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June 2018
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Adventures in Podcasting
‘Crushing It in the Digital Revolution’ Invades the Airwaves
N ot long ago, I got sick as hell. I’ll spare you the ugly details, but the point is that I was out of commission for a few days. So, I did what anyone would do when they’re sick in bed: I started a podcast.
genius in the field of marketing and he shares his knowledge and experiences in his podcast. One thing I really like about “Marketing Secrets” is how short each episode is; they’re rarely over 10 minutes long. Some podcasts will last for over an hour, which is great if you’re on a long plane ride, but it’s hard to fit into your everyday schedule. The bite-sized structure of “Marketing Secrets” means I can listen on my commute, during lunch, or while I’m taking a midday walk. I took a page from Brunson’s book when I started “Crushing It.” Most of my episodes clock in at around 10 minutes, and they act as a mini deep-dive into one specific topic — perfect for listening to during the day and getting some new information to work with. I owe my son a big thank-you for suggesting I create a podcast. Jake is almost 20 years old and he works with me today, learning the business and helping with a lot of the marketing. He’s always encouraging me to do more speaking engagements and helps me make some of the recent Sklar Technology videos you may have seen. I want to sort of dedicate this podcast to my son. In the very first episode, “Teaching Tomorrow’s Entrepreneurs,” I share a story about how Jake and I started a mailbox remodeling business when he was 7 years old. It was the first time I taught him Shoutout to My Son
Crushing It in the Digital Revolution
I’ve talked about how I like to keep busy, so it’s probably not surprising to anyone that I couldn’t just sleep all day even when I was home sick. Instead, I saw the free time as an opportunity to start my podcast. I had the whole thing up and running in about two days. It’s amazing how much you can get done with a laptop and a microphone. I even found a program to create the theme music! It’s pretty sick, if I do say so myself. Ideally, my podcast, “Crushing It in the Digital Revolution” will be able to help people like me: business owners and entrepreneurs who aren’t the most tech-savvy people but recognize the importance of leveraging technology against their competition to achieve success. I know firsthand how painful it can be to navigate the crowded digital landscape and find the right resources you need to win big. In “Crushing It,” I share some of the knowledge I’ve gained over the years.
about what goes into making money, and I believe as entrepreneurs, we have a responsibility to our children. I’m really excited to be doing this podcast. I was worried I’d run out of things to talk about, but the ideas are still flowing and I’m having a great time getting this information out there for other entrepreneurs to take advantage of. If you want to hear what I created when I probably should have been resting, you can check out all the episodes of
“Crushing It in the Digital Revolution” at tinyurl.com/ yb6ygcxl. Or you can scan this handy QR code!
Bite-Sized Goodness
Let me know what you think, and tell me about some other topics you’d like to hear me discuss on the podcast. –Randy Sklar
One of my personal favorite podcasts is Russell Brunson’s “Marketing Secrets.” Brunson is a
A REFERRAL IS THE HIGHEST FORM OF FLATTERY. WHEN A CLIENT REFERS FRIENDS AND ASSOCIATES TO US, IT REPRESENTS AN APPRECIATION OF A JOB WELL-DONE. IF YOUR FRIENDS OR ASSOCIATES COULD BENEFIT FROM OUR SERVICES, I’D BE HONORED TO HAVE YOUR REFERRAL!
