Entrepreneurs Over 40

Episode Thirty Nine Features Steven Maranville of Maranville Enterprises Talking About Startups. My Key Takeaways: Steven James "SJ" Maranville, Ph.D. was a very interesting guest and provided an academic spin on startups that I hadn't considered or thought of.   In this episode Steven shares: How being blind has shaped him into the man that he is today.Why he views being blind as a nuisance and not a disability today.That he identifies the three phases of startups and defines the terms Fledgling, Gazelle, and Unicorn.His definition of what the 'liability of newness" is and how to overcome it.The homework that he gives an Entrepreneur that is pre-startup to help them decide what to focus on in their business.What 'Alpha' and 'Beta' testing are with regards to prototyping and which one is more likely to offer more valuable feedback.The three stages of looking for money to grow your business and why you should focus on friends and family first.  What a scaleup venture is, how it is likely disrupting the market, and how systemization is crucial to its success.The mindset changes necessary to go from a Fledgling to a Gazelle, and finally from a Gazelle to a Unicorn.How he helped Purple identify and focus on the tough questions that no one was asking but that would eventually hold them back if unaddressed. To learn more about Steven, his website is Maranville Enterprises » Maranville Enterprises. He can be found on LinkedIn, FaceBook, and most Social Media as well.   Be sure to hit Subscribe in your podcast app so that you don't miss it or any other episodes.Show notes and more can be found at EntrepreneursOver40.com

Episode Thirty Eight Features Guests Eleven Through Fifteen Imparting Wisdom and What They Have Learned My Key Takeaways: I was extremely lucky to get the following guests as my next five interviews:   Episode 11 - Bill SorokaEpisode 12 - The VanGordersEpisode 13 - Joe ApfelbaumEpisode 14 - Allan MilhamEpisode 15 - John Moyer In this episode: Bill Soroka talks about how he resisted discipline for so many years before realizing later that it could bring him the success that he craved. Bill also went on to relate that it wasn't until he did a gap analysis of his life that he knew where to focus his time and energy. Bill shares about how he used to lose so much mental and physical energy from having too many different irons in the fire but now he is able to curtail that bu making sure that they all link back together in some shape or fashion. Bill and Esther VanGorder reveal the various benefits of Nordic Walking and how it has a lower perception of exertion but still engages all of your core muscle groups and burns 30% more calories than normal walking does. Bill and Esther share that starting a Nordic Walking business us not an expensive investment for people who want to get into it. In fact, the investment that a person makes is, is covered by the retail income, from the poles that they originally get so that there are no upfront or annual fees.  They volunteer that they would be happy to talk to anyone interested in starting their own Nordic Walking business. Bill and Esther say that their best advice for entrepreneurs to move forward is to figure out what you love and do it. Don't be afraid of, of making that a business. There is real, satisfaction in running your own business. And frankly, in these days of inflation and concerned about whether or not will outlive our money, it is good to know that you've got, a source of some income coming in right now, no matter how old you are. Joe Apfelbaum seems to be a natural at Networking but he shares that he believes that it is a skill that has to be learned.   Joe went on to say that he recommended for someone first starting out to pursue a service based business because they have a lower barrier of entry because you don't have to invest in product and you can acquire customers organically. Joe shares that the way that you generate leads online that turn into clients is figuring out where your clients are and spending time in those areas. You can look on search engines and get people to buy from you. You could look on social media and get people to connect with you there. You can use email marketing but you need to be speaking your target customer's language. Allan Milham talks about the importance of having a team around you as well as investing in yourself. Allan shares that one of the most powerful self assessment tools that he has found and used is the Interactive Enneagram developed by Dirk Cloete of CapeTown, South Africa. John Moyer reveals that he stumbled in to his YouTube strategy by accident.  He initially had used his YouTube channel to post comedy videos but it wasn't until he posted Hypnosis videos for free that it really took off. John went on to talk about the power of the mind and how it would run with whatever it was fed to it in a hypnosis session. To learn more about each guest, please check out episodes eleven through fifteen on Entrepreneurs Over 40.   Be sure to hit Subscribe in your podcast app so that you don't miss it or any other episodes. Show notes and more can be found at EntrepreneursOver40.com

Episode Thirty Seven Features Annie Schiffmann of Downstage Media Talking About Digital Marketing. My Key Takeaways: Annie was a blast to talk to and I really learned a lot from her.  She also was very candid in that she revealed some of the struggles that she has had as both a Mom and a business owner.  In this episode Annie shares: That she is the proud wife of a musician and current actor and that she has two wonderful girls with Beatle's themed names. She dared us to guess their names. (More on that on Monday's post.)The digital marketing expert that she overheard while working backstage at a tech event that turned her on to Twitter as a method for increasing sales for Broadway shows.How she got her start in marketing and why she thinks that she is uniquely capable of helping theatrical companies.Why she uses the royal 'We" when talking about her company.That you don't have to be on all social media channels.How she uses social media to batch content.How the Pandemic forced her to pivot and some of the difficulties that she has faced as both a Mom and a business owner.The importance of capturing email addresses in your business.How she enables her clients to use Donald Miller's StoryBrand program to better market to their own customers and potential customers.Why going viral is not a strategy!The importance of recycling your content.What NFTs and NETs are and how they might be used in theatre marketing. To learn more about Annie, her website is Downstage Media. She can be found on LinkedIn, FaceBook, and most Social Media as well.   Be sure to hit Subscribe in your podcast app so that you don't miss it or any other episodes.Show notes and more can be found at EntrepreneursOver40.com

