Steve Brown: Welcome back,
everybody to the ROI Online
Podcast. And today I'm proud to
introduce you to Alex Schauer,
as in taking shower.
Alex Schauer: That's right.
Steve Brown: Alex is a story
brand guide. And her company is
Schauer Branding Co. And I've
seen I've seen Alex contribute
to the StoryBrand Guide
community on slack. And I watch
your stuff. And so this is
someone I think that everyone
that's listening should get to
meet Alex, welcome to the ROI
Online Podcast.
Alex Schauer: Thank you so much
for inviting me, Steve. I'm
happy to be here.
Steve Brown: Yeah. You know, one
of the things that I was
attracted to about what you're
doing, I think that you have
experienced or recognize that
there's, there's a big segment
the folks that we serve who are
family, they businesses.
Alex Schauer: That's right.
Steve Brown: And and so I'm was
reading some of your messaging,
kind of give us the backstory
and walk us into how you got to
where you are.
Alex Schauer: Sure.
Steve Brown: But let's let's
talk about that family business
flavor there.
Alex Schauer: Yeah, absolutely.
So my background is in
manufacturing, family business
manufacturing. I married into a
family business nine years ago.
And so right out of the gate, I
learned that when you're a
family member, you have a job to
do at the family business. So
which was a really great thing
for me. So they allowed me to
come in and be a part of the
family business. And so there
was a gap and that time in the
marketing department, and so
Alex was there to fill that
role. Although my education was
in business - management. So
I've never taken a marketing
class before, but here I am. I'm
in the marketing department for
the business. So
Right and so
Steve Brown: People get pushed
into the marketing role a
because they're just gonna do
whatever they need to do to
bring it but it's so typical,
they hear that they're not
prepared, but yet someone's
gotta run with the ball there.
Alex Schauer: Yeah. Oh,
absolutely. So it became, you
know, just kind of come out of
college where I was in learning
mode, but then I went right back
into learning mode again and
started reading and doing
everything that I could to
figure out what we needed to do
what I needed to do to
contribute to the family
business. And so, you know, is
that I kind of joke sometimes
that we, my husband and I, that
first year we were learning how
to be business partners and
married at the same time, so
that was a little bit unique for
sure. But everything about
family I've loved it from day
one. And we kind of relish it.
And so I do about, let's see,
it's been five years ago now
that I came across StoryBrand,
as well, in my research as I was
trying to figure out what I was
supposed to do. And there was
something about it that clicked
on all cylinders. For me, I
loved being able to change our
narrative to be more about the
customer and less about who we
were. And so we began that
process of, of implementing the
framework into our business. And
upon launching a new website, we
grew 417% in online revenue,
Steve Brown: Wow
Alex Schauer: using the story
brand framework. So it was a
massive win across the board for
the business, but I don't think
I realized at the time, how much
it was going to help us in other
ways, as well. It didn't just
change our communication as it
pertained to our business. To
our customers, but it changed
our community communication
internally and unite us as a
family. So it's been a huge part
of our journey. And, you know,
it took us four months. Do you
know how long it takes to write
a brand script? It took us four
months to write a brand script
for the business. And so it was
a struggle every day to write it
because we were so close to our
message. But in the end, it all
paid off. But I saw other
businesses struggle in the same
areas we did, and I thought I
would love to be able to help
them through this process as
well. And that's when I became a
StoryBrabnd Guide.
Steve Brown: Wow.
So let's talk about first of
all, you're the new kid on the
block.
Alex Schauer: Yes
Steve Brown: You're the daughter
in law coming into the family
business.
Alex Schauer: Yeah
Steve Brown: Here's this
responsibility you go and and do
this assignment, but you come
back with this initiative that's
going to inject some change. In
the family business, let's talk
about how that was received.
What challenges you you had
there that are normal? Take the
names off of it.
Alex Schauer: Right.
Steve Brown: But let's talk
about how you implemented that.
And how you worked around
Alex Schauer: that. Yeah, well,
um, my husband was on board from
day one with the StoryBrand
framework. He was actually the
one that sent it over to me and
said, I think this is the
direction we should go. And, and
honestly, I come from a very
gracious family of that sounds
like a great idea.
