The Business Life Podcast #021 - One thing that will dramatically increase your productivity

TBL: 021 – One thing that will dramatically increase your productivity

The Business Life Podcast #021 - One thing that will dramatically increase your productivityAchievement is really nothing more than doing small, specific tasks that lead to a desired result.

And to have long-term, sustained success in our business, we need to have many achievements along the way. So, it should come as no surprise that in order to have many achievements, we need to be PRODUCTIVE.

Yes, productivity!  A concept that we focus on a lot, but often have trouble mastering. There are so many reasons that we fail to be productive on a consistent basis: distractions, interruptions and an overwhelming amount of demands to name a few.

But, I’ll argue that there is ONE reason that keeps us from being productive more than any of the rest, and that’s simply not completing tasks. That’s right: productivity only comes from completing tasks. Things that are half-done aren’t worth much in most cases. And, when we get a stockpile of uncompleted tasks, it completely ruins our ability to be productive.

In today’s episode, I’m sharing 4 tips you can use to ensure you’re completing tasks and not just working on them! Take a listen!

Key takeaways from this episode:

  • The most common causes for a lack or loss of productivity.
  • What it’s costing you and your business by not completing tasks.
  • Four ways for how to do a better job of completing tasks and dramatically increase your productivity.

Another resource to help increase your productivity:

“Scheduling Your Day Like a Pro.”  Learn to become highly efficient and highly proactive in your business with my online course in time management and productivity!  YES, I’D LIKE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS! » »

Was this episode helpful for you? If so…:

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My email Community is a prosperous group of business professionals that engage, share and aspire to continuously improve their business and life.

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Let’s connect online! I really enjoy getting to know other small business owners and sales professionals, and providing value.

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The Business Life Podcast #020 - Sam Unruh, Unruh Furniture

TBL: 020 – From hobby to scalable business with Sam Unruh, founder of Unruh Furniture

Unruh Furniture - bed and dresserA couple of years ago, I had the pleasure of purchasing a custom-made desk for my home office (see further down in this post!) It’s the absolute favorite part of my office. Honestly, I look forward to going to work each day partially because I have this big, beautiful desk to sit at. It makes work fun!

I have Unruh Furniture to thank for my desk! Unruh Furniture is a custom furniture making company based in Kansas City, with a location in Dallas as well. My wife and I discovered their company back when I was looking for a new desk, and have been huge fans ever since. It was during our tour of their shop that we became fascinated with their approach to building custom furniture: their business model was incredible.

We’ve watched their company grow over the years and love seeing the story behind every piece of furniture they build. So, when I had the opportunity to interview the founder and owner of Unruh Furniture, Sam Unruh, for my podcast, I was thrilled! Take a listen at how Sam turned his hobby of furniture making into a full-time, scalable business!

About Sam Unruh and Unruh Furniture

Sam Unruh - owner of Unruh Furniture

LIKE MOST GOOD STORIES MINE STARTED WITH A GIRL.

I married Hayley with all kinds of dreams in my heart and she gave me the courage to walk them out. I am from Kansas City and she is from Texas, and in college we met at a camp called Barnabas. It took her some time to catch up to my feelings but as soon as she did I married her. Today we have four kids, twenty employees, and all kinds of joy.

When she was pregnant with our first she talked me into quitting my real job so I could attempt to make furniture for a living. We started out in our little detached garage outside of Kansas City. After a year in the backyard we bought an old house to fix up into a shop.

We quickly grew into a bigger shop, and then a bigger one after that. I hired my first employee, Robb, back in the blue house, and by the time we got into our third building I had seven awesome employees.

In 2015 I was again in need of a bigger shop, and desiring an even bigger adventure. So I bought a 100-year-old church in the heart of Kansas City. I had learned by this time that the people who bought furniture from me were fans of a good story, and I knew this old church would be just that.

It was a massive undertaking. I first had to petition the City and the neighborhood in order to get permission to build furniture inside a historic church, located inside a residential neighborhood. It was a big ask, but after nine months of being a politician I got the approval.

Once I finally bought the building in November, 2015 we spent the next year renovating it out from top to bottom. There was no heating and cooling, no electrical, no plumbing. It was a huge renovation, but so worth the risk! We started constructing furniture inside the church in October of 2016.

