Influential U

"In 2007, I removed myself from Landmark Worldwide after devoting over two and a half decades to its personal development programs.

First participating in 1987, from 1992 to 2007, my roles within the organization were varied and deeply immersive; for those in the know, I served as a Seminar Leader, SELP Leader, ILP Classroom Leader, ILP Weekend Leader, Staff Member, and Center Manager.

Throughout these years, I was privileged to meet many remarkable individuals united by a common purpose: to celebrate our shared humanity and contribute to building a better world.

I’m writing this opinion article because I am often asked about this long period of my history and how it led to my role with Influential U."

Opinion: Navigating Life Beyond Landmark Throughout these years, I was privileged to meet many remarkable individuals united by a common purpose: to celebrate our shared humanity and contribute to building a better world. I’m writing this opinion article because I am often asked about this long period of my history and how it led to my r...

Attract the Right Customer

Lower Costs by Targeting Your Niche & Strategy

Lowering marketing costs is critical for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with limited resources.

You can’t blow your resources trying to be all things to all people.

You must target a specific niche customer (the more specific, the better) with a niche solution and align your business model with one of three core strategies—customer intimacy, product leadership, or operational excellence.

Here are the steps to help you think accurately.

Attract the Right Customer Lowering marketing costs is critical for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with limited resources. You can’t blow your resources trying to be all things to all people. You must target a specific niche customer (the more specific, the better) with a niche solution and align your business mo...

Are you guilty of these 9 mistakes killing your business offers?

Creating a compelling business offer is critical in securing partnerships, clients, and growth opportunities.

However, even the most well-intentioned offers can go awry due to common mistakes.

Today, I delve into some of the frequent errors businesses make when crafting their offers and provide strategies to avoid them.

9 Mistakes Killing Your Business Offers Creating a compelling business offer is critical in securing partnerships, clients, and growth opportunities. However, even the most well-intentioned offers can go awry due to common mistakes. Today, I delve into some of the frequent errors businesses make when crafting their offers and provide stra...

Well, Auckland and Perth, I've booked my travel for the July/August 2024 Midyear Summit. I'd love to see you while I'm there!

I'll be in Auckland from Jul 27 to Aug 5, then Perth from Aug 6-9.

If we can connect, comment here or message me. We'll be doing in-person workshops in both cities, and I'll be looking for new sales reps in both areas.

The Future Belongs to Those with Influence

In the dynamic and interconnected world of the 21st century, the ability to influence has become a critical determinant of success.

At Influential U, we recognize that influence is not just a valuable skill—it's a cornerstone for shaping the future.

Here’s why the future belongs to those who master the art of influence.

Tomorrows Leaders In the dynamic and interconnected world of the 21st century, the ability to influence has become a critical determinant of success. At Influential U, we recognize that influence is not just a valuable skill—it's a cornerstone for shaping the future. Here’s why the future belongs to those who mas...

Resist 'Fight, Flight, or Freeze’

Before you can wipe the sleep from your eyes, the headlines are blaring alarming news: geopolitical tensions, social unrest, economic turbulence, and market disruptions paint a grim outlook.

Many are 'holding their breath,' awaiting the outcome of the 2024 November U.S. elections, which adds another layer of unpredictability to an already volatile time.

Yet, amidst this chaos, some see opportunity while others see despair. How?

Brace for Impact. Are You Prepared? Before you can wipe the sleep from your eyes, the headlines are blaring alarming news: geopolitical tensions, social unrest, economic turbulence, and market disruptions paint a grim outlook. Many are 'holding their breath,' awaiting the outcome of the 2024 November U.S. elections, which adds another...

The Q-Suite is good for business.

In recent years, the visibility and influence of LGBTQ leaders in the business world have grown significantly.

These executives in the “Q-Suite” bring a unique blend of resilience, creativity, and diverse perspectives that significantly enhance company cultures and outputs.

By positioning diversity as a crucial driver of economic growth and innovation, companies can better integrate these initiatives into their strategic objectives.

