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What does it take to stand out from the competition in a crowded marketplace? Our guest, Barry LaBov, provides unique answers. He is the multi-award-winning President and CEO of LaBov Marketing Communications and Training. His book, “The Power of Differentiation,” will be published on June 25, 2024.

In this week’s podcast, we revisit our 2023 conversation with him when he was writing his book. We discuss his mission to help brands and products stand out from the crowd, not just in customers’ eyes but also in the hearts and souls of employees and other key stakeholders. One of the ways he does this is by applying many of the lessons he learned from leading his successful band, “Mark Urgent,” in the 1980s. Their song “On a Night Like This” was featured on American Bandstand and reached the Billboard Charts.

Barry is a two-time Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year and a member of the Entrepreneur of the Year Hall of Fame. His company has been honored with nearly 100 national and regional awards. Its list of blue-chip clients includes Harley-Davidson, The Macallan Scotch, UPS, and Audi, as well as small and midsized firms.



“If you want to differentiate your brand, do not confuse that with thinking you need to be superior. You need to be unique. — Barry LaBov



This week on Growth Igniters Radio:



* A lesson Barry learned from leading his rock band band that applies to how you can differentiate your company

* How Barry’s company applies the concept of “jamming” to helping clients achieve unexpected levels of creativity and innovation

* How can leading with a “rock band” mindset help a company attract and retain high quality employees

* Three immediately useful ideas for leading your company like a rock band so you can distinguish yourself from the pack



Resources for This Episode:



* Learn more LABOV Marketing Communication and Training and connect with Barry on LinkedIn

* Visit barrylabov.com to find out more about Barry’s differentiation philosophy and his many published works

* Learn about Barry’s book, The Power of Differentiation: Win Hearts, Minds and Market Share on Amazon.com

* Download Barry’s free “bluepaper,” Defeat the Commodity Monster, and learn 6 key steps for discovering and promoting your company’s differentiation.

* Watch a clip of Dick Clark playing “On a Night Like This” on American Bandstand

* View the Mark Urgent MTV music video On a Night Like This 

* Find out more about Pam’s keynote “Break Orbit: Achieving Long-Term Growth in a Short-Term World”



Accelerate to YOUR Next Level of Success

Have you ever considered what growing a company has in common with gardening?  In this Quick Take episode, We discuss the parallels between them, especially when you’re expanding into a new geography.

For instance, Scott takes a strategic approach to gardening. This includes uncovering his assumptions and considering the growing conditions in different parts of our yard, as well as the amount of effort and resources required for different plants to thrive. He does research and talks with the right people at the gardening center who are familiar with these issues. (To see photos of our garden, click the link under Resources).

Likewise, when you’re expanding a company into a new geography, it’s critical to be clear about your objectives and growth criteria. This starts with uncovering assumptions and seeing the new location for yourself. One of the best ways to do this is to ask questions of the right people who have deep knowledge about the country and culture.

For example, we revisit an excerpt from an earlier conversation with speaker, advisor, and Africa Advocate Dr. Deanne De Vries. We discuss three immediately useful ideas for what Deanne calls the “ABCs” (Appetite, Bandwidth, and Capital) of deciding whether doing business in Africa is right for your company. Listen to the full conversation by going to the link under Resources (below).

Deanne has spent much of the past thirty years living across Africa and working for various organizations. These include startups, global non-profits, international organizations, venture capital firms, and one of the world’s Top Ten logistics firms. She is also author of the book, Africa: Open for Business. ( Find out more about Deanne by going to her bio under Resources)

The number one way to de-risk investments in a new geography is through the relationships that you build on the ground – Dr. Deanne De Vries

This week on Growth Igniters Radio:



* Our take on the strategic parallels of designing, resourcing and caring for gardens that thrive in different environments and expanding your business into a new geography.

* Deanne’s “three immediately useful ideas” for determining if you have what she calls the “ABCs” (Appetite, Bandwidth, and Capital) for successfully doing business in Africa. **The “ABC’s” can also be applied to expanding into any new geography.



