Deconstructing Success with Chris Winfield

Neil Patel is the co-founder of four multi-million dollar software companies and has helped companies of all sizes maximize their revenues. The Wall Street Journal calls him a top influencer on the web, Forbes says he is one of the top 10 online marketers, and Entrepreneur Magazine says he created one of the 100 most brilliant companies in the world.  5 Important Things You'll Learn in This Episode: * The big realization Neil had as a high school student when his first business was already earning $20,000/month in revenue and how it changed the course of his life. * The “big-picture / small tasks” productivity approach that Neil follows to focus on (and accomplish) what’s important and set himself up for success the next day. * The rules, filters, free tools and delegation system that Neil uses to process over 1,000 emails each day! * The “divide and conquer” approach that Neil and his business partner Hiten Shah take, and how it eliminates the need for constant communication and “useless meetings.” * How Neil decides what to work on each day using goals. Why he starts with monthly goals, the importance of “5-day weeks” and breaking everything down to today and “right now.” 5 Questions I Ask Neil During Our Interview: * How do you know if you actually hit your goals? * How do you actually manage to answer 400 emails per day (and do it relatively quickly)? * What was the last major failure that you experienced (that you don’t actually want to talk about) and what did you learn from it? * How do you decide what to say NO to? * How do you define success? 5 Fast Facts About Neil Patel: * He’s the co-founder of Crazy Egg, Hello Bar, QuickSprout and KISSmetrics. * The Wall Street Journal calls him a top influencer on the web, Forbes says he is one of the top 10 online marketers, and Entrepreneur Magazine says he created one of the 100 most brilliant companies in the world. * He was recognized as a top 100 entrepreneur under the age of 30 by President Obama and one of the top 100 entrepreneurs under the age of 35 by the United Nations. Neil has also been awarded Congressional Recognition from the United States House of Representatives. * He helps companies like Amazon, NBC, GM, HP, TechCrunch and Viacom grow their traffic and revenue. Complete Show Notes: * The realization Neil had as a high school student when his first business was already earning $20,000/month in revenue. [7:10] * How Neil defines success and how that definition has changed over the years. [9:57] * Growing up Neil thought that if he could make $100,000/year, he would be happy. He did that. And was happy…for a month or two. So he kept “raising” the bar and setting new goals…with the same results. Find out how his father’s simple lifestyle helped him to rethink what true happiness actually is. [11:10] * How a chance meeting in India with an entrepreneur (who’d recently sold his company to Microsoft) helped him embrace minimalism and giving up more and more things. [12:41] * The mindset and life philosophy that Neil keeps to stay centered and prevent extreme mood shifts and swings that so often overtake entrepreneurs. [13:59] * How a clear mind helps him get more done and why it’s important for his overall content and balance. [15:27] * The “big-picture / small tasks” productivity approach that Neil follows to focus on [and accomplish] what’s important and set himself up for success the next day. [16:21] * How Neil decides what to work on each day using goals. Why he starts with monthly goals, the importance of “5-day weeks” and breaking everything down to today and “right now.” [17:21] * The “divide and conquer” approach that Neil and his business partner Hiten Shah take, and how it eliminates the need for constant communication and “useless meetings.” [18:10] * The dead-simple litmus tests which Neil uses to measure his fitness progress and if he’s reaching his “fitness goals”. (Hint: one goal revolves around clothes and the other is based on “bleeding”). [18:46] * The two questions that Neil asks himself when he doesn’t accomplish something that help him to learn from it and prevent it from happening again. As well as, the 3 questions that he asks himself when he accomplishes something “too quickly” and why this can actually be a negative thing for him. [20:24] * What a day in the life of Neil Patel looks like from the time he wakes up at 6am and how he uses “blocks” to help him stay focused on what he’s supposed to do. [21:46] * The rules, filters, free tools and delegation system that Neil uses to process over 1,000 emails each day! And why he answers 400+ of them personally each day. [23:22] * How Neil decides what to say yes and what to say no to, given that he gets multiple offers from celebrities, billionaires, and investors. [28:29] * How Neil learned to overcome FOMO (the fear of missing out.) [29:20] * The type of tasks Neil delegates and his simple simple delegation process. [29:51] * Neil t...

