Knucklehead Podcast

Knucklehead Media Group

No one is perfect. Everyone lives in a world of filters. Everyone knows it, but no one talks about it. If you've ever made a mistake and never told someone about it - this podcast is for you. Stop letting mistakes prevent you from doing something great. read less
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Episodes

Brand Conversations That Convert with Kate DiLeo
Nov 14 2023
Brand Conversations That Convert with Kate DiLeo
Imagine the first 15 seconds of any conversation in sales or marketing. Picture the homepage of a website, the initial beats of an advertisement, the opening lines of an email, or the introduction in a virtual Zoom room. These crucial moments are not just opportunities. They are the battlegrounds where a business either captivates or loses its audience. In this edition of the Knucklehead podcast, Stephen is joined by Kate DiLeo. Successful in building a winning brand pitch for outbound sales, Kate talks about how she transitioned from academia to sales and eventually became a bestselling author and founder of a brand strategy firm. She also explores the importance of building a strong brand strategy and how it can help businesses grow. Kate DiLeo is the Founder of The Brand Trifecta, an interactive brand-building program that has empowered thousands of organizations to build brands. An "accidental brand strategist" who originally intended to pursue a PhD in Anthropology, Kate discovered the power of branding during her first sales job. In the pursuit of making quota, Kate realized she needed to cut through the noise with a message that would compel prospects to want to have a conversation. It was that, or she was out of a job. The Brand Trifecta is rooted in her firm belief that brand is the path of least resistance to revenue. Kate is also a #1 International bestselling author who teaches at some of the world's premier marketing conferences and directly mentors startups through more than a dozen global accelerator programs.Enjoy! In This Episode02:10 - Kate's story of how she accidentally became a brand strategist.07:28 - The true meaning of a brand.09:50 - What Kate learned in the early years of her career.14:23 - The most common mistakes businesses make.17:37 - How Kate thrived as a branding strategist.19:01 - Kate's consulting, book, and tech product offerings. Favorite Quotes02:19 - "I don't think a lot of us, as entrepreneurs and leaders, have this perfectly straight line in our careers. We've had a lot of circumstantial, really interesting opportunities that lead us to where we are." - Kate DiLeo05:51 - "Brand is the promise of who we say we are and the value we deliver. It's a language, and it's the power of language that ultimately leads to the path of least resistance to revenue."- Kate DiLeo07:38 - "A brand is the first 15 seconds of any conversation, sales or marketing conversation. It's the homepage of your website, the first five seconds of an ad, the lead-in for your email, or what you say in the Zoom room. It's the first few things that somebody wants to know." - Kate DiLeo10:26 - "The biggest downfall I used to make early on was that I would go write brand with marketing and marketing only. That is the dumbest thing ever because a brand is held by not only marketing but also the C-suite team or the founder and sales." - Kate DiLeo11:01 - "A brand is the glue that holds sections of the organization together. It's the singular message that everybody is speaking in the organization — what we do, how we solve our customer's problems, and how we're different." - Kate DiLeo Connect with Kate DiLeo:LinkedInThe Brand TrifectaWebsite Connect with Knucklehead Media Group:WebsiteFacebookTwitter • Knucklehead Media Group is your "push button" for podcasts. We help companies and organizations tell their story using podcasts and best practices for content distribution. Home to some of the top podcasts across multiple categories, captivating coursework on gaining traction with your show, and consulting to those companies BOLD enough to get some wins. We believe your mistakes set the foundation for your success, those stories help customers beat a pathway to your doorstep, and the myths from bringing business online shouldn't hold you back from getting yours. Click here for more episodes of the Knucklehead Podcast
Bridging the Gap Between Military and Healthcare
Oct 17 2023
Bridging the Gap Between Military and Healthcare
The Knucklehead Podcast and MEDEVAC Podcast join forces in this episode to discuss the value of networks and communities. Our hosts, Stephen Colon, Christian Meyers, and David Reid, share their personal experiences in the military and the importance of valuing one's own story of struggle and recovery. They emphasize the power of resilience and the need to take risks and challenge oneself to grow and succeed. With a mission to share stories of service, injury, recovery, resiliency, failure, and success, David and Christian touch on the connection between health struggles and the military and how war impacts medical advancements. In the final segment, they speak about the Texas Valor Project and how they fight traumatic brain injuries.David served in the US Army, while Christian served in the Air Force. They both have firsthand experience with combat and the challenges that come with it. Through their podcast, they aim to share stories of resilience and recovery, focusing on the experiences of injured veterans and the medical personnel who rescue and care for them.Enjoy! In This Episode03:18 - The value of networking and connecting with others.05:58 - How podcasts relate to the Oregon Trail story.07:51 - The unique aspects of the military.08:59 - How Knucklehead Podcast was born.15:19 - The connection between the military and medical fields.17:12 - A commonality between military and civilian adversity.19:31 - How David and Christian value one's own story.24:38 - What the Texas Valor Project (TVP) is about.27:38 - How the transcranial magnetic stimulation helps with major brain functions.33:39 - How nonprofit organizations bridge the gap in healthcare.36:32 - The importance of vetting business partners and being true to oneself.40:52 - How Stephen's screw-ups and mistakes led to his present success.42:49 - David's advice to people who have been injured. Favorite Quotes08:04 - "Being in the military exposes you to a multitude of different worlds. And it unplugs you from the system you're in. It helps cultivate this environment of thinking outside the box." - David Reid14:10 - "The problem that a lot of people face is that they're just in this community of being and feeling safe, so they never push themselves or challenge themselves. And that's what the military drives to. The military instills that resilience in you and that ability to push forward." - David Reid15:30 - "Every major medical advancement of the last hundred years has been explicitly due to war. So every medical advancement, with plastic surgery, traumatic brain injuries, PTSD, and everything starting from World War I until the present day, was directly because of conflict." - Christian Meyers16:27 - "Conflict creates the opportunity for breakthroughs." - Stephen Colon17:40 - "Everybody faces their own battles. It doesn't matter if you're hit in war or you're crossing a street, and you see your best friend get hit. Post-traumatic stress is the same response physiologically across the board." - David Reid43:27 - "If you're not getting failure, then you're not challenging yourself hard enough. You're not pushing yourself hard enough." - David Reid43:35 - "Even the adversity that you're facing in this current moment is going to bring out the best version in yourself if you make the right choices along the way." - David Reid How To Get Involved:Texas Valor ProjectTexas Gun ClubMEDEVAC PodcastKnucklehead Media Group How To Get Connected:Christian MeyersDavid Reid Connect with Knucklehead Media Group:WebsiteFacebookTwitter • Knucklehead Media Group is your "push button" for podcasts. We help companies and organizations tell their story using podcasts and best practices for content distribution. Home to some of the top podcasts across multiple categories, captivating coursework on gaining traction with your show, and consulting to those companies BOLD enough to get some wins. We believe your mistakes set the foundation for your success, those stories help customers beat a pathway to your doorstep, and the myths from bringing business online shouldn't hold you back from getting yours. Click here for more episodes of the Knucklehead Podcast
Carving Your Unique Future with Christopher Lochhead
Sep 28 2023
Carving Your Unique Future with Christopher Lochhead
