Season 1 of the AoL Podcast

AoL 038: Yoga, How to Measure Creativity, and Being a Better Human with David Rachford

Being in business for yourself has many different labels. Solopreneur, Expert, Entrepreneur… the list goes on. Many times we’ve found out that these particular names might not necessarily mean anything other than you have a passion for what you do and you happen to make income doing it.

Most of us go the long way of doing that. Going to school for one thing and then making our business from something else.

I frequently ask myself, could I have learned what I know today about online business without going to school? Would I have been able to help people they way I do today?

While I think that I might have been able to shortcut the process, the truth of the matter is simply this: I wouldn’t have the experience to be able to help people at the LEVEL that I help people today.

The same goes for today’s guest, David Rachford.

David started his career in the military after being an athlete for years in several sports. After getting out of the military, he went to college to become an accountant. Growing tired of that world in 10 years, he found himself at a position that he could do something that utilized those accounting skills, but at the same time, he didn’t want to make that his whole career.

That’s where his interest in teaching others about Yoga and starting the Better Human Show came from.

In this session, we’ll learn exactly how a kid who was too husky to be in youth football started playing all kinds of sports, How his yoga journey started, how he “measures creativity”, and why he started doing his podcast.

Listen to this episode if you’ve ever found yourself bouncing from one thing in your career to the next, thinking about starting a business, or you’re simply curious in what it takes to sit with “strong determination” like monks do in meditation.

SPECIFICALLY, YOU’LL FIND OUT MORE ABOUT:

  • What kind of sports David played growing up despite being too big to play football. (10:04)
  • How David got into Meditation, Yoga, and eventually learned how to sit in “strong determination”. (13:48)
  • David’s advice to someone who says they get migraines when meditating. (20:42)
  • Why he left the accounting world after doing it for 10 years. (22:50)
  • How Dave measures creativity. (26:22)
  • Why Dave focuses on established entrepreneurs for his ideal clients (29:00)
  • How the Better Human show came into being. (34:38)
  • Which talks on his podcast have stuck in his mind the most. (38:18)
  • What’s an occurring theme that he’s gotten from his guests. (42:20)
  • David’s thoughts on falling back on a safe job (45:07)
  • What purchase $100 or less has most affected David’s life. (50:43)
  • What are three truths that he wants to share with others (53:10)
  • Who are David’s three favorite teachers (56:55)
  • What Dave recommends in spreading your message into the world (1:03:34)
  • … and MUCH more!

Right click here and save-as to download this episode to your computer.

ITEMS and PEOPLE MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

SHOW NOTE EXTRAS:

Installing a Retargeting Pixel on Your Website:

https://www.facebook.com/rachford/videos/1550197105273045/

Travel Yoga Poses on KKFX News:

Couple Yoga Poses on KKFX News:

David’s Norwegian Lundehund, Nikolina checking out a T-Rex!

Thanks for Listening!

Thanks so much for joining us again this week. Have some feedback you’d like to share? Leave a note in the comment section below!

If you enjoyed this episode, please share it using the social media buttons you see at the top of the post.

Also, please leave an honest review for The AoL Podcast on iTunes! Ratings and reviews are extremely helpful and greatly appreciated! They do matter in the rankings of the show, and we read each and every one of them.

If you have any questions feel free to email them over via the email mentioned in the show or by our contact form.

And finally, don’t forget to subscribe to the show on iTunesStitcherSoundcloud, and/or Google Play Music. It’s absolutely free to do so.

A huge thank-you to you guys for joining us!

Cheers!

Erik Deckers interview

AoL 037: Writing at the Jack Kerouac House, Branding Yourself, and Early Social Media Marketing with Erik Deckers

When people get to a certain level of success, it’s really hard to leave it behind. It takes so much time and resources to get to a certain level. That’s one reason why many professional athletes find it really hard to leave the game they’ve known since they were a kid. They’re not sure about what’s coming next and that can be very difficult.

For me, when I left academia and started figuring out what I wanted to do, I didn’t know where to start. The one thing I did know is that I had to put myself where opportunity would find me. So I started networking – A LOT – in Indianapolis. Getting to know many people that would ultimately have success themselves. Also getting to know people who would crash and burn and start rebuilding, or in some cases, give up on their passion altogether.

