Square Peg Round Hole Small Business Massive Action

Michael DeSchalit is also a seasoned Motivational Speaker, Nationally Certified Trainer and Master Facilitator. In addition to working with the hypnosis clients in his hypnosis center and training hypnotists as a certified instructor, he specializes in working with corporations, private individuals and students in the areas of Goal Setting, Team Building, Leadership Training, Communication skills and Life Coaching.  Some of his past clients have included the Top 40 Dealers for Bentley Motors worldwide, the Arizona Department of Education and The Colorado Rockies MLB Team. Michael was presented with the “Hypnosis Achievement Award” at the 2013 National Guild of Hypnotists Annual Convention. Michael is also a Master Stage Hypnotist and a Multi-Award Winning Magician with twenty years of experience in performance and show production. Michael is a big believer in networking. He shares how his penchant for networking led to a collaborative book on the importance of customer service with 10 other contributors. For

  Dov Baron has been speaking internationally for over 30 years, he’s the man with a finger on the pulse of the evolving world of NextGen leadership. One of Inc. Magazine’s Top 100 Leadership Speakers to hire, Dov Baron is a master storyteller! Considered by many as the leading authority on Authentic Leadership, and the founder of Full Monty Leadership and The Authentic Speaker Academy for Leadership. Outside of his speaking and training Dov works with multi-disciplinary leaders and executive teams to build the bonds that create organizational cultures that become Fiercely Loyal. He also writes for and has been featured in many industry magazines including being featured on CNN, CBS Small Business Pulse, SHRM, Yahoo Finance, Boston Globe, Business in Vancouver, USA today, CEO, Entrepreneur and many more. Dov begins by sharing his unique experience of a massive “imperfect” action he took and this is a story you don’t want to miss! Dov’s stories and experiences will have you thinking about your own biases and h

Larry Winget is a best-selling author, television personality, social commentator and internationally acclaimed speaker. He is also a member of the Speaker Hall Of Fame. Larry has starred in his own television series on A&E, two PBS specials and two CNBC specials.  He has appeared on Dr. Phil, The Today Show, Tool Academy, The Big Idea and Larry King. Larry is a regular contributor on many national television news shows on the topics of success, business, personal finance, parenting and the “wussification” of America. Larry has written six New York Times/Wall Street Journal bestsellers that have been translated into over 20 languages including Shut Up, Stop Whining And Get A Life, You’re Broke Because You Want To Be, It’s Called Work For A Reason, People Are Idiots and I Can Prove It, Your Kids Are Your Own Fault and Grow A Pair. Larry’s no-nonsense in-your-face approach to life and doing business may just give you the jolt you need to get your business to improve its services and grow faster. He talks ab

  Stan Peake was born to be a coach. Stan’s first foray into running his own business was when he started a personal training business at the age of 21. At 31 he bought into his second business, which went through a merger and acquisition by a larger holding company. Stan later founded InSite Performance Coaching LTD in 2015 “to help values-based leaders live their dreams”. In Stan’s words (and InSite’s # 1 Core Value), “it’s better to be scared and uncomfortable passionately chasing your dreams than it is to be comfortable but unfulfilled”. Stan continues to build InSite to help achieve its vision of helping 10,000 values-based to leaders live their dreams! Stan shares his story with Matt and Dan how he turned what could have been a low point in his life, breaking his back in a mountain biking accident just as he was starting off InSite, into a time when he took massive action and managed to get massive results. Stan’s experience in and techniques for coaching business owners and leaders was one of the reaso

Robbie Samuels has been recognized as a networking expert by Inc. and Lifehacker, and profiled in Stand Out: How to Find Your Breakthrough Idea and Build a Following Around It. Since 2009, his engaging and fun presentations have helped a wide array of audiences increase their confidence when it comes to relationship-building – whether through networking, fundraising, or sales. He passionately believes everyone should stop wasting time networking and start building great relationships. Do you want to start your own podcast? Are you an entrepreneur or small business owner who attends conferences and networking events? Then you probably want to hear what Robbie has to say about how to get the most value from the hundreds and thousands of dollars you spend to attend networking events and conferences. His concept of “croissants vs. bagels” will definitely you give new insight and perspective into what happens at conferences and, how to network like a pro.   You can also get in touch with Robbie and find out more a

