More Cheese Less Whiskers

• Ep266: Protecting What Matters Most

  Prevention beats recovery every time, especially when the threat is already inside your walls. Today on the More Cheese Less Whiskers podcast, I want to share a great conversation with Kevin Donahue. Kevin is the founder and CEO of Stealth Family in Nashville, along with his partners, a former FBI supervisory agent from the Cyber Task Force and a legendary music attorney who's been in Nashville since '87. Together they're bringing enterprise-grade cybersecurity protection to high net worth families and individuals. Kevin shared that hackers often lurk in your systems for six to 18 months before taking action, waiting for the right moment. The challenge he faces is the same one I see with home warranty companies and insurance providers. Most people only call after something bad happens. So, we talked about positioning these threats as "avoidable surprises" rather than mistakes, and how focusing on protecting kids and elderly parents creates a natural doorway into the bigger conversation about all the ways families are vulnerable. We also explored the idea of covering even the sloppiest cybersecurity habits, making protection easy for people who don't want to change their behavior. If you're in any business where prevention is the product, there's a lot to think about here.   Key Takeaways: The average hacker is already in your system right now, quietly watching for 6-18 months before they strike at the perfect moment—a home purchase, a wire transfer, a death in the family. Calling threats "avoidable surprises" instead of "biggest mistakes" completely changes how people respond. Nobody admits to making mistakes, but everyone wants to avoid a surprise. There's no 911 for cybercrime. The sheriff can't help, the feds won't touch it unless you've lost a quarter million, and by the time you call for help, it's usually too late. The biggest leap in "know, like, trust" isn't getting people to trust you. It's getting them to know you exist in the first place. When your product is complex, find a doorway: focusing on protecting kids or elderly parents opens the conversation to everything else a family needs. The best prevention businesses don't ask people to change their behavior. They promise to cover even the sloppiest habits, like a pill that lets you lose weight without dieting.        Show Links: ProfitActivatorScore.com BreakthroughDNA.com 90minutebooks.com

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• Ep265: Being Admired vs Useful

  When you're running events, the difference between manipulation and value creation determines everything. Today on More Cheese Less Whiskers, we're talking with Joe Polish for an incredible conversation about what really makes events work.  Joe's been running Genius Network for years and he shared exactly how he thinks about creating what he calls "happy client experiences", where people walk away with more direction, confidence, capability, and clarity. We traced the evolution from those early Tony Robbins events we both attended in the '90s to Joe bringing billionaires like Richard Branson to his events, and most interestingly, why he didn't advertise Bobby Kennedy, Jordan Peterson, and Tucker Carlson at last year's annual event even though they were speaking.  We talk about Joe's framework of great food, great location, great people, and great conversations - but the real insight was his distinction between being admired versus being useful. What really stood out was Joe's observation that success traps are harder to escape than failure traps, and how he uses my "compelling offer is 10 times more powerful than a convincing argument" principle to think about every aspect of his events.  This whole conversation is a masterclass in understanding the 8 Profit Activators through the lens of high-ticket event marketing.

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• Ep264: Create Compelling 'Cheese'

    Focusing on your Profit Activators starts with knowing exactly who you want to serve. Today on the More Cheese Less Whiskers Podcast, I talked with Michelle Miramontez, who has been in business for over 20 years and works primarily with coaches, consultants, and other service providers. We started by talking about how she attracts clients and the types of offers she leads with. Then we walked through Profit Activator 1 and discussed narrowing her audience to create a more compelling "who," particularly for her full-service automation packages. We also explored the difference between front-end lead generation and how that relates to long-term relationship building. As the conversation progressed, we looked at ways Michelle could create compelling "cheese" for each segment of her audience, particularly the distinction between business owners who are already aware of automation versus those who don't even know they need it yet. We also talked about using The Book Strategy to start more meaningful conversations. This is a great example of applying the 8 Profit Activators in a consulting context where the service is both strategic and technical. You'll see how the right positioning can completely change how people engage with your offers.       Key Takeaways: I delve into Michelle's transformative journey from a real estate agent to a life coach, highlighting how her extensive industry experience and empathetic coaching style merge to empower agents. We explore Michelle's innovative techniques aimed at reducing high dropout rates among new and struggling real estate agents, with a focus on mastering open house strategies for lead generation. Michelle shares insights into her latest venture—a global community of agents launched on July 15—designed to provide continuous support and foster growth in the real estate industry. During our conversation, Michelle reveals her unique conversational framework for open houses, which flips the script on traditional methods, focusing on meaningful interactions rather than just handing out flyers. We discuss the effectiveness of Michelle's system in securing clients through open houses, with her clients seeing success within a short period of applying her methods. Michelle outlines her membership model for agents, offering them resources and support to implement her proven strategies in their real estate practices. Throughout the episode, Michelle and I reflect on the importance of building trust and rapport with potential clients, emphasizing the role of open houses as a powerful tool in the real estate toolkit.           Show Links: ProfitActivatorScore.com BreakthroughDNA.com 90minutebooks.com

