Strong for Performance Podcast
Welcome to the Strong for Performance Podcast, where we give coaches and consultants practical ideas for taking you to the next level…in your business and in your life. We interview experts who’ve walked in your shoes. They offer real-world experiences that you can apply to your own journey.
About Your Host
Meredith Bell
I’ve walked in your shoes, too! For more than a decade, I was a consultant, trainer and coach to leaders in corporate and government. Since 1994, as co-founder and president of a software company, I’ve worked with hundreds of consultants and coaches who’ve used our assessment and development tools with clients.
In addition to supporting their implementation of our products, I love working with them on important areas like mindset, personal growth and business development. I started this podcast as a way to reach even more of these dedicated professionals.

083: How to Break Bread Virtually
Strong for Performance Podcast If you relied on in-person meetings before the pandemic, you’ll love this interview with Gautam Ganglani. Gautam explains how he was able to strengthen relationships with 200 people VIRTUALLY during the past 7 months. He also shared...

082: How to Keep Teammates Engaged and Connected While Working Remotely
Strong for Performance Podcast Have you experienced any challenges when working remotely? You’ll want to capture all the gems offered by my guest Kevin Eikenberry. Kevin is co-founder of The Remote Leadership Institute and has also led his own remote team for 10...

081: Use Targeted Podcast Interviews to Explode Your Business
Strong for Performance Podcast Want an effective, time-efficient way to get in front of your ideal prospective clients? My guest Tom Schwab explains how you can use targeted podcast interviews to establish credibility, build your list, and acquire clients. Tom is...

080: A Beautiful Love Story with Lessons for Your Life
Strong for Performance Podcast Would you commit to a relationship if you knew your partner had Stage-IV cancer? My guest Larry Indiviglia made the choice to say YES to Gayle, and he wrote 126 Days, 11 Minutes: Our Love Story to honor that very special woman. In...

079: How to Get Your Expertise Online with Ease
Strong for Performance Podcast Do you sometimes feel confused about which marketing strategies will get you the best results? My guest Denise Griffitts shares tips for creating a website, social media presence, and brand that bring your ideal clients to you....

078: How Giftology Can Transform Your Business and Relationships
Strong for Performance Podcast Ever wonder what kind of gifts would be most memorable and appreciated? My guest John Ruhlin reveals the Who, What, When, Where and How of gift-giving, based on his bestselling book, Giftology. John is the world’s leading authority...

077: How to Be a Remarkable Remote Leader
Strong for Performance Podcast What changes have managers needed to make to lead remote teams during the pandemic? My guest Wayne Turmel Wayne is the co-founder of the Remote Leadership Institute, and author or co-author of 12 books including The Long-Distance...

076: Create a Powerful Personal Brand for Your Business
Strong for Performance Podcast Are you clear about the message that your personal brand communicates to potential clients? My guest Ben Baker has literally written the book on this, and he shares valuable insights that will help you clarify your message. We also...

075: Understand Personality to Connect with Others
Strong for Performance Podcast Do you ever have conflicts with people who don’t think or act like you? This episode is for you. My guest Merrick Rosenberg has studied personality differences for the past 25 years and knows a thing or two about this topic! Merrick...

074: Work On Your Game
Strong for Performance Podcast Would you like to take your performance to the next level? My guest Dre “All Day” Baldwin has learned what it takes to do just that. Since 2005, Dre has built a content publishing empire! Since 2006, he’s produced 7,000+ YouTube videos...

073: Be of Service to People Already in Your Network
Strong for Performance Podcast Want to know what service-oriented marketing and sales look like? My guest Robert Grabel explains his approach, which makes it easy for him to acquire new clients. You’re sure to get ideas you can apply to your own business...

072: Create Alignment for Success through Innovation
Strong for Performance Podcast How can you take a fresh look at your work so you and your team continue to innovate and adapt to change? Katharine Halpin founded her firm The Halpin Companies 25 years ago to fill a void she saw in her CPA career. Katharine has...

071: Connect with Your Team
Strong for Performance Podcast What’s it like to record a conversation with someone you’ve worked with for 30 years? Join me for this discussion with my long-time business partner, Dr. Denny Coates, about our new book, Connect with Your Team: Mastering the Top 10...

070: How to Master the Art of Public Speaking
Strong for Performance Podcast Do you get nervous when you need to speak in public? Whether you’re new to making presentations or a seasoned professional speaker, you’ll want to catch my interview with Michael Gelb. He’s known for his life-changing presentations...

