Kris Ward: Maximizing Life and Business

Welcome back to the Guy Who Knows A Guy podcast.

2

These are bonus episodes that

did not fit into Season 6, which

3

was a countdown to JV Connect.

4

We hit JV Connect and we still had some

great interviews to share with you.

5

But don't worry, you

haven't missed JV Connect.

6

It's a quarterly event.

7

You can learn more about it by sticking

around to the end of this episode.

8

We'll tell you all about it.

9

But right now, check out this next

awesome interview with one of the awesome

10

people that the Guy Who Knows A Guy knows

and is going to introduce to you now.

11

Hello and welcome once again to

the Guy Who Knows A Guy podcast.

12

I am your host, Michael Whitehouse,

the guy who knows a guy himself.

13

And we today are meeting Chris Ward.

14

Chris Ward is a, is creating a

movement where your business supports

15

your life instead of consuming it.

16

Sounds pretty good.

17

Chris is the founder of the Win

the Hour, Win the Day philosophy

18

and has a book of the same name.

19

After the loss of her husband,

Chris returned to full time.

20

Turned full time to her work

as a marketing strategist.

21

She was relieved that her

business had not only survived

22

her absence, but was growing now.

23

Chris has completely changed landscape for

entrepreneurs by sharing these successful

24

practices that allowed her absence.

25

She has shared the stage with

quite a few impressive people.

26

It's people you might've heard

of like Jack Canfield and Kevin

27

Harrington and James Malinczyk,

who's been on this podcast.

28

She is an acclaimed podcaster.

29

You can hear her own podcast.

30

When the hour, when the day where

she has engaging conversations

31

with dynamic guests, covering

a variety of business topics.

32

So you can get your next win now.

33

And we're going to talk about

getting your next win today.

34

About how when the hour and when

the day and how that can apply to

35

freeing up your time for networking.

36

That's actually how we met is

Chris reached out to me on linkedin

37

and we were talking and I said,

I want to get you on the show.

38

But but how do you tie

this into networking?

39

And he said, well, you

need time to network.

40

So tell us about it, Chris,

and tell us about yourself.

41

Welcome to the show.

42

Kris Ward: Thank you, Michael.

43

It's a very enthusiastic introduction.

44

I'm going to try to use my radio

voice cause yours is very clear.

45

I don't think I'm going to compete

with you on that, but here I am.

46

And let's dive in.

47

All

48

Michael Whitehouse: right.

49

So when we talked on, on LinkedIn

before the call you were, you were

50

saying that one of the challenges

with networking is the time it takes.

51

So you meet a lot of people, you

need to follow up with them and

52

you eventually get to the place.

53

And I've been there, that place of, oh,

I want to meet with you, but please don't

54

book a one to one because oh God, when

am I going to fit that in my calendar?

55

And how can I even run my

business with all this?

56

So talk a little about that.

57

Kris Ward: Yeah.

58

So we all have been there where

you're like, listen, I really do

59

want to maintain these relationships

and connect with these people.

60

And yeah, let's do lunch or let's

connect or have a virtual coffee,

61

but I really want to have done it

more than I want to do it today.

62

Cause I don't time for that

today, but I want to have done it.

63

Right.

64

Yep.

65

And so that was something that

I learned sadly, it took me,

66

oh my gosh, over a decade.

67

Of what I realized is I was rotating

relationships instead of maintaining them.

68

And especially when I started my

business, you know, 14 plus years ago,

69

listen, let's be just honest about it.

70

There are relationships with people

that would have served me now had

71

I maintained them or they rose up

the ranks or whatever, they just

72

would have been a good connection.

73

And it wasn't that I.

74

I neglected them.

75

There was just no, I had, you know,

you always have whatever's in front

76

of you is the pressing thing and I

had no reason to reach out to them.

77

So just by virtue of maintaining

that relationship, it dissolved.

78

And that's just a ridiculous thing.

79

Like it just doesn't work.

80

It doesn't serve you in any way.

81

So you know, when you're grinding it

out and chasing or, or, you know, doing

82

all that busy work or thinking once

you get past this next thing, ding,

83

ding, ding, when you hear yourself

say that, that's a problem, right?

84

When I work with my clients, they all

tell me they get 25 hours back a week

85

within the first month of working with us.

86

And what we focus on is their team,

their toolkits and their time.

87

So we can touch on all those things,

but what really the ultimate thing that

88

you want to understand is if you're like

me and you used to think, We also have

89

this quiz sidebar conversation that it

tells you about your power personnel.

90

And everybody has one.

91

And I've discovered this after many years

of working so many entrepreneurs, I am

92

what I call a recovering rush a holic.

93

So as a rush a holic, I was always

like, get some done, go, go, go.

94

Right.

95

And you know, busy, busy, busy.

96

And it's hard to squish meaningful

connections and with people in between

97

that when you're in a hysterical

mode all the time, rushing, you know?

98

So I did have to make some fundamental.

99

You know, differences in my business and

that evolved and came from, you know, the

100

situation that my husband, when I came

back to work, no one knew of my absence,

101

they just couldn't believe that they,

cause we were very positive in nature.

