Entrepreneurs Over 40

Entrepreneurs Over 40 Episode 14 with Allan Milham

Episode Fourteen features Allan Milham talking about his firm Questage and how they help Entrepreneurs prepare for the third act of their life.
My Key Takeaways:
It was great talking to Allan and learning more about his pursuit of achievement as well as learning about the third act of life. I was struck by how candid he was in sharing some of his life stories.  One in particular that stood out to me was when he was sent away to school to improve his reading when he was 12.  In a follow up exchange he quoted Friedrich Nietzsche stating "What doesn't kill you makes you stronger."
He pointed out that in our culture we tend to define ourselves by what we do whereas in other cultures you may be defined more by your family and other important factors.  
He is dialed in now with what he is doing in his career but it wasn't always that way for him.  While his siblings knew almost instinctually what they wanted to pursue career wise he didn't know at an early age. It wasn't until he was 30 that he decided to go out on his own and pursue Executive coaching.
He also shared that working with young Olympians helped him to understand better the mindset around performance.  In his words, We all come sort of with this naysayer that can be sort of an inner critic and limiting beliefs that hold us back.  We have this other voice that says sometimes go for it, right? What he refers to as the whisperer.
Allan points out that we have a gap in leadership right now and that as a society we need for the Boomers generation to continue to lead and mentor the generations coming after it.
The challenge he sees today, is that a lot of us are falling asleep.  We're numbing out. There's just so much, negativity that our systems can't actually take it all in. So we're sort of going to sleep.
One tool that Allan really likes both for personal assessment as well as understanding your partner is the Interactive Enneagram developed by Dirk Cloete. It is a profound tool to use in entrepreneurial environments and with teams so that we can really understand who's who, so that we can leverage our strengths.
Another important tool for the 3rd act of our lives is Self Care, because bold leaders know how to take care of themselves. They know how to be healthy. They know that exercise is important. They know that sleep is important. They know that eating correctly is important and they know that downtime is important back to the mindfulness and the meditation.  when we really take care of ourselves, our family wins because we have the energy for them to show up and we have the quality of time and we're making that commitment. And with that energy, there's a vibrancy that we just bring to our work that allows us to win.  When we deplete ourselves, we really are breaking down. We should always be asking: how am I doing with my self care? 
Allan has also found that when we're purposeful, right when we're in passion, when we're waking up with excitement to do something, we now through positive psychology can see that we're actually literally living longer. Optimism, having purpose, and productivity literally is allowing us to live longer than if we are unplugged, isolated, and not productive. So why not make the 3rd act of our lives the best act of our life?  Allan's a real advocate for self-development, self-growth to do the work, so that you can be best in your game.
Allan's number one piece of advice for the Entrepreneurs Over 40 listeners (and myself) was to ask yourself as you look the mirror. Are you good with what you see? Are you at peace with what you see? Are you aligned with what you see and are you living the life that the person in the mirror is wanting you to have?  If there are question marks around that, spend more time with them.
You can check Allan out at Questage.com to learn more both about himself and also how Questage might help benefit you in the third act of your life.
Now next week we will have on John Moyer talking about how you can benefit from Hypnosis in the first part of a two part series. Be sure to hit Subscribe in your podcast app so you don't miss it or any of the other episodes.
Show notes and more can be found at EntrepreneursOver40.com
 

Entrepreneurs Over 40 Episode 13 with Joe Apfelbaum

Episode Thirteen features Joe Apfelbaum talking about Mojovation, his High Energy series, and LinkedIn marketing.
 