I probably I think the biggest
challenge for us was, you know,
we used to tell this story. And
if you would have asked me, you
know, if you came up to me at a
party or something, if you would
have asked me what we did, I
would have told you what my
father in law. And then I would
walk through his story of
inventing a safety product for
schools, and I got a lot of
really that's really cool, but I
didn't ever made any connection
as to those people need our
product and their schools, those
kinds of conversations. So the
biggest change is that we
stopped telling that story, we
stopped telling a story about my
father in law. And it's actually
really interesting how he
started our company. And so I
always thought, Well, if it's
interesting, people want to hear
it. But the truth of the matter
is they really wanted a safety
product for their schools that
made it safer for kids, where
they, you know, play. And so
that's the story that we started
to tell instead. The other
biggest challenge that we faced
implementing sort with
StoryBrand framework is that we
really pared down what we were
talking about, so we had several
products. And we decided, let's
focus our homepage and really
some of the premier internal
pages that we use and only talk
about our one big product, and
everything else will just go to
the footer of the page. And that
was a little bit scary because
you don't want to lose any
revenue, you know. But it
didn't. It did the very opposite
when we focused on the one
product that we really was
proprietary to us and that
people were really choosing then
sales begin to increase. So it's
pretty amazing.
Steve Brown: You know, marketing
directors are relating with you
right now. And then maybe they
don't work for family business,
but they get handed an
assignment. They maybe learn
about StoryBrand or someone was
delegated StoryBrand , but then
they want to implement it and
change how organization talks
about what they do. So what's
the gist for their edification?
How do you talk about the
business now?
Alex Schauer: How do I talk
about the business
Steve Brown: Yeah how do
you talk about your business?
Now? Let's Let's hear what the
new message sounds like.
Alex Schauer: Yeah, so the new
messages, do you know those
protruding coat hooks that stick
out at eye level? Whenever you
go through schools? Yeah, those
are really dangerous for kids
when when they're hungry at eye
level. So we have a flat profile
coat hook that make schools
safer. That was our one liner.
That's what we say. That's our
messaging now. And it resonates
within everything that we do. So
we went to a trade show. And the
sign behind us said, our hooks
won't hurt you. And you'd be
amazed how many people were
coming up to us, and they would
say do coat hooks hurt you? And
I was like, Yes, they
do.
And so I opened a huge story
loop in people's minds. And we
had, you know, really great
conversations because we used we
went toward their problem, the
problem the customers versus
facing instead of saying, my
father in law started this
company. It's really cool. You
know, That doesn't solve the
problem for our customers.
Steve Brown: That drew a picture
in my mind of a coat hook that
retracts and
Yeah
And so I can see where that
would be safe you, you pull it
out hang your, your coat, but
when you pull it off, it
disappears.
Alex Schauer: Yeah, and ours is
actually a flat profile and so
it's it kind of sticks up and
down. And you know, they're
virtually unbreakable. So what
what a district orders from us,
then they're able to have a coat
hook that's gonna last forever,
so the life of their students
and beyond. So it's a pretty
neat product for sure.
Steve Brown: It's really cool
how sentence can convey a whole
whole bunch of things and just
quickly connect the dots. So
let's talk some more about
family business. So they family
businesses, I didn't realize you
and I were talking before.
Alex Schauer: Yeah
Steve Brown: I didn't realize
How many small businesses or
actually family owned
businesses.
Alex Schauer: Yeah, 90% 90% of
businesses are family owned.
Steve Brown: That's crazy. And
you think you think about just
the challenges of running a
business. And then you add on
that layer of family dynamics.
Alex Schauer: Exactly. Exactly.
And you know what my I had a
great education, and all
business related, and not one of
my books spoke to what happens
when the management is your
family member. And they just
talked about really great
philosophies and principles that
you can implement. Some of my
favorite books are so books that
I refer back to, but they're
missing that element of, well,
what happens when that person is
your father in law, or your
mother in law, or your brother
in law, which is our story.