For some lucky souls, the universe lays out a space for them, a place where they can fit into society. There are, however, others who do not conform to the traditional spaces and roles. They are square pegs in a round hole world. How can these individuals defy the conventional narrative and resist the constraints of societal norms? In this episode of the Knucklehead podcast, Stephen talks with Christopher Lochhead. A dyslexic paperboy from Montreal who got thrown out of school at 18, Christopher talks about how he created his own place in this world. With few other options, he became an entrepreneur, then three-time Silicon Valley public company CMO (Mercury Interactive, Scient, Vantive), and an investor/advisor to over 50 venture-backed startups.Also best known as a "godfather" of Category Design, Christopher shares how he developed his content distribution strategy, why today is the greatest time in the history of human beings to be a creator and an entrepreneur, and how success is about failing in the right direction.Christopher is a 14-time #1 bestselling Amazon author, #1 charting Apple business podcaster, top 5 business newsletter creator, and former 3X public tech company CMO. He co-authored the first two books on the management discipline Category Design, Play Bigger, and Niche Down. He also co-creates mini-books on Category Design, Category Pirates, and the Category Pirates Series of Amazon books. Recently, he co-authored #1 bestsellers "The 22 Laws of Category Design" and "Snow Leopard: How Legendary Writers Create A Category Of One". Enjoy! In This Episode01:30 - Christopher's strategy for delivering content.05:10 - How Christopher developed his content distribution strategy.11:17 - Knowledge workers versus creator capitalists.15:22 - Christopher's newest category.20:02 - One of the biggest fallacies in marketing.22:14 - How Christopher's screw-ups led him to where he is today.28:55 - What The 22 Laws of Category Design is all about.33:22 - Christopher's final piece of advice.  Favorite Quotes00:00 - "I'm in giant intergalactic failure in every dimension. I don't even have a GED. I got thrown out of school at 18. I found out at 21 that I have five different learning differences — dyslexia, dyscalculia, ADHD, and a couple of others. And so at 18 years old, with very few choices because nobody would hire me to do anything, I started a company." - Christopher Lochhead06:07 - "We're living in a new native digital world. Nobody really knows how to pioneer this world. And so we think that what's there to do is to go and play." - Christopher Lochhead12:23 - "As the availability of all of humanity's knowledge becomes accessible and closer and closer to free over time, people who get paid to apply existing knowledge are gonna become less and less." - Christopher Lochhead23:06 - "There are people for whom there is a place in this world. And there are some of us for whom there is no place, and we do not fit. And so rather than find a place, I have to make my place." - Christopher Lochhead24:07 - "For me, entrepreneurship was not a way up in the world as much as it was a way out of a life of struggle and poverty." - Christopher Lochhead26:09 - "If you experiment and create and push and pull and fail, lose a ton of money and get laughed at and be incredibly shamed and embarrassed by things and et cetera, that's innovation. Success is about failing in the right direction." - Christopher Lochhead31:38 - "If you view yourself as a person/company that is trying to catalyze a movement and bring people together and drive a conversation, magic happens." - Christopher Lochhead33:25 - "This is the greatest time of technological innovation in the history of human beings. And it is the greatest time in the history of human beings to be a creator and an entrepreneur." - Christopher Lochhead33:53 - "The future needs the entrepreneurs, the creators, the innovators, the pirates, and dreamers to do exponential things to create different futures. And there's never been a greater time to create different futures and category design your own new markets than right now." - Christopher LochheadConnect with Christopher LochheadWebsiteConnect with Knucklehead Media GroupWebsiteFacebookTwitterKnucklehead Media Group is your "push button" for podcasts. We help companies and organizations tell their story using podcasts and best practices for content distribution. Home to some of the top podcasts across multiple categories, captivating coursework on gaining traction with your show, and consulting to those companies BOLD enough to get some wins. We believe your mistakes set the foundation for your success, those stories help customers beat a pathway to your doorstep, and the myths from bringing business online shouldn't hold you back from getting yours. Click here for more episodes of the Knucklehead Podcast
Selling More Deals with Adam Boyd
Mar 7 2023
Selling More Deals with Adam Boyd
Selling is essential for all business owners and salespeople, but knowing how to do it effectively can be challenging. Despite having a great product or service, sellers may need help to close deals and generate revenue. While each business is unique, and each salesperson has their own strengths and weaknesses, how can business owners and sellers sell more effectively and achieve greater success in their business?In this edition of the Knucklehead Podcast, Stephen talks with Adam Boyd, Principal at The Northwood Group. A former high school English teacher and football coach, Adam talks about the parallels between football and real-world business, the screw-ups he made in his sales career, and how he now helps owners and sellers expand their businesses.Adam Boyd is the Principal at The Northwood Group, a consulting firm that delivers best practices for sales teams and professional services firms to win more business. Adam has over 15 years of working with small to mid-sized businesses on sales growth. His expertise is deep in direct selling, sales management, and lead generation. Adam has consulted in over 20 industries, had an exit, worked in turnarounds, started a business from the ground floor, and had his share of failures. He's cold-called, sold to CEOs, built and managed campaigns, and led teams to set records. Adam began his career as a high school English teacher and football coach.Enjoy!In This Episode03:25 - Backstory of Adam Boyd06:46 - The most common mistake people make when it comes to learning08:49 - The parallels between football and real-world business14:51 - Some of the screw-ups Adam made in his sales career21:20 - Adam's approach to working with business organizations25:01 - How Adam can help business owners and sellers expand their businessesFavorite Quotes03:46 - "People from a coaching standpoint needed repetition and a lot of feedback to see what they were doing." - Adam Boyd15:25 - "For anybody who has to sell and work on the phone, they've got the risk of rejection. There has to be a deep desire to get where they're trying to go, or else it's just hell." - Adam Boyd19:48 - "One of the things that I've done poorly in my life is not making sure people are committed to doing what it takes to get where they want to go." - Adam Boyd22:16 - "Anything in our life that's done well takes a little bit of time." - Adam Boyd27:11 - "We all talk about how failure's a great teacher, but it's painful when you're going through it." - Adam BoydConnect with Adam BoydLinkedInThe North Wood GroupGrab your COVID-19 survivor T-shirt HEREConnect with Knucklehead Media GroupWebsiteFacebookTwitter• Knucklehead Media Group is your "push button" for podcasts. We help companies and organizations tell their story using podcasts and best practices for content distribution. Home to some of the top podcasts across multiple categories, captivating coursework on gaining traction with your show, and consulting to those companies BOLD enough to get some wins. We believe your mistakes set the foundation for your success, those stories help customers beat a pathway to your doorstep, and the myths from bringing business online shouldn't hold you back from getting yours. Click here for more episodes of the Knucklehead Podcast
The Challenges of Running the Family Business with Billy Self
Nov 30 2022
The Challenges of Running the Family Business with Billy Self
When it comes to family businesses, there are a lot of different dynamics at play. And when things go wrong, it can be tough to cope with the fallout. Bankruptcy can be a very difficult and stressful time for everyone involved. The impact on mental health is often devastating and can feel like a personal failure. In today's edition of the Knucklehead Podcast, our guest, Billy Self, talks about the trauma his parents went through when their family business went bankrupt. He also shares the story of his journey to taking over the family business, how he became a serial entrepreneur, and what the most significant turning point in his life and business was. Despite the many failures in his business, Billy realized how faith can make a huge difference in someone else's life and why mentorship is so valuable.Billy Self is the President of Warehouse-Pro, a project and contractual provider of warehousing, distribution, merchandising, freight management, and specialized logistics services for retail, technology, and various other industry verticals. Its mission is more than shipping and warehousing – it's about giving your business the space it needs to grow and expand into new markets. Enjoy!In This Episode03:22 - Backstory of Billy Self05:39 - How Billy's family business recovered from bankruptcy09:12 - The trauma Billy's parents experienced when their family business failed10:33 - How Billy's father got involved in politics13:42 - Billy's journey to taking over his family's business19:05 - What motivated Billy to run the family business despite many challenges25:42 - How Billy discovered that he's more of a salesman than an operator28:34 - How Billy became a serial entrepreneur35:48 - How Billy overcame his self-doubt45:10 - One of Billy's most significant turning points in life and business57:23 - Billy's thoughts on how things turned out during his most challenging times1:04:23 - Billy's advice to his younger selfFavorite Quotes19:05 - "I didn't have any other options at that time. But once I got into it and my frustration was at its highest, I didn't know what to do. I was crying many times about how to make payroll. My grandfather pulled me aside and said, 'you don't know what it's like to run a small business until you're crying on a Thursday night because you don't know how you make payroll the next day. And I experienced that quite a few times." - Billy Self31:38 - "The trauma of bankruptcy for my dad in the early eighties always stuck with him. He never tells me what to do. He would go, "son, my experience is this debt is scary. Keep yourself out of court and keep yourself out of dangerous debt." - Billy Self53:50 - "I was a functioning alcoholic. And so all the stressors, all the self-doubt of my whole adult career and the company was a lot of drinking - drinking at the office, drinking after the office, drinking at home, drinking again after that. It was bad. And it had gotten to where I couldn't remember the last time I didn't have a drink on a day." - Billy Self54:43 - "I stopped drinking on September 10th, 2018. That was my last drink. It was a big deal for me, and that's when my faith leapfrogged. I got closer to God because there was a big piece of my life that I was giving too much to alcohol, self-doubt going, and self-medicating." - Billy Self55:19 - "It was a year after stopping drinking that the warehouse opportunity to go across the street to the bigger place came with a handshake deal. I have never met anybody who could lease a warehouse space on a handshake." - Billy Self59:40 - "I want my girls to know that it's okay to fail, and it's cool to fail greatly as long as you feel what God was putting on your heart to try." - Billy Self1:04:53 - "Don't stop searching for the best mentor to help you walk through your career and your life." - Billy SelfConnect with Billy SelfLinkedInWarehouse-ProGrab your COVID 19 survivor T-shirt HEREConnect with Knucklehead Media GroupWebsiteFacebookTwitter• Knucklehead Media Group is your "push button" for podcasts. We help companies and organizations tell their story using podcasts and best practices for content distribution. Home to some of the top podcasts across multiple categories, captivating coursework on gaining traction with your show, and consulting to those companies BOLD enough to get some wins. We believe your mistakes set the foundation for your success, those stories help customers beat a pathway to your doorstep, and the myths from bringing business online shouldn't hold you back from getting yours. Click here for more episodes of the Knucklehead Podcast
