Igniting Souls Podcast with Kary Oberbrunner

Sales and marketing? Those two words sound like cuss words to most of us creative folks. (BTW...you are a "creative folk" in my book regardless how you feel on the topic.) But without effective sales and marketing the best product or service doesn't have a chance of survival. So what's an entrepreneur to do? Do we focus on sales and marketing and go against our gut? Do we ignore sales and marketing and die a slow death? How about neither! I chose to redefine sales and marketing instead. For the past several years I've redefined sales as serving and marketing as storytelling. Smart entrepreneurs view sales as serving and marketing as storytelling. So does it work? The results speak for themselves. Our business has doubled every year the past four years. I never focus on "selling" any client. Rather, I focus on serving them instead. In the process, many end up buying (remember Jonily's own testimony from episode 53?) Sadly, most businesses aren't using social media intelligently. Unfortunately, they're making some simple, but costly mistakes. In this week's episode of the Igniting Souls Podcast, I unpack why most marketing I see on social media ISN'T WORKING. I also share practical steps on how to make the switch effectively. I want you to maximize AND monetize your message to its fullest potential.

You've probably heard of passive income—right? Passive Income is INCOME from a venture in which an individual does not directly participate. There are plenty of advantages to this type of income. In this structure customers and clients pay you repeatedly for work you only did once. This income is recurring because it’s not limited to your presence, your focus, or your schedule. Obviously, passive income factors scalability. You can serve five orders just as simply as five thousand. Although your product or service initially takes time to create, you’ll repeatedly get paid for the original time, effort, and energy you invested. Passive income works even when you don’t. It knows few limits because it’s not finite like you. Passive income is cool, BUT HAVE YOU ALSO HEARD ABOUT PASSIVE IMPACT? Passive Impact is IMPACT from a venture in which an individual does not directly participate. I think passive impact trumps passive income. I share why on the episode, but I'll tell a quick story that will fill in some blanks. My fourth book (Your Secret Name) released in September, 2010. In a matter of weeks we realized this book was special without much of our own doing. The book touched on an issue common to many adults and teens alike—identity. I blended my story overcoming self-injury with the reader’s journey of discovering who they were created to be. My friend Gabe created an interactive website that combined free tools with support from our growing community. My friend Josh produced a beautiful book trailer, and we began getting emails from people of various backgrounds and struggles. They told us about their newfound freedom and how they discovered a connection with their Creator, their community, and their core. Stories of victory over suicidal thoughts, depression, prostitution, workaholism, anorexia, and low self-esteem poured in. We continued sharing the message as best we could, but we’d clearly reached our capacity. My day job brought its own set of challenges and commitments. And although I entertained thoughts of jumping into my dream job full-time, book sales alone didn’t come close to paying the bills. Then it happened. I received an email from Desiree Arney, a stranger in New Jersey touched by the message. Long story short, after a couple chats David and I asked her to join our “team.” The word team was a bit presumptuous. Although we wanted to change the world, we didn’t have a plan, a platform, or a paycheck. We figured passion was enough so we kept moving forward. A few months later we decided to have a conference and over one hundred people showed up. Toward the end of the conference we blocked off an open mic time for participants to share their thoughts about the day. The stories of transformation people shared blew us away. Feeling momentum and divine favor, we created the Your Secret Name Team. Clearly we needed a way to multiply our impact and fund our efforts. I knew I couldn’t accept every gig, and although I felt a little guilty turning down some opportunities, my family and day job took precedence. We priced the Team at a modest $997 and in no time we added a dozen members from all over the world, including Europe and New Zealand. Additional team members trickled in, and our impact and income increased slowly but steadily. Because of our desire to alleviate suffering and pain in impoverished areas, we gifted a few slots to nonprofits in Uganda and Honduras. (We felt their lack of resources shouldn’t prevent them from helping those in need.) Even better than the passive income was the passive impact. I remember one chilly Ohio afternoon playing with my three children on the living room floor. I think Isabel won out with her game choice—sleeping giant. Our stomachs were full from a scrumptious Sunday lunch and the wood in the fireplace crackled and popped. Snowflakes fell softly outside and my wife and I smiled at each other as we tried to keep up with three active kids. Later that evening I checked our Secret Name Facebook group. Thrilled to read the posts, I learned how that weekend three separate team members had conducted Your Secret Name events in their own cities. I smiled. While I enjoyed my loved ones in the comfort of my home, our passive impact business was igniting. Our team was communicating this message of hope to people who needed healing. It hasn’t stopped since. In episode 60, I teach you how to create your first product (for ZERO start-up costs). In the process you'll also create something else—passive income AND passive impact.

