Success Unfiltered

Latest Episodes:

095 | Evan Delahanty Shares How to Make Your Own YES in Business Mar 20, 2019

Show notes

095 | Evan Delahanty Shares How to Make Your Own YES in Business

Evan Delahanty is the Founder and CEO of Peaceful Fruits, a social good snack startup that employs people with disabilities to make healthy, delicious, rainforest-friendly fruit snacks. Peaceful Fruits has been featured on NPR and ABC's Shark Tank and is focused on scaling sales and production after a successful pilot. Prior to launching, Evan graduated from Walsh Jesuit High School (2003), Cornell University (2007), and then worked in operations management before serving as a Peace Corps Volunteer in the Amazon interior of Suriname, South America.

When Evan came back to the United States after serving in the Amazon with the Peace Corps, he knew that he wanted to find a way to bring back a small piece of his experience to his friends and family - or really, anyone who would have it.

That's when Peaceful Fruits was born. Ethically sourced, 100% fruit snacks, NO processed crap - it was a shoo-in! Everyone wants that, right?

The funny part was, Evan was met with a lot of NOs - but not from his target audience! They loved it.

Evan spent a lot of time working on the Peaceful Fruits brand. He had a story to tell, and couldn't wait to share it.

However, manufacturing was another situation - NO one would co-pack his product. In fact, Evan called at least 180 manufacturers, digging deep on Google, hoping to find someone who would believe in Peaceful Fruits as much as he did, and take a chance on a small fruit snack brand.

Then, Evan made his own YES. Tune into this episode to hear how he did it!

My guest on this week's Success Unfiltered, Evan, had to learn that sometimes you'll hear a lot of NOs before you finally find a way to make your own YES!

If you're feeling discouraged by how many NOs you've heard, then this is a MUST LISTEN episode of Success Unfiltered!

Enjoy, and thank you for listening and tuning into Success Unfiltered!

To share your thoughts:

Email The Pitch Queen @ hello@thepitchqueen.com
Ask a question over at www.ThePitchQueen.com
Share Success Unfiltered on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, & LinkedIn

To help the show out:

Please leave an honest review on iTunes. Your ratings and reviews really help and I read each one.
Subscribe to the show on iTunes.

Special thanks goes out to Evan Delahanty for taking the time to chat with Michelle. Be sure to join us next week for our next new episode!

Everyone Gets Rejected In Sales. It's what you do AFTER the NO that counts! I've got 3 ways that you can turn a NO into a win (and maybe even a future YES)! Grab my guide to surviving rejections in business and making them work for you right HERE!

Here are a few key secrets we talked about in this episode:

Michelle introduces Evan.
Evan is this month's Shark Tank guest.
Evan shares a little about who he is and what he's created.
The biggest NO that Evan experienced happened on the manufacturing front. He shares the full story in this episode.
Evan called 180 people to pitch manufacturing his fruit snacks
When no one would work with him, Evan went and made his own fruit snacks in a local restaurant's kitchen at 2 a.m., when they weren't using it.
When Peaceful Fruits began to grow, Evan said YES to hiring the best team ever!
Peaceful Fruits employs people with particular disabilities, like Down's Syndrome and Autism.
Evan employed developmentally disabled people, creating fair wage jobs for his team.
"You see that early adoption, you see those people starting to get excited about it. That tells you, you've got to keep swinging to try to find a way to make more." ~ Evan Delahanty
After appearing on Shark Tank, Peaceful Fruits was contacted by Sendik's Grocery chain and it took almost a year before he met with them.
The first month in Sendik's didn't go quite how Evan had hoped. He shares exactly what happened in this episode.
"You must control yourself and not act on your first thought." ~ Evan Delahanty
Evan appeared at many of his own demonstrations, due to the size of the company, and found that he had to say YES to his ideal client and "toughen up" when people who were not his target audience said NO to his product.
Evan knew that he had people interested in buying his products but if they can't see the product on the shelves, no one is going to buy. Evan shares how he remedied that.
Follow up with stores carrying Peaceful Fruits was key - as Evan followed up and made sure signs and point of sale systems were set up, sales increased and more people learned about his brand.
Getting into Whole Foods would be a dream for Evan, but he knows his company wasn't quite ready when they had their first opportunity. Evan has learned that by waiting he and his company would be in a better position the next time around.
Evan shared what he would tell his younger self.

Connect with Evan Delahanty:

Evan's Wesbite - enter "pitchqueen" at checkout for 10% off
Facebook
Instagram
Twitter
Pinterest

Music produced by Deejay-O www.iamdeejayo.com

094 | Jacquelyn Umof: How Detachment From Any Outcome Can Propel You Towards Success Mar 13, 2019

Show notes

094 | Jacquelyn Umof: How Detachment From Any Outcome Can Propel You Towards Success

Jacquelyn Umof is a former LA Laker Girl turned yogi - Action Jacquelyn is one of the biggest yoga influencers online. Known for her stunning poses, positive messaging and beautiful photography, Jacquelyn engages her fans through her "Get Stretchy" program. Jacquelyn is a trained ballerina, is on a mission to share her love of dance and movement with her huge Instagram audience, her subscribers on YouTube and on her wildly popular interactive blog.

Her fans love her 1-week challenges, daily motivations and infinite tools for mental and physical strength, growth, and improvement. Jacquelyn is a classically trained ballerina from a very young age, and has danced professionally for LINES Ballet, San Francisco Ballet, Inland Pacific Ballet, and went on to be a Laker Girl for the Los Angeles Lakers. She has worked with major brands including Roxy, Victoria's Secret, Power Bar, Pop Flex, Target, Bath and Body Works, and Alo Yoga.

