“The big learning for me is leaning on your team, leaning on your network, leaning on your colleagues. Because you don't have the capacity to be thoughtful in all of these different areas.” - Christopher Antonopoulos

What does it take to be an entrepreneur? Christopher Antonopoulos, CEO and Founder of Measured Results Marketing, claims the secret is the genetic propensity and how it combines with environmental factors. Christopher shares anecdotes about his journey from a resourceful childhood selling vegetables to leading a successful marketing firm.

He and Laurie also discuss the future of marketing automation, the role of AI, and practical strategies for handling business uncertainties. Christopher offers insights into building effective teams, the importance of dealing with ambiguity, and leveraging networks for success. The episode is filled with valuable advice for entrepreneurs on embracing innovation and making impactful business decisions.

Takeaways:

• Cultivate confidence in your decisions and actions. Don't let fear of failure prevent you from taking calculated risks.

• Develop the ability to make decisions with incomplete information. Comfort with ambiguity and a willingness to navigate uncertain situations is crucial.

• Always be open to learning, whether through formal education, mentorship, or experimenting within your business.

• Strive for a 360-degree view of your customers. Use analytics and insights to tailor your products and services to their needs and preferences.

✨📖 Get your FREE digital copy of The Business Transition Handbook: https://btsherpa.com/book

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LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cantonopoulos/

“ When it's built with your own hands or with your own will, I felt like it was a little bit more of my own success than somebody else doing it for me.” - Matt Chiaradonna

Have you ever been thrown into running a business? Matt Chiaradonna, a family business entrepreneur leading JC Fence and Founder of Elite Technique sure has. Host Laurie Barkman talks with Matt about his journey from growing up in a family business, the impact of his father's tragic accident, and his path to operating two successful businesses.

He offers advice on developing leaders, balancing legacy, and finding purpose both within and outside the business. This episode delves into the importance of grit, mentorship, and strategic growth in entrepreneurship.

Takeaways:

• For entrepreneurs, establishing clear processes early on in the business can facilitate growth and make it easier to delegate tasks.

• Focus on identifying and nurturing potential leaders within the organization to drive future growth.

• Highlight the importance of traits such as determination, grit, and setting one's own destiny, which are prevalent in successful entrepreneurs.

• Emphasize the value of having a mentor who has successfully navigated similar challenges. This can provide guidance and insights that are pivotal for growth.

✨📖 Get your FREE digital copy of The Business Transition Handbook: https://btsherpa.com/book

📣 Write a Podcast Review: https://ratethispodcast.com/successionstories

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-chiaradonna-0b9894339/

Website: https://www.getelitetechnique.com/

“ I followed what's in my heart and I’m moving forward to fill this gap and this need for the workplace of the future.” - Pete Schramm

Host Laurie Barkman interviews Pete Schramm, Founder and CEO of Lattitude. A serial entrepreneur, award-winning speaker, and bestselling author of Pathfinders, Pete is on a mission to foster meaningful, sustainable relationships in the workplace. As the founder of Lattitude, he’s cultivating leadership and engagement through career mapping and mentorship software.

The episode touches on challenges in the workplace, especially with hybrid and remote work environments. Pete also highlights the necessity of marketing, sales, and having a clear game plan in business while sharing his passion for connecting people and giving back through various nonprofits.

Takeaways:

• Focus on having a wonderful team around you to create enterprise value. Communication and intentional belonging are key to keeping the team aligned and motivated.

• Clearly and effectively communicate your game plan, start small with changes, but don't stop. Build trust and transparency with your team while managing change.

• Consider building a personal board of advisors to guide and support your entrepreneurial journey. Seek mentors who can provide diverse perspectives and insights.

• Regularly measure and understand the engagement, connection, and well-being of your team. Use tools like engagement surveys and share the results and planned actions.

✨📖 Get your FREE digital copy of The Business Transition Handbook: https://btsherpa.com/book

📣 Write a Review: https://ratethispodcast.com/successionstories

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pete-schramm/

“I love giving voice to people who don't necessarily or historically have a voice with those who are selling to them.” - Cooper Munroe

Host Laurie Barkman speaks with Cooper Munroe, CEO of The Motherhood, a leading influencer marketing agency. They delve into Cooper's journey from corporate PR to creating The Motherhood, sparked from a blog post about Hurricane Katrina. Cooper discusses the unique challenges and attributes of women entrepreneurs, the evolution of influencer marketing, and her commitment to paying influencers for their valuable work. Tune in to hear how Cooper transformed her vision into a thriving business and what she envisions for the future legacy of The Motherhood.

Takeaways:

• Entrepreneurs should aim to find the balance between time and treasure early in their journey to avoid burnout and ensure the sustainability of their business.

• Work towards making your revenue stream more predictable. This can help in financial planning and provide stability for the business.

• Storytelling can be a powerful tool for connecting with your audience. Consider how your business can leverage storytelling to build a strong brand and engage customers.

• Always ensure that those contributing to your business, especially influencers and content creators, are fairly compensated for their work. This can foster loyalty and a positive working relationship.

✨📖 Get your FREE digital copy of The Business Transition Handbook: https://btsherpa.com/book

📣 Write a Review: https://ratethispodcast.com/successionstories

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/coopermunroe/

“Entrepreneurship is in everyone. It just gets expressed in different ways.” Luke Williams

Show host Laurie Barkman welcomes Luke Williams, Founder/CEO of IdeaSkills and Clinical Associate Professor of Innovation and Design at NYU Stern School of Business.

