Th e M a r k e t i n g M a g a z i n e f o r E n t r e p r e n e u r s , Bu s i n e s s L e a d e r s , a n d I d e a - M a k e r s
Issue #33
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Winter 2016
Adam's Advantage The CEO's thoughts on a dream, a mission, and an ongoing goal to reach the masses. p. 4
A Ride Enjoyed Hall of Fame speaker Steve Gilliland reflects on his decadelong journey with Advantage. p. 6
A Night for the Books Advantage's Tenth Anniversary Gala marked a celebration of a decade's worth of publishing. p. 8
2015 Author of the Year For Randy H. Nelson, publishing his message proved to be an awardwinning decision. p. 14
Celebrating
10 years of making
your passion
our passion.
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In this issue... 8 | A Night for the Books
Advantage's Tenth Anniversary Gala, held on November 11, 2015 at the South Carolina Aquarium, was a celebration of the collective dreams, passion, and efforts of the Advantage Family.
4 | Adam’s Advantage
Reflections on a decade in business and the resulting anticipation of days ahead. By Adam Witty
DEPARTMENTS
6 | Publicity Speaks
Advantage's first Author recalls the risk he took in 2005 that helped build a hall of fame career. By Steve Gilliland
14 | Special Feature
Advantage Arrivals 5 New releases from the fourth quarter of 2015
Noise Makers 7 A look at recent print, radio, and digital media hits for Advantage Authors
Advantage Team 7 Meet Advantage's new web designer and developer
When Randy H. Nelson set into writing The Second Decision, he had a dream, a vision, and a message. The result was a stunning book. Less than a year after being
Event Calendar 10 Dates of note and Author anniversaries in the upcoming months
published, he has something more to show for his
Advantage People 12
efforts: the 2015 Advantage Author of the Year Award.
Celebrations abounded in the fourth quarter of 2015
Authors on Books | A job worth doing... "The price of a victory is high, but so are the rewards." — Paul "Bear" Bryant
Opening Number: That which is left unsaid...
44
Percentage of small businesses that survive more than four years. http://www.nbcnews.com/id/16872553/#.Vm8YrRorKV4
843.414.5600 advantagefamily.com
We help busy professionals Create, Publish, and Market a book to Grow Their Business
Follow: f t l
/advantagemediagroup /advantagefamily /company/advantage-media-group
CEO
Director of Publi shi ng
Guest Contri butor
A ssi st a nt Desi g ner
Editor & Art Di rector
Marketi ng Edi tor
Copy Editor
Marketing Assistant
Adam Witty George Stevens
Advantage Magazine Issue 33 Winter 2016 © Advantage Media Group. All rights reserved. Trademarks used by permission.
Patti Boysen
Christina Wells
Steve Gilliland Nate Best
Katie Biondo
Courtney Little
W I N T E R 2 0 1 6 | A D VA N TA G E M A G A Z I N E | 3
Adam’sadvantage We give thanks for our past and look forward to a great future.
K a r s o n P h oto g r a ph y
You are in only one business
O
n November 11, 2015 I accepted on behalf of all members of the Advantage Family, a proclamation from
Charleston Mayor Joe Riley declaring that day “Advantage Media Group” day. It was a tremendous honor from Mayor Riley and the citizens of Charleston in recognition of our Ten Year Anniversary. As I look back, it is hard to imagine that what began in the spare bedroom of my apart-
joy of life is the journey, not the destination. Steve points out that the happiest people on earth are those that seemingly acknowledge and live that same credo, “the joy of life is the journey, not the destination.” As we enter 2016 together, we give thanks to you, a loyal member of our Advantage Family, for making the past ten years so meaningful. Thank you for pushing us. Thank you for entrusting us. Thank you for making us better people, and subsequently, a better com-
ment on July 19, 2005 is now an interna-
pany. We give thanks for our past and look
tional publishing and marketing company,
forward to our future together.
the leader in “Authority Marketing”, with more than 750 Authors in 40 US states and thirteen countries. I started Advantage with a $30,000 home equity line of credit (it was 2005 and credit was loose!) and two unsus-
I leave you all with the closing of Robert J. Hasting’s wonderful poem “The Station,” which embodies the “Enjoy the Ride” mentality perhaps better than any other.
