The Meaning of WorkBefore the time of remote jobs, work was two things: the place you go, and the things you do. When working remote grew in popularity, Sam saw a need for meeting those individuals want for inspiration and community. The issue with this was that what works for some doesn't work for others. For some, a coffee shop environment is the perfect setting, but sometimes, there is a need for something quieter or calmer.Local InfluencesOne reason that Deskpass is different from all other coworking companies or environments is that their spaces are run by local members. For instance, in Breckenridge CO, the space may be more Colorado themed whereas in downtown Chicago, a space may be more industry specific such as finance or law.The differences in the spaces create variety that matches what the member needs in that day or moment. Additionally, this variety creates an environment that is a melting pot of people. It creates a community of people working just as hard as you are, but every person there is different with different ideas and different perspectives. Not many other working environments are as adaptable as coworking spaces are.Timeline:[02:09] What is Deskpass? What is coworking?[04:16] The meaning of the word work.[05:22] "...and what I see is your relationship to your office and your workplace changing from a place I go every day to an ecosystem."[05:47] The need for work environments that meet you where you are with what you need.[6:16] How can humans better gain work-life balance? What role does coworking play in this?[06:48] People use Deskpass and coworking places as a way to be less lonely.[08:02] The benefits of variety of workspace with the flexibility that the variety offers.[09:43] Deskpass coworking environments are run by members of the local community.[10:18] "You don't have to commit; you can get what you're looking for when you need it."[10:39] You can go from sitting at home alone to a room full of interesting people who are already connected to you in a way[12:06] With the Deskpass membership, it is able to match the mood you're in that day.[12:31] You don't have to interact with somebody, but just being in an environment that inspires them by being surrounded by people who are working just as hard as them.[13:20] It is not just about avoiding a negative of loneliness, but also moving towards a positive of inspiration.[17:15] Giving yourself flexibility of work environments and locations when you need it is where most productivity is earned.[22:16] Having ownership over there you spend your day.[23:04] Asking if the five-year lease on a building makes sense for you and your business.[26:55] How to use Deskpass's free membership trial.

Converge Podcast

Sam Rosen on Working Remotely with Others

TimeMany entrepreneurs always find themselves plugged in with no way to disconnect. For some, they want to look at their business and say I owned this business not work for it. For others, they simply want more freedom within their work at their business. No matter which category you fall into, Trainual can help you make the best use of your time within business.What does Trainual do?The step between you doing something yourself and delegating it to someone else to grow your business is being able to document, write down, and provide the instructions of what you do. Trainual is a system that helps you do this with adaptability to your type of business and what your business does.You may be saying that you don't know how to do this or that you don't have time, but the invested time now will save you time and grow your business long term. Is everything that you're doing now truly the best use of your time? Do you and your employees daily tasks align with your respective job descriptions? Do you find yourself constantly putting out fires without being able to even identify why these problems happen? Investing into your systems can be influential in saving time for yourself and growing your business.If you are interested in learning more, you can find information at https://trainual.com/ or by searching @ChrisRonzio on Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube.Timeline:[02:38] "Build your business around your life instead of your life around your business. "[04:14] "Could I detach and treat the business like a business I own instead of one I work at?"[04:40]  What does Trainual solve for business owners?[05:01]  The step between you doing it yourself and delegating it to someone else to grow your business.[06:16] The business actually operates on rules you've put into place [08:35] The traditional objections companies give to investing into their systems.[10:11] How the idea of working on your business not for your business and how it does/doesn't relate.[10:56] It is a strategic initiative that can give you the freedom that you crave.[12:52] What is the best use of your time? How can you bring the most value to your company?[13:01] For someone constantly in firefighting mode and reactive mode, what can you do to evaluate this issue?[13:26] You have to identify a starting point to be able to make progress.[15:14] An easy way to identify and define your responsibilities. [17:15] Ask yourself what of these responsibilities do I actually need to be doing? What can be delegated?[18:38] What an informal outline of responsibilities does.[23:55] The process and importance of enrolling more than just the leader.[25:01] Outline reason for analyzing your systems.[26:31] Start with what will give you the biggest ROI.[30:02] It is about building a structure around your foundations that already exist.

Chris Ronzio on Investing in the Systems of Your Business

Mission When it comes to finding your mission as a business, it is more than just what you're delivering. It involves finding something that is bigger than what you're delivering. Your mission needs to be something that motivates people, makes them feel good about what they're doing, and realize the bigger picture of their role in your business.For having a mission driven organization, it starts with the executive level commitment that expands to all employees and then further outside of the company itself. Do you and your employees know your mission statement? The Bottom Line For Ryan, there are two types of bottom lines. There is the traditional one of  being profitable at the end of the day, and then there is the double bottom line. In the double bottom line, the earnings function beyond increasing net income and roll into accomplishing a worthy cause. Ryan wanted to work in such a way that he was able to do good while also doing well in business. When buying businesses, they looked at measuring not just profit but also impact. One obstacle they faced was making it clear to potential sellers that they are not just a private equity firm, but that they are here for the long haul. Cojourn strives to continue the legacy that already exists in the company. Oil Stop is one of their biggest examples of how this process looks for them when it comes to buying and keeping a company.  The Long Game Ryan advises playing the long game in all aspects. In business, it can be so easy to make short-term decisions without applying or having a long-term vision. Without that long-term vision, there is no patience to see where the company will go when the mission of your bran is truly bought into by all employees. Timeline: [01:25] Investing for the long haul.[01:35] Ryan and his business partner,  Nick Parisi, shared an interest in improving on companies so that they can exist well beyond the current generation of leaders.[03:38] "... felt like that was not to the fulfillment of who I was or what I was meant to do."[04:11] Captivated by the idea of corporate giving and trying to figure out a way you could do good while you do well.[05:16] The process and experiences of Ryan stepping out for the first time as an entrepreneur at almost 40.[06:03] The traditional bottom line and the double bottom line.[06:44] What if we measured not just profit but impact?[09:55] Searching for both meaning and entrepreneurialism.[10:55] How can business make the world a better place?[12:53] When buying a business, a goal is to continue the legacy and what has already been started.[14:31] When buying or selling a business, how do you build trust?[15:54] Lead with listening and come in with humility.[17:03] The process of Cojourn buying Oil Stop.[19:18] The importance of starting a conversations.[20:14] Business requires more than a good first impression. It goes into creating a longer view.[22:27] There will be obstacles along the way.[22:50] 1. What is a mission driven organization? 2. What is proof of a mission driven organization?[26:17] Coordinated effort around a particular kind of mission. [26:50] Having a mission driven organization starts with an executive level commitment that then expands to the brand as a whole.[29:44] Do you and your employees know your mission statement?[33:12] None of it is easy, but every bit of it is critical.[33:18] Mission of helping create enduring success for people who have sacrificed so much.[34:40] The importance of the long game in business.[35:08] 1. Taking care of your people and finding people that are a fit.[35:23] 2. Find your mission.[36:07] 3. Talk about your mission continuously.