Recently, Randy launched his first podcast, “Crushing It In The Digital Revolution.” Podcasts are a great way replace the annoying radio DJs with quality information that can help you improve any area of your life. Here are a few podcasts you should consider adding to your morning commute. MARKETING SECRETS Ready to crack the code of digital marketing? Then add Russell Brunson’s “Marketing Secrets” podcast to your playlist. A few months ago, we covered episode 26, “Secret #26: Creating Your Perfect Listener or Customer Avatar,” in which Brunson outlines the best strategy to create your perfect client avatar. This is just one example of the type of information found in these short but informative episodes. You can find all the episodes of “Marketing Secrets” at MarketingSecrets.com. HOW I BUILT THIS WITH GUY RAZ Listening to National Public Radio is something that sounds like it’s only for your boring, elitist friend, but NPR actually offers a wealth of entertaining and informative podcasts. One of the best is “How I Built This With Guy Raz.” This fascinating podcast invites successful entrepreneurs across various industries to sit down and share the full story behind how they built their empire. There are tons of episodes featuring everyone from Daymond John of “Shark Tank,” Stitch Fix’s Katrina Lake, and Haim Saban, the man behind the Power Rangers. Listen every Monday at npr.org/podcasts/510313/how-i-built-this. THE GARYVEE AUDIO EXPERIENCE At the dawn of the internet, Gary Vaynerchuck turned his family liquor store into one of the first wine e-commerce platforms, growing the business from $3 million to $60 million in just five years. Since then, Gary’s become an expert in digital marketing, conquering YouTube, social media, and now, the world of podcasts. A global top 100 iTunes podcast, “The GaryVee Audio Experience” is a collection of interviews, keynote speeches, and fireside chats about marketing and business. Check it out for yourself at GaryvVaynerchuk.com/podcast/. These are a few suggestions for quality podcasts, but as you might have noticed, there are tons of podcasts available online. Given a little time, you can find a great podcast that addresses the topic most important to you. And don’t forget to check out Randy’s new podcast at player.fm/series/crushing-it-in-the-digital-revolution. 3 Podcasts You Should Be Listening To Something Worth Hearing
‘THE ORIGINS OF HAPPINESS’ Changing Our Ideas of Success
What is happiness? How can we encourage well-being in others? These are the sorts of questions that have kept philosophers busy since the dawn of human history. In “The Origins of Happiness,” a team of the world’s leading social scientists tackles these age-old mysteries. Their groundbreaking findings may change the workplace and public policy.
Listed as one of the top five books Business Insider was excited about for the year 2018, “Origins” does not disappoint. If you want to better understand your own happiness or the happiness of others, you’ll find the book to be an enlightening page turner. Even though it’s based on years of research and filled with graphs and data to support the authors’ arguments, it doesn’t read like a heady scientific report. On the contrary, this fairly short book is surprisingly accessible. Between the charts and equations, you’ll find “Origins” has wit, charm, and wisdom in spades. With their down-to-earth prose, the authors dissect complex arguments and strip long-held beliefs to their core assumptions. The result is a methodical yet enjoyable exploration of what it means to live well in today’s world. While it’s designed to help policymakers quantify and boost the satisfaction of their citizens, there is something for everyone in “Origins.” The chapters on success and happiness in children are of particular interest to parents and educators, for example. Business owners and managers should be especially interested in the book’s data-driven reimagining of wealth and happiness. The paycheck is no longer the universal incentive for employees we once thought it was. One has only to look to Silicon Valley to know that some of the most successful companies on the planet have prioritized the well-being of their employees. The quirky perks and benefits offered by Google and Amazon make much more sense from a business standpoint after reading “Origins.” This is one of those rare works that captures the prevailing winds of the business world and puts them into easy-to-understand terms backed by hard data. Far more than vague platitudes about money not buying happiness, “Origins” will change the way you think about everyone’s well-being — including your own.
Excellence Is Built at Sports Reality Creating All-Stars H ave you ever started a new job, hobby, or other activity and thought, “Gee, I hope I come in second all the time”? Of course not! Everyone Reality’s director of business development and operations. “If your athlete wants to be a faster base runner, don’t tell them to just run every day.That doesn’t cut it. If you want to get better, you need proper coaching to assist improvement concerning your overall ability and performance.That’s what we’re able to do in our facility.”
wants to be the best at what they love, whether that’s graphic design work, selling custom dog bow ties online, or working out at the gym. Striving for excellence is a worthwhile pursuit, and this month, we sat down to chat with a couple of guys who know what it takes to achieve that high level of excellence: Turner Blake and Jeff Gonos of Sports Reality Performance Training. Inside Sports Reality’s 50,000-square-foot indoor facility, you’ll find a wealth of quality equipment and resources to help athletes reach their highest potential. Need a batting cage? They have that. Looking for a 50-yard field to practice on? Sports Reality has two! And they also have a platinum- level weight room, sprinting lanes, soccer and lacrosse goals, a youth league pitching mound, and so much more. Sports Reality serves athletes of all ages, from late-elementary school through high school and adults.
as an example of what this level of dedication can produce.