There's six of us all together,
working in the family business,
and so I always felt like there
was this missing factor. Yes, I
can run an effective meeting.
But how do I make sure that that
meeting doesn't happen over
Easter? You know, you know what,
I'm sitting at the table with my
family over Easter and those
type of ideas, how do I approach
something in a way that's really
clear and tight at the same
time? And, you know, I've heard
he probably heard the thing, to
be clear is to be kind and I
completely agree with that,
especially in family business.
You know, there's a different
level of communication that you
have to have when you're working
with family.
Steve Brown: Totally. So, one of
my clients, he specializes in
family business coaching.
Alex Schauer: Yeah
Steve Brown: In particular, the
time when the leadership of that
family business is beginning to
transition where the parents or
the elder elder about folks are
wanting to retire.
Alex Schauer: Right?
Steve Brown: But you now have
the kids or the siblings that
are going to take over. And so
there's a big, big challenge of
transition of management and
leadership. I can't imagine how
difficult that can be. What's in
place in how can your messaging
how can your the way that you
approach and that's a marketing
challenge, as well, how do you
approach that with your
messaging?
Alex Schauer: Mm hmm. That's a
really good question. And for
us, the decision that we've made
is that we're here to serve our
customers. And that is multi
generational, and that'll happen
this generation. So we're second
generation my kids will our
third in my nieces and nephews
will be third generation and you
what I found is, as we've
stopped talking about who's in
charge, and we've focused on who
our customers are, and how we're
best going to serve them, a lot
of those questions start
slipping to the background. You
know, who's going to be in
charge? What is the percentage?
You know, all those
conversations happen with
lawyers, and it's an important
conversation to have.
Absolutely. But the day to day
when we're serving our customers
well together, the questions of
percentages kind of fade to the
background. We're all going to
serve them really
well.
Steve Brown: That's a powerful
statement that you just said
that so much. Lining so many
agendas. On the right point on
the horizon, on the horizon.
Yeah,
Alex Schauer: Yes.
Yeah, absolutely. Even in you
probably know this quote from
Donald Miller. And it was the
one that really kind of spoke to
me the first time I've ever read
building a StoryBrand. Was the
minute that you stop losing
sleep over your success and you
start losing sleep over your
customer success as the day you
start to grow again. And that's
really, it's that's the epitome
of everything that we're doing.
Steve Brown: Well, so you have
success there. You started.
You're in your chops you. You're
in the respect of your new
family.
Alex Schauer: Yes
Steve Brown: Right. Yes, show
success. And then you decide,
hey, I think I want to do this
for some other folks.
Alex Schauer: Yes.
I did. And I originally,
originally it was going to be
kind of something fun that I did
on the side because I enjoyed
that process so much, and I
became a guide in September
2017. So it was about that time
that, you know, I thought this
will be something that I can do,
like I said on the side. And it
didn't take long before I
realized that it was something I
loved so much. And in about two,
two months, I think it was
November of that year, that same
year that I went full time. And
so the family business is now a
client of mine. But I do take on
other clients now. So, so far,
in the last two and a half
years, I've worked with over 100
companies to help them with this
process. And it's been
phenomenal. And I love being
able to come alongside them and
to make sure that their
messaging is really clear.
Because I know I mean, you know,
once you've been through this
process and Steve, you know
exactly what it's like. Once
you've been through the process
of getting clear on the message
and making sure that you know,
it's through all of your
marketing efforts. It does
something for the momentum of
the business and for the people
that are involved in it. So it's
just it's a fun thing to do
every day.
Steve Brown: I think the
momentum comes from when you
align all the energies in
people's brains,
Alex Schauer: Yes
Steve Brown: On that team to
start communicating the same
message and that bleeds into how
they treat customers that listen
to the decisions they make about
everything
Alex Schauer: I totally agree.
Steve Brown: So,
When I learned about Storybrand,
obviously the first default way
of applying it is on your
marketing message, but it
quickly, it became obvious to me
that this was applicable in
communicating with your team and
communicating with yeah, as in
all these other scenarios.
