Let Me Speak To A Manager

Ian Mathews and Frank Cava
  • 4.9 (158)
  • CAREERS
  • UPDATED BIMONTHLY
Let Me Speak To A Manager

We all want to grow our career or business, but yet we feel stuck, stagnant, and unable to push through the glass ceiling. Welcome to Let Me Speak To A Manager with Frank Cava and Ian Mathews, a podcast that is dedicated to teaching what it takes to build wealth and have fun doing it! Frank and Ian share entertaining business triumphs and failures that are both relatable and actionable. At times eloquent and succinct, and at other points blunt and obnoxious, this is their unique riff on the big questions they had early in their careers. Learn golden nuggets as they talk about standing out in a company, leading people, building cultures, persuasion, marketing, management, and building businesses from scratch. Light on theory and heavy on practical experience, they weave personal, and often humorous, stories from their collective 50 years of business experience. Frank Cava is an executive coach and the CEO of one of Richmond’s fastest-growing companies. Over his 25-year career, he has built and renovated more homes than tickets sold in an entire season by his Miami Dolphins. During his run from a Fortune 500 to founding Cava Companies, Frank led dozens of teams and built a reputation as a no-nonsense business consultant for small business owners and CEOs. Ian Mathews is the CEO of 5on4 Group, a management training company, and consultancy. He is also the CRO of the technology startup Keep Technologies, a featured writer for Forbes, and a prolific capital raiser. In 2018, Ian retired from corporate America after serving two decades as a senior executive for two Fortune 500 companies, while moonlighting as an advisor for a tech startup with a $28-million exit. Ian’s daily newsletter is followed by more fans than you will find at home games of his beloved Detroit Lions. Together, Frank and Ian will help you build a better success mindset, tackling topics from how to get a job, how to ask for a raise, landing a promotion, deciding when to leave your company, starting a business, leading people, becoming a better first-time manager, overcoming doubt and procrastination, and many more. Whether you’re trying to climb up the career ladder, raise money for a corporation, or starting your own business, Frank and Ian’s unique, valuable, and relevant voice will help you achieve all of your goals. Join Let Me Speak To A Manager and get an inside track of how to position yourself so you can be attractive on the market.

  1. JUL 29

    Why do we get bored so easily at work? (and what to do about it)

    Summary The conversation covers various topics, including deep-fried cheese sticks, preventing boredom, Granddad's birthday, the dog track, staying motivated, and the process of writing. The conversation explores the importance of setting goals and chasing after them to find fulfillment and avoid boredom. It emphasizes the need for a North Star goal and breaks it down into actionable steps. The hosts discuss the significance of motivation and how it can be sustained by constantly setting new challenges and finding new reasons to be excited. They also highlight the role of incentives and contests in driving innovation and engagement within a business. The conversation concludes with the idea that choosing something to chase is the key to happiness and personal growth. Chapters 00:00 The Adult Food on Children's Menus 02:38 Granddad's Dedication to the Dog Track 09:27 Finding New Rabbits to Chase 11:19 Staying Motivated: Setting New Goals 16:07 The Process of Writing: Falling in Love with the Grind 29:12 Motivation and Challenges 45:36 Choosing Something to Chase for Happiness and Personal Growth

    47 min

  2. JUL 15

    How to change your manager's mind

    Summary In this conversation, Ian and Frank discuss the topic of changing your manager's mind. They share their personal experiences and insights on navigating the dynamics between managers and employees. They explore why managers often fall in love with their ideas and the challenges of convincing them otherwise. They also discuss the importance of trust, competence, and taking ownership in building a persuasive case. The conversation highlights the need to understand the manager's perspective and the impact of decisions on their roles and responsibilities. The conversation discusses five methods to change the mind of a manager. These methods include bringing new information to the table, explaining the unintended consequences, using facts and data, building a posse of supporters, and changing the environment. The hosts provide examples and insights on how to implement these methods effectively. They emphasize the importance of removing ego and being open-minded to new ideas. The conversation also highlights the significance of storytelling, seeking feedback, and maintaining conviction when persuading a manager. Chapters 00:00   Introduction and Personal Experiences 03:02   Managers Falling in Love with Their Own Ideas 06:09   Taking Ownership and Making a Big Impact 08:07   Managers Making Decisions for Frontline Employees 13:20   The Role of Trust and Fear in Persuasion 21:18   Proving Competence and Taking on More Responsibility 23:14   Good Managers Harnessing and Empowering Employees 23:32   Bringing New Information 26:51   Explaining Unintended Consequences 30:08   Using Facts and Data 37:08   Building a Posse 44:42   Changing the Environment