Ryan Callaghan on Buying Businesses and Investing in People

Tension Between Challenge and SupportJeremie discusses with us how there is a time when you need challenge, but there is also a time when you need support. As a leader and an individual, it can be hard finding that balance point between the two.  When you find it, you're able to create an intentional transfer of knowledge, wisdom, and skills. In there, you have to find the balance between served and leading to be able to both challenge and support others. The Five Circles of InfluenceThe fives circles of influence are ourself, family, team, organization, and community.  To be successful in these areas, you have to start with yourself.  It looks like beginning to audit and evaluate your choices. Something as simple as choosing water over soda can be a step towards creating the you you want to be. Before you can move past yourself to others, you have to examine how others see your interactions with them. Do they know that you're for them, did they see that you're against them, or do they believe that you're for yourself? Intentional LivingMost of the world lives accidentally. They make choices without evaluating what the outcome is to more than just themselves. Sometimes, you have to look at a situation and do unto someone else what they would want done to themselves. The way Jeremie explains that is through sharing about a coach who talks with his players. Sure, the coach doesn't want or need a hug in that situation, but that doesn't mean that the player doesn't.  Being intentional can look like evaluating the situation in a way that makes others see that you are for them and for their success. As a leader, it looks like leading but serving at the same time through intentional actions.

Jeremie Kubicek on Calling People Up in Leadership

Feeling AliveLiving and being alive is more than just existing. The two ways to die are not really living or by killing yourself taking too many risks. There is a balance to living in the tension point between order and chaos. When you feel alive, that is when you find freedom.Freedom is the actual experience of being alive and being untethered by concepts of reality.  The path to freedom is to realize that there is something inside you advocating for freedom. It is your story.Addiction to IntensityFor years, Jeff created chaos whenever he got too comfortable. For him, the ability to calm the chaos gave him control over his life. He felt an addiction to intensity in going from extreme order to extreme disorder.  The way that Jeff overcame this was by seeking healthy ways to create memorable and meaningful experiences rather than deliberately creating chaos.Leaving the FamiliarJeff left the familiar whenever he started his adventure of building a personal brand around himself and his ideas.  He categorizes an adventure as doing something different from normal actions or processes.When you leave the familiar, you go into the unknown to discover something about yourself. There are many depictions of this in movies, but it occurs within our lives as well. Every time you try something different you are experiencing a moment to learn something new about yourself. The Gift of Your StoryThe gift is the thing that you learn or acquire as a result of struggle. The thing is, the gift is not for you. It is for those around you. The gift is a way to share and impart knowledge upon your community. Through sharing your story,  you are able to share the transformation that occurred within your life.Timeline:[03:42] Jeff spent about 7 years telling other people's stories and ideas until realized he had a story of his own.[04:46] Finding a means by which you not only tell success stories but also hard stories with struggles.[05:42] The characteristics of a good story.[06:17] Jeff's tendency to create chaos.se e[07:36] The experience of being alive.[08:00] Seeking healthy ways to create meaningful and memorable experiences because stories are just our recollection of those experiences.[08:15] Everyday goal of living.[08:48] When you can walk through life and actually perceive things, you're awake, you're alive, and you're there."[09:11] When stories do their job, they help us make sense of the story we're living in right now.[09:51] How do you stay awake and present in the midst of the narrative in which we are living?[10:02] All humans crave a sense of liveliness.[10:22] "The experience of feeling alive is freedom."[13:13] What is the point of life?[17:17] The two ways to die.[17:45] Experience all that there is to experience.[19:25] How do you live in the tension points between order and chaos?[20:04] Addiction to Intensity and the aftermath of the intensity,[21:37] Leaving the familiar.[26:22] When we are isolated from community, what must we ask ourselves?[27:32] You have to choose to leave comfort. It is a choice.[27:41] Chaos is newness.[29:22] "An adventure is just anytime you do something other than what you've normally done."[29:56] The gift that comes from our experiences.[30:53] What do we do with the gift?[35:38] Path to freedom.[38:26] Find a way to experience life free from all your thoughts around it.[39:07] "My thoughts about reality are not reality."

