Author: risingshow

Categories
Entrepreneurship

018: Our Biggest Business Mistakes

Building and managing a business is challenging no matter what stage you are in your journey. Mistakes are inevitable. But mastering the craft of learning from your failures is what will help you grow. 

In this episode, we delve into the biggest mistakes we’ve had in our businesses and what we have learned from each setback. 

How we deal with mistakes; determines our success as business owners. It’s all part of the lessons on our entrepreneurial journey. Remember to be grateful for your success, but never forget the lessons learned from your past mistakes.

What have been the biggest lessons in your entrepreneurial journey? Share them with us in the comments!

IN THIS EPISODE, YOU’LL FIND OUT…

  • How do you define a mistake? (2:20)
  • Every experience we have is a stepping stone in the tapestry of our life (2:37)
  • Having clear communication and being clear on expectations (4:35)
  • Trusting your gut (12:50)
  • Making sure your business serves you too (16:30)
  • Working on your boundaries (17:35)
  • The customer you say no to clears up space for your ideal customer (18:34)
  • Having strong boundaries (18:48)
  • When you set your boundaries, the people who don’t respect them will disappear from your lives (19:13)
  • Saying yes to everything your client asks (20:05)
  • Finding the balance as an entrepreneur (21:18)
  • Having belief in yourself as an entrepreneur (21:40)
  • A healthy level of delusion for entrepreneurs (21:55)
  • Value in doing other things outside of your normal scope (23:57)
  • Debt of business owners (24:27)
  • Hope numbers and hope growth (25:197)
  • “It’s a business expense” vs “Do I really need this right now?” (25:46)
  • Knowing your numbers (29:05)
  • Taking the numbers of your business seriously (29:22)
  • Understand what the numbers in your business mean and how they connect (33:01)
  • Relationship maintenance (37:00)

WHERE YOU CAN FIND US

CARL TAYLOR
Automation Agency
CarlTaylor.com.au
LinkedIn
Facebook
Twitter

PETER MORIARTY
iTGenius
LinkedIn
Facebook
Twitter

Like this episode? Have a topics that you would like us to discuss?  We’d love to hear your feedback and comments. Let us know by leaving a comment below. 

Categories
Entrepreneurship

017: How We Dealt With COVID

We made a conscious decision not to talk about COVID-19-related topics because we want our content to be valuable regardless of the times. However, we’ve realised that the after-effects of COVID-19 have had a massive impact on our work and lives. 

In this episode, we will not cover COVID-19 itself but how we, as leaders and entrepreneurs, dealt with the pandemic’s economic consequences. Our discussion will focus on the strategies and processes you can employ to overcome times of uncertainty or challenges that disrupt businesses. These strategies cover the operations of the businesses and the team members and clients that we work with.

We’d love to hear from you. What strategies did you employ as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic and what has been the result so far?

IN THIS EPISODE, YOU’LL FIND OUT…

  • COVID-19 and how leaders can respond to uncertainties (02:04)
  • The book behind the idea for the episode (03:40)
  • Business leaders not only survive but thrive during uncertain times (04:02)
  • “10x Leadership” (04:21)
  • Fanatic discipline (04:32)
  • Empirical creativity (04:48)
  • Productive paranoia (05:16)
  • Building a business that works without you (06:58)
  • Strategies to still add value to clients despite the fear of recession (07:47)
  • Support versus self-protection modes (12:41)
  • Making sure that your team is secure (14:22)
  • Having a “wartime CEO” team member (16:37)
  • Strategies to maximise your existing resource to help clients (18:49)
  • The value of being visible (21:29)
  • A true leader will step up during times of crises (23:19)
  • Strategies to lead a team, community, and customers who are fearful (25:34)
  • Not letting your own personal fear affect your personal life or business (29:26)
  • Strategies have to be sustainable so you and your team don’t burn out (32:22)
  • Biggest achievements and challenges (38:54)
  • Is it alright to share and celebrate your achievements if others are in trouble? (41:25)
  • Some final thoughts to share (44:51)

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES:

WHERE YOU CAN FIND US

CARL TAYLOR
Automation Agency
CarlTaylor.com.au
LinkedIn
Facebook
Twitter

PETER MORIARTY
iTGenius
LinkedIn
Facebook
Twitter

Like this episode? Have a topics that you would like us to discuss?  We’d love to hear your feedback and comments. Let us know by leaving a comment below. 

Categories
Entrepreneurship

016: How to Market

When you think about marketing, do you get excited or nervous?

