Are you listening, watching, paying close attention, to the signals your business is sending you about what’s working/not working?

Business success is about tracking your business so you uncover what works and what doesn’t. If you pay close attention it’s easy to find success. It’s easier to find the right target demographic. It’s also a lot easier to make revenue fast!

So this week, Andy and Kay are talking about how to pay attention to the signals your business is sending you. You’ll also hear some interesting personal stories on the topic. The case studies range from a baby cream product to a tropical fruit business, how to sell information products, and how to build your platform if you’re an industry expert.

Episode Description

Episode 13 – Are You Tuning Into Your Business Signals?

• 0:31 – Call for other Kandy Life experts! Do you run your own business and have a brilliant strategy or success story to share? Or, do you have a business dilemma that you’d like some coaching on? Or, are you in business with your partner and you’d love to share your triumphs and fails? Andy and Kay would love to have you as a guest on The Kandy Life podcast. To inquire, email: kandy@kandylifepodcast.com.
• 1:29 – Listening for the signal. On today’s show, we’re talking about how to know if you’re on the right track when you have a product or service you want to sell.
• 3:32 – The story of Baby Butter. Learn how to follow the signal by doing what Andy and Kay did early on when they tried to sell cream to treat baby acne and it flopped. The failure led to a critical business lesson.
• 7:06 – A good idea that meets demand will sell almost right away. Remember this. Tweak your strategy. Try a few different ways to sell but if there is no early sign of success you might be trying to bring a product or service to the world that no one wants to buy
• 8:16 – How to know when you get a ‘beep‘. And how to get more. Are you listening for the beeps?
• 10:20 – Are you talking to your audience? Andy shares a failure-to-success story about selling warehouse manuals.
• 12:48 – The ‘throw smart shit at wall’ approach. How to know if the content you’re putting out is what your market truly wants. Perhaps, you think you know, but really, you have no idea!
• 20:21 – Another example of the ‘throw smart shit at the wall’ approach. How Andy used the ‘throw smart shit at the wall’ approach to build a web property that made him $80,000 CDN per year in the early days of the Internet.
• 24:23 – How to apply the ‘follow the signal rule’ to your business.
• 27:45 – How not to be a starving artist

For the latest updates. Follow us on Instagram @kandylifepodcast

Want to be a guest on the Kandy Life podcast? Andy and Kay want to hear from you! Come on the show and share your knowledge, get business/mindset advice and promote what you’re up to. We are seeking both wantrepreneurs and entrepreneurs in all types of niches, as well as, couples who are in business together. Email kandy@kandylifepodcast.com.

Show Notes

This episode features Kay’s You Are Awesome video. Click to watch it and subscribe to her Youtube channel. She’ll be revamping the channel and adding new similar videos later this week.

Working at home is harder than it might appear. There are distractions like the TV, the fridge, your kids and the couch. Kay and Andy unveil the dirty little secrets of staying productive when your home is also your office. And now more than ever learning to work productively in your house, condo, or apartment is critical because, with the COVID19 pandemic requiring social distancing and self-isolation, we all might be working at home away more often. Say bye-bye to a traditional office and learn that normal office life may be steps from your bed for everyone and not just those that live a Kandy Life.

Episode Description

Episode 12 – How to Work From Home

• 2:31 – Why it’s critical you establish some discipline with a routine that works for you and your business. Find out how Andy and Kay both structure their workday for success
• 5:30 – Establish your work rules. One of Andy’s rules is: “No TV during the workday!” Find out the other top distractor he rules out that most people might not think of.
• 8:41 – How to not fall in the trap of doing household chores when you should be working. And why it is great and can be one of the greatest reasons to work from home
• 9:54 – Why it’s important to have at least one dedicated workspace, and why having more than one might make you more efficient. And why you need sunlight and air in your workspace
• 16:23 – Why your brain works better when you shift gears and take more breaks. Learn about your brain’s Default Mode Network and Task Mode Network
• 20:24 – Why you must structure a daily dose of social connection. It’s even more important when you work from home. There’s ample science to show that social connection is the no.1 factor to a fulfilled life
• 22:30 – One of the best reasons to live the Kandy Life. As a couple, Andy and Kay truly work as a team when it comes to work and home life. Any couple can do this. But sometimes it takes getting used to working at home together and you need more communication and structure
• 25:01 – Why you should put your workspace away from main traffic areas. Kids, pets, deliveries and how to be both professional but authentic/relatable when you work from home
• 28:09 – Why a clean space might amp up your productivity and put you in the state of flow more frequently
• 29:34 – How to communicate with kids and visiting family members when you need to work around them
• 30:46 – Why it’s awesome to work around your kid(s) and be available to pick them up from school or take them to appointments without needing to ask a boss for time off

