The Proven Entrepreneur

Public speaking gigs are one of the best lead generation strategies for businesses of any niche or model.  Grant Baldwin  has a deep love for the art of speaking, and he has created a platform where he could train aspiring speakers. Joining Don Williams, he talks about the story behind his coaching and training company for speakers,  The Speaker Labs . He explains the importance of...

Often, some of the best entrepreneurial journeys start with humble beginnings. Stories full of grit and being at the right place and time and with the right skills make for great inspiration. This episode’s guest is one whose own journey is nothing short of that. Warren Rustand joins Don Williams to share with us how he went from Minnesota Farm Boy to White House Fellow to WPO Global Chair & E...

Success in business. How can you achieve it? What is the formula to grow your business? In this episode, Preston Brown, a Business Coach, discusses the seven stages of entrepreneurship and the formula to grow your business. Preston suggests that you must look at the three filters, productivity, profitability, and purpose, before you invest or start any company if you want to be an entrepreneur. He...

“A goal without a plan is just a wish.” - Antoine de Saint-Exupéry.   Setting a strategic plan is essential for growth in our business. Today’s guest has an interesting story of losing an award-winning agency and building it back in less than 90 days. In this episode, Scott Empringham, the CEO/Owner of Empringham Media Group , shares how his 8-Step Plan helps him rebuild his business without...

Winston Churchill said that success is walking from failure to failure with no loss of enthusiasm. Craig Swanson is an entrepreneur, business coach, and co-founder of CreativeLive who has lived this line. In this episode, Craig will share his story, including his journey with CreativeLive and how he became the secret weapon to its multimillion-dollar mark! Tune in as we discuss the factors of succ...

With lessons learned from adversities coupled with luck, things can take you right where you're supposed to be.  Rick Sapio  did not take his past experiences for granted, learning and taking advantage of them as he stepped into the entrepreneurial life. Now, he is a Dallas powerhouse CEO, investor, author, and engineer and the founder of  Mutual Capital Alliance, Inc . In this epis...

Richard Blank  flew overseas to teach English at  Costa Rica's Call Center . Little did he know he would become the CEO of that very call center. This position pushed him to take some time to learn the ins and outs of the business. He got to know each and every agent personally. Most importantly, he created a great working culture for everybody. Figure out how he did these things today!...

Attorney Matt Aulsbrook started his first insurance agency in 2009, catering to the non-standard auto insurance market. But after seeing that most clients are not always getting a fair share when making claims, he decided to shift gears and concentrate on personal injury. Joining Don Williams, he shares how he started his entrepreneurial journey at 15 years old and his experiences in law school. M...

All progress starts with a yes. Today’s proven entrepreneur proves that. Saurajit Kanungo  grew up in India with no entrepreneurial background in his family. From there, he went on to become a successful IT entrepreneur in Texas. He shares the crucial events that happened in between in this interview with Don Williams. In this conversation, we learn how Saurajit’s willingness to do more and a...

Entrepreneurship is a challenge but is very rewarding. You have to be persistent and goal-oriented if you want to achieve your goals. Listen to your host Don Williams as he dives deep into a conversation with Jodi Daniels about data privacy and compliance. Privacy is one of those complex things you must understand if you want to incorporate an excellent leadership style in your organization. Jodi...

Too fast may not be too wise. Some good things take the right timing and the right people to work out. This is exactly what  Kamard Johnson , CEO/CVO at  GTT Commercial Tires , learned. If you are thinking of taking your business to the next level, this is the podcast for you! In this episode, Kamard shares insights on how focusing on building processes, creating roles, filling them with...

Ever since you were young, you were programmed by society to aim for money and success. But, what is the real meaning of being successful? Is it based on the income you’re earning or the profit your business is generating? Listen to your host Don Williams as he talks with Brent Freeman about focusing on the little things that bring you joy and happiness. He talks about realigning your life to reco...

You need to know when to shift your mindset and create a place for success. Join your host Don Williams as he talks with the CEO of IRS Trouble Solvers , Ben Golden . Ben specializes in tax resolution because of his own past experiences with the IRS. In this episode, he shares detailed information on taxes and accounting, especially the importance of getting an expert to help you. You must not ass...

