In this episode, we converse with Will Greenblatt, an acclaimed author and public speaking coach who has aided founders in raising over $350 million.

The discussion tackles the ever-present issue of stage fright and offers strategies to manage it effectively. Greenblatt shares his upbringing rooted in acting, his experiences as a child star, and overcoming various life challenges that shaped his approach to public speaking and entrepreneurship.

Emphasizing the importance of founder market fit and personal connection to business problems, Greenblatt provides insights into what investors look for, such as credibility and effective communication. He underscores the emotional aspects of pitching and stresses authenticity and passion in delivering compelling pitches.

The episode is filled with actionable advice on improving public speaking skills, building strong investor relationships, and mastering the art of compelling business pitches.

00:00 Overcoming Stage Fright

00:37 Introduction to the Podcast

01:00 Meet Will Greenblatt

02:06 Will's Acting Journey

02:57 Family Legacy and Early Acting Career

06:40 Challenges of Child Acting

14:58 Coping with Grief and Mental Health

30:30 Therapy and Personal Growth

37:17 The Fear of Public Speaking

38:19 Understanding Anxiety and Its Lies

39:58 Personal Experiences with Stage Fright

43:37 Overcoming Stage Fright: Practical Tips

55:18 The Five Acts Framework for Public Speaking

01:02:52 The Importance of Emotional Connection in Pitching

01:10:20 Final Thoughts and Encouragement

References

• Watch this interview on YouTube
• Transform Your Speaking Skills: Gain Confidence, Captivate Audiences and Advance Your Career by Will Greenblatt

For more of Will

• LinkedIn: Will Greenblatt
• YouTube: Your Public Speaking Coach

This episode features educator and high-performance coach Dr. Shelly-Ann Gajadhar. Dr. Shelly is the founder and Mentor of a women’s mentorship online community of 200+ women called the Go Bravely Mentorship Community and the Author of a daily inspirational book for women entitled Go Bravely: Building Confidence Daily. Having shifted careers from law to business and academia, she blends academic principles with effective management and mindful leadership, delivering rapid results.

In this episode, Dr. Shelly talks about her PhD journey and challenges as a black woman pursuing a PhD. in the UK. She imparts her insights on performance management, a crucial skill for entrepreneurs seeking to excel in their endeavours. Moreover, she also dropped a lot of tips on various topics spanning brand identity, task management, and product launches.

Get ready to delve into a wealth of knowledge in this episode as we kickstart our journey toward high performance together.

Highlights:

• 00:00 Unlocking Self-Leadership and High Performance
• 00:57 Podcast Introduction: High-Performing Entrepreneurs
• 02:32 Journey of Transformation: From Law to Leadership
• 04:48 Navigating Challenges as a Caribbean Academic in the UK
• 07:05 Activism and Advocacy: Championing Diversity in Academia
• 19:25 The Genesis of 'Go Bravely': Turning Mantra into Movement
• 23:20 Mentorship and Building a Community of Empowered Women
• 33:02 High Performance Coaching: Legacy, Vision, and Systems
• 39:04 The Power of Staying in Your Lane
• 39:45 The Impact of Focusing on Your Audience
• 40:22 Leveraging Influence Over Imitation
• 40:51 Redefining Success Through Discipline and Inspiration
• 41:26 Task Management vs. Time Management: A New Approach
• 45:16 Planning Your Week for Maximum Productivity
• 51:48 The Magic of Writing Things Down
• 56:02 Strategies for Successful Product Launches
• 01:04:39 From Message to Movement: Upcoming Leadership Bootcamp
• 01:04:51 Vision and Growth: The Future of Alphastute
• 01:09:38 Innovative Ideas and Personal Projects
• 01:12:17 Final Thoughts: The Dream Chose You

References:

• Episode Video
• Go Bravely - Londrelle, Shelly-Ann Gajadhar | Spotify
• Energy Focussed Weekly Planner
• Go Bravely Mentorship Community
• Go Bravely: Building Confidence Daily by Dr Shelly-Ann Gajadhar

For More of Dr. Shelly:

• Website: www.alphastute.com
• YouTube: Dr. Shelly-Ann Gajadhar

In this episode, we are with the Managing Director of The Bahamas Development Bank (BDB), Nicholas Higgs. Nicholas was also the Director and Chief Operating Officer for the Access Accelerator Small Business Development Center (SBDC), where he led the business development department. He is a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with deep expertise in development finance, research, and capital raising.

