Measure Success Podcast

Latest Episodes:

Stand out from the marketing noise Nov 14, 2023

Show notes

It's no secret that we live in a noisier (internet) world than ever. Customers could potentially need to see something about your organization a dozen times or more before even realizing that you exist — much less buy from you. The marketing world is saturated with endless messages, offers, and content. So how do you stand out from the crowd?

Our latest guest is someone who guides business owners on exactly that. Riaz Kanani is a serial entrepreneur returning to the B2B world to build a go-to-market platform for the new buyer.

Listen to the full conversation for more on the evolution of marketing over the last several years, how to make sure people actually pay attention to your emails and content pieces, what the impact of generative AI could look like in this industry, and a lot more.

Here's a Glimpse of What You'll Learn:

More about the genesis of Riaz's company, Radiate B2B, how it's evolved, and what the organization does now
How to stand out from the noise when it comes to email and content marketing
The importance of understanding who you're marketing to (not just *what* you're marketing)
Why so many of Riaz's clients end up saying, "Oh, it's *that* easy."
Why Riaz didn't take a break from entrepreneurship and working after he successfully built and sold his first company
The impact that generative AI has had on Riaz's company, the industry as a whole, and how he expects the technology to evolve in the future
Why Riaz doesn't typically do any of the self-improvement advice he sees every day on the internet — and the two concepts that he relies on instead
The power of understanding yourself *and* your "why"
How Riaz measures success in both his professional and personal life — and why he plans his personal life up to 10 years out
Why Riaz says that most people behave illogically — and how that relates back to several of his recommended books

Resources Mentioned in This Episode:

Radiate B2B website
Riaz Kanani on LinkedIn
Riaz Kanani on Twitter
"The Illusion of Choice: 16 ½ Psychological BIases That Influence What We Buy" by Richard Shotton
"Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us" by Daniel H. Pink
Buy a copy of "Lost at CEO: An Entrepreneur's Guide to Strategy" by Carl J. Cox
40 Strategy
Contact 40 Strategy
Carl J. Cox on LinkedIn

How to use evidence-backed decision-making to adapt and grow as a company, with Mathematica COO Lisa Schwartz Nov 07, 2023

Show notes

As leaders, we hear about the importance of making strategic choices based on "the data." But what if that's not the whole story? What if there was a way to look deeper past the numbers, glean better insights, and use a more analytical approach to drive better decisions and organizational growth? What if this shift in thinking was the key to adaptation — which is now more important than ever?

Our guest this week is someone who can teach us how to think that way. As a Chief Operating Officer, Lisa Schwartz pinpoint changes in Mathematica's business context and determine how the organization will adapt to stay strong and competitive. She drives operational excellence by overseeing day-to-day business performance, establishing and maintaining alignment across all business leaders, and tracking, monitoring, analyzing, and interpreting key performance indicators.

Tune into the full episode for more on how leaders can make better evidence-based strategic decisions, new expectations of today's crop of leaders, how to design a better hybrid work experience at an organization, and more.

Here's a Glimpse of What You'll Learn:

More about the purpose and origin story of Lisa's company, Mathematica — and why the organization is not a "profit maximizing" company
What led Lisa to leaving academia, why her story is about "stepping on and off new paths," and what she had to change about herself when she stepped into a COO role
The thing Lisa said to her CEO that "no business book" would ever advise you to do
The "palpable energy" Lisa felt at the beginning of the COVID pandemic — and why she's trying to recreate that level of human connection within her company
How the expectations of leaders have changed post-pandemic, and why Lisa believes this is the era of "compassionate leadership"
Why the hybrid work experience became the most important piece to figure out in Mathematica's strategic plan
In the time of generative AI, why Lisa believes there's more need for "humanness"
The difference between data-backed and emotional decisions, and how companies can figure out how to make the best strategic choices
The difference between data and evidence
The daily practices that Lisa uses to be her best self, and why integrity and generosity are the metrics she uses to measure success in her personal life

Resources Mentioned in This Episode:

Mathematica website
On the Evidence Podcast
Lisa Schwartz on LinkedIn
"Into the Magic Shop: A Neurosurgeon's Quest to Discover the Mysteries of the Brain and the Secrets of the Heart" by James R. Doty, MD
Buy a copy of "Lost at CEO: An Entrepreneur's Guide to Strategy" by Carl J. Cox
40 Strategy
Contact 40 Strategy
Carl J. Cox on LinkedIn

How executives can maximize their LinkedIn presence (authentically) and cut through the noise, with Justin Nassiri Oct 31, 2023

Show notes

Like with any social media platform, LinkedIn can be confusing, noisy, frustrating and seemingly just another item on your never-ending to-do list. And most executives simply don't have time to create content or establish a presence there. They're too busy running their business.

