Leadership in Action eoleadershipinaction

Today’s guest is a forward thinking financial professional! His insights on consulting, management, and entrepreneurship have made him the happiest as he helps his company reach its stride. On top of that, his company has recently become one of EO Boston's newest Strategic Alliance Partners. Introducing, John Gleason, the Founder and CEO of Genuine Business Advisors! John joins Mark to discuss his business experiences and the team-building strategies that have helped him speak volumes into people’s lives! 
 
Takeaways:

The most profound and impactful lesson John gained through his experience in business is the immense influence he wielded over colleagues and team members within the company. It’s not always easy to make connections in the workplace, but it is clear that his actions resonated deep with his colleagues. 
The most crucial action one can take in the workplace is to acknowledge individuals—both in moments of missteps and achievements. This approach can yield positive results and foster a harmonious dynamic within the team.
In the vast landscape of knowledge and skills, it's important to acknowledge that none of us can be masters of every domain. Each of us possess a unique array of strengths and weaknesses that contribute to the rich tapestry of our collective capabilities.
The company that provides the most detailed or elaborate response isn’t always the way to accumulating successful results. Often, it's the company that promptly and effectively responds to prospects in the most suitable manner, which Genuine Business Advisors strives for.
John implies that advising can be described as blue collar work, meaning it involves meticulous tasks, especially regarding numbers. It's not about guesswork; instead, it’s meticulously analyzing accurate databases to present information in a way that empowers you to make informed and precise decisions. 
People believe that the value of items like businesses, cars, and homes are determined by what someone is willing to pay on a specific day. However, some businesses can sell for several times their revenue, especially those with consistent income streams, like SaaS companies. 
In the past, professionals in this industry claimed exclusive access to buyers and personal connections for repeat business. Today's approach involves leveraging available data to make informed decisions for clients, and combining experience and expertise to guide and support them throughout the process.
 
Links: 

Email: john@genuinebusinessadvisors.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnmgleason/ 
Company website: https://www.genuinebusinessadvisors.com/


Quote of the Show
“The most important thing you can do is acknowledge people, both when they’re doing something wrong and doing something right.” - John Gleason
Ways to Tune In:

Apple Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/leadership-in-action/id1585042233

Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/2t4Ksk4TwmZ6MSfAHXGkJI

Stitcher - https://www.stitcher.com/show/leadership-in-action

Google Play - https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubGVhZGVyc2hpcGluYWN0aW9uLmxpdmUvZmVlZC54bWw

Amazon Music - https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/4263fd02-8c9b-495e-bd31-2e5aef21ff6b/leadership-in-action

YouTube - https://youtu.be/bLFUV4LgitA

Today’s guest is an entrepreneur and storyteller! He is a recent addition to the roster of SAPs at EO Boston, his first exposure to entrepreneurship goes back to his days assisting his Dad on landscaping and home remodeling jobs. Introducing, Bill Duguay, the President and CEO of Duguay Consulting Group. Bill joins Mark Stiles to discuss his captivating journey into the entrepreneurial realm. Bill shares his advice on how to overcome being a roadblock in your future endeavors.  
Takeaways:

Bill grappled with the challenge of both being the brightest mind in the room and aspiring to be the foremost subject matter. What changed his mind was participating in a 360 anonymous review where he realized, it's perfectly fine to release your grip on matters, seek assistance, and connect with individuals on a deeper and more meaningful level. 
At the end of the day, we need to be the ones to decide whether we interpret things as it’s happening to us. Using these situations as learning experiences will help us maintain a healthy attitude and truly switch a positive light on in our brains.
Bill suggests seeking a leadership team to help your company. Incorporating this into your business will open new eyes to identifying gain traction and discipline in daily tasks. This can also increase healthy relationships, avoiding a lack of growth and structure in a sustainable work environment. 
At Duguay Consulting Group, they understand the value and appreciation of building positive teams and taking on the right clientele. To execute this efficiently, Bill’s team spends up to 90 minutes constructing a beckon that describes the vision, focus, and best course of action for each client to achieve optimal results for their teams.  
Bill expresses how crucial it is to build an environment where your client feels safe and welcomed. This roots in the leadership of any company. The lack of recognition of this can result in a client not feeling respected and cared for. The team should own a level of vulnerability that comfortably helps them move forward.
Vulnerability in a company is important to have. Without this, the walls surrounding the dedicated and loyal team will crumble causing a rift in the work environment. Companies should require leadership, encouragement, coaching, and teaching. Incorporating honesty within your workforce can advocate a safe space for open thoughts and limit defensiveness.
When seeking an inspiring leadership coach, connect with someone who encourages you to be the best version of yourself. That perfect coach who will view your business as relational and not transactional is someone worth keeping around.
 
