Facebook’s New Podcast

It seems Facebook has its hands in a little bit of everything lately. From Facebook Portal, the Amazon Alexa enabled communication device to their new channel Facebook Watch, which houses videos from channels users follow as well as original content, there seems to be quite a move for Facebook to stay prominent in every channel, now including, podcasting.

A brand new podcast series focusing on entrepreneurship is the second podcast series to be released by the social media giant, and the first to be released in the US. The content is no surprise given the volume of businesses that use the platform (more than 90 million currently).

Called ‘Three And A Half Degrees: The Power of Connection,’ this show plays off of how technology has made it more convenient to connect (No longer six degrees of separation, but more like three and a half with the advances we have made).

Podcast host and VP of Business and Marketing Partnerships David Fischer says the podcast falls in line with the platform’s mission of helping businesses learn from one another.

Episode one includes an interview with Blake Mycoskie, the creator of TOMS shoes, and founders of fellow charitable business Two Blind Brothers, Bryan and Bradford Manning, and focuses on brands that prioritize a social mission over their growth or profit.

Season one will be seven episodes with fourteen guests, including Gary Vaynerchuck, Chris Kempczinski, Beth Comstock and more.

You can find episode one of ‘Three And A Half Degrees: The Power of Connection’ on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, TuneIn, and Stitcher.

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CES 2019: Setting the Stage For This Year’s Trends in Tech

The tech world is kicking the new year off right with the annual Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas. Here, the curtain was pulled back on some of the major trends that are expected to emerge this year, including AI, improved self-driving cars, gaming, 5G technology and more. The four-day event also hosted many keynotes from speakers from Verizon, IBM, AT&T among others.

These were some of the top picks for new tech at CES this year

Sphero Specdrums

Apps and toys to teach children, or even adults to code, are not new, but Sphero has developed a way that may be irresistible for anyone. The Sphero Specdrums work like this: use the app to assign sounds to each color. These sounds can be beats, loops, musical notes, or even just a sound. Then with the silicone ring tap on the colored playpad or record your own sounds and capture your own colors to play on the world around you.  

FenSens

Make your car an intelligent, autonomous car with the FenSens rear-mounted easy to install sensor and app that can warn you if there’s something too close to your vehicle.

KitchenAid Smart Display

This isn’t the first Google Assistant enabled display, but this might be the first one you aren’t worried about having in your kitchen. The KitchenAid Smart Display has a 10–inch screen and the specs you’d expect to find in a smart speaker, but also is IPX5 water and dust resistant, so you can spill near in, drop food on it, anything you’d expect to happen while cooking. The company even suggests that you can wash it in your sink if the need arises.

Samsung GEMS-H

The Gait Enhancing Motivational System (or GEMS) is Samsung’s line of assistive wearable concepts. The GEMS-H is a lightweight lower-body exoskeleton that helps aid in mobility and can even add resistance for injury rehabilitation

FenSens

Make your car an intelligent, autonomous car with the FenSens rear-mounted easy to install sensor and app that can warn you if there’s something too close to your vehicle.

Bell Nexus

Uber and Bell Helicopter partnered with other parties to develop the Bell Nexus, which is essentially an air taxi. The concept goes along with Uber’s goal of launching and on-demand air service by 2023.

BotBoxer

For the techie that is also into fitness, BotBoxer is the answer to the Peloton trend of smart exercise. A punching bag on a stick that is loaded with motion and pressure sensors as well as analytics that can determine your body position and predict where your hits will be so it can react to your movements.

Otter+ Pop Symmetry Series

The convenience of a Popsocket with the safety of an Otterbox case. The Otter + Pop symmetry series lets you maximize your phone with easy swapping of Pop Sockets for personalization.

Royale FlexPai

The first genuine foldable smartphone isn’t really a smartphone at all, it’s a compact tablet with a 7.8 inch display that when doubled over and folded is a fully functional smartphone. It’s not perfected yet, but it is a glance at things to come on the innovation front.

Samsung 75-inch MicroLED TV “The Wall”

Samsung’s first MicroLED TV was introduced last year at CES, but that was mostly to show what was coming. Now, the technology is something that you can have in your own home. The 75 inch TV is going to be massively expensive but will have all the near-perfect picture quality as OLED without the feared durability issues.

BreadBot

While kitchen devices are nothing new to CES, but the enormous BreadBot may be more for bakery usage. The huge appliance says it can make 10 loaves of bread every hour.

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Business Podcasts to Subscribe to in 2018

Continued education doesn’t have to come in the form of classrooms and textbooks, you can glean knowledge from many sources. One of the most popular ways to continue learning is listening to podcasts. Podcasts can cover a wide range of subjects from pop culture to politics to business practices. The following podcast recommendations cover topics from entrepreneurship, marketing, and business.

