$1.5M Debt. I Didn’t Break. cover art

$1.5M Debt. I Didn’t Break.

$1.5M Debt. I Didn’t Break.

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 Steve Ballantyne is the Founder of Brand IQ helping prominent national brands like Serko, Speedy Signs and Purex build their brand story in NZ. He shares how he clawed his way out of two big business disasters, one of them was $1.5M.Steve is the brother of Mike Ballantyne, the founder of a travel firm that was sold for $85M.Episode Partner:Hibiscus Jet Ski Hire: https://hibiscusjetskihire.co.nz/WIN! To Enter: https://tinyurl.com/y64efe7aTimestamps: Business Failures & Resilience01:50 - Which business failure broke Steve the most? The clothing business disaster story03:40 - Surviving $1.5 million debt: The Telecom Yellow Pages crisisEmotional Control & Business Decisions09:00 - Why emotional control matters in business (and when to let it go)10:22 - The pitch meeting walkout: When Steve called out a CEO's behavior12:33 - Standing up to clients: Preserving dignity and self-worth in businessPersonal Challenges & Growth14:02 - Dealing with grief: Losing four family members in 18 months07:51 - Lessons from divorce and learning to pick your battlesBuilding a Lean Business Model17:08 - Why lean business models win: Steve's transition from 23 staff to lean operations17:38 - The future of business: One-person billion-dollar companies with AI18:15 - How to start building a billion-dollar business from scratchMarket Size & Positioning19:40 - Why New Zealand vs US market size matters for entrepreneurs21:38 - Success is about positioning, not just hard workAI in Business & Marketing, Custom GPTs & Workflows28:05 - Getting started with AI automation: First steps for entrepreneurs29:00 - AI is augmented intelligence, not artificial: The 10,000 hour principle still applies31:30 - Steve's 30-minute AI product development workflow revealed33:17 - AI workflows vs Custom GPTs: Understanding the difference34:14 - How to get AI to help you brief the AI (the secret to better prompts)43:50 - Making money with AI consulting: Opportunities in niche expertise23:27 - Launching an AI art business: 120+ sales in 8 months40:20 - Steve’s favourite AI platform and why59:32 - Athena: Steve's AI business coach that sends daily mindset tips48:00 - Democratisation production, AI disrupting the branding processBrand Strategy & Being Different To Stand Out49:24 - The most urgent thing businesses need for their brand right now51:26 - How do you get attention?52:00 - Being different is better than being better53:00 - Category norms framework: How to disrupt any industryStorytelling in Business1:04:36 - Why storytelling is the most powerful form of business communication1:05:22 - Stories are 20x more memorable than facts and data1:06:35 - The Hero's Journey framework: Key ingredients of powerful stories1:07:40 - Why conflict and tension drive great brand storiesStarting Over & Life Philosophy56:29 - What Steve would do if he lost everything tomorrow58:17 - Building from zero at 35: The simpler model approach1:01:13 - What industry would Steve invest in right now?1:02:41 - The story Steve's most proud ofPractical Business Advice06:00 - When you're in a hole in business, there's always a way out07:00 - Standing up to corporate bullies: Confidence and bravery matter45:56 - Daily rituals for business success: Be a chameleonResources & Contact1:08:36 - How to connect with Steve Ballantyne on LinkedIn and emailEpisode Partner:Hibiscus Jet Ski Hire: https://hibiscusjetskihire.co.nz/Be in to WIN! To Enter: https://tinyurl.com/y64efe7aFollow Stevehttps://www.brandiq.co.nz/ Follow me:www.linkedin.com/in/minaamsoSubscribe To My YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@NotesFromTheExecutivePodcast Watch on YouTubehttps://youtu.be/aho75bHK2-g Listen on:Apple podcast: https://shorturl.at/UkJ8vSpotify: https://shorturl.at/YW7bX
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