“You only get one chance to make a good first impression .”

LinkedIn has nearly half of a billion users and the majority of them have no idea of it's potential. My guest, Dennis Brown, is a LinkedIn & Social Selling Expert and is the author of "7 Habits of Highly Successful Linkedin Users." Dennis is here to share the strategies he has developed that have helped him use LinkedIn to make more than $20 million dollars with his company.    In this episode we talk about:

• 5 Strategies to get more out of LinkedIn:
  • Strategy 1 - Letting people see who you are - and leverage a profile that is built to attract your target audience.
  • Strategy 2 - LinkedIn for Sales professionals - How to gather intelligence and warm up your leads. 
  • Strategy 3 - How to use LinkedIn to get a job
  • Strategy 4 - Build your profile to funnel customers into your model - "Become a farmer, not a hunter"
  • Strategy 5 - A Winning Publishing Strategy 
• 2 common LinkedIn mistakes most people are making:
  • Issue #1 - Linked in is not a resume - it is a credibility and rapport building tool
  • Issue #2 - Most people don't understand how to use linkedin to drive business.

"Linked in is no different than a big global networking event that allow you to hyper target your perfect customer avatar, gather sales intelligence, and then reach out a connect with them." -Dennis Brown

My guest this week is best-selling author and entrepreneur, Brian Ainsley Horn. Brian's mission is to help professionals leverage their knowledge to gain AUTHORITY status in their industry, and to use "authority marketing" to help them gain national media exposure.  As a contributor to Entrepreneur Magazine and Huffington Post, Brian knows exactly what he is talking about. He is on the show to take us step-by-step through the process of becoming an expert. He is going to explain the "snowball authority" phenomena and why it is so easy for the top performers in your industry to achieve consistent levels of success. Also, check out www.authorityalchemy.com/influence and download 3 powerful resources to offered exclusively for the Influence community.  

In this episode we talk about:

• Authority positioning and why is it critical to your success?
• Why Richard simmons is the perfect example of authority positioning.
• The most common positioning mistakes and how to avoid them. 
• Why it's a smart idea to give away your best secrets.
• The expert roadmap - a step by step guide to become an expert in your industry.

Authority Alchemy is the process of of changing people that see themselves as “common” into a person of power in their industry.

"Every opportunity has its root in a relationship." 

We live in an era of unprecedented social reach. It has become exponentially easier to reach your audience. Yet, ironically, the nature of our relationships remains unchanged. We require the cooperation of others to achieve our goals, making ones ability to build relationships of trust paramount. You may have thousands of social media followers. How many of them would pick up the phone if you called?

My guest this week is Corporate Alliance owner, Paul Hatch. Paul believes that every opportunity has its root in a relationship. Money comes and goes. Opportunities come and go. But real relationships can be lasting. In this episode, we explore strategies to create and leverage powerful relationships that are built with trust, respect, and mutual opportunity.

In this episode we talk about:

• Relationship Arrogance - The challenge of forecasting returns on relationships.
• 3 Components of powerful relationships (trust, respect, and understanding).
• 3 Strategies to build better relationships:
  • Be self-revealing
  • Learn by asking questions
  • Seeking Advice and the power of the Mastermind
• Why being vulnerable can help you build better relationships.
• Win-win relationships vs Gladiators - Balancing consideration and courage. 

"You can make more friends in two months by becoming interested in other people than you can in two years by trying to get other people interested in you."  -Dale Carnegie

If you knew you couldn't fail, what would you do?

Have you ever struggled to stay motivated doing something you once loved? Do you find that factors that used to motivate you no longer have that effect? 

Motivation is generally defined as the force that compels us to action. It drives us to work hard and pushes us to succeed. Motivation influences our behavior and our ability to accomplish goals. There are many different forms of motivation. Each one influences behavior in its own unique way, and no single type of motivation works for everyone. People’s personalities vary and so does the type of motivation that is most effective at inspiring someone at any given time.  True motivation comes from within and is the topic of this weeks episode of influence.  

In this episode we talk about:

• Why the majority of people struggle with motivation.
• What does it mean to be in alignment?
• The 4 components of Motivation
  • Aligning with purpose - the foundation of motivation.
  • Knowing your Value - reaching new levels of performance.
  • Initiative - 3 ingredients to conquer the challenge of staying motivated.
  • Perspective - Confidence, Assumptiveness, and Adversity - Mindsets that can make or break motivation. 
• Influence - Salesmanship and the models that guide our interactions.

Thank you for listening to our show. Take a minute to join the discussion on our Influencers Facebook group and if there is someone you know that should be featured on our show, please reach out to me for details and a free signed copy of the Laws of Influence. Don’t forget to subscribe to our show and please come back next week for more Influence with Brad Harker.