Mm hmm.
What have you experienced?
Alex Schauer: I completely
agree. Like I said, originally,
the idea of implementing
StoryBrand was Just going to be
on our website. But after the
seeing success from that we
started implementing in every
other area of the business. And
even at times in my brother in
law, and I was just talking the
other day, you know, there was a
guy on the team who was kind of
struggling with some things. And
so I said, well, the T, you
know, have you reiterated to him
the purpose of being here, you
know, and I think that that's
kind of our default, you know,
we're here to serve our
customers so that they have
safer schools, is that been
reiterated to him? And he said,
not, that's the missing link.
And so he was able to go back to
that team member and say, hey,
let's just let's focus in, you
know, the reason that we're here
every day is to be able to serve
our customers so that they have
safer schools. And what you're
doing is important, and I think
that being able to offer that to
people is just a great way to
serve your team members to say
there's so much clarity about
what we do, why we're here. Then
some of those big things
Questions start fading into the
background. Like I said, just
the same way with a succession
plan. Everything fades away when
you start focusing on
Steve Brown: your customers
rather than many change
initiatives with my company and
naturally changes intimidating
and you you encounter
resistance, because the team's
just wanting to understand why
why do I need to do this extra
hurdle but when I, when I
introduce storebrand, the
adoption rate on this was yeah,
impressive way better than all
the other initiatives I'd done.
And it It started us down a path
of alignment, I believe was the
big takeaway on that. But what
other so StoryBrand is like the
entry entry into another
expectation or realization of
how to communicate, what are
some other frameworks that you
found? What are some other
books? What are? Yeah, I'm
curious of what other things
that you've applied that becomes
a force multiplier on top of
that framework.
Alex Schauer: One of the things
that we did and we implemented
was testing for the enneagram.
So we do know what enneagram
numbers are team members are,
which is incredibly helpful. It
really defined a lot for us,
even within our family members,
my brother in law and I are both
ones on the enneagram. So I
think that explained a lot to
our family if you know, I know
one is a perfectionist, so we
like to say we're reformers. So
Steve Brown: Let's talk a stop
and.
Alex Schauer: Yeah
Steve Brown: For the audience
who may not be familiar with
Alex Schauer: Sure yeah
Steve Brown: that would you kind
of give us a back story there
Alex Schauer: Right. So the
enneagram and you know, I I am
not a professional enneagram.
But Ian Cron is the one that
we've, you know, adopted what he
has to say about the enneagram
and done his testing and those
kinds of things. But it
basically is a nine personality
types that that are that you fit
into. So you have one specific
personality type that is you.
And then you have moments of
stress and moments of growth,
and where you go in those areas
as well. So it's very
interesting. I think, one of
the, you know, I've taken
different personality tests
throughout the years, and
they've all been very good. But
the thing about the enneagram
that I like the most is that I
feel like it. It gave us a path
of communication to those
different personality types
within our company. And so if we
start seeing something that
we're like, oh, that seems a
little off, then we know, maybe
we haven't given them enough
work at this point. Because
they're And achiever and they
don't have enough right now, or
whatever it may be. So does that
explain?
Steve Brown: It's basically a
framework to art. We tend to
think everybody should approach
everything like we do.
Alex Schauer: Yes, exactly.
Steve Brown: And when we're not
thinking about it, we're going
what's wrong with that person?
can't they? Can they see what I
see? But the problem is they're
different.
Alex Schauer: Right.
Steve Brown: And so that's an
acknowledgment of all the
differences in us and how, how
we can at least create a
standard to communicate and and
know that oh, they're not crazy.
They're not weird. They're just
like they're supposed to be.
