Monster Questions: How To Start & Grow A Business

“You don't try to build a wall. You don't set out to build a wall. If you don't say I'm going to build the biggest wall. It's ever been built. You say I'm going to lay this brick as perfectly as a brick can be laid and you do that every single day and soon you have a wall. It's difficult to take this first step. When you look at how big the task is never huge to me. It's always just one brick." - Will Smith   We can freeze up when we see the big goal. It looks impossible - so impossible we don't think we can start because we don't think we can finish it. The Fresh Prince himself, Will Smith, says it well. Take one step and lay the one brick. Repeat.   The sooner you can grasp that by laying one brick at a time and working towards your goal slow and steady, the sooner you will be building your empire.    Subscribe to our podcast to see more Quotes to Live By videos!

Let's talk about a marketing funnel explanation you can sink your teeth into.     From headlines to copy to clickable actions for your customers to take, you need to be purposeful in leading with marketing funnel brand awareness.    Progressing your customer or prospect through a funnel won't happen by accident. Set your marketing funnel goals and execute them!     Enjoy this episode and be sure to subscribe for more of John's Marketing tips.

"Success isn't about how much money you make, it's about the difference you make in people's lives." Michelle Obama   This rings true from my personal experience, when I was younger, I was so focused on making money. What I saw was that impacting my team and seeing them grow personally was worth more than the money coming in.  Leading other people successfully is the currency I need.   Making money isn't bad. It helps better your life, sure, and others you impact but, it's not the bottom line, finding the way you can impact others and feel happy is.

Don't sleep on Clubhouse. It's one of the newest shiny objects that we are loving and think you should be in the know. I'll tell you the 411 on why Clubhouse is valuable to you. You can tap into the real-time content to discuss, observe, raise your hand to ask questions, or duck out. It's a networking jackpot. Hit me up (JohnTimmerman) when you get on Clubhouse so we can connect. Get more Marketing By John videos!

"Where there is love there is life".  Mahatma Gandhi   It's a success-driven hard-charging world out there. With all the negativity in the world, it can be tough to let the light and love shine on us.  Gandhi reminds us that happiness and love are necessary - that love is the basis of life.    So simple and such a powerful perspective to own.   To see more Quote to Live By videos, subscribe!

LinkedIn is THE place to go. Let's talk about making it work for you, whether you are a founder, hiring manager, contractor, director - you name it.   Your LinkedIn profile needs some attention, and I'll give you tips on how to optimize it and include what people want to see.     And, we'll look at how to embrace the CONNECT button.  So grab your engagement pod pals and get to it on making LinkedIn work for your business growth.    Enjoy this episode and be sure to subscribe for more of John's Marketing tips.

"Happy are those who dream dreams and are ready to pay the price to make them come true." - Tupac Shakur   Even from the grave, his quotes share insight that is relevant today.  Those who dream and are willing to take the gut punches to do what it takes to get there are the winners.  Starting a business is a good way for people to get creative to realize their dreams. It takes doing the dirty work to find success.    I've experienced this myself and learned how important it is to pay the price to make my dreams come alive. Are you ready? 

Business leaders - your choices are to embrace change or die off. 2020 taught us that. We were forced to change to survive. In this episode, we'll talk about examples of how we've had to make it work as owners and managers. Travel effectively stopped, while video conferencing went up, and the restaurant industry took a crash course in how to adapt. How'd you adapt? Tell us below, and don't forget to subscribe!

“Don't let the noise of other's opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition." - Steve Jobs   Finding the confidence to do what you know is right for you is SO hard. Some of us are born with that ability (and can start businesses like Apple), and some have to work really hard to find their voice.    The paved path isn't always the path we should take. Even when it's harder and bumpier, it's important to find the courage to make your own path! Be you, be courageous, and be happy!    Don't forget to follow your heart AND this podcast to see more Quotes to Live By videos!

There's no silver bullet on an easy, fast way to gain customers. But there are effective strategies you can start to amp up that pipeline NOW.   Maybe your business was a little bit affected or crushed by the pandemic and you want to know how to get customers, hit the play button to discover new alternatives to get customers for your business.    Let's take a real honest look at tapping into your circles, checking our own business breaking points, and how to put an action plan to work to go find those new customers.   Subscribe to hear more marketing and business tips!

“The more you praise and celebrate your life, the more there is in life to celebrate.” Oprah Winfrey.   Leave it to Oprah for this ah-ha moment. I think she's reminding us to smell the roses and be grateful. Oprah, if you are watching, your invitation to come on this podcast awaits!   When you are in a positive environment with a positive mindset, you train your brain to find the good. Gratitude and thankfulness gives you a refreshing point of view.    Subscribe for more Quotes to Live By videos.

