Mastering Your Business: The Value of Understanding

Narrator 0:00
You’re listening to the all systems go podcast, the show that teaches you everything you need to know to put your business on autopilot. Learn how to deploy automated marketing and sell systems in your business the right way with your host, the professor of automation himself and founder of automation bridge, Chris Davis.

Chris 0:31
Welcome everyone to another episode of The all systems go podcast. I’m your host, Chris L. Davis. And at the top, let me just say thank you, thank you all for tuning in and taking the time to listen to this episode, which I’m looking forward to this being maybe a bit retrospective. But if anything, I want this to be an episode that guides you and adds value to you continuously as you navigate the ongoing challenges of growing your business in any capacity. And though it can be attributed or relative to any capacity, I really want to hone in on those who are journeying online, to do such right, you’re building your business online. And you’re using online resources, you’re using technology, you’re you’re using marketplaces, all of the all of those things to power your business with humans and technology to achieve the results that you want. And in that pursuit, a scripture actually comes to mind from the good book. And it, it goes like this, and all you’re getting get understanding. And that’s something that has guided my decision making for a very long time, in business and out of business. And I have to see, I have to say, this episode really deals with a trend that I have been seeing take place more and more frequently across the online space. And that’s simply the lack of understanding, the lack of understanding, and it’s hurting, it’s hurting you more than you realize. There was another there’s a quote that it was bouncing around social media. And it said, if you think education is expensive, try ignorance. And I always liked that that same too. Because it’s like, Man, that is just so true. Because yes, paying for a program, of course going to school, whatever the case may be, it is costly. But not paying can be even more costly. And and I’ll get into the meat potatoes of it. But I just want to converse for a little bit with you all and say, Do you not know that person in your life that never went to college? They may not. I’m saying college not saying that if you didn’t go to college, that you’re a failure. But the person that didn’t do the certification didn’t go through the training on the job, whatever the case may be. They didn’t get the understanding. They didn’t get the learning and the understanding that accompanies learning a lot of times, and then you look at that, and maybe that’s you, I’m not saying this in a judgmental way. I’m just saying, Listen, it’s closer than you may realize. If it’s not you, right and yourself. And truth be told, I think Carter G Woodson mentioned that be nice to the old and caring to the to the is like Be nice to the old caring to the disabled, and essentially said, Be nice to everyone you come across because you will be all of them before you leave this earth. So you may be young now running circles around people, but one day you’ll be old and gray and what that young person does running around circles as you once did. To be to be aware and and to be empathetic with you. And that’s what I’m saying is that I’m not here to cast stones or say hey, look, you don’t understand and this is why you are where you’re at. We’ve all been there. There’s areas right now I don’t understand in business that are hurting me. And I know it that’s the thing. The hard the harder part is when you’re unaware of it when you’re being hurt by something that you don’t know exists, and you’re not even aware of it. Okay, so with that being said the topic that what all this brings to mind is the trend that I’ve been seeing. And it’s simply people operating online without the understanding of how all these things play together. How do they come together? How you all are listening to this podcast, this podcast is all about marketing automation, right? We talk about sales, and we talk about a variety of other things. But my core competence is applying technology to your marketing processes so that they can run without you. Right? It’s automation for marketing, right? There’s automation for sales, automation, for a lot of things. And with that respect, you have the ability to check a box, I will say check the phone. No, no, no, it’s not. It’s a real, it’s a real progress box, you’re able to check a box of progress. But without the box of understanding. And let’s think through this, if I, if I wanted to drive a car, I have to check the box of buying a car. And knowing how to drive a car understanding, when I turn the wheel, when I push the gas, when I pump the brake when it’s smoking, what should I do? Right? So there’s some out line, there’s some agreed upon learn learning, standardized across the board that ensures the safety and the proper operation. Well, we don’t have that we don’t have that in online business. So you don’t have to understand anything, you don’t have to understand how marketing works. You don’t have to understand how to manage a database, you don’t have to have to understand how to write email copy, you don’t have to understand any of that. To buy auto responder software, you have to understand any of that to build a website that uses whatever web page builder to build a sales page or a landing page or anything in that capacity. Right. So if that’s the case, we’ve got this low barrier of entry with no guard rails. It allows people to really jump in recklessly. Right, and the most reckless, I’ve seen it