The Mind Your Business Podcast

Latest Episodes:

Episode 091: Architecting The Perfect Day Apr 19, 2017

Show notes

Today I'm coming to you with a very special bonus episode, and sharing three things you can do to craft your perfect day. Not every day is going to go exactly to plan, but it all starts by setting the intention and getting clarity on what your perfect day looks like to you.

In this episode you'll learn:

Your definition of a perfect day can change over time
The morning I recorded this show didn't start out as perfect, but I was able to recognize it and move on!

Perfect means whatever you want it to mean

Entrepreneurship is a like a wide-open canvas (and your day can be too)

What do I mean by "feel it first?"

Prioritization is a necessary skill that can be developed over time

Schedule time for fun (I've one our company's core values)!

Episode 089: Defining Your Business & Life BY DESIGN Apr 12, 2017

Show notes

In this special bonus episode of The Mind Your Business Podcast, I'm showing you a better way for creating a vision for your life and business. My goal here is to prove that it is indeed possible to truly live your life and then make time for your business, and not the other way around.

In this episode you'll learn:

Why working longer and harder is the fast track to burn out, not success
How "hustle" has become a safety blanket for entrepreneurs today
Why patience is absolutely crucial to have when creating a leveraged-based business versus one that trades time for money
Why you need to ask yourself what you love, what you're good at and what will make you money!
You might be able to outsource many things, but you can't outsource the CEO and no one can be the visionary in your business but YOU!
How looking at what you liked doing as a kid can lead you to your business by design today
The importance of both your internal and external strengths, and a tool you can use today for determining these things
Why you need to create values and rules in your business – and stick to them!

Episode 087: How to Actually Accomplish Your Goals Apr 05, 2017

Show notes

In this special bonus episode, James talks about how you can take your goal and actually turn it into a tangible result – like cash in the bank! He shares why it's so important to not just set big goals, and how you can create the specific action steps to get there.

It's necessary to blend things such as manifestation and spirituality with the action steps and the right plan. For James, the more he balances and integrates these things together, the better the results.

For a long time, his goal number seemed so far off and he just didn't know how he was going to actually accomplish it. However, when you do know how to accomplish your goals the right way, you can literally create money on demand.

Being in the right environment is critical for achieving the results you're after. To accommodate his growing team, James just moved his team to a bigger office, complete with a deck and view of the ocean. The importance of your environment can't be underestimated!

After moving to New York in 2012 and almost burning out, James returned to Laguna Beach and he now has a much deeper appreciation for his hometown and where he chooses to live and operate his business.

It's also key to find your "sweet spot." For him, video creation has always been a fun and inspiring way to grow his business. You too should be infusing your creativity into your daily life, both personally and professionally.

Remember that a goal is not something that defines you or something you should identify your self-worth with. You are not measured by the levels at which you accomplish your goals, because you are the one that created the goal in the first place!

Steps to Accomplish Your Goals

Redefine the word, "Goal"

A goal is simply the indicator for the game that you are going to create, and it just identifies the level at which you need to show up. It allows you to determine what you need to do to play that game. For example, a 7-figure launch will require more stepping up than would a $10,000 launch.

For James it wouldn't matter if he hit his goal, but what would really matter is if he stepped up and did what he said he was going to do for the launch.

Make three goals

For your next launch or promotion, set three goals: an audacious one that will stretch you (and literally cause others to think you were insane!), a safe goal or minimum you'd need in order to still be happy, and finally, a goal that lands somewhere in the middle of the other two.

Identify what it'll take

Who do you need to be, and what is it going to take, in order for you to show up and align with your goals? Consider what it would look like if you were unstoppable!

You can still do you manifestations and set your intentions, but you absolutely must have a plan because no result is possible without inspired action.

Whatever platform or strategy you are using for your launch, you're going to need a launch plan. There is no one "right way," but the problem is most people choose parts of multiple plans and then they don't execute fully on any of them.

