On Catapult Your Business, we help catapult business owners one question at a time. In this episode, host Casey Clark is joined by Nancy, a senior Business Advisor at Cultivate, to explore the importance of messaging in making your company stand out.Drawing from her extensive background in entrepreneurship and marketing, Nancy highlights the critical role messaging plays in today's crowded marketplace. Effective messaging goes beyond merely stating who you are; it's about articulating what benefits you offer to your audience and how you uniquely solve their problems.The conversation delves into various aspects of messaging, including the distinction between awareness, consideration, and decision stages in the buyer's journey. Nancy stresses the importance of aligning messaging with the audience's needs at each stage, employing storytelling, and using customers' language to enhance engagement.Casey and Nancy underscore the broader applicability of messaging beyond marketing, emphasizing its significance in internal communications, sales strategies, and change management within organizations.Tune in to learn how to start viewing messaging as a conversation with your audience, grounded in common sense and customer insights. —Learn more about our guest, Nancy Benjamin, Senior Business Advisor at Cultivate Advisorshttps://cultivateadvisors.com/our-advisors/nancy-benjamin/Want a free 2-hour strategic session to delve deeply into the most important question you're currently facing? Go to:cultivateadvisors.com

On Catapult Your Business, we help catapult business owners one question at a time. In this episode, we dive deep to understand why organizations experience inconsistency in team performance. To help us explore the root causes of inconsistency and strategies to address them, Casey Clark is joined by special guest Simone Ashkar, Senior Vice President of Advisory at Cultivate.Simone brings extensive experience to the table, having started in franchising before joining Cultivate in 2017. The episode begins with Simone emphasizing the necessity of continual evolution in leadership to adapt to the dynamic nature of human behavior within teams.Key Takeaways:Alignment and Buy-In: Simone stresses the importance of aligning team members' goals and fostering a shared sense of purpose. Leaders must continuously assess and maintain alignment to promote consistency in performance.Confidence Building: The conversation shifts to the role of confidence in driving consistent performance. Simone highlights the need for leaders to proactively recognize and address confidence issues, particularly during periods of change or challenge.Understanding Learning Styles: Casey and Simone discuss the significance of recognizing individual learning styles to optimize training and support efforts. Leaders can enhance performance and confidence levels by tailoring learning experiences to individual preferences.Empowering Through Leadership: The episode concludes by focusing on empowering team members to carve their paths to success. Casey underscores the importance of leaders providing support and guidance while allowing autonomy and flexibility in decision-making.Tune in to hear more valuable insights into overcoming challenges related to inconsistent performance within organizations.—Learn more about our guest, Simone Ashkar, Senior Vice President of Advisory at Cultivate Advisorshttps://cultivateadvisors.com/our-advisors/simone-ashkar/Want a free 2-hour strategic session to delve deeply into the most important question you're currently facing? Go to:cultivateadvisors.com

On Catapult Your Business, we help business owners one question at a time. In this episode, CEO and Co-founder Casey Clark is joined by Deborah Snyder, Director of Strategic Partnerships at Cultivate, to discuss the value strategic partners bring to your business.Throughout the discussion, alignment emerges as a central theme. They stress the importance of finding partners who share your business goals and resonate with your ideal client personas (ICPs). Deb emphasizes the need for intentional approaches to finding partners, recommending platforms like LinkedIn and leveraging personal networks to identify potential partners who align with your business objectives.But it's not just about finding partners but nurturing those relationships. Deb's passion for building connections is palpable as she advocates investing time and effort to cultivate strong bonds. She paints a vivid picture of a vibrant ecosystem where partners thrive individually and elevate each other through mutual support and collaboration.While building strategic partnerships may require time and effort, the potential rewards for business growth and success are substantial. Tune in to Catapult Your Business for more.—Learn more about our guest, Deborah Snyder, Director of Strategic Partnerships at Cultivate Advisorshttps://www.linkedin.com/in/deborah-snyder-78765435/Want a free 2-hour strategic session to delve deeply into the most important question you're currently facing? Go to:cultivateadvisors.com

