153: The Best of BDD | Final Episode

152 : Don Yaeger - What Makes Great Performers Stand Out

151: David Ragosa and Carlo Ruggiero - Franchising One Cone at a Time

David Ragosa and Carlo Ruggiero are reinventing the way Americans eat one of the most iconic foods in the world. They are the founders of Kono Pizza, or pizza in a cone. Kono Pizza is setting up franchises in the country, building it one cone at a time.

"For me, there are few factors: faith, patience, passion, and a ton of perseverance." - Carlo Ruggiero of Kono Pizza on building a culture

Kono Pizza - It's About Delivery

David and Carlo's product is revolutionary. It took the necessary preparations to come up with the basics for the development of the product. But the journey actually started when they finally had to figure out how to deliver.

The process of figuring out the best way to go about this entailed letting go of tools that no longer worked. They had to consider the way customers saw their product. Part of being an entrepreneur is being able to not go down the same road and fall into a cliff out of pride or an initial vision.

"We did fail, we made mistakes in the beginning. We cannot merely say that in a good way. Obviously that's the only way you learn." - Carlo Ruggiero of Kono Pizza

Franchising is a Privilege

David and Carlo consider becoming a franchisee of Kono Pizza to be a privilege, not just a sell. They award franchises, and obtaining one means becoming part of the family.

This sense of community places importance on the obtaining of the franchise, encouraging everyone to share the same vision for quality pizza.

Final Four

1. What have you done to stand out in business and in life?

“Working super hard."

2. What advice would you give to someone to stand out in business and in life?

“You have to outwork everybody."

3. Best advice you’ve ever received.

“Be patient.”

4. How do you want to be remembered?

“That I left the place better than when I started.” - David Ragosa

“Leaving a legacy not just about the money but about doing the right thing all the time.” - Carlo Ruggiero

To hear more from Kono Pizza's David and Carlo, download and listen to the show!

Learn more from Jon Vroman:

Website - Kono USA

Franchise - Kono USA Franchise

Twitter

Jesse loves connecting and hearing from his listeners:

Like him on Facebook

Find Your Yellow Tux

Book - Find Your Yellow Tux

Jesse Cole is a passionate and engaging business leader sharing other leaders messages, tips and fresh ideas on Business Done Differently. Subscribe to hear more front runners doing it differently and remember to leave him a rating and review on iTunes.

Thanks to Podcast Pilot for the editing, show notes and publication. They take care of it all!

150: Jon Vroman - Make Moments Meaningful

Jon Vroman founded the Front Row Foundation with the vision to help create life-changing moments for people in need. A motivational speaker, he shares the same language as Jesse Cole. He believes in the power of moments, putting people first and making these moments daily.

Jon is the author of the bestselling book, The Front Row Factor.

"How can I consciously create, experience and celebrate the meaningful moments of life?" - Jon Vroman

Jon Vroman - Turning Now into Wow

Front Row helps people have the front row experience of things they're passionate about. In turn, they treat other people by creating meaningful moments for them.

"We're trying to be moment makers. We're trying to turn any situation into something more meaningful. We say that we bring meaning to moments. We say that we turn now into wow." - Jon Vroman

Experiencing and Celebrating Life

People create meaningful moments that they look into as some source of hope and celebration in the future. When people use the power of future possibilities that spring from the now, they can grab hold of what then becomes the past.

By experiencing life as it happens now and holding some gratitude for the now, people can celebrate more of life today.

"We don't know how much time we all have. We live in gratitude. We live in amplifying the good so that we could silence what sometimes is not as good." - Jon Vroman

Final Four

1. What have you done to stand out in business and in life?

"It's taking an interest in people."

2. What would you tell people to stand out in business and in life?

"Add value, be observant, show up and be an owner of something."

3. Best advice you've ever received.

"Help other people along the way. Be a great person for other people."

4. How do you want to be remembered?

"As somebody that was kind, that was thoughtful, that showed up for people every day."

To hear more from Jon Vroman how to live life in the front row, download and listen to the show!

Learn more from Jon Vroman:

Website - Front Row Factor

Book - The Front Row Factor

Twitter

Jesse loves connecting and hearing from his listeners:

Like him on Facebook

Find Your Yellow Tux

Book - Find Your Yellow Tux

Jesse Cole is a passionate and engaging business leader sharing other leaders messages, tips and fresh ideas on Business Done Differently. Subscribe to hear more front runners doing it differently and remember to leave him a rating and review on iTunes.

Thanks to Podcast Pilot for the editing, show notes and publication. They take care of it all!