For the latest updates. Follow us on Instagram @kandylifepodcast

Worried about your business in a crisis? Whether it is a recession, a hurricane, a man-made emergency or even a pandemic, you can turn the challenge to your business into an opportunity for growth, expansion, or even rest and reflection. And it can be for the common good in the face of the crisis at hand. A lot of how you deal with a disruptive problem is mindset. In this episode of the Kandy Life, we talk about how you can overcome any problem even when the rest of the world doesn’t think it is possible. This episode was inspired by the coronavirus crisis, but it is advice that extends beyond it to any crisis you may find yourself dealing with.

Episode Description

Episode 11 – How to use a crisis like COVID-19 as an opportunity to do good with your business and thrive

We got caught out of the country during the COVID-19 crisis so we are posting a barebones episode until we get back to Canada. We will update the show notes when we return.

For the latest updates. Follow us on Instagram @kandylifepodcast

Show Notes

To come.

Episode Description

Learn how to become a superconnector and your business will thrive. Business is about connecting with the right people, whether you offer a service or product. So how do you get in front of the right people? How do you make connections with people who will be your business partners or customers and clients? And when you do connect, how do you sell yourself and your business in a way that’s authentic, awesome, and so connecting with you is as an opportunity for others?

This week, Kay comes home from, “schmoozing with the Hollywood types in LA”, as Andy puts it. Learn her stealthy connection tactics, as well as, the techniques Andy used early in his career to become a TV show host, editor for a tech magazine start-up in San Francisco called Dig It, and eventually got honored by a medal from Queen Elizabeth II.

Connections take you far. They are the foundation of a successful business. Be a superconnector and your business takes care of itself.

Episode 10 – How to be a charismatic connector

0:20 – Why connecting with the right people is one of your greatest success factors in business

1:33 – Kay goes to LA and schmoozes with the Hollywood crowd. Find out why she was there and how she came back with many new friends and a major business prospects

2:34 – How Andy connected with the right people and achieved massive success in his career

3:16 – Why it’s critical to be intentional about your career and business and why you want to seek out, connect with, learn from partners who are already industry leaders

3:35 – Who do you need to partner with? If you see yourself as being more successful than where you are currently at in business or you feel you have the skills but not the exposure it’s likely all that’s missing is connecting to the right people

5:11 – Why getting really clear on your ‘why’s’ for any business is critical. It will keep you motivated and taking action in the face of barriers. It also helps you get clear on who your partners are in your field and community

6:09 – How far more possibilities open up when you connect with people in your industry. Andy and Kay share about moving to Malaysia, Kay’s journey with Mindvalley and connecting with soursop farmers to further grow their soursop business.

9:55 – Why you should get off your butt and out in the world. Why sometimes physically moving or traveling to the epicenter where the business is happening helps you connect with the right people and grow your business faster

10:42 – Why Andy moved to Berkeley to grow his success in the tech publishing business. How Andy became friends with David Binnel and moved to Berkley and created a magazine together

11:20 – Why having mentors/coaches is critical to your business success

12:19 – Why attending live events is a great way to build connections. Kay shares about a recent event she attended, Mindvalley Live

12:50 – How spending the money on the VIP ticket gets you a VIP experience and can help you connect with the people in your industry who are the top business leaders

16:30 – Never think that where you are at in business doesn’t mean you can’t connect to an expert or famous person in your industry. How Andy and Kay nabbed Ray Kurzweil and other major experts for their book Super You in 2016

20:25 – How to make sure you position your pitch to experts so it’s an opportunity for them

21:54 – How to market yourself intelligently to connect with the people you need to grow your business

22: 47 – How to show up as charismatic. Why focusing on the other person and being like a reporter is key

27:35 – Kay’s secret sauce for being relaxed and up as an awesome, cool person at any event and how she used it recently at a party at an A-list celebrity’s home in LA.

30:31 – People want the real you. How to show up as the authentic you, not the perfect you. Be genuine. Be extraordinary. Don’t try and be perfect.

31:01 – Why you must treat all people as equals. If you perceive that a person you are talking to is not useful to you business-wise, give that up. You never know how a person can help you or connect you with other people. You never know who they will grow into. Do not discount other people.

For the latest updates. Follow us on Instagram @kandylifepodcast

Show Notes

7-Step Formula for Being a Superconnector in Business

Be intentional about your business and career. Know WHY you are in business. There are probably a number of reasons that apply to you, the people you love, and the people your business is for. Doing the work to deeply think about WHY you are in business helps you get clear on what actions you need to take to achieve the results you want. It helps you zero in on WHO to connect with.