As I reflect on ten years, I am grateful for we published was Steve Gilliland’s Enjoy The Ride. In the book, Steve argues that the true 4 | A D VA N TA G E M A G A Z I N E | A D V A N T A G E F A M I L Y . C O M
the aisles and counting the miles. Instead, climb more mountains, eat more ice cream, go barefoot more often, swim more rivers, watch more sunsets, laugh more and cry less. Life must be lived as we go along. The
pecting Authors!
the “ride” it has been. The very first book
“…stop pacing
Adam D. Witty, Founder & Chief Executive Officer awitty@advantageww.com
station will come soon enough.”
Advantage arrivals Title
Author
Small Business Cyber Security
Adam Anderson and Tom Gilkeson
Kissing Frogs
Jared U. Balmer
Selling With Purpose
William Barr
Nik
Kelli Ritschel-Boehle
Your Personal Retirement Machine
Richard C. Cella, III
The Brighter Future 401(k)
Robert M. DeVries and Thomas L. Kirk
The Financial Briefing
Eric Hutchinson
Paper Napkin Wisdom
Govindh Jayaraman and Jack Daly
The Winds of Change
Jack Little
Make Big Happen
Mark Moses
The Styleprint Design System The Styleprint Design System The Styleprint Design System
Karen Powell and Amy Boesen Karen Powell and Therese Bush-Hilgar Karen Powell and Kelly Murphy
A Passion for Wellness
Rachel A. Sapoznik
The Growth Gears
Art Saxby and Pete Hayes
The Optimal Health Cookbook
Suzanne Sweeney
Solve the People Puzzle
Kathleen Quinn Votaw
Smart Risk
Maili Wong
Transition to Independence
Aaron Zwas
W I N T E R 2 0 1 6 | A D VA N TA G E M A G A Z I N E | 5
publicityspeaks | Steve Gilliland remained creative, aggressive and enthusiastic on my behalf. Someone once said, “A great relationship is all about falling in love with the same person over and over again.” It’s true! Every time I write another book, I fall in love with the team at Advantage again.
Speaking volumes
T
A decade-long partnership between publisher and author continues to thrive
en years ago, at the National Speakers Association’s (NSA) Conference in Atlanta, I was struck by what Scott Halford, then the conference chair, had to say during his opening speech. A rough translation: “When you make a commitment to attend the NSA Convention, you are adding an out-and-out advantage to your speaking career. Dare to enjoy the journey with the best and brightest minds the world has to offer in our very special profession. Dare to hop on the ride that will take you to your next stop. Dare to embark upon an expedition that will take you from the highest highs to the very depths of your being.” Not only did I “dare to enjoy the journey,” I added an out-an-out boon to my speaking career when I signed a publishing agreement with Advantage Media Group, who was exhibiting for the first time at the conference. Advantage not only elevated me to the next tier of my profession when they published my first book, they set me on a path that helped me to build a seven-figure speaking business while challenging me to explore—and share—my passion and insight through the written word. Enjoy The Ride not only became my first bestselling book and my most-requested signature presentation; those three words embody my approach to every aspect of my life.