Justin Nassiri is someone who helps CEOs clear those hurdles, and he also has some expert advice for what actually works on the constantly changing social platform. Justin is the CEO of Executive Presence, which provides a fully managed LinkedIn presence for CEOs and top executives. He is a U.S. Navy submarine veteran, Stanford MBA, and the founder of two previous companies.

Tune into the full episode for more on what works (and doesn't work) when it comes to LinkedIn content for thought leaders, some of the top mistakes Justin sees executives make with their online personal brands, how to cut through the noise of online content, the role that generative AI can play, and more.

Here's a Glimpse of What You'll Learn:

How Justin got the idea for his company and how they help CEOs now
Why leaders tend to be averse to the idea of a "personal brand" — and the mindset shift that can help them think about that idea differently
The difference between "followers" and a "network"
More about the changes in LinkedIn's algorithm, and how leaders can take advantage of those shifts
What content does the best on LinkedIn
The difference in approach between executives and influencers on LinkedIn
The ratio that leaders should shoot for between education and promotion in their content
Some of the most common blunders that executives make when it comes to LinkedIn content
The simple task executives should do on LinkedIn, even if they're not ready to work with someone to produce their own original content
How Justin uses generative AI in his business to create and repurpose LinkedIn content
The difference between measuring success as a "business" and as an "organization," plus the "North Star" that Justin tracks at his own company
How Justin finds small ways to stick with his habits, rather than falling into an "all or nothing" mindset
The book that Justin was initially a little "embarrassed" to read — but now recommends

Resources Mentioned in This Episode:

Executive Presence website
Justin Nassiri on LinkedIn
Beyond the Uniform Podcast
"You Are a Badass at Making Money" by Jen Sincero
Buy a copy of "Lost at CEO: An Entrepreneur's Guide to Strategy" by Carl J. Cox
40 Strategy
Contact 40 Strategy
Carl J. Cox on LinkedIn

How to build a successful remote or hybrid work policy, with BeRemote CEO Vivek Nigam Oct 24, 2023

Show notes

There's no post-2020 workplace frustration quite like the words "remote work." Whether you're an employee being forced back into the office, a boss that can't get their team to maintain productivity from home, someone commuting 50 miles three times a week, or you're someone in between — you probably have some remote work frustrations. That's why this week we're chatting with someone who helps companies deal with exactly those types of questions.

Vivek Nigam is the Founder and CEO of BeRemote LLC, which is focused on employee wellness, team engagement, trust and cohesion, and building a positive company culture in the hybrid workplace. Vivek has had a 30+ year career in technology and strategy roles dating back to his early days as a software engineer, leading to him founding a startup in the Washington DC area where he was the CTO and ultimately sold that company to AOL in 2000 for a positive exit.

Tune into the full conversation for more on some of the mistakes companies make when designing their remote or hybrid work policies, how to improve team engagement at your organization, strategies for increasing team cohesiveness (even in a remote environment), and more.

Here's a Glimpse of What You'll Learn:

More about Vivek's childhood, his father, and how that background inspired him to create his current company
Some of the problems associated with the "return to office" that's been happening over the last couple years after the boom of remote work post-COVID
How to strike the balance between the benefits of remote work, like lack of a commute, and the benefits of working in the office, like cooperation and quality time with your team
The importance of "friendships at work" — and how to build them within your organization
How to build the habit of team participation within a business
The retention risk/reward of enacting remote work vs return-to-office policies
How Vivek measures success at his company, both in terms of qualitative and quantitative measurements
The power of focus boosters, mindfulness minutes, and other daily habits that help improve both productivity and restfulness
Some of Vivek's top book recommendations, and how their principles can help today's business leaders

Resources Mentioned in This Episode:

BeRemote LLC website
Vivek Nigam on LinkedIn
"The Leadership Engine: How Winning Companies Build Leaders at Every Level" by Noel M. Tichy with Eli Cohen
"Wellbeing at Work: How to Build Resilient and Thriving Teams" by Jim Clifton and Jim Harter
Buy a copy of "Lost at CEO: An Entrepreneur's Guide to Strategy" by Carl J. Cox
40 Strategy
Contact 40 Strategy
Carl J. Cox on LinkedIn

How to apply six key traits to go from 15 cents to millionaire, with international bestseller Jim Britt Oct 17, 2023

Show notes

Staring at a home foreclosure, a car repossession, only a few coins in his pocket, and a family to feed, Jim Britt has seen "rock bottom." His inspiring story of climbing back from those struggles to his current status as a millionaire, bestseller, and internationally known speaker is one that any business owner — or any *person* — can learn from.