102

We just, it was not how

we navigated his journey.

103

So nobody knew the local

business community didn't know.

104

And so then people started to ask me

like, how could you have done that?

105

And if you could do that, then maybe I

can get to my kids soccer games and I,

106

you know, start visiting my family again.

107

Right.

108

And so that's how, when the

hour, when the day evolved.

109

And through many things of myself,

I learned like, Oh my gosh, you

110

know, here we are, what am I doing?

111

So as far as networking goes, here's

something that was a powerful tool for me.

112

And you do have to have.

113

You have to be out of the chaos.

114

You have to be out of the running

around thinking once you get past this

115

next thing, the busy work, all these

things, but we can, you can do that.

116

That's easily done so much

more so than you realize.

117

When that's done, here's something

that serves me really well.

118

So I have a networking spreadsheet

whenever I'm a guest on a podcast or,

119

you know, they're on my show or I have

a meaningful connection with somebody.

120

I put them on this spreadsheet.

121

So that I can maintain this relationship

instead of rotating it, but here,

122

here's how it really all started.

123

So, especially when my podcast started,

I realized, oh, my gosh, I was getting

124

these great contacts and I was lucky to

have people that frankly were above my pay

125

grade, come to my show and, you know, then

I'd be all excited connecting with them.

126

Oh, you know, whatever LinkedIn, Facebook,

whatever and thinking, oh, I'm going

127

to maintain this relationship and then.

128

All of a sudden time goes by interview

more people and then the algorithm all

129

of a sudden floats away that person

that was so important to me last month.

130

Right?

131

So I start realizing.

132

Oh, this is not good.

133

I'm making these connections,

but I'm not maintaining them.

134

So cut to a story where.

135

I had somebody on my show and we were

talking about people always in kindly

136

talk about my enthusiasm, my high energy.

137

Great.

138

And I said, you know,

that's all well and good.

139

People always compliment me on that.

140

However, sleep is the issue,

learning how to calm down, go

141

to sleep, relax, all this stuff.

142

So I was talking to someone and she said

you know, she was talking about weighted

143

blankets and I was like, ah, I don't know.

144

I've tried everything, but whatever.

145

So cut to a month later.

146

I send an email and I said, Oh

my gosh, I didn't believe it.

147

I ordered one.

148

I, I didn't even want to email

you up front because it's working

149

so well, but it's been a month

and now it's really working.

150

La la la la.

151

And then I get the email back

and she said, Chris, I'm so

152

happy you're sleeping well.

153

That's amazing.

154

However, I did not have

that conversation with you.

155

Right?

156

So I was like, Oh, now to be fair.

157

There is two women that were on my show.

158

They were both talking about marketing.

159

They were both red heads.

160

I mean, it was really to get

them confused, but nonetheless,

161

I looked like a crazy person.

162

And then it also makes you less confident.

163

You don't want to make personal references

if you're like unsure of yourself.

164

So I have this networking spreadsheet

and column one has just a little

165

snapshot of their picture.

166

It could be anywhere,

LinkedIn or a screenshot when

167

they're on my show, whatever.

168

There's a picture.

169

There's the name.

170

We recognize faces more than names.

171

Then I have, I even have

BFF best, best business.

172

I would like a BBF best business,

but our friend or whatever, like,

173

is it someone I really connect with?

174

I can call them up in a second

and say, Hey, you got to meet

175

Michael, get them on your show.

176

Like, can I have that shorthand

conversation with, so are they like a BFF?

177

Then I have something personal about them.

178

Like maybe when I was just chatting.

179

You know, with you right now,

Michael, maybe you said something

180

like, oh, my gosh, sorry.

181

I'm late.

182

My dog was at the vet.

183

Whatever.

184

I'd be like, okay, put that

in there because it, it will

185

anchor that relationship.

186

And also I can ask you

later about your dog.

187

Right?

188

So, it's just really bullet

points and, but it has changed.

189

My life, because then I have this

spreadsheet and then I can also go around

190

Michael and I can say, Oh, you know what?

191

I met so and so today and then I

go back on the spreadsheet and I

192

might introduce you to get you on a

different podcast Because I also have

193

a column where a Google Docs link

and I go in there whenever I make any

194

connection with you I document it.

195

So I'm like, oh, yeah, I sent him

this person three months ago So

196

I have this, you know a little

just bullet points of anything.

197

I've sent you or talked to you about or

whatever So it's clear there And then I'm

198

confident and I can proceed and people

then go, Oh, Chris, Chris is the best.

199

And she's always connecting me to

people and, you know, they think that

200

I all remember them like so clearly.

201

And a lot of them I do now that

I have these notes in front of

202

me, but it really means that I'm

having meaningful relationships.

203

But again.

204

To do this, you have to have other

things in place so you're just not

205

chasing your tail all the time.

206

Interesting.

207

Michael Whitehouse: Yeah.

208

Yeah.

209

No, that's a great.

210

I love the spreadsheet concept.

211

One of the challenges I would have is

looking for some kind of, of CRM database

212

system and they're all built for sales.

