Ichi Telethon | Old Coots Giving Advice (Part 2)

Ever wonder how to carve a niche in the crowded marketplace and forge stronger bonds with your community? Our chat with Adrian unveils the magic behind branding specificity and the transformative role of soft skills, once commonplace, now a rare gem in the digital era. We take a stroll down memory lane, reflecting on how jobs in hospitality have become unexpected training grounds for these crucial interpersonal abilities, and how they can be the differentiator in both personal and professional landscapes. In an age where small talk is becoming a forgotten art, this episode offers a compass to navigate the evolving terrain of human connections.

As we share our gratitude towards the mavericks of meeting design, like Liz, Nicole, and Adrian Seeger, we acknowledge the genius behind the scenes that makes every event memorable. Laughter ensues with an impromptu emergency alert, but we quickly return to the heart of our narrative, celebrating the creativity, dedication, and partnerships that fuel our success. The episode culminates with a peek into upcoming adventures, including a highly-anticipated jaunt to Croatia, teasing the promise of new friendships and unforgettable experiences. Join us as we raise a glass to the people who make it all happen and roll the credits with love and thanks.

Want to be a guest on the Barefoot Business Podcast? Join Club Ichi as an Insider member today! https://www.weareichi.com/

Transcript

Niche Marketing and Developing Soft Skills

Speaker 1 0:00

Real quick. I just wanted to double down on something that Adrian said. You know that how specific what he did was and I think that's a great piece of advice that I think a lot of people don't realize, especially if you're trying to build brand is how niche can you be? Do you sell to accountants? That's broad. Do you sell to accountants that service MedTech companies and then that have, you know, 25 to 100 employees? The deeper down you get and the more niche you are with what you're trying to do and try to cater to 2000 potential prospects as opposed to 20,000 or 200,000, because you're afraid to have something kind of slip past you, but the more niche you get in specific about what you do, there's a community out there for that, yeah, that's true?

Speaker 2 0:42

All right, Nicole, you're the youngest. What advice are you going to give to the young folks out there?

Speaker 3 0:48

Maybe I'm biased, but I think when you're young, you should work as many hospitality jobs as you can. I'm telling you because you're already. You have tech in your life, you're already going to be ahead and you've grown up on it and all of that. But I think that hospitality teaches you some things. That is the reason that you'll get hired over somebody else, despite your technical knowledge, and makes you a good human and makes you be able to relate to as many people. So be a waiter or a waitress, go be a flight attendant, go work at a hotel, be in a service job, wash dishes.

Speaker 3 1:25

When you're 16, do all of those things so that you can see what happens behind the scenes, so that when you are running the world one day you understand what goes on at all levels and you're able to have empathy, but it's not even that. It's really being able to relate and put that into practice. Understanding that that is the experience that you're giving out and really, when they say changing lives and touching hearts, that's exactly what you're doing is you're able to make sure that you have all kinds of life experiences and that interact with people in those ways that matter actually.

Speaker 1 2:03

And let me double down on that. There's a lot of data out there that soft skills, which are so key, are kind of getting weaker and weaker through these younger generations. So if you're a millennial or a zillennial or you have kids in that age bracket, how can you constantly be teaching them soft skills? Because that is with COVID and with cell phones, that's disappearing and I think soft skills are going to be critical in the next 10, 15 years. We look at them now and we're like, oh my god, you need soft skills, but I think there's going to be a gap there.

Speaker 2 2:31

Well, I vouch for that. My daughter is 10 and doesn't know how to properly answer the phone because she doesn't actually ever use the phone. She uses video call, whether it's Facebook Messenger or any of those types of devices. Somebody calls, she just clicks it and they see her. You don't have to say hello, you don't have to talk, you're there. And now when I call her on an actual phone, you have to actually say hi. I mean, I can see that you answered, but you have to acknowledge that I'm there. So I don't know. I actually was talking to someone the other day about creating a small talk class. I mean, after COVID, this was a Gen Xer like me who said I've forgotten how to do it. I've completely forgotten how to have actual, meaningful small talk.

