From Strategy to Impact: Leadership Lessons with Michael Clark

In this episode of Success Leaves Clues Podcast, our guest is Michael Clark, leadership coach, executive advisor, speaker, and organizational development expert dedicated to helping leaders, teams, and organizations achieve greater levels of performance, engagement, and success. Drawing from his extensive experience in leadership development, coaching, and business transformation, Michael shares valuable insights on building high-performing teams, leading through uncertainty, fostering accountability, and creating cultures where people can thrive. We explore the importance of emotional intelligence, communication, trust, and adaptability in today's evolving workplace, along with practical strategies for developing leadership capabilities and driving meaningful organizational change. Whether you're an entrepreneur, executive, manager, coach, or aspiring leader, this conversation offers actionable lessons on leadership, personal growth, and creating lasting impact through people-centered leadership.

You can find him on:
https://www.instagram.com/personalitypitching/
https://www.threads.com/@personalitypitching
https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelclark06/

Transcript

Michael Clark 0:00

But then there are people that know about the they acknowledge the immediate value in the moment and they're like, I'll pay you if you show me this. And it shows that value, that transformation that says, Hey, someone will pay for this type of transformation. And and that's another thing, too, is that especially in the day we live now with all the AI and stuff like that, it's like, well, even with the information, people want transformation.

Davis Nguyen 0:27

Welcome to Success Leaves Clues, the podcast where we interview business owners on how they built their businesses and the hard lessons they learned along the way. My name is David Swin, and I'm a business coach and the founder of Purple Circle, where we help business owners achieve their first six-figure, seven-figure, and eight-figure year, all without sacrificing their quality of life. Before becoming a business coach and before founding Purple Circle, I started and scaled several seven and eight-figure coaching businesses and have been a consultant at several businesses doing over $100 million each, including some that are publicly listed and doing over a billion dollars each. In every episode of the podcast, you're going to learn lessons that took our guests years to learn, and you'll be able to learn that in minutes. No matter if you're a new business owner or an established business owner, every episode is going to give you the clues in order to elevate your business.

Pedro Stein 1:12

Welcome to Success Leaves Clues Podcast. I'm Pedro, and today I'm joined by Michael Clark, who helps pre-seed to serious A founders transform strong ideas into raise ready pitches using disc-based personality coaching to build a story that sounds like them. Michael has positioned clients to secure anywhere from 10K to 20 million in capital investments while doubling the revenue of four major clients within 12 months of engagement. Michael works specifically with founders raising 250K to 5 million in tech-enabled businesses, professional services, and impact-driven startups, particularly those who have been told their deck is confusing or their pitch simply doesn't land. His approach addresses the gap between having a compelling vision and being able to communicate with communicate it with the clarity and confidence that Capital actually responds to. Welcome to the show, Michael.

Michael Clark 2:17

Awesome. Thank you so much. Pleasure to be here.

Pedro Stein 2:21

Great to have you. Okay. And uh, Michael, I'm somewhat of a comic book nerd myself. I love the first editions, you know, back to the origin story. So let's rewind a bit because every coach has that moment where they look at their life and say, Yeah, I guess this is what I'm doing now, right? So when was that for you, Michael?

Michael Clark 2:40

Yeah, well, it well, I always say it's one step before that. I was pitching in film and television, traveling out to um LA, pitching film projects. And at the time, I will tell you, I wasn't very good at it, to say the least. And I was really nervous. I was a traditional what they call introvert. In some ways, I think I'm an ambivert because I kind of am good with you know being in front of people as well as getting that energy when I'm by myself. And at the time I was pitching film and television, flying out to LA. And what I was finding was I was really struggling to connect, build relationship. I I often would start out a meeting and want to go get right down to business, you know, no small talk. But I realized it was because of nerves, essentially. And I would even get to the point where I was physically nauseous. Like literally, I'd be back at the hotel where everybody's on their way already. And I'm like, I just need a few more minutes. Like it literally made me physically sick. And I had to step back to say, wait a minute, if this is something I want to do, I want to pursue, then I need to really make sure that I have either some type of technique or the skills needed to pitch, connect. And what I did was I started to pull back and I started studying pitching. I read books, but it was really the mentors that I found in film, television, and venture capital that started to tell me this and said, you know, beyond the pitch deck, this is what we're really looking for. And I was like, wait a minute, it's actually a lot simpler than I thought it was. And after kind of pulling back the covers and seeing what the studios were looking for, what investors were looking for, I started to build a methodology and I'm like, here's a pattern here. Got better. And then other producers and writers saw me pitch and they were like, hey, can you help me? And then that started to bridge over into building relationships with certain individuals in venture capital. And that's when I got into startups. And again, it was that ability to show someone the framework that I had found, which said, wait a minute, this feels really good. People that I'm working with are having success. This is repeatable, and it's not just some abstract, well, you just either have it or you don't. It's really a framework. So that's when I really locked in and said, okay, this is this is what I was born to do.

