Laura Steward Atchison's Blog, page 22
November 25, 2017
128: Anita Taylor – Organize Your Business and Your Life
Ever feel like your life is filled with clutter? Real physical clutter and other kinds? Even for just a moment? I know I have. When I first started my first business I was feeling overwhelmed by everything that needed to get done and it just seemed like there had to be a better way other than working 100 hours a week and not sleeping.
Enter Anita Taylor. She shadowed me for part of the day and came up with several solutions for me that radically changed the way I worked. And then she followed up a few weeks later to tweak things.
I still use some of those techniques today and I can hear her voice in my head when the physical clutter piles up. So, I decided to bring her wisdom to you on the show.
Anita shares how in just 15 minutes you can begin and make a dent in the overwhelm, how to follow the money in your office and she shares some questions you can ask to clear emotional and physical clutter.
Since 1992, Anita Taylor has been guiding busy individuals from their cluttered and disheveled worlds to organizational solutions that instill stability and simplicity into their lives and businesses.
Anita is an accomplished speaker, trainer and the organizing consultant to trust. As a former Assistant Director of BNI in Connecticut, Anita utilized her more than two decades of training and organizing experience to increase BNI’s presence in Fairfield County. www.anitaylor.com
November 24, 2017
127: Will Reynolds – Lean Startup – Not Everything is Plug & Play
Is the only path to a successful business startup via venture capital? Is there another way? How do you know what “rules” to follow and what rules to modify or not follow?
Does the playbook you are using really work for your company? How do you know? What questions do you need to be asking to determine the answer?
How do you know if you are on the right track or the wrong track? What questions do you need to be asking?
Will Reynolds, CEO of SecureDocs, shares his experience running a Tech startup, without VC money, and how they built a team of sales people, tech people and most of all committed people for the success of the company and the team.
If you want to learn some killer questions to ask for any level of your business, you will want to listen to this episode and have pen, or keyboard in hand, to give thought to the questions posed.
Will Reynolds led the initiative to spin SecureDocs out as a new and separate business from AppFolio Inc. at the end of 2013.
He oversees all aspects of the company’s strategy and development as well as building on the already exceptional team that’s come together at SecureDocs Inc.
Will has ten years of experience managing sales teams in the Software as a Service space. As an early employee at AppFolio, he played a key role in building a customer base and sales team for their Property Manager solution and latterly for SecureDocs prior to spin off. Previously, he managed teams at Citrix Online, selling products such as GoToMeeting and GoToMyPC. Will moved to California from London in 2005 and only occasionally misses the rain. He holds a BA from Southampton University in the UK.
November 19, 2017
126: Marian Edvardsen – From Wall Street to Healing Street
How does someone move from a high-powered life on Wall Street to a life in the suburbs focused on helping others find their passion?
During this episode we talk about the questions she asked to shift her life from the world of finance to becoming the mother of twin boys and balancing a new life as a healer, strategist and joy bringer.
My guest also shares tips on how you can reduce stress, step through grief, use essential oils to get through the holiday season or just everyday stressors and how she navigates life.
Marian Edvardsen is passionate about inspiring and empowering you to live your best life, shine your unique greatness, and live the life you desire and deserve. Her philosophy is to always be passionate about what you do and always reach for your highest *sterling* quality of life with gratitude, fun and happiness to personal success.
As a Certified Passion Test® Facilitator for Adults, Kids and Teens and Life Coach, Marian helps you “get to the heart of your matter” about what is important in your life, help you get more clarity, and set a path to achieving your goals so you can live the life
you’ve always dreamed of. She teaches self-care tools, including EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique, or Tapping) and essential oils to help you break through any struggles or obstacles that are getting in your way to living a fulfilling and joy-filled life.
Marian loves speaking, leading mastermind groups and workshops as well as one-on-one coaching. (By the way, The Passion Test has become the #1 process being used all over the world to help people discover and live their passions!)
October 25, 2017
125 – Allen Brouwer – How the search for answers created an award winning business
Productivity apps abound. Planners, podcasts, webinars, workshops are a dime a dozen. Well they are actually a bit more than a dime! Why so many? Because we are ever searching for the ONE solution that will help us achieve our goals, faster and easier.
Enter Allen Brouwer Founder of www.bestself.co While on a mission to improve his own goal achievement he created the Self Journal and community.
We talk about success, failure, why paper is better than electronic and the 4 things you can do every day that will help you achieve your goals WHILE being your BEST Self.