Jeff Goins on Finding your Story amongst Order and Chaos

The Start of Speaking When it comes to speaking, the only thing between you and to chance to share your voice is learning how the industry works. Grant spent a lot of time questioning and following speakers to acquire the knowledge that he then applied to his life. Do not disqualify yourself before even starting the process.  There is a big misconception that to be a speaker, you need an energetic, external, and charismatic personality. Through his years of speaking, Grant has seen that that is not true. There are many succesful speakers, like him, that have more internal personalities. Don’t believe in the misconception of there being a one size fits all description of a successful speaker. I found my voice, now what?As a full-time speaker, Grant often hears the same questions from those standing where he stood a few years ago: 1. How do I find gigs? 2. How much should I charge when I find a gig? 3. How does the speaking world even work? No matter if you want to speak just a bit on the side or if you want to become a full time speaker, those questions are important to answer. In his book, he explains how to demystify what it takes to get someone to not only want you to come speak, but also to pay you for your time. Their book lays out a five step framework to finding and booking gigs. The acronym SPEAK is an easier way to remember their process for this. Evaluating Yourself as an IndividualThere comes a time when you must decide what kind of speaker you want to become. Grant advises to focus on one thing, and by doing so, you become an expert on that topic. Through that, you get the ability to charge a premium on the thing at which you’re really good. Many speakers try to become all things to all people, but that makes it to where you can become mediocre at all things instead of amazing at one thing. One way that Grant personally pursued this was by acknowledging that he was a great speaker, but that did not make him a great author. Through this notion, he was able to successfully collaborate with Jeff Goins. Evaluating Your Speaking When it comes to evaluating a speech, there are three important factors to consider: you the speaker, the audience, and the environment. As the speaker, you must ask yourself if you did your part in being prepared or if you went through the motions. Being prepared or not prepared can play a large role in the success of a speech. Ultimately, if the audience is not ready to receive your speech, no amount of preparation can resolve that issue. The environment also plays a huge role in the success of a speech. For instance, the power going out can definitely impact what occurs. If you are interested in learning more, take Grant’s free marketing course at grantbaldwin.com . His book,  The Successful Speaker: Five Steps for Booking Gigs, Getting Paid, and Building your Platform, is also available on Amazon. Timeline:[01:29] Do you ever wonder if your voice could be heard?[02:23] Building a platform where professional speaking is part of what you are able to do. [02:31] Grant gives advice on more than just being a professional speaker, but also includes becoming better at pitching ideas. [04:22] The timeline of granting learning how to become a speaker. [04:47] How Grant evaluated moving past wanting to speak more by questioning how to find gigs, decide what to speak about, and how much to charge. [05:32] Once a professional speaker, what Grant heard from listeners. [06:23] “Speaking is a great way to build a business, and a great way to make an impact. [07:10] Are you wondering how to figure out your voice?[09:26] The process of Jeff Goins and Grant Baldwin joining together for the purpose of writing a book. [11:11] Just because you have one skill set does not mean that you have all other skill sets. [12:18] Ask yourself, “How can I collaborate?”[14:26] The importance of different personality types in speaking. [16:32] There is not a one size fits all description of a successful speaker. [16:55] A common mistake speakers make. [18:23] Becoming a steakhouse over a buffet. [20:25] The big challenge for entrepreneurs: making a decision[21:37] Why making a choice can actually make your life simpler. [24:17] Overcoming a “swing and a miss” in speaking. [26:31] Unexpected moment of success for Grant in a moment of adversity. [27:13] The roles of the speaker, audience, and environment [29:06] Accepting that as a speaker, sometimes thing are just out of your control. [32:59] "Speaking is about inviting people to have an opportunity to be able to stand and deliver in any given moment. [34:01] The audience wants you, the speaker, to succeed. [34:32] “Speaking is a shared experience with you and the audience. [36:28] Speaking is more than just the finished process, it also entails falling in love with the craft of speaking.

Grant Baldwin on How to Become the Speaker You’ve Always Wanted to be

Your StoryEach of us has a story to share that starts at birth and goes into this very moment. Both consciously and unconsciously, we push parts of our stories aside. We do this because we find them either uncomfortable, painful, or so overwhelming that we cannot deal with them in that moment. Andy’s background in trauma and abuse helps him to help people understand why their trauma is causing this push. People are often afraid of looking back simply because they are scared of what they will find.  Pouring into and being excited about work is a vulnerable process when trauma is present within our lives, and that is something Andy has researched and studied.Psychological SafetyPsychological safety is when team members feel safe to take risks and to be vulnerable with one another. This doesn’t mean that the workplace needs to be nice, but instead it means being willing to take risks with a sense of curiosity and empathy rather than judgement. Without that feeling of safety, there is less openness in the workplace impeding open development. The workplace is not set up to fully deal with people’s emotional issues, but there are some ways that a business can be more effective in facilitating a community that respects mental health. One way is through developing a culture that recognizes that healthy people produce healthy companies. Businesses need to pour into both the emotional and mental healthy of employees to help employees perform to the best of their abilities. TraumaWhen trauma presents itself, disconnection from ourselves, others, and our work can occur. Andy touches on why this is important to note and how it can impede our progress in business. When we have unresolved trauma our ability to communicate what we think and feel is greatly limited.  Then, when we do experience emotions we do not want to feel, it can be easy to push them down. The problem with that is it turns to burnout which turns to depression. Unresolved trauma can cause the part of our brain that deals with making choices, balancing emotions, being focused, and communication to deactivate. When this occurs, we cannot perform well in business. In the WorkplaceNot all business fosters an environment that values mental health, and so one question discussed is "What do you do in a culture that does not support you?". One thing that Andy suggest is acknowledging that you are not an asset to be leveraged and your worth is not in how you perform. Practicing mindfulness is about observing your emotions and observing your depression, anxiety, and when you are critical of yourself. This can be difficult in a toxic work environment. If you are interested in more tips and tricks for guidance on these stations, reach out to Andy Mauer. Timeline[03:32] Background of Andy and how he transitioned his business out of a clinical setting. [05:10] Charity Mauer and he experiences in the business field. [06:32] The larger the gap between personal brand and mental health, the more people will lose time with themselves. When that time is lost, people start to develop  rates of depression, anxiety, and burnout. [06:44] The high need for a polished image in this business. [07:00] The fear that drives creatives causes them to be constantly be running towards or away from from something. [08:05] 95% of our behavior is subconscious. Why does this matter?[08:33] Your story is a combination of thoughts, memories, feelings, and relationships from birth to now. [10:38] Psychological safety in the workplace. [11:20] What is the number one thing that drives success in teams in business?[12:51] Active disengagement.[13:18] Why do people find themselves at work and anting to do a good job yet disengaged?[13:55] External factors vs internal factors in engagement.[15:11] Why people are afraid to make progress in business. [16:14] Trauma is about disconnection from ourselves, others, and our work. [16:27] “Trauma is an event or series of events that happen to use that we perceive as emotionally or physically harmful.”[19:37] The outcome of pushing emotions down. [20:32] How does trauma impact our performance or productivity?[21:26] Unresolved trauma can limit our ability to communicate what we think and feel. [22:25] As a business owner, why does my mental health and the mental health of my employees matter?[25:47] Separating your sense of worth from your productivity. [26:58] Practicing mindfulness.[27:43] Importance of being with a company that supports where you want to be emotionally.

