In this episode of The Business Behind Your Business, host Paul Sweeney speaks with sales expert Jacob Hicks about mastering the art of follow-up and building authentic customer relationships. Jacob shares insights from his diverse sales background and emphasizes the importance of follow-up systems, customer relationship management (CRM) tools, and providing value without being pushy. Listeners will gain practical strategies to improve their sales process, overcome the fear of follow-up, and ultimately increase conversions.

Jacob Hicks is a coach and keynote speaker with over a decade of experience transforming lives and businesses. Thanks to 10 years in sales, Jacob has a knack for identifying what drives lasting success and delivering implementable strategies to help clients achieve it. Podcasters love working with Jacob because of his practical insights and engaging storytelling that leave audiences inspired. Known for his strong follow-up systems and mindset-driven coaching, Jacob empowers clients across industries to overcome challenges, implement sustainable systems, and move forward with confidence.

Connect with Jacob:

Website: www.jacobhickscoach.com

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In this episode of The Business Behind Your Business, host Paul Sweeney welcomes Kerim Kfuri, a seasoned expert in supply chain management. They discuss how supply chains became a critical focus during COVID-19 and why they remain essential for business success today. Kerim explains the complexities of supply chains, their impact on pricing and availability, and how disruptions—whether global or domestic—can significantly affect businesses. He also shares practical strategies for managing supply chains effectively, the importance of having backup suppliers, and why small and medium-sized business owners should consider outsourcing supply chain management to experts. Tune in to gain valuable insights and actionable advice for optimizing your business’s supply chain.

Get Kerim's book Supply Chain Ups and Downs

Kerim Kfuri is a global entrepreneur, ever-curious, ever-growing, and ever-learning. Throughout his career, Kerim has spearheaded numerous ventures that have significantly impacted the supply chain industry, all committed to innovation and excellence. Kerim has written the first of many books, Supply Chain — Ups and Downs, and is genuinely passionate about sharing his knowledge in classrooms with students studying supply chain management and at industry conferences.

Kerim's career has spanned across a diverse range of sectors, including technology, retail, entertainment, real estate, spirits, packaging, sports equipment, medical, import/export, and banking. Kerim has held notable positions at NASD/FINRA (National Association of Securities Dealers), Accenture, SEC, Friedman Billings Ramsey, and 24/7 Media, contributing to his broad understanding of the business landscape.

For more than 2 decades Kerim has served as President/CEO of The Atlas Network, LLC, a global supply chain enterprise.

Contact Kerim here:

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In this episode of The Business Behind Your Business, host Paul Sweeney talks with Mia Juan, founder of Next Level Assist, about the benefits of using virtual assistants (VAs) to help businesses grow efficiently. They discuss common misconceptions about hiring VAs, the types of tasks they can handle (such as admin work, social media management, and customer service), and how partnering with a VA agency ensures quality, training, and ongoing support. Mia also shares insights on how business owners can delegate effectively, overcome the fear of outsourcing, and save time and costs compared to hiring in-house employees.

Mia Juan: Your Virtual Success Coach & Game-Changer in Remote Work!
Mom, mentor, and your go-to guide for everything Executive Virtual Assistance. Mia is proof that you can thrive in your career and your personal life—even if the odds aren’t in your favor! From starting as a 19-year-old call center agent in Marikina City to managing a team of executive virtual assistants across the globe, Mia's journey has been one of grit, growth, and a few plot twists.
In 2017, Mia was running a thriving events business… until the pandemic hit. Like many, Mia had to pivot, and that’s when Mia discovered the power of being an executive virtual assistant. With zero experience but plenty of hustle, Mia built a career from scratch—and now Mia is sharing everything she's learned with you!
On TikTok and YouTube, Mia's created a space where over 400,000 of you tune in to get insider tips, inspiring stories, and career hacks to jumpstart your remote work dreams. Thanks to this incredible community, Mia's helped thousands of aspiring EVAs in the Philippines, Nigeria, Kenya, the US, and beyond take their first step toward earning in dollars without leaving home.
Mia's coached over 5,000 students through her online course, mentored countless VAs to ace their interviews, and built Executive Virtual Assistant Philippines—a thriving community aimed at creating real opportunities for Filipinos.

