Unconventional Life – Podcast, Blog, Live Events

Author: Jules Schroeder

Why You Aren’t Getting Noticed: The One Skill To Learn As A Millennial Entrepreneur

Electing autonomy and freedom over traditional 9 to 5 careers, millennials have been dubbed the “true entrepreneur generation.” In fact, a survey by Bentley University reported that 67% of millennials say their career goals involve starting their own businesses.

In a world where millennials will comprise 75% of the U.S. workforce by 2025, this makes for a lot of entrepreneurs—totaling in the tens of millions.

So, if building a business is on your list, you’ll now need to know more than just how to attract clients, close deals and scale profits. With so much competition, your most important skill may be standing out.

Who better to learn from than a woman whose business has been named a Top 100 Most Influential Digital Media Site by the White House? Meet Britt Hysen, founder and editor in chief of MiLLENNiAL Magazine, a media lifestyle brand showcasing millennial influencers that boasts 380,000 monthly pageviews and reaches an audience in 197 countries.

Hysen shares her secret to capturing the spotlight on the latest episode of Unconventional Life, “How To Stand Out: The Secret To Getting Publicity Organically with MiLLENNiAL Magazine Founder Britt Hysen”

Hysen’s journey began with a three-year acting career that saw her appear on popular shows like Drake & Josh, Mad Men and Criminal Minds. As she advanced in her career, however, she found the “Hollywood sweet life” to be unfulfilling and decided to seek exposure through a different outlet.

She picked up a mic, rallied some friends, and began interviewing them on camera, which eventually inspired her to create a platform that would broadcast their stories on a larger scale.

“There’s no platform that’s actually telling these people’s stories. They deserve to have their stories told; I’m going to be the one to do it,” Hysen says.

Now, Hysen features celebrities involved in causes, CEOs disrupting industries, activists taking a stand, and everyday people making a living doing what they love.

“We focus this magazine on the do-gooders of our generation,” Hysen says. “We really want to provide valuable content that is inspirational in telling somebody else’s story or giving you the reader something concrete that you can add to your life.”

When you’re just starting out, it can be challenging to stand out from and get the exposure you need to thrive. Below, Hysen shares the five biggest tips that have helped her capture attention and stay relevant.

Target a niche. “I think everybody needs to have a niche: What is it that separates you from other people? Figure out what you’re most passionate about and then really dial in on that very specific topic, because you can’t be general. The second you go general you’re going to lose your audience.”

Become an expert. In order to attract an audience, you’re going to need to establish yourself as a credible source for information. Spend time researching, seek out direct experience and work with people who are already established figureheads in your industry. The more you become a primary source, the more people will consult you first for their needs.

Be picky. Don’t settle for producing just any old product. Develop a specific set of criteria that represents your brand and stick to it. Set the bar high, and you will become known for consistently producing top-grade content and products. Businesses that accomplish this get talked about, recommended and shared.
Tap into your network. Hone your resources by finding out who’s already in your network that you can leverage. The more you grow your network, the more opportunities will show up to get noticed. You never know who might have an “in” with the editor of a big publication or who knows somebody influential who could seriously benefit you.

Host your own event. Once you’ve assembled a network of like-minded entrepreneurs, bring them together at a focused event. The goal is to provide a space where people within your sphere can get to know each other, make connections, collaborate and benefit from the information you provide. This gets your name out and keeps you fresh in mind when your friends decide to host their own events. Hosting a summit is particularly effective; check out Christine King’s Millennial Shift Summit for inspiration.

This article was originally published on Forbes

February 28, 2018
Millennials, Say Goodbye To Feeling Stuck: 3 Tips To Overcome Setbacks

Abruptly, you feel stopped in the middle of your career path. The way ahead appears hazy and uncertain, with no clear opening in sight. You’re not sure what to do or where to go, so you stay put where you are — but your resources are running out.

Perhaps you’re struggling to make a difficult decision, your finances are getting tight, you lack motivation, or you’re afraid of failure and making a big mistake.

No matter the reason, the experience is the same — you feel stuck. And it can be incredibly challenging to muster the strength, confidence, and clarity to move forward.

If there’s one man who knows this particularly well, it’s Steve Martel. He’s a real estate wealth expert who influences more than 100,000 entrepreneurs annually and has helped investors acquire over $350 million worth of real estate in the past three years alone. He also knows what it’s like to feel stuck and lose $47 million overnight, yet he hasn’t let it stop him.

