On this episode of Rhodes to Success, I interview Nellie Akalp, who is a small business advocate and CEO of CorpNet.com. Nellie has formed more than 100K corporations and LLCs across the US, and has been building companies for more than 18 years. In 2008, Nellie sold her first company to Intuit for $20M, and got straight back in the entrepreneur game. During this episode, Jessica and Nellie discuss trademarks, common law rights, how to get started, working as a couple, and managing a successful team.

Main Questions Asked:

• How did your law school education impact what you are doing in business?
• When is the best time to trademark a business name?
• What is the investment for securing a trademark?
• What are common law trademark rights?
• What are your tips for younger married women with kids in the early years of their business?
• Talk about managing and growing a successful team.
• What is an example of one thing you have done that contributed to upleveling your business?
• What percentage of million dollar businesses are owned by women?

Key Lessons Learned:

About CorpNet

• CorpNet provides legal document preparation services to small business owners and entrepreneurs who want to start a business.

Trademarks

• Businesses need to protect their name, brand, logo, and tagline, as well as completing trademark and copyright registration and searches.
• Trademarks are about protecting your brand from anyone else using it, diluting it, and creating confusion in the marketplace.
• Trademark protection is about preventing others from using your name, tag line, brand, and logo.
• If the business is making money, is profitable, and you are planning on building out the business, you should consider trademarking.
• Having a trademark is one more step to giving you brand recognition and loyalty.

Getting Started with a Trademark

• Prices start from $149 for the application preparation (in addition to the fees paid to the United States Patent and Trademark Office).
• Do a free trademark search at the federal level.
• A nationwide trademark search is $199. If you are doing name and logo, it is $299.
• The United States Patent and Trademark Office fees range from $325 per class to $375 per class.

Common Law Trademark Rights

• Common law rights are based on first use of the name.
• Just by using a name in the marketplace, you are applying rights to that name under the First-use doctrine.

Family & Relationship Tips for Entrepreneurs

• In running a business with your partner, you have to be linear rather than a hierarchy.
• You always have to be unified as a couple in front of your team.
• Mandate date night, and keep it intimate rather than simply just business.

Managing a Successful Team

• When working with remote team members, their mindset has to be one of an entrepreneurial nature. Whereby everyone is working toward a common goal.
• A big company is a result of the sum of its parts.

Subscribe to the show in iTunes or Stitcher Radio!

The music in today's episode was written by The Danger Os and produced by Nick Palmer. Check them out at https://www.facebook.com/thedangerosmakemusic 

Links to Resources Mentioned

CorpNet

USPTO

info@corpnet.com

1-888-281-7111

On this episode of Rhodes to Success, I interview Rick Martinez, who is a veteran, registered nurse, writer, and successful entrepreneur. Rick sold his company, MedTrust for seven figures, and during this episode, discusses BizAcademy Online, money mindset, winner’s mindset, masterminds, and the 4 business fundamentals you won’t learn in business school. 

Main Questions Asked:

• Why are people, passion, and profit the keys to greater impact and more reward?
• What are your thoughts around money mindset?
• How do you define and develop a winner’s mindset?
• How can people strengthen the winner’s mindset?
• What are the 4 business fundamentals you need to know about, and why won’t you learn them in business school?
• Talk about entrepreneurs and follow through.

Key Lessons Learned:

Money Mindset

• Work less, make more, live with passion, and make money.
• We need to have a different internal conversation about money, because it’s okay to make money. It’s not about the money, but rather what you do with it.
• Being happy for people who have more will put you in an abundance mindset.

Winner’s Mindset

• Whether you own your business or are an employee, you need to get your mind ready to attack the day.
• This mindset starts with how you approach the day, starting from waking up to perception.
• When you know ‘why’ you are going to do what you do, it makes things easier.
• Rick starts his day with a ‘power hour,’ which includes reading something inspirational, clearing out his inbox, and reading his mantras.
• Our minds can quickly go to negative places, so it works to have positive mantras actually written down.

Tips for Winner’s Mindset

• It’s often difficult to keep energy flowing on our own and the power of accountability.
• Masterminds don’t always have to be for business owners. There are local Meetup groups.
• If you don’t have a mastermind group, then either seek one out or create one. Be the change you want to see.

Challenging Days

• Wondering what you are doing, what your purpose is, and if you are on the right path happens to everyone.
• We all have days where the mindset goes off the deep end and negative mind chatter creeps in.
• Have an accountability partner you can call when you need a ‘mindset check.’

The 5 People

• We are the average of the 5 people we surround ourselves with. These don’t have to be people we aspire to be, but can be people we lead.
• Regardless of whether you are a business owner, you need to have mentors and trusted advisors in your life.
• Think of your advisors as a board of directors, as not everyone can give advise on every challenge.
• It’s not just about business; it’s about the balance of life.

The 4 Business Fundamentals

1. People

• Understanding vendors and clients.

2. Strategy

• What is the long-term 3-5-year plan?

3. Execution

• How are you putting what you know about people and your business into action?

