Listen to Firing The Man

What happens when you quit your bartending job, book the largest event space in Las Vegas, and only sell two tickets? For most, that would signal the end of an entrepreneurial journey—but for Steve Werner, it was just the beginning of a remarkable transformation from failure to seven-figure success. Steve pulls back the curtain on his journey from working seven days a week in a Vail ski town to building a thriving business helping entrepreneurs craft signature talks, high-converting offers, and emotionally resonant content. The turning point? A Tony Robbins event that forced him to confront the uncomfortable truth about where his life was heading if he continued on the same path. What sets Steve's story apart is his refreshing approach to failure. Rather than retreating after his disastrous first event, he developed a powerful methodology: "Take action, learn without emotion. Did this work? Did this not work? What can I learn from it?" By removing emotional attachment from his analysis, he could iterate rapidly, holding progressively more successful events and crossing the million-dollar mark within just three years. For e-commerce entrepreneurs struggling to create emotional connections with "ordinary" products, Steve offers two practical pathways: either align your brand with a meaningful cause (like TOMS Shoes) or incorporate authentic personal storytelling into your marketing. He emphasizes that everyone has a story worth telling—it's about finding the right angle that resonates with your audience. The conversation takes a fascinating turn when Steve reveals the dramatic shifts in the post-COVID event landscape. Virtual events have surged in popularity but suffer from abysmal attendance rates, while traditional conferences are struggling as consumers increasingly demand solutions to specific pain points rather than generalized content. This explains why even established events like Traffic and Conversion Summit are canceling shows that would have been considered successful by previous standards. Ready to transform your message into a movement? Steve's insights will help you build deeper connections with your audience while avoiding the pitfalls that derail most entrepreneurs. The question isn't whether you'll face obstacles—it's whether you'll have the mindset to turn those obstacles into opportunities. How to connect with Steve: Website: https://stevenphillipwerner.com/ [https://stevenphillipwerner.com/] Steve.coffee.com Book a call with Steve: https://bookacall.reachingmillions.co/ Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/steven-phillip-werner/ Podcast: Grow Your Impact, Income & Influence Podcast - [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/grow-your-impact-income-influence/id1532299107] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stevenphillipwerner/ [https://www.instagram.com/stevenphillipwerner/] Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/SteveWernerStories [https://www.youtube.com/c/SteveWernerStories] Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/StevenPhillipWerner [https://www.facebook.com/StevenPhillipWerner] Support the show [https://www.paypal.me/firingtheman]

What happens when getting fired becomes the best career move you'll ever make? Steve Preda, founder of SummitOS and host of the Management Blueprint podcast, shares the remarkable story of walking across the street from the bank that just terminated him, opening his own office, and systematically winning back every client his former employer had. Steve's journey from his "golden cage" of prestigious corporate roles to entrepreneurial freedom offers powerful lessons for anyone feeling trapped in traditional employment. Despite coming from a family of professionals and earning impressive credentials including the rigorous CFA designation, Steve discovered his true calling lay in building businesses and helping others do the same. The conversation explores the critical distinction between entrepreneurial functions (marketing and innovation) and execution functions (operations) that allow businesses to become truly self-managing. Rather than chasing the myth of passive income, Steve advocates for entrepreneurs to focus their energy on value creation while building systems that handle day-to-day operations. His SummitOS framework, which he describes as "EOS on steroids," provides a customizable, scalable approach that helps business owners harvest low-hanging fruit quickly while building for long-term success. We dive deep into practical strategies for attracting and retaining top talent, including Steve's three-tiered approach to compensation that evolves as employees demonstrate their value. His insights on defining culture through behaviors rather than abstract ideals and measuring outcomes through function-specific KPIs offer actionable frameworks for listeners at any stage of business growth. The interview concludes with Steve's powerful formula for entrepreneurial success: desire provides the motivation to overcome challenges, resilience enables bouncing back from inevitable setbacks, and curiosity drives continuous learning and improvement. With these qualities and the right systems in place, entrepreneurs can achieve what Steve calls the ultimate gift: owning your time. Ready to transform your business into a fast-growing, high-profit, self-managing organization? Discover Steve's frameworks, books, and coaching at summitosco.com or connect with him on LinkedIn. How to connect with Steve? Website: https:// [https://stevepreda.com]SummitOS.co Apple Podcast: https://bit.ly/MBPpodcast [https://bit.ly/MBPpodcast] YouTube channel: https://bit.ly/MBPodcastPlaylistYT [https://bit.ly/MBPodcastPlaylistYT] LinkedIn Personal: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevepreda/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevepreda/] LinkedIn Summit OS: https://www.linkedin.com/company/77938145/admin/feed/posts/ [https://www.linkedin.com/company/77938145/admin/feed/posts/]  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/steveipreda/ [https://www.facebook.com/steveipreda/] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stevepreda/ [https://www.instagram.com/stevepreda/] TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@summitos_creator [http://www.tiktok.com/@summitos_creator] Twitter: https://twitter.com/StevePredaCom [https://twitter.com/StevePredaCom] Amazon: amazon.com/author/stevepreda [http://amazon.com/author/stevepreda] Email: steve@stevepreda.com [steve@stevepreda.com]  Support the show [https://www.paypal.me/firingtheman]

