001 Michael O’Neal – Nail your Brand

Michael O'Neal is the founder and host of the award-winning and much acclaimed business and entertainment podcast, "The Solopreneur Hour with Michael O'Neal." The show, which in a scant 13 months, has already garnered more than 2 million downloads and monetized to over 200k, features lively and highly engaging conversations between Michael and his various (and often much sought-after) guests, who share remarkable stories, advice and practical tips for an audience that badges itself as "proudly unemployable" and highly motivated to finally take charge of their own lucrative business pursuits. With an extensive professional background and formal education in social media, branding, web and print design, network marketing, and internet marketing, Michael's own personal journey that led to the launch of this particular podcast started with the untimely and back-to-back loss of his parents, a transformational trip throughout Europe as part of his grieving process, and the creation and production of another high-profile podcast focused on personal transformation called "The KickAss Life." Professional drummer, car racer, competitive racquetball player, and former expert mountain bike racer with a penchant for stand up comedy, Michael likes to get out with his dog Dexter and live the life of time freedom, location freedom, and financial freedom.

Vroom Vroom through old Podcast

While I was in a BETA course of Michael's and I realized I didn't nail my brand...which in the moment was devastating.
There are two things you can VROOM by in podcast:  1) Nail your BRAND, 2) Nail the Audio.

Zoomies, Grunts, Jarheads, Squids

Hurts donut
And the OK symbol game that military play

The old show wasn't a bad idea

I had something...but I didn't NAIL IT

The Pros are here (in podcasting)

Films, TV, and Radio pros are in podcasting now
They have experience in producing professional audio content.

Home based podcast have something different

Nick Unsworth, John Lee Dumas, and Michael saw Natasha Leggero so some stand-up comedy (13:24)
She could totally make bank doing a podcast...she has 300K twitter followers....HELLO!?!
We podcasters have an advantage in that we understand the business side of podcasting and you don't need to be #1 in iTunes to make some really good money in podcasting.

What is Vroom Vroom Veer

Vroom Vroom = Autopilot, groundhog day, sleepwalking
Veer = Awakening...and event that demands attention
The speed at which information is coming at us changes us faster than it did 20 years ago.
If you are in a relationship and your partners information diet rate is different from yours, you might have a difficult time relating.
A veer is something you must deal with...such as a tumbleweed in the middle of the freeway...wanted to stop...can't do that, change lanes?  nope.  Ok...I guess I will smash through that...
Talk about the one you feed podcast.

Michael lost his parents drill down

He was talking to a Billion trying to get a job...
The Billionaire told him, you have more potential in you than just a "Job"...and you need to take time to mourn your loss
That was when he decided to reset his life
He took the trip to Europe and spread their ashes
Then came home and was broke but committed to making his dream business a reality.
His VEER was to commit to doing his thing.
He struggled for 3 or 4 years doing his thing.
Also, during this he decided to say "yes" to almost everything...if an opportunity to growth (veer) learn came along...he committed to do it.
The average person will say maybe...I gotta work...and think of 10 ways why they can't
The successful person says YES first and then makes it happens.

Time Freedom, Location Freedom, Financial Freedom

You are the sum of the five people you spend the most time with --- Jim Rohn
Let's say you are unemployed....