Measure Success Podcast

Latest Episodes:

How to navigate risk and make your business more resilient, with Alex Sidorenko Nov 29, 2022

Show notes

In today's era—of inflation, a pandemic, war, and more—it can sometimes feel like market risk is at an all-time high. But the truth is, how we evaluate and navigate risk hasn't changed mathematically in hundreds of years. And our guest this week is an expert in risk management (no matter the external circumstances).

Alex Sidorenko is an experienced executive across strategic, investment, and operational risks and insurance working within multibillion-dollar corporations in Australia, GCC, and Europe. He's successfully implemented changes to quantitative risk analysis, risk-based decision-making, and neuroscience.

Tune into the full episode for more on risk management, the "predictable irrationality" of human beings, the role of global conflict in risk estimation, and Alex's tips for small businesses to become more resilient in the face of constantly changing global markets.

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

How Alex used "kindergarten math" within the risk management industry, and how it's that simple math has saved companies significant amounts of money yearly
Why geography plays a role in how much risk is overestimated or underestimated
What it means for humans to be "predictably irrational" and how that relates back to Alex's work
How global conflict affects (and doesn't affect) risk exposure
The inherent problems with single-point KPIs
Alex's 3 steps to make your business more resilient
More about the concept of "expected losses"
Why Alex decided to move from a major city to a small village in Spain
More about Alex's book about risk management for small businesses

Resources Mentioned in This Episode:

Alex's Risk Academy blog
Risk Academy on YouTube
Alex Sidorenko on LinkedIn
Alex's free risk management book: "Guide to Effective Risk Management 3.0"
Risk Awareness Week 2022
"Thinking, Fast and Slow" by Daniel Kahneman
"Predictably Irrational: The Hidden Forces that Shape Our Decisions" by Dan Ariely
"The Flaw of Averages: Why We Underestimate Risk in the Face of Uncertainty" by Sam L. Savage
40 Strategy
Contact 40 Strategy
Carl J. Cox on LinkedIn

Pursuing your craziest ideas, with world record holder and Founder/CEO Cameron Dorn Nov 22, 2022

Show notes

In business, some of the best leaders have ideas that others would consider "crazy." But those ideas are often the ones that push us the furthest. And no one knows more about pursuing lofty, wild goals, quite like our latest guest, Cameron Dorn.

Cameron Dorn is the Founder and CEO of The Suitcase of Courage, two-time Guinness world record holder, two-time national champion in triathlon, and believer that "small town" does not mean "small opportunity."

Listen to the full episode for more on Cameron's journey (both in business and in sports), how his company helps improve the health of organizations' employees, and how he uses a mix of qualitative and quantitative results to measure the success of his business.

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

More about Cameron's company, The Suitcase of Courage, and how they help employees become happier and healthier
The biggest challenge Cameron has struggled with as he's grown his business
What Cameron has learned about leadership from the Ted Lasso TV show
The deeper meaning behind "The Suitcase of Courage" as Cameron's company name
The quantitative results Cameron uses to measure success in his business
How Cameron got into triathlon — and why he was sleeping in his car between races
What inspired Cameron to break the world burpee record
Some of the next things Cameron is planning, including the new world record that he's trying to break, and the next round of summits he hopes to climb
The advice Cameron gives to "regular" people who are just getting started with exercise

Resources Mentioned in This Episode:

The Suitcase of Courage
Cameron Dorn on LinkedIn
Cameron Dorn on Instagram
"Start with Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action" by Simon Sinek
"Bear Grylls Survival Skills Handbook" by Bear Grylls
"How to Stay Alive: The Ultimate Survival Guide for Any Situation" by Bear Grylls
40 Strategy
Contact 40 Strategy
Carl J. Cox on LinkedIn

Owning your own time as an entrepreneur, with outdoor adventurist and storyteller Max Benz Nov 15, 2022

Show notes

One of the biggest reasons entrepreneurs set out on their own is for the freedom — and our latest guest is someone who's expertly melded what he likes to do in that free time, with his burgeoning business.

Max Benz is an outdoor adventure addict as well as a professional storyteller. He's created a business that combines those two passions, and people usually have a hard time telling if he is hard at work or hard at play.

Listen to the full conversation for more on Max's outdoor adventures (including a sheep hunt in the Alaska wilderness), his production company, what initially led him on the entrepreneurial journey, and more.