Get close to the people you need to connect with by reaching online and physically putting yourself near them. Reach out to experts. Know your target audience and put yourself in front of them online and in-person. In this digital age, physically connecting with people at live events can easily set you apart from other people in your field. You might also consider traveling to specific areas or moving to get closer to the action.

Establish bonds by connecting with shared interests. The best way to build an initial connection is to relate to one another through shared interests. When you connect with others look for similarities and then point them out. This helps to build affinity and trust faster.

Market yourself strategically. What is your unique offering? What skills do you have? What notable achievements can you lead with so others will notice you and want to connect? Lead with your strengths. And sometimes not being an expert is your strength. It allows other people to know how to support you. So know your strengths in every social situation and lead with them. Always ask yourself: How can I pitch myself so connecting with me is an opportunity for the other person?

Be like a reporter. Charisma is really about genuinely being curious. Ask people questions. Approach them as if you are a reporter who will later need to write a story about them. Tune in fully to the conversation.

Connect people to other people. People love to be with people who connect them to great people. So be a connector. When you see that two people should meet connect them. When you are at a party or event make an effort to introduce people you just met to other people too.

Decide how you want to show up. Think of events you love to go to or times where you feel comfortable and excited about interacting with people? Then, ask yourself what qualities you possess in those moments. Decide what they are and make an effort to be those qualities in new situations.

Episode Description

Many business owners get so attached to their ideas that they tune out what the market needs. Then, they get mad and wonder why they are not making money, to boot! In this episode of The Kandy Life, Andy and Kay talk about their own experiences with this common trap. Learn why the best way to operate is to be a blend of both. That’s being an “Arti-preneur” or an “Entrepre-tist”, perhaps? Successful businesses marry their passion with commerce. And anyone can do that. Listen to Episode 9: Are you an Artist or a Business Owner, to learn how.

Episode 8 – Are you an Artist or a Business Owner?

6:28 – People want to do what they want to do and that’s not always the best business strategy. As Andy puts it “sometimes you want to pain ducks and then you find out that people don’t want duck paintings”

1:24 – Are people buying what you want to sell them? But you can adjust your passions and skillsets to find something that the world wants that you can offer and get paid for

2:02 – How to pair one a passion with a business. Andy’s story about wanting to be a doctor and cure cancer and how he is now doing that in part through Andy and Kay’s soursop fruit business

5:06 – Why being passionate about a business idea is critical for success and ultimately, the level of fulfillment you get back from your work

5:25 – Are you an artist or a business owner? Solid advice Kay received from a business coach and how to know if you are falling into a common trap of being an artist who is not thinking about what the business wants

7:50 – The simplest way to match your skills and passions with commerce and why if someone else is doing it that can be great news

9:28 – Be intentional but flexible and some personal stories of how Andy and Kay did that

18:10 – The mindset to take on to align your work with your passion

20:41 – The three steps anyone can take to marry what you love with a business

26:42 – The only two barriers that are ever in the way

Show Notes

For the latest updates. Follow us on Instagram @kandylifepodcast

Episode Description

Andy and Kay share the secrets of email marketing. Did you know email marketing is the most effective and lowest-cost marketing channel available to you as an entrepreneur? The problem is most people do it wrong and alienate their subscribers. But done right the strategy can be a wickedly profitable selling machine. We reveal how to do it right and profit from it massively. 

Episode 9 – Why you’ll sell tons of product via email marketing if you don’t sell

Kay just got back from L.A. so she’ll post these on Tuesday afternoon.

Show Notes

For the latest updates. Follow us on Instagram @kandylifepodcast

Episode Description

Here’s a common pitfall of new business owners: They try to run a business with the same mindset they had as an employee. That simply doesn’t work. A shift needs to happen. When you run your own business no one is there to save you. You must save you. You must initiate all actions. You must troubleshoot. In other words, you must lead. And leadership is not always comfortable. So, on this episode of The Kandy Life, Kandy gives you solid advice and simple leadership hacks to transition from employee to business owner mindset.

