Podcast – Go Fire Yourself

GFY 018: 9 Tips for Creating Awesome Content that People Are Dying To Share

GFY 017: How to Use Google+ to Grow Your Locally-Based Business

016: Mitch Gordon Caught the Entrepreneurial Bug While Traveling Abroad

015: 5 Ways to Maximize Your Time While Still at Your Current Job

014: From Therapist to Wedding Planner, Angela Proffitt Finds her Perfect Niche

Interview with Laura Click (Blue Kite Marketing) In 2010, Laura Click was working as the spokesperson for the TN Supreme Court and was a one-woman marketing and PR team for the entire court system at the time she decided to start her company, Blue Kite Marketing. After working on her business on the side for 2 years, Laura reached the point when she had so much work that she couldn’t physically keep her day job (that’s a problem we all want to have!). Today, Laura is 100% self-employed and has realized that the best boss you can ever have is yourself. She says, “It’s scary and hard to quit your job and run your own business, but it is doable.” (Isn’t that the truth?) Don’t miss Laura’s great “quitting” story and learn why she claims that if she knew everything she knows now, she would have quit her job much sooner. Plus, get her advice for building up a successful side business (so you can have a steady stream of clients the day you hand in your resignation) and also how to build a brand and a platform for your business before you need it. Hope you enjoy this interview as much as I do! In this episode of The Day I Quit, you’ll discover… The importance of building a brand and platform for a small business before quitting your regular job (and before you actually need it) Why all the financial advice Laura was getting led her to have unrealistic expectations about the money she needed to save up to quit her job What Laura did to reach the point where she had so much work on the side, she couldn’t realistically keep her day job How heaps of endless fears and excuses tend to get in the way of you diving into self-employment and how you can overcome these obstacles Why Laura claims she would have quit her job much sooner if she could do it all over again How setting an actual set-in-stone date to quit your job will help you take the plunge What parts of her business she decided to focus on that help her get traction and put her ahead of the game when she quit How she structured her business to give customers a full range of cost-effective marketing services without breaking the bank or hiring a huge staff What networking strategy was such a critical component of building her business Why “failure isn’t an option” for Laura and how this mantra has helped her grow and succeed in her business   Items mentioned in this podcast include: Blue Kite Marketing   The post 011: Laura Click “Takes Flight” with Her Business, Blue Kite Marketing appeared first on Go Fire Yourself.

DIQ 010: Interview with Dr. Carmen April (dinnerwithnerds.com) When Dr. Carmen April moved to Nashville after her medical residency to join a local podiatry practice, she only knew a total of two people in the city. After a mere two weeks of working at this job, she was so fed up and miserable that she was literally becoming physically ill. After another 4 weeks, she handed in her resignation and calmly walked out the door. Despite having no local contacts, no patients, and no connections, Dr. Carmen made the bold decision to start her own practice (The Foot & Ankle Healthcare Center) in January 2011 and hasn’t had a single regret. But I met Dr. Carmen—not through her medical practice—but through her blog, Dinner with Nerds. She claims that Dinner with Nerds is her creative outlet that combines her 3 of her major loves—food photography, good conversation and dining out. (But don’t worry—her food blog doesn’t have anything to do with feet.) Listen to Dr. Carmen’s story about quitting her job and starting a successful practice completely from scratch in a new city and how she’s found balance in her life along the way. In this episode of The Day I Quit, you’ll discover… How Dr. Carmen built a successful medical practice from scratch in a city where she only knew 2 people The painful work environment that caused her to get a stomach ache every morning when driving to the office How she knew it was the right time to quit her first job and start her own medical practice after only TWO WEEKS of being there Dr. Carmen’s 3 most important pieces of advice for new entrepreneurs How she managed to open her new business without taking out a single loan from the bank The #1 method she used to grow her business and start operating in the black after only 4-5 months Why she decided to dust off her old business plan and start her own business instead of joining another practice The importance of using both intuition and faith as a small business owner How she learned the effective use of the word “no” to find balance in her life The tradeoff of being your own boss—you don’t have to answer to anyone, but you’re in charge of everything Why she created Dinner with Nerds and how that helps her maintain creative balance in her everyday life   Items mentioned in this podcast include: The Foot & Ankle Healthcare Center Dinner with Nerds   The post 010: Dr. Carmen April Builds a Successful Practice in a City Where She Only Knew Two People appeared first on Go Fire Yourself.