Andy Mauer on Bridging the Gap Between Mental Health and Business

Background Josh is a full time researcher and author who started off at a big company analyzing if their online advertising was actually working. His research developed into putting together a strategy of determining what works for the company when it comes to things of the advertising nature. Josh’s job eventually changed to advising entrepreneurs and small businesses primarily during their early stages.Early Stages of EntrepreneurshipFor an entrepreneur, Josh says that the early stages of development are most important in that during this time, you are an explorer and adventurer. This time period entails feeling lost and alone looking for the your path or hydra. All of the information you find during this time can be used to determine your next step. One thing that is needing is also practical wisdom which is learning to act and do things in a way that gets you good results but is also practical, grounded, and impacts your life in a meaningful way. Each of us must ask four questions:What do I want? 2. Why do I want it? 3. How am I going about getting it? 4. Is there a more straightforward and less stressful way to do it? Josh analyzes these questions through looking at not just complex ideas but particular purposes or ends. He asks himself, “How are people approaching it?” and “Is that approach constructive or not?” As a researcher, these questions form the basis for what he studies and how he applies the answers through his writings and advising.How to Fight a HydraHow To Fight a Hydra is about a protagonist attempting to defeat a monster and also survive the experience. This concept can be parallel into the same demons all entrepreneurs face when it comes to starting a business or chasing an idea. In his book, the protagonist does not just face a single stage victory, but multiple of varying levels of size and impact.One of the biggest things Josh mentions is how to get from knowing nothing about something you want to do to being good at it to then getting the result the you want. The next thing to look at it is being able to do all of these things quickly and with as little frustration as possible. Each of these concepts are analyzed through the story of the protagonist in his book. Timeline[02:50] Josh’s work experiences and their influences on him today.[05:02] What is the best, most effective, most useful way to think about a particular area of life?[06:30] 1. How are people approaching this subject? 2. Is that approach constructive or not?[09:30] Going from knowing nothing to achieving your goals. [10:22] His research and writing is more than complex ideas. [10:50] Practical Wisdom [11:09] The four questions every entrepreneur must ask. [13:18] Influential authors on Josh are those that have written "how to think about ____” books rather than solely entertainment books. [16:25] Why is it important to know the “bugs” in our thinking processes?[16:41] The three kinds of books out there are entertainment, how-to, and worldview. [20:30] What is an active barrier we must each individually overcome?[21:00] You won’t know if something will or will not work until you do it. [21:32] Factors that influence the success of something. [25:27] Why are Josh’s writing based in behavioral and cognitive psychology?[27:11] The protagonist in How to Fight a Hydra had multi-level victories. [27:27] Experiences can change you. [30:04] What is the most important time for an entrepreneur?[30:54] Why am I feeling lost in this stage of starting a new business or chasing a goal?[34:55] The importance of the ability to discern what opportunities are good for you. [38:04] Differentiating between the different types of entertainments and their influences upon you. [39:38] The easiest way to free up time in your life. [40:00] “Is this improving my worldview, or is this primarily a diversion?"

Josh Kaufman on Creatively Navigating Entrepreneurship

A Narrative many can relate toMost people who read a business book are actually interested in business, making it a very segmented market. Chris wrote an inspirational business book- but in the fiction genre. Money Tree is a narrative about an individual named Jake; he has a lot of financial pressure even with a good job. Jake is a relatable character as he has a great work ethic and a decent job, but he is struggling under the weight of debt. Do you find yourself relating to Jake? This book isn’t about celebrities or very rich people, but instead it is about ordinary humans. Maybe you don’t find yourself interested in entrepreneurship, but maybe it is something you need to consider. The types of ways to make a business The first group for starting a business is the kind that entails capital and a lot of risk. Usually, you are unsure if this will pay off until after a long time. The second group involves investors and a lot of risk. Here is where people like Chris come in, the third way of starting a business- entrepreneurship. Most people in the third way group are people trying to earn money apart from their day job; some eventually want to quit, others want to pay off debt, and some just want to build a larger savings. Usually, this looks like small side projects until you can determine if they will work and to what scale.To do this, you have to start where you are and with what you have. Imagine if someone hadn’t thought, “Wow, there has to be people just like me who really want a lightsaber?” There is in fact a market for Star Wars fans, and there is a market for something which you are passionate. Accidental entrepreneurship still has struggles, and often you find that a project doesn’t work out. When it doesn’t work out, the solution is to then take that knowledge and apply it to your next project. When it comes to going at business this third way, due to the low risk, you are able to keep trying and keep being creative.Unconventional BusinessChris gave up a lot and changed many of his habits over the past few years, and one habit he picked up is saying, “Congratulations,” in a variety of situations. One example he gave is that when it come to losing a job, he has found sometimes it opens up individuals to share about their issues at the job and what they would rather have been doing. In life, there is so much you cannot control, but Chris encourages you to focus on the 1% that you can control. Another way to go about entrepreneurship is through curiosity, and sometimes that looks like trying to see what your expertise, skills, and passions can offer to the world. Whenever you figure that out, the next step is taking action. You cannot get anywhere without the follow up of action.Timeline[02:10] “Some obstacles are more doable than you think with a little bit of curiosity and a little bit of chutzpah."[04:31] In a world of Covid, what can non-first responders and healthcare do? What do I have to offer, and how can I make myself available?[06:58] C.S. Lewis mirror books were written to reach a broader market as was Money Tree[08:32] What are the parameters of the first way to start a business?[08:58] What makes the second way both different from the first?[09:12] The large amount of risk in both way one and way two is what can deter so many.[09:23] The third way of starting a business is the accidental entrepreneurs: ordinary people doing what they care about and have knowledge of simply by starting with a skill or passion that they already have. [09:51] How does following the third way reduce a financial risk?[12:21] The idea of creating business based habits[13:51] Ask yourself what are the topics that people look to you to provide answers about. [15:05] If you really want to accomplish something, you’ll work hard at it even it means writing multiple drafts of the same book.[16:08] What do you do when something doesn’t pan out quite right?[17:08] “Challenge is the value.”[19:07] Stop saying sorry and instead, start saying, “Congratulations.”[20:22] "If 99% of things are out of your control, what is the 1% in your control? What are you going to do about it?”[20:56] Look at your skills and ask yourself what you can offer in an entrepreneur sense[21:38] What are the four things you can do differently?[22:07] Power of observation[25:35] There is always room for growth.

