24.3 Program Schedule

Rich Harshaw

In this talk, Rich walks us through how his company, Level 10 Contractor, helps home contractors dominate their market – and what other industries can learn from these techniques. Overarching strategies include defining your identity so prospects understand exactly who you are, how you’re different, why you’re better, and what they can expect when they do business with you. Identity is the foundation of all your marketing efforts because, as Rich says, you need to have something good to say, you need to say it well, and you need to say it often. That is great marketing, in a nutshell. And it’s how you win in business. Tactics to achieve these objectives include building a website that articulates what you do with power, precision, and passion, as well as where you do it so search engines know which keywords to associate with your business, and where they should rank you – meaning, near the top, if done correctly. He covers subjects such as how this messaging can pre-position your company to close deals quicker, easier, and at higher prices when you get in front of prospects. Strategies such as this also set you up for greater project satisfaction, more upsells and cross-sells, and more referrals. Everyone can learn a lot from Rich because he’s been helping his clients dominate their markets before the Internet was a thing. And these strategies work for all companies, across all industries.

Bill Stierle

Success in business requires teamwork. But before people side with you, you have to get them to buy into your ideas. That takes understanding and agreement. You know what shortcuts the process of reaching understanding and agreement? It’s understanding how others think. Being able to see things from another person’s perspective is like a cheat code in understanding what’s important to them, finding common ground, and moving in a direction you both want to go – or at least not wasting time arguing about which way is right or wrong (aka disagreement and conflict). We’re talking about the relatively new social superpower of understanding thinking styles. Bill teaches us the four “lenses” through which our brains take in and process information. These personality styles are how we perceive the world around us, communicate and interact with others. Bill is basically going to explain why it’s so easy to get along with some people and not others. As a competency, it’s like magic for improving your personal and professional relationships – a secret life skill they never taught us in school. And it’s devastatingly effective, even when used at a sub-intermediate level.

Ed Bogle

For over 40 years, Ed has done strategic planning, management consulting, and brand execution for large corporations such as Conoco Petroleum and solo entrepreneurs. As a senior strategist with Arthur Young (Ernst & Young), and later with the entrepreneurial accelerator CEO Space, he helped clients implement high growth strategies, turnarounds, acquisitions and mergers, franchise development, and capital formation. The topic of his talk: preparing your marketing, growth plan, investment opportunity, and yourself (internally) to raise capital. This is the stuff that attracts capital and key players to join your team.

Amina Moreau

Chantal Asselin

We used to think that skin acts as a barrier to intrusion by toxins. But we now know that whatever personal care products touch the skin are absorbed in seconds and enter the bloodstream. If the body deems those materials to be harmful, your detox organs must work to eliminate them. That is, if the liver, kidneys and bowels have the capacity to do so at all, as toxin overload can cause the body to create fat deposits to store toxins it can’t excrete. On the other hand, if the ingredients are beneficial, the skin can actually use them as a vehicle to remove waste products, or as a means to balance its moisture content. Good fats in goat milk, as one example, not only prevent sebum buildup (a primary cause of blemishes, acne, and unhealthy skin), they help the skin retain moisture, which is key in reducing fine lines and wrinkles, as well as age spots. Unfortunately, almost all the major brands make their skincare products with toxic ingredients due to cost or formulation limitations. That is, except for one. Chantal, private label formulator, explains what goes into, and stays out of, the very best skincare products in the world to give the skin what it needs to take care of itself – naturally. That’s how you make an ultra premium product line, without chemical cleaning agents such as sodium lauryl sulfates.

Sherita Herring

There’s a lot that people don’t know about using grants and non-profits to achieve personal and professional goals. Sherita joins us to share creative ways that businesses and governments can fund their social benefit efforts. One strategy is that service providers such as law firms or business consultants can set up a non-profit division alongside their for-profit firm so they can work with underserved populations that don’t fit their ideal customer profile. Meaning, they don’t have the money to pay full price for services. In this alternative structure, the provider can serve people who are gratifying to work with for non-monetary reasons. And the division then qualifies for non-profit status, grants and sponsorships. Her philosophy: Whatever social good you’d like to do in the world, there’s a grant for that. The trick is, finding sources of grant money, and crafting proposals that align with the funder’s mission. Sherita is masterful at helping people, companies, and governments get the funding they need to pursue their purpose and passions.

