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EP583: TL Nuggets #166 - eCircle Thought Leader Panel
103 Plays4 months ago
Ever wondered how top thought leaders transform their visions into six and seven-figure realities? Ever found yourself feeling isolated at the top of your game, needing that extra push to go further? Some people are in the same boat, striving for success while navigating the challenges of entrepreneurship.
Whether you're an entrepreneur, coach, or consultant, you've likely faced challenges in scaling your business, finding your voice, or navigating the complex landscape of thought leadership. You're not alone, and today's episode will provide insights from those who have been in your shoes and successfully navigated those challenges.
Bringing together a powerhouse panel of thought leaders to share their journeys, challenges, and triumphs in building successful businesses, packed with practical advice, inspiring stories, and actionable strategies that you can implement in your own journey to thought leadership and business success.
Success is not a solo journey. Surround yourself with a community that lifts you up and holds you accountable. Keep pushing boundaries and achieving greatness.
Marc Von Musser: https://www.marcvonmusser.com/
Matthieu Mehuys: https://www.paulownia-la.com/
Dia Burger: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drdiaburger/?originalSubdomain=ca
Michael Ostrolenk: https://www.michaeldostrolenk.com/
Michael Matthews: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaeldmatthew/?trk=opento_nprofile_details
Dwayne Richards: https://www.dwaynerichardscpa.com/
Visit eCircleAcademy.com and book a success call with Nicky to take your practice to the next level.
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Transcript
Introduction to The Thought Leader Revolution
00:00:03
Speaker
Why do you recommend people come and be a part of this? The good people that we talked about, the people with big hearts, the people who love succeeding, the people who are ready to rock and get to the next level. Why do you think that's important? And say one thing about what's what's next in terms of the next level, the next level of impact, income, evolution for you. So I'm giving you a minute each.
00:00:32
Speaker
Welcome to the Thought Leader Revolution with Nikki Ballou. Join the revolution. There's never been a better time in history to speak your truth, find your freedom, and make your fortune. Each week, we interview the world's top thought leaders and learn the secrets of how they built a six to seven figure practice. This episode has been brought to you by eCircleAcademy.com, the proven system to add six to seven figures a year to your thought leader practice.
00:01:02
Speaker
Welcome to another exciting episode of the podcast, The Thought Leader Revolution. I'm your host, Nicki Malu. And boy, do we have a super special, ultra exciting episode lined up for you today.
Panel of Thought Leaders and Their Journeys
00:01:16
Speaker
Normally, I have one guest on the show, and me and that guest have a fantastic conversation, but today I have a whole panel of guests. amazing men and women that are total rock stars and thought leaders in their own right. And I brought this panel together because I wanted you to get to know them and their story and how they have benefited from working with myself, the great Mark Von Muser, and the E-Circle team. So welcome one and all. Good to see you all. So, I'm Sam Becky.
00:01:53
Speaker
So why don't we begin, first of all, by introducing my co-host today, the one and only Mark Von Meuser. Mark, just briefly kind of tell your story, why we decided we wanted to do this panel and then we'll get right to the folks and ah away we go. Yeah, my name's Mark Famuser. It really helped people identify, activate their greatness. And really, that's really what I've spent my time on, whether it's the director of coaching at Tony Robbins, whether it's director of sales at clients on demand, ah founder of Soar and Roar. And really, I'm excited to be here because there's some quality human beings here. And one of the things that's amazing is when you watch, quote unquote, ordinary people doing extraordinary things.
00:02:34
Speaker
Because again, you'll hear a common thread with all of them. There is no such thing as ordinary. Others exceptional, but it's most people are living below their greatness. And so the people today, I'm excited because they're excelling and they're really stepping up to that, that greatness that within all of us. So it's an honor to be here and super excited to hear. um I know the people that are going to be speaking. And there's so much ass that's about to be kicked and people that are about to go really rock your guy's world.
Success Stories with E-Circle: Machu Mejos' Growth
00:03:02
Speaker
So buckle up seats in the upright position, tray tables back and get ready for liftoff. Awesome. Awesome. Great. Thank you, Mark. And let's begin with all the way from Belgium. Machu Mejos, Matthew, my house.
00:03:20
Speaker
So introduce yourself, your E-Circle journey and and and you know how it's helped you and benefited you so far. Yeah. Thank you, Nicky. I'm really honored to be on the panel. It's really cool to be with this group of high achievers and people that are super excited to to do to get things done, right? So I'm a landscape architect and I started out as a landscape architect and then I also became a garden coach. So I help people to become super successful at growing their own garden, at growing their own food and doing it in a way that is in harmony with nature. And as it turns out, this is actually my life purpose. I want to help people all across the world to become successful at creating their own little paradise. And on top of that, I'm also a farm consultant.
00:04:11
Speaker
where I am now coaching farmers all across the world to become also super successful at their business because many farmers are struggling. They are basically the the boxing ball of politics, climate change is there, so it's really tough for farmers. But there are lots of solutions actually, the whole political situation, the climate, that these are actually huge opportunities as well. So that's what I do in ah my day to day work. And I'm really excited to be here today because I've been with Nikki now over six months. So only six months. That's quite crazy. Like, uh, when we started, I started out my business, I had some IDs left and right. But then when I started with Nikki, it was as if I just hired my, um, like a trainer that is a no bullshit trainer or
00:05:03
Speaker
more like ah somebody that but can kick my ass to get it after my goals. And that's what we did. We started to do like heavy lifting training on basically finding ways to increase my revenue, my income immediately, like techniques that are like super effective on the short term. So that is amazing, like the podcast guesting, ah finding ways to reach out to people in your own network. It's actually super easy, but you just have to do it and you have to learn the right approach. So I learned so much on doing that. That's been huge, hugely beneficial. And then at the same time, what's also amazing is that we're also looking in the long run because, you know, we're here. I'm on a mission. It's gonna, it's gonna take years to, to, to build that huge company company.
00:05:54
Speaker
So we're also learning a lot about thought leadership, about um messaging, like really growing the business sustainably and long-term as well. So I'm really, really excited about all this work. So Machu, let's talk some specific results because you started to learn about how to get on podcasts and get ah get leads and clients from that. And I think in the very first week or two, you got a few clients. So tell a bit about that and then talk about the first 90 days and what kind of specific results you got. So yeah, I first joined your program with the podcast guesting but to within two weeks
00:06:36
Speaker
I got on a bunch of podcasts as a guest and I got my first client from it.
