Business Brain Food

Every business needs referrals, but how do you go about getting them? Do you offer people incentives? Do you even ask for them at all? All will be revealed by our guest this week…

Stacey Brown is an absolute referrals guru. Having worked in sales & marketing and run two of her own businesses, she now has a full-time business coaching people in how to best achieve referrals, and guess what: she gets a good portion of her own business through referrals too!

See below for some great tips from Stacey:

**  Never ask for a referral. Your referrals-gathering system is more likely to be sustainable in the long term if it doesn’t rely on you having to continually raise yourself to ask for them.

**  However good your product/service might be, your business will never work unless you can attract new clients.

**  Think of every client as a potential referrer. You must connect with them at a human level while you are delivering their service.

**  Be memorable and meaningful. There are certain parts of the referral process you can automate but you must drive it with genuine meaning from the top.

**  Have 3 business development plans. A prospecting plan, a marketing plan, a referral plan.

**  Remember if you haven’t spoken to someone for a while you need to tread carefully with your opening language.

**  Make sure you write a hand-written thankyou note for every referral you receive.

 

In this episode of Business Brain Food you will learn:

**  How to attract referrals without selling your soul

**  How good companies fail to get referrals

**  How to deliver a truly personalised client-management experience

**  The 5-step referral generation plan

**  How to understand your referral sources

**  How to speak to a client who is giving you poor referrals

 

Resources mentioned in this episode:

**  Ben’s free business planning template: http://www.maxmyprofit.com.au

**  Stacey’s special freebie for BBF listeners, “The Seven Deadly Sins of Generating Referrals” can be downloaded here

**  The Business Brain Food Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/businessbrainfood

**  All previous BBF episodes & show notes can be found at http://www.businessbrainfood.com.au

**  Twitter: https://twitter.com/bfewtrell

 

Call to action:

According to Stacey, the average business can hope to attract 30% of their new business from referrals if they get their process right. Just think of how much money you could make here!

Also, if you are enjoying these Business Brain Food podcasts, then make sure to share them via social media sites or email the links to family and friends. A lot of time and effort goes into producing each of these podcasts with the goal in mind of the more people we can inspire about business the better. You can help us do just that!

Until next time, have a profitable day!

Cheers,
Ben Fewtrell
(02) 9111 5000

 

Direct download: BBF163_How_to_get_more_referras_without_asking_with_Stacey_Brown_Randall.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00pm AEDT

Being an expert in your field doesn’t mean you’re an expert in conveying your message. Listen up folks – we’re talking to a bona fide expert on the matter who might well make you an expert by the end of it!

Carolyn Crawford has worked for over a decade helping people refine their presentation/communication skills. She’s dealt with everyone from high-level CEOs to small SMEs across any industry you could think of, so is a great person to listen to on the matter.

See below for some great tips from Carolyn:

**  Confidence is infectious. If you project confidence then your audience will feel confident in you.

**  Presenting isn’t just to a group. In everyday business, you’re probably 'presenting' one-on-one every day.

**  Don’t ever say “it’s just not me”. If you’re capable of being in the workplace then you’re capable of presenting. It’s just a question of finding your natural style.

**  Always be clear on your outcome: what do you want to achieve out of any conversation? Without this you’ll get lost in the detail of broad topics.

**  Don’t contrive your style. Just because someone else has certain mannerisms doesn’t mean you should copy them.

**  Never use grammatically correct bullet points. If it’s grammatically correct as a bullet point then it shouldn’t be a bullet point - it should either be spoken or properly written.

 

In this episode of Business Brain Food you will learn:

**  How to avoid death by Powerpoint

**  Why presenting is important

**  How to use visual aids

**  How to find your own style

**  The rules of simplicity

 

Resources mentioned in this episode:

**  Ben’s free business planning template: http://www.maxmyprofit.com.au

**  Carolyn’s site with Presenting To The Max graphical guide: http://www.f2fcommunications.com.au

**  Carolyn’s Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/f2fcomms/

**  The Business Brain Food Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/businessbrainfood

**  All previous BBF episodes & show notes can be found at http://www.businessbrainfood.com.au

**  Twitter: https://twitter.com/bfewtrell

 

Call to action:

Most of your life is communicating, but how much of your education has been about communication? Most of us will need to sharpen up!

Also, if you are enjoying these Business Brain Food podcasts, then make sure to share them via social media sites or email the links to family and friends. A lot of time and effort goes into producing each of these podcasts with the goal in mind of the more people we can inspire about business the better. You can help us do just that!

Until next time, have a profitable day!

Cheers,
Ben Fewtrell
(02) 9111 5000

 

Direct download: BBF162_Presenting_to_the_max_with_Carolyn_Crawford.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00pm AEDT

If you’ve got prospective customers then we guarantee this interview will help you get more conversions. Doren Aldana has done a lot in the corporate world and has two hugely successful businesses behind him. We’re going to focus on his Testimonial Engine business: a tool to help companies gather and manage online client reviews.

Every business can benefit from this, so listen up!!

See below for some great stats and some great advice from Doren:

**  73% of consumers say that positive customer reviews make them trust a business more.

**  79% of customers trust online reviews as much as a personal recommendation from a friend or family member.

**  Consumer reviews are trusted 12 times more than a company’s own marketing material.

**  7/10 customers come back to your business if they have a problem and you resolve it quickly. Make sure you have a mechanism in place to enable you to quickly nip problems in the bud.

**  Reviews work for you 24/7. Unlike referrals, you don’t have to tend to them.

**  Have a system to make it easy for people to leave reviews, i.e. allow them to do it without needing to create an account with yelp, google etc.

 

In this episode of Business Brain Food you will learn:

**  The value of good reviews

**  How to find those good reviews

**  Review-capture pages

**  The inner workings of mytestimonialengine.com

**  The importance of video and audio reviews

**  How to turn a raving fan into a company evangelist

 

Resources mentioned in this episode:

**  Ben’s free business planning template: http://www.maxmyprofit.com.au

**  Doren’s special offer for BBF listeners: http://www.mytestimonialengine.com/brainfood

**  Doren’s mortgage coaching business: http://www.mortgagemarketingcoach.com

**  The Business Brain Food Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/businessbrainfood 

**  All previous BBF episodes & show notes can be found at http://www.businessbrainfood.com.au

**  Twitter: https://twitter.com/bfewtrell

 

Call to action:

Even if you don’t take up Doren’s great offer for his testimonial system, you should now stop and think about how you handle your feedback. Are you just sitting and hoping for the best? Or are you proactively turning feedback into a money-making machine?

Also, if you are enjoying these Business Brain Food podcasts, then make sure to share them via social media sites or email the links to family and friends. A lot of time and effort goes into producing each of these podcasts with the goal in mind of the more people we can inspire about business the better. You can help us do just that!

Until next time, have a profitable day!

Cheers,
Ben Fewtrell
(02) 9111 5000

 

Direct download: BBF161_with_Doren_Aldana.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00pm AEDT

We’ve gone way off-piste with this week’s episode, but we guarantee this conversation will make you think. Our guest Jeffrey Slayter is a lifelong entrepreneur, but only truly found himself when he went away to the jungles of Peru and took part in an ayahuasca ceremony.

Jeffrey’s profession is now to advise entrepreneurs on how to change their habits and open their minds. He’s spoken to over 3 million people and has shared a stage with the likes of Richard Branson, Brian Tracey, Dr John D. Martini, Tim Ferris and Tony Robbins. The chances are, Jeffrey has worked with someone you’ve looked up to.

See below for some of Jeffrey’s holistic advice:

**  When you think you’re on top of the world and doing well, you’re usually not.

**  You’re only in a race with yourself. Don’t be too concerned with the conventions of the world around you.

**  Get out of the habit of thinking you need to belong. If you’re surrounded by people who are unsuccessful and then you become successful and feel you don’t belong, this can be disempowering.

**  Go against the conventional advice, and DO take things personally. Shielding and resisting things can exacerbate problems.

**  Tim Ferris says he “does not know a billionaire that hasn’t done a psychedelic”.

**  We need to design our businesses beyond our personalities. It needs to come from the soul upwards.

**  CEOs who have psychedelic experiences often come back and completely revamp their company and revamp their lives. Jeffrey is aware of some of the very top CEOs in the world who have done this.

**  The biggest discovery Jeffrey made from his psychedelic experiences was that he didn’t always need to be somewhere else.

**  Trust the universe again because nature rewards courage. There is a direct correlation between willingness to be courageous and success.

**  The freedom of realising that most of your life has been a lie can be very empowering. The questions and the self doubts stop.

In this episode of Business Brain Food you will learn:

**  What makes an entrepreneur successful

**  The definition of success

**  How to pick your friends

**  The benefits of psychedelic experiences

**  How to use fear to your advantage

 

Resources mentioned in this episode:

**  Ben’s free business planning template: http://www.maxmyprofit.com.au

** Business Excelleration Conference VIP day – book your place now: http://maxmyprofit.com.au/events

**  Jeffrey’s book, ‘The Evolutionary Entrepreneur’ can be bought here

**  Jeffrey’s website: http://www.jeffreyslayter.com

**  Jeffrey’s project of awakening: http://www.thegrandinitiative.com

**  The Business Brain Food Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/businessbrainfood

**  All previous BBF episodes & show notes can be found at http://www.businessbrainfood.com.au

**  Twitter: https://twitter.com/bfewtrell

 

Call to action:

While you may not want to dabble with psychedelic substances yourself, the reasons why Jeffrey and many of the world’s leading CEOs do use them are indisputable. Let’s conclude matters with a quote from Jeffrey: “I’d rather be weird and pave my own path than to be normal. Normal would suck.”

Also, if you are enjoying these Business Brain Food podcasts, then make sure to share them via social media sites or email the links to family and friends. A lot of time and effort goes into producing each of these podcasts with the goal in mind of the more people we can inspire about business the better. You can help us do just that!

Until next time, have a profitable day!

Cheers,
Ben Fewtrell
(02) 9111 5000

 

Direct download: bbf160_awakening_the_entreprenuer_within_with_jeffrey_slayter.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00pm AEDT

What a truly exceptional man we have on the show this week – you will never hear a more salient and inspiring business commentator. His story actually speaks for itself, but there’s a whole lot more on offer in this conversation.

Greg has set up his own business and successfully sold the franchise; he’s worked in residential lending and structured funding, and now he spends his time being the go-to man for CEOs who are looking to raise substantial investment to grow their business.

Greg is particularly revered for somehow raising $120m for an animated film, The Legends Of Oz: Dorothy’s Return. Not only was this the first time anyone in Hollywood had pulled this off, but Greg managed to do this despite telling each investor that they’d stand to lose money!

See below for some of Greg’s unbelievable insight:

**  Raising money is a good way of building teams. If you’re going to grow something you can’t do it alone.

**  If you’re going to grow, you have to be prepared to keep changing your mindset.

**  Embrace chaos. If you don’t, you won’t grow.

**  It isn’t all about the money. Most people invest for the primary reason that the investment would have a meaningful impact on their life.

**  Are you more interested in what you’re doing, or who you’re doing it with? If it’s the latter, then you’re set up to achieve the ‘impossible’ like Greg.

 

In this episode of Business Brain Food you will learn:

**  Bootstrapping V funding a business

**  Greg’s amazing story

**  How Greg was involved in the digital projection of Michael Jackson

**  What prevents businesses from scaling

**  How Greg raised an ‘impossible’ amount of money

**  The secret to good leadership

Resources mentioned in this episode:

**  Ben’s Business Advice: http://www.maxmyprofit.com.au

**  Find Greg on his website: http://www.gregcentineo.com

**  Greg’s must-read books with Amazon buy links: Howard Schultz - Pour your heart into it; Walter Isaacson - Einstein: His life and the universe; Walter Isaacson - Steve Jobs: The Exclusive Biography

**  The Business Brain Food Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/businessbrainfood

**  All previous BBF episodes & show notes can be found at http://www.businessbrainfood.com.au

**  Twitter: https://twitter.com/bfewtrell

 

Call to action:

It’s so difficult to pick one bit of wisdom above all the others to end with, but we’ll go with this from Greg: “You can do good things by yourself, but you’ll never accomplish anything great alone".

Also, if you are enjoying these Business Brain Food podcasts, then make sure to share them via social media sites or email the links to family and friends. A lot of time and effort goes into producing each of these podcasts with the goal in mind of the more people we can inspire about business the better. You can help us do just that!

Until next time, have a profitable day!

Cheers,
Ben Fewtrell
(02) 9111 5000

 

Direct download: BBF159_Why_investors_gave_Gren_Centineo_over_120_million.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00pm AEDT

This week we get an important reminder of the value of investing in assets outside of your own business. Michael Fuller from DPN has done this himself and now makes it his business to advise others on how they can achieve their financial goals through property investment.

See below for some of Michael’s top tips:

**  If you were to get sick or go away on holiday, could your business run without you?

**  Outside investments allow you to take a step back and make changes to your existing business.

**  Get a business coach. Of course we would say that, but one of Phil’s great regrets is not having one.

**  Do you have a business exit plan? You should always have an exit plan to focus the mind.

**  Einstein insightfully predicted that the most powerful thing in the universe would be compound interest. Let those property assets give you that power!

**  Take time to sit down and make an investment plan. What can I do now? And what can I do over time?

**  If you are going to invest in property, make sure you have the time to manage it. If you are using property as a sideline investment, you don’t want to be bogged down by having to manage renovation and short-term flipping.

