A.I., Marketing

A.I. or Die

Imagine you have a disease that is consuming your mobility…your speech. All of the tools you're accustomed to using to communicate with others are taken from you. Perhaps only months ago you were known as a compelling storyteller…a charismatic figure who could light up the room with charming wit. Now a disease has reduced you to blinking once for yes and twice for no. It's a horrible thought, but for some it's an unstoppable reality.

A.I. is changing this. It's on the verge of freeing many people from this isolation, and that is AMAZING!

This week, Sean and I catch up on life in the coffee biz, discuss the importance of honesty and transparency, and highlight some of the former science fiction that AI is making possible.

Incredible things are happening right now. Things that this nerdy kid who was raised on Star Trek never thought he'd live to see…but here we are.

In the business world, AI is empowering entrepreneurs to achieve feats that traditionally require teams of high-dollar experts. Not anymore. The playing field is more level than it has ever been in modern times. It's not too late to be one of the "early adopters" who skyrockets to success by mastering a few tools. 

Don't get sucked into the Luddite, fear-mongering click bait. Focus on the positive impacts this new technology is making and learn how to use it to improve your life and the lives of others.

FYI: That is exactly what the AI Accelerator Summit is all about – Successful entrepreneurs showing you how their businesses have been propelled by a few tools that are available to all of us. This is a FREE live event, not to be missed. You don't have to buy a seat,  but you do need to claim your free ticket: Click Here to grab a spot.   

  • An update on Sean's business
  • Stuff you probably didn't know about coffee
  • Flavor descriptions…real or marketing?
  • Spiritual Foundations: Do not lie!
  • White lies are still lies
  • Try to not tell a single lie for an entire week
  • Whatever you achieve by lying, you can only keep by lying
  • Can you be honest without being brutal?
  • Be honest with your customers even if it costs you the sale
  • The "digital me" we're using in marketing (and disclosing that fact)
  • If you're using AI, be up front!
  • The "Cynicism Tax"
  • Consumer fears of AI deception
  • What AI is making possible for those of us with physical challenges
  • Neuralink – Incredible new AI-powered technology gives ALS patient his voice back
  • The AI Accelerator Summit – Free, 3-day event where you will learn
    from 14 incredible entrepreneurs how they are using AI to accelerate
    their business

Links

How You Can Help

Subscribe to the show in Apple Podcasts or on Spotify, and give us a rating and review. Make sure you put your real name and website in the text of the review itself. We will definitely mention you on this show.

Questions or comments?

Connect with Ray on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram

Visit Ray's community on Facebook – This is a friendly group of writers, entrepreneurs, and coaches who share ideas and helpful advice.

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A.I., Internet Business, Marketing

Three Levers That Boost Your Revenue

Entrepreneurs are never in "total control" of their business. There are too many external factors that will dictate the tactics you employ.

But there are 3 fundamental principles…"Levers" you can control that will increase your revenue.

This week, Sean and I are breaking down what these "levers" are, and how to pull them for rapid growth without an army of employees or a huge ad budget.

  • Sean's philosophical football commentary
  • Spiritual Foundations: What does "prosperity" mean to you?
  • The 3 Levers that Control Your Revenue
  • You're never in full control of your business (remember government shutdowns?)
  • Lever 1: More new customers
  • New customers are expensive to acquire
  • Get better ad targeting
  • Referrals
  • Joint ventures
  • Content Marketing
  • Check out TicToc's new "Hyper-Local Focus"
  • Make sure your tactics match your brand
  • Lever 2: Higher Frequency of Purchase
  • Make special offers to your existing customers
  • Find a retainer deal if it's a fit
  • Shameless plug for Revel 77 coffee
  • Lever 3: Higher Prices
  • Higher ticket per customer
  • Offer add ons
  • A tiny Tangent about Super Sizing
  • Offer more stuff related to what you're known for
  • Using AI to push all 3 levers
  • AI Summit coming soon: Learn from successful, ethical business owners who are using AI to grow their business
  • Embrace the new tools, or go live in a shed in the woods

Links

How You Can Help

Subscribe to the show in Apple Podcasts or on Spotify, and give us a rating and review. Make sure you put your real name and website in the text of the review itself. We will definitely mention you on this show.

Questions or comments?

Connect with Ray on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram

Visit Ray's community on Facebook – This is a friendly group of writers, entrepreneurs, and coaches who share ideas and helpful advice.

Get The Transcript

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Internet Business, Marketing, Podcast

5 Keys to a Stressless and Fearless Life

A "Stressless”, "Fearless” life –

Eliminating all fear and stress from life ain’t gonna happen, BUT it is definitely possible to reduce the amounts of both…to "stress less", and "fear less". This week, I’m giving you the 5 keys to do just that…?

Click below to listen or watch.

