Cool Things Entrepreneurs Do

Ernesto Verdugo helps baby boomers and Gen Xers think and earn like successful YouTubers.   Ernesto is best defined as a Change Catalyst because his interventions create results in record times. His speaking style quickly engages audiences and individuals to change and think differently. His presentations are thought provoking, entertaining, insightful and straight to the point. Participants on his events are always left with a strong urge to take action. He is a master in the art of anticipation. An avid trend hunter ready to identify new opportunities in the horizon for individuals and organizations. Ernesto has been speaking and training since 1994 and has worked with tens of thousands of individuals from over 120 countries in 57 different countries. Simply, Google his name and you’ll find among the over 460,000 results, he is listed as the 247th most traveled human being in the universe. He works with a wide range of global organizations and provides them with a competitive edge based on his unique unde

Episode 696 is a chat with Jay Baer, a marketing consultant and Hall of Fame Speaker. Jay knows customers and he is a Licensed Tequila Sommelier. About Jay Baer Jay Baer is the world’s most inspirational customer experience, customer service, and marketing keynote speaker. New York Times best-selling author of six books. A 7th-generation entrepreneur. The founder of five, multi-million dollar companies. Certified tequila sommelier. Lover of all things plaid. Jay Baer, CSP, CPAE has spent 29 years in digital marketing and customer experience, consulting for more than 700 companies during that period, including 36 of the FORTUNE 500. He’s the founder of Convince & Convert, a consultancy that provides content marketing, social media, and customer experience advice and counsel to some of the world’s most important brands. His newest book, Talk Triggers, is the complete guide to creating customers using strategic, operational differentiators that compel word of mouth. In the best companies, the customers do th

This is the last episode of "Making Waves at C-Level" for 2021. What a two years it has been. Thom Singer shares how he got focused to set clear goals for the new year... and the three areas of focus he will have moving forward: Mind, Body, and Money. In the last two years he had lost some of his mojo due to the closing of the in-person meeting business where he had worked for over a decade. His income went to zero for a while, and he had to get scrappy to survive. Now he has many areas of business that he is engaged in to earn money (instead of just being a speaker), but it also means for the first time in his life he needs more structure and systems in place to ensure things do not fall through the cracks.   He shares the process he went through in this short episode that is available on on the podcast apps and on YouTube at https://youtube.com/c/thomsinger. (Please subscribe to his YouTube Channel). Thanks for being a listener in 2021. Thom wants your feedback and guest ideas for the new year.   http:/

This episode of "Making Waves at C-Level" is one of two solo episodes with Thom Singer sharing his thought. In this "rant" he talks about what he learned the last two years in the pandemic.   For many the business experiences during Covid have been very different. Some were hit hard, others simply worked from home and had little other disruptions. Thom is honest and open about the bumps in the road he faced, and now that things are better, he shares what he did to get from there to here. Thanks for being part of this podcast. Thom wants all people who listen to this episode to reach out to him via social media or by email at Thom@ThomSinger.com https://thomsinger.com/podcast/what-I-learned Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Competitive pricing strategy is key to not leaving money on the table. How to price your product or service is often a cost plus idea - with a focus on desired profit margins. But there are more indepth ways to do this right. The guest on this episode is Mark Stiving from Impact Pricing. He is the Chief Pricing Educator, and he helps companies win more business at higher prices (who doesn't want that?). In this conversation Mark shares his brilliance around value based pricing, how to price for products, services, and subscription based offerings. Mark helps his clients have a value based mindset and to re-think how the set their pricing strategies.  You can learn more about Mark at Impact Pricing (www.ImpactPricing.com). About Impact Pricing The mission at Impact Pricing is to educate companies about value based pricing, which simply means charge what a customer is willing to pay. Once a company starts down that path, it’s quickly apparent that they require a much deeper understanding of value. By starti

