Most people have a few, or a dozen, financial mistakes they look back on and really regret. For many,  becoming financial savvy is learned through trial and error and living with a few regrets from your younger years is all part of the process. Isn’t it ridiculous credit card companies send applications to 18 year old kids before they even graduate high school? With predatory practices everywhere you turn and lines of credit increasingly accessible - it’s all too easy to make a few blunders, right? Well, a recent Outside Insights guest is on a mission to help prevent this. In this episode of Outside Insights, I sit down with Mark Olazagasti, a first generation entrepreneur and lifelong Delawarean. Mark recently retired from his role of managing partner at Info Solutions, an IT infrastructure consulting and managed services company he co-founded. During our chat, Mark got transparent around his personal experiences with finances. He was raised by a single mother who struggled financially, started a business during the Great Recession and learned tough lessons about debt after making mistakes that many people have before, like buying furniture before being paid. Now, through his nonprofit YourMoney101, Mark advocates for personal finance to be taught in all Delaware high schools. He also personally provides financial mentoring and education to individuals and companies. As a father to two young people and someone who has learned from past financial mistakes, I think this mission is all too important. In this episode, you’ll hear:- Mark's origin story and lessons learned from starting a business- Why Mark was inspired to advocate for personal finance education in schools- Common money and debt mistakes people make- The importance of tracking income vs expenses- Managing psychology around money decisions- Book recommendations for learning about personal finance - include a list below as well for easy reference! Mark’s Budgeting SpreadsheetMark’s Credit Card Debt Payoff Calculator Spreadsheet Book Recommendations from a finance wiz:The Index Card: Why Personal Finance Doesn't Have to Be Complicated by Helaine Olen and Harold PollackThe Psychology of Money: Timeless Lessons on Wealth, Greed, and Happiness by Morgan HouselThe Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck: A Counterintuitive Approach to Living a Good Life by Mark MansonThe Power of Now: A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment

We’re going to start this one with a question: How was success defined for you when you were 18? For many, the definition of success was likely narrowly defined as “study hard and make it into a great university”. Many of us today can agree that this definition is limiting. Thankfully, in recent years more and more job descriptions are shifting their degree requirements and instead honing in on “years of related experience” or technical expertise.In our latest episode of the Outside Insights podcast, I talk Brian Matthew Rhodes, Chief Legal Officer and Corporate Secretary at Opportunity@Work.Opportunity@Work’s is a really neat organization that’s on a mission to rewire the labor market so that everyone Skilled Through Alternative Routes, or STARs, can work, learn, and earn to their full potential. In other words, a four-year degree isn’t the only path to success. At Placers, we’re proud to help job seekers with diverse backgrounds and experience levels find work, so of course we’ve been big fans of Opportunity@Work for a while.During our talk, Brian provided eye-opening perspectives on how degree requirements can disadvantage certain groups and why skills-based hiring makes sense, especially given the current labor shortages. Opportunity@Work has conducted research that highlights the on-the-job potential of STARs and points to them as a solution for broadening talent pools with great candidates that would otherwise be overlooked.Here are a the key takeaways from this episode:Opportunity@Work pushes for skills-based hiring so those without degrees have equal opportunities.There are ~70 million American "STARs" skilled through bootcamps, certifications, and military service.Research shows “STARs” are disproportionately people of color, women, vets, and rural workers. Hiring STARs helps uphold businesses critical commitments to diversity, equity and inclusion. With today's labor shortages, expanding talent pools beyond degrees just makes business sense.Brian shares his “5 fingers of success” and explains why he would tell his 21-year old self to be patient - a reminder I think we could all use.How learning from younger generations and diverse viewpoints helps fosters workplace inclusion.At Outside Insights, we’re all about changing the status quo and coloring outside the lines. By embracing STAR’s in the workplace, we can create a more skills-focused and inclusive workforce that empowers all talents to thrive - and I think that’s something we should all embrace.If you were 18 today, would you consider alternative routes to a four-year university? Reply and let me know. Let’s discuss. Until next time, Chris

