Patriotism Is Not Exclusive - with Ian Wendt - EP 304
When building a brand, people often put their focus on the wrong areas and then wonder why the brand isn’t taking off. When we’re talking branding, especially apparel, people are usually buying into an idea or another person and what they stand for, and not necessarily just the products themselves. Building a message that you know other people need to hear is an essential first step in getting people to be interested in your brand. Find a community that will rally around that message, inspire them with your ideas, and they will want to buy what you create as their way of supporting your idea. This is the slow yet brilliant approach that led to the very successful launch of the apparel company Official Patriot Gear, owned by Ian Wendt.
Ian Wendt is an expert in sales, an accomplished creative, speaker, and a marketing professional. Ian’s passion has always been about serving others by helping them to reach new levels of performance both in their professional and personal lives. With his successful history in communication sales, Ian turned his focus on launching his own brand and apparel company, Official Patriot Gear. Their message is simple: patriotism is not partisan or exclusive. He’s taking that message to the masses and drawing attention to some of the most controversial and polarizing subjects of today’s culture and society. At the age of 34, Ian has established himself as an influential leader and teacher.
In this episode of the 365 Driven Podcast, Ian Wendt talks about the importance of always chasing fulfillment, focusing on adding value to others, embracing challenges, not being afraid to reinvent yourself, and what it means to be a Patriot. Ian credits a lot of his success to making the decision to stop caring what other people think about him. Although we hear this advice a lot, few people have actually put that into action. Releasing the fear of judgment or how others may perceive you will free you to do so much more and align with people that will resonate with your message. That is how you build an unstoppable brand.
Key highlights:
- Fulfillment should be constant
- How to be successful: Find gaps and find a way to fill them
- Put yourself in challenging situations so you can grow from them
- Society’s two biggest problems: Apathy and entitlement
- The 3 things that drive people: Money, power, and control
- About Official Patriot Gear: What is it and how did it start?
- Why building an identity around politics is dangerous
- How to build a powerful brand
- Putting your audience into perspective if you think you don’t have a big enough following to make a difference in the world
Episode resources:
Join 365 Driven in Portugal July 3-7
Connect with Ian Wendt:
Instagram: @iwendtster | @theofficialpatriotgear
Website: Officialpatriotgear.com
Join The Free Collective Coaching Group
Connect with Tony Whatley:
Instagram: @365driven
Facebook: 365 Driven
LinkedIn: Tony Whatley
Recession-Proof Your Business - with Jeff Fenster - EP 303
If you’re in the business world, you have probably heard of the term “vertical integration". But what exactly does that mean? This very strategic business approach could be part of a number of moves you can make to build a rock-solid business that would weather a recession. Jeff Fenster is back on the 365 Driven podcast, and Jeff is an expert in vertical integration and serial entrepreneurship.
Jeff Fenster is the CEO of Everbowl, a best-selling author, and podcast host. Jeff is an award-winning entrepreneur who credits his success to one thing: the art of building and maintaining relationships. His businesses range from a quick-serve restaurant chain, Payroll & HR company, a digital marketing agency, and a construction company. He was named a Top 100 Entrepreneur in America under the age of 35, a Top 40 Executive under 40 by the Business Journal, a finalist for CEO of the Year by Ernst & Young, and was named a Top Entrepreneur to follow for 2022. He has appeared on over 500 podcasts, created courses for LinkedIn Learning, and speaks across the country on entrepreneurial mindset, authentic networking, and vertical integration.
In this episode, Jeff delivers so much gold when it comes to building, growing, and protecting powerful businesses. As someone that has built and scaled various types of businesses, Jeff reveals where so many entrepreneurs go wrong which doesn’t allow their business to flourish and thrive. If you are tied to your business and you can’t take a vacation without it falling apart, this episode is for you.
Another very important aspect of owning a business is making sure it is profitable. Jeff offers a different perspective here. What if instead of focusing on how to make more money in your business, you use your entrepreneurial problem-solving ability to come up with ways to keep more money? That is what vertical integration is all about and you are going to want to hear how Jeff does it.
