Unconventional Life – Podcast, Blog, Live Events

Category: Business

EP:196 How to Deliver a Successful Business Pitch, with Sales Expert, Oren Klaff

Have you ever tuned in to the business reality show Shark Tank where people pitch ideas to potential investors? For people who are familiar with this hit tv show, you know it’s more or less like a real shark tank where you survive or get eaten.

Shark Tank is a platform that gives promising entrepreneurs the chance to pitch their ideas to a panel of five investors who have built fortunes in different industries. The people who make the best pitches get their ideas funded while the ideas that are not well explained, no matter how good they seem are turned down.

For this reason, it is imperative that you learn the necessary skills to deliver an engaging pitch in a limited time because let’s face it, long narratives bore people quickly.

This week, Jules Schroeder had the chance to sit down with Oren Klaff and pick his brain over pertinent issues when it comes to getting people to invest in your idea or company. Author, keynote speaker, entrepreneur, and investment banker are, among the many hats that he wears. He is also one of the world’s leading experts on sales, raising capital, and negotiations. His book, Pitch Anything, has become a required reading throughout Silicon Valley and has sold over a million copies. Anything he touches turns to gold. For this reason, it was only necessary to have him share with us the secret to having an investor not only say “yes” to your idea but to actually pump money into it.

Oren shares with us his journey to success and practical tips on how to deliver a pitch that moves an investor to channel money to bring an idea into reality.

1. Value yourself & your product or service

It is crucial that you value yourself and everything that you bring to the table. Oren says, “When someone detects that you’re adapting to who they need you to be, you upset them.” You cannot afford to say yes to everything that a potential investor or client says to you just to please them. Investors will not trust you with their money the moment you let outsiders dictate what you should or should not do. They might conclude that you do not know what you want because you are so easily swayable. When you have your own values, you become more compelling. That is what makes you charismatic.

2. Observe trends in the market.

You must understand the market that you want to tap into. Ask relevant questions and find answers first before going to an investor. These are some of the relevant questions that Oren suggests you look into;

How is the market changing? What is the buying behavior for the market? How are you going to promote the product or service? What geography are you targeting? What does your business model look like?

People love the idea of something new but the concept must still be embedded into something that has been in existence for long. You must, therefore, observe trends in the market to learn the graph and know how your new idea fits into the usual way of getting things done.

3. Sell a concept that will create massive change

It is difficult to sell something that will have a very limited effect on the industry. You need to come up with something that will still radically change people’s lives two to three years from now. Investors see the essence of putting their money into an idea or business that creates massive change and is equally long-lasting.

You must point out ways in which your idea will alter the industry such that it will be completely different in a few years to come. Avoid unnecessary details about how your product is not like the others. Almost everything that exists in the world today has been done before. Hence, you must just find a way to communicate how your idea will change and benefit what is already in existence in the world.

4.Invest in your idea

An investor will expect you to make a substantial contribution to your business. If you have spent very little in ensuring the visibility or running of your business it shows that you are not serious about it. If you cannot take your own company seriously, how can someone else?

Oren Klaff’s greatest point is that the same effort that goes into coming up with a business idea should also go into seeking investment. You may have one of the best ideas in the world, but the way you deliver your idea will determine whether you sink or swim.

Giveaway

Win Oren’s excellent book, “Pitch Anything“. Double Giveaway! if you register at orenklaff.com you could win a fully-funded trip to Southern California where you will have Oren as your city guide and business consultant.

Get in touch

If you are interested in connecting with Oren, you can reach out through his website.

November 11, 2019
EP:195 How to Become an Incredible Leader, with Keara Mascareñaz

As a leader, there are many different ways you can create change within your team. “Change can be made at the structural level by redesigning the way teams are organized, at the team level by refining the way collaboration happens or at the individual level by evolving personal habits and practices.”

Often leaders try to redesign the way teams are organized by delegating tasks and creating to-do lists. Asana is a great resource but before meaningful teamwork can happen, some attention needs to be given to creating a foundation of trust through positive work habits.

Our world is becoming more and more online and there is a need to shift to a more responsive and humane way of interacting as a team so people feel like they belong to something greater than just tasks on a to-do list.

This week on the unconventional life podcast is Keara Mascareñaz. Keara is the author of The New Team Habits: A Guide To The New School Rules. (Soon to be released!) Keara helps schools and districts build and scale a culture of innovation through leadership development, team habits, and human-centered organizational design.