Episode Thirty Six Features Guests Six Through Ten Imparting Wisdom and What They Have Learned My Key Takeaways: I was extremely lucky to get the following guests as my next five interviews:   Episode 6  - Rick TerrienEpisode 7  - Dave StokesEpisode 8  - Bill NowickiEpisode 9  - Jeffrey NashEpisode 10 - Travis Rosbach In this episode: Rick Terrien shares his formula for starting a business:  Start Small, Start Smart, and Start Now. Rick advises that you tackle problems that you are familiar with and/or that other people do not want to do. Dave Stokes talks about the power of Storytelling in business and how companies can use it to better communicate internally as well as to their customers. Dave goes on to say that listening to your customer and doing your market research is paramount to success. Bill Nowicki reveals that when he gets to interview people and know them better he is more able to understand what they do as well as their motivations.  Bill also shares how sometimes we allow fear to hem us in and how we just have o shift the paradigm and overcome it. Jeffrey Nash relates that mindset and attitude are key and can make or break a person. Jeffrey reveals what happened to The Juppy and what he is now doing in the alternative energy industry. Travis Rosbach relates how he connected three disparate events and designed the Hydroflask. Travis shares some of the guerilla marketing tactics his company used early on to propel Hydroflask in to a national brand. Travis talks about what ultimately led him to exit his company and how he knew that the timing was right. Travis relates how and why the world needs entrepreneurship. To learn more about each guest, please check out episodes six through ten on Entrepreneurs Over 40.    Be sure to hit Subscribe in your podcast app so that you don't miss it or any other episodes. Show notes and more can be found at EntrepreneursOver40.com

Episode Thirty Five Features La'Quita Monley Talking About Overcoming Teen Pregnancy To Be A Successful Coach And Real Estate Investor My Key Takeaways: La'Quita was great to talk to and I learned a lot from her.  Both she and her husband overcame early mistakes and have gone on to be very successful in life.  She was very candid and truly wants to pay it forward and help as many people as possible. In this episode La'Quita shares: That she is the proud wife of an ex active Duty US Army soldier and that she is the mother of five children and grandmother to five grandchildren. How she and her husband met. Her unlikely path to becoming a coach and the woman that helped her achieve it. The value of education to her. How she almost unintentionally crushed her son's spirit while attempting to convince him to follow a more traditional path. Why she became a certified John Maxwell coach. How she is able to use Biblical principles while assisting her clients, even if they are not Christian. The most important thing when someone decides to change their mindset. How we can use fear as a tool to achieve lasting change and success. What she believes the Law of Attraction is. What a true Proverbs 31 woman is and how the role has been greatly misunderstood in our culture. Why she started her own podcast. To learn more about La'Quita, her website is LaQuita Monley and her podcast is at LaQuita’s Toolbox - Podcast.co  She can be found on LinkedIn, FaceBook, and most Social Media as well.    Be sure to hit Subscribe in your podcast app so that you don't miss it or any other episodes. Show notes and more can be found at EntrepreneursOver40.com

Episode Thirty Four Features My First 5 Guests Imparting Wisdom and What They Have Learned My Key Takeaways: I was extremely lucky to get the following guests as my first five interviews:   Lise Cartwright - Human Design and Kindle Publishing Aaron Walker - Christian Masterminds Stephen Key - Product Design and inventRight Robert Morales - Traveling Robert of YouTube Mitche Graf - 6 Star Customer Service   In this episode: Lise Cartwright talks about overcoming the urge to over complicate her business. Lise Cartwright shares the mindfulness technique that she uses and how she applies it to her life and business. Aaron Walker shares the saying that his Mom taught him early on. Aaron Walker espouse that everything is figure-out-able. Aaron Walker explains the meaning behind the name of his Mastermind, Iron Sharpens Iron and its relationship to the Bible. Aaron Walker shares why he thinks Masterminds can help us and why he thinks that we are designed to be in community with one another. Stephen Key related a story about how he didn't know how to create a pattern but soon learned reinforcing the idea that everything is figure-out-able. Stephen Key shares the story of how Teddy Ruxpin got clothes and what that meant for Worlds Of Wonder's bottom line. Stephen Key shared the advice that his Dad gave him and how he applied it. Stephen Key talks about what the word failure means to him. Robert Morales discusses how an author that died over a century ago still influences him today. Robert Morales shares how much effort he puts in to each video to make them look amazing. Robert Morales went on to share how he monetizes each video on YouTube. Robert Morales encourages us that it is never to late to find your passion and to start pursuing it. Mitche Graf shares his definition of Work-Life balance. Mitche Graf goes on to discuss how he learned to brand at an early age and how we can use it to differentiate ourselves from competitors. Mitche Graf reminds us to spend money on things that will improve the customer experience and not extraneous stuff that we might think that we need. To learn more about each guest, please check out my first 5 episodes on Entrepreneurs Over 40.    Be sure to hit Subscribe in your podcast app so that you don't miss it or any other episodes. Show notes and more can be found at EntrepreneursOver40.com

