Latest / The Expert's Journey: Helping Speakers & Authors Succeed! / A Conversation with Brad Hauck, AI Entrepreneur & Firefighter

Transcript

A Conversation with Brad Hauck, AI Entrepreneur & Firefighter · The Expert's Journey: Helping Speakers & Authors Succeed!

• 0:14
  SPEAKER_00: Good morning.
• 0:14
  SPEAKER_00: Welcome back to the Experts Journey podcast.
• 0:17
  SPEAKER_00: Today, Dixie's going to be interviewing me.
• 0:20
  SPEAKER_00: So this indifferent.
• 0:22
  SPEAKER_00: Good morning, Dixie.
• 0:24
  SPEAKER_01: Good morning, Brad.
• 0:25
  SPEAKER_01: Yes, we decided that instead of getting into structural things and speaking things, why not let our viewers and our and listeners actually get to know us a little better?
• 0:35
  SPEAKER_01: So we're going to start with you.
• 0:36
  SPEAKER_01: And this is also going to open us up to the idea of we would like to explore having guests on our show occasionally.
• 0:44
  SPEAKER_01: Or if you are interested in being interviewed or you think you'd be a great fit for this podcast, please drop us a line and let us know.
• 0:51
  SPEAKER_01: But to start with, let's get to know Brad Houck a little better.
• 0:55
  SPEAKER_01: And I've had the pleasure of working with Brad, who's become a good friend over the years, for about 12 years now, I think, when we first met.
• 1:04
  SPEAKER_01: And I know him to be a fantastic SEO, technical specialist, AI specialist.
• 1:09
  SPEAKER_01: He's my go-to for anything in that specific space.
• 1:13
  SPEAKER_01: But I've never actually stopped and thought about so, Brad, I understand that you started out once upon a time as a teacher.
• 1:20
  SPEAKER_01: And I've learned some interesting things about some of the extra work that you've done over the years.
• 1:24
  SPEAKER_01: But tell me, how did you get into going from being a speaker, sorry, a teacher, to becoming a professional speaker and author?
• 1:31
  SPEAKER_01: What was the catalyst moment that made you decide to leave teaching?
• 1:35
  SPEAKER_00: For me, I had been teaching for a few years and I've been working with teachers to actually use computers in their classrooms.
• 1:42
  SPEAKER_00: So I had written some books that I was selling online, and they were helping teachers use computers in their classrooms.
• 1:51
  SPEAKER_00: And from that, I actually learned how to build websites, do SEO, promote yourself online, all those sorts of things.
• 1:58
  SPEAKER_00: And friends of mine came to me and actually said, Could you help me with my business that's online now?
• 2:04
  SPEAKER_00: And we're talking around 2009.
• 2:07
  SPEAKER_00: So I started a business and I was out networking like everybody does.
• 2:12
  SPEAKER_00: And one day at the network, we had a lunch once a month.
• 2:15
  SPEAKER_00: They would have a speaker come in and they asked me they were going to have a special day.
• 2:20
  SPEAKER_00: And they asked me, Oh, would you like to speak?
• 2:24
  SPEAKER_00: And I said, Oh, okay, I can answer some questions.
• 2:27
  SPEAKER_00: So I got up on stage and it was basically the two chairs, and someone interviews you.
• 2:32
  SPEAKER_00: And I thought, oh, this is fun.
• 2:34
  SPEAKER_00: Then they decided to hold a one-day event, and they said, Would you like to actually get on stage and speak properly for 45 minutes?
• 2:41
  SPEAKER_01: 45 minutes was a long time if you were not used to doing this and having to then contemplate standing in front of people for 45 minutes must have been quite daunting at the time.
• 2:52
  SPEAKER_01: But was it something that you thought I can teach classrooms for 45 minutes?
• 2:57
  SPEAKER_01: So that's not a big long time, or was it more a matter of, yeah, bring it on because I'm ready for this?
• 3:03
  SPEAKER_00: I think it was a great opportunity.
• 3:05
  SPEAKER_00: And yes, I had been teaching, so I was used to standing in front of people.
• 3:09
  SPEAKER_00: That didn't worry me too much.
• 3:10
  SPEAKER_00: What was daunting was the fact that some of the other speakers were Olympians and famous speakers, like people I knew the names of.
• 3:18
  SPEAKER_00: But look, it went well and I really enjoyed it.
• 3:22
  SPEAKER_00: And that's when I realized also that speaking was a very good conduit from the perspective of advertising.
