Manage Smarter

Justin Nelson, founder and CEO of Sphere Rocket VA, shares his journey from overcoming addiction to building a leading virtual workforce company. Discover the top functions of virtual assistants, the impact of AI, and how small businesses can leverage VAs for growth. SHOW NOTES: Justin Nelson is the Founder and CEO of Sphere Rocket VA, an industry leading virtual workforce company. Since 2020 Sphere Rocket has placed more than 5,000 virtual assistants, serving 1500+ growing small businesses. Justin began in real estate at age 17, running marketing, lead generation, and inside sales campaigns. After getting licensed, he quickly became a top producing agent, generating $320,000 in gross commissions his first year using social media and marketing growth hacks. In 2019 Justin started coaching new and veteran agents to create leverage in their businesses through social media, hyper growth strategies, and eventually virtual assistants. The need for a service to help small business owners hire and effectively utiliz

Dr. Carla Fowler is an MD PhD and elite executive coach. For the last decade, she has been a secret weapon for scores of CEOs, entrepreneurs, and other senior leaders. Carla’s unique approach combines the latest research from performance science with timeless best practices to help top performers level up and achieve their goals. In this podcast for managers, Audrey, Lee and Carla discuss:   ·   Performance Science—how is it defined and measured? ·   Mental Clarity—Why do leaders need it and how does a person get it? ·   Dr. Fowler’s 3 elements of performance science ·   Why embracing uncertainty will push your leadership performance to higher levels "People are always looking for the "hack" or silver bullet as a shortcut to high performance. There are always great tips/hacks out there... but I've found that an important piece of high performance is not just getting a certain set of results, but also that the path you take to get those results is important to developing your foundation as a performer.”– Car

David Horsager, CEO of the TrustEdge Leadership Institute and author of 'The Trust Edge,' discusses the pivotal role of trust in leadership and organizational success. Learn how trust influences retention, engagement, and performance, and discover practical strategies to build and sustain trust within your team. SHOW NOTES: David Horsager, MA, CSP, CPAE is the CEO of Trust Edge Leadership Institute, Trust Expert in Residence at High Point University and The Wall Street Journal best-selling author of The Trust Edge, The Daily Edge, and Trusted Leader. He is also a podcaster, creator of the Enterprise Trust Index™, and director of one of the nation’s foremost trust studies, The Trust Outlook. ® Horsager has advised leaders and delivered life-changing presentations on six continents, with audiences ranging from Delta, FedEx, and Toyota to the New York Yankees, MIT and the Department of Homeland Security. His work has been featured in prominent media such as Harvard Business Review, Forbes, and MSNBC. Through sp

Maria Victoria Albina (she/they) is a Master Certified Somatic Life Coach, UCSF-trained Family Nurse Practitioner and Breathwork Meditation Guide with a passion for helping humans socialized as women realize that they are their own best healers by reconnecting with their bodies and minds, so they can break free from codependency, perfectionism and people-pleasing and reclaim their joy. She is the host of the Feminist Wellness Podcast, holds a Masters degree in Public Health from Boston University School of Public Health and a BA in Latin American Studies from Oberlin College. Victoria has been working in health & wellness for over 20 years and lives on occupied Munsee Lenape territory in New York’s Hudson Valley. FREE MEDITATIONS FOR MANAGE SMARTER LISTENERS: victoriaalbina.com/salesfuel In this podcast for managers, Audrey, Lee and Victoria discuss:  -Signs and signals leaders should look for indicating they aren’t well -Why people pleasing and likability are a recipe for bad health for leaders -How past tra

Steve Shenbaum is the founder of Game On Nation, a nationally recognized communication firm that employs game dynamics and improvisation to teach high-performance teamwork as well as communication, story-telling, public-speaking and presentation skills. In this podcast for managers, Audrey, Lee and Steve discuss:  ·        How gamification can help you become a better manager and leader ·        Why younger workforce members respond more to games within the workplace ·        Tangible exercises for you to use to bring out your team members’ authentic selves and to learn more about what they REALLY want to succeed. ·        Specific ways to run your staff meetings to create a higher level of engagement and enthusiasm "I hope people will learn that we are all presenters, and that presenting is not exclusive to the noisiest, the loudest, the most dynamic person in the room…especially when we define “presenting” as any interaction with others..”– Steve Shenbaum Build Credibility and Effective Leadership with the

