Outside Capital Is No Replacement For A Strong Sales Foundation

Image source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/peasap/

Image source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/peasap/

Photo Credit to: We Love Costa Rica

In my work as a business coach, I talk with a lot of ambitious, driven business owners and entrepreneurs. One of the conversations I frequently have comes when I talk people with high-growth startups and small businesses looking to scale. It goes something like this:

“Hey Tom, we need capital to grow my business,” they say. Continue reading

Ep. 089 – Capital At Play’s Oby Morgan, Part 4

Oby Morgan

Oby Morgan

Capital At Play publisher Oby Morgan is the first to admit that sales has been a huge part of his job as a publisher. As the head of a print publication in the “print is dead” digital age, it hasn’t always been easy. In this episode, host Tom Ryan talks with Oby about the role sales plays in publishing, using sales as a way to get market feedback, and why ignorance and innocence isn’t a bad thing when it comes to innovating an industry. Continue reading

Taking the Intimidation Out of Sales

SIBP-1The entrepreneurs and business owners I work with are not natural-born salespeople. Their businesses usually didn’t come into existence from a strong urge to make cold calls. They created a product or developed a service they believe in, and they formed their company to bring that vision to life. Doing the less-than-glamorous stuff of sales was the farthest thing from their minds when they launched their business. Continue reading

Ep. 088 – Capital At Play’s Oby Morgan, Part 3

Oby Morgan

Oby Morgan

If there’s one thing Capital At Play publisher Oby Morgan has learned since launching his publication in 2011, it’s the value of building a product he believes in. In this episode, host Tom Ryan talks with Oby about his editorial vision, the importance of creating a quality product, and why being being a “great quitter” is a solid business strategy. Continue reading

The Benefits of a Strong Sales Foundation

An overwhelming amount of attention in sales training goes towards teaching tips and tricks. Some of these tips are tricks can be good things to know, but ultimately they don’t add much to the value of the company. To see real results, you need more than tricks. You need to create a strong foundation for your company’s sales structure. Continue reading

Ep. 087 – Capital At Play’s Oby Morgan, Part 2

Oby Morgan

Oby Morgan

In today’s episode, host Tom Ryan continues his conversation with Oby Morgan, publisher of the Western North Carolina-based business magazine Capital At Play. Starting a business-focused publication in the “print is dead” era — not to mention the middle of a recession — wasn’t the most obvious choice for a new venture. In this episode, Oby explains the driving inspirations behind starting Capital At Play, and delves into some of the unexpected challenges he has encountered along the way. Continue reading

Ep. 086 – Capital At Play’s Oby Morgan, Part 1

Oby Morgan

Oby Morgan

In today’s episode, host Tom Ryan talks with Harley “Oby” Morgan, publisher of the Western North Carolina-based business magazine Capital At Play. A native of Asheville, Oby’s keen interest in a wide variety of business topics began at the family dinner table. In 2011, bucking the trend away from new print-based publications, Oby launched Capital At Play to provide a new option for local entrepreneurs and businesspeople to gain insights into the region’s business trends. Continue reading

Getting the Most Out of Your Advertising Dollars: Finding Media/Goal Alignment

SIBP-1When you’re spending money on advertising, you want every dollar you spend to yield the maximum return. Unless you’re seriously invested in building brand awareness, chances are that result will ultimately be measured in new leads and increased sales. It’s not enough for someone to see your ad and like it, they need to be inspired to buy.

Here’s where a lot of newcomers to advertising make a big misstep: It’s not just about the ad itself. It’s also about the media the ad is running on. If you want to see great results, the media (also called the channel in this context) needs to match the message. Continue reading

Ep. 085 – Completely Changing Your Business Model: An Interview With Dr. Michael Trayford, Part 4

8-TYB600x600In this final installment of Tom Ryan’s interview with Neurologist and entrepreneur Dr. Michael Trayford, we discuss the value of content creation, the brains of entrepreneurs, some simple tips for keeping your brain in shape, and much more.

For brain training tips try listening to The Train Your Brain Podcast here. And, for more information on Apex Brain Centers click here. Continue reading

Ep. 084 – Completely Changing Your Business Model: An Interview With Dr. Michael Trayford, Part 3

8-TYB600x600In the third installment of our interview with Neurologist and entrepreneur Dr. Michael Trayford, we discuss the big shifts from moving from a traditional medical practice to a client-focused business. Dr. Trayford talks with host and coach Tom Ryan about growing this business both in brick-and-mortar world, as well as in the online realm.

For brain training tips try listening to The Train Your Brain Podcast here. And, for more information on Apex Brain Centers click here.

Continue reading