Everyone wants more customers. But when people hear the word marketing, they often get overwhelmed. 

With buzzwords like content marketing, social media marketing and email marketing, it’s no wonder business owners feel overwhelmed and stuck when they hear the word marketing.

In this episode, we delve into what business owners need to consider, and what tools they can use to bring their marketing efforts to life. We talk about various ways to market, the different stages of a funnel, types of marketing, and how to market to the different types of customers. 

Marketing is an investment, and it’s okay to experiment with your marketing strategies. As a business owner no one will understand your customers as well as you do, so being an integral part of your business’ marketing is essential to growing your company.

IN THIS EPISODE, YOU’LL FIND OUT…

  • Fear around marketing (4:25)
  • Unpacking the psychology of a marketer (6:55)
  • Validation through sales (8:12)
  • Marketing is a key part of your business (9:25)
  • Referral marketing (9:31)
  • What marketing is not (10:13)
  • Marketing is finding people who don’t know about you and getting them to know about you (10:29)
  • Finding new people (10:55)
  • Leverage (11:40)
  • Being stuck as the technician (12:15)
  • Referral generating strategy (12:28)
  • 3 pieces of marketing: Top, Middle, and Bottom of the funnel (14:13)
  • 3 types of people to market to (14:50)
  • Types of marketing (17:50)
  • Deciding what tools to use for your marketing strategy (19:27)
  • Marketing is an investment (20:00)
  • How much should you spend on your marketing? (22:33)
  • The lifetime value of a customer (27:28)
  • Marketing for a service-based business (29:26)
  • Partnerships (33:54)
  • Brand awareness marketing (34:48)
  • Business metrics for growth (38:50)
  • It’s okay to experiment with your marketing (39:40)
  • Advertise where your audience is (43:23)
  • Test your offer (43:42)
  • Look at what your competitors are doing (44:05)
  • Someone in the business should drive the strategy (47:27)
  • Hire a marketing manager (47:42)
  • Return on time (48:23)
  • Building a marketing team (51:14)

WHERE YOU CAN FIND US

CARL TAYLOR
Automation Agency
CarlTaylor.com.au
LinkedIn
Facebook
Twitter

PETER MORIARTY
iTGenius
LinkedIn
Facebook
Twitter

Like this episode? Have a topics that you would like us to discuss?  We’d love to hear your feedback and comments. Let us know by leaving a comment below. 

Categories
Entrepreneurship

015: Buy vs Build. Choosing The Perfect Business Software

When you are looking to solve a business problem, do you buy the all-in-one software, piece together different software or do you build something from scratch?

In this episode, we dive into the pros and cons of buying off-the-shelf software and building customized tools for your business. Finding the solution of whether you should buy or build your software starts from getting crystal clear on what it is you are trying to solve in your business.

Technology is just one piece of the puzzle in your business. So don’t worry about finding or building the perfect tool. It doesn’t exist. Whichever solution works best for your business, remember to focus more on the return on investment instead.

IN THIS EPISODE, YOU’LL FIND OUT…

  • Process-change in a business (3:20)
  • Looking to solve a business problem (3:52)
  • Those who fail to plan, plan to fail (4:25)
  • What are your goals? What are your resources? (4:40)
  • Consider the elements involved in technology changes (5:29)
  • What’s the best tool for x? (6:24)
  • The Jobs To Be Done theory (7:13)
  • Identify 5-10 things that the tool needs to do (9:23)
  • Using best-in-class vs all-in-one vs custom software (9:57)
  • Business management apps (10:55)
  • Do you buy the all-in-one or hobble together different software? (12:10)
  • Do you build something from scratch? (12:29)
  • Understanding your ability (13:45)
  • Shifting your business model vs taking your idea and finding your tools (14:42)
  • Two ways of building custom software (15:35)
  • Human error (17:23)
  • Getting clear on your business strategy (22:07)
  • Your business roles change and shift (23:30)
  • The middle ground of buy and build (27:03)
  • All-in-one vs best-of-breed (28:10)
  • Risk vs reward (29:19)
  • Downsides and problems will ebb and flow (33:21)

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES:

WHERE YOU CAN FIND US

CARL TAYLOR
Automation Agency
CarlTaylor.com.au
LinkedIn
Facebook
Twitter

PETER MORIARTY
iTGenius
LinkedIn
Facebook
Twitter

Like this episode? Have a topics that you would like us to discuss?  We’d love to hear your feedback and comments. Let us know by leaving a comment below. 

