Episodes

Meetings are supposed to help us get work done. But what happens when we spend so much time in meetings that the meetings actually become the work? In this episode of the Business Coach Unplugged Podcast, Tom Kelly explores the growing problem of meeting overload and why it has become much more than a time-management issue. He shares the story of an executive whose calendar revealed that 92% of his 40-hour workweek was being spent in meetings. When meetings, email and preparation were combined,...

A few months ago, I walked out of my annual physical with a problem I didn’t particularly like. My doctor wanted me to go on a statin. My first reaction? “No way.” Instead of arguing with my doctor or ignoring the problem, I asked for 90 days. I would make some changes, create a plan, execute it, and then come back and measure the results. What happened next was surprising. And this isn’t really a story about cholesterol. It’s a story about ownership. It’s about what happens when you stop focus...

Why do smart people stop doing the very things that made them successful? In this episode of the Business Coach Unplugged Podcast, I’m going to tackle one of the biggest reasons business owners, salespeople, and leaders lose momentum. Surprisingly, it’s usually not because they don’t know what to do. It’s because they stop doing the simple, proven disciplines that created their success in the first place. As we gain experience, it’s easy to get distracted by the next big idea, a new strategy, o...

We’ve all experienced it before — a sales conversation that felt like it was going incredibly well, only to have the prospect suddenly disappear, stall out, or tell you they’ve “decided to go in another direction.” Most salespeople immediately assume the problem was price, timing, or competition. But in reality, most deals are lost much earlier in the conversation. In this episode of the Business Coach Unplugged Podcast, I’m going to break down why sales conversations fail — and why the real is...

Are you playing small in your business—without even realizing it? In this episode of the Business Coach Unplugged Podcast, I’m pulling back the curtain on the hidden cost of “safe” decisions. Underpricing your services, delaying hires, and avoiding tough sales conversations might feel responsible… but over time, they quietly cap your growth, shrink your margins, and limit your potential. You’ll discover: How fear disguises itself in pricing, hiring, and selling Why timid decisions destroy rev...

We all want to feel confident—but why do so many salespeople, leaders, and business owners struggle to build it consistently? In this episode of the Business Coach Unplugged Podcast, I’m going to tackle the topic of confidence. Most people think confidence is something you either have or you don’t, tied to personality, experience, or natural ability. But the truth is, confidence isn’t a feeling—it’s a system. In this impactful episode, you’re going to discover: Why tracking your wins is the k...

We’ve all had conversations that just flow—where trust builds quickly and the connection feels effortless. But why is it that with some people it clicks, and with others it falls flat? In this episode of the Business Coach Unplugged Podcast, I’m going to tackle the topic of building instant rapport. Too often, leaders and business owners think rapport is about being likable or finding common ground. In reality, it’s about understanding the deeper drivers of human behavior and learning how to me...

We all want to grow our business and keep more of what we earn—but why do so many small business owners miss out on the very tax breaks designed to help them? In this episode of the Business Coach Unplugged Podcast, I’m diving into the One Big Beautiful Bill Act—a sweeping new law passed on July 4th, 2025 that delivers powerful tax benefits to small business owners. On paper, it’s one of the most pro-business bills in decades. But unless you understand how to take advantage of it, these benefit...

Most business owners want to keep more of what they earn—but why do so many leave thousands on the table when it comes to taxes? In this episode of the Business Coach Unplugged Podcast, I’m diving into one of the most overlooked (and misunderstood) tools for saving money, building wealth, and setting up your business for long-term success: the S-Corporation. While it might not sound flashy, the truth is that choosing the right business structure—and using it the right way—can mean the differen...

We all want empowered teams—but why do so many managers fall short when it comes to empowering their employees? In this episode of the Business Coach Unplugged Podcast, I’m going to tackle the topic of empowerment. There seems to be a goal or desire in most business environments to create a culture of empowerment, where employees are given the autonomy, resources, and support they need to make decisions, take ownership of their work, and contribute to the company’s success. While this seems lik...

Are you stuck in a comfort zone and wondering why you’re not leveling up? In this week’s episode of the “The Business Coach Unplugged“ podcast, I’ll introduce you to a powerful model that I use with my clients that will help you define different levels of success, determine exactly what level you are at right now, and then identify the exact strategy and mindset that you need to propel yourself to the next level. This powerful tool will show you how to move from just “getting by” to truly thriv...

In this week’s episode of “The Business Coach Unplugged Podcast”, I’m going to take a look back on the past 23 years I’ve been in business. It’s been an interesting journey, and I thought it would be helpful to share with you how I grew my business from nothing to where it is today. One of the areas that I spend a lot of time on with my clients is sales and marketing, so hopefully sharing what I have found to be the best ways to grow my business over the years will help you get some insights and...