And in the summer of 2017 Hayley (Texan) and I (Kansas Citian) decided it was time to expand the operation to Dallas, TX. We flew down in June to look at showroom spaces, and decided on the Brake & Clutch Warehouse in Deep Ellum. It too was a big renovation, and in January of 2018 we loaded up two box-truck’s worth of furniture and created a new showroom.

Our plan is to make the Kansas City & Dallas furniture inside the church until this summer, when we hope to open a separate manufacturing space in Dallas so that we can handcraft the Dallas orders locally.

Right now there are around twenty of us here, and I can say with great sincerity that we all really like what we do. I am very much hoping our story is still in the early chapters. We’ll be sure to keep you updated as we grow.

Key takeaways from this episode:

  • How Sam got started with custom furniture making as a hobby and the journey into a full-time, growing business.
  • How Unruh Furniture’s business model has allowed them to both scale their business and stand out in the industry.
  • Sam’s insights for lifestyle and work habits that has allowed him to run a successful company.

Andrew’s Desk Built by Unruh Furniture!

Isn’t this the most beautiful desk you’ve ever seen?

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The Business Life Podcast #019 - Business Networking Success

TBL: 019 – Determine how and where to spend your time networking

The Business Life podcast #019 - Determine how and where to spend your time networkingIf you have a local business, are B2B or are a service-based business, networking is a great way to grow your business and build relationships.

But, networking can be a gigantic waste of time too, if not done correctly!

There are so many ways to network with others these days: networking groups, events, industry related associations, one-on-one meetings, social media;  it’s overwhelming! How do we decide where we should be networking? How do we decide how much time we should be networking each week? How do we decide what type of networking is going to give us the greatest return on our investment?

These are all questions that you need to answer if you want to make the most of your business networking opportunities. In this episode of The Business Life Podcast, I go in-depth on how you can decide where and how you should be networking to make it an effective part of your business strategy. Take a listen and be sure to download the free Networking Worksheet below that goes along with the episode!

Key takeaways from this episode:

  • How to determine where your target customers and clients are networking so that you have the best chance of meeting the right people.
  • Decide what value you want to receive by networking, as well as what value you can offer to people you are networking with.
  • Determining if the amount of time and commitment you are spending networking is really worth it.

Resource mentioned in this episode:

NETWORKING WORKSHEET.  This worksheet is designed to help you answer the questions of who, where and how to network for your business to get the best return on your investment!

By entering your information, you're also joining my email Community! My email Community is a prosperous group of business professionals that engage, share and aspire to continuously improve their business and life.

Was this episode helpful for you? If so…:

Subscribe to The Business Life podcast on iTunes [⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ I would love a review as well]!

Let’s connect online! I really enjoy getting to know other small business owners and sales professionals, and providing value.

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The Business Life Podcast #018 - 5 Ways to Grow Any Business with Jason Skinner from The Business Made Easy Podcast

TBL: 018 – 5 Tips for Growing Any Business with Jason Skinner of the Business Made Easy Podcast

The Business Life Podcast #018 - 5 Ways to Grow Any Business with Jason Skinner from the Business Made Easy PodcastFellow podcaster and business consultant, Jason Skinner, from the Business Made Easy Podcast joins me on the show!

Jason and I got acquainted after we both joined a course for new podcasters. As I was in the first stages of getting my show up and rolling, there was always one guy in the course encouraging and helping not just me, but all the other podcasters in the group too; and that was Jason.

I appreciated how he was helping others so much that I started following along with his journey and learned what an incredible person and business owner he is. I’ve become a frequent listener of his podcast and truly appreciate his straight-forward, effective approach to business. If you’re looking for another great business podcast, I would very much recommend you add the Business Made Easy Podcast to your library!

In this episode, I visit with Jason about his journey as an entrepreneur, how he’s developed a knack for serving other business owners and he also shares 5 Ways to Grow Any Business.  Take a listen and be sure to snag the free resources below!

About Jason Skinner and the Business Made Easy Podcast

The Business Life Podcast #018 - 5 Ways to Grow Any Business with Jason Skinner from the Business Made Easy Podcast

Jason Skinner is the voice, heart and soul of The Business Made Easy Podcast and owner of Skinner Hamilton Accountants & Business Consultants. His passion for helping business owners inspired him to come out from behind the desk and bring his knowledge and experience to everyday business owners all over the world. A combination of simple to understand language and tried and tested business strategies has made Jason a favorite in over 20 countries.