In this episode, Keara shares three habits from her book that build a foundation for positive, lasting changes among your team.

Increases presence and equal talk time in meetings

“Meetings are a powerful place to change the way you engage and work with each other. By shifting the way you start your meetings, you can change the tone, engagement, and ultimately culture of your meetings and your team.”

Some sample check-in questions for the beginning of the meeting;
Where are you on a scale of one to five
what’s occupying your mind?
What are you worried about this week
what was your childhood nickname?
when did you get in the most trouble right?
what’s a mistake you made and what did you learn from it?

They can range from really short and fun to very deep and serious. Keara believes that if teams can consistently start meeting this way, check-ins can really enhance the level of trust and create strong bonds between people.

Talk about mistakes. Model vulnerability so that the team learns and grows together

“If you want to create a culture of learning and develop a growth mindset with your team members, you need to nurture an environment in which individuals are safe to share both learnings and failures.”

Keara shares that the first step to creating a culture of safety is being willing to make yourself vulnerable to others. It is important for the leader or role of authority to admit their own mistakes as a way to signal to others that they are also learning and that mistakes are not bad, but simply opportunities for improvement.

“Learning expands to include;
✔️Curiosity
✔️Questions
✔️Mistakes
✔️Feedback
✔️Reflection
✔️Discussion”

Kick-off work
Increase clarity on purpose and roles so that the team is more agile in adjusting our plans to meet the collective purpose.

“A team’s mission is like its north star, it’s the direction everybody will march even if there isn’t
a guarantee the team will reach it: Vasco de Gama circumnavigating the globe, Lewis and Clark
reaching the Pacific, or Elon Musk colonizing Mars. A mission is useless if its members don’t
understand why it’s important or what their role is on it.”

Kicking off a project requires each individual to have clear expectations of their role and purpose so each team member is rowing the boat in the same direction.

If you loved these 3 tips on how to step up your team leadership and improve your team dynamics then check out the book,The New Team Habits: A Guide To The New School Rules The book is packed with detailed explanations of each habit, a workbook with reflective exercises for your to guide your team through, reflections and other great articles and TED talks that exploring team dynamics, its definitely a recommended read!

GIVEAWAY!

The New Team Habits book + a Swag bag full of extra surprises 😉

Get in touch

On Twitter #teamhabits or Kieramas

Or on the New Team Habits website

November 4, 2019
Ep:192 How to use Pinterest as a Search Engine to Scale Your Business, With Pinterest Expert, Kristina Day

Millions of people love finding inspiration, information, and the latest trends via Pinterest. Did you know that the #1 misconception is that Pinterest is a social media site? At its core, Pinterest is a highly targeted search engine site that provides valuable links to your website. If you are able to brand yourself as an expert in your niche your pins will appear at the top of the page whenever someone searches for your keywords related to your brand.
Sounds a lot like your standard SEO, right? That’s because it is, Pinterest works similarly to a Google Search.

This week on the Unconventional Life show is Kristina Day, a Pinterest account manager.
Kristina is a pro when it comes to optimizing your account, creating a strategic approach to marketing content and getting fresh eyes to your website. In this episode, Kristina shares what to focus on and what to not waste your time on when it comes to the world of Pinterest. So let’s take advantage of this free opportunity to reach your target market!

Kristina explains it simply, “It’s like Google but with pictures!”

The biggest misconception

As previously mentioned, the biggest misconception is that Pinterest is a social media site, when really it is a search engine. If you want to find inspiration about a topic you would type that keyword in the search bar, you wouldn’t go through someone’s specific account.

When you type in a keyword such as “entrepreneur” you get a ton of secondary keywords, such as mindset, business, lifestyle, boss babe, etc. this allows you to learn what other keywords are related to your niche so you can start to include those additional keywords into your posts and on the titles of your boards to hyper-target your audience.

An extension of your website

Think about Pinterest as an extension of your website. On Instagram and Facebook, you have to create new content specifically for that site. With Pinterest, you can recycle all of your content and link podcasts, blogs, Etsy shop, youtube Instagram or your website.

To repost content click the red “Save” to Pinterest button in the left-hand corner and the graphic automatically loads to your Pinterest board with a backlink to the original source. The only social that Pinterest isnt compatible with is Facebook.

Have a clear call to action

The goal is to drive traffic to your website and get people to take action. This action could be a simple opt-in for a free gift in exchange for their email or purchasing your product or service. You must optimize your website to have a clear call to action to convert people, otherwise, it’s not worth your time to put all the effort into search engine optimization if you can’t convert any sales.