Resources Mentioned:



* View photos of our beautiful gardens

* Read Dr. Deanne De Vries’s bio

* Listen to our full conversation with Deanne De Vries: “What It Takes To Successfully Do Business In Africa “

* Find out more about Deanne’s book, Africa: Open for Business: Discover the ABCs of Doing Business in Africa

* Learn about Pam’s keynote “Break Orbit: Achieve Long-Term Growth in a Short-Term World” at Pam Harper Speaks



Accelerate to YOUR Next Level of Success

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Are you looking for additional ways to engage with employees, customers, partners, investors and other critical stakeholders?  If so, consider that impactful, transformative communication comes from more than how you shape your message. Our guest, Oscar Trimboli shares that  “deep listening” can be what others have called a “leadership superpower.”

Oscar Trimboli is a keynote speaker, host of the Apple award-winning podcast “How to Listen,” and author of the book “How to Listen: Discover the Hidden Key to Better Communication.” His other books are “Deep Listening – Impact Beyond Words” and “Breakthroughs: How to Confront Assumptions.”

Through his work with chairs, boards of directors, and executive teams, Oscar has experienced first-hand the transformational impact leaders can have when they listen beyond words. He believes that when leadership teams focus their attention and listen, they will build organizations that create powerful legacies for the people they serve — today and, more importantly, for future generations.



It’s not what you say, it’s what they hear that matters the most. — Oscar Trimboli



This week on Growth Igniters Radio:



* The implications of Oscar’s research: the majority of people surveyed believe they are better listeners than they really are

* Oscar’s perspective on the most important aspects of listening for deeper understanding

* A story from Oscar’s experience with the power of deep listening in a business setting

* Three immediately useful ideas about how to “listen to be heard”



Resources for This Episode:



* Find out more about Oscar Trimboli and connect with him on “LinkedIn“

* Read about Oscar’s award-winning book, “How to Listen: Discover the Hidden Key to Better Communication”

* Learn about Oscar’s “Deep Listening Quiz,” designed to explore your listening in organizational and business situations.

* Find out more about Pam’s keynote “Break Orbit: Achieving Long-Term Growth in a Short-Term World”



Accelerate to YOUR Next Level of Success

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Many of us start the New Year with good intentions and a sense of purpose. But as the year goes on, life happens, and it can be challenging to stay in sync with the purpose you originally envisioned. That’s why making the time for what we call “checkpoints” can be so valuable. It’s a good way to reflect on what matters and why it matters NOW. If you’re living life in synch with your purpose, keep going. But if you’re not living life in synch with your purpose, this is an opportunity to make necessary adjustments.



Start your “checkpoint” by listening to this week’s Quick Take episode. In addition to sharing our own thoughts, we include three immediately useful ideas for consistently connecting and living into our life’s purpose. These were taken from our conversation with Kuda Biza at the beginning of 2024.  Listen to the full conversation by going to the link under Resources (below).

Kuda is a compelling speaker who inspires audiences to take action, achieve dreams, and impact social change through purposeful entrepreneurship. Kuda is also the author of The S.P.E.A.R Method, Five Simple Steps to Balance Success and Fulfillment. 

Checking in on your purpose daily is a good way to reflect on what matters and why it matters NOW – Pam Harper

This week on Growth Igniters Radio:



* The challenge of acting into your sense of purpose in the face of everyday demands

* The keys to setting purpose-driven goals and implementing a daily purpose practice

* Immediately useful ideas for leading with the power of purpose



Resources Mentioned:



* Listen to our full conversation with Kuda Biza: “New Year, New You: Seizing 2024 With Purpose“

* Listen to Kuda’s TEDx talk, “Growth Only Comes Out of Your Comfort Zone“

* Find out more about Kuda’s book, The S.P.E.A.R Method – 5 Simple Steps to Balanced Success and Fulfillment

