Corporate Escapees

Episode OverviewDo you ever feel like you're the bottleneck for delivering results in your business? Don’t worry. You are not alone. This is a common challenge faced by business owners. And in this solo episode, I will share the 1:3:1 rule - a simple and effective approach to problem-solving. It involves identifying one problem, developing three potential solutions, and giving one recommendation. By adopting this rule, team members are empowered to solve problems independently, fostering growth and learning. Key actions from todayStop doing what you can and focus on what you should Train your team on the 1:3:1 ruleStick to it (60 days) Send me how you used itResources and Links473 - Show NotesCloud Consultants CollectiveScaling Blueprint Join our newsletterThe Cloud Consultants ShowPaul Higgins MentoringConnect With PaulOn LinkedIn

Episode OverviewCold email is dead - Listen as Alex debunks this myth and talks about the effectiveness of cold email outreach. He also shared his experiences of successful cold email campaigns and emphasized the importance of tailoring emails to specific individuals and targeting the right decision-makers.About Alex BermanAlex is the Founder of Omni and X27marketing. He has been in the digital marketing space for over 15 years and went from 0 SaaS to 5 SaaS Exits in 2023 and generated over $100m for clients in revenue.Along with being an entrepreneur, he also creates weekly YouTube videos that educate agency owners on how to expand their businesses and generate more income by showing them ways to enhance their B2B sales cycles and implement inbound marketing techniques. Links472 - Show NotesOmni.usX27marketing.comAlex’s LinkedIn profileAlex’s Youtube ChannelAlex on Twitter: @alxbermanPaulhigginsmentoring.comScaling BlueprintThe Workflow AcademyCloud Consultants CollectiveThe Cloud Consultants ShowSendSparkJo

Episode OverviewIf you have thought about launching an app on the Salesforce App exchange or are in the process, this podcast is for you. Andi covers:Why use an outsourced dev team  for app developmentDifferent types of apps  - hybrid and native How to get the best out of Indian developers How Artificial Intelligence and Machine learning will develop and how to get ahead of the curveAbout Andi GiriAndi Giri is an IT entrepreneur with about 35 years of experience. He completed his BE degree at the College of Engineering, Guindy, Chennai, India, and an MS in Computer Engineering from the University of Maryland, College Park. He launched Softsquare in 1998 as an IT staff augmentation firm and pivoted the company towards managed services in 2008. In 2021, Andi drove the product practice toward delivering several commercial products, strengthening recurring revenue for Softsquare. He served as the President of Greater Washington Tamil Sangam in 1998 and as the Founder-President of AIMS Ind

Episode OverviewIt is not your fault if you have so much going on in your business and nothing seems to be working. And it is not because you don't have the time to change it. It is because you are working on the wrong things. How do I know? Because I was you.In this solo episode, I share my experience of working on the wrong things in my cloud consulting business and the result of not heeding my mentor’s advice. This experience motivates me to do what I do and prevent others from making the same mistakes I did.Key actions from todayDon't buy into the myth you don't have enough time Work on what matters most Get some help Links470 - Show NotesPaulhigginsmentoring.comScaling BlueprintThe Workflow AcademyCloud Consultants CollectiveThe Cloud Consultants ShowSendSparkJoin our newsletterConnect With PaulOn LinkedIn

Episode OverviewAre you struggling to find high-quality leads for your SaaS platform? If so, you won't want to miss this episode! Our guest, Patrick, saw a gap in the Salesforce ecosystem where end clients found it difficult to match the 5,000 Independent Software Vendors (ISV) and 2,300 Consulting Service Partners to their problems needing solving. He created InVisory to fix it.In this episode, Patrick will share his insights on:How to generate qualified leads through a marketplace. Why you should be on the marketplace as a consulting partner, how to be selected by the algorithm.How to upsell existing apps to solve clients' challenges.About Patrick CronanPatrick started his career at Thomson Reuters, working in various consulting & sales roles during his 8.5 years at the firm. From Thomson, Patrick joined an early-stage venture-backed company, FiscalNote, as their first Director of Business Development. Patrick still credits this experience as one of the most beneficial for his career

