Saturday, November 29, 2014

Thanksgiving Week on the "Cool Things Entrepreneurs Do" Podcast



Since the podcast launched 8 weeks ago I have been sharing how it is the best networking tool I have ever encountered.  I have had a great time interviewing amazing people.  Each guest has stories, advice and ideas that are inspirational to me (and others). The whole experience is impacting all areas of my life.

The coolest part is how hosting the show is becoming an amazing conversation starter in a variety of places.  People who listen to podcasts want to know about my show, and those who do not are curious about the medium of podcasting.

The show has been ranked in the top 10 podcasts in the "Career" category on iTunes for over a month, and it has been interesting to see how many other podcasters have reached out to me and said "hello".  Many offer suggestions and all offer friendship.  The podcasting community has some ego-filled guru maniacs, but most who host shows are regular people doing facinating things everyday.

For Thanksgiving Week I decided to release seven shows.  Usually new shows come out on Tuesdays and Thursdays, but this week there has been a new show each day as a way to say "Thank You" to all who have supported the show along the way.  
Monday - Adrian Segar
Tuesday - Cindy Lo
Wednesday - Steve Semken
Thursday - Honoree Corder
Friday - Misty Williams
Saturday - Judi Holler
Sunday - Ross Bernstein 
If you have never listened to "Cool Things Entrepreneurs Do", any one of these shows will be a great place to start.  Download, listen and then leave a review on iTunes.

Have A Great Day

thom singer

Friday, November 21, 2014

Trevor Muir - Teacher-Preneur

This week on "Cool Things Entrepreneurs Do" (episode 16) I had the pleasure to interview Trevor Muir.  I met Trevor at TEDx San Antonio, where he was one of the most compelling speakers of the day.  

In chatting with Mr. Muir after his presentation I knew he had to be on the podcast.  He is more than a public school educator, the is a "Teacher-preneur".  I think we all wish we had more teachers like this when we were in high school.

Here is the video link from Trevor's talk in SA.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ei_HSlUxUQ



Please take a minute to download his interview on the "Cool Things Entrepreneurs Do" podcast.  Also, if you enjoy the show, I would appreciate it if you would leave a review.  THANKS..

Have A Great Day

thom singer

Tuesday, November 18, 2014

The Fake Plane Ticket


Entrepreneurs do whatever it takes to advance the cause for growth of their companies.  Those who create success work hard, take risks, and do things that other people may never think about in order to make things happen.  Creativity is key to connecting all the dots necessary to be a disrupter and a maker all at the same time.

One person I know bought a fake plane ticket to be able to network with a key person they needed to meet.  While at an industry conference in Dallas they saw a speaker who was paramount to the future success of their business.  This person was a little famous and had immense influence that could have a direct impact on the entrepreneur's future business.  My friend knew that approaching this person after their talk was futile.  Too many people would rush the stage and a few minutes of "Great Speech" chit chat would be all they could accomplish.    

Our hero in this story decided he needed to take a chance to get more time with the speaker than just a handshake and a business card exchange.  The speaker had mentioned heading home later in the day and my friend began to wonder how to capitalize on this knowledge.  He thought about this person getting to the airport and having nearly an hour of waiting for their plane.  It would be an ideal opportunity to have a meaningful conversation, however Dallas is a big city with two airports, so he needed to think about the possibilities.

He went on his phone and looked at all the flight options the speaker could have to get home that day.  There were several choices, but he made some educated guesses about the speaker and decided that one of two American Airlines flights were the most logical.  He bought the cheapest ticket he could from Dallas to anywhere (one-way to Oklahoma City, although where did not matter as he was never gong to fly, he just needed a way to get through security) and left the conference before the speaker finished their remarks.  

Once inside the airport he waited by the gate.  He eventually thought he had wasted his time when suddenly he saw the person he desired to meet.  He casually approached and introduced himself, commenting on the wonderful presentation at the conference earlier in the day.  The discussion lasted for 40 minutes and ended with an exchange of emails, personal cell numbers, and a promise to talk more about the industry topics they had in common.  

After the speaker boarded their plane, this entrepreneur returned to his car and drove home from Dallas to Austin.  

In my opinion the odds of this scenario working out so well were slim, and thus most people would never attempt such a costly and time consuming stunt.  But successful entrepreneurs go the extra mile and do not think about the failure options.  Instead they visualize the success and then do whatever it takes to make that happen.  

What will you do today that goes beyond the "norm" that can advance your success?

Have A Great Day

thom singer

Tuesday, November 04, 2014

Cool Things My Friends Do (Week #119) - Scott Webber and Sean Ackerman Simulcast Their Podcasts

Each week on this blog I enjoy highlighting some of the cool things my friends do in their personal and professional lives.



Two of my podcasting friends did something very cool on their shows: They simulcasted an episode of both of their shows as one, yet two, podcasts.  They held a friendly chat about "10 Ways Successful People Lead Themselves" and both released the show on the same day as a new episode.

Sean Ackerman is the host of You Leading You and Scott Webber is the host of Not Bad for Dad.  I know them both through an online community, but met them in-person at the Podcast Movement conference in Dallas earlier this year.  I have had the honor of being a guest on both of their shows, and am learning so much from each of them about podcasting and life.  

The idea of a simulcast episode is great.  I enjoyed hearing the show, but even more I loved the idea of doing a joint session of podcasts.  I am now excited to record an episode of "Cool Things Entrepreneurs Do" with another podcaster.

Congrats to Sean and Scott on this interesting idea that they executed in a spectacular manner.  It is the perfect example of  "Cool Things My Friends Do".  I am happy to have them as week #119 in this ongoing blog series.

Jump over to iTunes and find both their shows and if you enjoy them.... leave a positive review (the 5 stars and written reviews matter to the success of a show). 

Have A Great Day

thom singer


Saturday, November 01, 2014

Cool Things My Friends Do (Week #118) - Brian Tannebaum Releases New Book: The Practice

Each week on this blog I enjoy highlighting some of the cool things my friends do in their personal and professional lives.

My friend, Brian Tannebaum, has just released his book, The Practice: Brutal Truths About Lawyers and Lawyering.  

Congratulations to Brian.  It is very cool to launch a book, and I am thrilled to have him as week #118 of Cool Things My Friends Do.  (I think I need to interview him for the Cool Things Entrepreneurs Do Podcast,.... as he is clearly one of the most entrepreneurial lawyers I have ever met).

I met Brian via social media.  He lives in Florida, and has a great national reputation in the legal circles. In the early days of my blog and Twitter I would have conversations with him about the topic of "legal marketing".  Brian is a lawyer who "gets it" when it comes to what attorneys must do to promote their practices, and he does not like the bull-shit advice that is out there on the subject.  Over the years we got to know each other, and last year we had a wonderful dinner while I was in Miami to give a speech.

As its title suggests, The Practice delivers brutal truths about lawyers and lawyering in Tannebaum’s slightly snarky—but always honest—signature style. His opinions are provocative and provide plenty of food for thought, and maybe a laugh or two along the way. This compelling book is an assortment of posts from 'Above the Law' and 'My Law License', two of the most acclaimed law blogs for which Brian has written.

In The Practice, Tannebaum riffs on everything from asking yourself what type of lawyer you want to be, to the most effective way to network and market yourself in an industry where lawyers increasingly over-rely on social media to prove their relevance. It also discusses other important topics, including the proper way to handle referrals, rainmaking, reinventing yourself as a lawyer, personal branding, and much more.

Check out Brian's book in the ABA Bookstore.  And if you ever get to meet Brian... he knows good wine!!!


Have A Great Day

thom singer