School of Greatness

Host Lewis Howes has overcome his share of adversity. This podcast launched in 2013 and has grown to be one of iTunes’ top-rated Business and Self-Development podcasts. The mission on ‘School of Greatness’ is to empowerer listeners to achieve success in the face of adversity, and he shares not only his story but the stories of the guests that come on the show.

Cool Things Entrepreneurs Do

Thom Singer started this podcast hoping to enable a new generation of leaders to use his knowledge of business relationships, sales, networking and more, including fitness, trends, and entrepreneurial spirit.

Product Hunt Radio

Product Hunt is great for the B2C business person, and those interested in current product trends. It focuses on physical products and how they’re created, the marketing behind them that turns them into global brands, and guests’ takes on productivity, management and investment.

Rocketship.fm

With big-name guests, this weekly podcast covers everything about building a startup from developing a product to finding and converting a customer base. This show is great for anyone in the B2B or B2C world.

The Influencer Podcast

Julie Solomon, marketing strategist, publisher and influencer hosts this show and brings in guests to talk about their experiences in the world of influencer marketing, as well as sharing insights into how to grow, engage with and persuade an audience.

Smart Passive Income

Learn how Pat Flynn author of The Smart Passive Income Blog uses all of his online blog and business strategies, as well as marketing tips and income sources which will help you take the next steps forward with your online businesses, blogs and more.

Copyblogger FM

In a world where content is king, it never hurts to strive for an improved approach to writing and content marketing. Host Sonia Simone and a rotating panel of experts discuss news, trends, and updates in copywriting, email marketing, conversion, content marketing and more.

The Science of Social Media

Buffer has a great blog, and the podcast they produce is just as influential. The content presented covers everything from the state of social media marketing, new algorithms, and third-party tools to maximize your social media management. This is a great podcast for everyone from beginners to the well seasoned social media practitioner.

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Reclaim Your Time

Many organizations are now putting an emphasis on work-life balance. But sometimes that balance isn’t easily found, and your time becomes difficult to manage. You may find yourself missing out on doing the things that truly matter to you, sacrificing exercise, family, goals you have set for yourself or other activities you wish you had time for. In 2017 Maxine Waters made reclaiming her timethe main focus of her life. This is how you can do the same, and focus on the things you want to do.

Assess your calendar

Look at your calendar and the things you have planned for the future. Decide what things are important to you, and re-prioritize those that aren’t. Breaking plans you are not enthused by isn’t the worst thing in the world, and can make you feel more in control of your schedule. While looking through, be sure to schedule time for yourself, sometimes it’s as easy as giving your free time a name and assigned date and/or time.

Disconnect

Find time to remove yourself from the constant distractions on the internet or on your phone. Eliminate as many of these unnecessary distractions as possible, whether that means turning notifications off on your phone or computer, turning off your internet connection, or downloading an app or browser extension that blocks certain functions and capabilities so you can focus on what you have to do.

Rethink routines

If you are stuck in your routine take a break to make a change. Wake up earlier to eat a healthy breakfast or go to the gym before work, take a new route to work, or instead of running errands every day, commit one day to getting everything done to save time, gas and money.

Say no

Save the limited amounts of time you have for the things that you are excited about. Saying no is hard for many people, but can save you the stress of feeling overextended and disinterested in the plans you make.

Eat the frog

This piece of advice has been floating around for a while now, but for good reason. Procrastination is an easy trap to fall into, but an easy way to increase your productivity and feel more accomplished is to “eat the frog” or to complete the most dreaded part of your day right away, rather than just leaving it and letting it become more of a mental block in your day.

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Conferences For Entrepreneurs, Marketers & More in 2018

One of the best ways to learn and get involved in a community built around your work is to attend a conference, summit or keynote.  Whether your work is marketing, content creation, entrepreneurship or technology focused, there will be an event that fits your list of needs. Check some of these events out to get started exploring the world of conferences.

No Longer Virtual– Denver, February 22-23

This conference focused on improving your personal communication, sales, and leadership skills is one of the most exclusive events this year, as there is a registration limit of 50 people. NLV is being called a “can’t miss” by Forbes. Because attendance is limited, those who participate are able to work more one on one with other attendees, make more meaningful connections, and attendees contribute to sessions rather than keynote speakers being the main focus.

Forbes Under 30 Summit– Boston, October TBD

The 30 Under 30 Summit is Forbes showcase event of their “Under 30” listmakers. With over 6,000 in attendance and participants that work in fields that range from tech to content marketing, this event is heralded as “the greatest gathering of world changers and entrepreneurs ever.” Complete with musical performances and a food festival, this summit is more than just inspiring speakers. Listmakers are always welcome, but if you haven’t found your name on one just yet, you can request a premium pass to attend this event.