Your passions are not random or accidental. Rather, they're indicators, leaving clues about your divine destiny. So many people are lost and directionless. They go from person to person hoping a stranger can tell them which way to go. As long as you're disconnected from your heart, you'll never know which way to go. Rather than running from his passions, throughout Dan Miller's life, he's run toward them. This raises questions with many people. Does God want us to be happy? Should we enjoy our lives and pursue our hobbies? Through an entertaining chat, with fast cars as a filter, I sit down with bestselling author Dan Miller and ask him key questions related to life and business. In this episode we dive into topics like: * How to avoid spoiling your kids and teach them entrepreneurship and ownership instead. * How to study your spouse and create shared connections. * How to start your business small and lay a foundation for bigger impact. * How your view of yourself and God sets you up for success or sabotages your story before you even begin. In this episode, realize what it means to become a Soul on Fire as you realize all of life is connected. What you believe about one thing impacts what you believe about everything.

What if you could predict the success of your idea BEFORE you launched it? What if you found a map to help you steer through all the minefields? Imagine the time and money you'd save. Imagine the embarrassment you'd avoid. Imagine the insight you'd gain. But crystal balls don't exist and no one knows for sure anyways, right? Up until now, maybe this were true. But what if you did have a 5-step framework, chocked full of case studies, stories, examples, and insights that told you otherwise? Will that beef jerky subscription company succeed? What about leveraging your design expertise into an educational online experience? In WILL IT FLY, these real life ideas and many more are pushed through a specific paradigm. On the other side, you'll see why these ideas experienced success. Forget "luck" and "chance" or "knowing the right people." Just like airplanes fly because of certain universal laws relative to flight, so do effective business ideas. In this candid conversation, I sit down with serial entrepreneur Pat Flynn and unpack the finer points of WILL IT FLY—a manual for how to test your next business idea so you don't waste your time and money.

In this episode I take a deep dive into the Living Forward phenomenon via an exclusive chat with authors Michael Hyatt and Daniel Harkavy. Living Forward starts out by addressing THE DRIFT. The DRIFT is the tendency to arrive at destinations you don’t consciously choose. The DRIFT is facing life in a reactive way and happens when you’re: 1.) Unaware 2.) Distracted 3.) Overwhelmed 4.) Deceived No one wakes up and says, “Today I want to DRIFT.” However, if you’re not living a life according to design, then you’re living a life according to DRIFT. So how do you change direction and snap out of the DRIFT? Michael Hyatt and Daniel Harkavy reveal that the average person spends 5 hours researching and shopping for a new car. The average bride-to-be spends spend 40 days planning a three-hour wedding. However, the average person never spends 1 day planning his or her life. Why? The reality is most of us don’t know how to plan our lives. Besides, it sounds daunting and out of reach. Thankfully, Hyatt and Harkavy close the distance by demonstrating how to do a life plan. Even better, they provide examples of real Life Plans from real clients. These individuals come from a variety of backgrounds and life stages so readers of all kinds can relate. The book is broken into 3 main parts: Understand Your Need, Create Your Plan, and Make it Happen. It literally walks you though the Life Plan process in a step-by-step fashion. The Life Plan is facing life in a proactive way. As you read this book you’ll answer 3 powerful questions: 1. How do I want to be remembered? This is your legacy. 2. What matters most to me? These are your priorities. 3. How do I get from where I am to where I want to be? This is your action plan. Design your own “Regret Free” life by crafting your Life Plan. The Life Plan creates clarity. It acts as a GPS. The Life Plan creates courage. It acts as a filter. The Life Plan creates commitment. It acts as a motivator. Page 154 says it all, “This may sound grandiose, but we are out to change the world.” In Living Forward authors Hyatt and Harkavy do just that. They change the world one person at a time by challenging readers to create greatness one life plan at a time. Living Forward is a fantastic tool to design the life you want and then clarify the steps you need to take to get there. #LivingForward #MichaelHyatt #DanielHarkavy

Do you have a tribe? If so, do you know how to care for your tribe? If not, do you know how to create a tribe? Marketing guru Seth Godin says: “A tribe is any group of people, large or small, who are connected to one another, a leader, and an idea.” Tribes are everywhere, but not all tribes are equal. Some thrive, but most merely survive. The Igniting Souls Tribe has grown exponentially over the past 4 years numerically and relationally. In this episode I explain how effective tribes result from clarity of 5 elements. A THRIVING TRIBE REQUIRES A CLEAR: T - Tribe Leader R - Rules of Engagement I - Idea B - Buyer's Journey E - Example of Success

Today's podcast is all about Feedback. Speaking of feedback, have you heard that it's often called The Breakfast of Champions? But just because winners invite feedback doesn't mean all feedback is equal. "Haters" have feedback and plenty of it. But is their feedback helpful or harmful? In episode #055, I share 8 filters I use to qualify the feedback. I'll give you the quick rundown here, but for the expanded version make sure to listen in. I seek feedback from people who are: F - Further = They're getting the results I want. E - Ethical = They match my values. E - Esteemed = They've earned my respect. D - Discerning = They not only have knowledge, but they also know how to apply it. B - Believable = They do what they say and say what they do. A - Aware = They've discovered their own blindspots and shortcomings. C - Courageous = They not only talk about bravery; they exemplify it in their daily life. K - Keen = They can think clearly about things that aren't obvious to everyone. Not all feedback is equal. Discover how to qualify your feedback with 8 essential filters.