149: Dan Cockerell - Magic Culture and Customer Service

Dan Cockerell worked for Disney for 26 years. He started as a parking attendant, finishing his career as the Vice President of Magic Kingdom with 12,000 cast members. Today, he sits with Jesse Cole to share how working together with his crew has helped solidify magic customer service and company culture.

"No one at Disney gets anything done by themselves." - Dan Cockerell

Dan Cockerell - Walking the Park

Even after he became a VP, Dan never let go of the little things that make the magic happen at Disney. Every week, he walks the park to see how the cast members are doing, engage with customers, and take a look at the seemingly minute details of the business.

"There are no small things at Disney. And I think in any business, there's nothing that's too detailed." - Dan Cockerell

The magic doesn't happen with the supervisor talking to their managers or with the managers talking to the team staff. The magic happens when the cast members are interacting with the guests. If a business owner can acknowledge how customer service plays a crucial role to success, then they're on the right track towards exactly that.

Cast Members are Guests

In order to create magic, supervisors need to remember that their staff deserve the same amount of appreciation and attention as their customers. The Disney company treats its cast members as guests. By letting the cast experience the same magic they're expected to inspire, managers are able to rest easy knowing that they can provide the same service to customers.

"The magic happens anywhere the cast member is interacting with the guests. And that's where it is. And so you gotta remind yourself to always bring it back to that." - Dan Cockerell

Final Four

1. What's something you've done differently in your life to stand out?

"To be open-minded. I've always taken things with a positive attitude."

2. If you could give advice to someone to stand out in business and in life, what would you say?

"Have an incredibly positive attitude. Find that place where you can add extra value."

3. What's the best advice you've ever received?

"Do your best and then forgive yourself."

4. How do you want to be remembered?

"As someone who cared about people and taught them something to help make their life a little bit better."

To hear more about Dan Cockerell's magical learnings and how he was able to take care of his thousand-people cast, download and listen to the show!

Learn more from Chris McCluskey:

Website - Dan Cockerell

LinkedIn

Jesse loves connecting and hearing from his listeners:

Like him on Facebook

Find Your Yellow Tux

Book - Find Your Yellow Tux

Jesse Cole is a passionate and engaging business leader sharing other leaders messages, tips and fresh ideas on Business Done Differently. Subscribe to hear more front runners doing it differently and remember to leave him a rating and review on iTunes.

Thanks to Podcast Pilot for the editing, show notes and publication. They take care of it all!

148 : Chris McCluskey - Turn Your Potential into Reality

Chris McCluskey is a visionary thought leader frequently cited as "The Father of Christian Coaching." His ability to niche down and create a lifestyle business and movement has made him stand out in business and in life. In today's episode, he joins Jesse Cole to discuss how it's possible to go all-in on family and creating the lifestyle of your dreams.

"The real learning of anything starts when you begin doing it." - Chris McCluskey

Chris McCluskey - Training Coaches from Home

Chris operates the largest Christian training school in the world, Professional Christian Coaching Institute with his wife. The school is a completely virtual community that offers college and graduate-level training. This has allowed Chris and Rachel to work from the comfort of their ranch in the foothills of Ozark Mountains.

The training is tailored for people who wish to enter the coaching profession either part-time or full-time. Whether it's life coaching, leadership coaching, or executive coaching, anyone who wants to acquire the skill sets of a professional coach can be part of the school. And with the traditional requirements of a physical institution done away it, students are evaluated based on their performance in the marketplace.

A Choice Between Career and Family

Career is important to fend for the people you love, and so is spending time with family. Chris came home to his family one night, saw what a rough day it has been for them, and realized how much he'd missed. This was the moment he paused to reconsider the limited career choices his education has presented to him.

"We are very much trained not to be entrepreneurs but instead to be employees." - Chris McCluskey

He chose to do away with that and make a career that will allow him to be home for his family.

Desires of the Heart

We all have our life questions, but it's counterproductive to dwell on trying to come up with answers that only the future holds. In order to realize one's true potential, it is more important to focus on what we want in life, on that vision that we have of ourselves several years down the road. And only then can we can start working for that goal.

"I can't see what the future's gonna be. What I can discern, if I'll be willing to listen long enough, is the desires of my heart." - Chris McCluskey

Final Four

1. What have you done to stand out in business and in life?

"At night when I lie down I do less gauging, 'What did I do, what did I accomplish?' and more about, 'Who was I?' I check myself on that 'being.'"

2. Additional advice you'd give someone to stand out in business and in life.

"Don't miss the central piece of your purpose, your calling. Get clear on why are you here."

3. Best advice you've ever received.

"In the end if a business fails, it's ultimately not because it wasn't a viable business. It will have failed because your systems failed."

