It Ain't Rocket Surgery Podcast

Cody Askins is well known in the insurance industry, but his advice can help entrepreneurs across a plethora of industries. Cody went from the bottom, to making six figures by the age of 20. He realized that if he could do it, while all of these other people were failing, maybe there was something he could do to help. That’s when Cody decided to start a YouTube channel in 2015. He’ll be the first to admit that his first video was horrible, but we all have to start somewhere. Now, he has over 2,000 videos and over 80,000 followers. One factor of his success is that he found a way to grab people’s attention while staying true to himself. Now, he’s literally written the book on going from Zero to 6-Figures [https://www.amazon.com/Zero-6-Figures-Broke-Earning-Figures/dp/1641846623].   There are a lot of social media platforms out there, but Cody thinks YouTube is the best avenue for long-term growth. The first place people go when they want to learn something is Google, and with Google owning YouTube, videos are always at the top of the search results. Truly coachable individuals that want to learn something go to YouTube. Cody wasn’t always sold on this idea, though. For the longest time, he didn’t like social media and said he would never use it. After ignoring it for years, Cody decided to give it a try at the advice of a mentor. Utilizing the monetization feature, Cody has added over 2,000 subscribers and has been paid nearly $12,000 by YouTube in the last month.    A few years after starting his YouTube channel, Cody found himself at a conference, daydreaming of hosting his own someday. So, in 2018 he decided to do just that and founded 8% Nation, a movement that aims to connect an industry that’s otherwise divided. He chose the name, based on the fact, that 92% of insurance agents fail. He wanted to help people get to that 8%. His first conference had 454 participants, and now just a few years later, Cody finds himself speaking to thousands. While it’s aimed at insurance agents, Cody is a firm believer that no matter who you work with, or what you sell, anyone can learn from anyone.   Auditing all of his choices in life is where Cody is at right now. From the best office hours to what he eats and drinks, Cody is asking himself why, deciding if there’s a better way, and then pivoting or changing. For instance, Cody has a training program that has a couple hundred members, but on average only 20-40 show up for his live streams each week. Last week, only 4 people showed up. As much as he loves those people and wants to see them succeed, he had to ask himself if there was a better use of that hour that could reach more people. In order to grow, we have to constantly be auditing ourselves and our choices.    One creative way that Cody came up with to reach more people, is a video series called Ultimate Agent. He had thousands of agents apply, and selected 5 to get on a private jet, fly to an undisclosed location with a bunch of various coaches, and compete. With cameras and mics on each contestant, they competed in various challenges for this reality show. Cody says not only was it a huge brand lift, but it helped a ton of people along the way just by watching. It’s something he hopes to do again and again.   What You’ll Learn: * Why authenticity matters when building a brand. * Why you should build your brand on YouTube. * How to continue to grow when you can’t take on any more clients. * And much more!   Favorite Quote: “YouTube is the best long-term way to build a brand, get known, and help people.”  -Cody Askins   Connect with Cody: Instagram [http://www.instagram.com/cody.askins] YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/c/CodyAskins]

Recently published, and bestselling author Renee Lautermilch joins the show with Brian to discuss leadership as both an entrepreneur and within corporate America. This episode will be about how to transform the way you lead by looking through the lens of love.  If you want to become the strong leader that your team can rely on, then it’s important to be intentional and possess a strong leadership philosophy — consistently overcome challenges, have an open mind, develop a healthy relationship with your team, and be their #1 supporter. Let go of the rigid, emotionless, and disconnected leadership techniques that are often taught to us. Yes, those techniques may get you results, but they’ll never get you great results because your connection as a team doesn’t exist. Learn from the personal experiences of award-winning learning and development leader, Renée Sanábria Lautermilch, as she shares valuable insights you can only discover after years and years of experience.  Don’t be afraid to step out of your comfort zone to achieve more rewarding relationships and better business results.   Quote: “The only person you are destined to become is the person you decide to be.”   Connect with Renee at: https://reneelautermilch.com [https://reneelautermilch.com] Buy her new book: https://amzn.to/3emitqH [https://amzn.to/3emitqH]