Chris Guillebeau on Financial Independence Amidst Entrepreneurship

Failure is a Part of the Testing Process, Keep TryingJoe Lemay is an entrepreneur who was enamored with the idea of developing an idea and finding a way to get it fully funded by potential consumers who believe he can follow through and provide that new product. Initially, he started out trying to develop and promote an app on this consumer-driven platform. However, he quickly learned that when it comes to Kickstarter and Indiegogo, they are better suited for physical products and gadgets. Even though his initial project was not successful long-term, he continued to try to create something. Eventually, he partnered with his friend Jake Epstein to create something called Rocketbook Wave. Rocketbook Wave is a reusable notebook that allows you to update your content into a cloud-based system within their app. Basically overnight, it had 99,000 pre-sales on crowdfunding. They created a clever way to make it reusable- the ink is erased when microwaved. Eventually with lots of mishaps along they way, the Wave became successful and led them to develop the Rocketbook Everlast. Today, they have multiple options of notebooks to choose from, so you can find which best suits your needs.Building Company Culture Around The Testing ProcessWhen it comes to a running a business, you need more than just a successful product to not only survive, but to thrive as well. A successful company requires investing time and resources into feedback, customer service, and a shared culture. One thing that Joe has always valued is testing, and he has used this as a cornerstone when building his company culture. They constantly test out all aspects of their company from products to emails. In today’s social systems, you can truly engage with customers in a way never done before. Joe utilizes customer insights and seeks them out to continuously improve their business and brand.One way that they are improving their brand is through a new product called Rocketbook Whiteboard Beacons. With this product, you can do everything you can with one of their notebooks, but with the formatting of white boards. In the days of hybrid businesses and schooling, this product is something that could cut costs and revolutionize virtual meetings. In this episode, we do more than just discuss products. We discuss overcoming failure in business, taking steps towards new ventures, cultivating a shared experience, and so much more! We think that Joe and Jake’s business has a lot to offer.Timeline02:27 How can you take the lessons that Joe shares and use them to overcome any friction you may be experiencing with a product?06:47 The concept of crowdfunding and how it influenced Joe.10:55 The transition from just a few pre-sales to thousands, and how it impacted Joe and Jeff.13:38 Dane’s discovery of Rocketbook.14:36 Dane learning how to make the product work for him.17:04 What does it take to go again as a business owner when it feels daunting and out of your depth for the moment you’re in?18:34 Learning to accept when something isn’t working.19:20 The benefits of taking a break.20:33 When it comes to a successful company, a good founding team and management team is very important. 21:49 Overcoming difficulties when initially creating Rocketbook Wave. 22:14 The influences of customer services in the initial stages of a business. 25:13 Not only is it the product but also the experience people have.25:31 What kind of leadership and culture is needed to leap from a viable product to a viable company?28:33 The purpose of customer service is keeping the customer happy and learning from them. 29:32 "Turn customer connections into customer insights.”31:13 As a leader, when you don’t always get great news, what do you do?32:42 What do we do with negative feedback?33:39 When it comes to a product, not everyone will ever understand. You need to find your segment of customers that do get it in order to be successful.36:05 The principle that Joe accents in his company. 39:56 Rocketbook Whiteboard Beacons and their uses.  

Joe Lemay on Overcoming Failure to Become a Crowdfunding Hit That Can Last

Change your habits and Get 1% Better Every DayDo you ever find yourself making fake deadlines only to push your endless to-do list off to the next day? You’re not alone. But, as James Clear explains, it doesn’t have to be this way.Becoming an ExpertJames studied biomechanics as an undergrad and business in grad school. Growing up, he played baseball competitively and even became an Academic/All American his senior year of college. He eventually started studying consumer and behavioral psychology before becoming an entrepreneur. His first book - Atomic Habits - has sold millions of copies in multiple languages around the world.Before all the accolades though, James experienced a near fatal traumatic injury in his sophomore year of high school when he was hit by a bat in the head.James was forced to start small with his recovery just to regain basic motor skills. It was his injury and agonizing efforts to get better that revealed the one thing he needed to understand most to succeed in life: There is rarely an epiphany or overnight transformation in life. Most of the time, real substantive transformation comes from thousands of atomic-level decisions.Going from traumatic injury to recovery is never an easy process. For James, it looked like becoming 1% better each day. Slowly, he created healthy mental habits while trying to also become healthy physically. James knows that none of those habits are really remarkable, but they gave him an aspect of control over his life when so much felt beyond his control.More Than ResultsJames holds that if we always measure the success our efforts by the result, we will put off happiness until the next milestone. If you do, you create a situation where you cannot reach happiness without accomplishing your goal. By focusing only on the result, you are also not allowing yourself to enjoy the process. In contrast, by focusing on fundamental habits and their inherent value, you can be happy every single time you work your system.When you want to make a change, ask yourself, “Who is the kind of person you would like to become?” You have to get yourself to a place where a habit becomes part of your identity. The repetition of experiences is what gives you data-driven proof that your identity is changing.Thus, success isn’t when you finally lose the metaphorical 30 lbs, but instead by becoming the kind of person who never misses the workout. When that’s true, the pounds take care of themselves.Whether you are trying to break bad habits or take on good ones at work or in life, I promise you James Clear can help. Gain access to all his great work at his website, JamesClear.com and at AtomicHabits.com.Timeline[01:33] James Clear Welcome to Converge[04:15] How did James become an expert on the subject of habits and behavior change?[05:20] Often, people pay more attention to the idea of habits than the habit itself. [07:55] The cognitive psychology movement in conglomeration with the behavior psychology movement were factors in the research done for his book. [08:53] James had an applied reality of habit change that he had to navigate. [08:58] A traumatic injury led to a loss of basic motor skills for James. [10:20] The process of going from injury to recovery[12:20] Does success happen overnight and out of the blue? Or is there more to it?[15:58 ]There is always a before to something happening. It does not happen overnight. You cannot make a leap without first making a running start.[17:26]  Systems over goals versus process over outcomes. [18:00 ]You must increase your surface area for luck or something good happening to you. Richard Hamming’s idea on this is, “That something happens to you is not luck, but what happens to you is luck.”[18:50] Why should we focus on the inherit value of habits over the instrumental value?[23:37] True behavior change is identity change. How do I change my identity and how I look at myself?[25:40] “Every action that you take is a vote for the type of person you want to become.”[26:56] What happens when we believes something about our identity that has no evidence to it? How do we solve this delusion?[28:25] How do we create and push change without having an identity crisis? How do we from a flatlined life find a catalytic movement?[31:14] Reading and education can be used to create a new narrative of yourself. [35:20] Why did you learn the beliefs you have about yourself?[37:39] The benefits of a fresh start. [37:59] The two ways to combat a destructive narrative.[40:05] Culture building in a company environment. [41:09] The two different habits of a workplace are habits of energy and habits of focus