4. Cash Flow

• Cash is king.
• Gross revenue is for vanity, and net revenue is for sanity.

Entrepreneurs & Follow Through

• Fail fast, fail cheap, and ask, “Is what I’m going to do a benefit in the long run, or am I doing this to satisfy my entrepreneur ego?”

Subscribe to the show in iTunes or Stitcher Radio!

The music in today's episode was written by The Danger Os and produced by Nick Palmer. Check them out at https://www.facebook.com/thedangerosmakemusic 

Links to Resources Mentioned

The Hustle Blueprint

Biz Academy Online

Rick Martinez

On this episode of Rhodes to Success I interview Matt Miller, who is an Air Force veteran that bought one gumball machine and turned it into a franchise business. School Spirit Vending provides hassle-free, year-round fundraising for schools, and during this episode Jessica and Matt discuss business for families, the vending business model, adding value, and long-term commitment in podcasting.

Main Questions Asked:

• How has being an Air Force veteran helped you in business?
• Do you think that everyone should have to go through the military at some point?
• Talk about multi-generations in business.
• Walk us through the School Spirit Vending business model.
• How has using podcasting helped to grow your business?
• What would it take for someone to get started in School Spirit Vending?

Key Lessons Learned:

Business for Families

• Matt spends time fostering an environment where families can build their business together and kids can learn by helping parents.
• This is not only a way to make money but also a responsibility to teach and help foster growth and inspiration in the kids.

School Spirit Vending Business Model                                                            

• The business is based on hassle-free, year-round fundraising for schools by placing sticker machines in the school.
• Spirit stickers are custom designed with school colors and mascots.
• The goal is to reinvent school fundraising and let professional companies do all the work rather than kids going door-to-door.
• This is a passive fundraiser for the school.
• This business takes a couple of days per month to get started as a vendor, but over time it will be a passive income.
• Each vending machine is a building block of income.

Marlin & Percy

• Comic book series developed to start inspiring kids through the sticker machines.
• This increases the value of the service that is offered.

Adding Value

• Look at what you are already providing your clients and ask yourself how you can make it better.
• This doesn’t mean adding more products and services, but rather making what people are getting more valuable.
• If you create a win/win scenario, your ‘churn rate’ and the need to create more business constantly will be smaller.
• Provide more value than people expect and continue to innovate, surprise, and amaze clients.

Podcasting

• Having someone pitch you as a ‘celebrity’ and having ‘your people’ contact ‘their people’ is big.
• The main investment in podcasting is in time.
• Matt has found that the people reaching out to him with interest in franchising are pre-qualified, as they have already heard his story.
• By the time someone contacts Matt, they have already listened to multiple interviews he has done and are 75% of the way there.
• Matt has found the upper-middle class to be in the podcasting space as listeners.
• A lot of people don’t know about podcasting yet, which means, if you get in now, you will be ahead of the game.
• Podcasting is a vehicle to create evergreen content.
• The ROI of a podcast episode isn’t necessarily realized as soon as it goes live.

Podcast for Backlinks

• Backlinks from show notes are directing people to Matt’s site, the SEO is rising, and people have been contacting Matt through online searches.
• The more backlinks you have the better. Google likes it and boosts your site in searches.

Long-Term Commitment

• Podcasting is a long-term marketing strategy, and people will discover your podcast over months and years.
• Matt’s goal for the next several years is to be a guest expert on a show at least once a week.
• There are always new audiences, shows, and people looking for new content and solid interviews.
• In the process, there is plenty of opportunity, but you have to commit and, overtime, it will pay huge dividends.
• Most people will do their interview or podcast a few times and think that it's a failure and give up before there was enough time to gain traction.

Subscribe to the show in iTunes or Stitcher Radio!

The music in today's episode was written by The Danger Os and produced by Nick Palmer. Check them out at https://www.facebook.com/thedangerosmakemusic 

Links to Resources Mentioned

Live Your Dreams

School Spirit Vending

Marlin & Percy

On this episode of Rhodes to Success, I interview Caitlin Pyle, who is a former freelance proofreader turned entrepreneur. Caitlin is a millennial who used to earn $3-5K a month doing part-time work, but tapped into the power of the internet and built her online business from zero to over $500K in 12 months. During this episode, Jessica and Caitlin discuss making mistakes and entrepreneur traps, the transition from the trenches to entrepreneur, taking stock of success, and dealing with online business and haters.

Main Questions Asked:

• Tell us about your big failure.
• What were your next steps after the big failure?
• What do you think about ‘follow the passion’ versus ‘follow the money?’
• What was the transition from proofreader to entrepreneur like?
• Who inspired you when you first started your online business?
• Talk about your businesses and how you are helping people.

Key Lessons Learned:

Making Mistakes & Entrepreneur Traps

• Everyone teaches you how to get a job, but no one teaches you how to quit a job
• Sometimes you think and work as an entrepreneur before you are one.
• Weigh up whether you want to get paid for the value you offer or paid by the hour.
• When people want to become an entrepreneur, some fall into the trap of asking ‘what looks sexy?’
• Many budding entrepreneurs look at what they think they want to do and their passion rather than where the money is.
• Follow the money, figure out how to make it work for your life, and enjoy it.

