inside Strategic Coach: Connecting Entrepreneurs With What Really Matters cover image

Inside Strategic Coach: Connecting Entrepreneurs With What Really Matters

Latest episodes

undefined
7 snips
Apr 29, 2025 • 27min

The Secret Behind Why Every Entrepreneur Has Two Companies

Explore the tension between your current business and the ideal company of your dreams. Discover how successful entrepreneurs leverage their first company to fuel a second, innovative venture focused on intellectual property. Learn why your real company frustrates you and how the right partnerships can enhance creativity. Uncover the value of collaboration and structure, along with strategies to protect your intellectual property. This insightful discussion reveals how embracing your duality can unlock exponential growth and greater innovation.
undefined
Apr 22, 2025 • 38min

Turning Tariffs Into Your Unbeatable Advantage

Are you prepared for the biggest economic shift in 80 years? In this episode, Dan Sullivan reveals how the new global tariff landscape creates unprecedented opportunities for agile entrepreneurs. Learn why the post-WWII economic order is over, how to adapt your business model, and why being alert, curious, and resourceful is the secret to success in this emerging era. Here’s some of what you’ll learn in this episode: The real history behind today’s tariffs—and why it matters for your business.How WWII transformed the U.S. economy into a global powerhouse.Why the U.S. dollar leads world trade (and why that’s changing).Why the U.S. Navy started protecting trade routes around the world.Five critical strategies every entrepreneur must adopt now.A simple framework to help clients regain confidence in uncertain times.Why China faces unprecedented challenges in this new era. Show Notes: On April 3, the U.S. announced tariffs of 10% for most countries, with higher rates for nations with significant trade imbalances. Post-WWII, the U.S. economy was self-sufficient, yet other countries charged tariffs on U.S. goods while enjoying tariff-free access to American markets. One-sided tariffs led American corporations to offshore factories, costing U.S. jobs and prosperity. Trump’s tariffs are a negotiation tactic to reset unfair trade terms and bring manufacturing back to the U.S. China’s current trade practices make it the primary target of aggressive tariffs (now 125%). U.S. companies abroad face tariffs unless they relocate production home—creating a surge in domestic opportunities for entrepreneurs. You want to be the buyer in every negotiation. The buyer is the one who can walk away from the table. The United States is the best place to sell a product created anywhere in the world because it has the most customers. Tariffs aren’t about fairness. They’re about trade. Entrepreneurs are skilled at responding very quickly to new dangers and new opportunities and developing new strengths in the process. Global supply chains are fracturing, forcing businesses to source locally and regionally. During uncertain times, people feel as though they’ve lost their future. You can help clients and customers rebuild confidence in their future by focusing on their dangers, opportunities, and strengths (D.O.S.®). The 1945–1992 economic order was a historical anomaly, and we won’t see anything like it again. AI reduces labor costs (and creates new opportunities for entrepreneurs as a result).  Resources: Perplexity Trump: The Art of the Deal by Donald J. Trump and Tony Schwartz The D.O.S. Conversation® by Dan Sullivan The Great Meltdown by Dan Sullivan Never Split the Difference: Negotiating As If Your Life Depended On It by Chris Voss and Tahl Raz
undefined
Apr 15, 2025 • 26min

Growing Great Leadership

Leadership isn't about titles; it's about creating observable capabilities. Dan Sullivan and Shannon Waller discuss the shift from bureaucratic management to self-leadership in today's networked economy. They introduce a four-step process to transform uncertainty into confidence, emphasizing that a goal isn't merely a destination. The conversation highlights the importance of collaborative environments and proactive problem-solving. Discover how embracing creativity and unique skills can drive innovation and inspire collective growth.
undefined
Apr 1, 2025 • 27min

