Tom Golisano is an entrepreneur, philanthropist, and civic leader who founded and served as the Chairman of the Board of Paychex, Inc., a leading national provider of payroll, human resource, and benefit outsourcing solutions for over half a million small and medium-sized businesses. He has been consistently recognized by the business, financial and national media and has donated approximately $300 million to various charitable causes and institutions. He was also notably the former owner of the Buffalo Sabres of the National Hockey League. His commitment to helping those with intellectual disabilities, Western New York, and the region's economic climate will leave a lasting legacy.
Does the American dream still exist? Is it really possible to realize the dream of becoming a billionaire in a lifetime? The skeptics say it's no longer possible. It's just a dream. Let's listen to Tom Golisano, the Italian kid who started with $3,000 and founded and developed Paychex, which allowed him to become a billionaire in one generation.
Tune in for a chock-full of nuggets for current and aspiring entrepreneurs on how to start, grow, and operate a successful business.
Why you have to check out today’s episode
Learn the background of Paychex and how Tom grows it one partner and franchise at a time
Reveals the secrets behind much of Golisano’s success and teaches you how to apply those same success-hacks to your own life.
Emboldens you to see the world differently in terms of what’s possible despite what others may have you believe.
Entertains and enlightens you along the way, with Golisano’s stories of running for Governor two times, purchasing a failing NHL franchise, the Buffalo Sabres, and dry sense of humor throughout.
“The biggest thing we did was to have great people working for the team, good people who knew how to do the job and I'd let them do the job.” - Tom Golisano
Topics Covered:
01:30 Tom explains the double meaning behind the title of his book—The Italian Kid Did it.
03:10 Can the skeptics still count on the American dream and the possibility of becoming a billionaire?
06:54 Talks about what it takes before Tom sees Paychex succeed
07:44 The challenges Tom faced in expanding his business and how he turned golf buddies into bosses
09:49 The next steps in Tom's business journey
10:34 Tom discusses the main motivator that propelled his success
13:05 The motivation behind the book—The Italian Kid Did it
15:23 Find out about Tom’s professional sports journey
16:45 Advice to those who are looking to create a professional sports team
18:00 Tom’s insight on addressing the crisis leadership situation in America’s political system
19:33 Three things Tom would like you to get from his book—The Italian Kid Did It
Key Takeaways
Because of technology, there are a lot of opportunities out there, you've gotta find it, you've gotta look for it.
Some people would admit that the turmoils or difficult situations have a great effect on their life. That applies to me too.
I just wish our people in governmental positions would try working together for once instead of working against each other.
People/Resources Mentioned
Built not Born Book: https://www.amazon.com/Built-Not-Born-Billionaires-Entrepreneurs/dp/1400217555
The Italian Kid Did It: How I Turned $3K into $44B and Achieved the American Dream
https://www.amazon.com/Italian-Kid-Did-Achieved-American-ebook/dp/B09831XR9J#:~:text=Watching%20his%20father%20struggle%20to,sway%20your%20view%20of%20reality.
Paychex: https://www.paychex.com/
Connect with Thomas Golisano
Connect with Dr. Katrina Burrus
Paul Lagudi, a former professional Rugby Player turned entrepreneur, is the founder and president of the multi-million dollar Lagudi Fresh Food Group based in Las Vegas. He started his Produce company with just $30,000 and grew it into a million-dollar success within three years. Paul is a published author, having contributed to the book "Breaking Through" alongside 20 other successful entrepreneurs, sharing their insights on achieving breakthrough success.
Join us in this episode as we sit down with Paul and hear about his journey from athlete to business leader. Paul opens up about his failures, the valuable lessons he learned, and how his sports background still plays a big role in his leadership style. He shares his expertise in managing a thriving international business and having the right culture in hiring and retaining great employees. In this candid conversation, Paul reveals the key to staying motivated and avoiding complacency despite business success.
With Paul's practical wisdom and relatable experiences, this episode is a must-listen for aspiring entrepreneurs and business leaders.