One of many people I met was Erik Deckers. I have to say that when I first met Erik, I thought that he’d be a good guy to get to know as we connected on a ton of things. Like me, he’s somewhat of a natural creative. He loves to write… and type (he has a collection of typewriters). And he’s able to help other companies do that through his online business: ProBlogService.com. Which he’s essentially a online ghost writer for other businesses. Needless to say that that particular service and him networking got him well known in Indy. Of course, it didn’t hurt that he wrote a few books with some prominent figures when he was here as well.

Anyway, fast forward a couple of years, I find myself back in Indy looking to reconnect with some folks that I knew from 2010. And I find that Erik is down in Orlando, FL! Having to essentially use the information he put into one of this books all over again.

 

In this session, we’ll learn more about the move to Orlando. We’ll also find out how he got into writing in the first place, how several of his books were conceived, and his thoughts on what the best ways are for people to be found on today’s internet.

If you’ve ever found yourself having to restart your career from scratch, you’re simply curious about what it’s like to write in the Kerouac House and what it’s all about, or just want to catch up with Erik, then you should get something out of this chat.

 

SPECIFICALLY, YOU’LL FIND OUT MORE ABOUT:

  • More about the Jack Kerouac House (6:41)
  • How the Jack Kerouac House has changed the scene of the Orlando literary scene. (13:00)
  • How Erik got into writing (13:25)
  • How his writing process is different than others (15:06)
  • Why formats can play a big role in how you deliver your message. (16:13)
  • How engineering is very similar to building a business (20:16)
  • How one of the first big Twitter marketing books was created (21:57)
  • How Erik played a vital role in helping Kyle Lacy meet his eventual wife, Rachel. (24:41)
  • Where the idea for Erik and Kyle’s book, Branding Yourself, came from. (25:52)
  • Why Erik likes to work with others when making books. (26:57)
  • What book he’s been working on at the Kerouac House (29:20)
  • Where Pro Blog Service came from (31:59)
  • What Erik helps clients of his with (34:01).
  • How people can become known on today’s internet (38:43).
  • How Erik got involved in speaking at a TEDx event (45:22)
  • Where Erik gets his passion for speaking (46:32)
  • Who he thinks would be best suited to fight off a college sorority if they ever wanted to take over the world. (55:39)
  • Who Erik would consider an example of success in his life. (1:01:42)
  • What are some thoughts on starting a content based business (1:05:35)
  • …and MUCH more.

Right click here and save-as to download this episode to your computer.

ITEMS and PEOPLE MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

SHOW NOTE EXTRAS:

Erik’s TEDx Presentation in 2012:

 

How Not to Talk to Your Children About Sex

10 Professional Writing Secrets:

Intro to the book “Branding Yourself” with Kyle Lacy:

Erik’s YouTube Channel

Thanks for Listening!

Thanks so much for joining us again this week. Have some feedback you’d like to share? Leave a note in the comment section below!

If you enjoyed this episode, please share it using the social media buttons you see at the top of the post.

Also, please leave an honest review for The AoL Podcast on iTunes! Ratings and reviews are extremely helpful and greatly appreciated! They do matter in the rankings of the show, and we read each and every one of them.

If you have any questions feel free to email them over via the email mentioned in the show or by our contact form.

And finally, don’t forget to subscribe to the show on iTunesStitcherSoundcloud, and/or Google Play Music. It’s absolutely free to do so.

A huge thank-you to you guys for joining us!

Cheers!

stephan seyfert

AoL 036: Going from Good to Great in Business Coaching with Stephan Seyfert

When people think of the labels consultant, coach, or teacher, they often think of the same type of person. Someone that instructs and helps others. However, each one of these labels are actually different than one another. The consultant uses their skill set to help their client. The coach helps bring the client to a solution by asking the right questions. While the teacher uses both skills to help their students learn and apply what’s being taught in the classroom.