Begin with the end in mind and work backwards. You should start with the last steps, as these are the ones that are the 5% of activities which generate 95% of the results.

Before taking action you will need indicators of performance, as every phase or step has mini-goals within the plan that correlate the main goal.

A lot of times we just need to be shown exactly what to do and then focus on the right things to put us back in the driver's seat of goal setting. As the CEO or visionary of your business, you need to not just set big goals, but also to create a plan from that goal on how you'll get there. Identify the right action items to get you the results and don't forget that goal setting is just about setting up the game that you are about to play. Don't be afraid to fail and as you play bigger games, you'll learn some big lessons!

Submit Your Question!

LINKS:

Get James' Free Webinar Launch Calculator!

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey

Episode 080: Stop Surviving & Start Living with Dr. Mcayla Feb 27, 2017

Show notes

In this episode I'm joined by Dr. Mcayla, who is a licensed psychotherapist, Brain Training and MindSet Expert as well as an EMDR specialist. We're talking all about our core beliefs – what they are and how to change them!

In this episode you'll learn:

How Dr. Mcayla really began to understand what her true story was
What EMDR, or "Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing" is all about
Why isn't the mind talked about more often, and in particular, the psyche?
How we're constantly defining ourselves while we sleep…
Most of our actions, feelings and behaviors come from the subconscious mind, but not many of us know what we have there!
Ways that our ego will counteract our core beliefs
How I survived when I was younger…
Why the subconscious mind will push back memories that don't make us look good!
Society doesn't define our truths; what defines us is the kind of person we are

Episode 078: What It Takes To Launch Feb 15, 2017

Show notes

On today's episode, James talks with Online Business Strategist Zach Spuckler about the major mindset shifts he has made over the last year that's enabled him to grow his business exponentially. Zach also shares an effective alternative to doing a really big launch, which you won't want to miss!

When Zach first joined James' Inner Circle Mastermind a year ago, he worked by himself and had just hit the 6-figure mark in his business. He now has a team made up of multiple people, but notes that it was the inner work he did that allowed him to expand to this.

Zach admits that he used to be a workaholic, and that his health started to suffer because of this. He had to step back and ask himself why he originally wanted to start the business, which was to have freedom. Here are just a few of his major breakthroughs:

Hire a team

Hiring his first VA helped give Zach the systems, and space to grow. During his last launch, he realized that hiring was never an external issue, but he was so busy working that he didn't know internally what he really wanted.

He says that it's not difficult to find exactly what you want when looking for someone to help; be clear about what you want and need, and put it out to your online community!

James believes it's important to ask yourself what it's costing you to not hire someone. How could you fill that time and space by doing something else that focuses on the big vision of your company and drives revenue?

The internal struggle may get quieter at the level you're at, but it will start back up again at the next level and will always be there in some form or another. When you think that you're ready to hire somebody, Zach recommends you trust yourself to take the risk and to handle the fallout if it doesn't work out, or find people to support you if this should happen.

James feels it's important to know that a lot of people have an illusion that they have to get rid of the fear around hiring or investing in themselves before doing it, but this just isn't the case.

Entrepreneurs are rewarded for taking the risks

Remember that other people will love doing the tasks that you assign them, and you don't have to feel guilty for giving them work. Zach says it was important for him to understand that his team wouldn't resent him for this and they respect him for giving them work and paying them for their time. As an entrepreneur, you can actually enjoy your life and business, while at the same time empowering your team to grow with you! James likes to remind others that part of the "work" is actually resting so that you can recharge yourself.

Charge more money

As Zach has "levelled up," he charges more so that he can create intimacy with his higher-level clients. By charging more, he also attracts the right clients. If you don't increase your prices, he says that the only thing you're doing is de-valuing yourself in the process.

James adds that so often people base their pricing on what people will pay for the product or service, which can be a mistake as there will always be people that can, or can't afford it at every level.

