Cool Things Entrepreneurs Do

Josh Packard is a sociologist who studies institutional participation in America at the University of Northern Colorado. He focuses on religious, professional and voluntary associations. He is a sought after speaker and trainer for corporate, religious and non-profit organizations. His research has appeared in numerous academic and trade publications, and he is the author, with Ashleigh Hope, of Church Refugees. Josh is also the head of the Social Research Lab at the university. It is though this role that he gets to merge his academic career with his entrepreneurial side. In this episode Josh shares his journey to being both a researcher and an entrepreneur and gives valuable advice for anyone who wants to be more entrepreneurial in a more traditional job environment. http://www.joshpackard.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jon Jarrett is the director of engineering technology and systems at Orbital ATK. When others say their job is not "rocket science"....Jon's job is rocket science. In this episode Jon shares his successful career journey and talks about how being entrepreneurial inside a job is key to success. He has held a variety of positions in his career, and discusses the importance of mentors and networking. Jon is also on the board of PLM World. PLM World is an independent, not-for-profit organization, with the mission of being the voice of the user in providing an open forum for the exchange of ideas within the Siemens Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) Software product environment. Being involved in an industry group has proved to be paramount to the success that Jon has found in his career. In this conversation he talks about how he got involved, why he continues to be engaged in the organization, and ways that attendees at the 2016 PLM World Conference (or those attending any event) can maximize their experience

Michael O'Neal was guest number seven on the "Cool Things Entrepreneurs Do" Podcast. He is continuing to do great things as a leader in the world of podcasting, and his show is has continued to be a top ranked business podcast. In this episode Michael shares his thoughts on being a solopreneur, and tells more of his own journey to success. He founded his podcast as a way to reach people and talk with people in a variety of industries. His show has not only become a core part of his business, but it has opened up countless doors and allowed him to build his network and brand. It is rarely easy to be a solopreneur. There are many upsides, but there is many tough parts as well. His efforts to reach success has taken a long time. You cannot just create courses to get rich on a new platform without having experience. Too many people jump on the band wagon of Periscope (or other new tools) and try to sell classes on how to get rich, without having ever gotten rich using that tool. Michael would not want to be la

Julia Taylor Cheek is the CEO and Co-Founder of EverlyWell, a digital health startup that offers consumer-ordered diagnostic tests and easy-to-read results. Prior to founding Everly Well in summer 2015, Julia was the Vice President of Corporate Development and Strategy at MoneyGram International, a $1.5B company that operates in 200 countries. As the youngest VP in the company, she worked for MoneyGram’s CFO for several years, leading multiple corporate transactions, restructuring projects, and special projects for the CEO. Before that, she served as the founding Director of Strategy and Operations at the George W. Bush Institute and played a key role in building the organization from just a handful of employees to the Presidential Center that you see today at Southern Methodist University.After attending Vanderbilt, Julia started her career in management consulting at Deloitte and went on to earn an MBA with high distinction from Harvard Business School. She also is a former multiple World Champion equestria

Brian Kurth is the founder and CEO of Revere Software (http://www.GetRevere.com). He and his company work with associations, alumni associations, large non-profits and corporations to connect knowledge seekers with subject matter experts.In 2001 Brian was in traffic wondering if there was a better way than fighting the uphill battle of the "corporate grind". A year later he started his first company. Today, with his third business, he loves the freedom. He is excited about Revere and what they bring to their clients, and you can tell in hearing his story that he has a true passion for being and entrepreneur. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Eliz Greene is an expert helping people get past being busy and stressed while helping them become more productive.She comes from a family of entrepreneurs, as both her parents owned small businesses, and her first jobs were working in each of those companies. After college she spent time in the insurance business and non-profit sector, but soon launched out on her own to start a dance studio.In 2000 everything changed. Eliz suffered a massive heart attack while 7 months pregnant with twins. Both she and her daughters survived, but it changed her life forever. For more than a decade Eliz has been a leading expert educating people on heart health and how to manage stress. Through her work she discovered there was little data on job stress and the different ways men and women deal with the pressures of work and life. Eliz Greene has now embarked on a multi-phase study and the results are fascinating. She now speaks to association and corporate audiences on managing stress and handling the facade of work / life

Bejan Faramarzi was born in Boston and raised in San Antonio. He went to UT Austin where he started off in Business and Pre-pharmacy. After taking an improv class and meeting a fellow filmmaker, he became passionate about film and he graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a degree in Theater. He then went on to shoot films in Los Angeles, New York, Montreal and is now primarily based out of Austin, Texas.This is a great episode as you can hear his passion for being a film maker and he has great stories about his journey.His company, Space Fire Films is in the process of making their first feature length project. In addition to having a new start up, he is also raising money to produce the film (Check out the kickstarter campaign. https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/892229852/chasing-unicorns.... Thom invested right after the interview)No matter your industry you can be inspired by those entrepreneurs who have a passion for their field of work. Bejan is a great example of someone we will look b

