LinkedIn is one of the most powerful social networks available today. But a lot of people find it very confusing. Many people sign up, set up a profile, and then don't know what to do next. They end up abandoning it or wasting a lot of time because they don't know how to use LinkedIn and to make it work for them. That's where my guests Lori Ruff and Mike O'Neil come in. Lori and Mike are known as the "LinkedIn Rock Stars" and they shown hundreds of people how to use LinkedIn for business. I've been privileged to be a guest on their podcast, Rock the World with LinkedIn, where they combine their passion for music with their passion for LinkedIn (yes, really!). What I love about them is they are willing to express some of their individual personalities, which is so rare in the often-stuffy world of business. So definitely check out their podcast. In this episode, Lori and Mike share some great tips on how to maximize your LinkedIn profile, how to use LinkedIn effectively, and how to develop and nurture relationships using LinkedIn. Enjoy!

Imagine starting a new professional sports team... from scratch.

That's what my latest guest did. Mike Shapiro is the founding partner and current managing partner of the San Rafael Pacifics, an independent league professional baseball team in San Rafael, California.

Many years ago, Mike had the idea for starting a professional baseball team to play at a local ballpark where his kids played baseball. Only unlike most people who come up with a crazy, hare-brained idea like that, he followed through.

Mike shares how his new team ran into every barrier you can think of as they tried to get the new endeavor off the ground:

• raising the money to fund the initial startup costs (about $1 million)
• legal challenges - neighbors who filed a lawsuit to challenge required environmental impact reports prepared by the team
• a local community that had never heard of the new baseball team before
• the challenge of getting attention for an unknown, untested baseball team right in the backyard of the World Champion San Francisco Giants (who had won the World Series the year before the Pacifics began playing)

Mike has a fascinating story to tell, and I think it illustrates the importance of nurturing strong relationships in business. If you've ever wondered what it would be like to start up a professional sports team, you're going to love this interview!

When I first went to work for myself a couple of years ago, one of the first books I read was Book Yourself Solid by Michael Port.

I don’t think I could have picked a better book to read upon embarking on the journey of entrepreneurship.

Out of all the various business books presenting different coaching models available on the market today, Michael’s book was perfect. It covers how service professionals can develop their own personal brand, talk about what it is they do in the right way, build trust and credibility, price their services, and promote themselves without sounding like Donald Trump.

It’s one of the few books that I have read where I felt like I had to read it at the kitchen table with a notepad next to me, because I was taking so many notes.

I didn’t think Michael could improve on that book, but it happened. Enter Book Yourself Solid Illustrated.? Working with my guest in this episode of the podcast, Jocelyn Wallace, the pair tore up the original version and distilled it to its essence.

I loved the new version as much, if not more, than the original version.