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

The story behind Carl and Max's meeting in the Reno airport, plus why Max was headed to the Alaskan backcountry at the time
More details on Max's trip to Alaska
What Max's company, 7Nineteen Productions, does, including all the different genres and brands he works with
What gave Max the courage to leave behind the agency world and strike out on his own
What surprised Max the most about starting his own video production company
Where Max sees the future of his company going, including what kind of excursions he wants to eventually shoot
How Max measures success in his business
Why Max strays *away* from routine in order to create discipline in his work life
Why ownership of his own time is such an important metric for Max's personal life

Resources Mentioned In This Episode:

Max's company, 7Nineteen Productions
7Nineteen Demo Reel
Max's sheep hunt film
Max Benz on LinkedIn
"Undaunted Courage: Meriwether Lewis, Thomas Jefferson, and the Opening of the American West" by Stephen Ambrose
40 Strategy
Contact 40 Strategy
Carl J. Cox on LinkedIn

How to reverse the trend of Quiet Quitting, with leadership expert and bestselling author Dov Baron Nov 08, 2022

Show notes

In this era of the "Great Resignation," and the rise of "quiet quitting," companies are more worried than ever about a disengaged, fluctuating workforce. But there are effective strategies organizations can use to build a loyal, engaged team. They just might not be the strategies you *think* will work.

Our guest this week is one of the global experts in building more effective teams: Dov Baron has been named twice to the list of the world's Top 30 Global Leadership Gurus and Inc. Magazine's Top 100 Leadership Speakers. He is the leading authority on Emotional Source Code and the Anatomy of Meanings. He's the founder and host of two podcasts, and the bestselling author of several books, including "One Red Thread" and "Fiercely Loyal: How High Performing Companies Develop and Retain Top Talent."

Listen to the full episode for the conversation on the failures of hybrid work styles (and what companies can do to avoid the pitfalls), the concept of "quiet quitting," why foosball tables and coffee machines aren't the key to employee engagement, and more.

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

More about Emotional Source Code, and how that concept is integrated into Dov's work
Why hybrid work styles are failing in a post-pandemic world, and why building community is so crucial to building a business
The reasons Dov says "normal" is dead
Why integrating more choice for employees is the most effective strategy for building an effective workplace culture
How immigration policy affects labor markets
Dov's definition of The Great Resignation, as well as the concept of "quiet quitting"
Why companies' strategies for employee engagement are not working in this modern era of work
How to measure trust within an organization, and why that's one of the most important metric in today's organizations
The concept of "reciprocal vulnerability"
The problem with too much competition driving our daily lives
More about Dov's background, including the time he fell nearly 12 stories while free climbing in 1990
Why curiosity is so important to Dov's worldview, and how it guides his behavior

Resources Mentioned In This Episode:

How to launch a successful digital transformation, with Howard Tiersky Nov 01, 2022

Show notes

Digital transformation is perhaps one of the most important strategic initiatives that brands will take on in this phase of the 21st century. But how do you ensure you're actually going to have a successful one that your employees buy into?

Our guest this week is an expert in guiding companies to those successful strategies. Howard Tiersky is a successful entrepreneur who has been named by IDG as one of the "10 Digital Transformation Influencers to Follow Today" and by Enterprise Management 360° as "One of the Top 10 Digital Transformation Influencers That Will Change Your World." He is also the author of the WSJ bestselling book "Winning Digital Customers: The Antidote to Irrelevance" and is the founder of two companies that enable large brands to win in the digital world, FROM: The Digital Transformation Agency, and Innovation Loft.

Listen to the full episode to learn Howard's advice for launching a successful digital transformation within your organization, some of the common pitfalls, how to overcome resistance from employees, and tips for digital initiatives at small and mid-sized companies.

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

Some of the biggest changes in the digital world Howard has seen recently
The biggest gaps in digital experience that customers experience, according to Howard's research
More about Howard's book, "Winning Digital Customers" and how it can help brands deliver a better digital experience to their customers
Howard's 5-step process to drive digital transformation
Tips for overcoming change resistance within an organization
The benefit of "deconstructing" solutions as a method to find the best option that your team can get behind
What small and mid-sized companies should be doing today as far as digital transformation
The key mindset shift that great a leader need to make in order to truly give their customers what they want
More advice about how to prototype solutions, and why that stage of the process is so important
How Howard measures successful transformation efforts
Some of the habits Howard integrates into his life to keep himself focused and reduce stress

Resources Mentioned in This Episode:

