Today's Business Leaders With Gabe Arnold

Sales and marketing outreach can be time-consuming and challenging, but they are necessary to close a sale. Jessie Beaudoin understands these challenges firsthand, and that is what prompted him to create Call Action. Find out more about how Call Action can help your business as Jessie explains the services available to Gabe and his listeners in this installment of Today’s Business Leaders. Identifying a Need The general concept of all forms of marketing, whether online or offline, is to get inquiries. These inquiries can come in the form of phone calls, text messages or email. Continually reaching out and remembering to follow up with prospective leads is completely necessary. This constant communication requires significant organization and juggling it all can be difficult. First-Hand Experience Jessie started working for a mortgage lender, then branched out to building websites while still working in the mortgage and real estate industries. He understood the difficulty of following up with leads and closi

When Johnathan Grzybowski started Penji, his subscription graphic design business, he used the lessons learned from running his graphic design agency to set his new company up for success. Johnathan chats with Gabe about failure, focusing on your strengths and setting goals in this episode of Today’s Business Leaders. The Value of Failure Before he even had the idea to launch his subscription service, Johnathan was overseeing a graphic design firm. The business did well, and he was making money, but Johnathan felt he and his team were not cut out for agency life. The agency team always delivered high-quality design, but the business lagged in other areas. Johnathan found the experience draining. Evaluating the team’s strengths and failures spurred the creation of Penji, an unlimited graphic design service. Build on Your Strengths Since design was his team’s skill, Johnathan decided to build his new business around that and get rid of the other aspects of the agency. Penji allowed Johnathan and his collabora

From putting together a business plan to purchase a bicycle to helping a company go public to running a successful consulting firm, Terry Ogburn has a wealth of business experience. In this installment of Today’s Business Leaders, Terry shares actionable advice and insightful guidance he has collected along the way. The Customer is the Boss One constant through all of Terry’s business ventures has been an emphasis on customer service. While running an air conditioning repair company, Terry rearranged how scheduling was done to better fit his customer’s schedules. He also created a policy for his techs to clean up after they finished working on a unit simply to ensure the client was impressed and satisfied. These changes were simple to implement, but this superior service meant customers stayed with his company. This added customer service helped him build a large and loyal following of customers. The success of the company made it easy for Terry to later sell the company, because the dedicated customer base

Claudia Vidal knew she had a greater purpose, but fear was holding her back. After finding inspiration and support from friends and loved ones she decided to share her message with the world. In today’s installment of Today’s Business Leaders, Claudia shares her insightful wisdom on finding balance and happiness in life. Finding Inspiration For nine years Claudia worked in the nonprofit field. The work was challenging and she liked helping people, but felt she was unable to do enough in the capacity of her job. At the same time she found her coworkers would seek her out for advice, and her loved ones realized she had a knack for resolving issues and inspiring others. Eventually, Claudia decided it was time to follow her dream and go about assisting people in a new way that would fulfill her sense of wanting to help. Start Sooner In the span of one month Claudia wrote and self published her now best-selling book, Start Sooner. Her book is about consciousness and how to become the best version of yourself again

Nick Loper started out painting houses and now runs several successful businesses as an entrepreneur. He took some time to talk to Gabe about why he can’t work a normal job, knowing when to pull the plug on bad ideas and more. Check out this episode to pick up some actionable advice from Nick, and afterward, catch up on the entire Today’s Business Leaders lineup to hear more inspiring stories and quality tips.Learning How to Be an Entrepreneur Nick’s first serious job came in college. He worked for a company that set up students to run their own house painting businesses. Nick found the experience both stressful and rewarding, but afterward, he realized he enjoyed being his own boss and there was no going back. He wasn’t suited to work a normal job. That didn’t stop him from trying, but shortly into his tenure working at a major corporation, he decided to try his hand at doing his own thing. Nick turned his various side hustles into businesses and he currently runs a company that reviews virtual assistants w

