Advantage Media Group - Winter 2016

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

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8

9

13

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21

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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

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Happy Birthday to AMG's

24

25

Book Marketing Blueprint Day

Nate Best

Martin Luther King Jr. Day

26

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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

Book Authorship for personal or business promotion is the MOST PROVEN, MOST POWERFUL action a professional can take to create powerful lead generation magnets; to use in advertising; to secure FAVORABLE MEDIA ATTENTION and publicity; to promote a cause or philosophy; or for fun, fame, or fortune!

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Inside this toolkit, you’ll discover nine exciting,differentways tomakemoneyand

ADVANCE YOUR

CAREER,

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Your Grow Your Business With a Book Toolkit includes:

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

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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