Categories
Entrepreneurship

014: Popular Budgeting Advice That Will Keep You Poor

The fastest way to build wealth is by managing your money well. 

Wealth is about building freedom. If you want to build wealth and achieve financial freedom, you have to get to the stage where your money is going to work for you and generates more money for you. 

In this episode, we delve into the JARS Money Management System, in order to budget and make your money work for you and eventually achieve financial freedom. This effective money management system can be done no matter how much or little you are earning. 

Getting into the habit of allocating your money in different accounts and automating your money makes it easier to save and build your wealth. 

What strategies do you have for managing your money and building your wealth?

IN THIS EPISODE, YOU’LL FIND OUT…

  • Selling your time is a trap (4:18)
  • Wealth is about building freedom (4:25)
  • 50-30-20 Rule (6:56)
  • The importance of making money work for you (10:43)
  • The poor work for their money. The rich have their money work for them (11:35)
  • Paying yourself a set salary as an entrepreneur (11:53)
  • Superannuation (12:48)
  • The Barefoot Investor system (14:17)
  • The Golden Goose (15:49)
  • Jars System: Necessities, Financial Freedom, Long-Term Savings for Spending, Giving, Play, Education (18:58)
  • Increase your income or lower your expenses (19:43)
  • Long-term savings account (20:57)
  • Giving account (22:54)
  • Play account (23:38)
  • Education Fund (24:50)
  • Financial Freedom Fund (27:08)
  • Making a place where your money can grow and work for you (33:01)
  • Never kill the Golden Goose (33:28)
  • Joint accounts for partners (35:03)
  • Utility account (36:40)
  • Automating your money (37:48)

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES:

WHERE YOU CAN FIND US

CARL TAYLOR
Automation Agency
CarlTaylor.com.au
LinkedIn
Facebook
Twitter

PETER MORIARTY
iTGenius
LinkedIn
Facebook
Twitter

Like this episode? Have a topics that you would like us to discuss?  We’d love to hear your feedback and comments. Let us know by leaving a comment below. 

Categories
Entrepreneurship

013: How We Lead Teams For Results

Think back on one of the best managers you ever had or encountered. Why was this individual so effective and impactful for you? Chances are that this person had long-term goals and was not just a manager but a leader. 

Not all managers are leaders and not all leaders are managers. Both have their own purpose in  business and both are essential to your business’ growth. The mark of a true leader is knowing when to lead and when to manage.

In this episode, we delve into the difference between a leader and a manager, the importance of both, and practical ways to manage and lead your team effectively.

The best skill that any entrepreneur can develop is their leadership skills. Whether you think you are a good leader now or not, as you grow through life, being a leader is going to greatly impact the way you live life. 

IN THIS EPISODE, YOU’LL FIND OUT…

  • What is the difference between management and leadership? (3:55)
  • Leadership is like painting a picture (4:36)
  • Can a business exist if the founder does not want to be a manager? (5:03)
  • A leader needs a manager (5:42)
  • The combination of a leader and a manager (6:24)
  • Some level of management is needed to get things done (6:49)
  • 2-Way Responsibility: Communicating the vision and Asking the right questions (9:07)
  • Managers are a part of leadership (10:53)
  • What happens when something goes wrong? (11:19)
  • The thought process of a good leader (12:10)
  • The leader is not looking for the glory (16:32)
  • Trained helplessness (17:14)
  • A good leader coaches his/her team (17:35)
  • The power of policy (24:04)
  • Communication cadence (26:53)
  • Scoreboard process (29:26)
  • The importance of fixed time of meetings (32:20)
  • Management structure: Maximum of 5 people under one person (36:54)
  • Hierarchy is about leadership and flow of information and accountability (37:25)
  • Organizational chart (41:22)
  • Is there a certain point in your business to have specialists instead of generalists? (41:39)

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES:

WHERE YOU CAN FIND US

CARL TAYLOR
Automation Agency
CarlTaylor.com.au
LinkedIn
Facebook
Twitter

PETER MORIARTY
iTGenius
LinkedIn
Facebook
Twitter

Like this episode? Have a topics that you would like us to discuss?  We’d love to hear your feedback and comments. Let us know by leaving a comment below. 

Categories
Entrepreneurship

012: Shiny Object Syndrome: Entrepreneurial Time Mastery

Entrepreneurs tend to be highly motivated creators. Because of all this energy, they are more particularly susceptible to the “Shiny Object” syndrome. It’s the condition of being side-tracked by a new business idea or a new project that feels exciting. There is a conflict when it comes to whether entrepreneurs should focus all their time and energy into one business or diversify and not put all their eggs in one basket.