As far back as I can remember, I’ve always found myself being all three in one way or another. I’ve been the tech person when it comes to helping friends and family with their computers. I’ve always been the listening ear when people are trying to fix a problem in their life – helping them with problems they might not see right in front of them. And I have that uncanny ability to be able to mix the two and teach complex topics. Hence why I taught algebra for a couple of years.

I was quite amazed when I found out that each is it’s own separate skill.

For today’s guest, coaching has been something that he’s been utilizing for sometime as well. In fact, you’ll find out that when he started coaching people professionally, he was simply relaying information that he essentially had just learned in his classes in college. However, he found that he had a passion for it and he’s made it his full time career.

In this session, we’ll learn how he got into coaching in the first place. How it’s helped him along in his career. What he learned from the John Maxwell Team that sets him apart from other coaches, and how he specifically helps business go from Good to Great.

If you’ve wanted to find out how you might be able to become a professional business coach, then this might give you a couple of ideas in how you can get started down that career path. If you’re in need of a coach, then Stephan might be a great solution for you!

SPECIFICALLY, YOU’LL FIND OUT MORE ABOUT:

  • Why Stephan’s formal education track wasn’t so different than most. (9:03)
  • How he got introduced to entrepreneurship (12:53)
  • When he felt that it was time to go separate ways with his first business partner from college (17:29)
  • How he was able to get his first clients while he was still a student (22:41)
  • How the John Maxwell Team has helped his business (28:27)
  • How John Warrillow has inspired the new version of his business (31:06)
  • Stephan’s 2 additional Value Drivers (beyond John Warrillow’s first 8) (33:50)
  • Why it’s important to intentionally develop a company’s culture (35:04)
  • Upcoming movies we’re excited about (40:23)
  • Why he likes working with groups as well as individuals (42:29)
  • How he currently meets his potential clients (46:25)
  • How his current career aligns with his “Why” (52:05)
  • Why Apple shows how its important to have a definitive “Why”. (58:24)
  • What’s the difference between the popularity of the Beatles and Boston? (1:02:05)
  • Stephan’s 3 influences in business (1:04:45)
  • …and MUCH more.

Right click here and save-as to download this episode to your computer.

ITEMS and PEOPLE MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

SHOW NOTE EXTRAS:

The Importance of Mentoring Youth (via Illinois Homepage.net):

 

A Brief Intro to Jim Collins’ book, Good to Great:

Marie Forleo on going from Good to Great in Life and Business:

Five Levels of Leadership:

New Inceptions’ Post

A Short version via the John Maxwell Company

Long version via the Youth Banking Conference (Part 1):

Long version via the Youth Banking Conference (Part 2):

Thanks for Listening!

Thanks so much for joining us again this week. Have some feedback you’d like to share? Leave a note in the comment section below!

If you enjoyed this episode, please share it using the social media buttons you see at the top of the post.

Also, please leave an honest review for The AoL Podcast on iTunes! Ratings and reviews are extremely helpful and greatly appreciated! They do matter in the rankings of the show, and we read each and every one of them.

If you have any questions feel free to email them over via the email mentioned in the show or by our contact form.

And finally, don’t forget to subscribe to the show on iTunesStitcherSoundcloud, and/or Google Play Music. It’s absolutely free to do so.

A huge thank-you to you guys for joining us!

Cheers!

Daniel Postma

AoL 035: A Mission of Exploration – How Daniel Postma Became a Serial Entrepreneur by Age 20

The current education system is broken. It’s hard to deny it. With college professors suggesting that students aren’t ready for college, and employers saying that graduates aren’t ready for the real world, there’s really too much evidence that something has to be done.

For me personally, I did what I was supposed to do. Go to school. Get good grades. Graduate.

What didn’t happen for me was the “Get a Good Job” part.

I would say that it’s partly my fault. By the time I was finally looking for a job, I wasn’t really interested in being another cog in the machine. In fact, I knew that I wanted to work at a startup.

However, most startups that I spoke with seemed like they were fish out of water. They approached entrepreneurship like a job. They didn’t have much of a reason why that they were doing it. They just knew that they were good at what they did. Maybe it was because it’s what they did before the recession of 2008. Maybe it’s because they thought they could make more money on their own.

