Founder of Value Growth Partners Now a Certified Exit Planning Advisor

Mark O’Brien, MBA, CMAA®, CEPA®, Managing Director of Value Growth Partners, a successful business growth, succession, and transition advisory firm, has added another high-level accreditation to his name and business. Mark has successfully completed the rigorous course requirements to become a certified exit planning advisor (CEPA®), as certified by the renowned Exit Planning Institute.  

Being a CEPA®, Mr. O'Brien is now certified to lead business owners in the strategic process of successful business succession, transition, and exit planning. 

“I have been blessed to know such wonderful mentors like Peter Christman, Richard Jackim, and Chris Snyder in the field of exit (succession and transition) planning,” said Mark O’Brien. “These experts have been very supportive in my goal to become a Certified Exit Planning Advisor. I am thrilled to have learned and worked with them to be certified and I look forward to continuing to assist business owners with executing successful succession and transition strategies.”

The CEPA® process emphasizes that a good exit strategy is a good business strategy. It is about building, harvesting, and preserving family wealth for generations to come and integrating best-in-class business practices into daily operations.

In order to qualify initially for the CEPA® program, an exit planning advisor must have already finished a bachelor’s degree from a college or university, and have worked 5+ years working full-time directly with business owners as a business consultant,  valuation advisor, financial advisor,  CPA, attorney, business broker, investment banker, estate planner, insurance professional, or similar professional capacity.

Learn more about Mark O'Brien and Value Growth Partners today at https://vgpltd.com/

GrooveKart Review | An Honest Review On The Pros And Cons Of Using GrooveKart For Your Online Store

Looking to set up an online store but not sure what platform to use? In this video I talk about the pros and cons of GrooveKart. GrooveKart is a new and innovative ecommerce platform. You can sign up for a free account and enjoy the benefits of a full featured online store! The platform has advanced features that enable you to sell physical products online without any worries. GrooveKart is easy to use whether you are just starting out or are moving from another platform. I've been using GrooveKart for a few months now and I'm excited to share my honest thoughts on the pros and cons of using this platform. What is GrooveKart? GrooveKart is just one of the apps you get access to when you sign up for your free Groove.cm account. It has been designed by leading ecommerce experts to include more powerful standard features than the leading platforms. You don't have to invest in additional plugins or apps to get the functionality and features you need to increase sales and average cart value. Here are just some of the benefits GrooveKart has to offer - * Free sign-up * Drag and drop page builder with pre-built blocks * Integration with popular Print On Demand platforms * Unlimited stores * Quickly set up cross sells, order bumps, and upsells * Built in abandon cart sequences * No coding or technical experience required Get your free Groove account today and take GrooveKart for a test drive!

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Dave Woodward - "A New Revelation "

From selling candy in the 5th grade to becoming the CEO of a company, today’s guest helped ClickFunnels go to 100 million dollars in revenue in less than 5 years! Sounds crazy, doesn’t it?! When you hear the saying, “anything is possible.” Believe it! Listeners, it’s time to Get Naked with David & his guest, Dave Woodward. Dave is a devoted husband, father & a successful entrepreneur. He is a ClickFunnels partner & host of Clickfunnels Radio. David & Dave share stories of how their journey with ClickFunnels began & how much fun they’ve had helping others create success. Be sure to listen to the end to find out who David & Dave’s biggest supporters are. IN THIS EPISODE, YOU WILL LEARN: [00:01:59] First Thing Dave Did to Make Money [00:08:47] How Did Dave Meet Russell Brunson? [00:19:33] How to Add the Most Impact with a Smaller Budget [00:22:47] Biggest Lessons Learned in Scaling a Company Effectively [00:30:55] Final Thoughts from Dave Connect with Dave Woodward: 1. Follow Dave on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter 2. Find Dave on his website 3. Listen to Click Funnels Radio here Connect with David Asarnow Find David on his website Find David on his Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn & Facebook About Get Naked Podcast Welcome to the Get Naked In Business video podcast. So the big question is… how do entrepreneurs like us, who built our businesses from the ground up, who spend our own capital, who want to make a huge impact on this world, how do we do all that and create a great income? My mission for this podcast is to interview amazing entrepreneurs who are willing to get naked in front of the mirror, jump up and down, and let the real, raw insights all hang out. Insights to help accelerate your business growth. My name is David Asarnow and welcome to Get Naked In Business. I’m glad you're here… now it's time to get naked! GetNakedInBusiness.com