The Importance of Video Marketing for Your Business with Evan Renfroe
Oct 27 2022
The Importance of Video Marketing for Your Business with Evan Renfroe
As technology continues to evolve, new platforms for marketing emerge. While some marketing strategies become outdated, others become more relevant than ever. One such strategy is video marketing. When done correctly, video marketing can help businesses to reach a wider audience, build brand awareness, and generate leads and sales.In today's edition of the Knucklehead Podcast, our guest, Evan Renfroe, talks about how he got into the video and media industry, his biggest failure in his fitness business, and how video marketing can help local businesses gain a competitive edge.Evan Renfroe is a Storyteller and Videographer at Maximized Media Productions. He helps small businesses grow by utilizing effective media and marketing strategies. Evan believes that marketing is the story we tell to invite others into the experience, and video marketing is the vehicle through which that story is shared. In his view, video marketing has two aspects, one dealing with the business side or strategy and the other with the content side or creative.Enjoy!In This Episode00:55 - How Evan got into the video and media industry02:52 - What was it about videos that caught Evan's attention06:01 - The biggest failure Evan had in his fitness business13:45 - What prompted Evan to enter the marketing industry19:07 - How video marketing can help local businesses gain a competitive edge27:59 - The challenges digital media companies face33:06 - What inspired Evan to establish a media production companyFavorite Quotes03:10 - "Above all, video is that tool that I believe can transfer the highest level of emotion and passion. And if done well, it can elicit a cascade of emotions. If you're selling fitness, you have to effectively encourage someone enough or interrupt their current habits and patterns enough for them to recognize they need to make a change. In a video, you can translate passion and excitement well. And that conviction is transferred over." - Evan Renfroe21:20 - "If you are an expert in your space, what are frequently asked questions, and make a video series about that. It doesn't have to be super high production. It can just be a true concern about the person watching. That would be the best starting point for most service-based businesses." - Evan Renfroe34:38 - "I like to take both worlds and bring them together. I unapologetically want us to create a massively successful marketing and media agency, and I want to make an obscene amount of money so that I can make an impact for the kingdom." - Evan Renfroe Connect with Evan RenfroeLinkedInFacebookYouTubeMaximized Media Productions WebsiteMaximized Media Productions on FacebookMaximized Media Productions YouTubeGrab your COVID 19 survivor T-shirt HEREConnect with Knucklehead Media GroupWebsiteFacebookTwitter• Knucklehead Media Group is your “push button” for podcasts. We help companies and organizations tell their story using podcasts and best practices for content distribution. Home to some of the top podcasts across multiple categories, captivating coursework on gaining traction with your show, and consulting to those companies BOLD enough to get some wins. We believe your mistakes set the foundation for your success, those stories help customers beat a pathway to your doorstep, and the myths from bringing business online shouldn't hold you back from getting yours. Click here for more episodes of the Knucklehead Podcast
Becoming Successful through Franchising
Aug 2 2022
Becoming Successful through Franchising
For many people, owning their own business is an appealing proposition. However, the realities of starting and running a successful business can be daunting. But for those with an entrepreneurial spirit, franchising is a much better option. Franchising offers would-be business owners the opportunity to get started with a proven business model and to benefit from the support of a successful franchisor and a larger organization.In today's edition of the Knucklehead Podcast, our guest, Jon Ostenson, talks about what inspired him to transition from the corporate to the business world, what led him to scale down his business, and how he guides people through the franchise process.Jon Ostenson is the Founder and CEO of Franbridge Consulting, a premier source of non-food franchise opportunities for entrepreneurs and executives. Jon is a top 1% Franchise Consultant in the US and a frequent contributor to franchising across various outlets and publications. He is a multi-brand franchisee and has great operators leading these ventures along with his business partners. As a result, Jon can commit over 90% of his time to help others achieve their dreams of freedom and wealth generation through business ownership.Enjoy! In This Episode02:32 - Backstory of Jon Ostenson04:20 - What inspired Jon to become an entrepreneur06:52 - What led Jon to scale down his business12:59 - The difference between start-ups and franchises18:17 - How seasoned entrepreneurs are entering the franchise business20:58 - How Jon guides people through the franchise process26:13 - What was life like after Jon scaled down his businessFavorite Quotes05:50 - "It's a ton of responsibility when you're bringing team members on, and you are the one that makes the decisions." - Jon Ostenson11:20 - "Looking back, I made a lot of mistakes in how I handled personnel at a difficult time. I think at times I'm very task-oriented, or it's more cogs in the wheel, how it's very on paper. But then you hear the personal stories on the back end, the worries and concerns that are keeping people up at night. I think I probably could have had a little more empathy early on. I tried to towards the end. Still proud of how we handled it, but there were different bumps along the way." - Jon Ostenson13:43 - "The most attractive things about franchising are that you've got a proven business model and have the franchisor on the sideline like a coach. The better you do, the better they do. So you're in business for yourself and not by yourself." - Jon Ostenson26:36 - "I love what I do because I see the fruits of my labor, helping others, and helping my clients get into business ownership. It's one of the most rewarding types of jobs I can imagine. We're creating jobs, and we're creating business owners." - Jon OstensonConnect with Jon OstensonLinkedInFranBridge ConsultingGrab your COVID 19 survivor T-shirt HEREConnect with Knucklehead Media GroupWebsiteFacebookTwitter• Knucklehead Media Group is your “push button” for podcasts. We help companies and organizations tell their story using podcasts and best practices for content distribution. Home to some of the top podcasts across multiple categories, captivating coursework on gaining traction with your show, and consulting to those companies BOLD enough to get some wins. We believe your mistakes set the foundation for your success, those stories help customers beat a pathway to your doorstep, and the myths from bringing business online shouldn't hold you back from getting yours. Click here for more episodes of the Knucklehead Podcast
How Small Companies Can Step Up Their Public Relations Game to Attract Dream Clients
Jul 12 2022
How Small Companies Can Step Up Their Public Relations Game to Attract Dream Clients
Small businesses often face challenges in building a positive reputation and generating media coverage. That's because they don't have the same resources as larger businesses. They may not have a dedicated marketing or public relations team or have the budget to pay for advertising. How can small companies step up their public relations game to attract customers and generate revenue from dream clients?In today's edition of the Knucklehead Podcast, Mickie Kennedy talks about Public Relations (PR). He will share how PR is a great business strategy, his business model, and how technology has changed how PR works.Mickie Kennedy is the Founder and President of eReleases, a leader in affordable press release writing and distribution services. He developed eReleases in 1998, believing that publicity is not only for the big guys and to give small businesses access to the media and national newswire. eReleases delivers personal service and exceptional value to every customer, with every press release at every price point.Enjoy!In This Episode02:39 - Mickie's struggles during the first 14 years of his business05:29 - What motivated Mickie to join mastermind groups08:00 - Mickie's business model11:15 - How Mickie overcame business challenges15:53 - How anyone can develop a PR strategy20:00 - An example of PR going in a different direction22:52 - How technology has changed PR24:55 - A list of companies that excel at PR27:06 - Why people with different political viewpoints are so deeply dividedFavorite Quotes03:19 - "I was a micromanager, and my exacting expectation of perfection cost my employees their sanity." - Mickie Kennedy04:10 - "This HR professional did me a favor by identifying that I was the weak link. I was the reason that people did not like