Clarify Your Thinking To Become A Better Entrepreneur, with Erik Solbakken

A new coach shares their fascinating transition from accountant to entrepreneur after a professional setback. They reveal how personal experiences inspired their entrepreneurial journey and the importance of authentic connections. Insights on strategic thinking tools showcase how reflecting on the past can guide future success. The discussion emphasizes the need for a supportive community and a mindset shift to achieve freedom in entrepreneurship. Ultimately, it illustrates the power of self-discovery and commitment in fostering growth.
undefined
Mar 18, 2025 • 16min

All Entrepreneurs Need To Have Courageous Creativity

Is complaining holding you back from your full potential? In this episode, Dan Sullivan and Shannon Waller discuss the surprisingly simple choice between complaining and creating when facing obstacles. Discover how shifting to a creative mindset, embracing courage, and taking full responsibility can unlock new capabilities and exponential growth. Here’s some of what you’ll learn in this episode:How complaining allows you to avoid responsibility by justifying why you can't move forward.The Strategic Coach® thinking tool for transforming obstacles into capability and confidence.Why you need commitment and courage before you can gain capability and confidence.The kinds of people that give creativity a bad name. Show Notes: An obstacle feels like something is blocking your progress. There are only two ways of dealing with obstacles: creating or complaining. When you’re in creativity mode, you’re fully engaged with transforming or bypassing the obstacle. To deal with an obstacle, you have to create something new. Taking 100% responsibility is essential for creative problem-solving. Complaining involves blaming external circumstances or people. Committing fully to complaining offers a sense of freedom because you’ve absolved yourself of any responsibility for improving your situation. Few people are entirely creative or entirely complainers. Most are a mix of both. Creativity requires courage; complaining does not. Creators are more likely to be honest with themselves. You attract what you are: complainers attract complainers, and creators attract creators. Resources: The 4 C’s Formula by Dan Sullivan
undefined
Mar 4, 2025 • 29min

Why Entrepreneurship Is The Safest Career Move You Can Make

Organizations have changed a lot over the past 50 years, and it’s vital for entrepreneurs to be aware of these changes if they want to achieve great business success. In this episode, Dan Sullivan, who has been coaching entrepreneurs for 50 years, talks to fellow business coach Shannon Waller all about the changes in companies that have taken place over the past half-century and the very different position that entrepreneurs are in today. Here’s some of what you’ll learn in this episode:What gave Dan confidence to become a business coach.How Dan’s desire to coach got married to entrepreneurism.How Strategic Coach® helps entrepreneurs thrive in the current economy.The way to give your team members roles, not just jobs. Show Notes: The invention of the microchip allowed entrepreneurs to have a lot of power and capability they’d never had before. The introduction of the microchip meant large corporations would start to fracture and wouldn’t be as effective or useful. It might take three months to get a decision from large organizations, but entrepreneurs can decide to hire you, and write you a check, in the moment. About every 15 years, the number of employees required in an organization is about half of what it was 15 years previously. Now that small companies with microchip power can be powerful economic forces, government has adjusted to make the process of incorporation faster and easier. We’re partway through a 50-year period in which we’re shifting from large, pyramid-shaped organizations to network-based organizations. Artificial intelligence can do work that used to require many people to do. A lot more people can own companies and have leadership positions now than they used to. Canada, especially Ontario, is one of the easier places in the world to incorporate. Being a bureaucrat in a large pyramidal organization used to be the safest job in the economy, but is now among the riskiest. Being an entrepreneur has become the safest role. Resources: The Great Crossover by Dan Sullivan Your Business Is A Theater Production: Your Back Stage Shouldn’t Show On The Front Stage Unique Ability®
undefined
Feb 18, 2025 • 22min

How Lucky Are You As An Entrepreneur?