The Q-Suite is Good for Business In recent years, the visibility and influence of LGBTQ leaders in the business world have grown significantly. These executives in the “Q-Suite” bring a unique blend of resilience, creativity, and diverse perspectives that significantly enhance company cultures and outputs. By positioning divers...

Diversity Drives Profit

Recent trends indicate a troubling shift away from DEI efforts, often under the guise of cost-cutting or reactionary responses to political pressures.

This retreat is shortsighted and detrimental, not just to the individuals directly affected but also to the organizations themselves.

When DEI initiatives are scaled back, companies risk reverting to homogeneity, which stifles creativity and ingenuity and does not accurately reflect the diverse customer base and market realities they aim to serve.

The politicization of workplace diversity does more harm than good, creating a false dichotomy between socio-political agendas and business acumen.

Effective DEI practices are not about political correctness but crafting a business strategy that embraces the full spectrum of human talent and potential.

The Case for an Evolved Approach.

What Broke Woke? Recent trends indicate a troubling shift away from DEI efforts, often under the guise of cost-cutting or reactionary responses to political pressures. This retreat is shortsighted and detrimental, not just to the individuals directly affected but also to the organizations themselves.

The Unsung Heroes of Sales Yesteryear

Ah, the good old days—when coffee was just coffee, and a single index card held the fate of your sales quota.

Before the digital age brought its shiny gadgets and complex CRM systems, salespeople relied solely on their charm, a telephone, and a stack of index cards.

Let's take a nostalgic look back at why these small rectangles of cardstock were once (and still could be) titans of the sales world and part of a genuine relationship revolution.

Index Cards Ah, the good old days—when coffee was just coffee, and a single index card held the fate of your sales quota. Before the digital age brought its shiny gadgets and complex CRM systems, salespeople relied solely on their charm, a telephone, and a stack of index cards. Let's take a nostalgic look bac...

The Must-Do Activity Driving Revenue Growth

Prospecting for Customers

Prospecting is an essential Activity for keeping the business engine running.

If you’re not prospecting, your sales funnel is dying. Yet, many of us struggle with it. The main reason? It's often mistaken for a strategic chore rather than a daily activity.

Think of prospecting as forever searching for your business's soulmate—the activity of identifying potential customers who resonate with what you offer and align with your business goals.

It sounds straightforward, but it actually requires a blend of strategy, charm, and a deep understanding of your market.

In this straightforward guide, we delve into the activity of prospecting.

Prospecting for Customers Prospecting is not just a skill but is an essential activity for sustainable growth. Prospecting involves identifying and qualifying potential customers who are not only interested in your product or service but also align with your business objectives. It's a multi-faceted process that requires str...

In business, the crystal ball is not a mythical artifact but a metaphor for the acute insight needed to navigate the future.

What is the secret sauce?

We call it “Studying the Current”—a concoction of trend-watching, data-analyzing, model-flexing, and innovation-engaging strategies.

Future Business Trends In business, the crystal ball is not a mythical artifact but a metaphor for the acute insight needed to navigate the future. What is the secret sauce? We call it “Studying the Current”—a concoction of trend-watching, data-analyzing, model-flexing, and innovation-engaging strategies.

Many overlook transforming their knowledge, insights, and inventions into real-world achievements, preferring theory's safety over the unpredictability of action.

This emphasis on adept execution—from intention to action, commitment management, and continuous progress evaluation—is crucial.

However, the leap from knowledge to action is often avoided due to fear, resulting in inaction.

It appears that dreaming within the confines of theory is more appealing than navigating the risks of practical application.

Why?

Don’t Fear the Inductive Kick

From Daydreams to Done Deals Many overlook transforming their knowledge, insights, and inventions into real-world achievements, preferring theory's safety over the unpredictability of action. This emphasis on adept execution—from intention to action, commitment management, and continuous progress evaluation—is crucial. Howe...

The greatest innovations in history share one common ingredient: they transform the scarce into the abundant.

