#askjackd

One of the things I get asked about most is how to raise capital, so today I’m joined by entrepreneur Kath Purkis who successfully raised $200k, to talk about what it takes. We take questions on getting investors to back a concept, pitching to investors , ignoring naysayers in business and ultimately, "wowing" your customers.

Sales and public speaking… these are the two things entrepreneurs consistently tell me they fear. Both will act as a barrier to your growth if you let them. Today I’m joined by sales expert, Petar Lackovic, who has helped his clients generate over $1 billion revenue, to help you move past this…

Which is more important to success... hard work or good luck? This is a topic that I’m incredibly passionate about, so I was excited to finally get to answer a question on this today. The way I see it, throughout our lives there is going to be times where fortune favours us and times where it goes against us. It’s what we do with those moments that differentiates consistently successful people from the rest #AskJackD

So many businesses focus on the frustrations and fears of their audience, rather than to their hopes and heart. Should you do the same? My answer today is probably the opposite of what you've been told for the last 20 or 30 years, but it’s been working for me so listen up. This is why pain point marketing doesn't always work.

Whether you start our with no money, or run out of money, most entrepreneurs are familiar with the financial struggle of building a business, especially in the early stages. Being an entrepreneur is more about resourcefulness than resources, and working with nothing might be one of the best things you ever do.

Today's question is about business plans: "Was your first business plan original or did you use a template of some sort?" The truth is, I didn't use a business plan and never have. For most entrepreneurs their path starts with exploration of idea, or a 'What if?' moment. Vision is crystallised as the business matures, but the early stages are about passion, iteration and adaption, not having a business plan.

My favourite episode of #AskJackD to date. I talk all things influencer marketing with, Jules Lund, Founder of Tribe. We talk about why you need to be using Snapchat, how you can use influencers to build your brand and cutting through the noise on social media.

As entrepreneurs, we are pioneers who dream of and create things that do not yet exist. It’s a given that anyone who chooses this path will be doubted and protested against. Don’t let this doubt deter you, instead let it fuel you.

I often hear entrepreneurs say, "I don’t want to get bogged down in the detail, I want to be the visionary.” While this should be your ultimate goal, it takes years to get to a point where you’re not involved in the day-to-day. At the beginning of your journey you need to live in the details. You need to know every aspect of your business, better than everyone else.

Success isn’t just defined by what we KNOW, it’s defined by what we DO. Reading all the personal development books in the world won’t help if you don’t have the work ethic to back up your knowledge. Personal development vs. work ethic? You decide.

In this episode I’m joined by Ryan Bonnici, Director of Marketing for HubSpot, to talk about creating compelling content that will enable you to convert, close and delight your audience. We take questions on: - Marketing a “boring” business - How entrepreneurs can find time to create content - Getting ROI on that content #AskJackD 201

The 4 key principles you need to know if you want to maximise the value of your business and prepare for ultimate exit. ‪#‎AskJackD‬ 199

After receiving over 600k views on a recent video series, in today’s episode I reflect on: - The power of video content in marketing - Why all businesses should be using video - Traditional vs. online marketing strategy

We have a business world that is obsessed with professionalism - saying the right things, wearing the right suits, and doing what is expected. It’s all manufactured, surface level plastic. Today I talk about being unprofessional: being you, being real and being different, to create brands and advertising that cut through all the noise. #AskJackD

In this episode I talk about when, how and what not to do when bringing on your very first employee, and ultimately how to set up an ecosystem to build a foundation of a business that can scale.

Developing your personal values is incredibly important for your own personal development and growth. In this episode I talk about how you can develop these values and how to live in alignment with them so that you can live a life that is truly and uniquely you.

What makes a great leader? I've spent a lot of time studying of the greats of history... Einstein, Jobs, Michelangelo, Mandela, MLK, Branson; they all come from different eras and industries, but I think there are three core things they all have in common. Today I share those those three traits with you.

In the early days of business one of the ways I generated more exposure for myself and my business was through leveraging PR. Here I share the strategy I used in the past to approach top entrepreneurs and media personalities.

Your friends will believe in your dreams, but it's your enemies that will help you achieve them. The price you pay as an entrepreneur for leading the field means that everyone will be copying and following you. Don’t get upset about this. Business shouldn’t be about protecting ourselves from the competition or getting incrementally better. It’s about innovating and aiming to be 10 times better.

We filmed today’s episode at TEDxMacquarieUniversity, where I spoke about the future of education. Our question comes from a member of the audience and AskJackD viewer, Angela. I’ve said before that the best entrepreneurs find one thing to focus on, and become the best in the world at it... but how do you find that ONE thing?