Whatever the reason was, it didn’t seem to be working.

I think a big part of that was that the school system that most of us have grown up with program us to be followers. However, we need new leaders more so than ever. Be it in government or in the private sector. One way to get there currently is to homeschool students. Another way is to be mentored by people that are already leading.

Today’s guest, Daniel Postma has done both. Which means he’s well on his way to be one of tomorrow’s leaders.

 

In this session, we’ll learn all about homeschooling and find out how he was able to acquire the mentorship he’s had in his life. We’ll see what his time as an of apprentice of Dane Maxwell did for him. And we’ll also discuss how he got into the business of medical massage therapy.

 

If you’re interested to know more about homeschooling, experiential learning, or simply need some guidance in what you should do after you graduate, I think you’ll get a lot out of this conversation.

SPECIFICALLY, YOU’LL FIND OUT MORE ABOUT:

  • How being homeschooled has been a big help in who he is today. (9:07)
  • What homeschooling looks like from the inside. (10:51)
  • Why his parents opted for homeschooling him. (14:47)
  • How he believes homeschooling prepares students. (16:37)
  • Why Daniel chose not to go to college. (22:57)
  • What’s his thoughts on different kinds of education (25:17)
  • What kind of mentorship he’s had in his life (30:01)
  • His experience as Dane Maxwell’s apprentice for a month (34:11)
  • When Daniel knew he wanted to start his first business (39:59)
  • Why Daniel enrolled in The Foundation even though at that point it was icing on the cake (41:54)
  • How he’d reach out to others to get out of their comfort zone (43:56)
  • How he got into Medical Massage Therapy (46:48)
  • How his family has been able to help him with business (44:55)
  • Why Daniel’s superpower is being able to utilize everyone’s strengths in his life (52:35)
  • What he’d tell the younger versions of himself. (58:08)
  • …and MUCH more.

Right click here and save-as to download this episode to your computer.

ITEMS and PEOPLE MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

SHOW NOTE EXTRAS:

What to do After College (NSFW) – Gary V.:

What Daniel Got out of Being Around Dane Maxwell in 3 Minutes:

Daniel and Terril Interview Clay Green:

Daniel Singing in Snow… Winter in April:

Thanks for Listening!

Thanks so much for joining us again this week. Have some feedback you’d like to share? Leave a note in the comment section below!

If you enjoyed this episode, please share it using the social media buttons you see at the top of the post.

Also, please leave an honest review for The AoL Podcast on iTunes! Ratings and reviews are extremely helpful and greatly appreciated! They do matter in the rankings of the show, and we read each and every one of them.

If you have any questions feel free to email them over via the email mentioned in the show or by our contact form.

And finally, don’t forget to subscribe to the show on iTunesStitcherSoundcloud, and/or Google Play Music. It’s absolutely free to do so.

A huge thank-you to you guys for joining us!

Cheers!

steph crowder fizzle

Fizzle’s Steph Crowder on Deadlines, Life Changes, & Learning on the Job at Fizzle.co (AoL 034)

Learning how to do online business can be tough. Especially with all the sources that are out there. So that’s why it’s important to trust the sources you learn from and stick with them. You guys know that I have certain people that I learn from. Two of which are SPI and Fizzle.

With SPI, Pat has always had more of a global way of approaching the content that he’ll talk about in a given week and month. In fact, until his book Will It Fly?he was kind of all over the board. That’s kind of the way I learned – heck, that’s probably how he learned from the sources that he got his knowledge from.

Several years back, Corbett Barr and Chase Reeves wanted to help that issue, so they created an online school of sorts called Fizzle.

Fizzle is very logical. First off, everything is one place. And they’re structuring it based on a Roadmap.

If I were to guess, I would say that in the early days that Corbett came up with the content, and Chase, being the lead creative, thought of how to make that information learnable.

Later, Barrett Brooks joined the team with his knowledge of business development. And just last year, today’s guest, Steph Crowder came on to take care of what Barrett was in charge of when he first came on – community and member success.