Success stories aren’t built overnight. They are a result of hard work, effort, patience, and a lot of failures. Listen to Mike Otis as he dives deep into his entrepreneurial journey. Mike, Founder of Double O, Inc. , has been a practitioner and fan of Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS), Open Book Management, and Entrepreneurs' Organization during his career as founder of four Companies (there...

Ari Rastegar , the Oracle of Austin Real Estate and CEO of Rastegar Property Company , is our guest here today. He is one of the most influential power players in the commercial real estate world. He is also the author of The Gift of Failure , which is exactly what he did. His career didn't start out well. He experienced failure and bad grades. He started his firm with a $3,000 loan in law school....

In the Soviet Union, there was little to no such thing as entrepreneurship. The government owns everything, and when they own everything, competition doesn't exist. This is where Ukrainian Entrepreneur Vladimir Gendelman grew up. His parents always taught him not to pursue entrepreneurship. This did not hold him back, though. He moved to America to start his entrepreneurial career and became the F...

Many people are afraid to do the things they are most passionate about for fear of becoming a starving artist. Instead, they go on exhausting grinds that do not give them actual fulfillment. But for Ethan King , his success story began taking shape when he stayed the course with the things he truly loves doing. Joining Don Williams, he shares how starting a small graphic design business with his g...

If your business is struggling, outsourcing talent can really save it. It's low-cost and you get to recruit people from around the world. What your business is going to do is secondary. It's more important to get the best people for the job, whether they're your neighbor or across the globe. Develop this gig economy and start outsourcing talent. Join Don Williams as he gets Brad Stevens to share h...

In marketing and sales, talking to people in a way they can hear is crucial. Getting their attention and interest means an increased future generated sales. It is a very important process, and most businesses would consider this very crucial. Today, Don William interviews Lead Generation Queen, Caryn Kopp. Carolyn is the Chief Door Opener for Kopp Consulting, a company that helps business leaders...

Exiting your business is like owning stock. You need to know when you have a very good return. So you should be able to exit without question. Building a company can be emotional, no doubt about that. You're sacrificing your time, sweat, and tears into something that may or may not even work. But you have to remember that at the end of the day, your company is a business.   Join Don Williams...

Ever felt that something is missing when everything is within your reach? If you are looking to fill that void, don’t miss this episode of The Proven Entrepreneur! Listen and be inspired by Finnian Kelly, the Founder of Intentionality , as he shares his story of self-doubt and reflection. Finnian tackles how he found clarity of purpose, focus, and his way back to entrepreneurship through livi...

Amazon Guru  Steven Pope  founded  My Amazon Guy . They fully service and manage over 200 Amazon seller brands on anything that generates traffic, including search engine optimization, pay-per-click, or anything that improves conversion rates, such as design, catalog management, copyright, and merchandise. He founded his company just 48 hours after getting laid off from his previous...

It’s never too late to start your business! Joining Don Williams in this episode is Lisa Laporte CEO & Executive Producer of TWiT TV . Lisa started her business after a significant corporate career in accounting at the age of 35. Now, she’s 53 and still thriving in the industry. Lisa also opens up about her struggles rising up the ranks in a man’s world and why it’s important and necessary to...

I am the founder of Etoile luxury handbags. I was born in Montreal, CN and Etoile is French for the word star. You'll feel like a star when you carry an Etoile bag. Etoile is the most fascinating, beautiful exquisite handbag collection you will ever come across. I'm recording today from one of our New York City factories, I love to spend time with the product.  t's a really  great, happy...

Entrepreneur Thaddeus Galas' Secrets on Health & Wealth Theirs a Doctor in the house and his name is Dr. Thaddeus Gala. Thaddeus is an entrepreneurs' entrepreneur. He owns and runs several Companies. Every year Thaddeus hosts the Guardians Annual Retreat, bringing together 500 entrepreneurs, leaders, and philanthropists for a weekend of inspiration. The event features headliners like Gary Vayn...