Cody Askins is well known in the insurance industry, but his advice can help entrepreneurs across a plethora of industries. Cody went from the bottom, to making six figures by the age of 20. He realized that if he could do it, while all of these other people were failing, maybe there was something he could do to help. That’s when Cody decided to start a YouTube channel in 2015. He’ll be the first to admit that his first video was horrible, but we all have to start somewhere. Now, he has over 2,000 videos and over 80,000 followers. One factor of his success is that he found a way to grab people’s attention while staying true to himself. Now, he’s literally written the book on going from Zero to 6-Figures.   There are a lot of social media platforms out there, but Cody thinks YouTube is the best avenue for long-term growth. The first place people go when they want to learn something is Google, and with Google owning YouTube, videos are always at the top of the search results. Truly coachable individuals that want to learn something go to YouTube. Cody wasn’t always sold on this idea, though. For the longest time, he didn’t like social media and said he would never use it. After ignoring it for years, Cody decided to give it a try at the advice of a mentor. Utilizing the monetization feature, Cody has added over 2,000 subscribers and has been paid nearly $12,000 by YouTube in the last month.    A few years after starting his YouTube channel, Cody found himself at a conference, daydreaming of hosting his own someday. So, in 2018 he decided to do just that and founded 8% Nation, a movement that aims to connect an industry that’s otherwise divided. He chose the name, based on the fact, that 92% of insurance agents fail. He wanted to help people get to that 8%. His first conference had 454 participants, and now just a few years later, Cody finds himself speaking to thousands. While it’s aimed at insurance agents, Cody is a firm believer that no matter who you work with, or what you sell, anyone can learn from anyone.   Auditing all of his choices in life is where Cody is at right now. From the best office hours to what he eats and drinks, Cody is asking himself why, deciding if there’s a better way, and then pivoting or changing. For instance, Cody has a training program that has a couple hundred members, but on average only 20-40 show up for his live streams each week. Last week, only 4 people showed up. As much as he loves those people and wants to see them succeed, he had to ask himself if there was a better use of that hour that could reach more people. In order to grow, we have to constantly be auditing ourselves and our choices.    One creative way that Cody came up with to reach more people, is a video series called Ultimate Agent. He had thousands of agents apply, and selected 5 to get on a private jet, fly to an undisclosed location with a bunch of various coaches, and compete. With cameras and mics on each contestant, they competed in various challenges for this reality show. Cody says not only was it a huge brand lift, but it helped a ton of people along the way just by watching. It’s something he hopes to do again and again.   What You’ll Learn: Why authenticity matters when building a brand. Why you should build your brand on YouTube. How to continue to grow when you can’t take on any more clients. And much more!   Favorite Quote: “YouTube is the best long-term way to build a brand, get known, and help people.”  -Cody Askins   Connect with Cody: Instagram YouTube

Recently published, and bestselling author Renee Lautermilch joins the show with Brian to discuss leadership as both an entrepreneur and within corporate America. This episode will be about how to transform the way you lead by looking through the lens of love.  If you want to become the strong leader that your team can rely on, then it’s important to be intentional and possess a strong leadership philosophy — consistently overcome challenges, have an open mind, develop a healthy relationship with your team, and be their #1 supporter. Let go of the rigid, emotionless, and disconnected leadership techniques that are often taught to us. Yes, those techniques may get you results, but they’ll never get you great results because your connection as a team doesn’t exist. Learn from the personal experiences of award-winning learning and development leader, Renée Sanábria Lautermilch, as she shares valuable insights you can only discover after years and years of experience.  Don’t be afraid to step out of your comfort zone to achieve more rewarding relationships and better business results.   Quote: “The only person you are destined to become is the person you decide to be.”   Connect with Renee at: https://reneelautermilch.com Buy her new book: https://amzn.to/3emitqH  