My Key Takeaways:
The right strategy will save you a decade in your business.  Energy without strategy is a waste of time.
Joe defines Mojovation as a way for someone to get into joy, for someone to figure out who they are, and what they want to accomplish in their life and live a life of purpose and freedom. This is as opposed to constantly just worrying about what other people are thinking about me. AS he pointed out, Did you know that other people's opinions are none of your business?
The seven habits to remember everyday for Mojavation energy are:1: Get hydrated - a 5% drop in hydration is a 30% drop in energy2. Be grateful -  If you're not feeling grateful, you're not going to be able to be in the abundance mindset3. Measure - Are you in fact hitting your goals, and doing what needs to be done each day?4. Communicate properly both internally and externally5. Learn every day, Progress = happiness6. Contribution - How can you make a difference to other people?7. Being Present in the moment in all that you do.
Joe reminded us that you can only grow your business as much as you grow yourself.  AS Joe pointed out, You are where you need to be. You are exactly where you need to be right now in your life.
Joe credits an insatiable curiosity for getting him where he is today in life.  Knowledge does not equal power; Applied Knowledge equals power.  Execution is everything!
He advised people starting out in business to start with a service business as they typically have a lower barrier to entry because you don't have to invest in physical products. "it's pretty simple to get customers. You find somebody that has a problem. You can get started with them right away. You're selling your time. "  He also said that if you want to get to 7 figures in revenue you are probably going to need 10 employees.
Getting to a million dollars is arithmetic. It's not even math. Math is making sure that it's profitable.
He said that the three reasons folks don't succeed is:a) they believe they are unluckyb) they don't trust themselves or other people and c) they are unwilling to fail or to fix a broke process
He pointed out that you need to be where your clients are online and a lot of them are on LinkedIn.  LinkedIn's a great place to find CEOs, professionals, decision makers, to network with and turn into clients. You need to start creating awareness around your personal brand. Build trust and then start engaging in conversations with prospects.  
Most people are not posting at all. So even if you just post a motivational quote, at least you're staying top of mind, especially if you have a good profile, good  photo, good name, good headline, because that's what people see when you post. So you want to remind people that you exist.
Now next week we'll have Allan Milham on talking about his company called Questage and how it helps Seniors plan and realize an active retirement.
Show notes and more can be found at EntrepreneursOver40.com

Entrepreneurs Over 40 Episode 12 with Bill and Esther VanGorder

Episode Eleven features Bill and Esther VanGorder talking about their business centered around Nordic Walking and their Retirement Fails!
My Key Takeaways:
Bill and Esther were a great couple to talk to and they had a lot of great insight regarding business.  I still cant believe that they have created a business centered around teaching people how to walk!  If they are retirement fails, we all should be so lucky.
One thing I learned from Bill and Esther is that it is never too late to follow your passion whether it is starting a new business or getting in shape.
Speaking of getting in shape, Nordic walking seems like the way to go with benefits like burning up to 30% more calories than regular walking. It increases heart and cardiovascular training up to 25%, helps with posture and the perception of exertion is 50% of what it would be normally because of the poles.  Bill shared that he is in better total shape now than when he was in his 40s.
Bill said the three criteria for choosing a business to run in retirement were that t should be something you can do, something you enjoy, and something that you are personally interested in.  He said that is the secret to any job really, especially one you do when you are older.  Nordic Walking just happened to cross off all three for Bill and Esther.
Because the VanGorders already had invested in their digital presence they were prepared when the pandemic hit and actually thrived.  They were not trying to play catch up and setup their website, start using social media, or learn how to do Online sales and Marketing.  None of this came naturally to them but they just buckled down and figured it out.  Ultimately everything is figure-out-able.
Both Bill and Esther got a lot of satisfaction from the knowledge that their business was helping to make people healthier and give their customers a better quality of life.
The VanGorders even have managed to get Nordic Walking into schools!  Bill did point out that one of his good friends, fellow instructor and most importantly, a school principal helped them navigate the 'unique' educational landscape.  When attempting to sell to schools or really any governmental entity it is good to have a guide that can help you to navigate the pitfalls.
Bill pointed out that they don't always charge for classes but that people are more likely to become 'invested in to the process' so to speak if they pay a little towards the class.  Its a paradox that people don't respect free even if it is of the same quality.
As Bill and Esther had pointed out, the Pandemic has really played havoc with the supply chains.  To combat that issue they have taken to carrying more stock than they normally would.  Because their business is subject to a customer's desire they had better have the poles in stock so as not to miss out on a sale just because the customer lost their motivation while waiting for their poles to come in.
The VanGorders don't feel like the market is saturated yet in North America, particularly the US.  People like to deal locally, no matter where they are.  Both of them said that they would be more than happy too discuss the business opportunities as they saw it for someone interested in bringing Nordic Walking to their area.  This sounds like an excellent opportunity and I encourage anyone that might be interested to reach out to take that next step and reach out to Bill and Esther.
Their number one piece of advice was figure out what you love and go do it!!!  It doesnt have to be running a business; it could be volunteering. They have found real satisfaction in running their own business.  It is good to know that they have another source of income coming in!
Now next week we'll have Joe Apfelbaum on discussing Mojovation, his High Energy series of books and LinkedIn Marketing..
Show notes and more can be found at EntrepreneursOver40.com