In this week’s episode of “The Business Coach Unplugged Podcast”, I’m going to cover a topic that comes up with every single client that I’ve worked with over the last 23 years. This topic is an issue for literally everyone. I always say that no matter who you are, where you live, what you do, or what kind of background you come from, there is one resource that is equal for everyone! That resource is time. Even though we all have the same amount of time in the day, in my experience the majority ...

In this week’s episode of “The Business Coach Unplugged Podcast”, I’m going to talk about the simple process that I use with my sales clients to help them generate massive increases in their sales by making minor shifts at each step of the process. You’re going to learn how to optimize your sales process by working smarter, not harder. By the time we’re finished, I’m going to shatter any disempowering beliefs that you may have about growing your sales, and you’ll have some powerful tools that yo...

In this week’s episode of “The Business Coach Unplugged Podcast”, I’m going to talk about how to deal with a toxic boss. I’m going to cover the top reasons why there are so many toxic managers out there, how those issues can be addressed, and what you can do specifically in each case to improve the situation so that it’s at least more palatable, and in the best-case scenario, no longer an issue for you. Learn more about us at: www.businesscoachchicago.com

In this week’s episode of “The Business Coach Unplugged Podcast”, I’m going to answer the question, “How do I hold my team accountable?” I’m going to cover the top 5 things that you need to do to build a culture of accountability, so that you no longer have to worry about things not getting done. I’ll talk about the keys to building a high performing team, and how to create a winning environment that creates a high level of trust within the team, so that your team holds themselves accountable fo...

In this week’s episode of “The Business Coach Unplugged Podcast”, I’m going to give you my top 5 reasons why New Year’s resolutions almost never work, and what I recommend that you do instead if you want to create some better results in your life or business. I guarantee that if you make a couple of simple shifts that I’m going to cover today, you’re not only going to get the year off to a great start, but you are going to rock your results! Learn more about us at: www.businesscoachchicago.com

In this week’s episode of “The Business Coach Unplugged Podcast”, I’m going to explore the key steps that you need to take to make sure that you hire the right person for the job every single time. I’m going to tell you the 3 key things that you need to look for when you are interviewing someone, and I’m also going to reveal my secret weapon that I highly recommend that you add to your hiring process that will give you insights into exactly who you are hiring so that you make the right choice ev...

In this week’s episode of “The Business Coach Unplugged Podcast”, I’m going to explore ways to triple your effectiveness. I’ll talk a little bit about how big of a problem this is, and then I’ll give you my 10 key tips to help you open up huge blocks of time in your day so that you can be more effective, have more freedom, and be able to have at least a little balance in your life! By the end of the podcast, you’ll have a number of tools that you can leverage to maximize your time. You’ll be abl...

In this week’s episode of “The Business Coach Unplugged Podcast”, I’m going to explore the topic of leading in times of uncertainty. I’ll go through some key stats on the topic, and then I’ll give you my 10 key tips to help you be a better leader during a crisis. By the end of the podcast, you’ll have a better grasp on how to lead through uncertainty, along with some tips and tools that will help you elevate your leadership in times of turmoil. Learn more about us at: www.businesscoachchicago.c...

In this week’s episode of “The Business Coach Unplugged Podcast”, I’m going to talk about some of the key differences between good managers and bad managers. I’ll go through some key stats from some recent management studies so you get a sense of how big of a problem this really is, and then I’ll cover what I believe to be the key things that set great managers apart from others. By the end of the podcast, you’ll have a better understanding of what to look for in a great manager, and how to beco...

In this week’s episode of “The Business Coach Unplugged Podcast”, I’m going to walk you through what I call the 4-step sales process. I developed this process years ago, mainly to teach business owners and people that were new to sales how to easily sell anything. It’s also applicable to people that already have sales experience, as it breaks what can be a complicated process into a simple one. So if you are new to sales, intimidated by sales, are a veteran sales person, a business owner, or eve...

In the fourth episode of “The Business Coach Unplugged Podcast”, I’m going to cover some of the key points that will help you make referrals the #1 way you grow your business. I’ll discuss why it’s important to have a system if you are serious about growing your business through referrals. Then I’ll give you 5 keys that will help you generate referrals in a predictable, sustainable, and consistent way. By the time I’m done, you’ll know exactly what you need to do to be successful generating refe...

In the third episode of “The Business Coach Unplugged Podcast”, I’m going to cover how to deal with adversity, overcome challenges, and turn them into opportunities. We’ll talk a little bit about where we are today in our society with respect to adversity, the mindset you need to have if you want to overcome tough challenges, and I’ll give you a simple question that I used with my clients during COVID that not only helped them overcome massive challenges during the shutdown, but also helped a nu...