Episode Thirty Three Features April Mitchell Talking About Inventing And Licensing Her Products My Key Takeaways: April was another inventor who invented a product to solve an issue that she herself was having.  By her own admission she probably put too much time and money into her first invention but her subsequent products, along with her involvement with inventRight  taught her how to license her ideas. In this episode April shares: That she is the proud wife of a Lieutenant Colonel in the USMC and that she is the mother of four children. That she is a teacher by trade and had no background in inventing or product design experience. How she comes from a family of Inventors going back to her Great-Grandfather.  For her, it didn't seem abnormal to just come up with something Why she thinks that her first invention, the Towel Belt, will eventually have its day.  The process that she learned where she did not need to spend a lot of money on patents.   That no one cares as much about her product as she does when it comes to selling it to licensees. How long it typically takes for a deal to get done and one of her products come to market. Who she targets with in companies to get her product in front of them. That necessity really is the mother of invention, at least in her case. What kind of mindset that you need when pitching to companies. How inventing is truly a family affair in her house and how involved her children are. How she got to be a coach with inventRight. The mindset that one needs to be a successful inventor and get your products licensed. To learn more about April, her website is 4A's Creations (4ascreations.com) and she can be found on LinkedIn, FaceBook, and YouTube as well.   Next week we'll have on La'Quita Monley talking about being a Christian entrepreneur and tools to improve our mindset. I hope that everyone had a wonderful Christmas and that you will continue to have a safe and Happy New Year.   Be sure to hit Subscribe in your podcast app so that you don't miss it or any other episodes. Show notes and more can be found at EntrepreneursOver40.com

Episode Thirty Two Features Connie Inukai Talking About Becoming An Inventor After Retirement My Key Takeaways: Connie was a great guest and another example of someone who invented a product to solve an issue that she herself was having.  She hated not being able to see the receipts in dimly lit restaurants so she invented the Tip&Split to overcome that issue.   In this episode Connie shares: Why she retired from teaching Technical Writing and how it helped her in the creation process.How her ex husband assisted in the Tip&Split's creation with supplying the drawings as well as the algorithms it used.How much prior inventing experience that she had.The benefits of drinking of being in an Inventors Group and how she met Stephen Key.The manufacturing woes that she had and how it almost cost her a chance to have her product on QVC.How much excess inventory she had to have for shows like QVC and The View.That she perceives the market for products geared towards older consumers is underserved. How she wanted to manufacture her product in America but could not find a suitable electronics manufacturer.What her new product, Write Your Selfie, is about and how it can improve your families history.Why she put the Tip&Split on hold during the majority of the Covid-19 pandemic. To learn more about Connie, her website is Grandmapreneurinventor | Reinventing Yourself in Retirement and she can be found on LinkedIn, FaceBook, and YouTube as well.   Next week we'll have on April Mitchell talking about  how she has created multiple products and the processes that she uses to license them. I'd also like to take this opportunity to wish everyone out there a Merry Christmas   Be sure to hit subscribe in your podcast app so that you don't miss it or any other episodes. Show notes and more can be found at EntrepreneursOver40.com

Episode Thirty One Features Catherine Kirk Talking about Her Invention,  The Coffee Bullet My Key Takeaways: Catherine is a wonderful lady who invented a product to solve an issue that she herself was having.   She knew that automatic drip coffee makers make an amazing cup of coffee.  She also knew that sometimes the coffee grounds end up in the pot or coffee overflows onto the counter because of coffee filter collapse.  She invented the Coffee Bullet to solve her own problem and prevent coffee filter collapse.   In this episode Catherine shares: That she invented this despite suffering from Lupus and Leukemia and how it gave her something to focus on.How she broke each individual problem down and solved it despite knowing nothing about Inventing or Product Design.What Focus means to her.The surprising health benefits of drinking coffee from a paper filter.Some of the individuals that she met along her journey that helped bring the Coffee Bullet to the market.How she would relentlessly research new concepts and ideas related to her invention.That she had to move on from the first name that she chose for her product and ultimately found a better one.Why she believes that manufacturing here in the United States has been better for her product than overseas.How most of her customers are finding her product.What her next steps are with The Coffee Bullet. To learn more about Catherine, her website is https://www.coffeefilterfix.com and she can be found on Ebay, LinkedIn, Instagram, and YouTube as well.   Next week we'll have on Connie Inukai talking about her invention, the Tip&Split as well as her online course "Write Your Selfie."    Be sure to hit subscribe in your podcast app so that you don't miss it or any other episodes. Show notes and more can be found at EntrepreneursOver40.com