"Discover what must you do TODAY in order to live completely, fully, and without regret." -Satyen Raja

What does freedom mean to you? We all define and desire freedom in our own way.  It's what many generations dreamt of, what others fought for, and the reality that today, we live for. Ironically, however, our pursuit of our great ambitions (what we hope will make us free), often leads to distractions that actually rob us of freedom. My guest this week is Warrior Sage, Satyen Raja. His mission is to help others ignite passion, live with freedom and embody love. Satyen's wisdom and experience will captivate you and challenge you to unleash the warrior sage within you and reclaim the freedom you deserve.  

In this episode we talk about:

• Combining the power of the warrior and the wisdom of the sage to realize your potential.
• The 5 F's of Freedom: Faith, Family, Finance, Fitness, Fun. 
• Balance - Lowering the importance of the seemingly important.  
• Equilibrium and acceleration - the components of true and lasting freedom.
• Change and Intensity - going to your edge to find your potential.

"If you want to learn to swim, jump into the water. On dry land, no frame of mind is ever going to help you." -Bruce Lee

Visit www.bradharker.com/

"If you want to make a difference, be different. Stop making excuses and dream bigger." -Caleb Maddix

My guest this week is 14 years old. That's not a typo. He is a 14 year old published author who is traveling all over the world as a paid speaker, rubbing shoulders with the likes of Grant Cardone, Gary Vaynerchuck, and others. Meet Caleb Maddix, internet sensation, founder of Kids 4 Success and author of Keys to Success for Kids. 

Caleb is up to big things, and his dreams are even bigger. Millionaire by 16, billionaire by 30, Caleb is shattering expectations and squelching the argument of anyone who is convinced "they can't".  The fact that Caleb is 14, doesn't mean I let him off easy. I wanted to find out what exactly he is doing to make such a powerful impression as an entrepreneurial. Where is he investing his time and energy and what is fueling this meteoric rise in influence?

In this episode we talk about:

• What does it take to become an expert in your field - even if you are 14.
• Making a difference by being different. Why Caleb has the attention of Grant Cardone and Gary V.
• The Champion Mindset - expecting more than you can achieve and achieving it. 
• Leveling Up - Do something everyday to become more of an expert. 
• Social Media - Which social media accounts is Caleb using to grab the worlds attention.

"The gun that kills the most people is the "gonna” There is no better time than there is right now."  -Caleb Maddix

Picture yourself on the wrong side of enemy lines. You are in the midst of a firefight and your survival is hinging solely upon the performance of your team. Now rewind back to the school-yard pick. What character traits would be most important when choosing each member of that team? 

Enter Army Ranger and Delta Force Veteran Travis Krauss, my guest on this week's episode of Influence. Travis has an unbelievable resume of combat experience, complimented by an equally impressive resume as a consultant, entrepreneur, and creator of the Las Vegas combat experience, Adventure Combat Ops. Travis joins me to talk about what it was like to be part of an elite team, and moreover, what 10+ years of combat has taught him about building companies and leading highly skilled teams. 

In this episode we talk about:

• Self Assessment - Azimuth checks and being brutally honest with yourself.
• What makes a great soldier?  The importance of purpose and commitment to the mission. 
• Dealing with adversity Delta Force style. 
• What does it mean to evaluate the 2nd and 3rd order of effects?
• "Hustlers" and the importance of integrity in the face of opposition. 
• Why building the RIGHT team is always better building the BEST team.
• A combat story about drawing on your strengths to create value for your team.

"The unit (Delta Force) prides itself on being the best in the world NOT because they have the BEST operators, but because they have the RIGHT operators."  -Travis Krauss

The human brain is incredible, generating an estimated 60,000 thoughts every single day. Research suggests that by the time you reach the age of 18, you will have been told no 150,000 times. Consequently, it’s not surprising that 80% of the recurring thoughts you have each day are negative. On the other side of the coin, however, your brain operating in a positive state is 31% more effective overall. Salesmen in a positive state will sell 37% more than when neutral or negative, and physicians operate 19% faster and more accurate. This is known as the “happiness advantage” and is exactly what my guest, Dr. Ben Belnap digs into in this episode of influence.

I don’t think there is an interview that we have had to date that has more potential to facilitate positive change. Everything we talk about in this episode will help you take control of your mind, amplify your confidence, and open the floodgates of opportunity.

In this episode, we talk about:

• Why we are so prone to negative thoughts and how destructive our minds can be to our success.
• How your approach to success might actually be making you unhappy. Discovering Mindfulness.
• Dealing with insecurity and self-handicapping.
• The 3 levels of processing and reaching our core beliefs.
• Core-beliefs and self-fulfilling prophecy.
• How to find your purpose.
• Challenging your fears and and building confidence.
• The importance of gratitude.