Entrepreneurs Over 40 Episode 11 with Bill Soroka

Episode Eleven features Bill Soroka talking about how he overcame 26 business failures to finally hit a grand slam homerun with Notary Coach
My Key Takeaways:
Bill admits that early on he resisted Discipline and chased the shiny objects.  Later in life he would learn that there is freedom n discipline.
Bill credited a lot of personal development authors as serving as a mentor to him via their books.  He also learned from each of his 26 failures prior so he took those lessons and applied them to his current business.
He specifically credits Hal Elrod's The Miracle Morning with serving as a framework for how to wake up and organize his mornings.
Bill also found that sometimes God or the Universe will give him signs of how to proceed.  He stressed that if he didn't make the decision then sometimes it would get made for him.
After a particularly rough patch Bill took a Results Inventory that really shaped his life.
Bill admitted that he was not always passionate about becoming a Notary but he uses it as a vehicle to allow him to effect change in the world.
Bill has learned that if he is going to have multiple irons in the fire to have them somehow connect together and back to his core business.
He has also created his own podcast called The SideHustle Lounge to interact with fellow entrepreneurs and explore other streams of income.
To stay in touch with Bill check out his Notarycoach.com or visit his podcast site at sidehustlelounge.com where you can interact with him and in his free private FaceBook group.
Now next week we'll have Bill and Esther VanGorder discussing their Retirement Fails and how they started a business centered around Nordic Walking.
Show notes and more can be found at EntrepreneursOver40.com
 

Entrepreneurs Over 40 Episode 10 with Travis Rosbach

Episode Ten features Travis Rosbach talking about how he created The Hydroflask and what he is doing now with the Tumalo Group.
My Key Takeaways:
Some of my key takeaways from my conversation with Travis are:
Like Travis said about digging his pool: When you have the right tools or equipment for a job its quick, easy, and a lot of fun.  When you don't it is challenging.
He learned from his watching his Mom run her daycare business that there is a fine line between going the extra mile to take care of your customers and also saying enough is enough when said customers are taking advantage of you.
Travis is quick to credit a lot of his success to the motivational books that he read by such greats as Brian Tracy, Zig Ziglar, Dale Carnegie, and others.
Travis found out early on in his first business that he didn't like profiting on others misfortunes and doesn't recommend that type of business for anyone else as it can be soul sucking.
Pivoting, he started a Fencing company despite not knowing anything about Fencing.  He quickly learned that everything is figure-out-able which seems to be a common theme among successful entrepreneurs as Aaron Walker said in episode two.
Hydroflask kind of came together as a result of his prior buisness experience, some unique institutional knowledge that he had, and he saw the need for an improved product that was BPA free and would keep hot liquid hot, and cold liquid cold.
Travis didn't realize that he could become too successful too quickly especially with a physical product.  He was having to "float" the cost of manufacturing and then wouldn't see the cash flow come back in until 90 to 120 days later which almost put him out of business.
Travis had several guerilla marketing tactics that he employed.   He  (and employees) would go into stores asking for their product to create perceived demand and eventually the stores would contact his company placing an order.  He also provide the security crews T-shirts at events that would make it seem like Hydroflask was sponsoring them.  The Hydroflask warranty was probably one of the companies greatest selling points as they offered a lifetime warranty.
Like Steven Key in Epsiode three said, his competitors knocked off Hydroflask legally by making their designs about 30% different. 
Travis tries not to dwell on his mistakes and just learn from them and move on.
Travis started the Tumalo Group to both get back in to the game of creating new products and brands, but to help people as well.  
The Tumalo Group can get a product launched from idea to completion in 4 months time.  It takes around 30-60 days to get product molds created, another 30 days to get it manufactured, and another month to get it into fulfillment centers.  Travis said that it takes around 75-100K dollars to get a brand or business going.
A lot of his clients use their services to build a prototype and gather information to go start a successful crowdfunding campaign on Kickstarter or pursue a licensing deal with an existing company.
Travis said the world needs more entrepreneurs to both make life better and help save the planet.  His advice to paraphrase from another Oregon company is if you are thinking about making the leap to "Just Do it!"
Travis can be reached at  travis@tumalogroup.com  If you have a product or business idea and are stuck I highly recommend reaching out to Travis and the Tumalo Group to see what they can do to move you forward!
Now next week we'll have Bill Soroka on talking about how he overcame 26 business failures to finally find success as a Notary Influencer.
Show notes and more can be found at EntrepreneursOver40.com
 