Why you have to check out today’s episode
“You're gonna be willing to say no, no to some winning moves because it may affect everything else. Know when to push it & know when to cut it.” - Paul Lagudi
Topics Covered:
00:40 Paul's business approach to managing his team as a former sports player
01:32 How did Paul transition from being a Rugby Professional to building a Food
manufacturing company?
04:01 Paul’s insight on getting a mentor
05:00 The story of how he lost 10 grand in his first week in the business
06:22 Why Paul decided to start his business in Las Vegas
07:27 The difference between handling the Produce business in Australia versus the US
10:14 Advice to people who are looking to start an International business
11:34 Why failure is Paul's biggest mentor
12:24 Paul shares his biggest leadership failures, learnings & advice
14:23 The secret to winning any game
15:13 Two reasons Paul sees his business expanding and succeeding in five years
16:40 Paul’s advice in hiring & retaining great people in this team
19:23 Short advice to self if Paul would be starting all over again
19:41 The remedy for staving off complacency as a successful leader
21:43 Paul's business approach to staying hungry
Key Takeaways
"If you're lean, mean & hungry, anything can happen"
"You have to give the sense of confidence that you know what you're talking about, but be humble enough that people would want to help you."
“Older people love to mentor a younger person---it's good for the soul. If you have that connection, that's the magic.”
“Sometimes you just gotta be willing to put yourself out there & be willing to fail. Fail your way to success.”
“Follow the money trail. Not everything you're gonna do is gonna make you money or make you succeed or win. Know when to push it & when to cut it.”
“I never sell a product, I just make friends because I'm a believer that friends love to deal with friends and you work harder for a friend because you don't wanna let 'em down.”
“Anyone who's successful, in whatever walk of life, will tell you they're one millimeter from losing it all. So it's a tie rope. You're never too big to fail.”
People/Resources Mentioned
Connect with Paul Lagudi
Email:plagudi@lagudis.com
Connect with Dr. Katrina Burrus
Richard Haddrill is a CEO industry veteran with a passion for success. Leading 3 successful & fast-growing high-tech companies to significant shareholder returns, Richard also serves as a mentor to executives. He is also a Board member & investor in numerous public and private companies. Previously a Managing Partner at Ernst & Young [North America & Rocky Mountain Region], Richard brings a wealth of experience to the company while actively committing to his charitable endeavors in supporting youth and the arts.
Today we explore the Art of Leadership with Richard, a man who has spent the better part of his career mastering the field. Having a proven track record in handling both local & international companies, he shares how he handles executives, teams, & even establishes winning company cultures.
Listen to his take on diversity, collaboration, recruitment & even termination. Lastly, learn how to assess your team member’s strengths & how not to let ego get in the way of making the best decision for the company.
Tune in to get the best scoop on Leadership wisdom today!
Why you have to check out today’s episode
• Learn from Richard's success in establishing a winning company culture in whatever venture you will take on
• Find out the top characteristics that make a strong team, the factors in maintaining company culture, & boosting shareholder value
• Learn Richard's blueprint on how to successfully lead diverse team members & integrate cultural differences for business success
“I always said that if I couldn't convince the board of directors that I was right about something, maybe I wasn't right. The same thing is true with my teammates. No leader, no CEO has all the answers; their troops are closer to the action than they are."
Topics Covered:
00:24 – Top 2 accomplishments that Richard is most proud of in his career.
