Welcome to Golden nugget Friday episode. Today’s episode was inspired by my last guest Ivanka Menken as well as, Dr Karl Kruszelnikcki.  In this episode we will discuss the importance for Entrepreneurs to invest in themselves.  I will share my experience on top 5 most important areas entrepreneurs need to focus on to be successful.

Ivanka is the CEO and co-founder of The Art of Service, an educator, a published author, owner of an online business – horses-store.com specialising in equestrian products, among many other things.

Starting her career as a vocational education teacher, Ivanka followed her entrepreneurial spirit and pursued her passion for technology, and began a career in IT. After working for both public and private companies in several countries across the world, Ivanka founded The Art of Service, the world’s first IT service framework company.

The Art of Service is now one of the most trusted sources globally for the career-driven IT professional, having served over 800 corporate clients and 500,000 individual clients and students in 87% of the world’s countries.

In 2015 she was named as one of the top 50 most influential women entrepreneurs in Australia as part of the Inspiring Rare Birds project.

Welcome to Golden Nugget Friday episode 14.  I want to take this opportunity to say a huge thank you to YOU!  YES YOU for listening to this podcast where we share amazing stories from remarkable Entrepreneurs.  Last week I was very humbled that Inspiring Greatness podcast hit #1 in Management and & Marketing and #3 in the business section on iTunes!  Thanks to everyone for sharing and spreading the word! With 14 episodes down we would love your feedback, send us a message on Inspiring Greatness Facebook page quickly tell us 3 things.  STOP/START/CONTINUE!  Tell us what things you would like us to Stop doing, What you would like us to Start doing & What we should Continue doing….. lastly what topics you would like us to cover on GNF’s.  So lets dive into today’s GNF topic.

John Bly is the founding Member of LBA Haynes Strand, PLLC and LBA Haynes Strand Capital Advisors. His entrepreneurial leadership has propelled the CPA Firm’s growth. LBA Haynes Strand ranks as one of the Charlotte Business Journal’s Top 25 CPA Firms in the Charlotte Region and an Inc. 5000 Company.

John steers the Firm’s consistent growth of personnel and expansion of client services with ten partners and over seventy professionals, John continues to grow the Firm both organically and through acquisitions. John’s strategic plan led to a second and third office in Greensboro and Mount Airy to serve the rapidly growing Triad market. 

John is a frequently requested speaker who is called upon to share business ideas and growth strategies. And he is the author of "Cracking the Code: An Entrepreneur's Guide to Growing Your Business Through Mergers and Acquisitions for Pennies on the Dollar." John has received the 40 Under 40 award for National M&A Advisor Recognition, He was named Managing Partner Elite by Accounting Today, and won the 40 Under 40 for Charlotte Business Journal.

Welcome to Golden nugget Friday, today’s topic we will discuss how Small Businesses, Women, Veteran or Indian owned business in the United States can access over $500B dollars in contracts thru programs with US Small Business Administration.  To give you a bit of background on this program, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) was created in 1953 as an independent agency of the federal government to aid, counsel, assist and protect the interests of small business concerns, to preserve free competitive enterprise and to maintain and strengthen the overall economy. Although SBA has grown and evolved in the years since it was established in 1953, the bottom line mission remains the same. The SBA helps Americans start, build and grow businesses

In 2005, Stessman established Strategic as a partner in the fight against fraud, waste, and abuse in the Medicare and Medicaid programs. She employed a handful of people when she launched the company out of her home. Today, Strategic employs nearly 300 people in multiple locations across the country with $44 million in revenue. Strategic has recently received recognition from numerous organizations including the Inc. 5000 and Impact 50 award, Washington Technology Fast 50 award, and Smart CEO Government Star award.  Peg tells her story and shares tips & best practice to manage bank loans to ensure you don’t experience the bank pulling your loan with 90 days to repay.  Hear how they set and achieved their BHAG (Big, Harry, Audacious, Goal) – Achieve 40M in Revenue in 10 years.  Next BHAG came from the employees when we rolled out to the company it was epic!

Welcome to our Golden nugget Friday episode. Today’s topic has emerged from several of the successful entrepreneurs I have interviewed and was talked about in my interview earlier this week with Sarah Riegelhuth   It’s the topic on the importance of morning rituals and how these personal habits can improve not only personal success but your overall success including your business.   It’s a commitment of continuous personal discipline 1st thing in the morning that puts you in a positive mindset and propels entrepreneurs to becoming even more successful.   

Co-founder of Wealth Enhancers and League of Extraordinary Women, Sarah Riegelhuth is the author of “Get Rich Slow”, and shares her story with Inspiring Greatness.

She tells the incredible story of being two days away from packing up her stuff, giving away her entire belongings and moving to the states.  Her entrepreneurial journey started 6 years ago, since then she has been involved in founding and investing in about eight companies. Passionate with finance and business, she talks to us through her challenges and Ah-ah moment and how being an entrepreneur is “an amazing way to build a lifestyle the way that you want it.” 