FROM Digital
Free chapter of "Winning Digital Customers"
FROM Digital on LinkedIn
Howard Tiersky on LinkedIn
"Winning Digital Customers: The Antidote to Irrelevance" by Howard Tiersky and Michelle McKenna
"Awaken the Giant Within: How to Take Immediate Control of Your Mental, Emotional, Physical and Financial Destiny!" by Tony Robbins
"Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance: An Inquiry Into Values" by Robert M. Pirsig
40 Strategy
Contact 40 Strategy
Carl J. Cox on LinkedIn

How to accelerate your business growth in a high performance workplace, with The Ready Zone Founder Esther Weinberg Oct 25, 2022

Show notes

When it comes to scaling your business, readiness (for change, growth, action, etc.) is a must. Crystallizing what this readiness looks like—and how to build it—is the expertise our latest guest brings.

Esther Weinberg is a business growth accelerator that equips executives in high-growth industries to create big pivots, big impact, and big returns. She's also the Founder and Chief Leadership Development Officer of The Ready Zone.

Tune into the full episode for more on the 6 Zone Performance Indicators Esther uses to develop better leaders, how to prepare in advance for hard workplace conversations, and some of the common reasons leaders struggle to reach their goals.

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

More about the 6 zone performance indicators that Esther teaches through The Ready Zone
Why Esther says culture is "portable" — and what that means for the workplace
The hidden, tangible costs of conflict in the workplace
Esther's advice for what to do before having a tough conversation, including the "5 As", a series of questions to ask yourself beforehand
Tips for extroverted people who might be accustomed to speaking quickly before thinking through what they want to say during a tough conversation
The power of using specific language for better aligning with colleagues
The 3 big reasons that strategic initiatives go "off the rails"
What a "vision narrative" is, and how it can help calibrate employees' work within an organization
Why being "action-ready" is such a typical struggle for executives
More about Esther's "Ready Zone Assessment", plus other ways she measures success for her executive clients
How Esther has integrated meditation into her daily habits, and why she actually meditates with her eyes open

Resources Mentioned in This Episode:

From high school dropout to serial entrepreneur, with BenchMade Modern founder Edgar Blazona Oct 18, 2022

Show notes

From building his own furniture as a teenager because his first apartment had none, to founding one of the most popular sofa brands in the world, Edgar Blazona is no stranger to building a business successfully — on his own terms. And the lessons he's taken from that journey can be applied to any business, in any industry.

Edgar is a modernist American furniture designer and founder of DTC sofa brand BenchMade Modern, which he sold to furniture powerhouse American Leather. He's a high school dropout, turned graffiti artist, turned serial entrepreneur.

Listen to the full conversation for more on Edgar's background, the business lessons he's learned from his unconventional experiences, and how he's ensured success in the long-term, not just the short-term.

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

More of Edgar's backstory, including his struggles in school, what happened after he dropped out of high school, and how his first apartment at age 16 inspired his future company
How Edgar scaled his business from selling solo pieces of furniture outside a bar over the weekends, to a much larger enterprise
What Edgar's "furniture college" was, and how that experience changed the course of his life
Edgar's experience with the "fake it 'til you make it" philosophy
What it's meant to Edgar to have his "eye on the prize" and how that's helped guide his business development
The difference between a short-term and long-term business mindset, and some of the biggest lessons Edgar learned throughout his own experience
The genesis of the "Ask Edgar" program that Edgar started as a way to add value to his customers—and what other companies can learn from that concept
How Edgar measures success in his business (beyond the finances)
The chip on Edgar's shoulder that has driven much of his success
Edgar's "COVID slump," how that period of time affected his creativity, and how he got himself out of the rut

Resources Mentioned in This Episode:

How to use life insurance as a financial planning tool, with Marc Beshears Oct 11, 2022

Show notes

What if there was a way to increase your financial security, expand your access to capital, and retain control over your money in a way that stocks and 401(k)s don't always offer?

Our guest this week, Marc Beshears, is here to explain one option for financial planning and management that not many talk about: life insurance.

Marc, a successful entrepreneur, is a leader in a variety of industries and owns four prospering companies in Florida. He's on a mission to educate individuals, families, and business owners on how to achieve their financial certainty by growing, protecting, and leveraging their wealth in a safe and predictable environment.

Tune into the episode for the full conversation about how life insurance can be an underrated tool for planning your financial future, Marc's background (from golf to real estate to life insurance), and the benefits you could enjoy when you take control of your money, instead of ceding it to someone else.