01:26 – How Richard remains true to his core values while accommodating diverse team
members
02:17 – What characteristics Richard looks for that makes up a strong team
04:13 – The key to maximizing shareholder value of a company
05:32 – What are the benefits of being a Collaborative leader in a big organization
06:37 – The 2 Critical Factors for maintaining company culture & maximizing shareholder value
07:43 – On handling different companies with distinct cultures & dynamics
10:32 – Richard’s blueprint for integrating cultural differences in a business setting
12:49 – How Richard leveraged his international experience & discoveries for his own business
16:35 – Having accomplished his career endeavors, Richard shares what’s meaningful for him
19:07 – Tips for young leaders looking to succeed in their career
Key Takeaways
“To run a bigger organization, you really have to be a collaborative leader vs a command & control leader. If you get strong people & let them have some say in the strategy, role & responsibility, you tend to attract & retain better people long term & you get better decisions.” –Richard Haddrill
"The hardest thing to do as a leader is to let someone go. But you find out that if you do it, you're actually doing everybody a favor" –Richard Haddrill
“Focus on being an active listener. Communication is always important in any aspect of any business. Then, of course, observation—this is a listening skill too.” –Richard Haddrill
“Show respect for the local country. You have to have your broad company principles but also show respect for how they approach things, listen to them & let them have a voice. Another thing is treating them equally across the globe—same compensation plan, same goal setting, same meetings.” –Richard Haddrill
“Have a network of people within or outside the organization that you could call on different issues & bounce ideas off of. People love to help that way. There's no better compliment you can give anyone than ask their advice.” –Richard Haddrill
People/Resources Mentioned
• The Groop: Collaborative Investors & Adviserse to Committed Business Leaders: http://thegroop.com/
• Ernst & Young: https://www.ey.com/en_us
• “Hire Slow & Fire Fast”: https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbescoachescouncil/2020/04/14/hire-slow-and-fire-fast-why-leaders-should-heed-this-advice/?sh=4af8b978573c
Connect with Richard Haddrill
LinkedIn: Richard@thegroop.com
Website: http://thegroop.com/
Email: Richard@thegroop.com
Connect with Dr. Katrina Burrus
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katrinaburrus/
Website: https://mkbconseil.ch/contact/
Brian Dumaine is an award-winning journalist and a contributing editor at Fortune magazine. His
book, “Bezonomics: How Amazon Is Changing Our Lives and What the World’s Best Companies Are Learning From It”, takes an unbiased look at Amazon’s increasingly dominant business model, the competitors either imitating or trying to outfox the company, and the ways “Bezonomics” is shaping the life of every American consumer.
In this episode, Brian talks to us about the story of Jeff Bezos and Amazon, from how they started as a humble online book shop, and how with the proper mentality and execution they became one of the strongest forces in the market that threatens to disrupt the grocery business, medical business and the finance business.
Why you have to checkout today’s podcast:
“If there's one thing that keeps coming back to me, it's authenticity. I think the leaders who are most successful are honest people who have a passion and believe in that passion and can listen.” – Brian Dumaine
Topics Covered:
01:26 – Introducing today’s guest, award-winning journalist Brian Dumaine
02:25 – What inspired Brian to write his book “Bezonomics”
03:31 – The corporate culture inside Amazon and what it transpires
05:32 – Why Amazon is a tough place to work in
08:20 – What Jeff Bezos does to make sure that he has a good team around him
11:35 – The Flywheel concept: What Jeff Bezos does that others don’t that led to Amazon’s exponential growth
17:28 – Amazon is an innovative company that focused on customers’ convenience
18:49 – How Jeff Bezos started Amazon, and how he developed it to what it is right now
23:15 – Through their innovations, Amazon is going to disrupt the grocery business, the health care business, and the finance business
27:49 – The challenges that Amazon had in expanding internationally
29:52 – Brian’s takeaway about leadership
Key Takeaways:
“Propensity for forthrightness and clarity and the facts really help Amazon become an incredibly innovative company. But again, it's a tough culture. It's not one for everyone.” – Brian Dumaine
“If you do everything to please the customer… you're going to attract more customers. And if you attract more customers… you'll attract more third-party sellers who will offer more products on the site for customers. And if you do that, you get to grow your revenue. And if you grow your revenue, you're going to have economies of scale that allow you to do more for your customers.” – Brian Dumaine
“Their [Amazon’s] tentacles reach far and wide. And, you know, you put cloud on top of that and you start wondering: Sections of the economy, are they not playing it? – Brian Dumaine
“If there's one thing that keeps coming back to me, it's authenticity. I think the leaders who are most successful are honest people who have a passion and believe in that passion and can listen.” – Brian Dumaine
People / Resources Mentioned:
· Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/
· Amazon Go: https://www.amazon.com/b?ie=UTF8&node=16008589011
· Pillpack: https://www.pillpack.com/
· AWS: https://aws.amazon.com/
· Bezonomics: How Amazon Is Changing Our Lives and What the World's Best Companies Are Learning from It: https://www.amazon.com/Bezonomics-Amazon-Changing-Companies-Learning/dp/1982113634
· The Everything Store: Jeff Bezos and the Age of Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Everything-Store-Jeff-Bezos-Amazon/dp/0316219266
· Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap and Others Don't: https://www.amazon.com/Good-Great-Some-Companies-Others/dp/0066620996
Connect with Brian Dumaine:
· LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brian-dumaine-839a05ba/
Connect with Dr. Katrina Burrus:
· LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katrinaburrus/
· Website: https://mkbconseil.ch/contact/
Michael Stelzner is the founder of Social Media Examiner, author of the books Launch and Writing White Papers, and the man behind Social Media Marketing World—the industry’s largest conference. He’s also the host of the Social Media Marketing podcast, the Crypto Business podcast, and the founder of the Social Media Marketing Society.