and we’ve talked about, listen, everybody, we’ve talked about this numerous times on the podcast, and it’s all about tool selections, but it often, that’s the the main symptom I see is, instead of understanding what people substitute is another tool. They substitute another guru telling them, you’re one funnel away, just build a sales funnel and money will come in, here’s an appointment booking funnel, here’s a name the industry type funnel, right? And you start to chase success, and you never catch it because you lack the understanding of not just what it takes. But perhaps if you would allow me to propose that you don’t know what it takes with what you already have. Could it be that you don’t need another tool? You don’t need another funnel landing page, you don’t need new software, because you’re so tired of doing calls on Zoom. Right? What if I were to say you don’t even need another expert. Right? Perhaps you don’t need another expert. What you need is understanding of where you’re at, and what it takes to move forward. And I have been hired time and time again. You know, I’m in the tech space. Of course, it was just technical podcast. And you would imagine that bigger companies and things of that nature when they reach out to you to consult and everything else. You think that it’s on a grander scale on a grander stage, there’s their needs are different and more complex. It’s like, Oh, I really have to have my A game together. Well guess what I’ve been pleasantly surprised with is the fact that a lot of them will bring you on just because they simply don’t understand what’s been built. They don’t understand what to do with it. They don’t understand what’s going on. It’s all about understanding. Now imagine if I come in and start recommending software all willy nilly. Right. I’m just adding to the lack of understanding and they may not be intelligent enough to understand it. I’m just piling on. Right until after a while. They’re like wait a minute, things actually feel heavier after we contracted with you than before. What’s going on? We’re supposed to feel lighter. And I see this often so so so what am I saying? My question to you is how Have you ever sat down and assessed? What do you actually understand? And what areas do you need help in gaining and increasing that understanding? Because it’s not it’s not a destination. It’s an ongoing journey. And let me put myself on the operating table and open up. And let you all know, I’ve not always understood even my own business and what it took, what it took and what it takes to grow it.

Chris 10:29
Why would you think that you have to understand all of that yourself. This is the reason why I’m part of masterminds and membership groups and communities and networks, right? Because I can only see and do so much for me, I’m an expert at what I’m an expert in. But guess what? business requires expertise in far more areas than I have expertise and understanding. So I then have to use the community to use my village and leverage the understanding of others and add it to mine, to know what I need to know. And what I need to go to know. Right? So I may need to know marketing, but I may need to go out of me to no sales to no onboarding, to know, finance, whatever the case is. And I’m always willing to pay top dollar for understanding. That’s one thing that has served me well continue to do so one of the reasons why I am where I am, is that I’ve never you know, what I was about to say, never really got to watch those hyperbole statements, right. But there’s not a lot of times I can remember where I was unwilling to pay top dollar for understanding. Because with that understanding, right, right along with its connected they work in tandem, is clarity. And in fact, one could argue that clarity is understanding. And maybe they are I’ve never looked at him until I just literally, literally literally recorded this understanding clarity are probably one in the same. However, maybe understanding brings clarity, you can understand without being clear on other things, whatever the case may be. clarity comes with understanding. And clarity is power. I can’t tell you the number of times where I almost stopped doing something in my business, because I didn’t understand how it was impacting my business. Right. And what I want you all to understand is that the area that myself, this podcast, and a variety of products, services and offers that I have, the greatest thing that we can offer you is understanding, that’s the greatest thing. I’ve created this entire podcast to facilitate understanding in this area. So you can operate with more clarity, so that people can’t take you for a ride and say, oh, yeah, we’ll build a landing page for you. $20,000 And you’re like, great, I got a good deal, because he was gonna charge me 50 But he said he’ll give me half off because I’m new. And then he took off another 5000 I really think I got a good deal. $20,000 Really, that’s a lack of understanding, no different than going to the mechanic and the mechanic telling you, oh, you’re leaking oil, we’re gonna have to replace your whole engine. Right? Oh, it’s the radiator smoking, you’re gonna have to buy a whole new car. Right? And you blindly saying, okay, all right, we would never do that. But we do it often online. So how, how can I help you understand more? Well, it’s it’s really a process of gently letting you know that you’re probably not the best to assess the software for your own business. You probably aren’t, I haven’t met a lot of people who are and watch this. Even those who are still need help. Do you think I don’t go to Facebook groups? Ask questions. I’m not sending support tickets in to the software that