I’m blessed to have many people in my circle that inspire me and push me to become a better version of myself every day just through their example. Some of these people are close to me, like my wife or my father. Others, I’ve met throughout the seasons of life and am honored to have them in my network - cheering one another on as we reach new milestones. One of these people is Dr. Colleen Perry Keith, the president of Goldey–Beacom College in Wilmington and recent Outside Insights podcast guest. Colleen welcomed me into her office shortly after becoming President and we engaged immediately in talks of leadership, higher education and all things business.  During the pandemic I had the honor of being the commencement speaker for the College and Colleen had to listen to me at least six times with each graduation ceremony.  I have linked here as the message fits our conversation.During our talk, Colleen shared her inspiring journey, from her early career experiences to her current role as a college president, offering valuable insights into personal growth, mentorship, and leading integrative lives. All in all, the lessons she shared really highlights one critically important value of Outside Insights: Authentic leadership.In this episode, you’ll discover: Colleen’s career journey and the lessons she learned along the way, including the importance of having mentors who guide and support professional growth. Why adaptability and seizing opportunities to learn and expand one's skill set are crucial for success.The importance of continuous learning, building relationships within the higher education industry, and Colleen’s unique perspective on effective leadership.And of course, in true Outside Insights fashion, the importance of balancing different aspects of life, such as family, career, and personal interests, is emphasized.Save this podcast for your next morning commute or start it now. You won’t want to miss Colleen’s lessons for personal and professional development as you reflect on your own journey and consider ways to cultivate growth and balance in your life.Until next time, friends. Chris

Get ready to join Chris Burkhard as he hosts a conversation with Steven Pivnik, a total boss in both business and endurance sports. They dive into Steven's journey, where his love for adventure, hustling, and being financially independent all come together. Steven's background as an endurance athlete paved the way for his entrepreneurial pursuits. Prepare to uncover the secret sauce that ties together his athletic feats and business ventures. It's all about pushing your limits, bouncing back from setbacks, and keeping that unbeatable drive for success alive.But it's not all business and success. Prepare to delve into the power of laughter, relationships, and spirituality in living a truly fulfilling life. Steven shares his insights on how embracing joy paved the way for both personal and professional success.Steven also shared how he is taking on even more endurance challenges and chasing after those unfinished goals. To learn even more pick up Steven's book "Built to Finish” and  follow Steven’s adventure blog and sign up to receive book updates on www.stevenpivnik.com. "

Servant leader Rob Eppes said he believes that an entrepreneurial soul is something most business owners are born with; Outside Insights Podcast Host Chris Burkhard laughed and agreed during this week’s episode.An upbringing that “points to the horizon,” looks to “what can be” and asks, “How can we make it better?” nurtures an entrepreneurial spirit. These are some of the pillars of Junior Achievement (JA), the worldwide nonprofit that “connects students to their boundless possibilities.”JA teaches students how to develop their inner entrepreneur and fiscal literacy which allows them to identify skills and interests that lead to a pathway of success, said Eppes, President, JA of Delaware. He discovered JA at a young age, as did Burkhard. They realized early on that JA gave them permission to lead. “It’s how people responded to me that made me want to lead,” said Eppes. “Working with a team gave me that organic experience.” As years passed, both men eventually sat on their local JA Board together and learned how volunteering honed their business acumen while helping youths.JA and skill-building go hand in hand, said Eppes, adding that the “sweet spot” of the nonprofit shines a light on soft skills such as social and emotional learning as it relates to employability. “It develops confidence and motivation,” said Eppes. The workforce today isn’t adequately ready for the workplace, added Burkhard, who advocated for the JA experience which prepares students how to: listen and talk, debate professionally without getting offended, and participate in a team setting.A JA alumni survey revealed: 91% said their JA experience motivated them to learn.84% said JA influenced their positive professional development.81% said JA influenced their career path.80% said they find their work fulfilling.“Only 25% of average Americans say they’re in their dream career,” noted Eppes. “ Sixty-nine percent of JA alums say they’re in their dream career. They’re where they want to be where they are.”To learn more about where you wan to be and how to get there, order "Opposite The Crowd" by Placers' Presidents and Founders Alan and Chris Burkhard. The audio version is available now. The print and eBook versions will be available in early summer.Listen to this entire interview to learn more about JA and hear about the importance of timing in career-making decisions and how to navigate control in life and the workplace. Click on the image.For more information about JA of Delaware, go to: delaware.ja.org.