He believes in innovation, and in being a visionary. Kris Whitehead is a small business owner, best selling author, and a mentor at Iconic Alliance. He believes it takes a whole tribe to build a village, and he’s doing what he can to add value in a respectful way wherever he goes. His approach used to be that of wanting to give the whole world a big hug. It took him a while to realize not everyone wants that, and holding on when it’s not appreciated was his way of trying to fill a void. After deepening his relationship with God and dialing in on his core values, Kris can now focus his attention on those that align with him.   It’s been said before that people spend more time planning their wedding than they do planning their marriage. People overlook the importance of asking the right questions at the beginning. Kris believes that’s one reason divorce rates are so high, because people discover they have irrefutable differences after they’ve made the commitment. Kris is unapologetically himself from the get-go, and he knows the rest will sort itself out.    His approach with coaching is to hear what people aren’t saying. He could care less about a great speech, he’s interested in the moment, the connection. Iconic Alliance focuses on four pillars of growth: faith, family, fitness, and finance. He believes in getting vulnerable and opening yourself up to other perspectives to get ahead. He understands the importance of knowing, liking, and trusting someone.    What You’ll Learn: Why core values are so important to relationships. How to break through boundaries. The importance of give and take. And much more!   Favorite Quote:  “I truly believe that every human has been created as a meaningful specific.” -Kris Whitehead   How to Connect With Kris: Iconic Alliance Kris Whitehead Facebook Instagram

The host of Building Great Sales Teams, Doug Mitchell, is in the studio today talking about sales and leadership.  At the age of 16, Doug took his first sales job. It was a referral based position selling kitchen cutlery. With no proper training or leadership, Doug was unsuccessful. Deciding to take matters into his own hands, Doug started his first entrepreneurial pursuit, detailing cars. From there, he refused to look back.   Just like most entrepreneurs, Doug got into business for the money. As his journey progressed, he realized it was more about the opportunities and the freedom. He quickly became a leader in the sales industry and wanted to share his knowledge with others. In addition to hosting a podcast, Doug is a partner with Argenta Field Solutions, an award-winning direct sales and support company. His goal is to equip, empower, and ignite sales teams.   What You’ll Learn: The importance of quality training in sales. The biggest mistake made in sales training.  How commission sales prepares you for entrepreneurship.  And much more!   Favorite Quote: “That’s the thing about the sales positions, it’s kind of like a transition into entrepreneurship.” -Doug Mitchell   How To Connect With Doug:   Instagram   Facebook

Having been in business for 37 years, Lori Rehn has a plethora of experience to pull from.  She’s turned what she has learned into a best-selling book, build a Better Business: Work Smarter, Not Harder.  When she sold her businesses at age 48, she found that the company had become her whole life, and without it, she fell into a depression. Having a midlife crisis, Lori turned to mindset and personal development.  She realized that while she had been successful in business, her habit of not dealing with things wasn’t a good long-term plan.   Once she got to a better place, Lori realized everything she has gone through could be used to help others become the best version of themselves.  Starting business coaching seemed like the logical next step for Lori. She uses a proactive business and leadership development process to help others realize their full potential. Lori refuses to let her clients remain status quo.    What You’ll Learn:  What Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP) is. How Lori’s company survived the pandemic. What Lori believes is her biggest opportunity for improvement.  How to approach difficult conversations.   Favorite Quote: “Everything in life is mindset.” -Lori Rehn

Despite never having played a down of high school football, John achieved his ambition of playing in the National Football League. Following his retirement from sports, he applied his skills, mindset, and abilities to the fitness training sector. John Madsen is now the founder and CEO of Supra Human Inc. He is a well-known consultant who teaches high-performing individuals and executive teams how to achieve mind-body excellence so they may operate at their best. His clientele includes Olympians, MLB players, and NFL players, as well as business leaders and regular Joes who want to win in life. His podcast, The Show with John Madsen, will help you go from being a contender to a champion with his outstanding guidance. In this podcast, John explains to Brian how he transforms humans into “Supra Humans” and the customized strategy he employs. His one-of-a-kind coaching program will help you enhance your health, mind, and business, allowing you to make a big difference in your life.  Listen in to find out what it takes to be one of the select few who’s willing to become a WINNER in all aspects of life. What You Will Learn: How to get into elite shape without putting in a lot of time at the gym or following a rigid fitness plan. Why do we choose to settle for mediocrity when we know we are capable of more. Why mastering your mindset is critical to your success, be it in business or fitness. And much more! Favorite Quote: “I believe that having absolute clarity on what you want your life to look like is crucial for everyone.” John Madsen How To Get Involved: Visit the Website to learn more about John Madsen, or connect with him on LinkedIn and Instagram. Here's a link to The Show with John Madsen, his podcast. You may learn more about your host, Brian McKittrick by visiting his Website or connecting with him on LinkedIn and Facebook. It Ain't Rocket Surgery, his book, is available on Amazon. Make sure you never miss an episode — check out It Ain't Rocket Surgery on Apple Podcasts and don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and review!

