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New Year, New You, New Normal: ICONIC Predictions for What's NextEpisode #11Faced with the pandemic, companies did things that seemed impossible, overnight. And some industries, like ecommerce, experienced growth in 9 months that wasn’t predicted for years. 2021 begins a new year, new you, new normal and with the New Year ahead, Calvin and John remain dedicated to helping businesses and leaders be ICONIC! This episode has only one goal... provide an ICONIC list of predictions for 2021 that will give your business an edge above the competition and help you prepare for what’s next. 0:01:35 - Calvin's 2021 Resolutions 0:03:51 - John's 2021 Resolutions 0:05:48 - Employees over profits 0:18:03 - Employees are going to expect more focus on diversity, equity and inclusion 0:20:25 - The race to automate and digitize everything will intensify 0:30:52 - Customers will continue to demand exceptional experiences 0:41:03 - ICONIC Points To learn more about John Avola and Calvin Stovall, visit iconicpresentations.net. All The ICONIC Mindset episodes can be downloaded at theiconicmindset.com. If you enjoyed listening to this episode, please subscribe to our show.  Remember to select a star rating and/or write a review for The ICONIC Mindset podcast.Connect with us! John Avola: @johnavola (Twitter) and LinkedIn Calvin Stovall: @ICONICspeaker (Twitter), Facebook and LinkedIn To leave a podcast review: Open your podcast app and search/navigate to The ICONIC Mindset Scroll to the subhead titled "Ratings & Reviews"  Tap to give a rating and/or select "Write a Review" Once you've finished, select "Send" or "Save" (top-right corner) Thank you for listening! We value our listeners and subscribers.Don't just be, Be ICONIC!

10 ICONIC Lessons of 2020Episode #10Without a doubt 2020 has been a year of unsuspected turns and sudden surprises. This year has been draining, overwhelming and exhausting, uncertain and worrisome. But, on the flip side of the coin, this tumultuous year has also been an exciting, full of growth and learning opportunities, and plenty of adrenaline to survive on. To close out the year and in commemoration of our 10th podcast episode, John and Calvin have put together a list of 10 ICONIC Lessons of 2020. And a special thanks to our listeners for their continued support and listenership. You’re all unequivocally ICONIC!  0:01:18 - Intro: Thank you, Listeners! 0:04:41 - Lesson #10: Trust Your Team 0:08:02 - Lesson #9: Leaders Emerge During Turbulent Times 0:12:57 - Lesson #8: Lead with Empathy 0:17:55 - Lesson #7: The Illusion of Control 0:21:52 - Lesson #6: Have a Plan B 0:28:50 - Lesson #5: Failure Breeds Creativity 0:32:28 - Lesson #4: Never Give Up 0:38:21 - Lesson #3: Get Comfortable with the Unknown and Ambiguity 0:41:54 - Lesson #2: Community is Everything 0:46:54 - Lesson #1: Mindset is Everything 0:50:25 - ICONIC Points To learn more about John Avola and Calvin Stovall, visit iconicpresentations.net. All The ICONIC Mindset episodes can be downloaded at theiconicmindset.com. If you enjoyed listening to this episode, please subscribe to our show.  Remember to select a star rating and/or write a review for The ICONIC Mindset podcast. Connect with us! John Avola: @johnavola (Twitter) and LinkedIn Calvin Stovall: @ICONICspeaker (Twitter), Facebook and LinkedIn To leave a podcast review: Open your podcast app and search/navigate to The ICONIC Mindset Scroll to the subhead titled "Ratings & Reviews"  Tap to give a rating and/or select "Write a Review" Once you've finished, select "Send" or "Save" (top-right corner) Thank you for listening! We value our listeners and subscribers. Don't just be, Be ICONIC!  

4 C’s to an ICONIC Mindset; How to Thrive in 2021 and BeyondEpisode #9Without question 2020 has been an unforgettable year of challenges, unsuspected turns and sudden surprises. American Professor of mathematics at Temple University, John Allen Paulos said, “Uncertainty is the only certainty there is, and knowing how to live with insecurity is the only security.” The fact is a lot of the things happening around us are outside of our control, but despite that you can maintain an ICONIC Mindset. A person’s ability to thrive in times of uncertainty is how well they can shift their mindset, remain adaptable and flexible and learn how to apply some practical survival techniques. During this podcast episode, John and Calvin discuss the 4 C’s of an ICONIC Mindset. Listen and learn how you can apply these 4 C’s to your daily life and thrive during the upcoming 2021 year and beyond. 0:00:58 - Intro: 4 C's of an ICONIC Mindset 0:09:32 - Celebrate Innovation 0:15:37 - Commit to Curiosity 0:20:21 - Cultivate Connections 0:28:23 - Choose Optimism 0:35:23 - ICONIC Points To learn more about John Avola and Calvin Stovall, visit iconicpresentations.net. All The ICONIC Mindset episodes can be downloaded at theiconicmindset.com. If you enjoyed listening to this episode, please subscribe to our show.  Remember to select a star rating and/or write a review for The ICONIC Mindset podcast. Connect with us! John Avola: @johnavola (Twitter) and LinkedIn Calvin Stovall: @ICONICspeaker (Twitter), Facebook and LinkedIn To leave a podcast review: Open your podcast app and search/navigate to The ICONIC Mindset Scroll to the subhead titled "Ratings & Reviews"  Tap to give a rating and/or select "Write a Review" Once you've finished, select "Send" or "Save" (top-right corner) Thank you for listening! We value our listeners and subscribers. Don't just be, Be ICONIC!