Jim is an award-winning author of 15 #1 international best-selling books. He is an internationally recognized business and life strategist who is highly sought after as a keynote speaker and success strategist. He's one of the world's top 50 speakers and top 20 life and success coaches.

Tune into the full episode for more on Jim's personal story, the six core traits that every millionaire exhibits, why Jim never writes down his goals (and the important mindset shift he encourages people to make to actually find success), and a lot more.

Here's a Glimpse of What You'll Learn:

Why Jim never misses a sunrise, and why he thinks of his time as a "shopping spree"
The top traits that millionaires have
The mindset shift that people need to make in order to succeed — and why Jim never writes down goals for his life
What separates successful entrepreneurs from those who never reach their goals
Why the start of Jim's career in sales was "part desperation, part inspiration"
How Jim bounced back from the time when his car had been repossessed, his house foreclosed, and 15 cents in his pocket
Why learning to let go has been such an important lesson for Jim
The only two emotions that you experience as a human, according to Jim
What was missing from Jim's original sales process, and how he worked to close that gap
The 3 destinations a potential prospect needs to arrive at before they're "viable"
How Jim measures success in his life — after attaining so much of it — plus his top book recommendation after reading more than 4,000 in his lifetime

Resources Mentioned in This Episode:

Jim Britt's website
Jim's author page for all of his books
Jim Britt on LinkedIn
"Three Magic Words: The Key to Power, Peace, and Plenty" by U.S. Andersen
"Rings of Truth" by Jim Britt
Buy a copy of "Lost at CEO: An Entrepreneur's Guide to Strategy" by Carl J. Cox
40 Strategy
Contact 40 Strategy
Carl J. Cox on LinkedIn

How to build an enduring company, with strategic expert and author Brad Giles Oct 10, 2023

Show notes

What's the difference between companies that last for decades… and those that wither away after only a couple of years? That's been one of the biggest questions in business for generations. And our latest guest has some of the answers.

Brad Giles has more than 20 years of experience as a serial entrepreneur, strategic planner, and leadership coach. Brad is the author of "Onboarded: How to bring new hires to the point where they are effective, faster" and "Made to Thrive: The Five Roles to Evolve Beyond Your Leadership Comfort Zone," a prescriptive guide on how to become a great leader. Each week, Brad co-hosts The Growth Whisperers podcast and writes a weekly newsletter, both of which discuss how to build enduring great companies. He's also the founder of the strategic planning and coaching consultancy Evolution Partners.

Listen to the full conversation for more on how to turn goals from garbage into effective strategies, financial principles every organization should follow no matter their size, why it's so important to actually define a CEO's job description, and a lot more.

Here's a Glimpse of What You'll Learn:

What Brad's company does, plus the biggest surprises that his clients experience after beginning to work with him
Why Brad thinks "goals are garbage" — and how to strategize your future more effectively
The money and liquidity principles that Brad encourages companies to follow, and how those help them weather external storms
Why a strong leadership team and a democratization of the decision-making process can help establish better financial planning habits within a business
More about how Brad's background and how he got into business consulting
The hole in the book market that Brad saw, and how his latest book plugged that gap
How to define a CEO's actual role — and then how to measure success within that role
How Brad helps CEOs and leaders define better KPIs in order to measure success within their organizations
Why flexibility is so important when it comes to determining your organization's KPIs (and the balance to strike between lagging and leading indicators)
The one metric Brad uses to measure success within his business
The importance of gut feel for Brad when it comes to measuring how successful he is in his personal life
Brad's book recommendations that go beyond the classic business books in the typical canon

Resources Mentioned in This Episode:

Evolution Partners website
Brad Giles on LinkedIn
The Growth Whisperers Podcast
"Onboarded: How to bring new hires to the point where they are effective, faster" by Brad Giles
"Made to Thrive: The Five Roles to Evolve Beyond Your Leadership Comfort Zone" by Brad Giles
"Small Giants: Companies That Choose to Be Great Instead of Big" by Bo Burlingham
"Ego Is the Enemy" by Ryan Holiday
Buy a copy of "Lost at CEO: An Entrepreneur's Guide to Strategy" by Carl J. Cox
40 Strategy
Contact 40 Strategy
Carl J. Cox on LinkedIn

How to make the most out of the time you have, with The Life is Too Short Guy, Scott White Oct 03, 2023

Show notes

How often do you operate at the intersection of urgency and happiness to pursue what you want most out of life? And how much are you missing out on when you push yet another goal to "tomorrow"? Figuring out how to take advantage of now, live life to the fullest, and use your time wisely: these are all strategies that our latest guest has written and spoken about. And now he's bringing them to the podcast.