Tim Forrest has turned skills in sales and marketing into a successful consulting firm that is celebrating 20 years in business. Along the way, Tim has learned many lessons and achieved some satisfying goals. Tim took time to talk with Gabe about his varied career for this installment of Today’s Business Leaders. Breaking Into the Business Tim has always had entrepreneurial tendencies. As a child, he would sell items, and he did very well selling door to door. After earning his degree, Tim started out loading trucks, and he has continued to move up ever since. Helping Clients Build Their Businesses    Over the years, Tim has assembled a varied client list. He has worked with everyone from large corporations to brand new startups. During this time, Tim realized the basic principles are the same. When working with small clients, Tim mimics the success of larger companies by scaling down their strategies to fit his client. These strategies are effective and can help entrepreneurs build their businesses. Learning

Building a startup is a lot of work. Just ask Jay Crouch. As an experienced entrepreneur, Jay has tried his hand at a variety of business endeavors, including founding his own enterprises. Jay is now in the business of helping entrepreneurs scale their companies and make informed decisions. Jay took the time to talk to Gabe about his journey, how to treat employees and how to structure a company. Starting Out While in college, Jay studied physics, but after realizing the field had limited opportunities, he went into computer science. With a degree in hand, Jay graduated just as the dot-com bubble burst. He was hired by a variety of companies and ultimately began working in the technical aspect of startups. Jay went on to found several companies and is now working as an advisor. Being an entrepreneur was something Jay did out of necessity - it was never his plan. Jay actually didn’t realize he was an entrepreneur until he started his fourth company. The Value of Good People When starting a business, the produc

Gary and James of Team IBB make their second appearance on Today’s Business Leaders for more fun, good conversation and actionable advice. Listen to their first appearance on the show and check out the rest of the episodes to pick up more tips and inspiring entrepreneurial stories. Becoming Entrepreneurs James never intended to become an entrepreneur, but he got his start while working to promote his band and selling tickets to shows. He learned that to be successful, it is necessary to be passionate about what he is selling. Later, his education set him on the course to become an entrepreneur, and when he met Gary through a mutual friend, things began to fall into place. Benefits of Teamwork Every individual has different strengths and weaknesses, and a well-structured team gives members the chance to do the things they are good at. As Team IBB has grown and Gary and James have expanded the company, they make certain to allow each team member to become experts in what they do. Having a dedicated profession

PJ Glassy, the founder of X Gym, took some time to chat with Gabe about brain science, surrendering to healthy transformations and more. PJ is no stranger to Today’s Business Leaders and has visited the show before. Listen to PJ’s earlier appearance on the show and catch up on the rest of the episodes. Impact of Nutrition and Brain Science on Alzheimer's Disease As a self-described research hound, PJ can easily dedicate hours digging into facts and figures and learning about a variety of topics. In response to his mother’s Alzheimer’s diagnosis, PJ began to research treatment options. At the time the prevailing thought was to treat symptoms to give the patient comfort. Diet and exercise could help, but there was no cure and no way to reverse the impact of the disease. PJ focused on nutrition and exercise, which he believes helped his mother to a degree. The brain is a muscle, and the same diet and exercise that keep your body healthy also work to keep your mind in shape. Over the years, PJ has continue

Calvin Wayman has yet to reach his goals, but he is well on his way. With a resume that includes starting a social media marketing agency, becoming a sought-after speaker and a published author, Calvin has made significant strides in his entrepreneurial journey in a few short years. Calvin sat down with Gabe to talk about fear, motivation and how to create the success you want on this installment of Today’s Business Leaders. The Power of Fear Fear can make people avoid taking action - it can also make people do amazing things. In Calvin’s case, he chose to use it to push himself to take the first step in what has turned out to be an amazing and whirlwind journey. While working a job that did not align with what he wanted, Calvin thought about the future. More specifically, he thought about what his life would be like in 10 years if nothing changed. Calvin realized his fear of failure was holding him back from doing great things, but the fear of not going for it and missing out on the amazing things he was cap