It begins with reimagining resources—be they tangible, intangible, or human. Innovation, in essence, is an evolved transaction that makes the abstract tangible, redistributes value and redefines how we utilize resources and engage in activity.

So, the golden question remains: How do we invent new ways to make the scarce abundant?

The Rulebreakers' Recess Welcome to the corporate jungle gym, where swings reach the sky, slides defy gravity, and the unwritten may be to break the rules themselves. In the grand narrative of modern business, it's crystal clear: those leading the charge are not the ones who play it safe. They're the daring, the ambitious.....

Blueprint for Resilience

Cast aside visions of cinematic underdogs; our narrative is grounded in the realistic, gritty play-practice-prevail interpretation of the failure-success saga. Indeed, the journey to success is strewn with missteps.

That’s not particularly earth-shattering, is it?

But before you offer a round of half-hearted applause, realize resilience isn't about recovering from despair.

It's about adorning failures like medals of valor, woven into the very fabric of one's well-tailored offer.

Bouncing Back Cast aside visions of cinematic underdogs; our narrative is grounded in the realistic, gritty play-practice-prevail interpretation of the failure-success saga. Indeed, the journey to success is strewn with missteps. That’s not particularly earth-shattering, is it?

The Untapped Potential of Competition

Seeing competition as merely a hurdle is like using a smartphone solely for calls— you’re missing out on a lot.

Competition is the spice that drives innovation, efficiency, and improvement.

Every competitor is pushing you to enhance your products, services, and even your morning coffee game, all to maintain that edge.

It’s a dynamic that, if understood and embraced, can completely transform strategy, leading to significant growth and success.

Rival Revelations The business rollercoaster proves that competition is as constant as the poor coffee in the break room. Yet, rather than a problem, savvy businesses view competition as the secret sauce to growth and innovation. Instead of fretting, it's time to flip the script and turn those market rivals into unwi...

In the game of business, the terrain is as unpredictable as it is challenging.

Strategic thinking is not just a valuable skill—it's an indispensable one.

The ability to navigate this terrain, armed with foresight, adaptability, and a keen sense of direction, separates the trailblazers from the followers.

Through the lens of real-world behemoths like Apple, Netflix, Amazon, and Starbucks, we can distill the essence of strategic thinking, uncovering relevant lessons for most small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

Strategic Thinking in Action In the game of business, the terrain is as unpredictable as it is challenging. Strategic thinking is not just a valuable skill—it's an indispensable one. The ability to navigate this terrain, armed with foresight, adaptability, and a keen sense of direction, separates the trailblazers from the fol...

Your Strategy Shouldn't Mirror the Competition.

Borrowing tactics from the competition is as tempting as it is misguided.

It's like sneaking a look at your neighbor's test paper, only to realize later that the questions on your exams were different.

This approach might seem practical at first—after all, if it's yielding results for them, why not us?

Yet, this shortcut often leads astray, not toward strategic nirvana but a tangle of missed opportunities and strategic misalignment.

Innovation vs. Imitation Your Strategy Shouldn't Mirror the Competition. Borrowing tactics from the competition is as tempting as it is misguided. It's like sneaking a look at your neighbor's test paper, only to realize later that the questions on your exams were different. This approach might seem practical at first—afte...

It's time to dive into the meatier subject of frameworks that underpin strategic thinking.

The realm of decision-making is not for the faint of heart, nor is it the playground of the indecisive.

It demands a robust arsenal of tools and frameworks to navigate the labyrinth of choices that the modern world throws at us.

As we say it, “slow down to speed up.”

Let's embark on a journey through some of these tools, not just as a matter of academic exercise but as a practical guide for the ambitious thinkers and doers among us.

Frameworks for Strategic Thinking Beware the Borrowed Tactic It's time to dive into the meatier subject of frameworks that underpin strategic thinking. The realm of decision-making is not for the faint of heart.

We celebrate with profound gratitude as we commemorate the life and legacy of Jim Harvey, a beacon of kindness and resilience in our community.