213

They're all, they're all built based

on the pipeline and based on, you

214

know, there's nothing, Interesting.

215

I, I think there's a couple out there.

216

I'm actually meeting with someone

in a few weeks about one that might

217

work, but I've yet to find one

that can record like introductions.

218

Who have I introduced this person to?

219

It has, you know, sales calls and has

purchases, but doesn't have introductions,

220

which is the currency of, of networking.

221

And I'm, I'm getting back more

to the, the almighty spreadsheet.

222

Simple.

223

Kris Ward: Sorry, this is the concern

so many people get confused with being

224

effective as being productive and being

productive tends to be this concept of

225

producing more and going faster and higher

output where I'm all about school hours.

226

You should be able to work

school hours, long weekends.

227

You know, short days, longer summers.

228

And when I'm often, we have so

much technology coming at us.

229

And what happens is you always

think new tech is the answer.

230

And what I would tell you is when you have

a team in place, when you have very basic,

231

what we call super toolkits, they're

like systems and processes on steroids.

232

And when you know how to use

your calendar, cause 95 percent

233

of people do not know how to

use their calendar effectively.

234

When you have all these things

in play, you don't need.

235

90 percent of the technology

that you think you do, like

236

this new complicated software.

237

First of all, I would tell you any

software that I suggest to my clients,

238

it's almost either free or next to free.

239

And if you can't learn it in five to

10 minutes, then it's not the software.

240

Michael Whitehouse: That's

what I said already.

241

Kris Ward: There's all these

complications about, you know, I'll,

242

no, I'll show you my spreadsheet so

you can show and tell after the call

243

and you'll be like, this is genius

and it's so simple, but so impactful.

244

Michael Whitehouse: Yep.

245

Yeah, no.

246

And that's, and actually I'm

already thinking that I do keep a

247

spreadsheet of introductions I make.

248

So I can always look back and

say, did I make the introduction?

249

And it's interesting to what you're

saying about, you know, how you

250

have less confidence without the

spreadsheet, not having confidence.

251

What if I make a mistake?

252

And one thing for me.

253

That I've, I've embraced is just,

you know, radical authenticity.

254

And, you know, I'm, I'm very open.

255

I have ADHD.

256

I don't remember things.

257

And so I'm, I lead with value.

258

So in a meeting I'll

make introductions first.

259

I'm pretty forward with, I probably

won't remember your dog's name or your

260

birthday or anything else, but I'm

going to make three grand introductions

261

for you before this call's over.

262

So you don't care.

263

And people are like,

well, okay, that's cool.

264

He makes introductions for me

and doesn't remember my birthday.

265

Sounds good, I like this guy.

266

But it's, it's, it's I imagine most

people are are not comfortable, and it's

267

probably taken me a while to get to this

point comfortable to, like if I sent

268

that email and they were like you're, I

didn't recommend you I would be probably

269

momentarily embarrassed and then I'd make

a joke out of it and then leverage that

270

into a conversation because now there's

vulnerability from admitting a mistake.

271

And I'd be like, great.

272

I've got two relationships now being

raised up one from the mistake and

273

one from, you know, the thank you.

274

But most people are in a place

of, especially if they come from

275

corporate where that's very much an

environment of don't make mistakes.

276

So I think for most people out

there listening who aren't.

277

crazy like me.

278

That's really powerful to be able to,

to have that confidence and not, and you

279

know, not make those kinds of mistakes.

280

Kris Ward: Yeah, and I have no problem

owning my mistakes or being fun about it.

281

No big deal.

282

But at the same time, what happens is,

you know, you and I were spending, like,

283

we would spend 30 minutes together and

it's a really meaningful conversation.

284

Like it's condensed and we have

fun and I really get to know you.

285

And then you do four

more interviews today.

286

And all of a sudden you're

like, Oh wait, hold on now.

287

Like we bonded so much.

288

And then four people replaced that.

289

So I think.

290

It does really help.

291

But what it also jars my memory is

then when I have to go through my list,

292

if somebody, you know, I do want to

be of service and I'm like, Oh, this

293

person, I really want to get them on

a bunch of shows who really connected.

294

They helped me with something.

295

Let me see if I can make some intros.

296

So then I go through with my visuals and I

see that column, like, Oh, she'd like him.

297

Oh yeah.

298

And it just jogs my memory.

299

And, and I, people, I definitely wouldn't.

300

I have remembered if I'm now

looking at the ceiling, right?

301

So, so it just, again, one of the big

things that we work with all our clients

302

is it's really all about brain power

to like, I believe you should start

303

your day refreshed and leave fresh

and you should be able to do anything

304

at three o'clock in the afternoon as

efficiently as nine in the morning.

305

And so when you have these resources

at your fingertips, and this is just

306

one of many, you know, things that

we've implemented, it just frees you

307

to hop on and do something quick.

308

So that way I'm not.

309

Getting up to use the bathroom in the

middle of the night going, Oh, right.

310

And she's like, Steve too.

311

Right.

312

Write that down, you know?

313

So it just, it's really the

simplicity of ease and allowing you

314

to build more and more effectiveness

and efficiency of your business.

315

So you can leverage it, get more output

in less time and make more money.