Speaker 1 3:16

You know, funny to say that I just had a meeting with someone last week who was a sales leader and he said I have all these young people saying how do I take a client out to dinner? What do I talk about? So I think again, real opportunity there to teach those skills.

Speaker 2 3:29

Well, Adrienne, I want to thank you so much for joining us and giving your advice. You have any last words of wisdom for our audience.

Speaker 4 3:37

No, except that I'm always. I'm such an admiration of you and Nicole.

Speaker 2 3:44

Is that your end or our end?

Speaker 4 3:46

That is some kind of emergency alert.

Speaker 2 3:50

This is the best segment we've ever had, is it been?

Speaker 1 3:56

in Jerry's factory for months on fire On fire Something really important.

Speaker 4 4:01

It must be something like that. Anyway, what I was trying to say was that I so admired what you and Liz and Nicole and your whole crew are doing. You know, putting this whole, all this, all this together, the work that you do, you know, and your marketing genius, you know it's something that I feel pretty, pretty poor at. You know. I like, I love what I do. It's a favorite In terms of marketing it. I can always keep learning from people like you, and thank you very much.

Speaker 2 4:29

Well, when you're an expert like you, you don't need to market. People just come to you. You're the legend we love you in our lives. Well, yes, well, yes, you're in the future, adrian, how can people find you if they need their meetings designed?

Speaker 4 4:43

Oh, I meant you can find me at conferences that work. Oh, just Google my name. If you've got, it's my name's on the screen somewhere Adrian Seeger, segar, we have a lower third for Adrian. All over the internet Conferences. That work is the most successful, most popular website on meeting design in the world.

Speaker 2 5:03

Fantastic.

Speaker 4 5:05

Put my name in. You'll find me there you go there he is.

Speaker 1 5:09

Adrian, I'm going to come to Vermont and visit you, eat Ben and Jerry's and talk about quantum physics.

Speaker 4 5:14

Okay, I'm happy to do all those things.

Speaker 2 5:18

Vermont is on my list for the domestic barefoot business for next year. We have not nailed anything out, but it has been on my list for a while, so we're going to come see you If somebody has a cabin in Vermont that they like to give us for a week preferably like by Stowe or JP.

Speaker 1 5:32

give you the ski mountains, That'd be great.

Speaker 2 5:34

Bring us All right. Thank you, we will talk very soon.

Speaker 4 5:38

Thank you so much Great to see you Take care, you too.

Speaker 3 5:41

Hi honey.

Speaker 2 5:43

All right. Well, here we are back in the studio, right where we started about 12 hours ago. Wow, it's been a day yeah.

Speaker 3 5:54

Physically, physically, how are we feeling, nick?

Speaker 1 5:57

You know I've been on the road for two weeks. We landed last night after a couple of events and I've been up since three-third this morning. I feel good. The last hour I'm running on fumes, but I'm pretty happy with my energy levels today for the most part. Yeah.

Speaker 3 6:12

I can answer for better productions. They're sleeping right now. They're tired. They did an amazing job. My hips I can't feel them any longer, but I'm sure it's fine. How about?

Speaker 2 6:23

you. I am jazzed, I am energized, I'm ready to go for 12 more hours. I just need a bathroom break.

Speaker 3 6:29

Yeah.

Speaker 2 6:30

The Better Productions team says no.

Speaker 3 6:32

They just gave me the look.

Speaker 2 6:33

Oh my gosh.

Speaker 1 6:34

Well okay.

Speaker 2 6:38

So we did set a goal of 525 Ichi insider memberships today on the Ichi Telefon and I think we got 27. So high five hey.

Speaker 3 6:50

There was a, you know there was a seven in there, which is not part of five, two or five, but just trying to bring it in.

Speaker 2 7:03

But that's okay, because it's not all about today. This community didn't start and end in these 12 hours.

Speaker 3 7:07

That's right.