On Catapult Your Business, we help catapult business owners one question at a time. In this week's episode, CEO and Co-Founder Casey Clark is joined by Dan Smythe, a highly skilled advisor at Cultivate, to discuss scaling your sales process.In this episode, they delve into the significance of a scalable sales process, emphasizing that having one is not enough; it needs to be meticulously structured and adaptable, highlighting the following key points:Identify Your Ideal Client Persona: Understand your target audience, their needs, and how your product or service aligns with their requirements. This sets the foundation for a tailored sales process.Define Clear Stages: Map out the stages of your sales process, considering factors like the length of the process, conversion rates, and the nature of your business. This provides a roadmap for effective sales progression.Set Clear Objectives for Each Stage: Clearly define what you aim to achieve at each stage of the sales process. Don't solely focus on closing the deal; break it down into smaller, achievable objectives, ensuring a more strategic approach.Identify Key Activities: Drill down into the specific activities within each stage, assigning responsibilities to team members. This step is crucial for maintaining consistency and preventing details from slipping through the cracks.Utilize the Right Tools and Technology: From Google Sheets to sophisticated CRMs, choose tools that support and enhance your sales process. Implementing technology ensures efficiency, provides reminders, and streamlines tasks, contributing to overall scalability.Document Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs): Develop and document SOPs for your sales process. This step is vital for transferring knowledge and skills, enabling scalability, and reducing dependency on individual team members.It's important to continue to evaluate and optimize the sales process. Dan and Casey stress the importance of adaptability, considering changes in business size, industry dynamics, and evolving client needs.As you reflect on your own sales process, remember that seeking an external perspective and staying open to improvements can lead to substantial growth. Tune in for more tips.— Learn more about our guest, Dan Smythe, Business Advisor at Cultivate Advisors cultivateadvisors.com/our-advisors/dan-smythe/Want a free 2-hour strategic session to delve deeply into the most important question you're currently facing? Go to: cultivateadvisors.com

On Catapult Your Business, we help catapult business owners one question at a time. In this episode, CEO and Co-Founder Casey Clark is joined by Cultivate partner and Seasoned Advisor Cody Muenster to answer an important question: how can I boost referrals for my business?Whether your business is already swimming in referrals or you're struggling to understand why they're not flowing in, the potential for growth is immense. Cody brings a wealth of experience to this topic. He shares his entrepreneurial journey, emphasizing the transformative power of referrals in driving business growth. Central to this conversation is the PACER framework, which encapsulates the systematic approach to enhancing your referral strategy: Plan, Ask, Compel, Easy, Review, and Repeat.The core message revolves around intentionality. Cody stresses the significance of receiving referrals and actively and intentionally following up with those who make them. Building a robust referral system involves cultivating evangelists within your client base and creating a consistent and reliable stream of high-quality referrals.PACER serves as a recipe for success in gaining referrals. Be intentional in your efforts, meticulously plan your approach, proactively ask for introductions, create compelling incentives, make it easy for advocates to share, and continuously review and repeat the process to refine and optimize your strategy over time.Implementing these strategies is a transformative step for businesses, opening the door to significant growth through a robust and well-nurtured referral system. Tune in to discover the keys to unlocking your business's referral potential.—Learn more about our guest,  Cody Muenster, partner and Senior Business Advisor at Cultivate Advisorscultivateadvisors.com/our-advisors/cody-muenster Want a free 2-hour strategic session to delve deeply into the most important question you're currently facing? Go to:cultivateadvisors.com

On Catapult Your Business, we help catapult business owners one question at a time. In this week's episode, CEO and Co-Founder Casey Clark is joined by one of Cultivate’s top Business Advisors, Yianni Arhontoulis, to discuss recruiting top talent with the company's culture in mind.    Yanni, with a background in hospitality, shares insights into the changing landscape of hiring practices and emphasizes the importance of building a culture that resonates with prospective employees. The discussion centers on the high costs, both monetary and in terms of time and effort, associated with recruiting. Yanni underscores the need to involve the team in the hiring process, making it a collective effort.    Together they explore innovative approaches to assessing cultural fit, such as allowing candidates to "try on" the job through methods like stodging or role-playing. The conversation emphasizes the value of aligning individual goals and aspirations with the company's culture, going beyond traditional competency assessments.Touching on the role of incentives, Casey and Yanni discuss the impact of reward structures on attracting the right candidates. They caution against overly aggressive incentives that may not align with the organization's culture, emphasizing the importance of consistency in cultural messaging.The episode concludes with a discussion on the role of AI in recruitment, highlighting its potential to refine communication and tailor job descriptions to attract the desired candidates.    Tune in to learn how to slow down, invest time in finding the right cultural fit, and recognize the long-term benefits of building a team that aligns with the company's values and goals.    Like and subscribe for more business tips.—Learn more about our guest, Yianni Arhontoulis, Business Advisor at Cultivate Advisors. https://www.linkedin.com/in/yianni-arhontoulis-108192128/Want a free 2-hour strategic session to delve deeply into the most important question you're currently facing? Go to:cultivateadvisors.com