316

Michael Whitehouse: Yeah.

317

Yeah.

318

I love the spreadsheet.

319

I'm definitely going to

be building, adding one.

320

Or, but we're just adding a

tab to my spreadsheet with

321

like, who are these people?

322

I think I tried to do it once before

and I think I over complicated it.

323

Yes, we all do that.

324

Yeah, I like the idea of

just like picture name.

325

Personal thing and, you know, and,

and like maybe podcast, you know,

326

podcast and that's, and that's it.

327

Kris Ward: And it's just so,

cause I think you're right.

328

Networking, I really

think is so important.

329

And then what happens, this happens

a lot with my type of client.

330

So a lot of my clients

look really good on paper.

331

They have been in business five, 10 years.

332

They might have a podcast or book

or they're doing all these things,

333

but no one knows how many hours

they're working or that they're

334

still putting in way too many hours.

335

For this point in their journey, right?

336

And so then you try to network or do

these things with sort of clenched

337

teeth as you're screaming in your head.

338

I have, Oh, I got to

get to that next thing.

339

And what am I doing next?

340

Right.

341

And you, it just doesn't work when you

squish it in between other activities.

342

Cause you know, it's something you

should do, but it doesn't feel like it's

343

something you should do when your brain

is screaming that you have to get these

344

other things done, like you got a new.

345

Client, you have to on board,

you have to do all these things.

346

So then networking is the first

thing that's pushed to the side.

347

Like, cause it's doesn't have a deadline.

348

You're like, I don't

have to do this today.

349

And all of a sudden today

is like, Holy Hannah.

350

I haven't spoken to that guy in six years.

351

And now is not the time to

call and say, Hey, I saw you

352

were speaking on this event.

353

I'd love an introduction.

354

I haven't called you in six years.

355

It's suddenly you're a priority.

356

Michael Whitehouse: Yeah.

357

Kris Ward: Yeah.

358

So it's so easy to push that

off to the side and then it just

359

falls off, you know, the plan.

360

But I do think your net

work is your net worth you.

361

I don't need to tell you that,

but it's one of the most important

362

things and the first thing to go.

363

Yeah,

364

Michael Whitehouse: absolutely.

365

So tell me more about the,

the, the broader win the

366

hour, win the day philosophy.

367

Yeah.

368

Kris Ward: So when we talk about that

again, we focus on team time and toolkits.

369

So your team, here's the thing.

370

In the corporate world, wherever you

are in the world, what happens is most

371

of these relationships are parentified.

372

So you work for somebody, your manager,

supervisor, and it's really like your

373

parent, they check your work and it's

really got that parentified system.

374

So what we're about is about building a

win team, a what is next team so that you

375

can get to what is next and what is next.

376

And in that we have a leadership program.

377

We find hire and on board.

378

VAs for you.

379

Were not an agency.

380

'cause that's, VA agencies have a

whole bunch of problems with them.

381

They undercut the VAs,

they sign non-disclosure.

382

So you are in contract and you

think you're paying 'em eight

383

bucks an hour and you're not.

384

All these other things.

385

But for the efficiency of what we do,

we don't want that learning curve with.

386

You know, that hire it because it's a

whole thing itself, hiring somebody.

387

So we do that for you.

388

And then we train you how to do it.

389

We either do things for you

for speed, or we teach you

390

how to do it for independence.

391

And we have this whole leadership

program with the VAs, and we do all

392

this training, teach them how to make

super toolkits, and we do that because

393

really what you want to have, you truly

do want to have a team you, whether

394

that team is one person or two, you

really want to be removed from what

395

the only thing most of us know is that.

396

Parentified system and so

many people often talk about.

397

You know, a culture in a company, and they

think I know I did for years that that

398

kicks in when you got 50 or 500 people.

399

But a really quick example, Michael

would be if I was in an ocean liner and

400

something happened and there's chaos

and you know, whatever's an emergency

401

and there's 500 people on that boat

and I find the hundred, you know,

402

really, they look like they got a plan.

403

I'm sticking with these people.

404

Let's stay with them.

405

This is a good plan.

406

Great.

407

If I'm in a rowboat with two other

people and there's a hole in it.

408

Everybody in the boat better be

able to pull their weight because

409

we are susceptible to a much

bigger, you know, conflict here.

410

So that's a big thing is you

have this idea of like so many

411

people, small business people,

they small business owners.

412

What will happen is they will

hire someone and give them

413

delegate, which is a lateral move.

414

It never works.

415

So we're still coming through you.

416

They give the person they

hired a bunch of overflow work.

417

And then when they catch up from that,

then it's back on you to produce more.

418

And then you think, Oh, it's just

easier to do myself, but it's the

419

infrastructure that's not there.

420

That's a hugely problematic and

why you never get to network.

421

Michael Whitehouse: Interesting.

422

Okay.

423

Yeah.

424

So it's about.

425

Yeah,

426

Kris Ward: and so we use super toolkits,

which people often say, well, what's

427

the difference between that SOP?

428

So standard operating procedures

are usually not, they're usually

429

written, not by the end user.