The world of work is changing. With upwards of 50% of the workforce moving to contractors or solopreneurs, what do people need to know?Marc Miller is the founder of Career Pivot which helps Baby Boomers design careers they can grow into for the next 30 years. Marc authored the book Repurpose Your Career: A Practical Guide for Baby Boomers published in January 2013. He also authored the book Personal Branding for Baby Boomers: What it is, How to Manage It and Why It’s No Longer Optional in September 2015. He has been featured on Forbes.com, US News and World Report, CBS Money-Watch and PBS’ Next Avenue. Career Pivot was selected for the Forbes Top 100 Websites for your Career. Marc has made six career pivots himself, serving in several positions at IBM in addition to working at two successful Austin, Texas startups, teaching math in an inner-city high school and working for a local non-profit. Learn more about Marc and Career Pivot by visiting the Career Pivot Blog or follow Marc on Twitter, Facebook, or Linke

April 1, 2009 I was laid off from my corporate marketing job. It was the height of the great recession and other employment options were non-existent. On that day I decided to follow my dream of self-employment and begin my creating my own career path that would not tie my future job status to someone else's company. Becoming a professional speaker and master of ceremonies was a long-time dream, and something I had planned to eventually pursue. With a young family to support, making such a leap had seemed too scary, but with no other employment options I began to build my own solopreneur existence, and I have never looked back. As the job market continues to be awkward, there are more and more people who are making the move to becoming solopreneurs (some by choice, others by circumstance). This is not an easy existence, and while I have worked hard and had some great opportunities, each day I start over at the bottom of the hill. I have learned a lot in seven years. Here a few important lessons I have disco

Justin Christianson is the best selling author of Conversion Fanatic: How to double your customers, sales and profits with A/B testing and is a 13 year veteran of digital marketing having worked on hundreds of profitable campaigns. A self proclaimed numbers junky with a firm belief that the numbers don’t lie, has a knack for finding holes in marketing campaigns and offering simple solutions to quickly plug them, effectively improving the results. An avid student of marketing and business, he firmly believes that you must continue to improve daily in order to stay ahead and succeed.In this episode of Cool Things Entrepreneurs Do he shares his personal journey from a small town electrician to digital entrepreneur. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Patrick Jovin is part of an entrepreneurial family. Mom, dad, brothers, a cousin, and his fiance are all working together. Thom called them "The Partridge Family of Entrepreneurship"ogether they run Tropiceel and market the Naturulz natural pain products.As he grew up his parents were always running and growing companies, so it made sense for Patrick and his brothers to join the family business. As a kid he chased the dream of being a professional golfer, but today he is an entrepreneur who is taking a small business and making it a much much bigger company. This episode the shares the journey and how they are growing their company and taking their products national.http://www.tropiceel.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Chris Thompson is a dynamic personality, endurance athlete and CEO of truBrain, a venture-backed neurotechnology startup and developer of the world’s first nootropic drink. He built the company based on productivity, and has a great story about transitioning from a corporate executive position into the world of startups. He is a perfect guest for a show like "Cool Things Entrepreneurs Do".Chris discusses his journey and shares amazing tips on entrepreneurship. He's a true example and disciple of the Lean Startup Methodology coined by Silicon Valley Icon, Eric Ries. Chris started truBrain in an accelerator, assembled a team of neuroscientists, and launched a product in 5 countries all within the first month. truBrain is designed to help provide better focus, increased mental stamina and improved verbal fluency. Tune into episode 161 to hear about Chris Thompson, truBrain, and his best advice for what you can do to become a strong and driven entrepreneur. http://www.trubrain.com Learn more about your ad choices

Mike Dilbeck is the founder of Response Ability - A Call for Courage. He is a speaker, trainer and consultant who helps people find the ability to respond to any social situation by going beyond our fear and shame to demonstrate courage in momentary choices — In organizations. In business. In community. In life. — For colleagues. For family. For friends. For strangers.Mike was guest number two on "Cool Things Entrepreneurs Do" in October 2014. To learn more about his journey, go back and hear that interview.On this episode Mike shares a personal challenge that he is currently facing, and it is one that all entrepreneurs, solopreneurs, and other business leaders should listen to. In January 2016 Mike was diagnosed with cancer. He has undergone one surgery and is preparing for another. As a solopreneur, who is also single, this diagnosis was scary and would leave anyone feeling very alone. Mike is dealing with the realities and the fear associated with the disease, but is also learning that he is not alone.This