Dr. Dia's Impact on the Aesthetic Industry
00:06:42
Speaker
So I basically, and within two weeks, I double i like the price that I had to pay ah for for your program. I earned it double within two weeks. I earned it back double. And then I joined your other program from that because I was so excited and I really wanted to keep growing. And you were claiming that I could make 90K in 90 days. For me, it was like, okay, that sounds interesting. Never, ever, never thought that that would be possible. But I said, this, this guy, Nicky and Mark, they're onto something. So let's do it. And, uh, throughout the the journey I, I, I got over it. I got into, I, I made 120K actually in 90 days.
00:07:27
Speaker
ah And something crazy happened when when we were getting towards the end of the year last year. Mark and Nicky were saying like, this is the time where everybody starts to like slow down in their business. And ah it's a huge opportunity because nobody is doing like reach out and still actively building their business. So I just kept pushing in the last two weeks of the year and actually between Christmas and New Year's, I still made 30K. That just was flipping crazy, like thinking like this is the holidays where nobody works. I was still calling people and and it ah just it was just flowing like like crazy. I'll tell you, Matthew, that was an example of two things to me. Number one is,
00:08:18
Speaker
We like to work with good people, good human beings, right? That have the highest morals, ethics, love for humanity, and that's you, right? It's obvious someone listens to you speak, that love, that energy, it just it just goes out of you into the world. But we also like talking to people who are like, well, coachable, they respect us, they respect our wisdom, and that's been you as well. And I know that when I first said to you, Matt, you, this is a good time to go after business. I know you were a little bit skeptical, but you said, okay, you know what? coach I'm going to do it anyways. And the fact that you did it is what got you the result. And that's a beautiful thing that.
00:08:54
Speaker
look Mark, you wanted to add something to that? I just love it because it's the sort of thing. Number one is, again, like you said, your quality human being. Number two is that you have a really critical need that you're serving. You know what I mean? And three, you applied it and you offered value to people that also were sitting there at the end of the year kind of thinking, What the hell am I going to do? You know what I mean? So getting out there in the arena, which is what you'll hear with everyone that talks today. matthews Matthew is a really great example of that. But I just love this the commitment and the coach ability. And when you have that stacked with with the grit that you've demonstrated, there's nothing else that you can't do. And I'm excited to watch the next evolution from here because you've got your foundation built. Now it's time to go even bigger. Yeah, I agree.
00:09:42
Speaker
man Thank you about you. get it All right. And next, all the way from Calgary, Alberta, Canada, by way of South Africa, the great legendary Dr. Dia. Hello, Dia. Hi, Nikki. How are you? I'm so awesome. Great to have you here. So tell us your E-circle, thank you what you've gotten out of it.
00:10:10
Speaker
My e-circle journal or journey was a little different than, but yes, yes. That was good. I know not ki know where you're at. the you Well, there has been journaling. yeah so Mathieu and I kind of know each other from, yes, from another place that we started. And we kind of both did the Getbook, Get paid podcast training through you. And I found it very dynamic, very, very intelligent. And like anything in life that is successful, you can go try and figure it out yourself or you can talk to people who know what they're doing and they show you the shortcut.
00:10:53
Speaker
And I believe in not reinventing the wheel. So doing that few day course was stunning for me. And I did podcasts and I rocked them. I did one a week at some point, same as Mathieu did the 90K in 90 days. And I knew mine was going to be difficult, which is not your fault. It's because mine is what it is. right Mine is a very, very niche market. It is a very specialized system. and it is not Someone used the example to us of Elon Musk. You either sell
00:11:36
Speaker
lots of things at a lower price or you sell fewer things at a big price, which is him either serving NASA, right? Or he sells Starlink and he does both. And I knew mine was going to take a while. And the reason I joined the thought leadership and the 90K 90 day is because I knew I had something and I knew it was powerful and it was big, but it's like, I couldn't see how to plug it in. and
00:12:08
Speaker
i worked with teresa um who's Nikki's other half and the woman just gets me. It's literally, I would, we would talk and she would say things and I would literally just have light bulbs going off the whole time, which has helped me over months to really refine and be able to see the gears of this machine that I have and developed it, developed it. And I did not do 90K in 90 days, but I knew it was going to be,
00:12:40
Speaker
tricky to do because i I really didn't have the full vision yet. And working with Mark added to that, and I find those emotions that we did really refines it, right? You really dig into the bits and pieces because you cannot kind of put a lightning pa cable where there should be a USB-C. It's very specific, right? So once I got that piece in place, and I mean it's literally the light switched and at this point I am building teams faster than I can breathe which is amazing. So my vision and where I have been going would not have happened without the right people on my road at the right time which is exactly what's happened here because I wait from
00:13:33
Speaker
My goal is to make the aesthetic industry safe for the public. I literally want to change the face of the industry. And I mean that pun. And there are too many peoples and people injecting who shouldn't. There are unsafe methods in place. There's untrained people and it's literally, it's like the wild, wild west. They do what they want. And at the detriment or to the detriment of the client and It's literally like a ah tsunami of waves just full of stuff coming at you. There's no structure. So where I am right now is I have moments where I literally go sit down with my knees shaking and it is from excitement because this thing is taking off that the sky, there is no limit. I mean, we've it's beyond the stratosphere.
00:14:27
Speaker
And the message is getting out there, and I am able to build these boutique spots that are high end, high medical, high safety, high return on investment, right? And the ultimate goal of protecting the public, protecting the client and educating them, and getting it all in there. And my husband said to me a while ago, he he said, you've been doing this, you've been on this road your whole life, this is the point. that you've been working for. But it's interesting how you go from November last year where I i see it, but it's like something in fog, right? And over the course of months, how the fog blows away, but that animal behind the fog also gets more and more and more and more definite. And that to me would not have happened without starting with
00:15:22
Speaker
getbook get paid, right? Getting into 90K for 90 days, right? Getting all of those things. So where I am is literally just going, hell yes, bring it on, right? If there's one and two, where's number 10 and where's number 200? So let's build them. So to me, this is fantastic. So, Tia, get specific, because that's what people want to hear. They want to know the good stuff, the dollars and cents, because you said that you got did 90K in 90 days, and that didn't happen. And that's fine, because that's not everybody has it happen, like Mathieu, like within like 84 days, they make 120 grand. But your longer term results are, if anything, even more impressive. So speak to those, please.
