We’ve all had conversations that just flow—where trust builds quickly and the connection feels effortless. But why is it that with some people it clicks, and with others it falls flat?
In this episode of the Business Coach Unplugged Podcast, I’m going to tackle the topic of building instant rapport. Too often, leaders and business owners think rapport is about being likable or finding common ground. In reality, it’s about understanding the deeper drivers of human behavior and learning how to meet people where they are.
In this episode you’ll discover:



A proven framework for creating connection in minutes, not months


How to use DISC insights to instantly “read the room”


The role of motivation triggers and how they shape communication


Why cultural and generational cues can make or break a first impression


Practical ways to apply these tools in leadership, sales, and everyday interactions


Whether you’re leading a team, selling a service, or simply wanting to connect more effectively, this episode is packed with strategies you can put into practice immediately.
Learn more about us at: www.businesscoachchicago.com

We all want to grow our business and keep more of what we earn—but why do so many small business owners miss out on the very tax breaks designed to help them?
In this episode of the Business Coach Unplugged Podcast, I’m diving into the One Big Beautiful Bill Act—a sweeping new law passed on July 4th, 2025 that delivers powerful tax benefits to small business owners. On paper, it’s one of the most pro-business bills in decades. But unless you understand how to take advantage of it, these benefits could pass you by.
From expanded deductions to new tax credits, this legislation isn’t just policy—it’s opportunity. And in this episode, I’ll walk you through exactly what’s changed, what it means for your business, and how to take action now.
In this impactful episode, you’re going to discover:
💼 How to lock in the 20% Qualified Business Income (QBI) deduction—permanently💸 New Section 179 rules that let you deduct more of what you invest in your business👶 How to claim up to $500,000 in child care credits for supporting your team🏠 Estate tax changes that protect family businesses from being forced to sell🏦 A powerful SALT workaround that helps high-income earners in high-tax states📈 What to do today to benefit from these provisions before the end of the year
Whether you're running a solo shop or leading a growing team, this episode is packed with practical insights and real-world strategies to help you thrive in this new tax landscape.
🎧 Tune in and take advantage of the tools built to help you succeed.
Learn more about us at: www.businesscoachchicago.com

Most business owners want to keep more of what they earn—but why do so many leave thousands on the table when it comes to taxes?
In this episode of the Business Coach Unplugged Podcast, I’m diving into one of the most overlooked (and misunderstood) tools for saving money, building wealth, and setting up your business for long-term success: the S-Corporation.
While it might not sound flashy, the truth is that choosing the right business structure—and using it the right way—can mean the difference between barely getting by and having the financial freedom to grow, invest, and thrive.
In this powerful episode, you’ll discover:
💰 How one business owner saved over $15,000 by switching to an S-Corp📉 How to reduce your self-employment tax legally and strategically🏦 The 3 best retirement plans for S-Corp owners—and how to contribute up to $81,000/year tax-deferred🏥 How to deduct your health insurance and business expenses the smart way💡 Why the QBI deduction is a game-changer for high-earning entrepreneurs
Whether you're just getting started or your business is finally profitable, this episode is packed with actionable insights to help you pay less in taxes—and keep more of your hard-earned money.
🎧 Tune in now and learn how to make your business work for you.Learn more at: www.businesscoachchicago.com

We all want empowered teams—but why do so many managers fall short when it comes to empowering their employees?
In this episode of the Business Coach Unplugged Podcast, I'm going to tackle the topic of empowerment.  There seems to be a goal or desire in most business environments to create a culture of empowerment, where employees are given the autonomy, resources, and support they need to make decisions, take ownership of their work, and contribute to the company's success.  While this seems like a great goal and intention to have, many companies struggle to create this type of environment for multiple reasons.  The reality is you can try to empower your people by giving them the autonomy to create their own results, but if they don’t have self-leadership skills, then empowerment just won’t work.
In this impactful episode you're going to discover:


The 3 essential self-leadership skills every employee needs
How to overcome limiting beliefs that quietly sabotage success
Why “being proactive” is more than just a buzzword
A powerful 5-part framework for tapping into your personal power

Whether you lead a team—or want to lead yourself better—this episode is packed with practical insights you can apply today.
Learn more about us at: www.businesscoachchicago.com

