What’s the secret to finding success in business? Being a little delusional (or maybe a lot, depending on who you ask). On this episode of Midwest Mindset, Matt explains the need to be delusional if you’re looking to start your own business, how knowing too much at the onset of a new business venture can be more harmful than helpful, and how sometimes a sense of ignorance can help you move forward after major setbacks.  One setback many businesses experience is struggling to manage social...

Let's face it: just because we might be good at one thing, doesn't mean we're good at everything. Too often business owners think because we're experts in what our business specializes in, we're experts in everything else. However, that's rarely the case...especially when it comes to marketing. On this episode of the Midwest Mindset, we dive into the importance of knowing your strengths, the advantage of bringing in experts, and the simple fact that perception is all that matters in the world...

As an entrepreneur, failure is inevitable, but what happens when that failure is made public? On today’s episode we dive into PR and the best way to prepare, prevent, and react to public failures and tragedies. Our special guest, Gwenn Aspen founder and CEO of Anequim, shares firsthand experiences of dealing with public failure and coping with employee loss. As Gwenn says, failure is information, and whether or not your business will succeed all depends on how you use that information. Two...

So, how do you make money with your podcast? Well, contrary to popular belief, it's not just about advertising or sponsors. In fact, only a small fraction of podcasts actually qualify for third-party monetization. So, what's the real key to making your podcast profitable? It goes beyond download numbers or listeners. Join us today as we chat with Eric Johnson, the Podcast Talent Coach and Senior VP of Programming for iHeartMedia. Eric will reveal the strategies and insights you need to...

How do you handle bad publicity? What if your business is receiving attention in all the wrong ways? How do you deal with criticism? In today's #MidwestMindset, Matt shares his personal story of bad publicity and blackmail after one very private picture was stolen from his phone.   After very difficult moments and many lessons learned, he gives us his five-step action plan to overcome bad publicity without letting it affect your mental peace.   For more on content marketing and podcasting,...

The valet may open the door, take the keys, and park the car, but the hotel housekeeper cleans up after you! So, why do we tip the valet but not the housekeeper? Well, the answer is pretty simple: one is face to face, and one is out of sight, out of mind. On this episode of the Midwest Mindset, Matt breaks down the power of face-to-face sales over other means of communication such as phone calls or digital.  Sales starts with a gameplan, so let's get organized! Download our free daily...

The boys from WMK are back! In this episode of the Midwest Mindset, Matt sits down with Murphy and Walt from WMK Media in Omaha. WMK is quickly building a reputation for creating viral content on YouTube that in turn is not just getting them more views, but it’s starting to make them money. So what are the tricks to monetizing YouTube longform videos and shorts? From using the right title strategies to knowing when and how often to post, tune in and learn how to make money on the internet’s...

You see the stickers everywhere you go, some businesses live and die by them, others couldn’t care less. Yes, it’s that time of year where we get to vote for the ‘Best of Omaha.’ Since 1992, Omaha Magazine has been helping showcase what voters determine are the best spots in Omaha. From music venues to dry cleaners, every business has a chance to get the votes and the sticker, but maybe it’s time we start asking ourselves—does being voted ‘Best of Omaha’ really matter? When stickers are...

What do the most successful entrepreneurs, millionaires, and even billionaires all have in common? They focus on the little things. The big little things, if you will. In this episode of the Midwest Mindset Matt dives into what little things you need to be doing to build long lasting success. From making your bed to journaling at the end of the day, there are seemingly countless little, easy things you and your team could be doing today that could make a better tomorrow for your business. ...

Paid or organic: which is better for your business? On this episode of the Midwest Mindset, Matt sits down with AnnMarie Fereday and Matt Falcon from Refine Marketing as they break down the difference between paid and organic advertising, the advantage to “paying for clicks,” and the red flags businesses can look for when hiring a marketing firm.  Find out more about Refine Marketing and their approach to digital advertising here: https://refinemktg.com/ For more on content marketing and...

Let’s talk about how to kill your business! Wait, what? In order to not kill your business, it helps to know the pitfalls to avoid! In this episode of the Midwest Mindset, we dive into major marketing mistakes that many small business owners make. From trying to imitate industry leaders to just throwing a wide net out on social media, tune in and find out how to kill your business…so that you don’t kill your business.   For more on content marketing and podcasting, or to measure your...

The boys from WMK are back! In this episode of the Midwest Mindset, Matt sits down with Murphy and Walt from WMK Media in Omaha. WMK is quickly building a reputation for creating viral content on YouTube that in turn is not just getting them more views, but it’s starting to make them money. So what are the tricks to monetizing YouTube longform videos and shorts? From using the right title strategies to knowing when and how often to post, tune in and learn how to make money on the internet’s...