Eddie Yoon, co-founder of Category Pirates LLC and author of 'The 22 Laws of Category Design', shares his expertise on category strategy and super consumers. Learn how businesses can leverage weird data to drive growth and why companies like Tesla and Starbucks excel in category design. Eddie offers actionable tips for scaling up by managing weirder, making this episode a must-listen for anyone looking to redefine their market and achieve superior growth. SHOW NOTES: Get ready to dive into the fascinating world of category strategy with a true authority in the field. We are thrilled to have Eddie Yoon as our guest. He's the Co-Founder of Category PIrates, LLC...a business writing band and top 10 business Substack. He's also a distinguished author and expert who has contributed extensively to the Harvard Business Review on category strategy. With his unparalleled knowledge and expertise, Eddie is set to share groundbreaking insights from his latest book “The 22 Laws of Category Design,” His other book is calle

Today's guest says she's an optimistic person but her favorite word is NO. Andrea Waltz is the co-founder of Courage Crafters, Inc. and co-author of the best-selling book, Go for No! Yes is the Destination, No is How You Get There. For almost two decades, Andrea has been teaching people in virtually every business and industry how to think and feel differently about failure, rejection, and the word, “no” to achieve their goals and dreams. A member of one of the highest regarded professional groups of women in sales, Women Sales Pros, Andrea is considered a top sales influencer online, featured on lists curated by Hubspot, Salesforce.com, Live Hive and many others. The book, Go for No! reached #1 on Amazon’s “Sales & Selling” list in 2010, and has remained in the top 50 Sales books for the last 13 years, having now sold over 500,000 copies. Her latest book with co-author Richard Fenton called, “When They Say No” was released in February 2023. In this podcast for managers, Audrey, Lee and Andrea discuss:  Emb

Steve Gielda is co-founder of Ignite Selling and author of Ignite Your Sales Strategies: A field guide to accelerating the pipeline - an Amazon Top 10 Sales Book! the book helps sales teams be able to think and act strategically, construct a seamless sales pipeline process, understand your customers’ buying factors for each unique sale, proactively manage the key influencers, navigate the competitive landscape and quantify the true value of your solution. Steve's company has trained over 25,000 salespeople and sales leaders worldwide. MENTION MANAGE SMARTER PODCAST WHEN CLICKING ON STEVE’S BOOK ON IGNITESELLING.COM GETS THE BOOK FREE In this podcast for managers, Audrey, Lee and Steve discuss:  Managing Assumptions in Sales: Steve emphasizes that assumptions in the sales process, especially during new product launches, can lead to failure. He highlights the importance of identifying and engaging with the right influencers and not assuming that the same influencers from past sales will be relevant for new pr

Brynne Tillman is the LinkedIn Whisperer and CEO of Social Sales Link. For over a decade she has been teaching Entrepreneurs, sales teams and business leaders how to leverage LinkedIn for social selling. As a former sales trainer and personal producer, Brynne adopted all of the traditional sales techniques and adapted them to the new digital world. She guides professionals to establish a thought leader and subject matter expert brand, find and engage the right targeted market, and leverage clients and networking partners for warm introductions into qualified buyers. In addition, Brynne is the Co-host of the Making Sales Social podcast and author of The LinkedIn Sales Playbook, a Tactical Guide to Social Selling. In this podcast for managers, Audrey, Lee and Brynne discuss:  -Why and how to keep your social channels authentic -Overhauling your LinkedIn.com profile for a different audience -Mindset shift for managers on their social media profiles/channels -AI use in social selling/ChatGPT usage tips "The numbe

Darren Horwitz is the Founder of TenTen, a brand implementation firm that helps organizations plan, build, and manage brand change. Darren and his team work with clients to help them navigate the complex process of planning, executing, and bringing brands to life. In just over 8 years, TenTen has helped 100+ companies rebrand, across industries and around the world. Darren and TenTen’s work has benefited the U.S. Army, GE Healthcare, Lincoln Financial, and J&J to name a few. Before founding TenTen, Darren established implementation and brand governance as integral disciplines at FutureBrand. He successfully deployed and governed global brands like American Airlines, Cadillac, and USAA. Prior to this, Darren defined brand management systems at Interbrand, working with notable clients such as Humana and Thomson Reuters. As a founding partner at Pixeljockey LLC, he played a crucial role in managing brand rollouts for AT&T and MasterCard. Darren excels in tackling challenges and guiding clients to achieve measura