Episode 7 – Entrepreneur vs. employee: Not an easy choice

0:20 – Employee mindset versus a business owner mindset. Why making the leap is a common barrier and how it can lead to the quick demise of any new business

5:42 – How to shift from follower mentality to a business leader mindset and the coaching Andy gave to one of his clients

7:54 – A warning to new entrepreneurs. Don’t fall into this common pitfall. It could be your undoing

8:30 – Why being fed up working for someone else can be a great catalyst and sign you should be running your own business. Andy shares a personal story about his career journey and what made him start his first business

9:02 – Why being skilled enough to be a manager doesn’t mean you’re a great leader

9:55 – What to do if you’re in a business jam and you run your own company

12:04 – A key component of business success. Why business leaders must surround themselves with successful business leaders

13:05 – Advice to live by for business owners and leaders

13:30 – How leadership really feels. Why doing leadership right might feel wrong to you

16:57 – Three simple leadership hacks that’ll help you move past any fear fast

18:12 – Why growing a business is like nurturing a newborn, and how if you’re successful, you’re baby could grow into a thriving independent adult. In other words, it could grow into a business that runs itself

20:55 – A powerful message to anyone starting a new business

Show Notes

For the latest updates. Follow us on Instagram @kandylifepodcast

Episode Description

Want to make money while you sleep? In the early 2000s, Andy was doing that. He ran a blog that made $80,000 CDN per year ($60,000 USD using today’s exchange rate), at a time when making money online was less common. And he’s continued to do this as the business landscape has evolved alongside the Internet. In this episode, you’ll learn about the “low hanging fruit” of online earning. You’ll learn basic ways to make money via various online mechanisms, such as advertising, affiliate programs, product sales, drop-ship partnerships, and membership sites.

Episode 6 – Easy Ways to Make Money Online

0:38 – The Internet is a powerful business tool. The story of when Andy first learned how easy it was to make money online

4:40 – Will this Internet thing stick around? Peter Mansbridge interviews Andy in the early 2000s. Listen to an incredible clip from their talk.

8:57 – How to make money with Google Ads

12:43 – Drive ads to affiliate programs or affiliate partners and how Andy makes money with a site about mole removal

18:00 – Selling direct. Selling information products and physical products

20:00 – Why selling information products is awesome! And an overview of how to do it

23:07 – The basics skills you need to know to sell online

23:55 – What to sell when you don’t know what to sell. How to work with drop-shipping companies to sell products that you never have to touch

27:46 – How invalidating a business idea may lead you to a more lucrative one. The story of the taxi driver Andy partnered with when Kandy lived in Malaysia for one year

Show Notes

Ad Partners, Affiliates, and Selling Products to Make Easy Money Online

In Episode 6 Andy and Kay discuss multiple simple methods to make money online. Here is a brief summary.

1. Make money with Google Ads. Visit Google Adwords to learn more and sign up
2. Make money through affiliate programs Visit Amazon Associates, LinkShare, Commission Junction, or Clickbank to learn more and sign up
3. Make money by selling information products Visit this page to learn how to sell books on Amazon. Or sell information products direct from your site using SamCart or with a Shopify store
4. Make money by selling physical products Sign up Amazon’s Seller Central (if you are in Canada click here) to list and sell your products within 48 hours. Learn more about selling on eBay (if you are in Canada click here) and Etsy
5. Make money by partnering with drop shippers Visit Oberlo.com to learn more and sign up
6. Make money with a Patreon group Visit Patreon to learn more and sign up

For the latest updates. Follow us on Instagram @kandylifepodcast

Episode Description

To be successful at building any business you have to learn how to quickly squash fear. Fear is one of the most paralyzing negative emotions. Anytime you are overwhelmed, anxious, stressed, it’s because you are afraid of something! Fear is running you. Episode 5 of The Kandy Life puts an end to that. Kandy gives you a suite of practical tools you can use to conquer fear quickly and easily the moment you notice it’s in the way. Reclaim your personal power fast. Be unstoppable in business. Exponentially explode your results. And find out how Kay sidestepped a fear that almost stopped a new puzzle business venture from happening.

BONUS PREMIUM TOOL: KEO-level Patrons (show supporters on Patreon.com) get free access to a downloadable printable Fear Toolkit Become a Patron! This 20-page ebook (PDF) provides 12 fear busting techniques.

Follow us on Instagram: @KandyLifePodcast

Episode 5 – Business fears and how to conquer them

1:11 – Resistance. How it’s always there when you start something new and how that’s not a bad thing

1:58 – What you have to get used to as an entrepreneur or you’re likely to fail. And how to recontextualize fear so it empowers you

3:08 – A common thought to have when you are starting a new business venture that you’re not making money from yet. Find out what persistent thought was in Kay’s way as she started a new business and how she overcame it

7:33 – Andy’s practical advice to Kay that you can use to overcome fear when you’re starting a new business

10:40 – How to regain control fast. A simple method for reframing overwhelm so you see the value in it

11:51 – The greatest mistake people make when it comes to fear. Learn how fear does not have to dictate what actions you take

18:45 – Two more questions to use to regain your personal power during overwhelm

14:11 – How business fears can land you instead into a fear of regret

15:57 – Boostrapping and what the early stages of a business can look like. Andy shares about the early days of Kandy’s soursop product business