which affected speakers and authors in the industry just as it did everyone else, Advantage helped to make that economic crisis serve as little more than a speed bump as far as I was concerned. I have weathered quite a few professional—and personal—storms and challenges, and I believe that my resiliency is what sets me apart. I’m always willing to be transparent in my writing, and Advantage Media Group has guided me in taking my own failures and sharing them in a way that has helped other people. The publishing market and speaking industry have no shortage of marketers and schemers. Everyone seems to want to be your best friend and tell you how to run your business. Thanks, but no thanks. It takes a lot more than flashy sales pitches and pie-in-the-sky promises for me to take notice. For me, trust is the most important ingredient. I work with those who understand me, know my expectations, meet my needs, and then stay current with those needs. For ten years, Advantage Media Group has made me feel like I matter. They didn’t coast once we signed our first deal; they
Thank you, Advantage, for offering to elevate my game back in 2005, and then making it possible for me to do what Scott Halford promised that the NSA conference would do for me: reach the highest highs and discover the very depths of my being. Every book I write presents new challenges and new opportunities, but it all goes back to wanting to help people. It is the relationships we forge—and the trust we create—that matters most to our success. Congratulations on ten extraordinary years. I look forward to the next leg of our journey as we continue to Enjoy The Ride together. Steve Gilliland is a member of the Speaker Hall of Fame, an honor bestowed on less than 200 speakers worldwide since 1977. Notable speakers such as Ronald Reagan, Zig Ziglar, and Norman Vincent Peale are also part of this prestigious group. The author of six books, Steve was named Author of the Year by Advantage Media Group in 2010. His book Enjoy The Ride™ has been on the publisher’s best seller list for a record seven consecutive years and serves as the cornerstone to Steve’s personal and professional philosophy.
"Celebrating my ten-year anniversary with Advantage marks one of the most
Celebrating my ten-year anniversary with Advantage marks one of the most important relationships I have maintained in my speaking career. Even during the financial crisis, 6 | A D VA N TA G E M A G A Z I N E | A D V A N T A G E F A M I L Y . C O M
important relationships I have maintained in my speaking career."
—Steve Gilliland
noisemakers | Advantage Authors in the headlines Kevin Harris
Was featured in a special spotlight article by inRegister, a monthly lifestyle magazine based in Baton Rouge, LA.
Mary Beall Adler Book was named among the best in familyfriendly media, products, and services at the Jane Werner Mom's Choice Awards.
Mike Sciortino Achieved #1 Amazon Best Seller status in ten different categories, including Mentoring and Coaching, Finance, and more.
Peter Margaritis
Was featured in the November issue of Accounting Today, the premier news vehicle for the tax and accounting community.
Karen Young
Lent her expertise in an article about how to get a proper holiday bonus, which was featured by USA TODAY.
advantageteam |
Have you been making noise in local, regional, or national media? Let us know, and we’ll feature you in next issue’s Noise Makers! E-mail: browley@advantageww.com
Advantage Team Member Profile
As web designer and developer, Steven lets his passion for user interactivity and design lead the way for all Author projects. He works closely with Authors to deliver an online presence that
K a r s o n P h oto g r a ph y
is both visually stunning and rich in content.
Steven Janiak Web Designer & Developer