being there." - Mickie Kennedy17:17 - "When everybody in your industry is talking about one hot button issue, it's so easy to just join the conversation with another 'me too, and here's my opinion on it.' You're not going to stand out in a crowded marketplace where you're just agreeing with everybody. But if you're willing to have a rational contrarian viewpoint on a trending topic, you're going to appear in a lot more articles than just agreeing with it and going along with it." - Mickie Kenny30:30 - "Being human and having conversations is productive because you can get and build a relationship with someone. And I think that relationship is how we will have a successful business." - Mickie KennedyConnect with Mickie KennedyLinkedIneReleasesFree Master Class: How to Build a PR Campaign Designed to Get Massive Media CoverageGrab your COVID 19 survivor T-shirt HEREConnect with Knucklehead Media GroupWebsiteFacebook• Knucklehead Media Group is your “push button” for podcasts. We help companies and organizations tell their story using podcasts and best practices for content distribution. Home to some of the top podcasts across multiple categories, captivating coursework on gaining traction with your show, and consulting to those companies BOLD enough to get some wins. We believe your mistakes set the foundation for your success, those stories help customers beat a pathway to your doorstep, and the myths from bringing business online shouldn't hold you back from getting yours. Click here for more episodes of the Knucklehead Podcast
Working in the Film Industry: The Secret to a Successful Career with Tim Tortora
Jul 5 2022
Working in the Film Industry: The Secret to a Successful Career with Tim Tortora
Working in the film industry can be a very rewarding experience. You get to be a part of the creative process, collaborate with other talented individuals, and see your work come to life on the big screen. However, it's important to keep in mind that the film industry is also a business. There are many moving parts, and things can change very quickly. That is what our guest, Tim Tortora, shares today.In today's edition of the Knucklehead Podcast, Tim Tortora talks about what attracted him to the entertainment industry, his secret to a successful career, and his fair share of screw-ups.Tim Tortora is a Hollywood CFO and Movie Producer with 30+ years of experience in finance and physical logistics of filmmaking. His executive experience and drive for innovation motivated him and his team to launch the F3 System™ in Fall 2017. Tim now oversees day-to-day management of the Outsourced CFO service, Full Force Financial, where he and his firm deliver a done-for-you suite of back-end financial processing and forecasting for content creators.Enjoy! In This Episode04:55 - How diversity and inclusion in the entertainment industry have evolved over time07:54 - How the movie industry measures the quality of its content10:43 - What attracted Tim to the entertainment industry13:31 - What prevents Tim from using drugs and alcohol15:38 - The common traits of successful business people17:56 - Tim's secret to a successful career 24:40 - Tim's fair share of screw-ups29:21 - What Tim has to say about making mistakesFavorite Quotes05:43 - "Diversity is not a new concept, and it's been happening. It's been going on for a while. What you see on the front end is a dramatic change. You're seeing a lot more faces of diversity on the screen where you didn't get five years ago." - Tim Tortora10:19 - "I like to liken this business to throwing spaghetti at a wall and seeing what sticks. We make a lot of stuff, many different kinds of things. And when it works, it's cookie cutter. It's replicate, rinse, repeat, and do it again. Same story, different actors, slightly different twist, but it's kind of the same thing. Cookie-cutter over and over, and once in a while, you get an anomaly." - Tim Tortora18:45 - "You have to let creatives spin out into the universe and reel them back in. They're going to give you a hundred ideas. Ninety-five of them are going to be terrible ideas. And you have to figure out which ones are the five." - Tim Tortora19:44 - "The best movies I've worked on were the hardest, the most contentious, with the greatest amount of fight and confrontation I've ever worked on in my entire career." - Tim Tortora22:16 - "I have worked around creatives and supported creatives my entire career in a way where I can be a part of the creation of music, movies, and television. And that, to me, has been as rewarding and fulfilling as making the content or making whatever it is we're working on." - Tim TortoraEngage with Tim TortoraLinkedInWebsiteGrab your COVID 19 survivor T-shirt HEREConnect with Knucklehead Media GroupWebsiteFacebook• Knucklehead Media Group is your “push button” for podcasts. We help companies and organizations tell their story using podcasts and best practices for content distribution. Home to some of the top podcasts across multiple categories, captivating coursework on gaining traction with your show, and consulting to those companies BOLD enough to get some wins. We believe your mistakes set the foundation for your success, those stories help customers beat a pathway to your doorstep, and the myths from bringing business online shouldn't hold you back from getting yours. Click here for more episodes of the Knucklehead Podcast
Navigating the Evolving Business World with Jeffrey Madoff
Apr 12 2022
Navigating the Evolving Business World with Jeffrey Madoff
The business world is ever-changing and evolving. What once worked ten or twenty years ago may no longer work today. As society evolves, so must the business world. With technology-driven businesses and social media marketing on the rise, it can be tricky to navigate the waters of social media while remaining true to your brand. How can entrepreneurs build a business that can stand the test of time? In today’s edition of the Knucklehead Podcast, our guest, B. Jeffrey Madoff, talks about the biggest changes in business today, his principles for establishing a successful company, and how he reacts to mistakes in the industry.B. Jeffrey Madoff is the founder of Madoff Productions, based in New York City. His company collaborates with ad agencies, public relations firms and directly with clients to produce commercials, corporate branding films, live streaming events, and branded content.Enjoy!In This Episode01:21- The biggest changes in business today04:37 - Jeffrey's definition of success06:35 - How social media is being used to show the fake success of businesses08:14 - Jeffrey's principles for establishing a successful business10:59 - A real-life example of how trust is essential to a business17:25 - Why truth can sometimes feel frightening and daunting18:59 - How Jeffrey deals with mistakes in the industry25:00 - Jeffrey's last words of adviceFavorite Quotes01:57 - "Social media has amplified and given the opportunity to amplify the voice from the other side of the transaction so to speak. Sometimes that's good, sometimes it's very toxic and destructive. Because it's relatively new, we're still learning how to navigate that and do it in a healthy way." - B. Jeffrey Madoff02:21 - "The whole social dynamic brought about changes that have affected business. Take, for instance, the transition from brick and mortar to online businesses." - B. Jeffrey Madoff03:13 - "The path along the way to business has become on one hand more democratized because there's not the barrier to entry in the same way they were. But there's also so many more people clamoring after the success that it's become a very crowded playing field and how do you make yourself distinctive and create a brand that will resonate with a wide consumer public out there." - B. Jeffrey Madoff05:00 - "In business, successful to me is being able to say no without catastrophic business consequences and it doesn't hurt me financially, that I am well enough protected that I can say no." - B. Jeffrey Madoff05:19 -"On a personal level, success to me is the integrity and maintenance of deep, long-term relationships with my family and closest friends. I believe the true currency in life is the integrity and longevity of the relationships that you have and maintain." - B. Jeffrey Madoff09:21 - "And you know what means something is what you actually do, not what you say you're going to do, what you actually deliver, not what you say you're going to deliver. And that seemed to me to be just how you do business. It doesn't make any difference how big you get. What makes a difference is that you can always follow through on the trust you've established and deliver what you say you're going to deliver." - B. Jeffrey Madoff25:08 - "Stay curious and keep educating yourself because that's the best way to not only be fulfilled but to stay ahead of the curve and be equal to the challenges you have to face. There's a lot of knowledge out there that you can share in, but only if you're curious and only if you're willing to admit what you don't know." - B. Jeffrey MadoffEngage with B. Jeffrey MadoffLinkedInInstagramCreative Careers: Making a Living with Your IdeasGrab your COVID 19 survivor T-shirt HEREReach out to Justin Szerletich to get in touch with Knucklehead Media GroupLinkedInTwitter Connect with Knucklehead Media GroupWebsiteFacebookTwitter• Knucklehead Media Group is your “push button” for podcasts. We help companies and organizations tell their story using podcasts and best practices for content distribution. Home to some of the top podcasts across multiple categories, captivating coursework on gaining traction with your show, and consulting to those companies BOLD enough to get some wins. We believe your mistakes set the foundation for your success, those stories help customers beat a pathway to your doorstep, and the myths from bringing business online shouldn't hold you back from getting yours. Click here for more episodes of the Knucklehead Podcast
From Dark Days to Cryptocurrency Investment Management: Guest Jeff Sekinger
Apr 5 2022
From Dark Days to Cryptocurrency Investment Management: Guest Jeff Sekinger
