RISE25 - September 2021

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PROFITABLE CONNECTIONS

September 2021

What’s Your Company’s Lifesaving Gadget? Happy Batman Day!

We all aspire to feel like a superhero at what we do — but what does it actually mean to be a superhero?

It doesn’t necessarily mean having superpowers, even in the comic book world. For example, there’s a scene in “Justice League: War” where Green Lantern realizes that Batman isn’t a vampire — so he assaults him with questions to figure out Batman’s superpowers.

“Can you fly?” he asks.

“In a plane,” Batman responds.

You never know what might happen when you start sharing people’s stories, ideas, and knowledge with the world — or what will happen when you start connecting them with others. Many people we interview have never told their story before. However, we hear feedback all the time about how our guests’ stories have helped listeners overcome challenges in their own lives. As Nick Araco, host of the “Level Up” podcast, told us, “Telling stories is one of the most powerful means that leaders have to influence, teach, and inspire others to achieve the next level of growth and performance. What makes storytelling so effective for learning and development? Storytelling forges connections among people and between people and ideas. Stories convey the culture, relationships, and values that unite people.”

Finally, the Green Lantern says, “Wait, you’re not just a guy in a bat suit, are you?”

In response, Batman simply turns around with a smirk.

Batman doesn’t need supernatural abilities to help others — and you don’t, either. The tools on your utility belt might be the helpful ways you run your business, do volunteer work, or even run your podcast. It may not feel as big as saving Gotham from the Joker, but when you find people with knowledge or a story to share and give them a platform, it can make a real impact — especially when that platform brings people together. Recently, while John was interviewing a podcast guest, he had the thought to introduce his guest to the person he was supposed to meet with next. They might have a couple things in common to talk about, he thought. When John introduced them, he discovered that not only do they have similar types of businesses and nonprofit interests, but they are also both gay parents who go to the same event every year in Massachusetts. Now, they’re going to do a podcast together and explore even more ways to collaborate!

We couldn’t have put it better ourselves.

In honor of Batman Day on Sept. 18, consider new ways of using your tools to help others. We promise that it’ll make you feel as if you could fly.

Dr. Jeremy Weisz & John Corcoran

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Is Your Business Running the Way You Want It To?

Follow the Road to Optimization

to optimize — whether you have an ongoing problem or that area of the business simply isn’t running smoothly.

Is your business optimized ? You might scratch your head and ask, “What does that even mean?” In terms of your business, it can mean a dozen different things.

Coming back to the marketing campaign example, let’s say the campaign was poorly targeted and now you’re going to miss

But let’s define it and make it concrete: Is your business doing what you want? While “small-business optimization” can

your Q2 sales goal. You’re just not reaching your ideal customers. Why? Maybe you’re missing key data — the demographic data was wrong or out of date, or you’re leaning too heavily into the wrong platform (i.e., you’ve used Instagram when Facebook would have made more sense).

mean a number of things, that first question, “Is your business optimized?” points you to other questions you need to ask: Have your marketing endeavors paid off? Are your employees working cohesively as a team? Are you hitting your financial goals? If you can answer “yes” to these questions, then your business is likely optimized. However, if you’re answering “no,” then your business needs some work. Here’s how you can remove obstacles and achieve optimization.

Fill in the holes and re-strategize. It may be as simple as realigning the campaign or starting over. The same applies to systems and processes within your business.

Follow Your Road Map It may sound simple, but it rarely is. You need the tools, resources, and support of your team (just as your team needs your support) to put your plan into action. If you want any part of your business to become optimized, the pieces must fit together. If your team needs help, get them that help. The road map should also offer flexibility in the event that you run into any roadblocks, and it should have enough guidance to get your business from point A to point B. The plan needs to be detailed but not too detailed because you don’t want to give yourself room to cut corners (which can be tempting when you want to save time and/or money). When you cut corners, you’re liable to miss a step, which could end up setting you back or putting you right where you started. Optimizing your small business isn’t easy, but if you want it to run the way you intended, it’s absolutely necessary. Walk through these steps and you’ll achieve that wonderful thing called optimization.

Identify the Problem If your business, in part or whole, is running inefficiently, you must identify the source of the problem. If you won’t hit your Q2 sales goal, there is a reason. For example, your current marketing campaign may have a kink in it — it may be poorly targeted and/or on the wrong platform, or maybe it’s just a bad offer. The challenge is getting to the actual source of the problem. It’s like back pain — you can throw painkillers at it, but the fundamental problem remains, and the pain will inevitably return. Find the source and you’ll be able to correct the problem. Make a Plan Once you’ve identified the problem, you can create a plan to overcome it — and put your business on the path you intended. It’s important to have a plan for every area you want

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Rise25 Podcast Spotlight

Nothing to See Here

The History of the Mystery Spot

“Access to Anyone” Michael Roderick Featuring: Thought leaders in business and life “Greater Returns Podcast” Dennis Hoffman

