Mind Your Business

How do you know when you're ready to follow your dream and start your own business? At what point is it time to leave the safety of what you know to jump off into a new venture? I'm often asked two questions: "Mark, how do I start my own business?" (which is a podcast all its own) and "Mark, how do I know when it's time to leave my job and start my own business full-time?" These are both great questions. Please note that there are important things to consider before you jump. In this podcast, I speak about real issues that face the entrepreneur who wants to make his mark on the world. Entrepreneurs who plan to be successful must consider not only the market they wish to dominate, but their level of tenacity and confidence, and their willingness to leave the safety of the shore to launch out on the adventure of entrepreneurship. I hope you enjoy this podcast. More importantly, I hope it propels you to take whatever next steps you've been waiting to take.   -Mark

What is leverage and how does it affect your business? Simply stated, leverage is using something and/or someone to maximize your advantage. It is a way to exert minimum effort to achieve maximum results. A smart business owner will utilize the talents and efforts of others who have expertise in areas that they don't. When you leverage other resources, you not only benefit from the experience of other people's trials and errors, but you avoid the time and expense of start up costs. The idea is to work smart. Entrepreneurs are innovators that change the way we live and work. They bring vision to the marketplace and creative ideas that can change the world. Leveraging the knowledge and expertise of others affords entrepreneurs a way to focus on what is really important: their customer.  - Mark

If you want to stand heads above the crowd in your industry, you must have a strong value proposition. Your competitors have one. Ask yourself: What do I bring to the market that is unique? What do I do that is special and adds value to my product or service? How does it help my customer? Sit down with pen and paper and determine those values. Even better, utilize a large whiteboard to write out your ideas or go online and download a free mind mapping tool. In this episode, I share my experience with creating value propositions and how using them has positively impacted my business. Remember to keep your customer in mind when you choose 2 or 3 values that make you special. They should be simple, memorable, and repeatable. Enjoy this episode and reach out to me with your questions and comments. I would be interested to hear about your experience starting your own business and what factors determined your value proposition. As always, thank you for listening. I appreciate this audience so much.  - Mark 

Do you ever find yourself distracted or knocked off course from your goals? When life gets busy, it's easy to get diverted from my true North. How do I get myself back on track when I start to lose focus or direction? In this podcast, I discuss 6 tools that steer me back to my chosen course. If you have five minutes and a desire to make an impact on your world, you will benefit from these tools. I am committed to them and they map my course. I hope you enjoy this podcast and encourage you to share it with your friends. Please reach out to me if you have questions at www.drmarklew.com. I'm here to help you. -Mark

I have people ask me all the time, "Mark, how can I become a more creative person?" The answer is simple. You are already creative! People, by their very nature, are creative. The frustration comes from having so many creative ideas without a way to harness and use those ideas. In this multi-part series, I will teach you how to recognize, capture, hone, and deploy those creative ideas you have in your head. I am very excited to share this series with you because it's a topic I'm passionate about. Creativity and innovation go hand in hand. Equipped with the tools you'll hear in this podcast series, you will undoubtedly unlock the door to your creative power and expand your personal capacity to make a difference in the world. And don't worry, you don't have to be lying on a sandy beach, hiking in the beautiful mountains, or sailing across the Pacific Ocean to generate fantastic ideas. You can be creative ANYWHERE. Please share this episode with your friends, family, and co-workers. I hope it makes a difference.

Your personal brand is everything! In my last podcast, Your Personal Brand is Everything!, I talked about the importance of building your personal brand and the ways in which companies and individuals successfully brand themselves. In Part 2, I want you to ask yourself some important questions. Do you have the resources and the talent to reach your goals? Do you have someone in your life who will be your mirror? What do you do if you fail? Take some time to consider these questions and answer them honestly. Awareness is a key component of moving forward toward success. Enjoy Part 2 of this podcast and reach out to me if you have questions you need answered. Building a personal brand you can be proud of requires discipline, an open mind, awareness, and a passion to succeed and follow your dreams. Remember: You are in control of building your personal brand. And if you don't take the time to build your own, you'll be working for someone else who did. Thank you for listening.  - Mark

