Start Now, Times Ticking ⌚

Posted on September 7, 2021September 7, 2021 by brianjpombo

Times moving y’all. If you have a project or a dream on hold, now might just be a great time to get started.

Transcription

Start now, time’s ticking.

Hi I’m Brian Pombo, welcome back to Brian J. Pombo Live.

I just heard today….well, let me start over. I have a list, and it’s not all in one place, multiple places, I’ve got several notes on my phone, notepads full of things that are part of my unorganized way of working. That and I have this list that spread out all over the place. And a lot of it’s still in my head that needs to get down on paper of the people that I’d like to meet and interview.

Up until now, it’s been this far distant concept of, how would you ever meet these people? So and so and so on so forth.

And something hit me today, I was doing a little bit of research and found out that one of the people on my list passed away in May, and I wasn’t aware that he had died.

But he was one of these people and kind of an icon of an industry that I was interested in meeting. I wanted to see what he was like in real life and be able to have a one on one conversation with them and go from there.

Many of the people that I’ve had a chance to interview via podcasts have allowed me I’ve been able to start pull friendships off of that and be able to grow it from there.

If nothing else, I’ve opened a door that I can go back to it anytime Hey, I’m Brian, I interviewed you for such and such a, there’s a doorway open there that I have that wasn’t there previously. So it’s been really useful as far as that goes. And it’s one of those things where I want to reach out and meet these people.

I’ve done it in different parts of my life. I’ve talked about this before about meeting heroes, I’ve gone out and tracked people down and just see if I can get hold of them. If you haven’t done this, I highly recommend you do it.

What you have to prepare yourself for is the fact that they are not exactly who you think they are.

They might be who you think they are. But they’ve got more baggage, they’re more human, everything else. And I’ve done this on a number of occasions throughout my life.

I’ve always been happy I did because it allowed me to see things for what they are. It allowed me to stop putting people on pedestals and to just realize that we’re all just people.

That you would think that’d be disappointing, but it also brings to life, and brings to light the idea that if they can do it, we anybody can do it, you know, it’s available that life is available to anybody. And including in this scenario.

So in this scenario, what I found is, over the last handful of years started doing podcasts, start interviewing people, and interviewing people at a distance, especially using zoom, you’ll notice so many, especially during the pandemic of 20 and 21. People have been using zoom to produce podcasts because people clinic be one on one with each other, it was extremely difficult to.

And so that opens up the whole world to you, especially since so much of the world knows how to use that technology where they didn’t a good two years ago. So exciting things happen ahead.

But it’s also this little push, finding out that this gentleman died, and at a relatively young age, find out that he died and knowing that times ticking I don’t know if I’m going to do it, I got to get it done.

That’s the whole idea for tonight is just if you’ve got something that’s right there on the tip that you have the ability to do it, then just start it, start the process, get it out there get moving, you don’t have to do it all at once.

It doesn’t have to be overnight. You don’t have to feel stressed about it.

What you have to do is just start, know what the next step is and do the next step. You don’t have to plan the whole thing out even just know what the next step is and take it and go from there.

Step one, it all starts with step one, you got to take it. We don’t know how much time we got. So you got to do what you got to do. So it’s a similar idea that I promoted multiple times, but it’s one that keeps going into my head so I figured I’d feed it right back to you. So hopefully that’s helpful. We’ll be back tomorrow.

Go get a copy of my book, 9 Ways to Amazon-Proof Your Business, you can get you by it, buy a hardback copy or you can get a free copy at AmazonProofBook.com.

Be back here tomorrow night. Get out there and let the magic happen.

Who’s Got Your Ear? 👂 (Average Of The Five People You Spend Time With In Business)

Posted on June 20, 2021June 20, 2021 by brianjpombo

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You’ll always spend time with family and friends, but in business, who are the top people you spend time with?

Transcription

Who’s got your ear?

Hi I’m Brian Pombo, welcome back to Brian J. Pombo Live.

I want to talk about who has your ear?

In other words, who are you listening to, who are you paying attention to, what are you paying attention to?

Because that one little thing can make all the difference in your life.

I mean, really, it’s the smallest things, it’s the thin threads that make such a huge difference. I was talking with a friend that I hadn’t spoken to for a while, and went to go visit him today, had all my kids with me. And we were just we’re kind of running some errands.

