As leaders and entrepreneurs...we are all about growth. In fact, some would say we are obsessed with growing.

We like to captain our ways to new revenue records and to reach new levels of profitability. That's natural for entrepreneurs, and in some ways it's the drive that is needed to actually keep us in business.

Yet, there are those times when you look out at sea and in the future you see darkening skies and you go, "Oh my!"

It's times like these when you need to batten down the hatches.

Join Michael and Jim as they share how to respond when the business climate gets tumulteous.

"I've got a strange feeling something bad is about to happen." Have you said to this yourself before?

If you've been in leadership for any length of time, you've probably experienced this feeling many times throughout the course of your career.

This feeling is actually something valuable to you in your leadership role. It is a sixth sense of a sort. The ability to discern what will happen before it eventually does.

The challenge is to not become paranoid while still maintaining an acute sense of awareness of anything and everything that could go wrong in the organization you are leading.

Join Michael and Jim as they explore how to balance a high level of leadership awareness without overreacting and causing more harm than good.

In a perfect world, the people we lead would be highly skilled individuals with extraordinary work ethics, and with a strong appreciation for the opportunity they have.

Sometimes, however, those you lead have some of those characteristics, but not all. Some of them are highly skilled, yet don't necessarily hold you with the highest regard.

There can be several reasons for this, some of them beyond your control.

It's a harsh fact when it comes to leading. Not everyone will appreciate you and the effort and quality you put into your work. Still, many times, you still need to keep these people on your team, and as productive and happy as possible.

Join Michael and Jim as they share how to lead those who don't appreciate you.

There are so many different essential traits of a gifted leader. Few are more important than planning.

No one wants to get lost in their business or with their careers. Everyone in the building is going to be judging the leader by the quality of their planning ability.

In most organizations, the difference between a business having to shutter its doors...or being highly profitable is the quality of the leadership's planning.

Join Michael and Jim as they take a deep dive into all aspects of what it takes to be a well-planned leader.

When it comes to being successful in business and life, it's all about relationships. 

Most elite leaders will tell you that developing a circle of trusted friends, colleagues, and partners is as important as any other task before them. 

However, building business relationships does not come easy for many entrepreneurs and leaders. Isolation and loneliness is all too prevalent in entrepreneurship. Often there can be sadness behind that beaming, business-facing smile. 

Building business relationships isn't something that is really taught in business school. But it's taught in this podcast!

Join Michael and Jim as they delve into this most important topic and as they explain the differences and similarities between business relationships and personal friendships. 

If you're a leader, don't miss this extraordinarily valuable episode. 

Have you ever started off a day or week by saying to yourself, "There is no way we're going to get everything done that we need to do?"

If you're like most business owners, this experience occurs with too much frequency, and over time can cause great harm to your health and well being.

It brings this crushing feeling where the walls are coming closer and closer to you on all sides.

When you're a leader or entrepreneur, this is exasperated further as your panicked face starts to spread to everyone in your organization.

The worst part? You're probably the root cause of why this is happening. The good news is it's totally fixable.

Join Michael and Jim as they discuss this important topic and provide you with the most calming remedy. 

 Can you imagine what it would be like if you had no competition in your business? None at all.

Theoretically, our company's offerings would be in high demand and we could negotiate in our favor with all of the leverage.

The phones would be ringing...the cash registers would be singing...at least for a while.

That's because competition is actually a leadership friend. One that makes us stronger. As leaders, competition is good for us. It's good for our teams. It's good for our customers.

And competition isn't just about competitors. It's so much more!

Join Michael & Jim as they delve into a critical strategy for winning in business, leadership and life.

Many people decide to start a business with the idea that it's going to change their lives in so many marvelous ways.

It will change your life alright. They got that part spot on.

The truth is this is a high risk journey...being a business owner. That pathway can lead to financial ruin, a loss of friends and a break-up of a family. You need to know this heading down this road.

Which is why being a successful business owner entails so much more than merely growing your revenues. 

Join Michael and Jim as they discuss how to win in all aspects of the game of entrepreneurship.