His projects range from Author websites to online learning classes. Steven is a local to the Lowcountry and a graduate of The Art Institute of Charleston, majoring in web design & interactive media. Learn more about the various products and services that our team can suggest for your business. | p. 2 W I N T E R 2 0 1 6 | A D VA N TA G E M A G A Z I N E | 7
On November 11, 2015 Advantage celebrated its Tenth Anniversary in the presence of friends, family, and aquatic life. A gala was staged at the South Carolina Aquarium in Charleston, SC, less than two miles from Advantage's downtown
W
HEREAS, On July 19, 2005, in a small apartment bedroom, Adam D. Witty began Advantage Media Group; and,
WHEREAS, On December 9, 2005, Advantage Media Group published its first book, Enjoy the Ride; and, WHEREAS, On January 23, 2006, Advantage Media Group moved operations to 192 East Bay Street; and,
headquarters. The event, which
WHEREAS, On April 1, 2008, Advantage Media Group
was attended by more than 125
professionals; and,
people including Advantage Team Members and Authors, featured food, music, the presentation
launched "Talk Your Book," a publishing solution for busy
WHEREAS, On October 8, 2008, Advantage Media Group hosts the first Authority Marketing Summit; and, WHEREAS, On October 1, 2009, Advantage Media Group publishes the first issue of Advantage Magazine; and,
of two awards, and an official
WHEREAS, On July 19, 2011, Advantage Media Group
proclamation by the City of
moving operations to 65 Gadsden Street; and,
Charleston announcing November 11, 2015 as Advantage Media Group Day. 8 | A D VA N TA G E M A G A Z I N E | A D V A N T A G E F A M I L Y . C O M
celebrates its 6-year anniversary by opening the Advantage Center,
WHEREAS, In 2012, Adam D. Witty was chosen named to the 40 Under 40 list by Charleston Regional Business Journal; and, WHEREAS, On July 27, 2013, the launch of Speaker U expands services to Authors to start and/or grow their speaking business; and,
K a r s o n P h oto g r a ph y ph oto s b y
All
WHEREAS, On October 1, 2013, Book the Business is released and provides strategies for individuals to create a profound competitive advantage through authorship; and, WHEREAS, In 2013, Adam D. Witty garnered the titles of Inc. 30 Under 30, Roaring Twenty by South Carolina Business Journal, and earns a spot on the Empact100 list; and, WHEREAS, In 2012, 2013, and 2014, Advantage Media Group was listed as an Inc. 5000 Top Media Company (#31 & #42) and Top 100 South Carolina Companies; and, WHEREAS, In 2013, 2014, and 2015, Advantage Media Group was listed as one of the Best Places to Work In South Carolina, WHEREAS, In 2015, Advantage Center initiated expansion with renovations to the second floor; and,
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the City of Charleston recognizes the 10-Year Anniversary of Advantage Media Group and Adam D. Witty by thanking him for contributing to the growth and prominence of Charleston and proclaims the 11th of November, 2015 as ADVANTAGE MEDIA GROUP DAY. W I N T E R 2 0 1 6 | A D VA N TA G E M A G A Z I N E | 9
Event Calendar
3
MON
TUE
WED
THU
FRI
jan. 4
5
1
S AT
2
New Year's Day
6
7
8
9
13
14
15
16
21
22
23
AMG Team Member Anniversary:
John Witty
3
10
11
12
AMG Team Member Anniversary:
Nate Best
1
17
18
19
AMG Team Member Anniversary:
Mitchell Broderick
2
20
Happy Birthday to AMG's
24
25
Book Marketing Blueprint Day
Nate Best
Martin Luther King Jr. Day
26
27
JANUARY
SUN
AUTHOR
28
Author Success University
29
30
31
1
2
feb. 3
4
5
6
Happy Birthday to AMG's
Keith Kopcsak
7
Happy Birthday to AMG's
8
9 Happy Birthday to AMG's
Mitchell Broderick
14
Scott Neville
15
Valentine's Day
21
Happy Birthday to AMG's
Patti Boysen
16
Presidents' Day
22
23
10
11
12
13
17
18
19
20
25
26
27
24
AMG Team Member Anniversary:
Keith Kopcsak
FEBRUARY
Teleseminar—4 PM ET
Author Success University
1
2
AMG Team Member Anniversary:
Brette Rowley
3
Happy Birthday to AMG's
Michael Tasner
mar.
