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Do you know that feeling when you take on too much at once and feel like you’re spinning a million plates that could fall and break any second? Deirdre Van Nest knows this feeling all too well. The way to get out of this chaos is knowing when to say NO. With this in mind, we have made the hard decision of temporarily pausing the Crazy Good Talks podcast. In this episode, Deirdre explains why the Crazy Good Talks podcast is going on a short break. Deirdre discusses:  Her new journey to create a legacy business How saying NO can create new opportunities for your business What the CGT team is working on during this break   When you can expect the Crazy Good Talks podcast to return And more Connect With Crazy Good Talks®: [email protected] 1 (952)-451-0172 Crazy Good Talks® LinkedIn: Deirdre Van Nest If you’d like tools and strategies to effortlessly make emotional connections with and have an emotional impact on your ideal clients so you can:  Quickly build trust  Help clients make decisions faster And Attract and win more business We’d LOVE to help!  Please click here to schedule a free 30 minute Strategy Session with a member of our team.

Humans have been using storytelling to communicate, pass on knowledge and connect for thousands of years. But, did you know that when you share your wisdom and stories, and package them in the right way,  your stories actually become assets in your business? In this episode, Deirdre Van Nest has a conversation with John LoDuca, founder of Playbook Builder, to discuss the importance of storytelling, packaging your wisdom, and how thought leadership connects AND impacts us all. Deirdre and John discuss:  The three core elements of thought leadership How stories play a role in thought leadership and why it’s so important to use stories to convey your wisdom How Playbook Builder leverages your time and makes it easy to share your wisdom (the most valuable asset your company has)with your clients and team members  And more Connect With John LoDuca: Playbook Builder.com LinkedIn: John LoDuca Twitter: John LoDuca Connect With Crazy Good Talks®: [email protected] 1 (952)-451-0172 Crazy Good Talks® LinkedIn: Deirdre Van Nest If you’d like tools and strategies to effortlessly make emotional connections with and have an emotional impact on your ideal clients so you can:  Quickly build trust  Help clients make decisions faster And Attract and win more business We’d LOVE to help!  Please click here to schedule a free 30 minute Strategy Session with a member of our team. About Our Guest: Jon is founder and president of The Wisdom Link (founded in 2002), an intellectual capital development firm where he’s provided strategic and tactical guidance, resources, and end-to-end solutions to over 400 leading businesses in 20 industries. He is also founder and managing partner of PlaybookBuilder (founded in 2012), a knowledge management software and consulting services company. As a trusted advisor to several hundred of the top 1⁄2% income earning entrepreneurs from across the US, UK and CAN, Jon is called upon to provide leadership, market strategy and the tactical resources to harvest, package and monetize the unique processes and best practices of leading companies. Jon has been featured as a technology and business leader in Forbes, The Wall St. Journal, Advisor Today and dozens of trade publications. Jon is the author of The Thought Leader, founder of The Wisdom Network – a private think-tank, a contributing writer for Capterra, and a sought-after speaker with engagements at MDRT, TED, AALU, TechAssure, Lincoln Financial, Marshberry, NAIFA, and several regional organizations nationwide.

A ‘Thought Leader’ has the ability to transform people, industries, and sometimes even the world. In order to be considered a thought leader you must voice (or pen) original ideas AND you must differentiate yourself through a unique process.  In this episode, Deirdre Van Nest speaks with John LoDuca, founder of Playbook Builder, about how to capitalize on your wisdom and be viewed as a thought leader. Deirdre and John discuss:  What exactly IS ‘Thought Leadership’? How to package your wisdom to stand out from the herd. Why creating a unique process is a key element in differentiating yourself. Top tips for identifying your own unique process. And more Resources:  Apple Uber The Wisdom Link Connect With John LoDuca: Playbook Builder.com LinkedIn: John LoDuca Twitter: John LoDuca Connect With Crazy Good Talks®: [email protected] 1 (952)-451-0172 Crazy Good Talks® LinkedIn: Deirdre Van Nest If you’d like tools and strategies to effortlessly make emotional connections with and have an emotional impact on your ideal clients so you can:  Quickly build trust  Help clients make decisions faster And Attract and win more business We’d LOVE to help!  Please click here to schedule a free 30 minute Strategy Session with a member of our team. About Our Guest: Jon is founder and president of The Wisdom Link (founded in 2002), an intellectual capital development firm where he’s provided strategic and tactical guidance, resources, and end-to-end solutions to over 400 leading businesses in 20 industries. He is also founder and managing partner of PlaybookBuilder (founded in 2012), a knowledge management software and consulting services company. As a trusted advisor to several hundred of the top 1⁄2% income earning entrepreneurs from across the US, UK and CAN, Jon is called upon to provide leadership, market strategy and the tactical resources to harvest, package and monetize the unique processes and best practices of leading companies. Jon has been featured as a technology and business leader in Forbes, The Wall St. Journal, Advisor Today and dozens of trade publications. Jon is the author of The Thought Leader, founder of The Wisdom Network – a private think-tank, a contributing writer for Capterra, and a sought-after speaker with engagements at MDRT, TED, AALU, TechAssure, Lincoln Financial, Marshberry, NAIFA, and several regional organizations nationwide.