Pedro Stein 5:08

Hmm. Okay. I I I have a background in sales, uh, high-ticket closer. So I'm already excited to talk with you. And you brought some things that really hits home for me, right? Uh, I'm not sure if you agree with this, but for me, my journey was something like to an extent, it was like I thought at any given point during pitching, for example, people will realize I don't have all the answers, right? And nobody does, right? And then you mentioned it's simpler than it looks. And for me, it clicked when I realized, okay, I'm not gonna have all the answers, but I'll just work my way around it, right? Like, okay, gotta find out the re the the answers. I gotta, you know, do some research. I can get back to you and follow up with you. Uh, so understanding for myself that I am human in the the pitching process helped me during it, you know, just accepting some flaws. I I'm curious about your take about that. If if you had, like, at least for me, I had this perspective of, oh my god, they eventually will find out that I don't have all the answers. You know what I mean?

Michael Clark 6:18

Yeah.

Pedro Stein 6:19

Almost like imposter syndrome.

Michael Clark 6:21

Yeah. And you, you know, I guess I look at it this way. I love to use food analogies, and there's a thought that you have to have the perfect recipe or be prepared to cook anything, no matter what they ask. But in all actuality, it's more as if you came into a restaurant and the chef said, Well, Pedro, tell me about some of the things that you like to eat. What don't you like to eat? Oh, okay. This is what you're looking for? Okay, let me put that together for you. And again, to your point, can you have every single ingredient in the kitchen? No. So it would be more like, Well, this is what we have. Today we have chicken and fish. And I use it as an example just to say, is like, we we think that you know, you know, when you go into a diner and it seems like there's everything on the menu, and that's how people try to prepare for pitches. Like, I need to be prepared for every single scenario. And it's just not the case. But if you have a stylized menu based on who you are, that's where people make the connection. And and you know, it's also the understanding, too, to that point of saying I have to answer every question. It's the thought that I need to be ready for every investor. And so, very much like a restaurant, there are people that like certain types of food and they're gonna make certain types of connections. And so it's the same thing. Um, again, I always love to use the food analogy of just like, look, you you cannot be prepared for every single appetite, every single taste, every single and every single investor want and need. Sometimes it doesn't click because it's just not meant to be.

Pedro Stein 7:54

Now, let me ask you this you started, you know, noticing people were asking about advice, how can I do that? Right? That's the early days of coaching. Sometimes it's like you're giving advice, helping people, and then you realize, okay, I guess I have something real here. I have a I'm building a real business around this. You know, when that clicked for you, was it like the first paying customer? Was it the first invoice? You know, when you realize, okay, this is actually something, and I'm going to have full gas on it.

Michael Clark 8:26

Yeah, it was, I guess, a combination of the when people would, to your point, because at first, when you kind of do something and you think like, hey, I just I'm gonna do this, and um, you don't think about charging for it, and then people are like, no, no, no, I'll pay you. And I'm like, You'll you'll pay me, you know, because a lot of times if you help people on a project, they're thinking, oh, we'll add you as a producer, or you'll get a percentage. But then there are people that know about the they acknowledge the immediate value in the moment, and they're like, I'll pay you if you show me this, and it shows that value, that transformation that says, Hey, someone will pay for this type of transformation. And and that's another thing, too, is that especially in the day we live now with all the AI and stuff like that, it's like, well, even with the information, people want transformation. And when you can bring that, when you when it's more than just the words, and it's being able to interpolate everything, the body language, bring making you more comfortable, giving you the soundbite, showing you how to face objections. And um, but but to answer your point, yeah, it was when people started to literally say, Hey, I'll pay for this. And then as I started to move through the process and say, Well, what are other people charging? And then realizing like this is a very valuable asset to have.