Jacquelyn started as a fitness instructor at a local gym. Her classes were the most popular at the gym, and they had to turn people away because they were so full.

Then one day, Jacquelyn was completely removed from the class schedule. Turns out, a coworker wanted the class times that Jacquelyn taught, and was able to push Jacquelyn out.

As Jacquelyn stepped out and began to pursue her dreams of serving her online following, she learned that saying NO meant that she would be open to better opportunities to say YES to. When she began refining who she worked with, and not worrying about the result of a NO, her business began to skyrocket.

Learning to detach herself from worrying what people thought of her, or the end results of a NO led Jacquelyn to create fitness videos that impact people even more than she ever could have dreamed.

Like Jacquelyn, I learned in my business that the art of detachment was a huge factor in my success. Not worrying about the impact of another person's beliefs on my business helped me put aside fears and worries, knowing that every NO was pushing me closer to the right YES.

When I look for sponsorships for my podcasts, I look at the services, tools, and products that I use every day and love. If these services, tools or products will serve my listeners, then I would reach out to the companies and see if they are interested in sponsoring my podcasts.

If they say NO, that is ok! That opens me up to the opportunity of a YES that could be an even better alignment for me. When companies say YES, my friends and listeners know that they can trust the products and services that I promote because they know that I have already personally said YES to these.

My guest on this week's Success Unfiltered, Jacquelyn, had to learn that sometimes finding your YES means that you have to say NO - and that when you say NO, your success will skyrocket!

If you're ready to get inspired about saying NO to opportunities in order to make room for the best YES, then this is a MUST LISTEN episode of Success Unfiltered!

Enjoy, and thank you for listening and tuning into Success Unfiltered!

To share your thoughts:

Email The Pitch Queen @ hello@thepitchqueen.com
Ask a question over at www.ThePitchQueen.com
Share Success Unfiltered on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, & LinkedIn

To help the show out:

Please leave an honest review on iTunes. Your ratings and reviews really help and I read each one.
Subscribe to the show on iTunes.

Special thanks goes out to Jacquelyn Umof for taking the time to chat with Michelle. Be sure to join us next week for our next new episode!

Here are a few key secrets we talked about in this episode:

Michelle introduces Jacquelyn.
Jacquelyn shares about how she taught popular Pilates/yoga and Barre fitness classes at a local gym.
One day, Jacquelyn found herself removed from the schedule, and found out later that someone else wanted her class times, and removed Jacquelyn from the schedule, and bad-mouthing her teaching techniques to others.
She had always desired to reach a larger community, especially online. When she was removed from the schedule like she was nothing, that led to a time of questioning and wondering if this was her purpose.
Jacquelyn surrounded herself with people who were "in her corner," lifting her up.
She followed her gut: she knew that what she was doing was right, which fed her drive and purpose as she continued to teach after that event occurred.
"If I'm not getting haters, I'm not being impactful enough - [having haters] means I've taken a stand for something." ~ Jacquelyn Umof
"Criticism has more to do with the givers bad mood, and their life and what's going on with them; it has nothing to do with me. I was just in the 'wrong place, wrong time.' I get to let that go, and release that and have compassion on them. It takes a lot of practice though." ~ Jacquelyn Umof
It takes a certain resilience when you're constantly putting yourself out there: Jacquelyn has to detach from the reactions and results. "Every day is trial and error; seeing if something is going to work or not." ~ Jacquelyn Umof
Having a huge sense of gratitude and letting that sink in and constantly practicing that gratitude every single day helps with learning detachment from the end results; surrendering to what will happen and trusting your vision will bring you to where you are supposed to be.
When you hear NO, that can be a sign that the person or job is not right for you.
Let yourself have fun and enjoy the work.
Getting paid what you're worth gets less scary the more you do it.
Be willing to walk away if people say NO to what you have to offer.
You don't have to quit your day job for a hustle; allow yourself to be able to create without the pressure of having to make money RIGHT NOW - this allows creativity, love, and passion to flow.
When you start to own your value, and what you're worth, you can flip the script and say NO.
Jacquelyn says "I will never post something that I don't 100% believe in."
Surrendering to your belief and your vision allows you to know that when you say NO to something, you know that something more is coming your way.
Jacquelyn shared what she would tell her younger self.

Connect with Jacquelyn:

Music produced by Deejay-O www.iamdeejayo.com

093 | Drew Harrington Shares Why You Need to Perfect Your Pitch Mar 06, 2019

Show notes

093 | Drew Harrington Shares Why You Need to Perfect Your Pitch

Yasso Co-founder and Co-CEO, Drew Harrington, 32, was a D1 collegiate athlete who attended American University as well as Northeastern University. After recognizing a gap in the better-for-you dessert space, he and his childhood best friend Amanda Klane co-founded Yasso Frozen Greek Yogurt in 2010 after attending Penn State's Ice Cream Camp. As the creative visionary behind the brand, Drew primarily spearheads the development of engaging strategy and marketing initiatives for the brand's newest and upcoming innovations. In 2011, Yasso released the world's first frozen Greek yogurt bar on shelves in three fruit flavors. After doing market research, it showed consumers wanted more indulgent-tasting flavors reminiscent of nostalgic ice cream shop scoops.

How well do you know your pitch? Is it deep inside of you? Has it become a part of you?

Here's the thing: you should practice your pitch so much that it becomes a part of you. Before Drew appeared on the show, Million Dollar Idea, he practiced his pitch in front of the mirror. He made his pitch a part of himself.

When Drew gave his pitch to a manufacturer to get buy-in to use their equipment to produce the first round of Yasso, he knew his pitch. It was authentic and part of who he was, and that landed him the manufacturing time that was required to get Yasso off the ground - and then, started Yasso.