Remote work has opened up a whole new world of opportunities. But, there is still some resistance and fear from business owners who are not comfortable moving to this new way of working. The truth is if you’re not willing to provide at least some remote options, you will not be competitive when it comes to attracting and hiring top talent! In this episode, Deirdre Van Nest sits down with Andrea Schlapia, founder of Ironstone Consulting to discuss her top tips to embracing, creating and leading a successful remote team. Andrea and Deirdre discuss:  Shifting your mindset from hours to output Making communication your TOP priority and choosing the right platform for you and your team Setting a routine so you can stay focused and creating boundaries between work and personal life What is EOS and why it’s such a powerful business process for virtual offices And more Resources:  Slack Loom Traction: Get A Grip On Your Business Ironstone: Remote Work Secrets Connect With Andrea Schlapia: Ironstone Consulting LinkedIn: Andrea Schlapia 800-917-8020 Connect With Crazy Good Talks®: [email protected] 1 (952)-451-0172 Crazy Good Talks® LinkedIn: Deirdre Van Nest If you’d like tools and strategies to effortlessly make emotional connections with and have an emotional impact on your ideal clients so you can:  Quickly build trust  Help clients make decisions faster And Attract and win more business We’d LOVE to help!  Please click here to schedule a free 30 minute Strategy Session with a member of our team. About Our Guest: Business owner. Educator. Speaker. Coach. Ironstone Founder/CEO Andrea Lopez-Schlapia holds designations as a Registered Corporate Coach (RCC™), a Human Capital Strategist (HCS), a Strategic HR Business Partner (sHRBP), and Certified Administrator of PXT SelectTM and Myers-Briggs assessments. Andrea began her career in banking, then rose through the ranks of global investment firms like Dreyfus, Deutsche Bank and Prudential. In 2008, she launched Ironstone, which specializes in helping financial advisors maximize their strategic planning, business development and operations.

Most people think their presentation starts when they take the stage, but it actually starts at your introduction. A Crazy Good introduction paves the way for you and is just as important as the presentation itself. Why? Your introduction needs to be compelling so your audience is primed and excited to hear what you have to say vs. looking at their phones or thinking about what’s on TiKTok! In this episode, Deirdre Van Nest breaks down her 4 step formula for writing Crazy Good introductions. Deirdre discusses:  What NOT to do when writing your introduction (unless you want to bore people) The difference between a ‘Bio’ and an “Intro” How to use ‘You’ statements to connect to your audience Why you must build benefits and ‘pain points’ into your introduction Why you need to tailor your credentials to every audience (don’t kill them with a laundry list) And more Connect With Crazy Good Talks®: [email protected] 1 (952)-451-0172 Crazy Good Talks® LinkedIn: Deirdre Van Nest If you’d like tools and strategies to effortlessly make emotional connections with and have an emotional impact on your ideal clients so you can:  Quickly build trust  Help clients make decisions faster And Attract and win more business We’d LOVE to help!  Please click here to schedule a free 30 minute Strategy Session with a member of our team.