Scott White, The Life is Too Short Guy, is the happiest guy you will ever meet. After spending over a decade in investment banking on Wall Street, he took a chance and became an entrepreneur and business builder. Today, he is Chairman and CEO of a public real estate company. Now he's on a mission to make the world happier, one smile at a time.

Tune into the full conversation for more on some of the core principles of Scott's book, why what you think in the morning is so important, how to avoid the most common regret that people on their deathbed have, and a lot more.

Here's a Glimpse of What You'll Learn:

Why Scott says careers are similar to marathons, plus some of the "twists and turns" that Scott has had, from law school to investment banking to being the CEO of a real estate company, to what he's doing now
The two roles involved when it comes to running a publicly traded company
More about the Life is Too Short Guy, and what story that persona helps Scott tell to the world
What happens at the intersection of urgency and happiness
The key principle behind Scott's book, and why it doesn't include telling people how to spend their time (plus the important paradigm shift that he *does* teach around how to spend time)
The mental image that Scott gives people to help them understand how much time they have remaining in their life
The biggest regret that people on their deathbed have
Why Scott thinks the word "purpose" is overused — and how he helps people find their "passion" instead
The simple mindset shift that Scott helps people implement to rethink how they wake up in the morning — and the impact that has on their overall attitude in life
The power of recognizing how far you've come, instead of continually moving the goalposts and never reaching perfection or happiness

Resources Mentioned in This Episode:

The Life is Too Short Guy website
"The Life is Too Short Guy: Strategies to Make Every Day the Best Day Ever" by Scott White
Scott White on LinkedIn
Scott White on Instagram
"The Gap and The Gain: The High Achievers' Guide to Happiness, Confidence, and Success" by Dan Sullivan and Dr. Benjamin Hardy
"The Happiness Advantage: How a Positive Brain Fuels Success in Work and Life" by Shawn Achor
Buy a copy of "Lost at CEO: An Entrepreneur's Guide to Strategy" by Carl J. Cox
40 Strategy
Contact 40 Strategy
Carl J. Cox on LinkedIn

How to leverage your book to build your business, influence, and client base, with Ben Gioia Sep 27, 2023

Show notes

What happens if someone writes the best book on the planet… but no one ever finds out about it? For anyone who has a message, idea, or project to share with the world, a crucial piece of the puzzle is actually *marketing* it. And in a current publishing world more complex — and more accessible — than ever, it helps to have an expert by your side. Our latest guest is that expert.

Ben Gioia is a three-time best-selling author, podcast, and international radio show host who helps folks make an impact as an expert with their book, enjoy 5-figure speaking fees, and get leads, clients, and partners before publishing. He's trained hundreds of millionaires and helped a Fortune 100 create a mindfulness video game for 20,000 employees.

Tune into the full episode for more on the tools Ben teaches authors for writing and marketing their book projects, what writers should know about self-publishing vs traditional publishing, why a book can be an effective business card, and a lot more.

Here's a Glimpse of What You'll Learn:

How Ben helps clients accelerate the book-writing process and get to a first draft in as little as 5 weeks
How to figure out pricing as a service provider or businessperson, depending on the value you bring your clients
What Ben means when he says that authors should use their books to start the conversations with clients
Some of the misconceptions of self-publishing and the downsides of traditional publishing
Why "if you build it they will come" is a bad strategy for marketing your book, plus more details about cost for self-publishing a book in today's age
How to "make your brilliance relevant" for the masses
The one thing Ben has his authors do first when it comes to marketing their books
Why Ben's process "stirs the pot really fast" — and why people should ride that wave
How Ben measures success with his book-writing clients
Why "smiling" is on the list of habits Ben has tried to integrate into his life to be his best self
What makes Ben say, "holy crap, the Buddha!" — plus an important book recommendation from his own life
More about Ben's upcoming event to help people market their books and podcasts

Resources Mentioned in This Episode:

Ben's company, Influence With a Heart
Ben's event Nov. 4-5: The Podcast & Book Roadmap
Ben Gioia on LinkedIn
Ben Gioia's author profile on Amazon
"Old Path White Clouds: Walking in the Footsteps of the Buddha" by Thich Nhat Hanh
Bookreviews.cc for book recommendation templates
Buy a copy of "Lost at CEO: An Entrepreneur's Guide to Strategy" by Carl J. Cox
40 Strategy
Contact 40 Strategy
Carl J. Cox on LinkedIn

Estate planning, the stock market, and the potential downside of wealth, with John M. Jennings Sep 19, 2023

Show notes

Money solves many problems, but it doesn't solve *all* of them. And in some cases, wealth can actually create some new problems. Here to talk about that dynamic — and how people can get ahead of those issues by proactively managing their wealth — is someone who's helped dozens of families do exactly that over the last couple of decades.