430

They're static in nature and they're

usually there to cover liability where

431

super toolkits are breathing documents

that are constantly changing and evolving.

432

Allowing for more and more

bandwidth on your calendar.

433

And because no matter what you're doing,

you know, when I wrote my book, when the

434

arrow in the day, I thought when it was

done, there would be a parade in my honor.

435

Like the book is done.

436

All right.

437

I am now at peace with my life.

438

Right.

439

But of course, that's the starting point.

440

Well, now I need to promote the book.

441

Now I need to be on podcast.

442

Now I need to pitch the podcast and

I need time to get on the podcast.

443

So there's always, no matter what

you think your big ambition is, once

444

you do that, then you need more time

for the fallout of that ambition.

445

So we operate under the principle that

you should be in 60 percent admin mode.

446

And sorry, 60 percent execution

mode and 40 percent admin.

447

So you should always be doing, you

should always have more bandwidth on your

448

calendar of sort of your next big project.

449

And that's what the super

toolkits allow you to do that.

450

We're always able to move forward.

451

Like we have really.

452

Amped up our whole program for our

VAs that, you know, in the leadership

453

program, now we're making an

accreditation program and they're going

454

to be tested and there's all these

things and that takes some legwork.

455

We're setting it up now as I speak, right?

456

Well, that's fine.

457

We found the bandwidth on my calendar

because of the super toolkits we use.

458

So there's always something new

and you need to have, be able

459

to have the real estate on your

calendar to implement that new.

460

Michael Whitehouse: Yeah,

no, it's definitely key.

461

And that makes, makes a lot of,

I found a lot in my business, the

462

more I've been able to systematize.

463

And have those dynamic kits because I've,

I've one assistant helps you, you know,

464

setting up summits and things like that.

465

And and, and it's worked very

well to give an entry point.

466

That's because I've never

worked in corporate.

467

So I've only I've heard stories.

468

But the, the, the, the, the quote

unquote SOP were created was

469

to give her a starting point.

470

And then she has authority to change

it in any way that makes sense to her.

471

Cause originally I was like, okay,

so I'm going to work with, I'm going

472

to take her through step by step,

inch by inch of this whole thing.

473

And I thought, you know what?

474

The software is pretty intuitive.

475

No one taught me to use it.

476

Why don't I give her, you

know, there's one thing.

477

It's a block of text.

478

It's, you know, the agreement.

479

I'm going to give her the agreement.

480

I'm not gonna make her write that, but I

was going to kind of give her the outline

481

and most of the steps and then if she

has a more efficient way to do it, she

482

can change the document and improve it.

483

And that worked very well, because instead

of spending eight hours with her going

484

through the entire process with me, I

spent 40 minutes writing down all the key

485

things that were cut and paste, like this

is the document that should be there.

486

And then, you know, make sure

you also do this, this, and this.

487

And then if she did something

that wasn't what I wanted, then

488

I'd say, correct this thing here.

489

Which took a lot less time than

having her sit over my shoulder,

490

you know, on Zoom sharing screen for

going through the entire process.

491

And it worked, worked way, way better.

492

So it sounds like you're that that's

some of the idea you're talking about.

493

Yeah.

494

Kris Ward: So also it happens too.

495

Sometimes people get caught up in like,

Oh, I work with so and so and they're

496

amazing and they're amazing until

something happens or whatever they need

497

to change your job or, or they're amazing.

498

Maybe you want to promote them.

499

I know for us, when we were coming

out of all those crazy lockdowns,

500

we had someone on our team who had

been with us a couple of years and

501

she was our social media manager.

502

And she was in the Philippines and she

had applied years ago before all the

503

craziness to go to school in Canada.

504

So all of a sudden we were given like

two weeks notice that she was now

505

accepted and her whole life had to

be like, hello, you got 10 days to

506

move from the Philippines to Canada.

507

Now, of course she wanted to stay

with us, but it wasn't realistic.

508

That's another thing when they love

working with you and it's so easy and

509

they have so much independence and they're

really treated as valued team member,

510

they all say for me and all my clients, it

feels like it's their company and it just.

511

It's just an exciting place to be.

512

But so what happens, we

found someone new, Maura.

513

Well, this was like two

weeks before Christmas.

514

I hired Maura.

515

We have this 12 point hiring process

with a 90 percent retention rate.

516

And then Maura was given all the

super toolkits and she was up to

517

80 percent capacity by January

7th because they're very clear.

518

We just hand them over.

519

It's really like if you

were hiring a carpenter.

520

You're not teaching them how

to be a carpenter, but you

521

say, here is a super toolkits.

522

Here is our measurements and where

the wood is stored and everything you

523

need to know, you know, because so

many times people confuse training.

524

We're in the SOPs and the

SOPs, again, are very dry.

525

They have too many words.

526

There's too much ambiguousness.

527

And I don't, that's, I think I

just made a new word, but anyhow.

528

And yes, there you go in, in it.

529

And there's a lot of clutter.

530

So there's all these nuances with

the super toolkit that make it

531

really efficient to whip through it.

532

So, yeah, but it's

definitely along those lines.

533

Yep.