4
Happy Birthday to AMG's
5
Christina Wells
1
6
13
7
14
8
15
9
16
Daylight Savings Time Begins
20/ 27 AMG Team Member Anniversary:
Phil Reichner
10
17
11
12
Happy Birthday to AMG's
Harper Tucker
18
19
25
26
St. Patrick's Day
21/28
22/29
1
Easter
1 0 | A D VA N TA G E M A G A Z I N E | A D V A N T A G E F A M I L Y . C O M
23/30
24/31
AMG Team Member Anniversary:
Alison Morse
8
Author Success University Teleseminar—4 PM ET
AMG Team Member Anniversary:
Patti Boysen
2
Happy Birthday to AMG's
John Witty
MARCH
29
Placeda Hall Richard Guyver Darshan Shah Jordan McAuley Lionel Shockness Peter Moore Rodger Friedman Manny Kagan Mike Petriella Greg Gentry Joseph Ash Julie Donnelly Dr. Jeff Hockings Sharon Stills Felice Rollins JC Duarte Carissa Reiniger Ron Gelok Dr. Edward Kondrot Chris McNinch Stephen Frueh Adam Cufr Jennifer Nicole Lee Alnoor Kassam Anna Turner Rocco Carriero Todd Zaugg Lynn Moore Justin Struble Pat Healey Christian Hogue Charise Penny Gary Kunnath Dr. Charles Martin Gerry Campbell Mike Veeck Robert Miller Dan Lieberman Gayle Abbott Stephen Chia Val Gokenbach Frank Maselli Greg Kozera Del & Barbara Spier Paul Thibeault Eustace Wolfington Kathy Scheuerman Scot Gray Kelly Carter Scott Young Mark Little Sumar Shahin Blair Reif George Brailsford Thomas Kachorek Linda Finkle Jay Sterling
Teleseminar—4 PM ET
2
28
ANNIVERSARIES
Bob Holdsworth Colin Daymude Glenn Schmidt Grant Miller Scott Westermeier Linda Hancock Brian Evans Don Brewer Greg Taylor Jill Cody Robert Murray R. Palan Chris Abts David Johnson Craig Ballantyne Gary Lear Edith Moricz Matthew Scott Jeremy Alosa Sophfronia Scott Roy Jones Dana Cadman Brian Fricke Mark Maiocca Ann Mcindoo Patty Tedesco Terry Weaver Rebecca Soulette
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Adam Witty, Founder and CEO
ÜÜ Author autographed copy of Book The Business: How to Make Big Money With Your Book Without Even Selling a Single Copy ÜÜ Audio CD “How to Easily Write a Book (In 1 Day or Less), Use It To Grow Your Business, and Make a King’s Ransom” ÜÜ Special Report: “How a Book Will Double, Triple, or Quadruple the Effectiveness of ANY Marketing You Are Doing” ÜÜ Special Report: 9 Amazing Reasons Why a Book Is the Marketing Tool You Need to Explode Your Business ÜÜ Special Report: How to Get Your Book Written in Less Than 24 Hours Without Ever Writing a Word
Visit advantagefamily.com/toolkit to claim your FREE Grow Your Business With a Book Toolkit
Advantagepeople
1
2
K a r s o n P h oto g r a ph y
A YEAR TO REMEMBER:
4
5
1: VP of Author Development, Mitch Broderick, assists Authors
as they complete their blueprints during our November Book Marketing Blueprint day. 2: America's #1 marketing advisor, Dan Kennedy, presented at the Advantage Media Group Authority Marketing conference in November. 3: Advantage Author and speaker, Steve Gilliland, visited the studio in October to film new lessons for the online learning program, Speaker U. 4: Advantage Team Members and guests enjoyed an
3
evening at the South Carolina Aquarium celebrating Advantage's 10th Anniversary. 5: Advantage Team Members enjoy a successful third quarter with a gathering at Palmetto Brewery. 6: Charleston Mayor ProTem Keith Waring issued an official proclamation declaring November 11, 2015 “Advantage Media Group Day� in the City of Charleston. 7: Advantage Author and sports legend, Pat Williams, was an inaugural inductee into the Advantage Hall of Fame. 8: We had a packed house at our annual Authority Marketing Summit presented by Dan Kennedy. 9: Team Members participated in the annual Charleston Basket Brigade and delivered Thanksgiving meals to families in need all over the Lowcountry.
