Category: Entrepreneurship

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Entrepreneurship

021: Aligning Your Business with Personal Fulfilment

Is it possible to be successful in business yet not feel fulfilled? The answer is a definite YES. 

In order to find fulfillment in your business, ask yourself “does this business align with my purpose in life?”

In this episode, we delve into how to align your values and purposes in your business in order to attain personal fulfillment. 

The principle of lifestyle design means designing the life you want where your occupation does not feel like work but doesn’t also consume your world completely. It is essential to have an occupation that is by choice fulfilling to you because that will literally extend your life. 

Remember that life is just a game and you get to play it any way you want to play it. You get to design the life you want, on your terms. 

How do you find fulfilment in your business?

IN THIS EPISODE, YOU’LL FIND OUT…

  • Running multiple businesses and splitting your focus  (5:08)
  • Is this the thing that lights you up? (5:30)
  • Treat the business as a means to an end (5:46)
  • Look at what lights you up and how you can bring that into your business (6:10)
  • Getting clear on your life purpose (6:50)
  • Motivation vs purpose (10:48)
  • Knowing your values (11:05)
  • Organizational flow (12:40)
  • Heart-centered leadership (14:39)
  • Optimization and seeing improvement (16:13)
  • Checking in with what’s important in your business (17:20)
  • Your purpose depends on where you are in your business (19:44)
  • Life is a game (20:30)
  • Have an occupation that lights you up (21:48)
  • Lifestyle design (22:23)
  • Having a life on your own terms (22:53)
  • Consciously going through life (23:41)
  • What brings fulfillment? (24:33)
  • What’s the progress and the next level? (25:29) 
  • Mindset shift (28:03)
  • Look at your business and look at how you can realign it to your purpose (30:20)
  • If your business was more fulfilling, would you change your mind on selling it? (33:30)
  • Business is the best personal development journey (35:19)

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. 

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Entrepreneurship

020: What’s Stopping You From Growing Your Business

Do you enjoy a good challenge? 

As entrepreneurs, we’re wired to create solutions to problems, innovate, and take on new challenges. But there are times when we feel like our business has plateaued. We either push past the plateau or sit in comfort.

In this episode, we delve into how to recognize when your business is at a plateau and how to grow past that. We unpack the four questions you can ask yourself to change your mindset and get comfortable with growth.

Welcoming the feeling of being uncomfortable during growth means changing your mindset. Are you robbing yourself of growth by having a mindset to be comfortable and be scared of change, or taking on more risks? Stop thinking about yourself and how you want to stay comfortable. Instead think about how you can help and serve others. 

It is only with pressure that growth is achieved. 

What thoughts are stopping you from growing your business?

IN THIS EPISODE, YOU’LL FIND OUT…

  • Growth is our own responsibility (3:20)
  • We can only operate at the level of consciousness we are in (3:30)
  • What’s stopping you from where you are now to where you want to get to (4:25)
  • Make your own success (5:10)
  • Getting stuck in a plateau (6:00)
  • 2 types of plateaus (6:10)
  • Growth to plateau to growth (6:45)
  • Feeling uncomfortable during growth (8:35)
  • As the business grows, so do the stakes at risk (10:12)
  • How to recognize when you are in a plateau (14:18)
  • Taking big actions and decisions (16:15)
  • The leader in the business is the bottleneck (18:45)
  • What is the mindset that stops the growth of a business (19:00)
  • Growth equating to more work (19:16)
  • More clients means more workload (20:20)
  • There will always be mistakes in your business (21:44)
  • Feeling comfortable and not wanting to grow (21:54)
  • Stop thinking about yourself instead think about how you can help others (23:19)
  • Optimizing for time and impact (25:40)
  • What drives people? (27:18)
  • Asking yourself these 4 questions when deciding how to grow your business (30:36)
  • 1. Is that true? (31:28)
  • 2. Can you absolutely know that this thought is true? (32:00)
  • 3. How do I react when I believe this thought? (33:05)
  • 4. Who would you be without that thought? (35:05)
  • Feeling unworthy when you make mistakes (36:50)
  • You are exactly where you need to be (38:36)
  • Swap your “have to’s” with “get to’s” (39:36)
  • Choices are gifts and opportunities (40:35)

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. 

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Entrepreneurship

019: How to Use Entrepreneurial Archetypes to Win

Do you know your entrepreneurial profile?

The game of business is about playing to your strengths and putting the right people in the right seats.

By understanding which archetype you are as an entrepreneur, you’ll have a clearer understanding of what you need to do in order to level up and grow your business.

In this episode, we talk about the systems and frameworks for understanding yourself as an entrepreneur. Not only do these frameworks help you understand yourself as a business owner but it also guides you to architect a team that complement each other. Once you know your strengths and weaknesses, you understand who you need to surround yourself with. 

As leaders, it’s important to foster an environment where people can thrive and play to their strengths. When your team feels that they are contributing to the business, loving what they are doing and achieving their version of mastery, everyone can win. 

IN THIS EPISODE, YOU’LL FIND OUT…

  • Wealth Dynamics (3:05)
  • Understanding yourself (3:29)
  • Wealth dynamics for recruitment (4:07)
  • Knowing your strengths and weaknesses (4:26)
  • Putting the right people in their right seats (5:31)
  • Finding your entrepreneurial archetype and knowing who to surround yourself with (7:10)
  • How do you best generate wealth (8:39)
  • Understanding what models are best for your business (9:02)
  • Maintenance in a business relationship (11:35)
  • The strengths and weaknesses of each archetype (11:57)
  • Having a vision for your business (13:14)
  • Selling rather than telling (16:29)
  • Marketing is dynamic (20:18)
  • Using at problems in the lens of your archetype (21:35)
  • Looking at who you partner with based on your archetype (23:20)
  • Seeing a shift in your entrepreneurial archetype (26:03)
  • Getting the right people on the bus (29:59)
  • Kolbe A Test (31:25)
  • The importance of communication and conversations (33:54)
  • Fostering an environment where people can thrive and play to their strengths (34:41)
  • Employees’ motivators (35:19)

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. 

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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. 

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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.