I use. I’m not asking people who I know that use platforms. Listen, if you don’t value understanding if all you’re doing is buying tools and you’re going out trying to do to do when when then will you slow down to understand what the doo doo doing is doing for you? Right when is that time and I need to say it because I’m ramping up. I’m getting ready to launch a couple of new things. One is a program, a program that shows technical professionals how to package yourself in market and sale. You Two services as a automation service provider in and we’re broadening and in fact, we’re broadening the the applicable term automation service provider. up into this point many of you if you’ve heard it, it’s really been talked about in the sense of, you’re only an automated service provider if you’ve gone to my automation service provider program, my curriculum, well, what what the industry needs to help, what I can do to help you all with understanding is to broaden the scope and say, hey, look, anybody that’s providing the service of automation, you now have my permission, because I did create the term, but you have my permission to call yourself an automation service provider, it will allow you to better differentiate yourself from regular freelancers, our regular folks, you would only know that term exists if you listen to this podcasts or if you’re connected in any way. However, once you say it, it is it does catch on, it does not need description. Now it opens up a conversation. I’m automation. I’m a professional automation service provider. Oh, really? What type of automation services? Do you provide? Marketing, workflow improvement? I do your your finance, right, because the term automation can be applied to any any area of your business. Right. But for people who are, are currently active as automation service providers, you’re probably familiar with Zap years and how to build websites and how to send emails and configure CRM software and things of that nature. But what you may not be familiar with is how to package yourself. How do I make a true business out of this? How do I get contracts consistently, so that I’m not up on the mountaintop one day like woohoo, I’ve got five clients. And then two months later, I’m down to zero for the next five months, and I’m struggling, hold on tight to my money, right? That revenue roller coaster is a is one of the hardest rides to stay on. You know, that’s the one where you start puking, it led me off, I can’t take it, and you rent to a full time job. Nothing against full time employment. By the way, I am not trying to say, Oh, you’re only in full time employment, because you failed as a, as an entrepreneur, you couldn’t make it I would never, that’s crazy. That’s ridiculous. However, it’s important, it’s important to know that sometimes you are going to have to tap out, sometimes you are going to need those additional capital building opportunities outside of entrepreneurship. And it’s because of that, that I, I am launching this new program. And it’s really a nod to myself of the past in realizing how many people are picking up technical skills without the understanding of business. And then how many other businesses are struggling, because you’re hiring or looking for these people. And they don’t have the business acumen to match the technical acumen. And we all lose. So it’s a lose, lose, lose lose situation. So my my goal, my aid, is to provide understanding in the in the means of how to truly structure and market yourself as an automation service provider, somebody who’s responsible for connecting tools, integrating them in the data that passes between them in any area of your business, that you will be found online that people searching can more easily find you and make the connection and, and be on boarded. And the understanding that they don’t have today, they can quickly gain from you. It that’s the best the ethos of why automation bridge exists. It’s the bridge between the known and the unknown. How do we cross that easily connect. And now we both know, we both have what we need. As an automation service provider, I now have a contract. As a CEO of a company, I now have a trusted individual to provide the service for me. So that’s one way that that you’ll see in the weeks coming, that you’ll be able to engage with automation bridge to expand your understanding. All right, again, it’s not another tool. It’s not another Facebook group. It’s not another tool based community. All of those things are great for the context that they’re great in. But when it comes to understanding how to make a living, providing the service of automation, which we need more people that do it with integrity. That’s that’s that’s impact, right? You also see courses dedicated to specific areas, one of them that I’m so oh my god this, this thing came out great, everyone I’m saying it came out great because I’ve already outlined it and got the material together and everything but mass make.com mastery for marketing automators. mc.com is a third party platform that a lot of people have really been

Chris 20:20