In this episode of Business Brain Food you will learn:

**  The benefits of income protection

**  The costs of retaining property

**  Cashflow V capital growth

**  How to take the emotion out of buying property

**  The myth of reducing your tax bill

**  The perilous pension situation

**  What debt really means

 

Resources mentioned in this episode:

**  Ben’s Business Advice: http://www.maxmyprofit.com.au

**  Michael’s company site: http://www.dpn.com.au

**  Contact Michael directly at michaelf@dpn.com.au

**  The Business Brain Food Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/businessbrainfood

**  All previous BBF episodes & show notes can be found at http://www.businessbrainfood.com.au

**  Twitter: https://twitter.com/bfewtrell

 

Call to action:

Don’t just rely on your day-to-day business and your pension to look after you. Think about investment!

Also, if you are enjoying these Business Brain Food podcasts, then make sure to share them via social media sites or email the links to family and friends. A lot of time and effort goes into producing each of these podcasts with the goal in mind of the more people we can inspire about business the better. You can help us do just that!

Until next time, have a profitable day!

Cheers,
Ben Fewtrell
(02) 9111 5000


This week we find out how Dean Salakas built up his company, the Party People from a AUD 500,000-per-year business with 3 employees to the powerhouse it is now, turning over AUD 4m per year with 40+ employees.

You might know Dean from his appearance on the Aussie entrepreneur TV show, The Shark Tank, where he actually turned down a AUD 400,000 offer for a share of his business, The Party Store. Dean learnt a lot from the experience and shared some great insight with us.

See below for some of Dean’s best advice:

**  Don’t throw everything at online. In retail, online sales currently account for 6-11% of overall sales, and at current growth rates it is forecast to be only 20% in 10 years.

**  However, you need to be good at both online marketing and conventional marketing. A lot of people start their buying journey online but end it in the store.

**  Plan plan plan! If you don’t have a long-term plan, when you hit a problem it’s harder to cope with it.

**  Understand your cycles. In Dean’s case he has to plan for the spikes in demand around dates like Halloween and Christmas… what are your spikes in demand?

**  Learn how to talk investors’ language. If you want your business to grow to a serious degree you’re probably going to need outside investment, but if you don’t fully understand what they want, you won’t get their money.

**  If you’re a small business with ambition, be prepared to do everything. You won’t have the resource to outsource the majority of your tasks.

**  Dean’s quickest path to growth is to master your marketing.

 

In this episode of Business Brain Food you will learn:

**  Is digital so important for retail?

**  The benefits of being open to change

**  Dean’s incredible journey

**  Why Dean turned down a AUD 400,000 offer on Shark Tank

**  The best strategies for raising funding

**  What didn’t work for Dean

 

Resources mentioned in this episode:

**  Ben’s Business Exceleration conference. Special VIP offer here

**  Dean’s Party People website: http://www.thepartypeople.com.au

**  The Business Brain Food Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/businessbrainfood

**  All previous BBF episodes & show notes can be found at http://www.businessbrainfood.com.au

**  Twitter: https://twitter.com/bfewtrell

 

Call to action:

Dean made his business, the Party People, grow exponentially with some very simple common-sense business methods. Listen to him!

Also, if you are enjoying these Business Brain Food podcasts, then make sure to share them via social media sites or email the links to family and friends. A lot of time and effort goes into producing each of these podcasts with the goal in mind of the more people we can inspire about business the better. You can help us do just that!

Until next time, have a profitable day!

Cheers,
Ben Fewtrell
(02) 9111 5000

Direct download: BBF157_Building_Australias_largest_retail_party_supplies.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00pm AEDT

We have a first on BBF this week.. a man who is a certified professional organiser. Who in business doesn’t need to be organised? Joshua is well worth listening to because not only is he a professional organiser, he is the director of global community at Evernote: one of the most popular business apps in the world. Joshua is so organised he even uses Evernote to list his favourite burger joints around the world!

See below for some of Joshua’s best productivity advice:

**  ‘Busy' doesn’t mean ‘productive’. Do not aspire to be busy! When judging the quality of your output, concentrate on whether you get done what you want to get done - nothing else.

**  Apps can be great for productivity but it’s important to define what your problem is before you jump in and get an app. Doing it the other way around can make you even less efficient.

**  Learn to say no. You can only truly succeed in your time management if you say no at the right times.

**  When assigning tasks to others, there’s no substitute for good old-fashioned conversation. Dictating tasks and deadlines to people can be easily done with today’s technology, but it is a bad habit.

**  Document your processes. Only then can you delegate properly.

**  With any new tool/app, you don’t need to know everything it does. Just take a small everyday task and use the tool/app to help with that, and build from there.

In this episode of Business Brain Food you will learn:

**  Why productivity is important for small businesses

**  The definition of productivity

**  How modern technology has helped/hindered efficiency in business

**  Time management

**  Delegation

**  The inner workings of Evernote

 

Resources mentioned in this episode:

**  Ben’s free business planning template can be downloaded from http://www.maxmyprofit.com.au

**  Find Joshua on Twitter here

**  Find Evernote on Twitter here

**  The Business Brain Food Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/businessbrainfood

 

**  All previous BBF episodes & show notes can be found at http://www.businessbrainfood.com.au

**  Twitter: https://twitter.com/bfewtrell

 

Call to action:

We’ll leave our very own Ben to give our inspirational message this week: “If this conversation with Joshua doesn’t inspire you to get organised, then nothing will!”

Also, if you are enjoying these Business Brain Food podcasts, then make sure to share them via social media sites or email the links to family and friends. A lot of time and effort goes into producing each of these podcasts with the goal in mind of the more people we can inspire about business the better. You can help us do just that!

Until next time, have a profitable day!

Cheers,
Ben Fewtrell
(02) 9111 5000


What a great guest we have this week - there was so much absolute gold that came out of the conversation. Our guest is Annette Densham (AKA “The Publicity Genie”) who has a great insight into how small businesses can market themselves, having worked with numerous clients across Australia and having started out on the other side of the fence as a journalist. She has also pioneered the award-winning “Genie Lamp 3-wishes program” which has helped revolutionise the way startups get their place in the media.

See below for some of Annette’s best PR advice:

**  Public relations is everything you say and do - not just in the media.

**  People don’t do business with businesses, they do business with people, so your all-round message is vital.

**  Work out your key messages: What do you want people to know about you? What do you do? What solution are you offering? Only then should you think about what specific communication channels to use.

**  Keep it regular - it’s all about being consistent and persistent.

**  Don’t just talk about yourself on social media. You need to consistently give people value.

**  PR is like planting a seed - it must be consistently nurtured.

**  Think about being a guest contributor to relevant media.

**  When writing a media release, remember ‘the inverted pyramid’. Put your most important information at the top.

 

In this episode of Business Brain Food you will learn:

**  The importance of PR for small business

**  How much time you should dedicate to PR

**  The law of reciprocity

**  How to use keywords to your advantage

**  How to plan your PR activity

**  The definition of pro-active media

**  How to use Google alerts

**  How best to approach journalists

**  Repurposing content

 

Resources mentioned in this episode:

**  Ben’s free business planning template can be downloaded from http://www.maxmyprofit.com.au

**  Visit Annette’s website here and take up her offer of a free 15-minute PR consultation

**  The Business Brain Food Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/businessbrainfood

 

**  All previous BBF episodes & show notes can be found at http://www.businessbrainfood.com.au

**  Twitter: https://twitter.com/bfewtrell

 

Call to action:

As Annette says, “there’s no room for modesty in small business!”. Listen to the show and follow her advice….. don’t be shy!

Also, if you are enjoying these Business Brain Food podcasts, then make sure to share them via social media sites or email the links to family and friends. A lot of time and effort goes into producing each of these podcasts with the goal in mind of the more people we can inspire about business the better. You can help us do just that!

Until next time, have a profitable day!

Cheers,
Ben Fewtrell
(02) 9111 5000

 

Direct download: BBF155_How_to_get_your_slice_of_the_media_pie_with_Annette_Densham.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00pm AEDT

What a thoroughly interesting man we have on the show this week. Morris Miselowski has made it his business to predict the future, but there are no crystal balls and tarot cards here….. Morris is a highly qualified professional, renowned the world over. He’s worked with the likes of KPMG, Ford and Microsoft, helping them to anticipate changes in technology and human behaviour.

We were very lucky to spend an hour picking his brains about the next big things and how every business can brace themselves for rapidly changing marketplaces.

Read on for some of Morris’ top tips on future proofing:

**  You must constantly take time out to think ahead. You owe it to your business and you owe it to your clients.

**  However outlandish your new idea for a business may sound, if you can find a clear human need for it, you should go for it.

**  Keep an eye out for incremental changes you can make to your day-to-day business. It’s better to do this habitually than to leave it too late and be forced into making monumental change for the sake of survival.

**  Think about business strategy first and then look for the technology to make it happen. Don’t let the new technology dictate to you.

**  Forget about the perfect long-term solution. In this day and age the ‘solution’ you need is something that enables you to grow and adapt to change.

**  Nowadays your business will be one of a myriad of choices in your marketplace, so you have to learn to adapt, otherwise you will lose more and more market share.

 

 

In this episode of Business Brain Food you will learn:

**  Disruptive industries

**  Centralised service provision

**  “the drunken Saturday night experience”

**  How best to cope with change

**  The impact of Artificial Intelligence

**  How google is positioning itself to collect human data

 

Resources mentioned in this episode:

**  Ben’s free business planning template can be downloaded from http://www.maxmyprofit.com.au

** Go to Morris’ website and find a whole host of resources, including his free-to-download magazine, “Future Curious”

**  All previous BBF episodes & show notes can be found at http://www.businessbrainfood.com.au

**  Twitter: https://twitter.com/bfewtrell

 

Call to action:

What Morris says about the death of the perfect long-term business plan really is worth reiterating. Think long and hard about the way you plan your future business, and make sure you bring it into the 21st century!

Also, if you are enjoying these Business Brain Food podcasts, then make sure to share them via social media sites or email the links to family and friends. A lot of time and effort goes into producing each of these podcasts with the goal in mind of the more people we can inspire about business the better. You can help us do just that!

Until next time, have a profitable day!

Cheers,
Ben Fewtrell
(02) 9111 5000

 

Direct download: BBF154_Predicting_the_future_of_your_business_with_Morris_Miselowski.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00pm AEDT

Get your SEO right and it could completely change your business, so listen up to our SEO expert David James. In this week’s episode David guides us through a multitude of tips and tricks that will help you navigate the minefield of search-engine optimisation.

Read on for some of David’s top tips:

**  Beware of any marketeers who offer you black hat SEO, i.e. spamming comments on other sites to create backlinks, creating multiple landing pages etc. Search engines will get wise to this and penalise you by sending you down the search rankings.

**  Monitor your ranking on an ongoing basis. Pro Rank tracker is a good tool. Also Google Search Console can help with this.

**  Think long term. A 2-3 year plan is perfectly reasonable if your business is in a crowded marketplace.

**  The two key things to remember when optimising your site for SEO: the user experience and how many other sites have recommended you.

**  Site load time is an often-overlooked part of the mix. Make sure your site is built by someone who knows what they’re doing.

**  Use ‘schema’ functionality in your site, i.e. your key company information embedded within the html code.

**  Use the Google Keyword Planner to see what the search trends are in your marketplace. SEM rush is another good tool. And don’t forget that at the bottom of normal Google searches, there are suggested keywords.

 

In this episode of Business Brain Food you will learn:

**  SEO explained

**  White hat V Black hat SEO

**  Different search engine penalties

**  The zero position

**  The best content for SEO

**  The genesis framework

**  The search-engine spider

**  The value of XML site maps

**  Google Places reviews

 

Resources mentioned in this episode:

**  Ben’s free business planning template can be downloaded from http://www.maxmyprofit.com.au

**  Check out David’s BGDTM Youtube channel here

**  David’s website: www.businessgrowthdigitalmarketing.com

 

**  David’s email address: david@businessgrowthdigitalmarketing.com

 

**  David’s twitter: @bgd_marketing

 

**  All previous BBF episodes & show notes can be found at http://www.businessbrainfood.com.au

**  Twitter: https://twitter.com/bfewtrell

 

Call to action:

You’re now armed with all the tools you need to succeed with your SEO….. now go out and do it!

Also, if you are enjoying these Business Brain Food podcasts, then make sure to share them via social media sites or email the links to family and friends. A lot of time and effort goes into producing each of these podcasts with the goal in mind of the more people we can inspire about business the better. You can help us do just that!

Until next time, have a profitable day!

Cheers,
Ben Fewtrell
(02) 9111 5000

 

Direct download: BBF_153-_How_to_Rank_on_Google_in_2017_with_David_James.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00pm AEDT

What a pleasure it is to welcome back Steve Sims to the show. It’s hard to know where to start with Steve – he’s just done so much – but we’ll quickly summarise him as ‘a man who makes dreams come true’. His company, Blue Fish, specialises in creating unique life experiences for its clients. Since we last spoke to Steve he has sent someone to a space station, placed clients backstage with the likes of ZZ Top and Guns & Roses, and sent someone to Monte Carlo to be James Bond for the weekend. Steve has also written a book called “Blue Fishing” which he talks to us about.

See below for some of Steve’s advice on how to make the impossible possible:

**  Stop listening to that idiot on your shoulder saying ‘no’. If you think you can’t, you’re right.

**  When trying to pull off an unlikely experience, approach it like this: “I’ve always wanted to do this, what has to happen for this to happen?” Don’t walk straight in with money because people don’t want to feel like they’ve been sold.

**  Email is dead. Pick up the phone and leave a voice memo. This is a non-intrusive way of building a rapport with busy people.