Just how do you turn a marketing failure into a marketing success? In this episode of the Midwest Mindset, we sit down with Anequim CEO, Gwenn Aspen, as we talk about her company's past marketing attempts, failures, and successes.  Let's embrace the cringe of our past mistakes so we can learn from them and turn our marketing failures into success. Wondering if your marketing is working? Have a hunch you're over paying an agency and don't know if you're getting results? Find out more about...

How do you land a government contract? Are you discouraged because there doesn’t seem to be any opportunities? Getting a government contract can be a great way to generate consistent income, but the process can be daunting. In this episode we’re joined by Veronica Doga and Harold Sargus from the Nebraska Business Development Center and they specialize in helping small businesses with government contracting. They talk about the many opportunities small businesses have available to land those...

In this week's episode of the #MidwestMindset podcast, we sit down with Tracy Winkler, a Professional EOS Implementer, to discuss the importance of building a team that values accountability. Accountability is the key to your marketing success and Tracy gets us started with the 101 on EOS and Traction.  Download your FREE Vision/Traction/Organizer (VTO) that will give your business the goals, plan, and actions needed to excel.  For more on Tracy's Professional EOS implementation program,...

Artificial intelligence – some are calling it the dawn of a new technological age while others are comparing it to Terminator 2: Judgment Day. But when we break down the drama and pull back the curtain, what are the facts about AI? And what are the advantages and disadvantages of using artificial intelligence for your business? In this episode, we dive into the world of artificial intelligence and add a little more fact to what so many perceive as science fiction.  #artificialintelligence...

How do you engage and bring value to your potential customer without giving away all your business secrets? What if we told you that you don´t lose anything by giving your audience all your knowledge and expertise; in fact, you’re more likely to receive qualified leads without having to spend high marketing prices. In this episode, we´re joined with successful real estate master and lead conversion expert: Jeff Cohn from Elite Real Estate to learn how awareness and discovery can boost your...

What does street marketing look like today in the era of all things digital? It turns out that the same basic principles of physical flyers, in-person events, and networking apply just as much to today’s digital marketing as it did 20 years ago.  In this episode we are joined once again by Todd N Tyler Radio Empire’s own Mike Tyler, who shares the old-school street marketing tactics that you can utilize today to market your business online.  Listen to Todd n' Tyler and connect with Mike...

The world is now digital so where do old-school mediums like radio fit into your marketing strategy? Yes, there are some very easy ways to waste a lot of money in radio advertising, but there are a lot of secrets to radio advertising that are effective and very affordable for small businesses.  Today we’ll break down radio advertising and the secrets radio stations don’t want you to know about. Tips covered in this episode:  How Ratings work and how they are flawed Ask them to prove it -...

It's time to embrace the truth: Facebook and Instagram are now video platforms just like TikTok and YouTube. This means that video-based marketing is the most effective tool to market your business. In this episode, we're joined by Walt Sanders and Michael Murphy of Omaha's WMK Media, who will show you how to use video to grow your business. Click Here to Download your free copy of YouTube's PDF guide to building your business through videos on YouTube!  In this episode, we'll cover the...

Stop thinking of a podcast as entertainment or a 'show' and start thinking of it as what it really is - a tool.  And not just any tool - Podcasting is the most affordable and effective marketing tool available to small businesses today. Erik Johnson is the Sr. VP of Programming for iheartmedia and The Podcast Talent Coach, who joins Matt Tompkins to talk about the many benefits of podcasting for small businesses with simple, practical tips and techniques that deliver real results!  Download...

What is the secret behind the world’s greatest salesperson? Joe Girard is listed in the Guiness Book of World Records as "The World's Greatest Salesman." He has sold more cars than 95% of car dealerships in North America, more than 13,001 in total.  There IS a secret to his success and this secret is revealed in this episode of the podcast.  The best part is that this secret is something you can easily apply to your own business today! Midwest Mindset is a production of Two Brothers Creative. 

Do you know what your value is? As business owners, we’re never given an instruction manual to know what our time is worth or what a fair price is that we should be charging for our services.  As we’re starting out, it's very easy for us to undervalue our business and what it is truly worth.  In this episode, we’ll learn how it all comes down to having the right mindset. We’re joined by Amy Nakai, the owner of rooted tree specialists, who shows us the power of having the right mindset to...

Should your business be on every social media platform? I think it's a very fair question to ask, considering the amount of time, personnel, and money we throw at a multi-channel social media marketing strategy. This is not an anti-social media episode but this is a podcast for us to learn how to use Social Media correctly so that you get the results you need for your business.  "51% of businesses will close their doors within the first five years, and I think it’s safe for me to say that no...

For most small businesses, the answer is yes. What can you do with your website so that it is a tool working to help your business and not hurt it? This episode is your website 101 course with our guest, and professional web designer/branding/marketing expert, Chad Dodd of Klar, Inc.  We'll cover:  Common mistakes we make with our website Defining the type of website your business actually needs Simple things you can do now to improve your site without breaking the bank What to look out...