Crista Grasso is the go-to strategic planning and systems expert for online businesses when they want to scale. Known as the "Business Optimizer", Crista has the ability to quickly cut through noise and provide clarity on the core things that will make the biggest impact to scale a business simply and sustainably. She is the founder of the Lean Out Method, creator of the Lean Business Scaling System, and host of the Lean Out Your Business Podcast. In this podcast for managers, Audrey, Lee and Crista discuss:  ·        What mistakes she made with her business that prompted her to start her company ·        Time chunking methodology ·        4 Pillars of the Lean Out method ·        What the biggest mistakes are for small business entrepreneurs in scaling "A 2-hour focus block with the right conditions in place to stay laser focused from start to finish can result in getting a massive amount FINISHED. But a 2-hour focus block without the right conditions in place can look like spending the 1st 30 minutes frustr

Get ready to be inspired by a true powerhouse in the field of productivity intelligence. Our guest today is Gerald J. Leonard, a leading figure who has revolutionized the way we approach maximizing our potential. Gerald is the Publishing Editor, CEO, and Founder of the Leonard Productivity Intelligence Institute, where he focuses on enhancing productivity and building better workplace cultures. He is also the CEO of Turnberry Premiere, a strategic project portfolio management and IT governance firm in Washington, DC. A professional bassist, Gerald J. Leonard offers a unique approach to accomplishing more in the workplace. https://productivityintelligenceinstitute.com/managesmarter/ for FREE MATERIALS In this podcast for managers, Audrey, Lee and Gerald discuss:  ·        Gerald’s tips for what order to approach tasks to boost productivity ·        Time chunking methodology ·        Analogy of a symphony and conductor to the performance of you and your team ·        Productivity boosting processes "Juggling mu

Today’s guest is Beth Trejo, a trailblazing speaker, CEO, and founder of the global social-first digital agency, Chatterkick. Featured in USA Today, Yahoo, and Business Insiders as a Top 50 CEO for Women, Beth is a recognized advocate for women in tech. We have a fantastic new offer for CEOS! 1,000 ChatGTP prompts for the C-suite - https://chatterkick.com/free-stuff/ceo/ In this podcast for managers, Audrey, Lee and Beth discuss:  ·        The importance of empathy for managers and leaders ·        What digital methods you can use to create empathy with coworkers and reports ·        The use of AI to help you craft empathetic messaging in your communications ·        Social media methods to connect more authentically to your coworkers and reports "There's a whole new way to think about how we connect with our customers and coworkers. It's time to shake off those preconceived notions about opportunities and barriers and reimagine what authentic connection means in today's digital world.”– Beth Trejo Build Cred

Stephanie Nivinskus is the CEO of SizzleForce Marketing, an agency that helps scaling companies get noticed and attract more clients on a daily basis. Since 1995, she has developed and executed brand-building campaigns for companies including Starbucks, The NFL, Quiksilver, and thousands of small businesses. A Story Brand Certified Guide and Certified Partner of Digital Marketer, Stephanie has written for Forbes & Entrepreneur magazines and she is the author of the International #1 Bestseller, Absolutely Unforgettable: The Entrepreneur’s Guide To Creating A Heart-Centered Brand And Standing Out In A Noisy World. In this podcast for managers, Audrey, Lee and Stephanie discuss:  ·        5 explanations as to why your products or services aren’t selling ·        How to appeal to buyers on an emotional level ·        Attention-getting techniques to create FOMO ·        How company credibility and product credibility affect salesperson credibility ·        When to pull the plug on a product that’s not doing well "

Joining us today is Mary Ann Pruitt, the CEO and President of Mosaic Media, a collection of media buying experts and creative strategists who negotiate, purchase, and monitor advertising space and airtime. She’s here today to share some marketing wisdom gleaned from her extensive career in media strategy and how it relates to the ever-evolving climate of media. In this podcast for managers, Audrey, Lee and Mary Ann discuss:  ·        Tapping into superpowers post-COVID for women in business ·        The main challenge women leaders have vs. male leaders ·        Five working generations in the workplace and how to manage them all ·        Managing professional development to reduce turnover ·        The role of artificial intelligence (AI) in media buying and sales/marketing "When we step away from the computer we get our best ideas as leaders. Step away for just a few minutes.”– Mary Ann Pruitt Build Credibility and Effective Leadership with the Manage Smarter Podcast Join hosts Audrey Strong and C. Lee Smi