**  Relationships are everything. Do every single thing you can to build and retain good relationships.

 

In this episode of Business Brain Food you will learn:

** How to court celebrities

**  How to build relationships that work

**  The power of voice memos

**  Steve’s colourful track record

**  A summary of Steve’s new book, Blue Fishing

**  How to leave a voice memo

 

Resources mentioned in this episode:

**  Ben’s free business planning template can be downloaded from http://www.maxmyprofit.com.au

**  Get Steve’s book, Blue Fishing, from http://www.stevedsims.com

**  All previous BBF episodes & show notes can be found at http://www.businessbrainfood.com.au

**  Twitter: https://twitter.com/bfewtrell

 

Call to action:

Remember Steve’s point about that ‘idiot’ on your shoulder. Don’t concentrate on the reasons why not, concentrate on the reasons why!

Also, if you are enjoying these Business Brain Food podcasts, then make sure to share them via social media sites or email the links to family and friends. A lot of time and effort goes into producing each of these podcasts with the goal in mind of the more people we can inspire about business the better. You can help us do just that!

Until next time, have a profitable day!

Cheers,
Ben Fewtrell
(02) 9111 5000

 

Direct download: BBF_152_The_art_of_making_things_happen_with_Steve_Sims.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00pm AEDT

This week we lift the lid on one of Australia’s biggest entrepreneurial success stories: Penny Spencer. She gave us so much great insight into how she got to where she is today. Her travel company turns over £65m per year and has 85 employees, and she is listed in Australia’s top 35 entrepreneurs.

We got Penny on the show not only because of her success in business but because she is a great advocate of business coaching and mentoring. She is a member of many different mentoring groups and has founded her own not-for-profit group for the travel sector called TIME. Her philosophy of never being too successful or too old to learn really is an important one.

See below for some of Penny’s top tips:

**  Set goals. It’s a common piece of advice but that’s because it works!

**  Accountability for your goals is key. This is where pier groups are vital.

**  Always be open to new people coming in to your business.

**  Penny works 'on' her business 90% of the time, and ‘in’ the business 10% of the time. It took her ten years to get to this point - it didn’t happen overnight - but it is something that most entrepreneurs should aspire to.

**  Be clear on the values of your company and employ people on the basis of your values. Values mean more than skills.

**  If you have happy staff you have happy clients. Staff should never be treated as a liability!

**  Make sure you pay yourself when you have your own business. An easy mistake entrepreneurs make is to not pay themselves and then gradually resent the business.

 

In this episode of Business Brain Food you will learn:

**  How to generate good referrals

**  The value of mentoring groups

**  A sustainable method of recruitment

**  The importance of being able to change direction

**  How Penny generates ideas

**  The power of networking

**  How to interview

**  How often to survey clients and how to review the results

**  How to prepare yourself to start a new business

 

Resources mentioned in this episode:

**  Not long left to grab a place on one of Ben’s free 5-stage Business Exceleration™ workshops. Go to http://www.businessfasttrack.com.au for more information and to register.

**  Ben’s free business planning template can be downloaded from http://www.maxmyprofit.com.au

**  Penny’s website: http://www.pennyspencer.com.au

**  Penny’s travel company website: http://www.spencertravel.com.au

**  Penny’s book can be purchased here

**  All previous BBF episodes & show notes can be found at http://www.businessbrainfood.com.au

**  Twitter: https://twitter.com/bfewtrell

 

Call to action:

Penny is a great reminder to all of us that our entrepreneurial minds should always stay open to learning. Take heed of this advice: make sure you have a way of developing yourself.

Also, if you are enjoying these Business Brain Food podcasts, then make sure to share them via social media sites or email the links to family and friends. A lot of time and effort goes into producing each of these podcasts with the goal in mind of the more people we can inspire about business the better. You can help us do just that!

Until next time, have a profitable day!

Cheers,
Ben Fewtrell
(02) 9111 5000

 


This week we have some great no-nonsense marketing advice from a man who’s been there and done it, Mitch Hills. Mitch founded the highly successful social media agency, Mastered Marketing, as well as the Exceptions business community, and he sure knows how to deconstruct the complexities of modern-day marketing so anybody can understand it.

See below for some of Mitch’s top tips;

**  Get your content out there! Don’t worry about it being too polished.

**  A small audience can be an advantage in the beginning because it gives you a chance to perfect your own voice.

**  Don’t think of your marketing as just the promotion of your high-ticket items. Part of your marketing mix needs to encourage your audience to discover they have a problem in the first place.

**  Cheap leads are not necessarily good leads. It’s often worth working harder for better leads.

**  Understand the pain points of your customers. This should drive your marketing.

**  Think about how to move your customers from their current situation to their desired situation.

**  Ideally you should produce two pieces of video content per month. Alongside that, have one advert promoting your content and one promoting your lead magnet.

**  Broadcast what you’re already doing. Your customers are likely to find it interesting.

 

In this episode of Business Brain Food you will learn:

**  The power of Facebook advertising

**  Social media platforms compared

**  How to adapt landing pages to capitalise on your marketing

**  The best way to sell/package giveaways

**  Lead magnets explained

**  Repurposing explained

**  Facebook business pages V Facebook personal pages

Resources mentioned in this episode:

**  Not long left to grab a place on one of Ben’s free 5-stage Business Exceleration™ workshops. Go to http://www.businessfasttrack.com.au for more information and to register.

**  Mitch’s website: http://www.masteredmarketing.com

**  Mitch’s instagram: http://www.instagram.com/masteredmarketing

**  All previous BBF episodes & show notes can be found at http://www.businessbrainfood.com.au

**  Twitter: https://twitter.com/bfewtrell

 

Call to action:

Let’s end matters by quoting Mitch’s excellent summary of what your introductory offers/lead magnet should be. Never forget the phrase “low friction, high value.”

Also, if you are enjoying these Business Brain Food podcasts, then make sure to share them via social media sites or email the links to family and friends. A lot of time and effort goes into producing each of these podcasts with the goal in mind of the more people we can inspire about business the better. You can help us do just that!

Until next time, have a profitable day!

Cheers,
Ben Fewtrell
(02) 9111 5000

 

Direct download: BBF150_Mastering_your_Marketing_with_Mitch_Hills.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00pm AEDT

Our guest this week struck absolute gold by hosting webinars, and she’s going to teach you how to do it yourself. In only two years, Liz Benny has managed to create webinars that have raised over 2 million AUD – she previously had no experience in the field!

See below for some of Liz’s top tips;

**  Any business can benefit from webinars - it doesn’t have to be online courses.

**  The right webinar will take someone over the emotional hurdles/doubts as to why they can’t be successful themselves.

**  Webinars are all about empathy.

**  Check out Russell Brunson’s webinar structure - it’s worked for Liz and our very own Ben.

**  You need a proper understanding of the pain points and pleasures of your audience - do your surveys properly. Google forms is an easy free tool to create surveys.

**  Lead with integrity with your webinar. If you are always yourself, you will sell more.

**  Personal stories help your upsells from webinars.

**  When it comes to words in the slides, less is more.

 

In this episode of Business Brain Food you will learn:

**  How outsourcing can revolutionise your life

**  The definition of a webinar

**  How to change your energy for a webinar

**  The right title for a webinar

**  The difference between a great webinar and a bad webinar

**  Should you have video in your webinar?

**  What percentage of webinar audiences normally stay and listen to the sales pitch

Resources mentioned in this episode:

**  Ben’s free 5-stage Business Exceleration™ workshops will be taking place in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. Go to http://www.businessfasttrack.com.au for more information and to register.

**  Leave a review of BBF on the itunes store and gain access to some members-only training on user experience. This is a great, hour-long video called “The three secrets to making your website convert visitors into customers”. All you have to do is leave a review, copy the text and email it to ben@maxmyprofit.com.au and you will be given access to the training.

**  Liz’s website: http://www.lizbenny.com

**  Liz’s facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/TimeToKapow/

**  All previous BBF episodes & show notes can be found at http://www.businessbrainfood.com.au

**  Twitter: https://twitter.com/bfewtrell

Call to action:

Listen to what Ben said at the end of the show…. literally ANYONE can do a webinar that makes them money, so you should start doing yours today!

Also, if you are enjoying these Business Brain Food podcasts, then make sure to share them via social media sites or email the links to family and friends. A lot of time and effort goes into producing each of these podcasts with the goal in mind of the more people we can inspire about business the better. You can help us do just that!

Until next time, have a profitable day.

Cheers,
Ben Fewtrell
(02) 9111 5000

Direct download: BBF149_How_to_use_webinars_to_grow_your_business_with_Liz_Benny.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00pm AEDT

It’s a constant battle for many business owners: just how do you turn web traffic into useful leads? We’ve got someone on the show this week who will tell you how. Lindsey Anderson is the founder and CEO of trafficandleads.com, a company that specializes in this area. She’s been so successful that she’s been given the nickname “one-click Lindsey”!

We had a great chat with Lindsey – she’s someone who cuts through all the myth and tells it how it is.

See below for some of Lindsey’s top tips;

**  Who cares if you have a website? It’s only worth having one if it drives phone calls and sales.

**  The number one mistake most businesses make is they don’t have an irresistible offer on their website.

**  You must create content that makes search engines and potential customers curious.

**  80-90% of people who opt in on websites do so via a popup.

**  Email people regularly to keep them warm. Once a week is optimum, at the same time on the same day.

**  Remember, it doesn’t have to always be written content. Audio and video content can still create curiosity and engage your potential leads.

 

In this episode of Business Brain Food you will learn:

**  The “click” technique

**  How to rank higher for keywords

**  Using Facebook pixels

**  The value of email marketing

**  How regularly to target people

**  Different Facebook campaigns

**  How Yoast SEO can guide you to optimise your blog posts

**  Backlinks explained

Resources mentioned in this episode:

**  Ben’s free 5-stage Business Exceleration™ Workshops will be taking place in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. Go to http://www.businessfasttrack.com.au for more information and to register.

**  Leave a review of BBF on the itunes store and gain access to some members-only training on user experience. This is a great, hour-long video called “The three secrets to making your website convert visitors into customers”. All you have to do is leave a review, copy the text and email it to ben@maxmyprofit.com.au and you will be given access to the training.

**  Lindsey’s free 5-day crash course can be found here

**  Lindsey’s own site: http://www.oneclicklindsey.com

**  All previous BBF episodes & show notes can be found at http://www.businessbrainfood.com.au

**  Twitter: https://twitter.com/bfewtrell

Call to action:

If you can’t learn anything from what Lindsey said on the show then you never will! There is so much for you to have a go at to start generating those leads!

Also, if you are enjoying these Business Brain Food podcasts, then make sure to share them via social media sites or email the links to family and friends. A lot of time and effort goes into producing each of these podcasts with the goal in mind of the more people we can inspire about business the better. You can help us do just that!

Until next time, have a profitable day.

Cheers,
Ben Fewtrell
(02) 9111 5000

 


This week we’re going to demonstrate the importance of a good memory to everyday business, and show you how you can make yours better. What a pleasure it was to speak to Tansel Ali; four-time Australian memory champion, executive memory coach and TV personality who has featured on the likes of ‘Redesign My Brain’. Tansel once memorised the entire Sydney Yellow Pages, so this guy’s certainly qualified to comment on matters of memory!

Read on for some of Tansel’s best memory tips:

**  The emphasis should not simply be about gathering information, it’s about what you do with it next.

**  Set a plan for what you need to memorise and compartmentalise each part of the process.

**  Visualisation and association is paramount. If you meet someone for the first time, associate an image with their name in order to create an emotional connection.

**  Most of our brain capacity isn’t used, so there is plenty of room to memorise more if you get it right.

**  If you train your mind to make the right connections, your outward communication will improve.

**  It’s worth pausing to get out of the zone. The information you take in when you’re in the zone is more likely to be stored coherently if you take breaks and keep your mind fresh.

 

In this episode of Business Brain Food you will learn:

**  How stress can affect the memory

**  How to speed read

**  How to stave off distraction

**  Visualisation techniques

**  The science of trigger points

**  How best to start sharpening your memory

 

Resources mentioned in this episode:

**  Ben’s free 3-hour workshops across Australia. Go to http://www.businessfasttrack.com.au for dates.

**  Leave a review of BBF on the itunes store and gain access to some members-only training on user experience. This is a great, hour-long video called “The three secrets to making your website convert visitors into customers”. All you have to do is leave a review, copy the text and email it to ben@maxmyprofit.com.au and you will be given access to the training.

**  Tansel’s website: http://www.tanselali.com

**  Tansel’s recommending reading: Tony Buzan – Use Your Memory

**  Tansel’s two books: The Yellow Elephant & How to learn almost anything in 48 hours

**  All previous BBF episodes & show notes can be found at http://www.businessbrainfood.com.au

**  Twitter: https://twitter.com/bfewtrell

Call to action:

Remember, it isn’t just about remembering facts. Exercising your memory can make a big difference to many other important areas of life.

Also, if you are enjoying these Business Brain Food podcasts, then make sure to share them via social media sites or email the links to family and friends. A lot of time and effort goes into producing each of these podcasts with the goal in mind of the more people we can inspire about business the better. You can help us do just that!

Until next time, have a profitable day.

Cheers,
Ben Fewtrell
(02) 9111 5000

 

Direct download: BBF147_How_to_Memorise_Anything_with_Tansel_Ali.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00pm AEDT

This week we’re deconstructing the sales process with someone who is not only a sales expert but who has walked the walk himself as an entrepreneur. Carl Gould had built three multi-million businesses by the time he was 40, and has since written three bestselling books on sales and business development. As a consultant he has worked with over 5,000 businesses on their sales function.

Carl’s energy and passion for the subject matter really is incredible – there was just so much gold in the conversation.

 

Check some of Carl’s top tips:

**  You cannot be a business owner unless you know how to sell and market yourself. If you can’t you will not survive.

**  You don’t have to be a particular ‘type’ of salesperson. You don’t need to be pushy. It’s more important to have full belief in your product.