"Nearly 89% of business owners report having the enthusiasm to execute growth strategies, yet just 46% report having the necessary financial resources to successfully execute their growth strategies," wrote Craig Everett, director of the Pepperdine Private Capital Markets Project.  

In this episode we will cover five steps business owners need to know to be successful and hear your banker say; yes, on your next business loan.  I will share some of my experience and provide some tips when dealing with banks to alleviate hardship if something goes wrong.  Lastly, we have some amazing tools, including editable template of a loan package to help you prepare for your next loan.

Growing up Ken lived in poor area of Sydney with a pharmacist father and his mother an inspiring business woman.  Ken studied pharmacy and has a passion for healthcare as he witnessed people could not afford health care, some had drug addictions or they were not taking the prescriptions properly.  He bought his first pharmacy at age 26 turning over 2 million dollars annually and grew this to 33 pharmacies across Australia.  Ken talks about his rituals of long term & short term Goal setting, motivation with watching Ted Talks and how important it is to have mentor group and coach. Ken explains his motivation to write his book how safe if your prescription when he saw an incorrect prescription given to a 12 yr old girl who would have died from 3 pills.

Golden Nugget Friday on the importance of why Persistence and Resilience is the key to entrepreneurial success.  My motivation behind this topic came from Tina Towers interview on episode 5.  Tina explained how Persistence and Resilience helped her success.  Listen to her explain what happened when she received the devastating the call from her accountant was telling her she only had 3 weeks left before she was out of cash.

Tina Tower, founder and CEO of Begin Bright is a business woman, an author, a speaker and a mum. Starting on her own her business at the age of 20, since then, Tina has built and sold two companies, and created a franchise business with a chain of 20 early learning centres which get children ready for school. Tina tells her story and how hanging on and believing you can do it is a key difference between entrepreneurs who succeed and those who fail.

Welcome to our Golden nugget Friday, where we talk about the importance of Corporate Responsibility and how it can help your business thrive…   Today I want to quickly explain the difference between Philanthropy & Corporate Social Responsibility. To highlight a business model that supports a social cause in a big way; in fact, since 2006 they have given over 50 million items in 70 countries.  Lastly, showcase a company that is providing fantastic philanthropic solutions for business that make a positive impact to your bottom line. Stay tuned to the end of this podcast where I will provide you with links and details so you too can make a difference!

When Jasmin’s mother passed away, leaving behind Roza’s Gourmet Sauces, Jasmin had not planned on taking over the business. Though it happened and Jasmin turned the small business, selling her mother’s homemade sauces at the end of their driveway, to a successful business manufacturing over 40 products. Jasmin’s spirit of innovation and direction, changed Roza’s gourmet sauces. In this 30min interview she tells us how being a go-getter and speaking her mind led her to success.

The only thing limiting us in life is our belief that there are limits.

Welcome to our very 1st Golden nugget Friday episode. Today’s topic could not be more appropriate.  It is a topic that I guarantee 100 % everyone has had experience with one time or another in fact as entrepreneurs sometimes on a daily basis.

It’s the mindset of self-limiting beliefs, that negative voice in the back or your mind making statements  like. I should have ……I could have ….. If only I would have statements.  

Or perhaps it’s a bit harsher…. Why did you say….?  That sounded stupid, why would anyone want your opinion?

Find Your Purpose  make a commitment to provide a positive impact and inspire greatness. 

The common thread that permeates Warren's Rustand's experience is one of vision, strategy, executive leadership, and achievement. He has created, led, and grown many successful private, public, and not for profit entities. He has a passion for family, entrepreneurship, public policy, and community. 

Warren was CEO of Providence Service Corporation - a $2.1 Billion social services and healthcare company, Managing Director of SC Capital Partners - an investment banking group. Warren was Chairman and CEO of Rural Metro Corporation, a $600 million, publicly traded emergency services company and on the board for 50 private, public & not for profit organizations.

1974 Warren served as Appointments Secretary and Cabinet Secretary to President Gerald Ford.

Shelley Rogers Entrepreneurial journey and reason for launching Inspiring Greatness podcast.  

Welcome to Inspiring Greatness where we interview incredible Entrepreneurs with inspiring stories.  Regardless of whether you are an experienced Entrepreneur or thinking of starting a business, everyone loves to hear about what an entrepreneur endures and how they have overcome numerous obstacles to achieve their own success. This podcast series will share their stories to inspire you!

This episode will give you a little bit of information about the podcast and what you can expect for the future as well as tell you about me, your host (Shelley Rogers).

I’ll be interviewing amazing Entrepreneurs each week, and then on Fridays I’ll be summarizing the best take away tips and lessons from the week with the Golden Nugget Round, getting you inspired for the weekend. 

I’ve embarked on a journey of growth and reconnected to my purpose in life by inspiring personal greatness with my newest venture Maxum Corporation.  Reflecting on two decades as an entrepreneur, I realize time is limited.  Maximize every day, make decisions as if you only have a limited time to be great!