Every business needs good systems. It might not seem like the most glamorous thing on the desk of an entrepreneur, but once you hear Scott Gellatly talk about systems, you’ll start to appreciate their magic!

Scott has an extensive background in large-scale IT and project management, having founded his hugely successful company, Scale My Empire. He’s built an easy-to-use framework that can help any business owner, and he’s been kind enough to share it with us on the show.

Read on for Scott’s top tips:

**  Developments in technology should be seen as an opportunity for leverage and empowerment. If you think back to olden times, a farmer who took the plunge and started to use a horse & cart would be more empowered than a farmer who stuck to what he knew and merely continued to use a hoe.

**  Technology helps you work on the business rather than work in it.

**  Think of the high divorce rate among business owners. Creating systems that take you away from the stress of the coalface can literally change your life.

**  You must give your employees a process, a platform and a way of measuring it. The right system will do this.

**  A system can allow a low-paid employee to do tasks that would previously have been done by a higher-paid employee. This directly increases your margin.

**  Business owners consistently struggle to delegate. Systems are a great opportunity to change this.

In this episode of Business Brain Food you will learn:

**  Why people avoid systems

**  The ‘triangle’ of systems

**  Futureproofing your business

**  Where you should start when systemising

**  How systems can help recruitment

**  What the newest technology will do for the human race

**  AI’s potential to assign work across a business

Resources mentioned in this episode:

**  Book yourself in for a complimentary business assessment at http://www.maxmyprofit.com.au

**  Scott’s Scale My Empire website is 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:

There is beauty and empowerment in systems! Just listen to Scott and think of what you can do to empower your business and your employees.

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

Books can be a very powerful way for an entrepreneur to arrive in their marketplace, as well as a brilliant journey of self discovery. Every entrepreneur should consider writing a book, but how do you go about doing it?

On the show this week we have Joanne Fedler to walk us through the process. Joanne is an international bestelling auther of 10 books (selling over 650,000), one of which even outsold Harry Potter for a short time to top the Amazon bestseller chart. Joanne is now a specialist writing tutor, so it really was a privilege to get her practical advice for free.

Read on for Joanne’s top tips:

**  Don’t wait to be chosen by a publisher, choose yourself! Self publishing has never been more possible.

**  Don’t rush the writing of a book. For something that will have long-lasting value, you should expect to be spending 1 - 2 years from beginning to end.

**  Get the best editor you can afford. Most of the best creativity comes from teamwork.

**  Understand your why. If you don’t establish why you care so much about an issue to write a book about it, you will never focus properly.

**  Create a routine for writing. Break down your big idea into digestible chunks.

**  You don’t need to write your book in chronological order. Write what comes naturally and decide on the order right at the end.

**  Publishing a book is as simple as buying an ISBN number from Bowker and spending a couple of hundred dollars with Ingram Spark who will upload your book to Amazon and all of their distributors.

**  Books can be printed on demand. You will never have to gamble with a big initial outlay.

In this episode of Business Brain Food you will learn:

**  How long it takes to write a book that has substance

**  What stops people writing

**  The power of deadlines

**  How to use your defining moment in life to empower your writing

**  How to find a publisher

**  The optimum routine for writing a book

**  How to get an ISBN number

**  Affordable self-publishing options

Resources mentioned in this episode:

**  Maxmyprofit is looking for Business Excelerators. Could you step up to the plate to help business owners build the business they imagine? Find out more here.

**  Joanne’s personal website is here

**  Other sites mentioned in the episode: IngramSpark, Bowker, Createspace, 99designs, Upwork

**  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 Joanne says, “everyone’s got a book in them”. Now you know how to write it and publish it, what’s stopping 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

We all want our business to be featured in the media, right? But there inlies the problem. Because everybody wants the same thing, a journalist’s inbox is absolutely inundated every day, so how do you stand out from the crowd and get that coverage for your business?

We get the answers from Jason Feifer – a man who has spent most of his career being courted by people wanting him to write about them. Jason has previously been the editor of Men’s Health, Maxim and Boston, and is the current editor-in-chief of Entrepreneur magazine, so he knows better than anyone what it takes for an entrepreneur to be featured in the publications that matter to them.

See below for some of Jason’s top tips:

**  A lot of people think they should get press “just because”. This really isn’t the attitude. You must try and get press with a focus.

**  You are never doing a journalist a favour. Don’t adopt that attitude!

**  Understand the audience of each publication and tailor your pitch accordingly. You shouldn’t just copy and paste your pitch and click 'send'.