I spoke with Martel about his uncanny ability to get “unstuck” and keep moving forward on this week’s podcast episode, “How To Get Unstuck: The Secret To Overcoming Million Dollar Setbacks w/ Real Estate Mogul Steve Martel.”

Martel’s drive stems from the battle with cancer he began waging at age 16. Doctors told him he had a 90% chance the cancer would persist, so he decided to start living like he was dying.

“I had no choice, because I had built in my mind that I only had 5 more years to live,” Martel says.

Instead of going to college, Martel began selling homes. At age 18, he sold 78 homes, while the average real estate agent sells 4 to 6.

At age 21, he sold 250 homes and earned $4 million.

From there, his trajectory only went up and up, but not without plenty of setbacks. Anyone who plays a big game knows it involves big risks.

Martel’s gotten stuck more times than he can count. He’s declared bankruptcy, lost millions on deals, and even had business partners screw him out of contracts. Yet he is where he is today because of his commitment to persistence.

“I counted, as an actual positive blessing, that I did go through cancer, because today I am living the most awesome life ever with my children, with my friends, with my business that I can’t even count as work,” Martel says.

Below, Martel shares the secrets that have helped him get out of sticky situations and proceed to generate personal success.

Live like there’s no tomorrow. If you believed your time was quickly dwindling, you wouldn’t wait to get started on doing the things you love, or creating the life you dream about. You wouldn’t make excuses for why you aren’t ready yet, or why you can’t get back in the game. You would possess the unparalleled drive of a dying man. You may not actually have a deadly disease, but you can choose to operate from this mindset to ignite the burner beneath your actions and hold yourself accountable to moving forward.

Burn the bridges behind you. When you’re stuck in a rut, it can be tempting to backtrack and cling onto what feels safe. But this massively hinders your progress and keeps you in a state of fear. To ensure you avoid doing this, make it impossible for yourself to turn around. “The science behind momentum is burning the bridges behind you, share your passion and story with other people,” Martel says. “That now obligates you and commits you to actually moving on forward. You’ve got no other choice but to succeed and that’s how you have to see it in your head.”

Be willing to take risks. The number one reason Martel became successful was because he didn’t shy away from taking risks. He dealt with enormous sums of money, reasoning that the only difference was “an extra zero.” Play a bigger game, and you will reap bigger rewards. When you can’t decide on your next move, take a risk and see what happens — if you happen to make a mistake, you will only learn from it and become wiser.

This article was originally published on Forbes

February 28, 2018
4 Steps To Make Peace With Your Inner Critic And Get Out Of Your Own Way

We’ve all got one — and it can seem like it will never leave us alone. Just when you’re about to launch that new product, or give that important presentation, or interview for that job you really want, it comes knocking at your door.

I’m talking about your inner critic. That voice inside your head that nags at you, tells you you can’t do it, and reminds you of all the times you’ve failed.

Meet Joel Brown, a guy who’s appeared on magazine covers and TV shows, worked with Tony Robbins, and spread the knowledge of self development all over the world. He’s the founder of Addicted2Success, a motivation site with an audience of over 80 million viewers.

He’s just like you — except he’s made peace with his inner critic. He’s a testament to the kind of success that’s possible when you finally get out of your own way.

“We are all designed in a certain way and born into this world for a purpose. A lot of us really just get in our own way all the time,” Brown says.

If you’re looking for all the details, on how Brown got his start just four years ago check out this week’s podcast episode, “Making Peace With Your Inner Critic w/ Addicted2Success Founder Joel Brown”

Brown dropped out of high school in 11th grade, and never attended college. If anyone’s got reasons why they can’t make it big, it’s him.

Yet he hasn’t let any of that stop him. He says the secret to his success has been having the courage to look at his limiting beliefs and heal them.

“My body doesn’t just hold organs and blood, there’s also an emotional body,” Brown says. “Once you understand that you can start clearing away things and your true calling comes through.”

Brown’s true calling has emerged in the form of his blog and podcast and producing the movie RiseUP, which has inspired millions to look inward and overcome their mental blocks.

Below, Brown shares his top 4 steps to create a mental framework that cuts through the excuses and empowers you.

Step #1: Bring curiosity to your negative beliefs. Naturally as human beings we are skeptical. Approach your negative beliefs objectively — get curious about why they are there. Don’t identify with them or make yourself wrong for them, but rather see them as a natural response to your life experiences and allow them to be there. Perhaps you’ve struggled to make the money you want, so you’ve developed the belief that making money is hard and unlikely.

By bringing curiosity instead of resistance or judgement there is space for those beliefs to have a voice and ultimately begin to complete and disappear.