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Get Naked in Business- Exploits of A Teenage Drug Dealer with Erik Frank

It’s Time to Get Naked, Get Real & Get Raw with David & Erik! Erik is a failed drugdealer who turned his life around. He’s now a successful entrepreneur, a Petra Coach & President of EO New Orleans. Erik’s burning desire for health & wellness started at a young age. This passion inspired him to start Your Nutrition Delivered. YND grew massively providing 25,000 healthy meals to entrepreneurs around the United States. Erik was named Entrepreneur of the Year in New Orleans in 2015 & led Your Nutrition Delivered to a successful exit in 2016. Be sure to listen to the end to hear Erik’s advice for CEO’s. IN THIS EPISODE, YOU WILL LEARN: [00:01:17] Erik’s First Realization of Entrepreneurship [00:03:45] What Did Businesses Think of the Health Care Reform? [00:04:28] Psychology of Success [00:07:37] What Company Did Erik Start? [00:11:21] Advice for CEO’s Connect with Guest Name: 1. Follow Erik on Facebook, LinkedIn & Twitter 2. Check out Erik’s website & schedule your FREE Introductory Coaching Call! Connect with David Asarnow Find David on his website Find David on his Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn & Facebook About Get Naked Podcast Welcome to the Get Naked In Business video podcast. So the big question is… how do entrepreneurs like us, who built our businesses from the ground up, who spend our own capital, who want to make a huge impact on this world, how do we do all that and create a great income? My mission for this podcast is to interview amazing entrepreneurs who are willing to get naked in front of the mirror, jump up and down, and let the real, raw insights all hang out. Insights to help accelerate your business growth. My name is David Asarnow and welcome to Get Naked In Business. I’m glad you're here… now it's time to get naked! GetNakedInBusiness.com

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6 Social Media Mistakes

Ouch!

The 6 Mistakes You Are Making On Social Media That Are Hurting Your Business (and how to correct them)

Let’s face it, Social Media marketing has become compulsory to those looking to gain business and expand their brand.  The common misconception businesses have when it comes to social media it that all you have to do is create a fan page on Facebook or send out a few tweets. Unfortunately, it is not that easy and we are seeing businesses make the same social media mistakes over and over. Here are the mistakes your business could be making on social media sites:

Social Media Mistake #1. Getting The Wrong Fans

This is the classic case when you want quality over quantity. Perhaps the most common of social media mistakes is the thought that having more likes or fans than your competitor means you’re a better marketer, this could not be further from the truth. Marketing on social media platforms is NOT the same as mass marketing campaigns and ads, and should not be treated as such. Social media marketing is most effective when business marketers can laser-target their consumers, hence quality over quantity. The number of fans that liked your page is completely irrelevant if these fans are not discussing and sharing your product or service.

Social Media Mistake #2.  Available vs. Excessive

Once you have established your social media footprint on one platform there is often a strong urge to do the same on ALL social media sites. A common error made by businesses is the belief that they need to be present on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, Flickr, LinkedIn, and all other social media platforms they encounter. While social presence is of utmost important in business today, choosing the platforms best for you and your business is key. Here are some tips to help you discern where you should be putting your time and energy: Be where your customers are. Focus on what is working currently. Utilize those sites for which you have the man-power.

Social Media Mistake #3. Too Much You

Social Media is just that, social. Much of the same interpersonal and social rules apply when marketing on these sites. No one likes that guy in the room that refuses to stop talking about himself, so do not let your business be “that guy.” While it is important to expand your brand and expose your product, going overboard on this will cause fans to ignore and potentially remove you from their social network. Just like in life, give these online consumers information about your business while including value. For example, a doctor’s office may post information regarding new services they are offering followed by a post with a link to an article that their patients would fine helpful. Posts like this will add value and help develop a conversation with your social media based customers.

4. Social Media Standing Alone

It is in our nature to categorize and segment our business in order to create efficiency and order; however, doing this with Social Media is a huge mistake. Most businesses treat Social Media as its own department, just as we would with Human Resources, Sales, or Management. Social Media marketing is truly a culmination of many facets of a business. It is important to understand that different department’s initiatives can be met through social media marketing.