In this episode, we deep dive into the pros and cons of focusing on just one business and working on two separate businesses at the same time. When should you chase one rabbit and when should you chase multiple rabbits simultaneously? 

To answer this question, ask yourself what your vision and goals are. How you choose where you put your time every day of the week comes down to what your priorities are. 

At the end of the day, have a clear vision of what brings you joy. If you’re clear on your vision and goals, it makes it easier to know what to focus on for your business.

IN THIS EPISODE, YOU’LL FIND OUT…

  • 1 Rabbit vs Multiple Rabbits (2:15)
  • Time management (5:22)
  • All of us have 24 hours in a day (5:49)
  • Priority management (5:50)
  • Working hard on the right things (6:32)
  • Time is about resource management (6:49)
  • Optimizing for money, time, impact, and legacy (7:08)
  • Optimizing for joy (9:43)
  • Do you focus on one business or two businesses at the same time? (10:44)
  • Learning new skills (16:03)
  • Dynamics of working with a business partner (18:10)
  • Being able to let go and delegate more (19:26)
  • The man who chases many rabbits catches none (23:22)
  • Coming back to your why (25:25)
  • Finding the difference between delegating vs pushing through the barrier and getting something done (29:00)
  • Organizational design (34:33)
  • Tips for someone suffering from shiny object syndrome (38:11)
  • Prioritizing your projects (41:03)
  • 80-20 Rule (42:18)
  • Your business is your business. Your business should serve you. (45:50)
  • Focus on results rather than activity (46:53)

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES:

WHERE YOU CAN FIND US

CARL TAYLOR
Automation Agency
CarlTaylor.com.au
LinkedIn
Facebook
Twitter

PETER MORIARTY
iTGenius
LinkedIn
Facebook
Twitter

Like this episode? Have a topics that you would like us to discuss?  We’d love to hear your feedback and comments. Let us know by leaving a comment below. 

Categories
Entrepreneurship

011: Entrepreneur Energy Management

You get up in the morning, go about your usual morning routine, start checking things off of your to-do list, and by lunchtime, you feel wiped out. All you want to do is go back to bed. Have you ever experienced this? 

Energy management is the key to an entrepreneur’s peak performance. 

The way we show up as entrepreneurs in our day to day lives, whether that be in our business or our personal lives, makes a huge difference in the quality of our lives and of the people around us. 

In this episode, we deep dive into how to manage your energy as an entrepreneur and how to balance a structured routine with a creative flow state to optimize your energy. 

Everyone has their own preference with how they structure their day in order to best manage their energy and get optimal results. The key is to understand your body rhythm in order to best manage your energy. 

Energy management is a way of life for entrepreneurs and it is in how we manage our time and energy that affects how we manage our lives.

IN THIS EPISODE, YOU’LL FIND OUT…

  • Acknowledging that entrepreneurship is a journey (3:25)
  • Harnessing the open-ended creation (4:52)
  • An entrepreneur as a creator (7:35)
  • 2 Kinds of entrepreneurs: Flow state or Structured routine (10:02)
  • The importance of structure in your day (13:16)
  • Routine sets you free (14:36)
  • Scheduled spontaneity (16:27)
  • Hustle culture (16:40)
  • The first 1,000 days of your business (18:35)
  • Picking your top 3 priorities (19:01)
  • Setting your boundaries (20:16)
  • You set the rules (20:32)
  • The CEO is the decision-maker (22:39)
  • Minimalism to avoid decision fatigue (24:19)
  • The importance of delegation (25:19)
  • Intellect as your resource (31:43)
  • The downside of strategic thinkers (31:27)
  • Finding the balance between a thinker and a doer (33:57)
  • Making sure you have recovery time to be a high performer (34:19)
  • Energy management is your biggest asset (36:35)
  • Your personal relationships are impacted by your energy management (36:52)
  • Putting routine in your day with space for creative thinking (37:38)

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES:

WHERE YOU CAN FIND US

CARL TAYLOR
Automation Agency
CarlTaylor.com.au
LinkedIn
Facebook
Twitter

PETER MORIARTY
iTGenius
LinkedIn
Facebook
Twitter

Like this episode? Have a topics that you would like us to discuss?  We’d love to hear your feedback and comments. Let us know by leaving a comment below. 

Categories
Wealth

010: Lessons from Robert Kiyosaki’s Cashflow Boardgame

The way we play games is the way we play life.