Before I pitched on Shark Tank, I had Shark Tank parties, and I would practice my pitch in front of my friends and investors. I made my pitch part of me, so that when it was time to present to the Sharks, I was ready.

My guest on this week's Success Unfiltered, Drew Harrington had one last chance to make his dream happen - it all came down to one perfect opportunity!

In this episode, Drew Harrington shares his story about his education through the school of "experience," and how he turned an idea into a successful ice cream company, now serving more than 17,000 retail locations.

If you're ready to get inspired about having your pitch be a part of you, and what happens when you achieve that, then this episode is a MUST LISTEN episode of Success Unfiltered!

Enjoy, and thank you for listening and tuning into Success Unfiltered!

To share your thoughts:

Email The Pitch Queen @ hello@thepitchqueen.com
Ask a question over at www.ThePitchQueen.com
Share Success Unfiltered on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, & LinkedIn

To help the show out:

Please leave an honest review on iTunes. Your ratings and reviews really help and I read each one.
Subscribe to the show on iTunes.

Special thanks goes out to Drew Harrington for taking the time to chat with Michelle. Be sure to join us next week for our next new episode!

You Love What You Do. So How Do You SELL It? If you love what you do but you choke up on the pitch, you're not alone! How do you share what you do so it's clear, intriguing, and memorable? Learn how to ROCK your sales pitch (without feeling like a fake!) with my guide, "3 Steps To ROCK Your Pitch (And Get More Sales)

Here are a few key secrets we talked about in this episode:

Michelle introduces Drew Harrington
Drew shares his story about growing up with his best friend and future business partner, Amanda.
Drew dropped out of college, and got an office job.
Drew got the idea for Pool Pong, an inflatable beer pong table.
It was a Million Dollar Idea - literally! Drew knew his pitch inside and out, practicing in the mirror, and won on the TV show, Million Dollar Idea.
Ready to learn from failure? Drew learned valuable lessons about business when the product he created had quality control issues, and a similar product emerged on the market - for cheaper.
Drew and Amanda came up with a creative new idea: greek yogurt ice cream so that everyone could indulge without guilt.
Got a great idea that the world needs to know? Sometimes it takes time! It took two years before Drew and Amanda were able to make their big pitch and the company took off!
It was their last chance to pitch their greek yogurt ice cream product - and it landed because someone took a chance on Drew's pitch.
Don't forget to celebrate success - before Drew and Amanda cashed a big check from their supplier, they went out for a simple celebration. Their entire team took time to celebrate everything!
Pivot! Sometimes you have to pivot to fit the needs of your clientele. Yasso started with fruit flavors but Drew and Amanda found that they needed to expand - and quickly - to satisfy the wants & desires of their ideal client.
Drew shares what he would tell his younger self.

Connect with Drew Harrington:

Music produced by Deejay-O www.iamdeejayo.com

092 | Cait Scudder Shares Why Having An Energetic Minimum is So Important in Business Feb 27, 2019

Show notes

092 | Cait Scudder Shares Why Having An Energetic Minimum is So Important in Business

Cait Scudder is a business coach and success mentor for driven women entrepreneurs who are ready to turn their zone of genius into a profitable, purpose-driven business. She started and scaled her own business to 6 figures in under a year, all from her laptop in Bali. Her work has been featured in Forbes, Thrive Global, Influencing Entrepreneur Magazine, BuzzFeed, MindBodyGreen, and Pop Sugar, among other publications and podcasts.

When she isn't teaching her tribe of 20,000 boss babes how to step into the rich lives of impact, income, and influence they were born to create, you can find Cait running in the rice fields, traveling the globe with her hubby, or cuddling her puppies. Head to Cait's free Facebook group, The Radiant Entrepreneur, to catch her latest trainings.

How often do you take on clients that aren't dream clients, simply because you think you need the money?

This happens because you don't own the value of your worth. You know you need money, so you take on any prospect that "walks through the door."

That right there is a problem!

If you are saying YES to all of the wrong clients, you're not leaving space for all of the right ones.

If those statements hit home, then it's time to identify your energetic minimum.

Basically, what level of energy, excitement, and potential, does a prospective client need to have in order to work with you?

That's what you need to be asking yourself, and if you find yourself working with individuals who don't meet that energetic minimum, then it's time to say good-bye.

In this episode, Cait Scudder shares why her most devastating NO occurred when a client couldn't fulfill their end of the contract. After digging a little deeper, Cait realized that she had taken on a client that wasn't ideal and definitely didn't meet Cait's energetic minimum.

If you're ready to watch the caliber of your clients soar simply from identifying and honoring your energetic minimum, then this episode of Success Unfiltered is a MUST LISTEN!

Enjoy, and thank you for listening and tuning into Success Unfiltered!

To share your thoughts:

Email The Pitch Queen @ hello@thepitchqueen.com
Ask a question over at www.ThePitchQueen.com
Share Success Unfiltered on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, & LinkedIn

To help the show out:

Please leave an honest review on iTunes. Your ratings and reviews really help and I read each one.
Subscribe to the show on iTunes.

Special thanks goes out to Cait Scudder for taking the time to chat with Michelle. Be sure to join us next week for our next new episode!

P.S. Wondering How To Politely Decline Clients (With Class) or How do you say NO to a client that's not right for you? Click HERE!