4. How do you want to be remembered?

"I wanna be remembered as a man who knew why he was here, and he lived fully into that purpose."

To hear more about Chris McCluskey's secrets to integrating family, business, and life, download and listen to the show!

Learn more from Chris McCluskey:

School - Professional Christian Coaching

Podcast - Professional Christian Coaching Today

Jesse loves connecting and hearing from his listeners:

Like him on Facebook

Find Your Yellow Tux

Book - Find Your Yellow Tux

Jesse Cole is a passionate and engaging business leader sharing other leaders messages, tips and fresh ideas on Business Done Differently. Subscribe to hear more front runners doing it differently and remember to leave him a rating and review on iTunes.

Thanks to Podcast Pilot for the editing, show notes and publication. They take care of it all!

147 : Stephan Aarstol - Five-Hour Workday Genius

Stephan Aarstol is the CEO and Founder of Tower Paddle Boards. He is the genius behind the five-hour workday, which has revolutionized the entrepreneurial industry. Today he shares with Jesse Cole the story of this innovative move and the purpose that drives him to perfect the experience for both his customers and employees.

"We needed to really start measuring things by gross happiness product as opposed to just GDP." - Stephan Aarstol

Stephan Aarstol - Eight-Hour Workdays are Unfounded

The history of the eight-hour workday can be traced back to the dawn of the industrial revolution back in the 1800s. To maximize machines, they were run full-time, all-day. This benefited the factory workers who worked three eight-hour shifts in the span of twenty-four hours.

Fast forward five hundred years later and people are still working the same eight-hour shifts. What people fail to understand is that there is no science to this eight-hour workday.

A Life-Altering Assignment

Stephan used to write articles for a company. They would give him topics to write about, and it was the assignment on a five-hour workday that began it all. In order to finish the assignment, he started an experiment in the company.

It was an uncomfortable exercise, but realizing how it was exactly how he worked, he thought that the entire company should do the same. A series of experiments and one published article later, they had built a brand that was as unique as it could get and kept people happy.

"If you start giving people a lot more time, they can use that time for different things." - Stephan Aarstol

Happiness is Important

When he first implemented the five-hour workday, Stephan hit a lot of walls. His employees left, feeling lost. But at the same time, all kinds of people with different levels of productivity started trickling in, curious and wanting to learn more.

The entire experience has left a great impression on him. And it has made him realize the many ways by which prevailing economic trends have enslaved people. Happiness, therefore, has become more of a privilege than a causal effect of working.

"That flexibility of giving people time and do with it what you want is a huge beneficial thing. And I think some people don't even realize that they need that. But I think it is important for them." - Stephan Aarstol

Final Four

1. What have you done to stand out in business and in life?

“I've always tried to identify businesses that really add something to humanity.”

2. What advice would you give someone to stand out in business and in life?

“Try. Just start it now.”

3. What is the best advice you received?

“Focus more on the downside risk.”

4. How do you want to be remembered?

“For being willing to do what it takes to do what I want and then to share that and help other people to do what they want.”

To hear what Stephan Aarstol thinks about the impact of capitalism on our work mentality, the true benefits of the five-hour workday on productivity, and the merits of a culture founded on happiness, download and listen to the show!

Learn more from Stephan Aarstol:

Tower Paddle Boards

Connect with him on LinkedIn

Follow him on Twitter

Jesse loves connecting and hearing from his listeners:

Like him on Facebook

Find Your Yellow Tux

Book - Find Your Yellow Tux

Jesse Cole is a passionate and engaging business leader sharing other leaders messages, tips and fresh ideas on Business Done Differently. Subscribe to hear more front runners doing it differently and remember to leave him a rating and review on iTunes.

Thanks to Podcast Pilot for the editing, show notes and publication. They take care of it all!

146 : Randy Cohen - Show Up with Swagger

Randy Cohen is the CEO of TicketCity, one of the largest ticket reselling companies in the country. Since its founding in 1990, the company has served over one million customers and sold over four million tickets. Today, Randy joins Jesse Cole to talk about how he's committed to showing up with swagger in everything he does for his customers and employees.

His books, Ticket to the Limit and Show Up With Swagger detail his blueprint to success.

"Don't be afraid to take chances. You gotta be the one head above the sea of heads that stand out." - Randy Cohen

Randy Cohen - Chief Energizing Officer

As the CEO of TicketCity, Randy has always owned up to the title, living and breathing it like the hundred-mile whirlwind that he is. With an energy that is higher than that of an average person, he is able to run his business the way it's meant to be handled.