Meet Brandon Davis, the college senior who's turning the collections industry on its head with his AI startup, Interval. While most of his classmates are polishing resumes and stressing over job applications, Brandon is running a growing tech company with multiple employees—all before graduation day. Brandon's entrepreneurial journey began early, watching Shark Tank with his father and seeing ordinary people building extraordinary businesses. From selling fidget spinners to classmates to running a landscaping service as a teenager, his path to founding Interval was paved with the hustle that defines true entrepreneurs. After cycling through nearly 20 different startup ideas during a university incubator program, Brandon and his co-founder landed on a solution that businesses were actually willing to pay for: automated collections. What makes Interval AI fascinating isn't just the technology—it's the problem it solves. Every business struggles with accounts receivable at some point, whether it's from expired credit cards, forgetful customers, or those deliberately avoiding payment. Traditional collection methods are expensive, inefficient, and frankly, nobody wants to make those awkward calls. Interval's AI automation tackles this universal pain point, delivering results at a fraction of the cost of human collection efforts. Perhaps the most thought-provoking aspect of Brandon's story is his perspective on risk. While conventional wisdom paints entrepreneurship as the risky path and traditional employment as secure, Brandon argues the opposite. In an economy where recent graduates might submit hundreds of job applications before landing a position, building your own business offers a different kind of security—one where you control your destiny rather than hoping to survive the next round of corporate layoffs. Whether you're a seasoned business owner looking to improve cash flow or an aspiring entrepreneur searching for inspiration, Brandon's journey demonstrates that success comes to those willing to persist through failures and pivot until they find what works. Check out interval-ai.com to learn how AI might transform your collections process, or connect with Brandon through his podcast "Get Over Yourself" to follow his entrepreneurial journey. How to connect with Brandon? Website: https://getoveryourselfpodcast.com/ [https://getoveryourselfpodcast.com/] Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/get-over-yourself/id1586568369 [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/get-over-yourself/id1586568369] YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC03QFF2URssz6Q1awVk1FhQ [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC03QFF2URssz6Q1awVk1FhQ] Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dodgerdavis16/ [https://www.facebook.com/dodgerdavis16/] Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandon-davis-bba062223/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandon-davis-bba062223/]Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/getoveryourself_podcast/ [https://www.instagram.com/getoveryourself_podcast/] Support the show [https://www.paypal.me/firingtheman]