We have so much to cover here to step up your game in 2021.    Take notes because it all matters, from how to write the right blog post to working with influencers to the fact that word of mouth is still valid.    Let's stop and take a step back, pick the platforms you can dominate, and crush it.  Hit play and let's jump into ways to level up!

"Maybe you know exactly what it is you dream of being, or maybe you’re paralyzed because you have no idea what your passion is. The truth is, it doesn’t matter. You don’t have to know. You just have to keep moving forward. You just have to keep doing something, seizing the next opportunity, staying open to trying something new. It doesn’t have to fit your vision of the perfect job or the perfect life. Perfect is boring and dreams are not real. Just … do". - Shonda Rhimes No matter what's going on, perfection isn't the only path to move forward. We see Shonda's perspective of this a lot in her work on Grey's Anatomy. Life isn't all sunshine all the time. We have to keep going, stepping forward to rise from the ashes (like my tattoo). Use your experiences to learn and make progress but don't strive for perfection.

The discussion of quality over quantity hits all types and sizes of businesses. It matters for massive companies. And it matters to starts-ups.    So, which one should you focus on Price or Product?    I'll walk you through examples of companies who've gone both routes. What's worked?  How can a business get by with low low prices when others bank on quality products to thrive?    You have to ask yourself the hard questions on your comfort level when it comes to profits and how much you are willing to shave off to compete. If being a little less greedy can tip the scales for you to gain more market share, maybe it's worth it.    Do you want to be the best in your market and the most competitive? I'll give you the equation to get you started down the right path.

“Happiness is really just about four things: perceived control, perceived progress, connectedness (number and depth of your relationships), and vision/meaning (being part of something bigger than yourself).” - Tony Hsieh   Let's explore the pillars the inspirational late Zappo's founder, Tony Hsieh, talks about. We like to feel in control, and we like to feel like we are accomplishing something.    We all need to connect with others. Whether the number of deep-rooted relationships is paramount or not, having a connection with others is critical. It's been a tough time to hug and look people in the eye face to face, and we feel that disconnection and have to work to get it back.   And last but not least being a part of something bigger than yourself. All these pieces together are what we seek to feel good and happy in our lives.    Subscribe to see more Quotes to Live By videos.

Branding is king. The importance of your brand outweighs any other marketing tactics. The core is all about the brand, baby.    In this episode, I tell you why it's brilliant that Tesla got in the tequila game.  Hint:  premium. status. symbol. Your marketing inspiration needs to include premium brands creating a desire for people to latch on whether you are selling a car or a bottle of tequila.   When people want to become your customer and own your product as a status symbol- score... you've done something right. So hit play and let's look at how status and scarcity breed brand loyalty.

"A man who stops advertising to save money is like a man who stops a clock to save time". - Henry Ford This Henry Ford quote has stuck with me since I started my Marketing Agency years ago.  When times are tough, people often consider cutting budgets where they believe they do not need it, and one of the first things they think they can slash is marketing. But according to Henry Ford (and me), they couldn't be more wrong.  The biggest winners in 2020 doubled down on their investments and marketing, while their competitors were running scared.  Hit the play button to understand why cutting your Marketing budget could be efficient only in the short term, but crush you long term.  

In marketing, and in life, the best way to get the attention of your audience is to do things that others are not. Be different. Be shocking. But don’t cross the line. In this episode, I’ll tell you a story about Tropicana, the orange juice company founded in 1947, and why they crossed the line in trying to make the perfect marketing campaign. I also discuss one of the most bangin’ OG marketing campaigns EVER by Ecko company. The best part it was back in 2007, even before social media really existed! Taking risks is, well, risky...IF you don't have a good strategy behind it. But if done well and properly structured, it can bring a lot of customers and recognition to your brand! Want to learn more? Tap the play button and enjoy another episode of Marketing by John.

“It is important to view knowledge as sort of a semantic tree -- make sure you understand the fundamental principles, the trunk, and big branches, before you get into the leaves/details or there is nothing for them to hang on to". - Elon Musk   This quote from Elon Musk describes a fantastic way to learn ANYTHING.  The concept to learn like a tree, starting with the basics helped him to succeed in differents innovative industries.   If you want to understand how to absorb the maximum amount of information into your brain, watch this video and learn more about Elon Musk's learning method and how to use it in any area, like marketing, finance, or operations.   Subscribe to my channel, and turn on the notification for the latest Quotes to Live by videos!

Have you seen the Recipe for Seduction?  It is an original Lifetime mini-movie sponsored by KFC, starring Mario Lopez as Coronel Sanders. What!?! In this episode, I’m going into why this is an amazing marketing strategy, and why it’s bringing a lot of attention to the KFC brand, including media coverage. Is this your first time here? Well, this show literally exists to help you grow your business. Hit the subscribe button and enjoy!  Now, clearly, KFC is swinging big on this one. But they are no dummies and they certainly know what audience they want to attract.  What is the craziest thing you’ve ever done to try to get new customers?