Key takeaways from this episode:

  • Jason’s entrepreneurial journey to owning his own accounting and business consulting firm, and the Business Made Easy Podcast.
  • Jason’s techniques for how to develop a knack for helping others.
  • Reasons why businesses decline or fail, and the best way to prevent that from happening. (with a free resource!)
  • “5 Ways to Grow Any Business,” with resources to help you implement Jason’s strategies.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

The Business Made Easy Podcast Episode #12: “The 5 Key Ways to Grow Any Business” with “5 Ways to Grow Free Calculator.”

Jason’s “Free Business Plan on a Page” download.

Jason’s recommendation for his favorite business book:

The links below are my affiliate links, which means that if you choose to make a purchase, I will earn a commission. This commission comes at no additional cost to you!

Like this episode?

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The Business Life Podcast #017 - How to upsell and increase revenue in business.

TBL: 017 – How to upsell and increase your revenue.

The Business Life Podcast #017 - How to upsell and increase your revenueOne of the easiest ways to increase revenue in your business is through upselling.

What is upselling? Providing additional products or services that compliment a product or service that you’re already selling to a customer. As you’ll hear in this episode, not only does upselling provide more revenue for you, but if done correctly, it also creates more satisfied customers.

Upselling is just like any other skill though; it must be developed and practiced. In this episode, I’m sharing three tips you can use to develop your strategy for upselling. I’ll give you a hint, it has to do with:

• Knowing your products and services

• Knowing what questions to ask

• And learning how to think ahead

Take a listen and start making the most of each transaction with your customer through upselling!

Key takeaways from this episode:

  • Why upselling is one of the easiest ways to bring in additional revenue for your business.
  • How you can provide a better customer experience and have happier customers by upselling.
  • Three techniques you can easily implement in your business to upsell.
  • A list of examples and common questions that will help you upsell.

Resource mentioned in this episode:

UPSELLING WORKSHEET.  This worksheet is designed to help you organize your products, services and questions so that you’re prepared to offer additional upsells to customers. Keep this sheet handy with you at all times!

By entering your information, you're also joining my email Community! My email Community is a prosperous group of business professionals that engage, share and aspire to continuously improve their business and life.

Was this episode helpful for you? If so…:

Subscribe to The Business Life podcast on iTunes [⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ I would love a review as well]!

Let’s connect online! I really enjoy getting to know other small business owners and sales professionals, and providing value.

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The Business Life Podcast #016 - Getting your workspace physically organized.

TBL: 016 – Increasing business efficiency by physically organizing your workspace.

Andrew Heim's organized office - workspaceDropping the ball. Lack of motivation. No progress towards goals. Procrastination. A wandering mind. Inefficiency. A poor attitude.

Have you experienced any of these in your business? If so, it could be caused by your workspace being physically disorganized. In this episode, I give three tips for getting your workspace physically organized, increasing your efficiency and ultimately your business’ profitability. LISTEN IN!

Key takeaways from this episode:

  • The negative business side effects of having a workspace that is not organized.
  • Three steps you can take to get your desk, office and workspace physically organized.
  • What to do with all that paperwork, mail and stuff that you may or may not need some day.
  • How to decide what to keep and get rid of in your office.

Some resources to help you get your workspace organized:

WORKSPACE ORGANIZATION CHECKLIST.  Download this checklist so that you can start getting your office, desk and workspace organized a little at a time, without it feeling overwhelming!

By entering your information, you're also joining my email Community! My email Community is a prosperous group of business professionals that engage, share and aspire to continuously improve their business and life.

ONLINE BACKUP SYSTEM I RECOMMEND.

I have been using iDrive to back up my computers and phones for years now. If you’re filing papers or other important files on your computer, tablet or phone, it’s so important to have an offsite backup! If you’re interested in using iDrive, here’s a link where you can learn more about it and get started today! Note: this is my affiliate link, which means that if you choose to make a purchase, I will earn a commission. This commission comes at no additional cost to you! https://www.idrive.com/idrive/signup?p=andrewheim

SHOW ME YOUR OFFICE!

Head on over to my Facebook Page (@andrewheimbiz) or Instagram Account (@andrewheimbiz) and send me a before/after photo of your office! The best transformation is going to win a bag of my favorite local KC coffee!