Key highlights:
- What is vertical integration?
- Where a lot of entrepreneurs go wrong
- What not to do when hiring team members
- How to build great teams in your business
- Being an effective leader
- Lessons on ego and self-awareness
- Don't solve problems, erase problems
- Making your business recession-proof
- Why experience is overrated in building businesses
- Do you need a business partner?
- Jeff’s advice to beginners
- About Jeff’s upcoming podcast: The Success Formula
Episode resources:
Join 365 Driven in Portugal July 3-7
Connect with Jeff Fenster:
Instagram: @fensterjeff
YouTube: @JeffFenster
Get Jeff's book: Relationship Bank Account: How to Make Friends, Have Fun, and Attract Lifelong Success
Connect with Tony Whatley:
Instagram: @365driven
Facebook: 365 Driven
LinkedIn: Tony Whatley
Be Authentic as F*ck - with Sun Yi - EP 302
You might already know about the importance of being authentic, but maybe you’re not exactly sure how to translate that over social media in order to attract your ideal customers. You don’t want to be so authentic and transparent that you don’t leave any mystery about you, and you also don’t want to share so much that you become uninteresting to listen to. There is definitely an art in owning who you are and what your unique talents are, and conveying that appropriately to your audience so that you stand out while showcasing your expertise. Sun Yi calls this the “goldilocks of personal branding.”
Sun Yi is an entrepreneur, storyteller, and TEDx speaker. He is the founder of Night Owls, an award-winning digital agency in NYC. In 2022, he started Night Owl Nation, a community that practices storytelling together.
Sun gained over 50k Instagram followers in only 6 months, and in this episode of the 365 Driven Podcast, he reveals his content strategy and the common mistakes he sees people making on social media, and what you should actually be doing instead. So many people think if they post consistently, that will be enough to grow their following, but they are missing a key component. It is called “social media” for a reason. The interactions are meant to be a 2-way street. No one likes when someone just takes without giving anything in return. Instead of “posting and ghosting” think about how you can use your knowledge and abilities to serve with authenticity, and the right clientele will take notice.
Key highlights:
- Sun’s content strategy and how he got 50k followers in 6 months
- Repurposing and recycling content
- What is a carousel on Instagram?
- The 3 necessary pieces of great content
- Why Sun has a consistent theme and colors on his Instagram page
- Don’t “post and ghost”
- Nuances about social media that Sun didn’t realize before
- The problem with influencer mentality
- How to land high-caliber clients
- Where to start if you are new to social media
- Why really great content might not perform well
- Common storytelling mistakes
- The importance of being relatable
Resources mentioned in the episode:
Join 365 Driven in Portugal July 3-7
Connect with Sun Yi:
Website: sunyi.co
Instagram: @sun.yi
YouTube: Sun Yi
Connect with Tony Whatley:
Instagram: @365driven
Facebook: 365 Driven
LinkedIn: Tony Whatley
Unleash Your Rockstar - with Jonathan George - EP 301
In the personal development space, we often hear the advice to be authentic and to ensure we are operating from a place of authenticity, but what happens if you don’t know who you are? This happens more often than you might think, and even celebrities deal with identity struggles. In the entrepreneurial world, you have to have clarity in who you are, and who you are speaking to, or the disconnect will be apparent. Jonathan George is here on the 365 Driven Podcast to dive deep into personal branding and offer a different perspective on what exactly it all means and how to achieve it the right way.
Jonathan George is the CEO of a Personal Branding Agency called Unleash Your Rockstar. His clients have amassed over 150 million online followers leading him to be dubbed “The Human Hitmaker.” As a specialist in creating, positioning, and expanding authentic rockstar personal brands to scale business brands, Jonathan has worked with top brands including Chanel, Universal, Sony ATV, Hulu, FOX, and Disney. As a thought leader on the topic, he also utilizes it as one of the hottest tools for self-development for GenZers and Millennials.