DIQ 009: Interview with Laurel Staples This week the tables have turned and I am the one being interview on The Day I Quit, thanks to fellow entrepreneur and podcaster, David Hooper. David attended my Podcamp session last Saturday and asked me if I had ever told my personal “quitting” story on the DIQ podcast. Truth is, my story is sprinkled in bits and pieces throughout my blog and podcast, but I’ve never told it from start to finish, so I agreed to David’s offer to interview me. As you’ll learn, I started my post-college career in mechanical engineering and quickly transitioned from being the self-motivated, driven college student to miserable, unproductive employee. Every day I woke up with a feeling of dread in the pit of my stomach in anticipation of the work day ahead. I reached a point when I became physically ill and developed multiple health issues. Despite these setbacks, I started saving up my money and plotting my way out of the corporate world, which I finally said goodbye to forever in November 2007. Since then, I’ve had a couple entrepreneurial ventures, and each one has taught me a truckload of valuable lessons–the exact lessons that I share with you on The Day I Quit every week! Tune in to hear my story about quitting my job, failing at my first business and picking myself up to start my current entrepreneurial endeavor. And thanks again to David for making this interview possible! In this episode of The Day I Quit, you’ll discover… Why I walked away from a $100,000+ education and a great job in the engineering field What about the corporate world made me miserable (and physically ill) and motivated me to quit my job and never look back How I learned how to open a retail store by the seat of my pants Why there’s no “right” way to follow your entrepreneurial dreams What was the final piece of my new business that had to fall into place before I quit my job What kept me from going back to engineering when my retail store didn’t work out My biggest fear when I quit my corporate job and what I did when it came true How you keep moving forward and trusting yourself when your small business “fails” What I learned from running and “failing” at my retail store What my “ah-ha” moment looked like when I decided to become a health coach Importance of building my business around my life and not my life around my business My big piece of advice for new entrepreneurs Why saying “no” (to clients, events, meetings, etc) can actually help your business become more successful   Items mentioned in this podcast include: Podcamp Nashville DIQ 002: David Hooper Quit 26 Jobs Before Going Full-time in the Music Marketing Industry MusicMarketing.com   The post 009: How I Became My Own Boss–From Engineer to Boutique Owner to Health Coach appeared first on Go Fire Yourself.

DIQ 008: Interview with Dave Delaney (President of Delaney Digital Marketing) Every savvy entrepreneur in Nashville seems to know Dave Delaney. It’s rare that I run into a fellow business owner that doesn’t tell me, “I know Dave!”. That’s because Dave is a connector. If he had a super power, it would be his incredible ability to bring like-minded people together. Currently, he’s heading up two local networking events—NashCocktail and Geek Breakfast—both of which I highly recommend. So when I heard about his new book, New Business Networking: How to Effectively Grow Your Business Network Using Online and Offline Methods (available on June 8th), I knew there was no better person to talk about how to effectively build a business network. Dave previously worked for Griffin Technology’s social media marketing program for 3.5 years before he decided to quit his job in 2012 to work for himself full-time. Because of his incredible success in network building, his phone was ringing on Day 1 of being self-employed (every entrepreneur’s dream!). Listen to Dave’s story about making the transition from a 9-to-5 job to being a full-time entrepreneur while raising a family, paying the bills, running several networking events and still somehow finding enough time to sleep. In this episode of The Day I Quit, you’ll discover… Why Dave says, “Running a business is not easy” and what he has done to overcome startup challenges How to easily stay on track and focused without a 9-to-5 work structure #1 book that inspired Dave to quit his job and take charge of his own life and income Simple steps you can take to prepare for the ups and downs of a small business How Dave got his phone to start ringing with client calls on Day 1 of being self-employed Helpful time management secrets for entrepreneurs with families and kids Find out what Dave’s real motivation is for being an entrepreneur (because it’s definitely not just about the business or the money) Why Dave chooses to wake up at 4:30am and what that does for his business The first step that ANYONE can take to build an expansive business network (starting today) How Dave utilizes spare time at the bank, the grocery and even walking his dog to grow his business and stay connected What business decision caused Dave the most “gray hairs” in the last year Find out the best time to start building your business network (it’s a lot sooner than you might think) Why a technology-savvy, digital marketing expert chooses to use pen & paper as a effective time management tool   Items mentioned in this podcast include: New Business Networking by Dave Delaney New Business Networking LinkedIn Group The Art of Non-Conformity by Chris Guillebeau Nashville Native Google Hangout NashCocktail Geek Breakfast Podcamp Nashville   The post 008: Dave Delaney: Digital Marketer By Day, Super Networker by Night appeared first on Go Fire Yourself.