John M. Jennings is president and chief strategist of St. Louis Trust & Family Office, a $15 billion wealth management firm. His book, "The Uncertainty Solution", is an engaging dive into investing philosophy and best practices as well as an authoritative, accessible guide for anyone who feels inundated with financial news and data.

Listen to the full episode for more on the "unsexy" task of figuring out cash flow, why having large amounts of wealth can come with its own unanticipated problems, John's insights into investment, and a lot more.

Here's a Glimpse of What You'll Learn:

More info about what John's organization does, and what differentiates them from other competitors
The power of "ridiculous customization", plus why John's company starts with the "unsexy" things (like cash flow) before anything else related to investment
Why having major wealth isn't always "puppies and butterflies"
More about the intricacies of estate (and other types of) tax, and when a family or business owner should seek advice in order to minimize how much they pay in taxes
Some of the biggest insights from John's book, "The Uncertainty Solution" — and why it's not actually just an investment book
Why John didn't buy Amazon stock — and what that says about the overall stock market
What John prioritizes when it comes to his physical and mental health, and why those habits help him perform his best
Why John's measure of success in his personal life is related to naptime
More about the journey it took for John to finally write his book despite a lot of self-doubt
Several of John's top book recommendations

Resources Mentioned in This Episode:

John's website and blog
St. Louis Trust & Family Office website
"The Uncertainty Solution: How to Invest with Confidence in the Face of the Unknown" by John M. Jennings
"The Success Equation: Untangling Skill and Luck in Business, Sports, and Investing" by Michael J. Mauboussin
"The Black Swan: The Impact of the Highly Improbable" by Nassim Nicholas Taleb
"Thinking, Fast and Slow" by Daniel Kahneman
"Winning the Loser's Game: Timeless Strategies for Successful Investing" by Charles Ellis
"Scale: The Universal Laws of Life, Growth, and Death in Organisms, Cities, and Companies" by Geoffrey West
Buy a copy of "Lost at CEO: An Entrepreneur's Guide to Strategy" by Carl J. Cox
40 Strategy
Contact 40 Strategy
Carl J. Cox on LinkedIn

How to "re-script" your leadership style to win the talent war, stay relevant, and get better results, with bestselling author Stephen M. R. Covey Sep 12, 2023

Show notes

One of the biggest concerns organization leaders have these days is the labor market: how to win (and keep talent). And for good reason. These days, it's harder than ever to find and retain a great team. But no matter what external factors are impacting the job market, CEOs and managers can always control one thing: their leadership style. And chances are, they've been thinking about their leadership all wrong.

Joining us on the Measure Success Podcast is one of the top leadership experts in the world. Stephen M. R. Covey is the New York Times and #1 Wall Street Journal bestselling author of "The Speed of Trust," which has sold over 2 million copies worldwide. In this podcast, we discuss his latest book, "Trust and Inspire."

He's also the co-founder of CoveyLink and the FranklinCovey Global Trust Practice. A sought-after and compelling keynote speaker and advisor on trust, leadership, ethics, and collaboration, he speaks to audiences around the world.

Tune into this special episode for more on Stephen's advice for how leaders can stay relevant in the labor market (no matter the external conditions), the healthier alternative to a "command and control" leadership style, the core "stewardships" that leaders have, and, of course, several of Stephen's top book recommendations.

Here's a Glimpse of What You'll Learn:

Why Stephen's process to finish his latest book was a 17-year journey
The differences between a "command and control" leader and a "trust and inspire" one, and why context is so crucial to both methods
The data behind a high-trust work culture and why the "trust and inspire" leadership value can be so powerful for shareholder value, innovation, productivity, and more
How leaders can move their team from engagement to inspiration
How leaders can win the war for talent, and what they need to change about their leadership styles in order to be on the cutting edge of the next era of work
Some real-world examples of leaders who have changed their styles and seen great results
The difference between being and doing, and why both are so important for leaders to be effective
More details about the 3 stewardships that Stephen describes in his book
How to stimulate more openness and transparency within a workplace
More about Stephen's relationship with his father, the well-known bestselling author of "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People"
Why inspiration is a learnable skill for leaders
How Stephen measures success, both in business and in his personal life
Additional resources from Stephen for leaders who want to bring the best out of their teams and stay relevant amidst a new era of work