Andrew Winig is an elevator pitch coach. As an entrepreneur and business owner, he discovered that business networking success starts with an engaging 30-Second Elevator Pitch. His 10-year journey from cold call salesman to Trusted Advisor inspired him to write the “Elevator Pitch Handbook: The Step-by-Step Guide to Starting Conversations.” Andy shares how he stumbled upon the idea for his business while attending conferences and listening to others present their mechanical elevator pitches and realising that there was a much better way to do it. And so, he began his journey helping others improve their elevator pitches to create a better first impression, network more effectively, and get more leads for their businesses. Andy shares how he does this using improvisational acting techniques (yes, the Drew Carrey type!) and how he gets to the heart of each individual’s unique selling proposition with a simple question. You can also get in touch with Andy and find out more about his work through his website and

Ian is a multi-bestselling author, strategic advisor, and internationally sought speaker. He has been a successful services and technology CEO for two decades. Ian modernizes sales and marketing for various businesses and his approach helps companies significantly grow sales by aligning their goals with current and emerging trends in buyer behavior. He shares how his clients have more than doubled their revenue following the same methods that he used to build his former company from zero to more than $1 billion in value. Ian’s writes weekly for Inc.com and Forbes.com. He is also the host of the weekly podcast Grow My Revenue Business Cast. As a small business owner have you ever struggled with sales as an entrepreneur? Do you think it is someone else’s duty to make the sales for your company? Do take on every single client that approaches you for the sake of growing your business? If you answered yes to any or all of these questions then you will want to hear what Ian has to share on the mindset for sales, th

Lolly Daskal is one of the most sought-after executive leadership coaches in the world. Her extensive cross-cultural expertise spans 14 countries, six languages and hundreds of companies. As founder and CEO of Lead From Within, her proprietary leadership program is engineered to be a catalyst for leaders who want to enhance performance and make a meaningful difference in their companies, their lives, and the world. Her writing has appeared in, among others, the Harvard Business Review, Inc.com, Fast Company (Ask The Expert), Huffington Post, and Psychology Today. Lolly is known for having her clients produce exceptional results by getting them to understand who they are. She shares with us how she uses a mix of modern philosophy, psychology and decades of coaching and consulting experience to do this and why it sits at the core of her programmes. She strongly believes  that understanding who you are will naturally lead you to create your why, know who you can and cannot work with, understand how to implement

Jake Thompson is the founder and Chief Encouragement Officer at Compete Every Day, a global lifestyle brand. Jake is a keynote speaker and hosts his own podcasts called Better Than Yesterday, which distills the art of competition into actionable tips people can use within their own lives. Jake took massive action back in 2011 when he realised that his current business didn’t really suit him. So, he stepped away from his successful consulting business and began, literally, selling t-shirts out of the trunk of his car. And that is how Compete Every Day was born. Jake shares with us the story behind the company and how he made his philosophy and mantra into a successful small business. What’s the definition of a square peg in a round hole? Well, Jake and his company! He explains why they have come to embody this definition and why forging your own path is the way to forward. So what are some of the challenges you face when you are a square peg in a round hole? Jake describes some of these very real daily challen

  At 19, Evan Carmichael built then sold a biotech software company. At 22, he was a venture capitalist helping raise between $500k to $15million for businesses. He now runs EvanCarmichael.com, a popular website for entrepreneurs. He breathes and bleeds entrepreneurship. His aim is to help 1 billion entrepreneurs and change the world. He is also a speaker on the world stage. What is his One Word? #Believe. When others didn’t believe he could be a speaker, Evan took massive action to ensure that he would be the best speaker his agency could offer and he achieved this goal. He shares this story and what he learned from this particular experience and how it applies to entrepreneurship and mentorship. He then explains how he came to the conclusion that everyone has One Word, what this means, how to find your One Word and how business owners can use their One Word to bring in more money! You can also get in touch with Evan and find out more about what he does through his website and the following social media plat