Episode Thirty Features Shawn Moye Talking about His Invention,  The E-Sports Trainer and Appearing on America‘s Big Deal. My Key Takeaways: Shawn is a great guy and has an invention that could be pretty impactful in the sports training industry.  I look forward to watching him on America's Big Deal on the USA Network at 9 pm on Thursday, December 9th.   In this episode Shawn shares: What his first invention was and how it almost had disastrous consequences.How his uncle set him up to meet potential investors in a situation that foreshadowed 'Shark Tank'.The basic truth that he teaches his children about managing others.How his job as an Operations Manager helps him with his inventing process and what his current company thinks about his passion for inventing.Why he came up with the idea of the E-Sports Trainer and what it can help someone to accomplish.His patent search and the help that he received from a dedicated employee at the USPTO office.How he protected his idea before involving a toy designer to facilitate designing it.Where he got his initial drawings from.How he found his initial manufacturer and the process that he went through with them to validate that they were a good fit.Why he didn't go on Shark Tank and how he will be on the December 9th show of 'America's Big Deal'What he hopes will happen when he competes. To learn more about Shawn, his website is https://www.e-sportstrainer.com and he can be found on LinkedIn, Instagram, and YouTube as well.   Next week we'll have on Catherine Kirk talking about her invention, the Coffee Bullet.   Be sure to hit subscribe in your podcast app so that you don't miss it or any other episodes. Show notes and more can be found at EntrepreneursOver40.com

Episode Twenty Nine Features Victoria Wieck of HSN And SHOPHQ Fame Talking About How She Immigrated To The US And Started A 500 Million Dollar Jewelry Business My Key Takeaways: Victoria was a very interesting lady to interview and it was clear from speaking to her that she prioritized time with her family and yet still managed to build a highly successful company. Victoria's father moved his family to the US so that his daughters would have a much better life than they would in Korea.  Upon arriving they found that their assets had been frozen in both countries and they were effectively penniless. Initially Victoria's English skills were poor so she had to draw out a lot of her questions for her teachers which helped hone her drawing skills. Her parents worked two or more jobs a day to provide for their family.  Victoria being the oldest had to take on an almost parental role with her siblings and help raise them. Victoria began memorizing words in an English language dictionary to teach herself to speak English as there were no English as a second language programs for her school. Her parent's prioritized Education and Victoria went on to get and MBA from the University of Southern California even though she didn't particularly like school.  She admits now that she had to unlearn a lot of what the MBA program taught her as it was not geared towards small business. A one and a half hour commute pushed her to begin her own business so that she would have more time with her family. Victoria leveraged the various international time zones to her advantage so that she could spend more time with her family. She leaned heavily in to Direct Mail initially and had an incredible conversion rate due to her copywriting skills and personalizing each letter with a hand written drawing. Victoria has several books due out in 2022 and hosts the Million Dollar Passion Podcast which will support her upcoming book, Million Dollar Hobbies. To learn more about Victoria, her website is Victoria Wieck | Author, Jewelry Designer & TV Personality - Victoria Wieck and she can be found on LinkedIn and YouTube as well.   Next week we'll have all Sean Moye talking about his invention, the E-Sports Trainer and how it improves muscle memory in sports.   Be sure to hit subscribe in your podcast app so that you don't miss it or any other episodes. Show notes and more can be found at EntrepreneursOver40.com

Episode Twenty Eight Features Chris Klesh Talking About How He Retired From AT&T And Helps Families Travel For Pennies On The Dollar! My Key Takeaways: Coach Chris promised immediate, actionable tips  that would help families save money on travel and frankly, he over-delivered.  He is an almost larger than life character that by his own admission loves to talk. Coach Chris had a long and successful career working for Bell South and then AT&T until he retired.  He then went on to travel the world and began accumulating his travel hacks. It wasn't until so many people started approaching him asking questions about how he traveled affordably that he realized he had a potential business. Coach Chris firmly believes that the best things in life aren't things at all.  They are experiences shared with others. He also believes that you don't have to be rich to live rich.  You just have to know how to beat the system. He advises that as soon as you know that you want to travel to start booking your trip.  The sooner you book, the more money you will save. Coach Chris also believes that we have ZOOMED past Work From Home (pun intended) and are now in the age of Work From Anywhere. Coach Chris advises that people maintain a credit score of above 700 and then get the credit cards associated with their airlines or hotels of choice. Regarding timeshares/vacation clubs, he advises to never buy from the developer and to only buy from individuals.  He also went on to state that all of the major hotel chains had their own For car rentals he uses autoslash.com and recommends that people join a loyalty program, take an Uber away from the airport to their renter of choice to save an extra 15%.  If you rent a midsize car you are likely to get a free upgrade to an SUV. He also advised using COSTCO Travel and AARP for cruises.  VacationsToGo.com is a great newsletter for finding deals with cruises. Johnny Jet | Simplify your Travel -  Families Fly Free Home Page - Samcart (gototravelgal.com) is a good travel blog focusing on travel with SouthWest Airlines.   He also recommended Travelzoo: Deals on Hotels, Flights, Vacations, Cruises & More and ShermansTravel https://10xtravel.com/ features tools and a free course on travel hacking. Miles to Memories - Experts in Award Travel - Miles to Memories  and TravelPulse: Travel News, Information and Offers also are very good resources. To learn more about Coach Chris, his website is https://www.lifetimeleisure.net and he can be found on LinkedIn and YouTube as well.  He also invited people to call him at (561) 386-2986 to contact him for more information and a 15 minute free consultation.  He will also send anyone that emails him at lifetimeleisure@bellsouth.net  a free book with 99 tips for skimping on traveling. Now next week we'll have on Victoria Wieck talking about how she launched her own jewelry line, became an HSN host, retired and then became a SHOPHQ host while also starting her own podcast and becoming an author. Be sure to hit subscribe in your podcast app so that you don't miss it or any other episodes. Show notes and more can be found at EntrepreneursOver40.com