534

Michael Whitehouse: Also, like I

said, too many words and ambiguous,

535

which is why there's so many words,

so it's not ambiguous, but yeah, often

536

words create confusion, not clarity.

537

Kris Ward: Especially when

you create your own new words,

538

Michael Whitehouse: ambiguosity.

539

Yeah, a lot of ambiguosity going on there.

540

Yeah, yes.

541

I like that concept there that you

want to, you know, you want to have a

542

dynamic system, um, you don't have to

be in everything and, and to accept

543

that the people on your team may not

always be the people on your team.

544

Kris Ward: Yeah.

545

Yeah.

546

Or they may get promoted and

you can't hold somebody there

547

because you're so afraid of,

you know, of a bump in the road.

548

So it really is like

suspension in your car.

549

I don't know.

550

Back in the day when you were younger,

if you had a clunker and all of a sudden

551

you'd hit a pothole and it's like, really

thought the wheels would fall off, right?

552

And so what we want is people

say, Oh my gosh, you know what?

553

Summer's coming.

554

Christmas coming.

555

Oh, we're launching a product.

556

Oh, I got a new client on boarding.

557

And there's always something that this

week's in chaos or so and so is sick.

558

Right?

559

Well, guess what?

560

That's just nature of life

and business things happen.

561

So you want to have these

super toolkits so that.

562

You, you are constantly, you know,

keeping the car on the road and you

563

might hit a little pothole hiccup for a

second, but the wheels don't fall off.

564

And so for most of myself or my clients,

what they'll say is things that would

565

have derailed me for the week now are

like a 15, 20 minute thing, right?

566

And so it's just, well,

we have one client.

567

Here's a quick story.

568

Christine was referred

to us by somebody else.

569

Now, I don't encourage this,

but the situation is lots of

570

times when people refer to me,

they, again, this is not okay.

571

I'm not saying it's okay, but they often

miss the first meeting because they are

572

in crazy zone and their hair's on fire.

573

So I'm like,

574

Michael Whitehouse: missing the

first meeting is a qualifier.

575

Your ideal clients will miss the first

meeting because that's, I'm not telling

576

you

577

Kris Ward: to go do that because

it's not, I don't enjoy it, but

578

it has happened more than once.

579

So she missed the second meeting and I

was like, next to that, we're done, right?

580

But she reached out to me and said,

please, please, please, please, so and

581

so said all these things about you.

582

I am so sorry.

583

I swear.

584

And I was like, okay, I was, I

was not into this, but I gave

585

her the benefit of the doubt.

586

So we met.

587

So.

588

Christine actually said to me,

how are you going to help me?

589

Cause she dealt with companies that

were looking to sell their business

590

and they had to get their systems.

591

And they were like five, 10

million companies getting their

592

systems in play, ready to be sold.

593

She goes, I help people with systems.

594

How can you help me?

595

I just have too much and too many

clients and all these things.

596

I'm like, I don't know,

but I do know I can do it.

597

All right, fine.

598

So she would tell you, and

there's the clippings of.

599

From her sessions, live sessions, not even

her giving a testimonial on my website.

600

And she would tell you that when

she was started working with us,

601

she needed to have some sort of

medication for sleep because of her

602

adrenaline, all this other stuff, right?

603

Cut to not only of course, you would

say within the first month, was

604

she getting 25 hours back a week

and all that stuff within the year.

605

With the VA, we found a super duper

kits we put in play within the year.

606

She was in Costa Rica

for a month with no wifi.

607

Why the, while the VA we found

for her was maintaining the

608

company with everything in play.

609

She also quadrupled her income and cut

her hours down to like something going

610

from 60, 70 hours down to like 25.

611

So it's, it's so doable.

612

And.

613

And I am so horrified when the sad thing

is so many people I work with, you know,

614

they're in isolation because again, they

look good on paper and they've just like,

615

trying to get around this next corner

and how many corners have that been?

616

How many years have you been doing this?

617

So that's the thing I want to tell you.

618

It's not about hard work.

619

Or you, you'd have done it by now, right?

620

It's a, it's a whole different thing.

621

It's just, you need to focus on your

team, your time and your toolkits.

622

Michael Whitehouse: Yeah.

623

Yeah.

624

That's, that makes a lot of sense.

625

And, and I, I think also people

get so caught in the weeds and that

626

they over prioritize everything.

627

When everything's a 10, nothing's a 10.

628

So that the other one delegates,

I can't do it as well as I can

629

like, yeah, but nobody cares.

630

How will you do that?

631

Kris Ward: Well, and, and, you know,

three people doing it at 80 percent

632

of what you could do is a whole lot.

633

A hundred percent, like,

come on, you know, so yes.

634

Michael Whitehouse: Yeah, yeah, I

think that that's the key thing is

635

that they're like, I got to do this

and you know, these are big clients.

636

These clients are very demanding and

they're going to want this to be perfect

637

and they're going to want, but they'd

probably rather that thing they don't

638

notice being 80 percent and you having

the time to talk to them because you're

639

not running around your hair on fire, then

640

Kris Ward: I would also argue too that

there's a lot of pre and post work

641

that people don't realize are they

they've attached to their actual talent.

