The Revenue Maze

Showing Empathy - Mike DiCosola - The Revenue Maze - Episode # 024

Today’s guest has designed several patents over the years. He was inspired by the idea of Amazon using drones to deliver their products, so he went back to school to learn how to make drones and use them for everyday purposes and make jobs more efficient. Mike DiCosola, the CEO at Drone Industry Systems Corporation. Mike joins the host Valerie Cobb to share his tips on how a company can increase its revenue. 
 
Takeaways
One way to increase the revenue for your company is to find a problem and solve that problem by using the current technology you have available.
A drone isn’t just a flying robot, it can be anything that is autonomous. This means you can create a unique type of drone to fill a gap in your company.
When it comes to building drones, it’s a long-term commitment and endeavor but it will pay off for the future use of a drone to make jobs more efficient. 
You need to feel empathy for the problem that you are trying to solve because you don’t want to sacrifice all your time on one single issue unless it is worth it.
You want to have empathy for the consumer. It’s important to feel that connection with your consumer and build that relationship with them.
Surveying your customer constituents is one way to find a gap in your company is see if you are able to fill it. 
Even if you can’t get away for a full vacation, appreciate the moments when you can step away and recharge your batteries a little bit.
 
Quote of the Show:
1:44 “Filling a gap, a gap that might be a boutique gap or an all-encompassing gap that is not necessarily being paid attention to or has just been avoided for some time. And now new technology that has come can fill that gap.”
 
Links
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikedicosola1/
Website: https://www.droneindustrysystems.com/
 
Ways to Tune In
Amazon Music - https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/7d80f727-4d62-4d16-a0c9-96ec7bda6c6b/the-revenue-maze
Apple Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-revenue-maze/id1638644167
Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/6azAXp0qFgrmjcql0jeJM8
Google Podcast - https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cucmV2ZW51ZW1hemUuY29tL2ZlZWQueG1s
YouTube - https://youtu.be/_t_i1-dMTXw
The Revenue Maze is produced by Ringmaster, on a mission to create connections through B2B podcasts. Learn more at https://ringmaster.com/

Credible and Relevant - Melanie Asher - The Revenue Maze - Episode # 023

Today’s guest is a marketing extraordinaire. She’s at her best when juggling rapidly changing priorities and has a reputation for taking risks grounded in practical realities. Melanie Asher is the Founder and CMO at Omicle. Melanie is not confined by "we've always done it this way". She finds new and unique ways to help companies increase their revenue. Melanie joins the host Valerie Cobb to share some of her tips on how to find your way out of the revenue maze. 
 
Takeaways 
One way to get yourself out of the revenue maze is to be crystal clear on the messaging you send. The message is not from your perspective, it’s from the client's perspective.
Daily, most people get anywhere between 30,000 to 90,000 messages. It is your job to make your message different and stand out from the rest of the noise. 
As an expert on a certain subject, you don’t need to feel like you have to demonstrate your knowledge. You can show you are the expert by simplifying the value you offer. 
It’s important to know why you are running a business, but your clients are more interested in how you can help them solve their problems.
Being able to connect with your clients can help increase your revenue. Building a relationship between you and your clients can help lead to bigger deals.
There is a difference between consultants and fractional employees. Fractional c-suite executives typically give you the advice of a c-suite-level person at a fraction of the cost. 
Spend less time worrying about what other people think and focus more on what your gut is telling you. Trust your instincts to lead your business to success.
 
Quote of the Show:
1:31 “Be crystal clear on your messaging and it is not from your perspective, it is from your client's perspective and your perspective clients.”
 
Links
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/omicle/
Website: https://www.omicle.com/
 
Ways to Tune In
Amazon Music - https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/7d80f727-4d62-4d16-a0c9-96ec7bda6c6b/the-revenue-maze
Apple Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-revenue-maze/id1638644167
Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/6azAXp0qFgrmjcql0jeJM8
Google Podcast - https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cucmV2ZW51ZW1hemUuY29tL2ZlZWQueG1s
YouTube - https://youtu.be/PNxWHd7jHSI
 
The Revenue Maze is produced by Ringmaster, on a mission to create connections through B2B podcasts. Learn more at https://ringmaster.com/

Simplicity Is Clarity - Mike Adkins - The Revenue Maze - Episode # 022

Today’s guest sees the importance of making a process clear and concise. He is an avid Jayhawks fan and also enjoys playing the guitar. Mike Adkins is the Vice President of Sales at WarehouseQuote. Mike joins the host Valerie Cobb to share some of his tips for how companies can increase their revenue.
 