Zach realizes that as his business grows, everything he does has an opportunity cost and his time is limited. He is careful not to undercharge so that he can continue to serve others through his business.

Pricing really comes down to valuing yourself and it's important to have a logical conversation with yourself and know the true value of what you can offer.

There's an easier (and lighter) way to launch

Zach notes that so many people get paralyzed by the thought of launching. Webinars can take many months to perfect, and video series can be expensive and time consuming. You don't have to get overwhelmed though; by doing a challenge (or a "week long event" as Zach likes to call it), you don't even have to charge people money for them to have the opportunity to see what it's like to work with you.

When doing a challenge, you just have to show up, give them simple step-by-step tasks and let them prove to themselves, and you, that transformation is possible.

Remember, people want to be sold to on the last day of the event, just because you've shown them what's possible. Show your audience what you can do for them and let them decide if you're a great fit or not!

Submit Your Question!

LINKS:

Plan & Build Your 5-Day $10,000 Challenge-Style Launch

Episode 076: Breakthroughs with Surveys Feb 08, 2017

Show notes

Are you marketing yourself online and feel like your message is falling flat? Maybe people aren't getting your offer and you're looking for a way to connect with your audience? On today's show, James looks at how using surveys (the right way!) can lead to more effective messaging and more sales. He shares the right questions to ask, how to ask them so you'll get people to actually fill out your survey, the software he recommends and most importantly, how to properly interpret the answers you receive.

Your online niche is most likely always evolving, and surveys are a powerful way to stay in touch with your marketplace.

When it comes to strategies to use with your surveys, Ryan Levesque has an excellent book, Ask. In his book, he talks about the "one question" survey, which simply proposes the following question:

When it comes to _________, what is the number one biggest struggle or frustration you have right now?

Your job is to get really specific on the topic when you ask this question. The more specific the phrasing is, the more specific answers you will receive.

When you give your audience specific instructions for completing the survey question, ask them to be as detailed as possible and try to deter one-word answers such as "time" or "money."

By having this question by itself on a page, it'll have the full attention of the reader. There are follow-up questions that James notes can be used effectively as well. If you ask for the person's name, email and phone number, but make this optional. The people who do give you this information will be your more qualified prospects!

James' six-question survey:

1. Have you ever tried _________? If no, why not?

Asking this will qualify the prospect, and the "why not" part gives you a list of the person's objections.

2. What is the biggest obstacle or struggle that you are currently facing?

Here you are looking for the problem, or source of pain for him or her.

3. What are the negative consequences of this struggle?

By digging deeper, you will discover why it's such a problem for them and what they are afraid will happen.

4. What is your ideal solution to this problem?

When this question is answered, they actually tell you what they're looking for which is extremely valuable information for you to have!

5. What are the positive consequences and results of solving this problem?

This will tell you where they are heading, or what they are moving towards, in their own words.

6. If you had the chance to ask me one question, what would it be?

Towards the end of this podcast episode, James actually gives the one question that people ask him most often, as well as his answer…

You can use either the one-question survey, the six-question one or a combination of the both. It's important though to only send whatever you decide to use to your own list or community. Asking another group of people to complete your survey might not lead to answers from your ideal client.

There are multiple software platforms you can use to create your surveys, including Google Forms, which is free. However, James' recommends looking at Survey Monkey or Survey Funnel, which have more features and functions, as well as the ability to ask just one question per page.

How do you interpret all of the survey results? First, read them all. It helps to print them out and read the question each time out loud, followed by the answer. Better yet, you can have someone else read them to you. The important thing is not to judge the responses, and to just be present with the words. Someone might not be able to fully communicate what he or she is trying to say with just words, but you can still feel the energy or emotion behind the response.

It is helpful to tally the answers to see what's the most popular problem that others are facing. James created a big poster board and explains how he used it to analyze the problems and possible solutions. Interpreting this information could lead you to your next offer, course, podcast episode, blog or email to your list!