Entrepreneurs solve the right problem. What is the right problem? It’s a problem that leads to building a method to make money.Gain clarity on lessons of entrepreneurship by listening to this week’s podcast featuring University of Delaware’s Senior Instructor of Entrepreneurship Vince DiFelice. When he and Placers President Chris Burkhard exchanged humbling stories of lessons learned, both men revealed vulnerable accounts of failures that ultimately led to long-term success.“You have to give yourself permission to be human, not superhuman,” said DiFelice. “Doing good and helping people used to be mutually exclusive,” but that’s not how it is in the present, he explained. Now, entrepreneurship is all about problem-solving in a growth market that leads to change and improvement while turning a profit.“Entrepreneurs are leaders who assist others in finding direction,” said DiFelice, adding that entrepreneurship is “tutorial and pastoral.”In his current role, DiFelice helps students identify an interest, then asks them to create a list of the growth markets where the interest fits. After that, they measure the size of the market in dollars. He asks students to focus on a problem in that market and figure out how to fix the problem. "It's a means of discovery that leads to entrepreneurship in an industry that they care about," he said. "I teach students to find their direction. Through market fit, they figure themselves out."To hear this episode that literally delivers the step-by-step “how to” of identifying market fit and capturing it, click on the image.

Have fun listening to Dave Raymond, the original Phillie Phanatic mascot and author of  “The Power of Fun,” and Placers President Chris Burkhard as they remove the stigma from fun in the workplace. Sharing positivity in life and in the workplace “turns off negative brain biases,” explained Dave during this hour-long podcast that takes a deep dive into powerful and positive mindsets that translate into “pathological empathy.” Fun, he said, is a misunderstood word that most people use when they describe activities in their “off time.” Powerful fun is different. It shifts fun to a skill set to use in the “worst of times” – whether those bad times are on or off the clock.Fun is a value-added tool that enables us to manage personal and workplace life. “It’s simple by design but difficult to master,” said Dave, adding that science proves fun is related to longevity and improves quality of life. Powerful fun is an important part of life and creates an understanding of self.“It brings a different mental state to manage life,” he said. "Think about fun like everything else that’s worthwhile and that we express gratitude for – waking up, breathing, walking, tasting, seeing, and hearing." The power of fun starts with learning how to enjoy what we’re doing and the willingness to try. It starts with refreshing our perspectives and shouldn't be underestimated. This reimagined mindset moves us from setting ourselves up to get dumped on, to reframing conversations that shift people to sharing positivity. It embraces empathy and active listening to nurture communication and relationships – and can even save lives.Take the time to listen to this touching and transparent podcast between two, longtime friends who remind each other that fun IS everything it’s cracked up to be – and more!For mental health services for yourself or someone you know, call or text Suicide & Crisis LIFELINE at 988 or chat 988lifeline.org.Editor’s note: A special thank you goes out to Steve and Lainey Miller for their contributions to Outside Insights new audio branding. Also, technical difficulties were experienced during this episode. Dave and I decided to include those challenges in podcast. Enjoy the unedited version with all the real feels. Thank you.