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• Ep262: Capabilities multiplied by Reach

  Acting skills can transform legal outcomes in ways most trial attorneys never consider. Today on the More Cheese Less Whiskers Podcast, I'm talking with Olivia and Steve from Trial Haus Consulting, who met in college theater and now help attorneys deliver more compelling courtroom performances. They've seen remarkable results helping attorneys shift from traditional impeachment approaches to more conversational techniques, contributing to over $40 million in verdicts since 2022 and even helping secure an acquittal in a potential life sentence case. We had a fascinating discussion about moving beyond hourly billing to align their interests with attorneys through contingency arrangements, plus creating systems to document and scale their unique approach. This podcast really demonstrates how bringing specialized expertise from one field into another can create breakthrough value. It's a great example of using my VCR (Vision, Capabilities, Reach) formula to expand impact.     Key Takeaways: We're talking with Olivia and Steve, co-founders of Trial Haus Consulting, who have developed innovative programs blending theatrical techniques with legal practice. Their eight-week program aims to enhance advocacy and storytelling skills in the courtroom by integrating improv and scripted acting methods. Olivia and Steve explain their focus on cross-examination strategies, highlighting techniques like the "yes and no" method. They share a case study of a seasoned attorney who achieved a significant verdict using these skills, showcasing the transformative potential of their approach. We explore Trial House Consulting's business dynamics, including the benefits of remote work and balancing billable hours with business development. Olivia and Steve discuss the shift from in-person sessions to online courses, which allows for greater flexibility and client interaction. The episode delves into the challenges of operating in high-stakes environments, emphasizing the need to align service delivery with clients' financial constraints. Olivia and Steve consider strategies to demonstrate their value in the American legal system, where payments are often contingent on case outcomes. We examine the email marketing strategies employed by Trial House Consulting to manage and engage their list of trial attorneys. Olivia and Steve focus on retaining top-tier clients and leveraging marketing investments to drive repeat business, emphasizing the importance of adding value to their communications. Olivia and Steve discuss the concept of viewing excess capacity as "investable hours" and how collaborating with trial attorneys on a contingency basis can lead to strategic growth. They highlight the potential benefits of offering their services as a strategic asset to enhance client outcomes. The episode concludes with Olivia and Steve expressing gratitude for the collaborative journey and their excitement for future opportunities. They share their commitment to maintaining communication and fostering a sense of camaraderie and optimism within the legal consulting community.       Show Links: ProfitActivatorScore.com BreakthroughDNA.com 90minutebooks.com

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• Ep261: Finding Invisible Prospects with Megan Cannon

  Finding invisible prospects is often the biggest challenge for service businesses. Today on the More Cheese Less Whiskers podcast, We're talking with Megan Cannon, owner of Back to Balance Counseling and Consulting in the western suburbs of Chicago about an 'I want that' response in people. Megan specializes in helping high achievers, overwhelmed parents, and anxious teenagers find relief through empirically supported treatments. Her practice is thriving with over a thousand sessions monthly, but she's looking to grow her team and reach more daytime clients. We explored how to create a "prospect vending machine" by using targeted ways to transform invisible prospects into visible ones. Rather than just positioning to be selected through referrals or social media, we discussed proactively identifying people who need help with anxiety, OCD, and executive burnout within her five-mile radius. The conversation revealed how offering valuable content like a book can both generate new leads and enhance referrals, turning "refer a friend" into the more powerful "give a friend" approach.   Key Takeaways: I introduce Megan Cannon, the owner of Back to Balance Counseling and Consulting, who discusses her practice's focus on supporting high achievers, overwhelmed parents, and anxious teenagers in the western suburbs of Chicago. Megan emphasizes the benefits of in-person therapy sessions and shares her plans to expand her team to meet growing client demand, highlighting the need for more qualified clinicians. We delve into strategies for attracting daytime therapy clients, particularly focusing on college students, stay-at-home parents, and remote workers. We also address the importance of maintaining a work-life balance for therapists. Megan discusses the role of indirect referrals in connecting therapists with potential clients and explains her approach to helping clients change their relationship with anxiety. We explore innovative clinic growth strategies, including the use of social media ads and resources like an anxiety solution book to turn invisible prospects into visible ones. The episode highlights the effectiveness of using books as lead generation tools, focusing on creating captivating titles and covers to attract potential clients. Megan shares her experiences with email engagement to nurture relationships with potential clients, demonstrating how to maintain a supportive presence for individuals seeking help now or in the future.     Show Links: ProfitActivatorScore.com BreakthroughDNA.com 90minutebooks.com

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