Ultimately it's not about the quantity of completed surveys received, it's all about the quality of your interpretation and how you are able to use the information in your business.

Submit Your Question!

Share Your Review on iTunes!

LINKS:

Getting Started With Surveys – James' Free PDF or text "survey" to 5202177548

Ask. by Ryan Levesque

Survey Monkey

Survey Funnel

Episode 073: Rocking Live Events Jan 25, 2017

Show notes

Are you looking for inspiration to host your own live event, or do something different with the ones you are creating? In today's special bonus episode, James talks with Sage Lavine, CEO of Conscious Women Entrepreneurs and host of the International Women on Purpose summits. Sage shares her expertise on how you can crush it from stage, regardless if you are an introvert or an extrovert!

For about the first 8 years, James' entire business had been made up of online courses and digital training. In the last year he's made an effort to make it more in-person with his community, and he and his team recently just hosted the largest live event that they have ever done.

Sage notes that bringing yourself to the people that you serve is nourishing, and the attendees are really looking for a sense of belonging. Leaders are also being called into their truth or message and they need support from other people that are up to big things in the world today.

Sage started her million-dollar business in her living room, with 12 other women sitting around on purple couches. She feels that it all comes down to desire, and if you want to be in front of your people she highly recommends doing it.

There's feedback that you get from a live room that you're not going to get online, and "connection is currency." This feedback can include success stories from people that you have impacted.

In a room there is more judgement than there would online. This can be scary, but Sage explains how judgment doesn't necessarily have to be a bad thing.

When hosting an event, having a partner to "have your back" is important.

In order to drop the barrier when you get onstage, you need to be credible and then just be human and connect with the people that you're speaking to.

You don't have to be an extrovert to be on stage, and "hot seat" sessions and lunches allow for others to interact and form relationships. Unlike a lot of times online, relationships formed in-person can be deep and last a lifetime.

You have to flip the fear you feel when speaking and make it your friend. Sage says that when you feel the fear physically, such as in your throat or chest, it's actually a reminder for you to connect with those that you are serving.

The fear that no one will show up to your live event is a common one, but live is a much different game than online. On a few occasions Sage had just one person show up for her speaking engagements, and in both cases she was hired by the person.

When you're live, you don't need many people to show up. Remember that leading events brings you credibility!

Her favorite ways to fill a room include plugging into groups that are already meeting or contacting places like day spas that can help get the word out to people you want to reach.

You don't need to put together a full day of content when just getting started, and Sage recommends hosting two-hour events to start.

She believes that the world is hungry for more introverted leaders, like James, because they tend to be more connected to themselves and a deeper truth. Whether you're introverted or extroverted, your people will find you.

In her years of extensive study and training others, Sage has noticed three different types of leadership style: the facilitator, the stage/spotlight and a hybrid of both.

Once you know your type, you'll be more easily able to market your workshops accordingly and the right people will come.

A live event can transform lives, and that also includes your own. Your clients are waiting for you and not just someone like you. Get out there and keep rocking it! Submit Your Question! LINKS:

Sage's Workshop Leadership Quiz

Sage's Website

Episode 056: How to Be Extraordinary Sep 26, 2016

Show notes

In this solo episode, James reviews "The Code of the Extraordinary Mind" by Vishen Lakhiani and discusses some major concepts from the book, which can allow you to live the best life possible.

In his book, Lakhiani reveals how he built Mindvalley, but got to a breaking point and almost had to close the doors. After making a major shift, which he refers to as "Bending Reality", the company grew revenue over 400% in just 8 months and started attracting their dream clients along with an amazing team.

He did this by bringing the powerful presence of gratitude and happiness into the present moment, and in the book he says:

"Be happy now. Your thoughts and beliefs do create your reality, but only when your present state is joyful."

The second step was creating an excited anticipation for the future. James notes that as entrepreneurs, we already have goals, but often run into frustration, become impatient and burn out. He says there is a huge difference between going through the motions of gratitude and having an experience of truly feeling it.

