The Accidental Entrepreneur

Keywords: entrepreneurship, marketing, sales strategies, digital marketing, business growth, founder-led sales, specialization, consulting, agency success, streaming media

Summary: In this episode, Mitch Beinhacker interviews Corey Quinn, a seasoned entrepreneur and consultant, who shares his journey from a child actor in commercials to a successful career in advertising, marketing, and digital consulting. Corey discusses his experiences during the dot-com boom, his transition into financial services, and his eventual success in sales and marketing. He emphasizes the importance of specialization in business, innovative sales strategies like gift-based marketing, and the challenges of founder-led sales. Corey also introduces his book and consulting focus, aimed at helping entrepreneurs escape dependency on their own involvement in sales and build sustainable businesses.

Takeaways

• Corey's journey began in advertising and marketing.


• He experienced the dot-com boom and the challenges of early streaming media.


• Transitioning to financial services provided valuable insights into sales.


• Specialization in a niche market can lead to greater success.


• Innovative sales strategies, like gift-based marketing, can break through barriers.


• Building relationships is crucial for business growth.


• Founder-led sales can limit scalability and growth potential.


• Corey's book focuses on escaping founder dependency.


• A successful business should be able to operate without the founder's constant involvement.


• Understanding your target audience is key to effective marketing.

Titles

• Building a Sustainable Business Model


• The Power of Relationships in Business

Sound Bites

• "I was the California kid."


• "We were early in the streaming media space."


• "I was a CEO of a publicly traded company."

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Background

04:35 Corey's Early Career in Advertising and Marketing

07:53 The Dot-Com Era and Streaming Media Ventures

10:49 Transitioning to Financial Services

12:50 Sales Training and Early Success

14:54 The Shift to Digital Marketing and Agency Work

19:11 Building Relationships and Specialization in Sales

24:14 Innovative Sales Strategies and Gift-Based Marketing

30:13 Expanding into New Markets and Specialization

35:11 The Importance of Founder-Led Sales

43:34 Corey's Book and Consulting Focus

50:15 Escaping Founder Dependency and Building a Sustainable Business