$6 million in Annual Recurring Revenue in 17 Months (video)

In this Expert Insight Interview, Stefan Smulders discusses how he bootstrapped his way to $6 million in Annual Recurring Revenue (ARR) in just 17 months. Stefan Smulders is from the Netherlands, and he is the co-founder of Expandi.io.

This Expert Insight Interview discusses:

His beginnings in the field of lead generation
How he found the gap in the market for Expandi.io
Why and how Expandi.io was created

Leadexpress

Stefan started another SaaS company called Leadexpress five years ago. The purpose of this software was to identify website visitors. He and his colleagues tried to grow that company in a traditional way with paid advertisements and other typical marketing techniques. The growth they had achieved was not bad, but not great either.

According to Stefan, the challenge there was that everybody likes to see who is visiting their website, but they actually don’t know how to get calls and appointments based on that information.

Learning About LinkedIn

The problems with Leadexpress challenged Stefan more than four years ago to see if he could make acquisitions in a much more modern way. He jumped into LinkedIn, having just 43 connections at that time. He had never used this social network for commercial purposes before that.

To push himself a bit harder, he decided to subscribe to Sales Navigator, and he immediately fell in love with the platform. By using all the filters available there, he could easily find his ICP and his target audience. The only problem was that it wasn’t all that easy for him to approach these people.

Birth of Expandi.io

He decided that he needed to do his homework a bit better. In the following three months, he invested all of his available time into understanding how to contact and engage with people on LinkedIn. In just three months, this became his number one lead channel.

As you can imagine, the only challenge was that he was wasting too much time making all these manual connections. He decided to be clever about it and find software that could automate some repetitive tasks on LinkedIn. Although many of these services have excellent features, they are almost exclusively designed for single users. Because of this and other problems with the software available out there, Stefan and his technical co-founder Glen Miseroy decided to create their own tool, which is how Expandi.io was born.

Our Host

John is the Amazon bestselling author of Winning the Battle for Sales: Lessons on Closing Every Deal from the World’s Greatest Military Victories and Social Upheaval: How to Win at Social Selling. A globally acknowledged Sales & Marketing thought leader, speaker, and strategist, he has conducted over 1500 video interviews of thought leaders for Sales POP! online sales magazine & YouTube Channel and for audio podcast channels where Sales POP! is rated in the top 2% of most popular shows out of 3,320,580 podcasts globally, ranked by Listen Score. He is CSMO at Pipeliner CRM. In his spare time, John is an avid Martial Artist.

Thriving In An Era Of Never Normal (video)

In this Expert Insight Interview, Ira Wolfe discusses thriving in an era of never normal. Ira Wolfe is from Success Performance Solutions and is a millennial trapped in a baby-boomer body and the world’s first Chief Googlization Officer.

This Expert Insight Interview discusses:

Never normal and the era of perpetual uncertainty
Why the concept of normal is outdated
How to deal with change through adaptability and innovation

Never Normal

The reality is that we live in an era of perpetual uncertainty. Most people agree we’re never going back to normal, but finding normality, whether it is new normal or never normal, is really dangerous because it gives us safety and comfort, allowing us to become complacent.

We live in a world that is volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous. Things will continually change at an increasing pace, but that doesn’t mean we can’t become comfortable. The ultimate secret to thriving in the era of never normal is becoming comfortable with being uncomfortable.

Disruptions and Paradigm Shifts

If you think about it, as well as paradigm shifts, we’re also having major disruptions coming pretty frequently. In fact, they’re coming with almost predictable frequency at this point. So, we live in an era of flux, and it is happening all around us, yet we’re always desperately trying to control instead of learning how to go with the flow.

All of this goes back to the concept of normal and what someone feels is normal. This concept is constantly evolving, which can best be seen in the example of the pandemic and how quickly we’ve all gotten used to wearing masks in public places. Now, most people would feel uncomfortable walking into a crowded public space without a mask, while 18 months ago, we never even considered wearing them.

Adaptability and Innovation

Another reason we have to get away from the idea of normal is that everyone’s normal is different. Therefore, there is no such thing as normal. The idea of never normal is so important nowadays because it focuses on adapting and reacting to whatever comes along.

We need to be innovative and agile in our approach to change — this is the skillset that will determine success and failure in the years to come.

Our Host

John is the Amazon bestselling author of Winning the Battle for Sales: Lessons on Closing Every Deal from the World’s Greatest Military Victories and Social Upheaval: How to Win at Social Selling. A globally acknowledged Sales & Marketing thought leader, speaker, and strategist, he has conducted over 1500 video interviews of thought leaders for Sales POP! online sales magazine & YouTube Channel and for audio podcast channels where Sales POP! is rated in the top 2% of most popular shows out of 3,320,580 podcasts globally, ranked by Listen Score. He is CSMO at Pipeliner CRM. In his spare time, John is an avid Martial Artist.