Trust is the currency of online success, and DJ Sprague has mastered the art of building it systematically through strategic reputation management. As the Chief Marketing Officer of Shopper Approved and a veteran with 25+ years in digital marketing, DJ reveals the hidden psychological triggers that turn browsers into buyers. The conversation opens with a fascinating exploration of what DJ calls "brand schizophrenia" – when your communication touchpoints contradict each other, confusing potential customers and eroding trust. He explains why reviews must extend beyond your website to create a consistent presence across Google Ads, Google Shopping, organic search results, and third-party review platforms. This distribution strategy doesn't just build credibility; it drives significant traffic increases, with one client experiencing an astonishing 8,000% traffic growth. Perhaps most surprising is DJ's revelation about the perfect star rating – and it's not 5.0. The sweet spot falls between 4.2 and 4.7 stars, with perfect scores actually triggering consumer skepticism. Even more counterintuitive: negative reviews can dramatically boost conversions when handled properly. Studies show conversion rates increase by up to 118% when shoppers thoroughly read negative reviews, as they demonstrate transparency and authenticity. The episode covers tactical approaches for both established businesses and newcomers with limited reviews. Beyond review collection, DJ shares complementary trust signals like prominently displayed contact information, industry affiliations, and optimized Q&A content that captures featured snippets in search results. His response strategy for reviews provides a dual benefit – demonstrating customer care while strategically incorporating keywords for SEO advantage. For e-commerce entrepreneurs looking to differentiate in increasingly competitive markets, this masterclass in reputation management offers immediately applicable strategies to build trust, increase traffic, and dramatically improve conversion rates. Whether you're just starting out or scaling an established operation, DJ's insights prove that how others perceive and talk about your business might be your most valuable marketing asset. How to connect with DJ? Offer: free digital and audio copy of our book "Reputation King" to your listeners as well: https://www.reputationking.com/download/ [https://www.reputationking.com/download/]  Website: https://www.shopperapproved.com/ [https://www.shopperapproved.com/] Podcast: https://trafficandconversionpodcast.com/ [https://trafficandconversionpodcast.com/]  LinkedIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/duanesprague/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/duanesprague/]  Support the show [https://www.paypal.me/firingtheman]

Ever wonder what happens when a potential client Googles your name after a meeting? The truth might shock you. In this eye-opening conversation with Jason Barnard, CEO of KaliCube and digital brand intelligence expert, we discover why your digital footprint matters more than ever in the age of AI. Jason reveals his unconventional path from street musician to cartoon creator to digital marketing authority, showing how he's consistently seized and created opportunities throughout his career. But the most valuable insights come when he explains the fundamental shift happening in how people research businesses and individuals online. As Jason puts it, "Your brand is not what people say about you when you're not in the room—it's what Google and ChatGPT say about you when you're not in the room." Through practical examples and memorable analogies, we learn how to build what Jason calls an "entity home"—a central hub for your digital brand that helps machines understand exactly who you are and why you matter. This hub-and-spoke model creates a cohesive digital ecosystem that works across all AI platforms, allowing you to control your brand narrative regardless of which technology dominates the landscape. The stakes couldn't be higher. With conversion rates from AI recommendations potentially 100 times higher than traditional search results, mastering your digital brand isn't just about reputation—it's about business survival. Jason demonstrates how even small businesses can compete with industry giants by optimizing for the right audience and leveraging AI's increasing influence on buying decisions. Ready to take control of your digital brand? Listen now to discover practical steps for managing how search engines and AI platforms represent you when you're not in the room. Your future opportunities may depend on it. How to connect with Jason? Website: https://kalicube.com/ [https://kalicube.com/]Podcast: https://fastlanefounders.com/ [https://fastlanefounders.com/] YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Kalicube [https://www.youtube.com/@Kalicube] Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kalicube [https://www.facebook.com/kalicube] Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonmbarnard/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonmbarnard/] Twitter: https://x.com/TeamKalicube [https://x.com/TeamKalicube] Support the show [https://www.paypal.me/firingtheman]