13 sins of the unICONIC: The SequelEpisode #8Toxic work cultures make going to work feel miserable. New ideas can’t flourish, people can’t be honest, micro-management thrives, and leaders are given power that go to their heads and fuel their egos. In our last podcast, John and Calvin talked about how to build an ICONIC culture that stands the test of time. As a good follow-up (or sequel), this episode provides listeners with a list of 13 telltale signs that your company culture is moving in the wrong direction – and then provide practical solutions to fix them. 0:02:03 - Intro: Toxic Work Environments 0:04:37 - Sin #13: Absence of accountability 0:06:26 - Sin #12: Value for the company over core values 0:09:10 - Sin #11: Lack of investment in people 0:11:27 - Sin #10: Rotating door policy, high turnover, excessive absenteeism, illness 0:13:12 - Sin #9: Preferential treatment; favoritism and office politics 0:15:39 - Sin #8: Productivity is driven by fear 0:17:25 - Sin #7: Management vs. The Us Culture 0:20:56 - Sin #6: Employees have no latitude in performing their jobs 0:24:58 - Sin #5: Power (title and status) over Purpose (contribution to the mission) 0:27:20 - Sin #4: Lack of diversity and inclusion 0:29:39 - Sin #3: There is no community or team spirit 0:32:43 - Sin #2: Employees aren’t appreciated, adequately acknowledged or rewarded 0:33:51 - Sin #1: There are no core values, purpose is unclear or there's no purpose at all 0:37:10 - ICONIC Points To learn more about John Avola and Calvin Stovall, visit iconicpresentations.net. All The ICONIC Mindset episodes can be downloaded at theiconicmindset.com. If you enjoyed listening to this episode, please subscribe to our show.  Remember to select a star rating and/or write a review for The ICONIC Mindset podcast. Connect with us! John Avola: @johnavola (Twitter) and LinkedIn Calvin Stovall: @ICONICspeaker (Twitter), Facebook and LinkedIn To leave a podcast review: Open your podcast app and search/navigate to The ICONIC Mindset Scroll to the subhead titled "Ratings & Reviews"  Tap to give a rating and/or select "Write a Review" Once you've finished, select "Send" or "Save" (top-right corner) Thank you for listening! We value our listeners and subscribers. Don't just be, Be ICONIC!

Building an ICONIC Culture that Stands the Test of TimeEpisode #7Own it! Live it! Love it! There’s nothing more important than your company's culture. In this podcast episode, John and Calvin discuss how to build an ICONIC culture that stands the test of time. They'll leverage one of the four ICONIC Framework quadrants as the foundation for defining your culture, developing values and beliefs and defending what you've built. Whether your company has been operating for years or you're opening your doors for the first time, you'll want to tune in as they share how to establish a culture today that will last far beyond tomorrow. 0:03:19 - Intro: Building an ICONIC Culture 0:07:45 - Own It 0:19:15 - Live It 0:27:28 - Love It 0:32:11 - ICONIC Points To learn more about John Avola and Calvin Stovall, visit iconicpresentations.net. All The ICONIC Mindset episodes can be downloaded at theiconicmindset.com. If you enjoyed listening to this episode, please subscribe to our show.  Remember to select a star rating and/or write a review for The ICONIC Mindset podcast. Connect with us! John Avola: @johnavola (Twitter) and LinkedIn Calvin Stovall: @ICONICspeaker (Twitter), Facebook and LinkedIn To leave a podcast review: Open your podcast app and search/navigate to The ICONIC Mindset Scroll to the subhead titled "Ratings & Reviews"  Tap to give a rating and/or select "Write a Review" Once you've finished, select "Send" or "Save" (top-right corner) Thank you for listening! We value our listeners and subscribers. Don't just be, Be ICONIC!