Social Media Mistake #5. No Creativity

There is a massive difference between being consistent and being predictable. Varying the type of posts, time of posts, ways in which you interact, and overall look and feel can be extremely powerful in social media. Social media users have pretty much seen it all as far as marketing and advertising, so do not try and reinvent the wheel, just be creative with your posts. Use different mediums to get your message across and catch the attention of your customers by posting videos instead of plain written posts. Try using different images and adding links to resources you believe your customers will find valuable. KEEP IT INTERESTING!

Social Media Mistake #6. Refrain From Personal Attacks

We live in an instant communication society, and with this we have many advantages, with some drawbacks.   While the internet affords full transparency and I highly encourage exchanges of information and debate, I unfortunately see far too many people taking this too far with personal attacks on Internet boards and on Social Media Sites such as Facebook.  While this could be a very long section, the best answer is DON’T’!  I get it, we all get upset at times,  but take the high road, engage in direct and personal communication.

If you become the target of a social media smear campaign; remain calm.  While the natural tenancy may be to snap back, rise above the other person conducting the attack as they obviously are trying to bring you down to their level.

Respond Quickly & Publicly.  We live in a viral society so it is best to respond publicly but in a positive and controlled manner.  If you respond via text message or email, that screenshot can easily go viral… So put it out where others can see, and frame it in the positive light that you want to be seen for.

Say It Once.  While sharing your side of the story is important, there is no need to go back and forth. If you are reading this, you are most likely a business professional, so be the professional.

So there you have 6 Social Media Mistakes To Avoid.  What other mistakes do you see being made in social media?

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4 Simple Steps To Protect Your Online Reputation

Protect Your Online Reputation

Online Reputation nowadays is crucial to many companies worldwide. In the advent of fast-paced information gathering brought by advances in technology, people are now actively checking facts about businesses.

Unfortunately, there is a lot of misleading information and untruths on the Internet. When these falsehoods involve your small business, your reputation can suffer. Moreover, websites like Rip-Off Report do not spend time vetting the information fed by people. This fact makes it easy for competitors and rivals to leave misleading information that can ruin your company’s online reputation.

What is worse than a ruined online reputation? Well, many of these websites will charge you money to defend yourself. That is right! It is free to leave a negative review, and yet sites will charge you to reply. This fact makes it very simple for frustrated former employees or crooked business competitors to ruin your company in mere minutes.

What Does Research Show?

Research conducted by Bright Local indicate that up to 79% of customers state that they trust online reviews. The results suggests that having no reviews or having only negative reviews, means your potential customers might choose your competitors. To ensure that your brand sustains a favorable standing online, here are four simple steps to protect it.

4 Helpful Steps to Maintain and Protect Your Online Reputation

To build a lasting, positive online reputation, as well as to protect the reputation that you built, just do the following four step.

Set Up Profiles on Social Media

Be sure to create profiles on all of the major social media platforms. Make sure to be active and maintain all your profiles. Facebook, Google +, Instagram, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Snapchat, and Twitter are some of the best social media platforms. After taking the time to create a profile, make sure to update your social media profiles frequently. Having an idle online activity on these social media sites can be as detrimental as having no presence at all.

Update your social media pages and profiles at least once every week. Reply to comments, feedback, inquiries, and questions that you receive regarding your business daily. If you get negative remarks, do not delete or disregard it. Instead, use these criticisms as an opportunity to provide extraordinary customer service.

Build and Setup Links

Do guest postings on different reputable pages and sites. Include a link to one or more of your social media pages and profiles. Building and setting up links is a brand marketing tactic that virtually costs nothing but a small amount of time. This fact makes link building the ideal solution for small businesses and startup entrepreneurs without much extra money to invest. Assigning the task of writing guest posts to one of your employees is also a viable option too. Writing guest posts not only help attract digital foot traffic towards your business, but it also limits negative reviews.

Monitor Online Reviews

Research and studies have shown that customers are prone to provide a negative feedback when they encounter bad experience. Only a small number of customers and patrons leave a positive review for any good experience they had. Give customers some form of incentive or motivation to give positive feedback. Moreover, make giving a positive feedback easy and user-friendly for customers too.