**  What makes your story unique? Starting a business is not unique and being successful at business is not unique; but maybe a stunt that you pulled is unique.

**  Don’t assume a PR person will be able to make your story fit for a publication. You still need to have that focus yourself.

**  Approach the people in an organisation who are empowered enough to make decisions, but not so powerful as to be too busy.

**  Think about following a journalist on twitter and reading their previous work. That way you can engage them from the beginning of your correspondence with your views on what they’ve done in the past.

In this episode of Business Brain Food you will learn:

**  How to get into the media for free

**  The value (or not) of PR

**  Does Linkedin work for getting coverage?

**  Who you should contact in a media organisation

**  Do we need press releases any more?

**  How to send the right emails

**  Elevator pitches for journalists

**  How much you should follow up

Resources mentioned in this episode:

**  Maxmyprofit is looking for Business Excelerators. Could you step up to the plate to help business owners build the business they imagine? Find out more here.

**  Find Jason’s excellent podcasts, “Problem Solvers” and “Pessimists Archive” here.

**  Check out Jason’s own website: http://www.jasonfeifer.com

**  Jason’s article: Pitching your business to a journalist

**  Jason’s article: 5 ways to stand out from the crowd

**  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 forget Jason’s immortal words, “press releases suck”. If you want to get coverage, you must think laterally and do something different!

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 on BBF we will share some great advice that EVERY business owner could benefit from. With us on the show is Bernadette Schwerdt, who offers us an excellent insight into the online sphere thanks in no small part to her experience writing her book “Secrets of Online Entrepreneurs”. For the book she interviewed 100 of the most disruptive online marketers in the world, so she certainly knows from the best how a business can stand out in a crowded marketplace.

A copywriter by trade, Bernadette has created campaigns for the likes of Apple, American Express and BHP and is the founder of the Australian School Of Copywriting. And what’s more, Bernadette has actually appeared on Neighbours a total of four times!

See below for some of Bernadette’s top online-marketing insight:

**  60% of small businesses in Australia don’t have a website. This seems incredible, but if your business is part of that 60% then it’s time to get with it!!

**  Retailers who already have an offline presence actually are in the best possible position to succeed online.

**  Think offline before you go online. Make that product, make that sale. Don’t try and reach out to a thousand customers if you don’t even have one customer.

**  Understand your metrics. You may not be an SEO expert but you may need to manage one, so you have to know enough to be able to measure the performance of marketing professionals effectively.

**  Make your content sharable. If you make your content good enough to share then you won’t need to pay silly money for advertising.

**  The best way to shape your content is to ‘answer' the questions your customers/clients ask most regularly.

In this episode of Business Brain Food you will learn:

**  Ways to create lead magnets

**  The concept of purchase cycles

**  The importance of content

**  SEO explained

**  How to stand out in a flooded online market

**  Income goals V global disruption

**  The power of A/B testing software

Resources mentioned in this episode:

**  Build the business you imagined with coaching from Maxmyprofit

**  Check out Bernadette’s website 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:

Getting noticed in a flooded online marketplace might seem daunting, but if you follow Bernadette’s simple advice you cannot fail to make progress!

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

Bob Burg has a refreshingly different take on giving. He draws the distinction between sacrifice and giving in a way that achieves mutual value for a business and its customers. Bob certainly knows what he’s talking about, having sold over 1.5 million books worldwide on the topic. His mantra is that the amount of money you make is directly proportional to the number of people you serve.

See below for more of Bob’s take on giving:

**  You can always give to others before you do business with them, i.e. information, introductions etc.

**  No one is doing business with you for your benefit – they’re doing it for their benefit.

**  Giving doesn’t necessarily mean being a martyr. You can be a good giver but also receive at the same time.

**  Always ask questions of your customers. Only then can you properly measure the value you are giving.

**  Remember: what we find valuable about our service might not be the same as what your customers think is valuable.

**  Think of the goals of your customers. How do they align with what you’re selling them?

In this episode of Business Brain Food you will learn:

**  More about Bob’s book, The Go-Giver

**  The law of value

**  The difference between price and value

**  The five elements of value

**  How to balance “self interest”

**  How to become influential in your space

**  Should you pay attention to your competitors?

Resources mentioned in this episode:

**  Become a business Excellerator at Maxmyprofit: http://www.maxmyprofit.com.au/about

**  Bob’s website: http://www.thegogiver.com

**  Bob’s most famous book, ‘The Go-Giver’ can be bought here

**  One of Bob’s go-to books mentioned in the episode, ‘The Power of Why’ by C. Richard Welyman can be bought 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:

If you are to take one message from this episode it is that value is a two-way thing. Think long and hard about what value you can give, and then what value you can receive in return.