Episode Twenty Seven Features Dana Knowles Talking About Overcoming Her Addictions TO Drugs And Alcohol, Inventing The Shower Caddy, And Becoming The Director Of Inventor Relations At inventRight! My Key Takeaways: Dana was very real and very candid in talking about her life which has not always been easy. Dana started partying at a very early age and became addicted to drugs and alcohol. While she was and addict she had her own successful cleaning business. She hit rock bottom in 1997 at age 34 and checked herself in to a Treatment Center. It wasn't until she was about a year into her recovery that she began to realize the damage that she had done to her family. She credits hanging around with other successful people that she could emulate to her being able to get her life back together and succeed. After becoming sober she started a second hand clothing store in West Virginia and then eventually transitioned in to owning a Tuxedo Rental shop. Dana tried to invent and bring to market 2 other products before reading 'ONE SIMPLE IDEA' by Stephen Key.  She took the suggestions from that book and used it to help her launch the Hanging Shower Caddy. She became an inventRight student, Inventor, and alumni and kept showing up to events.  Stephen recognized this and made her the Director of Inventor Relations for inventRight. To learn more about Dana Knowles, her website is DanaKnowlesInspires.com and she can be found actively posting on LinkedIn.   Now next week we'll have on Chris Klesh talking about how he retired from AT&T and started his company, Lifetime Leisure Experiences to help people maximize their travel experiences while minimizing the cost. Be sure to hit subscribe in your podcast app so that you don't miss it or any other episodes. Show notes and more can be found at EntrepreneursOver40.com

Episode Twenty Six features Alan Beckley Talking About His Invention The Wonder Wallet And His Podcast Inventors Helping Inventors! My Key Takeaways: Alan was a great guest and understood well the challenges faced by inventors. Fun Fact:  Alan is learning Mandarin to keep his brain active and engaged as Mandarin is one of the hardest languages to learn. Another Fun Fact:  Alan was born in the Panama Canal Zone Before becoming an Inventor, Alan was in the Telecom industry as a Project Manager and still has many close friends in it.  Alan said that the role of Project Manager served him well as an Inventor as he has to manage his own product, assigning due dates as well as talk to customers and determine what their needs are. Alan invented the Wonder Wallet when he realized that Men's wallets were growing bigger with cards and that  was causing discomfort and medical issues. He created the prototypes himself out of swatches of leather and plastic inserts and went through about nine to ten iterations before he was satisfied with the end result. Alan wanted to license his invention to a wallet manufacturer but struggled to do so as his product really needed to be demonstrated to be understood.   It wasn't until he went on QVC that he had any real success.  Because of the short QVC format Alan learned that he had to do the demos in a timely matter. After he went on QVC Alan licensed the Wonder Wallet to  a Direct Response TV company called All Star products that in turn went on to sell in over 10,000 stores and accrue 30 million dollars in sales. Alan started his podcast, Inventors Helping Inventors, to help provide other Inventors with the information that wasn't readily accessible to him starting out. Alan advises Inventors to avoid anything too niche and liked both the Pet Industry and Travel Industry in particular.  He also advises that your cost should only be about 20% total of your retail price. He also advises Inventors to do a thorough search to determine that their invention does not already exist before they go too far with moving forward on it.  He recommends USPTO.gov, Patents.Google.com and even using a reverse image search on Google as potential tools to vet your idea.   Alan also recommends the Licensing model versus Venturing it out on your own.  He recommends LinkedIn for being able to find companies and their officers to prospect to. To learn more about Alan Beckley, his website is AlanBeckley.com and his podcast, Inventors Helping Inventors is available on all of the major podcast directories.   Now next week, we'll have on Dana Knowles talking about how she overcame addiction to straighten out her life and to invent the Shower Caddy as well as help other Inventors. Be sure to hit subscribe in your podcast app so that you don't miss it or any other episodes. Show notes and more can be found at EntrepreneursOver40.com

Episode Twenty Five features Sara Crique Talking About How She Retired From Her Job As A HealthCare Administrator To Start Her Online Clothing Business! My Key Takeaways: Sara was a fun guest and understood the challenges faced by older Entrepreneurs. Sara was originally from the Dominican Republic and is a living example of someone that embraced the American Dream and has achieved a better life.  Sara also credits her immigrant community for helping her get to where she is today by not only helping her but by mentoring her as well. Sara's number one mentor, though, was her Mother who instilled a tireless work ethic in her. She originally planned to retire and transition to Training or Staffing but remembered the call of her Mother's advice regarding being a Seamstress. Sara wants to inspire and empower minority women through her work and her own example.  She views fashion as her vehicle or stage that allows her to impart information and knowledge to others. Her family motivates her to keep moving forward as he wants to leave a legacy of achievement and success to her grandchildren. Popup shops and markets have been crucial not only in sales but for her to interact with her customers on a deeper level. Sara acknowledged that she wasn't as proficient early on in Website Design and Social Media and now has teams that help her with those aspects of the job. Sara loves to design beautiful, comfortable garments and wants people to be able to wear them and afford them.  If he makes a little less money because of that she is comfortable with that. To learn more about Sara Crique, her website is Seams.NYC and she is on ETSY as well with the same name.  If you are interested in collaborating with her she can be reached at criques@msn.com or by cell at (917) 796-4945 Now next week, we'll have on Alan Beckley talking about how he created and licensed the WonderWallet, as well as his podcast, Inventors Helping Inventors. Be sure to hit subscribe in your podcast app so that you don't miss it or any other episodes. Show notes and more can be found at EntrepreneursOver40.com