Here are a few key secrets we talked about in this episode:

Michelle introduces Cait Scudder.
Cait shares who she is and what she does.
The first crushing NO that Cait experienced was caused by Mt. Agong erupting, having to settle into a Vietnamese hotel and a launch of her Radiant Living School. Are you wondering how they all fit together? Listen to the FULL episode!
There were some massive takeaways for Cait from a crushing NO. She shares some of what she learned, in this episode.
"Every business problem is actually a psychological problem." ~ Cait Scudder
Cait explains that every belief we have about ourselves and our business can impact the way we behave and show up in our business. She shares why overcoming your fears is so important.
The most devastating NO that Cait experienced involves a previous client. Cait shares the story of how she wanted to help the women, and what held her back.
Cait had her self worth tied up with the success of her clients, and this NO led her to discover how to untangle that and get even further ahead in business.
In order to keep from being entangle with her clients, Cait took some steps to ensure she was crystal-clear on who she wanted to serve and who she wouldn't, she set her energetic minimum.
Cait also mentions using a useful too such as a scheduling service (like Acuity or Calendly) to create a questionnaire that the prospect will answer before they meet with Cait. This gives Cait a snapshot into where the person is in their business and the work they're willing to put in before spending time with a prospect. Cait shares why this is such a huge benefit.
"It's not about appreciating somebody's potential; it's about accepting the way that they show up." ~ Cait Scudder
Cait shares an incredible story of owning her worth. She had a potential client on the phone, who was willing to pay in full, right over the phone. Cait shares the full story and how it turned out in this episode!
After that conversation with the prospect, Cait started embracing her energetic minimum. That's when things within her business began to shift. Even the caliber of her clients changed! Listen for all the details!
Caits shares what she would tell her younger self.

Connect with Cait Scudder:

P.S. Wondering How To Politely Decline Clients (With Class) or How do you say NO to a client that's not right for you? Click HERE!

Music produced by Deejay-O www.iamdeejayo.com

091 | Dr. Robert Yonover Shares How to Be Rescued from a Sea of NO's Feb 20, 2019

Show notes

091 | Dr. Robert Yonover Shares How to Be Rescued from a Sea of NO's

Dr. Robert Yonover is a Ph.D. geochemist/volcanologist with a history of innovative scientific contributions, technologies, and patents. His Ph.D. work includes multiple ALVIN submersible dives to two miles deep off the Galapagos Islands to retrieve submarine lava samples, with laboratory work performed at NASA Johnson Space Center and MIT.

A North Shore big wave surfer and Molokai Channel rough-water fisherman, Dr. Yonover uses the ocean as his laboratory. He has invented a multitude of survival technologies that were awarded U.S. Military/DARPA funding and U.S. Patents, including The military-approved SeeRescue® Streamer, Pocket Flotation technology, plus more.

How many fishing lines do you have in the sea of sales?

Not sure what I mean? When it comes to working towards increasing your sales, one of my favorite metaphors to use, is to compare it to finding prospects similar to putting your fishing line into the water.

The more proposals you put out, or the more clients you are talking to, or the more investors you are in communication with, the bigger than chance you have of hearing YES. Similar to how the more fishing lines you have in the water, the more likely you are to catch a great big fish.

My guest on this week's Success Unfiltered, Dr. Robert Yonover, knew that he had an amazing product, the See Rescue Streamer, but so many people doubted its purpose (including his wife). But, Dr. Robert never gave up!

In this episode, Dr. Robert shares his story of sending out hundreds of faxes to try to make connections with individuals who had connections to the military.

Not only did Dr. Robert send letters via fax, he got people on the phone (using old school sales techniques) to share his new product and what it could do to save lives.

If you're ready to start fishing for more and more sales by connecting with more prospects, then this episode is a MUST LISTEN episode of Success Unfiltered!

Enjoy, and thank you for listening and tuning into Success Unfiltered!

To share your thoughts:

Email The Pitch Queen @ hello@thepitchqueen.com
Ask a question over at www.ThePitchQueen.com
Share Success Unfiltered on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, & LinkedIn

To help the show out:

Please leave an honest review on iTunes. Your ratings and reviews really help and I read each one.
Subscribe to the show on iTunes.

Special thanks goes out to Dr. Robert Yonover for taking the time to chat with Michelle. Be sure to join us next week for our next new episode!

P.S. Everybody Gets Rejected In Sales. Do You Know How To Make NO An Advantage? Nobody likes to be turned down in sales. But did you know that NO is just part of the deal in business? If you use it right, you can learn EVERYTHING you need to know from a NO. Let me show you 3 ways that you can turn a NO into a YES without being pushy, sleazy, or desperate. Click here and download your FREE guide "3 Ways To Turn a NO Into a YES" right HERE!

Here are a few key secrets we talked about in this episode:

Michelle introduces Dr. Robert Yonover.
Dr. Robert introduces himself and shares a bit about what he does.
The first NO that Dr. Robert received was for his rescue Streamer. His wife told him "quit playing with that plastic and get a real job." But, even beyond that, initially, the military was not on board with using Dr. Robert's invention.
Do you look at NO's as fuel? Dr. Robert does! He takes every NO as a lesson, modifies his pitch and keeps trotting along.
It's not easy to get in front of the military, Dr. Robert had to work hard to connect with the world aviation director. He explains how he did this in this episode. It's a great story (and involves a fax machine)!
Dr. Robert shares how he managed to get media publications involved in what he was offering.
If you've ever thought about attending a trade show, Dr. Robert is a pro at them. He shares his skills on how to make a big impression.
"I just keep challenging you to make that pitch again and again, get used to the NO's." ~ Dr. Robert Yonover
One incredible tip that Dr. Robert shares is how you can use your connections to improve your stance with prospects. Dr. Robert used his connections to improve his chances when speaking with the Coast Guard.
Dr. Robert's most devastating NO occurred when a licensee he was intending to work entire business imploded.
"The little NO's help you for the big NO's." ~ Dr. Robert Yonover
After losing the first licensee, Dr. Robert found a second one to work with, but that relationship did last either. They were together 15 years, when it was time to move on.
When Dr. Robert was running his business, that was when he appeared on Shark Tank (Season 8, Episode 22).
All 5 of the Sharks loved Dr. Robert's invention, but none of them wanted to invest in him and his product. He explains why in this episode!
Even though Dr. Robert received NO's from 2 licensees and 5 Sharks, he didn't let them hold him back from continuing to pursue his success. He shares his next steps in this episode.
During this time, Dr. Robert's wife was diagnosed with MS, which made all of his concerns and issues with his product and money seem insignificant.
Dr. Robert shares his three major takeaways from this experience from when he first created his product, to losing his licensee and his wife.
Dr. Robert shares what he would tell his younger self.