Here we delve into investing and raising funds in the Bahamas. Nicholas discusses his journey as a managing director, sharing insights gained along the way. He also emphasizes the importance of networking, tenacity, and expanding one’s horizons. Join us as we look deeper into the Bahamian economy and explore its investment opportunities.

Highlights:

• [02:08] Taking on the role of Managing Director at the age of 31
• [05:27] The value of networking and controlling your narrative
• [12:36] Overcoming fears and getting out of the box
• [19:00] The power of tenacity
• [24:43] The art of valuation
• [29:23] Nicholas’ insights on raising funds and securing deals
• [36:07] The Bahamian economy during the COVID-19 Pandemic
• [40:43] The Bahamas Development Bank and its rebranding
• [43:05] The Sleeping Giant: Bahamas’ Potential and Opportunities
• [48:11] Investing and raising capital in the Bahamas
• [51:38] Crowdfunding in the Caribbean
• [53:45] The BDB’s vision and goals
• [59:22] BDB’s fund allocation
• [01:00:39] How do you present your business for financing
• [01:05:19] Common misconceptions about investing in the Caribbean
• [01:10:57] Nicholas’ upcoming podcast: Mastering Finance

Resources

Episode Video

Mastering Finance: The Podcast

In this technologically advanced world, everything is getting digitalized. For any business to keep up, it has to learn how to efficiently incorporate technology into its processes.

In this episode, digital marketing and e-commerce specialist Keron Rose sits with us as we delve into the world of digital marketing and e-commerce. Keron is also a writer and a podcast host, and his platforms aim to educate Caribbean entrepreneurs about the technology they need to start a business.

Here, Keron discusses the different digital payment platforms available in the Caribbean and the value proposition they offer. He emphasizes the importance of considering the pros and cons of the various digital payment facilitators and choosing the most suitable for your business.

Highlights:

• Keron’s journey to digital marketing and e-commerce
• Exploring the different payment platforms and knowing what suits you
• Digital tools and strategies to enhance your online presence
• Utilizing digital tools to build your brand: success stories
• Challenges in adopting digital payment solutions
• Understanding how various digital payments work
• Looking into the value proposition of different payment facilitators
• Republic Bank’s Endcash digital wallet
• Weighing payment solutions and consumer behaviour
• Digital payments: A look into the future
• The importance of legal conversations on fintech

Resources:

• Episode Video
• Digipreneur FM
• Keron Rose Website

In this episode, we are with Cherie Williams, a Jamaican entrepreneur living in the United States, who has identified a billion-dollar market opportunity in the Caribbean car rental industry through her startup, Veekle.

Williams shares her inspiring journey from growing up in Kingston, Jamaica, to becoming a successful entrepreneur in the US while balancing being a mother of four.

She discusses the challenges and milestones of launching Veekle, a peer-to-peer car rental platform aimed at revolutionizing car rentals in the Caribbean and potentially other developing regions. Williams emphasizes the importance of resilience, continuous learning, and a supportive community in entrepreneurship.

The discussion also covers the significance of MVPs (Minimum Viable Products), the power of pitch competitions, and strategies for overcoming setbacks. Williams' story is a masterclass in entrepreneurship, emphasizing the importance of passion, perseverance, and adaptability in turning innovative ideas into successful businesses.

Highlights:

• 01:59 Guest Spotlight: From Jamaica to a Billion-Dollar Vision
• 03:48 Cherie Williams' Journey: Education, Entrepreneurship, and Empowerment
• 08:03 The Birth of Veekle: Revolutionizing Car Rentals in the Caribbean
• 12:25 Navigating Challenges and Seizing Opportunities Amidst the Pandemic
• 32:41 Pitching Veekle: Strategy, Storytelling, and Scaling Up
• 37:01 Future Plans and Expansion: Building a Caribbean-wide Network
• 39:19 Diving Deep into Financial Modeling and Target Markets
• 40:05 Tourism Trends and Business Viability
• 40:53 The Art of Pitching and Seeking Investment
• 44:54 Expanding Horizons: Beyond the Caribbean
• 47:03 Navigating the Challenges of a Startup
• 01:03:13 The Entrepreneurial Journey: Resilience and Learning
• 01:11:39 Closing Thoughts: Advice for Aspiring Entrepreneurs