Pedro Stein 9:50

I love how you have like some some sort of validation through the process, it's just not like something, hey, I'm gonna come up with this. It's not like hey, people want to pay you for it, so you're like immediately, okay, I got something, right? Now, I'm curious about one thing, right? Because in the early days, and you you kind of brought it up the film industry and the television industry were pitching there, and and that was your space. And in the early days for coaching, we were trying to help everyone sometimes, like just trying to make it happen. But eventually we hit uh a point that we attract a certain type of people, or we would like to work with certain type of people, right? Um, niching down or not even, but and we kind of brought it up in the intro, but I would love to understand from you who are the people that kept showing up, you know, the evolution through it that you went through it, like at the start, you were dealing with X, Y, and Z. And the ones you realized, okay, this is my tribe. You know what I mean?

Michael Clark 10:49

Yeah, well, it can't it comes in a couple of different flavors. One, and and I use this to this day, is that people come to me when they know something is broken. Is that self-awareness of, wait a minute, something's not hitting, something's not clicking. The type of people that come to me aren't like, hey, I'm pitching, I'm closing, everything is going great. I just want to get better, right? And I will tell you, I I'm even adverse to working with people like that because I'm like, oh, okay, you're at a nine and a half, let's get you a half, half point up. That's not it. People come to me when they're either one, they're very new to it, and they're like, hey, guide me, educate me, I want to know how this thing works. Or they've had several meetings and things have fallen flat, they're not getting the yeses, they're getting ghosted. And uh another pocket of individuals, and I always say God has like blessed me to be able to work with this group, is I work with a lot of women. Uh, a lot of women have come to me and and and and or or seen the advertising. And, you know, it I will tell you, especially in startups, um, it's very male-dominated space. And uh work with several women that have just been like, oh my gosh, the way you showed me, uh, the compassion you've showed, the clarity, it's just been a really good fit. So like I said, those three groups. One where they just have not really, they're new to pitching. And that's another thing too. I want to make a point of is that you know, there's those that you attract and those that you repel. And on the repel side, I would say people will just say, Well, I already know how to pitch. I could get a pitch from AI, or hey, you know, if I just speak from my gut, that's enough. If I tell the story, if they see it, it's enough. So those people aren't a good fit when they know there's layers to it and there's a process. Um, again, that's where we educate through our webinars and advertising. But again, a lot of people come to me too, and they just are like, hey, I need some help here. Things aren't working out.

Pedro Stein 12:56

Interesting. Some people like they didn't, they didn't even start the process and they're already in denial. So there's that.

Michael Clark 13:03

Oh, please. That that's very true, right? Haven't even had one pitch meeting and they're like, no, I'm good. I'm like, okay, good luck.

Pedro Stein 13:12

Yeah, it's like, oh, I'm not gonna, you know, I need to exercise more in case you haven't realized, Michael, by looking at the camera, right? Um but but um it's like, oh no. Um actually, I don't have the the right shoes, uh I don't have right shorts, you know. It's just like this is not really gonna work out, you know, and I should just barefoot walk outside if that's what it takes. Okay. Now I want to pretend I'm your ideal client profile, and I'd love to pretend uh on this exercise because I'm very curious about the the women that you work with. So let's pretend I have a long-distant cousin. She's called Pedra. Okay. Uh, and your avatar. First of all, how would she be able to find you, right? Uh, marketing-wise.

Michael Clark 14:06

Yeah, well, probably through Facebook ads. Um, I definitely would run ads on Facebook. I have a couple of video sales letters out there and advertisements. Um, I de also Instagram. I have quite a few people that reached out to me and have watched. I put out these little segments and nuggets of tips on pitching. And again, it's not, hey, this is how you went over a person. It's just a lot of its mindset. I do a lot of mindset videos with regards to pitching. The the thought that they have to have the answer to every question, answer to every objection. And people really resonate that with that because they're like, wow, I I thought that too. I thought I needed to be able to answer everything. Or, hey, I'm a first-time uh startup, you know, in in my family. It's like, do I have to come from a pedigree? So again, it's usually one of those two places, the Facebook or on Instagram.