Entrepreneurs Over 40 Episode 9 with Jeffrey Nash

Episode Nine features Jeffrey Nash, the inventor of The Juppy talking about how he created it and built a successful company around it.
My Key Takeaways:
Some of my key takeaways from my conversation with Jeffrey are:
Now Jeffrey got his start with the Juppy by observing a common problem and rather than casting it aside he came up with an innovative solution to it.  Now the hard work didn't stop there.  It had really just begun as he had to figure out how to mass produce it, market it, and get it in customer's hands but as Aaron Walker in episode 2 pointed out, everything is figure-out-able.  Google is our friend - at least in this case!
Jeffrey preaches the importance of having a good positive attitude as well as meditating and listening to Motivational speakers.  A lot depends on your attitude.  If you have a good attitude you can do anything and if you have a bad attitude you will think about things you shouldn't like failure.
Jeffrey's marketing strategy for The Juppy has been to lean heavily into Google Adwords, develop organic traffic, and rely on word of mouth from his customers.  Never underestimate the power of a Mom's testimonial to all of her friends because you not only helped her child learn to walk but also saved her back!
Another takeaway from Jeffrey's life that I learned is that it is never too late to start something new.  At an age where most people are retired he has gone on to start a new opportunity with a Solar Energy company.  Now that takes a lot of gumption but it also makes life interesting.
Like the old song says, "You've got to know when to hold 'em, know when to fold 'em, know when to walk away, and know when to run."  Shortly before this podcast was to air, Jeffrey announced that, due to constant patent infringement and manufacturing costs that have almost doubled, he is putting The Juppy on pause while he considers another approach.  In the meantime, he is looking forward to enjoying a new opportunity in the Solar Panel industry!
You can reach out to Jeffrey Nash at thejuppy@gmail.com
Join us next week as we talk to Travis Rosbach and discuss how he created TheHydroflask and also what he is up to now!
Show notes and more can be found at EntrepreneursOver40.com