• 3:30
  SPEAKER_00: It showed you as an expert and then allowed you to kind of stand there and everybody saw you as an expert.
• 3:36
  SPEAKER_00: So if they had a problem with what it was you were doing, they would come up afterwards and say, Oh, do you think you could help us?
• 3:42
  SPEAKER_00: So I realized that I could actually grow my business through speaking.
• 3:46
  SPEAKER_01: Yes.
• 3:47
  SPEAKER_01: And so the business at that stage, you were still teaching, but you were also doing some SEO and some work part-time, or you'd already transitioned out of the teaching industry?
• 3:57
  SPEAKER_00: I was still teaching at that time.
• 4:00
  SPEAKER_00: Within about six months, I actually quit my job as a teacher and moved into business full-time.
• 4:07
  SPEAKER_01: Okay.
• 4:07
  SPEAKER_01: And was that a big adjustment in terms of going from earning a regular salary to then becoming an entrepreneur who was responsible for your own income?
• 4:17
  SPEAKER_00: So I think I didn't know any better.
• 4:19
  SPEAKER_00: I'd never had anyone in my family who was in business.
• 4:22
  SPEAKER_00: My family had always been employees.
• 4:24
  SPEAKER_00: And so I'd had no role models in that area.
• 4:27
  SPEAKER_00: I suspect it just was a shiny object.
• 4:33
  SPEAKER_00: But I felt that I could do it.
• 4:34
  SPEAKER_00: I didn't jump straight into it.
• 4:35
  SPEAKER_00: As you said, I was teaching and doing it on the side.
• 4:38
  SPEAKER_00: So I knew, and probably for 10 years I'd been selling online.
• 4:42
  SPEAKER_00: So I knew that I could build an income up.
• 4:45
  SPEAKER_00: And it was just a case of building on that and being free to actually go out and do meetings would allow me to do that.
• 4:53
  SPEAKER_01: Now, there's a couple of things that I know about you.
• 4:56
  SPEAKER_01: One is that you are one of the few people I know who has actually traversed the entire internet in a day, which obviously gives away how long you've been doing internet work, but also you have sold a billion dollars worth of SEO marketing success.
• 5:13
  SPEAKER_01: Can you talk me through that?
• 5:15
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 5:15
  SPEAKER_00: So one of the things I have in my bio is that I've helped my clients achieve over a billion dollars in sales online.
• 5:21
  SPEAKER_00: And that's true.
• 5:22
  SPEAKER_00: I've worked with many clients, and some of them are some of the world's biggest companies.
• 5:27
  SPEAKER_00: So they build high-rises, for example, things like that, right down to local mechanics.
• 5:33
  SPEAKER_00: But certainly many of the projects that I've done the SEO on, and that was the only form of online marketing that was done, was things like unit the blocks and things like that.
• 5:43
  SPEAKER_00: So millions and millions of dollars, not to mention just the lots and lots of other clients that I've had along the way that I've done work on their sites and I've trained them and I've helped them to apply those skills to bring in those sales.
• 5:56
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 5:57
  SPEAKER_01: And what was the favorite part of all of that in the early days?
• 6:01
  SPEAKER_01: Was it the getting on and doing the work or networking or learning about being an entrepreneur?
• 6:07
  SPEAKER_00: I always liked learning about other people's businesses, to be honest.
• 6:10
  SPEAKER_00: It was the most fun part for me.
• 6:12
  SPEAKER_00: So I loved to succeed, obviously.
• 6:14
  SPEAKER_00: And in the early days, SEO, you could really make a massive change to people's businesses.
• 6:19
  SPEAKER_00: Still can now, but back then it was the only option.
• 6:23
  SPEAKER_00: But I like going out and seeing people's businesses and seeing what they did.
• 6:27
  SPEAKER_00: And it just blew me away what some people did behind closed doors, a little shop, and you open it up and you find out, oh, we print all of the screens for Australia from this one little building.
• 6:38
  SPEAKER_00: And you're like, oh, okay, you're the only people that do it.
• 6:41
  SPEAKER_01: Wow.
• 6:42
  SPEAKER_01: It's like entering the TARDIS, isn't it?
• 6:44
  SPEAKER_01: Suddenly, like this little tiny doorway leads into this massive, big organization that no one knows exists.
• 6:50
  SPEAKER_01: One of the things that I know you are passionate about outside of speaking is being a firefighter.
• 6:56
  SPEAKER_01: How and when did you get into that?