Facebook and Instagram Ad Strategy That Works (video)

In this Expert Insight Interview, Meredith Kallaher discusses the Facebook and Instagram ad strategy that is working right now. Meredith Kallaher creates big value for business owners by connecting them with their ideal customers and clients using creative, strategic and authentic digital advertisements.

This Expert Insight Interview discusses:

Why this topic is important to talk about at this point in time
The differences and similarities between Facebook and Instagram ads
Why it is crucial to understand your target audience first

Big Changes

Many people get into Facebook or Instagram ads because they feel like they should be doing them, as opposed to strategically approaching them. Then they do them a bit half-heartedly, because they don’t really know how to do it properly.

Another reason this topic is important to talk about now is the fact that there have been some significant changes from Facebook in response to Apple’s latest iOS 14. Namely, Apple updated its privacy rules, making its customers happy, but throwing a wrench into Facebook and Instagram advertising.

Facebook vs Instagram

Most people already know this, but it might be worth mentioning that Facebook owns Instagram, so when we talk about the general rules that apply to one platform, they more-often-than-not apply to the other one as well.

Marketers can create campaigns for both Facebook and Instagram through their Facebook dashboards, so it is safe to say that these two marketing channels are closely connected and intertwined. Therefore, when we talk about Facebook ads, we really mean Instagram ads as well.

Understanding Your Target Audience

Sometimes we see Facebook and Instagram marketers going into their campaigns trying to target as broad an audience as possible, which often leads to them spending a lot of money without really achieving any significant results. This is because targeting is crucial when it comes to digital advertising, and Facebook is no different.

This is especially the case with smaller, new companies, as all they’re looking for is to grow profits as fast as possible, which means they think they should be targeting everybody. In fact, the best way to approach Facebook and Instagram advertising is to spend some time targeting and understanding your ideal audience first.

Our Host

John is the Amazon bestselling author of Winning the Battle for Sales: Lessons on Closing Every Deal from the World’s Greatest Military Victories and Social Upheaval: How to Win at Social Selling. A globally acknowledged Sales & Marketing thought leader, speaker, and strategist, he has conducted over 1500 video interviews of thought leaders for Sales POP! online sales magazine & YouTube Channel and for audio podcast channels where Sales POP! is rated in the top 2% of most popular shows out of 3,320,580 podcasts globally, ranked by Listen Score. He is CSMO at Pipeliner CRM. In his spare time, John is an avid Martial Artist.

How to Get Started as a Copywriter (video)

In this Expert Insight Interview, Nicki Krawczyk discusses how to get started as a copywriter. Nicki Krawczyk runs Filthy Rich Writer. She’s been a copywriter for 15+ years, working for agencies in-house and as a freelancer. She created Filthy Rich Writer because there’s never been a better time to be a copywriter.

This Expert Insight Interview discusses:

Why there has never been a better time to be a copywriter
The differences between copy and content
How to make sure you hire the right person for the job

Golden Age of Copywriting

There’s never been a better time to be a copywriter. There has never been a time before when companies had more appreciation for good marketing, and as part of that, good messaging. Obviously, companies understood marketing and advertising in the past, but they are more educated about it than ever, and they appreciate the skills involved.

Aside from the appreciation for good messaging, there’s also so much noise in terms of content being written and pumped out, and the standards vary dramatically. This means that when people run into well-written, well-thought-out content, they tend to appreciate it more.

Copy vs. Content

There is a difference between copy and content. Copy is written to market and advertise, and content is designed to educate, entertain or inspire. For better or worse, there is a lot of content being pumped out, and the barrier to entry for writers is much lower.

This unfortunately also means that copywriting is a churn and burn industry, and it’s hard to make money at it. On the other hand, copywriting is a skilled industry, so copywriters are thankfully paid a lot more because of their skill and what they bring to the table when working with companies and organizations.

Hiring the Right People

Too many businesses today use content writers to write copy, not really knowing the difference between the two. Being able to convey ideas with brevity and really focus the message to the right audience takes a set of skills not found lightly.

When companies use content writers to write copy, they tend to get a product that isn’t that well thought out, concise, or brief. A great way to prevent this is to ask the writer you intend to hire about the difference between copy and content. If they can’t clearly explain how the two are different, run the other way.

Our Host

John is the Amazon bestselling author of Winning the Battle for Sales: Lessons on Closing Every Deal from the World’s Greatest Military Victories and Social Upheaval: How to Win at Social Selling. A globally acknowledged Sales & Marketing thought leader, speaker, and strategist, he has conducted over 1500 video interviews of thought leaders for Sales POP! online sales magazine & YouTube Channel and for audio podcast channels where Sales POP! is rated in the top 2% of most popular shows out of 3,320,580 podcasts globally, ranked by Listen Score. He is CSMO at Pipeliner CRM. In his spare time, John is an avid Martial Artist.