James Clear on Forming Small Habits to Achieve Meaningful Results

We live in a world full of conflict. A friendly conversation takes an unexpected turn into an "Us v. Them” situation. And when it does, how exactly do we find a way to turn a potentially toxic trajectory around?Growing up, Jaz Ampaw-Farr endured enormous mental, physical, and sexual abuse, in addition to neglect. When she was young, she decided the best strategy as a person of color in those circumstances was to become as small as possible in the hopes of going unnoticed. As a British Citizen, Jaz sees this trend in persons of color in America in which shrinking becomes a survival technique… or to go in the opposite direction and be driven exclusively by anger and vitriol.  The legacy and story she wants to tell is one of doing everything she can with the resources she has to shift from shrinking in fear to standing in hope and grace. Jaz holds that sometimes the hard work is simply having a curious conversation. It is looking for and being with people who are different than you. Her advice: Resist the craving to get closure in these moments, but instead keep engaging. Jaz brings a much needed light to this conversation. She gifts us her vulnerability and uses it not only to inspire but to teach. Resources:To learn more about Jaz Ampaw-Farr visit:https://jazampawfarr.com/Outline[2:02] - Jaz, tell us your story.[6:39] Jaz says that she is often called inspirational, and her response always is, “Great, what have I inspired you to do?[09:05] Leadership isn’t what you do, but it’s what happens when you aren’t even in the room and this is shown through Jaz’s elementary school teacher Mrs. Cook[9:33] With people, kids in particular, what you things you do matters. You can do things to people, for people, and with people.[10:59] Labeled 3 Categories of Adults: 3 - Dangerous - 2 - Benign - 1 - Heroic/Guiding[12:24] - What is your perspective on shifting from the “small as possible” mindset that people of color are often advised to assume to confronting racial conflict and standing differently?[14:18] Playing small works as it can provide some protection, but the cost of it is giving up who you are and who you could potentially be. [16:27] Wanting change more than wanting to be right is how you start overcoming the fear of saying or doing the wrong thing. It is where you can start addressing unconscious bias. "For understandable and good reasons, people are protesting.”[18:49] Entice people with empathy, engage them in a conversation, and enroll them to your way of thinking. The idea of going straight to enrolling is wrong[22:16] Knowing what it is to have nothing can influence who you stand with and how you stand with them[26:11] - How do you manage to cross this chasm; on one side you are surviving and standing up against racial tension, and then on the other side you thrive in a hope for a better future? - what is the next step beyond where we are now?[27:14] The stages are suffer, survive, thrive, be alive and drive change. We tend to want to jump from a place of suffering to driving change, but the work must be put in to advance from each step. [31:49] When you move past suffering, surviving, and thriving, you see existence coinciding with real peace. It’s being alive[32:49] Driving change: Do, Engage, Be[33:14] If you are not ready to drive change, it is okay,  but you must own. Don’t blame external locus of controls.[40:56] - 2 Perspectives on racial discourse: How to navigate semantics respectfully as a white person, and how to resist closure/cancelling someone when they are not as careful as they could be.[42:18] When we engage, do we engage out of inspiration or out of desperation?

Jaz Ampaw-Farr on Reversing Toxic Trajectories

There s nothing better than working with a creative team of people who are the best at what they do. It brings out the best in you and enables you to reach new heights you previously only dreamed of. Imagine for a moment, what might happen if you could build a company full of those kinds of people? It s likely, the growth and innovation your team experiences would be non-stop. That s what Taylor Holiday and the team at Common Thread Collective are experiencing – and as a result, they ve grown from zero to hero in a ridiculously short period of time (3 years). You’re about to hear a revealing conversation between real friends (as opposed to colleagues, and there is a difference). You re going to hear the process of growth Taylor and his team have gone through – and are still going through – in order to be the kind of team they truly want to be, not what others expect them to be. I feel confident selling our service because worst-case, our clients break even. Common Thread Collective is dedicated to helping product sales companies drive revenue through their eCommerce websites. Their clients spend $50K to $1 million per month on marketing and advertising that generates revenue for their brands. They do it by leveraging the new media purchasing economy that operates on daily budgets. That kind of attention enables them to keep close tabs on their client s campaigns because there s always a way to stop a failing effort and do something different. But they ve added another dimension to what they do – because they care about the start-up stage entrepreneurs, who they were finding more and more difficult to serve as the company scaled. Through their new platform, YourAdMission.co they have created a membership community that equips first-stage entrepreneurs to develop the skills they need at a price they can afford. Listen to learn more. To build a creative team made up of the best in the world, the mission had to change. Taylor s company started out with a very different mission than they have today. At first, they were seeking to Be the best in the world at selling products online. But they discovered that they weren t being consistent in carrying out the mission. That realization forced the team to evaluate whether they were willing to do what the mission required – and the answer was No – from everyone on the leadership team. That began the journey of discovering a new mission that the team was truly behind, to genuinely ask themselves what they wanted for themselves. Once they discovered that mission, it made the behaviors required to attain it much easier – and nobody was left feeling guilty for not hitting a target they felt they should accomplish, but weren t fully invested in. If I m going to ask you to work for me, I have to be invested in you as well. ~ Taylor Holiday Early on, Taylor and his partners asked themselves, Why would anyone come work for our little start-up? They were located in Orange County, California so appealing, world-class companies were just outside their door. The team came to the decision that they had to care about their employees more than anyone else was willing to do. Practically, that means that the trade of salary for time wasn t enough. They had to be invested in the employee at least as much as the employee was invested in the company. They had to ask, What would it mean to help our creative team get where they want to go, personally? As a result – and because of a desire to live consistently with their mission – they spend an inordinate amount of time and budget to empower employees to accomplish their own dreams. Ironically, many of those dreams wind up revolving around Common Thread Collective. Listen to learn how it all happened and how it s playing out day to day, on this episode of Converge. When you empower your creative team to fulfill their personal dreams, you might create your own competition… What happens if you work to help a person on your team achieve their personal dreams – and those dreams turn out to be competitive to what you re doing as a company? Taylor says that prospect isn t threatening to him because his goal is to empower entrepreneurs. It doesn t matter to him if it happens because what he sets up in the process is of much greater value than the risk it creates. Taylor also sees that sort of competition as a good thing for everyone involved. It forces everyone playing the game to improve in their own skills in order to rise to the top – or else they don t stay in the game at all. You ll be encouraged by the abundant, generous attitude Taylor has about equipping his team to be their best selves, and how it s paying off. Outline of this great episode [0:22] Why Taylor s story is great for anyone who wants to learn practical ways to make a difference [1:29] The state of real friends in a world of colleagues – and what Common Thread is about [4:00] How things have shifted when it comes to using media to promote services and products [7:40] Creating an economic model that makes sense for first-stage entrepreneurs [12:23] Taylor s empathy for team members and how it impacts his team dynamics [20:55] Implementing a mission the team was actually willing to accomplish [27:39] The current marketplace and the challenge of finding the best talent [31:52] How Taylor has created a company where only one employee has ever chosen to leave [34:47] Why Taylor believes entirely that those with dreams can accomplish them Resources & Links mentioned in this episode Gary Vaynerchuk: https://www.garyvaynerchuk.com/ Marissa Meyer: https://www.marissameyer.com/ Taylor Holiday s Resources Common Thread Collective: https://commonthreadco.com/ http://YourAdmission.co Taylor on Twitter: https://twitter.com/taylorholiday Taylor on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/taylor-holiday-a169b322/ Connect with the Converge team: Website: www.Fastermind.co Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/followdane/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danesanders Twitter: https://twitter.com/danesanders Audio Production and Show notes by PODCAST FAST TRACK: http://www.podcastfasttrack.com The post S.4 Ep. 006 – How To Build A Creative Team That Never Wants To Leave, with Taylor Holiday appeared first on Fastermind.co.