Zachary Ellison put the years of experience he gained working in the startup industry to work for others when he started Zeskup. Along the way, he has learned many lessons, some of which came about the hard way. In this episode of Today’s Business Leaders, Zachary chats with Gabe about thinking outside of yourself and building scalable businesses. Foundation in Sales Before starting Zeskup, Zachary held several corporate jobs in sales. He ultimately did not enjoy the work, so he moved into the financial tech field and eventually onto consulting for startups. During these years, Zachary experienced a lot of trial and error. These experiences shaped him, taught him valuable lessons and led him to create his latest company. Putting Awesome to Work Zachary identified a need to help startups from the very beginning of their journey. Guiding entrepreneurs early enables Zachary and his team to help business owners create scalable companies. Many startups begin with a great idea, but one great idea cannot carry an

In this episode of Today’s Business Leaders, Gabe chats with Glenn Meder to learn about surviving family businesses and striking out as an entrepreneur. Learning How to Sell Glenn started out working for his father’s business. For about 20 years, Glenn worked mostly in sales and helped develop the business. Glenn learned many important lessons, primarily that he hates working in sales, but also the importance of being able to sell. By putting his own uncomfortable feelings aside, Glenn mastered the art of delivering a sales pitch. Having this skill has allowed Glenn to continue to be successful as he undertakes new endeavors. Leaving the Family Business For various reasons, Glenn decided to leave the family business. The decision was difficult to reach and it placed strain on some relationships for a time, but in hindsight, Glenn believes it was the right call. When working with family, it can be easy to fall into the trap of expecting too much. Unrealistic expectations and professional and personal lines ar

Gabe chats with Richard Kim, founder of My Video Series, about the skills and traits that go into becoming both an entrepreneur and a good person. As he explains it, varied experiences and excellent mentors put Richard on a path to success. Early Introduction to Business   Richard started honing his sales skills in high school. As he grew older, his business intuition evolved, too. Richard was unaware at the time, but he has a strong sales ability that he has always managed to put to good use. School and Internship Experiences While attending college and studying marketing, Richard identified a disconnect in the internship program. Internships deliver a definite value, but matching students to small businesses was virtually impossible. The clear solution to Richard was to start a website connecting college students to local small businesses. Learning on the Job    After school, Richard took a position at Hyperloop One, an experience which greatly changed his perspective. He oversaw a team and gained valuable

From full-time online poker player to successful entrepreneur, Chris Sparks has led a life that greatly varies from his original intentions. In this episode of Today’s Business Leaders, Gabe of Business Marketing Engine and Chris of The Forcing Function chat about the choices that caused Chris to detour from his chosen path. Best Laid Plans Initially, Chris was not interested in being an entrepreneur. He wanted to make television commercials and was interested in marketing. All of the decisions he made throughout school lead him to a marketing position with Ford after college. Unfortunately, shortly before he was set to start his first post-college job, the auto industry fell apart. Chris entered a period he refers to as job purgatory. Turn to What You Know With his marketing career on hold, Chris turned to online poker. At this point, he had been playing poker for several years, and he even financed his way through college by playing poker. His days were very structured, and he treated online poker like a j

In this second in a two-part series, Gabe continues his conversation with Adam Alson of Double Down.Digital. During it, Adam explains how his journey took him from explaining an idea to his father in his parent’s kitchen table to running his own business. This path included a few detours, and things didn’t always go according to plan, but Adam preserved and found success. If you haven’t done so already, get up to speed and listen to the first episode. Just Go Do It From that fateful discussion with his father regarding his idea to build a local business directory, Adam created a mockup of the site. Using this demo, Adam and his father pitched the online directory to local business owners. During this time, Adam learned how to make a sales pitch and how to approach and work with business owners. In the first year, this father and son team closed 100 deals. Always Creating and Learning When the Internet bubble burst, that spelled the end of Staten Island Now, but Adam continued to create and design. For the ne