00:16:04
Speaker
Yes. I'm going to tell a tiny story. Matthew and I, because he's my phone buddy as well. Right, Matthew? He says, you're not good at it right now, dear. You're ignoring me. Right? But um we have, right, which is we're motivating each other, right? And it's huge to have that
00:16:22
Speaker
sounding bored to reflect on. And our programs are very different in structure. And I know at some point Mattias said to me, let's see how many people we can contact this week. And I said to him, you know, for him, his is so healthy, so good, right? So I think core value for most normal people, right? That it it's his market is massive. My market is extremely exclusive. And that was it frustrating for me in the beginning not to be able to break it. But I knew that that was the nature of it. It's not anyone's fault. So when this did take off, at this point, it is roughly a half a million dollars per contract,
Financial Success and Vision for Growth
00:17:15
Speaker
right? Which means when I do one contract, but then I am doing the work of
00:17:21
Speaker
eight people, right? Which means it goes from me with a vision, 20 years of experience, putting it in an umbrella, locking and loading it. And when I pull the trigger, there is an explosion that you just go, cover your head and run, right? So that is amazing. um It means I am putting a huge amount of things in place to carry this and to perpetuate it. These to me are first world problems and a reflection of it's hitting the success that I want. But I mean, that the the tickets is, the dollar value per ticket is very, very high. So speak specifically of some of the results you got, because it took you six months to get the first contract, but then you got a second contract. So. You know what, Nicky, it wasn't six, it was actually four. I started in January, I got it in April. So I just missed that first 90 day.
00:18:20
Speaker
And how much was that first contract? Just as an example, because people don't realize. Yeah, half a million. Love it. So so five hundred thousand by month four and thirty two days later, another five hundred thousand. Right. So at this point, I'm like, um give me 10 more in the same breath. I'm like. keyeha The nice thing about it, Dia too, is you it's it's proof of concept, which was one of the things that was holding you down. Could you make it work? Not only have you made it work, you've doubled it. So now it's a matter of, like you said, now it's like expanding to, okay, 10 more and we've had a good first year.
00:18:56
Speaker
So there's a lot of foundational work that you've done, which is which is awesome. A lot of clarity that you were able to bring. you Like Matthew, you're not afraid to do the work either. So these are all coming together and you're coachable and you're doing it. So I've got no doubt the other tenor out there as well. And I know that that's going to be a fun celebration for that as well. And actually, I want to add something to you here because what Dia did is just incredible. She she was on on a basically on a dry spell for, well, I think it was probably more than four months because you you had the i idea before you started to work with Nikki and you were just so, you had your vision, you knew where you had to go and you just, you didn't, it's like you bite into it and you never let it go. So it was only a matter of time that it and exploded. Yeah. It's amazing to see that
00:19:47
Speaker
ah being like committed to making no money for four months, that's huge. Thank you. Brilliant. yeah took it took It just took them four months to get me on track. Not that long. I had the idea for wrong time, time but but that is really a massive amount of redefining, getting specific, chopping off the fat, get to the bone, reconstruct in four months. That is massive, Nicky, which you guys helped me with. It really is. The results are massive too and honestly based on what we've looked at, ah my take on it is in 2024 you're going to have a minimum of four more contracts and you could have as many as another 12 more contracts. So this could be an absolutely massive year for you, like somewhere between 3 million and 7 million, just incredible. For a consultant, I mean, that's ah but that's a high margin deal, right? For a thought leader. So this isn't like, you know, 90% of it is cost, most of it is margin. That's wonderful. Yeah. Thank you, Dia.
00:20:52
Speaker
Michael Osterling. Tell us your circle journey so far, brother.
Michael Osterling's Journey to Embrace Sales
00:20:58
Speaker
Yeah, certainly. So my background, I'm a marriage and family therapist, resilience coach, and I co-lead tactical fitness groups, mostly for men. And, you know, for the first 30 years, because I've kind of been in the space for almost 30 years, I've never had to market or sell myself directly. Um, which has been okay. Kind of perfect until like this last year and things kind of dried up for me. And I'm like, Oh my God, I need to figure out how to actually go out and sell myself.
00:21:31
Speaker
And you know, a little effect here, a little positive effect here, but nothing like major. Then we got connected, which was awesome. And I started taking this program constructs. It was like selling for me. It was a four letter word sell was a four letter word literally. But now I sell like, Oh my God, I just can't imagine selling, selling myself, selling myself. But the, one of the the main, one of the main things you guys help me with is reverse, like the un, deconstruct that, that poor thinking and help me recognize that it's not about me doing anything. It's about, it's about the people that I'm going to positively affect. I got to take my mind off myself and my own limitations of fears and insecurities. After that, like look what I can do for someone else's life, whether it's an individual, a couple, or a group that I co-lead.
00:22:14
Speaker
And that's, that perspective shifted everything for me and gave me a lot more confidence to go out in the world and start talking about what I do very much directly as opposed to kind of on the sides and stuff. So that was one huge thing from for the E-Circle Academy. And ah the reach outs, you know, Mark, you shouted me like 20 X, 20 X and 20 X. of So like, you know, i I would double and triple my reach outs. And one of the great things for me is, is and I've always done what we call reach outs. I call it tea time with Mo. And like at least once a week I'd sit down and talk to a colleague and get caught up, but I never sold myself. I was always kind of interested in what they were doing. And I've done that for years. So to kind of to do both like, Hey, what what are you up to? How can I support you? Cause which is kind of my natural propensity and also let them know when I'm up to and seek support from them has been my cutting edge.
00:23:01
Speaker
and One of the results of that is about nine possible partnerships that I'm working through right now. And actually I have a call here in a little while with one of the nine. And over the next two weeks, I'll be talking together eight and kind of figure out what, what those look like. Cause one of my favorite things to do is to partner with other people who have a skill set. I do not have in the therapeutic coaching space and we can partner and do the cool things together. So that's been a set of, I guess a third really awesome benefit. of this program and just like these partnerships which might emerge. And even, and it's just kind of fun, even reaching back out to colleagues I haven't spoken to in decades and reconnecting with them, independent of like anything really cool comes out of it in terms of work. It's just really nice to reconnect with old friends and find out what's going on. And I'll just share one funny story. I spoke to a friend of mine who, she's reminding me that when she was pregnant, I sat, I used to lie on her bed with her. You watch Sex and the City.