Pedro Stein 15:02

Okay. Now, Pedra was browsing through Facebook or even Instagram, right? She saw what you got out there. She was like, hey, I kind of need this. Michael seems like a cool guy. She went through the sales process, right? Which is kind of meta, to be honest, right? They're like going through it and they're, I bet they're judging at the same time and think, hey, this looks good, this doesn't look good, you know, that type of mentality. Um, and let's say, let's speed up a little bit. If you want, we can talk a little bit about the sales process, your own sales process. But I would love to understand and have a peek behind a curtain uh for Pedra. How does it look like to work with you? You know, potential outcomes she can expect out of it.

Michael Clark 15:46

Sure, sure. Well, I will I pride myself that in a very short amount of time, Pedro will be able to see some instant results of clarity in terms of the true problem her product or service solves. I really cut to the chase on that. Um, whether they're men or men or women, usually these are individuals that are geniuses at what they do, geniuses in their space, but often they're too close to their product or service to see that real value, the big problem that they're solving. And so that would be one of the immediate, immediate wins that happen that, like, oh my goodness, I I'd never looked at it that way. That's what I always hear. I never looked at it that way. And I'm looking at it from that perspective of their potential. I'm looking at it from a couple of different lenses as a potential investor, as a potential partner, and as a potential customer of that product. And then through that process, being also able to craft their own story, their unique story of who they are, what they do, and the transformation that this product will bring. That emphasis on the why and the why now, that's what investors care about. So, really being able to formulate that in a very short amount of time. I always make a point that whether I'm working with someone for 14 days or 90 days, I don't throttle the greatness. I really want people to be able to leave me and pitch with more confidence, have a clear narrative and story in a short amount of time.

Pedro Stein 17:28

Okay. So I'm curious about Pedro specifically women, right? You mentioned you do attract some. Yep. And um sometimes we we I I understand people are unique, right? Um, not every woman is gonna be the same. I get that a hundred percent. But do you feel like there is any reason for you to attract more women? That's one. And second, do you navigate them a little bit different? Um, because I've seen them thriving, like kicking ass in the sales process. And I always see sometimes they're struggling, especially with rejection, you know, feeling like a little bit personal, like when rejection it is just about the offer, not about them. But I'm curious about your take on that.

Michael Clark 18:15

Yeah, no, I I totally agree. And I'm I'm glad you brought it up in that way. In that remember, I we talked about that perfect avatar of individuals that kind of, you know, there's those that say, Oh, I'm good, and then those that know that there's an issue. The women that I work with are often dealing with a little bit either of imposter syndrome or they're in spaces and places where they they almost feel like a not a why me, but not really fully understanding that they're there because they're geniuses at what they do, they have a great product, and really understanding that their seat at a table with an investor is deserved, right? Even before they open their mouth. Not that they have to prove something or that, you know, it and I've also had to deal with people that just felt like, well, as a woman, and I'm like, oh no, no, no, no, no, that's that's that's not how this works here. We have to look at this as you are a founder, executive, CEO with an amazing product or service, with a great team, with great financials. And let's not lead with because I'm a woman. And I also I will tell you, I deal with that the same thing with race. I have people say, Well, as a black, I'm wait, wait, wait, wait. Like, are you great at what you do? Do you have a great product or service? Is it valuable? Let's lead with that. Let's not go in there with the thing that we're, you know, we're already two strikes down when we get up to the plate. And I know that's can be a touchy subject for some because people say, well, there's there's uh, you know, sexism and there's racism. And I'm not saying that that doesn't exist, but you do have to really ask that to wait out in the lobby to be your best in the pitch. Because if you're in that room and you're already thinking I'm less than or I've got this against me, it shows up in the pitch and it shows up in with this like lack of confidence. And investors especially can feel it because they say to themselves, Am I looking at another executive CEO leader? Or am I looking at someone with just a good idea? And that's one of the things from a standpoint of mindset I deal with right away. Like all of the negative stuff, all the past. Now, the great thing about it is I do use your past to build an amazing narrative about what's what has brought you here, but we have to be very forward-looking. And that's one of the things about being a coach. I'm not a therapist or a counselor, I'm not dealing with what happened when you were nine or dealing with some deep emotional pain. But I do deal with mindset from a standpoint of really repositioning them, changing their thinking, changing their view to say, look, when you take that stage, whether it be a physical stage or a zoom window, you are there. Be your best. You deserve to be there. And and that's something with with Pedra, you know, the prejudice of the world that I really push meeting one. I know I said a lot in there, but yeah, I love it, man.