Dr. Knitasha Washington Featuring: Specialists in health transformation topics “Buy Box Experts Podcast” Joseph Hansen and James Thomson Featuring: Amazon investors, solution providers, large brand owners, and more “Ecommerce Wizards Podcast” Guillaume Le Tual Featuring: E-commerce industry leaders

American mystery spot destinations have a strange foothold history in U.S. culture. The most famous mystery spot, with its own paranormal and physics-based oddities, is in Santa Cruz, California, but it has cousins in Oregon, West Virginia, and Michigan. Each one has phenomena that are not easily explained — drawing thousands of people every year to come and witness the strange happenings (for a fee, of course). “Roadside attractions” of all kinds have been all the rage since people began to tour America by car. That’s why many of them have updated over the years to suit changing tastes — such as the Michigan St. Ignace Mystery Spot’s addition of zip lines and other attractions. Today, mystery spots continue to draw attention. The best way to decide, of course, is to visit one of these mystery spots for yourself!

Featuring: Experts on nonprofit fundraising, analytics, and more “Fit Growth Machine” Brian Roisentul

Featuring: Top marketing and advertising experts for fitness entrepreneurs “Patient Partner Innovation Community Podcast”

Go subscribe on iTunes!

5 Ways to Fit Extra Movement Into Your Day

up from your desk. The more water you drink, the more times you’ll have to refill it in your kitchen or at the watercooler. And, on your way back to your workspace, take the long way around to say hi to your coworkers!

If you're restless at your desk, extra exercise and movement might be exactly what the doctor ordered. Even just a little bit of unplanned movement every day can help boost your mood and maintain good blood circulation. Here are five ways you can fit in extra movement without losing your productivity!

No. 3: Stretch in doorways.

No. 1: Park farther away.

Our shoulders and neck can quickly get sore from the amount of time we spend slouching in front of our screens. An easy way to relieve the stress is to press your hands on either side of a door frame, then lean forward as far as you can. If you don’t have a doorway to use, you can try doing shoulder shrugs or neck rolls right at your desk to ease some stress or even just clear your head.

It might be more convenient to park as close to your destination as you can, but parking farther away can add some extra steps. It’s a small difference that certainly can’t replace regular cardio, but it doesn’t hurt either!

No. 2: Drink more water.

No. 4: Do more calf raises.

Drinking plenty of water is healthy for flushing out bacteria in your system, but it’s also a great way of helping you get

One of the easiest exercises to do in public or at home are calf raises. Do this by simply raising your feet high off the ground one at a time. Squats and lunges are also easy to do but may require more flexible clothing than you’re wearing and a space where you can move freely.

No. 5: Walk for all of your phone calls.

Sometimes, people start walking naturally while they’re on a phone call. Why not make it an intentional movement every time you take a call? Studies show that walking will keep your body in high gear by encouraging energy and productivity!

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Inside This Edition

1.

What’s Your Company’s Lifesaving Gadget?

2.

3 Necessary Steps to Optimize Your Business

3.

The Mystery Spot Is a True Piece of American History

5 Ways to Keep Yourself Moving

4.

Does Positive Marketing Work in 2021?

You Are My Sunshine Positive Marketing in 2021

Positive marketing is a tactic that has been around for a long while, but in today's world, it might be more powerful than ever. We're constantly surrounded by terrible news about our nation, society, and the entire world, and people can definitely use more positive forces and content in their lives. Will your brand be there for them? What are other brands doing to provide positive marketing to their customers? Empowerment and Inclusivity In the 2000s, positive marketing was all about looking at the world through rose-tinted glasses. A great example of this is McDonald’s “I’m Lovin’ It” campaign. It’s not a bad thing to create a wonderful, positive image of your brand and the world it lives in — so long as you’re keeping up with people’s idea of a better world, too. Today, positivity is closely related to empowerment and inclusivity. What is “empowerment”? When you empower someone, you’re likely doing two things: making them feel accepted and encouraging them to succeed. Doing this helps imbue them with positive energy, and it even makes the world feel like a better place for a little while. That’s the ultimate thinking behind a lot of inclusive empowerment and positivity marketing today. And why wouldn’t you want to shop at a brand that makes you feel great? According to Accenture, over 41% of consumers “have

shifted their business away from a retailer that does not reflect how important [identity and diversity] is to them.” The same study showed that 29% of consumers are willing to switch brands if they don’t showcase enough diversity. If you’re not sure where to start, try showing support for local support groups, women’s shelters, or free mental health clinics — it’s a great, positive way of supporting your community’s well-being! Build Influence Through Positivity If your brand produces positive, feel-good content, people will tend to listen. Make sure to optimize your marketing by using social media to regularly post content relevant to both your business and your local efforts. Building engagement takes a lot of time and effort, but it can pay off in massive ways. You never know when a business’s content will go viral. Consumers are exceedingly picky in 2021, but positivity will always win the day. Show your customers that they’re valued, and many will make sure to return the favor.

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