Entrepreneurs come in all types. Just like in TV, movies, and theater, there are character archetypes in the entrepreneurial world. Jeffrey Madoff and Dan Sullivan discuss the ways entrepreneurs can differ from one another, what all of them have in common, and some of the traits they need for success.

Show Notes:

The earliest definition that fits entrepreneurs of today is: an entrepreneur is someone who takes a resource from a lower level of productivity to a higher level of productivity.

Society is generally pretty forgiving of entrepreneurs because they move things forward that benefit a lot of other people.

There are entrepreneurs who raise the value of something, but it only benefits themselves.

Some entrepreneurs’ work robs and endangers people.

The basis of entrepreneurism is someone who has a conception of the future where they can be better off if they take certain actions that would be daunting or even dangerous for other people.

With entrepreneurs, as with fictional characters, it's about the individual decisions and actions that they take and the consequences of them.

To achieve their goals, both entrepreneurs and story heroes have to make sacrifices.

The founders of the U.S. were basically all involved in entrepreneurial activities.

Wanting to have more power isn’t necessarily bad.

As you become more successful, you need to reinvent yourself.

Resources:

Welcome to Cloudlandia podcast

The Power of Film by Howard Suber

Deep D.O.S. Innovation by Dan Sullivan

Unique Ability®

The 4 C’s Formula by Dan Sullivan

Learn more about Jeffrey Madoff

Dan Sullivan and Strategic Coach®

Do you see yourself as normal, or do you embrace your weirdness? Dan Sullivan and Jeffrey Madoff explore the nature of normality and weirdness, reflecting on their personal experiences. They discuss the importance of self-consistency, the impact of external perceptions, and how curiosity fuels personal growth and authenticity.

Show Notes:

Most people consider themselves normal and view anyone who perceives them as weird as weird in turn.

You don’t have to take it personally if someone calls you weird.

As an entrepreneur, you’ll likely find that other entrepreneurs share your understanding of what’s considered normal, more so than those outside your field.

You can remain true to yourself across a variety of activities and experiences.

Some people view significant life events as opportunities to reinvent themselves.

If you’re consistent, people who reinvent themselves might mystify you.

Reinventing oneself often involves distancing from people from the past.

A good story is better than a good statistic.

If what you’re doing works for you, that’s a solid reason to remain consistent in your approach.

A person behaving inconsistently might be trying to please others rather than please themselves.

Resources:

Your Business Is A Theater Production: Your Back Stage Shouldn’t Show On The Front Stage

Perplexity

Learn more about Jeffrey Madoff

Dan Sullivan and Strategic Coach®

What is it about creative people that sets them apart? Why can some people consistently create new things while others can’t? Dan Sullivan and Jeffrey Madoff discuss the individuals who bring new value into the world and the best ways someone in business can use their creativity.

Show Notes:

• Quality is the foundation of every successful business plan.
• Never say no to yourself; there are plenty of others who will do that for you.
• Instead of wasting time pondering your ideas, you often just need to take action.
• No one has ever spent any time in the future or in the past. All we have is the present.
• Many people dismiss ideas prematurely without knowing how they might turn out.
• The majority of people struggle to engage directly with the marketplace.
• Creativity isn’t only about having a unique vision. It’s also about taking that vision and being able to replicate it.
• You can replicate a creation, but not its creator.
• To build a thriving business, focus on faithfully replicating what has been successful in the past.
• Every new creation has a limited lifespan; innovation is the key to longevity.
• Balancing creativity with consistency is crucial. Too much focus on expansion can dilute the original experience.
• Your customers are 50% of your creative team. Their feedback and insights matter.
• Beware of letting greed influence your creative process. Passion should come before profit.

Resources:

Personality: The Lloyd Price Musical

Your Business Is A Theater Production: Your Back Stage Shouldn’t Show On The Front Stage

Learn more about Jeffrey Madoff

Dan Sullivan and Strategic Coach®

We all have the ability to create. So why do some people feel they need permission in order to move forward with their ideas? Dan Sullivan and Jeffrey Madoff discuss how to cast off the need for permission and create value like you were meant to do.

Show Notes:

Permission means that you can’t move forward unless someone else says you can.

If you're asking permission, you're giving someone power to exercise over you in certain situations.

Some people’s first consideration when they have a new idea is to prepare a proposal and get permission to move forward.

Some parents give their children free rein to do whatever they want to do.

If you have a lot of children, you have to manage, not just parent.

Being a parent is like being a business owner in that you’re always being watched.

If you ignore your surroundings and you aren't tuned in, you can get old without having any wisdom.

When you go for the easiest, fastest solution, you’re usually going for the worst one.

Resources:

Creative Careers: Making a Living With Your Ideas by B. Jeffrey Madoff

Charlatan by Pope Brock

Empire of Deception by Dean Jobb

“The Junkification of American Life” by David Brooks

Thinking About Your Thinking by Dan Sullivan

Learn more about Jeffrey Madoff

Dan Sullivan and Strategic Coach®

When a friend asks for your opinion on a new idea, you want to be helpful, but how should you respond when you don’t think their idea will succeed? Dan Sullivan and Jeffrey Madoff discuss ways to be supportive and helpful without lying or making a commitment.

Show Notes:

You can decide to help someone in a way that won’t involve you beyond a conversation.

In the business of coaching small businesses, you discover quickly that there’s a reason why small businesses are small.

People who can afford to make high investments usually know other people who can afford to make high investments.

If you tell the truth, you don’t have to keep track of what lies you’ve told.

The biggest factor in qualifying for The Strategic Coach® Program is being a growth-minded person instead of a status-minded person.