On the perpetual journey to entrepreneurial leadership and growth, the ability to be nimble is key. Success doesn’t come overnight, but keep the grind going and take the licks. That’s entrepreneurship. On this week’s podcast, Rob Herrera, architect, real estate developer, entrepreneur, and founder of The Mill, and Placers President Chris Burkhard, warn that entrepreneurs shouldn’t scale for the sake of scaling, especially during economic uncertainty. Growth, they agree, should be market-driven.By all reports, small business exploded during the pandemic and carried the economy – more so than big business. That’s enlightening news for entrepreneurs. In fact, big business, which struggled during the public health crisis, experienced such an eye-opening experience, it’s now adopting small business operating models and philosophies. More good news for entrepreneurs!One of the newer, small business operating models like shared work spaces is a flex solution that contributes to entrepreneurial synergy, networking, and relationship building. “Co-working space is a shared work environment centered around a community of entrepreneurs,” explained Rob, adding that as a human-centered design, co-work spaces bring culture to life while nurturing collaboration and enticing employees to embrace return to office orders.The Mill, the brainchild of Herrera, is a booming and aesthetically pleasing repurposed workspace with two locations — one in Wilmington, DE, and the other in Springfield, PA. Herrera took both from ghosted, blighted locales to thriving, flex workspaces. This growing trend in innovative community redevelopment that benefits small business operations is spreading nationwide because it navigates entrepreneurs through planned growth and allows for market-driven uncertainty.Enjoy this episode’s banter while these Delaware OGs target the significance of entrepreneurial discipline and innovative repurposing in communities and its impact on the labor market.

There is a balance shift between employers who are used to being in control of the workplace dynamic and employees who gained control of it during the pandemic. It’s headlining news and it’s the through-line of this week’s episode of Outside Insights between Placers’ President Chris Burkhard and Placers’ Founder and seriel entrepreneur Alan Burkhard.Traditionally, employers set the ground rules, the conditions of employment. It’s been that way for the last century. During the pandemic, the construct and definition of "workplace" was reimagined. Hybrid workspaces and remote work became the norm. These new workspace operating models enabled employers to successfully continue in an unprecedented era.But now, the pandemic and its infection rates are slowing and employers are signaling that they want to return to traditional workplace models. Employees who have been working in hybrid or remote situations are balking. It’s a power struggle that needs to be managed effectively in the United States as we move forward. Disney, Starbucks, Vanguard, Paycom, and News Corp are among the big players issuing return to work orders (RTOs). They are among the mainstream companies sending employees RTOs. Companies are increasingly becoming more emboldened. The workforce, which had the upper hand during the pandemic, isn’t as confident as it was in the last two years, and it doesn't know how to navigate this newest curveball.Do employees know how to hold onto to their new-found power? Should they? Are job agents needed  to navigate careers? These and other profound hypotheses constitute this week's maverick crosstalk. They may be groundbreaking, but so is the current job market!Listen to this insightful exchange between Placers’ thought leaders who grapple with the workplace’s path forward and how the behavior of individuals are impacting company behaviors. It's the newest twist in this power grab that was originally discussed in Outside Insights Episode #9: History Repeats Itself: The Power of the Job Seeker.“When you get these jobs that you have been so brilliantly trained for,  just remember that your real job is that if you are free, you need  to free somebody else. If you have some power, then your job is to empower somebody else.”Author, Toni Morrison

Is your company culture by chance or is it by design?The BEST companies in the world understand just how important their culture is and how much impact it has. They don’t leave culture to chance. Instead, they’re purposeful, intentional, and systematic in the creation and development of their culture.Culture: chance or design? It’s the resounding through-line of this Outside Insights Podcast between Placers President Chris Burkhard, and CultureWise Founder and CEO David Friedman. The intriguing exchange between these culturally driven servant leaders compels listeners to pivot and adjust.A systematic way of creating and sustaining a high-performing culture is fundamental to success. Structured processes for creating rituals and routines so they become embedded habits give aspiring enterprises a competitive advantage. It’s not what an organization does. It’s how it does it. Listen to learn how to dramatically improve the probability of success by clearly defining expectations and then implementing a structured and systematic way to teach these behaviors.“Good companies have good cultures by chance. World-class companies have cultures by design.”Culture by Design by David Friedman

You’ll glean valuable information and smile too when listening to lifelong friends, colleagues, and authors Eric Herronkohl and Chris Burkhard during this week's episode of Outside Insights Podcast as they discuss:staying in front of workplace challengesfinding “A Players”developing personally and professionallygaining congruence between personal and professional “self”benefiting from hyper focusThe philosophies shared in each of their books are similar, but not identical. “How To Hire A-Players” by Herronkohl and “Opposite The Crowd” by Burkhard connect “human capital dots.”Listen to this fun and inspirational podcast that’s bound to impel listeners to step outside their comfort zones to aspire to their next level. Learn the nuances that lead to success.