Pedro Stein 21:22

I really like it. And I'm curious about another topic uh to ask you, which is, you know, um social media. We have a lot of influencers out there, uh, especially in sales, right? And I see those shorts, those videos, those clips, and I want your opinion. Like, I've seen a lot of people like getting this back and forth about objections, right? And I say this, and then and then I'm gonna say this, and then I I you know I counter the objection and then I close them. And it sounds so tactical, it's almost like in a magical sense of things, right? They are like, I was not gonna have the sale, I said. Those three magic words and something clicked, and then I closed it. What's your take on it? Because I do have my opinion, but I'm gonna save it for your yours first. I I would love to hear your uh ideas and how does that look like for you?

Michael Clark 22:14

Well, you know, as we know, objections come in different flavors, right? The financial, you know, emotional. I'm a big proponent of preparing, and I have all my clients prepare anywhere from 30 to 50 objections and the answers beforehand. So they come across natural, they're embedded in their presentation of who they are, what they do, and it almost sounds like a sound bite. I always use the example of when a star goes on a press tour for a particular movie, they say the same thing every single time. And so, in the same way, I think it's important with objections that you have a very clear, confident approach and answer beforehand. Now, there are always going to be those objections that you just didn't plan for. And for those, I I make a big point, especially in the startup space, is one, don't lie. Okay, because that whole fake it till you make it does not work in startups, film, anything. And then two, sometimes using the objections almost to your advantage. Meaning, Pedro, if you say something and I'm just floored, I have no answer for it whatsoever. My ability to then go back, prepare, get the answer for you can sometimes prove better in your eyes than if I had some magical answer. Um, but getting back to the original question, I I think there are some times where there is that magic that happens, but it's out of preparation. It's really out of preparation of anticipating the potential objections. But but the gap between, and but this is where I want to be very careful, and for anyone listening, and even with my clients, is that you're not gonna be able to be prepared for every objection, right? But how you respond, even the fact of saying, Well, Pedro, in all of my meetings with investors, you are the first person to ask that question. We don't have the data, but I can definitely get it to you by Friday. Like being able to just come back. Or if someone, and this is the other thing too, some objections are truly a sign that it's not a good fit, too. Because the other and I think this is where it sales and and pitching uh kind of divide a little bit. Like sometimes, depending on the sale, we're driving towards like, hey, we have to score this touchdown, right? We have to have to. And uh with pitching, if at some point I get to we may hit a wall that says, wait a minute, Pedro, you're not the right investor for this. And then you also have to be okay with that. So I hope hopefully that answered the question. But in terms of, like I said, the the the magic, like you can say something magical to close it. I think in sales, you know, if we've already checked all of the boxes, right? The nine boxes, right product, right timing, everything. And then there's this objection that's tied to some emotion, fear, or value, and you say it to turn the corner, good. But what happens, I find more so in pitching is there's only maybe six boxes checked, and we're beating ourselves up about the other objections. If it's not a good fit, it's not a good fit. I even make my have my clients create this um investor avatar that says, who are we looking for? If we're doing med tech, we're looking for an angel investor that has at least several exits to med tech that has connections, that's in the northeast. Like we're going down this list. And so when we do meet with someone, it's not a fishing expedition. It is simply let's qualify what we already know to see if this is a good fit today.

Pedro Stein 26:11

Okay. Interesting take. Now, I'm curious about another thing with AI, and you kind of mentioned it already about the topic, right? So, what are your thoughts and opinions uh about AI reviewing sales calls? You know, that's a thing right now. Uh, I know it doesn't usually pick up on soft skills, you know, uh facial expressions and all that. Um, but I'd love to hear your opinion on it.