"Gratitude is the vibration of receiving, and if you're grateful for what you already have, it only invites more to come your way"

Lakhiani refers to Dan Sullivan's theory of appreciating the "reverse gap." We often beat ourselves up when we're not where we want to be in life, but we can take a moment to reflect and look back at how far we've come. To do this, make a list of the results that you've created in your personal and work life. This can be one of the best things you can do to move forward when feeling overwhelmed.

Every day, as part of your routine, Lakhiani says to identify three to five things that you're grateful for. You can start with the small things that make you happy and you smile about.

"We shouldn't do things so we can be happy, we should be happy so we can do things"

To shed our past, one of the most powerful things we can do is to practice the act of forgiveness. First, make a list of people that you don't feel 100% complete with in your life. Then, follow the next steps:

1) Set the scene

Close your eyes, get present and imaging the person standing before you. Then recreate the scene that has triggered your emotions.

2) Step into the anger and pain

Relive the situation while bringing up the emotions as much as you can.

3) Forgive and love

Take a moment to actually step into the other person's shoes and imagine what life might be life for them. Then, intentionally forgive them and imagine them doing the same for you.

James adds that carrying around frustrations of the past will affect your productivity, intuition and creativity, and these steps will act as "detox" for your soul.

"Take a moment to forgive and move on; the past is done and this is about now"

The book also asks readers three important questions to consider:

1) If time and money were no object and I did not have to seek anyone's permission, what kind of experiences would my soul crave?

2) In order to have these experiences, how do I have to grow? What sort of man or woman do I need to evolve into?

3) If I have the experience that I have listed above and I've grown in these remarkable ways, then how can I give back to the world?

Make sure that you don't have an attachment to your big goals, and remember that the future doesn't define you if things don't happen to go your way.

Submit Your Question!

LINKS:

"The Code of the Extraordinary Mind" by Vishen Lakhiani

Why Happiness is the New Productivity (Video)

Mindvalley

"The Great Pain Deception" by Steve Ozanich

"Waking Up" by Sam Harris

Forty Years of Zen

Dan Sullivan's Website

Episode 050: Three Mindset Hacks for Success with Rick Mulready Aug 29, 2016

Show notes

In this episode, James is joined by a special guest, Rick Mulready, to discuss how to overcome the mindset hurdles that all entrepreneurs face.

Rick shares that he himself, despite the success he has achieved, is still working on figuring out entrepreneurship. He says that mindset is the foundation, and it drives success in both business and life.

He used to have a scarcity and fear-based mindset of not know how to do what he wanted to do with his own business. Rick also wasn't even sure if he could do what he wanted to do, and he says he "floundered" for 14 months. At one point, he even thought he might have to go back to the corporate world.

His mindset is now a lot different than it use to be, and he's proved that he can help others in their businesses while also supporting his own family.

Along the journey, you're always going to have setbacks and you're going to hit plateaus. Your mindset will help you think in different ways and allow you to know you can get through the hard times.

James adds that you may need to rebuild your mindset to get to the next level you're aiming for.

Rick's three mindset hacks:

1) Success is actually in the process of getting to the end goal

Rick believes what's important is what you learn along the way, although he admits that he use to get caught up in the end goal and would get upset if he didn't hit it.

Focusing on the process, instead of the end goal, allows for more fun along the way and also helps you to realize that you're choosing the things you want to do.

We hear that it's the struggle that makes it all worthwhile when we reach our goal, but it really comes down to being grateful for achieving success with ease.

James says to look for the path of least resistance, or the one that offers ease and flow. Abraham-Hicks' definition of success is how much just you can have in a day, and if you want to increase your revenue, you should work less and play more.

2) Watch your "but"

When we think of an idea, there's often a "but" that comes up. Rick shares that the first idea you had before this is the real winner, and when you permit your doubts to become the story and gain momentum is when you get into trouble.