    51 min

  3. MAY 20

    How Did Burnout Become Normal? (And How To Push Back)

    Are you burned out? You're not alone. Burnout feels inevitable in this age. But you don't have to roll over and give up. Frank and Ian outline several steps to help you get your mojo back.

    51 min

  4. MAY 6

    How to Stop Procrastinating by Using the “Seinfeld Strategy”

    Takeaways Consistency and daily practice are key to achieving success in any endeavor.The Seinfeld method, or creating a streak of positive habits, can help build momentum and lead to long-term results.Writing every day can help establish credibility and build a following.Distinguishing between fads and trends is important in setting sustainable goals and habits. Streaks can gamify habits and make them more enjoyable and motivating.Consistency and daily habits are crucial for success in personal and business endeavors.Lead generation and marketing should be daily habits in order to grow a business.Streaks can lead to significant long-term rewards and success.Streaks can also have negative consequences, such as burnout.Starting and maintaining streaks can have a compounding effect over time. Chapters 07:36 Introducing the Seinfeld Method 14:45 The Power of Consistency and Daily Practice 27:31 The Role of Daily Lead Generation and Marketing in Business 34:37 The Uninterrupted Streak of Breathing 43:56 Starting and Maintaining Streaks for Success

    45 min

  5. APR 24

    How to raise $2.5M in private capital

    In this conversation, Ian and Frank discuss their experiences raising capital for their businesses and investing in different markets. They explore factors influencing a small business owner's decision to seek capital, such as market conditions and personal financial goals. They also delve into the advantages of investing in Richmond, Virginia, including lower costs compared to other markets and the ability to leverage their knowledge and contacts. The conversation highlights two investment structures they have used: a portfolio of single-family homes and the renovation of commercial buildings. Overall, they emphasize the importance of understanding the market and building a solid team when seeking capital and investing in real estate. Frank and Ian discuss their previous real estate deals and their current investment opportunity. They highlight each deal's different structures and returns, emphasizing the importance of having multiple exit strategies and considering market conditions. They also discuss the benefits of private funding over traditional bank loans and the security of investing in real estate-backed bonds.  01:38 The Market in 2024: Hunting for Capital 06:05 Richmond's Market and Potential 08:38 Richmond's Metropolitan Statistical Area 10:31 Considering Other Markets: Fort Lauderdale, California, and DC 13:03 Entering the Richmond Market 14:00 Why Continue Investing in Richmond? 15:42 Challenges of Entering a New Market 20:04 Different Investment Structures: Single-Family Homes and Commercial Buildings 22:56 Structuring the Investments: Portfolio of Single-Family Homes 23:26 Structuring the Investments: Renovation of Commercial Buildings 23:52 Different Deal Structures 30:48 Investing in Identical Assets 35:25 Real Estate-Backed Bonds for Cash Flow 41:08 Private Funding vs. Traditional Bank Loans 44:28 Diversifying Investment Portfolios 45:16 Market Conditions and Team Strength

    47 min

  6. APR 8

    Why is it so hard to start again after taking a break?