How does a self-described “introvert” transition from someone completely behind the scenes into a “super connector” running a seven-figure business?

In this episode of Deconstructing Success you’re going to get the full story and so much more...

Some of the things you’ll learn in this “jam-packed with awesomeness” interview with Selena Soo are:

• How (and why) Selena plans out her days two months in advance…
• How ANYONE can connect with influencers in their industry (even if you’re shy, just starting out, have no connections, no “name” or time).
• Exactly how Selena did this to create her own relationships with influencers and what this has meant for her own business.
• The importance of not trying to hit multiple goals all at once and how to know when to “cut” sources of revenue in order to actually grow.
• The biggest takeaways that she has learned from Marie Forleo, Adam Grant, Ramit Sethi, Derek Halpern, Danielle LaPorte and other influencers.
• How she overcomes perfectionism and uses it to her advantage.
• Discover the books, tools, experiences and people that have had the greatest impact on her business and life.

1. What were the biggest factors in going from basically NOTHING to a seven-figure business?
2. How do you decide what you are going to work on each day?
3. How and why did you start connecting with influential people?
4. What’s one thing (that you have observed) that prevents people from becoming successful and living up to their potential?
5. What’s your process for setting and achieving your goals?

1. Why Selena plans out her days two months in advance…and how this helps keeps her focused.
2. Selena’s step-by-step process that will help ANYONE connect with influencers in their industry (even if you’re shy, just starting out, have no connections, no “name” or time).
3. Exactly how Selena did this (in her own life) to create her own relationships with influencers and what this has meant for her own business.
4. The two books that have had the greatest impact on her career…and theone productivity tool she couldn’t live without.
5. The most valuable lessons Selena learned from each of these influencers(and how she connected and grew the relationship):
   • Adam Grant (Wharton Professor and NY Times best-selling author)
   • Ramit Sethi (Bestselling author, featured in ABC News, CNN, and the WSJ, has taught thousands to manage their personal finances)
   • Derek Halpern (investor & founder of Social Triggers & Zippy Courses)
   • Danielle LaPorte (inspirational speaker, author and entrepreneur)
   • Marie Forleo (founder of MarieTV & b-school)
   • Lewis Howes (former pro-athlete turned life-style entrepreneur and host of one of my favorite podcasts, The School of Greatness)
   • Rachel Hofstetter (former editor of O, Oprah’s magazine)
   • Ryan Levesque (#1 Best-Selling author of the book “Ask”)

1. Selena Soo is the founder of the S2 Groupe, a business strategy + publicity company for visionary entrepreneurs, experts, and authors.
2. Before Selena started her (now seven-figure) business in the summer of 2012, she was earning $42,000 a year living in New York City and working for a nonprofit.
3. She believes that in order to be more successful, you don’t necessarily need more experience but rather, more courage.
4. Selena has relationships and friendships with editors at Fortune, Forbes, Entrepreneur, O – The Oprah Magazine, Glamour, Marie Claire, Cosmopolitan, Reader’s Digest, Whole Living, Fitness, Shape, More, Seventeen, People, NBCU, and ABC News along with numerous influential bloggers in the personal and professional development space.
5. Selena is truly international! She was born in New Zealand, grew up in Hong Kong, moved to Tacoma (Washington) to attend an all-girls boarding school in high school and then moved to New York City to attend Columbia University for undergrad (and then NYU for grad school later on).

• What Selena tells people when they ask her what she does…and what it actually means :) [4:50]
• Learn why Selena always thought of entrepreneurs as people with a completely different personality than hers. And discover who [and what] helped her change this perception. [6:22]
• Selena went out from business school to work with top influencers and develop a successful seven-figure business. Get a great step-by-step guide from Selena, based on her extensive experience! And...