**  In selling, there is no prize for second place. Coming last is better than second. Make sure you qualify your leads properly so you don’t waste resources coming second.

**  Always make sure you create an ideal client profile. Who is the most likely person that would benefit from your product and service, and why would they?

**  Think about these key things when profiling your buyer: ‘What keeps my ideal buyer awake at night?’ ‘What makes them get yelled at when they get home?’ ‘What’s going on in their life and business right now that makes buying from your business an urgency?’

**  Find what your clients are most passionate about and design your product and services around that.

 

In this episode of Business Brain Food you will learn:

**  How to outsource sales

**  The different steps of the sales cycle

**  How to create leads

**  How to stop people dropping out of the sales cycle

**  How to find the right sales people

**  How to correctly incentivise sales people

Resources mentioned in this episode:

**  Ben’s free business growth workshops across Australia. Go to http://www.businessfasttrack.com.au for dates.

**  Leave a review of BBF on the itunes store and gain access to some members-only training on user experience. This is a great, hour-long video called “The three secrets to making your website convert visitors into customers”. All you have to do is leave a review, copy the text and email it to ben@maxmyprofit.com.au and you will be given access to the training.

**  Carl’s website: http://www.carlgould.com

**  Carl’s book “Biz Dev Done Right” can be bought here

**  Email Carl: carl@carlgould.com

**  All previous BBF episodes & show notes can be found at http://www.businessbrainfood.com.au

**  Twitter: https://twitter.com/bfewtrell

We’ll leave you with a great inspirational quote from Carl: "Anybody can sell - you just have to be fully bought into the product, understand the customer and give them the opportunity to buy"

Also, if you are enjoying these Business Brain Food podcasts, then make sure to share them via social media sites or email the links to family and friends. A lot of time and effort goes into producing each of these podcasts with the goal in mind of the more people we can inspire about business the better. You can help us do just that!

Until next time, have a profitable day.

Cheers,
Ben Fewtrell
(02) 9111 5000

Direct download: BBF146_Biz_Dev_Done_Right_with_Carl_Gould.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00pm AEDT

In an age where digital reigns supreme, it’s easy to be swamped by all of the options out there. This week we have Murray Jess on the show – a man who can cut through all of the noise and help you focus your marketing efforts.

Murray is the manager and managing director of Zoo Republic, a top Sydney marketing agency that has worked with the best of the best, including Coca Cola and Cannon.

Check out his no-nonsense marketing tips:

**  Fragmentation allows you to understand customers better.

** Always be clear on your proposition.

** Take time to step back from your day to day. What are you REALLY offering?

** Work out your marketplace, understand their pain points and make sure your brand actually solves them.

** Open up dialogue with your customers where possible. Feedback is vital.

** Don’t forget that human beings are still driving digital marketing. The principles of message, trust and delivery are still the same across each digital marketing medium.

** You don’t need to be on all channels. It’s easy to waste money trying to market too widely.

 

In this episode of Business Brain Food you will learn:

** The modern take on lead generation

** Why the Uber model is so effective

** How to segment your marketplace

** When to outsource the marketing function

** The power of referrals

** How to court advocates 

 

Resources mentioned in this episode:

**  Leave a review of BBF on the itunes store and gain access to some members-only training on user experience. This is a great, hour-long video called “The three secrets to making your website convert visitors into customers”. All you have to do is leave a review, copy the text and email it to ben@maxmyprofit.com.au and you will be given access to the training.

** Murray’s company website: http://www.zoorepublic.com.au

**  All previous BBF episodes & show notes can be found at http://www.businessbrainfood.com.au

**  Twitter: https://twitter.com/bfewtrell

As Murray says, the principles of marketing that have applied throughout all time still apply now. Make sure you understand the objectives of your offering then the rest is easy!

Also, if you are enjoying these Business Brain Food podcasts, then make sure to share them via social media sites or email the links to family and friends. A lot of time and effort goes into producing each of these podcasts with the goal in mind of the more people we can inspire about business the better. You can help us do just that!

Until next time, have a profitable day.

Cheers,
Ben Fewtrell
(02) 9111 5000

Direct download: BBF145_Why_your_Marketing_is_Failing_with_Murray_Jess.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00pm AEDT

This week we have a great conversation about how you can use your business as a vehicle to educate and do good. Our guest is Patty Alper, author of the book “Teach To Work” and founder of the Alper Portfolio Group, the Alper Foundation and the NFTE Network. Through these organisations Patty has mentored thousands of young people, and has a great insight into just how beneficial mentoring can be for both the mentor and the pupil, and how mentoring is becoming increasingly important for the future of the world economy.

See below for some great mentoring insight:

**  Through mentoring you can give your business a human face. Building better links with your community in this way will have obvious benefits for marketing and sales.

** Mentoring can help with recruitment. Millennials want to work for companies that display a social conscience.

** Mentoring can be very inspiring. Your pitch is likely to be worth a lot more than anything a famous celebrity could ever say or do, because you are in the same room as receptive young people and on their level.

** Everybody in business who has the time should be a mentor. The education system has been proven to be inadequate for the current employment needs of the world.

** Schools and local organisations are normally very receptive to people who offer mentoring.

 

In this episode of Business Brain Food you will learn:

 

** How your business can benefit by being a mentor

** How can you actually start to be a mentor?

** Business mentoring success stories

** Why is there a skills gap?

** How educators can prepare the youth of today

 

Resources mentioned in this episode:

**  Leave a review of BBF on the itunes store and gain access to some members-only training on user experience. This is a great, hour-long video called “The three secrets to making your website convert visitors into customers”. All you have to do is leave a review, copy the text and email it to ben@maxmyprofit.com.au and you will be given access to the training.

**  Ben’s Business Fast Track seminar: “5 stages of building a business that doesn’t rely on you”. Dates for September are still available. Go to http://www.businessfasttrack.com.au

**  Patty’s book “Teach To Work” can be bought here

**  Patty’s website: http://www.teachtowork.com

**  All previous BBF episodes & show notes can be found at http://www.businessbrainfood.com.au

**  Twitter: https://twitter.com/bfewtrell

Mentoring is quite simply a win-win scenario for both parties, and from what Patty said is quite easy to get into. Think seriously about sharing your skills!

Also, if you are enjoying these Business Brain Food podcasts, then make sure to share them via social media sites or email the links to family and friends. A lot of time and effort goes into producing each of these podcasts with the goal in mind of the more people we can inspire about business the better. You can help us do just that!

Until next time, have a profitable day.

Cheers,
Ben Fewtrell
(02) 9111 5000


Every company needs a good website, but so many sites fail in the most basic areas. Help is at hand this week from Pete Kvist; a straight-talking and highly entertaining expert on the subject, and author of the book “Why Most Websites Suck”. He travels around the world giving speeches on the matter, but we’re lucky to have him on BBF for an hour to help you with your business.

Read on for some of his sage advice:

**  Think about the scare stories of when people get their car serviced but they’ve paid for something that hasn’t been done. Websites can be exactly the same. Do some basic research and watch out.

**  Don’t build your own website. If you have a leak in the house you call a plumber, so you should treat websites in the same way.

**  If you don’t have a website, people are still searching for you online, but the big question is: do you have control of the information that people will find about you? That’s why a good website is vital.

**  Your website is not simply an online brochure. Don’t go in with too hard a sell – you need to build people’s trust.

**  You only need to spend a small amount of time researching websites to protect yourself when working with web developers/designers. A book, one or two blog articles and a podcast like this one should be more than enough.

**  Think about the reasons why you’ve clicked away from a website in the past, and then see if your website does any of the same things.

**  Fully understand what people are most likely to look for on your site and make it as easy as possible for them to find it. Don’t automatically give each of your offerings an equal priority.

 

In this episode of Business Brain Food you will learn:

 

** What you need to know to properly brief a web developer

**  The three things you must have on your homepage

**  What Google Analytics can do for your site

**  How to craft the right opt ins

**  How to use persuasive imagery

**  The theory of Google advertising

**  How to create a persuasive giveaway

**  The importance of a landline phone number

 

Resources mentioned in this episode:

**  Leave a review of BBF on the itunes store and gain access to some members-only training on user experience. This is a great, hour-long video called “The three secrets to making your website convert visitors into customers”. All you have to do is leave a review, copy the text and email it to ben@maxmyprofit.com.au and you will be given access to the training.

**  Pete’s website: http://www.petekvist.com

**  Pete’s book can be bought here

**  All previous BBF episodes & show notes can be found at http://www.businessbrainfood.com.au

**  Twitter: https://twitter.com/bfewtrell

As Pete said when asked to give a tip on how people can be more efficient… “do something now”! There are so many small an achievable steps that you can follow from this conversation with Peter, so it would be rude not to!

Also, if you are enjoying these Business Brain Food podcasts, then make sure to share them via social media sites or email the links to family and friends. A lot of time and effort goes into producing each of these podcasts with the goal in mind of the more people we can inspire about business the better. You can help us do just that!

Until next time, have a profitable day.

Cheers,
Ben Fewtrell
(02) 9111 5000

Direct download: BBF143_Why_most_websites_suck_with_Peter_Kvist.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00pm AEDT

Being a podcast that’s 142 episodes old it really is about time we talk about podcasting! It’s done so much for Maxmyprofit so there’s no reason why it can’t transform your business. Our guest this week is the head of content at spreaker.com – a comprehensive podcasting platform that can enable literally anyone to get going as a podcaster.

Rob has been podcasting from pretty much the beginning of the podcast era in 2004, having started off as a live broadcaster on local radio in Seattle. He saw the opportunity that podcasting provided and began to syndicate the show around the world, selling advertising and generally monetizing the whole project. Since then his podcasting expertise has seen him work for the likes of Microsoft.

This guy sure knows his stuff – here are some of his top tips:

**  Look at yourself and look at how you’re trying to reach your base of possible customers… would a podcast work for this?

**  Consulting-style businesses where you’re basically selling yourself are ideal for podcasting.

**  Understand your measures of success. Your show doesn’t have to have 1 million listeners. It could be enough to have 500 avid listeners based locally.

**  Every year, podcasting listenership numbers increase.

**  Think of the potential longevity of your show before you start. Can you actually sustain it after a few shows? Will you run out of ideas?

**  Get going with it now! Don’t wait around and pre-record a load of them. Accept that you will get better on the job.

**  Audiences are built around consistency. You will probably be more successful with your podcast if it’s weekly rather than monthly.

**  Understand what production time you can dedicate. If you don’t have time for post-production, you can make up for that by slick pre-production that means you basically make the show ‘live’ and don’t need to do extensive editing.

**  Listen to other people’s shows and get some ideas. There is nothing wrong with this at all. Just take the best bits from the shows and find your voice!

 

In this episode of Business Brain Food you will learn:

 

**  Is a podcast for me?

**  The differences between radio and podcasting

**  The advertising potential of podcasting

**  The age/gender split in podcasting

**  The cost of hosting podcasts

**  How to start your own podcast

**  The right frequency for podcasts

**  How software can effectively work as a mixing desk

 

Resources mentioned in this episode:

 

**  Leave a review of BBF on the itunes store and gain access to some members-only training on user experience. This is a great, hour-long video called “The three secrets to making your website convert visitors into customers”. All you have to do is leave a review, copy the text and email it to ben@maxmyprofit.com.au and you will be given access to the training.

**  Listen to Rob’s weekly Spreaker live show for more hints and tips on podcasting (broadcast on Wednesdays at 3pm PST)

**  Connect with Rob on twitter @robgreelnee and at http://www.robgreenlee.com

**  All previous BBF episodes & show notes can be found at http://www.businessbrainfood.com.au

**  Twitter: https://twitter.com/bfewtrell

 

If listening to this podcast wasn’t enough to prove the value of podcasting to your business, then hearing just how easy it is thanks to the kind of services that Rob provides should be enough to persuade you to take the plunge. Just go for it and get podcasting!!

Also, if you are enjoying these Business Brain Food podcasts, then make sure to share them via social media sites or email the links to family and friends. A lot of time and effort goes into producing each of these podcasts with the goal in mind of the more people we can inspire about business the better. You can help us do just that!

Until next time, have a profitable day.

Cheers,
Ben Fewtrell
(02) 9111 5000

Direct download: BBF142_Podcasting_as_a_Marketing_Strategy_with_Rob_Greenlee.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00pm AEDT

Get your presentation skills right and you can totally transform your business, so listen up to our esteemed guest Jon Yeo. Jon is the licensing curator of TEDx Melbourne and has worked as a specialist consultant for numerous TEDx speakers, so he understands exactly what it takes for speakers to succeed at the highest level.

There were so many pearls of wisdom from Jon, which were delivered clearly and succinctly as you can imagine! Here are some of the highlights:

 

**  Speaking is becoming more relevant. In an era where words have been reduced down for mediums like Twitter, TED-style talks (18 minutes or less) are more relevant than ever.

**  On-demand education from talks is becoming more popular by the day, because of how fluid people’s careers are these days. People need to learn a lot of different things throughout their career but often can’t justify learning in the same academic depth as they used to.

**  Good communication is a balance of relevance and engagement. Think ‘content’, ‘context’ and ‘intent’.

**  When giving a talk, get over the fact you’re transferring knowledge. The emphasis should be on giving insight. Aspire to get your audience to say “tell me more about that”.

**  It takes and average of 25 times to fully ‘embody’ your content. The amount of practice you need to put in when speaking is to get you to the point where you are so ‘embodied’ in your content, your delivery sounds natural.

**  The greatest speakers have the ability to change the tone, pitch and positioning of information.

**  Always remember your audience. This sounds obvious, but you must think long and hard about what they might want to hear, and give them a message that’s digestible.