He believes in innovation, and in being a visionary. Kris Whitehead is a small business owner, best selling author, and a mentor at Iconic Alliance. He believes it takes a whole tribe to build a village, and he’s doing what he can to add value in a respectful way wherever he goes. His approach used to be that of wanting to give the whole world a big hug. It took him a while to realize not everyone wants that, and holding on when it’s not appreciated was his way of trying to fill a void. After deepening his relationship with God and dialing in on his core values, Kris can now focus his attention on those that align with him.   It’s been said before that people spend more time planning their wedding than they do planning their marriage. People overlook the importance of asking the right questions at the beginning. Kris believes that’s one reason divorce rates are so high, because people discover they have irrefutable differences after they’ve made the commitment. Kris is unapologetically himself from the get-go, and he knows the rest will sort itself out.    His approach with coaching is to hear what people aren’t saying. He could care less about a great speech, he’s interested in the moment, the connection. Iconic Alliance focuses on four pillars of growth: faith, family, fitness, and finance. He believes in getting vulnerable and opening yourself up to other perspectives to get ahead. He understands the importance of knowing, liking, and trusting someone.    What You’ll Learn: * Why core values are so important to relationships. * How to break through boundaries. * The importance of give and take. * And much more!   Favorite Quote:  “I truly believe that every human has been created as a meaningful specific.” -Kris Whitehead   How to Connect With Kris: Iconic Alliance [http://www.iconicalliance.com] Kris Whitehead [http://www.kriswhitehead.com] Facebook [http://www.facebook.com/thekriswhitehead] Instagram [http://www.instagram.com/kris_whitehead_official]

The host of Building Great Sales Teams, Doug Mitchell, is in the studio today talking about sales and leadership.  At the age of 16, Doug took his first sales job. It was a referral based position selling kitchen cutlery. With no proper training or leadership, Doug was unsuccessful. Deciding to take matters into his own hands, Doug started his first entrepreneurial pursuit, detailing cars. From there, he refused to look back.   Just like most entrepreneurs, Doug got into business for the money. As his journey progressed, he realized it was more about the opportunities and the freedom. He quickly became a leader in the sales industry and wanted to share his knowledge with others. In addition to hosting a podcast, Doug is a partner with Argenta Field Solutions, an award-winning direct sales and support company. His goal is to equip, empower, and ignite sales teams.   What You’ll Learn: * The importance of quality training in sales. * The biggest mistake made in sales training.  * How commission sales prepares you for entrepreneurship.  * And much more!   Favorite Quote: “That’s the thing about the sales positions, it’s kind of like a transition into entrepreneurship.” -Doug Mitchell   How To Connect With Doug:   Instagram [http://www.instagram.com/txbizdad]   Facebook [http://www.facebook.com/txbizdad]

Having been in business for 37 years, Lori Rehn has a plethora of experience to pull from.  She’s turned what she has learned into a best-selling book, build a Better Business: Work Smarter, Not Harder.  When she sold her businesses at age 48, she found that the company had become her whole life, and without it, she fell into a depression. Having a midlife crisis, Lori turned to mindset and personal development.  She realized that while she had been successful in business, her habit of not dealing with things wasn’t a good long-term plan.   Once she got to a better place, Lori realized everything she has gone through could be used to help others become the best version of themselves.  Starting business coaching seemed like the logical next step for Lori. She uses a proactive business and leadership development process to help others realize their full potential. Lori refuses to let her clients remain status quo.    What You’ll Learn:  * What Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP) is. * How Lori’s company survived the pandemic. * What Lori believes is her biggest opportunity for improvement.  * How to approach difficult conversations.   Favorite Quote: “Everything in life is mindset.” -Lori Rehn