How important is a personal brand? Do certain qualities come to mind when you hear Amazon, Starbucks and Apple? This is because these companies have successfully branded themselves as the best in the business. Like a corporation, you too are constantly branding yourself. Do you post your ideas and photographs on social media? With what purpose in mind? Are you not branding yourself by portraying your best, or, in some cases, your worst self to the world? What do people say about you behind your back? Are you known for being kind, punctual, generous and hard-working? Maybe you are creative and intelligent, but cranky and undisciplined? You are in control of building your personal brand. And if you don't build your own, you'll find yourself working for someone else who did. Either be "the man" or be controlled by "the man." I hope you enjoy Part 1 of this two-part series, Your Personal Brand is Everything! Stay tuned for Steps 2-5 of how to effectively build your personal brand. It might be helpful to have a pe

I have often been asked about relationships and entrepreneurship and how the two mix. In my belief, relationships can be one of two things: a lever or an anchor. A lever is something that provides influence and allows you to use a simple amount of effort to get multiple times the value. In a similar way, an anchor creates enough hold to stop a large vessel from moving against heavy wind and current. Now consider your relationships. Are they levers, pulling you toward achievement? Or are they anchors, stopping forward movement and perhaps pulling you down? Personal relationships can have either a positive or a negative impact on your career. Do you communicate your entrepreneurial visions and desires to your partner? Do you listen to their dreams as well? Are you setting clear and reasonable expectations early in the relationship? Ponder these questions. My hope is that they help you to craft relationships that are purposefully aligned, effective, and successful. We don't have control over when relationships c

Relationships are one of the most valuable and precious commodities we have in the world today. Mr. Todd Thoman is a close, personal friend and perhaps one of the finest relationship builders I've ever met. He is genuine and kind, a hard worker and a man who finds purpose in serving others with a strong desire to leave a powerful and positive impact on the world. From his early days in the entertainment industry, to his experience in the retail world of high-end fashion and luxury goods, to his cutting-edge work today in healthcare, Todd remains, at his core, a man who believes in the power of relationships built on integrity. His humble nature draws people of influence to him. Thank you, Todd, for sharing your experience and wisdom with Mind Your Business. The ride is just beginning for Mr. Thoman and retirement is out of the question. I can't wait to see what's next. Listeners, as always, I thank you for taking the time to listen and to pass on the information you find of value. I encourage you to share thi

What a pleasure to sit down with Stephanie Flynn, owner and operator of Fit Body Boot Camp! Stephanie is a busy woman, running 4 FBBC locations in Tulsa, Owasso and Bixby and raising a young daughter. Her mission is to help transform the health of local women so they can discover their potential to live healthy and fulfilling lives. She believes that we all have the potential and the power within ourselves to be, do and have whatever we want in our lives. Her own story of overcoming a deadly eating disorder and almost losing her life, has equipped her with perhaps the most powerful gift she has to give...experience. Thank you, Stephanie, for sharing your incredible experience with us. I know that our listeners will find great value in the tools you use to stay motivated and to empower women to push beyond their self-imposed limits to discover the beautiful potential underneath the doubt and fear. As Stephanie shared, asking for help is key. We're all in this together and here to help each other. If you are lo

Do you feel pressured to make New Year's Resolutions? Does the first day of each new year automatically compel you to set goals for the future? You're not alone. But it's important to realize that if the goals you set are not specific, measurable, and realistic, they won't materialize no matter how resolute you are on January 1. There are at least 364 other days that are perfectly suitable to define goals. I am a big believer in setting goals, but I don't wait for the new year to do so. The goal must be meaningful to me and I must be ready for it and willing to set parameters in order to reach it. Remember, soon is not a time. Be specific and set a date to crush that goal. Some is not a number. Write down exactly what you want to achieve. And luck is not a strategy. If it is to be, it is up to me. And you. Thank you for listening.  - Mark

The term "entrepreneur" is tossed around a lot in today's business world.  Many people wish to become entrepreneurs and get out from under "the man," otherwise known as the corporate structure.  But what is a true entrepreneur and what does it take to become one?  My team had some questions about entrepreneurship so we sat down and had a chat.  I hope you find value in the questions they asked and the answers I offered.  The answers are quite simple, although oftentimes, I find that human beings get lost in unneccessary minutiae.  I like to say, "never let perfection be the enemy of accomplishment."  I hope you will listen to this podcast and hear encouragement, determination, discipline, and passion.  And I hope you will use it to push your limits and explore the creativity you have inside of you.  Thank you for listening.  - Mark  