00:23:58
Speaker
And, uh, well, you know, just going through the pregnancy and like, Oh my God, what a great memory. And like she memories of me with her kids and her husband, like her husband was one of my dear friends playing on the floor with our dogs and stuff like that. And I'm like, what great memories to come back and remember. So even though, you know, nothing initially came up professional with that. It's just kind of nice to remember good times I had with some of these amazing human beings. Um, and then let's see, last but but not least, um, clarity more clarity ah around how I articulate my mission and my purpose in life, that's becoming more and more and more and more clear. but And I'll say one of the things I i love about Nikki and Mark, every time, i and Teresa has been really helpful, like on the on the one-on-one calls, but every time I i think I know what I'm exactly going to say, this is perfect. I've landed it. Let me do one of our classes. I'm like, oh, F. Oh my God. Okay.
00:24:49
Speaker
All right, back to the drawing board, which has been great. Like it's a little bit annoying, but it's also been great. Cause I get to realize like, I really need to do a better job of selling the transformation I offer other people. And I need to be able to articulate that really clearly. So that's been really helpful. And I'm looking forward to us getting together next month. I think it is in Canada. That's going to be a blast. That's going to be cool. Yeah, yeah. I think everybody who's on this panel is going to be there with you, brother. So you're going to get to meet them in person. So that's awesome. Yeah.
00:25:22
Speaker
It's nice to watch you, Michael, because again, from my seat, you're a total powerhouse badass. And it's like, I wouldn't say you weren't weren't living there at that. But it's nice to see your messaging, your languaging in the way you're showing up to now be in alignment with what I can see as the next level. And I'm not knocking a lot of the people that are famous in the space. But when I compare the quality of human being to some of those guys that have best sellers that are out there on stages, and then I see what you bring to the table, you're about 10, 10, 10 to 100X more. So I know there's a lot more depth. And I mean, you're one of those kinds of guys that the deeper you look at, there's more there. You know what I mean? And and I'm not knocking other people, but it's like...
00:26:03
Speaker
That's a quality human being. So I'm really glad to see stepping into that. um You can go as high this as you absolutely want, whatever's on your calling and to build it and being able to articulate that to wherever. That isn't just for the reach outs. You're going to find that's on the podcast. That's when you're on stages, getting on stages in these book deals. That's all coming because you're learning how to articulate it. And now that message is congruent with the ah of impact you really bring. You've always had the impact, but now that message is now aligned with it. So I'm excited to see what comes. Mark, that really means a lot. I really appreciate those those kind of words. That's awesome. Yeah. It's the truth, man. you're you're You're good people. You're good people. You're a quality human being. And ah Michael, I remember there was a ah Friday that you post these amazing gratitude videos in the group, which I watch every single one of them. They're awesome.
00:26:58
Speaker
never you And I just want to encourage everybody else here like Mathieu, you've posted a few, post those gratitude videos. they They pump me up, they pump everybody in the group up and you'll feel good doing them. So do more of that. But I remember one day you said you had seven reach outs in a day and three of those reach outs resulted in in in new clients. And so maybe just talk a little bit about what the on the ground results have been out of you being forced out of your comfort zone to do the four-letter word self.
00:27:32
Speaker
Yeah. And I love being forced out of my comfort zone. So thanks guys for, for doing that. You know, so, um, it's interesting cause I will talk, I've been fortunate to work in multiple different industries and multiple different spaces, coaching and therapy and health for sure. But I've also done national security, defense, cybersecurity, dot, dot, dot. So when I talk to people on these reach out calls, some of them have no idea that I do other things because they've only known me in one context. I literally was talking to a colleague of mine saying, yeah I do this particular work with couples, intense work over a couple of day period of time. And she's like,
00:28:06
Speaker
I had no idea you do that kind of work. I know you're in this context. I'm like, Oh, so those kinds of conversations have opened doors for people to go, Oh, I know somebody who could benefit from either the couple's work or the individual work or the men's group that I run on. of Man, I know someone who should join your men's group. That's perfect. My limitations up until now has been like siloed myself. Like, Hey, the defense people I work with or that's what they know I do. They're coaching people. And so like, this has been really helpful to kind of break out of my own silos. and to reach out to a wide variety of different audiences and let them know. And like I said, some of them just had no idea that right you're a coach, you're a therapist, you're need couples, whatever whatever it is. Secret agent. Yeah, exactly. that A little specific, Michael, like, you know, how many how many new opportunities, new clients in the last few months have you been able to generate as a result of this?
00:29:02
Speaker
I'll give you actually a very specific example. And this is actually one of those seven calls that day I spoke to a woman I know in a from a program I used to teach in. but She didn't know I coached. She just know I did education, epigenetics, this particular program. And we spoke for a while and she's the one I brought up the fact that I do couples coaching. She's like, Oh my God, me and my husband and I would love to work with someone. we Our relationship is fine. We want to take it to the next level. Oh, that's awesome. That led to them as as a couple client. I'm like really, really having a call with the husband here in about half an hour. I'm going to go off to Tennessee to work with them for a two day intensive here next month. And they've opened doors for other couples.
00:29:42
Speaker
But they go, Oh my God, we got no other couples who'd love to do that intense part opening work. Cool. So it's just like sharing with one person's open up possibility for ah two other couples to come into my to come into existence. And I believe in one of the seven of those calls too, I had mentioned this guy had no idea of the men's group that I run with JC Glick. And I mentioned the men's group and I walked through resilience 2.0. He's like, I want to join. him Well, can't join cohort one with what he started. But now literally from these calls, I have four guys who want to join cohort two. We haven't even launched cohort two yet, just from these conversations. Nice. So like, that's pretty awesome. How are you feeling about your confidence now moving forward? Because again, you started, you were stuck. You know what I mean? About the market had changed. You're trying to figure out how to market and message. How are you feeling now about your future and your impact?