There is more to networking than sending a LinkedIn request or reading someone's SnapChat. Real relationships lead to opportunity, but too often in business we get stuck at pre-judging the value of others and we fail to cultivate long-term and mutually-beneficial connections.In this episode Thom Singer talks about the how and why of getting more engaged in the association and business events that we attend. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Motivation and inspiration matter for entrepreneurs, solopreneurs, business leaders and anyone else. The idea of motivating employees gets push back, as people think that the whole idea is fluffy. Remember Chris Farley on Saturday Night Live and his skit about the motivational speaker who lived in a van down by the river? It was funny, but it did damage to the idea of motivation and the profession of motivational speakers. Many like to lambaste the concept of motivation and inspiration... but I believe it matters.What is the opposite of motivation? De-motivation? So those who think motivation is useless.... are you seeking the opposite? While a motivation speech or an inspirational book wont forever change your life, consistent doses of things that fire you up will help you stay on track to reach your long-term success.In this episode Thom Singer shares his personal struggles with staying motivated and dealing with issues that keep him from performing at his best. He also shares six tips to help you get focus

Tom Hunt is a TEDx Speaker, Dragon’s Den Failure And Founder of Virtual Valley a platform that connects Entrepreneurs and Rockstar Virtual Assistants with the mission of giving Entrepreneurs back 1 million hours of their time by 2018. He left the life of London big business for a chance at creating his own entrepreneurial path and has never looked back. At the time of this interview he was on an extended visit to Poland with a friend, where they spent their days building online businesses, and nights out making friends. He is not cuffed to a desk, and loves the location freedom he has created in his business.Hear his journey and get inspiration to follow your dreams.Tom also sends an AWESOME weekly marketing tip to the legends that sign up here. http://tomhunt.io/lgj-- Twitter: @tomhuntiowebsite: http://www.tomhunt.io Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nellie Akalp is an entrepreneur and legal business expert. She is an interesting guest on the podcast and shares nuts & bolts tips for our entrepreneurial community.Nellie is a mom of four children who is married to her husband and business partner of 18 years. She and her husband started their first online legal document filing service in 1997 in their small apartment living room after purchasing a domain name for $100. In 2005 that company was acquired by Intuit for $20 million. They soon found out that the corporate way of Intuit was not a good fit for them so they stepped down from the previous company and took a few years off. Too motivated to retire young, the couple got back to work in 2009 and launched CorpNet.com where they help entrepreneurs start, grow and maintain their ventures. Throughout her career, Nellie has formed well over half a million LLCs for entrepreneurs across many industries.Nellie shares tips on how to legally start a business at Forbes, Entrepreneur, Mashable, Huffington Post and

Tim Sanders is a multi-time best selling author, speaker and business consultant. Thom Singer has known Tim for over a decade and this episode is two old friends catching up and talking about sales and success.www.TimSanders.comSanders has just released a new book, Dealstorming. Those in B2B businesses know that it takes a lot to get complex sales completed, and Tim has studied the best sales professionals in the world and has come up with ways that anyone can drive sales innovation. Sanders explains his system and shows how it has helped drive results for many companies. The book includes real world examples from major corporations along with problem finding exercises, innovation templates, and execution strategies. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Many people who listen to this show often reach out wanting to know more about the "business of speaking". For the past seven years Thom Singer has been a full time professional speaker and master of ceremonies, and along the way he has seen a lot of things. Being active in the National Speakers Association has allowed Thom to meet working professional speakers, many of whom have become his closest friends. On this episode he shares his seven tips for what you need to know if you want to speak for a fee, and he gets advice from others who were present at the 2016 NSA Winter Conference in Austin, Texas.Tune in and hear from:Jason LeVasseur http://jasonlevasseur.com/Liz Weber, CSP http://www.wbsllc.com/Scott Lesnick http://scottlesnick.com/Shawna Suckow http://www.shawnasuckow.com/Brian Walter, CSP, CPAE http://brianwalter.com/Karen Jacobsen http://www.thegpsgirl.com/Sylvie di Giusto http://executive-image-consulting.com/David Newman, CSP http://www.doitmarketing.com/If you want to become a professional speaker

Collectively, Ryan Jeffery and Arman Ghosh have started a dozen companies and advise hundreds of entrepreneurs. They build businesses that solve real world problems, and equip entrepreneurs with the knowledge and guidance to succeed. Ryan has worked in both venture capital and as an operator, and Arman has built and led some of fastest growing sales and ops teams. They've been working together for the last 5 years behind the scenes of major companies, helping to launch Belly and, more recently founding 11 Roniin.At 11 Roniin, they set out to create a better ecosystem to build companies. Together, they have built a platform that can efficiently bring ideas to market in volume and provide the best entrepreneurs with the resources they need to be successful. 11 Roniin supports these companies through a detailed, execution-focused strategy that allows their companies to leverage the best engineering, sales, marketing and ops resources to grow.Through 11 Roniin, Ryan and Arman built a growth agency called RocketLa