They discuss whether entrepreneurship can be taught and delve into the importance of fostering innovative mindsets within established companies. Luke shares insights from his book 'Disrupt' and discusses the balance between maintaining business continuity and introducing disruptive ideas.

Luke also emphasizes the significance of learning over investment and provides advice for business owners struggling with innovation. The episode concludes with Luke's journey from Australia to becoming an educator and innovation expert and his passion for creating more competent innovators.

Takeaways:

• Continuously work on developing the capabilities needed to be competitive in the future alongside keeping the existing business running. This is crucial for maintaining a balance between today’s needs and future opportunities.

• Create diverse teams to ensure a wide range of perspectives and ideas. This diversity can foster innovative thinking and help develop balanced solutions that might not emerge from a homogenous group.

• Encourage the influx of fresh, disruptive thinking and assess the value of ideas based on how much they help the organization learn and adapt.

• Develop a “test and learn” budget to experiment with new ideas without the pressure of immediate returns. Allow small-scale testing of innovative ideas to see what works and can then be scaled up.

✨📖 Get your FREE digital copy of The Business Transition Handbook: https://btsherpa.com/book

📣 Write a Review: https://ratethispodcast.com/successionstories

Connect with Luke Williams:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lukegwilliams/

Website: https://www.youtube.com/@IdeaSkills

Book: https://www.amazon.com/Disrupt-Think-Unthinkable-Transformation-Business/dp/0137025149

“Simply treating people with respect, with dignity and agency, has been really counterculture and I hope that that becomes a more infectious and attractive way to work.” - Brea Starmer

Host Laurie Barkman interviews Brea Starmer, Founder and CEO of Lions and Tigers. Brea shares her experience of turning a layoff into a successful business, her passion for empowering careers for women and mothers, and the unique approach of intrapreneurship. The discussion covers Brea's personal journey, the challenges she faced, the importance of values in business, and the exciting future of the industry.

Takeaways:

• Hire support staff early on, such as operations and HR personnel, to allow you to focus on strategic areas like business development and leadership.

• Recognize the different stages of your business and life. Sometimes you’ll be optimized for growth and wealth, while at other times, the focus may shift to health and personal well-being.

• Maintain an active presence on professional networks such as LinkedIn to share your journey, connect with other entrepreneurs, and attract potential clients and employees.

• Concentrate on tasks that only you can do and delegate others. This ensures you are working on the most impactful areas of the business.

✨📖 Get your FREE digital copy of The Business Transition Handbook: https://btsherpa.com/book

📣 Write a Review: https://ratethispodcast.com/successionstories

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/breastarmer/

“The really great exciting thing about entrepreneurship is even if you don't know from a young age that's the route you want to go, it's never too late to get there.” - Jaclyn Beatty

Show host Laurie Barkman interviews Jaclyn Beatty, a seasoned sales professional and Owner/Principal Consultant of Geared for Growth at Sales Xceleration. Jaclyn shares her non-traditional journey to entrepreneurship, emphasizing the importance of the entrepreneurial gene and the belief that entrepreneurs can be made, not just born.

They discuss the challenges of transitioning from a corporate sales leader to an entrepreneurial role and the benefits of the fractional sales industry. Jaclyn also provides advice to aspiring entrepreneurs and reflects on her career pivots from clinical dietitian to corporate sales leader.

Takeaways:

~Don't hesitate to pursue your entrepreneurial dreams sooner rather than later. If you feel ready, take the plunge and trust your instincts.

~Be willing to accept help and advice from others, whether it’s through peer groups, mentors, or industry experts. You don't have to be an expert in every area of your business.

~Don’t be afraid to pivot from one industry to another if you feel drawn to it. Skills are often transferable, and a fresh perspective can lead to new opportunities.

~Learn to manage wearing multiple hats in your business. Prioritize and balance client deliverables with business development and operational tasks.

✨📖 Get your FREE digital copy of The Business Transition Handbook: https://btsherpa.com/book

📣 Write a Review: https://ratethispodcast.com/successionstories

“I'm guilty of having always had the feeling of being proud, but not satisfied with my accomplishments. Once I get to one goal, I’m ready to move on to the next.” - Harry Haywood

Host Laurie Barkman chats with Harry Haywood, President of HBS Solutions Inc. Harry shares insights on the importance of resilience, creativity, and overcoming criticism. With over 15 years of experience, he discusses the challenges of managing growth, building a strong leadership team, and the significance of time management. Harry also delves into his passion for energy efficiency and the evolving industry standards. Listeners will gain valuable advice on prioritization, goal tracking, and balancing business with personal life.

Takeaways:

~Learn to maximize your productivity by valuing your time more, especially if you don’t have many personal responsibilities early in your entrepreneurial journey.

~Don’t try to handle everything yourself. Document processes, assign responsibilities, and ensure checks and balances are in place. This helps in managing growth more efficiently.

~Use a systematic approach to track progress towards goals in various aspects of your life, not just business-related but also personal, physical, and spiritual.

~Implement systems and processes to manage the complexities of business operations. Utilize third-party or customized tools to align the team and streamline workflows.

✨📖 Get your FREE digital copy of The Business Transition Handbook: https://btsherpa.com/book

📣 Write a Review: https://ratethispodcast.com/successionstories