069: The Power & Prestige of Being a Published Author
Strong for Performance Podcast Have you been wanting to write a book but keep putting it off because you find the task too daunting? If so, this episode is for you! My guest Mike Capuzzi is an expert at helping business owners become published authors of short,...

068: Essential Skills You Must Have to Be a Human Centric Leader
Strong for Performance Podcast Would you like to have greater influence with people at work? My guest Deb Coviello provides important insights for making subtle adjustments to your beliefs, words and actions that can increase your impact. Deb is the Founder of...

067: How to Lead in a Virtual Environment
Strong for Performance Podcast Are you involved with teams struggling to deliver the expected outcomes as they work remotely? Meet my guest George Brough George is a true thought leader on how to achieve fabulous results in a virtual environment. He’s been helping...

066: The Five Practices of Particularly Resilient People
Strong for Performance Podcast Have you thought of resilience as the ability to “bounce back” from adversity? My guest Dr. Taryn Marie Stejskal provides a much more powerful definition with three elements that allow you to emerge from any challenge enhanced and...

065: Increase Your Sales with Authentic Persuasion
Strong for Performance Podcast How would you rate your confidence level in sales situations? If you feel it could use a boost, my guest Jason Cutter shares practical ideas you can start using immediately. He explains how to acquire more clients by adopting the...

064: How to Stop Selling and Start Serving
Strong for Performance Podcast Do you feel uptight in sales situations? My guest Ryan Stanley has a simple solution: focus on serving by doing the right thing for every person, every time. For 10 years, Ryan worked at The Institute for Professional Excellence in...

063: Go ALL IN and Eliminate Your Fears about Money
Strong for Performance Podcast What limiting beliefs about money and your own potential are holding you back? My guest Chris Dorris shares profound insights and life-changing ideas in our conversation, including the 6 steps of his ALL IN process. Chris is a Mental...

062: Using Your Own Science As a Guide to a More Meaningful Life
Strong for Performance Podcast What role can science play in organizational outcomes and personal well-being? My guest Sharon Strauss provides the answer to this question—and so much more—in this interview. Sharon is Founder of The Human Insight Group, an Executive...

061: The Superpower We All Have to Create an Extraordinary Life
Strong for Performance Podcast Are some of your existing beliefs about yourself or about the world holding you back? If so, you’ll love the many gold nuggets Darren Gold shares in this interview! This is a man who faced serious, adverse situations while growing...

060: Seeing Potential Regardless of Circumstances
Strong for Performance Podcast What impact does your mindset have on your success in selling your products and services? My guest Cynthia Beiler shares practical strategies for growing your business with less stress and more ease. As CEO of Leveraged Mind...

059: Develop a Strong Mindset to Avoid Self-Sabotage and Imposter Syndrome
Strong for Performance Podcast Want to discover practical tips for having more joy and less stress in your life? Listen to my interview with leadership and executive coach Sharissa Sebastian. Sharissa has more than 15 years of corporate leadership experience, and...

058: Build Your Business with Clear and Present Game-Changers
Strong for Performance Podcast Looking for tips that can help you expand your business? My guest James Butler shares a boatload of ideas you can start using immediately. James is a serial entrepreneur who has built four companies from the start-up phase to...

057: Make Your Live & Online Events Unforgettable and Profitable
Strong for Performance Podcast Have you considered putting on a live or online event? My guest Sherrie Sokolowski provides sound guidance for planning and conducting this gathering to ensure a successful outcome. Sherrie is the owner of SLS Strategic Event...

056: What to Do When Life Requires You to Change
Strong for Performance Podcast Have you ever felt like you were forcing yourself to fulfill the life others expected you to live? Be prepared to take a fresh look at your life in this wonderful interview with my guest Lisa Berkovitz. She shares how to connect...

055: How to Adapt Your Business and Emerge Stronger Post-COVID19
Strong for Performance Podcast Has your business struggled in the past months due to COVID19? My guest Thomas Beck offers concrete suggestions that can help you turn things around. He describes the reactions that can create more problems for business owners...

054: How to Be Resilient When Facing Stress and Adversity
Strong for Performance Podcast Everyone has been impacted by COVID-19, and it’s been a source of great financial, emotional and physical stress for many. My guest Dr. Kozhi Makai shares important insights on how to successfully navigate these unprecedented...

053: How a Healing Organization Can Help Save the World
Strong for Performance Podcast What does it mean to be a Healing Organization? That’s the focus of my interview with Michael Gelb, who co-authored a book of the same name with Raj Sisodia. Together they interviewed 25 companies that are focused on delivering...