00:30:32
Speaker
So future I'm feeling really confident about the impact. I think it's much greater than it could even imagine before. I do know there's some steps to get me there and part of this is the kind of work that we're doing here. When I come to this weekend, I'm doing the podcast class and then in July immersion, like all those things are going to add up to give me even more, not just confidence, but capability. Yeah, that's great. I'm going to be based on capability so I can actually go do the impact and have a you know greater role in the world. Love it. Yeah. Awesome, awesome, awesome. Thank you, Michael. So let's go to the other Michael mike Matthew. Tell us, brother, what your E-circle journey has been like, you know.
Accountability and Growth: Michael Matthew's Experience
00:31:15
Speaker
Thanks for having me here, Nicky. I started with you last December, like some of the other people with the podcast guesting, and I've already had the opportunity to get a couple of podcasts. That was very helpful. I'm a CPA with a focus on working with small business corporations and also real estate investors investing in properties in both Canada and the US. And I've been doing that full time for myself now for just about a decade. And one of the reasons that
00:31:55
Speaker
I'm working for myself as I don't like other people telling me what to do.
00:32:01
Speaker
also I don't do well with that. But there's also, like many things, a good and a bad part to it. The bad part about that was I could do or not do anything I wanted. And what I don't like is being accountable, because I haven't had to be for a decade. But that's what I need to move forward is I do need some level of accountability. And that's what I'm getting with being this program. And and working with Teresa, just getting very specific as to actual steps to be taken as opposed to being vague generalities. And so one of the things that we talked about doing and was reaching out to existing clients and
00:32:54
Speaker
rather than waiting for them to come to me, be more proactive. And so I started going through my client list and there's one particular client I can think of. I didn't really like our last interaction. I thought he was way out of line with the way he treated me. And I was just about ready to fire him as a client, frankly. And I thought, you know what, he has this ah other company, I'll reach out and just see what happens. And he said, He says, Oh, thanks for reaching out. I'm really busy with a job right now, but please follow up in a couple of weeks. Cause I really want to get that work done. And without Teresa's encouragement, I probably wouldn't have done that. So that's what I found helpful is bringing me the pieces that, that I need to to push forward. And as a result of those sorts of things, this is going to be my best year ever.
00:33:51
Speaker
I'm sure. I love it. I remember, Michael, ah we spoke after your first, because you did the 90K, 90-day sales accountability program. And I asked you, how'd you do? And you you told me the the number. Would you mind sharing the number with everybody and you know what that number was compared to previous 90-day periods that you'd done? Yeah, I just missed it. It was $89,600. wow okay And it was more than double any previous core. That's fantastic. The thing about that at math, Michael, that I love so much is that um is the accountability, being strong enough to want accountability, knowing that we have blind blind spots. And I'm guilty of that as well.
00:34:44
Speaker
um yeah It's kind of like we're we're entrepreneurs or we're we're business people because we want the freedom, but we also have that blind spot, which it takes a strong man or woman that can say, you know what, I'm better when I have accountability. And that accountability can be accountability partners. I remember when I'd be running in the morning, if it's four o'clock and I have an accountability partner, I never missed. But if I didn't have one, You know what? I'll do it later today. You know what? so The studies on sleep are showing that, you know, sleep is really important and I'm better off if I, and my mind will go into overdrive and it's nice though that you said that because we do it in business and it takes a strong person that says, you know what? And I see the doubling your best quarter ever is a reflection of that because now like just with Michael Osterling,
00:35:35
Speaker
you're You're doing things that have those huge things. The other one is you were coachable with Theresa as well. And the natural instinct would have been to avoid that person before because of one interaction. But because you were coachable and went do it, you you caught him on a bad day. It wasn't anything more than that. And you can he can clean that up down the road. But but that's really huge. The other one that I love is that most people in your industry right now have been struggling. you're growing, you're expanding, which I just couldn't be happier about. Thank you. Well done. Well done, Michael. Well
Community Support and Business Growth with Dwayne Richards
00:36:10
Speaker
done. Thank you. And last but not least, the legend himself, Dwayne, the Rock Richards. I almost said Johnson, man. I almost messed that up. All good, Nicky.
00:36:26
Speaker
hey Somebody has to be the last, somebody has to go first, somebody has to be the last. so I was the last one to get in the room today, so it's only appropriate. so i good to Good to be here. First off, thanks for thanks for the invitation. My pleasure, man. Great to have you here. You're awesome. And I thought you'd you'd finish strong with your stories. That's why I wanted to go last. So there you go.
00:36:48
Speaker
It's like every time I hear Dwayne, he's had more business. It's like, oh, I did that thing you said, and I got 10 new clients. This is fun. It's so fun. Every time it's like, okay, what kind of success has Dwayne done this week? or you know And I also love that you're seeing the world as well. You're living life as well. I know you did Paris and a few things. So yeah, you're you've definitely stepped up your game as well. you You and Michael are changing the way CPAs are dominating. yeah Yeah, thank you for that. um So yes, quick, quick, quick story. We had lots of stories already. I guess, Nikki, we got started, I was probably the earliest, yeah you were so early to the party. I think I'll start back in July, August last year with the 90K 90 days and we worked through that.
00:37:37
Speaker
um October, I guess we did the first immersion. And that was kind of where we had stated the tax. So just similar to Michael, a little bit different. I service more on the bulk of my practice up to this point, it had been more personal tax clients. So lower price, more volume. And at a certain point, you run out of capacity. You have to rethink how that model works because you can only work so many hours a day. um
00:38:08
Speaker
And then in the immersion, we started to look at how to continue serving the client. What was the nice thing for you as well about having so a group and an accountability and kind of getting stretched to a new level? How has that been for you? Because again, you were doing just fine. You stepped up to a new level as well. How is that the group or Nikki or the team kind of helped move you into the next level of possibility? Yeah, and you kind of hit the nail on the head there. It's comfortable, right? Like, yeah, just fine. Like fresh books or something. It's like they use the slogan, it's a living, you know, making a living. Business was growing organically. It continues to grow really well organically with Google and referrals.