Connect with Dr. Robert Yonover:

Music produced by Deejay-O www.iamdeejayo.com

090 | Scott Sorrell Shares Why You Need to Raise Your Ceiling Feb 13, 2019

Show notes

090 | Scott Sorrell Shares Why You Need to Raise Your Ceiling

During the past 15 years, Scott Sorrell has helped his clients close more than $5 Billion in new sales. He is widely known as "Mr. Charge Higher Prices" because he trains sales teams and business owners all over the United States and around the world on how to charge HIGHER PRICES and get their customers to thank them for it! His clients include Cisco Systems, MetLife, BMW, Rawlings and hundreds of other industry giants, as well as small and midsize entrepreneurial companies.

How confident are you overall? Now, how confident are you with your sales skills?

Having confidence when it comes to selling is truly important, but so many entrepreneurs either lack confidence altogether or have enough to just barely scrape by.

This probably will come as NO surprise to you, but building confidence doesn't just come from coasting from day to day. Rather it comes from taking action every single day.

As this week's guest, Scott Sorrell, so eloquently put it, "confidence comes from competence."

It took Scott FIVE years of owning his own business before he gained the confidence to actually get good at selling. Scott would meet with a prospect and be so afraid of bringing up the topic of money because he never believed that he was good enough to get paid for what his work.

I'm sure there are some of you listening to this now who can completely relate to the way Scott felt. But, over time, Scott researched new methods which he mastered and has used over and over again.

If you're sick of being afraid to sell because you lack confidence, then this episode of Success Unfiltered is a MUST LISTEN!

Enjoy, and thank you for listening and tuning into Success Unfiltered!

To share your thoughts:

Email The Pitch Queen @ hello@thepitchqueen.com
Ask a question over at www.ThePitchQueen.com
Share Success Unfiltered on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, & LinkedIn

To help the show out:

Please leave an honest review on iTunes. Your ratings and reviews really help and I read each one.
Subscribe to the show on iTunes.

Special thanks goes out to Scott Sorrell for taking the time to chat with Michelle. Be sure to join us next week for our next new episode!

P.S. Is Getting Caught Up In Your Head Keeping You From Growing Your Business?

As an entrepreneur, you've probably heard a LOT about getting out of your own way, building your confidence, and believing in yourself. But if it's THAT easy, why doesn't everybody just DO it? Because sometimes, your HEAD butts in. Fear kicks in. And before you know it, you're focusing on your fears instead of your mission. How do you stop overthinking in its tracks and shift your focus back to your passion, your mission, and your clients? My FREE guide will show you how! Grab "4 Mindset Hacks For Overthinking Entrepreneurs" right HERE!

Here are a few key secrets we talked about in this episode:

Michelle introduces Scott Sorrell.
Scott shares a little bit about who he is and what he does.
Scott was asked to speak at a two-day conference and the amount of money that they were offering him was too low, so he used his "genius questions" and was able to almost 4x the amount. Listen to this episode for the full story!
Curious what I mean when I say "genius questions"? Listen to this episode for Scott's explanation.
The biggest most devastating NO that Scott received was the one that he was telling himself when it came time to ask for money.
The five years that Scott was in business for himself he dealt with a ton of stuff dealing with mindset and confidence. He shares how his previous conversations with sales leads would go.
When Scott became a VP at an advertising agency, he became hugely successful at selling. He realized that he could sell as long as he wasn't selling for himself.
Not feeling confident in your sales conversation? Scott recommends, doing research and becoming confident in tried and true sales techniques. This will help the conversation flow so much more smoothly.
Scott shares his selling technique called "Raise the Ceiling." If you're ready to start increasing your prices, this technique will work for you. Listen to hear the whole thing!
Are you curious how to use this technique in YOUR business? Don't worry! Scott provides an excellent example of how it would work for you and your business.
When it comes to the "Raise the Ceiling" technique, there is a limit to the number of tiers you want to offer a client. Scott explains it all in this episode.
"Never write the proposal for the client. Make them write your proposal." ~ Scott Sorrell
Scott shares what he would tell his younger self.

Connect with Scott Sorrell:

P.S. Is Getting Caught Up In Your Head Keeping You From Growing Your Business?

Music produced by Deejay-O www.iamdeejayo.com

089 | Lizzi Ackerman Explains Why You Need to Listen to Your Gut Intuition Feb 06, 2019

Show notes

089 | Lizzi Ackerman Explains Why You Need to Listen to Your Gut Intuition

As Co-Founder & CMO of one of the leading pancake & waffle mix brands in the country, Lizzi Ackerman is instrumental in the creation of the beautiful brand and plethora of flavors found in Birch Benders' better-for-you mixes.

At Yale University, while studying the history of science and medicine, taking pre-med classes, and serving as Senior Editor of the Yale Herald, Ackerman met Matt LaCasse, who would soon become her business partner and later her husband. Together they discovered their mutual love of flapjacks and bonded around the breakfast table, thus starting the beginnings of what would eventually revolutionize the pancake and waffle industry.

When it comes to big business decisions, like changing your branding, do you trust your gut or do you trust other's opinions?

I want you to know, that from personal experience, listening and trusting your intuition is going to get you further in business.