052: Preserve Dignity and Build Trust by Helping Others Save Face
Strong for Performance Podcast Do you know how to create strong relationships with people from different cultures? My guest Maya Hu-Chan is an expert on this topic, and she describes it in terms of “saving face.” You’ll learn that this term goes much deeper than...

051: Become the Key Person of Influence in Your Field
Strong for Performance Podcast Would you like to become the key person of influence with your ideal clients? My guest Frank Mulcahy has achieved this goal, and in this interview he gives you the exact steps for achieving this status yourself. Frank is a...

050: Sales Is Not a Dirty Word
Strong for Performance Podcast Are your sales skills at the level they need to be? My guest Steve Heroux speaks openly about what’s wrong with much of the sales training offered today and what he’s doing to address it. Steve is Founder and CEO of Victory Selling,...

049: How Music Can Enhance Team Development and the Transfer of Training
Strong for Performance Podcast How do the principles in music apply to work teams? My guest Dr. Pelè explains this clear connection in our conversation and in his new book, The 7 Songs of a Successful Team. Dr. Pelè blends his passion for music with his...

048: MIC SWAP: Create a Coaching Culture That Leads to High Performance
Strong for Performance Podcast In this special episode, we have a “mic swap.” Former guest Angela Cusack interviews Meredith Bell about her new book, Strong for Performance: Create a Coaching Culture with Learning & Development Programs That Stick. Meredith...

047: The Role of Cultural Humility in Connecting with Yourself and Others
Strong for Performance Podcast Have you ever heard these words paired together – culture + humility? If not, you’ll learn why they belong together—and how you can use them to deepen your understanding of yourself and others—from my guest Angela Cusack. Angela...

046: Leadership Is a System, Not a Function
Strong for Performance Podcast Why is it critical for a leader to have a clear vision in order to create a culture that’s thriving? My guest Dr. Oleg Konovalov has written an entire book about this in Leaderology! In this interview, he explains why effective...

045: Coaching Yourself through Crisis
Strong for Performance Podcast Have you or someone you know had to deal with a serious health issue? My guest Pamela Cournoyer faced Stage 4 Lymphoma in 2012, and she is thriving today. In this interview she describes her journey from diagnosis to recovery...

044: How to Be a Hope-Driven Leader
Strong for Performance Podcast What does it mean to create hope in yourself and others? My guest Libby Gill wrote an entire book about this fascinating topic. In this excellent interview, Libby brings to life the concepts in her book, The Hope-Driven Leader:...

043: Find Your Fastest Path to Cash
Strong for Performance Podcast Are you looking for a simple yet effective way to double or triple your revenue? My guest Adam Urbanski is known as the Millionaire Marketing Mentor for a reason. Over the past 20 years, he’s helped thousands of coaches,...

042: The 5 Disciplines for Adding Zeros to Your Revenue and Profits
Strong for Performance Podcast If you’re a business owner who wants to expand your business dramatically, this episode is for you. My guest Brad Sugars is the founder and Chairman of ActionCoach, the #1 global business coaching franchise that he’s grown to...

041: Serve Clients So Powerfully That They Can’t Shut Up about You
Strong for Performance Podcast What if there were a simpler, easier way to acquire new clients? My guest Adam Kawalec is a Life and Leadership Coach whose approach results in 83% of his potential clients saying YES. These days, he invests no money in...

040: Bring a Fresh Perspective to Relationships You Already Have
Strong for Performance Podcast Have you ever started working on a project with someone you have a history with…and allowed your previous interactions with the person to influence the attitude you bring to the current situation? My guest Katie Bishop has. She...

039: How to Partner with Other Consultants and Make a Ton of Money While Growing Your Businesses
Strong for Performance Podcast Do you find it hard to make time for marketing and sales because you’re busy delivering your services? My guest Dr. Kevin Gazzara has found effective ways to keep his firm’s pipeline full. Kevin is co-founder and Senior Partner...

038: Why Emotional Intelligence Matters
Strong for Performance Podcast Have you wondered why so many experts stress the importance of having high emotional intelligence (EQ)? My guest Amy Sargent makes the case in a very compelling way. I loved that her own EQ skills are highly evolved, and she...

037: How to Network to Get A Steady Stream of Introductions, Referrals and Sales
Strong for Performance Podcast Want to find out how to network so effectively that you regularly get introductions to your ideal clients? Come prepared to take notes as you listen to my interview with Steven Crawford, as he reveals many of the brilliant...

