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What if everything you thought about your ideal customer was wrong? In this eye-opening conversation with Kevin O'Connor, Vice President of Strategic Coaching and Consulting for Align5 and scaling up business coach, we uncover the crucial difference between high-revenue customers and truly profitable core customers that can transform your entire business strategy.

Kevin challenges conventional thinking by defining core customers as those who not only generate maximum profit but are also genuinely passionate about your product or service. This distinction proves revolutionary for businesses struggling to grow efficiently. "Revenue is vanity, profit is sanity, and cash is monarch," Kevin explains, highlighting why chasing revenue alone can lead businesses astray.

The episode takes a fascinating turn when Kevin discusses applying "Moneyball" principles to business metrics. Just as the Oakland A's discovered that traditional baseball statistics weren't predictive of wins, your business may be focusing on the wrong indicators of success. Through compelling examples from his experience with call centers, Kevin demonstrates how conventional wisdom about quality scores completely inverted reality—the centers with the highest internal quality scores actually had the worst customer retention.

Perhaps most valuable are Kevin's actionable takeaways: calculate customer-level profitability, correlate your KPIs with actual outcomes, and align sales and marketing based on real customer feedback and data. For entrepreneurs looking toward an eventual exit, implementing these systems can dramatically increase business valuation, potentially transforming standard industry multiples of 3-5× into premium valuations of 10-15×.

Ready to revolutionize how you identify, serve, and profit from your core customers? Listen now and discover the data-driven approach that might just transform your business growth trajectory forever.

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The trade show is over. You've collected business cards, scanned badges, and had promising conversations. Now what? In this final installment of our trade show trilogy, Evan Polin and Craig Andrews reveal the most critical—and most commonly neglected—phase of trade show strategy: the post-show follow-up.

We begin with the clear signs of on-floor success that should set you up for effective follow-up. From high booth traffic and qualified leads to social media buzz and positive brand recognition, these indicators help you prioritize your post-show efforts. But here's the shocking truth: the biggest mistake companies make after investing thousands in trade shows is failing to follow up promptly, effectively turning warm leads into cold calls.

The secret to post-show success? Plan your follow-up strategy before you even attend. Block dedicated time in your calendar for the days immediately following the event, prioritize your leads based on conversation quality, and personalize every follow-up. Generic "thanks for stopping by our booth" emails scream insincerity—especially when sent to people who never visited you.

We explore the critical collaboration between sales and marketing teams after the show, sharing strategies for maintaining prospect engagement through targeted content, social media, and even the increasingly rare but effective handwritten note. Learn how to calculate your true ROI beyond immediate sales, understanding that a single significant client from a trade show might justify years of attendance costs.

Don't leave your runners stranded on base—this episode gives you everything you need to knock your trade show investment out of the park. Whether you're in sales or marketing, you'll walk away with actionable strategies to transform trade show expenses into powerful drivers of business growth.

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Breaking into new markets demands more than just cold calling and digital prospecting—it requires strategic relationship building. In this episode, we dive deep with Brendan Dodge, networking extraordinaire from VC3, who reveals exactly how he successfully entered the Philadelphia/New Jersey marketplace by leveraging his existing connections.

Brendan shares the game-changing mindset shift that transformed his networking approach: switching from "what's in it for me" to "how can I help you?" This giving-first philosophy created a foundation for meaningful relationships that naturally evolved into business opportunities. He explains his tactical approach to categorizing contacts into previous clients and centers of influence (COIs), with specific strategies for engaging each group effectively.

The conversation reveals practical time-saving methods, including Brendan's 30-minute virtual screening calls that qualify potential connections before committing to longer in-person meetings. You'll learn why being specific about your target industries dramatically increases quality referrals, and how tracking the ratio of introductions you make versus those you receive creates predictable networking outcomes.

Most compelling is Brendan's three-part formula for networking success: join strategic professional groups that allow for cross-pollination of connections, adopt a giving mindset in every interaction, and make only worthwhile introductions that genuinely benefit both parties. These principles apply whether you're an established professional entering a new territory or a company expanding into unfamiliar markets.

Ready to transform your approach to market expansion? Listen now for actionable strategies that will revolutionize how you build relationships and generate opportunities in new territories. Your network truly is your net worth—discover how to maximize it today!

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Former architect Alice Dommert reveals how she transformed her corporate wellness company Prasada Whole Being through strategic data management and relationship building. From her first days as an entrepreneur, Alice implemented CRM systems that allowed her team to track every client interaction, analyze engagement patterns, and make data-driven decisions about sales and marketing approaches.

Alice's architectural background instilled a deeper understanding of systems thinking that she applies to business growth. "When you're trained as an architect, you are all about systems because systems build the foundation of any building," she explains. This perspective led her to invest in robust tools like HubSpot that provide comprehensive insights into client behavior and preferences.

What makes her approach particularly effective is how she leverages relatively small data samples to identify meaningful trends. By tracking which email topics clients engage with and analyzing social media interactions, her team can personalize outreach and focus on content that resonates. This methodology proves that businesses don't need massive resources to implement smart, data-driven strategies.