Entrepreneurs Over 40 Episode 8 with Bill Nowicki

Episode Eight features Bill Nowicki, the founder of LocalPodcastNetworks.co discussing the merits of local podcasting and how you can benefit from it as well!
My Key Takeaways:
Some of my key takeaways from my conversation with Bill are:
Local Podcasts can benefit an underserved community.  
You can establish a really deep connection with someone by interviewing them.
Marietta Stories, Bill's local podcast dedicated to the Marietta, GA area has opened up all kinds of opportunities that Bill never anticipated as well as helped him acclimate to the town and become a 'regular'.
Marietta Stories has served as a lead magnet for Bill's videography business, Nowicki Media.
Bill advised making a podcast like his into 'seasons' to avoid burnout.
Bill's process is a bit unusual in that he typically does his interviews in person with one microphone between them as opposed to over the internet.
Bill believes that we are wired for stories.  He said that when you hear someone's story it helps explain the way they act and interact in the world.
Bill views his interviews as a special gift to the interviewee and does his best to capture them respectfully.
You can reach out to Bill at bill@mariettastories.com
Join us next week as we talk to Jeffrey Nash and discuss how he invented The Juppy and brought it to life and the marketplace!
Show notes and more can be found at EntrepreneursOver40.com

Entrepreneurs Over 40 Episode 7 with Dave Stokes

Episode Seven features Dave Stokes, the founder of Author2Audio discussing how he helps authors turn their books into audio books that can be purchased on Audible, Apple Books, and other platforms!
My Key Takeaways:
Some of my key takeaways from my conversation with Dave are:
When starting a business, try to have a couple of years of savings in your bank account.  It will take you more time than you think to be profitable.
If a book has too many tables or lists the corresponding audio likely won't be compelling.  To get around that he provides a companion doc or PDF to audio listeners as a free download.
The author's own voice provides a sense of authenticity and he very rarely needs to use a professional voice over.
Here's a bonus that I hadn't considered:  In editing the books, Dave is basically getting a free education on each of the topics covered as presented by an expert.
Audio books improve story telling as you get to hear the author's tone and inflection.
Dave's first question to a potential client is "Why do you want an audiobook?" Their explanations help him to understand the authors motivations and expectations.  He also said that in eight out of ten cases it is because the readers have demanded it.
A 40,000 word long book typically takes 5 and a half hours to listen to and 20 plus hours to edit.  Most authors make 100 mistakes per hour of reading that has to be cleaned up.
When Dave is done editing the book he gives it back to the author who then dispenses it to various friends and colleagues for their opinions and feedback.  After the final cleanup based on the feedback received Dave then uploads it to the various Audio Book services such as Audible, Apple Books, Spotify, etc.
The whole process takes around 2 and a half months from start to finish.
Dave suggests to authors that they break the recording up in to hour long sessions and that when they are done they re-record the Intro and first chapter as they are warmed up and better understand the process.
Join us next week as we talk to Bill Nowicki and discuss how his  podcast focused around his local community helps his business.
 
Show notes and more can be found at EntrepreneursOver40.com

Entrepreneurs Over 40 Episode 6 with Rick Terrien

Episode Six features Rick Terrien, a successful businessman and author discussing starting a business in the second half of our lives!
My Key Takeaways:
"The entire art of war is knowing what's over the next hill." - Duke of Wellington
The majority of startups are done by people 45 and older.
One of the biggest impediments to Entrepreneurship is not knowing an entrepreneur to model after or learn from.
In school we were taught that it was scary to start your own business.  Today it is much scarier not to.
There has never been a better time to start a one person business than right now...It does take a while to build up your networks of fellow experts so get in the game now.
There is room to advise people in just about any subject.Do the work no one else wants.  Find the problem(s) in your area of expertise and become the subject matter expert.  You know where the problems are and newer people entering the field may not know them.
If you can innovate or do something just a little different than the average bear it gives you an advantage!
Rick Terrien's book, Ageless Startup has a lot of valuable checklists to help individuals start their own businesses.
There has also never been an easier time to do sales. There are all kinds of new online networking tools to get in front of people.  In the new kind of Sales, you talk less, listen more, and often say No more than Yes.  You can offer referrals to people in your network and they can do the same for you.
There are 100 million people in the US between the ages of 45 and 65.  25% of them want to start their own business.
Entrepreneurship in the second half of life is not hard, it is just new.
Rick's book is at Ageless-Startup.com
The Center for Ageless Entrepreneurs is at AgelessEntrepreneurs.org
Join us next week as we talk to Dave Stokes and discuss how he helps authors develop their audio books.
 