On Catapult Your Business, we help catapult business owners one question at a time. In this week's episode CEO and Co-Founder Casey Clark is joined by Cultivate partner and Team Cohort Leader Nick Phelps to answer the question: How can a company create a culture where employees never want to leave?They discuss the critical role of retention as a core Key Performance Indicator (KPI) and the impact of company culture on the bottom line. The conversation emphasizes aligning the vision and mission with every team member, creating a shared goal environment.The episode explores the day-to-day aspects of fostering an environment where employees thrive, focusing on leaders explaining the "why" behind tasks and building trust. Nick emphasizes recognizing individual motivations and personal goals outside of work.While compensation is vital, the discussion highlights the significance of work-life balance, intangibles, and understanding employee motivations. The concept of the "airport test" becomes a practical way to assess cultural fit during the recruiting process.    This episode offers insights on career paths and growth opportunities tailored to individual preferences, underlining the importance of a thriving company culture in retaining top talent.Tune in and subscribe for more best practices.    --Learn more about our guest, Nick Phelps, partner and Team Cohort Leader at Cultivate Advisors.https://cultivateadvisors.com/our-advisors/nick-phelps/    Want a free 2-hour strategic session to delve deeply into the most important question you're currently facing? Go to:cultivateadvisors.com

On Catapult Your Business, we help catapult business owners one question at a time. In this episode, we delve into a crucial aspect of business growth—how to pivot and strategically place individuals in key roles for accelerated scaling. Casey is joined by Matt Fox, a Senior Business Advisor here at Cultivate, to unravel the complexities of succession planning and the art of positioning the right people in the right roles.As seasoned entrepreneurs, Casey and Matt discuss common challenges business owners face when scaling their companies. The conversation highlights the significance of prioritizing people in the business, emphasizing that a solid team is the backbone of success.Matt brings a wealth of expertise in succession planning and optimizing team roles for maximum efficiency. The episode discusses the intricacies of succession planning, focusing on creating a future org chart and aligning it with your business's growth trajectory. Learn valuable strategies for identifying key personnel, assessing their potential, and developing a plan to ensure their seamless transition into new roles.Matt and Casey share insights on fostering a people-centric mindset within your business, emphasizing the importance of investing time and energy into your team. They discuss the delicate balance between developing existing talent and strategically hiring externally to fill gaps.Tune in for actionable advice on building a winning culture, developing your team, and effectively implementing succession planning. Whether you're a small business owner or an entrepreneur on the verge of scaling, this episode provides valuable insights to propel your business forward.—Learn more about our guest Matt Fox, Senior Business Advisor at Cultivate Advisors https://cultivateadvisors.com/our-advisors/matt-fox/Want a free 2-hour strategic session to delve deeply into the most important question you're currently facing? Go to:cultivateadvisors.com

On Catapult Your Business, we help catapult business owners one question at a time. In this episode, we tackle training and why building training for your team is crucial for scaling a business. Vince Carone, Director of Content Development for Cultivate, specializing in building training for entrepreneurs, joins Casey Clark to explore the significance of structured training programs in employee retention and overall business growth.Vince emphasizes the high cost of hiring and the need for confidence-building through training, both initially and as an ongoing process. He discusses the importance of measurable and repeatable systems, drawing parallels with personal experiences like teaching his son football basics. The conversation touches on saving time, ensuring consistency, and increasing enterprise value through well-documented systems.The episode stresses the impact of emotional engagement, celebrating team members' expertise, and fostering a sense of ownership. They provide practical advice on starting with frequently asked questions (FAQs), creating short, modular training content, and organizing it in a simple grid format. Vince introduces the concept of a "training sandwich," with top and bottom layers covering company-wide and technological aspects and a customizable middle layer for department-specific and role-specific training.Tune in for insights on using tools like transcription services, ChatGPT, and voice recordings to streamline the training creation process and learn how to get everything out of your head and into a system to increase team efficiency and business scalability.—Learn more about our guest, Vince Carone, Director of Content Development at Cultivate Advisors: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vincecarone/Want a free 2-hour strategic session to delve deeply into the most important question you're currently facing? Go to: cultivateadvisors.com