* Learn about Pam’s keynote “Break Orbit: Achieve Long-Term Growth in a Short-Term World” at Pam Harper Speaks



Accelerate to YOUR Next Level of Success

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One of our friends recently sent us a thought-provoking article titled “Influencer or Influential: Which Would You Rather Be?”  This question resonated with us because we’re seeing a growing number of CEOs who are also taking on the role of “Influencer-in- Chief.”   While sharing thoughts and ideas about various issues through social media can help you connect in new ways with employees and other stakeholders, it’s also worth considering how your communication as an influencer can work together with being influential.

This week, we discuss this issue with the article’s author, Nancy Mendelson. She’s the Founder and CEO of NEM Global, a global consultancy that focuses on helping clients define, articulate, and communicate their unique voices. Nancy is also co-founder and columnist for Hertelier, an online media platform that enlightens and inspires women in hospitality to pursue, navigate, and nurture their careers.

As a career communicator, Nancy has held key positions in hospitality, broadcasting, publishing, advertising, and production. She has worked with major corporations and global brands. An award-winning writer who has ghostwritten several books, she has published numerous articles in trade and mainstream media. She served as Executive Producer for the NYU International Hospitality Industry Investment Conference for 12 years. She’s also taught a graduate course in the Marketing of Destinations at the NYU SPS Jonathan M. Tisch Center of Hospitality. Nancy is on the Board of Advisors for Accelerate Women Leaders in Travel.



You can’t be all things to all people, but you can reach people in a variety of ways. — Nancy Mendelson



This week on Growth Igniters Radio:



* The key distinction Nancy sees between being an “Influencer” and being influential

* Nancy’s perspective on how understanding your agenda and being sensitive to context impacts your ability to influence

* A story from Nancy’s experience in the hospitality industry illustrating the essence of being influential

* Three immediately useful ideas for increasing your influence as a leader



Resources for This Episode:



* Find out more about Nancy and read her “Unpack It With Nancy” posts on Hertellier.com

* Connect with Nancy on LinkedIn

* Read Nancy’s post:”Influencer or Influential: Which Would You Rather Be?“

* Find out more about Pam’s keynote “Break Orbit: Achieving Long-Term Growth in a Short-Term World”



Accelerate to YOUR Next Level of Success

Thanks for listening to Growth Igniters® Radio. If you enjoyed this episode, spread the good word! Just leave a quick review wherever you get your podcasts and share on LinkedIn or Facebook.

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Are you in the midst of leading a business transformation? If so, you’re not alone. Over the years, CEOs and C-Suite executives we work with have shared that a critical part of their strategy is leading business transformation in a way that keeps creating new value in pace with the constantly changing needs of customers, employees, partners, and other stakeholders.  The challenge is that while many companies launch transformation initiatives, studies show that less than half of these transformations achieve their goals.

While there are many considerations that contribute to successful business transformations, we’re focusing this Quick Take episode on three keys we’ve seen that can especially contribute to dramatically increasing stakeholder engagement and commitment. This can have a major impact on increasing success in both the short-term and the long-term.

Consider strategic transformation as a constant process rather than an occasional event  – Pam Harper

This week on Growth Igniters Radio:



* The impacts of accumulating minor changes as well as major changes on transformation

* How including a wide range of stakeholders in every stage of strategy and execution can maximize positive outcomes

* The importance of  honoring cultural traditions and structures before letting them go



Resources Mentioned:



* Read Pam & Scott’s ‘Harper Report’, “Why Minor Changes Can Have a Major Impact on Your Strategy“

* How many of your “Conventional” & “Unconventional” Stakeholders do you know? Download Pam Harper & Scott Harper’s Expanding Your Company’s Stakeholder Perspectives Checklist

* Learn about Pam’s keynote “Break Orbit: Achieve Long-Term Growth in a Short-Term World” at Pam Harper Speaks



Accelerate to YOUR Next Level of Success

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