Culture driven is the philosophy of a planned way of thinking that guides your professional and personal life, according to Alan and Chris Burkhard, authors of “Opposite The Crowd.”In their new book, the Burkhards deep dive into creating the culture-driven life you want, with no limitations, where risk is rewarded and where the results are game changing. Living a culture-driven life closes the gaps naturally between who we are and who we can be. It’s a thorough, complete, sophisticated approach to every single thing humans do.In the audio version of the book, which is available soon, listeners gain value-based knowledge that leads to understanding the culture-driven mindset – a way of thinking that powers everything we do and combines career thinking with life thinking.“Opposite The Crowd” is a series of impactful conversations about the worth of investing time for yourself to know who you are so you are prepared to withstand anything and everything that comes at you – professionally and personally.Gain the freedom to create your own way of living. There’s no reason why work-life thinking can’t be the same as family-life thinking. They align. Why shouldn't they? It’s all about culture and learning who we are.

In present, professional networking spaces, “careful, cautious, methodical relationship building” is the through-line of purposeful networking, said Megan Roudebush, founder, keepwith, an enterprise platform that helps the world network and build relationships better. In this week’s Outside Insights Podcast, Megan explained that sustainable networking requires reciprocity. She offers five, trending networking processes that deliver professional and personal support. It’s key to nurture relationships “even when you don’t need anything,” she noted.This week’s Outside Insights is the deep dive providers need to uncover on point, now- networking precepts – everything from quality (over quantity) to leveraging micro steps! What are those? Listen and find out how new technology and keepwith are key to genuine networking for positive outcomes.

Author Ed Wallace, in this week's Outside Insights Podcast, shares a personal, family story that illustrates it's not always formal training and education that shifts career-changing moments to meaningful work. Worthy intentions with a conscience create profound thought leadership strategies that facilitate workplace processes. Ed Wallace's book, "The Relationship Engine," and the steps detailed in it, spotlight connections -- how to make them, grow them, nurture them, and maintain them through nuances. If you're trying to find the magic to prosper in 2022 and forward, listen to learn about connections between purpose and performance.By taking the time to learn intricacies and nuances about clients, a provider masters how to anticipate clients' needs. Insightful problem-solving measures demonstrate YOUR level of concern for THEIR needs. Watch your results and profits grow when you care about clients and it's obvious to them that you do!Until next time,Chris

Great leaders will allow their team to fail—or at least risk failure. Now that I have your attention, let me explain.Instead of determining the paths of others, perhaps the best thing to do is let people make their own choices. This empowering philosophy is tough, but giving choices to those in more junior roles that creates critical development opportunities. This is a topic that Alan Burkhard, my dad and Outside Insights podcast regular, discusses in our latest episode. This is the last of our twelve-part e-book series called “Opposite The Crowd,” which encapsulates a lifetime of lessons that help others close their personal and professional gaps.Those in authoritarian positions do what’s right for subordinates, or at least what they think is right for them. The issue is, learning doesn’t always occur through following others’ mandated rules, expectations, or ideals. Instead, the most important learning happens when up-and-comers are given the opportunity to discover what they want their journey to look like for themselves through trial and error—they will ultimately discover who they are.Mentoring is different from hovering. Mentorship provides direction that leads to empowerment. Mentors and mentees understand the value of empowerment: Teach, then step back so confidence-building independence and responsibility unfold.In 2022, this is a scary proposition. There are an infinite number of external influences that can thwart the best intentions for successful independence. Look at headlining news. But if the aim is authentic and backable, positive outcomes, more likely than not, will result.The key topics discussed in our latest podcast are: EmpowermentFreedom to chooseLearning from mistakesIndependenceSupportMentorshipAllow others to discover what they like, what they don’t like, what they want, what they don’t want, to fail, to rebound, to try again, and to keep trying until their version and vision of success is attained. Then allow them to go back, refine it, and do it again and again. And while you're at it, don’t forget to allow this freedom for yourself.Every chapter of Outside Insights’ upcoming e-book “Opposite the Crowd”,  is shared by the Burkhards with a vulnerable and transparent storytelling sensibility that navigates relationships with stakeholders. The lessons are guided by a care philosophy: To be who you want to be, you must know who you are.