In this episode, Jonathan explains why it is so crucial to understand who you are in this day and age. With social media, so many of us get caught up in comparing ourselves to others, leading to anxiety and overwhelm. If we haven't taken the time to overcome the insecurities we had as children, we can carry them into adulthood without even realizing it, and then we let those insecurities turn into excuses as to why we can’t go after our goals. With mental health on the decline, it is becoming increasingly important to break through the walls and barriers that are holding you back and be the person you are meant to be. Unleashing your rockstar means unapologetically being who you are.
Key highlights:
- The mental effects of social media
- The number one thing that will hold you back from reaching your dreams
- Jonathan’s rebirthing experience and how he found real confidence
- Why personal branding is more than just colors and fonts
- How Jonathan helps people figure out how they want to show up in the world
- Why you need to understand your weaknesses
- Learning how to tell your story in a way that connects to your audience
- Oversharing: how do you know when it becomes too much?
- Crisis Management: How to diffuse situations you are not proud of
- Controlling how people perceive you
- Why your personal brand shouldn't be built around your business
- Why a personal brand is portable and can be pivoted for any business
Resources mentioned in the episode:
Book: The Four Agreements
Join 365 Driven in Portugal July 3-7
Connect with Jonathan George:
Website: unleashyourrockstar.com
Instagram: @jonathangeorgee
Facebook: Jonathan George
LinkedIn: Jonathan George
Connect with Tony Whatley:
Instagram: @365driven
Facebook: 365 Driven
LinkedIn: Tony Whatley
Millions of YouTube Subscribers - with Sean Cannell - EP 300
With the popularity of video content skyrocketing on platforms such as Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and of course YouTube, it is becoming more apparent that as an entrepreneur, you should be taking advantage of these platforms to reach your ideal customers. The most effective and powerful entrepreneurs are those that know how to tell their message, create engaging content, build that know, like, and trust factor, and bring people into their world. One of the most valuable skills in the modern era is knowing how to reach your customers through video content, and according to Sean Cannell, video podcasting is one of the biggest opportunities in 2023. In this episode of 365 Driven, Sean explains exactly what you need to get started with video content today.
Sean Cannell is the CEO of Think Media and host of the Think Media Podcast. He is one of today’s leading online video experts and the world’s most-watched YouTube strategist. Sean has been featured on Forbes.com, CNBC, Social Media Examiner, Entrepreneur.com, and Success.com. After growing an eight-figure income as a “Tech YouTuber,” he built a multimillion-dollar online video education company that he still runs today. Sean is also an international speaker, coach, and prolific content creator. His mission is to help ten thousand purpose-driven people create a full-time living with YouTube.
Creating video content can be intimidating and you might already have a bunch of excuses as to why you can’t get started. What is waiting for you on the other side of consistently releasing videos, is more leads, more impact, more customers, more purpose, more personal development, and more growth for your brand and business. Sean urges you to punch fear and perfection in the face, just get started where you are right now, and grow from there. Sean’s simple and accessible approach squashes any barriers or excuses you might have and sheds light on the important aspects that you should be paying attention to in order to gain traction with your content, whether that be long or short-form videos. If you haven’t thought about getting on YouTube, Sean reveals what you are missing out on, and why you should take advantage of the platform to optimize your brand.
Key highlights:
- How Sean got started with video content
- Why entrepreneurs should release content on YouTube
- Getting over the fears and hurdles of starting with video content
- Do downloads, views, comments, and likes matter?
- Sean’s perfect video recipe for getting more views and attention on YouTube
- The biggest mistake that 99% of entrepreneurs are making with video content
- What makes a good YouTube thumbnail?