GrowthHackers– San Diego, February 6

For those looking to grow their businesses, a great way to “Kickstart your growth” is to attend the GrowthHackers Conference, hosted by Sean Ellis and Dani Hart of GrowthHackers. With speakers from LinkedIn to ClassPass and everything in between, GrowthHackers can help push your business to the next level. Past speakers have included Larry Kim of Wordstream, Eleana Verna of Survey Monkey, and Chris More of Mozilla, to name a few.

Social Media Marketing World– San Diego, February 28- March 2

Social Media Examiner is presenting a three-day conference this year that will help you to master social media for your business this year. With over 120 training sessions from some of the world’s leaders in social media and content creation, you can learn everything you need to succeed with social media while connecting with influencers, customers, and other marketers. Join speakers Mari Smith, Gary Vaynerchuk, Jay Baer and more in sessions tailored to the needs of both marketers and content creators.

This is only a handful of the great events that you can take advantage of this year, and there are more that are yet to be announced. Keep your eyes open for more conferences that suit the needs of your business.

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Books to Read in 2018

As the new year begins and New Year’s resolutions are made, one that many people bring up each year is that of wanting to read more books in the year to come. These are some top picks for books about business, technology, personal growth, leadership and more.

Business

Rise and Grind  by Daymond John

The Shark Tank panelist and entrepreneur uses his own life experiences to tell readers how to succeed in their lives with inspiration to use persistence, grit, and spectacular work ethic.

Crushing It  by Gary Vaynerchuk

VaynerMedia CEO Gary Vaynerchuk is known for his no downtime approach to life and business, as well as for building a brand that is solid and highly successful. Vaynerchuk outlines what you need to know to do the same for your brand.

The Culture Code: The Secrets of Highly Successful Groups by Daniel Coyle and Will Damron

Learn how successful groups are built and strengthened, with Coyle’s in-depth look into how group culture can be cultivated.

Technology

The One Device: The Secret History of the iPhone  by Brian Merchant

The introduction of the iPhone changed the course of history, for technology, social trends and more. This national bestseller takes readers through the history of the development and release of the influential Apple device.

Surviving the Tech Storm: Strategy in Times of Technological Uncertainty by Nicklas Bergman

The technological changes that we have gone through have entered us into a new era that is filled with questions and challenges. Bergman offers insight into how to make decisions and find insights into an uncertain world.

What To Do When Machines Do Everything: How to Get Ahead in a World of AI, Algorithms, Bots and Big Data by Malcolm Frank, Paul Roehrig, and Ben Pring

The digital economy is changing the future of work and how business is done. The authors provide a roadmap to take steps to move ahead in a world that is moving more quickly than we can.

Leadership

Brave Leadership: Unleash Your Most Confident, Powerful and Authentic Self to Get the Results You Need by Kimberly Davis

Learn how to get results and become the leader you want to be in this guide for all leadership journeys. Davis dives into the essential tools and tips that anyone can use to reach their full potential and help feel more confident, satisfied and purposeful.  

The CEO Next Door: The 4 Behaviors That Transform Ordinary People into World Class Leaders  by Elena L. Botelho and Kim R. Powell

Botelho and Powell’s in-depth look at CEOs and executives uncovers what makes these leaders successful. Though this book may be more research intensive, the messages that it delivers with the conclusions can help you rise to the top as well.

A Higher Loyalty: Truth, Lies, and Leadership by James Comey

Former FBI director James Comey reveals never before told stories of his time in the government sharing insights into what makes an effective leader.

Money

The Millionaire Next Door by Thomas J. Stanley and William D. Danko

First released in 1996, this exposé about wealthy Americans has now been updated for the context of the current state of the world. Learn how the truly wealthy demographic behaves and how you can modify your life and spending habits to fit within this exclusive group.

Cold Hard Truth On Men, Women, and Money by Kevin O’Leary

Shark Tank’s Mr. Wonderful, Kevin O’Leary presents a new take on finance in a witty and funny way that presents advice to someone at any stage in their life. It’s not too late to take control of your finance, and O’Leary presents this in a well rounded and personable way.

The Total Money Makeover  by Dave Ramsey

Taking a fitness type stab at revamping personal finance, Ramsey presents a plan that can help you pay off debts, build a strong financial safety net and create a budget without sacrificing your personal relationships.

Personal Growth

Nudge: Improving Decisions About Health, Wealth, and Happiness -Cass Sunstein and Richard Thaler

Nudge opens the eyes of the reader up to the fact that nothing we have to decide on is presented in a neutral way. By acknowledging bias, and understanding how the human brain perceives choice you can influence others to make decisions that are better for everyone in your life.