Amberly Dressler is the managing editor of Website Magazine, where she brings more than 10 years of editorial and marketing experience. Amberly talks about her article in Website Magazine, Can We Really Have It All?Shutting Down the Hustle Brag. In her article, she describes how many business owners are constantly hustling but also how they can get pulled into a destructive cycle of comparing themselves to others and how busy they are. She explains how to address this hustle brag and to stop this habit of comparing and the perspective she has on being busy. Amberly’s focus is writing, editing and social media but as with many entrepreneurs and small business owners, she is distracted constantly from her focus to “fight small fires” when they arise. How then does she ensure she gets down to activities that will take her forward and are her main focus? She shares with us a wonderful, useful yet simple productivity hack that can help any small business owner reprioritise what needs to get done every day! You ca

Heather Ann Havenwood, is a serial entrepreneur and is regarded as a top authority on digital marketing, sales coaching, and online publishing business strategies. Heather has been named Top 50 Must Follow Women Entrepreneurs for 2017 by Huffington Post. In 2006 she started, developed and grew an online information marketing publishing company from ground zero to over US$1 million in sales in less than 12 months. She has instructed, coached and promoted hundreds of entrepreneurs leading them down the path to success in building a lucrative business from their knowledge and leveraging it online. With a wealth of experience in selling, Heather shares with us the main psychological factors which drive people to buy and sell. In her work with small businesses and entrepreneurs she often comes across a common challenge which prevents each company from increasing their sales. She reveals how she assists owners of these businesses to undo these barriers and get their sales moving again! And discover how Heather took

Andrew Sherman is a Partner at the Washington, D.C. office of Seyfarth Shaw which has over 900 lawyers worldwide. He is the author of 26 books on business growth, capital formation and the leveraging of intellectual property. His latest book, The Crisis of Disengagement, was published in January 2017. He has appeared as a guest and a commentator on all of the major television and radio networks including CNBC, USA Network, Bloomberg, NPR, and Business News Network. Andrew has also served as General Counsel to the Entrepreneurs’ Organization (EO) since it was founded in 1987. Andrew shares with us the attributes and practices that has not only made him successful over the years but he has observed within the success of the Entrepreneurs’ Organization (EO). He has some simple yet insightful observations on how businesses and individuals can stay focused on what they do. Andrew’s passion shines through when he talks about his new book, The Crisis of Disengagement, he reveals how disengaged the average American e

  Bruce has helped create some of the world’s most compelling brands including Miami. Bruce has worked with Hasbro, Nike, American Express, Charles Schwab, Citicorp, Discovery Networks, Bacardi, Sol Melia Hotels, Azamara Club Cruises and many more great companies. A captivating speaker and author, Bruce has spoken at MIT, Harvard, TEDx, and hundreds of corporate and industry conferences. Bruce appears regularly on FOX Business and has been on CNN, ABC, CBS, and NPR. He has been featured in The New York Times, Fast Company, Communication Arts, and AdWeek. He has published four books on advertising including his latest – All About Them. If you ever find yourself saying that you wish you could do more marketing and branding but you just don’t have the resources that big companies do so, then Bruce has news for you! He believes small businesses can brand and market themselves well, regardless of whether you provide a plumbing service or own a restaurant. He believes that in order to do this you need to truly unde

Christina Daves is a serial entrepreneur who has founded and run five successful companies over the past 20 years.  With no resources remaining when she launched her latest venture, CastMedic Designs, Christina taught herself everything she could about generating her own publicity. Since launching in 2012, she has appeared in over 250 media outlets including national and local television and publications. As a result of this success, she launched PR for Anyone® to help other small business owners find similar success. Together with her clients, Christina has generated over 8 figures in sales from free publicity. Do you want to learn how to get free publicity for your business? Christina shares with us exactly how you can do that. She begins with differentiating between advertising and publicity and the value of the latter. But how do you know if you’re ready for this kind of large scale media exposure? Christina explains how to gauge if you’re ready and what you need to be prepared with before you can really