So I visited a friend, our minds were thinking about a lot of similar things. And one of the things we’re looking at is rentals. And I’m relatively new to the concept of having rentals and so forth. But I know a little bit about it, I have family that’s involved in it.

I have family that’s involved in vacation rentals. And he was in the process of building out one of his rental spaces.

And I had mentioned to him about all those my dad has vacation rentals and telling him about my experience. And I knew a little bit about Airbnb, I was one of the earliest people involved in Airbnb before it was a popular or well-known thing to do, I was renting apartment spaces, and so forth.

When I’d go on out on business, usually, we would grab an Airbnb somewhere, so it was always always a fun thing.

So it’s something I followed along with quite a bit. And we were calling back and forth. And I can tell at one point, he like something switch, she’s like, Oh, well, maybe I should look at making this vacation, rental.

And all of a sudden, something changed.

By the end of the time, when we’re getting ready to leave, he was saying thanks for mentioning that because that might make all the difference that could change how I’m going to be doing everything here, so to speak.

And it’s not like I set out to do anything like that. But one little concept, one little tweak, one little splinter in your mind can change everything, how you do things or how you look at things.

So you really got to pay attention to who you’re paying attention to who you’re surrounding yourself with, obviously, it’s that old adage about, you know, the top five or six people that you hang around with. If you take it just on an income basis, you take the top six people you hang around with, and you take all of your incomes, and you multiply, you add them together, and then you divide them up by the sum, you’ll end up with basically what most of you make on a yearly basis.

If you just take the annual incomes of everybody that we tend to fit whoever was around, and whoever we surround ourselves with.

So what are you plugging into?

Are you listening to podcasts?

Are you reading books?

Are you doing any other type of stimulation that is helping to change your thought patterns?

Helping to direct your mind in a positive direction?

Or in the direction that you want to go?

Are you doing that, and if not, why not?

Have you thought about it?

Are you considering it sit down and actually think about Okay, what are all the different things that I watch and listen to all throughout the day?

Who are the people that I hang around, at work and beyond?

Maybe you should look at plugging into some other areas, working with a mastermind, working with consultants plugging into some people listening to the right podcast.

So I’ve got a podcast out there that be great for most of you out there that are in business, especially if you’re an executive of your business or you’re the business owner. You’re in charge if you’re one of the decision-makers in your business. I got one for you.

It’s called Brian J. Pombo Live you’re watching it right now or you’re listening to it right now subscribe, set this thing to be an automatic thing.

We could start having a conversation you comment wherever you check this out at whether it be on YouTube, or Rumble, or on the podcast itself.

If you’re just getting the audio feed for this go to BrianJPombo.com, leave a comment and give me a question.

Let’s have a conversation back and forth. Let’s see where things go.

These types of things helpful if you do them consistently, but you got to be careful about who you’re surrounding yourself with.

So check that out.

Also check out my book, 9 Ways to Amazon-Proof Your Business. If you haven’t heard about it, you can get a free copy at AmazonProofBook.com.

We’ll be back here tomorrow night. In the meantime, get out there and let the magic happen.

Part 6: Bob Regnerus of Feedstories

Posted on June 14, 2021June 15, 2021 by brianjpombo

Topics covered in this episode:

– Staying Mentally Sharp for the Long-Haul
– Golfing, Exercise and Relationships

Relationships & Mastermind Groups (Bob Regnerus of Feedstories Interview)

Posted on June 11, 2021June 13, 2021 by brianjpombo

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Bob from Feedstories talks about the value of relationships and mastermind groups and how he became a co-author with names like Perry Marshall and Robert Skrob.

Transcription

Brian: You’ve co-written books with some great names out there.

You have a book out there with Robert Skrob, you’ve got a book with Perry Marshall, how did you go about doing that? How did you go about co-authoring, with people that had a name in a different area?

Bob: Well, in that case, it’s about relationships.

So, you know, Robert Skrob is well known these days. I knew Robert before he was Robert.

One of the things I did early in my career, and I should say this, this is another thing I did is I took giant leaps by joining mastermind groups, not just like, hey, let’s get together on zoom five days a month, or, you know, this is like, I paid Bill Glazer, at that time, I think it was $12,000 a year, quoting Hamilton, I wanted to be in the room where it happens, right?