Watch on YouTube

  • Purpose
    What is your overall mission in life? What is the reason you're driven to get out of bed each day? If you don’t know your purpose, that’s okay. It will evolve and change over time, but defining a reason is important. Pick one. I believe our mission is to become the person God made us to be. Yours may of course be different, but will likely be some version of being the best you can – physically, spiritually, and financially.
  • Gratitude
    Gratitude is a weapon! When you consciously acknowledge the things you’re grateful for, you can overpower stress and fear. Gratitude is an incredibly powerful emotion and it’s important to know the things you’re grateful for so you can wield this weapon at will.
  • Talk to Yourself More Than You Listen to Yourself
    Our thoughts can drift into territory that brings us down and can quickly spiral into catastrophic thinking if left unchecked. Be conscious of the thoughts you think…don’t let them run on autopilot. Become the programmer – Don’t run the program written by others.
  • Growth and Contribution
    In nature, you’re either growing or dying…there’s no middle ground. It is important to continue to grow as a human being and maintain a mindset (like the one described by Carol Dweck in the book, Mindset) that is conducive to that growth. According to Tony Robbins (and now accepted by many trained psychologists as truth), there are 6 basic needs that all humans must fulfil:

  • Certainty: assurance you can avoid pain and gain pleasure
  • Uncertainty/Variety: the need for the unknown, change, new stimuli
  • Significance: feeling unique, important, special or needed
  • Connection/Love: a strong feeling of closeness or union with someone or something
  • Growth: an expansion of capacity, capability or understanding
  • Contribution: a sense of service and focus on helping, giving to and supporting others

  • The Combined Fulfilment of the Need for Connection and Love
    Why these two? The needs that Tony laid out are “basic necessities”…one is no more important than the other, BUT I believe focusing on these two as your “go to” needs, will give you the most satisfaction, reward, and positivity.

Links

  • Mindset: by Carol Dweck. An excellent book that I highly recommend (not an affiliate link…just a good book)
  • The 6 Human Needs – Read more about them on Tony Robbins' official blog

How You Can Help

Subscribe to the show in Apple Podcasts or on Spotify, and give us a rating and review. Make sure you put your real name and website in the text of the review itself. We will definitely mention you on this show.

Questions or comments?

Connect with Ray on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram

Visit Ray's community on Facebook – This is a friendly group of writers, entrepreneurs, and coaches who share ideas and helpful advice.

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Coming Soon
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Life, Marketing, Podcast

$100 Million in Debt at 62

What would you do if you found yourself over $100 Million in debt at the age of 62? Would you just wait to die, and let the living deal with the aftermath…Or would you start digging yourself out of the hole?

In this episode, I want to share the story of Karl Eller. It's a quick story with a powerful message about mindset, possibilities, and not giving up. It's also a great reminder about the thing we tend to see as a handicap, age, and how it can give us an incredible power – Experience.

Click Below to Listen or Watch

  • Karl started work at an outdoor advertising company?
  • After learning and building for 16 years, he sold his company to Gannett – the company that owned USA Today
  • He spent 3 years running Columbia Pictures
  • While looking for something to do, Karl and a small group of investors decide to get into the convenient store business
  • He built Circle K to be the 2nd biggest chain of convenient stores in the world, second only to 7-11
  • Circle K began losing money, eventually costing Karl his entire personal fortune (over $500m), and leaving him $100M in debt.
  • Karl headed back to Arizona where he purchased a small outdoor advertising company
  • In 5 years, he was able to sell that company to Clear Channel Communications for over a billion dollars

Watch on YouTube

Links

How You Can Help

Subscribe to the show in Apple Podcasts or on Spotify, and give us a rating and review. Make sure you put your real name and website in the text of the review itself. We will definitely mention you on this show.

Questions or comments?

Connect with Ray on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram

Visit Ray's community on Facebook – This is a friendly group of writers, entrepreneurs, and coaches who share ideas and helpful advice.

Get The Transcript

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Internet Business, Marketing, Podcast

Create for an Audience of One

You create content to build an audience…not the other way around!

This week, I'm proposing that you create your content for an audience of one, and my guest, Jody Maberry, is living proof that this strategy works.

There are only two ingredients to this recipe:

– Do content that you're passionate about.
– Show Up.

It's as simple as that. And, if you have any doubts about your abilities or my advice, perhaps Jody's story will boost your confidence in both.

Click below to listen or watch.

  • You don't need a big audience to launch
  • Jody started his podcast for park rangers with an audience of zero
  • Read Kevin Kelly's book: 1,000 True Fans (linked below)
  • Jody built another podcast literally for 1 specific person
  • Do consistent production about content you're passionate about
  • Don't concern yourself with audience size – be consistent. Show up!

Links

How You Can Help

Subscribe to the show in Apple Podcasts or on Spotify, and give us a rating and review. Make sure you put your real name and website in the text of the review itself. We will definitely mention you on this show.

Questions or comments?

Connect with Ray on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram

Visit Ray's community on Facebook – This is a friendly group of writers, entrepreneurs, and coaches who share ideas and helpful advice.

Get The Transcript

Right-click and “Save As” to Get the PDF Transcript.

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