On Catapult Your Business, we help catapult business owners one question at a time. In this episode, Jeff Armstrong, the Director of Partnerships, joins Casey Clark to explore the often overlooked but critical skill of emotional intelligence for scaling a business. Jeff shares his journey of discovering emotional intelligence as a necessity in his entrepreneurial career, emphasizing its impact on his well-being.Together, they delve into the dual nature of emotional intelligence, covering both interpersonal and intrapersonal relationships. Jeff highlights the importance of awareness and agility in managing emotions, not only for business owners but also for the entire team.The episode covers the role of leaders as the "big pendulum" influencing their teams and how emotions can be categorized as either renewing or depleting. Casey shares his own strategy of staying positive by celebrating progress and emphasizing the tangible impact of emotional intelligence on business culture.Tune in to learn how to take control of your inner lives, assign meaning to your experiences, and manage your emotions as a powerful lever for personal and business growth.—Learn more about our guest, Jeff Armstrong, the Director of Partnerships at Cultivate Advisors: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffarmstronghi/Want a free 2-hour strategic session to delve deeply into the most important question you're currently facing? Go to: cultivateadvisors.com

On Catapult Your Business, we help catapult business owners one question at a time.  In this episode, Casey Clark is joined by Cultivate Business Advisor  Michele Phillips to answer the question: “How do I grow my company if I hate sales?" Many owners have an aversion to sales, the fear of being pushy, and the anxiety around rejection. Michelle shares her journey from a corporate background to embracing sales and how her clients often struggle with similar fears.They explore the root causes of the negative perception of sales, touching on bad past experiences and the fear of being too pushy. They also discuss the importance of assertive language and how sales is ultimately a service to the client.The conversation delves into various best practices for improving sales. Michelle emphasizes the need to educate clients, engage in needs analysis, provide a consistent experience, and avoid relying solely on email for communication. Tune in for some valuable insights and actionable strategies to improve your sales processes and overcome the fear of sales.—Learn more about our guest Michele Phillips, Business Advisor at Cultivate Advisors. Want a free 2-hour strategic session to delve deeply into the most important question you're currently facing? Go to:cultivateadvisors.com

On Catapult Your Business, we help catapult business owners one question at a time.  In this episode, Casey Clark is joined by Cultivate Business Advisor Jennifer Dreyfus to discuss managing cash in a business. The hosts emphasize the significance of understanding and managing your business's cash flow effectively. They discuss common pitfalls that business owners encounter when it comes to handling cash and why it's essential to proactively plan and monitor your cash. The episode also explores how to calculate your cash threshold and why it's important to have a cash buffer in place. Jennifer shares valuable insights on setting up financial projections and tracking actuals, allowing you to make informed financial decisions. They encourage business owners not to be afraid of finance and stress the importance of not relying solely on the bank balance to determine your financial health. Tune in to gain a better understanding of how to approach cash management in your business and make financial decisions more confidently.—Learn more about our guest, Jennifer Dreyfus, Business Advisor at Cultivate Advisors. Want a free 2-hour strategic session to delve deeply into the most important question you're currently facing? Go to:cultivateadvisors.com

On Catapult Your Business, we help catapult business owners one question at a time.  In this episode, Casey Clark is joined by Sarah Jansen, Director of Partnerships at Cultivate Advisors, to discuss how a bad client experience can actually help a company grow. We have all had this experience. Throughout the episode, they emphasize the importance of viewing bad client experiences as opportunities for growth and building trust. Sarah highlights the four "I"s approach: Investigate, Impact, Implement, and Increase, to effectively handle and resolve issues. She also stresses the significance of offering options and seeking additional opportunities to upsell during the resolution process. The episode concludes with the advice to turn these experiences into case studies, internally learn from them, and ask for reviews to build trust and credibility. Tune in and subscribe for more.—Learn more about our guest, Sarah Jansen, Director of Partnerships at Cultivate Advisors https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahjansen01/Want a free 2-hour strategic session to delve deeply into the most important question you're currently facing? Go to:cultivateadvisors.com