Speaker 2 7:09

This community is here for ever we hope yeah, but really we're kicking it off for 2024. So if you want to go join us as an Ichi insider? Real quick side story I mentioned.

Speaker 1 7:20

I worked in cruise. I've been in media for luxury goods my whole life. I worked for the vision of all the MH. I've been around amazing marketers and brand people my whole life and when I ran into you two, two and a half, three years ago, I was blown away with the way you think, the way you put things together and I'm just so happy to be part of this and be hanging out with y'all and I'm really excited to. I'm gonna 100% I'm not just kidding, I'm coming to a bunch of these events.

Speaker 2 7:48

Amazing, that's incredible. Well, nicole, what are you most looking forward to in 2024 with Club EG?

Speaker 3 7:53

I think it's. I just just going out. I can't wait Our 12th Mystery Munches, like they are. Oh, let's actually pull them up.

Speaker 1 7:59

Okay, I got them we are January. January 11th in Phoenix.

Speaker 3 8:03

Come on now with me, yeah, and then we had February. We go to Miami. That's amazing March. We're in Austin.

Speaker 1 8:10

Say less.

Speaker 3 8:11

April, boston, because that rhymes. Right after Austin, may, we're in New York City. Then we also have June, and what may? We also have Argentina, which is the big deal. June is Seattle, july is Minneapolis, august, we're in the ATL Atlanta, september, chicago so fun. And then we have October Raleigh, november San Fran and December, dallas. So those are our Mystery Munches, which everybody can, you know, sign up and come to, and there'll be a lot of fun things in between. And then we obviously have Argentina and Croatia.

Speaker 3 8:45

So I think my favorite thing honestly I'm going to say it would be Croatia. Like, even though we just went there, I want to go to Croatia with you guys to be just floating on the boat. It was just such an amazing time where I was so relaxed and we didn't know that many people when we got on the boat and we left with lifelong friends, and it was just the epitome of being somewhere beautiful on the earth, being able to relax and making friends that last a lifetime, like that's what the community is all about. So I feel like that, in my mind, is my epic moment. What about you? I love it.

Speaker 2 9:20

Oh, what about me? You know what? This is going to sound crazy, but Brennum, texas, january 19th through 21st. Not only is it just two hours away from Austin, but it is something that is completely not on anybody's event radar. You're not like, oh my God, we're doing an event in Brennum, and so this is something where one of our community members is inviting you into her community to show us around the small town, and I get chills when I think about how much you put together for us.

Speaker 2 9:51

And it's not about a destination showcasing a place to bring people. It's about a destination that is right for the people.

Speaker 1 9:58

What is?

Speaker 2 9:58

our saying small. Do you remember Small place? Oh God. Nicole and I created a TikTok like a year and a half ago.

Speaker 2 10:07

It died it was all about us going to places for small groups, and it is the places, spaces and spaces where your small group belongs, and I think that fits Brennum, texas, and I'm excited to showcase that and to be there with all of you that are going to come hang out with us for a quick three days. You don't need to take a week off and spend a bunch of money flying to Europe. You can just come hang out with us in Texas.

Speaker 3 10:31

Yes, yes, and there's so many people to thank but we can go just really quick. But I just really want to thank you for hanging in there and hanging out with us and just being around, being in the community. How much fun. I love watching the chat today. Thank you to Nick, who hosted this at his amazing studio, and just all of the sales tips.

Speaker 1 10:53

It's such a pleasure. And, by the way, a couple of people commented about Phoenix. If you're in Phoenix, you want to come by the studios and say, hey, grab a coffee. We just host people from all over the country all the time. Just drop in and come, say hey, just message me on LinkedIn.

Speaker 2 11:05

That's amazing and let me just do a shout out, for we do have the free community. So we're here today, obviously inviting you to join us, and each insider the free community exists gets you into the Slack channel, gets you invited to most of our events and in the Slack channel you'll see channels for city pods. So eat club each comes to you. There are volunteers all across the US and soon to be across the world, who have volunteered to host city pods. Just informal gatherings, pay your own way, get together and hang out with other event professionals and have real conversations and real camaraderie.