Cryptocurrency represents a new form of digital asset that sits outside the traditional financial system. It is an asset class that is uncorrelated to the stock market providing investors with a greater opportunity for portfolio diversification. With crypto becoming a more and more popular investment, what makes it so appealing at a time when stock markets are volatile?In today’s edition of the Knucklehead Podcast, our guest, Jeff Sekinger talks about what attracted him to cryptocurrency investing, why crypto is an important component of a portfolio, as well as the darkest point in his life that led him to where he is today.Jeff Sekinger is the Chief Investment Officer at Boron Capital, an alternative wealth management firm that specializes in moving people from the volatility of the public markets into private investment fund options focused in real estate and cryptocurrency.Jeff Sekinger is also the Founder of 0 Percent, a financial consulting firm that empowers people to accelerate their path to financial freedom through financial education and consulting services and Orca Capital, a cryptocurrency hedge fund that manages multiple 8 figures of assets for 60+ limited partners around the globe.Enjoy!In This Episode02:15 - What drew Jeff to a career in investment management06:31 - What attracted Jeff to crypto investing07:41 - Why Jeff lost interest in the traditional wealth management job10:31 - Why crypto is an important component of a portfolio14:20 - What sets Jeff apart from other crypto investors16:48 - Darkest point in his life that led him to where he is today19:55 - How to learn more about cryptocurrency investingFavorite Quotes05:49 - "I'm all about personal development. I took a lot of different courses, read books, and I figured out what my highest values were. My highest values were to have freedom, options, and choices to do what I want with my time, energy, and resources. I want to see impact on people. I want an untapped earning potential." - Jeff Sekinger06:31 - "So, cryptocurrency was the underdog. It was unconventional, it was an alternative asset, and I was just naturally gravitating towards it. And I'm like, why not just shift into something that actually is aligned with my values, and then I'm naturally gravitating towards and doing that in my free time and being even more happy and inspired with what I'm doing." - Jeff Sekinger10:55 - "There's no denying that crypto is incredibly important to have in your portfolio. The reason is that primarily it has been uncorrelated to other assets. So when you're designing a portfolio, you want to have proper portfolio allocation and well-diversified assets." - Jeff Sekinger16:05 - "A lot of the coins don't actually have utility. And that's why we like to invest in the coins that are tied to the native blockchain so that we can look at the valuation based on the network effect of all of the data on that blockchain evolving and growing. " - Jeff Sekinger18:52 - "I really do believe that your problems can become your purpose if you allow them to. And sometimes it takes time for those things to play out. And when they do, everything clicks and you realize those things were meant to be because I have what I have now." - Jeff SekingerEngage with Jeff SekingerTwitterLinkedInYouTubeInstagramFacebookGrab your COVID 19 survivor T-shirt HEREConnect with Knucklehead Media GroupWebsiteFacebookTwitterKnucklehead Media Group is your “push button” for podcasts. We help companies and organizations tell their story using podcasts and best practices for content distribution. Home to some of the top podcasts across multiple categories, captivating coursework on gaining traction with your show, and consulting to those companies BOLD enough to get some wins. We believe your mistakes set the foundation for your success, those stories help customers beat a pathway to your doorstep, and the myths from bringing business online shouldn't hold you back from getting yours. Click here for more episodes of the Knucklehead Podcast
Growing Your Business Faster Through Delegation
Mar 15 2022
Growing Your Business Faster Through Delegation
Delegation can be a challenge for some business owners. They feel like they need to do everything themselves in order to be successful. This simply isn't true! In fact, delegation is one of the most important foundations of any business. Delegating tasks to your team frees up your time to focus on the things that matter most - growth.In today’s edition of the Knucklehead Podcast, our guest, Emily Morgan talks about what business owners need to do to scale up their business, why hiring an assistant is the first step to delegation, and the truth about why some people are scared to delegate.Emily Morgan is the Founder and CEO of Delegate Solutions. Her mission is to create freedom for people to do what they love and have a big impact. As the leader of Delegate, she works tirelessly to help reshape the culture of the traditional workforce by providing professional flexible employment for her team while also providing entrepreneurs with strategic workforce options to help them grow more efficiently and effectively.Delegate Solutions is a delegation company with a mission to create freedom for people to do what they love and have a big impact. It offers premium-level virtual assistant services for entrepreneurs. Emily Morgan and her team at Delegate Solutions help entrepreneurial leaders stay productive without the hassles of HR.Listen to more Knucklehead Podcast episodes and start your delegation journey HERE.Delegate Solutions is offering a 10% discount for Knucklehead Podcast listeners with the code: LetsGoEnjoy! In This Episode05:56 - The motivation behind the creation of Delegate Solutions09:39 - Qualities of a successful entrepreneur10:39 - What business owners need to do to scale up their business13:50 - Hiring an assistant or an integrator: which should you hire first16:09 - About Emily's upcoming book, Let It Go17:59 - What qualifies someone to be a member of her team19:05 - The truth about why some people are scared to delegate21:13 - A great place to start learning about delegation Favorite Quotes09:39 - "I think entrepreneurs by nature have to be lifelong learners and love learning because there's not like somebody telling us what to do like we are figuring it out. I've learned as I've done all of my delegation work and research and just running this business for so long is, it can be really scary to let go of things and create space for bigger and better things." - Emily Morgan08:58 - "I think women in general, we tend to grow businesses more organically. And it's much more about our own self-discovery as entrepreneurs kind of dictates where we're going." - Emily Morgan19:28 - "I believe that we're all here on this Earth to make an impact and contribute in a really unique way. And entrepreneurs start out with that sort of driver." - Emily Morgan20:02 - "Why we don't delegate has absolutely nothing to do with the delegation. It has to do with psychological and emotional backstory, self-sabotaging thoughts, like all these things that, 'Oh, I'm not good at it. No, there are deep-seated issues as to why we don't want to let go of things." - Emily Morgan Connect with Emily MorganLinkedInDelegate Solutions Website Grab your COVID 19 survivor T-shirt HERE Reach out to Justin Szerletich to get in touch with Knucklehead Media GroupLinkedInTwitter Connect with Knucklehead Media GroupWebsiteFacebookTwitterKnucklehead Media Group is your “push button” for podcasts. We help companies and organizations tell their story using podcasts and best practices for content distribution. Home to some of the top podcasts across multiple categories, captivating coursework on gaining traction with your show, and consulting to those companies BOLD enough to get some wins. We believe your mistakes set the foundation for your success, those stories help customers beat a pathway to your doorstep, and the myths from bringing business online shouldn't hold you back from getting yours. Click here for more episodes of the Knucklehead Podcast
Data is the New Gold
Mar 1 2022
Data is the New Gold
A lot goes into creating an effective database for your business. You need to have a plan and a goal in mind before you even start - what are you hoping to achieve with this data and how will it help your business grow. Without a clear goal, you'll find yourself wasting time and energy on something that doesn't produce results. Having a solid data analytic is essential for any business. Make sure you create yours with your goals in mind! In today’s edition of the Knucklehead Podcast, our guest, Jack Tompkins talks about how data is becoming the next big thing in the corporate and entrepreneurial worlds, what Jack learned from failing to consider the end goal when creating a dashboard, and why having an end goal in mind when creating a data model is important. Jack Tompkins is the Managing Partner and Founder of Pineapple Consulting Firm. He loves helping small businesses with data driven decisions from their custom dashboards. Pineapple Consulting Firm is a data analytics company. They are excel experts and fractional analysts that help analyze and visualize data so small businesses can become data-driven. Enjoy! In This Episode04:37 - How data is becoming the next big thing in the corporate and entrepreneurial worlds. 06:04 - What motivated Jack to start his own consulting business. 11:42 - Jack's experience about how data didn't serve its purpose. 13:30 - What Jack learned from failing to consider the end goal when creating a dashboard. 14:58 - What the process of creating a great dashboard looks like. 16:37 - Pineapple Consulting Firm: The story behind the name. 18:01 - Why having an end goal in mind when creating a data model is important Favorite Quotes12:03 - "We're like, all right, we're gonna do this. We're gonna build this dashboard. It's gonna be automated in this way. It's gonna be really efficient. It's gonna be all this good stuff. So, we go ahead. We build it. We do the whole thing. When we get to the end product, it's like oh crap, why do we do this? If It's not starting with the end goal in mind, it has a huge complication. So, we had to redo it three, four times and that happened. And it stinks because it's wasting everybody's time." - Jack Tompkins 04:50 - "Data is kind of becoming the big thing. In the corporate world, it has been the big thing and you can't make a decision without having five data points that support it. And in the small business world, even down to the solopreneur world, data is getting a lot more mainstream if you will." - Jack Tompkins 18:38 - "Figure out whatever the most important thing is - efficiency, revenue, or profit, and start with that. That's the end goal in mind. And then as you work backward from that, make sure it's easy to update and make sure you have a good process in place so the data can be updated." - Jack Tompkins Engage with Jack TompkinsLinkedInPineapple Consulting Firm Website Grab your COVID 19 survivor T-shirt HERE Reach out to Justin Szerletich to get in touch with Knucklehead Media GroupLinkedInTwitter  Connect with Knucklehead Media GroupWebsiteFacebookTwitter • Knucklehead Media Group is your “push button” for podcasts. We help companies and organizations tell their story using podcasts and best practices for content distribution. Home to some of the top podcasts across multiple categories, captivating coursework on gaining traction with your show, and consulting to those companies BOLD enough to get some wins. We believe your mistakes set the foundation for your success, those stories help customers beat a pathway to your doorstep, and the myths from bringing business online shouldn't hold you back from getting yours. Click here for more episodes of the Knucklehead Podcast