Alex Schauer: Exactly and how do
we use that as a strength. You
know, how do we help them use
that as a strength and not and
kind of get in their head? The
Kyle and I, my brother in law
and I is both known as known as
both ones on the enneagram. We
have an inner critic. Well, I
thought everyone had an inner
critic. So I was very confused
by anyone could make massive
mistakes that would send them to
jail. But it's figured out
really quickly that not everyone
has that. So if anything, Kyle
and I are not never going to
jail, but yeah, no, you're
absolutely right. So it does
change the way that we
communicate. And even Kyle and I
coach each other sometimes and
will say, I think that's your
inner critic. I don't think that
that's actually what's happening
here. So it's been helpful to
have kind of an ally in that in
that way, but also understand
how the rest of our family
members work as well.
Steve Brown: So tell us about
some of the clients that you
work with, do you specialize in
a certain industry or enneagram
type or how Tell us about that.
Alex Schauer: Enneagram type. I
haven't started testing for any
agreements first. So that's
actually pretty an interesting
concept. And I work with a wide
range. have clients. So really
my sweet spot, I would say, our
service based businesses or
product based businesses, so
ones that are like ours that
have manufacturing is part of
it. I know that world. So it
seems to come pretty easy for
me. But I love it whenever I get
to work with a family business
that is because I understand the
weight whenever they say I have
to run this by my cousin. It's
not an odd thing for me to hear.
And I completely understand
that. And I know how many family
members do we need to have in
this discussion to really move
it forward and those kinds of
questions. So I love working
with family businesses.
Steve Brown: How that, when they
have to go run it by their
cousin or someone else.
Alex Schauer: Yes
Steve Brown: What that means is,
I have a communication
challenge, and I need to go, I
need to go to a presentation a
sales presentation basically. So
that's a great time. To help
them get their messaging correct
before they go into that and set
them up for success.
Alex Schauer: Exactly. You're
right on. That's right.
Steve Brown: I found that also,
you know, it's our natural
thinking that everyone has a
marketing challenge. And they
do. But we we default to
thinking it's an outside any new
customers?
Alex Schauer: Yes
Steve Brown: They do. But
there's other marketing
challenges such as, maybe they
need to recruit employees, good
employees.
Alex Schauer: Yes.
Steve Brown: Have you talked
about a project? Maybe you're
shaking your head. So I'm
assuming you have done something
like this. Tell us about how you
approach that project and what
the outcome look
like?
Alex Schauer: Yeah. Well, um,
you know, I think anytime you
add a new team member to the I
mean, it is it's kind of,
especially in family business, I
would say it's a very personal
thing, when you're adding
someone to essentially the
family and yhey have to be the
right person. So one of the ways
that we, as we, you know, and
this really goes back to, and I
know, I probably sound like a
broken record. But as we
continue to focus on our
customer became even clearer who
we needed to have that could
focus on our customers with us.
So we tend to go, you know, for
our business we like to go for
people who are growth minded,
have a growth mindset, who are
really detail oriented, because
we're in manufacturing, so
there's a lot of details that
happen, and, and so, but we
write a brand script for the
person that we're wanting to
hire. So the problem they want
to solve is they want to be a
part of a great company where
they can continue to grow, you
know, without having to leave
kind of idea. And so, it's been
helpful for us as we're having
those conversations to think,
you know, we want to build
people into our business for the
long term. We find It incredibly
important to serve them. And so
it just as well as our
customers. And when, you know,
when you serve your team
members, well, you automatically
turn around and serve your
customers. Well. So that's our
first brand script is for our
team members. But it all goes
back to, are they going to serve
our customer as well?
Steve Brown: Now the process of
bringing someone into the
organization magine if you put
yourself in their shoes like
okay, I need to learn the lingo.
I need to learn the culture. I
need to learn what you know
who's, who's safe and who do I
to steer away from. That's
what's in their head.
Alex Schauer: Yea Absolutely.
Steve Brown: But if you if you
have
a process that you're working on
a brand script with them, you're
actually giving them tools.
Yeah, to be successful to go
through that. That hazing
process.
Alex Schauer: Yeah.
Steve Brown: Because I'm being
sued. But it feels like hazing.
Right?