S.4 Ep. 006 – How To Build A Creative Team That Never Wants To Leave, with Taylor Holiday

Many of the people who listen to Converge are creatives – freelance photographers, artists, interior designers, and others. They know that moving from the time-for-money trade that freelancing requires to the establishment of a business as an entrepreneur is not easy. If you’re reading this, you are likely one of those people. David Jay is a guy whose journey from freelancer to business owner was very natural in terms of how he was gifted, but that doesn t mean it was easy. He s experienced many obstacles along the way, the biggest one being himself. Join Dane and David for this revealing conversation. It highlights the valleys of self-discovery we all have to walk in order to become the best version of ourselves, which in turn equips us to bring our best to the world we are meant to serve. You ll enjoy this episode. When you only have one option, you tend to find a way One of the situations that David found himself in was centered around the tension he felt while he was trying to finish up his college degree. He knew he wanted to do things outside the realm of the education he was getting, and he felt he should do them right away. He decided to drop out of college and pursue his dream of being a freelance photographer. To him, it was an intentional choice of putting his back against the wall so that he had to make his choice work. Once he did that, it didn t matter how many people criticized his decision or felt he was heading in a bad direction, the desire to prove his worth in spite of having no degree fueled him. It wasn t the best motivation, but it worked for a while. Today, even David says that at some point you want to get beyond that kind of ego-driven motivation and find something that matters more. You ll hear David s personal journey including how he came to discover his own “something more” if you take the time to listen. As a freelance photographer David tried to focus on serving people – and he always had plenty of work Once David made it past the stage of trying to prove himself to his critics, he remembered something his father said to him. If you focus on serving people, you ll always have enough work. He made the shift, centered his photography business around doing what was best for his clients, and he found a new satisfaction in what he was doing as a freelancer. But his entrepreneurial itch wasn t being scratched. He had to do something more, something bigger and aimed at serving more people. So he began creating products that could serve those who were in the same shoes he wore: freelance photographers. You ll hear about some of the amazing products he and partners have created, how those businesses are doing today, and how he discovered that the entrepreneurial road is one of the best paths to discovering who you are, warts and all. Don t be an idiot and quit your job: Let things play out as they should We ve all heard the amazing stories of people who gave up everything to pursue their dreams. But we usually only hear about the successful versions of that familiar tale. There are many who don t fare so well. David never recommends that a person with a family that is depending on their 9 to 5 paycheck should drop their job to pursue a dream. Instead, he suggests you work at your dream on the side, in increments, waiting for things to play out as they should. When you do, you ll be amazed at how much you can accomplish through small steps over time. This should be an encouragement to all of you who find yourselves stuck in a job that isn t fulfilling. It shows that you can create your own fulfillment and grow it into something larger than you can even conceive if you stick to it and put in the work required. Build your product and business around the gifts you have – happiness will follow David s journey illustrates how success without fulfillment is a very empty thing. Through his struggles and the things they revealed about his own character, he was able to discover an ongoing, repeatable cycle of growth: learn about himself, make an adjustment, and pivot toward a better direction. One of the most powerful things he learned is that he didn t have to build his business like everyone else. He didn t have to follow an entrepreneurial model that wasn t aligned with his personality or gifts. Instead, he learned to build his business and his services around the gifts and strengths he had. And guess what – he was more happy doing it. Don t miss this episode. David s honesty and humility are a refreshing antidote to the formulaic approach to the entrepreneurial path you hear these days. He’ll give you some practical, wise advice to follow. Outline of this great episode [0:22] The creative life of a freelancer and how it can morph into entrepreneurism [1:45] Dane s testimony of how David is the kind of guy you want to model your life after [3:09] David s career – college drop-out, photographer, freelancer, entrepreneur [7:36] The better motivations you can use to drive yourself forward [9:29] Service to others provides you plenty of opportunities to make a living [11:32] It took a downward spiral to put David s life into perspective for him [13:27] The slow realization that scalable products were a better path [17:25] Forcing things into existence before they are ready is a sure way to get burned [20:22] A rule of thumb for telling if an idea is ripe: listen [26:01] Learning what feedback is helpful and how to kill your baby (product idea) [28:57] How to develop the self awareness to understand what you should do [34:52] Healthier than ever in the pursuit of things – and the ripple effects that ensue [36:21] The best place to start to get your life in order: common language [38:48] The future of entrepreneurship – from David s perspective Resources & Links mentioned in this episode SPONSOR : White House Custom Color : http://whcc.com BOOK : Love Is The Killer App : https://www.amazon.com/dp/1400046831 Pictage : https://www.slrlounge.com/pictage-finally-closes-its-doors/ SmugMug : https://www.SmugMug.com/ Facetime : https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204380 http://Showit.co – a photo gallery run by one of David s former partners Giant Worldwide : https://GiantWorldwide.com/ – leadership & coaching company Myers Briggs : https://www.myersbriggs.org/my-mbti-personality-type/mbti-basics/ David Jay s Resources Pass : https://PassGallery.com/ – David s photography gallery tool Follow David on Twitter: https://twitter.com/FREEdavidjay http://Agree.com – one of the services David created http://WarmWelcome.com – One of David s services Connect with the Converge team: Website: www.Fastermind.co Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/followdane/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danesanders Twitter: https://twitter.com/danesanders Audio Production and Show notes by PODCAST FAST TRACK: http://www.podcastfasttrack.com The post S.4 Ep. 005 – How To Go From Freelance Photographer To Entrepreneur, with David Jay appeared first on Fastermind.co.

