Last week, I had the privilege to attend Profit Con 2021 in New Jersey. This 7th annual convention was hosted by Mike Michalowicz and Ron Saharyan, the Profit First Professionals organization owners. This fantastic global organization is the only source for certification and teaching materials to implement Profit First. Currently, there are 600 Certified Profit First Professionals (PFP’s) nationwide and about 200 internationally—including Canada, Germany, Denmark, and Australia. Since they are domestically capping that number at 1,000 PFP’s we are very privileged to be a part of this tight-knit community!
On day one, I was treated to the inspirational story of Cindy Ashton, that challenged me to Liberate my Voice! She overcame heart and lung defects at birth to become a singer, dancer, and inspirational speaker. I wish I could share a live video of her singing because it was AMAZING! As it is, this YouTube post will give you a glimpse of why I was impressed.
Key Takeaway: Break the boundaries of what you think—or are told—is possible. Don’t be afraid to push your limitations and crush your limiting beliefs.
Next, Mike Michalowicz told us about his new book, Get Different. The overarching principle was if you believe your offering is better than your competitors, then you have an OBLIGATION to your customers to market so that you get that message across to them. He also taught us to use the “DAD Principle” to test our marketing.
- Different—In Method or Medium
- Attract—It does still need to attract the customer
- Direct—Safe and Reasonable
Michael Roderick taught us how to get “People talking about you when you are not in the room (in a good way)” by creating a REFERABLE Personal Brand.
KEY Takeaway: “It is important to tell your story, but it is more important that the listener can—and wants to—retell your story!”
Jenny Blake‘s talk could have been considered redundant since all of us are heartily tired of hearing the word PIVOT over the last year. However, she found a way to make it relevant and inspirational. Blake encouraged, “if change is the only constant, let’s get better at it!”
The last session of the day was brought to us by Ramon Ray, who had the audacity to call us accountants boring! To be fair, our image as a whole could use some creativity and excitement, but several of us were determined to show him how fun we could be when we went into THE City that night! 🙂
My first real visit to New York City was amazing. I thoroughly enjoyed hanging out with my fellow PFPs (I won’t try to tag anyone because I don’t want to miss someone accidentally). Still, we walked all over that City, went to Times Square, and ate at the fabulous Carmine’s Restaurant with the Biggest Desert EVER that seven people couldn’t finish off!
Day Two: After some caffeine and lots of ibuprofen—people with fibromyalgia shouldn’t walk 7 miles and eat gluten when they aren’t used to it 😊—day two started with Sally Hogshead and Fascinate and How the World Sees You. Her fascinate test and talk was truly an inspiration!
Key Takeaway: I learned so many things it’s challenging to choose a favorite, but the quote that stood out most was, “When things get difficult for your clients, are you a must-have or a nice to have?”
John Jantsch, the founder of the Ducktape Marketing Podcast, taught us about the Marketing Hourglass. He told us that we get the customers we deserve based on our marketing and websites and challenged us to consider our clients as members rather than just customers. As a side note, the Ducktape Marketing Podcast, if I’m not mistaken, was the place that introduced me to Profit First in the first place. Profit First has transformed me from the inside out.
Key Takeaway: “Focus less on the Transactions and more on the Transformation we provide!”
Precious Williams, the Killer Pitch Master, taught us how to be “Bad B***es with Killer Pitches.”
- Act 1: Creating content that Pays & Slays
- Act 2: Creating your must-haves today
- Act 3: Creating the Sizzle
- Act 4: Creating your Mirror Reflection
“You must have content that others seek out, and that makes you the go-to expert in your field.”
The best part was that all of these speakers and authors hung out with us cutting up and laughing during the social hour. They were as excited about taking pictures with us and following us as we were them! The second night in the City was less climactic but just as fun. Mike hosted a phenomenal BBQ at his home on Saturday. It saddened me that I had to leave early to catch my flight home!
This year’s Profit Con was monumental and has energized my team and me to meet even more challenges head-on during the coming year. I can’t wait to brainstorm how we can support you today!