On Catapult Your Business, we help catapult business owners one question at a time.  In this episode, Casey Clark is joined by Cultivate Advisor David Hardin to discuss the importance of identifying and understanding the "why" in business, specifically in the context of service-based businesses. David shares his experience of working with clients and how he integrates the "why" into their business relationships. He highlights the impact of understanding and addressing the client's underlying motivations and goals. By connecting with the "why," businesses can improve their close rates, increase retention, and build trust.The hosts also provide practical advice for skill-building, such as using tactics like "this versus that" to uncover the client's true motivations and needs. They stress the importance of setting and aligning expectations with the client, especially during kickoff meetings.David's final piece of advice is to make asking "why" a central part of your business mindset, from questioning processes to understanding your clients, staff, and leaders. By embracing this mentality, businesses can experience rapid growth and success.Tune in to learn more about the power of the "why" and how understanding and leveraging it can drive positive outcomes and better client relationships.—Learn more about our guest, David Hardin, Business Advisor at Cultivate Advisors https://cultivateadvisors.com/our-advisors/david-hardin/Want a free 2-hour strategic session to delve deeply into the most important question you're currently facing? Go to:cultivateadvisors.com

On Catapult Your Business, we help catapult business owners one question at a time.  In this episode, Casey Clark is joined by Senior Business Advisor Drew Brogden to discuss the importance of building a performance culture without micromanaging your team.Throughout the conversation, they emphasize the need for clear goals and shared objectives in creating a performance culture. And highlight the importance of having a strong mission statement and annual targets that align with individual roles in the organization.The hosts also stress the significance of consistent leadership cadence and the need to avoid leading on the path to achieving goals rather than focusing on the goals themselves. They encourage leaders to connect metrics and goals to compensation, offering unlimited upside potential to motivate employees.Tune in for valuable insights on establishing a performance-driven culture while avoiding micromanagement.—Learn more about our guest, Drew Brogden, Senior Advisor at Cultivate Advisors.Want a free 2-hour strategic session to delve deeply into the most important question you're currently facing? Go to:cultivateadvisors.com

On Catapult Your Business, we help catapult business owners one question at a time. In this episode, Casey Clark is joined by Senior Business Advisors and hosts of the ProveHer - Badass Women in Business podcast, Agata (Aggie) Chydzinski and Cristy O'Connor.They bring up a very important topic: How do you value yourself and tell your story (focused on women)?The hosts discuss strategies for women entrepreneurs to increase their value, feel empowered, and lead their businesses effectively. The conversation focuses on addressing the challenges women business owners often face, including lack of confidence, imposter syndrome, and struggles with delegation. The guests emphasized the importance of authenticity, vulnerability, and seeking support to overcome these challenges. They highlight women entrepreneurs need to recognize their value, delegate tasks effectively, and embrace their strengths as leaders. The episode offers practical insights and advice for women looking to empower themselves and their businesses.Tune in and subscribe for more.—Learn more about our guests, Agata (Aggie) Chydzinski and Cristy O'Connor, Senior Advisors at Cultivate Advisors and hosts of the ProveHer - Badass Women in Business podcast,https://badasswomeninbusinesspodcast.com/Want a free 2-hour strategic session to delve deeply into the most important question you're currently facing? Go to:cultivateadvisors.com