Just saying the word…Video. Strikes fear in hearts of even the most courageous advisors and entrepreneurs.  In addition to hearing your inner critic tell you how bad you look and sound, if you’re not a video expert, filming, editing, and producing a video can be really intimidating! Plus, it’s easy to make mistakes.  That’s why Deirdre asked Laura Garfield, the co-founder of Idea Decanter ,a video production company focused on helping advisors and entrepreneurs grow their business with video, to share her top 10 tips for making sure your videos are Crazy Good. Deirdre’s favorite tip is #3. It’s something most people never think about, but if you miss it, your message may not be heard. Laura discusses:  The top ten tips for creating Crazy Good videos Why bringing your authentic self to your videos, is critical for video success “The strategy for talking directly to your audience – make each viewer feel seen and forming a quick connection with them Why you MUST add captions to your videos  And more Resources:  24. How To Get More Eyes on Your Videos With Kalli Fedusenko Idea Decanter- Idea Kit Connect With Laura Garfield: Idea Decanter LinkedIn: Laura Garfield Twitter: Laura Garfield Connect With Crazy Good Talks®: [email protected] 1 (952)-451-0172 Crazy Good Talks® LinkedIn: Deirdre Van Nest If you’d like tools and strategies to effortlessly make emotional connections with and have an emotional impact on your ideal clients so you can:  Quickly build trust  Help clients make decisions faster And Attract and win more business We’d LOVE to help!  Please click here to schedule a free 30 minute Strategy Session with a member of our team. About Our Guest: Laura Garfield spent her teenage years idolizing Jane Pauley and Katie Couric. A thirst for learning and a love of writing had her hooked on broadcast journalism – where you didn’t have to know everything except how to ask the right questions. After graduation, Laura landed her first news gig at a tiny TV station in Hastings, Nebraska. Over the span of more than a decade, she worked her way up through stations in Omaha and New Orleans to a position at CBS News in New York and then CNN in Atlanta.  Along the way she has written a book, worked as a foreign correspondent, and has lately been drawn to the emerging possibilities of digital storytelling. Instead of a company relying on a big ad spend, with the Internet, you can be a broadcaster of your own brand. Laura believes that all you need to pull it off is a talented content marketing team (like Idea Decanter!) to help you craft your message.

Would you believe that the subject matter of a great story is almost irrelevant? What makes a story great and what can RUIN it… is all in the editing! Finding the right details in a story to capture the audience’s attention and relate to the presentation’s topic is much more important than having an action-packed story. In this episode, Deirdre Van Nest reveals the importance of editing and why a great story is not what you leave in but what you take out. Deirdre discusses:  The number one editing skill you need to develop when writing your speeches and stories Two types of stories every business owner needs to be telling How the Asset Creation Team at Crazy Good Talks helps clients create engaging and strategic business stories Two simple ways to find the details that are distracting and not useful in a story The first steps to take when you start developing your story And more Resources:  60minutestory.com Crazy Good Talks Episode 5 Crazy Good Talks Episode 6  Deirdre’s Story Connect With Crazy Good Talks®: [email protected] 1 (952)-451-0172 Crazy Good Talks® LinkedIn: Deirdre Van Nest  

Do you want to know the secret behind the success of Michael Kitces, one of the most sought-after speakers and thought leaders in his industry? Through consistency, practice, and following specific communication strategies, Michael has become the legend he is today. In this episode, Michael talks to Deirdre and reveals the strategies he uses to improve as a speaker, the most powerful medium to establish yourself as a thought leader (it’s not what you think!), and why if his whole business blew up, his email list is all he would need to get started again (the same is true for you). Deirdre Van Nest and Michael Kitces discuss:  Michael’s process for improving as a speaker The importance of business storytelling in presentations How to engage your clients and find relevant stories with a strong takeaway His ‘must-do’s for creating a successful digital empire The most powerful medium to establish yourself as a thought leader And more Resources:  Michael Kitces XY Planning Network AdvicePay New Planner Recruiting fpPathfinder FA BeanCounters Financial Advisor Success podcast The popular financial planning industry blog Nerd’s Eye View.  Connect With Michael Kitces: LinkedIn: Michael Kitces Facebook: Michael Kitces Twitter: Michael Kitces Connect With Crazy Good Talks®: [email protected] 1 (952)-451-0172 Crazy Good Talks® LinkedIn: Deirdre Van Nest About Our Guest: Michael Kitces is the Chief Financial Planning Nerd at Kitces.com, dedicated to advancing knowledge in financial planning and helping to make financial advisors better and more successful. In addition, he is the Head of Planning Strategy at Buckingham Wealth Partners, the co-founder of the XY Planning Network, AdvicePay, New Planner Recruiting, fpPathfinder, and FA BeanCounters, the former Practitioner Editor of the Journal of Financial Planning, the host of the Financial Advisor Success podcast, and the publisher of the popular financial planning industry blog Nerd’s Eye View.  In 2010, Michael was recognized with one of the FPA’s “Heart of Financial Planning” awards for his dedication and work in advancing the profession.  