Show notes and more can be found at EntrepreneursOver40.com
 

Entrepreneurs Over 40 Episode 5 with Mitche Graf

Episode Five features Mitche Graf, a successful businessman, podcaster, and author dispensing spot on business advice and discussing the importance of Customer Service!
My Key Takeaways:
If you don't fail, you can't truly appreciate what success means!
24 Hours a week, 7 months a year ideal.  This guide-marker prompts him to identify inefficiencies and create systems in his businesses.
When starting a new business only spend money to improve the customer experience!
As customers we should hold businesses to a higher standard so that instead of just meeting our needs they are exceeding them.
If you can exceed your customer's needs they will stay as your customers and you won't have to acquire new ones.
 
Show notes and more can be found at EntrepreneursOver40.com

Entrepreneurs Over 40 Episode 4 with Robert Morales

Episode Four features Robert Morales  better known as 'Traveling Robert' of YouTube fame talking about how you can become an Travel Influencer!
My Key Takeaways:
"Travel is fatal to Bigotry, Prejudice and Narrow mindedness..." - Mark Twain
While Robert makes it all look easy, the video editing alone runs one hour per minute.
Consistency, Thumbnails, and putting out a good product are the main things but eventually you have to find your own voice, find your niche, respect your public, and interact with your public.
It is never too late to start with your passion!
Show notes and more can be found at EntrepreneursOver40.com

Entrepreneurs Over 40 Episode 3 with Stephen Key

Episode Three features Stephen Key of inventRight talking about how you can make money doing product development!
My Key Takeaways:
You don't need a patent - If Apple cannot defend their intellectual property, what are the chances we can?
We don't need to go out and start a company.  There is a lot of risk involved and by  the time that you get a product to market it is already being copied.
Regarding Opportunity in general - "You have to knock on a lot of doors, and realize that most of them will shut but eventually one will open!"
You can use LinkedIn.com to get in front of the right decision makers at companies.
Show notes and more can be found at EntrepreneursOver40.com

Entrepreneurs Over 40 Episode 2 with Aaron Walker

Episode Two features Aaron Walker of View from the Top Home talking about his Master Mind program, Iron Sharpens Iron!
My Key Takeaways:
"Can't Couldn't do it and Could did it all!" a very empowering quote his Mom had.
He also talked about the value of being in a Master Mind where people get real and help each other out as well as themselves.
The world is starving for authenticity!
When you focus on other people and help them accomplish their goals and dreams you will get almost anything that you want out of life.
Master Minds are a great fit for online communities!
Show notes and more can be found at EntrepreneursOver40.com

Entrepreneurs Over 40 Episode 1 with Lise Cartwright

Episode One features Lise Cartwright of HustleAndGroove.com talking about Coaching and how you can be a Kindle Author!
 
My Key Takeaways:
Human Design is a method to discover more about yourself.
JST or Just Sit There is another form of meditation.
Intention Cards offer more flexibility than the traditional Goal Card.
Don't be afraid to invest in yourself!
 
Show notes and more can be found at EntrepreneursOver40.com

Entrepreneurs Over 40 Intro Episode

 
Welcome to Entrepreneurs Over 40 - The show where we   interview successful sidehustlers and entrepreneurs once a week  and discover their origin stories as well as what made them successful.    Join me, your host, Greg Mills as we embark on a journey together to discover the secrets to succeeding as an entrepreneur in the second half of our lives.   Coming up in our first five episodes we have :    
Lise Cartwright a successful business coach and Kindle author.
    Aaron Walker who runs a number of masterminds dedicated to improving the lives of its participants.    Stephen Key of inventRight describing the product development process.    Robert Morales,  better know as Traveling Robert of Youtube fame talking about being a travel influencer.    and Mitche Graf talking about 6 Star Customer Service among other things.    My hope is that you'll sit back and listen and we will all learn together from our various guests while having a good time!  After all, Our tagline is The show for (somewhat) mature Entrepreneurs and Side Hustlers.