Subscribe to The Business Life podcast on iTunes [⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ I would love a review as well]!

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The Business Life Podcast #015 - Simplifying business and increasing profitability

TBL: 015 – Simplifying business and increasing profitability

The Business Life Podcast #015 - Simplifying business and increasing profitability.Business shouldn’t be a daily grind and headache where you’re struggling to be profitable.

If it is, it may be time to look at simplifying your business. What are you doing well that’s really working and is worth your time? What things seem to take too long and don’t give you a great return on your investment?

The strong, successful businesses that I work with have learned to simplify their business and focus on what makes them successful. Not only does this reduce their stress, it leads to more profitability!

In this episode, I’ll walk you through ways to evaluate what’s making your business successful and maybe some things you should cut out. We’ll also discuss how to focus your effort and energy on the right things, become more efficient and increase your profitability.  LISTEN IN!

Key takeaways from this episode:

  • What indicators to look at when you’re trying to simplify your business.
  • How to cut out areas of your business that cause a lot of stress and make room for areas that offer more opportunity and higher profitability.
  • How to increase efficiency in sectors of your business that slow you down or take up a lot of your resources.

Get some help simplifying your business and becoming more profitable:

One-on-One Coaching.  The fastest way to start making changes and simplifying your business is by enlisting an outsider’s perspective. I’ve been able to help business owners and sales professionals identify ways to focus on what makes them successful and drives their business forward. Sometimes, all it takes to turn your good business into a GREAT business is a plan and a little help.

Join other like-minded, proactive business professionals!

  • Get in on the conversation: Follow along with me on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn as we have great business discussions!
  • Join my email community of business professionals: My email Community is a prosperous group of business professionals that engage, share and aspire to continuously improve their business and life.
  • Subscribe to The Business Life podcast on iTunes [⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ I would love a review as well]!
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The Business Life Podcast #013 - Sales 101 - The art of selling and reaching sales goals with Luke Sigle, The Vernon Company

TBL: 014 – Sales 101 – The art of selling and reaching your sales goals with Luke Sigle, The Vernon Company

Sales 101 - Reaching sales goals with Luke Sigle of The Vernon CompanyInvariably, successful businesses and business professionals are great at selling. After all, no sales equals no income!

Selling is typically not a skill that’s inherent or developed overnight. To start with, there’s always the fear of rejection. Even if you overcome that huge obstacle, there’s an art to selling that separates OK sales professionals from the GREAT sales professionals.

Me personally, I’ve had to work hard on honing my salesmanship, but the time I have spent doing so has paid off big time. The good news is anyone can become great at sales with the right strategies, techniques and lots of practice!

My guest on The Business Life podcast today is what I would call a Master of Sales. Luke Sigle is an account executive at The Vernon Company, one of the top 25 promotional products companies in the U.S. He was recently named the #1 account executive by volume at The Vernon Company out of 230. In today’s episode, Luke talks about his success in sales and how he’s been able to reach his sales goals. Take a listen!

About Luke Sigle & The Vernon Company

Luke Sigle is an account executive at The Vernon Company, the inventor of The Pick Hat and founder of the Mighty Micah Foundation.

The Vernon Company

Promotional products and apparel provide a low cost per impression marketing avenue that resonates with recipients. The true value of promotional items come from the impact they create between an organization and their customers, prospects or employees.

The Vernon Company helps deliver exceptional value to my customers through safe products, delivered on time at a great price. We provide a variety of services including promotional products, screen printed & embroidered apparel, domestic and overseas caps, customer importing, client web stores, product warehousing and order fulfillment.

The Pick Hat

The Pick Hat (QickPick LLC) custom caps have a pocket built into the visor for easy access and prominent display of a guitar pick. The perfect blend of products for guitar & music enthusiasts.

ThePickHat.com

Mighty Micah Foundation

The Mighty Micah Foundation was founded in January 2016 after the death of Micah Elizabeth Sigle. Our mission is to support families in the NICU. We are excited to announce a new initiative called the Mighty Micah Foundation Research Fund. Our goal is to establish a research grant focused on Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia (CDH) and related treatments. Your generous gift will help raise the necessary money to award a scientific researcher a very important financial grant.

Learn more by visiting www.MightyMicahFoundation.org.