• 6:57
  SPEAKER_01: And at what point did that run parallel to the teaching andor the speaking and entrepreneurialism?
• 7:04
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, so I've been a volunteer firefighter here in Australia for 20 years now.
• 7:08
  SPEAKER_00: So I started in 2005.
• 7:10
  SPEAKER_00: And being a volunteer, it's the sort of thing that you do on the side.
• 7:14
  SPEAKER_00: We're on call 24-7, and we deal specifically in Queensland where I am with bushfires.
• 7:19
  SPEAKER_00: So we don't do house fires and things like that.
• 7:22
  SPEAKER_00: Which means that we have a bushfire season, which is right now, August through till end of November, roughly.
• 7:28
  SPEAKER_00: And that's when we tend to get most of our bushfires.
• 7:30
  SPEAKER_00: As a volunteer, I train every Tuesday night.
• 7:32
  SPEAKER_00: And now I'm actually the officer in charge of the station, which I really do enjoy.
• 7:37
  SPEAKER_00: And then when we get a fire call, we go out and jump in the fire truck and go out and hopefully get the fire under control.
• 7:42
  SPEAKER_01: Obviously, that's now playing a large part in the work that you do as a speaker on leadership and your book, Run Towards the Flames, has been pivotal in that uh transition of combining it all into your leadership speaking.
• 7:55
  SPEAKER_01: Uh how much do you think the being a firefighter has played into your whole business strategy in the last few years?
• 8:06
  SPEAKER_00: I think it's played a big lot from a leadership's perspective, anyway.
• 8:09
  SPEAKER_00: I learned a lot through the fire service.
• 8:11
  SPEAKER_00: We have things like span of control and all these terms that we use, but they made me think about business in a different way.
• 8:18
  SPEAKER_00: Because obviously, when you're dealing with multiple fire trucks and hundreds of firefighters over fires that are 10 kilometers long, you need really strong structures in place.
• 8:28
  SPEAKER_00: And what I discovered working with people is a lot of those structures and how we work with people being volunteers, you don't just order them around, was really powerful and really useful to me in business.
• 8:38
  SPEAKER_00: So that's one of the reasons why I do the Leadership in the Line of Fire podcast, is to share that information.
• 8:43
  SPEAKER_00: Obviously, the book Run Towards the Flames as well.
• 8:46
  SPEAKER_00: But I think there's so much to be learned from firefighting and how that's done, but also the leadership style of working with volunteers because so many organizations don't realise that most of their staff that they pay these days are actually volunteers, meaning that they'll just get up and leave if they're not happy.
• 9:04
  SPEAKER_00: So I think there's something to give back there from what I've learned.
• 9:08
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 9:09
  SPEAKER_01: And you've also served time, I know you were president of the Queensland Chapter for the Professional Speakers Association for a while there.
• 9:16
  SPEAKER_01: So you spent quite a lot of time on other organizations or boards and committees.
• 9:21
  SPEAKER_01: If you were going to give someone a great piece of advice about those opportunities to serve your communities, what would it be?
• 9:32
  SPEAKER_00: I think it's a great opportunity because it gives you a chance to meet with people that you normally wouldn't meet with, I suppose is the best way to put it.
• 9:40
  SPEAKER_00: I've been a member of Professional Speakers Australia since 2009, and I really enjoy it.
• 9:45
  SPEAKER_00: We have a monthly meeting here, and we have a chance to get together and you hang out with other speakers.
• 9:51
  SPEAKER_00: Now, there's not many places in the world where you can hang out with other people that do what you do as a speaker.
• 9:56
  SPEAKER_00: Swap stories, ask questions, get advice.
• 10:00
  SPEAKER_00: Advice is freely given, and you can get advice from some of the most expensive, famous speakers in the world for absolutely free because you're friends with them and you give some to them.
• 10:12
  SPEAKER_00: For example, if they've got marketing questions, I help out with their web stuff, and they might give me advice about how to get in contact with someone or something like that.
• 10:21
  SPEAKER_00: But from the other side, I just like being with other speakers.
• 10:25
  SPEAKER_01: Which is fantastic.
• 10:26
  SPEAKER_01: And you've managed to blend such brilliant parts of your interests and your passions and your career paths into being who you are now.
• 10:34
  SPEAKER_01: Where do you see Brad Houck being in the next three to four years as a speaker and as a leadership specialist?
• 10:43
  SPEAKER_00: I think I'm pointing myself more towards online speaking these days.
• 10:48
  SPEAKER_00: I'm really pushing that.