Contact Mia:

• LinkedIn
• YouTube
• Tiktok
• Facebook
• Instagram
• Executive Virtual Assistant Basics Online Course

Contact Next Level Assist - Virtual Assistant agency helping executives and business grow:

• www.nextlevelassistph.com
• Instagram
• Facebook
• LinkedIn

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In this episode of The Business Behind Your Business, host Paul Sweeney welcomes Maxwell Nee, Chief Revenue Officer of ScoreApp, to discuss how small and medium-sized businesses can leverage quiz marketing to generate better leads and improve customer engagement. Maxwell explains the power of data-driven marketing and how ScoreApp helps businesses understand their ideal clients without spending excessive time or money. They dive into how personalized quiz funnels can increase conversion rates, nurture potential buyers, and automate lead generation. The conversation also touches on the importance of using AI-driven tools to streamline marketing efforts and maximize sales efficiency.

Get your FREE copy of the Scorecard Marketing book here: www.scoreapp.com/book

Maxwell Nee is the Chief Revenue Officer of ScoreApp,a Quiz Marketing
Platform with 7,000 paying clients. He's also a multi-award winning
entrepreneur, bodybuilder & dancer. He’s been featured in TV, Radio,
Forbes, Singapore’s The Business Times & The Australian Business Review.

Maxwell's LinkedIn

Maxwell@Scoreapp.com

Ph +61 438 988 879

Book a call with Maxwell

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In this episode of The Business Behind Your Business, host Paul Sweeney welcomes Peter Deans, a finance expert turned start-up advisor, to discuss the challenges and opportunities facing entrepreneurs. Peter shares insights from his new book, The Start-Up Toolkit: A Step-By-Step Guide for Founders, which outlines 120 key steps to launching a successful business. They explore common start-up pitfalls, such as failing to validate market demand, financial miscalculations, and emotional attachment to an idea. Peter emphasizes the importance of strategic planning, testing, and adapting based on customer feedback. He also discusses modern tools and resources available to start-ups that make launching a business easier than ever. Tune in to gain valuable insights on setting up a business for long-term success.

Get Peter's book here: www.goruworld.com

Peter Deans is currently Chair and Non-Executive Director of NerdWallet Australia, NonExecutive Director of the start-up equities trading platform Trade for Good, and Board Member of the global industry body for RegTech, The RegTech Association. Peter is also an advisory board member for several fintechs and start-up companies. Peter Deans is a former Chief Risk Officer and is today an industry leading risk management and strategy advisor through his firm, Notwithoutrisk Consulting. Peter is a regular contributor to a range of strategy, risk and finance publications including Company Director Magazine (Australia), Director Today (India), FINSIA (Australia) and The Asian Banker (Singapore). Peter was awarded Australian Banking & Finance magazine’s Chief Risk Officer of the Year award in 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2018. Peter is also the Creator & Founder of the 52 Risks® management framework (www.52Risks.com).

Email pdeans@notwithoutrisk.com

Phone +61 402 222 193

Website www.notwithoutrisk.com

LinkedIn

X @deans_risk

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In this episode of The Business Behind Your Business, host Paul Sweeney welcomes turnaround expert and entrepreneur Mike Dunlop, who has successfully revived over 34 struggling businesses. Mike shares his journey from arriving in America with just $300 to building and restoring multi-million-dollar companies. He dives into the key elements of business turnarounds, emphasizing strong leadership, a positive company culture, and strategic decision-making.

Listeners will learn:

• Why leadership is the number one factor in business success
• How to foster an engaged, motivated team that sticks around
• The psychological aspects of turnarounds, beyond just financial restructuring
• Why a business owner must confront brutal financial realities to move forward
• The importance of vision, confidence, and communication in guiding a business to success

Mike’s insights, drawn from decades of experience, challenge common excuses and provide actionable strategies for business owners looking to thrive in any economic climate. Whether you're facing challenges or simply looking to build a stronger business, this episode is packed with invaluable wisdom.