Everyone will always have an opinion, but if you don't believe in those opinions and your instincts are yelling at you to NOT listen… Then, it's time to trust that your gut knows what it's talking about and not listen to others opinions.

This week's guest, Lizzi Ackerman, shares one of the biggest mistakes she made in her business, Birch Benders. Curious what led her to make this big mistake?

Not listening to what her gut was telling her.

Lizzi and her husband (and also her business partner) had beautiful packaging for their pancake and waffle mixes. They loved it! However, someone came along and gave them bad advice, and instead of listening to her gut, Lizzi made the costly change.

In this episode, Lizzi shares why really dialing into what your gut is telling you is so important!

If you're ready to shift your mindset and start honoring your instincts and imagining what is possible, then this episode of Success Unfiltered is a MUST LISTEN!

Enjoy, and thank you for listening and tuning into Success Unfiltered!

To share your thoughts:

Email The Pitch Queen @ hello@thepitchqueen.com
Ask a question over at www.ThePitchQueen.com
Share Success Unfiltered on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, & LinkedIn

To help the show out:

Please leave an honest review on iTunes. Your ratings and reviews really help and I read each one.
Subscribe to the show on iTunes.

Special thanks goes out to Lizzi Ackerman for taking the time to chat with Michelle. Be sure to join us next week for our next new episode!

P.S. Ever Said YES When you Should've Said NO to a new client? It's that moment where your gut said NO...but your bank account said, "You need the money." So you said YES to the wrong client. And now you're paying the price. What if you could filter out the wrong clients, and at the same time bring the dream ones to your door? My FREE guide "Ideal Clients ONLY: 5 Steps To Pre-Qualifying Prospects And Clients BEFORE The Sales Talk" will show you how!

Here are a few key secrets we talked about in this episode:

Michelle introduces Lizzi Ackerman.
Lizzi shares a brief synopsis of who she is and what she makes.
One of the first NO's that Lizzi experienced had to do with the packaging that they were using when they were first demo'ing their products at Whole Foods. Lizzi shares the full story in this episode!
That first big NO led them to realize they needed to shift from selling their product in a jar, to having it in a bag. They launched their bagged product at Expo West, and even though the bags looked great, they still ran into some trouble with the size of the bags.
Through this entire process, Lizzi and her husband worked hard to stay small until they had a product-market fit. They didn't want to spread themselves too thin and not be able to complete orders.
Lizzi recommends that you spend a great deal of time on your packaging and branding, and to make sure it resonates with your customers.
Whole Foods and Target approached Birch Benders at Expo West in 2015, which was right around the time that the avian flu hit many of the chickens producing eggs. All of Birch Benders products contained egg, which led to Lizzi's most devastating NO! She shares the whole story, how they handled it and still managed to get onto Whole Foods and Target shelves.
During this time, Lizzi would often see her bank accountant with a -$10K balance. This was just another hurdle that Lizzi was able to overcome. Curious how she did it? Tune in for the full story!
Birch Benders will never be the next Aunt Jemima, but Lizzi knew that with the right branding and placement, their waffles and pancake mixes would sell.
When Lizzi turned bigger stores away, it was never a definite NO, but rather a not right now. She shares how she handled this when Safeway approached Birch Benders and she had to tell them NO, not right now.
Lizzi and her husband focused on mastering things at Whole Foods, Target and Sprouts before they tried to get into any other stores. Now, you can find them in many major food stores.
Lizzi shares what she would tell her younger self.

Connect with Lizzi Ackerman:

P.S. Ever Said YES When you Should've Said NO to new clients? It's that moment where your gut said NO...but your bank account said, "You need the money." So you said YES to the wrong client. And now you're paying the price. What if you could filter out the wrong clients, and at the same time bring the dream ones to your door? My FREE guide "Ideal Clients ONLY: 5 Steps To Pre-Qualifying Prospects And Clients BEFORE The Sales Talk" will show you how!

Music produced by Deejay-O www.iamdeejayo.com

088 | Phil Smith Teaches Us Why Choosing Happy in Business is SO Important Jan 30, 2019

Show notes

088 | Phil Smith Teaches Us Why Choosing Happy in Business is SO Important

Phil Smith, born in Port Jefferson, New York, is a serial entrepreneur who is a visionary and an intelligent businessman who came from a humble childhood. While he has held the title of CEO for many of the companies he's founded, the title of Dad is the one he's most proud of. His passion for his work is only shadowed by his deep love and dedication to his Wife and two children. Mr. Smith generously supports organizations such as the Ronald McDonald House and Long Island Cares, among others. He doesn't work on Friday and takes 45 vacation days a year.

Does your business make you happy or do you dread waking up and getting to work every morning?

Happiness in business may seem unimportant, but successful businesses come from those entrepreneurs who are happy with their work. If you wake up dreading what you do, you'll never have the drive to push through the tough times.

I'm not saying that you have to be happy 100% of the time. There will always be struggles and stress, but you have the power to shift your perspective on those items so that the stress doesn't stick around for long.

This week's guest, Phil Smith, joins Success Unfiltered to share how he created a business that went from $0 in revenue to 7-figures in one year.

Want to know what the key ingredient was? Phil was happy!

Phil had an amazing idea to create a business, and the individual he was working with at the time wasn't going to do anything with the idea, so Phil trusted his gut and went ahead and created a lead generation business.

Now that Phil has worked out the whole process he can create and grow businesses to 6 figures within just months. Plus, Phil is able to spend time with his kids and take more than 45 vacation days a year.

If you're ready to choose happy for you and your business AND create a business that lights you up, then this episode of Success Unfiltered is a MUST LISTEN!

Enjoy, and thank you for listening and tuning into Success Unfiltered!