642

So I had another client Sue and

she's a designer and she said,

643

Chris, you don't understand.

644

I go into people's homes.

645

I look at the stuff and although she's

got a background in design, she's not even

646

something I can teach another designer.

647

Most people just have too much furniture.

648

It's a decluttering.

649

It's all this stuff.

650

Like you don't get it.

651

So we sat down and we looked at her

average appointment was about two

652

and a half, three hours, long story.

653

Short, we started to look at

stuff and she was sitting there

654

asking questions, filling forms.

655

Well, there was still pre and post work.

656

So when we did that, and we turned

that into admin chores, which by

657

the way, was easier on the client.

658

Cause then it was done ahead of

time and it was less involved.

659

And when we did that, then her

appointments got down to about 45 minutes.

660

So now.

661

What she's done is she will stack

her appointments in the morning and

662

just do the morning appointments.

663

And now she's emceeing really

big events, like for home and

664

garden, you know, TV network and

Brian Balmer and all these things.

665

And she's doing all these big

things that she would never

666

have the time to do before.

667

And she's so thought,

no, this is my talent.

668

This is, it's very personalized.

669

I go into these people's home.

670

We can't leverage or scale this.

671

So there's always pre and

post work that you think.

672

Is everything, but it's not.

673

Michael Whitehouse: Yeah.

674

Yeah.

675

And that that's really, really

key that there's the thing

676

that you're really good at.

677

Yeah.

678

Nobody else can do for you

and there's everything else.

679

So, you know, like for me, it's,

it's the being on camera part.

680

So I run, run summits, podcasts, whatnot.

681

I couldn't delegate interviewing people.

682

Then someone else would be on the podcast

and it'd be their podcast, not mine, but

683

I can delegate, I can delegate editing it.

684

I can delegate writing the summary.

685

I can delegate.

686

So actually the entirety I do

for this podcast is book the call

687

and show up here and talk to you.

688

Everything else, Kendra takes care of.

689

anD so I don't take care of any

of the rest of that because at

690

one point I'm like, I don't have

time for this podcast anymore.

691

I, you know, I get on the call with

people and I gotta do this and I

692

gotta do that and I gotta edit it

and I gotta put it, I'm like, wait

693

a minute, I have an assistant.

694

I bet she can do all that stuff.

695

It's the same every time.

696

It's putting the intro on, putting the

outro on, balancing the levels, putting

697

the, you know, creating the graphic.

698

It's, it's all this stuff that

at first, like, I don't know

699

how I'm going to explain it.

700

I'm like, this isn't rocket science.

701

And Kendra's pretty smart.

702

She can figure it out.

703

So, you know, and now the podcast is fun

to do again and same thing with my summits

704

that it used to be a lot of like, I gotta

write this, I gotta write that and prepare

705

and then I realized the fun part is being

on zoom, running the room, meeting the

706

speakers, going into the breakouts, the

not fun part is writing the swipe copy and

707

writing this and writing that and so more

and more I'm taking all the not fun stuff,

708

giving it to her, I'm doing all the stuff

I do and it's great and, and so, I feel

709

like the ideal is you get to the point

where the only stuff you're doing is the

710

stuff that you're brilliant at, and if

you're merely good at it, you don't do it.

711

Kris Ward: Yeah, I agree.

712

I mean, people often say, you know,

do you believe in eating the frog?

713

You do that work first.

714

I'm like, there should be no frog to eat.

715

Like if you know, you're doing

something you don't like doing,

716

then you can't be good at it.

717

And it sucks the life out

of you before you get to the

718

stuff that does energize you.

719

So I totally agree.

720

Michael Whitehouse: We have people

who think frogs are delicious.

721

They eat.

722

Yes.

723

Yes.

724

We let them eat the frogs.

725

And we, we What, what, what cultures

eats frog legs, that French?

726

I don't know.

727

We hire French people.

728

They eat frogs for us and

we do the stuff we like.

729

So yeah, that makes a great, otherwise

what's the point of, you know, owning a

730

Kris Ward: business?

731

Yeah.

732

I agree.

733

Business should be fun or else.

734

Why did you leave that job?

735

I absolutely.

736

Michael Whitehouse: Yeah.

737

Some other thing is not fun.

738

It'll give you a paycheck like every week,

the same paycheck, usually a big one.

739

If you're well skilled.

740

Very little overhead.

741

Yep.

742

I mean, I don't know what that's like.

743

Cause I've never done it, but I've heard.

744

And so if you don't like

this, why are you doing this?

745

Do that.

746

So that makes a lot of sense.

747

So is there anything I've not touched

on that I should have asked you about?

748

Kris Ward: Oh, we could

talk day and night.

749

I mean, I could do this

forever, so don't ask me that.

750

So yes, I would just

say, remember, listen.

751

It's not about grinding it out.

752

Your business should support

your life, not consume it.

753

And if, you know, people often say,

when do you think you should hire?

754

I'm like, well, you should

have done the first day.

755

You want to get more done and make

more money and work less hours

756

because it's insanely affordable.