Michael Clark 26:37

Absolutely love it. I think it's uh uh as a barometer to kind of check where, because different tools, as we knew, do different things Fathom, Otter, and and getting that sentiment that where we could have maybe, you know, faced an objection a little bit better. I think the analysis of it is great. You know, I and you know, shameless plug, it's also good to review that with someone to say, okay, here's what AI is recommending. How do we really implement that? Or sometimes I find sometimes there's this gap between what AI is recommending and how it kind of plays out in the real world and what the possibilities are. Because again, uh the analysis, I think, and and I'm a big proponent, really quick though, I'm a big proponent of recording every single sales call or pitch recorded. Um, the analysis, the information, and also too, I've been around long enough to see times where there's meetings and it's like, hey, you said no, you didn't. I didn't promise that. So there's nothing like the recording, too. So right.

Pedro Stein 27:50

Okay. Now let's shift gears for a second, Michael, really quick. I want to understand what the future looks like for personality pitching, right? So where are you taking all this, man? Looking ahead. Where do you see the business going? Are you thinking about hiring, scaling, or is there a next step you're excited about?

Michael Clark 28:06

Yeah. Well, a couple of things. I also, over the last, I want to say two years, have been working with nonprofits also, um, executive directors and nonprofits and pitching donors. And there is such a similarity in the two spaces. So the growth in that part of my business has been uh absolutely amazing. Um, because essentially, and I bring the startup mindset over to nonprofits because nonprofits kind of run like, hey, we're we're operating on love today. And I'm like, no, you need funding today. And so, in the same way, startups come to me and they're like, hey, we need some help. Nonprofits come to me in the same way. And I work with them on their mission, vision, narrative, um, identifying donors, how to pitch them, pitch decks. So there's a lot of similar elements. And so, with that, I'll definitely be adding at least two more coaches between now and next spring. Um, definitely been fortifying my marketing infrastructure and bumping that up. Um, but yeah, there's definitely the growth there. Um, even within the last month, like four or five new clients coming on, and I'm like, wow, sooner than later, I need to get some help. And it's great. It's great. And again, the the essence of what I do is I help shy, introverted individuals that are experts at what they do communicate and connect at a higher level. And when they when they can kind of come out of that shell and and and articulate that message, when you see that light bulb go off, it's just amazing. And I get a really good feeling from it.

Pedro Stein 29:45

Okay. Now, whenever we're aiming towards the next step, the next thing, there's always something we're improving, right? So, what are you actually trying to, you know, refine in the business right now?

Michael Clark 29:58

Yeah, I would say systems and internal delegation, just that ability to go from, you know, spinning all the plates and handle it myself to where I'll simply say, and it's great because I have a a VA who specializes in like goal setting, also. So not only will she take a task, but she also holds me accountable, which is amazing. And then she also body doubles with me a little bit. And I didn't even know what body doubling was. I was like, this is so cool. I was like, wait, you're gonna stay on the line with me? And uh, so that that's helpful because I can you can get distracted when you're not in an office with uh, you know, offices and meeting rooms, and you're running your own organization. Sometimes that accountability helps. But yeah, so those are the things I'm working on. It's just that that infrastructure uh and and systems and really delegating.

Pedro Stein 30:53

Classic in the coaching space, right now. I want to step in into a little bit of a sci-fi moment here, okay? Uh let's pretend we do have a time machine in front of us, right? And you go you can go back in time. I mean, you've been what 10 years in the game. Uh we were talking about pre-podcast and all that. Um, and you do have the opportunity to go back in time and give Michael, past Michael, when he started a coaching business, one piece of business advice that you wish you knew back then. What would that look like?

Michael Clark 31:29

Well, immediately I thought of two. Um charge charge more earlier, right? And then two, stop doing everything yourself. The earlier you delegate, the better. Um, so it doesn't have to become a thing. I think that had I gotten, you know, more help earlier on, especially during the pandemic, because things really just exploded during the pandemic. Um, and I I have heard of people running like a million dollar, two million dollar, three million dollar business solo, and I'm like, whoa. But I said to myself, I would delegate more in a lot earlier. So yeah.

Pedro Stein 32:12

Okay. Now, same time machine. Okay. And uh you can go back to one point in time that you feel like it was the the most happy or most fulfilled moment you had during the entire journey. Okay. What would that be?