- How to get people to click on your videos
- The importance of hooking people in within the first 3 seconds
- Key metrics for hacking the YouTube algorithm
- How to get started in the next 24 hours
Resources mentioned in the episode:
YouTube Secrets by Sean Cannell
Join 365 Driven in Portugal July 3-7
Connect with Sean Cannell:
Website: seancannell.com
YouTube Channel: Think Media on YouTube
Instagram: @seancannell
Facebook: Sean Cannell
Twitter: @seancannell
TikTok: @thinkmediaofficial
Podcast: Think Media Podcast on YouTube
LinkedIn: Sean Cannell
Connect with Tony Whatley:
Instagram: @365driven
Facebook: 365 Driven
LinkedIn: Tony Whatley
Sustaining Habits and Building Authority - with Chris Warnes - EP 299
Too often when people fail at something that they have been working hard toward, the default reaction is to give up or rebound hard in the opposite direction, but it doesn’t have to be so extreme. Or maybe the opposite is true and you reached a big milestone you have been aiming for, so you celebrate big and then fall off the wagon. When you fail at something or even reach your goal, that doesn’t have to be the end. Failure can be a great gift that teaches you very valuable lessons if you know how to pay attention. Success also teaches you a great deal, but don't lose sight of the habits that got you there. Sustainability and consistency are the keys. Chris Warnes is a great example of how to build and maintain a successful business and authority, and how to take failure as a lesson.
Chris Warnes is a serial entrepreneur, independent watch dealer, business coach, life mentor, speaker, and author focused on self-awareness, purpose, spirituality, mindset, leadership, company culture, and the true meaning of entrepreneurship. After two tours in Iraq with the Army, Chris was awarded The Purple Heart and now lives, breathes, and teaches the warrior mindset. His companies operate from the culture and core values that he lives by and represents. His care for people, discipline, and accountability sets him apart from others. In over 15 years, Chris has built six companies, including online fitness coaching, a full-service gym, real estate investing, dealing high-end timepieces, Warrior Consulting, and most recently, a Non-Profit. Chris has recently also become two companies’ managing/equity partner for his leadership, expertise, and knowledge.
In this episode of the 365 Driven Podcast, Chris shares what he learned from a near-death experience while serving in the military, and why we need to shift how we view failure and see it as an opportunity to learn and grow. The journey is more important than the finish line, and once you reach that finish line, don’t take it as an excuse to go back to old habits, but instead celebrate, and then get back to work. Chris also shares how he built his online presence and became an authority in the fitness industry, and now coaching space. People often think they don’t have the credibility or knowledge to be an authority in their space, but Chris and Tony offer a different perspective and share how you can get started creating content today.
Key highlights:
- What Chris learned about himself in combat after serving 2 tours in the military
- Chris and Tony’s thoughts on 75 Hard
- Why you should see failure as a lesson
- How Chris pivoted his business to meet market demand
- How to create content that will build authority and an audience
- Chris’ words of advice for people that have a goal but are afraid to pursue it
Episode resources:
Join 365 Driven in Portugal July 3-7
Connect with Chris Warnes:
Website: chriswarnes.com
Instagram: @chriswarnes_og
Facebook: Christopher Warnes
Podcast: The CW Clinic
LinkedIn: Chris Warnes
Get Chris’ book: Dominate Your Day
Connect with Tony Whatley:
Instagram: @365driven
Facebook: 365 Driven
LinkedIn: Tony Whatley
Lamborghinis & Airplanes - with Steve Currington - EP 298
To attract your ideal audience and the kind of people you want to be surrounded with, the key is to be your true self and stop trying to make everyone like you. No matter what you do, there will always be people that have negative things to say, and that can increase as you become more successful. Instead of being the person you think other people want you to be, or copying someone else you see online, build your own personal brand by being yourself and the right people will follow. Steve Currington has a great story of building his personal brand by being true to himself and following the guidance of a great coach.
Steve Currington is a well-known mortgage banker and entrepreneur. He is a VP at CrossCountry Mortgage and has become a prominent figure in the industry. Steve has been recognized as one of the top mortgage originators in the United States. Steve is also known for his philanthropic work in the Tulsa community and has been actively involved in a number of charitable organizations, including the Make-A-Wish Foundation, St. Jude, and the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, and has been recognized for his contributions to the community. In addition to his professional and philanthropic work, Steve is also an avid car enthusiast and uses his love of cars to connect with people in the automobile industry. In 2019 Steve took his love of Lamborghini to the internet and created the YouTube channel LambroSteve to highlight his cars and share his experiences outside of the mortgage company he runs.
