Monthly Archives: August 2015

Ep. 045 – Top 10 Red Flag Sales Rep. Expressions

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350x350-2Is emotion running your sales process? In this episode, host Tom Ryan explains the importance of keeping your sales team objective, and how to recognize when a sales rep is letting their optimism overrule their critical perspective. And what better way to explore this topic than with a top 10 list?

Join Tom and co-host Jason Pyles for this fun discussion about the things sales reps say that should set off all kinds of alarms for entrepreneurs and business owners. These are phrases are warning signs that deals aren’t quite coming together, that meetings didn’t go as well anticipated, or that situations aren’t as favorable as hoped for. Continue reading →

Ep. 044 – Why Sales Is Vital For Building Traction

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350x350-6Do you know what the most important core process is when it comes to building traction for your business? The answer might surprise you. In this episode, host Tom Ryan explores the importance of building a strong sales process in attracting outside investment.

Joined by co-host Jason Pyles, Tom examines why sales is such a key element for creating traction, why investors place a strong sales process at a premium, and why so many startups struggle to develop this core part of their business. Continue reading →

Ep. 043 – The Importance of Traction

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350x350-5In this episode, host Tom Ryan discusses the importance of traction for startups seeking investment. But what is traction, exactly? And how can a young, vulnerable business gain traction to increase their business momentum?

Joined by co-host Jason Pyles, Tom takes listeners through a step-by-step examination of traction, from understanding its importance to investors to exploring some of the most common indicators that a business is gaining real momentum. Continue reading →

Ep. 042 – Consultation With Pam, Part 5: Putting It All Together

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300x300In this episode, Tom concludes his one-on-one consultation with author and burgeoning entrepreneur Pam. As an author without an established following, what’s the best use of Pam’s time and effort? Should she reach out to publishers directly, or should she invest her resources in building an audience through other channels, such as ebooks and blogs?

Tom and co-host Jason Pyles explore this topic with Pam, and tie up a few loose threads from earlier in the conversation. Continue reading →

Ep. 041 – Consultation With Pam, Part 4: How to Tell Your Story

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350x350In this episode, Tom continues his one-on-one consultation with author and burgeoning entrepreneur Pam. This is part four in a five-part series discussing Pam’s efforts to turn her passion for writing into a full-time business.

Tom is joined by fellow podcaster Jason Pyles as they explore Pam’s professional goals, including the importance of sexual abuse advocacy in her writing, and her challenges in preparing a book proposal for publishers. Continue reading →

Ep. 040 – Consultation With Pam, Part 3: Sharing Content One Day at a Time

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350x350-2Welcome to Episode 040 of the Success in Business Podcast with your host, Tom Ryan. This episode is the third portion of a five-part series where Tom coaches Pam the author about marketing her book and her business ideas.

The broad scope of this show consists of Tom teaching Pam the author how to accomplish her mission of inspiring survivors of abuse by sharing her thoughts and experiences in small, daily doses.

But more specifically, Jason and Tom talk to Pam about the benefits of writing a daily blog to help further her cause through multiple channels. Then Tom chats with Pam about accomplishing what he calls a “big, hairy, audacious goal.” Next Tom talks about how the seed of an idea begins to grow into additional aspects and extensions of your business. Continue reading →

Ep. 039 – Consultation With Pam, Part 2: Polling Your Target Audience

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350x350-3Hello again, and welcome to Episode 039 of the Success in Business Podcast with your host, Tom Ryan. This episode is the second portion of a five-part series where Tom coaches Pam the author about marketing her book and her entrepreneurial endeavors.

Tom discusses how Pam can get feedback from her target audience by simply polling them and asking for their opinions. Then Pam shares some passionate opinions about her feelings on the punishments handed down to individuals who are convicted of child abuse.

And Tom talks to Pam about how there is an advocacy angle to her business. Tom explains that Pam’s approach toward reform with the judicial system might be more effectively handled indirectly through raising awareness rather than a direct approach. Continue reading →

Ep. 038 – Consultation With Pam, Part 1: Defining Your Target Market

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350x350-4Welcome to the Success in Business Podcast, Episode 038. This show is Part 1 of 5 episodes titled “An Entrepreneur Consultation With Pam the Author.” These next five podcast episodes constitute a series that is derived from one, full-length, sit-down consultation that your host, Tom Ryan, had with an author named Pam.

In this first part, Tom asks Pam to explain the inspiration for starting a business with her art and her writing. Pam mentions that a book called “The Courage to Heal” inspired her to want to write her own book about her life experiences in hopes of helping other people who have endured a similar ordeal.

Tom also talks to Pam about identifying the various objectives that she has for her book, and he describes how useful it can be for an entrepreneur to express his or her purpose aloud.

Next Tom places Pam’s goals for her book into a business context. He discusses the importance of identifying who Pam’s market will be for her book. Then Tom talks about finding out more about the people who make up Pam’s target market. Continue reading →

Ep. 037 – Interview With an Experienced Startup Weekend Entrepreneur – Part 2

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Welcome to Episode 037 of Tom Ryan’s Success in Business Podcast, the weekday show that offers how-to advice for entrepreneurs. This show features the second half of our interview with Brenden Fitzgerald, a former startup weekend winner, who is here to give us some honest advice about how to navigate your way through the amazing opportunity that is the Asheville Startup Weekend. The Asheville Startup Weekend is slated for the weekend of August 28 through August 30, 2015.

During this show, Tom and Brenden talk about Equity Ownership so that going into a team scenario of a startup weekend, you know how to protect your idea and your contributions and identify your role on your team.

Check Brenden’s company: GoWorx which is a team of designers, entrepreneurs, photographers, filmmakers, and action-adventure enthusiasts. They’ve joined together to create performance and lifestyle products fused with innovation, simplicity, originality, and style. They currently design, manufacture, and market mounts and accessories for GoPro HERO® cameras, action cameras, and smartphones. Continue reading →

Ep. 036 – Interview With an Experienced Startup Weekend Entrepreneur – Part 1

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Welcome to Episode 036 of Tom Ryan’s Success in Business Podcast, the weekday show that offers how-to advice for entrepreneurs. This show features an interview with Brenden Fitzgerald, a former startup weekend winner, who is here to tell us what to great things to expect from the Asheville Startup Weekend. The Asheville Startup Weekend is slated for the weekend of August 28 through August 30, 2015.

Check Brenden’s company: GoWorx which is a team of designers, entrepreneurs, photographers, filmmakers, and action-adventure enthusiasts. They’ve joined together to create performance and lifestyle products fused with innovation, simplicity, originality, and style. They currently design, manufacture, and market mounts and accessories for GoPro HERO® cameras, action cameras, and smartphones.

During this show, Tom and Brenden give us a quick overview of how the startup weekend works and how this intense business development and networking experience produces so many great ideas and connections in such a short time! Continue reading →