On Catapult Your Business, we help catapult business owners one question at a time. In this week's episode, CEO and Co-Founder Casey Clark is joined by special guest Rick Whittington, the founder of Whittington Consulting, a digital marketing agency specializing in helping companies become industry leaders through content marketing and HubSpot utilization. Rick asks, "How do I increase staffing while maintaining margins?"Rick shares his challenge of balancing staffing levels with fluctuating revenue cycles, striving to ensure a stable business for himself, his employees, and vendors. Casey shares advice on achieving growth without sacrificing profitability.They discuss two main approaches: focusing on revenue attribution and scaling the sales engine. They emphasize that every team member should be tied to revenue goals by contributing to sales or generating referrals. They also suggest creating short-term tactics for generating business while building a more sustainable long-term revenue engine.They also explore the difference between growth-oriented businesses and capacity-oriented businesses. While growth requires investment in sales and marketing, capacity businesses can focus on increasing profitability without necessarily expanding. This episode highlights the challenges and decisions business owners face as they strive for growth, profitability, and stability. You will want to experience this episode if you're scaling your business.Tune in and subscribe for more.—Learn more about our guest, Rick Whittington, Founder & Principal of Whittington Consultinghttps://www.rickwhittington.com/Want a free 2-hour strategic session to delve deeply into the most important question you're currently facing? Go to:cultivateadvisors.com

On Catapult Your Business, we help catapult business owners one question at a time. In this week's episode CEO and Co-Founder Casey Clark is joined by Cultivate partner and Team Cohort Leader Colin Bowman to answer the question, "How Do You Grow and Thrive During Economic Turbulence? "The discussion focuses on both defensive and offensive tactics for businesses during challenging economic times. Defensive tactics include obtaining a line of credit with at least three months of burn rate, changing payment options to credit cards for extended runway, cash flow forecasting, reviewing accounts payable for potential discounts, and conducting a SWOT analysis to identify potential shifts in offerings or services.On the offensive side, they emphasize the importance of securing current clients and adjusting messaging to focus on protective language rather than gain language. The key is to adapt the value proposition for a down economy. Additionally, Colin advises against offering discounts and instead encourages businesses to negotiate value pillars, such as payment terms and contract length.Shifting your mindset and embracing opportunities can lead to growth and success even during economic downturns. Tune in and subscribe for more best practices.—Learn more about our guest, Colin Bowman, partner and Team Cohort Leader at Cultivate Advisorscultivateadvisors.com/our-advisors/colin-bowman/Want a free 2-hour strategic session to delve deeply into the most important question you're currently facing? Go to:cultivateadvisors.com

On Catapult Your Business, we help catapult business owners one question at a time. In this week's episode, we explore a compelling question brought by special guest Tina Moser, Partner and Strategic Financial Director of Cultivate Advisors. Tina asks,”What does it mean to pay yourself as a business owner?" Throughout the discussion, we dive deep into the complexities of this issue as the company grows and evolves. We address crucial aspects such as the appropriate mindset, cash flow planning, and strategic considerations to factor in. The episode covers various rules of thumb to help guide business owners in determining their salaries at different stages of growth. This question, though challenging, is essential to strike the right balance between prioritizing personal needs and fostering continued business expansion without becoming greedy.As we know, some business owners tend to underpay themselves to support the company's growth, while others may overpay, hindering the business's financial flexibility for further development. We examine these scenarios and provide valuable insights and advice.Tune in and subscribe for more.—Learn more about our guest, Tina Moser, Partner and Strategic Financial Director of Cultivate Advisors.cultivateadvisors.com/our-advisors/tina-moser/Want a free 2-hour strategic session to delve deeply into the most important question you're currently facing? Go to:cultivateadvisors.com

On Catapult Your Business, we help catapult business owners one question at a time. This week's guest is a talented client of Cultivate, Chase Dalton, CEO and Co-Founder of Silicon Signs, a sign manufacturing and installation company working primarily with franchise restaurants and other national brands. Silicon Signs is on a growth path, and with that, Chase asks, "What should I expect when growing into an 8-figure business?" In this episode, we separate some of the myths from the facts about growing your business, and Cultivate CEO & Co-Founder Casey Clark shares some of his own experiences. Growing your business from 6-7 figures to 8 figures requires you to shift your mindset and how you run your business. In this episode, Casey shares examples of the mindset shift you need to make and offers some best practices for getting your business ready for that growth. Listen to this episode and subscribe for more tips and best practices.—Learn more about our guest, Chase Dalton, CEO and Co-Founder of Silicon Signs.https://siliconsigns.com/Want a free 2-hour strategic session to delve deeply into the most important question you're currently facing? Go to:cultivateadvisors.com