17:30 – How to embrace the fears entrepreneurship and leaving a steady 9-5. Andy shares about the fears he encountered starting his first business

24:46 – Dismantle any fear in seconds with this reframing tool

28:16 – A simple tool for shifting into confidence and out of any disempowering state

30:30 – The truth about fear. Remind yourself of this and you can overcome any fearful moment

35:00 – The simplest most powerful tool for reclaiming your personal power in fearful moments

38:04 – Why tapping into your community can help you overcome fear

40:46 – A kickass way to kill a fear for people who like to take challenges head-on

Show Notes

Fear-Busting Tools for Entrepreneurs

In Episode 5 Andy and Kay discuss multiple methods for overcoming fear. Here is a brief summary. A complete fear guide is available for patron methods. Become a Patron!

1. Recall a past triumph. Sometimes comparing your current fearful moment to a past moment where you felt a similar fear but overcame it can help give you power to move forward.
2. Be afraid and take action anyway! Remember that your feelings don’t have to dictate your actions. You can be afraid and still take action. Keep going one step at a time.
3. Reframe your situation through a context of contribution. Ask yourself who am I here to make a difference for? This has you switch into a more powerful mode of operation where you are not focused on yourself. When you focus on others you are more apt to rise to the occassion.
4. Character modeling. Ask yourself who would be powerful in the situation you’re in? How would they behave? Be like them.
5. Awesome You Life. Ground yourself in your accomplishments. It’s a fast way to remind yourself how awesome and powerful you are.
6. Interview someone who is not afraid of the situation you’re afraid of. Their views might help you recontextualize your situation.
7. Set a plan and make sure you have no way to get out of it. For instance, if you know you want to do more public speaking you can plan your own event. Once you invite people it’s tough to not do it!

BONUS PREMIUM TOOL: KEO-level Patrons (show supporters on Patreon.com) get free access to a downloadable printable Fear Toolkit Become a Patron! This 20-page ebook (PDF) provides 12 fear busting techniques. Become a Patron!

Follow us on Instagram @kandylifepodcast

Episode Description

Overwhelm can be an entrepreneur’s constant companion and a soul destroyer. It can make you want to stay in bed in the AM and avoid everything you have to do that day. And that can be the undoing of a business. This week Kay helps Andy dismantle his overwhelming week. She provides a step by step process to help him (and you) dismantle overwhelm and get back into action.

BONUS: KEO Patrons (our show supporters) get a downloadable printable Overhwelm worksheet. Become a Patron!

Episode 4 – Overwhelm: How to Override It

1:07 – Overwhelm recovery. How Kay got Andy out of a pickle this week

5:40 – The cycle of overwhelm. How overwhelm plays out for most entrepreneurs. Have you experienced this?

7:21 – How men and women handle overwhelm. Learn the biologically-based difference between the sexes

9:42 – An easy way to coach anyone through overwhelm, including your partner

10:40 – How to regain control fast. A simple method for reframing overwhelm so you see the value in it

14:43 – An empowering question to ask in times of overwhelm

18:45 – Two more questions to use to regain your personal power during overwhelm

19:30 – The invaluable skills you get trained in as an entrepreneur. Learn how to use them override overwhelm.

22:04 – The two modes all people operate from

24:42 – Why two is better than one. How to support your partner to get through the hard times in business.

26:50 – Advice for entrepreneurial singles today who are seeking ‘the one’

Show Notes

• Buddha and the Badass -Kay’s book project as a collaborator with Vishen Lakhiani

Overwhelm Recovery Process for Entrepreneurs

Here is a list of questions to ask yourself or your partner when you are experiencing overwhelm. These questions will help you reframe the situation and reclaim your power fast:

1. How is what’s happening moving me closer to what I want?
2. What is really going on? Focus on stats and measurable metrics to pull yourself out of negative emotions and get grounded on the problem at hand. Without adding emotion, how can you navigate the situation to solve the situation?
3. Who in my community can as I for support? Who can I delegate to? 
4. Where in my past have I overcome a similar challenging situation?
5. How can I reshape my language so I am not making this situation worse? (ie. saying phrases like “I am in crisis!” is not useful. Instead rephrase to: “I am in a challenging situation” to loosen the emotional sting)
6. Think strategically about how to tackle the situation. Create a plan. Then take action. Remind yourself: I can only do what I can with the time and resources I have. I will do my best. That’s all I can do.

Get this and many more premium entrepreneur tools as a handy printable downloadable PDF when you register on Patreon at the KEO level: Become a Patron!

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