Episode 040
Pivot Fast, Fail Loud, and Reinvent Anyway with Robbie Samuels
What do you do when your TEDx is about to blow up… and a pandemic blows everything up instead?
Robbie Samuels had it all lined up. TEDx talk? Check. Big breakout moment? Imminent. Ten years of reputation-building as the go-to networking expert? Locked.
And then March 2020 hit.
In a matter of days, the world shut down–and Robbie’s in-person speaking career went poof. Most people would’ve panicked. Robbie pivoted. He threw a virtual happy hour on Zoom, invented a whole new offer in real time, and rebuilt his business in a way that doubled his income in a year.
Now? He’s a book launch strategist helping authors with tiny lists get big results. And in this episode, he spills all the good stuff:
– How he goes from idea to pilot program in under 12 weeks
– Why networking is still your #1 marketing superpower
– And how to show up with value before you’re ready
Also: croissants, not bagels. (You’ll see.)
“You don’t need to have it all figured out. You just need to be one step ahead of what you promised.”
Connect witH ROBBIE:
- LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/robbiesamuels
- Facebook: facebook.com/robbiesamuels
- Instagram: instagram.com/robbiesamuels
- Website: robbiesamuels.com
Timestamps:
00:00 – Meet Robbie: TEDx Talk, Pandemic Panic, and the Pivot
04:54 – Why Hosting a Zoom Happy Hour Changed Everything
12:28 – On Reinvention, Resistance, and Getting Paid Anyway
17:59 – How to Pilot a New Offer Fast (Hint: Start with 8 People)
22:12 – Wake Up Your Network: Small List, Big Results
28:25 – 5 Types of People You Need for a Successful Launch
34:36 – Why “The Power of Now” Might Just Leap Into Your Hands
37:09 – Forget Yearly Goals – Try a 12-Week Sprint
45:04 – What Your Business Cards Really Say About You
50:12 – “Just In Time” Learning and Starting a Podcast
52:29 – Soccer vs. Hockey: Why Virtual Events Need New Rules