Introducing the 'Deconstructing Success' Podcast with Chris Winfield The late Steve Jobs once said, "You can't connect the dots looking forward you can only connect them looking backwards.” His emphasis on “connecting the dots” has had a profound impact on my life. Which is why it’s played at the beginning of every episode of this show. Part of my mission with the Deconstructing Success podcast is to help “connect the dots” in successful people’s stories so that my listeners realize that they are not alone. So you can understand that everyone struggles. Everyone doubts themselves. But that the truly successful people are the ones who keep going. The ones who get back up. And you’ll get an inside look at exactly how they do that each and every day. For the last three and half years, I have either talked to or met with at least one person I admired (some were friends, some were strangers) and I simply asked questions and most importantly, I listened. These were people from all different industries and at different points in their life. I can remember one week when I met with the owner of one of the NY Times, a hustling (but broke) 20 year old start-up founder, an up and coming broadway star, a human rights advocate, a CEO with a net-worth north of 6 billion, and a woman who was in the middle of one of the most dramatic life changes I had ever heard of.  And I learned something (many things) from each of them. I kept doing this day after day. And I still do it. Because I knew I didn’t have all of the answers. I knew that if I kept asking the right questions and I kept listening, I could keep improving myself and I could do the same for other people. And that’s exactly what the Deconstructing Success podcast does each week when I interview  top entrepreneurs, writers, artists and business people from around the world. Discover the real story of how they “made it” and how they actually work and  live. Learn about their exact habits, daily routines, productivity hacks and secrets are and get actionable advice, takeaways and actions to apply and try them in your own life. It’s all based on real-life experiences and results. Real people. Real stories. Really actionable advice & takeaways. Show Notes & Key Takeaways:

* Chris Winfield is an entrepreneur, writer, and speaker from New York City, helping thousands of overwhelmed individuals get control over their lives and productivity. He is also a columnist for TIME, Business Insider, Inc., and Entrepreneur Magazine. But it’s not why you should listen to this show. (00:53) * Why should you join us? Let Chris explain with real life stories. Story #1: how a slice of pizza can change your life. (1:41) * The change occurs through listening and asking the right questions. Find out how! (4:00) * Story #2 is about connecting the dots. It came to life thanks to Steve Jobs, and his amazingly insightful 2005 Stanford University commencement speech. (5:13) * Story #3: a conversation with Chris’ friend, a successful entrepreneur, about how the stories of successful people always sound so perfect and effortless. But reality is not like that! (7:17) * Story #4 is about taking action and how one conversation can be a push to get something done now, rather than somewhere in the intangible future...for example, this very podcast. (8:05) * Find out how this podcast is about something different, and why REAL is the key word. (8:47) Want to Go Further? * Join our tribe and subscribe in iTunes or your podcast player. * Check out all of the episode breakdowns, transcripts, downloads and more at http://www.chriswinfield.com/podcast * To celebrate the launch of the show, we’re giving away some awesome prizes that you can win. Check out the full details at http://www.chriswinfield.com/contest and join in the fun! * Don’t forget to subscribe to this podcast on iTunes, just type in “deconstructing success” in the search bar...and click the subscribe button. * And if you enjoyed today’s show, please take a few moments to leave a review...your support means the world to us!

What do the most successful people all have in common? Are they smarter than everyone else? Do they work harder? Are they just luckier? In this episode of Deconstructing Success, we'll talk to someone who has an answer to this question...and I'd bet a lot of money that it's not what you think it is : ) As the founder and host of the massively popular Mixergy courses, masterclasses and podcast series, Andrew Warner has interviewed over 1,000 entrepreneurs... ...including the founders of companies like AirBNB, Wikipedia, Reddit, Dropbox, yCombinator and Zappos, to name a few)... ...asking them uncomfortable questions to dig deep into their success and failures. I asked Andrew to come o so we could learn more about his story, experiences, habits and influences. And I also wanted to discover what some of the biggest lessons he’s learned from doing those 1,000+ interviews. Were there any patterns? Any “major keys? Any shortcuts? And he gave me even more than I was hoping for! Some of the things you’ll learn in this wide-ranging interview are: * how to overcome information overload * the best way to tell someone they're wrong * why believing in yourself can be a "million dollar difference" * lessons from Seth Godin, Gary Vaynerchuck, Jason Fried, Barbara Corcoran and other inspiring guests. * what to do when you burn out and stop being creative We’ll cover all of that (and so much more) in this exclusive interview with Mixergy's own Andrew Warner in Episode #5!