Over the past year, Steph has earned her spot not only in the all male group, but on the Fizzle podcast as well.

In this session, we’ll be learning about Fizzle, we discuss how Steph got the chance to work at Groupon when it was still a small company and why she feels that working at Fizzle is a good fit for her. We also discuss how she feels about being the Den Momma of the community and we also get a little into why she likes working remotely.

If you’re interested to know more about Fizzle, how it can help you, and how it’s helped Steph, then this is an episode you can’t miss out on!

SPECIFICALLY, YOU’LL FIND OUT MORE ABOUT:

  • How she got herself started in sales.
  • How she found herself at Groupon.
  • What she loved about her experience at Groupon.
  • How Pat Flynn played a role in her professional development.
  • Why she believes her job with Fizzle is a great fit for her.
  • Why she has to explain to people on a regular basis about what she does.
  • Why she felt she wanted to apply for the Member Success Specialist position.
  • What Fizzle is in her own words.
  • Why not everyone is meant to be an entrepreneur/intrapreneur.
  • How she feels about being the Den Momma at Fizzle.
  • What people have to say about Fizzle as members.
  • Why Steph likes remote work vs the experience that she had at Groupon.
  • How she sees her life changing as a new mom.
  • …and MUCH more.

Right click here and save-as to download this episode to your computer.

ITEMS and PEOPLE MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

SHOW NOTE EXTRAS:

Chase Improves the “Best Advice Ever”:

Preview of Steph’s Course “Winning Insights with Customer Conversations”

Mini Documentary of the Fizzle Crew get together at World Domination Summit 2015

Barrett introduces us to Jess Lively’s Three Tier Framework for Living Your Values

Thanks for Listening!

Thanks so much for joining us again this week. Have some feedback you’d like to share? Leave a note in the comment section below!

If you enjoyed this episode, please share it using the social media buttons you see at the top of the post.

Also, please leave an honest review for The AoL Podcast on iTunes! Ratings and reviews are extremely helpful and greatly appreciated! They do matter in the rankings of the show, and we read each and every one of them.

If you have any questions feel free to email them over via the email mentioned in the show or by our contact form.

And finally, don’t forget to subscribe to the show on iTunesStitcherSoundcloud, and/or Google Play Music. It’s absolutely free to do so.

A huge thank-you to you guys for joining us!

Cheers!

martial arts academy

AoL 033: Building a Successful Martial Arts Academy with AJ Clingerman

As we have found out, passion filled work comes in many forms. Just last week, we saw how David Picciuto helps others learn about woodworking online. He gets to utilize his past interests in art and design to aid in getting his new found passion of woodworking out into the world.

For me, I’ve recently come to realize that I love teaching, connecting people and ideas, tech, and entrepreneurship. These are topics that I’m constantly learning more about when I can. They are what I naturally gravitate towards.

Likewise, this session’s guest, AJ Clingerman, always knew that she wanted to have her own studio. While originally it was a dance studio, she was open to the idea of starting the Indiana Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Academy with her husband when she realized how deep his love of the martial art was.

In my opinion, they have a heck of a story and team going on. Able to capitalize on what they both do well. She does business, he focuses on training and training others.

In this session, we’ll get to know half of this partnership. Particularly we discuss with AJ what James told her about BJJ when they first started dating, where the idea of the academy came from, growing pains that she and James have held to deal with while growing the business, what experience she’s obtained from working with people like Scott Manning and Dan Kennedy, and where the idea for her two books came from.

If you’re interested in starting a athletic training academy, or simply want to expand online what you’re already doing, then I think you’ll get a ton out of this talk.

SPECIFICALLY, YOU’LL FIND OUT MORE ABOUT:

  • How AJ got into Brazilian Jiu Jitsu in the first place.
  • How long AJ has envisioned herself running a business.
  • Why she chose not to pursue a college degree.
  • Where the idea for INDY EGO (Extreme Grappling Open) came from.
  • Where the idea for the Indiana Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Academy came from.
  • What kind of growing pains they had to go through when starting a business knowing little about actually running a business.
  • Where the idea for Indy Business Success came from and how this initiative is helping business owners around Indianapolis.
  • How she won Dan Kennedy’s Marketer of the Year award.
  • One thing you should definitely consider when starting a business based YouTube Channel.
  • What gave AJ the idea to write her books.
  • What she thinks about women in men’s fields – especially in martial arts.
  • …and MUCH more.

