The Independent Minds

How to Build a Personality Driven Media Company It was an old high school friend Neil Patel , the founder of Answer the Public , who introduced AJ Kumar to the world of blogging and online marketing. AJ took that introduction and created, by working with Kimberly Snyder , and others a blueprint for creating a personality driven media company. AJ launched his own company, The Limitless Company , an...

Working behind a bar taught Neil Rogers everything he needed to know about how to be successful in sales. Neil Rogers gave up a successful corporate sales career to set-up Rogers Marketing and then he co-founded Positive Activity . After a less than successful time in education Neil worked in the hospitality industry, mainly as a bar tender. His customers convinced him that he would make a good sa...

Learn how to master the art of problem-solving and creativity The ability of a company to be creative in the way it solves problems has a direct impact on the level of success that company achieves. So why aren’t more companies and other organisations working harder at being more creative? That is the question Nir Bashan , author of The Solution Mindset and Michael Millward discuss in this episode...

The most effective way to sell is by communicating the value of your proposition to your potential customer. Luke Jorgenson started his sales career in commission only door to door sales . If you don’t learn quickly how to sell, you don’t eat. Luke did learn to sell and as a result he dined well. He also learnt how to deal with a lot of rejection and worked out how to recognise people who were mos...

Richard Ellis describes the connection between employee wellbeing and employee engagement Richard Ellis is a New Zealand based corporate health coach who works with businesses of all kinds to impact their bottom-line profitability by connecting employee health and wellbeing to employee engagement. In this episode of the Abeceder podcast The Independent Minds Richard explains to host Michael Millwa...

Katie O’Malley explains the A.I.R. Coaching Framework Katie O'Malley is the founder and principal coach at Chicago based ( en)Courage Coaching . As a coach Katie essentially listens for a living. Effective listening requires us to give our full attention to someone else. A task more difficult than many think. But it is a skill that can be learnt by applying the A.I.R coaching framework that Katie...

Build an e-commerce business on Amazon with Fulfilment by Amazon (FBA) One night Neil Twa decided he needed to buy a product he had seen on a TV. But instead of being a consumer he decided to be a producer and create an improved version of that product.  He then had to get his product in front of customers and eventually to them. The answer was a listing on Amazon and fulfilment by Amazon (FB...

Understanding the three factors that create efficient and effective organisations Janneh Wright is the founder and CEO of Primus Business Management, a provider of back office support to not-for-profit and mission led organisations. In this episode of the Abeceder podcast The Independent Minds Janneh discusses with host Michael Millward the three factors that determine how effective and efficient...

A single point in time penetration test is just that, but the hackers are working 24/7 Jacob O’Brien is the founder and CEO of Hakware.com a provider of AI-Powered Cybersecurity & Penetration testing. In this episode of the Abeceder podcast The Independent Minds Jacob discusses with host Michael Millward how many businesses underestimate the internet security risks that they face, and how they...

The 100,000,000 Dollar secret ingredient of success in business is understanding how to use emotional intelligence. Daniel Tolson is known as the voice whisperer because of the way he uses voice analysis to help leaders and potential leaders to understand their natural leadership styles. The key to success as a leader is says Daniel, understanding your own emotional intelligence. In this episode o...

Using AI to enhance human relationships at work, not to replace the human. Before setting up Practical AI. App Derek Crager had worked at Amazon where he developed the leadership development programme that achieved the highest employee ratings in company history. Aged fifty Derek received confirmation that he lives with ADHD, Dyslexia and Autism, yet he has developed technological applications at...

When enthusiasm for buying the latest technology is based on what others are doing the purchase is often a cost instead of an investment. Roberto Capodieci was a childhood IT protégé who set-up his first IT company at the age of 14. Nowadays he is a consultant specialising in decentralized systems architecture, and digital transformation strategy. In this episode of the Abeceder podcast The Indepe...

Jake Smolarek explains the approach that helped him launch and build several successful business and not-for-profit organizations Jake Smolarek arrived in the UK from Poland with £150 in his pocket, and promptly spent a quarter of it on a bus ticket to Abergavenny . Half a lifetime later Jake is a successful entrepreneur who now helps other entrepreneurs to build successful businesses. His Vision,...