“This young man started with us prior to middle school,” Blake explains. “He was a young athlete, but he had a tremendous drive. He wanted to get better, and it was awesome to see where that drive took him.Today, he’s the starting running back for his university’s football team.” If you want to see what Sports Reality can do for your athlete, visit GoSportsreality.com or give them a call at 804-730-6420. Everyone deserves a chance at excellence.
“It’s really about helping these athletes get better by focusing on strength, speed, and agility,” adds Gonos, Sport Reality’s general manager.After a long career in professional football management, Gonos knows the value of overall training. “Our state-of- the-art equipment and certified coaches can help athletes improve in all those areas, and we’ve worked with athletes from many different sports. Football, baseball, field hockey, lacrosse, soccer, wrestling, volleyball, softball —we have an athlete in pretty much every sport. But whether an athlete is playing at the varsity level, is an aspiring athlete, or just plays recreationally and wants to be better, Sports Reality is where that athlete can come to improve. But having the right tools is only half the battle. Achieving excellence demands internal dedication. Blake points to one of Sports Reality’s first athletes
“The world of sports has changed since the parents of these kids were playing,” says Blake, Sports
Balsamic Chicken With Bacon and Apples With this one-pan wonder, you can complete an entire meal in under an hour. It tastes delicious and makes your kitchen smell heavenly.
Ingredients
• 10 ounces Brussels sprouts, halved, stems removed • 2 apples, cored, peeled, and coarsely chopped • 6 slices bacon, cut into squares • Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste
• 1 1/2 pounds chicken breast, cut into pieces • 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar • 1/2 cup olive oil • Juice of 1/2 lemon • 2 cloves garlic, crushed • 1/4 cup rosemary, finely chopped
Directions 1. Blend balsamic vinegar, olive oil, lemon, rosemary, and garlic to create marinade. Pour into bowl or sealable bag and add chicken. Marinate for at least 5 minutes or up to 12 hours. The longer you marinate, the more flavorful the chicken will be. 2. Heat oven to 375 F. Spread Brussels sprouts, bacon, and apples on a baking sheet. Add chicken and pour any extra marinade over the top. Season with salt and pepper. 3. Bake 20–25 minutes until chicken is cooked through. For extra crunchiness, turn the heat up to 425 F for the last 5 minutes. 4. Transfer to platter and serve immediately.
Inspired by wholesomelicious.com
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Inside This Issue
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Adventures in Podcasting Business Must-Read: ‘The Origins of Happiness’ 3 Podcasts You Should Be Listening To What Does It Take to Be Excellent? Balsamic Chicken With Bacon and Apples A Natural Sweetener With Real Health Benefits
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Hone In on Honey Nature’s Wonder Sweetener
The pollens in local honey are just enough to kick your immune system into gear. As a form of immunotherapy, raw, local honey helps your body become acclimated to those allergens. But these three points — raw, unfiltered, and local — are crucial.
Honey is a wonderful all-natural sweetener. Despite being sweet, it comes with actual health benefits — something you can’t say about other types of sugar. But some honeys are better than others, so it’s important to buy the right kind.
When honey is processed and filtered, it loses practically all of its allergy-fighting power and becomes an ordinary sweetener.
Raw honey may help your body heal itself more effectively. One study in BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine pointed to raw manuka honey as an effective way to speed up the time it takes wounds to heal while also reducing risk of infection. Simply apply manuka honey to a wound and let it do the rest. One of the best types of honey you can buy is raw, unfiltered, local honey. While it isn’t known to decrease the healing time of wounds, it can reduce symptoms related to allergies. Raw honey contains trace amounts of pollen, as well as other allergens from grasses and weeds. Local honey contains many of the pollens and allergens you would normally breathe in on an average day.
Most experts advise finding honey that was produced as close to your home as possible, preferably within 20 miles. The closer, the better. Keep in mind that it can take several weeks before you feel results. Of course, you won’t find a more delicious way to combat allergies.
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