Hello, This next Outside Insights podcast is one that I am very excited for our community to listen and learn from. For this episode, I sat down with Todd Bavol, CEO of Integrity Staffing, a firm that has won Clearly Rated’s Best of Staffing Award for five consecutive years. I am proud to call Todd a friend.Todd is someone who has quite literally pulled himself up by the bootstraps to achieve what he has today. He started out 30 years ago as a temporary staffing employee, developed skills as a recruiter for a small agency and eventually gave into the entrepreneurship bug and started his own staffing company­—and the rest was history. If only it was that easy, right? Like all entrepreneurs, Todd’s journey had its fair share of challenges that called on him to think bold, get creative and also develop a strong appreciation for vulnerability.Throughout his journey, Todd has developed and refined key leadership lessons that we discussed during our call. While sitting down to speak with Todd for this episode, I couldn’t help but see the parallels between Todd’s leadership style and the Outside Insights mindset that we speak about frequently here. Typically, when we catch up, Todd and I discuss workforce trends and sometimes reminisce on our entrepreneurship journeys. Rarely, if ever, have we discussed the importance of vulnerability and carving out mindful minutes for yourself—turns out Todd also swears by the benefits of meditation for being your best self.I’m excited for you to listen to this podcast for a number of reasons. A key reason being that the leadership lessons that Todd highlights perfectly complement the lessons I’ve been sharing through Outside Insights for years. In the podcast, we discuss:1)    The importance of vulnerability when leading others.Vulnerability is often overlooked when it comes to developing high-performing teams, but it also happens to be one of the most important characteristics a team could have. A vulnerable leader is one that isn’t afraid to not have all the answers. They hire people they trust and then get out of the way. They’re upfront about their challenges but know how to keep morale high all the same. Which brings us to point #2… 2)    Building an intentional culture built around trust and authenticity. Authentic leaders know how to foster trust at all levels of the business. They’re confident and assured but know that their success is entirely dependent on the satisfaction of their teams. It is a leader’s job to establish their team’s culture—building one where individuals feel safe to be themselves, make honest mistakes and grow is key to making sure that culture is positive. 3)    Why you should pick one new short-term goal and stick to it. Leaders should always strive to be better than the day before. I’ve talked a lot about the concept of knowledge leadership and that comes into play here. A great leader is always reading through a new book with bold ideas, listening to podcasts, studying new leadership styles or even enlisting the help of a coach to help them bridge their gaps. No need to get overwhelmed, just take it one step at a time! It is most effective to pick a short-term goal that you can channel your energy into versus starting many projects all at once and never finishing. 4)    Take time for yourself—and then take more time. Here’s the thing—leaders are human! And humans need to hit pause. A burnt-out leader doesn’t do anyone any favors and you owe it to yourself and your team to show up every day as the best version of you. Find a balance in life and hold yourself accountable for maintaining that balance. Mindfulness exercises and meditation are helpful for Todd and I, but you can try out a number of things to find a unique balance that works for you. Start today—even if it’s just for five minutes. 5)