00:38:55
Speaker
um So that part, but it's easy to get comfortable yeah um and not kind of but adding a little fuel or accelerating, you know, hitting the gas ah a little. um The, yeah, I think kind of similar to Michael, the accountability piece, like having a group that we can post in. So we're not, not as a posting it by direct on like wide open Facebook to ah but not wrong Not bad to to boast a little bit, but it's nice to kind of share the wins and kind of the experiences and the the challenges to inside of the group, ask questions inside of the group. um And I think one of the actually on Tuesday's call when I was in the breakout session with Jeremy, we talked about it. it's
00:39:39
Speaker
It's lonely at the top. but As a self-employed person, we are at the top. Diaz and Matthew and Michael, and michael we're all we're at the top. right We're the owner of our own businesses. We're at the top. and it's In lots of cases, it's just us. yeah and and That can be lonely. that yeah I talked to clients during tax season, talked to 500 people. so It's not like We don't have people to talk to during the day um but to have someone that we can discuss like the inner workings of our business. Even if they don't know, they don't have to be an accountant to understand business. So it's just having having a group, a community to so that we know um very structured that you know every Tuesday where there's going to be a bunch of people in a Zoom room waiting to
00:40:29
Speaker
want to know where you are. carry too And care and we we care about each other. It shouldn't be hard to find, but it can be a challenge to find that. that combination. It's a great share, Dwayne. And and you bring up a a lot of really good points too, which is ah the one thing I can tell you from this side of the seat is that everyone you're listening to guys today who was out there listening to this podcast, these people are all committed. They're all coachable. They're all supportive of each other. And and that's really awesome. And I like what you said, Michael Osterling as well, because also they're expanding their capacity. And that's also where you get authentic confidence and congruence.
00:41:11
Speaker
It's one thing I never liked the people would say, fake it till you make it. That's a cop out. Build the muscle, build the work, do that work. So when you get in that, you know, game, I remember in martial arts, they told me practice does not make perfect. Perfect practice makes perfect because if you train it improperly, when the shit hits the fan, you're going to do it improperly. So what I see here today is people that have been massively coachable. taking the coaching and applied it. I could go to about Dwayne or Matthew or Michael or Dia or michael ah ah Michael Matthew. Every single one of them takes the coaching. They do it, whether they like it or not, whether or not it scares them or not, whether or not it will whatever. And it's like they're celebrating each other as well when they do it. So when Michael did it,
00:41:59
Speaker
Dwayne's like, oh, shit, it's working and Matthew do it. And then he is like, oh, my God, it's working. And collectively, a rising tide rises all boats. You guys are all a living example of that. And um if there was one thing I would throw out to you is, again, from this new platform, it's one of those things when you hike and you're getting to a new plateau. You can see more now what's possible as you look into the next 90 days and the rest of the year. I want you guys to be looking at what's possible. Do you had a really good target? You know what I mean? Ten more. OK, good. Believe it or not, there's no difference between 10 more and one more except the decision to do it. Once you put that in place, so each of you, and the last thing is, I don't want you just going for the money. Continue as you heard it with Dwayne, you didn't talk much about it, but he's also living life. He had a really nice trip to Paris, again, and a few other things. I want you guys to continue to also build in the other aspects of your world.
00:42:53
Speaker
Because if all you you do is make a shitload more money, but you lose your health and your passion and your joy of life, we've missed the boat. So I want you to look at from this new plateau and grab all of it. What does that look like for you? Because indirectly, what you guys said. When you start having success here, you're going to realize you can have success in these other arenas as well, whether that's fitness, whether that's relationships, whether that's bucket list, you name it. You guys are a select few because you're doing the thing. So I want you to be hyper and intentional in your other goals as well.
00:43:29
Speaker
Fantastic. So Dwayne, I wanted to just ask you if you could get a down to the nuts and bolts of what results you've gotten. And specifically, I think you mentioned to me that you believe this year is going to be by far your biggest year ever. So if maybe you can get into that specifically for everybody, that'd be great. That was good to have some numbers at the account. doesn't have numbers as an account or drugs are good
00:43:59
Speaker
ah Yeah, so actually, I just updated actually, but sort of guy I've actually been tracking the numbers for four years now. Obviously, I didn't do it at the beginning. Actually, obviously, I didn't do it at the beginning and been tracking the kind of monthly performance numbers that shifted it over time. The two main numbers right now that we're tracking is monthly revenue and and number of clients. So if I look at where 1 2024 is already 80% of last year's total revenue. Nice. So that's not bad. um A halfway point. Halfway point. me was May was double and I took three weeks off.
00:44:45
Speaker
Like double last May versus this May, kind of double that I took three weeks off. So like so again it does as again, as we're shifting and and adding value and, and and like not targeting, but offering a a higher value pack, like offer to individual clients, we can kind of, I am actually reducing kind of the number of clients that I serve, but increasing the dollar per dollar per client. But at the same time, I think we're at, a I have to average about 15 new clients a month. right So if I say that up almost 70, and that's like to tell about clients, it's households. So it could be multiple tax returns. So up about 70 clients for the year. And then what that represents is whatever that is, about 20, 30% increase client-wise year over year.
00:45:42
Speaker
um Yeah, so now numbers have been, numbers have been nice. And then we sat down on Tuesday and we're excited pieces. We're breaking out another revenue stream for the existing clients to looking at adding another 50 to 80 K, which the 80 would be that extra revenue stream would double last year's total revenue. So that's the nice piece now is where we're, we're starting to break it out to say, okay, what's other components without necessari necessarily being a whole lot extra. It's not double the work, right I guess is the nice piece too. And we're still just not just, but it it's warm market. Like this is like zero paid ads. This is zero pay mark, like literally zero, I paid for a little bit of marketing. That was not good. Uh, this is all generated with organic,
00:46:36
Speaker
no, no paid marketing. ands awesome That's absolutely incredible because you know, a lot of the gurus out there these days saying, no, no, no, this is the only way you got to pay for ads. You gotta, you gotta get out there on Facebook, Tik TOK, Instagram, LinkedIn, and pay for ads. And they're talking in some cases five, 10, 15, 20, $30,000 a month. And the return just isn't what it used to be. And for you to really have been able to tap into what we've been talking about, which is organic is a really great way to get business and to make it work for yourself is beautiful.