Unafraid - Leveraging Mistakes
Feb 8 2022
Unafraid - Leveraging Mistakes
Making mistakes is an important part of the learning process. It's an opportunity to reflect on what you could have done differently and how you can improve in the future.Even the most successful and admired leaders make mistakes. The key is to learn from those failures and grow from them. Today’s edition of the Knucklehead Podcast features our guest, Michelle Reines. She will talk about the mistakes she made in her leadership in the past, what she learned from them, and how she leveraged those mistakes to become a badass leader today.  Michelle Reines is the founder of MDR Coaching & Consulting and creator of the unconventional Badass Leader brand. She has a coveted reputation of exceeding expectations in a highly competitive, distressed or volatile business climate. Her strengths encompass extensive people aptitudes in leading and developing large, diverse teams. She possesses over 34 years of intense hands-on leadership, mentorship, organizational and operational expertise. Enjoy! In This Episode2:50 - What led Michelle to strengthen her leadership abilities 5:53 - Michelle's style of leadership in the past 7:28 - What Michelle did to become a more effective leader 10:37 - How Michelle capitalized on her corporate experience to develop her team 14:18 - An overview to the book, From Bad to Badass Leader: 12 Leadership Lesson 15:49 - How to become an epic coach 19:49 - How struggle can lead to greater opportunities 24:39 - A fun way to develop leadership skills through bootcamps Favorite Quotes21:53 - "If I'm gonna take on something that feels scary to me, I don't use the word scary. I say 'that's exciting'. It's the same physiology. I just choose a word that's more supportive of an outcome that would help me 'propel' toward it instead of 'repel' from it. All day long I have stories about where people have been in a situation that they think is doom and gloom. Fast forward three years from now, they'll look back and say, 'oh my God, thank God that happened'. - Michelle Reines 6:47 - "I didn't make just one mistake. Even as I was trying to figure the leadership thing out, I would continue to have those rivalries, those competitive behaviors that are unbecoming of teamwork. I couldn't find my voice. And when I did it, it didn't land professionally." - Michelle Reines 7:04 - "So I didn't know how to communicate effectively up the channel. I certainly didn't play well on the sandbox with my peers, 'coz I played win-lose. I wanted to beat them. I wanted to win at all costs and I wanted my team to win. And I was righteous about protecting my team and righteous about my voice and I'm gonna do it sugar-free and I'm gonna be authentic and, and all this stuff. And there's a way to communicate that I learned a little too late."- Michelle Reines 8:19 - "I didn't make the same mistakes over and over again, but there was definitely a pattern. And the most important thing that I needed to do on this journey was to stop-drop-roll and discover the lessons so that I don't continue making those same mistakes." - Michelle Reines 18:32 - "Whether we like it or not, the first and most important order of business are the 'people' parts. If we don't get that right, it doesn't matter that we have all the best processes in place. If their skill sets are not fully developed, if they're not effectively coached, and if they're not highly engaged, we're gonna dilute our outcomes regardless. So, people priorities are your most important priorities. Performance outcomes are what we get to enjoy when we get the people parts right." - Michelle Reines Engage with Michelle ReinesLinkedInFrom Bad to Badass Leader: 12 Leadership LessonsBadass Leader WebsiteEmail Grab your COVID 19 survivor T-shirt HERE Reach out to Justin Szerletich to get in touch with Knucklehead Media GroupLinkedInTwitter  Connect with Knucklehead Media GroupWebsiteFacebookTwitter • Knucklehead Media Group is your “push button” for podcasts. We help companies and organizations tell their story using podcasts and best practices for content distribution. Home to some of the top podcasts across multiple categories, captivating coursework on gaining traction with your show, and consulting to those companies BOLD enough to get some wins. We believe your mistakes set the foundation for your success, those stories help customers beat a pathway to your doorstep, and the myths from bringing business online shouldn't hold you back from getting yours. Click here for more episodes of the Knucklehead Podcast
The Influence of Words
Jan 25 2022
The Influence of Words
There are few things in this world that are as powerful as words. They can be used to build relationships and make a change, but also have the potential to create a negative impact on people. Words are so powerful that they are capable of affecting not only those around us but also our own lives. How can we protect ourselves from the negative effects of words and harness the positive power of language? In today’s edition of the Knucklehead Podcast, our guest, Jonah Larkin talks about the influence his father's words had on his mindset as an entrepreneur, what it takes to deal with some potentially life-threatening situations, and how he applied the lessons he learned from his experiences to become a leadership coach today. Jonah Larkin is a combination of an executive coach and a life coach with expertise in mindfulness, communication, interpersonal dynamics, and entrepreneurship while still maintaining your health and well-being. He helps founders, executives and those in the helping professions create higher levels of self-mastery.  Enjoy! In This Episode3:18 - What Jonah holds onto when facing difficult situations6:16 - How he developed an entrepreneurial mindset10:38 - Jonah's biggest screw up as an entrepreneur12:18 - How he overcame the thought of "I don't know how to make money"15:50 - What Jonah did to change his mindset about money21:00 - Why going out and simply doing things outside of a framework is also valuable26:18 - How Jonah deals with some potentially life-threatening situations27:52 - Why 'done' is better than 'perfect'30:23 - Listening as a fundamental tool for solving problems Favorite Quotes10:48 - "I grew that company into about a $5 million company, sold it and I was 32 years old. And within five years I had burned through all of that money through some poor investments, through not paying attention to it. And I got into a position where I was convinced that I was a horrible business person and that I didn't know how to make money." - Jonah Larkin 13:34 - "What I realized was that the imprinting that I got from my dad, who's very suspicious of people with money and would always talk down to me about people with money, I realized that I had this internal program that I thought that if I had money, my father wouldn't love me. And so I had to act that out until I had no more." - Jonah Larkin 22:24 - "There's something about coming up rubbing against those areas of fear that I just find so life-affirming that I can't stop doing it. It's because if you're too afraid of death, you're never going to live." - Jonah Larkin 22:47 - "You have to understand that there's only one way out of this place. And so you might as well live as best you can. I can say that to anybody, but it's up to each of us to learn that for ourselves." - Jonah Larkin 30:33 - "I think this (listening) is super important not just in business but life in general. When we are listening to not be preparing what I'm going to say while I'm listening to you, that if we can all get to that point where I can listen and I can repeat back what I heard from you and you can verify what it is and if you can do the same with me, I'm telling you we can solve all our problems." - Jonah Larkin 31:09 - "It doesn't matter where I am politically or you are, politically.  I guarantee you if we're different, there's a huge part of those Venn diagrams where you and I agree. So it's an understanding of being able to meet each other as human beings." - Jonah Larkin Engage with Jonah LarkinTwitterWebsiteLinkedInInstagram Grab your COVID 19 survivor T-shirt HERE Reach out to Justin Szerletich to get in touch with Knucklehead Media GroupLinkedInTwitter  Connect with Knucklehead Media GroupWebsiteFacebookTwitter • Knucklehead Media Group is your “push button” for podcasts. We help companies and organizations tell their story using podcasts and best practices for content distribution. Home to some of the top podcasts across multiple categories, captivating coursework on gaining traction with your show, and consulting to those companies BOLD enough to get some wins. We believe your mistakes set the foundation for your success, those stories help customers beat a pathway to your doorstep, and the myths from bringing business online shouldn't hold you back from getting yours. Click here for more episodes of the Knucklehead Podcast