Join Michael in this episode as he explains how he looks into the past, present & future to draw trajectory lines of where the Social Media trend is going. Take a closer look at Michael's unique journey, including his misadventures that ultimately led to his biggest and most successful ideas.
He also talks about the Entrepreneurial nature & how it played a crucial role in saving his business during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Tune in for inspiration and practical insights that will help you chart your own path toward success in the constantly changing world of social media marketing.
Why you have to check out today’s episode
“I'd rather sharpen the ax that I have than learn to fire a crossbow. As a team, we focus on sharpening our axes ....We constantly reinvent and refining ourselves.” - Michael Stelzner
Topics Covered:
00:33 - From Bumpy Beginnings to a Social Media Pioneer: An Inside Look at Michael Stelzner's Journey to Success
02:52 - What inspired Michael to do Social Media Marketing World—His light bulb moment
04:24 - What Michael did to keep the business afloat during the Pandemic
09:18 - Talks about the Nature of Entrepreneurship
10:08 - How doing ‘nothing’ special got Michael international traction for his conferences
12:01 - Michael shares his relationship-building technique
15:48 - What happens inside the Social Media Marketing Society?
17:09 - Michael's vision on the newest frontier— Web 3
20:43 - Michael's unique perspective and forecast on Tech Trends and their potential
23;49 - The culture & practices inside Michael's team that helped his business stay on top of
constant refinement.
Key Takeaways
“When things change and you can't do business the way you thought you were going to be able to do business, you have to get innovative.”- Michael Stelzner
You have to keep trying things. Nothing ventured nothing gained. - Michael Stelzner
“I believe that the future is going to be a decentralized world where the new technology that is confusing for a lot of people is going to make many things possible.” - Michael Stelzner
“So what I try to do is I try to look at the past, look at the present, and look at the future and draw trajectory lines and say, okay, I've seen this pattern before. This is generally where this goes. And you can either be there early or you can be there right on schedule, or you can be there late.” - Michael Stelzner
“...Entrepreneurs we always have things that can distract us. And I'm trying to discern dangerous distractions from opportunities. This is really, really important for anybody because there are always going to be bright, shiny objects that appear before you and me. And we have to choose to ignore them or focus on them.” - Michael Stelzner
People/Resources Mentioned
Launch: How to Quickly Propel Your Business Beyond the Competition
Writing White Papers: How to Capture Readers and Keep Them Engaged
https://www.amazon.com/Writing-White-Papers-Capture-Readers-ebook/dp/B075G6XH4D?ref_=ast_author_dp
Social Media Marketing World: https://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/smmworld/
Social Media Marketing Society: https://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/society/
Social Media Marketing Podcast: https://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/social-media-marketing-podcast/
Web3 Business Podcast: https://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/web3-business-podcast/
Crypto Business Conference: https://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/cbconference/
Connect with Michael Stelzner
Facebook: http://facebook.com/smexaminer
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stelzner
Twitter: https://twitter.com/mike_stelzner
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/smexaminer
Connect with Dr. Katrina Burrus
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katrinaburrus/
Website: https://mkbconseil.ch/contact/