Robert Kiyosaki’s Cashflow Boardgame is a financial course in a box that involves real-life situations and can teach us how we can stop running the rat race and start living. In this game, you learn how to think like an investor, how to take risks and try different investing strategies. 

The problem with the rat race is that there is no finish line. The more you work, the more you spend, and the faster your income disappears. You just keep running around in circles. In order to stop running, you must pay yourself first and invest in your future. Understanding the danger of staying trapped in the rat race is a great start to break free and achieve financial independence. This game is a great place to learn how.

Life is about the journey, not just the destination. You don’t want to spend that journey on a wheel going nowhere.

IN THIS EPISODE, YOU’LL FIND OUT…

  • The way we play games is the way we play life (7:14)
  • Learning about yourself from the Cashflow Boardgame (7:43)
  • Learning your money mindset (8:08)
  • The way you achieve financial freedom is if your income exceeds your expenses  (10:24)
  • Increase your passive income (10:32)
  • Lower your expenses and get out of the rat race faster (10:40)
  • Higher income doesn’t equal financial freedom (11:50)
  • Play the game 100 times to really understand it (12:34)
  • Versions of the Cashflow Game (13:04)
  • Taking advantage of borrowing money (15:27)
  • Good debt vs bad debt (16:28)
  • Everyone approaches the game the same way they approach real life (21:46)
  • Bending or breaking the rules (24:26)
  • Cheating the system is not the way to move forward (25:36)

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES:

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES:

WHERE YOU CAN FIND US

CARL TAYLOR
Automation Agency
CarlTaylor.com.au
LinkedIn
Facebook
Twitter

PETER MORIARTY
iTGenius
LinkedIn
Facebook
Twitter

Like this episode? Have a topics that you would like us to discuss?  We’d love to hear your feedback and comments. Let us know by leaving a comment below. 

Categories
Entrepreneurship

009: The Greatest Hires We’ve Made

If you are a business owner or entrepreneur, you’ve probably made one or two bad hires at some point in the past. 

In today’s economy, hiring the best people for your business is more critical than ever. Leaders view great employees as investments and expect a good return of their investment over time. Hiring a great employee enhances your work culture and ensures that you are making the most out of your time and energy. However, hiring the wrong employee can be beneficial to you and your company as well, as it can give you important lessons and an opportunity to grow.

The hiring process does not end once the employee is on board. As a director and leader of your business, it is your role to spot potential and to see your employees where they can’t see themselves. It is your job to provide the environment for them to grow and blossom.

In this episode, we unpack what makes a great hire, how to know when to start hiring, and the lessons and learnings for entrepreneurs when hiring new people – whether they turn out to be the right or wrong ones for your company.

Remember that the best hire that you can make is yourself – growing yourself, upgrading yourself, and strengthening your leadership. For your business to grow, you also have to grow as a leader.

IN THIS EPISODE, YOU’LL FIND OUT…

  • The two types of great hires (3:37)
  • A great hire optimizes your time (5:26)
  • Spotting potential as a leader (6:56)
  • Nurturing and helping your people grow (8:21)
  • Average efforts multiplied, beats perfect performance (14:03)
  • We are really good at a few things, but not everything (16:04)
  • Wealth dynamics framework (16:29)
  • Hire for things you are not great at (17:33)
  • Hiring people who compliment you in different ways (17:57)
  • Hiring for things you are good at (19:11)
  • Letting go of things you are good at (19:57)
  • When do you know when to hire? (24:10)
  • Knowing who to hire (25:42)
  • Free up your time to focus on the things that matter (27:15)
  • Being a master of delegation (29:05)
  • The last three things to let go of as a leader: Sales, Marketing, Culture (30:11)
  • Self evaluation to take hats off and give them to other team members (31:00)
  • Be a master of evaluating yourself (31:31)
  • Practical tips for you to grow professionally (31:47)
  • Business is the best personal growth journey (33:23)
  • Developing your positive growth mindset (34:19)
  • The Parable of “We’ll see” (35:24)
  • Making the decision to hire or not (38:04)

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES:

WHERE YOU CAN FIND US

CARL TAYLOR
Automation Agency
CarlTaylor.com.au
LinkedIn
Facebook
Twitter

PETER MORIARTY
iTGenius
LinkedIn
Facebook
Twitter

Like this episode? Have a topics that you would like us to discuss?  We’d love to hear your feedback and comments. Let us know by leaving a comment below.