The problem is never the problem. The problem is that people don’t know how to think about the problem.

It’s a service to anybody who's had a new idea to get them thinking about their thinking about how they're going about it.

When somebody comes to you with a new idea, they're locked into a context that this is going to be a real winner.

If honesty ruptures a relationship, it wasn’t really a relationship to begin with.

A lot of times, people are looking for reinforcement for what they’ve already done, and it’s too late for them to do anything different.

Resources:

Never Split the Difference: Negotiating As If Your Life Depended On It by Christopher Voss and Tahl Raz

Charlatan: America's Most Dangerous Huckster, the Man Who Pursued Him, and the Age of Flimflam by Pope Brock

Learn more about Jeffrey Madoff

Dan Sullivan and Strategic Coach®

Do you recognize the unique strengths of your team, or do you overlook them? Jeffrey Madoff and Dan Sullivan explore the art of "casting" in business and life, revealing how self-awareness and understanding can lead to greater success. Discover how knowing oneself can transform team dynamics and drive long-term achievement.

Show Notes:

• There are a lot of talented people out there who are compelled to do what they’re doing.
• When someone’s auditioning for a role, you get a gut feeling if they’re nailing it or not.
• Someone having the right appearance for a role doesn’t mean they can pull it off.
• Some talented people can take direction, and some can’t.
• In addition to skill, you can test someone’s instincts in the audition process.
• Sometimes, you find out that someone you called in to audition for one role would actually be good in a different role.
• For a person to be the right fit, they have to be both good in their role and good in teamwork with everybody they’ll be working with.
• While you’re casting, you have to be focused, and aware of the context of the role.
• The more casting you do, the sharper your casting skills become.
• Finding the right person for a role might require a lot more looking than you’d hoped for.
• The higher your standards, the longer it might take to cast someone in a role.
• Greatness is only achieved over a long period of time.
• If you know who you are, you don’t have to spend time thinking about it.
• It's hard to care for others when your full-time job is caring about yourself.
• If someone doesn’t know who they are, you can’t predict how they’ll respond to challenges.

Resources:

Book: Casting Not Hiring by Dan Sullivan and Jeffrey Madoff

Book: Wanting What You Want by Dan Sullivan

Learn more about Jeffrey Madoff

Dan Sullivan and Strategic Coach®

Jeffrey and Dan discuss the intricate relationship between humans and technology as they seek to understand how our thoughts and intentions shape technological advancements. Join them as they explore the historical context of technology, the importance of mindset, and how necessity drives innovation—and discover how our human nature fuels continual improvement.

Show Notes:

• Technology is a human-driven process. As long as there have been humans, there have been humans creating technology.
• The evolution of technology is fundamentally about how humans think and improve upon existing ideas rather than the technology itself.
• Jeffrey and Dan define technology as the intentional arrangement of resources and ideas to create systems that solve problems or enhance capabilities.
• Early technological advancements were rooted in survival needs, such as the management of fire and the creation of tools for protection and sustenance.
• The creation of a new tool will inevitably create inequality because it’s an advantage.
• The phrase "necessity is the mother of invention" highlights how challenges often drive technological advancements, leading to creative solutions.
• Our mindset plays a crucial role in technological development. Those who can envision possibilities often lead innovation.
• Certain technologies become inevitable, and you can either adopt them or resist them.
• If you feel victimized by a technology, that means you see the technology as a force outside of yourself.
• It’s easier to improve on something than to create something new.
• The best learning comes when you put things together in a new way.
• Successful technology development often requires collaboration and the ability to communicate ideas effectively to garner support and resources.

Resources:

Perplexity

The Technological System by Jacques Ellul

Casting Not Hiring by Dan Sullivan and Jeffrey Madoff

Who Not How by Dan Sullivan and Dr. Benjamin Hardy

Learn more about Jeffrey Madoff

Dan Sullivan and Strategic Coach®

Will AI be a burden on human creativity, or will it free us up to innovate in ways we never thought possible? Jeffrey Madoff and Dan Sullivan predict how artificial intelligence will reshape work, culture, and the economy. Explore the balance between tech advancements and human connection, and discover the surprising ways AI might redefine fulfillment in our lives.

Show Notes:

• AI is set to transform many job sectors, especially those repetitive tasks that don’t bring joy. This isn’t just a challenge; it’s an opportunity to rethink what fulfilling work means.
• The idea of finding fulfillment in work is a relatively new concept. In the past, we were focused on survival and stability.
• As AI takes over more routine and repetitive tasks, people have the opportunity to move beyond being consumers to become creators. How will this shift culture?
• Financial security affords people the ability to take risks in pursuing their passions.
• What does the world you’re born into owe you? What does the world you’re given allow you to create?
• Will AI be the common “enemy” that brings us together?
• Dan believes in strengthening strengths instead of fixing weaknesses.
• Goldman Sachs estimated generative AI could automate activities equivalent to 300 million full-time jobs globally.
• New technology always creates new jobs, however, and we tend to forget that when we focus only on the disruption.
• Are we hitting a wall with technology commoditizing the parts of our lives that we find meaningful?
• We can’t ignore the ethical challenges of AI, such as intellectual property rights and data privacy. Consider the implications of unauthorized use of personal data or voices.
• Future conversations on AI will include the seven stages of robots and the essence of intelligence.

Resources:

Goldman Sachs 2023 report: Briggs, J., Kodnani, D., Hatzius, J., Pierdomenico, G. (2023). The Potentially Large Effects of Artificial Intelligence on Economic Growth. Goldman Sachs Economic Research.

Learn more about Jeffrey Madoff

Dan Sullivan and Strategic Coach®