Imagine if one presentation could change your life forever. That’s exactly what happened to Michael Kitces, one of the most sought after speakers and thought leaders in the financial services industry. But if you’re an entrepreneur, don’t tune out. This episode is for you too because even though Michael’s an advisor, at his core, he’s an entrepreneur and someone every business owner can learn from. In this episode, Deirdre Van Nest talks to Michael about:  His journey from serving clients 1:1 to becoming a paid speaker and one of the most respected thought leaders in his industry  The success of his business today (sneak peek:his podcast has 6 MILLION downloads!) How his digital empire started with a single presentation – yours can too! The best place to get booked if you have little experience as speaker And more Resources:  * Michael Kitces * XY Planning Network * AdvicePay * New Planner Recruiting * fpPathfinder * FA BeanCounters * Financial Advisor Success podcast * The popular financial planning industry blog Nerd’s Eye View Connect With Michael Kitces: LinkedIn: Michael Kitces Facebook: Michael Kitces Twitter: Michael Kitces Connect With Crazy Good Talks®: [email protected] 1 (952)-451-0172 Crazy Good Talks® LinkedIn: Deirdre Van Nest About Our Guest: Michael Kitces is the Chief Financial Planning Nerd at Kitces.com, dedicated to advancing knowledge in financial planning and helping to make financial advisors better and more successful. In addition, he is the Head of Planning Strategy at Buckingham Wealth Partners, the co-founder of the XY Planning Network, AdvicePay, New Planner Recruiting, fpPathfinder, and FA BeanCounters, the former Practitioner Editor of the Journal of Financial Planning, the host of the Financial Advisor Success podcast, and the publisher of the popular financial planning industry blog Nerd’s Eye View.  In 2010, Michael was recognized with one of the FPA’s “Heart of Financial Planning” awards for his dedication and work in advancing the profession.

One of the biggest challenges a presenter has is grabbing the attention of your audience from the first words out of your mouth.  In this episode of Crazy Good Talks®, Deirdre will teach you how to inspire your audience and hook them at the beginning of every presentation both virtually and in person. In this episode you will learn: Why you should skip the “unpleasant pleasantries” in your opening Techniques to open your next presentation with a bang Deirdre’s three go-to-ways to open a presentation The difference between opening a presentation virtually and in person And more! Tune in to learn more about how you can captivate your audience from the first words out of your mouth. Resources:  Crazy Good Talks® | Deirdre Van Nest

What would you do if you could no longer speak? It’s unimaginable isn’t it? That’s the reality our guest Tim Schut is facing.  In June of 2021, Tim was diagnosed with Primary Progressive Apraxia of Speech. This means he is progressively losing his ability to speak.  He now uses optimism and courage to inspire others, reminding them just how sacred life is. In this poignant episode, Deirdre Van Nest talks to Tim about:  His journey after diagnosis and how he remains optimistic How voice banking will preserve his (and your) voice for his children and future grandchildren. The importance of living in the moment.  The benefits of staying positive and finding something to look forward to every day His conscious shift to stop thinking about the long-term future and focus on today  And more Resources:  Leadmore Podcast John T. Meyer: Finding a New Superpower with Tim Schut GoFundMe: Tim Schut Connect With Tim Schut: LinkedIn: Tim Schut Twitter: Tim Schut Sioux Falls Commercial: Tim Schut 605-212-1027 [email protected] Connect With Crazy Good Talks®: [email protected] 1 (952)-451-0172 Crazy Good Talks® LinkedIn: Deirdre Van Nest About Our Guest: Tim Schut has spent his career in the financial service and real estate industries. But most importantly, he is the father of three amazing girls, and he and his wife are high school sweethearts.

FACT: Your clients are INUNDATED with messages and attention spans are short. That’s why when you express yourself, you MUST take the time needed to create messages that are relevant and interesting. Messages that stand out, can make or break your client and audience engagement.  In this episode of Crazy Good Talks®, Deirdre talks to Bill Cates, speaker, referral coach, and member of the Speaker Hall of Fame, about his latest book, “Radical Relevance”. They discuss ways to help financial professionals and entrepreneurs remain relevant in all their messaging so that their target audience can’t help but respond.  Deirdre and Bill discuss:  Target markets and how to find the right ones for your business Reasons to develop a signature system for you company The importance of confidence and knowing the next steps for your clients The “committed not attached” mindset, what that means, and how it applies to you And more Resources:  Bill Cates Book: Radical Relevance  Complementary eguide to grow your business Top Advisor Podcast Connect With Bill Cates: Bill Cates Relationship Marketing System LinkedIn: Bill Cates Twitter: Bill Cates Connect With Crazy Good Talks®: [email protected] 1 (952)-451-0172 Crazy Good Talks® LinkedIn: Deirdre Van Nest About Our Guest: Bill Cates is a Referral Coach, Speaker, Author, and Dad. He is widely regarded to be the “original” Referral Coach … for good reason! Over the past 25 years, Bill has taught more than 250,000 professionals and business owners how to transform their businesses, to go from incremental growth to exponential growth, by systematically multiplying their best clients.