Episode Twenty Four features Brian Fried talking about Inventing and how that you can bring your product to life and profit from it! My Key Takeaways: Brian was a great guest and had a lot of actionable information to use when working on your invention. Brian started to realize that the things that he was coming up with were from things that annoyed him.  He saw things being done a certain way that could be done differently. He started to jot them down and from a marketing perspective, think about how others might use his idea, and if it's something that's relevant and going to make him money in the market. Brian gave one example as his Paper Towel Topper.  Everyone has papertowels in their homes and most of them are on vertical rolls where someone has to grab the top to tear a sheet off.  Often their hand are dirty so the tops of the paper towels get disgusting.  Brian came up with a cap that goes into the inner tube of the paper towel roll and covers the top of the roll. Brian helps Inventors decide if their Invention is worth going forward with as well as whether they should make and sell it theselves or whether it should be licensed. One of the biggest shortcomings that he sees with Iventors is that they fail to o the due diligence effectively to see if their product already exists. Brian also tries to protect his inventions the best that he can with patents and trademarks.  Anyway can make a Snuggie but the name itself differentiates it from others on the market.  Noone else can make something and call it a Snuggie because the name is a registered trademark. Brian advises the following steps after you come up with your invention: 1. Challenge if it is already out there.  Can you get some intellectual property protection?  You can do this by doing traditional Google searches, Google image searches, USPTO.gov and Patents.google.com 2. Make a prototype and get it as close to functional as possible by using already existing materials (ripping stuff up) or 3D printing some or all of it. 3. Protect the idea with a Provisional Patent which gives you one year to explore the market and be 'patent pending.' 4. Then work with product designers or engineers to figure out if you want to manufacture or license the product. If you are going to license it you must have intellectual property to earn royalties. If you're going to manufacture it yourself, you need to be able to: Connect up with a manufacturer, handle theinventory that comes in. packaging, barcoding, all the logistics of inventory and warehousing and shipping and accounts payable, accounts receivable, the marketing, the advertising. You also have to challenge if the product can be nmanufactured for a profit. Brian see's Inventors all of the time that want to have their invention made in the USA but it is not economically feasible.  If it costs me $5 to make and a consumer is going to pay no more than $5. Then it's tough. Nobody wins. I can't be in business and you can't buy my product. So sometimes you have to go overseas. Brian's company, InventorSmart.com can help inventors with marketing their ideas by providing patent attorneys, prototyping, marketing, social media, websites, etc.  Brian also provides individual coaching services via BrianFried.com  He said that he is always open to a phone call with inventors to discuss how or if they should proceed with idea. He also has two books out on Amazon: You And Your Big Idea and Inventing Secrets Revealed. Both came out in 2008 and 2016, respectively. He has a third, unnamed as yet book at the Publisher. To learn more about Brian Fried, he can be reached at BRIANFRIED.com and InventorSmart.com.  If you want to take a class he offers InventorClass.com.  He also hosts The GOT INVENTION SHOW and GOT INVENTION RADIO. Now next week, we'll have on Sarah Crique talking about how she retired and went on to launch her own clothing business, SEAMS NYC! Be sure to hit subscribe in your podcast app so that you don't miss it or any other episodes. Show notes and more can be found at EntrepreneursOver40.com

Episode Twenty Three features Zev Asch talking about his new book, How To Get The Most Out Of Marketing: An Action Plan For Small Business Owners My Key Takeaways: I really enjoyed talking to Zev, not only about his book but the health scare with his heart bypass that he and I have in common.  We are both very fortunate that it was caught before something much worse happened. Zev wanted to reiterate that if you suspect something is wrong, heart related, to see a Cardiologist and not to be afraid to get a second opinion.  If you have family history of heart disease, you are a candidate for something cardiac related. Human Beings will often make irrational decisions to get themselves out of pain such as making a major decision based on price alone. As an example of being a Purple Cow, Zev differentiates himself from other consultants by not having a written contract.  Those contracts are typically one sided anyway and are just another reason for someone to say No to working with him. Zev defines Marketing Chutzpah as a company having the gall to ask something of their customer because they realize that it is in the customers best interest to do so.  His example was Jet Blue asking the customers to clean up after themselves so that they could turn the plane around quickly and continue keeping fares low. A Noise Business is one that mirrors its competitors and just adds to the volume of noise out there.  They are the opposite of a Purple Cow. Zev is a proponent of using Direct Mail as it is less likely to be ignored or even blocked like an email might be. Zev says there are three engines of growth: Sales, Marketing, and Customer Service.  When they are all in sync they can fuel growth. Complaints are actually a great source of improving your product or service.  If you address the root cause or failure that lead to the complaint it helps all of your customers. Zev also preaches to companies to pick up the phone and call some of their customers.  Everyone wants to do it impersonally by an email or survey but the companies doing really well are still using a personal touch.  By reaching out to your customers you may address a problem or concern or find an untapped market for them because they didn't know about a product or service that your company delivered. To learn more about Zev Asch, you can check him out at ZevAsch.com.  I also highly recommend his book, How To Get The Most Out Of Marketing: An Action Plan For Small Business Owners which you can find on Amazon.com Now next week, we'll have on Brian Fried talking about the world of Inventing and how you can make money by manufacturing and selling or licensing your inventions! Be sure to hit subscribe in your podcast app so that you don't miss it or any other episodes. Show notes and more can be found at EntrepreneursOver40.com