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 all heard horror stories of successful businesses who get completely taken down by legal action. If you take the advice of our guest this week, you can make sure your business isn’t one of them. Joanna Oakey will go through all of the main pitfalls your business may be exposed to, and we promise; there isn’t a hint of legal jargon! This is all to-the-point advice that any business owner can benefit from hearing.

Joanna is a commercial lawyer with a passion for business, having worked across a large portfolio of sales, mergers, acquisitions, commercial law and intellectual property. She has been a keynote speaker in events across Australia, and we like her even more because she hosts her own podcast!

See below for some great legal tips from Joanna:

**  If your business is growing quickly then you are probably the most exposed to a legal challenge.

**  Not having a registered trademark is very dangerous. You are exposed to attack from two different angles. Firstly, an organisation with a brand similar to yours could bring a case; and secondly you are open to other competitors sprouting up and copying your brand.

**  With intellectual property the only thing you can protect is the expression of the idea, not the idea itself.

**  Don’t forget your clients. Have a strong client engagement agreement to cover yourself.

**  You should only think of your terms and conditions as something to fall back on when your legal team fights another legal team. You should really do what you can to avoid this scenario, so make sure you are explicit with the most important parts of your Ts & Cs during the buyer journey.

**  Make sure you protect yourself against unfair dismissal claims. Are your employee agreements what they should be?

**  The key is to have all of these things in place BEFORE you need them.

In this episode of Business Brain Food you will learn:

**  How litigation really works

**  The definition of intellectual property

**  The definition of copyright

**  The definition of patents

**  How to apply for a trademark

**  Is clicking a box accepting terms & conditions legally binding?

**  What protection an employee probationary period actually offers

**  How to restrain ex-employees

Resources mentioned in this episode:

**  Free business advice and tools from Ben: http://www.maxmyprofit.com.au

**  If any listeners have a business and want to know more about their legal coverage, you can have a FREE 40-minute consultation with Joanna. Simply go to http://www.aspectlegal.com.au/contact and type in “I want my free 40-minute session, I’m a Business Brain Food listener" in the enquiry field.

**  Joanna’s Podcast is called Talking Law. If you type that into itunes or google you will easily be able to find it and subscribe.

**  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:

Remember what Joanne kept going back to: have your legal frameworks in place BEFORE you have a problem. You could save yourself a lot of time, money, and maybe even your entire 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

What a tremendous character we have on the show this week. It really is difficult to know where to start with Akbar Sheikh. From being homeless and taking refuge in a San Francisco utility cupboard, he’s gone on to conquer the world of business, and even better, he’s now giving something back.

His epiphany came on a day when his network marketing business brought in $25,000, but he realised he felt so much more enjoyment from the free consultancy he’d given a not-for-profit business on that same day. He now works with a charity in Africa that cures children from blindness, as well as a charity in San Francisco that provides mattresses for the homeless.

See below for some Akbar’s amazing tips on life and marketing:

**  Most people fail at the fundamentals. They’re always looking for the next big thing, but if you have a foundation you can scale to seven figures.

**  Stop what you’re doing if you hate it. Remember Einstein’s famous quote: “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.”

**  You won’t have a successful business unless you stop your bad life habits.

**  Think about scaling and growth every day. Don’t stand still or you will become bitter.

**  Do organic marketing before paid marketing - it helps prove the concept.

**  Make your content regular - keep feeding the machine.

**  It isn’t difficult to create content - it’s just documenting your everyday reality.

**  You are who you spend your time with. Hang with the right people and you will take the right path.

**  Find a ‘why’ in life that makes you cry. Motivation becomes completely automatic once you do.

In this episode of Business Brain Food you will learn:

**  The definition of a funnel

**  The ethical 7 principles of sales

**  The tools you need for a successful online business

**  The value of organic marketing

**  How to make producing content easy

**  How Akbar got 8 million in traffic without paying for any online advertising

Resources mentioned in this episode:

**  Free business advice and tools from Ben: http://www.maxmyprofit.com.au

**  Get Akbar’s international bestselling book (normally $47) for FREE here

**  Akbar’s Facebook group: The 2 comma club

**  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:

This is an unarguably insightful quote from a man who’s lived one heck of a life: “As business people we are artists. We need a clean and clear canvas in our mind.”

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