**  Be clear on your desired outcome at the end. That way you know what content to leave out.

 

In this episode of Business Brain Food you will learn:

 

**  How long you should practice for a talk

**  How to market yourself to TEDx

**  How to cram your message in to 18 minutes

**  The 9 dimensions of communication

**  What is the right amount of content

**  The benefits of speaking coaching

**  The 5 levels of understanding

**  Do we still need subject matter experts?

 

Resources mentioned in this episode:

 

**  Ben’s free business planning template: http://www.maxmyprofit.com.au

**  To connect with Tim on Linkedin, send him a request beginning with the sentence “Jon, I heard your interview”

**  All previous BBF episodes & show notes can be found at http://www.businessbrainfood.com.au

**  Twitter: https://twitter.com/bfewtrell

 

As Jon said, think of the potential loss of opportunity if you stuff up your pitch/speech. This is a fundamental part of business that you need to master!

Also, if you are enjoying these Business Brain Food podcasts, then make sure to share them via social media sites or email the links to family and friends. A lot of time and effort goes into producing each of these podcasts with the goal in mind of the more people we can inspire about business the better. You can help us do just that!

Until next time, have a profitable day.

Cheers,
Ben Fewtrell
(02) 9811 5000

Direct download: BBF141_How_to_make_your_presentation_compelling_and_engaging_with_Jon_Yeo.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00pm AEDT

We get deep and spiritual with our guest this week, as Margie Warrell talks us through how to face our fears in business and in life.

As an author of multiple books, Margie has certainly walked the walk. She is the first ambassador for Women in Global Business, and is also an ambassador for Beyond Blue, helping to remove the stigma attached to mental health. And for good measure, she’s climbed Kilimanjaro, and has interviewed the guest that would end all guests for BBF, Richard Branson! Some day we will make it happen!

Keep reading for some great tips from Margie:

 

**  It’s not what we think to fear, it’s what we link to fear. We create worst-case scenarios, rather than focusing on what we can gain.

**  As humans we’re wired to certainty, but this can be the worst thing. To take your business to another level, you need to make brave decisions.

**  Before a big decision, think “if I wasn’t afraid, I’d do this”.

**  Think in an experimental way where you the kind of decisions you need to make are more about dipping your toe in than being all or nothing.

**  Expand your circle with ambitious people.

**  Write down your visions on paper – don’t just think about them. It brings everything to life.

**  Moving away from pain is a stronger motivator than moving towards pleasure.

 

In this episode of Business Brain Food you will learn:

 

**  How to use fear to your advantage

**  Imposter syndrome

**  The definition of a ‘smart risk’

**  The seven core steps to make your mark

**  How to get out of a rut

**  The potential of embracing discomfort

 

Resources mentioned in this episode:

 

**  Ben’s free business Ebook: http://www.maxmyprofit.com.au

**  Margie’s website: http://www.margiewarrell.com

**  Margie’s latest book, ‘Make Your Mark’ can be purchased directly here: http://www.makeyourmarkguidebook.com

**  All previous BBF episodes & show notes can be found at http://www.businessbrainfood.com.au

**  Twitter: https://twitter.com/bfewtrell

When Margie quoted Mark Twain during the show, it said it all. Take heed of this: “I’ve known a great many troubles in my life and most of them never happened.”

Also, if you are enjoying these Business Brain Food podcasts, then make sure to share them via social media sites or email the links to family and friends. A lot of time and effort goes into producing each of these podcasts with the goal in mind of the more people we can inspire about business the better. You can help us do just that!

Until next time, have a profitable day.

Cheers,
Ben Fewtrell
(02) 9811 5000

Direct download: BBF140_Making_Your_Mark_with_Margie_Warrell.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00pm AEDT

We all need a good company website, right? So it’s lucky we have a man on the show who cuts through the bullshit and gives us all the best shortcuts we need to “turn people’s websites into rockstars”.

Our guest this week is Jon Hollenberg, a man with 18 years of experience and thousands of websites behind him, having worked with clients as big as Qantas and Jeep. This man really knows his stuff!

Here are some great pearls of wisdom from Jon:

 

**  40-45% of businesses don’t have a website. Don’t be one of them!

**  A website has a lifecycle, you have to keep innovating and investing.

**  People scroll more these days, so you don’t need to cram everything into an old-fashioned “above the fold” layout.

**  Do not forget how important mobile responsiveness is.

**  When devising a website, have clear intent, i.e. Who is your client? What do you want them to do? How do you measure it?

**  Remember you need to dedicate time and effort to create fresh content for your site. The real work starts after you’ve built the site.

**  Have an ongoing relationship with your site designers and builders. Tweaks can make a big difference.

 

In this episode of Business Brain Food you will learn:

 

**  The importance of mobile optimisation

**  The power of Google analytics

**  The lifespan of a website

**  The assets you need to keep your website relevant

**  Diagnostic tools

**  How to blog effectively

**  The power of video content

 

Resources mentioned in this episode:

 

**  Ben’s free business Ebook: http://www.maxmyprofit.com.au

**  John’s book can be found on his website here

**  All previous BBF episodes & show notes can be found at http://www.businessbrainfood.com.au

**  Free giveaway of John’s book on BBF Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/businessbrainfood

**  Twitter: https://twitter.com/bfewtrell

 

Jon’s great quote is a good one to end with: “Be clear on what success actually looks like, and work out how to get there”.

Also, if you are enjoying these Business Brain Food podcasts, then make sure to share them via social media sites or email the links to family and friends. A lot of time and effort goes into producing each of these podcasts with the goal in mind of the more people we can inspire about business the better. You can help us do just that!

Until next time, have a profitable day.

Cheers,
Ben Fewtrell
(02) 9811 5000

Direct download: BBF139_How_to_get_your_website_firing_with_Jon_Hollenberg.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00pm AEDT

Spending big money on marketing and advertising is second nature to many businesses, but all too often they treat recruitment as an afterthought. Our guest this week, Roberta Matuson, explains just how important good recruitment is to your business, and gives us some great shortcuts that you can put into action today.

Roberta has a great track record in the business, having helped the likes of Microsoft, General Motors and The Boston Beer Company. She has also written two books on recruitment, one of which was listed in the Washington Post’s Top 5 business books.

Read on for some of Roberta’s best advice:

 

**  The leader of a company is all-important to recruitment. That’s what attracts the talent.

**  “Companies need to change their teams into recruiting machines” - don’t just defer to HR and wash your hands of it!

**  Don’t think badly of candidates who are unemployed. If they’re good enough, they’re good enough.

**  Linkedin is a great way of screening candidates - you can quickly check the credentials of people via your own extended networks.

**  Once you start the process of recruitment it’s vitally important you commit the time to see it through. Follow up those CVs and book in those interviews, otherwise the best candidates will be tied up elsewhere.

**  Always be in recruiting mode - a good waiter or bar person could be excellent for your company, so don’t be afraid to offer people opportunities when you stumble across them.

**  Don’t underestimate mature workers - you don’t always need to chase potential.

**  Recruiting is not just about finding new people - it’s about retention. Keep your best staff and you won’t need to work so hard on recruitment.

 

In this episode of Business Brain Food you will learn:

 

**  How to attract the best talent

**  The importance of authenticity

**  How to recruit for sales

**  Recruiting on Linkedin

**  When it’s appropriate to check people’s social media reputation

**  The value of a contract recruiter

 

Resources mentioned in this episode:

 

**  Are you an accounting firm looking to offer business advisory services? Are you a client of an accountant who wants your accountant to get more proactive? Contact ben@maxmyprofit.com.au

**  Ben’s free business Ebook: http://www.maxmyprofit.com.au

**  Roberta’s website: http://www.matusonconsulting.com

**  Roberta’s books can be bought here

**  All previous BBF episodes & show notes can be found at http://www.businessbrainfood.com.au

**  Facebook: www.facebook.com/businessbrainfood

**  Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/businessbrainfood

**  Twitter: https://twitter.com/bfewtrell

 

 

If you don’t get your recruitment right, your company will never fulfil its potential. Take note!

Also, if you are enjoying these Business Brain Food podcasts, then make sure to share them via social media sites or email the links to family and friends. A lot of time and effort goes into producing each of these podcasts with the goal in mind of the more people we can inspire about business the better. You can help us do just that!

Until next time, have a profitable day.

Cheers,
Ben Fewtrell
(02) 9111 5000

Direct download: BBF138_How_to_pull_top_talent_toward_you_with_Roberta_Matuson.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00pm AEDT

We spend so much time talking about the detail of day-to-day business, but what about life after business? Focusing on an exit plan is vital to ensure that your business enhances your life in the way that you want it to, and at the same time will make your day-to-day business more effective.

We have Australia’s leading exit planner on the show this week to show us the ropes on all-things exit planning. As well as being the largest succession planner in the country, Craig West has been awarded Exit Planner Of The Year, and more importantly has received the even greater accolade of being invited back onto this show because he was so good last time!

Keep reading for some of his top tips:

 **The number one problem with SMEs is over-reliance on one person at the top of the organisation.

**Make a succession plan, even if you have no intention of selling up any time soon.

**You can triple or quadruple the value of your business if you do a proper exit plan.

**Do not underestimate the value of your competitors. They are likely to pay better money for your company than standard investors.

**It isn’t all about the sale price of a business - think about life after business.

**Don’t do it yourself - always use an advisor for your exit planning.

**You should spend 20% of your time working ‘on’ your business rather than working ‘in’ your business.

 

 In this episode of Business Brain Food you will learn:

**How long an exit can take

**How to maximise the potential exit options

**How to make your business attractive to a strategic buyer

**An employee share option explained

**How to sell to a listed company

**How to plan for life after business

 

Resources mentioned in this episode:

**Are you an accounting firm looking to offer business advisory services? Are you a client of an accountant who wants your accountant to get more proactive? Contact ben@maxmyprofit.com.au

**Ben’s events across Australia: http://www.businessfasttrack.com.au

**Ben’s free business Ebook: http://www.maxmyprofit.com.au

**Craig’s succession planning service: http://www.successionplus.com.au

**All previous BBF episodes & show notes can be found at http://www.businessbrainfood.com.au

**Facebook: facebook.com/businessbrainfood

**Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/businessbrainfood

**Twitter: https://twitter.com/bfewtrell

 

 

As Craig says, it’s very easy to put off exit planning because it doesn’t feel like it’s fundamental to the day-to-day, but if you listen to the show you’ll realise just how vital it actually is. Make sure you get your plan in order!

Also, if you are enjoying these Business Brain Food podcasts, then make sure to share them via social media sites or email the links to family and friends. A lot of time and effort goes into producing each of these podcasts with the goal in mind of the more people we can inspire about business the better. You can help us do just that!

Until next time, have a profitable day.

Cheers,
Ben Fewtrell
(02) 9111 5000


Have we got a colourful guest for you this week! This man had actually written his own suicide note, but here he is today inspiring all who listen to him. Tony Grebmeier’s story is just incredible: he’s the founder of Ship Offers (an Inc top 5,000 company); by the age of 18 he’d had a grand total of 16 jobs; and in 1996 he was ahead of the curve and founded a web marketing company in Silicone Valley. Oh and he’s also a radio presenter who does an awesome line of voice impressions!

Tony’s had it all, lost it all, and then made it again, and importantly he’s learnt from these ups and downs how to do business and life in a sustainable way. The show is worth listening to just for Tony’s life story, but he also gave some great tips about how to manage yourself and others:

**Sales in business is about giving people a story to understand what the product or service you’re selling will do for their lives

**Build relationships before you try and sell anything

**Find people for your business who have the skills you don’t have

**Coaching matters: Tony spends over 100,000 per year in coaching and mentoring

**Make the effort to build up people’s self worth, and work with them rather than above them

**Asking is a sign of greatness, not a sign of weakness

**A business owner has to stay in the trenches with their team

 
In this episode of Business Brain Food you will learn:

**Tony’s incredible story

**The importance of sales to business

**The value of mentoring

**Journaling routines

**The ‘braindump exercise’

**The power of the right mindset

 
Resources mentioned in this episode:

**Free business training from Ben. June dates in Newcastle, Brisbane and Melbourne. More information here

**Ben’s free business Ebook: http://www.maxmyprofit.com.au

**Tony’s radio show: http://www.tonygshow.com

**Tony’s email address: tony@shipoffers.com

**All previous BBF episodes & show notes can be found at http://www.businessbrainfood.com.au

**Facebook: facebook.com/businessbrainfood

**Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/businessbrainfood

**Twitter: https://twitter.com/bfewtrell

**Subscribe to BBF on iTunes

**Subscribe to BBF on Stitcher

 
Tony’s take on life is just great. There is just so much to learn from the man!

Also, if you are enjoying these Business Brain Food podcasts, then make sure to share them via social media sites or email the links to family and friends. A lot of time and effort goes into producing each of these podcasts with the goal in mind of the more people we can inspire about business the better. You can help us do just that!

Until next time, have a profitable day.

Cheers,
Ben Fewtrell
(02) 9111 5000

 

Direct download: BBF136_Building_an_8_figure_business_with_Tony_Grebmeier.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00pm AEDT

Ever wanted to write a book but you don’t have the time and you don’t know how to get it out there?

 

Our guest this week will help you get over this. Jacqui Pretty has made it her business to realise the ambitions of entrepreneurs big and small by helping them get their books to market, so it was great to speak to her to get her insight on the marketplace. Read on for some great tips, and as you’ll see, it’s easier than you think…

**You should see a book as more than just something that needs to sell. It is a low-risk way of clients getting to know you and so is a great tool to help you upsell a more expensive service.