Beyond technical systems, Alice explores the concept of "whole being" wellness that encompasses physical, mental, emotional, relational, intellectual, and spiritual dimensions. She shares compelling evidence that companies investing in comprehensive wellness programs before COVID experienced better retention and less burnout during the pandemic. The science-backed strategies she teaches aren't merely feel-good initiatives—they're practical tools for building resilient organizations.

Alice offers three powerful tips for listeners: invest in consistent whole-being programs, create intentional opportunities for team connection, and embrace simple practices like breathwork to transform workplace dynamics. As she aptly observes, "AI is a Ferrari of a tool, but we still need a driver." In a world of accelerating technological change, developing human capacity for creativity and decision-making has never been more crucial.

Connect with Alice and discover how whole-being approaches can transform your workplace culture and drive sustainable business growth.

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Trade show season is upon us, and success requires much more than simply showing up with a booth and some brochures. Sales expert Evan Polin and marketing strategist Craig Andrews dive deep into what really makes trade shows work for your business during the crucial "at-show" phase.

The foundation of trade show success begins before you ever reach the event. Without proper preparation—researching attendees, scheduling meetings in advance, and preparing your team with strong elevator pitches—you're already at a disadvantage. As Evan vividly explains, your booth's appearance directly impacts perception: showing up underprepared is like "bringing a bow and arrow to a gunfight." Prospects make swift judgments about your competence based on your visual presentation compared to competitors.

The podcast reveals common pitfalls that sabotage trade show efforts, like staff sitting behind tables absorbed in their phones rather than engaging visitors. The experts share proven engagement strategies including interactive activities (like putting greens or scratch-off contests) that create memorable experiences and draw crowds. These elements transform your booth from a static display into a dynamic hub of activity that attracts attention and generates conversations.

Craig offers innovative marketing approaches that extend beyond the show itself—capturing testimonial videos, leveraging social media to share real-time excitement, and using technology to enhance follow-up opportunities. The hosts emphasize how these tactical elements work together within a comprehensive strategy spanning pre-show planning, at-show execution, and post-show follow-up.

Ready to transform your trade show results from disappointing expenses into powerful revenue generators? Listen now for actionable insights that will help you stand out on the show floor, create meaningful connections, and set your business up for a successful year ahead. Subscribe for our upcoming episode on post-show strategies that complete this powerful three-part trade show success formula!

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Trade shows demand substantial investments of money, time, and resources—so why do so many companies approach them without a comprehensive strategy? In this first installment of our three-part trade show series, we unpack the critical pre-show preparation phase that separates ROI winners from budget wasters.

Most organizations focus exclusively on the event itself, missing the opportunity to lay groundwork weeks before arrival. We reveal proven tactics for researching attendee lists, scheduling high-value meetings in advance, and preparing your team for cohesive, effective engagement. One client scheduled 20 meetings before ever boarding their plane—while competitors stood helplessly in empty booths hoping for random encounters.

Your booth's physical presence matters tremendously. We explore how cohesive branding, strategic messaging, and thoughtful collateral design create first impressions that either establish instant credibility or permanently damage perception. As Evan notes, "people like to do business with people that they like, and people like to do business with people like themselves." Your pre-show decisions determine whether you present as approachable and professional or disorganized and unprepared.

Through real-world examples—including how one client transformed from random cash giveaways to generating enough qualified leads for an entire year—we demonstrate that trade show success isn't about luck or massive budgets, but strategic preparation.

Ready to stop hoping for trade show success and start planning for it? This episode delivers practical guidance for transforming expensive convention appearances into predictable business development engines. Subscribe now and join us for part two where we'll tackle what to do during the show to maximize engagement.

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Ready to transform your LinkedIn profile from a digital resume into a powerful business development machine? Our latest episode featuring Angela Dunz, the self-described "Business Development Badass," delivers game-changing insights that will revolutionize how you approach professional networking online.

Angela cuts through the noise with a refreshingly direct message: "The sexiest thing on LinkedIn right now is clarity." While many professionals hide behind clever but cryptic messaging, Angela reveals that being clear about who you serve and what problems you solve creates immediate trust with potential clients. This isn't just theory – she backs it up with compelling data showing how decision-makers silently research you long before any initial contact.

Did you know that posting just once weekly increases your visibility by 67%? Or that C-suite executives are 67% more likely to watch video content than read text posts? These actionable insights represent just a fraction of the strategic wisdom shared throughout our conversation. Angela masterfully explains why your LinkedIn profile has become more important than your company website for many B2B relationships, particularly for professional service providers like attorneys.

Most crucially, we explore the fundamental misunderstanding many have about LinkedIn's role in the client journey. Rather than being a direct conversion tool, LinkedIn influences every stage of the decision-making process, with potential clients visiting your profile 7-12 times before ever reaching out. This episode provides a clear roadmap for creating a LinkedIn presence that builds trust, demonstrates expertise, and ultimately generates real business opportunities.

Whether you're completely new to LinkedIn or looking to take your existing strategy to the next level, Angela's three essential action items at the end of our conversation give you immediate steps to implement today. Don't miss this opportunity to master what has become the most powerful B2B networking platform in the digital age. Subscribe now and start transforming your approach to business development!

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