” Success is ultimately a byproduct of our ability to be more mindful and grateful in the work we do.”  -Ben Belnap 

"Accountability is the first step to breaking out of the status quo"  -Anthony Witt

Anthony Witt is the founder and creator of T​he Champion Entrepreneur, and his niche is working with entrepreneurs through accountability coaching and mastermind groups. Joining the ranks of Edison, Einstein, Picasso, and Ford, Anthony struggles with Dyslexia. Today, Anthony has leveraged his adversity into a powerful gift that gives him a distinct advantage as a coach, and entrepreneur. Listen close as Anthony takes us through his journey of finding his purpose and how accountability, podcasting, and mastermind groups have become his entrepreneurial bread and butter.  

In this episode, we talk about:

• Finding purpose and creating the Champion Entrepreneur.
• Facing and dealing with Dyslexia - the lengths we go to avoid dealing with our weaknesses. 
• Perspective - Realizing the great blessing from a challenge. 
• "Niching Down" Getting specific on what you do and why you are unique to your audience. 
• Accountability - Breaking out of the status quo. 
• What is an "Avatar" and why you can't afford to not know yours. 
• The three traits of successful entrepreneurs.
• The power of the Mastermind.

For more information and show notes, visit Podcast Page

 

My guest this week is Bart Mroz, CEO and Head of Brand Experience at SUMO Heavy, an e-commerce consultancy in New York City. Bart is an entrepreneur whose niche is building powerful brands and digital commerce strategies. Bart lives in the epicenter of commerce, and offers some valuable insight into effective branding, and what industry leaders are doing to leverage social media and eCommerce. Not only do we talk about Bart's journey to create SUMO Heavy, but we also talk about strategies you can implement today to boost your brand and sales flow.

In this episode, we talk about:

• Where do you create value? Looking at your whole business holistically. Just because your strategy is familiar, it doesn’t mean that you're doing it the right way.
• Branding - Data driven marketing and Social Media as a disruptor to traditional media.
• Bart’s predictions on which social media platforms to pay attention to.
• Mantra's - How to connect with your audience.  Start with value - what your customers need and get to the bottom of what they need and what their issues are.
• The power of the Free Gift - A great way to build a funnel - “people don’t have time, they’ll just hire you to do it”.
• What is your unique Value proposition? Creating a custom solution instead of a cookie cutter site and system.
• Is Digital Commerce a disrupter to the traditional sales job?
• Big entrepreneurial struggles you faced as you built SumoHeavy - first year making a lot of mistakes - almost going BK in the first year.
• The biggest entrepreneurial struggles and what’s next for SUMO heavy.

"We specialize in just one thing. Digital Commerce"  -Bart Mroz 

For more information visit our show notes page at: malink: https://bradharker.com/015-sumo-heavy-bart-mroz/ ‎Edit

"Find something meaningful that is good to do . . .you can do big things that make a big difference"  -Devin Thorpe 

Have you ever wanted to do something but felt like there was no way to earn a living doing it? Have you ever been convinced by friends or family not to do something that you knew in your heart you should? This week on Influence, I visit with Social Champion, Devin Thorpe. Devin is making a profound mark on the world everyday as a Forbes Contributor, journalist, speaker, and world-traveling volunteer. Beyond these major initiatives, Devin is focused on something else . . .something big. He is closing in on the common strategies behind histories biggest social initiatives and he is ready to share his discoveries with the world. These strategies explain why social entrepreneurship is taking businesses to new levels of profitability and how the cure for blindness, or polio might be just around the corner. Devin is one who broke free of the corporate handcuffs and set his sights on bringing change through service. His story will definitelyinspire you to find your calling and make your own mark on the world. 

In this episode, we talk about:

• Finding success by following your passion, even if you don't know how to pay for it. 
• The global impact of Social Entrepreneurship.
• Social responsibility and how it can transform your business culture and boost your profitability. 
• How entrepreneurs are essential to our hope to irradiate poverty, and create a better global future. 
• What Devin is researching that will lead to our ability to cure polio, and eventually, cancer, blindness, and poverty.
• The importance of social media to champion initiatives and global objectives. 

"When we add purpose, we get profit." -Devin Thorpe

MEET DEVIN THORPE Champion of Social Good | Journalist | Speaker

Devin was a finance guy until he realized life wasn’t all about money. Now a new media journalist, he calls himself a champion of social good. He travels the world as a volunteer doing service, as a journalist finding heroes and as a speaker sharing what he’s learned. As a Forbes Contributor he covers social entrepreneurship and impact investing, reaching an audience of over 1 million people. He’s produced over 600 episodes of his Your Mark on the World show featuring luminary change agents. His books—read almost 1 million times—draw on his entrepreneurial finance experience as an investment banker and CFO, helping people use money for good.

STAY IN TOUCH WITH DEVIN

Website: www.devinthorpe.comTwitter: @devinthorpeDownload free copies of Devin's books here: Amazon

Thank you for listening to our show. Take a minute to join the discussion on our Influencers Facebook group and if there is someone you know that should be featured on our show, please reach out to me for details and a free signed copy of the Laws of Influence. Don’t forget to subscribe to our show and please come back next week for more Influence with Brad Harker.