**Don’t worry about giving away too much in a book. By delivering genuine value you earn the right to upsell your services.

**Being the author of a book automatically gives your voice credibility in the marketplace.

**You only need to put in the work to produce a book once and then forever it can serve as an advertisement for your business/service.

**Always create an outline of your chapters and then drill down further into headings and sub-headings. Sitting in front of a blank page is a surefire way to waste time and to lose focus.

**Consider a print-on-demand service. This can help you hedge your bets when it comes to publishing.

In this episode of Business Brain Food you will learn:

**How a book can help you stand out from the noise

**How long it should take to write a book

**The ideal length of a book

**Is it worth using a ghostwriter?

**Ebooks V ‘real’ books

**Different publishing deals

**The power of a distributor

**Is Amazon worth it?

Resources mentioned in this episode:

**Free business training from Ben. June dates in Newcastle, Brisbane and Melbourne. More information here

**Ben’s free business Ebook: http://www.maxmyprofit.com.au

**Jacqui’s site: http://www.grammarfactory.com

**Jacqui's Guide: http://grammarfactory.com/awesome-book-guide/

**The Price of Self-Publishing Article: http://grammarfactory.com/self-publishing/costs-much-price-self-publishing-book/

**All previous BBF episodes & show notes can be found at http://www.businessbrainfood.com.au

**Facebook: facebook.com/businessbrainfood

**Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/businessbrainfood

**Twitter: https://twitter.com/bfewtrell

** Subscribe to BBF on iTunes

** Subscribe to BBF on Stitcher

There are many different ways of getting a book to market and the benefits can be huge for your business. Take on board what Jacqui said and start writing!

Also, if you are enjoying these Business Brain Food podcasts, then make sure to share them via social media sites or email the links to family and friends. A lot of time and effort goes into producing each of these podcasts with the goal in mind of the more people we can inspire about business the better. You can help us do just that!

Until next time, have a profitable day.

Cheers,
Ben Fewtrell
(02) 9111 5000

 

Direct download: BBF135_Turning_Entrepreneurs_into_Authors_with_Jacqui_Pretty.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00pm AEDT

What a great story we’ve got for you on the show this week. Matt Miller’s situation got so bad he was turned down for a payday loan, but he turned it all around and became a prolific franchiser in a marketplace that literally any of us could enter.

After 10 years as a pilot and a number of false dawns in the corporate world, Matt read the legendary book ‘Rich Dad Poor Dad’ and became fixated on the idea of earning passive income. He eventually carved out his nice in gumball machines and school fundraising, and today his business is going from strength to strength.

Read on for some of his great wisdom:

**We should all strive to generate income without having to exert ourselves.

**It is possible to have a fruitful business without sacrificing time with family.

**Hire a coach! It totally transformed Matt. Elite sportspeople have coaches so why don’t we?

**When you hit your major goal, find a way to be challenged to aim for another one.

**Do what you can to remove yourself from the hub of the business. If Matt had never done this then the business would have ground to a halt when he had a heart attack.

**The speed of the business is determined by the speed of the leader.

**The most important investment anyone can make is in themselves.

 
In this episode of Business Brain Food you will learn:

**The power of passive income

**How to create flexibility in your work

**How Matt was inspired to give something back to children

**The ins and outs of franchising

**How to scale a franchise

**How Matt’s business survived when he was absent recovering from a heart attack

**Matt’s definition of success

 
Resources mentioned in this episode:

**Free business training from Ben. June dates in Newcastle, Brisbane and Melbourne. More information here

**Ben’s free business planning template: http://www.maxmyprofit.com.au

**Matt’s book: Live Your Dreams: The Top 10 Reasons Why You Need Your Own Vending Business

**Matt’s website: http://www.ssvbusiness.com

**Matt’s comic books can be bought here. Use the code ‘apepower’ for a special discount.

**All previous BBF episodes & show notes can be found at http://www.businessbrainfood.com.au

**Facebook: facebook.com/businessbrainfood

**Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/businessbrainfood

**Twitter: https://twitter.com/bfewtrell

**Subscribe to BBF on iTunes: http://actioncoachanz.com/itunes

**Subscribe to BBF on Stitcher: http://actioncoachanz.com/stitcher

 
Matt’s whole story is a great example of what can be achieved if you think beyond your core day-to-day work. For just a small commitment of time in the first instance, Matt has shown the power of just trying something new.

Also, if you are enjoying these Business Brain Food podcasts, then make sure to share them via social media sites or email the links to family and friends. A lot of time and effort goes into producing each of these podcasts with the goal in mind of the more people we can inspire about business the better. You can help us do just that!

Until next time, have a profitable day.

Cheers,
Ben Fewtrell
(02) 9111 5000


What a diverse character we have on the show this week; AFL footballer, TV presenter, MC, international media agent… what hasn’t this guy done?!?

As you can imagine we had a great chat with Troy Gray. He’s got so much insight from his amazing journey in business and in life, so it was a great privilege to have him on the show sharing it with us. Read on for some of the top tips that came out of the conversation:

**Go to the end users in your marketplace and find out what they want rather than what you want.

**Don’t ask too much of new contacts. Take an approach like this: “You’re a person who inspires me, and I’ve got an idea that can make you money. If you’d like to hear more then get back to me”.

**Remember the concept of the elevator pitch – don’t write long emails first up.

**People who are successful tend to love being asked what they think. Asking for advice is a great foot in the door with eminent business people.

**Really really listen to what people are saying when you pitch to them – if you can’t entice people to ask more questions during a pitch then that’s a sign that it’s not working.

**Don’t do it on your own in business. It’s nearly always worth giving away equity in order to gain inspiration from others.

**Major on reporting to your investors. Regular reporting is a great mechanism for cross-checking your own logic in running the business.

 
In this episode of Business Brain Food you will learn:

**Troy’s incredible story

**How sportspeople are equipped to drive business

**The importance of playing the industry game in order to get people to listen to your ideas

**The power of focus groups**The perception of the Australian psyche in the world of business

**The game of equity

**The right time to stop

**Can pitching be learnt?

**How to be held accountable as an entrepreneur

 
Resources mentioned in this episode:

**Ben’s free business planning template: http://www.maxmyprofit.com.au

**All previous BBF episodes & show notes can be found at http://www.businessbrainfood.com.au

**Troy’s website: http://www.troygray.com.au

**Troy’s media company, Vox Ventures site: http://www.voxventures.com.au

**Facebook: facebook.com/businessbrainfood

**Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/businessbrainfood

**Twitter: https://twitter.com/bfewtrell

**Subscribe to BBF on iTunes: http://actioncoachanz.com/itunes

**Subscribe to BBF on Stitcher: http://actioncoachanz.com/stitcher

 
How can you fail to be inspired by a guy like Troy? This man speaks the truth. You could do a lot worse than put a touch of Troy into your business!

Also, if you are enjoying these Business Brain Food podcasts, then make sure to share them via social media sites or email the links to family and friends. A lot of time and effort goes into producing each of these podcasts with the goal in mind of the more people we can inspire about business the better. You can help us do just that!

Until next time, have a profitable day.

Cheers,
Ben Fewtrell
(02) 9111 5000

Direct download: BBF133_From_professional_athlete_to_keynote_speaker_with_Troy_Gray.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00pm AEDT

This week we delve deep into the inspiring story of Pauline Nguyen, who overcame some incredible adversity to become one of the most revered restaurateurs in the world (her Sydney restaurant, The Red Lantern, is the most awarded Vietnamese restaurant in the world).

As a young child, Pauline was smuggled out of Vietnam on a boat and survived squalid conditions in a Thai refugee camp before eventually ending up in Australia. She had a seriously tough upbringing, with her father regularly beating her and then forcing her to work in the family businesses from the age of 7.

 

Eventually Pauline ran away from home and put herself through uni, and so started the journey of monumental success that led her to writing a book and becoming a much-in-demand keynote speaker.

Pauline shared with us some great life advice that she has learnt along the way:

**“Persistency is the new currency: the universe rewards the unreasonably determined”

**By being creative outside of your business, you can prevent yourself from being bogged down in the day-to-day running of it.

**Other businesses on the side can fulfill you better than just blindly sticking to one.

**The moment Pauline’s life as an entrepreneur improved was when she realised there was no way to get her deeper message out there if she was stuck in a restaurant 24/7.

**Don’t micromanage – employ members who treat the place like their own.

**“In our world ‘the obstacle is the way’ – the universe will only hand to us what it thinks we can handle”

**“Those who don’t take action are the most confused”

**“Look after your health – you will feel you have more time if you look after your health”

 
In this episode of Business Brain Food you will learn:

**Pauline’s incredible story

**How food can be a catalyst to learn life skills

**The power of building a community with your business

**How to find the right team

**How Pauline rode out the GFC

**Is there a right time to give up?

**The definition of courage

**Emotional mastery

**The power of a pier group

**The value of meditation

 
Resources mentioned in this episode:

**Pauline’s Book – Secrets Of The Red Lantern buy link

**Red Lantern Restaurant site

**Book Pauline as a public speaker here

**Pauline’s self-help resource can be found here

**Facebook: facebook.com/businessbrainfood

**Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/businessbrainfood

**Twitter: https://twitter.com/bfewtrell

**Subscribe to BBF on iTunes: http://actioncoachanz.com/itunes

**Subscribe to BBF on Stitcher: http://actioncoachanz.com/stitcher

 
Pauline’s story is very inspiring. If you listen to just one of her pearls of wisdom, you’ll set yourself up to be way more successful!

Also, if you are enjoying these Business Brain Food podcasts, then make sure to share them via social media sites or email the links to family and friends. A lot of time and effort goes into producing each of these podcasts with the goal in mind of the more people we can inspire about business the better. You can help us do just that!

Until next time, have a profitable day.

Cheers,
Ben Fewtrell
(02) 9111 5000


On the show this week we’re paying special attention to service businesses. Our guest has been there and done it with her own service business, and now she advises other service businesses how they can grow. Her particular area of expertise is in the online sphere, more specifically Facebook and LinkedIn groups, so we picked her brains for her insight on those.

 

Having worked with a whole host of companies ranging from seven-figure online businesses right the way through to the very biggest Fortune 500 companies, Brittany really is worth listening to. As well as social media groups, Brittany gave some great advice about scaling a service business in general:

See below for some top tips on how to use social media groups to scale your service business:

** Don’t get too hung up on the ‘elevate phase’ of online marketing. Yes you need landing pages etc. and an online presence, but once you find your leads, the ‘engage phase’ is more important.

** Try not to send mass messages to Linkedin contacts.

** When in a group on any social media, always be of value to others and help people where possible.

** Think of group interaction as being like a real offline relationship, i.e. don’t just go steaming in there and start selling yourself!

** Give yourself permission to abandon a strategy that’s not working.

** Create a wishlist of people you most want to connect with and set a plan to connect with them.

 
In this episode of Business Brain Food you will learn:

** How to get leads from online social media groups

** The elevate phase

** The right amount of time to spend working the groups

** How to find clients in groups with no-advertising rules

** How a service business can scale

** Feast and famine cycles

** When to say no to clients

** How best to hire for a service business

 
Resources mentioned in this episode:

** Brittany’s company site: http://www.scoopindustries.com

** Brittany’s favourite book for time management: https://12weekyear.com/

** Facebook: facebook.com/businessbrainfood

** Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/businessbrainfood

** Twitter: https://twitter.com/bfewtrell

** Subscribe to BBF on iTunes: http://actioncoachanz.com/itunes

** Subscribe to BBF on Stitcher: http://actioncoachanz.com/stitcher

 
Brittany has proven just how simple it is to scale up a service business. Listen and learn!

Also, if you are enjoying these Business Brain Food podcasts, then make sure to share them via social media sites or email the links to family and friends. A lot of time and effort goes into producing each of these podcasts with the goal in mind of the more people we can inspire about business the better. You can help us do just that!

Until next time, have a profitable day.

Cheers,
Ben Fewtrell
(02) 9111 5000


We’ve got a serious branding expert on the show this week, and what enthusiasm she has for the whole process. So much great insight here!

Nicole Ertas has been in the business for over 20 years and has worked with some massive global brands along the way, including Wrigley’s, Jim Beam and Nestle. She’s also written a great book called Freerange Brands which explains how the big brands are currently being challenged by the more flexible, dynamic, ‘freerange’ brands.

Nicole shared with us some great tips about how to build a successful brand, and also gave us a sneak preview of her easy-to-understand audience theory:

** A brand’s audience can be split into four sections: the ‘lords’, the ‘lovers’, the ‘hackers’, and the ‘hawks’. Any successful brand must pay regard to each of these different factions.

** The lords – These are the modern-day influencers, the people who have some kind of a following. The challenge for the brand is how to get their product talked about in the everyday environment these influencers inhabit.

** The lovers – These are the people who really want to connect with the brand and the shared values of the community.

** The hackers – The hackers want to participate and interact with the brand.

** The hawks – The hawks are there to strike if your brand lacks transparency or lets people down with their customer service experience.

** Before any kind of brand planning, first you must define your obsession: who are you and what do you do?

** Then from there you need to express why these values are different to the rest.

It’s all about translating these values into a customer experience and making your customers think about more than just price when they see your products. Values and experience are vital.