Takeaways
One way to increase the revenue for your company is to have clarity on what you are doing. Sometimes it helps to take a step back and think about what you are doing at a very base level.
There are plenty of books out there that claim to have the secret revenue growth or revenue ops, but you don’t need to read all those. Instead, take a step back and write down a list of the process you want and think about your ultimate objective.
When you are trying to make a clear process for your company, you want to try to simplify it. Simplicity can help make the process clear to others. 
Indecision is a decision. If you are not clear about why you are the right decision for a customer, then you have already killed the deal and the client won’t want to work with you.
Every day you want to think about the value you are bringing to your clients and make sure you are meeting their needs.
Use your time to improve your knowledge and skillset about your profession rather than spending time on social media.
Don’t be afraid to stick your neck out a little bit. You can learn a lot from an opportunity that didn’t work out and use those lessons on your next journey.
 
Quote of the Show:
7:40 “simplicity is one of the keys to clarity.” 
 
Links:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mike-adkins-whq/
Website: https://www.warehousequote.com/
 
Ways to Tune In:
Amazon Music - https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/7d80f727-4d62-4d16-a0c9-96ec7bda6c6b/the-revenue-maze
Apple Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-revenue-maze/id1638644167
Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/6azAXp0qFgrmjcql0jeJM8
Google Podcast - https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cucmV2ZW51ZW1hemUuY29tL2ZlZWQueG1s
YouTube - https://youtu.be/i-rLe50lwSg
The Revenue Maze is produced by Ringmaster, on a mission to create connections through B2B podcasts. Learn more at https://ringmaster.com/

Mapping Out The Future - Zach DeAngelo - The Revenue Maze - Episode # 021

While today’s guest lives in Colorado, he was born in New England and still carries that Northeast spirit in his heart. He grew up with his mom who had her own catering business, which opened his eyes to what he does today. Zach DeAngelo is the CEO, Founder, Investor, and Food & Beverage Strategist at Rodeo CPG. Zach joins the host Valerie Cobb to share some of his tips for how companies can work to increase their revenue. 
 
Takeaways 
One way to get out of the revenue maze and build up the profits for your business is to clearly define what your goals for success with your business are very early on.
You have to be mindful of your cash flow as a business owner. It’s the lifeblood of your business and you need to keep a watchful eye on it.
You should try to map out your business and see how much it would cost you to make your product and how much you can sell it to make a profit.
There is always going to be a high element of unpredictability with a business. The most successful businesses are the ones that are able to adapt to changes. 
We as humans have the capacity to learn most things and figure them out, so don’t be afraid to really dive into something new and learn it.
It’s hard to get a bunch of people in an organization to change direction when something isn’t working, so you need to practice the change to make it a smooth transition.
 
Quote of the Show:
1:27 “One piece of advice is to clearly define what your goals for success with your business are very early on.”
 
Links
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zachary-deangelo/
Website: https://www.rodeocpg.com/
 
Ways to Tune In
Amazon Music - https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/7d80f727-4d62-4d16-a0c9-96ec7bda6c6b/the-revenue-maze
Apple Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-revenue-maze/id1638644167
Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/6azAXp0qFgrmjcql0jeJM8
Google Podcast - https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cucmV2ZW51ZW1hemUuY29tL2ZlZWQueG1s
YouTube - https://youtu.be/_ubInKoQ48Q
The Revenue Maze is produced by Ringmaster, on a mission to create connections through B2B podcasts. Learn more at https://ringmaster.com/

ExtraBold Sales - Catherine Brown - The Revenue Maze - Episode # 020

B2B sales teams are struggling to find new ways to reach their buyers. Today’s guest sees these issues and has answers to this problem. Catherine Brown is the Inventor and Chief Trainer at EXTRABOLD Sales and the author of How Good Humans Sell. Catherine joins host Valerie Cobb to share some of the tips on how companies can sell better and increase their revenue.
 
Takeaways:
One way to increase your revenue is to have a strong call to action. This will hold you accountable while also driving attention to your company.
Part of the sellers' job is to make it easy to work with them and set up everything for the client.
It’s important to be crystal clear with clients. If you are clear with them and they understand everything that is happening, they will appreciate that clarity and honesty.
You need to believe in yourself and have the confidence to go out there and sell yourself. If you don’t believe in yourself, it is obvious and you won’t be able to get the most out of your work.
When you are sharing your point or opinion, you should have the base intention of being a good human. 
Sales shouldn’t feel like there is external pressure that they have to handle along with their regular job.
If you want to be an entrepreneur, start in the corporate world and let a corporate company train you and develop the skills you will need to succeed. 
 
Quote of the Show:
 
5:15 “The seller's job is to meet that part of the good humanness and to make it easy to work with us.”
 