Right click here and save-as to download this episode to your computer.

ITEMS and PEOPLE MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

SHOW NOTE EXTRAS:

AJ featured on Dan Kennedy’s YouTube Channel:

Marketing Methods Guerrilla Marketing Techniques with AJ Clingerman

How You Can Defend Yourself by Disarming a Gunman

7 Essential Kickboxing Techniques

Thanks for Listening!

Thanks so much for joining us again this week. Have some feedback you’d like to share? Leave a note in the comment section below!

If you enjoyed this episode, please share it using the social media buttons you see at the top of the post.

Also, please leave an honest review for The AoL Podcast on iTunes! Ratings and reviews are extremely helpful and greatly appreciated! They do matter in the rankings of the show, and we read each and every one of them.

If you have any questions feel free to email them over via the email mentioned in the show or by our contact form.

And finally, don’t forget to subscribe to the show on iTunesStitcherSoundcloud, and/or Google Play Music. It’s absolutely free to do so.

A huge thank-you to you guys for joining us!

Cheers!

David Picciuto Podcast

AoL 032: Making It as a Full-Time Online Woodworker with David Picciuto

There are multiple ways to make money online. Most people know of information entrepreneurs. These are your Thought Leaders, your Teachers, and your Mediapreneurs. Others might think of software makers – called engineers. Or even more, you might think of someone who has a store and sells other’s items – these are Retailers. These are all part of the 10 Archetypes.

One type that I didn’t know too much about was The Maker. How does someone that makes a living producing crafts get online besides selling their physical goods online?

That’s where today’s guest, David Picciuto, has been able to make the connection. He makes YouTube videos showing how to make stuff!

Rather fascinating guy that I’m glad I got to know more about him and his craft.

In this chat, we go into how he got into woodworking as an online business, explore his successful YouTube channel and podcast, and why he believes it’s necessary to diversify your brand online.

If you love working with your hands and have been wondering what might be a good idea for an online business, this talk is just for you. (If you’re like me and have other ideas, you’ll get plenty out of this talk too. David is actually a lot like many of us when he first began!!)

SPECIFICALLY, YOU’LL FIND OUT MORE ABOUT:

  • How David stumbled into woodworking as a business.
  • Where his creative flair came from.
  • One way to get through the imposter’s syndrome.
  • When he realized he had to “grow up” and get something other than a job at Target.
  • How he knew it was time to strike it out on his own from a great job as a developer/designer.
  • How he makes an income doing YouTube videos.
  • Why he changed the name of his business from Drunken Woodworker to MakeSomething.TV.
  • What lead David to write his Bandsaw Box book.
  • What David does with all the products he makes on his show.
  • Why it’s important to diversify your brand online.
  • How and why he has such nice looking videos.
  • How the podcast ended up coming together.
  • What he is or is not looking forward to in the future!
  • …and MUCH more.

Right click here and save-as to download this episode to your computer.

ITEMS and PEOPLE MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

SHOW NOTE EXTRAS:

Ask Me Whatever #3

How to Price Your Work:

Checking Out David’s Shop – MTV Cribs Style:

Making It Podcast: $2000 to Start Over

Thanks for Listening!

Thanks so much for joining us again this week. Have some feedback you’d like to share? Leave a note in the comment section below!

If you enjoyed this episode, please share it using the social media buttons you see at the top of the post.

Also, please leave an honest review for The AoL Podcast on iTunes! Ratings and reviews are extremely helpful and greatly appreciated! They do matter in the rankings of the show, and we read each and every one of them.

If you have any questions feel free to email them over via the email mentioned in the show or by our contact form.

And finally, don’t forget to subscribe to the show on iTunesStitcherSoundcloud, and/or Google Play Music. It’s absolutely free to do so.

A huge thank-you to you guys for joining us!

Cheers!