If you are looking for a system that can help you in just 13 weeks, and oh yeah, you can download the PDF version of the planner free, then take a listen to this episode and answer the questions Allen poses on the show to get your clear on the first steps to achieving your best life.
Allen Brouwer is the Co-Founder of BestSelf Co. a company that helps people achieve their goals and become the best version of themselves through productivity, performance, and positivity.
A serial entrepreneur who’s passion is to help others achieve their entrepreneurial visions. He love the outdoors, psychology, and marketing
October 20, 2017
124: Chef Charles Carroll – The Recipe – The Ingredients of Greatness Part 2
Where are you looking? Do you taste everything? How long do you persist before you give up?
Last episode I spoke with John David Mann, the other half of the writing team that created, The Recipe A Story of Loss, Love and The Ingredients of Greatness. Today I spoke with Chef Charles Carroll.
Still grieving my mom’s passing on October 1st, I was looking forward to this interview because I found this book so healing both before and after her passing. I knew my mom loved food and cooking and a good book so I was glad this interview was booked many months ago.
Chef did not disappoint. It was great to share with him how reading the book while mom was still alive allowed me to be more present with her while preparing food and how we both “tasted” food more because of the book and how the words, and recipes used throughout the book, gave me peace today.
The book, a culinary parable, and this interview, will take you on a journey that I hope will open your eyes and your mind to how just re-learning how to “taste life” can change your perspectives on everything you thought you knew.
Award winning author, Inspirational Speaker, Producer, and Culinary Olympic Gold Medalist, Chef Charles Carroll is currently the Executive Chef of River Oaks Country Club, in Houston Texas.
Chef Carroll takes pride in mentoring students due to which he has written the award winning “Leadership Lessons from a Chef: Finding Time to be Great“, “Tasting Success: Your Guide to Becoming a Professional Chef“, and most recently published, “The Recipe“, on shelves October 17th, 2017.
He has spent the past three years traveling around the United States and the world to include Ireland, Norway, Germany, Switzerland, Iceland, Portugal, Turkey, Chile, Korea, Paris, South Africa, Afghanistan, Greece, India, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore, Macao, and Canada mentoring, sharing and presenting his messages to culinary students, chefs, industry professionals and executives as well as the United States military personnel. His influence and inspiration has helped thousands of individuals reach their full potential and strive to be the best they can be.
October 17, 2017
123 – John David Mann – The Recipe – The Ingredients of Greatness
This episode was the first show I did after my mom passed away on October 1, 2017. Their are few guests I could imagine being able to function around besides John David Mann after my loss. I debated doing the show because my grief was so strong. I prayed on it and heard my mom’s voice telling me go, I’ll be there.
She loved hearing me on the radio. Most weeks she would be sitting in the conference room at the radio station listening to me interview my guests while crocheting her latest blanket. She was and is part of the radio experience for me.
Loss is a part of life. I get that. Yet it is overwhelming while going through it for me. Mom was an everyday part of my life. We lived together for almost 6 years. Not every child is lucky and has a mom like my mom or even a dad like mine was. I could imagine no other choice than to live with mom and take care of her. Well, we really took care of each other.
So how do I grieve her loss from my physical life? How does anyone move forward after such loss? The ache is physical and emotional and spiritual.
John’s latest book with Chef Charles Carroll is called The Recipe, a Story of Loss, Love and the Ingredients of Greatness. When I read an early draft of the book I knew it was destined for greatness. I could relate to the young boy in the story as he grieved the loss of his dad. The anger, the betrayal feelings, the emptiness. And that was before mom had passed.
When I read the book again, in a more final form, it began to heal some old hurts from other losses, my brother, my dad and even my dog. Then I read it again and I saw the possibilities layered in my journey and thinking of the book now, it is a guidebook for moving, step-by-step, through grief into joy again. I am not there yet but the book provides hope.
During this interview John and I discuss the book, how it came to be, my mom and John shares his always brilliant wisdom about life, love, loss and most of all the Ingredients of Greatness inside all of us.
Hug someone you love today and grab your own copy of this book.
Hope you enjoy this episode as much as I did.