Will Russell is digital marketing consultant, based in San Francisco, helping nonprofits and social enterprises use marketing to increase their impact. Will is also an avid believer in the power of mindset, and has spent the last few years testing countless habits and strategies in a personal and entrepreneurial quest for self-improvement. He has successfully captured some of these experiences in articles he has published on Business Insider. Will decided to take some massive action in his life when he simply decided to uproot himself from his home in the United Kingdom to move to the United States a few years back. He recalls how it didn’t always seem like it was going to work out and shares what this spontaneous exercise taught him. Will shares with us how he used mindfulness success habits throughout his journey to help him get past his down moments and times of failure to keep a positive outlook on the future and success. He shares the nitty gritty of the techniques he used when he was setting up his busi

Erica Gifford joined the Business Network International (BNI) Massachusetts team in October of 2015. She is currently the Event Coordinator and Chapter Director of BNI Mass. Before joining BNI Mass she owned a successful event planning company which she had been running for four years. She also volunteers with the BNI Foundation as their Volunteer Coordinator, helping change the lives of children and the education they receive across the globe. Erica is an exemplary networker and she begins by telling Matt and Dan how she landed her current position with BNI Mass. Her story embodies why networking is so important and how it can lead to much success if it is done right. Her bubbly, friendly and giving demeanour may give her an edge in networking but she reiterates that no one is born a networker and shares tips on how everyone can become an effective networker. Erica tells us the number one mistake people make when they are networking and shares with us tried, tested and well researched methods on how to make

  Nicole Connolly is a gifted and sought-after professional photographer acclaimed for her imaginative, contemporary and elegant photographic style. Her talent as a creative professional includes over 15 years of experience in online marketing. Her mission is to make professionals superstars on LinkedIn by focusing on their headshots and pictures because as the age old saying goes, “A picture can paint a thousand words”. So what is personal branding and how important are headshots for your personal branding? Nicole begins by sharing a quick and fun tip on how you can reconcile what you currently think your personal branding says about you and how others actually perceive it! She also gives us some insider tips on how to get the best photo for you circumstance and the goals you have regardless of whether you are a fresh graduate young millennial or an experienced individual close to retirement. With years of experience in the area, Nicole shares with us how she translates qualities in a person such as likeabil

Shannon Giordano, is a digital media marketing entrepreneur with over fifteen years of experience developing end-to-end programs to build online presence for her clients. Shannon decided to take massive action in her life when she left her corporate job as the Director of Product Development at Fidelity Investments Portfolio Advisory Services to explore social media marketing and set up her own business. Serendipity Social Media, Inc. advises clients on how to get the best return on investment from social media marketing. Shannon brings with her two different perspective - that of an entrepreneur and a social media expert. She shares how she took the leap and began her own business. She says while she enjoyed her job, she was craving a more creative outlet which was unavailable in the corporate world. She had an interest in social media but with no experience in the area she began to create a path for herself to become an expert. She shares with us the steps that she took and how she put together her own busi

  Gary Bizzo is an accomplished business owner, mentor and social media ‘Agent of Change’. Over the years he has mentored over 900 investors, business leaders and entrepreneurs. While he was running his own advertising agency he was approached to lead a business incubator in Vancouver and did this for 10 years while also running his own business. As a top social media influencer Gary has a large following on various platforms online and he was able to help change a Canadian Law (Bill C-470) by leveraging on the power of Twitter.  His specialities are startups, incubators and finance - all of which he gives us an insight to in this interview. Gary shares with us the key challenges that he sees small and micro enterprise owners making all the time and shares a unique idea on how to creatively solve these challenges through a pay-it-forward system. Doesn’t make sense? Then have a listen to the podcast! He also goes over what he has learned about the importance of confidence and value perception from working clos