Episode OverviewGaining new talent is challenging for you as a Cloud Consulting Business owner.Matthew has an innovative way of solving this. In my interview with Matthew, he talks about:Who is the next generation of talent How to source them How to develop their soft and tech skillsAbout Matthew PengMatthew Peng founded Business Continuum, providing software and change management advice to companies big and small for almost a decade.  He blends his business and finance background to set up technology solutions to simplify processes, freeing up more time to engage with clients and empower users with a framework to manage their continuous business improvement.Resources and Links468 - Show Notesbusinesscontinuum.com.auMatthew's LinkedInPaulhigginsmentoring.comScaling BlueprintCloud Consultants CollectiveThe Cloud Consultants ShowSendSparkJoin our newsletterConnect With PaulOn LinkedInOn FacebookOn Twitter: @PaulHiggins555On Instagram: @paulhigginsmentoringEmail: paul@paulhigginsmen

Episode OverviewI speak to about 5 cloud consultants daily from across the globe, typically from Salesforce, HubSpot, and Zoho (but not limited to them), and ask them what is working and not working in their quest to scale. And the common theme I get is YOUTUBE.So in this solo episode, I talk about how you can use Youtube to grow your Cloud Consulting Business. If you struggle to get consistent inbound leads, you should listen to this episode and start your Youtube journey.Here are some great YouTubers in the Cloud Consulting industry (who are past guests, too!) and their episodes:Gareth Pronovost of Gap consulting - 422 – Building A Million-dollar No-code Consultancy with YoutubePaul Minors - 381 – Get 30 Leads A Month To Your Cloud Consulting Business Leveraging YoutubeLayla Pomper of ProcessDriven - 317 – Putting Fun Back Into ProcessGray MacKenzie of ZenPilot - 297 – Do More With Project ManagementScott Friesen of Simpletivity -220 – Simpletivity: Killing Busyness, Becoming More ProductiveBrett Martin - Z

Episode OverviewIf you struggle to have consistent cash flow in your Cloud Consulting business, this interview is for you. Shell talks through the benefits of specialization as a Salesforce partner. He covers;How he builds consistent leads from Salesforce and how to get to the front of the co-sell queue. His learnings are from building a youtube channel with 500K views and 2MM minutes of watch time. The actions he is taking to build a high-performing culture. About Shell BlackShell Black is from Dallas, Texas (United States), and started consulting on Salesforce in 2005. He started his company ShellBlack.com - a Salesforce consulting and implementation firm, in 2010. Shell holds 4 Salesforce Certifications. He has also spoken at Dreamforce (the annual Salesforce user conference) for 6 years.In 2019, Shell has inducted Salesforce MVP Hall of Fame to recognize his contributions to the Salesforce community (one of ~250 worldwide)Shell is the host of “ShellBlack Whiteboard,” - a YouTube c

Episode OverviewDan is passionate about HubSpot and their users.He works for Impulse Creative, a 50-person HubSpot Agency that delights the SME and mid-market space. Dan gives his perspective on why Impulsive Creative has grown. He coversHow to use inbound to grow your agency The value of reviews on your partner directory and some cool scripts to use Using a points system for retainersAbout Dan MoyleDan is a trainer, storyteller, podcaster, speaker, writer, and blended family dad. Dan lives to put more love into the world and create a better space for everyone. For his day job, he’s a HubSpot Advisor at Impulse Creative, teaching, coaching, and advising HubSpot users.Resources and Links465 - Show NotesImpulse CreativeThe Storytellers NetworkDan's LinkedInDan on Twitter: @danmoylePaulhigginsmentoring.comScaling BlueprintCloud Consultants CollectiveThe Cloud Consultants ShowSendSparkJoin our newsletterConnect With PaulOn LinkedInOn FacebookOn Twitter: @PaulHiggins555On Instagr

Episode OverviewMany business owners often try too many tactics to fix their problems when the answer is right under their noses. Most of the time, getting help can be a simple yet effective growth hack.In this episode of the Cloud Consultants Solo Show, I talk about a Cloud Consulting Business Growth Hack that may seem too good to be true but can help you scale your business, and give you examples of how I helped two of my clients, Chris and John, to identify their growth blockers by filling out a diagnostic and spending an hour together. Key actions from todayGet out of your way Get some help - talkpaul.comLinks464 - Show NotesCloud Consultants CollectiveScaling BlueprintSendSparkJoin our newsletter