I was in there with people that were above my pay grade. But the reason I did that was I wanted the mentorship from a guy like Bill Glazer, mentorship from Dan Kennedy.

But then I wonder the relationships of people who are doing better than me, and there were some people that were below me. But when you’re in a group like that, it just pulls you forward.

And so that’s where I met a lot of people who I still consider friends and met friends that introduced me to others. By knowing Perry Marshall, I got to meet and become friends with Brian Kurtz.

I was in the same mastermind group as Ryan Deiss, before Digital Marketer was even a thought in his eye.

I got to know Jeff Walker before he was the Product Launch Formula Genius.

So part of it is you you know, there are these names that we all kind of revere, they’re just normal people. But I got to know them really, before they became famous, okay.

And they’re all more famous than me, by the way, which is fine with me. But I really was intentional about joining those organizations, attending conferences and networking, I’m not naturally drawn to do that.

Like, I’m really good with talking and sharing what I know I’m not really good at meeting new people, but I’ve had to force myself to do it.

And so writing the check and taking the leap really like makes you go I’m gonna make the most of it.

Outro: For full conversations, go to BJP chats.com.

Part 2: Bob Regnerus of Feedstories & The Ultimate Guide To Facebook Advertising

Posted on June 11, 2021June 13, 2021 by brianjpombo

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Part two, of our seven-part interview with Bob Regnerus of Feedstories.

Topics covered in this episode

How Bob Co-Authored on Books with experts like Perry Marshall and Robert Skrob
How Masterminds & Networking: Establishing Relationships with good people
When Markets Shift: Hard times, Lessons Learned & Business Growth from it
Investing in Flexibility

Transcription

Brian Part 2: Bob Regnerus of Feedstories, part two.

Hi, I’m Brian pombo Welcome back to Brian J. Pombo Live.

This is part two in the series of an interview that we had with Bob Regnerus. You can hear the whole interview over at BJPchats.com.

If you’d like to be on the show, or if you’d like to have me on your show, or have me speaking at an event, go to BrianJPombo.com.

And now here is part two.

Brain: So you’ve co-written books with some great names out there. You have a book out there with Robert Skrob, you got a book with Perry Marshall, how did you go about doing that?

How did you go about co-authoring, with people that had a name in a different area?

Bob: Well, in that case, it’s about relationships.

So you know, Robert Skrob is well known these days.

I knew Robert before he was Robert.

You know, one of the things I did early in my career, and I should say this, this is another thing I did is I took giant leaps by joining mastermind groups.

Not just like, hey, let’s get together on zoom five days a month. This is like, I paid Bill Glazer at that time, I think it was $12,000 a year.

Quoting Hamilton, I want to be in the room where it happens.

I was in there with people that were above my paygrade. But the reason I did that was I wanted the mentorship from a guy like Bill Glazer, mentorship from Dan Kennedy.

But then I wanted the relationships with people who are doing better than me. And there was some people that were below me, but when you’re in a group like that, it just pulls you forward.

And so that’s where I met a lot of people who I still consider friends and met friends that introduced me others.

By knowing Perry Marshall, I got to meet and become friends with Brian Kurtz.

I was in the same mastermind group as Ryan Deiss, before Digital Marketer was even a thought in his eye.

I got to know Jeff Walker before he was the Product Launch Formula genius.

So part of it is you know, there’s these names that we all kind of revere, they’re just normal people. But I got to know them, really, before they became famous, okay. And they’re all more famous than me by the way, which is fine with me.

But I really was intentional about joining those organizations, attending conferences and networking.

I’m not naturally drawn to do that. Like, I’m really good with talking and sharing what I know, I’m not really good at meeting new people, but I’ve had to force myself to do it.

So writing the check and taking the leap really, like makes you go, I’m gonna make the most of it. That’s kind of how it happened.

So I met Robert in a mastermind group.

Perry I met through a connection in my mastermind group, a friend of mine also knew Perry.

Perry and I live eight miles apart, literally, I can draw a straight line from my house to Perry’s. We spend quite a bit of time together, we became friends.

You know, a lot of it like yeah, there’s gonna be another wave. It’s like, there’s always new people coming in. So want to be friends with people who are driven, who are successful, that can challenge you that could bring you up, that could kind of pick you up when you’re let down.