Links:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/catherineleebrown/
Website: https://extraboldsales.com/
Book Link: https://www.amazon.com/How-Good-Humans-Sell-Success/dp/B095MD3HQK
 
Ways to Tune In:
Amazon Music - https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/7d80f727-4d62-4d16-a0c9-96ec7bda6c6b/the-revenue-maze
Apple Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-revenue-maze/id1638644167
Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/6azAXp0qFgrmjcql0jeJM8
Google Podcast - https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cucmV2ZW51ZW1hemUuY29tL2ZlZWQueG1s
YouTube - https://youtu.be/BZ87w8Ithms
The Revenue Maze is produced by Ringmaster, on a mission to create connections through B2B podcasts. Learn more at https://ringmaster.com/

Taking Ownership for Entrepreneurs - Gil Allouche - The Revenue Maze - Episode # 019

Today’s guest is a bit of an adrenaline junky. He’s done everything from skydiving to bungee jumping and more. Gil Allouche is the CEO of metadata.io. After suffering through 8 years of pain that all marketers go through, he built his company to take some of that stress away. Gil joins host Valerie Cobb to talk about how to find your way out of the revenue maze. 
 
 
Takeaways 
To get out of the revenue maze, you want to lead with action. If things are slowing down at your company it’s your responsibility to take ownership and get it back on track.
Starting a company during a recession is a great way to get your company started. Necessity is the mother of invention.
During a recession, there aren’t as many high valuations and it will help so that when the recession ends your company will boom.
Marketing in this day and age is more about A B testing rather than being something similar to Mad Men.
The sales and marketing teams at companies should work side by side and have enough trust with each other.
You want to build up your brand because it’s going to be hard to sell your brand and product if no one knows about it.
You need to have a company culture of trust and accountability, and everyone should know that it takes time to build up a company. 
 
 
Quote of the Show:
 
2:10 “If you show up every morning and you work on it, 200%,. I guarantee things will happen. Magic will happen. All the things that you hope for will start happening”
 
Links
 
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gilallouche/
Website: https://metadata.io/
Ways to Tune In
Amazon Music - https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/7d80f727-4d62-4d16-a0c9-96ec7bda6c6b/the-revenue-maze
Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/6azAXp0qFgrmjcql0jeJM8
Google Podcast - https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cucmV2ZW51ZW1hemUuY29tL2ZlZWQueG1s
YouTube - https://youtu.be/GIXjzcOONyA
The Revenue Maze is produced by Ringmaster, on a mission to create connections through B2B podcasts. Learn more at https://ringmaster.com/

Simplified Behavior - Jordan Schindler - The Revenue Maze - Episode # 018

Today’s guest is skilled in the art of entrepreneurship. He is a Global Leader in HealthWear and launched a new category of health and wellness products to 8-figures revenue and nationwide retail. Jordan Schindler is the CEO & Founder at Nufabrx. Jordan joins host Valerie Cobb to share his tips on how companies can find their way out of the confusing maze of revenue. 
 
 
Takeaways
One way to get out of the revenue maze is by showcasing perseverance. You have to keep going forward and keep growing your company. 
You want to try and do one more thing than you did yesterday. As an entrepreneur, that is the way to build success.
While it may not seem like an immediate impact, getting 1% better everyday is going to help your business grow more and more. 
Give yourself permission to say no and yes to certain things and clients. You want to work with the right people and they fit into your profile.
Set goals for yourself that you can keep track of. They don’t need to be lofty goals but as long as they show progress or areas to improve they will help you.
Having “rocks” or quarterly goals for your company will help the employees focus on a 90 day project and use that to improve the company. 
You want to simplify your customer's life. Your goal as a company is to make their life better and take away the pain points that they are experiencing.
 
 
Quote of the Show:
 
0:51 “It's all about showcasing perseverance. You gotta put one foot in front of the other and you gotta keep growing.”
Links
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jordanschindler/
Website: https://nufabrx.com/
Ways to Tune In
Amazon Music - https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/7d80f727-4d62-4d16-a0c9-96ec7bda6c6b/the-revenue-maze
Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/6azAXp0qFgrmjcql0jeJM8
Google Podcast - https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cucmV2ZW51ZW1hemUuY29tL2ZlZWQueG1s
YouTube - https://youtu.be/Ne-3fnb09wE
The Revenue Maze is produced by Ringmaster, on a mission to create connections through B2B podcasts. Learn more at https://ringmaster.com/

Test Before You Invest - Diane Moura - The Revenue Maze - Episode # 017

Today’s guest has been a consultant for 30 of the  Fortune 500 companies and has over 30 years of business experience. She focuses on business simplification, growth and profitability. Diane Moura is the CEO of ZenChange Marketing. Diane joins host Valerie Cobb to talk about how companies can drive up their revenue.
 