Are you stuck in a comfort zone and wondering why you’re not leveling up?
In this week's episode of the "The Business Coach Unplugged" podcast, I'll introduce you to a powerful model that I use with my clients that will help you define different levels of success, determine exactly what level you are at right now, and then identify the exact strategy and mindset that you need to propel yourself to the next level.  This powerful tool will show you how to move from just “getting by” to truly thriving in business and life.
Whether you're trying to grow your income, break free from stagnation, or finally reach your next big goal, this episode gives you the mindset shifts and strategies to make it happen.
Learn more about us at: www.businesscoachchicago.com

In this week’s episode of “The Business Coach Unplugged Podcast”, I’m going to take a look back on the past 23 years I’ve been in business.  It’s been an interesting journey, and I thought it would be helpful to share with you how I grew my business from nothing to where it is today.  One of the areas that I spend a lot of time on with my clients is sales and marketing, so hopefully sharing what I have found to be the best ways to grow my business over the years will help you get some insights and ideas on how you can grow yours.  I'll specifically dig into the top 5 ways that I was able to grow my business, and hopefully provide you with some insights into how you can leverage some of the marketing and sales tactics that I have found useful to grow your business and take it to the next level!

Whether you are just getting started with a new business or have been in business for a long time today's episode is for you!

In this week's episode of “The Business Coach Unplugged Podcast”, I’m going to cover a topic that comes up with every single client that I’ve worked with over the last 23 years.  This topic is an issue for literally everyone.  I always say that no matter who you are, where you live, what you do, or what kind of background you come from, there is one resource that is equal for everyone!  That resource is time.  Even though we all have the same amount of time in the day, in my experience the majority of people say that they don’t have enough time.  In fact, I think it’s safe to say that the lack of time is an epidemic!  So, what can you do about it?

If you are one of the many people out there that are frustrated because you never seem to have enough time, then today’s episode is for you!  I’m going to talk about some key trends that are contributing to the problem of not having enough time, and then I’m going to cover five key things you can do to eliminate the problem of not having enough time and actually create a situation where you have an abundance of time!

Learn more about us at: www.businesscoachchicago.com

In this week's episode of “The Business Coach Unplugged Podcast”, I’m going to talk about the simple process that I use with my sales clients to help them generate massive increases in their sales by making minor shifts at each step of the process.  You’re going to learn how to optimize your sales process by working smarter, not harder.  By the time we’re finished, I’m going to shatter any disempowering beliefs that you may have about growing your sales, and you’ll have some powerful tools that you can start to leverage right away.  I’ll cover the 3 simple steps you can take to maximize your sales process, and then I’ll cover 3 additional proven strategies that you can use to increase your revenues.

Learn more about us at: www.businesscoachchicago.com

In this week's episode of “The Business Coach Unplugged Podcast”, I'm going to talk about how to deal with a toxic boss.  I’m going to cover the top reasons why there are so many toxic managers out there, how those issues can be addressed, and what you can do specifically in each case to improve the situation so that it’s at least more palatable, and in the best-case scenario, no longer an issue for you.

Learn more about us at: www.businesscoachchicago.com

In this week's episode of “The Business Coach Unplugged Podcast”, I'm going to answer the question, "How do I hold my team accountable?"  I’m going to cover the top 5 things that you need to do to build a culture of accountability, so that you no longer have to worry about things not getting done.  I’ll talk about the keys to building a high performing team, and how to create a winning environment that creates a high level of trust within the team, so that your team holds themselves accountable for results and raises their standards over time.  Once this happens, you’ll be able to trust that your team has your back, and will create the results that you are looking for consistently.

Learn more about us at: www.businesscoachchicago.com

In this week's episode of “The Business Coach Unplugged Podcast”, I’m going to give you my top 5 reasons why New Year’s resolutions almost never work, and what I recommend that you do instead if you want to create some better results in your life or business.  I guarantee that if you make a couple of simple shifts that I’m going to cover today, you’re not only going to get the year off to a great start, but you are going to rock your results!