James notes that people will look to justify why they shouldn't do something, but a lot of the things we're creating nee to be crazy, not logical. He recommends replacing "but" with "and." When you're using "but," you're literally cancelling out the thing that you want.

3) Just do it and stop the worrying

The only control we have is over what we can do now, in this moment. You can't worry about a future that hasn't happened yet. James says that during launches is a common time for entrepreneurs to worry as they often attach their own identity to the results.

Remember, the goal set is only used to determine the process that you are going to use. Determine how you can change the meaning, or the goal, so you're not worrying, because when you're worrying, you can't be empowered to take the proper actions.

Submit Your Question!

LINKS:

www.RickMulready.com

"Conversations with God" by Neale Donald Walsch

Episode 047: Inspired Launching with Kimra Luna Aug 15, 2016

Show notes

In today's episode, Kimra Luna discusses her habits and mindset for success, while talking about how she uses inspiration and intuition to drive her business.

She says she didn't realize how fast her business was going to grow, and originally thought it would take a few years to make 6-figures. Kimra shares that her first website was far from perfect, and she did it herself for about $100.

Perfectionism is the biggest mistake that she sees entrepreneurs making today. They often think everything has to be just right before releasing a course or product. Kimra created her first course in a weekend.

She was hesitant at first when starting her business, partly because of the way she looks.

"I'm the chick with piercings in the middle of her face and tattoos all over her. That wasn't what I was seeing (in the industry)."

To let go of this, she just went back to why she was in business, which was to help people. She adds that not thinking about the money aspect made it easy for her to do what she does.

"I think sometimes you just need to take that little jump and get in front of people. They will respond based on what you give."

The people who spend the money on their own personal development are the ones who get the best results.

Kimra created her signature program after being in business for only three months. The price was $1,200 when she first launched it, and it is now more than double that amount to purchase it.

Developing her own mindset, specifically when it comes to not complaining and changing her own thoughts, has been key. Learning to be grateful has helped her heal her life as well.

"Learn to appreciate the things around you; even if it's just the breath you have."

Kimra and her husband were on welfare for a number of years, but were able to manifest things such as a job for him, and a vehicle, by doing this practice daily for months.

She had been running Facebook groups for mothers when she decided to start a blog, which focused on things she was passionate about such as health and wellness. Kimra's YouTube channel grew to 25,000 subscribers, and she developed a following on Pinterest.

Seeing her success on Pinterest, a mentor asked Kimra to teach his audience how to use it, which lead to webinars and he getting paid for one-on-one consulting. Doing this, she started to notice issues with her clients' entire brands.

"I ended up becoming about branding. People paid me for the knowledge I had in my head."

Kimra feels that people need to reach out to others more often. Her first launch generated $65,000 in revenue, and after that she reached out to James to thank him for how much his content had helped her.

"We forget to reach out and connect to the people that are inspiring us"

She believes that sometimes things happen that are supposed to in order for us to move forward in our journey.

James adds that amazing things can happen when the feedback loop is completed.

Kimra appeared on 60 podcasts in her first year of business, but was also declined often by hosts.

"You can't get a yes if you never ask"

She only does something if it is going to feel good, and a lot of times we have to know what we don't want to discover what we do want. When she first started, Kimra did webinars almost every week because she liked doing them and wanted to master the craft.

Kimra uses crystals as a way to help her stay grounded and connected with the Earth, and she's also a reiki master. Over the years, she's developed an awareness in things that she wishes she could infuse in other people.

She believes people should explore things like manifesting, crystals and energy as a way to make them happier, not just from a monetary standpoint.

"I utilize The Law of Attraction, spirituality and my intuition to guide me every day"

Submit Your Question!

LINKS:

http://FreedomHackers.com

www.KimraLuna.com

Episode 036: Gain Clarity by Asking the Right Questions

"The Power of Your Subconscious Mind" by Dr. Joseph Murphy

"You Can Heal Your Life" by Louise L. Hay