Step #2: Feed your positive beliefs. “Turn the noise down on negativity and turn the noise up on empowering beliefs,” Brown says. Tune into the thoughts that encourage you and give them more attention — what you focus on grows. If you’ve got a belief that you’re charismatic and great at making friends, reinforce that for yourself. Take it a step further by imagining yourself networking with people who uplift you. You’ll open up this avenue for yourself in real life by truly believing it’s possible.

Step #3: Be committed to mastery. Be willing to become a master at whatever is important to you- overcoming a limiting belief, creating a breakthrough in your business, or initiating a daily routine. When you live your life with the framework of mastery you have the opportunity to sit in the student chair and prioritize your own learning and growth over anything else.

Each day focus on a 1% shift- it could be waking up with gratitude, taking a short walk, reading a chapter in a book, making an important phone call, or saying yes to something that feels out of your comfort zone. Before you know it day after day you will begin hacking away at anything that stands in your way.

Step #4: Create a 10-year vision gameplay. Envision what you’d like your ideal life to look like in 10 years. Dream big — don’t underestimate what you can accomplish in a decade! Start with the 10th year, defining every aspect of your life from personal relationships, to business, finances, health, recreation and travel. Then, write down everything you would need to have done in the 9th year to get there, in as much detail as you can. Break it down for yourself month by month if you can. Repeat by going backwards in time each year until you get to the present moment. Commit to this vision and to actually taking the steps you’ve listed to get there — it is possible.

5 years ago, Brown went through this process, and today, he’s already living his 10 year vision and then some.

This article was originally published on Forbes

February 28, 2018
Aspiring Millennial Coaches: This Mistake Is Keeping Your Business From Taking Off

Coaching is the second-fastest growing profession in the world, rivaled only by information technology.

The multi-billion dollar coaching industry is booming, and entrepreneurs from around the world are taking note. As of late, it’s becoming “trendy” to become a personal development coach, especially for millennials.

Millennials, take heed: the growing popularity is also something to be wary about. With everyone marketing themselves under the broad description of “coach,” it can be extremely difficult to stand out and get noticed.

That’s why 5-time Oprah’s Lifeclass guest and Hay House author Lucy Sheridan has opted to brand herself as a “Comparison Coach,” catering to individuals who chronically compare themselves to others on social media. Before you question how there’s a large enough market for that, know she’s got clients from across the globe seeking her out for her unique offering.

I caught up with Sheridan about how she’s successfully pioneered and profited from this niche on this week’s podcast episode, “How To Be The #1 Expert In Your Industry w/ Comparison Coach Lucy Sheridan”

Sheridan’s interest in social comparison stemmed from her own experience being addicted to social media during a vulnerable time in her life. She recalls being absorbed with the successful lives of friends while, behind the scenes, her life was suffering.

“There was a lot of Facebook-unfriendly stuff going on, you know, things that no filter and no careful words could put a good spin on,” she says.

For two years, she remained fixated upon others’ digital highlights and envied what appeared to be out of reach for her.

It was around 2010 that she began to seek out help by reading self-help books. She found healing in the openness and transparency of the self-development community, and was inspired to give back by launching her own coaching practice.

She noticed that her online content got the most traction when she shared about social comparison — it sparked more views, and triggered more engaged conversations. It became increasingly apparent that people resonated with her experience and were hungry for information that addressed the root of the issue.

Sheridan responded to the calling by centering her coaching solely around banishing comparisons, being the first to claim herself as an authority in the niche. “I just kept on bloody banging on about it,” she says. “Give the people what they want! Calling myself the comparison coach, using snippy lines… I don’t leave any of it to doubt, or talk about anything in general terms.”

Her website currently reads, “Absolutely Focused on Helping Gen Y Go From ‘Compare and Despair’ to #ComparisonFree.”

It’s Sheridan’s focus and ability to niche-down that’s made her in-demand and attracted the kind of clientele base every coach dreams of.

By focusing on a very specific problem, such as those struggling with comparison issues, she was able to attract an audience very quickly on what she offers; instead of focusing her work very generally to appeal to the masses, a common mistake that most millennial coaches make when they are getting started.

If you find yourself struggling to gain traction in your own business, consider it may be that you are trying to appeal to too large of an audience.

Below, Sheridan shares how getting clear on your niche can make you successful.

Get curious.

Call to mind personal experiences that you struggled with and overcame. Think really specific — things that aren’t often talked about, or that might seem “taboo” to discuss. Oftentimes these are your best niche markets, because nobody’s offering a solution or providing a safe space to open up about them. Within your personal experience, get clear on what you learned, how you overcame it, and how you could help others.