Michael Clark 32:30

Um, I have to think back to a time where I had a startup client that was zero and eleven in pitch meetings. She was zero for eleven, and she said that when I pitch investors, it feels like an interrogation. And she actually came from a webinar where I only had two people show up on it, and the other person dropped off, and she stayed during the whole time. And afterwards, we started talking, and we ended up she ended up becoming a client, and within two weeks, she raised $250,000. And that I think that was just such and she ended up raising much more, but that point, that click, that turning point, was just such a good feeling because she had been in tears 14 days earlier, you know, on a webinar. And so knowing that I could bring that type of transformation in such a short amount of time, just really good feeling.

Pedro Stein 33:30

I love that. Okay. Now, if someone listening wants to connect with your follow your work, Michael, and we're gonna have all the links in the description, right? But where can people find you best and connect with you?

Michael Clark 33:43

Sure, sure. A lot of people, um, Instagram is a great place, um, just at personality pitching. And I love connecting there because one, you can book a discovery call as well as see like kind of what it like kind of get into the mind. I think it's really important to watch videos on a coach too before you meet. Um, so you can just kind of hear some of you know the um coaching and consulting that I give. Um, of course, you can go to personalitypitching.com and also book book a discovery call. And again, even even listening to this today, the the person that should click is that you say, wait a minute, I'm either just getting into this or I'm in it and not seeing a level of success. I spot the gaps. We work together to fill those gaps. Um, if you and I will tell you, don't if you're just thinking and just have an idea, I am not the person for you. Like really flesh out the idea. Um, I don't do the brainstorming. Hey, I have three ideas for a startup. You know, which one do you think will pop? That's not what I'm in the business of. Um, so but I do recommend is that if you are at that point, I want you to test, I want you to talk to people, maybe even do like a little focus group and get to a point where you feel like there's an appetite for that thing, just don't go to AI because AI can sometimes stroke your ego. Yeah, it's a good idea, Pedro, go for it, you know. Um, so um, yeah, so that's how you find me.

Pedro Stein 35:20

Okay. You know, uh, allow me to highlight a few moments from this chat today. Okay. Um, let's start with the origin story. When you told me you were not doing any small talk, it was you uh you were literally getting physically ill, physically sick, uh, just by pitching, nerve-wracking uh situation, right? And um then we move forward a little bit, and it looks like to me so clear in a way that you're serving past Michael, right? That you've been there, you've done that, and now you help people to avoid those pitfalls because you created a framework so people can overcome what you've been through a lot, right? So skin in the game, Michael, skin in the game. There's that. Um, I love the analogy that you cannot be prepared for every meal, right, in a restaurant. Doesn't mean it's not a three-star Michelin um restaurant or whatever. It's just that it's not human to be always 100% prepared for every answer, but it's the ability to navigate those with confidence, with owning your spot, saying, Hey, maybe I don't have that right now, top of my head, but give me a few days, we can work something out. And actually, a great reminder of like that is not just about the pitching itself and overcoming the objections, but they are also in the spot, the people you're pitching to. So if they give you an objection, like an absurd objection, like, hey, can you guarantee my ROI in one week? You know, those types of mentalities to put you in the spot and uh and zero risk, you know that person is not the ideal candidate to be, you know, investing in your own business because at the end of the day, it's it is a partnership, too. Um, so there's that. Very interesting. Um, last but not least, I would say is when we're talking about women, right? And not just about women, you brought up race. And I love the fact that you're not allowing people to label themselves. It's not about them, it's about the pitch, it's about the offer. And if you if you you take that out of their own way, they will be able to be more confident, they will be able to understand it's not about them, and they can laser focus on what exactly they have to do and overcome. Now, this is just my long that long-winded way of saying that I appreciate what you do, and I appreciate you being here and sharing so openly today, Michael. Great having you on.

Michael Clark 37:53

Yes, thank you so much. I love what you do in the space. And if you're listening, make sure you subscribe to Pedro and uh just appreciate what you do.

Davis Nguyen 38:04

Appreciate you, man. That's it for this episode. This episode, as well as this podcast, was brought to you by Purple Circle, where we help business owners elevate their business to six, seven, and eight figured years all without burning out. If you're looking to grow your business as well as get the time freedom that you are looking for, visit us at join purplecircle.com and see what we can do to help you and your business.