John David Mann is coauthor of the bestselling classic The Go-Giver, which has sold more than half a million copies in more than two dozen languages. Winner of the Axiom Business Book Award’s Gold Medal in 2008, The Go-Giver has been hailed as “the most important parable about business?and life?of our time” by bestselling author and Wharton professor Adam Grant; “a small book that packs a huge idea” by bestselling author Daniel Pink; “a good description of many of the most amazing people I’ve encountered” by Arianna Huffington; and “a must-read by anyone who wants to change the world” by talk show host Glenn Beck. Inc. magazine named it one of the 18 Most Motivational Books of All Time. His other titles include the New York Times bestsellers Flash Foresight (with Daniel Burrus) and The Red Circle (with Brandon Webb), and the national bestsellers Among Heroes (with Brandon Webb), The Slight Edge (with Jeff Olson), and Real Leadership (with John Addison). His 2011 Take the Lead (with Betsy Myers) was named by Tom Peters and the Washington Post as Best Leadership Book of 2011.
October 16, 2017
122 – John Mamon – The Extra Scoop
I was talking with some friends the other day and they were commenting on how the face of customer service has changed from when we were growing up. It used to be that exceptional customer service was the norm versus the rarity. It is hard to find a day that goes by that some customer service fail is not front and center on social media or traditional media.
Why the change? Is it possible to reverse the trend of poor customer service? Do we even know what great customer services is anymore?
My guest has been a friend for years. We have spoken together about customer service and technology back when I had my tech company and he just released his new book, The Extra Scoop – Rediscover the Art of Great Customer Service. For my regular listeners you know that I only talk about books that have an impact on my thinking and shift my perceptions in some way about the topic. This is one of those books.
John reveals how, with just a few changes, you can shift your company from one of questionable or low customer service to one with great customer service. And, for companies with great customer services how you can kick it up a notch to exceptional.
Take a listen and share your customer services stories on www.theextrascoop.com
Oh, and let me know how I can serve you even better.
John Mamon is currently the President and CEO of mPowered IT, a leading Managed and Cloud Services Provider in Atlanta, Georgia. Mr. Mamon has over 20 years of experience in all areas of Information Technology leadership including engineering and sales. Roles in previous organizations have included Vice President, C.O.O. and C.I.O. He has been a part of several start-ups, including his previous organization of which he was an owner; that company was successfully incubated and sold in Atlanta, GA. His specialties include service design, team creation and oversight, increasing operational effectiveness, harnessing cloud and data center services, network security, and providing objective guidance and consulting to small business owners.
Mr. Mamon currently chairs the Tech400 committee for the Greater North Fulton Chamber of Commerce and has recently authored a book titled “The Extra Scoop: Rediscover the Art of Great Customer Service”. He resides in Woodstock, GA with his two daughters and wife of over 20 years.
October 9, 2017
121: Ursula Mentjes – Enter The Belief Zone
Beliefs come in many forms. They are not just spiritual or religious in nature. What you believe about yourself and others becomes your truth and forms the foundation of who you are as a person. Those beliefs come from your personal experiences and the experiences of those around you that you respect and listen to.
Like the foods you eat, or don’t eat, you may take them for granted. Say, “that is just what I have always done”. What happens when your belief gets challenged? Do you entrench into it deeper? Or do you shift out of it and begin to form a new belief based on new information?
How do you determine if a belief you have is one you should keep or one that no longer serves you?
My guest on this episode has written a wonderful book called, The Belief Zone, that can help you answer that question and many more.
On this episode, we talk about how you can enter the Belief Zone and better yet, how you can shift out of it to a new belief zone that is based on you, now versus you in the past.
Two-time Bestselling Author, Award winning Entrepreneur and Sales Expert– Ursula Mentjes–will transform the way you think about selling so you can reach your goals with less anxiety and less effort! The Founder of Sales Coach Now as well as an inspirational speaker, author of The Belief Zone, Selling with Intention, Selling with Synchronicity and One Great Goal? Ursula specializes in Neuro-Linguistic Programming to help clients double and triple their sales FAST.
Honing her skills at an international technical training company, where she began her career in 1996, Ursula increased sales by 90% in just one year! In 2001, when the company’s annual run was in the tens of millions, Ursula advanced to the position of President at just 27 years old. Sales guru Brian Tracy endorsed Selling with Intention saying, “This powerful, practical book shows you how to connect with customers by fully understanding the sales process from the inside out. It really works!” Selling with Synchronicity and One Great Goal were also the 2013 winners of the Beverly Hills Book Awards in the categories of sales and business motivation?and Selling with Intention was a finalist. Selling with Intention also received the International Book Award sponsored by USA Book News and Selling with Synchronicity was a finalist. Her Podcast, Double Your Sales NOW, has received all 5 star reviews, is being downloaded in 10 countries and is experiencing double-digit growth!