Leading with an ICONIC Mindset during Uncertain TimesEpisode #6It’s been said that turbulent times build great leaders. In this podcast episode, John and Calvin discuss how to lead your team with an ICONIC mindset during uncertain times. They’ll share several important leadership qualities that will help leaders navigate through the next normal while connecting each quality to one (or more) of the 4 P’s of Iconicity - Purpose, People, Passion, and Perseverance. Listen for insights on surefire ways to continue to engage, empower and inspire your team during these uncertain times and into the future. 0:01:58 - Intro: Important leadership qualities 0:04:58 - Purpose 0:07:12 - People 0:16:11 - Passion 0:24:57 - Perseverance 0:31:55 - ICONIC Points To learn more about John Avola and Calvin Stovall, visit iconicpresentations.net. All The ICONIC Mindset episodes can be downloaded at theiconicmindset.com. If you enjoyed listening to this episode, please subscribe to our show.  Remember to select a star rating and/or write a review for The ICONIC Mindset podcast. Connect with us! John Avola: @johnavola (Twitter) and LinkedIn Calvin Stovall: @ICONICspeaker (Twitter), Facebook and LinkedIn To leave a podcast review: Open your podcast app and search/navigate to The ICONIC Mindset Scroll to the subhead titled "Ratings & Reviews"  Tap to give a rating and/or select "Write a Review" Once you've finished, select "Send" or "Save" (top-right corner) Thank you for listening! We value our listeners and subscribers. Don't just be, Be ICONIC!  

Building an ICONIC Brand Reputation is EverythingEpisode #5Brand reputation is everything. It's an expectation of behavior derived from personal experiences and/or experiences from others. Great reputations are built through consistently meeting or exceeding customer expectations. When you invest in proactively cultivating your brand reputation, you'll experience increases in revenue, brand equity and customer loyalty, plus you'll have the ability to hire and retain top talent.In this episode, Calvin and John share 4 ICONIC strategies for building an ICONIC brand reputation and touch on a few signals that indicate when your brand reputation could be in jeopardy. 0:01:25 - Intro: Managing brand reputation 0:6:34 - ICONIC Strategy #1: Delivering a consistent, frictionless memorable customer experience 0:14:06 - ICONIC Strategy #2: Focus on nurturing brand promoters and avoiding detractors 0:28:17 - ICONIC Strategy #3: Invest in creating a positive employee experience 0:33:50 - ICONIC Strategy #4: Don't ignore the power of your customers online voice  0:43:30 - ICONIC Points To learn more about John Avola and Calvin Stovall, visit iconicpresentations.net. All The ICONIC Mindset episodes can be downloaded at theiconicmindset.com. If you enjoyed listening to this episode, please subscribe to our show.  Remember to select a star rating and/or write a review for The ICONIC Mindset podcast. Connect with us! John Avola: @johnavola (Twitter) and LinkedIn Calvin Stovall: @ICONICspeaker (Twitter), Facebook and LinkedIn To leave a podcast review: Open your podcast app and search/navigate to The ICONIC Mindset Scroll to the subhead titled "Ratings & Reviews"  Tap to give a rating and/or select "Write a Review" Once you've finished, select "Send" or "Save" (top-right corner) Thank you for listening! We value our listeners and subscribers. Don't just be, Be ICONIC!

Delivering Iconic Customer Experiences: It’s Now Back To BasicsEpisode #4COVID-19 has brought on many challenges for everyone across the globe. Customers’ wants and needs are changing constantly, and you have to change just as fast to keep up with them. In this episode, Calvin and John discuss how delivering ICONIC customer experiences in this environment is all about focusing on the basics of customer service. Beyond adapting new measures to ensure safety, learn what you can do to set your business apart from the competition by focusing on 5 ICONIC strategies that will differentiate your brand when engaging with your customers and employees today and in the future. 0:01:12 - Intro: Delivering iconic customer experiences 0:09:34 - The Customer Service Game Changer 0:15:37 - Strategy #1: Retention is the new acquisition 0:19:58 - Strategy #2: Focus on delivering effortless customer experiences 0:25:24 - Strategy #3: Be Proactive 0:28:50 - Strategy #4: Don't forget about your employees 0:35:39 - Strategy #5 - Double down on digital 0:42:46 - ICONIC Points To learn more about John Avola and Calvin Stovall, visit iconicpresentations.net. All The ICONIC Mindset episodes can be downloaded at theiconicmindset.com. If you enjoyed listening to this episode, please subscribe to our show.  Remember to select a star rating and/or write a review for The ICONIC Mindset podcast. Connect with us! John Avola: @johnavola (Twitter) and LinkedIn Calvin Stovall: @ICONICspeaker (Twitter), Facebook and LinkedIn To leave a podcast review: Open your podcast app and search/navigate to The ICONIC Mindset Scroll to the subhead titled "Ratings & Reviews"  Tap to give a rating and/or select "Write a Review" Once you've finished, select "Send" or "Save" (top-right corner) Thank you for listening! We value our listeners and subscribers. Don't just be, Be ICONIC!