Conrad Byron

Conrad is founder of a digital content studio for emerging brands, called Sweep Creative. He specializes in lifestyle photography, visual storytelling, and studio photography. Lifestyle photography portrays products in everyday use such as personal care products in a bathroom or appliances in a kitchen. But, more than the imagery, pictures of this kind can communicate your brand’s story and values. They can build connection and relationship with your brand. Visual branding says something about who your customers are, and how they view themselves. Done well, visual storytelling can be aspirational – drawing people in and offering them experiences from a better place, a better way, or even a better life.

Dr. Sara Pugh

Disease, dysfunction and imbalance are exploding all around us. But why? Where’s it all coming from? In this discussion, Dr. Pugh breaks down the overlooked influences in modern society that sap you of wellness. Most important, artificial light exposure and non-native electromagnetic frequencies disrupt your sleep, energy level, cognitive ability, hormones, immune system, digestion, and healing. And she gives you tips and strategies to protect yourself against irritation and injury coming from modern technologies. If you haven’t heard much about mitochondria, biophysics, and circadian rhythms, you’ll be shocked at what mainstream medicine didn’t know about the human body until recently, or didn’t think it was important enough to tell us.

Roger Knecht

Roger’s message for all business owners is powerful, yet simple: Build profit into your business from Day One. It should come first, while expenses should vary based on how much is leftover. Don’t make profit last in line at the “feeding trough,” because if it’s last in line, it’s (continually and inevitably) least likely to receive a share. Hence profits are so hard to come by for many businesses – you’re doing it wrong. Whereas, if you put profit first in your budget allocation process, expenses will work themselves out to consistently better bottom lines. Roger shows us how to set up a Profit First system (from Mike Michalowicz’s book by the same name – of which Roger is a certified Profit First Professional), along with custom scenarios such as saving for capital equipment purchases or special projects.

Bill Stierle

Rich Harshaw

For decades, Rich has helped preeminent home service providers build the marketing to match the quality of their work. He’s worked, boots on the ground, for so long, for so many business owners, that he’s collected enough stories to fill a podcast episode with great content… every. single. day. for years now. In his second talk, Rich tells us what he’s learned about the entrepreneur’s journey – the trials and tribulations, both professional and personal, from the front lines of business. Which is to say Rich is going to share a wealth of collected wisdom that he normally doesn’t talk about. I can hardly wait.

Chantal Asselin

Amina Moreau

Amina’s company, Radious.pro, is like AirBnB for home office rentals. Instead of a homeowner renting out a place to sleep for travelers (particularly on weekends), Radious is a platform that lets homeowners rent out workspace to companies or individuals on a daily or contract basis. The challenge being, how do companies keep their employees engaged, creative, and productive with all the distractions and disconnection of working remotely? It’s a huge problem that’s only going to grow as more companies choose to shed expensive and inflexible office space in favor of remote style employment. Amina, being on the cutting edge of this trend, shares her observations and advice on how both parties can get the most from remote arrangements, as well as lessons learned that they can bring in-house.

Ed Bogle

Dr. Sara Pugh

Conrad Byron

Thubten Comerford

Thubten, Transworld business broker and co-producer of Entrefusion, said in a recent interview, “Looking back, I wish I had bought a business. It would have been more rewarding. I wouldn’t have set a wheelbarrow full of cash on fire.” In his talk, Thubten explains the benefits of buying something that’s already proven, instead of going after the thrill/addiction of starting something new. On the seller side, casting your financials in a way that demonstrates your company’s ability to produce profits, instead of minimizing its tax liability, enhances your bargaining power when raising funds, attracting partners, buying services and asking for better terms, and selling your business. The act of preparing for scrutiny alone sets your business up to be more productive, efficient, and valuable.

Roger Knecht

Sherita Herring