DIQ 006: Michael Gonzales (ActiveNOW) When you talk to Michael Gonzales, the founder of ActiveNow, you can’t help but notice that he’s extremely passionate about his business. When Michael was working as a Senior of Innovations at Healthways, he lost an impressive 100lbs which ended up changing his entire life. That sparked his idea for ActiveNow—an online one-stop-shop platform for healthy living for the people and corporations of Nashville, TN (and maybe beyond one day). In 2010, Michael decided to run with his idea, quit his corporate job (after being there 8 years), and start this company alongside his wife Christa. The husband-and-wife duo make an inspiring team and have quickly grown their business over the last few years. Hear Michael’s story about running a “family” startup business, raising two little kids and miraculously staying happily married along the way… In this episode of The Day I Quit, you’ll discover… How Michael’s journey losing 100lbs inspired him to create his own business that’s a one-stop-shop for other people trying to get healthy What made him feel comfortable quitting his corporate job only a few months after developing his business idea Why it’s important to regret something you’ve done versus something you haven’t done How Michael used the best and worst of his corporate experience to create the perfect business for himself The importance of going very lean with your finances during the start-up phase of your business Why he decided to write a product roadmap for his business instead of a formal business plan How he strategically planned his business so he didn’t have to pay all the start up cost all at once Michael’s #1 tip for running a successful business as a husband-and-wife team What helps him keep the faith in his business idea even though he’s claims it’s “scary” not getting a regular paycheck What Michael’s had to sacrifice in his life along the way to be his own boss How starting your own company is completely different than working for someone else and how to stay “level-headed” Why believing your business idea will work is much different than just thinking it will work The importance of starting your business for the RIGHT reasons (which doesn’t involve making lots of money) Why it’s crucial to surround yourself with good people who “get” what you’re doing   Items mentioned in this podcast include: ActiveNow.com   The post 006: Michael Gonzales Lost 100lbs and Gain a Great Business Idea appeared first on Go Fire Yourself.

DIQ 005: Interview with Tisha Morris (Feng Shui Your Life) If you’ve met Tisha Morris, it’s hard to believe that she was EVER a practicing lawyer. If you read through all the services on her website—Feng Shui Consultant, energy healer, yoga instructor, life coach, etc—you would still wouldn’t have a clue that she didn’t originally start her career in the healing arts. In addition, none of the standard lawyer jokes would ever apply to her. But, in fact, Tisha did “put off the real world” for 3 years after college to attend law school and claims that on her second day of practicing law, she knew she didn’t want to be a lawyer. After that, it took a lot of trial (no pun intended) and error to discover her true calling in life. Now, Tisha has a thriving business in the healing arts and is the author of Feng Shui Your Life and another book coming out this year called Mind Body Home. In this podcast, listen to her amazing journey from having a J-O-B in corporate law to practicing Feng Shui and what she’s learned along the way. In this episode of The Day I Quit, you’ll discover… The top reasons she choose not to quit her law job “cold-turkey”, but instead make a more gradual transition The benefits of the “love” part of her love-hate relationship with her job The career stepping stones Tisha made along the way from lawyer to healer How a synchronistic event in her life inspired her to make a complete 180 degree change with her career How she overcame a low point of trusting herself and her decision making skills Why some people are just not cut out to work for others What Tisha misses most about her old job and how she finds a way to fill that void now that she works for herself How to deal with friends and family members who don’t understand what you’re doing The #1 piece of business advice she received from a mentor (and has implemented!) in order to keep her income steady throughout the year Why not having co-workers is a mixed blessing and how to avoid feeling isolated How to balance having a “half-glass empty” perspective and being realistic when building your business Tisha’s inspiring mantra for keeping herself on track and working towards her goals Why you’ll get left behind if you’re living in a fantasy land and waiting for overnight success to happen   Items mentioned in this podcast include: www.tishamorris.com   The post 005: From Corporate Law to Feng Shui, Tisha Morris Makes a 180 Degree Switch appeared first on Go Fire Yourself.

DIQ 004: Emily Tulloh (Beloved Intimates) Emily Tulloh left her fast-paced fashion design job in New York in 2010 with a vision. That vision was to create a local retail store in the heart of Nashville, TN that specialized in top-quality luxurious lingerie brands. In 2012, she turned that vision into a reality with her store, Beloved Intimates. But it wasn’t always easy along the way. In order to raise the capital for her store, Emily had to work a full-time job at a security company and dedicated her nights and weekends to building her ultimate dream. Today, you can tell that her hard work and dedication paid off the moment you walk into her beautiful boutique. Hear her story about what it took to make it all happen. In this episode of The Day I Quit, you’ll discover… Why Emily decided that even though she loved her full-time job in fashion design, she still felt compelled to be her own boss one day The major factors that could have derailed her from following her dream How her whole identity was taken away after she left her design job and what she did to hold the vision for her retail store How she figured out what type of business would play into all her strengths and why she decided that starting a retail store was a perfect fit for her How to find the time to work on your own business on the side when you have a full-time job eating away at your day The type of market research played a huge role in the planning of Beloved Why a retail store was a big risk for her and what made her confident it would be successful What she did to keep moving forward during the scary times when she’d question, “What the heck am I doing??” The extreme importance of having a “light at the end of the tunnel” while you’re still stuck working a job The biggest (and unfortunately, the easiest) mistake that most new business owners make when financially planning their business Why Emily found hiring employees to be the most difficult part of opening a retail store and what she did to overcome this challenge How to overcome being a “control freak” of your own business and letting go of reigns in order to delegate appropriately Emily’s #1 piece of advice for people who want to quit their job   The post 004: Emily Tulloh Opens a Business that Play to All of Her Strengths appeared first on Go Fire Yourself.