Episode OverviewIf you want to generate more leads to bring needed cash flow into your Cloud Consulting business - this is for you. Massimo outlines going from failure to success using Linkedin Outreach for his Cloud Consulting business. In particular, he covers; Why, how, and the value of picking a niche How to customize messages How to leverage strategic partnersMassimo’s backgroundMassimo Ianniruberto is the Founder of BluRoot. He started 10 years ago as all things to all people and has cleverly focused on two drivers to scale his business as one of the fast-growing Zoho partners on the planet.1) Vericals - insurance and mortgage 2) Product - Tailored solutions powered by Zoho He is a former entrepreneur of the year in Canada. In his free time, he enjoys watching basketball and playing Gran Turismo.Links/Resources463 - Show NotesMassimo's WebsiteMassimo's LinkedInCloud Consultants CollectiveScaling BlueprintSendSparkJoin our newsletterConnect With PaulOn LinkedI

Episode OverviewThe growth of the HubSpot ecosystem is well documented. It continues to go more upmarket. Jens and the team at Kaksio Labs are at the forefront of this growth. In the interview, Jens covers;How to build three legs to a HubSpot business - Consulting, Product, and Implementation How to build a relationship with HubSpot Pros and Cons of mining a vertical Jens’s background Jens is an experienced sales professional and modern growth leader. Proven track record of growing revenues exponentially in a global tech SaaS company. Enjoy working in an open, international, dynamic environment where an entrepreneurial spirit is encouraged and valued. A strong believer in authentic leadership built on trust, honesty, and accountability.Links/Resources462 - Show NotesJens's WebsiteJens's LinkedInCloud Consultants CollectiveScaling BlueprintSendSparkJoin our newsletter Connect With PaulOn LinkedInOn FacebookOn Twitter: @PaulHiggins555On Instagram: @paulhigginsmentori

Episode OverviewAs the leader of your business - people are your greatest asset. You know how hard it is to find top talent. Even harder to keep them. There are many reasons why people leave their jobs, but research has consistently shown that the number one reason is usually related to their relationship with their immediate Leader. In other words, people don't leave their jobs; they leave leaders. Learn how to focus on them and not the role.In this solo podcast, listen as I talk about what a Personalized Development Plan (PDP) is, how you can conduct them, and how often you should do it.Key actions from todayCover why, what, and how PDPSee an example; email me at paul@paulhigginsmentoring.comBook your first today - progress, not perfection Links461 - Show NotesCloud Consultants CollectiveScaling BlueprintSendSparkJoin our newsletter Connect With PaulOn LinkedInOn FacebookOn Twitter: @PaulHiggins555On Instagram: @paulhigginsmentoringEmail: paul@paulhigginsmentoring.com

Episode OverviewRobin was like most Salesforce partners that started their business doing small projects, hoping it would turn into more work. Great for acquisition but not great for partner profitability.After testing different business models, Robin now runs his Salesforce Platinum business predominantly based on a managed service fee - fixed monthly recurring revenue. In the interview, Robin covers;2 challenges mid-markets are grappling with and how to solve them Pressure on EBIT by companies and the role automation is playing The pros and cons of moving to a recurring revenue model - managed services Key timeline highlights: The benefits and challenges of automation in increasing revenue and decreasing business operation costs. They also acknowledged consumers' frustration with current chatbot technology and the difficulty of large organizations in iterating a great chatbot experience due to technical constraints.How Robin's Salesforce consulting business evolved from project

Episode OverviewGetting stuck in your business is common - we have all been there, and many of us are still there. But how do you get unstuck? One way is self-accountability. For the very disciplined, this can work.For many, group accountability is more likely to work. This is where Tanya shines. In the interview, she goes through the GRIT model for accountability. Goal RhythmIterate logTeam   She also covers the importance of consequences and how group accountability works.Tanya’s background Tanya dove head first into the marketing world and have collected over fifteen years of international/US experience with companies such as Nike and the US Olympics. She then started her first company at 25 and grew it to over $1 million in revenue in the first year. Since then, she has founded, bootstrapped, sold, and invested in five companies. She enjoys running and traveling; she has been to over 42 countries.She is currently on a mission to improve the success rate of

