Join host Matt Edmundson in an engaging conversation with Neil Rogers, author of "Bar Tips: Everything I Needed to Know in Sales I Learned Behind the Bar." Discover Neil's unique insights into sales, marketing, and his personal journey, including the transformative impact of communication technology on his non-speaking son. Don't miss this inspiring episode, and find the full transcript and show notes at pushtobemore.com.

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Timestamps:

0:00 Intro

7:34 The Life-Giving Power of Communication

31:44 Creating a Supportive Environment for Autism

40:11 Neil's Staffing Solution Strategy

43:10 The Law of Attraction in Networking

46:55 The Most Surprising Conversation Neil's Ever Had

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Key Takeaways:

1. Embrace Tenacity and Creativity in Problem-Solving: Neil emphasises the importance of tenacity over mere persistence. He suggests that creativity and positivity are crucial in navigating challenges, particularly in the context of special needs education. This approach has been instrumental in his efforts to improve his son's life and can be applied broadly to overcome obstacles in various aspects of life.

2. Harness the Power of Communication and Connection: Neil shares how crucial communication has been in his personal and professional life. From discovering a method for his son to communicate despite his non-verbal condition to networking and finding solutions through conversations, Neil highlights the transformative power of effective communication and building connections.

3. Focus on What You Can Do: Neil and his family have consistently focused on what they can do to improve their son's life, rather than dwelling on limitations. This proactive mindset, coupled with a willingness to explore new avenues and remain positive, has led to significant breakthroughs. This advice encourages others to adopt a similar approach, focusing on actionable steps and maintaining a positive outlook.

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If this episode of Push to be More piqued your interest make sure to keep up to date with everything we do here on the Push to be More Podcast.

Matt Edmundson [0:13 - 3:14]: Well, hello and welcome back to push to be more. I'm your host, Matt Edmundson. And today we've got another phenomenal conversation about what fuels this thing we call life. And joining me today, I'm really looking forward to this. Neil Rogers, who is the author of the phenomenally entitled book Bar Tips: Everything I Needed to Know in Sales I Learned Behind the Bar, which has some insanely good reviews on Amazon. Not gonna lie, we're gonna be diving into his unique life experiences, the hurdles he's had to push through, and the way he recharges his batteries. In other words, push to be more. What does that look like? Now don't forget, you can find all of the detailed show notes and complete transcript of our conversation at pushtobemore.com. and whilst you're there, if you haven't done so already, sign up to the newsletter. And every week we send you the information from the guests, the links, the goodies, the notes. They go straight to your inbox, which is totally free and totally cool. It just keeps you on top of things. Let me give a big shout out to Pod junction, the company that helps you build your business with podcasting. Because they have sponsored today's show. They are the magic behind the scenes that lets entrepreneurs and business leaders like you and me amplify our voices, own new and very interesting marketing channels with our own podcasts. But you might be thinking, why on earth would I want to do that? Well, let me tell you, podcasting is phenomenal. My journey with it has been exceptional. I'm not going to lie. I've just loved every minute I get to meet amazing people like Neil. So it's a great way to reach out. It's a great way to network. It's a great way to market. It's a great way to build community and connection, all of that good stuff. And if you want to understand it more, if you want to find out about it, if you don't know what strategy, I mean, all that sort of stuff, you know, where do I begin? Matt? Go to podjunction.com. it's a lot easier than you think to run your own podcast, and you will be amazed at the results. So definitely go try it. Podjunction.com. now let's talk about Neil. Neil Rogers is an author, speaker and marketing guru with 37 years of experience turning sales into success stories. He's a master of blending old school charm with new school marketing strategies to drive revenue and deliver results. In his book, which I mentioned, bar tips, everything I needed to know in sales I learned behind the bar. He spills the secrets he picked up while bartending, showing how those skilled helped skills helped him become a business leader. Whether he's shaking up sales or stirring up marketing magic, he knows a thing or two about how to keep things flowing. Neil, welcome to the show, man. Great to have you. How are we doing, Matt?

Neil Rogers [3:14 - 3:21]: I'm doing fantastic. Thanks so much for having me. This is wonderful. From across the pond, across the east.

Matt Edmundson [3:21 - 3:25]: Love technology that enables us to do the whole across the pond thing.

Neil Rogers [3:26 - 3:42]: Dude, I'm such a simpleton. I still marvel at it every, every time I. And, you know, I'm just emailed my admin in the Philippines and I'm talking to you in the, over in England, and it's just. And we're looking at each other. So it's.

Matt Edmundson [3:42 - 4:21]: Yeah, it's crazy, isn't it? I was talking to. We had some people around the dinners. I have this thing, Neil, that wherever possible, we always eat dinner together as a family. Right? Just one of my little things. We also have a couple of people that live with us. We call them lodge. You know, they live in our house. We have some spare rooms, so we have people come live with us. And we would sat around the dinner table last night talking about using the phone, right? And I was like, oh, I made some phone calls. And if I need something doing, like today, before our conversation, I needed to check in with somebody I'd never met. So I just called them up and said, tell me about what you do.

Neil Rogers [4:21 - 4:22]: Right?