Discover how one entrepreneur ensures that his annual off-site planning and training meeting is successful for his business and his team Aaron Christy is the founder and CEO of the Indianapolis based roofing company Indy Roof and Restoration . For many people the prospect of being ‘invited’ by their manager to attend an off-site meeting is less than appealing. But Aaron Christy has a team who look...

Discover how the principles of compassion can be applied in a business environment to create a more productive and profitable business. Bruno Cignacco is a university lecturer, and a thought leader on human oriented enterprise . In this episode of the Abeceder podcast The Independent Minds Bruno describes to host Michael Millward the catalyst for his interest in compassion at work, and the researc...

You may have seen the BBC1 TV show Dragons’ Den, but what is it like to enter the Den and pitch for investment? Social entrepreneur John McClarey recalls his experience. John McClarey is the founder and Managing Director of Business Fives which provides sports activities as corporate events and in the process raises money for charity. One of the first episodes of The Independent Minds featured Joh...

Technology companies around the world face a skills shortage, so how should the way IT careers are promoted to school pupils and college students change? Carrie Goetz has enjoyed her career in tech and understands the range of opportunities the industry offers, as well the problems that tech employers face in recruiting all ages of education leavers. Nowadays Carrie is the Principal/CTO, at Strate...

Doing good business does not have to involve creating a negative impact on employees, customers, suppliers, society, or environment. Bessie Graham is a co-founder of Benefit Capital , and a strategic advisor to C-suite leaders in midsize businesses and large non-profits across the globe. She is a former advisor to the Australian Federal Government and the Obama Foundation’s Emerging Leaders Progra...

Experience based team building brings remote workers together Daniel O’Sullivan is the founder of Team Building Experiences.co.uk which does what its name suggests, providing team building experiences for every size and type of company. In this episode of the Abeceder podcast The Independent Minds Daniel and host Michael Millward discuss how changes in the way people work and socialise is changing...

Exploring some of the benefits of sharing knowledge and building connections by being a guest on a podcast. Anthony Markey helps businesses to find money they didn’t know they qualified for and then connects those businesses with the right people who can ensure they use it well. He is also the host of the I Know a Guy podcast, on which he showcases interesting people who are experts in their field...

Exploring the role of ethics in marketing. Dr. Thomas Trautmann is the founder of Happy Brains a neuro marketing consultancy. He is also the author of several books on ethical marketing, ethical persuasion and human relationships In this episode of the Abeceder podcast The Independent Minds Thomas describes to host Michael Millward how he used ethical marketing techniques to grow his motor cycle t...

To maximise profits, you need to have a strategy that makes you stand out as an ideal supplier. Jeanne Omlor is a solo parent at home, and a team player in business. Faced with the challenges of raising a child alone she searched for ways to make a secure income. Learning how to grow a brand organically opened opportunities for her to sell a service that helps her clients make lots of money. In th...

It is amazing what you can achieve if you can avoid the distractions of modern life Steve Puri , had a career in the entertainment industry with DreamWorks and 20th Century Fox , before becoming an entrepreneur and setting-up a series of technology businesses. The latest is TheSukha.co. TheSukha.co is an APP that helps people achieve more by removing the constant distractions of modern life. In th...

Film producer Peter Samuelson recounts the story behind the founding and growth of The Starlight Children’s Foundation, and the First Star charity. When Hollywood film producer Peter Samuelson received a telephone call from his cousin, the actress Emma Samms he did not expect to be setting up The Starlight Children’s Foundation. Even if you have never heard the name, you will know what Starlight d...

Hair transplant specialist Dr Matee Rajput explains how he built a successful hair transplant business by normalising a medical treatment that many people did not want to admit they had had. Dr Matee Rajput is a specialist in hair transplant and the creator of the MinSim FUE™ technique , and founder of a chain of hair transplant clinics. He was training to be a neuro surgeon when a random request...