Contact Cherie Williams:

LinkedIn: Cherie Williams, CPA, MBA

Instagram: @iamcheriewilliams

Find out more about Veekle:

LInkedIn: Veekle™

Facebook: facebook.com/justveekle

Instagram: @justveekle

Twitter: @justveekle

In this episode, we are with the well-known Caribbean media professional and personality Samantha Best. Samantha is widely known as a former prime-time news anchor at CCN TV6, but more than that, she is an accomplished author, content consultant, and insurance agent. It was her ability to connect with the audience and her personal touch that made her one of the most popular media personalities on television and radio. In 2023, she made a career shift as she became a member of the Guardian Group as an insurance agent, making a positive impact on people's lives.

Samantha enjoys empowering people to work smart and make more which is what this episode is about. She shares her journey from her humble beginnings in the media industry to transitioning in different career paths. Moreover, she emphasizes the benefits of insurance and the importance of time management in achieving success.

Key Takeaways:

• Samantha's life before entering the media industry
• Finding her path in media and handling the pressures of being a beginner
• How can you improve your craft
• You must have different layers and be in different places to build your brand.
• Learn from your mistakes.
• Dealing with burnout and negative comments
• Samantha's journey on rebranding and getting back to her passion
• Being a woman in media and Samantha's advice to those aiming to get into the media industry
• Samantha's unique approach to insurance and financial freedom
• Build a system of content creation that fits your routine. It can be different for everybody.
• How to manage your time and get organized.

Resources:

• Episode Video
• The Balance Block Method: A Guide to Improved Time Management and Productivity by Samantha Best
• Transform Your Life With Samantha's Balanced Success Checklist

Watch this video on YouTube here

Contact Samantha Best

Website: samanthabest.life

In this insightful episode, we are with Ocey Phillips, an expert on digital transformation, focused on assisting companies in keeping up with customer needs in a technologically advanced world. He helps companies grow revenue by matching their perceived value with the problems consumers are looking for solutions to. As an experienced digital consultant with over ten years of successes and failures in the digital, technology, ICT, and telecoms sectors, he is adept at handling various projects and challenges.

As Ocey sits down with us in this episode, we take a deep dive into the Caribbean financial services sector and talk about reinventing the process to adapt to the technologically advanced world. He also shares his insights on managing and adding value to businesses.

Key Takeaways:

• Defining Digital Darwinism
• People management through framework and autonomy
• What inspired Ocey to reinvent himself?
• Introducing Inifye: A brief overview
• Key challenges in the Caribbean financial services sector
• The benefits of reinventing the process and going digital
• Total customer experience: What determines a value of a company
• Constantly be proactive with your market research
• Upscaling your business with a marketplace business model
• Go into business thoroughly, and understand every aspect.
• Staying ahead with prompt engineering
• Business vs. Hobby: What makes a business
• It is essential to have an understanding of the various business models.
• Going back to the core business principles
• Finding value in the Caribbean Fintech sector
• Challenges in funding within the Caribbean region

Resources:

• Episode Video
• Disrupt You: Master Personal Transformation, Seize Opportunity, and Thrive in the Era of Endless Innovation by Jay Samit

Watch this interview on YouTube here

In this episode of The Value podcast, host Kevin Valley is with Jynynn Edwards and Keron Rose of “The Digital World” radio programme on 106.5FM for an insightful interview about his work as a Chartered Business Valuator and podcaster. The conversation covers a wide range of topics related to business valuation and entrepreneurship, including:

• Kevin's professional background in business valuation
• Understanding what a Chartered Business Valuator does
• Basic steps to building an investible business
• Why do small businesses fail to access capital from banks & available alternatives
• How to value intellectual property and brands
• Knowing when to choose a business canvas over a business plan
• The story behind the Caribbean Power Lunch Podcast and subsequent transition to The Value Show
• Views on podcasting as a medium in 2023

Throughout the episode, Kevin shares his expertise on these topics and provides practical advice for entrepreneurs and business owners. He also discusses his mission to educate business owners at scale while working with investors to source profitable opportunities.

Overall, this episode provides valuable insights into the world of business valuation and entrepreneurship and is a must-listen for anyone interested in building a highly valuable and investible business.

Resources:

Unlocking Investment Potential: How Chartered Business Valuators Drive Business Success