Studies also show that by voluntarily asking for feedback from customers, business owners receive it. Offering discounts as an incentive is also a great option to entice customers to leave positive reviews.

Avoid letting the public see only negative feedback when they try searching for your brand or business online. Be vigilant in combating negative feedback. As pro-activity and vigilance are the only way that to ensure a brand or company retain a positive online reputation.

Utilize The “Google My Business” Feature

Google My Business allows a business owner total control of their business listing over all of Google’s features from a single platform. This platform effectively simplifies the means of managing your brand and your online reputation. One of the best uses a business owner have of Google My Business is posting images, videos, and virtual tours. Let potential patrons see what the brand has to offer, even without setting foot within the physical store.

Google My Business also enable small business owners to connect and engage their target audience. Business owners can both manage business listings and respond to reviews that your patrons and potential customers leave online. However, before sitting down to answer to any negative criticism or feedback, first determine how you will do so.

Any acknowledgment that you make in response to any criticism or feedback should be nothing less than positive. Please bear in mind, no one can satisfy all of the people, all of the time, every time. It is a real cliché, but it is proven a fact. Expect to receive negative reviews. How one handles those negative reviews will speak volumes about a brand or business to others.

Bonus: A Few Facts About Online Reviews

On average, a typical consumer consults around 11 online reviews in advance prior making a final purchasing decision.
Believe it or not, having negative reviews can help your business. About 68% of consumers are more trusting of companies with a mixture of both negative and positive reviews. Factual negative reviews provide learning opportunities for both the business owner and their employees.
Acknowledging and responding to customer reviews shows potential patrons that you care about outstanding customer service.

Doing It Right – Handling Negative Reviews and Protecting Your Reputation

As a small business owner, your online reputation means everything. One must first understand that you need to manage online reviews properly. However, how does one do so? Here are four easy-to-follow pointers to successfully handle negative reviews. These simple tips will leave one’s brand and online reputation shining in the minds of your potential customers.

1. Always Be Professional! Show both loyal patrons and potential customers that you care. Ensure customers that you are prepared to solve any of their concerns.

2. Actions ALWAYS Speak Louder Than Words! Show your customer that you are ready and willing to solve their issue and concerns. A certified letter, emails, phone calls, or ultimately personal meeting up in person in response to the review speaks volumes.

3. Personally Handle Things Yourself! Make sure not to delegate the task of handling and managing negative reviews to an employee. Such tasks must be carefully managed to ensure connecting to customers and resolving any issues or concerns are appropriately done.

4. Document Everything! When responding to negative feedback or reviews, avoid just explaining your side of the story in a professional way. Moreover, make sure to detail the steps taken while trying to resolve the issue. Provide them some insight, customers appreciate transparency.

A small business owner’s goal online should be building a reliable and well-established online reputation. Following the advice outlined above, entrepreneurs will not only build-up their online reputation, but they will also learn how to securely protect it. After all, online reputation is the lifeblood of many of today’s small business.

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The Unexpected Lessons from Gaining and Losing 75 lbs on Purpose

Going from Corporate America to the world of entrepreneurship, Drew Manning knew he had to stand out from the rest. After becoming a personal trainer in 2009, Drew had a lightbulb moment to understand his client’s situations at a new level! Drew decided to give up his healthy lifestyle & commit to becoming overweight to understand the mental position of his clients. By gaining 75 pounds, Drew then began his journey of losing it! Not only did this help Drew with his clientele, but it also opened his mind up to bigger possibilities. With this new mindset, Drew shares his thoughts on why connecting with one’s audience is key to maintaining consistency. IN THIS EPISODE, YOU WILL LEARN: [00:00:47] Drew’s Business Success Story [00:04:08] Corporate America to Personal Trainer [00:08:06] When Did Drew Discover ClickFunnels? [00:12:34] Drew’s New Book: Complete Keto [00:19:17] Advice from Drew Connect with Guest Name: 1. Follow Drew on Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn & Facebook 2. Find Drew on his website 3. Get your copy of Drew’s new book here 4. Check out Drew’s programs Connect with David Asarnow Find David on his website Find David on his Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn & Facebook

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