How To Overcome Ego
Jan 18 2022
How To Overcome Ego
Mistakes are a natural part of the learning process and they can happen to everyone. It's normal to look back on them with regret. But what we learn from these mistakes is more valuable than anything else we could have learned at the time of doing something right. The point of making mistakes is not to avoid them altogether, but rather to learn from them and use that knowledge in the future. In today’s edition of the Knucklehead Podcast, Stephen talks with Cordell Bennigson, Advisor at Echelon Front, about one of the biggest mistakes he made in his corporate career, why he moved from large to smaller companies, and how ego is the most common pitfall people make. Cordell Bennigson is a former U.S. Marine Corps officer, pilot, and forward air controller. Since leaving active duty, he has led business teams in the United States and around the world in a wide variety of industries, roles, and companies. Cordell brings a blend of Marine Corps, combat and extensive private-industry leadership to the Echelon Front team. He continues to provide leadership within private companies today and has first-hand experience with the power, effectiveness, and challenges of implementing a culture of Extreme Ownership within business teams.  In This Episode5:33 - Backstory of Cordell Bennigson 8:27 - What compelled him to join the military 9:41 - Cordell's perspective on risk 12:01 - How the military has taught him the real value of learning from mistakes 12:51 - The biggest mistake Cordell made in his corporate career 17:02 - How he communicated with leaders about the issue they were confronted with 20:11 - The reasons for his decision to move from large to smaller companies 23:33 - What attracted him to become a military pilot 29:01 - The impact of military camaraderie on the business world 31:18 - Cordell's journey to the corporate world 33:04 - The most common pitfall people fall into 35:36 - The difference between ego and self-confidence 39:48 - What's next for Cordell Bennigson Favorite Quotes14:30 - "I got so focused on this one quality issue, I let the company run out of cash. In fact, that issue of running out of cash, of potentially bankrupting a business ended up being a bigger problem to have to sort out than the original quality issue was to start with." - Cordell Bennigson 9:07 - "The upbringing definitely gave me a perspective of the world that there's a lot out there. There's a lot you can go do and it's attainable. It's not a big, scary place. It's not something for other people to do. You can get to it." - Cordell Bennigson 11:22 - "The learning throughout my career and throughout my life, it's a series of mistakes and failures. You learn from things that go well without a doubt. But you learn a lot from things that don't go right." - Cordell Bennigson 15:09 - "In a leadership role, it doesn't matter how big the issue is. You have to be able to keep your emotions in check. You've got to step back from the situation and maintain some perspective on what's going on because you've got other things you have to be thinking about." - Cordell Bennigson 33:17 - "The number one common pitfall is ego, when anybody lets their ego get into the decision-making process, get into leading a conversation, get in the way of letting them learn, getting in the way of letting them accept that maybe someone else's ideas are better than my ideas. There's a lot of ways that it can manifest itself. And the root cause is that his ego steps in." - Cordell Bennigson 35:46 - "Keeping our ego in check doesn't mean we don't have self-confidence. Because self-confidence is what propels us to go do challenging things, set high expectations for ourselves, and believe we can accomplish those things. Ego is the counterbalance to that, that steps in and says, I know how to do it right, I know exactly how it's going to go, and I'm not going to listen anymore." - Cordell Bennigson 39:23 - "Get yourself surrounded by really smart, hardworking, committed people. Learn, ask questions, and absorb everything that you can from them. Don't think that you got to prove to them what you know. The really valuable thing is for you to learn from them, what they know. That leads to our own growth." - Cordell Bennigson Engage with Cordell BennigsonLinkedInEmailWebsite Grab your COVID 19 survivor T-shirt HERE Reach out to Justin Szerletich to get in touch with Knucklehead Media GroupLinkedInTwitter  Connect with Knucklehead Media GroupWebsiteFacebookTwitter • Knucklehead Media Group is your “push button” for podcasts. We help companies and organizations tell their story using podcasts and best practices for content distribution. Home to some of the top podcasts across multiple categories, captivating coursework on gaining traction with your show, and consulting to those companies BOLD enough to get some wins. We believe your mistakes set the foundation for your success, those stories help customers beat a pathway to your doorstep, and the myths from bringing business online shouldn't hold you back from getting yours. Click here for more episodes of the Knucklehead Podcast
How To Learn From Your Mistakes
Jan 11 2022
How To Learn From Your Mistakes
Mistakes happen all the time, they’re inevitable. They’ve always been part of being human, since time immemorial. Though mistakes are often seen as negative, they can actually be positive learning opportunities. We all make them. Whether they’re big or small, what matters is what we learn from them. In today’s edition of the Knucklehead Podcast, our guest, Joseph O'Connor shares some of the knucklehead moments that he has learned from, why people are hesitant to take risks, and what role coaches play in helping individuals. Joseph O’Connor is an internationally recognized author, trainer, executive coach and consultant. He is a leading author and trainer in coaching and Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP) and Systemic thinking. Co-author with Andrea Lages, Joseph wrote the book Coaching the Brain: Practical Applications of Neuroscience to Coaching. Enjoy! In This Episode2:33 - Joseph’s knucklehead moments that he has learned from 5:21 - How red flags can only be seen in hindsight 7:43 - Joseph's conclusion on the way he operates 10:57 - What makes humans averse to risk 13:29 - Why coaches are not advisors 17:37 - What inspired Joseph to incorporate neuroscience into his coaching Favorite Quotes00:01 - "I think it took me time to learn that in order to have a successful enterprise, it's a long haul. It's a much longer haul than I thought it would be and that I wanted it to be. And therefore, I think I called time on it ‘too soon’ in the sense that I didn't give it a chance." - Joseph O'Connor 4:50 - "We all make mistakes. I think that the trick is not to make the same one twice." - Joseph O'Connor 8:14 - "In the way that I operate, I was a bit like a cook that when you cook the meal, not interested in eating it. So I put a lot of thought into these projects and once they came, I'm going to the next one without seeing through the one that I started. This left me with half-realized dreams, half-realized ideas, and companies that could have been something." - Joseph O'Connor 11:33 - "Human beings are very risk-averse. We hate losing more than we like winning. So we tend to drop out rather than go for it." - Joseph O'Connor 13:29 - "A coach is not an advisor. They're there to help the person make their own decision and to provide a time for reflection. God knows these days, you don't have much time to reflect on your own thinking." - Joseph O'Connor 20:30 - "I think I've made more mistakes by saying yes to things than by saying no. With just so much going on, the skill of being able to be really clear about your priorities and being able to say no to something even though it may be attractive is really great and it keeps focus and keeps you out of trouble." - Joseph O'Connor Engage with Joseph O’ConnorLinkedInCoaching the Brain WebsiteCoaching the Brain on Amazon Grab your COVID 19 survivor T-shirt HERE Reach out to Justin Szerletich to get in touch with Knucklehead Media GroupLinkedInTwitter  Connect with Knucklehead Media GroupWebsiteFacebookTwitter • Knucklehead Media Group is your “push button” for podcasts. We help companies and organizations tell their story using podcasts and best practices for content distribution. Home to some of the top podcasts across multiple categories, captivating coursework on gaining traction with your show, and consulting to those companies BOLD enough to get some wins. We believe your mistakes set the foundation for your success, those stories help customers beat a pathway to your doorstep, and the myths from bringing business online shouldn't hold you back from getting yours. Click here for more episodes of the Knucklehead Podcast
Mistakes Happen For Me, Not To Me
Jan 4 2022
Mistakes Happen For Me, Not To Me