Episode Twenty One features Joe Pulizzi talking about how you can build a successful business by following his Content, Inc model! My Key Takeaways: Joe was another great guest and his book, Content Inc. is an invaluable resource to myself and other content creators. Joe is a perfect example of someone that pivoted from what they thought was their plan to something else.  Joe had sold his Content Marketing Institute and thought that he was done with marketing.  He had published a successful fiction novel and was planning on releasing follow ups to it.  Then the Pandemic hit and more people were reaching out to him and becoming interested in his Content Inc model so he felt compelled to pivot and has since launched TheTilt.com specializing in helping content entrepreneurs get up to speed and thrive! The Content, Inc model involves the following 7 steps to launch and monetize your own content business: 1  Identify the Sweet spot which is where your unique expertise collides with your audiences pain points. 2. Identify the Content Tilt.  Determine how you differentiate your content from all of the other content noise out there. 3. Identify the Base. This is where your content will live and be distributed like YouTube or a blog. 4. Audience Building. Use Social Media and SEO to convert visitors into longtime subscribers 5. Revenue.  Identify a product and begin charging money for it.   6. Diversify.  Grow your business by going into other platforms 7. Sell or Go Big!  Exit by selling or build an enterprise. Overall Joe estimates that while it may take 9 months before a business starts making any revenue it typically takes 4-5 years to go through all 7 steps. Joe also preaches that while you can grow a platform on rented land, such as YouTube or FaceBook, it is best to move your audience members off on to something that you can control such as a website or mailing list so that you wont be at the mercy of the companies that control the platform that you are on. Joe uses tools like Google Trends to brainstorm Content idea with by punching in keywords and then taking the Breakout terms that it suggests and potentially basing content around those.  He also highly recommends asking your existing audience what they want to know more about or what their pain points are to find potential sources of content. Joe goes on to say that once you have consistent traffic that it is best to monetize as soon as possible.  He also recommends diversifying the various revenue streams into at least 4 different revenue streams.  He added that there is a risk that you might alienate your fans but that it is a small one and you can do things to mitigate it such as choosing the least intrusive options first. Joe was really in to Cryptocurrency and even has his own one called Tilt Coin.  He uses it in a way that I hadn't been previously exposed to and likens it to a customer loyalty program.  He rewards new subscribers with 5 dollars worth of Tilt coin and further rewards them when they do things like successfully refer The Tilt to new subscribers or register for Tilt events.  Maybe we will have to come up with an EO40 coin!  Joe did mention that if you want to get started in crypto to give him a shout at jp@thetilt.com To learn more about Joe Pulizzi, you can check him out at TheTilt.com.  I also highly recommend his book, Content, Inc which you can find on Amazon.com Now next week, we'll have on Zev Asch talking about his book, How To Get The Most Out Of Marketing: An Action Plan For Small Business Owners! Be sure to hit subscribe in your podcast app so that you don't miss it or any other episodes. Show notes and more can be found at EntrepreneursOver40.com