Bring your own interpretation to the table.

Even if you can’t think of a totally “unique” experience, you can put a unique spin on a common experience that will help you to stand out. “It’s all how you package it,” Sheridan says. “Ultimately, everything is a copy of a copy of a copy, so what’s your spin on it?”

Stop trying to be “everybody’s” coach.

If you try to be “everybody’s” coach, you’ll end up being no one’s coach, because people are tired of general coaching that doesn’t help them overcome their specific problems. Structure your business around your niche and market yourself as a distinct kind of coach. You’ll be surprised how many people around the world are actually just looking for help in that department, and are going to seek out you.

February 28, 2018
The Single Trait That Leads To Success, According To NBA Champion Ronny Turiaf

Success is unpredictable — there are very few things we can do, if it all, to guarantee it.

Whether you are trying to start your own business, training to run a marathon, or working on your own side hustle, life tends to throw things in our path that challenge us, provoke us, and test our commitment. Hardly anyone who’s reached the top will tell you that the road was easy, but they all have one thing in common: perseverance.

Take it from a former NBA champion, who weathered open heart surgery, financial hardship, and a host of other injuries, for the sake of pursuing his dream.

I’ve never met anyone quite as dedicated as Ronny Turiaf — he’s played basketball for the LA Lakers, Miami Heat, and the NY Knicks, to name a few. He’s also the founder of the Heart to Heart Foundation, which provides medical care for individuals who lack health insurance and can’t afford the care they need.

I spoke with Ronny about his inspiring journey on this week’s podcast episode, “The Single Habit That Leads to Quantum Success, According to NBA Champion Ronny Turiaf.”

Not many people are forced to choose between their life or their dream, and choose their dream. That was the position Ronny found himself in when he was about to be drafted for the LA Lakers in 2006, but was suddenly denied contract.

A medical examination revealed he would need to undergo open heart surgery, or never be able to play basketball again. To make matters worse, he didn’t have health insurance and couldn’t pay for the surgery.

Growing up in poverty, Ronny had always been motivated to play basketball with the hope of one day being able to provide for his family. Over the years he sacrificed birthday parties, family gatherings, and quality time in order to practice basketball.

The medical situation was devastating to Ronny — not only could he lose his life, but everything he had hoped for in training over the last eight years. Fortunately, others came to his aid to help Ronny finance the surgery, and he opted to go through with it.

The operation was successful, but it was Ronny’s perseverance and focus that really stood out.

He remembers saying: “You are going to have to kill me because I will make it back to the basketball court. There is no alternative.”

He could have succumbed to fear, and his journey would have ended right there. Instead, he summoned the courage to keep going and proceeded to shine in the NBA, making his childhood basketball dreams a reality and winning the NBA Championship in 2012 with the Miami Heat.

Through Ronny’s story we see that success is defined by the choice to persevere through the moments that test us. When we commit to overcome every obstacle life throws at us, we become unstoppable, and success is inevitable.

Consider applying the following tips to master the art of perseverance:

Listen to your inner voice to help you make crucial decisions.

When you find yourself at a fork in the road, check in with yourself and honor what your intuition or “gut feeling” is telling you. Sometimes, your own voice will say something different than what others say. Remember that you know yourself best and therefore have the best information set to determine what’s right for you. Regardless of what you do you will always make someone unhappy. Ronny says, “the only thing I can control is that it feels right in my belly, and that’s the only thing that can make me at peace and at ease with everything I do.”

Push through the pain by focusing on your goal.

Having a successful mindset involves accepting that it’s not always going to be easy. You will encounter trials that test how bad you want it. In the ten months leading up to winning the NBA championships in 2012 Ronny broke his hand twice. His advice? “Whether the storm.” When you find yourself in pain or challenged, remind yourself why it’s worth pushing through. Reaffirming your goal and the “why” behind your actions is the greatest fuel to empower you to keep going when it gets tough.

Apply the same drive to every aspect of your life.

It’s difficult to feel successful when you are only pursuing success in one aspect of your life. If your job is going great, but your health is another story, you’re bound to feel like a walking contradiction. To truly feel success from the inside out, you’ll need to apply the same drive you currently have in one area… to all areas. Ronny says, “I gave myself too much in one category and the others suffered. I asked myself, Ronny how can you find balance in all areas of your life? And yes, you are asking yourself to do something that is very difficult, but something that is worthy in your eyes, because I want to be great in everything that I do.”

This article was originally published on Forbes

February 28, 2018