Links: 

Bill Duguay’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/williamgduguay/  
EOS Implementor’s website: https://www.eosworldwide.com/bill-duguay  
Duguay Consulting’s website: https://www.duguayconsultinggroupllc.com/  

Quote of the Show
“We have to create an environment that people feel safe in.” - Bill Duguay
Ways to Tune In:

Apple Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/leadership-in-action/id1585042233

Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/2t4Ksk4TwmZ6MSfAHXGkJI

Stitcher - https://www.stitcher.com/show/leadership-in-action

Google Play - https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubGVhZGVyc2hpcGluYWN0aW9uLmxpdmUvZmVlZC54bWw

Amazon Music - https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/4263fd02-8c9b-495e-bd31-2e5aef21ff6b/leadership-in-action

YouTube - https://youtu.be/WN-3fMbTl6U

As an entrepreneur, you work hard to ensure financial stability for yourself and family, but are you giving enough attention to the money after it hits your bank account? Our guest this week is someone who has seen first hand how wealth impacts people. He’s a devoted leader who puts client advocacy at the core of his firm’s approach, and who has been recognized with numerous accolades. Joining the show this week is CEO & Co-Founder at Lexington Wealth Management, Michael Tucci!
Mike sits down with host Mark Stiles to share his experiences as a CPA, the involvement of his company as a SAP for EO Boston, and the ways entrepreneurs need to be managing their finances.

 
Takeaways:

For many people, the emotional aspect of their wealth is as important as the financial aspect. While it is reassuring for clients to know that their money is safe during hard times, it is important to check in with them on a personal level. 
While many entrepreneurs have detailed knowledge of their KPIs, marketing plans, and strategies, their investment plans lack attention. To reduce ambiguity, entrepreneurs need to assess the value of their business and tie it into their investment plan. 
Creating an investment plan for an entrepreneur needs to also be tailored to their business. The stability of the industry is a crucial factor. More varied businesses need a more stable plan, while more stable industries can take more risk. 
When looking to assess the value of your business, it’s important to have a trusted partner. When assessing value, Lexington Wealth takes a holistic approach; reviewing growth patterns, checking expenses, and factoring in your business’s industry. 
Going to market is an exciting time for any entrepreneur, but you need to be aware of the commitment. Going to market is a months-long process that takes a good chunk of your focus, potentially causing your numbers to slip, hurting your evaluation. 
An often overlooked aspect of financial planning for entrepreneurs is estate planning. Many consulting firms can help with estate and pre estate planning, highlighting the importance of finding a firm that specializes in working with entrepreneurs. 
 
Links: 

Email: mtucci@lexingtonwealth.com 
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-tucci-a698343/ 
Website: https://lexingtonwealth.com 
Quote of the Show
“Our thought process is if we can really understand our client, they'll tell us more things. The more things they tell us, the better we can plan.” - Michael TucciWays to Tune In:

Apple Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/leadership-in-action/id1585042233

Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/2t4Ksk4TwmZ6MSfAHXGkJI

Stitcher - https://www.stitcher.com/show/leadership-in-action

Google Play - https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubGVhZGVyc2hpcGluYWN0aW9uLmxpdmUvZmVlZC54bWw

Amazon Music - https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/4263fd02-8c9b-495e-bd31-2e5aef21ff6b/leadership-in-action

Joining us this week on Leadership In Action is a marketing maven with over 20 years of strategy experience. She has been an EO member for 10 years, and is the outgoing president of EO Boston. Welcome to the show, President of SimplyDirect, Lisa Vitale! Lisa sits down with host Mark Stiles to share her experiences as chapter president and the ways EO has helped her. Lisa dives into the importance of setting business boundaries, the nuances of running a business with your spouse, and the misconceptions of business ownership. 