    Frank and Ian discuss the challenges of restarting after taking a break in this conversation. They share personal experiences and insights on overcoming inertia and embracing discomfort when starting something new. They emphasize the importance of commitment, setting goals, finding leverage, and seeking support to hold oneself accountable. They also highlight the benefits of taking breaks to recharge and gain fresh perspectives. They encourage listeners to take control of their decisions and make intentional choices when restarting or pursuing new endeavors. Takeaways: Restarting after a break can be challenging, but it is possible with the right mindset and strategies. Embrace discomfort and lean into the change process to overcome inertia and create new habits. Set specific goals, find leverage, and seek support to hold yourself accountable. Taking breaks can provide opportunities for recharging, gaining fresh perspectives, and avoiding burnout. 00:00 Introduction and Catching Up 02:15 Taking a Break from Podcasting 05:30 The Challenges of Restarting 09:01 The Importance of Commitment and Change 11:08 Embracing Discomfort and Overcoming Inertia 20:32 Setting Goals and Finding Leverage 26:33 The Benefits of Taking Breaks 30:06 Accountability and Recharging 35:37 Seeking Support and Holding Yourself Accountable

    38 min

  7. 06/05/2023

    How to shortcut a turnaround like Coach Deion Sanders

    Coach "Prime" is disrupting the landscape of college football recruiting. Assuming a roster that won only one game in 2022, Deion Sanders is wasting no time upgrading the roster but at what cost? In this episode, we talk about the pros and cons of building a team versus buying one (along with the short and long-term repercussions).

    42 min

  8. 05/29/2023

    Inside our epic boys trip to Omaha to see Warren Buffett at the 2023 Berkshire Hathaway annual meeting

    Screw Vegas; real men take boys trips to Omaha! Thinking of going to see Warren and Charlie next year at the biggest investor event of the year? Frank and Ian give you an inside look at what you can expect from travel, accommodations, restaurants, tickets, finding a seat, and of course, where to find a decent casino.

    1h 34m
See All (137)

4.9
out of 5
158 Ratings

About

We all want to grow our career or business, but yet we feel stuck, stagnant, and unable to push through the glass ceiling. Welcome to Let Me Speak To A Manager with Frank Cava and Ian Mathews, a podcast that is dedicated to teaching what it takes to build wealth and have fun doing it! Frank and Ian share entertaining business triumphs and failures that are both relatable and actionable. At times eloquent and succinct, and at other points blunt and obnoxious, this is their unique riff on the big questions they had early in their careers. Learn golden nuggets as they talk about standing out in a company, leading people, building cultures, persuasion, marketing, management, and building businesses from scratch. Light on theory and heavy on practical experience, they weave personal, and often humorous, stories from their collective 50 years of business experience. Frank Cava is an executive coach and the CEO of one of Richmond’s fastest-growing companies. Over his 25-year career, he has built and renovated more homes than tickets sold in an entire season by his Miami Dolphins. During his run from a Fortune 500 to founding Cava Companies, Frank led dozens of teams and built a reputation as a no-nonsense business consultant for small business owners and CEOs. Ian Mathews is the CEO of 5on4 Group, a management training company, and consultancy. He is also the CRO of the technology startup Keep Technologies, a featured writer for Forbes, and a prolific capital raiser. In 2018, Ian retired from corporate America after serving two decades as a senior executive for two Fortune 500 companies, while moonlighting as an advisor for a tech startup with a $28-million exit. Ian’s daily newsletter is followed by more fans than you will find at home games of his beloved Detroit Lions. Together, Frank and Ian will help you build a better success mindset, tackling topics from how to get a job, how to ask for a raise, landing a promotion, deciding when to leave your company, starting a business, leading people, becoming a better first-time manager, overcoming doubt and procrastination, and many more. Whether you’re trying to climb up the career ladder, raise money for a corporation, or starting your own business, Frank and Ian’s unique, valuable, and relevant voice will help you achieve all of your goals. Join Let Me Speak To A Manager and get an inside track of how to position yourself so you can be attractive on the market.

Information

  • Creator
    Ian Mathews and Frank Cava
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2024
  • Episodes
    137
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2023 LetMeSpeakToAManagerPodcast.com
  • Show Website
    Let Me Speak To A Manager

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