Mistakes happen, it's a fact of life. But what you do with them can be the difference between success and failure. They can be defining moments that empower you to do better next time, and they make you stronger in the end. There is no one who has made it to the top without making mistakes. They become a part of your story and give you the opportunity to grow and move forward. In today’s edition of the Knucklehead Podcast, our guest, Ian Koniak talks about the life-threatening situation that changed his career trajectory, how knucklehead moments can empower you, and why you should surround yourself with mentors. His mantra:Mistakes happen for me, not to me. In the midst of a near-death experience, Ian thought about the regrets he would have by not living a life of service where he can use his skills to help people and use his gifts to better the world. As part of the commitment he made, he built a coaching business where he shares his secrets of success with sales professionals. Ian Koniak is the Founder and President of Ian Koniak Sales Coaching. He has been a top-performing Account Executive for 19 years, with over $100M in career sales at Fortune 500 companies. He's led and developed teams and was recently the #1 Account Executive in the Enterprise Select Division at Salesforce. Today, Ian is on a mission to share his secrets to success with the sales community. Enjoy! In This Episode2:39 - The turning point when Ian shifted focus to coaching business owners full-time 5:26 - How a life-threatening experience changed Ian's career trajectory 10:49 - The knucklehead moments Ian had in his sales career 14:25 - His perception of 'knucklehead moments' 16:36 - The best way to transition side-hustles into full-time work 21:01 - The power of podcasts to connect with the right people Favorite Quotes00:01 - "What I always tell my coaching clients is that the worst things happen for you and when I see people in pain, when I see people suffering, in my heart, I know that it's a good thing in the long term because they are going to grow. The best growth and the best lessons occur in our most down moments." - Ian Koniak 12:31 - "Anyone who's in leadership, running sales organization, don't put yourself in situations where you're not able to control what you're doing. Don't surround yourself with people of the opposite sex where there could be miscommunications, and certainly don't throw up in front of your reps babies because you can't handle your liquor." - Ian Koniak 14:46 - "When you said 'knucklehead moments', these are defining moments. These are the things that happen that put you in the gutter, which put you on your face, that ultimately beg you and humble you." - Ian Koniak 24:09 - "When we talk about mistakes, defining moments falling in your face, the mantra I use is, 'This is happening for me, not to me.' If you say this is happening to me, you become a victim. If you say, it's happening for you, it empowers you. So, find the lesson." -Ian Koniak Connect with Ian Koniak Sales CoachingLinkedInYouTubeWebsite Grab your COVID 19 survivor T-shirt HERE Reach out to Justin Szerletich to get in touch with Knucklehead Media GroupLinkedInTwitter  Connect with Knucklehead Media GroupWebsiteFacebookTwitter • Knucklehead Media Group is your “push button” for podcasts. We help companies and organizations tell their story using podcasts and best practices for content distribution. Home to some of the top podcasts across multiple categories, captivating coursework on gaining traction with your show, and consulting to those companies BOLD enough to get some wins. We believe your mistakes set the foundation for your success, those stories help customers beat a pathway to your doorstep, and the myths from bringing business online shouldn't hold you back from getting yours. Click here for more episodes of the Knucklehead Podcast
How to Empower Your Ideas
Dec 28 2021
How to Empower Your Ideas
The world of art is a place where anyone can be themselves. Some people are born with a creative spark in them, others need to learn how to be creative by practice. Regardless of the circumstances, creativity applies not just to art but also to business and life in general. Being able to create innovative ideas that are relevant to today can make you stand out, thrive, and survive. In today’s edition of the Knucklehead Podcast, our guest, Maria Brito talks about the business side of creative arts. She will speak about the mistake she made at the beginning of her business and what she learned from it, the customs and traditions of the art industry, and why artistic talent should not be confused with creativity. Her advice:Never underestimate the power of your ideas and what you have inside of you. Maria Brito is the CEO at Maria Brito, LLC, an award-winning New York-based contemporary art advisor, author, and curator. She has a demonstrated history of more than a decade working in the fine arts industry developing more than one hundred private and corporate art collections. In This Episode3:08 - The foundation of Maria's works 6:30 - What attracted her to the world of creative arts 7:15 - The biggest mistake she made at the beginning of her art business and what she learned from it 17:12 - Why listening to your intuition can save you from failure 21:14 - The customs and traditions of the art industry 24:01 - How tech companies and social media have monopolized innovation and creativity 28:05 - Why artistic talent should not be confused with creativity 37:58 - What makes the bool ‘How Creativity Rules the World’ a great read for everyone Favorite Quotes"We are all in the business of life. And in the business of life, we're all going to find stumbling blocks and things like that. And we're going to make mistakes and we are going to screw up."- Maria Brito "There is no creativity without failure."- Maria Brito "What drew me to art is the idea of me being in a space with very creative people and fun people and doing things that actually meant something to me." - Maria Brito "You have to listen to your intuition because it's always right. What is wrong is our interpretation. Humans tend to have a lot of filters and processes by which we analyze the signals outside the world. And we decide how we interpret those signals and what kind of value we want to assign to them." - Maria Brito "We live right now in the era of the great resignation. People are fleeing jobs because they want to do their own things. And that is important because the business of America is business." - Maria Brito "Creativity is your unique and special ability to come up with ideas of value that are original and that are relevant for today." - Maria Brito "If we have people who are out in the world, creating new products, new services, and new ways of doing things, we will always have employment. We will always have a sound society also because we need to make sure that people are utilizing their minds in the best possible way." - Maria Brito "If we would have a third of Americans really kind of focus on entrepreneurial activities or solving problem, instead of complaining about them, we will have a very different America." - Maria Brito  Engage with Maria BritoTwitterLinkedInInstagramMaria Brito WebsiteHow Creativity Rules the World by Maria Brito Grab your COVID 19 survivor T-shirt HERE Reach out to Justin Szerletich to get in touch with Knucklehead Media GroupLinkedInTwitter  Connect with Knucklehead Media GroupWebsiteFacebookTwitter • Knucklehead Media Group is your “push button” for podcasts. We help companies and organizations tell their story using podcasts and best practices for content distribution. Home to some of the top podcasts across multiple categories, captivating coursework on gaining traction with your show, and consulting to those companies BOLD enough to get some wins. We believe your mistakes set the foundation for your success, those stories help customers beat a pathway to your doorstep, and the myths from bringing business online shouldn't hold you back from getting yours. Click here for more episodes of the Knucklehead Podcast
Capitalizing on Hardships
Dec 21 2021
Capitalizing on Hardships
As someone who has gone through horrible bankruptcy, slept on his mom’s floor, did not have a job, and fasted for 72 hours, Tay Sweat has suffered every hardship imaginable. But rather than feeling pity for himself over his failures, he took full advantage of them and invested in himself. Today, Tay has earned his reputation in the world of health and fitness, stock trading, and entrepreneurship. He runs three multibillion-dollar businesses and is a full-time investor in real estate and the stock market. In today’s episode of the Knucklehead Podcast, our guest, Tay Sweat will talk about the rough times of his life, how he capitalized on these hardships to achieve success, and what he learned from the many failures he had along the way. Enjoy! In This Episode2:03 - The therapeutic effects of sharing your stories 5:04 - How Tay dealt with the rough times in his life 6:32 - Tay's response to someone who told him, "if you do right by people and continue to work hard, you will get everything you want" 11:07 - How Tay relates himself to the story of the man stuck on an island with some wooden sticks 16:34 - Some knucklehead moments that hit him right in the gut 18:23 - The lessons he learned from his mistakes 23:15 - How he began his journey to success 29:11 - How he bounced back from his quarter-million-dollar screw-up Favorite Quotes"I started trading in the stock market as a penny stock trader, trying to get the quickest return possible. And one of my biggest losses was a quarter-million dollar in one day. And I told myself, I'm never doing that again." - Tay Sweat  "I was sleeping on my mom's floor 12 years ago. So when I think and tell that story, it brings a sense of gratitude over me, and I just kind of fade in the background and say, 'life's great. What are you complaining about?'." - Tay Sweat "I wholeheartedly believe that as long as you do right by people and you continue to the hard work, you're going to make it." - Tay Sweat "You are the best investment that you have. Because it's your money and nobody's going to work for your money as you do." - Tay Sweat "Your circle, your network is everything. Show me five of your friends and I'll show you what you're going to be." - Tay Sweat "If you are lost, if you do not know where to go, if you are down and out right now, just remember, you are your biggest investment. Time and money, put it into yourself." - Tay Sweat Engage with Tay SweatInstagram Grab your COVID 19 survivor T-shirt HERE Reach out to Justin Szerletich to get in touch with Knucklehead Media GroupLinkedInTwitter  Connect with Knucklehead Media GroupWebsiteFacebookTwitter • Knucklehead Media Group is your “push button” for podcasts. We help companies and organizations tell their story using podcasts and best practices for content distribution. Home to some of the top podcasts across multiple categories, captivating coursework on gaining traction with your show, and consulting to those companies BOLD enough to get some wins. We believe your mistakes set the foundation for your success, those stories help customers beat a pathway to your doorstep, and the myths from bringing business online shouldn't hold you back from getting yours. Click here for more episodes of the Knucklehead Podcast