Alex Schauer: Right. It does it
can feel that way. And I think
that that's why it's so
important to give everyone the
same language because it becomes
something that you say every
day, you know, I find that, you
know, I've been in organizations
before where you walk in the
hands of an employee handbook,
and you're just going to figure
it out. And I don't think that
that works long term. I think
that you have to continually
have that conversation of what
does it look like to serve our
customers extremely well. And,
you know, what do we need to do
to make sure that you're
equipped for the job that you
have to do to make sure that
we're getting all the details
taken care of those kinds of
things? So I don't think that
it's although we we can brand
scripts, the employee onboarding
process, the internal
conversation has to be
consistent and fluid and it's
not just a one time conversation
of, let's onboard them. Well,
it's let's onboard them well,
and let's keep them going for a
year or two three or tell
they've been with us forever.
Steve Brown: Have you
experienced with the customer
that maybe read StoryBrand and
okay, this is something we need
to do is what they're thinking
but they talk to you and they
think that here I'm gonna pay a
little bit of money or you get
my brand script done and then
then check. I got that off the
list and let's get on to
something else. I find that it's
not that easy number one, but
there's a lot more work you have
to do but that person that's not
a perfect client that you you
want to bring on board unless
you can get them to recognize
oh, this is way deeper than what
I originally thought.
Alex Schauer: It is. It is and I
think a lot of that is is
guiding them through the process
because I mean, even I when I
first went through the
StoryBrand framework you know, I
thought this will be great for
our website. Then as I started
the process, it began to be very
clear that it was way beyond
what the homepage of our website
could do. It was internal
communication. It was every
piece of every email, every
piece of mail that went out to
our customers. That was
everything. It was the way that
we talked just as a family, but
also with our team unity across
the board. And so I think that
that was the biggest. And that's
what I try to help my clients do
is work through the process so
that they understand that, yes,
it's going to be the website,
but then we're going to move it
into the other areas of our
business to be successful.
Steve Brown: So what are some of
the things you know, we're in
this shelter in place time. And
I think people are really
reevaluating what they're doing.
They they're doing a going
through a reset conversation in
their mind about personal stuff
about their business, etc. What
are some ideas that you have
that they might consider?
Alex Schauer: Yeah, I'm so
sorry. I don't know if you can
edit this part or not, but I had
a glitch happened with my sound.
So I just met and missed your
question.
Steve Brown: Okay. Your sound
greatly improved, right? I mean,
right in the end that last part
there, I don't know what
happened, but, okay, all the
things aligned. Okay. I don't
know what that was.
Alex Schauer: Well, let's, let's
if you don't mind editing this
part out. Question, then I will
continue from here. Okay.
Steve Brown: So my, my question
is now we're. So now we're in in
this time where we're sheltering
in place and a lot of people are
doing personal inventory. First
of all on a reset businesses are
thinking that as well. What are
some of your suggestions or
ideas
Alex Schauer: to resetting your
business during?
Steve Brown: Yeah, or what
things? You know, what inventory
items should we be working on
right now?
Alex Schauer: Yeah, that's a
really great question. You know,
and I think it's, it's obviously
different for every business.
And, you know, I think it was
maybe john Maxwell, I don't want
to quote him incorrectly. But he
said, plugged in every
opportunity is a great
challenge, you know, so, you
know, you have this great
challenge ahead of us. And I'm
not going to pretend like it's
super easy for everyone at all.
But I think that some
businesses, their call to arms
during this time is going to be
stay the course. It's not going
to be let's innovate. Let's
create something new. For a lot
of people it's going to be stay
the course and I think that
that's okay. And I mean, that's
what we've, we've decided from
the very beginning. We thought
do we need to iterate business
do we need to, to make any
changes or innovate? And really
the thing that we all came came
back to is, we're going to stay
the course. And we're going to
get through this time, and it's
paid off for us really well. So
I do think that that is going to
be the narrative of many
businesses is we stayed the
course, and doing that paid off
in great dividends. However, I
also know that for many
businesses, what this time
allows them to do is to give
greater focus to things that
they've been that they've had on
the backburner things that they
had in their mind is we could do
this in the future or something
along those lines. And this is
really the time to to focus on
those items. And so they know
what it is that burning problem
in the back of their mind that
they've been thinking this whole
time. You know, as soon as we
get a break, that's what I'm
going to focus on. Well, this is
your break. This is your chance.
lean into it and allow this
challenge to bring out the best
opportunities and innovation.