To give visit mightymicah.networkforgood.com/

Key takeaways from this episode:

  • How Luke was able to achieve his goal of becoming the #1 account executive by volume at The Vernon Company.
  • Tips for sales prospecting and delivering your sales pitch.
  • Tips for becoming comfortable with selling and communicating with your customers.
  • Luke’s lifestyle habits that help him be a successful sales professional.

Sales books recommended by Luke:

The links below are my affiliate links, which means that if you choose to make a purchase, I will earn a commission. This commission comes at no additional cost to you!

Like this episode?

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The Business Life podcast - Where success is a lifestyle, not a measurement.

TBL: 013 – Are you a proactive or reactive business professional?

The Business Life podcast episode #013 - Are you a proactive or reactive business professional?A story of two successful business owners: Drew and Jim.

Both run great companies, but Drew’s business seems to operate just a little smoother. Business appears to be simpler for Drew and he tends have very few problems, less stress and his clients are happy. Drew devotes a lot of time to improving and growing his business, but also manages to balance it with his lifestyle.

Jim also has very happy clients too, but often gets overwhelmed with the every day grind. He finds himself spending most of his days taking care of urgent tasks and emergencies. Jim’s stress level is apparent and he doesn’t seem to find much time to work on the things he’d like or enjoy his lifestyle.

Which one of these stories sound like you? In today’s episode, I’m talking about the benefits of being a proactive business professional (like Drew) vs. a reactive business professional (like Jim). If you’re going to build a good business, don’t you want it to be one that doesn’t suck the life out of you? Take a listen at how you can make that shift to become more proactive in your business!

Key takeaways from this episode:

  • Story of two of my business owner friends: Drew who is a proactive business owner and Jim who is a reactive business owner. How does that affect each of their businesses?
  • The characteristics for each type of business professional: both proactive and reactive.
  • The benefits of running your business proactively.
  • How to make the shift from being a reactive business professional to a proactive business professional.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

“Scheduling Your Day Like a Pro.”  Learn to become highly efficient and highly proactive in your business with my online course in time management and productivity!  YES, I’D LIKE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS! » »

Join other like-minded, proactive business professionals!

  • Get in on the conversation: Follow along with me on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn as we have great business discussions!
  • Join my email community of business professionals: My email Community is a prosperous group of business professionals that engage, share and aspire to continuously improve their business and life.
  • Subscribe to The Business Life podcast on iTunes [⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ I would love a review as well]!
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Episode #12 of The Business Life podcast - Only a few are willing to pay the price for success.

TBL: 012 – Only a few are willing to pay the high price for success.

Only a few are willing the pay the price to get what they want.There’s never been more information available on how to build a great business or develop the lifestyle you’ve always wanted. So why is it that so few people seem to actually ever get what they want?

If you’ve listened to any episodes of The Business Life at all so far, you know that this podcast is about discovering what it takes to build a business and a lifestyle that you can be proud of. While all the information you need to do that is usually just a click away, there’s still a price to pay in order to achieve the results you want. In fact, I think that’s why so many stop short of going after their goals: because it comes at such a high price tag. Take a listen to episode #012 of The Business Life podcast to find out if you’re one that’s willing to pay the price to reach your destination.

Key takeaways from this episode:

  • Three major reasons that only a small percentage of the population ever develops the business or lifestyle that they dream of.
  • How to get connected with small business professionals and sales professionals who have similar goals as you!

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Audiobook that I mentioned in the episode. This book by Geoff Colvin called “Talent is Overrated” explores whether people are born with natural talent or whether they have to acquire that talent to rise to the top. Gives some great perspective on what it takes to be one of the best at your craft. The link below is my affiliate link, which means that if you choose to make a purchase, I will earn a commission. This commission comes at no additional cost to you!

One of my favorite business podcasts to listen to: the “Business Made Easy” podcast by Jason Skinner. Jason always provides easy to implement strategies to help your business grow. I would highly recommend you check it out and subscribe! Check it out here »

Here’s how to you can start to make a real difference in your business:

  • Get in on the conversation: Follow along with me on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn as we have great business discussions!
  • Join my email community of business professionals: My email Community is a prosperous group of business professionals that engage, share and aspire to continuously improve their business and life.
  • Subscribe to The Business Life podcast on iTunes [⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ I would love a review as well]!
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