Serial entrepreneur John Highley is known as the Marketing Savage, and has a book by the same name.  Launching his first legit business back in 2001 in the automotive industry, John hasn’t looked back since.  He was an early adopter of YouTube which he used to get leads.  His videos were a big hit and he gained quite the following. He decided if he was getting paid for fixing cars, he might as well get paid again for teaching others how to fix them.  His how-to YouTube videos turned into a whole educational system. He didn’t stop there, he moved into tool manufacturing and even website building software. Having built quite the enterprise, John has since sold most of his companies in that industry. He now focuses 100% of his efforts into the marketing savage movement. His book goes over how to become the best version of yourself and touches on different marketing strategies.  To get real in depth guidance, John’s mastermind classes are truly the backbone of the marketing savage enterprise. John attributes much of his success to his growth mindset and having no fear of failure. What You’ll Learn: What a majority of John’s marketing strategies come down to. How the Tactical tool line spread across the world. What a marketing savage is and how to become one. How to tap into God’s blessings. Favorite Quote: “If I put something out there and it doesn’t work, that’s just data.” -John Highley

Brian and guest, Jessica Dennehy, sit down and talk about the benefits of becoming an entrepreneur.  Both grew up being taught that corporate America was the safe way to go.  Jessica followed that path and became a lawyer, but felt like there wasn’t any room for growth.  She recognized that as an entrepreneur, the sky's the limit. She realized that the business strategies she had learned could be applied in many industries. She finds great enjoyment in seeing opportunities in front of her, and entrepreneurship provides many opportunities. As a best-selling author, Jessica shares her tips and tricks for empowerment through her book, Pivot & Slay: The Ultimate Guide to Mindset Mastery.   What You'll Learn: What stops people from pursuing entrepreneurship. How to know if entrepreneurship is right for you. How to keep yourself innovated and learning. Why everyone should write a book. Favorite Quote: “As soon as I gave myself permission to dream a little bigger, my life started to change in ways I never thought possible before.” - Jessica Dennehy

As an executive coach at Apex, Brian gives a speech on personal development. One area we could all improve upon is work-life balance.  It’s a concept dating back to 1817 that really took off in the 70s and 80s. At the end of the day, one thing we can all do, is to be intentional with the hours we do have, both at home and at work. Brian is a big believer in building a strong foundation. He says if you can do that, there’s no telling how high you can go. One thing is for sure, you’ll have to believe in yourself. Then it’s all down to reverse engineering your goals into small, daily steps.  Don’t forget to track your progress and build a community of like-minded people.  If you follow this framework, you’ll be on top before you know it. What You’ll Learn: What 4 things make up the G Code. What BEAMS stands for and how it pertains to personal development. How your beliefs affect your finances. How to be more intentional with your time. Favorite Quote:  “Always break the action items down into as small as steps as possible, preferably daily, if not hourly.” - Brian McKittrick  

Kirstin Smith went from unhappy housewife to owner of Kirstin Smith Fitness.  Recently she penned the best selling book, Confessions Of An Unhappy Housewife, where she details her comeback story.  After being a stay at home mom for the better part of a decade, Kirstin found herself resenting her husband's growth outside the home.  After her 4th child was born she realized no one was going to fill her empty cup.  So, she looked into ways to do it for herself.   Kirstin got really into fitness and nutrition.  She utilized discipline and habit building to change her life.  Slowly but surely, once she got herself in order, everything else started falling into place.  She’s since started her own business where she gets to help other women every day.  Looking back now, she realizes she also had great worth as the CEO of her home.   What You’ll Learn: How resentment can grow in a marriage. How to fill your own proverbial cup. What is required to build better habits. Why being the wife of an entrepreneur is difficult.   Favorite Quote: “I have a lot of stories in my head that I accepted as true, that kept me stuck.” -Kirstin Smith