It was an absolute joy to sit down for a 45 minute session with Melanie Logan, a licensed professional counselor. From favorite authors, potty training, and tips to using video app Marco Polo, we covered a wide spectrum of topics that will educate, inspire, and delight you. You are in for a treat! Ms. Logan is a therapist in Tulsa, Oklahoma whose mission is to help people find joy in their lives. In this podcast, Melanie shares about her path to becoming a counselor, the nudges that inspired her to open her own practice, and the passion and excitement she gets to experience as a direct result of helping others. Melanie is authentic, insightful, and truly gifted. She is a woman who absolutely insists that there is joy to be had and she is determined to help others discover it within themselves. Melanie Logan, LPC, aptly named her private practice: Joyful Living Counseling Services LLC.  Please visit her website to learn more about her at www.joyfullivingcounseling.com.  P.S. Test your self confidence by down

If you've watched TV or followed social media lately, you must certainly be aware of the #MeToo Movement. This movement is an example of incredible social evolution for which I am thrilled. I am especially proud of the courageous women who have come forth and spoken their truth. Their bravery has made it possible for still others to find their voice to speak out against such reprehensible behavior and treatment of females in the workplace. If you are a woman who has been hurt by sexual assault and/or harassment, I am deeply sorry you experienced that and I stand in staunch support of you speaking out. Thank you for your courage. Sexual assault and harassment cannot be tolerated. It took one voice to start a movement for change. It takes all of our voices to make it stick. Thank you for listening.  - Mark  

Do you have an entrepreneurial spirit? Do you have ideas in your head that you want to see manifested in your reality? Are you willing to take a risk to bring those dreams to fruition? Jordan Evans is a man who has worked hard to make his dreams come true. He, along with his business partners, have successfully built a business on the side while working full-time jobs. In this podcast, Jordan explains strategies for building a business while maintaining integrity at his full-time gig. I hope you enjoy his kind spirit, enthusiasm, and heart for superior customer service as much as I do. Jordan is proof that dreams come true when you are willing to work for them. Thank you for listening! Showroom Garage Services is a professional garage cleaning and organization service exclusively focused on residential garages. They transform an ordinary garage into a SHOWROOM that you can be proud of. My garage has never looked better! Please check them out on Facebook or give them a call 918-947-9460.   - Mark

Do you struggle with trying to balance your work life with your personal life? Welcome to the human condition of today. There are, however, tips to making the most use of your time at work while making certain you are present to the people you care about at home and in your personal life. I have found that when I use these tools, I am ultimately more productive, creative, relaxed, and perhaps most importantly, I am present. I hope you enjoy this episode. Feel free to pass it along to those you know that could use some help with balance in their lives. As always, thank you for listening.    - Mark 

Dr. Tim Ihrig is a thought leader in palliative care and one of the kindest men I know. In this episode, Dr. Tim shares his journey from a cycling career to a physician specializing in palliative care. This man cares for the sickest of the sick, the most vulnerable people with life-limiting illnesses. He combines his love of science and people to grace the community of doctors treating this special group of patients. Dr. Tim Ihrig's knowledge of his profession, his thoughtful, caring attitude concerning this difficult area of healthcare inspires me and commands my deepest respect. I hope you enjoy this episode of Mind Your Business. Please share it with someone you would like to inspire today.    - Mark

A soon-to-be college graduate and Mind Your Business listener, recently asked if I had any advice for him as he begins his career. He specifically wanted to know if I would share things that I know now that I wish I would have known then. Absolutely! There are five things that I've pinpointed that have made a huge difference in my life, my career, and my attitude. I wish you well, my listening friends, and hope that my experience can help you on your path. Share this episode with a friend who may enjoy it as well.     - Mark

Do you think you're a leader? If you've never led, can you become a leader? In this podcast, I'm going to tell you the 5 essentials for leadership. These principles continue to work in my life and in the lives of the leaders I admire and respect. Try them on for size and see if you too can become a leader people are eager to follow. 

I had a very special week last week. I got a chance to sit down in solitude and think about the values that I have established as guiding principles to live my life by. I wanted to share mine with you and challenge you to think about the values that are important to you, write them down, and commit to live by them.  Otherwise, it's pretty easy to lose yourself in this world.