Thursday 29 November 2012

Business Jazz - 30th November 2012 - Being a Misfit


We're going to break a little from tradition this week and talk about someone else. Don't worry, Chris is here too. But we're going to start with a man who recently sent out an email actively encouraging people to go to cafes to steal a magazine.

That's right. Theft. You have his blessing.

Such a person can only be called a misfit. In fact, make that a capital "M". Misfit.

Who is this man?

His name is AJ Leon. He and his wife Melissa head up Misfit Incorporated, and they've just launched their magazine: Misfit Quarterly.

Online, it's free. Go get an e-copy.

Want a hard copy? Well, you can sign up to become an honorary misfit (though if you do, AJ and Melissa would probably capitalize you: Honorary Misfit). Or, you can trawl around after them and pick up a free copy wherever they happen to leave one. They're on a 1,080 day journey around the world. They might stop in at your local coffee shop some day.

Misfit Quarterly is an example of fresh thinking. Same goes for Chris Brogan's email last week as well. He wonders whether you usually slowdown in the run up to the end of the year. Is December a wind down month for you? Is your annual race run?

"No!" cries Chris. Beware. Push extra hard in December. Do stuff. Steal a march on your competitors. Steal a march on your former self. Make December really count.

Paul and Roger chew on this and much more (including Daley Thompson) in this week's episode of Business Jazz.

To hear the podcast, just click on the play button on the embedded player at the top of this post. We're also in iTunes. We'd love it if you subscribed.

You can download this week's episode of the podcast directly here: Business Jazz - 30th November 2012.

Be a mMisfit


Intrigued by this man who is giving away his magazine? The man who invites you to steal one?

You can connect with AJ Leon here: Pursuit of Everything.

Invite Chris into your inbox



If you'd like to subscribe to Chris' emails yourself (the ones we discuss here), you'll find a place to sign up on his website. 
If you're interested in The Impact Equation, the book he recently published with Julien Smith, you can find it on Amazon US and Amazon UK. 


Business Jazz Player


This podcast is a collaboration of people dotted around the world. Most of us have never met each other. It's quite a story and it's still evolving. 
If you'd like to read what's happened so far, you'll find it here: Our Story.


PS 


Would you like to hear more? Immediately after each recording of the podcast proper, Paul gets out his iPhone and we record an Audioboo with additional thoughts.

Here's this week's:

Thursday 22 November 2012

Business Jazz - 23rd November 2012 - Get Back in Your Box

 
 
"Think outside the box"

"I don't like being placed in a box."

"Don't get boxed in."

These are common sentiments, often heard. Being in a box is bad. Restrictive. Repressive.

Life is better outside the confines of boxes.

Really?

Chris Brogan begs to differ. He says getting into a box is good. In fact, it can liberate you rather than imprison. Embracing boxes can give you and your ambitions wings.

In this week's episode of Business Jazz, we talk about using boxes to your advantage.

To hear the podcast, just click on the play button on the embedded player at the top of this post. We're also in iTunes. We'd love it if you subscribed.

You can download this week's episode of the podcast directly here: Business Jazz 23rd November 2012.

Invite Chris into your inbox



If you'd like to subscribe to Chris' emails yourself (the ones we discuss here), you'll find a place to sign up on his website. 
If you're interested in The Impact Equation, the book he recently published with Julien Smith, you can find it on Amazon US and Amazon UK. 


Business Jazz Players - We welcome David Bailey MBE


This podcast is a collaboration of people dotted around the world.

We have a new player. David Bailey MBE. David lives in Bosnia and writes about his experiences here: David Bailey's blog. David contacted us about placing the podcast in a regular slot on Belgrade Life - an internet-based radio station. Would we be interested?

Of course we were.

Our first broadcast was on Wednesday at 4pm GMT. We all missed it due to various diary screw ups.

Nevertheless, we're all hugely appreciative of David's invitation and we count him among our growing band.


If you'd like to read our complete story so far, you'll find it here: Our Story.


