Will Talks Biz

"Don't just pitch to win, pitch to get the business open." During this episode Cassie and I share insights on how to differentiate business plans by highlighting unique strengths and marketing strategies. With experience in creating marketing plans for various industries, Cassie's expertise brings valuable perspective to those looking to succeed in business plan competitions. Her keen understandin...

"When you are around people who are professional sellers, they are focused on customers. They're not focused on self, they're focused on helping people solve problems." After struggling with sales in his early days, Mike Simmons decided to take a different approach. Little did he know that his passion for helping others would be the key to success and transform him into a powerful problem-solver....

"Having a professional by your side saves you time, saves you money, and gives you peace of mind." As an entrepreneur, there were days when I struggled to find a reliable tax professional who could help me navigate the complexities of my business taxes. I came across multiple tax professionals who were either inexperienced or simply didn't seem to understand my situation. It took a lot of trial an...

"Experience is the name we give our failures." Developing expertise in a specific area can be critical for the success of an entrepreneur. It allows them to stand out among competitors and offer unique value propositions that cater to individual customer needs. Identifying areas of expertise involves self-reflection and understanding one's strengths, passions, and market conditions. Each of those...

"When you are creating content, when you are providing value to people, ask yourself, what do you want them to do with that information for their life or for their business?" In this episode of Will Talks biz, Cassie and I discuss the challenge many entrepreneurs and creatives find around giving away valuable information for free.    There is often an internal conflict between giving away valuable...

"I'm a firm believer that people bank with people. An institution is important, don't get me wrong, but people bank with a person." Paul T. Long returns to talk more about the South Sound Business Summit, which he created and has been running since 2015. Paul's passion for educating and empowering the small business community lead to him creating this successful Summit. He shares how the experienc...

"The lending process is a mystery, but I'm here to peel back the onion and dive deep into the details to help educate people." In this episode I welcome Paul Long, a 26-year banking industry veteran and SBA lending manager at a local credit union. He is on a mission to reveal the mysteries of the lending process and help small business owners understand it. Today he helps us by dispelling some of...

"Don't take on someone else's monkey or burden - make sure you set expectations and stick to them to ensure success in your business." In this episode, Cassie and I share about the pitfalls of taking on others' burdens and excuses and the concept of "the monkey on your back." This phrase refers to when people come to you with problems and excuses and expect you to take on their burden. This often...

"Don't take on more than you can handle, have an exit plan, and treat your business like a newborn baby - take care of it until it can walk on its own." Over the years I have learned the delicate balance between hustling hard and burning out. As an entrepreneur it can be a challenge to manage stress, build a business, and find joy in the process. One important lesson for everyone is how to differe...

"When you start to spend money on the areas that could save you time, that could allow you to focus on the things that you should be doing." It is not uncommon for entrepreneurs to struggle to find the balance between managing their own business and subcontracting work. During this episode, Cassie and I talk about delegating in business. It can be overwhelming deciding whether to cast a broad net...

There are a number of pros and cons to using Social Media to market your businesses. It can be a necessary evil, but there are nuances, as certain platforms are better suited for different types of businesses. Negatives include people criticizing businesses on social media and the tendency for people to compare themselves, leading to mental health issues. Giveaways can go wrong and people are hesi...

Lori Allen is a speaker, writer, direct response marketer, and entrepreneur with over 23 years of experience in the direct response industry. She is the founder of Focus Escapes, a company that specializes in tours for people who love travel, writing, photography, and seeing the world differently. In this episode, you will learn: 1. How to succeed in selling a product that customers actually want,...

There are a lot of fears in the hiring process. Will a person perform in the long run? Are they who they say they are in the interview process? There is a lot of trust that is involved in hiring a team. When you need to hire someone, you have a need that needs to be fulfilled. In order to do what well you need to work on adapting your mindset on hiring. Be the boss that you want to work for. Key T...

Any time there is a conversation with entrepreneurs it brings on a lot of reflection around experimenting within a side hustle.  It answered some of the unknowns of Airbnb while also getting Cassie and I to dig deeper into what we define as a side hustle and how to know if a side hustle is for you. Key Takeaways: {2:30} A side hustle as something you are working on building outside of a full time...

There is a lot of potential for success with Airbnb. The most important thing to remeber is that positive experiences sell. Focus on creating a positive experience for your guests. Using knowledge about customer service gives you the opportunity to make more revenue than with traditional single-family rentals. Daniel Rusteen is a former Airbnb employee that has pivoted into entrepreneurship to tea...

Too often people come up with ideas not realizing the entrepreneur opportunity it brings.  Sierra Hartman is the editor-in-chief of Grit City Magazine, despite initially giving the idea of the publication to Will. Through his photography and writing he saw that there were many stories to tell within Tacoma, Washington. After encouragement to take the ideas and run with it, he moved from freelancin...

Kicking off the new year by having a conversation with Tim Dyck, owner of Best Culture Solutions, about how to hire great talent. Tim helps organizations have a great workplace culture. No person should go through their career without feeling fulfillment in what they do. That is why Tim works with employers on recruitment services and HR consulting. In addition, he helps candidates with job search...

As we close out 2022 we are taking time to reflect on business in 2022 and what we wish business owners would do more of in 2023. Key Takeaways: {3:06} Business owners need to prioritize internal culture and people development more. {5:57} There are people that have experience yet are lacking interview experience. Due to the labor shortage, there are many people that are getting jobs without any i...

Jeff Barnes is back to talk about his other book, Beyond the Wisdom of Walt. This book explores lessons from Epcot at Walt Disney World, which was Walt Disney's final dream before he passed. Walt did not like sequels. After the success of Disneyland countries around the world kept calling wanting their own version. However, Walt's response was always the same; "No. there will never be another Disn...

  It's not hard to remember your first visit to Disneyland. My first reaction in the parking lot was, "what? That's it? I thought it would be huge!" Yet I had a wonderful time making memories that have stuck with me ever since then. Today's guest is someone that hated his first trip to Disneyland. However, he has now built a career around educating people on the history of the park and powerful le...

I was recently invited to speak to a business 101 class at the college I attended years ago. It was a great opportunity to answer their questions and share some of the lessons I have had throughout my experience in business. Key Takeaways: {3:07} Prior to going I looked over their course outline so I knew what they were learning and knew what type of questions they may have. The most important thi...

Capturing your story for a book can be an incredible challenge. When I wrote my book it brought up a lot of emotion and many nights wondering if I should even do it. However, I stay focused on the end goal of helping someone who struggles with reading. It's a roller coaster of emotion that is worth pushing through the discomfort. On the last episode Jody Maberry talked about the discomfort of hear...

Any time I listed to the podcast "Creating Disney Magic" with Lee Cockerell and Jody Maberry I feel like I'm there in the room with them as they discuss leadership and customer service. The show and topics offer information that reaches a broad audience. Today Cassie and I are thrilled to have Jody join us to share more of his podcast knowledge including how it can be a great way to build a brand....

In this episode, we learn about the experiences that come from writing and public speaking featuring Scott McKain.  He is an expert at helping businesses understand how to stand out in a hyper-competitive marketplace. The conversation with Scott is powerful because he shares how much his journey to get better positively impacts the work he does with other businesses looking to improve. Key Takeawa...

It is not uncommon for people to reach out about collaborating. They will be incredibly gracious and flattering within their request. However, things don't always stay that way. Be aware of when people are wanting to fill their wallets with your money, Key Takeaways: {2:57} The more we try to promote ourselves to help others, there are going to be a few people that use that opportunity to help the...