Adam Alson offers up some actionable advice based on his own experiences while he chats with Gabe in the most recent episode of Today’s Business Leaders. From his early entrepreneurial efforts to building his own company, Adam has followed and developed his interests on his path towards success. Early Interest in Commerce From an early age, Adam found ways to have fun and make money. From orchestrating his own carnivals to entertain neighborhood kids to selling candy, Adam routinely had some type of business in the works. Developed a Passion for Art and Creating During his youth, Adam realized he had an interest in art. Inspired by the detailed and stunning illustrations he saw in comic books, as well as work created by his father, Adam was hooked. He continually fostered his artistic development, but quickly realized his ability lent itself more to the emerging field of graphic design. Not Suited for Academia While Adam was all in when it came to developing his interest and skills in terms of coding and grap

In this episode of Today’s Business Leaders Gabe speaks with the inspiring Jeet Banerjee about his entrepreneurial journey. Jeet offers up plenty of actionable advice based on his experiences launching several successful businesses. Learn how failure and impatience can be beneficial and lead you down a path to success. How Miserable Jobs Led to Inspiration As a teenager Jeet took one dead-end job after another and he either quit or was fired from each and every one. After a while Jeet began to fear he may be unemployable, since things just weren't working out with any of the jobs he took. This fear and concern pushed Jeet, at age 17, to start his own company. At the time Jeet was working at a web development company and inspiration struck. Addressing a Problem Jeet identified a need linking companies looking for web development to talented and often more cost-effective web developers. In two short years Jeet built his company into a successful business, and he sold it. His second venture followed a simil

Procrastination can completely derail a project and cause items to perpetually linger on your to-do list. Understanding the causes of procrastination can help you defeat the problem at the source and regain your productivity. Lisa of Impactive Strategies and Gabe of Business Marketing Engine discuss procrastination in an attempt to understand it. Learn what triggers to look out for to keep procrastination at bay. Defining Procrastination Confusion can arise between deferring and procrastination. Deferring is the act of reprioritizing based on available resources. For instance, you may choose to defer or delay a project or task because finances will be better in the future, or you will have more availability. Shifting priorities and making the best use of the resources available is not procrastination - it is deferring. Procrastination is when you have every intent of completing a task, but you just don’t. Procrastination Triggers Procrastination is often the symptom of another problem. Identify what is hold

In this episode of Today’s Business Leaders with Gabe Arnold, we meet Los Angeles entrepreneur Miles Anthony. Miles founded Flux Chargers, a company that designs and sells portable phone chargers. In just two years, Miles went from door-to-door sales to an automated revenue stream. After scaling his first business, Milles founded Flux Ventures. This holding company manages more than $200k in cryptocurrencies. Strategies for Business Success Miles advocates blogging to grow your business. Content marketing is a passive way to generate new leads for your company. Miles shares how he used his blog, The Crypto Times, to network with leaders in cryptocurrency. Aside from your product, Miles believes authentic relationships are the most important thing in business. He talks about choosing business partners based on attitude and communication. Miles employs specific strategies that help him stay on track and make his ideas happen. He keeps track of everything he does and makes time for the most important projects.

Pick up the skills necessary to combat an unwieldy to-do list in this episode of Today’s Business Leaders. Lisa of Impactive Strategies chats with Gabe with tips and tricks centered on how to deal with wanting to do it all. Manage Choices Many people believe the key to tackling all of the tasks and projects they want to accomplish comes down to managing time. In an earlier episode, Lisa explained how to manage time. Time management is part of the equation when it comes to being productive but the true key to successful time management is managing choices. Time Has Limits With a limited amount of time available each day, you need to be particular in how you choose to use the time you have. Structure your time and give careful consideration to the tasks and projects you decide to work on. Proactive Time Management You cannot do it all, so decide what you really want to do. For example, if you only have time to cross three items off your to-do list each day then be mindful of the three you pick. Picking six t