036: Increase Your Sales with Honest and Effective Conversations
Strong for Performance Podcast Want to find out the two big mistakes that leaders and salespeople make in the area of communications? You’ll learn the answer in my interview with guest, Todd Holzman, CEO of Holzman & Company. Over the past 25 years, Todd has...

035: How to Enjoy Others…and Be Enjoyed By Them
Strong for Performance Podcast Whenever Meredith Bell and Dr. Mark Goulston have a conversation, rich observations and insights inevitably emerge. In this episode, they explore topics that are relevant no matter what role(s) you have in life. They talk about...

034: Experience the Good, Bad and Ugly in Life and Stay Calm in the Process
Strong for Performance Podcast Do you have clients who get stuck and aren’t sure what to do? And do you sometimes have that feeling yourself? My guest Rachel Langer offers practical tips for handling many of life’s universal challenges. You’ll love her...

033: The Brain’s Buy Button Affects Decisions Your Clients Make
Strong for Performance Podcast Have you ever tried to convince someone to buy a product or service by appealing only to their logical mind? My guest Ben Hipps used to sell that way, until he learned about neuro-marketing from Christophe Morin. In this...

032: Terry Earthwind Nichols
Strong for Performance Podcast Ever wish you could read people so you know how open they are to what you have to say? My guest Terry Earthwind Nichols is an expert in profiling, the art of observing others and interpreting the signals they’re sending. Join me...

031: Your State of Mind Impacts What You See and Experience
Strong for Performance Podcast Do you ever think that what’s happening outside of you is what’s causing your feelings? My guest Barb Patterson shares her journey in discovering that our experiences are always generated from within us. Once she discovered the...

029: The Veil of Leadership Shame: A New Trend
Strong for Performance Podcast Have you ever taken on a new position and been tormented by self-doubts about your ability to succeed? My guest Rozanna Wyatt explains how pervasive this feeling is among leaders she coaches. She describes how she helps them...

028: The 3 Most Powerful Marketing Strategies That Cost $0 to Implement
Strong for Performance Podcast Are you tired of spending money on marketing efforts that don’t produce results? My guest Walt Hampton share three simple, free strategies that can transform your business immediately. Walt is a former attorney who was able to...

027: How Your Beliefs Can Hold You Back or Set You Free
Strong for Performance Podcast Do you ever wish for more than you have in life but don’t allow yourself to believe it’s really possible? My guest Barbara Daoust is a success coach who helps clients break through limiting beliefs around money and their...

026: How to Turn Clients into Champions Who Promote You
Strong for Performance Podcast Would you like a suggestion that can dramatically grow your revenues? My guest Paul McManus shares TWO ideas that catapulted his company’s growth, and you can adapt them for your own business. They don’t require chasing or...

025: Focus on a Niche and Acquire More Clients
Strong for Performance Podcast Do you struggle to identify a niche to focus on? My guest Jodi Flynn describes her path to identifying her favorite type of client. After she did that, she received more engagements with companies that were just the right...

024: 7 Marketing Principles to Build Your Business and Your Brand
Strong for Performance Podcast Are you tired of trying a bunch of different marketing tactics that don’t result in more business? My guest Kyle Wilson focuses on principles that help you identify the tactics that are right for you. Kyle was the mastermind...

023: Build a Competition-Proof Coaching Business
Strong for Performance Podcast Do you struggle to compete with other professionals in your same industry? Block time for my interview with Jason Goldberg to find out how to set yourself apart so YOU are the one your ideal clients choose to work with. Jason...

022: Clarify Your Message to Engage Your Audience
Strong for Performance Podcast Would you like to kick your presentations up a notch or two? My guest Dolores Hirschmann helps speakers, entrepreneurs and authors prepare a compelling message for a TEDx talk and other stages in her role as Chief Clarity...

021: Developing Relationships That Pay Again and Again
Strong for Performance Podcast How do you get your foot in the door of large organizations if your firm is a small operation? My guest Axel Meierhoefer, Ph.D. describes how he has consistently gotten work with global companies…and continues to find ways to...

020: Don’t Try to Be Perfect with Your Clients
Strong for Performance Podcast Do you feel pressured to show up with clients as someone who has it all together? My guest Aaron Young argues that always showing the “shiny” version of your life is not as compelling as being transparent. Aaron is Chairman...

019: You Don’t Have to Be Ruthless to Win
Strong for Performance Podcast Have you ever wondered if a business can really be sustainable if you focus exclusively on serving others? That’s exactly how my guest Jonathan Keyser has built his commercial real company. In his new book, You Don’t Have to Be...