To share your thoughts:

Email The Pitch Queen @ hello@thepitchqueen.com
Ask a question over at www.ThePitchQueen.com
Share Success Unfiltered on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, & LinkedIn

To help the show out:

Please leave an honest review on iTunes. Your ratings and reviews really help and I read each one.
Subscribe to the show on iTunes.

Special thanks goes out to Phil Smith for taking the time to chat with Michelle. Be sure to join us next week for our next new episode!

P.S. Did You Know That Your MIND Can Make or Break Your Business? MINDSET. It's no joke. But what is mindset all about? Do you have to overhaul your life in one day or go through complicated rituals? NO. It just takes awareness. And the belief that something better is possible for YOU. Join me, The Pitch Queen, and Master Sales Strategist Shameca Tankerson as we present our FREE Mini-Workshop "3 Power Practices To Create A Kickass Entrepreneurial Sales Mindset."

Here are a few key secrets we talked about in this episode:

Michelle introduces Phil Smith.
Phil shares a little bit about himself and his business.
The biggest NO that Phil experienced occurred back in 2005 when he sold one of his companies. Phil then had his first and last experience working in corporate America because the agreement he created with his company ended up being broken, leaving Phil feeling lost for 6 months. Listen to this episode for the FULL story!
Phil shares what he learned from this experience and what he does differently in his business now to ensure that he isn't burned again.
With his current company, iworkwithmyjams.com, Phil wants to work alongside a Shark from SharkTank. He shares this story in this episode!
The most devastating NO that Phil experienced was when he was working with Jim Estel and Phil had the idea to create a lead generation company. Jim wasn't interested in doing it, but Phil knew he had to trust his gut. Listen to this Success Unfiltered for the whole story.
Phil trusted his gut and went ahead with creating the lead generation company, which quickly scaled to 7-figures within one year.
Phil shares a quick little story about how he became a Forbes contributor.
"If an entrepreneur truly believes in their gut that they have an idea and other people are saying NO, you just have to do it, you have to figure out a way to do it without requiring the help." ~ Phil Smith
One of the tips that Jim Essel shared with Phil was to stop worrying about what he DIDN'T do well and to focus only on what he did well. Jim also advised Phil that he believed that Phil's big negative was that he didn't have confidence in himself. Phil disagreed and proved it to Jim. Listen to this episode for the whole story.
Phil shares how his values changed and how his worth increased, which led to him turning down $2.5 to $3 million dollars in acquisitions. He knew he wanted to build a small business that progressed slowly.
Today, Phil created a business that he really loves running and is profitable. He's able to spend time with his children and take 45 vacation days a year, all because he trusted his gut.
Phil shares what he would tell his younger self.

Connect with Phil Smith:

Music produced by Deejay-O www.iamdeejayo.com

087 | Jenna Ryan Shares Why Taking the Risk is Worth it in Business Jan 23, 2019

Show notes

087 | Jenna Ryan Shares Why Taking the Risk is Worth it in Business

Jenna Ryan is the CEO and co-founder of Uqora, the first-of-its-kind UTI prevention company. After experiencing what she calls "a UTI apocalypse" — eight UTIs in one year — Jenna and her co-founder, Spencer Gordon, began experimenting with ways to alleviate not only UTIs but also the stress and anxiety that go along with them. A passionate advocate for women's health, Jenna is committed to UTI prevention research, increasing public awareness, and ultimately removing the stigma around these private, painful infections. Her singular focus is on creating healthy, safe, effective products for women that will provide sustainable relief.

Do you run from risks in your business or do you face them head-on?

As an entrepreneur, it's pretty much a guarantee that you'll experience some sort of risk throughout your journey. It's how you handle those risks that will make the difference in whether those risks work out or not.

I would never encourage you to just jump blindly into anything, but I do encourage you to take the time to plan, prepare and then work hard to get ready to take a calculated risk.

This week's guest, Jenna Ryan, formerly an employee of DocuSign, left the security of her 9-5 job to continue the growth of her company Uqora.

Jenna didn't know whether her company would take off, but she did know that she felt completely fulfilled while working on it with her business partner. She took the time plan out her next move and ended up leaving DocuSign to work full-time on Uqora.

Uqora now provides help to millions of women who are suffering from chronic UTIs. Talk about finding your true calling and mission!

If you've been avoiding taking a big risk in your company and you need the encouragement and nudge to do it, then this episode of Success Unfiltered is a MUST LISTEN!

Enjoy, and thank you for listening and tuning into Success Unfiltered!

To share your thoughts:

Email The Pitch Queen @ hello@thepitchqueen.com
Ask a question over at www.ThePitchQueen.com
Share Success Unfiltered on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, & LinkedIn

To help the show out:

Please leave an honest review on iTunes. Your ratings and reviews really help and I read each one.
Subscribe to the show on iTunes.

Special thanks goes out to Jenna Ryan for taking the time to chat with Michelle. Be sure to join us next week for our next new episode!

P.S. If You Don't Take A Risk In Business, Nothing Changes. You might not fall, but you'll never fly. You may hold steady, but you probably won't break through. You won't lose, but you won't win, either. How do you take a gamble in business without losing everything? Click here and grab my checklist, "The Calculated Risk Checklist: 3 Ways To Take Business Risks With CONFIDENCE.