Do you believe in luck, or do you make your own success? In this episode, Dan Sullivan explores the concept of luck in entrepreneurship. Drawing from 50 years of coaching experience, he reveals how successful entrepreneurs create their own paths, often starting young by seeking opportunities to grow their wealth. Discover how self-made success intertwines with luck in the entrepreneurial journey. Here’s some of what you’ll learn in this episode:The top ways Dan has been lucky.Why it’s more difficult for someone born into wealth to become an entrepreneur.The new Strategic Coach® thinking tool that will help you recognize and increase your luck.Why being an entrepreneur requires a lot of courage.How Strategic Coach is run like a live theater company.Show Notes: 50% of your success comes from luck, and 50% of it comes from the ability to take advantage of the luck you've had. An entrepreneur’s success is an act of self-creation. Entrepreneurs create their own income streams and their own capabilities. Entrepreneurs understand intuitively that freedom requires money. It’s difficult to separate luck from skill. The U.S. is an entrepreneurial country created by entrepreneurs. Even the challenges you’ve faced have shaped who you are today. Recognizing the luck you’ve had keeps you centered and grounded. Whether your capability drives your luck or vice versa depends on your perspective. Resources: Unique Ability® Your Business Is A Theater Production: Your Back Stage Shouldn’t Show On The Front Stage
undefined
Feb 4, 2025 • 27min

What Ambition Looks Like At 80

Can ambition flourish as we age? This discussion dives into how ambition can evolve and even intensify over time. Personal stories reveal how pursuing what you love can amplify your impact. Aiming for longevity, one speaker shares their goal of living to 156, highlighting the optimism in health advancements. The dynamic nature of ambition is framed as a proactive journey, essential for ongoing growth. Interactions with younger generations can reignite one’s ambitions, emphasizing the crucial link between commitment and courage.
undefined
8 snips
Jan 21, 2025 • 16min

Entrepreneurs Can’t Move Forward With Costs, Only With Investments

Explore the crucial difference between viewing expenses as costs versus investments. Discover why a growth mindset can propel entrepreneurs forward. Learn how seeing team members as valuable assets, rather than just expenses, can unlock greater productivity. Uncover innovative hiring techniques that emphasize finding the right talent and ensuring long-term returns. Shift your perspective from mere survival to nurturing a thriving business culture that embraces growth.
undefined
Jan 7, 2025 • 31min

Business Lessons For Creating The Job You Want, with Patti Mara

When Patti Mara graduated from university in the recession of 1989, she couldn’t get a job—so she made one up instead. In this episode, Patti shares how she’s achieved entrepreneurial success, the exciting new project she’s launching to support local businesses, and what she’s learned as a long-time coach in The Strategic Coach® Program. Here’s some of what you’ll learn in this episode:The invaluable resource that Patti turned to when she realized she didn’t know how to build a business.Some of the most helpful tools Patti learned in her first year at Strategic Coach®.The difference between tasks and results.The value in separating the fault from the problem.“magic” that happens in every Strategic Coach workshop. Show Notes: Entrepreneurship often emerges out of necessity, but being good at making up a job for yourself doesn’t mean you know how to build a business.Strategic Coach concepts can dramatically shift an entrepreneur's mindset and ability to build a thriving organization.Every coach at Strategic Coach is also a Program member who uses Coach tools and concepts in their own business.What you sell is actually the vehicle for how you create value.Your business is the value you create to the people you want to work with.Everyone wants to feel like they’re winning.When team members feel like their roles serve a greater purpose, the whole company culture shifts.And once you recognize team members as experts in their roles, you can encourage their innovation and sense of ownership.When you empower team members to solve problems rather than to focus on who was at fault, customer interactions get much better.Awareness and mindset are more impactful than specific skills when training team members. Resources: Blog: Time Management Strategies For Entrepreneurs (Effective Strategies Only) Unique Ability® The 10x Mind Expander by Dan Sullivan Turning Teams into Heroes and Customers into Raving Fans by Patti Mara UpSolutions Team Success Program Blog: What Is A Self-Managing Company®?   Tool: The Positive Focus® Who Not How by Dan Sullivan and Dr. Benjamin Hardy Podcast: Team Success pattimara.com wechooselocal.com

Remember Everything You Learn from Podcasts

Save insights instantly, chat with episodes, and build lasting knowledge - all powered by AI.
App store bannerPlay store banner