Takeaways
A great way to get out of the revenue maze is to test before you invest. Before you invest into a new tool, you want to test other ones and make sure you are comfortable with the software you will be using. 
Before you put some money and marketing behind an idea, you want to make sure there is a target audience for it and that it can be a profitable idea. 
Your competitors are not just offering the same service as you, they are also filling a separate need that your clients might have.
In the big picture, you aren’t selling stuff or things. You are selling a solution to a client’s problems.
You need to understand your target audience in sufficient detail so that you can identify the needs and problems that you can try to solve for.
If you’ve chosen the right investors and board members then they will have a mind for being nimble which is very helpful to an entrepreneur.
The product or service is the most important part of marketing.
 
 
Quote of the Show:
 
10:53 “At the end of the day, you’re not selling stuff. You're selling a solution to a problem.”
Links
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dianemoura/
Website: https://zenchange.com/
Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/0rB16M3vIB8oziLaRjW1aH
 
Ways to Tune In
Amazon Music - https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/7d80f727-4d62-4d16-a0c9-96ec7bda6c6b/the-revenue-maze 
Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/6azAXp0qFgrmjcql0jeJM8
Google Podcast - https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cucmV2ZW51ZW1hemUuY29tL2ZlZWQueG1s
YouTube - https://youtu.be/mZgGVFJgUe4
The Revenue Maze is produced by Ringmaster, on a mission to create connections through B2B podcasts. Learn more at https://ringmaster.com/

Creating A Closed Loop - Robert Rose - The Revenue Maze - Episode # 016

Today’s guest has more than 30 years of experience engineering and operations management, manufacturing space. He’s a six sigma black belt and an executive champion. Robert Rose is the CEO at MedWand. Robert joins host Valerie Cobb to share his tips on how companies can grow their revenue and work their way out of the maze.
 
Takeaways:
Listen to the voice of your customer. If you know what your customers want, then you will have a good chance of succeeding.
You want to be adaptable to what your customers' needs are. That is more important than ever in an emerging market.
You have to introduce your engineering group to your call center group and make it a closed loop.
Revenue goes both ways. It covers what is coming into your company but also what is going out which can show how well you run your company.
As a chief revenue officer, you need to look at the direction the company is going in and identify any needs that might come up.
Don’t sell past the close. 
Surround yourself with a great team. If you have the right people then you won’t need to micromanage them.
 
Quote of the Show:
2:18 “We could learn as leaders of companies to kind of abandon your preconceptions of things, listen to the voice of your customer and be ready to pivot.”
 
Links:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robert-rose-549b926/
Website: https://www.medwand.com/
 
Ways to Tune In:
Amazon Music - https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/7d80f727-4d62-4d16-a0c9-96ec7bda6c6b/the-revenue-maze
Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/6azAXp0qFgrmjcql0jeJM8
Google Podcast - https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cucmV2ZW51ZW1hemUuY29tL2ZlZWQueG1s

Things My Customer Said Today - Alex Reed & Jay Manouchehri - The Revenue Maze - Episode # 015

Today’s episode features two special guests. Alex Reed is the Co-Founder & President of Fluence Analytics. He’s also a mentor to local entrepreneurs and very active in the New Orleans, Houston and Portland communities. Jay Manouchehri is the CEO and Board Director at Fluence Analytics. Jay has more than three decades of global experience in technology commercialization. Together, they sit down and join host Valerie Cobb to talk about ways growing companies can increase their revenue. 
 
 
Takeaways
One way to get out of the revenue maze is to listen to your customers. If you get them talking and actually listen to them, they will tell you exactly what they need. 
Don’t feel like you need to sell all the bells and whistles. If you listen to a customer and work collaboratively then the sale will come back to you. 
You want to make the lives of your customers easier, so you need to find the right client so they can work with you. 
There is a balance between having the sales person come in with all different requests or focusing too much on your product market fit and ignoring your customers.
Collaborating with other parts of the team allows you to figure out what works best and how to improve your company. 
Part of being strategic allows you to narrow down the things that won’t work so you can focus your energy on things that will work. 
With two people working together on something, you get two ways to analyze the problem and find a solution.
 
 
Quote of the Show:
 
1:26 “One of the best things I would say is to listen to your customers. Because if you get them comfortable, you get them talking and you actually listen, they're gonna tell you exactly what they need from you.”
Links
 
Alex’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alex-reed-504/
Jay’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jmanouchehri/
Website: https://www.fluenceanalytics.com/
Ways to Tune In
Amazon Music - https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/7d80f727-4d62-4d16-a0c9-96ec7bda6c6b/the-revenue-maze
Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/6azAXp0qFgrmjcql0jeJM8
Google Podcast - https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cucmV2ZW51ZW1hemUuY29tL2ZlZWQueG1s
YouTube - https://youtu.be/t28zvphg17k