Collaborative boards

A collaborative or group board is owned by one person and other pinners can contribute to that board. Group boards aren’t a great idea for two reasons. One, they were introduced as a way to help friends or coworkers collaborate on an event, like planning a wedding or party and not for marketing. Two, many people post content that isn’t specific to that board which makes it disorganized and messy.

Set it and forget it

You can schedule all your posts in 2 hours for the entire month by using Tailwind. It equips you with analytics, a reporting system and advises you about the ideal times to schedule your pins. This takes out the guessing game of when your target audience will be on Pinterest, getting you the most exposure. If you are a beginner and are starting from scratch Kristina recommends posting 10-15 pins per day with an 80:20 ratio, 20% is your original pins and 80% pins from someone else in your same demographic.

Ps. Tailwind offers a free trial, which allows you to schedule your first 100 pins for free.

How to create a good pin.

Pins look best when photos are vertically oriented. Pins get cut off in feeds if the ratio is greater than 1:3.5 so make sure the image isn’t too tall. For example, an image that is 600px wide should be between 900px and 2100px tall.

Create an image with some text. This not only shows what your product is but what someone can do with your product. The text should be similar to an email subject line that catches attention and sparks a sense of curiosity.

Canva or Picmonkey is a great resource for creating the correct aspect ratio and adding text and personalization to your photo.

Now you are all set to start your Pinterest account! Get out there and start repurposing your awesome content and drive more traffic to your site!

Giveaway!

Kristina is giving away a free 30 min consultation with her to go over how to start an account or if you already have one she will audit your account and give you tips on how you can improve your SEO! Thanks, Kristina!

You can find more about Kristina through her website or connect with her through Instagram.

October 14, 2019
Ep:191 The Art of Business, and the Business of Art , With Theatre Performer, Clyde P Riddlesbrood

In today’s world, it would seem that many people believe that art and Entrepreneurialism “just don’t mix”. I’ve heard some artist friends say that putting a price on art devalues the piece. While some entrepreneurs might think that business is all logic and reason, leaving no space for creativity.
The truth is that art and entrepreneurialism are two expressions of one shared desire: to leave a personal imprint and impact on the world. In reality, art and entrepreneurialism are quite complementary and interwoven.
This week on the Unconventional Life show is Clyde P Riddlesbrood. He is the founder of the Riddlesbrood touring theatre company which is known as being one of the most successful and vibrant theatre companies in the New York and New Jersey area. Clydes shares some insight on how he manages to make his art a successful business.
Art first, business second
Most art starts out when we are children with an explosion of colors in a finger paint session. From early years, art is a fantastic way to allow children to explore and experiment with a variety of modalities of self-expression. Whether it’s drawing, dancing, theatre, music or fashion, each starts out as a hobby or a passion before art can become a business.

“And after all, if you do really like what you’re doing, it doesn’t matter what it is, you can eventually become a master of it. It’s the only way to become a master of something, to be really with it. And then you’ll be able to get a good fee for whatever it is.”
– Allan Watts
Bridging Art and Business
“As we know business is the analytical side of your mind, the money side, the practical side. Artists cherish the subjective, the imaginative and bizarre and perhaps even incoherence. All art means no business, all business means no art.”
-Clyde P.R.

Both sides need each other, despite their apparent differences; If only we could meet in the middle, we might find a perfect balance of mind and body, calculation and creativity.
Clyde’s hack for balancing these two areas is to compartmentalize as he states, “Sometimes the art wins. and sometimes the business wins in different realms.”
Compartmentalizing Business
In Clyde’s experience when it comes to the budget, the business must always win. You can’t be one of these people that say, I’m going to take all my money, and I’m going to get the most beautiful costumes or the best quality paint, and then you do one piece and you’re out of business. “You have to learn first that the budget is God, you must not spend more than you need.”
Receiving money is what takes your hobby and turns it into a business. I understand that selling your art can be intimidating, you put so much time and effort into your art and wait in anticipation when you put your art up for sale, hoping that someone will find your art brilliant and will gladly purchase your piece or attend your show.
In reality, by focusing on sales and marketing you could be able to make art for a really long time and supporting yourself off something you love to do. I think that money is a beautiful reflection and a great energetic exchange that respects the craft.
Compartmentalizing Art
If you don’t have a large budget you can make up for it with bootstrapping creativity with the currency of time. This not only saves you money but also creates really nuanced and unique pieces.
“My time is the art,” says Clyde. He will sit in his garage and spend three days painting something or will work really hard doing cool sound effects even if it’s only for a moment in the show. Normal businesses value efficiency but Clyde contributes his longevity in the arts to this tactic.
Giveaway!
Clyde is giving away a copy of his book “The Greatest Brochure”
To connect with Clyde or book him for a show check out his Linkedin or his website.