Here are a few key secrets we talked about in this episode:

Michelle introduces Jenna Ryan.
Jenna shares a little bit about herself and her company, Uqora.
When she was first starting out, Jenna had to do a lot of pitching to investors, many of who were men. Many of the men who had the venture capital didn't understand Jenna's vision for her products. She shares her full experience in this episode.
One of the investment firms that Jenna pitched had a super-engaged community that may have helped Uqora, but one investment partner showed up late to the meeting and the other left half-way through. Jenna knew this wouldn't be the right firm for her company.
Jenna shares how she handles the big NO's after she's received them.
There are things you can do to prepare yourself when you're heading out to look for investors, and Jenna shares some of her tips!
The most devastating NO that Jenna experienced came at a personal level, in regards to marketing her company. Jenna shares the struggles Uqora went through in order to properly market their products.
Capitalizing on the community voice might have been the most important form of marketing that Jenna did with her company.
Jenna's most accomplished NO occurred while she was still working at DocuSign, and was trying to decide if staying with the security of a 9 to 5 job was the better option over pursuing and growing Uqora. She shares her full story in this episode!
If you've considered striking out on your own, Jenna says, "My idea is to go do it because of course, it is always easier than you think it would be." Don't wait or worry about the mistakes or problems that could occur, just go do it.
There were a couple occasions where Jenna and her business partner turned away investors because they felt like they weren't going to be a good fit.
The elderly population, many of whom are in assisted living facilities, struggle with UTIs very regularly. Jenna wants to help this community but had to turn them away. She shares the full, sad story in this episode.
Jenna shares what she would tell her younger self.

Connect with Jenna Ryan:

Music produced by Deejay-O www.iamdeejayo.com

086 | Rob Angel is The Game Changer: How to Create Extraordinary Success Jan 16, 2019

Show notes

086 | Rob Angel is The Game Changer: How to Create Extraordinary Success

Rob Angel is the creator of the uber-successful and iconic board game Pictionary. There was no business plan or go-to manual, he and his close friends simply put one foot in front of the other, loving what they were doing at every part of the journey. Then celebrated the many little victories along the way. Pictionary went on to become one of the best-selling board games of the past century, selling over 32 million games, in 60 countries, in 45 languages.

Let me give you a scenario… You're about to go into the biggest pitch meeting of your life, are you prepared for hearing NO? Or, have you spent your time prepping your pitch?

You might be surprised to hear this, but I would encourage you to take the time to prepare for hearing NO. That doesn't mean you go in there with a negative attitude, assuming that you're NOT going to get the deal, it simply means that you know how you're going to handle things if you do get a NO.

In this week's episode, Rob Angel, the creator of Pictionary joins Success Unfiltered, to share his story from 16 to 18 hour work days to now having one of the best-selling board games.

In Rob's first big pitch he was initially told NO, but he was prepared and ready to speak on the fly about the different ways purchasing his games could benefit the store.

Rob encourages my listeners, to not just prepare their pitch, but to prepare to hear NO and to have 5 to 8 other speaking points beyond just their pitch. Doing this will help YOU be able to shift your pitch on the fly.

If you're ready to be a game changer in your business, then this episode of Success Unfiltered is a MUST LISTEN!

Enjoy, and thank you for listening and tuning into Success Unfiltered!

To share your thoughts:

Email The Pitch Queen @ hello@thepitchqueen.com
Ask a question over at www.ThePitchQueen.com
Share Success Unfiltered on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, & LinkedIn

To help the show out:

Please leave an honest review on iTunes. Your ratings and reviews really help and I read each one.
Subscribe to the show on iTunes.

Special thanks goes out to Rob Angel for taking the time to chat with Michelle. Be sure to join us next week for our next new episode!

P.S. Why Clients Say NO...And Why It's NOT The End Of The World. So you made your pitch. And the client said NO. Does that mean NO forever...or just "not right now?" Let me show you 3 reasons why being rejected today doesn't mean you won't make the sale tomorrow. Don't lose heart! Grab my FREE guide "3 Ways To Turn a NO Into a YES" right HERE!

Here are a few key secrets we talked about in this episode:

Michelle introduces Rob Angel.
Rob shares a little bit about himself and the game, Pictionary, which he created.
There were several times when Rob was out trying to sell the game where he had to adapt on the fly. He shares one particular story that involved trying to get Pictionary into Nordstrom. It shows Rob's ability to shift his reasoning on the fly. You'll have to listen to hear the full episode.
Rob believes that you need 5 to 8 different talking points any time you go in to pitch a product or service.
Rob and his partners were shameless when it came to promoting their product. And were frequently sending their press releases to new sources to be featured.
When Rob and his business partners were in the midst of trying to grow their product, Rob would work 16 to 18 hour days between his regular day job and then beating the pavement promoting Pictionary.
Rob shares what he did to ensure he got a "time-out" from the work and could take a breather.
"You have to have passion with a clear path to profitability." ~ Rob Angel regarding his passion for his game Pictionary.
When it came time to hold the launch party for Pictionary, Rob and his partners were working to put the finishing touches on the game, but ten days before the launch Rob receives a phone call from the printer, sharing Rob's most devastating NO. You'll have to listen to the episode to learn what it was.
Despite this huge devastating NO, Rob and his partners bonded -- "Good things come from negatives," as Rob said.
Rob and his business partners ended up needing to host two launch parties because Rob had forgotten to invite the press to the first one. Both were a huge success, though!
The most accomplished NO that Rob and his partners had involved Hasbro and the contract that Hasbro presented. This is a GREAT story, one you don't want to miss!
If times get tough, Rob recommends ensuring you have a strong network of people to talk to and look to for support.
Another huge lesson that Rob shares it that when it comes to working with business partners and have the success of your business being the forefront, is to leave your egos at the door, and not bring them into the decision-making process.
Rob shares a great story about how the color scheme for Pictionary was decided on and relates it to why we should leave our egos at the door.
In 2001, Rob and his partners sold Pictionary to Mattel.
Rob shares what he would tell his younger self.

Connect with Rob Angel:

Rob's Website

Music produced by Deejay-O www.iamdeejayo.com

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