Ursula also serves as Past Statewide Chairperson of the NAWBO-CA Education Fund and Past President of NAWBO-CA. Ursula is the recipient of the SBA’s 2014 Women in Business Champion and is a recipient of the 2013 Willow Tree Extraordinary Example and Extraordinary Entrepreneur Awards, the NAWBO-IE ANITA Award, chosen as PDP’s Extraordinary Speaker of 2015, PDP’s Business Woman of the Year 2016, Spirit of the Entrepreneur Awards Finalist and recipient of 2 Lifetime Achievement Awards and is nominated for a 3rd – from Presidents of the United States, with both political parties bestowing this honor for her work helping her community and helping build a stronger nation.
She has shared the stage with bestselling author Loral Langemeier, Les Brown, Tom Antion, Lisa Nichols, Giuliana Rancic and many others! Her clients include Aflac, Ebenezer and Fairview Hospitals, New York Life, Paychex and more! She holds a B.A. in Psychology and Communication from St. Olaf College and a M.S. in Counseling Psychology from California Baptist University.
September 22, 2017
120: Dixie Gillaspie – Questions to Challenge Assumptions
Are you asking questions that challenge your assumptions to evolve? When a question opens a path, are you willing to explore where it leads? How do you know your assumptions are true, or false, if you don’t know they are assumptions?
Our brains are wired for quick decisions but where does the brain kick in versus the mind? My guest says that “when the function of the brain and the function of the soul overlap” that is the mind. Want to understand why and how that concept plays into your life and your business?
Then listen to this episode with the completely original firestarter that is Dixie Gillaspie. From the first moment I met her I knew that life when Dixie is part of it would not be dull and that assumptions and perceptions would be challenged. Whether you get to know her personally or via this episode and her books, keynotes, courses and social media, I promise you will be asking better questions. If you are willing to challenge your own assumptions!
Dixie Gillaspie is a coach, consultant, firestarter, and coffee fanatic. She serves as an advisor and guide for business owners and leaders who are ready to step into the full power of their gifts to get what they want in life and business.
After working as a business analyst and consultant for a nationwide consulting firm, Dixie founded her own business in 1998 and has been helping people achieve their “impossibles” ever since. In coaching founders and leaders of multi-million dollar corporations, as well as small business owners and solopreneurs, she has proven that people who tap into the core of their personal power ? that unique combination of innate gifts, learned skills, and divine purpose ? can overcome any adversity and create what others believed could never exist .
Dixie is the author of Just Blow it Up – Firepower for Living an Unlimited Life and Doses of Dynamite – Firepower for Capturing the Inspiration in Everyday Things. She is a member of the Forbes Coaches Council and has served as an Executive Editor for The Good Men Project as well as writing for Entrepreneur.com, Business Woman Media, and HuffPost. This year she was honored as a “Woman of the Decade in Enterprise and Innovation” by the Women Economic Forum and currently serves on the WEF Board of Advisors for 2018 events.
Dixie loves talking with individuals and groups about how to transform lives, brands, and businesses. If you or your organization needs to have that conversation you can learn more at dixiegillaspie.com.
August 31, 2017
119: John Kremer – Book Marketing for the Real World
As an author I have been following my guest since before my book was published. Here is what I have learned. There are a lot of people telling you how to market your book but there are few who really know their stuff and can help you increase sales and get your book into the hands of those who need to read it.
John Kremer is one of those select few.
John shares some simple strategies and tactics you can immediately implement to market your book anywhere and virtually everywhere. We talk book covers, titles, t-shirts, yup t-shirts, interviews in supermarkets AND how your friends can really help you sell your book.
He shares how to create your word-of-mouth army and tells how you can get free resources to help you put it all together
John also shares a couple of questions you need to be asking before your book comes out to get the most valuable information for your launch. Hint, don’t ask, “do you like this cover?”
We did not get a chance to talk about his upcoming book marketing event, Billion Book Initiative in Santa Fe. We ran out of time. I guess I will just have to do another show, or bonus webinar with him!
Book marketing expert John Kremer is the author of 1001 Ways to Market Your Books, mentor to authors who have sold over a billion books, and founder of the Billion Book Initiative to help the next generation of book authors sell another billion books.
Over the past 30 years, he has helped thousands of authors, both major celebrities and those just starting out, to sell more books! Lots more books!