In this episode of the 365 Driven Podcast, Steve and Tony discuss the true value of hiring a business coach and how to know if you are ready to make that commitment. Steve shares how he got into the mortgage business, how he overcame substance addictions and traded them for Lamborghinis and airplanes, and how he uses them as marketing strategies.
Key highlights:
- The true value of a business coach
- How to become a leader before you are recognized as a leader
- How Steve found his “purple cow”
- Steve’s reasons for having exotic cars and an airplane
- Benefits of having expensive hobbies
- Why Steve decided to utilize social media more, and how he went viral on YouTube
- The Lambo effect
Books mentioned in the episode:
The Ultimate Sales Machine by Chet Holmes
Go for No by Richard Fenton
The Big Short by Michael Lewis
Purple Cow by Seth Godin
Connect with Steve Currington:
Website: stevecurrington.com
Instagram: @lambrosteve
YouTube: youtube.com/@LambroSteve
Facebook: Lambro Steve
Connect with Tony Whatley:
Instagram: @365driven
Facebook: 365 Driven
LinkedIn: Tony Whatley
What Is Your Purpose? - with Jesse Elder - EP 297
Everyone wants to find their purpose and operate from that place, but what if we are chasing our purpose in the wrong way? Purpose is not something you have to achieve, it is what you are. You are either allowing yourself to be who and what you are, or you are restricting who and what you are. Every person has a unique function and by being who you are meant to be, there are amazing byproducts. Jesse Elder helps people dig into who they truly are and live a life that is authentically aligned with that unique purpose and vision.
Jesse Elder is a speaker, mentor, entrepreneur, and all-around lover of life. He has devoted his life to sharing his principles of self-mastery with people all around the world. Through his popular Mind Vitamin videos, online courses, events, and private coaching, Jesse teaches others how to create their own success and fulfillment, reclaim their personal freedom, and master their reality.
In this episode of the 365 Driven podcast, Jesse shares his upbringing of being homeschooled, watching his dad get arrested and go to prison for standing up for his beliefs, and how that shaped his view of the world. Jesse talks about his experience growing up learning martial arts, and how getting into a fight at 19 gave him the reality check that propelled him to question everything he thought he knew. He realized everyone feels like they know the truth, but we all can’t think the same thing about everything. Jesse had been seeking the truth, but he came to realize that he never actually wanted to feel as though he had arrived at the truth. He stopped asking what is true and started asking what is useful. Tune in for more.
Key highlights:
- The purpose of pain
- Our relationship with fear
- The problem with inauthenticity
- How to stay connected to your intuition
- How Jesse helps people connect to their true purpose
- How to be emotionally sovereign
- A simple exercise to get connected to your purpose
- How to create content that people will resonate with
Connect with Jesse Elder:
Website: jesseelder.com
Facebook: Jesse Elder
Instagram: @timepiercer
Connect with Tony Whatley:
Instagram: @365driven
Facebook: 365 Driven
LinkedIn: Tony Whatley
Reinvention Over Rehabilitation - with Angie Manson - EP 295
The definition of rehabilitation is to restore someone to their former condition, but a more helpful and empowering method is reinvention. We always want to be improving and gaining skills that make us better humans, and it is totally possible to completely reinvent ourselves into whatever version we want to be. Today’s guest has an incredible comeback story of going from facing prison time for a felony, to being a successful CEO of Elevate Addiction Services.
Angie Manson began drinking and using drugs at just 11 years old, was arrested and went to rehab at 16, and faced 10 years in prison at 21 years old. Due to a compassionate judge, Angie was sentenced to treatment instead. A couple of months in, she started working and giving back and realized her true purpose was to help others overcome the struggles she once faced. After completing 3-years of probation and working full-time in treatment, that same Judge erased all of Angie’s criminal record and gave her a completely clean slate. Angie used the opportunity to turn her life around and reinvent herself. Angie has now worked in alcohol and drug rehabilitation full-time for 28 years and empowers individuals to stay sober and reach their true potential with her unique and copyrighted method.