Individuality in the Context of Work (video)

In this Expert Insight Interview, Shelley Brown discusses individuality in the context of work. The Original Weird Girl — Shelley Brown recently released a book called Weird Girl Adventures From A to Z.

This Expert Insight Interview discusses:

The value of individuality in a business setting
Why conformity leads to many missed opportunities
How companies can help people express themselves in the work environment

Individuality vs Familiarity

As humans, we like a certain amount of individuality, but we also like a certain number of things we’re familiar with. This is especially true when we hire people and build teams. In these situations, we’re primarily looking for familiarity because we know how to deal with particular types of people.

When somebody is far away from what we’re familiar with, it puts us outside our comfort zone, which can be tricky, especially in a business setting.

Value of Individuality

We have an idea of what we want people to look like, so we look at individuality as something that separates us when it is really what unites us. When we look at people as a specific type of “avatar” looking for them to fit in, we’re missing out on many different types of people who can be innovative, divergent thinkers and bring different things to the table.

Individuality is an extraordinary way to bring people together, and it should never be underestimated, in business or otherwise. Doing so could lead to many missed opportunities when it comes to expanding our minds and helping us think outside the box.

Work Persona

There is a certain amount of pressure on people when they go to work to adopt a persona and conform. At the very least, people feel this pressure, whether this behavior is actually expected of them or not.

Almost everybody has a “work persona”, and this side of you may not be your authentic self. We do this because we don’t necessarily feel comfortable about expressing our authentic selves. Still, companies, managers, and executives can not only help bring out the individuality in their employees but also help them channel it in the right way.

Our Host

John is the Amazon bestselling author of Winning the Battle for Sales: Lessons on Closing Every Deal from the World’s Greatest Military Victories and Social Upheaval: How to Win at Social Selling. A globally acknowledged Sales & Marketing thought leader, speaker, and strategist, he has conducted over 1500 video interviews of thought leaders for Sales POP! online sales magazine & YouTube Channel and for audio podcast channels where Sales POP! is rated in the top 2% of most popular shows out of 3,320,580 podcasts globally, ranked by Listen Score. He is CSMO at Pipeliner CRM. In his spare time, John is an avid Martial Artist.

The Science of Anti-Aging and How to Live to be 120 (video)

In this Expert Insight Interview, Stephen Petteruti discusses the science of anti-aging and how to live to be 120. Stephen Petteruti is the founder of Functional Medicine, a family physician, research and development speaker, and author of The Cancer Machine.

This Expert Insight Interview discusses:

The stigmatization of anti-aging
How to successfully set your anti-aging objectives
Why fitness doesn’t guarantee a long and healthy life

Anti-Aging and Modern Medicine

When people hear about the science of anti-aging, the first thing that probably springs to mind for most is expensive cosmetics and even more expensive cosmetic surgery. However, aging is the most significant risk factor that compromises human health and vitality. The strange thing is that the science to combat aging is available, but it isn’t really included in modern medicine.

There’s a perception of anti-aging as a frivolous, purely aesthetic pursuit for the rich and vain. The truth is that there are two sides to the story — people do need to be cautious about following the breadcrumbs to a black hole of false hope, but on the flip side, the science is real, and it has been pushed forward rapidly.

Personal Objectives

Like with any other endeavor, the first thing a person on an anti-aging journey needs to do is set the objective. Rather than simply accepting the status quo, we are more likely to succeed if we orient ourselves towards a specific goal.

When Dr Steve talks about living to be 120, he doesn’t simply mean achieving this number of years but living at full capacity until a very advanced age. The challenge to achieving this goal is knowing what to apply and when. This is one of the things that his work in intellectual medicine hopes to guide people towards.

Fitness vs Longevity

There’s a difference between fitness/athleticism and longevity. Having six-pack abs doesn’t guarantee that you won’t keel over with a heart attack next month. Unfortunately, untimely deaths of top-level athletes are well-documented, not to mention the burnout and bodily deterioration widely associated with professional sports.

The truth is that every human being needs to find what form of anti-aging therapy they need and how it fits their lifestyle and budget. Dr Steve believes that everyone should be doing some form of anti-aging; it is just a matter of figuring out what provides you with the best value.

Our Host

John is the Amazon bestselling author of Winning the Battle for Sales: Lessons on Closing Every Deal from the World’s Greatest Military Victories and Social Upheaval: How to Win at Social Selling. A globally acknowledged Sales & Marketing thought leader, speaker, and strategist, he has conducted over 1500 video interviews of thought leaders for Sales POP! online sales magazine & YouTube Channel and for audio podcast channels where Sales POP! is rated in the top 2% of most popular shows out of 3,320,580 podcasts globally, ranked by Listen Score. He is CSMO at Pipeliner CRM. In his spare time, John is an avid Martial Artist.