Episode Twenty One features Rob Cosman about how he makes money on Amazon with Online Arbitrage as well as living as an Expat in beautiful Costa Rica.  Pura Vida!  My Key Takeaways: I really enjoyed talking to Rob and learning not only about Online Arbitrage but his decision to become an Expat in Costa Rica. Rob got started early on in Ecommerce when he created his own website selling craft products for Tole Painting that his Dad made.  He learned how to code the site by copying Amazon and other online retailers but quickly learned that Build it and They will come was not a viable strategy.  He learned that by going to online forums about Tole painting he could participate and direct others to his site.  By doing so he found that his customers were often teachers who would buy from him in bull. He spent some time in the Cayman Islands and really enjoyed it but ultimately found himself back in Toronto where he bounced around in various Accounting roles. He and his wife, Marsha, identified that this was not the lifestyle they wanted and began making a plan to opt out and do their own thing. She wrote a children's book that she sold on Amazon and they both started their own Accounting firm.  Rob also started selling on Amazon, first doing thrifting and then doing Private Label but ultimately decided that Private Label was not for him. Rob discovered that succeeding in Private Label was very difficult.  Typically you hear about people that source a product from China via Alibaba.  It takes a long time to get the product in and by the time that you get it you are competing with a bunch of other sellers as well as the manufacturer!  To have any success at all in Private Label requires a huge Ad spend and was something that Rob decided was not for him. While there plan was to wait until 2022 to make the move to Costa Rica it was accelerated when Marsha lost her job.  They were able to sell their condo quickly in a Seller's market and then sold or got rid of whatever possessions they did not want to bring with them. They ultimately ended up moving in to a resort area with amenities that were at least as good if not superior to what they had before.  Rob describes the Pura Vida lifestyle as a very relaxed lifestyle where "Pura Vida" is almost used as a form of greeting. The downside is it can be used as an excuse for missed expectations.  Sorry but we closed the office down yesterday - Pura Vida! Rob talked about Online Arbitrage which as he defined is basically buying something from another online website and reselling it on Amazon.  He will have the product shipped to a Prep center that he does business with and they will inspect it, make sure that it isn't damaged, and then send it on to Amazon for him. Because it is Fulfilled by Amazon, Rob's products qualify for PRIME status which is a huge advantage for him.  Rob also really likes Online Arbitrage becuse it isn't as risky as Private Label and you can get a series of wins with very little risk.  As he said "Just take small little risks, get your confidence, start building up that cash flow, take that small investment, roll the profits over, and then you can start buying more inventory. Right?" Rob uses several tools - KEEPA which is a Chrome Extension shows him the historical sales data over time and will allow him to set an alert to but an item when it is at a low sales price.  He also uses a tool called AZ Insight which will allow him to calculate the potential profit on any item he is currently viewing. Rob is also a huge fan of using credit card rewards and stacking those with online stores that are having discount sales.   He also recommends starting in Home Goods and then going to Toys when you cna qualify to be ungated for that category. In addition to Amazon, Rob still sells home good products on the East Coast Rustic ecommerce site with his Dad.  They started out on Etsy, and have expanded to HOUZZ as well as Home Depot.  Rob's Dad handles the manufacturing and he handles the Ecommerce, Tech Support, and Customer Service sides of the house. Rob's #1 Piece of Advice: I don't care if you want to move to Costa Rica, if you want to travel in an RV, whatever. We always say you want to design a lifestyle that you want, figure out what that side hustle is and let it grow. He likes Amazon, because it's a very low barrier to entry, You don't have to deal with the customers, You don't have to create a website, all this stuff. it's something that you can start so easily with a few dollars just at night and it can grow into a full-time business where you could work wherever.  Start that plan, start that side hustle while you have that job, because then you can build that nest egg of profit and keep turning it over to build up that inventory so that you get to that amount with the profits that are kicking out, could replace that job.  He said some people think, oh, I'll quit my job right away. No, no, no. Keep working that job because that's what you live on. Build up that side hustle and that nest egg of inventory until eventually it can replace the job.  Rob has his own course where he teaches others the ins and outs of selling on Amazon via Online Arbitrage.  His main website is Sellingfromthebeach.com and he has a podcast by the same name chronicling other Amazon sellers journeys. To learn more about Rob Cosman, you can check him out at SellingFromTheBeach.com.  You can also learn from his free online course at https://www.oamasterclass.com/freefba or his online webinar at https://www.oamasterclass.com/webinar Now next week, we'll have on Joe Pulizzi talking about his book, Content, Inc. and how you can start a Content First Business, Build A Massive Audience, and Become Radically Successful with little to no money!   Be sure to hit subscribe in your podcast app so that you don't miss it or any other episodes.  Show notes and more can be found at EntrepreneursOver40.com

Episode Twenty features Ramon Ray talking about The Celebrity CEO and how entrepreneurs can thrive by building a community and a strong personal brand.  My Key Takeaways: My interview with Ramon Ray was short, but I believe that it was packed with great business advice. Ramon didn't let being, let go from the UN stop or define him. In fact, he  spoke fondly of his time there. He thinks his knack for technology has helped him move forward and be successful in his business ventures.  Ramon defines brand is what you're known for.   The celebrity CEO concept is that even if you aren't famous, you can become well-known in your market or industry. Example Ramon used was the plumber in a small town who gives cookies to all the kids after he completes a plumbing job. It's also about building a community of fans. You can do that by educating people and providing them content of value that builds trust and relationship with them. Ramon emphasize that you don't have to be an extrovert or be bombastic. To build a community of fans, Ramona advises, businesses to focus on five key things in their marketing. Number one. Embrace social media and use it to deliver valuable content to your audience. Number two, meet your fans at an event. Whether it be an online event like Facebook live. Or an actual real life meetup.  Number three, have a book because it adds credibility and adds a hook to have people want to talk to you. Number four. Getting publicity in some way to get your name out there. And number five, having a good website and email address so that you can reach your fans on a platform that you can control.  Ramon explains the distinction between a customer and a fan is. A customer is more of a transactional commitment. Whereas a fan may or may not even buy from you, but they will sing your praises.   Ramon recommended the following business books: Marcus Sheridan's "They Ask, You Answer", Gino Wickman's "Traction", and "Profit First" by Mike Michalowicz.  Of course we'd be remiss in not recommending his own book. The Celebrity CEO. He also offered that if you direct message them on Instagram with best books, he will send you a list of some of his top book recommendations.  To learn more about Ramon Ray, you can check him out at smarthustle.com or RamonRay.com.  Now next week, we'll have on Rob Cosman talking about online arbitrage and how he's leveraged that to make a lot of money on Amazon.   Be sure to hit subscribe in your podcast app so that you don't miss it or any other episodes.  Show notes and more can be found at EntrepreneursOver40.com