That’s another thing that’s been really powerful.

My career is just establishing relationships with good people.

And I’ve come across people that frankly, were terrible for me. Learned my lessons from them. You know, fortunately I could cut bait and move on.

But that’s what the entrepreneur life is about is like, you’re constantly honing your radar and your sonar and everything.

And it’s not a straight line. There’s a famous meme where it’s like a squiggly line. I mean, that’s really what it’s all about these days. That’s just another way to kind of do something like that, you’re not going to just approach a Perry Marshall and say, hey, I’m gonna write a book with you.

You’ve got to have some cred.

You know, Perry’s got a reputation in mind. But Perry has been known to pull people up who are kind of unknown, who’ve proven they’ve got chops, but all of them kind of have already established a little bit of a foundation of expertise.

But if you can do that, I mean, you can find somebody to kind of pull you up to their stage, very powerful.

Brian: Yeah, that’s fabulous.

So many great nuggets in there, so many great ideas that you brought forth.

Taken in a different direction. You talked about the highs and lows, and we always tend to focus on the highs, it just makes sense to do that.

But give us an example of something that you just thought was going to end everything. Whether it’s something recent or something from years past, where you just had a scenario where it just felt like everything was going to come crashing down.

Bob: I’ll share an experience that happened during the real estate crash.

So 2008, 2009, I had been speaking, I had been riding the wave from a book. Like I said, I grown my agency to seven figures in a year, it was amazing. I had a great team, a lot of clients.

Well, what I ended up doing though is I had a stable of a lot of information marketing clients, and specifically, a good portion of them were marketing real estate stuff.

As you know, real estate was the thing that crashed the market in 2009.

There’s nothing like having all your clients suddenly run out of money and declare bankruptcy and not paying you.

In a span of about three months, my business went from a million down to like 150,000 a year, had to lay off my entire team. So I spent probably two months like just hovering in a corner. Literally, I spent a couple nights in the hospital panic attacks.

Not being able to pay your staff, having to lay off people you love and care about. It was awful.

But I was either gonna let it break me or I was gonna learn a lesson, I decided to learn a lesson.

I learned that I needed to be more diverse and my client base, I needed to have a stool that was more than one leg. All right, you can balance on a stool with one leg for a long time. But eventually, you’re going to break and you know, if something knocked that leg out, you’re gonna fall.

I diversified my client base, I diversified my services.

But the other thing was that I was flexible with my team.

So I don’t have employees anymore. But I have a large team of contractors that I could go up and down in terms of payment. Like if I’m busy, I could pay them more, get more hours.

But if things pull back, we slow down. I don’t have that big nugget, right, like of the payroll and the benefits and things like that.

So I said to myself coming out of 2009 to 2010, I’m going to be much more nimble in the future. I’m going to have a value of cash in my business, I’m not going to be living on credit. And I’m also going to have a team that’s very flexible.

So COVID hits, right. And I’m like, okay, you know, I was ready for this. We had cash in the bank. We had a team and we had some clients that kind of pulled back for a time, we were able to pull back contractors, so I was not out a bunch of money.

But what happened was is we actually had a service which is remote videos, like you and I are doing this video right now. We have a service that does video through an iPhone or iPad, high quality.

And all of a sudden, once people got over the shock of COVID come April this past year, a year ago, our lead list absolutely exploded.

People who were on the fence about doing video came out of the woodwork.

We actually had our three best months of our company’s career, April, May and June of last year, because we were poised, we were ready. We invested in a technology that we thought was going to be important. People kind of push it to the side and then there was an event we were ready for it. So I was really happy.

Obviously wasn’t happy about the world situation, a lot of things changed. But I learned my lessons 10 years ago and I positioned myself to be flexible to be nimble, to be you know, value cash to not have a big piece of overhead.

I survived a couple weeks of like, what the hell’s going on?

But then we were positioned to really like take advantage of what was going on to be ready for the marketplace. You learn that through experience. You know I could tell the story and people are gonna be like, that’s a great, Bob is already prepared.

The pain I had to deal with at the start of the decade to be ready for that was awful but never want to live through it. But I survived it and learn from it. I certainly wouldn’t want to go through it again. Which is why I made sure I was prepared for kind of the next big thing that came along.

For full conversations, go to BJP chats.com.