In this episode, Angie shares her story of what led to her addiction early in her life, and emphasizes the importance of parents having those tough, but very necessary conversations about drugs and alcohol with their children sooner rather than later. With the current opioid overdose crisis in our country, largely due to accidental Fentanyl ingestion, it has become even more important for parents to be aware of the hazards and prevention. Angie also dives into the topic of how to be an effective leader of an organization, personal branding, scaling, and using criticism to your benefit.
Key highlights:
- Angie’s comeback story of being addicted to drugs and alcohol, facing prison time, and eventually completely reinventing herself as a successful CEO
- Angie’s advice to parents to look at clues that their kids may be getting into substance abuse
- What people need to know about the Fentanyl crisis
- Why Angie’s approach to overcoming addiction works and changes lives
- How Angie grew her company from a small team to one of 100 team members currently
- Why EQ matters more than IQ when it comes to running a company
- Qualities of a great leader
- Growing pains Angie saw as a business owner
- Angie’s advice to business owners in hiring team members
- Personal branding and owning your uniqueness
- How to handle haters and critics and use criticism to your benefit
Connect with Angie Manson:
- Website: angiemanson.com
- Elevate Addictions Services: elevaterehab.org
- Instagram: @goingrogue_podcast
- Facebook: Angie Manson
- Twitter: @AngieGoingRogue
- TikTok: @angie_going_rogue
Connect with Tony Whatley:
Instagram: @365driven
Facebook: 365 Driven
LinkedIn: Tony Whatley
Manufacturing Influence - with Ulyses Osuna - EP 294
With people paying for blue check marks and seeking quick ways to get known in their industry, more people want to know how they can fast-track their influence. While it is true that slowly and steadily building that know, like, and trust factor will greatly benefit you, we have seen that the universe loves speed. It is also true that there are unethical and frowned-upon ways to gain an audience, but there are always routes to manufacture influence with integrity and honesty if you want to establish trust and authority faster.
Ulyses Osuna is here on the 365 Driven Podcast to talk all things media, PR, and everything you need to know to get known in the industry. Ulyses is the CEO of Influencer Press where he manages publicity for clients and helps them get known quicker. He has been featured in Forbes, and contributed to Entrerour.com, Success.com, Huffpost.com, and Business.com. With Ulyses’ help, his clients have gotten 13 million views, and thousands of articles published.
In this episode, Ulyses shares why he got interested in PR at only 17 years old, and the very hard lessons he had to learn about the industry. As a young entrepreneur that wanted to reach the limelight as fast as possible, Ulyses knows that people are looking for someone to guide them to fast, yet honest strategies to increase their influence. With a lot of dishonesty in the media, the importance of building your influence with honesty is key to making yourself stand out in the crowd and building a loyal following that will carry over for decades. Ulyses covers how he helps his clients control what people think about them, the importance of personal branding, and his opinion on paying to get verified online.
Key highlights:
- The hard lessons Ulyses learned when getting into the industry
- The importance of being honest on social media
- The problems with cancel culture
- Where Ulyses’ passion came from
- Why media and PR are so alluring
- How to win in any industry
- Ulyses' opinion on paying to be featured in articles or for verification on social media
- How Ulyses works with clients to control what people see and think about them
- The PR snowball system
- Using podcast guesting as a PR pitch deck
- What do paid events look like?
- Why is personal branding important?
- Why should someone hire an agency and look to build their influence?
Episode resources:
Book: Trust Me, I’m Lying by Ryan Holiday
Connect with Ulyses:
Website: ulysesosuna.com
Instagram: @ulyses
Connect with Tony Whatley:
Instagram: @365driven
Facebook: 365 Driven
LinkedIn: Tony Whatley