You rely on your SaaS partner to provide projects, but they don’t always come when you want them.You know, saying no to projects could, at best, lose your income and, at worst, stop you from getting future projects. So you take them on, knowing it will put pressure on your top talent. This can result in them feeling overwhelmed, stressed, and sometimes leaving. You can also be pulled back into working on the tools. So how can you save your top talent? In this solo podcast, I provide insights into using junior talent to support your top talent.This allows your top talent to do what they love to do best. I have partnered with staffing companies to provide your talent for approximately 2% of their annual salary. Email me at paul@paulhigginsmentoring.com so I can understand your circumstances and direct you to the right partner.Links458 - Show NotesCloud Consultants CollectiveScaling BlueprintSendSparkJoin our newsletter Connect With PaulOn LinkedInOn FacebookOn Twitter: @PaulHi

Episode OverviewI can't remember who said it, but someone once said everything is negotiable. Therefore improving your negotiation skills is a plus.And this is why I bought one of the world's leading experts on negotiation for you.Mark dispels the myth that negotiation is about Win/Win. Then covers the 3 essential habits to be a better negotiator. Plan and prepare Role plays DebriefI know this looks too simple, but Mark's knowledge behind each of these three is gold. Mark also shares great tips on how to negotiate on video. Mark’s backgroundMark Raffan is a serial entrepreneur and lover of marketing and thought leadership. Mark is an expert in negotiation, influence, and persuasion. He has coached executives and teams in some of the largest companies in the world, such as Zendesk, Nike, Citi Bank, The Sasha Group, Salesforce, The US Army, LinkedIn, and Humana.Mark has been featured in Entrepreneur, Forbes, Thrive Global, Supply and Demand Chain Executive Magazine (as a 2019

Episode OverviewAre you constantly getting pulled back into client work and quality control in your services business? Are you at the end of the escalation process for most things in your business? Well, you need to hear what Juliana has to say. In our interview, we cover three ways to work ON your agency. Hiring the right managersHaving the right systems in place Creating and monitoring scorecards Juliana’s backgroundJuliana is a business operations expert, speaker, and founder of ScaleTime. With over 20+ years of experience across Wall Street, the nonprofit sector, technology startups, and family-owned businesses, she has served over 400+ digital agencies. She is featured on Forbes and Entrepreneur and helps uplevel businesses into lean, mean, profitable machines. On average, Juliana and her team create ways to free up at least 30 hours per week for her clients so they can have successful agencies that run without them. Founders can say, “I do what I want, how I

The other day, I was at the gym and wanted to move from supporter weights to free. I went and grabbed a personal trainer and asked her if she could help. She asked me what I wanted to achieve, what I was currently doing, and how committed I was to the training. And then she gave me one new exercise. She demonstrated it and then asked me to teach her how to do it. It is very similar to what I do as a mentor.People ask me the difference between a coach and a mentor. I am a qualified coach and have mentored in my corporate life and myself. Here is an example to explain how I see the two:Coach - Holds glass in different ways to see what liquid is inside. The liquid is owned by the coachee. A coach doesn't give advice - gets the coachee to see different perspectives.Mentor - Knows what glasses to use for what occasions and shares experiences.Both are used, but there is a difference. I like to mentor as I have built and sold a cloud consulting business, so I draw on those experiences.Five steps Step one - Trus

Episode OverviewLearn the secrets of growing a full-service marketing agency and HubSpot partnership from a world-renowned mountaineer. Steve merged two agencies into one to service SMB businesses on the West Coast of Canada. In our interview on the Accelerate Sales Podcast, Steve lays out his strategic intent and why it makes everything easier. He also covers;His disciplined approach to qualifying clients His success with Linkedin AdsBuilding a fantastic culture Finally, a must-listen is his learning of climbing 50 of the tallest mountains on earth  - including Mount Everest and how it helps him to scale his business (pardon the pun