Podcast | GROW GREAT

Special Episode – Your Success May Just Be One Little Tweak Away

Entrepreneurship, Personal Development, Podcast / By Randy Cantrell

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tweak — Audio Ninja Tactics Made Possible With 1 Button

Special Notice:

True confession. Today’s show was recorded as a video. Unfortunately, I realized that my recent audio sync issues have to do with Apple iMovie. It’s apparently a problem others are having, too. I opted out of posting the video with foreign martial arts film like audio issues. It’s funnier when people are performing spinning reverse kicks. I’m physically unable to perform such feats. So…this is a special audio episode. That should explain why I ask you to watch as I hit that button you see me pressing in the photograph. I was using my audio processing equipment to make a point. Fortunately, the big point was made in the audio…but it was made by simply hitting a single button. One tweak made an enormous difference.

The Show Notes

Are you a “quantum leap” kinda person? I am. Well, historically I have been, but I’m leaning toward smaller, more subtle change these days.

Many small business owners are searching for the one big thing they can do to make their enterprise more successful. The secret thing they just don’t yet know.

Most will never find it because it really doesn’t exist.

Life is made up of a few big goals and accomplishments, but most of life is composed of daily actions that move us closer to or further away from improvement. Mundane kind of stuff that we can too easily discount.

Small changes made over time result in major differences in the outcome. Maybe you need to change a thought, one habit or one tactic. Just one. Life isn’t all about go big or go home (even though I do often wear a T-shirt to the gym with that on the front). It’s about the wisdom to make subtle, small changes that can make all the difference in the world in your success!

Here are some links you may want to check out:

• President Kennedy’s speech before Congress, May 25, 1961
• The moon landing in 1969
• Peak Performers: The New Heroes of American Business by Charles Garfield
• The Compound Effect by Darren Hardy
• History Channel’s Top Shot
• The story of Naaman

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Selling Education: One Business Model With Up To 4 Offers

Entrepreneurship, Podcast, Video / By Randy Cantrell

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People want to learn stuff. All kinds of stuff.

And they’ll pay a lot of money to learn things that are important to them. Computer programming languages, playing a musical instrument, speaking a foreign language, shooting hi-def video, photography. You name it, somebody, somewhere is teaching it. And charging money for it.

What can you teach? Watch or listen (your choice) to today’s show and think about your own business. You’ve likely spent a lot of time and money to learn some things. Why not launch a business based on teaching others what you’ve learned?

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Episode 150 – Like Good Music, Your Marketing Message Needs Good Timing

Entrepreneurship, Podcast / By Randy Cantrell

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metronome — Like good music, your message needs good timing.

We’ve all experienced it. Standing around in a conversation circle we say something…making what we think is a meaningful contribution to the conversation. Nobody reacts, but the conversation continues. Minutes later, somebody else says the same thing we said earlier. Now, people respond. And we think, “Wait a minute, I just said that.”

What is going on?

It could be the conversation circle doesn’t like us, or want to listen to us. But more likely, it’s just that people didn’t really hear us when we said it. It may have nothing to do with us, but it may have everything to do with when it’s said. Our timing may have been off.

Today, let’s go with this definition of timing provided by Merriam-Webster:

the ability to select the precise moment for doing something for optimum effect

Timing – the beat – can help create a hit song. It can also help your message resonate with prospects. That’s the subject of today’s show.

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Special Post-Thanksgiving Day Episode: How To Figure Things Out Like A 5-Year-Old (Taking Action)

Entrepreneurship, Personal Development, Podcast, Video / By Randy Cantrell

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Max-And-Jake — Max & Jake, this summer prior to many dives into the pool

NOTE: Today’s show was originally recorded as a video, but I encountered horrible sync issues. No matter, I look better in audio anyway. I’m including the video, but I’ll warn you – it will drive you crazy!

I don’t know if there’s any statistical accuracy to it or not, but I recently heard an Internet marketer claim that about 2% of the buyers of info products (i.e. Internet marketing training courses) actually take any action based on the course.

Think of it.

If we all took action on the stuff we’re reading, watching, and listening to – well, human productivity would sky-rocket. The world wouldn’t know what to do with itself.

Which may explain why most people don’t achieve more success. It also explains the power of Mark Amtower‘s message (both a speech and a little book about the speech, both bearing the same name), “Why epiphanies never occur to couch potatoes.”

Reading, watching and listening are easy. Passive.

Getting up off the couch. Doing something meaningful. Active.

And obviously, for many, quite difficult.

Today is the day after Thanksgiving here in the U.S. It’s a day full of action, mostly centered around crazed crowds falling for the lure of false bargains. I was wondering yesterday…how much must a person devalue their time to spend 2 days and 2 nights in the parking lot of a Best Buy to purchase a TV for $186? You do the math.

This appeared on Facebook yesterday afternoon. I thought it was appropriate…and correct. Yes, I “liked” it.

Stuff. Things. Content. Instruction.

Nothing inherently wrong with any of them. But without action, none of them will help you figure things out, or get things done!

It’s time to incorporate a new philosophy into life. Every 5-year-old already knows this. And does it.

When all is said and done, more is done than said.

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jigsaw puzzle — You’ll only solve it by using your hands and your head

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Episode 149 – Some Keys To Effectively Giving And Receiving Criticism

Communication, Leadership, Personal Development, Podcast / By Randy Cantrell

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rosebush-thorns — Prickly is ineffective

‘Tis better to give than receive.

When it comes to criticism, it’s certainly easier to give than to receive. But I don’t think it’s always better.

Truth is, we all need correction, feedback and criticism. I don’t usually use the phrase “constructive criticism.” I think all criticism should be constructive. Otherwise, it’s not really criticism. It’s just being critical. They are not the same thing.

I’m often asked for my opinion (criticism). I work hard to put a few things up front in each case:

1. What’s the purpose here? What are we trying to accomplish?
2. Here are my biases, up front.
3. I’m not going to make the decision for you because that’s not my place.
4. Let’s consider worse-case scenarios. What’s the worst thing that can happen?

Intention is a major component of effective criticism. Do you care enough to help the person you are criticizing…or are you just being critical? Does the person helping you with criticism care about you improving…or they just being critical? Our motive behind criticism is fundamental to our ability to give it and to take it.

And today’s show ends with a discussion about the biggest question of all.

Who are you to tell me?

The context of our relationship matters. The wrong person can deliver the right message, in exactly the appropriate way…and it’ll be lost.

What do you think? What have you found that works in giving or accepting effective criticism?

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Your Business Model: 3 Pillars Of Successful Business Building

Entrepreneurship, Podcast, Video / By Randy Cantrell

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The books mentioned in today’s show:

• Business Model YOU: A One-Page Method For Reinventing Your Career

• The 4-Hour Chef

The three ingredients mentioned are mandatory for me. I’m uninterested in interacting with, being around, or being involved with any business that isn’t going to make these three pillars the foundation of their enterprise.

I also give you a perfect illustration of the power of word-of-mouth. Discount Tire is where I buy tires. And no, I didn’t get any compensation of any kind. Oh, I’d happily accept a gift, bribe or payment…but so far, that hasn’t happened. Still, I’m willing to tell you how I feel about them.

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