adopting more that zap years pricing increases, made that barrier of entry a bit high. And people liked the visual localization of it and everything. And it took me a while to truly understand it. But there that word goes again, understanding once I understood how the platform worked, and I was able to unleash the power. And this is the type of power that if you’re providing the service of automation in any capacity that you need to have, even if you’re already using Zapier, don’t get me wrong, which you’ll find in my program, but this applies to everyone. automation service provider, really, and my membership err, really communicates that you’re gone are the days of Zapier only, you’re going to usually have at least two integration tools and platforms. Right? But how do you understand when to use which one? What case? Do I use one over the other? Right nother level of understanding, along with something that’s been asked of me so frequently, and I was recently on a couple of workshops that I was able to share this knowledge. And it just it really gets me going. And it’s airtable, mastery for marketing automators. And you’re seeing a theme, right? There’s going to be these dedicated curriculum, this dedicated curriculum that shows you how to do a thing through the lens of marketing and automation, not business growth, not app development, not any of that. Because when we do it that way, everybody, I get to filter through all of the other settings and use cases and really focus on the things that matter. And the goal is always increasing your understanding as an automation service provider. Right, increasing your understanding of what’s available, and how to use what’s available effectively and efficiently for your clients. On the other side, I hope I hear you clients and founders and business owners say Yes, finally, it won’t take three weeks to get a landing page and email sequence out. It shouldn’t, it really shouldn’t. Because in those cases, the understanding is, is being gained at your expense, we call it on the job training, which you know, there’s a place for that. But some of you in your businesses, you’re beyond on the job training, you need expertise immediately. All right. So I wanted to start the conversation and even use it as a foretelling of what’s to come and what you can keep, keep a lookout for. If you’re if you’re like oh my gosh, I need to be I need to be notified. I don’t don’t I don’t want to miss out. You can always go to automation bridge.com For slash blog, at any point in time, and just subscribe to the newsletter, anytime. And you get all the notifications, all the email communication is possible. For anything upcoming, you’ll want to make sure you do that. Because I often launch to my list first and if capacity feels on the list, it doesn’t make it to the public. Alright, that’s that’s one thing. And to let let me just say this, everyone, it’s now may be the time that you hear this differently, but it’s time to slow down a little bit. It’s time to slow down a little bit. I think that man there was a great quote. I’m gonna grab my phone here. There’s a great quote by a French dictator. I don’t know. It’s a great quote that I want to share with you all take the I know what it says but I want to give proper time to deliberate. It’s to act. All right, I want to give this okay, Napoleon, there it is. All right, Napoleon Bonaparte day, I believe. And it says take the time to deliberate. But when the time for action has arrived, stop thinking in go in. I just Oh, I love that quote. Because we often do things backwards. We go in without thinking. And I just want to issue this as a gentle pause. Let’s take the time to deliberate everyone. Let’s take the time to figure out what is it that we’re doing. Let’s take the time to align with people who can help us do that thing. The right way. How about this, the people who are doing the thing the right way? Let’s take the time to learn how to do it the right way. Let’s take the time to so step back and say, Okay, how exactly do I do this thing? I need to understand all the moving parts is going to take some humility, right? But once you understand it, then go, then go hit the market, go to market go, whatever your, your your marketing go to market strategy is, then it’s time to do it. Alright, so. So again, I firmly believe that understanding has been undervalued. And now it’s time to say, you know, what, I’m tired of being taken for. I’m tired of questioning and wondering, and I’m tired of investing in purchasing stuff and being left with nothing in hand. It’s time to change that it’s time to change that. the gaining of understanding is the first step towards it. I’ve explained to you how we’re how we’re approaching that. And the solutions that we’re looking forward to launching later this month and throughout the year. So that you know, if you’re connected in any capacity, this is the place to get the understanding. If you’re hiring, this is the place to look for the people who have the understanding. All right, fair deal, everyone. All right. I thank you again for for joining. Thank you even much more for making it all the way to the end and listening. Hopefully something was said today that will impact you to borrow change your business for ever. So until next time, I see you online everyone. Automate responsibly, my friends. Thank you for tuning in to this episode of The all systems go podcast. If you enjoyed it, make sure that you’re subscribed at the time of recording the all systems go podcast is free to subscribe to, and it can be found in Apple podcast, Google podcast, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts new episodes are released every Thursday. So make sure you’re subscribed so that you don’t miss out and while you’re at it, please leave us a five star rating and review to show some love but also to help future listeners more easily find the podcast so they can experience the value of goodness as well. We’ve compiled all resources mentioned on the podcast, as well as other resources that are extremely valuable and effective at helping you grow your marketing automation skills quickly. And you can access them all at all systems go podcast.com Thanks again for listening. And until next time, I see you online. Automate responsibly, my friends