Overview

On this episode of The Small Business Radio Show, we first talk about how to find and retain the right people to grow your small business team, even when unemployment is low and talent is difficult to find. Then, technology is what is going to propel your company from an initial success to sustained profitability. We discuss how to pick the right technology to employ at your company, so you will be able to compete as you grow. Finally, if you want to make a sale, stop selling; we show you how!

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Segment 1: Tom Walker is the president and CEO of Rev1 Ventures. He has been helping entrepreneurs build great companies for most of his career. He’s formed multiple venture capital funds, founded angel groups, and is an active angel investor. As the CEO of Rev1 Ventures, Tom has built an experienced team that has invested in more than 75 startups and added more than $70M in capital to the Columbus, Ohio region in under five years. He’s the author of The Entrepreneur’s Path: A Handbook for High-Growth Companies.

1:45 – What’s your advice for entrepreneurs on how to find the right people for their team?

3:30 – How to evaluate the weaknesses on your team so you can fill in the appropriate gaps.

4:15 – You don’t always find the perfect candidate, so you must foster what talent you find. How do you do that?

6:00 – How do you begin to learn how to become a good manager?

8:00 – Where do you often encounter talent gaps in early stage companies?

9:15 – What is upskilling and how do you do it?

10:45 – How do you get your business out of a hub and spoke model and into a Hierarchical model?

13:30 – The importance of rallying a team around a mission.

15:45 – An inspiring Rev1 Ventures success story for building a great team: Updox.

Segment 2: Tony Post is the founder and CEO of Topo Athletic, a performance footwear brand committed to helping athletes move better, naturally. Tony launched Topo in 2012, following leadership roles at footwear brands such as Vibram USA and Rockport. As president and CEO of Vibram USA for 11 years, Tony sparked the minimalist running movement with the introduction of the Vibram FiveFingers®

21:15 – How did you come up with the idea for shoes with toes, and how did you get it to market?

23:00 – Why did you start Topo Athletic? How did you compete with the large footwear brands?

24:45 – How did you integrate new technologies as a start-up? How did this allow you to focus on rapid growth, rather than worrying whether your systems would scale along with the business?

28:45 – Tony’s recommendation for Barry’s trek through Vietnam caves.

Segment 3: Kory Angelin is an award-winning fitness professional and two-time published author. He has had the opportunity to offer his business philosophy to some of the largest health clubs in the country. He has been featured in Sports Illustrated, USA Today, Maxim, Training & Conditioning and STACK Magazines, and has had television success on QVC. His new book is #SELLOUT: How a Great Experience Can Help You #SELLOUT of Your Product.

34:00 – People don’t want to buy your stuff, they want to build a relationship with you.

34:45 – Why people are horrible at sales, and why 55% of sales professionals lack the skills to succeed!

37:15 – What are the sales skills we need to develop?

39:00 – How to ask great open ended questions during a sales conversation.

41:00 – How to build value before you tell someone the price.

44:30 – How to make sure you don’t reek of desperation in a sales meeting.

47:15 – What was your experience selling on QVC? How do you have success on a program like that?

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