Your Best Year Ever by Michael Hyatt

Hyatt dives into how you can achieve your goals instead of letting them get pushed back only to regret ignoring them. Whether your goals are centered around relationships, financial, or educational, this book can help you to reset your life and achieve the goals you set.

Option B: Facing Adversity, Building Resilience, and Finding Joy by Sheryl Sandberg

After her husband’s sudden death, Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg fell into a vast depression. But with hard work, she was able to build resilience and find her way towards recovery. Option B houses Sandberg’s journal excerpts, research and other contributors’ personal stories that showcase peak levels of perseverance. Learn how to develop compassion, appreciation, and resilience as well as the ability help others find the same qualities within themselves.

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The Best Conferences to Attend in 2017: Tech, Marketing and Business

TechCrunch Disrupt NYC May 15th to 18th

Ideal for startups, TechCrunch Disrupt is for innovators, investors, tech fans and everyone in between, unveiling the latest in technology and key industry innovations. The Startup Battlefield puts early stage startups together to compete for the Disrupt Cup, cash prizes and the attention of investors.

World Business Forum May 31st to June 1st

Held in Sydney, Australia, the World Business Forum will host speakers including Arianna Huffington and promotes a “state of permanent beta”. Introducing new technologies and strategies is key to living in this state, and this conference empowers entrepreneurs, business owners and more to learn how to see new opportunities, use new tools and strategies and thrive with these changes.

Next Gen Summit June 2nd to June 4th

Specifically for the younger crowd of entrepreneurs, influencers and more, the Next Gen Summit was built for young minds by young minds in the entrepreneurial world. If you fit the bill for this niche opportunity, this conference in  New York City will be the place to be.

Confab Central June 7th to 9th

Minneapolis will hold the Confab conference for content strategy this June. Workshops, higher ed programming and great networking events for teams or individuals. With a focus on content strategy there are talks centered on UX, marketing, communications and more.

BlogHer June 22nd to June 24th

A conference specifically  for female content creators (bloggers, marketers, social media influencers etc.) this event is being held in Orlando, and  invites the fans, brands and other content creators to meet, collaborate and get inspired through networking with other attendees, workshops, and keynote speakers.

Summit November 3rd to November 6th

This invite only event in Los Angeles connects leaders in nearly every space, from technology to arts and culture, hosting thoughtful, well-rounded and meaningful discussion about the world we are living in. Keynote speakers at Summit 2017 include Kobe Bryant, Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos, CNN’s Van Jones, Jane Fonda, Olympic Gold Medalist Kerri Walsh Jennings and more. This impressive lineup of great minds will replace the Summit-at-Sea conference cruise.

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Steve Renner Talks Rebranding

Join Steve Renner as he discusses trends in marketing, technology and  business. This episode focuses on creating an effective brand through rebranding. Watch it below.

Steve Renner has been involved in Internet Marketing since the ‘first days’ of the Internet. Technology has changed a great deal since he started, but Steve continues to be at the technological forefront. He continues to bring products to help your business.

Apart from being an Internet marketing pioneer, Steve is also passionate about writing. He has contributed chapters to books by Brian Tracy, Jack Canfield and Richard Branson, so that he can share his insights into a successful life with you.

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8 Options for Free Online Courses

Smart people and great entrepreneurs know that knowledge is key. Key to life and especially key to business. Here is a list of online and FREE education sites where you can hone skills in marketing, business practice and nearly anything else under the sun.

1. Hubspot

Hubspot is a company that creates software technologies that revolve around inbound marketing. Their inbound certification is a well known and respected industry standard and can be a great jumping off point for those just starting off.

2. edX

edX is a massive open online course provider. It hosts online university level courses from some of the best known and reputable schools in the world, in a wide range of disciplines, including some courses at no charge.

3. Coursera

Coursera is often a fan favorite; courses are taught by top instructors from the world’s best educational institutions. Courses include recorded video lectures, auto-graded and peer-reviewed assignments, and community discussion forums. When you complete a course, you receive a sharable electronic Course Certificate.

4. Alison

Alison is an e-learning provider created by a serial entrepreneur focusing on basic education and workplace skills.

5. Youtube

Youtube, the world’s biggest video sharing website isn’t just for watching dancing cat videos, it also happens to have how-to’s and DIYs on anything you could possibly think of, most notably in tech and business management.

6. Lynda

Lynda, now under the umbrella of Linkedin, is a video based online education provider that leans very heavily towards software, creative, and business skills.  

7. Khan Academy

Khan Academy is a non-profit used by students all over the world from elementary through graduate programs. Courses are taught by educator Salman Khan in a very simple, hands on and personalized approach.

8. Udemy

Udemy, is an online learning platform created for professional adults that want to hone career skills, spruce up their resume, or discover/rediscover their passions.

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