Attorney Chuck Price, with 40 years of experience managing legal teams and trying cases. He was named one of the five most influential commercial litigators in Arizona by AZ Business Leaders magazine. He has taught management and negotiation to sales representatives, sales managers and others around the country. He is the author of Rewiring the White Collar Mind, which analyzes how workplace incentives can lead to professional success but personal unhappiness, and gives practical steps to help us transcend those messages. In this podcast for managers, Audrey, Lee and Chuck discuss:  ·       How sales and other professionals can escape the “Tyranny of Numbers.” ·       How do reframe KPIs and having a healthier relationship with goals tied to your job ·       How to make your employees feel included, valued and respected to reduce turnover ·       How to retrain your brain on reconciling the stress of handlingpayroll and budget numbers ·       Better ways to manage work/life balance "People have a wide variety

Matt Blumberg is a technology entrepreneur, business builder, and CEO of Bolster, an on-demand executive talent marketplace that helps accelerate companies’ growth by connecting them with experienced, highly vetted executives for interim, fractional, advisory, project-based or board roles. Matt has been recognized as one of New York’s 100 most influential technology leaders by Business Insider, by Crain’s as one of New York’s Top Entrepreneurs, and by Ernst & Young as an Entrepreneur of the Year finalist. Before Bolster, Matt built businesses and worked in marketing, consulting, and venture capital. He is the author of Startup CEO, Startup CXO, and Startup Boards. In this podcast for managers, Audrey, Lee and Matt discuss:  ·      How boards work and definitions of a good board vs. a bad board ·      Why should a startup or company in growth stage create a board of directors and what are the benefits? ·      How boards increase credibility ·      Creating a board including size, composition, roles of VCs and

Kevin Maney is a bestselling author, award-winning columnist, and partner at Category Design Advisors (CDA). His critically-acclaimed book, Play Bigger: How Pirates, Dreamers and Innovators Create and Dominate Markets, introduced business to the idea of category design and has sold more than 150,000 copies worldwide. As a founding partner of CDA, Maney has helped leadership teams at hundreds of companies all over the world focus their strategic thinking through category design. Maney has been a contributor to Newsweek, Fortune, The Atlantic, Fast Company, CNN and ABC News, among other media outlets. He was a contributing editor at Conde Nast Portfolio during its brief run from 2007 to 2009. For 22 years, Maney was a columnist, editor and reporter at USA Today. In this podcast for managers, Audrey, Lee and Kevin discuss:  ·       The latest new business categories that are hot for 2023 ·       The role of artificial intelligence/AI and how it can help define your category ·       Why AI is the new electricity

Marc Reifenrath is the CEO & Co-founder of Spinutech, a full-service digital marketing agency with 150+ team members across the U.S. In that capacity, he understands firsthand how critical a company’s culture is to achieving and maintaining success. Marc has helped Spinutech grow from a college start-up to one of the premier full-service digital marketing agencies in the country. The secret ingredient? Company values that are truly lived, including a commitment to “Get Better Every Day”.  In this podcast for managers, Audrey, Lee and Marc discuss:  The First 100 Days of an employee's tenure are crucial for their success and integration into the company culture. Managers should be proactive in setting up new employees for success during this period, including providing necessary equipment, training, and regular check-ins. Adapting Onboarding for Remote Work: The shift to remote work necessitates changes in the onboarding process. This includes logistical changes, such as shipping equipment, and increased i

Elizabeth Rosenberg is a personal branding expert, strategic communications consultant, intuitive, and founder of The Good Advice Company. Her company is a marketing and communications consultancy, and with more than two decades of experience working with some of the most innovative brands and leaders in the world, Elizabeth taps her knowledge, intuition and truths to uncover and amplify purpose and ownable narratives. In this podcast for managers, Audrey, Lee and Elizabeth discuss:  Personal Branding for Impact: Elizabeth Rosenberg emphasizes that personal branding should be driven by the desire to make a meaningful impact rather than seeking fame. She advises leaders to focus on authentic stories that reflect their true selves, which in turn resonate more with their audience. Internal Personal Branding: Elizabeth highlights that personal branding is not just for external visibility but also crucial within an organization. She encourages individuals to be known for who they are and their unique contribut