The 4 P’s of Innovative ICONIC Brands - Part IIEpisode #3A product, service or idea is innovative when it truly makes your customer lives’ easier, whether it's something new or making something better–an improvement. During Part Il of this two-part series, we unpack the last two of the 4 P’s of Iconicity, Passion and Perseverance. Learn how to magnify your vision (own it, live it, love it) and focus on what matters to your customers. The future is already upon us and some iconic brands have taken the lead to engage, empower and inspire our life’s experiences. 0:01:02 - Intro: Passion and Perseverance 0:01:25 - The third P of Iconicity = Passion 0:08:08 - The fourth P of Iconicity = Perseverance 0:13:59 - ICONIC Points To learn more about John Avola and Calvin Stovall, visit iconicpresentations.net. All The ICONIC Mindset episodes can be downloaded at theiconicmindset.com. If you enjoyed listening to this episode, please subscribe to our show.  Remember to select a star rating and/or write a review for The ICONIC Mindset podcast. Connect with us! John Avola: @johnavola (Twitter) and LinkedIn Calvin Stovall: @ICONICspeaker (Twitter), Facebook and LinkedIn To leave a podcast review: Open your podcast app and search/navigate to The ICONIC Mindset Scroll to the subhead titled "Ratings & Reviews"  Tap to give a rating and/or select "Write a Review" Once you've finished, select "Send" or "Save" (top-right corner) Thank you for listening! We value our listeners and subscribers. Don't just be, Be ICONIC!

The 4 P’s of Innovative ICONIC Brands - Part IEpisode #2A product, service or idea is innovative when it stands out from the rest and truly makes the customer lives’ easier. Reinvention of experience has been the cornerstone of the 21st century. From Uber to Airbnb, Grubhub to Spotify, pain-points in many areas of our daily lives have been opened up by innovation. The future is already upon us and some iconic brands have taken the lead to innovate and update our life’s experiences. During Part I of this two-part series, we unpack two of the 4 P’s of Iconicity, Purpose and People, and discuss how some brands are leveraging innovation to create experiences that make our lives easier and stand out from the crowd. 0:00:51 - Intro: Purpose and People 0:05:00 - The 4 P's of Iconicity 0:09:27 - The first P of Iconicity = Purpose 0:18:21 - The second P of Iconicity = People 0:27:19 - ICONIC Points To learn more about John Avola and Calvin Stovall, visit iconicpresentations.net. All The ICONIC Mindset episodes can be downloaded at theiconicmindset.com. If you enjoyed listening to this episode, please subscribe to our show.  Remember to select a star rating and/or write a review for The ICONIC Mindset podcast. Connect with us! John Avola: @johnavola (Twitter) and LinkedIn Calvin Stovall: @ICONICspeaker (Twitter), Facebook and LinkedIn To leave a podcast review: Open your podcast app and search/navigate to The ICONIC Mindset Scroll to the subhead titled "Ratings & Reviews"  Tap to give a rating and/or select "Write a Review" Once you've finished, select "Send" or "Save" (top-right corner) Thank you for listening! We value our listeners and subscribers. Don't just be, Be ICONIC!

ICONIC Brands and COVID-19: The Good, The Bad & The UglyEpisode #1As the spread of coronavirus accelerated, overwhelmed our medical system and decimated our communities, American business abruptly came to a halt. Two months later, the pandemic continues and even as some businesses attempt to reopen, COVID-19 threatens future closures and thrusts the economy into a near-certain recession.  However, COVID-19 also brought with it was some of our most beloved brands stepping up to make a difference. These companies shouldered responsibilities that go far beyond meeting earnings targets and satisfying shareholders. While at the same time, there were some companies that dodged responsibility and lacked empathy towards their employees. This episode explores ICONIC brands and COVID-19; the good, the bad and the ugly. 0:00:51 - Intro: COVID-19 and ICONIC Brands 0:04:41  - The Good 0:22:05 - The Ugly 0:32:22 - ICONIC Points To learn more about John Avola and Calvin Stovall, visit iconicpresentations.net. All The ICONIC Mindset episodes can be downloaded at theiconicmindset.com. If you enjoyed listening to this episode, please subscribe to our show.  Remember to select a star rating and/or write a review for The ICONIC Mindset podcast. Connect with us! John Avola: @johnavola (Twitter) and LinkedIn Calvin Stovall: @ICONICspeaker (Twitter), Facebook and LinkedIn To leave a podcast review: Open your podcast app and search/navigate to The ICONIC Mindset Scroll to the subhead titled "Ratings & Reviews"  Tap to give a rating and/or select "Write a Review" Once you've finished, select "Send" or "Save" (top-right corner) Thank you for listening! We value our listeners and subscribers. Don't just be, Be ICONIC!