Energy is contagious. Randy admits that his philosophy of jazzing everyone up, creating an inclusive atmosphere that breathes energy, is the very key to his company's success. His employees average twenty-two years in the company and while they're empowered to do what they want, Randy makes it a point to share his energy with them.

Showing Up with Swagger

Great communication with your team is important for any business to trailblaze. You share with them your wins and challenges and build a culture of trust by maintaining communication.

Charisma helps achieve effective communication. But being present, showing up every single day and being available for your employees when they need you is just as significant.

Taking Chances is a Must

While TicketCity went viral one ball game, it's difficult to find lightning-in-a-bottle moments that present as opportunities to draw attention. But a huge investment you need to make in order to stand out is to capitalize on risks and chances.

It is in realizing how risk-taking goes a long way that will ultimately determine your fate.

"At the end of the day, if you can win on seven, tie on two, and lose on one in any deal that you're doing, I think you'll come out way ahead." - Randy Cohen

Final Four

1. What have you done to stand out in business and in life?

"Showing up, the WOO WOO philosophy, making it fun, and really, caring and keeping it real and trying to make a difference."

2. What advice would you give someone to stand out in business and in life?

"Do what you say you're gonna do long after the feeling leaves you. When you say you're gonna do something, do it. Don't come up with excuses. Get it done."

3. What is the best advice you received?

"Love what you do, do it well, and keep on doing it."

4. How do you want to be remembered?

"So on the tombstone. You know what, if it just says, 'WOO WOO' with a couple of exclamation points and me pointing with both my fingers at you in front of me, I'm there. In it to win it."

To hear more about Randy Cohen's WOO WOO philosophy and the secrets to showing up with swagger, download and listen to the show!

Learn more from Randy Cohen:

Book - Show Up With Swagger

TicketCity

Follow him on Twitter

Jesse loves connecting and hearing from his listeners:

Like him on Facebook

Find Your Yellow Tux

Book - Find Your Yellow Tux

Jesse Cole is a passionate and engaging business leader sharing other leaders messages, tips and fresh ideas on Business Done Differently. Subscribe to hear more front runners doing it differently and remember to leave him a rating and review on iTunes.

Thanks to Podcast Pilot for the editing, show notes and publication. They take care of it all!

145 : Geoff Blades - Do What You Want to Stand Out

Christopher Wirth - Accountable, No-Quit Coaching | Ep. 144

Christopher Wirth is the founder and president of No Quit Living. He is also the host of the eponymous podcast that rated as a Top 50 Business Podcast on iTunes. A former coach of the AAU, as well as in high school and college levels, he has now upped his game by being a coach in the business world.

A Love for Coaching

Growing up, Christopher loved basketball. He reached the peak of his career as a player in high school, which eventually gave way to his career as a coach during summer when he was in college. With his terrific team of talented players, he was put on the map with high-end coaches wishing to recruit his flock.

“It almost happened by chance that I realized that I loved coaching the kids and I loved connecting with them.” - Christopher Wirth

This love for coaching athletes spilled over into his next career. Business, life, and sports, it seems, have a lot of parallelisms that Christopher realized throughout the years.

Accountability is a Staple

It takes two to tango. A coach holds a player accountable for failure by increasing their laps. But a coach, and an employer, must hold themselves in an even higher level of accountability than anybody else to establish trust within a team.

“That’s the biggest thing we’ve seen. The overlap is the accountability.” - Christopher Wirth

This accountability should jive with a coach or an employer’s efforts to make sure that their teams understand the reason as to ultimate why they’re working together. At the end of the day, this level of awareness determines just how successful a company can be.

Final Four

1. What have you done to stand out in business and in life?

“I try to deliver first.”

2. What advice would you give someone to stand out in business and in life?

“Don’t just follow the norm. Do something a little bit different, but do it genuinely for yourself as well as the other person."

3. What is the best advice you’ve ever received?

“Just keep your eyes on the prize and keep going, and when you feel like giving up, don’t.”

4. How do you want to be remembered?

“I wanna be remembered as the individual or company that helped people and motivated and inspired them.”

To hear Christopher Wirth talk about accountability, sports and business coaching analogies, and his mantras to not quit, download and listen to the show!

Learn from Christopher Wirth:

No Quit Living - Website

Like No Quit Living on Facebook

Follow No Quit Living on Twitter

Jesse loves connecting and hearing from his listeners:

Like him on Facebook

Find Your Yellow Tux

Book - Find Your Yellow Tux

Jesse Cole is a passionate and engaging business leader sharing other leaders messages, tips and fresh ideas on Business Done Differently. Subscribe to hear more front runners doing it differently and remember to leave him a rating and review on iTunes.

Thanks to Podcast Pilot for the editing, show notes and publication. They take care of it all!