But like I said, I think that
there are two different and I
don't know if that's a narrative
that we're hearing a lot that
for some businesses, the
decision is to stay the course.
But that's okay, too. It's okay
to stay the course. If it's not,
you know, you don't have burning
things in the back of your mind
that you're like, oh, I should
create this, then this is your
time to just stay the course.
Steve Brown: Agreed. Just
because other people haven't
changed doesn't mean you have
to.
Alex Schauer: Yeah, yeah.
Steve Brown: We started you
know, I was thinking about what,
what we should do or pivot or
whatever. And so I think what
we're gonna do is we're start
producing digital facemask for
websites with bad breath.
Alex Schauer: I like it. I did
have a zoom call last week or
someone works face masks, I'm
pretty sure the joke or the
Coronavirus can now go through
computer screens, I'm not sure.
Pretty funny.
Steve Brown: So, how do you use?
So what are some other books
that you, you have got a lot of
I don't know when epiphanies or
what some other books that
you've read, it's really helped
you then some marketing
directors or folks that are
relating with you are in a
similar position with some books
that they should consider?
Alex Schauer: And the first book
that I want them to pick up as
Never Split The Difference.
Steve Brown: Mm hmm. Chris Voss.
Alex Schauer: Chris, Voss. I've
read that one twice. I'm about
to pick it up again for the
third time. Such a good book,
right. I
Steve Brown: I have it on
Audible and I listen to it all
the time.
Yes,
Alex Schauer: right.
So good. Yeah. No, I think that
that's the first one I would say
to pick up and read it and
Understand it the best you can
and you I use it almost as a
just a resource to go back to
time and time again whenever I'm
coming up against a negotiation
by nature that's not my my bent
you know, I'm not a negotiator
so he's helped me tremendously
so I'm trying to think what
other I have a stack of books on
my desk right now I'm
Steve Brown: He's helped you
tremendously?
Alex Schauer: He's a he's a
great writer, and it's just
helped me yeah, it's helped
tremendously the other books
that I recommend are Mike
Michalowicz . He, his book
Clockwork is excellent. I love
that book. I started using he
has a 40 mix for his business
and it's doing designing,
delegating and deciding so
deciding designing, there are
four and what I've taken from
his book is actually take my
time and I divided it up into
those four different categories
to make sure that I have the
right mix going on at all times.
And it's been really
instrumental for me. So I highly
recommend that book as well. And
you know, my kind of one that
I've gone back to every year is
Good to Great. I just love that
book. It may be my enneagram one
that loves that first line of
the book good is the enemy of
great, but, um, but it's a
fantastic book. I love to go
back to that one year after
year, and especially the part
and I actually went back to at
the beginning of quarantine,
where he talks about facing the
brutal facts, and I reread that
section just to prepare my mind
or whatever we might be facing.
Because it was so it is so
unknown still, but it was very
unknown in the beginning, but I
wanted to be prepared to face
what Whatever we were tackling
So Jim Collins Good to Great
facing the brutal facts. That's
my favorite chapter right now
and asked me next week, it'll be
a different one. But yeah, those
are probably the ones other than
obviously the StoryBrand books
that I'm always referring back
to, but that are helpful. So.
Steve Brown: So what are some
conferences that you've attended
that you really enjoyed or
really like?
Alex Schauer: Um, that's a
really good question. I have
attended Dave Ramsey events,
entre leadership events, and
they've been really helpful and
actually any women that are
maybe listening attended Christy
Wright's Business Boutique, and
it was pretty instrumental in my
business early on, and I really
appreciated all of her
information as well. And then,
you know, everyone should
obviously go to the live
StoryBrand workshop.
Steve Brown: Exactly
Alex Schauer: I go back to that
every time they have it and be
perfectly happy. So, so much to
learn always.
Steve Brown: So when someone you
take on a new client, yes, the
first 30 days look like with
you.