In this episode of Business Brain Food you will learn:

** How Heineken got it right with the repositioning of their brand

** The dangers of only talking about yourself

** How Urban Outfitters uses controversial tactics to succeed

** How to find your brand purpose

** Examples of the best brand experience

** How to measure ‘experience’

 
Resources mentioned in this episode:

** Nicole’s site: http://www.freerangebrands.com

** Nicole on twitter: http://www.twitter.com/freerangebrands

** Nicole’s book on Amazon here

** Facebook: facebook.com/businessbrainfood

** Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/businessbrainfood

** Twitter: https://twitter.com/bfewtrell

** iTunes: http://actioncoachanz.com/itunes

** Stitcher: http://actioncoachanz.com/stitcher

 
As Nicole says, “the best brands in this day and age are designed for unpredictability”

Also, if you are enjoying these Business Brain Food podcasts, then make sure to share them via social media sites or email the links to family and friends. A lot of time and effort goes into producing each of these podcasts with the goal in mind of the more people we can inspire about business the better. You can help us do just that!

Until next time, have a profitable day.

Cheers,
Ben Fewtrell
(02) 9111 5000

Direct download: BBF130_Turn_your_Brand_Equity_into_Brand_Currency_with_Nicole_Ertas.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00pm AEDT

It’s very easy to get stuck in the habit of spending hours and hours writing your own content, but this week’s show is a great reminder of how you can feed the machine just as well by using other people’s content and save yourself a load of time while you’re at it.

 

This week’s guest is Scott Scanlon: founder and owner of the Curation Suite app. Scott was kind enough to share with us some great tips on how to find and to share content to keep in touch with your audience:

** Content curation is the easiest type of marketing you do. It’s basically being a reporter for your market.

** Content curation is the number one way of getting started with social media.

** Make sure you add your own thoughts to a story.

** You can do 5 pieces of curation in the time it would take to do a typical blog post.

** If you’re already doing content, adding curation is easy.

** Keep your blog or site as simple as possible and focus on your CTAs.

** Concentrate on one path of conversion.

 
In this episode of Business Brain Food you will learn:

** The difference between curation and creation

** The inner workings of Curation Suite

** The definition of ‘fair use’

** How frequently you should share curated content

** How to find content to create

** How to use tools to find trending content before your competitors

 
Resources mentioned in this episode:

** Business coaching with Ben for less than 10 AUD per day – go to maxmyprofit.com.au

** Scott’s book, ‘Content Curation Secrets’ free download here:https://curationsuite.com/content-curation-secrets-v2/

** Curation Suite site: https://curationsuite.com

** Business Brain Food Website: www.businessbraingood

** Facebook: facebook.com/businessbrainfood

** Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/businessbrainfood

** Twitter: https://twitter.com/bfewtrell

** iTunes: http://actioncoachanz.com/itunes

** Stitcher: http://actioncoachanz.com/stitcher

 
If you’re struggling to find the time to create your own content, listen to Scott and get on the curation train!

Also, if you are enjoying these Business Brain Food podcasts, then make sure to share them via social media sites or email the links to family and friends. A lot of time and effort goes into producing each of these podcasts with the goal in mind of the more people we can inspire about business the better. You can help us do just that!

Until next time, have a profitable day.

Cheers,
Ben Fewtrell
(02) 9111 5000

 

Direct download: BBF129_Secrets_to_Curating_Content_so_you_get_noticed_with_Scott_Scanlon.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00pm AEDT

What an absolute prodigy we have on the show today… 20 years old and taking on the might of Uber! We’re not dealing with your average guy here. Zeryab Cheema has been an entrepreneur since the age of 15, building up an app called Taxi 24/7 which was adopted by over 20,000 black cabs in London.

Not content with that, Zeryab has set his sights on Uber by creating Hop: an ingenious concept that absolutely epitomizes the potential of the sharing economy. Read on for some more info about it:

** 100% of a customer’s fare goes to the drivers

** Drivers receive a base payment of 300 AUD per day just for being on the road

** Drivers rent their vehicles from Hertz

** The ambition is to get to a point where drivers can tap a card on a car parked in the street and start using it

** Raised capital last year, about to close 2nd round of capital

** There are currently six full-time staff in Hop team, 4-6 contractors/promotional staff and 3 board members, including a former winner of the Australian Apprentice

** He intends to trade in other countries using other global partners

** He’s never written a business plan in words – he just uses numbers

 
In this episode of Business Brain Food you will learn:

** The importance of leveraging from bigger companies

** How it’s possible to take on Uber

** A real-life example of marketplace disruption

** How to approach the raising of funding

** The importance of finding the right people

** The importance of networking with other entrepreneurs

 
Resources mentioned in this episode:

** Business coaching with Ben for less than 10 AUD per day – go to maxmyprofit.com.au

** Hop Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/followhop

** Facebook: facebook.com/businessbrainfood

** Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/businessbrainfood

** Twitter: https://twitter.com/bfewtrell

** iTunes: http://actioncoachanz.com/itunes

** Stitcher: http://actioncoachanz.com/stitcher

 
If this guy doesn’t inspire you then nothing will! Believe in your ideas and go for it!

Also, if you are enjoying these Business Brain Food podcasts, then make sure to share them via social media sites or email the links to family and friends. A lot of time and effort goes into producing each of these podcasts with the goal in mind of the more people we can inspire about business the better. You can help us do just that!

 

Until next time, have a profitable day.

Cheers,
Ben Fewtrell
(02) 9111 5000

Direct download: BBF128_Wunderkid_takes_on_Uber_with_Hop.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00pm AEDT

We’ve got someone with a pretty colourful background on the show today. Ross Jeffries honed his skills as a dating guru, helping over 60,000 men around the world build up their attraction to the opposite sex. He eventually realised the very same theory could be applied to business, so now he travels the world sharing his wisdom to sales teams and business owners.

 

Ross gave some absolutely great tips that will help you sell better. Keep reading and then listen to the show!

** You’re not selling your product and service – you’re selling decisions and good feelings about decisions.

** Don’t think of yourself as a salesperson, think of yourself as a decision service engineer.

** Your selling attitude needs to go something like: “I’m interested in the sale but I’m invested in my skills”.

** Being energetic and blessing people with good energy can build a bridge to something beyond what you thought you could imagine. But there is a balance between doing this and trying too hard and scaring people off.

** Add the phrase “up until now” to any phrase in your head that you use to summarise your own failures. Then start using ‘ownership language’, i.e. “and now I use my skills and my learning to close my big money clients.”

** There is a difference between being likeable and setting out just to be liked. Don’t ever make “being liked” a target. It should be seen more as a byproduct.

** ‘Pleasant’ is power that’s held in check.

 
In this episode of Business Brain Food you will learn:

** How to eliminate guilt from the sales process

** How to break ‘learnt helplessness’

** The ‘sympathetic nervous system’

** How to make affirmations work for you

** The different phases of incompetence and competence

** The ARIA theory to turn stumbling blocks into momentum

** The common mistakes in sales

 
Resources mentioned in this episode:

** Ben’s free business planning template: com.au

** Free video training from Ross can be found here

** Ross’ public speaking: http://www.rossjeffrieslive.com

** Facebook: facebook.com/businessbrainfood

** Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/businessbrainfood

** Twitter: https://twitter.com/bfewtrell

** iTunes: http://actioncoachanz.com/itunes

** Stitcher: http://actioncoachanz.com/stitcher

 
Ross is absolute living proof that presenting yourself is vital across all aspects of life, not just business, so open your ears and sharpen up your repertoire!

Also, if you are enjoying these Business Brain Food podcasts, then make sure to share them via social media sites or email the links to family and friends. A lot of time and effort goes into producing each of these podcasts with the goal in mind of the more people we can inspire about business the better. You can help us do just that!

Until next time, have a profitable day.

Cheers,
Ben Fewtrell
(02) 9111 5000

 


Quite simply one of the best guests we’ve ever had, Carl Taylor is really going to teach you a thing or two about e-marketing in this episode. Not only is Carl a marketing expert who currently runs a highly successful marketing agency, he’s been there and done it as an entrepreneur and even better: he’s been coached by us here at MaxMyProfit.

 

Incredibly, Carl was running his own business when still at school and he did this at the same time as working as an assistant manager in a pizza shop! Although he admits he’s always been a bit of a geek, he only got into e-marketing in order to promote his own business. So this guy’s lived this from your side of the fence, and by his own admission, he’s made loads of mistakes which you won’t make if you keep reading.

Here are some of his top tips:

** Marketing gets people calling you rather than you having to call them.

** Every business has the ability to attract customers with email marketing. What changes from business to business is how much human interaction you need afterwards.

** If you’re not strong at tech, learn what you can about the concepts of the sales and marketing process – don’t worry about how you do it. Always build your own strategy – don’t outsource it!

** Make sure your lead magnet has genuine value and takes a short amount of time to consume.

** Think of the sales funnel as the dating process: there is a whole process that builds rapport before any major commitment.

** Understand if your business is product based V service based. If it’s service based then a longer phase of freebies might be required at the beginning of the process. If it’s product based and the product is a low value, then you can go in more quickly.

** Don’t forget, you can combine free with paid offers in the early stages.

** Don’t get too hung up on opt-in rates. Look at your ROI as your main measure.

** Remember that timing is a factor in the marketing and sales process. If your core offer didn’t come at the right time, keep your prospects warm until a time when it might be. Having done this, always remember that at some point you’re going to need to make them an offer to commit again.

 
In this episode of Business Brain Food you will learn:

** Carl’s own story of marketing ups and downs

** An understanding of open rates & opt-in rates

** How often you should email your prospects

** What ROI you should expect

** The purpose of a lead magnet

** Should you give away free ebooks?

** How to use a webinar to qualify your leads

** How to set impulse-buy price points

** The nurturing sequence

 
Resources mentioned in this episode:

** Register for Ben’s workshops across Australia, “The 5-stage business growth blueprint”. http://www.businessfasttrack.com.au

** Carl’s website which includes a free PDF of killer email subjects: http://www.carltaylor.com

** Carl’s agency: http://www.automationagency.com

** Facebook: facebook.com/businessbrainfood

** Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/businessbrainfood

** Twitter: https://twitter.com/bfewtrell

** iTunes: http://actioncoachanz.com/itunes

** Stitcher: http://actioncoachanz.com/stitcher

 
This man’s been there and done it and from nothing has become an unbelievable marketer. If he can do it, so can you!

Also, if you are enjoying these Business Brain Food podcasts, then make sure to share them via social media sites or email the links to family and friends. A lot of time and effort goes into producing each of these podcasts with the goal in mind of the more people we can inspire about business the better. You can help us do just that!

Until next time, have a profitable day.

Cheers,
Ben Fewtrell
(02) 9111 5000

Direct download: BBF126_How_to_Build_a_Business_by_Building_a_Database_with_Carl_Taylor.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00pm AEDT

What a character we have on the show today. His insight was so good last time we’ve bowed to popular demand and invited him back. Andrew Griffiths is an absolute wheeler-dealer, having run over a dozen different businesses. At the age of just 18 he scraped together the money to buy a diving shop, and worked a full-time job in a bottle shop in the evenings just to make ends meet. He’s sold encyclopedias door-to-door, he’s had a publishing company and numerous marketing firms, he’s written 12 books, and now he gives TED talks and business coaching to budding entrepreneurs…. is there anything this man hasn’t done?

As Andrew tells us himself, he’s made so many mistakes along the way that it’s impossible to not learn from them. Read on for the great no-nonsense business tips he’s gathered along the way:

** Listen to your gut instinct. Intuition is the number one business tool.

** Let go of disasters. A loss of 300,000 AUD could save you 3 million further down the line.

** There is a price to pay for everything. While your business might seem more complex than other businesses, it probably isn’t.

** Don’t be a small-business martyr and say “I haven’t had a holiday in 10 years”. There’s nothing clever about that! Find ways to work smart.

** Learn how to communicate. That helps bring all your other skills to the fore.

** Always have a desire to learn. Make sure you don’t get so caught up in day-to-day business that you can’t find the time and headspace to innovate.

** Surround yourself with people who pull you up rather than pull you down.

** Never be afraid of making big money, but for true wellbeing, money should not be the number one motivating factor.

  In this episode of Business Brain Food you will learn:

** The definition of an entrepreneur

** The incredible story of how his business partner stole all of his assets and ran away, leaving a massive trail of debt for Andrew to deal with

** Long working days – a good thing or a bad thing?

** How he tripled his income and halved his working hours in just 6 months

** The top skills a successful entrepreneur needs

** The benefits of pier groups

** Some of the most innovative business concepts from around the world

** The importance of attitude

  Resources mentioned in this episode:

** Register for Ben’s workshops across Australia, “The 5-stage business growth blueprint”. http://www.businessfasttrack.com.au

** Andrew’s website: http://www.andrewgriffiths.com.au/

** Ben’s Daily Business Tips: http://www.dbtpodcast.com

** Facebook: facebook.com/businessbrainfood

** Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/businessbrainfood

** Twitter: https://twitter.com/bfewtrell

** iTunes: http://actioncoachanz.com/itunes

** Stitcher: http://actioncoachanz.com/stitcher

  If ever there was an example of someone who just got out there and had a go, it’s Andrew. Take some risks and scratch that entrepreneurial itch today! Also, if you are enjoying these Business Brain Food podcasts, then make sure to share them via social media sites or email the links to family and friends. A lot of time and effort goes into producing each of these podcasts with the goal in mind of the more people we can inspire about business the better. You can help us do just that! Until next time, have a profitable day. Cheers, Ben Fewtrell (02) 9111 5000

Direct download: BBF125_Entrepreneur_is_not_a_dirty_word_with_Andrew_Griffiths.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00pm AEDT

We’ve got a real hotshot on the show this week. Step forward Wayne Berry, one of the most in-demand sales gurus (ranked in the top 7% of speakers worldwide), and author of four bestselling books.