PS 


Would you like to hear more? Immediately after each recording of the podcast proper, Paul gets out his iPhone and we record an Audioboo with additional thoughts.

This week, we missed a beat.


WOW!

We have been left speechless by the effort of Nick Holloway, who has transcribed this episode of the podcast.

You can read it after the jump:

Friday 16 November 2012

Business Jazz - 16th November 2012 - Listen Good


Listen...

How good are you at listening?

Are you an active listener?

Can you listen well by speaking more?

Mastering the art of listening can give you a huge competitive advantage.

This week, Chris Brogan's email about listening causes Paul and Roger to not talk at the same time...

To hear the regular podcast first, just click on the play button on the embedded player at the top of this post. We're also in iTunes. We'd love it if you subscribed.

You can download the podcast directly here: Business Jazz 16th November 2012.

Listen directly to Chris yourself 



If you'd like to subscribe to Chris' emails, you'll find a place to sign up on his website. 
 If you're interested in The Impact Equation, the book he recently published with Julien Smith, you can find it on Amazon US and Amazon UK. 


Business Jazz Players 


This podcast is a collaboration of people dotted around the world.


If you'd like to read our story so far, you'll find it here: Our Story.


PS 


Would you like to hear more? Immediately after each recording of the podcast proper, Paul gets out his iPhone and we record an Audioboo with additional thoughts. This is this week's:

Friday 9 November 2012

Business Jazz - 9th November 2012 - Being a Servant


This week, it's all about serving your customers. Chris Brogan says that everything works better if you consider yourself to be operating in service of others.


He suggests that you ask yourself five questions:


1) Is it easy for my buyer to reach me if they have a question? (Define "buyer" how you wish.)


2) Is my online presence as inviting as a store or office? Will people know what to do first when they connect with me? Do I guide them where they should go next? 


3) Do I make my product or service clear and understandable so that people feel they understand it?
4) Am I doing what I'm selling to make my buyer the hero? 


5) Am I ready to commit to full satisfaction from my customer?

Paul and Roger discuss each one in turn. They don't agree on the last one - the one that Chris highlights in particular. There is more on that in the follow-up recording below.

To hear the regular podcast first, just click on the play button on the embedded player at the top of this post. We're also in iTunes. We'd love it if you subscribed.

Serve yourself



If you'd like to subscribe to Chris' emails, you'll find a place to sign up on his website.

If you're interested in The Impact Equation, the book he recently published with Julien Smith, you can find it on Amazon US and Amazon UK.

Business Jazz Players


This podcast is a collaboration of people dotted around the world. 
If you'd like to read our story so far, you'll find it here: Our Story.


PS


Would you like to hear more? We record an afters session on Audioboo. This is this week's:

Thursday 1 November 2012

Business Jazz - 2nd November 2012 - How to Fail Properly


Failure.

It's a scary word for many of us.

For others, it's something to be embraced. They see failures as milestones on the way to success. Failure should be embraced, rather than feared.

This week Paul and Roger discuss failure and how to turn it to your advantage, prompted as usual by an email from Chris Brogan.

To hear the podcast, just click on the play button on the embedded player at the top of this post. We're also in iTunes. We'd love it if you subscribed.

Wow!


Many of you will have found us through the plug that both Chris and AJ Leon gave the podcast in their email newsletters last week. It was an incredible experience for us to receive such boosts from these two remarkable people.

Chris and AJ, thank you. It means the world to us.

Help yourself


If you'd like to subscribe to Chris' emails, you'll find a place to sign up on his website.

If you're interested in The Impact Equation, the book he recently published with Julien Smith, you can find it on Amazon US and Amazon UK.

If you liked the sound of AJ Leon (and we think you probably do), you can connect with him at Pursuit of Everything.

Business Jazz Players


This podcast is a collaboration of people dotted around the world.

If you'd like to read our story so far, you'll find it here: Our Story.

PS


Would you like to hear more? We sometimes nearly always always record an afters session on Audioboo. This is this week's: