Tag Archives: Business

Posted on

Platform Conference Recap 5/10: Cliff Ravenscraft – Podcast Passion

by

If you’ve ever stumbled onto podcasts on your iTunes, iPod, or Android device one name will soon jump out at you.  Cliff Ravenscraft.  The man has been podcasting for a long time.  He could be the urban dictionary definition of a prolific podcaster with well over 3,000 to his credit to date.  I will not go into all of what he does, but do yourself a favour and visit his website and listen to a few.  You will immediately be hooked as I was years ago by the passion that almost jumps from the speakers when you listen to him.  Passion as it turns out was the topic of his presentation, the fifth to our Platform Conference.  Read on.

Microphone on stage with spotlight on red curtain

Cliff’s life story is inextricably intertwined with his passion for podcasting. He was brutally honest at the conference. You get the sense that he is this honest in all he does. It is refreshingly candid. Cliff spoke of the debt he brought to his marriage. He spoke of his calling to the ministry in the Nazarene church. He spoke of the pull of his family to work in their insurance business. In essence, Cliff is a guy like you and I. Torn.  Struggling to discern the way forward…and all the while feeling the pull to pursue the road less travelled. In his case it was podcasting.

Posted on

Platform Conference Recap: 4/10 – Jeff Goins (He’s a Writer)

by

Session number four in this epic 10 part ‘recap’ series was delivered by Jeff Goins speaking on ‘Starting From Scratch: How to build a platform with words, passion, and people’.  Last July he published his first book, Wrecked, a really genuine look at his coming to awareness that he should be doing more to serve in the world.  Over the years Jeff has developed the ability to speak on this with authority, and, having built his home base, he has come to accept the calling of being a writer.  His struggle reminds me of what I read in Steven Pressfield’s book, The War of Art.  Pressfield speaks of amateurs and professionals noting that “the amateur believes he must first overcome his fear; then he can do his work. The professional knows that fear can never be overcome. He knows there is no such thing as a fearless warrior or a dread-free artist.”  Jeff is a professional, not because one day his writing magically changed.  Rather, to me, it is because he is humbly committed to his art.  There is a ton of great content here so stick around.

Vintage Keyboard

Writing, and eventually writing as a professional, is the key component to building your home base.  Without it your space on the web is just a forwarding office for the content of others.  You have to do your own thing, mine the rich uniqueness of your life for content.  This is of interest to many more people than you would imagine.  Why?  Because it is genuine.  It is authentic.

Posted on

Platform Conference Recap: 3/10 – Michael Hyatt: Prepare to Launch

by

Resistance. What can stop you from doing what you know you can and want do? This was the key theme in Michael Hyatt’s presentation on preparing to launch. It was the second session Michael presented and the third of the Platform Conference. The concept of ‘The Resistance’ comes from Stephen Pressfield’s book, ‘The War of Art‘, and earlier in Seth Godin’s book, ‘Linchpin.’ It is not a question of ‘if’. The resistance will show up in your life. Michael’s presentation outlined the key attributes of resistance and gave us strategies for dealing with it. My recap follows below.

motherboard

The resistors in the photo above serve a function in electronics. Resistors in your life prevent or slow you down from doing what you really need to be doing serve no function other than to confirm that the resisted thing really is what you should be doing.

Posted on

4 Changes That Wrote My Wife’s Love Story (With Our Business)

by

Last week over a glass of wine with friends in Franklin, TN, my wife Christina just kind of blurted out… “I’m in love with our business again.” I just posted a recap from the recent Platform Conference on creating wow moments. Well, this statement from my wife was a real wow moment for me and I knew then that I had to capture the ‘why’ of the statement. Who knew then that this expression of love would become my ‘just a bit belated Valentines Day’ post?

bigstock-I-Love-My-Work-5834641

I love my wife. We work together in our various businesses. She is about the most capable, talented, passionate, genuine person I know in any business. We have worked together for over 10 years now. She is a tower of support to me. I am passionate about business and entrepreneurship and she has long ago learned how to be me my virtual sous-chef in the business, taking care of all the things that end up making me look good. The secret to my success? It’s all due to the support she gives me every day. I couldn’t do anything without her.

Posted on

Platform Conference Recap: Part 1/10 – Michael Hyatt

by

Wednesday was the last day of Platform Conference. I decided to attend, forgoing my annual trip to the American Rental Association trade show as these both overlapped. I am so glad that I made that decision.  I have been so inspired by the speakers. I know also that the decision was the right one for my fledgling blog, and my businesses. The content delivered by the speakers was priceless, as were the connections made over those two days in Franklin, TN. I initially thought that I would do a full recap post to pass the information on to my readers. This would also serve as a personal record for future reference of the key points that moved me. However, with around 50 pages of notes that idea has had to be revised.  I am going out on a limb here, bravely stepping out. This post will only be on the conference opening session by Michael Hyatt.  I will then publish follow on posts covering each speaker in the order that they spoke, providing the weblinks that they gave where appropriate. I plan to turn back to these posts often for the guidance I know they will give me and I urge you to do the same.  Keep in mind, though, that these notes are in no way a replacement for actually attending this conference. So much content is delivered and you simply cannot replicate the relationships you establish while chatting and breaking bread with fellow attendees and presenters. Enjoy my recap of Platform Conference Session #1 with Michael Hyatt.

Platform Conference

Michael Hyatt produced the conference along with his longtime business partner, Ken Davis. His presentation was: Platform: Developing a Framework for Success. The presentation was quick a walk-through the key areas of the Michael’s book ‘Platform: Get Noticed In A Noisy World’.