Wayne is brilliant at giving people detail in easily digestible chunks. If you’re a business owner or salesperson there is just so much you can apply right NOW to boost your sales figures. Read on for Wayne’s top tips:

** All skills can be learned if you have a high enough desire

** Being human is more important than ever in this era of online information overload

** Don’t bombard people with information – always make it look like you want to build a relationship with them

** Try and position yourself as a problem solver

** The basic sequence of behaviour for an effective salesperson goes like this: develop trust, build rapport, ask the right questions and solve the problems that come from the answers

** You don’t necessarily need the gift of the gab to be a good salesperson

** If you’re a business owner it’s vital you do sales training so you can properly understand the performance of your team

** Don’t just set sales targets – set your targets across all aspects of the process i.e. number of meetings, presentations, cold calls etc.

  In this episode of Business Brain Food you will learn:

** The distinction between a pro salesperson and an amateur

** The different types of salespeople

** The power of commitment

** The need for a sales process

** The value of sales scripts

** How to hire the right salespeople

** The right length of sales meetings

  Resources mentioned in this episode:

** Register for Ben’s workshops across Australia, “The 5-stage business growth blueprint”. The first event is March 1st : http://www.businessfasttrack.com.au

** Wayne is going to be our Guest Speaker at the Business Exceleration Conference - if you want to see him LIVE click here: http://maxmyprofit.com.au/vip-event

** Wayne's website: http://www.wayneberry.com.au

** Free sales Ebooks and videos at Wayne’s company site: http://www.topgunba.com

** Ben’s Daily Business Tips: http://www.dbtpodcast.com

** Facebook: facebook.com/businessbrainfood

** Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/businessbrainfood

** Twitter: https://twitter.com/bfewtrell

** iTunes: http://actioncoachanz.com/itunes

** Stitcher: http://actioncoachanz.com/stitcher

Wayne has given us some great shortcuts on how to make more sales. Listen, learn and sell! Also, if you are enjoying these Business Brain Food podcasts, then make sure to share them via social media sites or email the links to family and friends. A lot of time and effort goes into producing each of these podcasts with the goal in mind of the more people we can inspire about business the better. You can help us do just that! Until next time, have a profitable day. Cheers, Ben Fewtrell (02) 9111 5000

Direct download: BBF124_How_to_Be_a_Top_Gun_in_Sales_with_Wayne_Berry.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00pm AEDT

We’ve got a razor-sharp guest on the show this week. Listen up if you want to know how to give the knockout pitch you need to raise investment for your business. John Livesay is an eminent funding strategist who is so revered he even has a nickname, “The Pitch Whisperer”! He has authored a book called “The Successful Pitch” and he also hosts the Successful Pitch Podcast, so he is well worth listening to.

Below are some of the highlights of the conversation with Ben:

** A pitch whisperer answers the three unspoken questions everyone has, no matter what you’re pitching. 1. Do I trust you? 2. Do I like you? 3. Will this work for me/will I get a ROI?

** You only have 90 seconds to captivate your audience.

** Focus your story by mapping out in your head who you’re helping, what problem you’re solving, how big the market is and why you’re the right person to execute this.

** Forget selling for a moment. Tell stories instead.

** Telling stories helps you show off your best skills but without it being too blatant.

** When you raise money from angel investors, make sure it lasts 12-18 months.

  In this episode of Business Brain Food you will learn:

** How to distinguish between and investor and a customer

** The power of now

** The structure of a good story

** The characteristics of an investable person

** Where startups should go to find funding

** Equity crowdfunding

** The workings of the seed round

  Resources mentioned in this episode:

** Register for Ben’s workshops across Australia, “The 5-stage business growth blueprint”. The first event is March 1st : http://www.businessfasttrack.com.au

** John’s website: http://www.johnlivesay.com

** Buy John’s book here

** Ben’s Daily Business Tips: http://www.dbtpodcast.com

** Facebook: facebook.com/businessbrainfood

** Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/businessbrainfood

** Twitter: https://twitter.com/bfewtrell

** iTunes: http://actioncoachanz.com/itunes

** Stitcher: http://actioncoachanz.com/stitcher

“People remember your stories, not your numbers.” If you take that advice from John, you won’t got far wrong! Also, if you are enjoying these Business Brain Food podcasts, then make sure to share them via social media sites or email the links to family and friends. A lot of time and effort goes into producing each of these podcasts with the goal in mind of the more people we can inspire about business the better. You can help us do just that! Until next time, have a profitable day. Cheers, Ben Fewtrell (02) 9111 5000

Direct download: BBF123_How_to_Craft_an_Elevator_Pitch_with_John_Livesay.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00pm AEDT

We’ve changed it up a bit this week. Instead of just a standard interview about a business topic, we’ve responded to your feedback and given you a couple of case studies of businesses who’ve worked with us at MaxMyProfit. Hiring a business coach was pretty much their last resort, but as you will hear, once they got the right guidance and started to change their ways, their businesses turned the corner. Case Study 1 – Darren Clarke (CPC Plumbing): Although Darren had been in business for 18 years before he saw one of our coaches, by his own admission he never felt he’d succeeded in business. His company was losing money (“it was a sink or swim situation”), he had a high staff turnover and he was working ridiculously long hours. Then he started coaching, and the rest is history. In his words: “It wasn’t about my business, it was about me.” “At first it was really hard being told you were the problem but now I understand it to a point where if I feel comfortable, I know I’m in the wrong spot. I’ve got to get out of my comfort zone to make it happen.” Two years later and Darren has seen an increase of 50-60% in his sales, and now he only spends half of his time doing day-to-day business, freeing him up to concentrate ON the business. Case Study 2 – Ben Choy (Otilas): Ben Choy was working himself into the ground as well as his business. When he called for the help of one of our coaches he was working up to 100 hours per week! He was the hamster stuck in the wheel, and things started to spiral. He takes up the story: “There were things we were not billing for where we realised 60-90 days later we hadn’t invoiced the client! You’re so focused on doing the work, a lot of the admin side of the business falls behind and before you know it, you’re out of control.” “Before working with MaxMyProfit my mindset was always negative - I got too emotional working with clients - but since working with Maxmyprofit, that’s changed. I would not have gotten better with that had I not started working with someone like Maxmyprofit.” Now things are looking a lot brighter for Ben. He’s down to 60 hours a week and he’s seen an increase in revenue of 15%. In this episode of Business Brain Food you will learn:

** Two inspiring stories of how coaching has completely turned around two failing businesses

** The benefits of the coaching community, i.e. quarterly growth club

** How a coach concentrating on you rather than just the business can make all the difference

** The importance of professional help (there’s no shame in it – it works!)

  Resources mentioned in this episode:

** Register for Ben’s workshops across Australia, “The 5-stage business growth blueprint”. The first event is March 1st : http://www.businessfasttrack.com.au

** Ben’s Daily Business Tips: http://www.dbtpodcast.com

** Facebook: facebook.com/businessbrainfood

** Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/businessbrainfood

** Twitter: https://twitter.com/bfewtrell

** iTunes: http://actioncoachanz.com/itunes

** Stitcher: http://actioncoachanz.com/stitcher

Today’s two guests are shining examples of what might be possible with your business if you took a step back and made the effort to find somebody who can help. Listening to this podcast is a good start for sharpening up your business toolbox, but if you go that one step further, you might just start your very own revolution! Also, if you are enjoying these Business Brain Food podcasts, then make sure to share them via social media sites or email the links to family and friends. A lot of time and effort goes into producing each of these podcasts with the goal in mind of the more people we can inspire about business the better. You can help us do just that! Until next time, have a profitable day. Cheers, Ben Fewtrell (02) 9111 5000


Our guest this week has hit the highest heights of the corporate world, having just been hired as the CEO of the family business this month. Angus Kennard is now presiding over Australia’s leading equipment hire business, Kennards, which has 165 branches across Australia and New Zealand. Kennards’ record of sustained growth is incredible: over the last 20 years they have doubled in size every 5 years. Angus shared with us some great insight about what has made Kennards so successful:

** If you have a family business, don’t just hire members of your family from the beginning. Have them work elsewhere to experience a different environment.

** Don’t get too hung up on growth. Growth is an outcome. Set company goals to look after the customers first and the growth will follow.

** Make sure your employees share core common values. That doesn’t mean they have to think the same, but there needs to be a common trust among each member of the workforce.

** Be willing to break company rules in order to achieve the goals you have set out to achieve for your customers.

** “You never hear of a company going broke because they don’t owe money”

** Every person has their time in a business. If someone is a good entrepreneur it doesn’t mean they’ll be good at running the business once it grows. The type of leader that a business needs changes over time.

  In this episode of Business Brain Food you will learn:

** The importance of values to a firm

** How Kennards funded their incredible growth

** The danger of not innovating

** How technology is enabling more Kennards outlets

** How to build a business plan

** The potential of printing out houses

  Resources mentioned in this episode:

** Register for Ben’s workshops across Australia, “The 5-stage business growth blueprint”. The first event is March 1st : http://www.businessfasttrack.com.au

** Kennards’ facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/KennardsHire/

** Kennards’ website: https://www.kennards.com.au/

** Ben’s Daily Business Tips: http://www.dbtpodcast.com

** Facebook: facebook.com/businessbrainfood

** Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/businessbrainfood

** Twitter: https://twitter.com/bfewtrell

** iTunes: http://actioncoachanz.com/itunes

** Stitcher: http://actioncoachanz.com/stitcher

You could do a lot worse than going into work tomorrow and setting your business the Kennard goal of: “Make every customer a raving fan”! Also, if you are enjoying these Business Brain Food podcasts, then make sure to share them via social media sites or email the links to family and friends. A lot of time and effort goes into producing each of these podcasts with the goal in mind of the more people we can inspire about business the better. You can help us do just that! Until next time, have a profitable day. Cheers, Ben Fewtrell (02) 9111 5000

Direct download: BBF121_Looking_After_Your_Customers_the_Kennards_Way_with_Angus_Kennard.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00pm AEDT

There are so many different marketing channels these days, so you have to work even harder to make sure your message stands out from the ever-growing crowd. That’s why we’re speaking to Gregory Diehl, a man who makes his living advising people on how to do just that.

All of Gregory’s experiences travelling the world and observing the different ways people express their values made him realise that business is exactly the same as humanity... it’s all about the narrative. Gregory has written an Amazon-bestselling book, Brand Identity Breakthrough, but today he has been kind enough to share with us his top tips about how to truly define your brand and your narrative:

** Try your best to do something where there is no competition. Be different in a very specific kind of way.

** Make sure your elevator pitch is always sharp.

** 80% of knowledge you use should be gathered from personal experience.

** Ask yourself three questions: Who am I? What do I do? Why should the person you’re telling this to care? Use the last one to adjust your instinctive answers to the first two.

** Find out what common interests your potential customers share. What kind of videos will your average customer be watching?

** You will be more fulfilled in your business if you’re doing something you personally believe in, and that in-turn will improve your narrative.

  In this episode of Business Brain Food you will learn:

** How to reposition yourself in a marketplace

** How to avoid being a business coward

** Financial planning to mitigate against failure

** How to achieve a unique selling position

** The traits of an armchair entrepreneur

  Resources mentioned in this episode:

** Gregory’s book on Amazon

** Gregory’s own site which includes the highly popular podcast “Uncomfortable Conversations With Greg” (as recommended by Ben): http://www.gregorydiehl.net

** Ben’s free business marketing plan: http://www.maxmyprofit.com.au or email ben@maxmyprofit.com.au

** Ben’s Daily Business Tips: http://www.dbtpodcast.com

** Facebook: facebook.com/businessbrainfood

** Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/businessbrainfood

** Twitter: https://twitter.com/bfewtrell

** iTunes: http://actioncoachanz.com/itunes

** Stitcher: http://actioncoachanz.com/stitcher

  As Gregory says, “A brand is like a projection of a personality”. So identify yours and go out there and project it! Also, if you are enjoying these Business Brain Food podcasts, then make sure to share them via social media sites or email the links to family and friends. A lot of time and effort goes into producing each of these podcasts with the goal in mind of the more people we can inspire about business the better. You can help us do just that! Until next time, have a profitable day. Cheers, Ben Fewtrell (02) 9111 5000

Direct download: BBF120_How_to_Position_Yourself_in_the_Marketplace_with_Gregory_Diehl.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00pm AEDT

Happy New Year folks! And from New Year must come some New Year’s resolutions so we’re going to change it up this week and give you half an hour of uninterrupted Ben as he shares 17 resolutions that can help you in your business.

We won’t list them all here – you’ll need to listen to the show if you want to hear the full wisdom – but here are five of the best:

** Work smarter

** Check your plan on a weekly basis

** Set time aside for you

** Stop blaming outside factors

** Learn how to understand your financial reports

  In this episode of Business Brain Food you will learn:

** The best methods to outsource

** Goal setting

** Tips & tricks to help you be more organised

** “Progress” apps

** How your business can automatically give to a good cause

  Resources mentioned in this episode:

** Ben’s free business marketing plan: http://www.maxmyprofit.com.au or email ben@maxmyprofit.com.au

** Ben’s Daily Business Tips: http://www.dbtpodcast.com

** Facebook: facebook.com/businessbrainfood

** Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/businessbrainfood

** Twitter: https://twitter.com/bfewtrell

** iTunes: http://actioncoachanz.com/itunes

** Stitcher: http://actioncoachanz.com/stitcher

New year, new start, new attitude. Listen to Ben’s advice, dig in and make sure 2017 is your year! Also, if you are enjoying these Business Brain Food podcasts, then make sure to share them via social media sites or email the links to family and friends. A lot of time and effort goes into producing each of these podcasts with the goal in mind of the more people we can inspire about business the better. You can help us do just that! Until next time, have a profitable day. Cheers, Ben Fewtrell (02) 9111 5000

Direct download: BBF119_17_New_Years_Resolutions_for_Business_Owners_with_Ben_Fewtrell.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00pm AEDT

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