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

How to use life insurance as a place to "park" your money
More of Marc's personal background, including his time involved with golf
How a string of hurricanes in Florida actually helped steer Marc towards the life insurance industry
Marc's advice for taking control of your money (as an alternative to giving over that control to other entities)
Some of the other businesses Marc has started thanks to his increased access to capital out of his life insurance policy
How Marc measures success in his business
Some of the best habits Marc has kept up that help him stay successful in business and in life

Resources Mentioned in This Episode:

- Marc's company, Top Wealth Agenda
- Marc Beshears on LinkedIn
- "Start with Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action" by Simon Sinek
- Get a free "financial MRI" from Marc
- 40 Strategy
- Contact 40 Strategy
- Carl J. Cox on LinkedIn

How breaking out of your comfort zone can drive success and change your life, with 100-mile finisher Chad Lubinski Oct 04, 2022

Show notes

After finishing the Bridge of the Gods half-marathon, I met Chad Lubinski for the first time. He was getting ready for the biggest challenge of this life, the Cascades 100. This 100 miler has roughly 12,000 ft of gain and 12,500 ft. of loss. In this first meet, I had the audacity to challenge him if he could finish the race…he could be on the Measure Success Podcast. And this is where this episode begins.

It can be tempting to think success is a formula—following a plan by the books, and never straying from what's worked in the past. But accomplishing great things can often mean stepping completely into the unknown.

Our latest guest is someone who's made that jump out of his own comfort zone, over and over again, to great success. Chad Lubinski is a self-described "regular" person who previously battled depression and anxiety, but learned to cope by doing things outside his comfort zone. He's also an endurance athlete, outdoorsman, and digital creator who shares hiking and backpacking tips with his audience.

Listen to the full episode for more on Chad's training regimen for his first 100-mile race, the mindset shifts that endurance events have helped him make, what role fear of failure can play in success, and more.

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

The story of how Carl and Chad met at a recent half-marathon, plus the race that Chad was planning for afterwards
More about how Chad trained for his first 100-mile race, and how he first got into mountaineering
How cutoffs work for a 100-mile race, plus some of the pacing requirements to make it past each one
The point where through-hikers and endurance athletes typically quit, and why Chad was determined to make it past that point
What surprised Chad about his 100-mile race
The mindset Chad had while crossing the finish line
How fear of failure played into Chad's mindset during his 100-miler
Some of the techniques that Chad uses to move past his limiting beliefs, plus his thoughts on the law of attraction
What's next for Chad after finishing his first 100-mile race
Chad's experience with depression and anxiety, and some of the lifestyle changes he made to get out of the rut
How Chad measures success in his life, both personally and professionally

Resources Mentioned in This Episode:

How servant leadership can drive lasting business transformation, with CEO Don Lindsey Sep 27, 2022

Show notes

"Build it, and they will come" might have been a memorable and heartwarming movie line. But it's not an effective business strategy. And the sooner that companies can exit that mindset—of just waiting for the phone to ring—the sooner they can start scaling their organization. But usually, for a team to make a whole-scale change like that, they need to see that transformation modeled in their leaders.

Our guest this week is someone who's jumped right into the "foxhole" with his team, and led his company into an extended period of growth. Don Lindsey is the CEO of Precision Machine & Manufacturing, and is a transformational servant leader that specializes in creating hard-charging, high-performing sales and customer-focused organizations.

Listen to the full episode for more on the massive transformation Don led at his own company, what true servant leadership means, how to get out of "survival mode" as a business, and more.

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

More about Precision Machine & Manufacturing, the products they've created, and how the company got its start
Why it was "like walking back into 1985" when Don first joined Precision
What it means to be in "survival mode" and why "build it and they will come" is not an effective strategy for business growth
How Don has developed as a leader since he first started at Precision
Why it was important for Precision to move from a product-focused company to an industry-focused sales organization—and how that transition was made
The differences Don made at Precision to help one segment of the business grow 230%
What it means to "jump in the foxhole" with your team, and why it's so important for great servant leadership
The phased approach that Don led Precision through, on the way to transforming the company culture
How Don measures Precision's success, as well as his own personal success

Resources Mentioned in This Episode:

Precision Machine & Manufacturing
Don Lindsey on LinkedIn
"Extreme Ownership: How U.S. Navy SEALs Lead and Win" by Jocko Willink and Leif Babin
40 Strategy
Contact 40 Strategy
Carl J. Cox on LinkedIn

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