Matt Edmundson [4:23 - 4:37]: And everybody under the age of 25 was having palpitations with the idea of picking up the phone to call somebody. It's like, no, I don't want to do that, especially if I don't know them. What do you mean? I have to call them. And it's really interesting, isn't it, how technology has changed, how we communicate.

Neil Rogers [4:38 - 4:42]: Do you know the comedian Gary Gilman? Gary Gallman. Excuse me.

Matt Edmundson [4:42 - 4:43]: No, try him.

Neil Rogers [4:43 - 5:39]: He's got a bit. He did one of the things he says, you know, I've got this app on the phone. It's very, very. It's the most unused part of the, part of the app on the phone. It's the phone. Yeah. So I've got. I've got some customers, too, that I'll, you know, I. I've got one. One in particular. I call her at times. You go and she answered the phone. I said, you're my favorite millennial. You answer your phone. The value of a conversation back and forth. Even my son, who you've experienced as he booked us with you guys, and he sent me something yesterday, I said, dude, it's. It's time for a chat. Yeah, we need. Yeah, this is just. I am lost in what you're sending me, so you may be able to decipher this. I cannot. So get off my lawn. Right.

Matt Edmundson [5:40 - 5:42]: Yeah, totally. Totally.

Neil Rogers [5:42 - 5:45]: By the way, did you hear that? Did you hear that? Lawn.

Matt Edmundson [5:45 - 5:45]: Lawn.

Neil Rogers [5:46 - 5:47]: That's Boston lawn.

Matt Edmundson [5:47 - 6:00]: Yeah. Boston's a beautiful part of the world. Slightly envious. You lived there. And I do like that Boston accent, you know, where you draw words out like that. It's quite stunning.

Neil Rogers [6:01 - 6:04]: And believe it or not, this isn't even close.

Matt Edmundson [6:04 - 6:06]: No, it gets a lot stronger, doesn't it?

Neil Rogers [6:06 - 6:22]: Oh, so I actually. That's Massachusetts right there. But I live in New Hampshire. It's just over the border. I'm about 35 miles outside of Boston. When you get down there, pal. Bro, it's a whole nother deal. Dude. Dude, I'm telling you, just, you know, you just can't believe it.

Matt Edmundson [6:23 - 6:29]: Very good. I should learn to mimic that one day, but maybe for another show.

Neil Rogers [6:29 - 6:40]: Well, I'll give you one more, and then let's move on. But if you go to another youtuber, go to Seth Meyers, the Boston accent. It's priceless.

Matt Edmundson [6:40 - 6:45]: Seth Meyers making a note with an old fashioned pen and paper.

Neil Rogers [6:45 - 6:47]: How about that? Imagine that.

Matt Edmundson [6:47 - 6:52]: Imagine that. I can still write. Yeah. So I've got Gary Coleman, and I've got Seth Meyers, the Boston accent.

Neil Rogers [6:53 - 6:56]: Gary Gullman with a G. G U L L. Okay.

Matt Edmundson [6:56 - 6:59]: Gary Gullman. Very good.

Neil Rogers [6:59 - 7:07]: And they're all from the area. Myra's is from Manchester, New Hampshire, which is halfway up there, and Goldman's from mass.

Matt Edmundson [7:08 - 7:10]: Okay, there you go. I will check them out.

Neil Rogers [7:10 - 7:16]: There you go. Enough of my nonsense. Let's move on. Matt, you run the show now. Now that I've taken over.

Matt Edmundson [7:17 - 7:21]: Thanks, Neil. Appreciate that. Just to send the reins back now.

Neil Rogers [7:21 - 7:22]: Back to you, Matt.

Matt Edmundson [7:22 - 7:43]: Now back to our reporter in the UK, live in the UK. Okay, let's start off with a question we ask everybody. Neil, I'm curious, especially curious, for your answer. If you had a podcast and you can have anybody as a guest on your show, past or present, that's had a big influence on your life, who would that be and why?

Neil Rogers [7:48 - 8:06]: This is going to be an emotional answer. Okay. I would have my non speaking son with apraxia who can communicate now using this program we found called spelling. To communicate.

Matt Edmundson [8:06 - 8:06]: Right.

Neil Rogers [8:06 - 8:14]: I'd have him on. Why? Because we've just discovered this program, Matt. In the last two years. He's 33 years old.

Matt Edmundson [8:14 - 8:15]: Oh, wow.

Neil Rogers [8:15 - 8:18]: We've never heard from him. Never.

Matt Edmundson [8:18 - 8:19]: Wow.

Neil Rogers [8:19 - 9:20]: He's been trapped inside his own mind for 30 years. 30 plus years. And he knows everything. Everything. It staggers me. So you wonder why there were behavior problems. Well, why he flapped, why he chinned and all that. He's trapped inside his head. He knows so much. And they're trying to teach him simple math and he can solve for X. Yeah. Wild. So, so that's been our life for the last two years. And it's changed it completely. And it's completely to the positive. Incredibly positive. It set us, it set us in a different direction about what we were hoping for him. Hoping for him now, but what we hope from him then. Safe, secure environment. Now he wants to graduate college.

Matt Edmundson [9:20 - 9:21]: Oh, wow.