00:47:13
Speaker
So the fact that you guys are using organic marketing, making 10, 20, 30, 40, $50,000 or more extra from that, I absolutely love it. Now here's the great news too, that when eventually the markets do shift back and you'll see Facebook ads have worked again, they're working in in other groups already. Your message is gonna be so dialed in. Your work ethic is so dialed in. Your goals are so connected. You're gonna be able to scale it to whatever level you guys want. And it's kind of like, you know, there's a saying like in the bodybuilding, it's changed a lot. When Arnold was a bodybuilder, they didn't start doing steroids until after they had been in the market about 10 years, right? They got all the natural gains. Then they started with low doses. Well, nowadays you got 15, 16 year old kids doing it right out of the shoot.
00:48:00
Speaker
not the way to do it. And so that's the thing it's it with you guys and Dwayne and the rest of you guys, um you guys are doing it and and organic cost-effective marketing, um it's just fantastic. So it's it cracks me up though, every week is like having to prompt you guys because you forget, oh yeah, I did get five new clients this week. Oh yeah, I did take three weeks off. Oh yeah, that's true. So oh because what's also nice about it, when you get the money out of the way, money stops driving the show and now purpose can lead the way.
Balancing Purpose and Professional Goals
00:48:37
Speaker
Now it's kind of like, Matthew, you you started off talking about gardening. When you didn't have any money, it was like, shit, I got to pay my bills.
00:48:44
Speaker
As soon as you started having some big months, now it's like, I want to change the world. Dr. Dia, she says, you know, it was a concept. And now she's talking about wanting to change the face of of, you know, spas and the industry. And that's what you guys are hearing more is after you get the money taken care of, you guys are able now to step up into that next level. And again, Michael lost really in the other ones. That's kind of what's coming next for you guys is that next step. So, you know, it's um the part for each of you guys. And like I said, though, is just take a look at where you're at. Get clear on the next level. If there's one blind spot, you want to make sure is that every goal you come as you're coming up to it, you have the next one in place. Otherwise, you're going to have a huge lull. And so after you get them, you don't.
00:49:32
Speaker
Ignore the wins. You celebrate the shit out of them. But as you're coming up, like if you're coming up on graduation, you need to have the goal immediately afterwards. Otherwise, you'll have a big lull period. And then you have to start your momentum all over again. So I'm not sure, though, with Nikki, if he's able to get back on having some technical difficulties in there. I'm back, bro. OK, you're frozen on screen. Oh, can you hear me? Can hear you, but with your screens frozen. Okay, got it, got it, got it, got it. i can I can see you and I can hear you perfectly. So let's wrap up Mark by asking everyone for a quick ah one minute.
00:50:19
Speaker
Why do you believe so strongly that you need to be a part of a group like E-Circle? And why do you recommend people come and be a part of this. The good people that we talked about, the people with big hearts, the people who love succeeding, the people who are ready to rock and get to the next level. Why do you think that's important? And say one thing about what's what's next in terms of the next level, the next level of impact, income, evolution for you. So I'm giving you a minute each. Let's start with Dwayne.
00:50:57
Speaker
Yeah, I think I'm okay to be repeat myself. and Again, it was is it's having that community, it's that avoiding of lonely, reducing loneliness, right? that every two Every Tuesday there's a group and then inside the Facebook group, again, there's a whole other um community inside there. um Next level, I guess we we talked about is is saying, really honed in on and getting a strong foundation, like a base, I'm a believer in multiple streams of income, but I'm not a believer of trying to do like, buy different things at the same time. Nobody can do that. No one can multi can't multitask. We can't offer 12 different streams of 12 different businesses. So a big believer in and getting a strong foundation, and then layer, like then layering the second piece on and then
00:51:50
Speaker
figuring out how else to to serve our clients. So for me, yeah what's that next level? It's figuring out what's the the next stage two, level two of the business to to build it so that it's yeah but it's running equivalent to the the tax business. So that's the, thank you for the reminder to Mark, for what's the next goal. Our next target is to is to build the the second phase of the business to be running parallel to the the first one. Love it. Awesome. Michael Matthew, same question for you. Like Dwayne, I'll just echo what I said earlier, which is to me, the most valuable piece was having that accountability and the specific direction as steps to take and not just be general about things, but really boil it down to specific that concrete action steps.
00:52:51
Speaker
And that came about because the E-Circle approach is not one size fits all. It's how can we support what you're doing and find out the areas that you need help because many people are going to need help with different things. And to have a one size fits all approach is not ultimately serving ah the people in the group. So this is not what E-Circle is. E-Circle is much more customized to what the person actually could benefit from to propel their business forward. And as far as the next step for me, and the latter half of the year, I want to really hit the podcast harder. My book will be coming out sometime this summer. And it's just going to feed into getting on more podcasts, which could be more visibility, which is going to get me more clients. So that's what I'll be working on next. I love it.
00:53:48
Speaker
Love it, love it, love it. Michael O. A um couple of major benefits of New Circle is going from abstract to very concrete meaning this is what you need to do. Like, like it's really clear. There's no guessing. There's no trying to figure it all out. It's like you're in the five things. If you want to do this program, you want to implement a hundred percent, and you need to go do these five things or seven things or 10 things. And that was really helpful because a lot of programs have been in a very abstract and kind of fluid and you're like, I don't know what to do with this information, great information, but like how do you actually apply it practically? And and this is like practical application.
00:54:25
Speaker
And the accountability piece has been wonderful because I get to test it and then come back to the group and share what the experiences were like. And I hear how other people's experiences are like and learn from their experiences. Like this is a breakthrough. This is a breakdown. Awesome. I can learn, learn, learn either through myself or through others. And then the video is going back and watching some of the videos over and over again. And it sounds kind of crazy to watch the same video over and over again, but the videos from this program have been really helpful. Just continually remind me, okay, this is a step I have to take. This is what I'm not like, this is the lack of expanded thinking. Like I've been thinking really narrowly. Oh, okay. I think more expandedly.
00:55:01
Speaker
And Nikki, you've been really helpful in that one specifically, because i'll I'll come up with my RPG plan and you're like, oh, have you thought about these things? I'm like, oh man, I have not. Like, so you're helping me think outside my own box. Teresa has been help really helpful, like thinking through the RPG plan. And then Mark, I keep coming back to you, like the 20X, like I almost have a mark on my shoulder now going, wait, if I'm going to do it, if I'm going to do five of those, I actually do 25 of those. You know, which is awesome. So that's kind of like some of the ah benefits I've gotten. And then the impact, I'd say I want to move from domestic being domestic here in the United States, a a global impact and work with global partners as well as global clients. And I did for a long while when I worked for Shilford, I ran both groups from all across the globe and I really loved it. Um, and I want to go back to doing more of the global impact work.