What separates losers from winners is many times just a subtle shift in strategy. Go from blindspot to sweet spot in 30 seconds by eliminating a simple, but fatal flaw.

Let's be honest. You have an amazing product or service. And you know the value you can bring potential clients. BUT ARE YOU CHARGING WHAT YOU'RE WORTH? How do you even really know what to charge? Are there signs, rules, or indicators? Can you influence the outcome? Or are your rates set in stone due to factors outside your control? DISCOVER A FOOLPROOF FORMULA Most people ignorantly assume the lowest price wins the day. This is a losing battle and merely a short-term strategy. In this episode we'll show you a better way to win the long game.

Can one choice ignite a movement? Podcast superstar Cliff Ravenscraft knows firsthand how this is entirely possible. Over a year ago he decided to make a brave lifestyle change. Every single day since then he's been faithful with his commitment, posting his progress and inviting accountability. (His choice inspired me to make 2 major changes to my own daily routine.) Cliff embodies much more than a physical transformation. This was just the beginning. In this candid interview I ask Cliff some deeply personal questions about life and business. Jumpstart your own transformation by taking notes on Cliff's. Follow his complete journey #trainwithcliff

Digital Fly? Yep, we all have one. Ever stand on a stage and give a speech? Ever sit back down and realize your "fly" was down? Embarrassing, hey? But what happens if you had a friend who knew it was down...and they didn't tell you? (Not cool.) And yet, we've all had this experience, right? False friends gossip behind our back. True friends tell the truth to our face. Recently my Digital Fly was down. Kirk Bowman had the guts to tell me. I invited him on the show to tell the backstory. We also share "rules" on the topic and how you can tell your friends when their Digital Fly is down. Join us for a fun, enlightening, and entertaining chat. In this episode, we highlight some mutual friends who helped connect us and propel us on our journey (Ray Edwards, Jared Easley, Dan Miller, Cliff Ravenscraft, and Mike Kim)

Have you ever found yourself backpedaling from an opportunity to step on a "bigger stage?" You passed on the moment because you didn't want to "seem arrogant." Maybe you were worried how you might come across? You certainly didn't want to be "that guy" or "that gal." What if the truth is you were just scared? What if trying to come off as humble is just a twisted form of pride? After all, pride is simply a fixation upon ourselves. We can focus on ourselves for how great we are. But we can also focus on ourselves for how unworthy we are. In either situation the focus is us. In this episode Tim Walk and Kary Oberbrunner unpack the Dark Side of False Humility. Tim also shares some powerful, relevant truths from his new book—ENLIST

You've probably been taught a lie... ...that memory works only one direction—backward. We often refer to memory this way. We talk about "remembering" things in our past. * Who we choose. * What we ate. * When we left. * Where we went. * Why we acted. But what if memory worked two directions—backward AND forward? The latest in brain science has much to say on this topic: Imagining the future, for example, involves many of the same brain areas as remembering the past. Your brain activates the hippocampus and medial temporal lobe for all mental time travel – both when you visit the past and go back to the future. What if you knew how to "remember your future?" How would that shape you personally and professionally? In this episode, discover not only HOW to remember your future, but also WHY using this skill will catapult your business. You can't afford NOT to use this powerful mental faculty.

I used to wear a mask—every single day. It's how I survived. At the age of 23, I was thrust into a large leadership position for a guy my age. I made it through by pretending and hiding. I felt pressure and stress on a daily basis and nobody knew about my secret addiction I had kept under wraps for nearly a decade. But then one day, life decided it was time to remove the mask, in a very public way. I would have never chosen to be revealed like that. I was much too afraid. But by taking 3 specific actions I shed the lies, the labels, and the masks forever. That day I found freedom and hope. That day I was reborn.

HISTORY SHOWS US, many times we simply get it wrong. Check out these real quotes. "Sensible and responsible women do not want to vote." Grover Cleveland, US president, 1905 "Airplanes are interesting toys but of no military value." Marechal Ferdinand Foch, professor of strategy, 1904 "The horse is here to stay but the automobile is only a novelty—a fad." The president of the Michigan Savings Bank advising Henry Ford’s lawyer, Horace Rackham, not to invest in the Ford Motor Co., 1903 "Man will not fly for fifty years." Wilbur Wright, American aviation pioneer, to brother Orville, after a disappointing flying experiment, 1901 (their first successful flight was in 1903) If we listened to surveys, test audiences, and competitors, then we're simply mirroring popular opinion. True innovation and entrepreneurship require us to step outside of conventional and lead the way into new paradigms. Don't let your own BS (Belief System) let you quit before you even start. This episode will equip you to step in and rise up to the idea within you.