* What happened when someone offered him $1 million for something and he asked for $2 million because he believed he was entitled to it. * Why he believes that everyone should care about their legacy and what you can do about yours. * The biggest takeaways and greatest lessons he learned from: - Seth Godin, Author - Mike McDermott, FreshBooks - Barbara Corcoran, SharkTank - Catherine Minshew, The Muse - Brian Chesky, AirBNB - Jason Fried, Basecamp - Salman Khan, Khan Academy - Jimmy Wales, Wikipedia - Ryan Hoover, ProductHunt - Laura Roedher, Edgar - Gary Vaynerchuk, Vayner Media * The one (surprising!) trait that every single one of the most successful people in the world have in common. Andrew gives examples of this trait in action for people Gary V, Brian Chesky and others. * The simple ways that Andrew overcomes information overload by focusing on stories and not just facts and lessons.

* Did she give you two-million dollars? * How do you overcome limiting beliefs in your life? * What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received? * With your first company, how did you go from success to selling to burning out? * Should we share our failures and vulnerabilities with other people?

* Andrew is the founder of Mixergy, a site where founders help each other by telling their stories and teaching what they do best. * He once said that he created Mixergy in part because, "...in my 20s, with no outside funding, I co-founded a business that reached $30+ million in annual sales. Mixergy is the source I wish I had." * Before starting Mixergy, he was a 21 year-old who created a $38.5 million dollar business by returning his J.Crew clothes * (the QuickSprout story mentioned in the interview). * That company was also known for launching Grab.com, an online game site that offered the chance at the world's first billion dollar jackpot. * FUN FACT: Andrew was the person that urged me to start the Deconstructing Success podcast, gave me advice and what I have learned from Andrew and his IYH team has been instrumental in getting this project off the ground and our initial traction and success!

* Why Andrew makes up something “really boring” when someone asks them what he does...and why he tells doctors that he’s a reporter. [4:35] What happened when he discovered the word “entrepreneur” as a child and how it changed his life forever. [6:00] * Andrew talks about the ineffective marketing “strategy” he used with his first business (that was based out of fear) and why it led him to vow to “never punk out on selling” again in his life. [6:42] * Why he and his brother kept trying different businesses and ideas. And how growing his mailing list led to his first major business success with online greeting cards. [7:33] * Why he believes that he’s “nothing” unless he’s something great and wants to measure up to people like Andrew Carnegie and Napoleon Hill. [8:58] * How terrible insomnia as a kid led him to reading al...

Do you want to be scared or... free? Scared or... rich? Scared or... extraordinary?

If you're sick of being "scared" and truly ready for what's on the other side of fear... this interview might just change your life. And I don't say that lightly.

This conversation with Emily Williams has profoundly affected my life and "flipped the switch" on how I view money, freedom and even fear itself.

Wondering who Emily is? She's a success coach, entrepreneur, and author with a seven-figure business, who at one point, couldn’t get a job at Starbucks... and she has an uncanny ability to make complicated "money concepts" really simple and actionable!

Some of the big things you’ll learn from Emily in this inspiring and tactical interview are:

• Emily’s approach to changing your relationship with money and the exact steps she took to transform $120,000 of debt into a thriving 7-figure business....
• How to ‘flip the switch’ and turn OFF your negative thoughts and insecurities about making money...
• The ‘Why Not Me Mentality’ that you can use to turn your yearly salary into a monthly paycheck...
• The 'Positive Money Mindset' that will allow you to overcome the shame and fear that comes with being rejected....
• How to quit playing the victim and start believing in yourself so that YOU can accomplish anything...

We'll cover all of that (and a lot more) in this exclusive interview with Emily Williams in Episode #13!

Thank you SO much for checking out the Deconstructing Success show. Two quick things before you go.. Thing #1) Don’t forget to subscribe to this podcast on iTunes, just type in “deconstructing success” in the search bar...and click the subscribe button.   And if you enjoyed today’s show, please take a few moments to leave a review...your support means the world to us! Thing #2) You can get all of the shownotes, transcripts, breakdowns and special bonuses for this and every other episode at http://chriswinfield.com/podcast That’s it! Now go out and have the best day ever and we’ll see you next week right here on the Deconstructing Success show!