As we reflect on his remarkable contributions, let us honor his memory by continuing his commitment and dedication to enhancing the lives of everyone who had the privilege of knowing him.

May we strive to make our world a brighter place, inspired by his example.

Kirkland Tibbel's quote, “We took some time to celebrate Jim at our conference, his accomplishments, contributions to us, and his amazing legacy. It was followed not by a moment of silence but the exact opposite – a BIG round of applause, with lots of joy, tears and loving energy.

Applause seems right to me - don’t you think?”

Let's set the record straight: relying on hope and a bit of luck is as effective as trying to win the lottery by sheer willpower.

It's a comforting thought, but hope doesn't quite cut it as a strategy in the challenging world of business.

Developing a strategic mindset goes beyond piecing together a series of makeshift plans; it's about deploying resources wisely to carve out a path to victory.

And here's an essential insight: strategy is fundamentally about resource allocation—those critical assets that always seem in short supply.

Hope Isn’t a Strategy Developing a strategic mindset goes beyond piecing together a series of makeshift plans; it's about deploying resources wisely to carve out a path to victory. And here's an essential insight: strategy is fundamentally about resource allocation—those critical assets that always seem in short supply...

This is the last batch of photos for Annual 2025. If you ever want to check them out again, you can go to www.influentialu.global/gallery to see!

Thank you to Lauren Robertson for providing all these everlasting pictures.

It was fantastic to practice in the Aloha State and we look forward to seeing you all at Midyear!

Revisit the best moments, insights, and takeaways.

Whether you soaked up the sun with us in Hawaii or missed the chance to attend, we've got everyone covered!

We are excited to invite you to an all-inclusive Zoom session where we'll dive into the best moments, insights, and takeaways from the 2024 Annual Conference.

Learn more and register at the link below!

All-Inclusive Hawaii Insights | Influential U | Advanced Business Education We are excited to invite you to an all-inclusive Zoom session where we'll dive into the best moments, insights, and takeaways from the 2024 Annual Conference.

Ready to turn your grind into a groove?

Today, we're diving deep into the art of transforming masterful practice into play.

We all know practice is essential for mastering any skill, but let's be honest - it can sometimes feel like a chore.

Let's add a twist of fun to it. Let's explore how we can make our practice sessions as enjoyable and engaging as our favorite games.

Game on!

Practice Made Perfectly Fun Ready to turn your grind into a groove? Today, we're diving deep into the art of transforming masterful practice into play. We all know practice is essential for mastering any skill, but let's be honest - it can sometimes feel like a chore. Let's add a twist of fun to it. Let's explore how we can ma...

"Practice" is powerful.

It represents the dedication, persistence, and continuous improvement that are the cornerstones of both personal and professional excellence.

In the spirit of this theme, our conference is designed to provide a platform for sharing innovative ideas, exploring new opportunities, and enhancing our skills through practical experiences.

Photos provided by Lauren Robertson

Check out the next photo set from our Hawaii Conference!

Thank you so very much Lauren Robertson, for taking all of these pictures and allowing us to share them with the Influential U ecology.

Enjoy your weekend, and see more on Sunday!

Good morning, good afternoon, good evening wherever you are.

Today and tomorrow brings us all some more photos from conference!

Check back in on Monday for the next blog post, "Practice Made Perfectly Fun"!

Did you know that play is a big deal in the animal kingdom?

From cats chasing laser pointers to kids building sandcastles, play is everywhere.

It's not just a human thing - it's a nature thing.

Renowned researchers like Panksepp have shown us that play is hardwired into our DNA.

It's how we learn, grow, and outsmart life's challenge

Keep playing, keep growing.

Unleashing the Power of Play Did you know that play is a big deal in the animal kingdom? From cats chasing laser pointers to kids building sandcastles, play is everywhere. It's not just a human thing - it's a nature thing. Renowned researchers like Panksepp have shown us that play is hardwired into our DNA. It's how we learn, g...

A second set of photos from Conference!

If you haven't checked it out yet, see if we will be hosting a workshop near you. We'll be in Burbank in just a couple of days!