Mike Dunlop has helped to restore 34 companies in various stages of financial demise back to profitability. He has worked in the aerospace sector for over four decades and has built a number of aerospace component manufacturing companies, both in Europe and the United States.

The largest company he founded is QPM Aerospace, which grew to $30 million in sales in the first ten years. Dunlop designed and founded Net-Inspect, the most widely used aerospace quality-management system in the world. Dunlop has lived in Seattle, Washington, since he moved to the United States from the United Kingdom in 1973.

He is a holder of four US Patents and has been passionate about airplanes since his first flight on a Vickers Viscount in 1955 at the age of seven.

Dunlop is an experienced public speaker, and he’s offering his wisdom and stories on his weekly podcast, available on Spotify and YouTube.

Check out Mike's book, blog and podcast here: The Art of the Turnaround: A Comprehensive 10-Step Guide

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In this episode of The Business Behind Your Business, host Paul Sweeney is joined by Amer Tadayon, founder and CEO of Lucihub, to explore the game-changing role of AI in video production for small and medium businesses. Amer shares insights on how Lucihub streamlines video creation, blending AI tools with human expertise to produce professional-quality content at a fraction of the traditional cost. He discusses the growing demand for video storytelling, the challenges businesses face with expensive and time-consuming production, and how Lucihub’s hybrid approach provides a scalable and efficient solution. Whether it’s marketing, employee stories, or learning and development, businesses can leverage this innovative tool to create impactful videos without the steep learning curve and restrictive costs.

Amer Tadayon, Lucihub's Founder & CEO, is a seasoned professional with extensive expertise in the media and technology sectors. With a successful track record as an executive and entrepreneur, he has held leadership positions in prominent companies like IBM, Cognizant, and frog design. Amer’s exceptional leadership skills have driven growth and fostered innovation throughout his career. Leveraging his comprehensive understanding of the media and technology landscape, he’s been the driving force behind the innovation at Lucihub.

“Lucihub is an award-winning, next-gen video production platform that turns smartphone footage into high-quality videos—quickly and affordably. Our AI-powered tools help plan scripts and shot lists in seconds, while professional human editors ensure a polished final cut. With a cloud-based system for easy uploads and built-in collaboration tools for seamless revisions and approvals, teams can create professional videos in hours, not weeks.”

Links:

www.lucihub.com

Amer's LinkedIn

LuciHub LinkedIn

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In this episode, Paul Sweeney talks with Dr Aaron Bazin, author of The Vision Advantage: How to Curb Quiet Quitting, Build Resilience, and Create Growth. They explore the growing phenomenon of "quiet quitting"—what it is, why it happens, and how it impacts businesses. Dr Bazin argues that quiet quitting is often a symptom of poor leadership and a lack of a clear vision within organizations. He introduces the "CREATE" framework for building effective organizational visions, emphasizing the importance of leadership in aligning team goals and fostering a sense of purpose. With real-world examples and practical tips, this conversation offers valuable insights for business leaders looking to prevent burnout, improve team performance, and cultivate resilience.

Get the book here: The Vision Advantage: How to Curb Quiet Quitting, Build Resilience, and Create Growth

Dr Aaron Bazin From the tribal regions of Pakistan to the capitals of Europe, Dr Aaron Bazin has been at the forefront of strategic decision-making for almost twenty years, overseeing the development of sixteen high-level visionary documents for large global organizations and numerous start-ups and nonprofits. His unwavering passion lies in crafting forward-thinking visions that empower organizations to achieve sustained, positive growth.

With a portfolio of over thirty publications, his expertise ranges from organizational psychology to strategic mindset and vision. His achievements include orchestrating the 2010 withdrawal of 100,000 services members from Irag and spearheading long-range visionary initiatives for NATO, the US Army, and US Special Operations Command. As an accomplished strategist with a remarkable track record, he has navigated over 400 combat missions, including the 2008 Marriott Hotel bombing in Islamabad, earning the Bronze Star Medal and Combat Action Badge.

Email aabazin@gmail.com
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