Alex Schauer: The first 30 days
are really focused on messaging
and making sure that we have
that really clear. And so, you
know, it typically starts out
with an initial conversation
where we're walking through what
the messaging should be, and
really what their business is
all about those kinds of things.
Sometimes that includes
conversations with past clients.
Sometimes it includes
conversations with other team
team members, but we just want
to be sure that we're covering
all the bases. So the first 30
days is really focused on making
sure the messaging is right and
we have a strategy moving
forward. You know, we have great
words, but we've got to put them
in place somewhere and that's
going happen on the, you know,
through the strategy. So what
are the next steps? What's the
most important thing where
people finding you the most. And
I found that that's different
across the board. I have some
clients that come to me and say,
I have a trade show next month.
And so instead of trying to fix
everything at one time, let's
just make sure that you knock it
out of the park at this trade
show. So that's our focus first.
So initially, it's the messaging
and then from there, we're
talking strategy on where we're
going to use those words the
most effectively.
Steve Brown: I find that when
you tell them it's good, we're
gonna take some time to to
really nail this messaging. Like
what we can do this then just an
hour or a couple of hours. What
do you say to that?
Alex Schauer: It took me four
months to write my first written
script
Four. And I'm
not saying like I I was doing it
on the side of my regular work.
I was focused on it. And I was
reiterating it over and over and
I was starting from scratch and
try again. And there was just a
lot of trial and error in the
process, a lot of that had to do
with the fact that I was so
close to the content, you know,
the business itself that that I
just couldn't see the label on
the outside of the bottle. And
so it just took that long to get
that clear. So we're really
saving them about three months
of agony. If you work with a
guide, I will save you time, I
promise, but it's still take
time to get it right.
Steve Brown: You're illustrating
awesome. The reason why hiring a
guide is so valuable because you
don't realize how close you are
to your content and how even for
us, it took a long time to
really get it and, and one day
that just hit me. But it was
like I had been walking around
this obstacle in my way all this
time and then one day I'm going.
I can't believe I didn't see
that. But we are too close to
our stuff.
Alex Schauer: Exactly. That
outside perspective is huge. And
just to be able to have someone
else and you know, I have
clients tell me all the time, I
can't believe you just said what
we've been trying to save for 10
years. And it's just an outside
perspective with with the
framework. That's really what it
is. And so hiring guide is, I
think one of the, the best money
that you can spend on your
marketing. Just honestly point
blank. And that's not just me,
there are plenty of guides to
choose from. I just mean, it's
going to save you a ton of time
and heartache in the process to
get to a result much faster.
Steve Brown: Totally and it's an
asset, not just some words. It's
an asset that's going to impact
your organization for years to
come.
Alex Schauer: Absolutely. You
know, the website that we
launched
five years ago is still
increases dollars every day. And
I have a new iteration of the
website, but then I'm like, it's
working. So should we watch the
update? Or should we just keep
it let it just let it keep
working so
Steve Brown: Well your customers
change, your your services
change, sometimes your things
change.
Alex Schauer: Yeah.
Steve Brown: Yeah. So I totally
get it. So Alex, folks have been
listening, maybe they want to
reach out to you and talk to you
a little bit. How do they get
ahold of you?
Alex Schauer: Well, there's a
couple of ways the best way is
through my website, which is
schauerco.com in shower is a
little bit different spelling,
it's a s-c-h-a-u-e-rco.com. It's
a German name. And, and then,
but specifically, if they are a
family business and you're
listening, the best way is to go
to schauerco.com backslash
family and actually We have a
download there that they can
download.
I actually titled it,
how to work together and still
love each other. So it's all
about how to, to really make
your experience in a family
business incredibly successful.
So the things that we've found
that worked for us and I hope
that they work for you, too.
Steve Brown: That's excellent.
Alex, this is been a great
conversation. I'm really enjoyed
it and I appreciate
Alex Schauer: you and I value
you.
Thank you for inviting me,
Steve. I really appreciate it.
Steve Brown: All right, well,
that's a wrap.