Transitioning from the Trenches

• When you become a successful entrepreneur, most likely you are not still doing the thing your business does.
• Ensure the level of service to your clients is like none they have ever received before and remain active within your client community.

Look How Far You’ve Come

• Entrepreneurs often only think of what’s next and do not look at the progress.
• Take a moment to reflect on what you have achieved in the past week, month, and year.
• If you’re not embarrassed by the first e-book, video, or podcast, then you waited too long to release it.

Online Business & Haters

• Prepare yourself for haters. This is magnified when you do business online.
• Be careful how you treat your staff, clients, and customer relationships online.
• People that leave reviews are those who love it or had a horrible experience, but not those who just had a good experience.
• Avoid the ripple effect with clients and manage the issue quickly to avoid them spreading negative opinions.

Proofread Anywhere

• Online course: Transcript Proofreading Theory and Practice.
• Multimedia course with downloads and worksheets.
• The full course takes 2-4 months with more than 50 practice transcripts and 3,000 pages.

Subscribe to the show in iTunes or Stitcher Radio!

The music in today's episode was written by The Danger Os and produced by Nick Palmer. Check them out at https://www.facebook.com/thedangerosmakemusic 

Links to Resources Mentioned

Proofread Anywhere

The Work Anywhere Life

On this episode of Rhodes to Success, I interview Jeremy Montoya, who is a self-proclaimed internet scientist and serial, lifelong entrepreneur. Jeremy found a pain-point podcasters have and built his business around it. During this episode, Jeremy will school us on how building an email list is the key to a successful business and podcast. There is much actionable content in this podcast!

Main Questions Asked:

• Talk about newsletter open rates.
• What are your tips for building an email list?
• How often should people mail their list?
• What are copywriting tactics for subject lines?

Key Lessons Learned:

• When there is a pain point, you can build a list around it and make money off it. The money is in the list.

Open Rates

• These are lower than ever before, and on average is 20-30%.
• The way to increase the open rate is to focus on the experience of signing up.
• If you do have your list sign-up set the right way, users will be busting to open the email from day one.

Unsubscribers

• Don't’ be discouraged when you get unsubscribes.
• People who unsubscribe aren’t your target audience, as they don’t see your value.
• If people unsubscribe, this will mean your open rate will skyrocket, as the disinterested people have taken themselves out of the pool.

Personalizing

• People love the sound of their own name.
• Have users opt-in with their first name, then use that in the emails.
• Embed a name code in the middle of emails to reference users by their first name. This will catch their eye.
• Use the email to give subscribers a shout out.

Tips for Building a List

• Begin with the end in mind.
• Find other places where your audience hangs out and build the relationship with the community leaders.
• People won’t hear you on a podcast and immediately become your client. You have to get them on your list to keep talking to them.
• Make sure you ‘ask’ and don’t assume the audience will know what you want them to do.
• If you don’t have your audiences’ contact details, then you can’t stay in contact with them directly regardless of what you have on social media.

Give Value Beyond the Episode

• Tell your audience you have an email list and give them a reason to get on it during the podcast.
• Make something custom for each episode such as an e-book or video series.
• When you interview people on your podcast, ask if the guest has something to offer and make a deal to share the list.

How Often to Mail Your List

• There is no set number or best practice on the frequency of sending emails to your list.
• Most people resort to a weekly newsletter.
• Be sure you are cultivating the relationship, even if it’s biweekly, monthly, or quarterly.
• Keep an eye on the stats and open rate.

Content Strategy

• Think about the content you like receiving.
• Test your tone, style, intro, sign off, and imagery.
• Use a story to lead into the point you are trying to make.
• Making emails look like they are from you (using your name) and making them personal is a great strategy.
• If you operate as a business, you might like to use a header.

Who is the Email From?

• Who the email is coming from is more important than the subject line.
• People open emails based on who it is from.
• If people don't respect or feel comfortable with you, they won’t even give your email a chance and won’t open it.
• Think about your legacy with the end in mind. This is what will make people a fan of you.

Subject Line

• Play around with the subject line in order to get people to open.
• Write your message and pull a subject out of that.
• Being straight to the point gets the job done.
• Being abstract and fun allows the audience to not get in the same pattern.

Example Subject Lines

• I felt like a fraud… (Good)
• My secret to getting it all done. (Too general)
• What are you doing this weekend? (Sounds like it wants to sell)
• AHHHH!!!!!! (Useful trick but not too often)

Subscribe to the show in iTunes or Stitcher Radio!

The music in today's episode was written by The Danger Os and produced by Nick Palmer. Check them out at https://www.facebook.com/thedangerosmakemusic 

Links to Resources Mentioned

Jeremy Montoya

Jeremy on Periscope

The Suitcase Entrepreneur