October 7, 2019
Ep:188 How to Launch a Business in 30 Days with Institute of Code Co-founder, Tina May
Days before launching her first product, her boss at the time came up to her and said “Look, Tina, I’ve come to a decision. I just don’t think you have what it takes to get this off the ground.” Tina was devastated. She had put so much time and effort into the company, and now, she was left with nothing.
Within that fury was also motivation and determination to succeed. So she made a promise and that promise was to launch a company in only one month.
And in 30 days, from idea to product, the Institute of Code was born.
Tina May is the co-founder of the Institute of Code along with her partner Emilio. Together, they are pioneering and redefining what education can look like. Located in Bali, Indonesia, Institute of Code encompasses a new way of learning.
Tina and Emilio believe that when you remove people from the distractions of everyday life, keep them nourished with high-quality food, movement, and meditation, plus a beautiful natural environment to surround themselves in while they learn, something amazing happens.
Their programs combine mentor-supported online learning with a 10-day intensive’s to help students launch a new career in web development or social media marketing in only two months!
Currently, IOC has taught over 500 students and is pulling in 7 figures… I’d say this lady definitely has what it takes to get a business off the ground.
In this episode, Tina shares 5 easy steps that you can use to take your own business idea off the ground and running in 30 days.
Put aside any preconceived notions about how things are or should be.
Tina shares that “If you’re trying to innovate, and you’re trying to come up with something new, you have to step back from the perspective of why things are the way they are, and just reimagine what else could be possible.”
Even if your idea sounds ridiculous, entertain it for a while! Tina and her partner Emilio have a policy when they are brainstorming ideas to not shut each other down too quickly. The rational mind can be so quick to judge and figure out why something wouldn’t work that ideas have a tough time of even getting off the ground.
Your brainstorming session should be spontaneous and free-flowing, plentiful, and without hesitation. Once you have your ideas out on paper, start to see how you can organize them to turn an idea into action.
Validate your idea by getting feedback
Talk to a lot of people about your idea, and be prepared to receive their feedback. Tina shares that this is one of the hardest things to do. As an entrepreneur, you need to stay true to your vision, even when other people don’t understand it, but you also have to receive valuable feedback and criticism from other people.
Yes, these are conflicting goals. There will be some people won’t see or understand your vision, and that’s okay. You can’t let them wack you down. In the words of the iconic Steve Jobs: “The people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world are the ones who do.”
What starts to happen when you speak to people about your idea is that you are able to see problems and solutions from a different perspective to really understand what your future customer would want.
Find a way to test your idea with minimal risk as possible.
Start with fast and cheap experiments when your uncertainty is at its highest. Starting with expensive and time-consuming experiments can become very costly if your initial assumptions turn out to be wrong. For example, one of the reasons why Tina choose Bali was that it was a lot cheaper to rent out a luxury villa and run their programs there than getting a similar set up in Australia.
Jump in!
Tina gave herself a 30-day time frame to launch her business and within 12 months they had run 8 retreats and gained valuable information from taking action. Yes, they made mistakes but so much of starting your business is not just thining or daydreaming about it but actually jumping in and learning as you go.
So don’t spend the next 12 months deliberating on the perfect idea. Just pick something that feels right to you, and that you’re passionate about and start.
Prioritize your mental health.
“As an entrepreneur, having good self-care practices and surrounding yourself with other people who believe in you are probably the most important things you can do as an entrepreneur.
Some recommended self-care practices are;
Reflective practices like acupuncture, massage, meditation, yoga, and journaling
Eating a balanced diet, minimal substance use and plenty of sleep
Being a part of supportive communities
Being creative outside of work by making art, cooking or dancing
Taking a vacation or mini holiday.
Being okay with doing less.
Watching Netflix
Unless you’re taking care of yourself first and getting yourself into the headspace to succeed, it’s very hard to pull any business off.
Giveaway!
Institute of Code online course Website in a Weekend. The course takes you from absolutely zero coding skills to build your own responsive live custom website. “zero to hero” is the approach 😉
Find out more about the Institute of Code on Instagram or through the website.
September 16, 2019