757

We're talking five, six us dollars an

hour, but it's really not whether I've

758

had clients come that were paying 50,

60 bucks an hour for, you know, a VA

759

or whatever, and it's really not about.

760

How much you're paying.

761

It's the infrastructure put in

place to support the success.

762

So yeah, you know, just business should

support your life, not consume it.

763

And it should be

764

Michael Whitehouse: fun.

765

Yep.

766

And the other thing I do want to bring

up there is, is that, I think some

767

people like six bucks an hour, we're

taking advantage of those poor people.

768

But in the countries where they're

getting 6 an hour, often that's

769

a middle class lifestyle, right?

770

Well,

771

Kris Ward: they become the breadwinner.

772

So not only are the roads quite dangerous,

say over in the Philippines, so they

773

don't leave the house and be on a

motorbike, which a lot of them travel for.

774

But I know people that work for me or my

clients will say, Oh my gosh, like I'm

775

the breadwinner of the family because

there it's like 10 a day is minimum wage.

776

They're making, you know, quite a

comfortable living getting to be, for

777

the most part, flexible with their hours.

778

So no, they are quite thrilled with this.

779

It's, it's a win for them.

780

And it's a definitely a win for us.

781

Yeah.

782

Yeah.

783

So you're changing their lives

because they become upper class.

784

Like somebody who's working for

me, she's got to get in a car.

785

And she said like.

786

over in the Philippines,

the wealthy have cars.

787

And she's like, this is so exciting.

788

And so many people I know, you know,

would never dreamed of having a car their

789

entire life, but now because of the income

she makes through us, it's a big deal.

790

Michael Whitehouse: Yeah.

791

So, so, so for those who aren't

familiar with like different

792

cultures and how, just how different

the cost of living is that yeah.

793

And, and I think for some of them, the

other thing to consider is, is some

794

people, you know, I want to pay them 40 an

hour that if you were to take someone in

795

the Philippines and give them 40 an hour.

796

It could potentially, it's just like

someone over here, if they suddenly

797

started making 800, 000 a year without

warning and without preparation, they'd

798

probably go bankrupt because they, well,

799

Kris Ward: that's a separate discussion,

but I would also say to you, it

800

just doesn't serve your business.

801

So you want to have it

to be a win for both.

802

Yep.

803

Michael Whitehouse: Yeah.

804

So but so for anyone who's like, oh, I

don't want to take advantage of those

805

poor people and give them sex, but

you're not taking advantage of them.

806

They're happy.

807

You're getting them to a

middle class lifestyle.

808

You're keeping them

off the dangerous road.

809

I didn't even, I didn't even

realize that part of it.

810

But you're, you know, you're

taking good care of them.

811

And, and just like any place

else, you take good care of

812

your people and treat them well.

813

They treat you well.

814

And and our new did this

whole internet thing.

815

I think it might stick around.

816

I think it might catch on.

817

aNd so your podcast is when the

hour, when the day, where else

818

can people connect with you?

819

Kris Ward: Yeah.

820

You can check me on socials.

821

Reach out to me on LinkedIn.

822

Tell people that you tell me that you

heard me on this really fantastic podcast.

823

We'll become fast friends.

824

You can also check out free.

825

Free F R E E gift G I F T

from Chris K R I S dot com.

826

Free gift from chris.

827

com.

828

We have some goodies there.

829

You can check out our power personality.

830

It's customized results.

831

It gives you immediate feedback of

what your strengths are and things

832

to help you navigate, whether you're.

833

And I believe we still,

I just put it up there.

834

So we got a free version of my

audio book that you can download.

835

So a whole bunch of goodies there.

836

You want to check it out.

837

Free gift from chris.

838

Michael Whitehouse: com even better.

839

And so since you're listening to this in

your car, rushing between appointments,

840

what you need to do right now is pull your

car over safely and take your phone off

841

the holder and go to free gift from chris.

842

com and not say you'll do it later

because will they do it later?

843

Chris.

844

Probably not.

845

Probably not.

846

So do it right now.

847

Pull over safely or turn off the

lawnmower or whatever you're doing.

848

Go to free gift from chris.

849

com and check out all

the cool stuff there.

850

It'll only take a minute.

851

And then you can go back to driving

or mowing the lawn or washing dishes

852

or doing whatever you were doing.

853

Sounds good to me.

854

All right.

855

Well, thank you for

being on the show, Chris.

856

It's been great to have you.

857

Kris Ward: Thank you, Michael.

858

I appreciate it.

859

Michael Whitehouse: Thank you

so much for joining us on the

860

Guy Who Knows A Guy podcast.

861

I'm your host, Michael Whitehouse.

862

Be sure to join us for

the next JV Connect.

863

Learn all about it at jv connect.

864

com.

865

You can also get my Five Steps to

Profitable Networking course for

866

free right there on that site.

867

Our goal is that in two days, you're

going to get over 100, 000 of value

868

from the connections you made.

869

And this applies whether you are brand

new in business or well established.

870

So be sure to join us.

871

JV Connect.

872

Dash connect dot com in March,

June, September and December.

873

All the dates and details are

right there on the website.