1 2 | A D VA N TA G E M A G A Z I N E | A D V A N T A G E F A M I L Y . C O M
K a r s o n P h oto g r a ph y
7
8
9
K a r s o n P h oto g r a ph y
6
F
rom submarine officer to entrepreneur, Randy H. Nelson, author of The Second Decision, emerged as an award-winner.
past winners Year
Winner
2010
Steve Gilliland
2011
Robert Lemon
2012
Chris Hurn
2013
Misty Young
2014
Nate Dapore
2015
Randy H. Nelson
Tell us about your journey toward becoming a published author. I have been a Navy Submarine Officer for 6 and a half years and an entrepreneur for the past 25 years. I built and eventually sold two of my own businesses, Orion International and NSTAR Global Services. After selling NSTAR, I asked myself a question: “Is there anything I could teach other entrepreneurs and leaders that could help them in their businesses and their lives?” To answer that question, I spent a year putting content together on airplanes while traveling throughout Europe and Asia on business. My original goal was not to write a book, but instead to spend my time speaking to CEOs. In January 2012, I presented to my Vistage group (CEO peer group)—they told me I had a ton of great content and that I should write a book, so here I am, now a writer and speaker!
What does it mean to be Advantage's Author of the Year? I am truly honored. Advantage is a dynamic organization that is leading the way for entrepreneurs and other growth-oriented authors. I have been in the same room with many of these authors and they are highly successful and impactful leaders in their respective industries. To be selected as the best among them is humbling to say the least! 1 4 | A D VA N TA G E M A G A Z I N E | A D V A N T A G E F A M I L Y . C O M
Author of the Year
How has your book allowed you to grow your business and reach more customers? Credibility! It is amazing the respect that an author gets for writing a book. The first step was to actually get it published and that happened in February 2015. My next goal was to reach # 1 best-selling status on Amazon and that goal was blown away as we hit #1 in every business category on Amazon on the day of its release, and at 9 p.m. that night, my book was in the top 10 books on all of Amazon that day, one slot ahead of Fifty Shades of Grey! I will always have the #1 symbol on the book and that is priceless. The next and most important step was to have people to love the content of the book and that is what has happened. I am ecstatic that the reviews have been extremely positive, and to date, I have twenty-four fivestar reviews on Amazon, growing every month with more highly satisfied readers. The final piece of the puzzle was to get into the speaking world and have people hear me talk on the topic. My breakthrough happened in May 2015 when I was able to spend time closing out a six hundred-person conference. I was hired multiple times out of that speech, including
for a keynote and workshop for a five hundred-attendee annual conference in October.
What does 2016 hold for you, your book, and your business? I will be building my speaking business, targeting Entrepreneurs and CEOs and their executive teams in groups, such as EO, Vistage, and YPO. In addition, I will be focusing on building a strong profile on sites such as eSpeakers and exploring all avenues of extending my speaking to the corporate world. I will also be focused on building “Authority,” while continuing to mentor and coach eight to ten entrepreneurial CEOs. In 2016, I will be writing my next book, The Third Decision. I will continue to be focused on learning to double my personal capacity and grow my leadership skills—both of which I ask everyone I speak to do as well! W I N T E R 2 0 1 6 | A D VA N TA G E M A G A Z I N E | 1 5
THE
U LT I M AT E BOOK
MARKETING BLUEPRINT DAY
BOOK MARKETING EVENT Offered to Advantage Authors at no charge, this is one day to create your step-by-step Book Marketing Blueprint that will guide your book marketing efforts for the next 12 months.
January 22 • February 12 • March 11 • April 15 • May 6 Discover the Exact Strategies Used by the Most Successful Authors to Explode the Growth of Their Business and Acquire More Valuable Customers Consistently and Predictably While Commanding Higher Fees and Leave with a physical 3 foot x 4 foot Book Marketing Blueprint that contains your exact Road Map to Revenue for Your Book
Reserve Your Seat at BookMarketingBlueprintDay.com
Questions? Want to register by phone? Contact ROI Guide, Brette Rowley 843.725.7891 or browley@advantageww.com