A culturally driven work environment starts with a mindset that bonds life thinking with career thinking. This is a concept that serial entrepreneur and Outside Insights regular, Alan Burkhard, discussed during our latest podcast chat - the last in his 12-part leadership series. I summarize our discussion on culture-driven mindsets below. Be sure to click the graphic to listen and learn from Alan’s storied entrepreneurship journey. So, what is a culturally driven mindset in business?Business owners wholly benefit when they operate under an intentional and authentic culture. Defining this culture starts with questions like:Who are we as a company? What do we want to be known and respected for?How do we add value to everything we do? How do we make the intangible, tangible? And then, how do we identify “the how” that gets us to these answers in the first place?The deep dive into these questions and their answers requires authenticity that’s immersive so the culturally driven mindset melds personal and professional domains. It’s an organic fusion that’s inseparable. It’s not enough to say words that describe the concept, it must be lived. When business leaders become immersed in a culturally driven mindset, there are no limitations. They become risk takers and agents of change who empower others through knowledge and knowledge produces distinct, desired outcomes.The culturally driven mindset is reflective and universal – it never becomes outdated because it’s not a product or a service. It’s a humbling approach, an agile perspective, that embraces  collaboration, not control – and it can be scary because it forces leaders to recognize their gaps. Recognizing our gaps and seizing the opportunity they illuminate is what the Outside Insights community is all about.It's value-perceived thinking that results in thriving business. It’s “Culture of One'' learning which brings us full circle: How do you work and how do you live? It requires an investment in yourself. It’s a synthesized work-life construct.Whether you run a business or not, everyone can define and model their individual culture values that they’ll lead with in the workplace. How would you describe your personal culture values? How do you bring these values with you every day? Reply and let me know.Until next time, friends.Chris

Let’s face it, the general concept of “selling” has developed a bad rap over the years. We all hate to be sold to. If I asked you to picture a salesperson right now, what image would come to mind? Most people likely have the same exaggerated caricature of a person pop up.In recent years, the selling landscape has significantly changed as customer expectations mount in a globally competitive landscape. For salespeople, there is more at stake, less time to make a great impression and less room for error. Unfortunately, this can often mean less time is spent on building relationships in favor of getting right to the point. But the truth is, selling is actually a lot easier than its reputation might have you believe. It’s just that very few people are taught how to do it well. In college, for example, there are very few classes that teach you directly about making a sale. And frankly even if there were, nothing beats the experience that comes from actually talking to a prospective customer anyways. Up and coming salespeople are often thrown to the wolves to figure it out on their own.  Selling is personal for me. I’ve built my businesses not by simply striving to make a sale by asking hollow questions, but by building relationships - this is what is referred to as solutions based vs consultative selling.  When I talk with a potential customer, I strive to learn their challenges - all of them, not just the ones that I can directly fix. I observe them. I offer my ideas and advice. I get to know them as people. This relationship-first and consultative approach is how I sold for my dad and how I have built my businesses from the ground up. Without this approach, Placers would not be what it is. I’m grateful to my dad for teaching me much of what I know about sales and business in general. As with all of the other Outside Insights episodes where Alan lent his insight, I am very excited for our community to learn from him again. In this podcast, Alan discusses:The history of salesHow to do consultative sales and sell the right wayFour things that will help you sell differentlyGreat real life stories of enterprise-level wins that you won’t want to missThis topic is a must for any entrepreneur. Even if you don’t opt to listen to the podcast, please read up on consultative selling and consider how your own approaches can be adjusted. Sales doesn’t have to be a dirty word - we just need to put people back at the center of business. Until next time, friends. Chris