Our guest, John Nepper, speaks to educators and administrators to create more connection. After 35 years as a band director he is now a joyful teacher in a world of human potential.  About John Nepper After 35 years as a professional music educator, and earning a black belt in Karate, you could say that John Nepper has a black belt as a professional educator.  And while it’s true that he can break a patio block in half with his bare hands, what really matters is that John can break workplace culture, staff retention, and employee morale strategies into small, easy-to-digest, and implementable pieces that can be applied quickly to make positive changes. This means that administrators and principals keep the best and brightest staff members, keep them motivated to do well in their jobs, and experience less stress for themselves.  Honored as Kenosha, WI Unified Schools Teacher of the Year, and a recipient of the Herb Kohl Educational Fellowship, John Nepper works with school district administrators and schoo

About Bill Humbert Bill Humbert is unusual in his field. He has over 40 years of Expert Recruitment experience spanning many industries. He has recruited and consulted with companies from start-ups as small as 11 professionals, including the Venture Capitalist, to major international corporations with tens of thousands of employees. His model is to work with One company at a time and charge a flat monthly fee. This enables him to recruit from C-Level to Laborer, and consult on recruitment process improvement. During a recruiting contract with MCI Telecommunications in 1993, the recruitment advertising manager in Dallas called him “RecruiterGuy”. On this contract, MCI was transitioning Commercial Billing IT Development from Washington, D.C. to Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Bill was informed that in the first 12 months of the contract from January 1, 1993 to December 31, 1993, the managers and he needed to hire and have a minimum of 120 IT professionals from Senior Manager to staff Programmers in their seats in Cedar R

On this episode of the "Making Waves at C-Level" podcast, Thom Singer talks with the author of "Weird Girl Adventures", Shelley Brown. Shelley is a speaker and and expert on belonging and well-being. In this conversation she shares her formulas on how to help people find their sense of belonging. Thom adds to the chat that in 2022 it is the year of the weird. No longer does one have to look the same or wear the right clothes to be part of the team. Individuality rules in today's world.    About Shelley Brown Shelley Brown was working in a cocktail bar soon after graduating college when she met the people who would change her life. They worked in hospitality at the Westin Hotel in Chicago, and they thought she’d be a good addition to their team. They were right. She interviewed for and landed the job of concierge, or as she refers to it, “professional friend.” To Shelley, this was the perfect job for her considering her mantra was, “Who can I make friends with today?” Her job was to provide resources, buil

Kenneth Kinney is a marketing expert and speaker who has worked with dozens of large and small companies to help them grow through marketing. In a world with lots of conflicting advice on marketing, Kenneth takes a realistic view and helps companies have a consistent message. He is also one of those people who chooses to go diving with real live sharks.  About Kenneth Kinney Kenneth "Shark" Kinney is a dynamic keynote speaker, author, experienced marketing consultant, and growth executive. He is passionate about lead generation and leveraging data in omni-channel strategies and is known for driving growth in Digital Marketing and Addressable TV.     Recognized as one of the industry's top Marketing, Customer Experience, and Technology Speakers, Kenneth brings deep level expertise in Lead Generation, Marketing, Customer Experience, and TV and Digital Advertising, Shark has served, worked with, and consulted for hundreds of small, medium, and large businesses and non-profit organizations.  He has led nationa

If your association of company hosts an annual meeting for members or clients, you should consider hosting a podcast that is dedicated to promoting your event. Keep people engaged before, during, and after you meeting with a customized podcast that has 6, 12, or 52 episodes. Thom Singer has been hosing podcasts for over 7 years, and is now working with associations and companies to create short run podcasts to help market the conference and keep people engaged long after they fly home. There are four reasons to have special podcast that centers on your conference: 1. Promote the event before, during, and after the on-site meeting. 2. Repurpose content. 3. Interview key players; speakers, sponsors, industry VIPs, and attendees. 4. Keep the community engaged. Having fresh content each week is a great way to reach out to people without just sending marketing and sales copy. Your podcast, when done right, will have in-depth interviews and information that cannot be round anywhere else. This will make people p