Speaker 1 11:36

If there isn't a Phoenix host, I'm taking that spot.

Speaker 2 11:40

And I think we have the cam cam ready for one last check in Kamma. How's it going?

Speaker 4 11:49

Hello, I've forgotten my name. I'm sorry, I forgot my number. We officially have, 24 is our final number on CT Insider.

Speaker 2 12:03

Good place to start, that's right. All right, we'll just add a five in front of it and we'll be good to go.

Speaker 1 12:07

Yeah, maybe we would have gotten to the 500 plus if the phone was plugged in that she had.

Speaker 2 12:11

I think that was the wish.

Speaker 4 12:13

Do you have the phone with you? I do. I'm going to go ahead and put it in the chat box. Okay, okay, and only one brain cell.

Speaker 1 12:21

Me too.

Speaker 2 12:22

All right, so I just want to point out that Cam ordered this phone specifically for this telethon but turns out you have to plug it into the wall and we don't have a landline, so no one called us today. But that's OK, because you can still get your Ichi membership online at weareichicom. Cam, how was your experience today? This was your first time being back of house stage manager community manager.

Speaker 4 12:43

It was a whirlwind eh. Yes, that's putting it lightly. It was fantastic. I love getting to see everyone before they go on, so sharing that energy. But I would say it got easier as it went on. The first couple hours were shaken.

Speaker 2 12:57

Yeah, cam's like and I quit. Thanks for introducing me to the world. Don't quit on TV, honey. It's making me feel bad. Oh, my goodness, thank you, cam, for hanging in there. You are a trooper, you. And shout out to Denise Cannon she's behind the scenes with Cam as well, another community volunteer that really made this thing come to life. You guys, with 75 different people jumping on throughout our 12 hour broadcast and these two, cam and Denise, behind the scenes making sure that the links were there, that the people were on, that everybody's ready to go, could not have done this without you.

Speaker 3 13:33

Yes, so amazing.

Speaker 2 13:34

It was awesome.

Speaker 4 13:35

Thank you all for letting me be a part of it. Yes, oh my goodness OK, so final credits.

Acknowledgements and Appreciations at Excel Events

Speaker 2 13:40

One more huge shout out to Better Productions Jason Malini, Josh Proman and team Thank you so, so much for making this happen. This is the team that did not ever say no, even though they should have most of the time. Snowball, Rachel Stephan for amplifying this event. It was incredible and, of course, if you join as an EG Insider, you will continue to see Snowball in action and we're going to share that dashboard with you so you can see the insides of how these things work. Jonathan Cazarian at Excel Events, helping us make this thing happen with the live broadcast and the online tool for you to be able to access it. We are going to get all the recordings up there, so it may take us another day or so, but we're going to get them all chopped up and put them up there so that you can enjoy everything that happened on your own time Amazing.

Speaker 2 14:28

And then our partners.

Speaker 3 14:30

Nicole, yes, ci group, thank you for doing all the things making us so shiny and amazing, and everybody that came on the show. Mc squared, thank you. We can't wait for all of the things next year. And, of course, marriott, I cannot wait to sleep in your bed tonight. Ok, not going to lie, but no, this was amazing. And a big thank you to Liz, who I am not organized whatsoever, so this spreadsheet that we have in the background, that was all her, so that was amazing. You killed it. High five Thank you.

Speaker 2 15:03

Yes, again, the studio, the team.

Speaker 1 15:05

Thank you, it's a pleasure Thanks to Ben and Aaron from Splice Video for chipping in today to voice. Appreciate you.

Speaker 3 15:11

Amazing. Well, you guys go have a great weekend heading into the holidays. You probably most of you have our cell phone numbers, so blow us up all the time and we can't wait to hug you in person.

Speaker 2 15:22

Hop into the community. We'll see you on the inside. Roll the credits, gentlemen, On the inside credits. We love you yeah.

Speaker 3 16:12

Yeah, yeah, yeah.