Bill Walsh is a business coach and venture capitalist. I had the pleasure of hearing him speak on March 15, 2023, at Success North Dallas. He emphasized a holistic approach to personal and business success: Prioritize family, faith, and fun in your life to achieve success. He suggested dividing your goals into four categories:
- Develop Expertise
- Become Empowered
- Seek Exposure
- Execute Your Strategy
For each of these categories, he outlined specific actions a person can take and resources that are available to help.
Develop Expertise
Walsh thinks that it’s important for businesses to find a specific area to focus on to be successful. He advises entrepreneurs to make a cover for a book they plan to write, even if they haven’t started writing it yet. They can use a website like Canva to do this easily. After creating the book cover, entrepreneurs can make a Facebook page for their book and use the cover as a picture to show that the book is coming soon. Walsh also suggests starting a podcast by interviewing two people every month using a free platform called Anchor. Entrepreneurs can then post their podcast on Spotify to reach a wider audience.
Another resource that Walsh suggests is HARO (Help a Reporter Out), which is a platform that connects journalists and sources. Entrepreneurs can join HARO and offer their expertise to journalists who need content. This can help entrepreneurs build their personal brand and establish themselves as experts in their field.
To get funding for their business, Walsh suggests that entrepreneurs write one grant per quarter and aim for a small grant of 100K or less. He also advises entrepreneurs to use gift cards instead of traditional business cards. The gift cards should have a QR code and five important things to know about the business. Icons of social media platforms should be included on the cards instead of the social media names. Entrepreneurs should use a domain from GoDaddy and G Suites to get a professional email address.
Become Empowered
Walsh suggested that entrepreneurs should outsource certain tasks such as research, email, and social media management. This will allow entrepreneurs to focus on the bigger picture of their business. He also suggested building a board of advisors including organizations like SCORE Business and local influencers. These advisors can provide valuable insights and support.
To learn from other business owners, Walsh recommended joining a mastermind group. He also suggested reading “Think and Grow Rich” by Napoleon Hill and “Rich Dad Poor Dad” by Robert Kiyosaki for personal growth and success.
Walsh highlighted the importance of giving back to the community by supporting local charities without expecting anything in return. He advised entrepreneurs to build a team that is motivated and inspired by their leadership. Additionally, implementing a loyalty program and referral program can help build customer loyalty and attract new customers. A good referral program and a website that is easy to navigate, with a landing page that showcases your products, is also crucial.
Seek Exposure
To make a successful business, entrepreneurs should focus on exposure. Walsh suggests having a website that is easy to use and allows customers to buy a product in three clicks. Important information should be easy to find. Offering big product packages can also attract customers, and having a strong sales team can help close deals.
Writing a vision statement can help attract people to your business and using tools like Quillbot.com can improve your written materials. LinkedIn Helper can also be useful for building connections and growing your network.
Social media is crucial, especially Instagram and Facebook, to promote your brand. When posting, make the posts organic and avoid putting links or hashtags in the posting. Once a post gets at least 50 likes or comments, then you can add links and hashtags in the comment section.
Walsh also recommended creating free video content using Twitch and possibly using Streamguard to help protect the content against piracy and theft.
Execute Your Strategy
Walsh stresses the importance of taking action to make things happen in your business. He recommends setting specific goals, making a plan to achieve those goals, and tracking progress along the way. Reading business books, attending conferences and seminars, and following up with potential clients are all ways to continue learning and growing your business.
Walsh advises focusing on your strengths and letting others handle areas where you may be weaker. A positive attitude, perseverance, and determination are also important in achieving success. It’s essential to care of yourself, your team, and your customers.
In summary, Walsh’s message is about finding balance between personal and professional priorities, building a strong team, and taking action to achieve your goals. Success requires a holistic approach that encompasses many different areas of life and business.