 
Takeaways:

As an entrepreneur, it’s important to talk to others about the problems you are facing. However, if you’re only talking to your spouse, it can become very insular. Groups like EO provide entrepreneurs with a chance to learn from the experience of others. 
When your spouse is also a business partner, it’s crucial to establish business boundaries. You need to allow creativity and collaboration while at the same time preventing yourselves from stepping on each other's toes. 
As the president of EO, you gain some additional experiences and skills. For Lisa, it meant growing as a leader, learning how to run a non profit organization, and discovering how to coach other presidents and leaders. 
EO provides a network of information, and creates a space where it is ok to ask tough questions. Forums, meetings, and presentations offer excellent opportunities to talk about the concerns you are facing in your business. 
From the outside, running a business looks easy, as if all the pieces will automatically fall into place. In reality, as a business owner, you are responsible for figuring out all of the operations aspects of the business. 
Networks like EO offer a valuable resource for referrals. If for example you need accounting services, you can ask for referrals from other EO members in your industry. This provides you with quality help that understands the nuances of your industry.

 
Links: 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/SimplyDIRECT_Co 
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisa-vitale-a820b53/ 
Website: https://simplydirect.com/ 
Email: lvb@simplydirect.com


Quote of the Show
“I needed to talk to other entrepreneurs because being an entrepreneur can be pretty lonely.” - Lisa VitaleShout Outs:
Jeff Plakans: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffplakans/ Ways to Tune In:

Apple Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/leadership-in-action/id1585042233

Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/2t4Ksk4TwmZ6MSfAHXGkJI

Stitcher - https://www.stitcher.com/show/leadership-in-action

Google Play - https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubGVhZGVyc2hpcGluYWN0aW9uLmxpdmUvZmVlZC54bWw

Amazon Music - https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/4263fd02-8c9b-495e-bd31-2e5aef21ff6b/leadership-in-action

Sharing his journey on this week’s episode of Leadership In Action is a local entrepreneur who takes pride in a job well done. With a knack for entrepreneurship, he started his first landscaping company in his early teens. Welcome to the show, Chief Executive Officer at The Difference Landscapes, Greg Cuoco! Host Mark Stiles interviews Greg to learn about how he got started as an entrepreneur, the importance of transparency with employees, and what the future of the landscaping industry holds. 
 
 
Takeaways:
For Greg, starting a business meant the freedom to control the direction and growth in a way that he wanted to. When Greg was looking to make a switch, his background in landscaping made owning a landscaping company a promising venture. 
Buying a company has advantages, but finding the right company is a full time job. To successfully find one to buy, you need to build strong relationships with business owners, so when it comes time to sell, you’re the first person on their mind. 
Landscaping offers many benefits for potential business owners. With a contract based clientele, you build up a steady stream of recurring revenue. Landscaping is also recession resistant, as most residential clients will continue paying for services. 
When starting or buying a business, it’s important to play to your strengths. If you’re great at sales, you want a team that can excel operationally. Establish a role that lets you utilize your skills, and enable your team to fill in your weak areas. 
To build a strong roster of employees, you need to focus on building relationships and being transparent. Don’t sell dreams. It won’t take an employee long to realize it was a false bill of goods, and to start looking elsewhere for employment. 
When looking for an industry to purchase a business in, trades based industries are rife with opportunities. There are many owners who are looking to retire, but few of their kids want to take over. Because of this dynamic, there are many trades businesses available. 
AI is revolutionizing businesses, and landscaping is no exception. For landscaping, AI could calculate a quote, and send a potential customer a personalized outreach at the click of a button. 
 
 
Links: 
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregorycuoco/ 
Website: https://thedifferencelandscapes.com/ 
 
 
Quote of the Show
“Ultimately what it comes down to is relationships.” - Greg Cuoco

Ways to Tune In:
Apple Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/leadership-in-action/id1585042233
Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/2t4Ksk4TwmZ6MSfAHXGkJI
Stitcher - https://www.stitcher.com/show/leadership-in-action
Google Play - https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubGVhZGVyc2hpcGluYWN0aW9uLmxpdmUvZmVlZC54bWw
Amazon Music - https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/4263fd02-8c9b-495e-bd31-2e5aef21ff6b/leadership-in-action
YouTube - https://youtu.be/MK-sbxwxlX8
 
Transcript:
 