Learn more about us at: www.businesscoachchicago.com

In this week's episode of “The Business Coach Unplugged Podcast”, I’m going to explore the key steps that you need to take to make sure that you hire the right person for the job every single time.  I’m going to tell you the 3 key things that you need to look for when you are interviewing someone, and I’m also going to reveal my secret weapon that I highly recommend that you add to your hiring process that will give you insights into exactly who you are hiring so that you make the right choice every time.

Learn more about us at: www.businesscoachchicago.com

In this week's episode of “The Business Coach Unplugged Podcast”, I’m going to explore ways to triple your effectiveness.  I’ll talk a little bit about how big of a problem this is, and then I’ll give you my 10 key tips to help you open up huge blocks of time in your day so that you can be more effective, have more freedom, and be able to have at least a little balance in your life!  By the end of the podcast, you’ll have a number of tools that you can leverage to maximize your time.  You’ll be able to improve your effectiveness in all areas of your life, lower your stress, and have more freedom.

Learn more about us at: www.businesscoachchicago.com

In this week's episode of “The Business Coach Unplugged Podcast”, I’m going to explore the topic of leading in times of uncertainty.  I’ll go through some key stats on the topic, and then I’ll give you my 10 key tips to help you be a better leader during a crisis.  By the end of the podcast, you’ll have a better grasp on how to lead through uncertainty, along with some tips and tools that will help you elevate your leadership in times of turmoil.

Learn more about us at: www.businesscoachchicago.com

In this week's episode of “The Business Coach Unplugged Podcast”, I’m going to talk about some of the key differences between good managers and bad managers.  I’ll go through some key stats from some recent management studies so you get a sense of how big of a problem this really is, and then I’ll cover what I believe to be the key things that set great managers apart from others.  By the end of the podcast, you’ll have a better understanding of what to look for in a great manager, and how to become one if you aren’t one already.

Learn more about us at: www.businesscoachchicago.com

In this week's episode of “The Business Coach Unplugged Podcast”, I’m going to walk you through what I call the 4-step sales process.  I developed this process years ago, mainly to teach business owners and people that were new to sales how to easily sell anything.  It’s also applicable to people that already have sales experience, as it breaks what can be a complicated process into a simple one.  So if you are new to sales, intimidated by sales, are a veteran sales person, a business owner, or even a corporate manager or executive who wants to improve your influencing skills, today’s episode is for you!  By the time we are finished today, you’re going to have a simple, 4-step process that will bring your sales and influencing skills to a whole other level.

Learn more about us at: www.businesscoachchicago.com

In the fourth episode of "The Business Coach Unplugged Podcast", I'm going to cover some of the key points that will help you make referrals the #1 way you grow your business.  I’ll discuss why it’s important to have a system if you are serious about growing your business through referrals.  Then I’ll give you 5 keys that will help you generate referrals in a predictable, sustainable, and consistent way.  By the time I’m done, you’ll know exactly what you need to do to be successful generating referrals, and I’ll even give you a free bonus to get you started if you want to build your own process to take your business to the next level!

Learn more about us at: www.businesscoachchicago.com

In the third episode of "The Business Coach Unplugged Podcast", I’m going to cover how to deal with adversity, overcome challenges, and turn them into opportunities.  We’ll talk a little bit about where we are today in our society with respect to adversity, the mindset you need to have if you want to overcome tough challenges, and I’ll give you a simple question that I used with my clients during COVID that not only helped them overcome massive challenges during the shutdown, but also helped a number of them exponentially increase their businesses.  My goal today is to better equip you with some tools that will help you become a gladiator when it comes to overcoming challenges in your business and in your life.

Learn more about us at: www.businesscoachchicago.com

In the second episode of "The Business Coach Unplugged Podcast", I’m going to cover the ins and outs of goal setting.  I’ll talk about some key mistakes that I see people make and give you some tips on how to avoid them.  I’m going to give you my 4 keys to successful goal setting, and I’ll also discuss the #1 reason why people don’t achieve their goals and what to do about it.

Learn more about us at: www.businesscoachchicago.com

This is the first episode of "The Business Coach Unplugged Podcast".  I tell you a little bit about myself, who the podcast is for, and why you should listen.

Learn more about us at: www.businesscoachchicago.com