018: Acquire More Clients by Living Service
Strong for Performance Podcast Are you ready to shift from struggling coach to thriving professional? My guest Melissa Ford has walked that path herself. In her new book, Living Service: The Journey of a Prosperous Coach, Melissa describes the uneven steps...

017: A Model for Accelerating Leadership and Creating a Coaching Culture
Strong for Performance Podcast Sometimes executive coaching falls short of the expected outcomes. My guest Lance Hazzard has developed a system to ensure all the right stakeholders are involved so the coaching engagement is a resounding success. Lance...

016: Use LinkedIn to Grow Your Network AND Your Business
Strong for Performance Podcast Have you struggled with how to use LinkedIn most effectively? Meet John Nemo, author of LinkedIn Riches and Content Marketing Made Easy. John helps coaches, consultants and other service professionals make the most of this...

015: How to Become Credible in the Eyes of Your Clients
Strong for Performance Podcast What’s the most effective way to get the attention of a potential client and gain a sterling reputation? In this interview, my guest Frank Wagner explains two powerful things you can do to gain credibility and build trust....

014: Build Deep Relationships That Create Loyal Clients
Strong for Performance Podcast Ready for a boatload of practical tips you can use to acquire and keep more clients? Jody Holland is a fire hose of ideas! In the past 20 years, he’s published 20+ books, been a keynote speaker 300+ times and trained almost...

012: 5 Strategies for Taming Your Distractions
Strong for Performance Podcast How effective are you with using your time every day? My guest “Mister Productivity” Mark Struczewski is an expert in helping people reduce overwhelm and increase their daily output by taming distractions. In this episode he...

011: The Tale of Two Cultures
Strong for Performance Podcast What can go wrong if the leadership of a company changes and the new executives focus exclusively on the bottom line? My guest Mark Hinderliter, Ph.D., lived through this experience with two different companies. He came to...

010: Add a New Revenue Stream to Your Coaching Services
Strong for Performance Podcast Have you been looking for a way to scale your business without putting in longer hours and more effort? When she transitioned from corporate executive to business adviser, Dr. Shohreh Aftahi found that she needed to get...

009: Take Risks to Acquire Clients Who Pay What You’re Worth
Strong for Performance Podcast Many “gurus” are giving coaches and consultants some bad advice by discouraging them from actually coaching, according to my guest Marc Mawhinney. And Marc should know. He’s worked directly with hundreds of coaches since 2014 and...

008: Unleash Your Creativity by Challenging Beliefs and Thoughts
Strong for Performance Podcast In this special one-hour episode, Coach Extraordinaire Steve Chandler shares brilliant tips that can help you on two levels – with your own personal growth and in your work with clients. Steve is the author of more than 30...

Episode 007: Create a Practice That’s Ideal for You AND Your Clients
Strong for Performance Podcast It can be tough to run your own practice as a business owner attending to business development and as a service professional providing value to your clients. Whit Raymond understands that challenge from both sides, as he’s...

Episode 006: Build Relationships with the ABCDs of Giving and Receiving
Strong for Performance Podcast As a coach and consultant, you probably find it natural to give. You may find it more difficult to ask or receive. Dr. Ana Melikian shares a powerful set of actions steps that can strengthen relationships with your core...

Episode 005: How to Become a Revenue Rockstar
Strong for Performance Podcast If you find yourself anxious in sales situations with potential clients, this episode is for you! My guest John Livesay explains how to incorporate storytelling into your sales conversations to become memorable and compelling....

Episode: 004: Be Compelling and Stand Out with Clients
Strong for Performance Podcast You’ll want to grab a pen and thick pad of paper for this information-packed interview with Dr. Mark Goulston. He reveals several intriguing ways to differentiate yourself and stand out from the crowd. Mark is a prolific content...

Episode 003: How to Prevail Even in Extreme Adversity
Strong for Performance Podcast You’re going to face many personal and professional challenges in life, and you can prevail in all of them. Ellen Cooperperson describes four different life-threatening situations her son faced as a young man and how the two...

Episode 002: Why You Should Focus on Big-Tickets Clients
Strong for Performance Podcast You can dramatically grow your revenue without killing yourself when you focus on clients who can easily invest in your high-end programs. Dr. Pelè is the author of the Amazon bestseller, Big-Ticket Clients: You Can’t Catch a...

Episode 001: How to Find Your Wow Factor
Strong for Performance Podcast Do you allow your unique self to shine when you’re with clients? Master Certified Coach Ben Dooley gives specific tips on how to do this, authentically and confidently. For more than a decade, Ben has been helping other...