Growing your career is one thing, but keeping it going is something else. The guest on episode 687 knows how to not only "Raise Your Game"... but how to "Sustain Your Game". Alan Stein Jr is a speaker, author, and performance expert who has a lot of great advice on how to succeed as an individual and a team. Alan Stein Jr is the hardest working person in the speaking business. He began his keynote career five years ago, and is now one of the busiest speakers in the United States. He has a great attitude and a work ethic that is hard to beat.  About Alan Stein Jr. Alan Stein, Jr. is an experienced keynote speaker and author. At his core, he’s a performance coach with a passion for helping others change behaviors. He spent 15+ years working with the highest performing basketball players on the planet (including NBA superstars Kevin Durant, Steph Curry, and Kobe Bryant). Through his customized programs, he transfers his unique expertise to maximize both individual and organizational performance. Alan is a dy

In Episode 686 we talk about thriving in business over the long run. The guest, Dave Yoho, started his business in 1962 and has run the daily operations as president every day for nearly 60 years. He is now 93 years old and is still learning, growing, and making decisions to expand his business.  We talk about how the word of business has changed, and how it has stayed the same. People still struggle with sales, marketing, training, hiring, business plans, replicable models, etc...  Dave Yoho is dedicated to understanding the needs of others and how to convey messages which will benefit his clients, readers, and audience members in finding solutions to problems. His secret to success and longevity? Energy, Persuasion, Optimism, and Discipline.   Thom closes the interview by pointing out that many people look to the 22 years old entrepreneur for advice, when looking to someone with nearly 7 decades in business might be a better way to find a path to long-term success.  About Dave Yoho Founded a company at

Episode 685 is a conversation about company culture. In starting your company, growing your company, or managing the move to a virtual workplace, the culture is key to success. The guest on this show, Rich Walker, has been obsessed with culture even before he started his company.  In this interview he shares 4 key tips to the culture of his organization: 1. We must design software so easy to use that it does not need a users guide. 2. We must provide outstanding customer service. 3. We love what we do and we hire people to roles they want and love. 4. We do what we say we are going to do.  About Richard Walker Richard Walker is the CEO and co-founder of Quik!. Having started 10 companies since age 12, published 2 books, and father to three boys, Richard empowers people to do their best work. Prior to starting Quik!, Richard was a financial advisor with Financial Network and a business consultant with Arthur Andersen. He started Quik! in 2002 to help people spend less time on paperwork and more time on w

In episode 684 Thom Singer talks with tech sales superstar Chris Bussing about how to "Get The Meeting". Sales is a great career, but before you can get to closing the big sales and collecting the commission, you have to get the meeting with the prospect. Throughout his sales career, Chris Bussing has been applauded for his talents in getting past the voicemail, reaching prospects, and getting the meetings.   In this interview Chris Bussing shares his five tips and the "TRUMP CARD" of how to get meetings. When working in a sales career, lead generation is just the first step. It is convincing that lead to talk to the sales professional / business development executive. Figuring out the right mindset and understanding ways to objection handling is key to a successful sales career.   Chris Bussing says: Nothing is better than a warm lead (this is the "Trump Card" key to getting appointments). But if you do not have an introduction from a mutual connection, the 5 tips are: 1. Relate like a rock start 2. Chan

Episode 683 is a conversations with Bob Pike. Bob helps people unlock learning and unleash performance. People are told to learn, but not taught to learn. He spent his long career showing others the power of learning. He built a multi-million dollar training and consulting company that he sold (but that does not mean he retired! He is still actively teaching and motivating others). Starting as a pastor her joined a training company, and then another training company, before realizing he could not earn everything he wanted if other people were calling the shots. He has learned along the way to invest in himself and others in good times and bad. And even though he has had some situations where others took advantage of him in business, he never stopped. He actively decided to make everything a lesson and recommit to growth.   Some key points in this interview: 1. Invest in people 2. learn from every situation 3. take risks 4. Break goals down into smaller ones and let everyone contribute 5. Work with Passion