Greg Star is part of a dynamic team and co-founder of Carvertise, a nine-year young advertising business that offers a unique channel: ads on cars. Greg, along with his partner Mac, have been a shining example of hard work, trial and error, sheer will and grit. Greg and Mac simply get stuff done. They experiment, learn fast, scale and then fail, learn and grow some more. They went from a seed of an idea formulated as college students at the University of Delaware to a firm that now has a presence in major markets nationwide.Today, Carvertise is an Inc 5000 Fastest Growing Company, with over 1,000 branded vehicles currently wrapped in campaigns for brand partners such as Netflix, 7-Eleven, WaWa, DraftKings and Buffalo Wild Wings. Brands like the exposure and visibility and a database of over 500,0000 drivers can get paid to wrap their cars and drive. Today, Carvertize continues its scaling journey and is well on its journey to becoming a mid-market company juggernaut.One of my favorite aspects of Greg and Mac is that they share their story out loud for others to learn and be inspired from. All of Delaware, from government officials, entrepreneurs, service providers, friends, whomever, wildly cheers them on. Secretly, I think many people wish they could trade places and live their life for a day. To feel the rush that comes from taking risks and celebrating the pains and joys of entrepreneurship.I first worked with him while I was the Chair of Junior Achievement (JA) of Delaware and Greg was developing new markets for JA services. And like Carvertise, he learned quickly, took action and got stuff done. Greg had built relationships in a new marketplace and had learned to understand key issues local businesses were facing all while offering JA as a possible solution. Cecil county still uses JA in the classroom today. Keep in mind, at the time I personally had been trying to get JA in classrooms for years and years. I consider Greg a friend and was honored that he shared his insight with our community in my latest Outside Insights podcast.As you give our conversation a listen, you will hear in Greg someone who has achieved and quickly learned alot about human relations and business. Listen to learn:- The key lessons Greg has learned while growing a business- How he views failure- How building and maintaining relationships is key to success- A new perspective for navigating the lean startup years, growth years, scaling pains.Folks, Greg’s honesty in sharing his life challenges give me hope that every year should be the year to try sh*t. Crazy ideas that you’ve always wanted to try but haven’t had the time or resources to make it happen. Challenge yourself to make it happen anyways. Outside Insights helps you close your gap by hearing how other mere mortals have done it, and Greg has closed more gaps than most people do in their lifetime.All of us will know Carvertise some day.Until next time friends,Chris

Welcome to the latest episode of Outside Insights Podcast # 17.   I recently interviewed a mentor, a friend, a customer and an exceptional leader, Fran DiNuzzo. Fran is an executive who has built his career around growing people and companies. I was honored that Fran took a break between is CEO responsibilities and Board of Advisor work to share his story and his ideas with the Outside Insights community. Fran cut his leadership path in Hewlett Packard, a leading manufacturer of computers and other information technology products that many of us know as HP. During his time at HP, Fran learned and now talks openly about the HP Way.The HP Way is the company's philosophy - a guide for how it should operate, how employees should treat each other and how the organization should maintain its values as it grows. We’ve talked a lot about defining your personal values in Outside Insights, and a company is no different. For a company, markets and products will inevitably change, but the collective commitment to its core values should be unwavering. 10 years ago, I gave a talk on profitable growth to Fran’s company. After the talk, he challenged me and candidly said that I had seemed off and not quite what he expected from me that day. His instinct was right - my company had experienced a big setback. Days earlier, our building had flooded, our server room ignited and I had to rebuild my presentation from scratch. I was a shell of myself. The problem was, rather than open with the truth, I stood in front of hundreds of people sleep deprived for more than two days, and I tried to fake it. It did not work. But two weeks later when I did the talk to another region it was immensely more effective - all thanks to Fran’s coaching.So, what did I change? What did Fran teach me? After telling him about my string of bad luck that had resulted in the lackluster presentation, Fran smiled warmly and said “Then tell them your story. Share the whole thing. Get the crowd behind you. They can all relate one way or another.”Then I realized, that in the end - being able to empathize and relate to another human is where the real magic is. Where real connections are created and where inspiration can be found. That’s part of my inspiration around Outside Insights!When I opened up for that next talk, I relaxed, put my walls down, was authentically myself - and that was the most comfortable I’ve ever felt as a speaker.Similar to my experience with Fran, I’m positive you’ll learn something valuable by listening to this podcast. Fran discusses:His leadership philosophy and how he develops others and Pays it Forward.His star model of driving business strategy down to results.The best advice I have ever heard on how to get re-energize yourself as a leader: Go talk to your people and find out what's working and what's not working for ideas and to add value.If you enjoyed Frans story and lessons in leadership, I recommend listening to these past Outside Insights episodes: Podcast # 1 Lessons in leadership: Going against the Grain, Ralph CetruloPodcast # 3, Lessons in Leadership:  Give your team the power to call the shots.