S.4 Ep. 005 – How To Go From Freelance Photographer To Entrepreneur, with David Jay

It only takes one Google search to find hundreds, maybe even thousands of people telling you to pursue an adventurous life. Many of them define that as a lifestyle that abandons the normal things of life like a career and a stable home environment in exchange for a nomadic approach to life. But what if you don t want to abandon those things, but still want adventure to be a regular part of your life? Theresa Christine can help you. It s what she does. This episode of Converge highlights the tension between the desire many of us feel to fuel your wanderlust and maintain stability at the same time. Dane chats with Theresa about why the digital nomad lifestyle is not the only option – and why it shouldn t be, as well as a host of other tangential topics aimed at helping you feed your own desire for adventure no matter where you are in life. Please take the time to listen. The options today are limitless. How do you choose the best path for yourself? The connected nature of life these days that technology provides puts an entire world of opportunities and insights at everyone s fingertips. If you want to know something or learn how to do something, it s only a screen away. In such a vast supermarket of ideas, how do you choose the ones that best fit you and actually lead to the kind of life you want? You might need a guide – and Theresa Christine has proven herself to be one worthy of consideration. In this conversation, you ll hear her story: growing up in the south, moving to the Big Apple, and finding herself drawn to a slower pace of life but still feeling the longing for a life of adventure. She began blogging about her struggle while exploring what it means to adventure, and in doing so has become an experienced fellow traveler who is a bit farther down the road that most of us – which makes her advice spot-on most of the time. You hear all the time that anyone can travel. Here s why that attitude irritates Theresa You ll hear it in the first few minutes of almost any travel blog or vlog: Anyone can travel. But Theresa says it simply isn t true. Real life often places real demands on us: we care for an elderly parent or are beset by a debilitating handicap or illness. For those of us in those shoes, it’s frustrating to listen to such sweeping claims. But even in those situations, there are still ways to experience a life of adventure, you just have to rethink what adventure really is and how it can fit into your everyday experience. This is a truth Theresa has discovered along her own path and she specializes in helping others work it out in their own lives. Listen to this conversation – perhaps you ll find a kindred spirit in Theresa. Maybe you’ll find a guide. Advice to creators: Produce things so valuable that your audience becomes your ideal client You only have to read Theresa s blog – Tremendous Times – to discover that she has a talent for providing tremendous value to a very particular audience. Anybody who loves travel but doesn t necessarily have the time or ability to travel themselves will love her recaps and highlights of the periodic trips she takes. Her writing appeals to that particular set of readers because she understands the unique place where a desire to experience the world seems to conflict with the responsibilities of everyday life. Theresa refers to these people – her target readers – as ideal clients. Her business philosophy is simple: Provide things of such amazing value to your basic reader that they will stand in line to get what you create when there is actually something for sale. It s a slow process to build on that philosophy, but one that has proven to be successful and scalable. Pursue what you want to pursue, knowing failure will be involved In a world where almost everybody publishes some form of a Facebook face or Instagram image that only highlights the good things in life, it s easy to think that you re the only one who struggles or experiences setbacks. Theresa wants you to know it s not true. Every path she s pursued has had its share of setbacks and failures. It s that way for everyone. Knowing that helps you muster up the courage to pursue what you want to pursue in spite of the difficulty because if somebody has done it before, you can too. Theresa hopes to serve her readers/ideal clients as an example of someone who’s taking the journey in spite of her failures. Outline of this great episode [0:13] Why it s important to create adventure anyplace you are – Theresa s story [3:41] Lessons-learned from her readers as she built her blog following [6:31] The search to determine the best priorities in a world of vast opportunities [8:50] How Theresa s experience has been the same as her ideal client, yet different [13:26] You don t have to go to a big city or travel extensively to be exposed to the world [18:47] Why Theresa refers to her readers as ideal clients [26:20] The Postcards to Your Future Self project [30:10] Theresa s recommended books and tools [36:56] The moral of Theresa s story: Pursue what you want to pursue, knowing failure will be involved Resources & Links mentioned in this episode Converge episode with Paco De Leon Chris Guillebeau – BOOK: The Happiness of Pursuit: http://a.co/d/hNIiiGL BOOK: Your Money or Your Life: http://a.co/d/g1ruWVX BOOK: Content Rules: http://a.co/d/j0L7ZrM BOOK: Everybody Writes: http://a.co/d/4uXibtk BOOK: Shoe Dog: http://a.co/d/a3GM3wL BOOK: You ll Grow Out Of It: http://a.co/d/d16UU1D BOOK: In Other Words: http://a.co/d/7xxjdEV TOOL: Trello: http://trello.com APP: Day One: https://dayoneapp.com/ Theresa Christine s Resources Blog: Tremendous Times Theresa on Twitter: https://twitter.com/itsmetheresac Theresa s Instagram account: https://www.instagram.com/itsmetheresac/ Theresa on Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/tremendoustimes/ The Postcard To My Future Self Instagram account: https://www.instagram.com/postcardtomyfutureself/ Connect with the Converge team: Website: www.Fastermind.co Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/followdane/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danesanders Twitter: https://twitter.com/danesanders Audio Production and Show notes by PODCAST FAST TRACK: http://www.podcastfasttrack.com The post S.4 Ep. 004 – How to Pursue an Adventurous Life in the Midst of Normal with Theresa Christine appeared first on Fastermind.co.

S.4 Ep. 004 – How to Pursue an Adventurous Life in the Midst of Normal with Theresa Christine

Converge: The Business of Creativity Podcast, hosted by Dane Sanders, explores the concentric circles of creating great things and finding innovative ways to profit from what you've made.