00:55:51
Speaker
Love it. you sir I will be going back to Michael. Did you say Silva? Oh God. Oh yeah. Seal fit for sure. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. That's awesome, man. That's, that's super califragilistic. Awesome. Awesome. Thank you. Yeah. Yes. Big visions, right?
E-Circle as a Safe Space for Achievers
00:56:10
Speaker
So if I have to summarize E circle for me, You get used to being the strongest person in the room, right? People are always asking you what to do. You're the one who sees the problems before they happen. You're the one who comes up with the solutions. You streamline things. And you have times where it is fatiguing because you are alone, exactly like Dwayne said. And what I have found is
00:56:41
Speaker
you're in a room with like-minded people and they don't need to lift the weight for me. The fact that they are there makes you go, it's okay, right? it's You're just not an island anymore. And I have felt that Even as diverse as all our programs are, people talking about their own program, things they struggle with, think this, they find their work, just as you go light bulb, light bulb, light bulb, right? So there is, again, your
00:57:14
Speaker
your learning from and able to take from other people's success and make it your own and hopefully contribute back to them in the same way. So I find it is a it's a very healthy place to be and but for me it is the safe place to be because if you run a alone right as a wolf you run alone as a wolf and sometimes to be able to go okay I can stop here and breathe right and be safe is something that that I don't know how many people who work for a job really understand, right? That it's just you, right? And if if you're not there, there is nothing else. And that's not ego. That's just the weight. And I don't mind the weight, but it's nice to be with people. I don't have to explain myself to them, right? They get it.
00:58:06
Speaker
um The accountability is good. I use it as reminders. you get um I'm working on something right now that has been really visual for me. It's eagle. Eagle medicine. And flying like an eagle, right? I am an eagle. You can you're up there you see full vision. You can see the mouse way over there. You can also come in and see massive detail. Which means to for me to keep the big vision and then also go back in and be the mouse because the success lies in the detail. But then also go back to being the eagle. And I'm really working with that right now because I personally can get really caught up in the fine detail.
00:58:51
Speaker
because the devil is in the details. Doesn't matter what you say, that's where things blow up or succeed. And it sometimes takes all my energy. So what I find with the accountability, I know you guys say accountability to me, it's more reminders just that I need to also balance which role I play for myself in that system. And I think safety, the emotional safety has been huge. In that instance, i I'm not a girl girl. I don't need a whole bunch of girlfriends. I never have. um Definitely an alpha wolf. so But to be right to be in a place where it's just similar minded people. It is the biggest joy and also going right
00:59:41
Speaker
Yes, there are more people like that, right? is is To me, this is what life is about. ah It's literally hitting things, hitting the nail right on its head. And a lot of that is being surrounded by high vibration, high energy, highly motivated people. The more motivated they are, the more motivated I am. right And we I find we live on each other's successes. There's no any, there's no spite. There's no ugliness. It's literally, you're genuinely happy for other people and you feel it in return.
01:00:16
Speaker
Yeah, I agree wholeheartedly. the The community has been very powerfully curated and ah Teresa has had a ah lot to to say to make sure we did that because in in in the past, we didn't always make sure we'd done that, but now we have. We're very picky about who we allow in and that's the way it should be, in my opinion. So thank you, Dia. And then last but not least, Mathieu.
Machu Mejos' Plans for Global Business Expansion
01:00:41
Speaker
Yes, I want to stack on what Dia said. And actually what struck me the most from the whole conversation was what Dwayne said. like its It's lonely at the top. And also what Dia said, it's not about being egoistic, but it's just the real reality of having your own solo business. like It's changing a little bit for me as I'm hiring people. But still, if I'm not doing what I have to do, nothing happens. If if there's a week where I just sit in the couch
01:01:10
Speaker
Oh, a lot of shit is going to happen for sure if I do that. But ah no new business happens. Nothing good. And then it's all on me. And that's something happy to carry. But like Dia said, it's it's a lot of fun at the same time. But it's so it's so important to share that with people that are on the same mindset, same level, same, like they also want to achieve things. They're not going to question you like, of being a high achiever, because that's that's the reality of meeting with with friends or family or other people in your life, sometimes they can start questioning you and and you cannot like fully express yourself as a business owner what you really want to do. And with this group, this is all like
01:01:53
Speaker
all possible. So I really think this is the biggest thing from our ah group to be able to share and to grow together. It's it's a huge value. Yeah. And then for me, what' what's next for the business is like, I've gotten some great successes. And now it's really about scaling, like pretty much duplicating myself in a way so that I can reach a lot more people Because the the vision is big. I really want to transform our environment all across the planet. And we we really have to start doing that. And so that's that's what I'm looking at, scaling, automating, and and delegating more. Fantastic, man. Fantastic. Love it. So I want to wrap up by saying,
01:02:49
Speaker
um It has truly been an amazing experience to have you all here in this panel today. And your stories, each individual story is beautiful and heartwarming in its own right. And it's also very powerful and very inspiring. And I think people that listen to this who are in business are going to look at you and they're going to see themselves in a bit of your story and they're going to go, wow, I'm so glad I listened. I want to and want to meet Mathieu. I want to meet Dia. I want to be like Michael Osterling. I want to learn from Dwayne Richards. I want to learn from Michael Matthew.
01:03:34
Speaker
it's it's It's awesome and beautiful. Thank you so much for sharing your time, your your hearts, and your beautiful stories with Mark and I today. God bless you. Rock on, guys. Thank you. Rock for the rest of the year. Thanks, Nick. Awesome. Thank you. And that wraps up another exciting episode of the podcast, the Thought Leader Revolution. Find out more! about today's amazing panel, go to the show notes at thethoughtleaderrevolution.com or wherever you happen to listen to this episode, be it iTunes, Spotify, Audible, Google Play, YouTube, Rumble, or what have you. Until next time, bye-bye. This episode has been brought to you by eCircleAcademy.com, the proven system to add six to seven figures a year to your thought leader practice.