For episode 682, Thom Singer sits down with Mark Victor Hansen to talk about how when you "A.S.K. you G.E.T.". This is a motivational interview that will challenge you to think bigger.   About Mark Victor Hansen Mark Victor Hansen is best known as the co-author for the Chicken Soup for the Soul book series and brand, setting world records in book sales, with over 500 million books sold. Mark also worked his way into a worldwide spotlight as a sought-after keynote speaker, and entrepreneurial marketing maven, creating a stream of successful people who have created massive success for themselves through Mark’s unique teachings and wisdom. With his endearing charismatic style, Mark captures his audience’s attention as well as their hearts. Having spoken to over 6,000 audiences world-wide with his one-of-a-kind technique and masterful authority of his work, time and again he continues to receive high accolades from his audiences as one of the most dynamic and compelling speakers and leaders of our time. He is

In this interview, Kymberli Speight sits down and shares her definition of networking and why business relationships matter.   About Kymberli Speight Kymberli Speight believes in enhancing your personal brand to reach your target audience. She is an author, professional speaker and executive coach. She wrote the book I Need To Know You: How to Meet Ordinary Extraordinary People and Improve Your Life where she chronicles her journey meeting 100 people in 100 days—their stories—and what she learned along the way. Kymberli knows people do business with, promote, and hire people they know, like, and trust, but first you must become known. She also believes that people’s stories play a powerful role in changing the lives of others. Everyone, not just celebrities, has a story worth being told. She regularly speaks to audiences about networking and improving your personal brand. “Kymberli is an excellent presenter, and brought the material to life even in a virtual setting. Kymberli brought an interesting appro

In episode 680 of the "Making Waves at C-Level" podcast, we meet Jill Raff. She is an expert on employee experience and in this interview she shares how to be an employer of choice via how you treat you people. When you build the right culture inside your company, you positively impact the bottom line.   About Jill Raff Jill Raff is the globally recognized expert, amongst the Top 150 Global Customer Experience Thought Leaders and Influencers, who works with executive leadership who recognizes the paradigm shift; the non-negotiable creation of a more humanized work culture prioritizing their internal customers, their employees.  Through speaking, consulting, courses, and workshops, Jill helps clients, such as McDonald’s and Coca-Cola, that acknowledge their people are their greatest asset, and need help creating systems and procedures to develop the collaborative culture which exhibits this core value. Work with Jill to become the Employer of Choice and gain employee and customer lifetime value through her

In episode 679 Cheryl Jones joins the conversation on "Making Waves at C-Level" to talk about MINDSET. She helps people change what they do so that they can reach their dreams. People often get stuck in their minds, and Chery is an expert in helping people see how their thoughts are misleading them. About Cheryl Jones Cheryl C Jones is a speaker, author, and mindset transformation coach. She works with successful women who secretly struggle with impostor syndrome, self-sabotage, or over-worry and are ready to make BIG changes in their lives. When she speaks, she delivers informative and interactive presentations that immediately transform minds and behavior. When she coaches, she identifies and clears the thoughts and beliefs that have limited her client’s ability to accomplish her goals – freeing her to soar to greater heights.   Cheryl has over 25 years of experience influencing the way individuals think to be more positive and proactive. She has shaped the thinking of those in the medical, hospitality, s

On this episode of "Making Waves at C-Level" we hear from Rick Lozano, the author of Acoustic Leadership. He shares his person journey and how when he added his passion for music into his business, it all came together. Be sure to listen to the whole interview, as the parody song about how people send annoying LinkedIn connection requests is unique and fun. About Rick Lozano Rick Lozano, CSP, helps people unlock potential and amplify their talent, and he does it all with his unique blend of energy, expertise, and a musician’s soul.   With twenty years of experience in award-winning talent and leadership development programs, Rick brings his unique approach to audiences across the globe, combining his expertise as a world-class speaker with his talents as a singer/songwriter and musician.   He is the author of Acoustic Leadership – Develop A Leadership Culture That Resonates and the owner of Unlock & Amplify®. He has built a reputation for his refreshing delivery that leaves audiences raving and - more impor