Connection Between Success in Fitness and Business (video)

In this Expert Insight Interview, Nick Shaw discusses fitness for success. Nick Shaw is the founder and CEO of Renaissance Periodization, a diet and fitness company founded on evidence-based practices to help its members achieve their health, athletic, performance, and physical goals.

This Expert Insight Interview discusses:

The connection between mental and physical fitness
The importance of discipline and paying attention to the fundamentals
How instant gratification is hampering our progress

Mental vs Physical Fitness

People often separate mental and physical fitness, considering them two entirely separate things. According to Nick Shaw, the processes involved in these two types of fitness are actually very similar. No matter what you want to be successful at — fitness, business, or overcoming adversity — there is a handful of traits that help you achieve your goals.

In other words, the same principles that one would apply to fitness also apply to business. A great example of this is discipline and having a longer-term time horizon, enabling us to delay gratification.

Discipline Is the Key

Naturally, most people want to eat great-tasting food and sit on the couch watching TV — taking the easy route. However, this is probably not best for our long-term health and fitness. A similar principle can be applied to business and sales.

Most highly successful business executives probably weren’t born as skilled salespeople and negotiators, nor did they succeed overnight. There’s usually a lot of hard work, studying and practicing involved so that one can lay the foundation for their future success. In business, just like in fitness, you must understand that you need to put in the work and gradually improve until you achieve your goals.

The Instant Gratification Trap

We live in a world where everything is supposed to be easy, and instant gratification is around every corner and at our fingertips. As great as this may sound, it has gotten into people’s psyche, and more and more of us are no longer prepared to wait for results, whether in fitness or business.

If you think about it, nobody would expect to look like a world-class bodybuilder within a month of starting to lift weights. Still, in other pursuits, we tend to get carried away and believe that if we’re not instantly successful, we’ve failed.

Our Host

John is the Amazon bestselling author of Winning the Battle for Sales: Lessons on Closing Every Deal from the World’s Greatest Military Victories and Social Upheaval: How to Win at Social Selling. A globally acknowledged Sales & Marketing thought leader, speaker, and strategist, he has conducted over 1500 video interviews of thought leaders for Sales POP! online sales magazine & YouTube Channel and for audio podcast channels where Sales POP! is rated in the top 2% of most popular shows out of 3,320,580 podcasts globally, ranked by Listen Score. He is CSMO at Pipeliner CRM. In his spare time, John is an avid Martial Artist.

Helping Investors Break Through Their Limiting Beliefs (video)

In this Expert Insight Interview, Nick Prefontaine discusses helping investors break through their limiting beliefs and build a real estate business that serves their lives. Nick Prefontaine is a Buyer Specialist from Smart Real Estate Coach, specializing in helping associates from all over the country work with buyers.

This Expert Insight Interview discusses:

How to get started in real estate
How to get around dealing with banks and loans
Choosing the right properties to invest in

Getting Started

If you’re looking to get started in real estate, you just have to do something. Look, evaluate, do the due diligence, but don’t get stuck researching because you’ll never get anything done. Pick the niche that makes the most sense to you and get going.

Those wondering whether this is a good time to get involved in real estate should know that there’s no better time to take the plunge than with the market on fire like it is today. That said, Nick was quick to point out that him and his company don’t advise using personal credit to purchase property.

Avoiding Personal Credit

There’s a large portion of the market that needs help. Even though it’s easier to get a loan today than it was a few years ago, it is still difficult. Dealing with banks is still a challenge and the underwriting standards are still very difficult, so roughly 80% of the market can’t even get a loan today.

The reasons for this are many, including death, divorce, job relocation, and many other unpredictable and life-changing scenarios. Signing a lease-purchase agreement is one of the ways of getting around this problem.

Picking the Right Property

Most people think that, to invest in real estate, they need to take out a mortgage and buy something, but there are many different ways to get involved in the market. There is also a wide variety of properties you can choose to invest in, and getting this right can be the difference between success and failure.

The properties that Nick focuses on are nice homes that are fairly move-in ready in nice areas, but for whatever reason, they weren’t able to sell. That’s where he comes in with his company, purchases the property and puts the wheels in motion to get a buyer for the home.

Our Host

John is the Amazon bestselling author of Winning the Battle for Sales: Lessons on Closing Every Deal from the World’s Greatest Military Victories and Social Upheaval: How to Win at Social Selling. A globally acknowledged Sales & Marketing thought leader, speaker, and strategist, he has conducted over 1500 video interviews of thought leaders for Sales POP! online sales magazine & YouTube Channel and for audio podcast channels where Sales POP! is rated in the top 2% of most popular shows out of 3,320,580 podcasts globally, ranked by Listen Score. He is CSMO at Pipeliner CRM. In his spare time, John is an avid Martial Artist.