Mark: Hey folks. Welcome back to Leadership In Action, your Boston Chapter of Entrepreneurs Organization local podcast. I am really excited today to talk about some forward thinking trades, especially the landscaping trade and where that is going in the future. Today's guest is a local entrepreneur. Who takes pride in a job well done.
He started his first landscaping company in his early teens. He's a leadership legend who knows how to motivate teams and drive effective results. He's the Chief Executive Officer at The Difference Landscapes. Please welcome Greg Cuoco. Welcome to the show. Greg.
Greg: Thank you. Appreciate the introduction.
Mark: Let's go right into it. Why did you start your business?
Greg: Yeah, so I've always had the, uh, entrepreneurial bl bug in me ever since I was a kid. Um, always looking for ways to, um, make money. Um, I started my first landscaping company just in my neighborhood. One of my, um, neighbors actually approached me. Uh, they needed some landscaping, uh, and some snow shoveling done.
So, uh, it j

Today’s guest on Leadership In Action is an experienced founder with a demonstrated history of working in the luxury goods and jewelry industry. She’s been on Shark Tank, was recently recognized as a Entreprenista 100 award winner, and had her business listed on the INC 5000 list for 2022. Joining us today is CEO and Founder of Tiny Tags, Melissa Clayton! Host Mark Stiles sits down with Melissa to dive deep into the background of who she is, and what motivated her to start Tiny Tags. In this episode we’ll cover why you don’t need to work 100 hours a week, the importance of being vulnerable, and what it takes to get on Shark Tank.
 
 
Takeaways:
To be an entrepreneur, you do not need to work 100 hours a week. While starting a business is hard work, it is important to make sure you are not overworking, and that you still have time for friends, family, and hobbies. 
Tiny Tags was founded to provide mothers with personalized jewelry. Their lineup features pieces with your children's names, birthdate, and birth time on them. These allow you to keep the things that matter most to you close. 
If you want to connect with your customers, you need to be vulnerable, regardless of your business. For a brand like Tiny Tags whose business is celebrating motherhood, an inauthentic approach would turn customers away. 
While Melissa grew up in an entrepreneurial household, her main driver for Tiny Tags were the connections she made with other moms. 
As an entrepreneur, it’s ok to be protective of your brand. While outside influences or potential investors may want you to pivot or expand services, it’s ok to stay true to where your business currently lies. 
While keeping prices low to appeal to customers may be your initial strategy, you need to be conscious of the business’ needs as well. Your product may be incredibly affordable, but without enough profit to cover costs, you won't have a successful business.  
When running a business, you need to factor in how certain business decisions will affect your time. While growing to the next level means more business and better profits, it also means more work and less time at home. 
 
 
Links: 
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissa-clayton-817b568/ 
Website: https://tinytags.com/ 
Website: https://www.thematte.com/ 
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tinytags/ 
Email: Melissa@tinytags.com 

Quote of the Show
“I'm not trying to be authentic. I'm just being me.” - Melissa 

Ways to Tune In:
Apple Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/leadership-in-action/id1585042233
Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/2t4Ksk4TwmZ6MSfAHXGkJI
Stitcher - https://www.stitcher.com/show/leadership-in-action
Google Play - https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubGVhZGVyc2hpcGluYWN0aW9uLmxpdmUvZmVlZC54bWw
Amazon Music - https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/4263fd02-8c9b-495e-bd31-2e5aef21ff6b/leadership-in-action
YouTube - https://youtu.be/WdodKPcCSeA
 
Transcript:
Mark Stiles: Hey folks. Welcome back to Leadership In Action, your Boston Chapter of Entrepreneurs Organization podcast today's. We are very excited to have with us. She is an entrepreneur, inventor, and leader in the luxury goods and jewelry industry. She comes from an accounting background.
She's included on a list of Inc. 5,000 fastest growing companies this year. That's nationwide folks. She was a semi-finalist in the ERs and Young Entrepreneur of the Year in 2018. She is the founder of the, Matt has a patent and because of that was featured on NBC's Today Show and wait for it. Shark Tank in April of 2020.
She's the founder and c e o of Tiny Tags. You've probably heard of it. Meryl Streep wears it. Please welcome Melissa Clayton. Welcome to the show, Melissa. 
Melissa Clayton: Thanks for having me. Happy to be here. 
Mark Stiles: You ready to get right into it? Let's do it. All right. Like every episode, we start with the same question. What is a common misconception about leadership and