• 10:49
  SPEAKER_00: I like getting in front of big crowds, but the crowds aren't as big as they used to be.
• 10:53
  SPEAKER_00: And the travels become a little bit more difficult with everything going on.
• 10:58
  SPEAKER_00: I'm really starting to focus in on YouTube.
• 11:00
  SPEAKER_00: So as I've spoken under the brand kind of Mr.
• 11:03
  SPEAKER_00: Web Marketing for a long time.
• 11:05
  SPEAKER_00: And that was something that I was crowned by someone else.
• 11:07
  SPEAKER_00: I didn't just make it up and bestow it upon myself.
• 11:11
  SPEAKER_00: And my YouTube channel, Mr.
• 11:13
  SPEAKER_00: Web Marketing, is where I've started to focus.
• 11:15
  SPEAKER_00: And I also have another one, Firefighter Brad, for leadership stuff.
• 11:19
  SPEAKER_00: And I've just I'm finding that's where the audiences are these days.
• 11:23
  SPEAKER_00: So I'm starting to double down in that area with I've obviously got podcasts that I do, but also the YouTube stuff because I can reach so many people all around the world.
• 11:33
  SPEAKER_00: And I'm just starting to define my strategy in that area and starting to narrow it down and make it work for me.
• 11:41
  SPEAKER_01: And you're obviously an AI specialist, and I know we all love to get great tips from you about AI, but you've also started a Facebook group called Marketing AI Specialists, is that right?
• 11:53
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, marketing with AI and ChatGPT is the name of the group, if I remember correctly.
• 11:58
  SPEAKER_00: Hang on, sorry, marketing with AI and ChatGPT.
• 12:00
  SPEAKER_00: Yes, absolutely.
• 12:01
  SPEAKER_00: I just looked it up.
• 12:02
  SPEAKER_00: Sometimes I forget the order I have it written in.
• 12:05
  SPEAKER_00: In on that group, I just put tips and sites and different tools.
• 12:09
  SPEAKER_00: It's just a random collection of stuff, but it's a good place if you want to go and find some stuff about AI.
• 12:14
  SPEAKER_00: But certainly if you want to learn more about how to use it, the YouTube channel is definitely the place to go.
• 12:19
  SPEAKER_01: So what is that YouTube channel and that Facebook group again?
• 12:23
  SPEAKER_00: So the Facebook group is Marketing with AI and ChatGPT, and my YouTube channel is actually under Mr.
• 12:28
  SPEAKER_00: Web Marketing.
• 12:29
  SPEAKER_01: Fantastic.
• 12:30
  SPEAKER_01: And I've seen what you've done there.
• 12:31
  SPEAKER_01: It's absolutely brilliant.
• 12:33
  SPEAKER_01: So I've got two final questions for you.
• 12:36
  SPEAKER_01: What are your three favorite things to do when you have time out from your busy schedule?
• 12:41
  SPEAKER_00: Let's see.
• 12:42
  SPEAKER_00: I like to game.
• 12:44
  SPEAKER_00: So I'm a gamer, battlefield, call of duty.
• 12:47
  SPEAKER_00: I find that's quite relaxing for my brain.
• 12:49
  SPEAKER_00: I like to exercise.
• 12:50
  SPEAKER_00: I really enjoy going to the gym, going for a walk, whether it's with friends or just by myself, that's fine.
• 12:56
  SPEAKER_00: And probably lastly, I enjoy podcasts and music.
• 13:01
  SPEAKER_00: I like listening to things.
• 13:03
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 13:03
  SPEAKER_01: Fantastic.
• 13:04
  SPEAKER_01: And my final question is who are your favorite authors or books to recommend to people?
• 13:11
  SPEAKER_00: Authors.
• 13:12
  SPEAKER_00: I absolutely adore Donald Miller's stuff, building a story brand.
• 13:16
  SPEAKER_00: I really what he's done with that.
• 13:18
  SPEAKER_00: It's very powerful stuff.
• 13:20
  SPEAKER_00: I like Dan Kennedy's stuff on marketing because all his stuff is great.
• 13:25
  SPEAKER_00: And I know that Russell Brunson's now bought all the rights to those.
• 13:28
  SPEAKER_01: Oh, wow.
• 13:29
  SPEAKER_00: So they're being re-released in many ways.
• 13:32
  SPEAKER_00: And I know Stennedy's back out speaking again, which is awesome.
• 13:35
  SPEAKER_00: There's probably my two favourite, certainly in the business area.
• 13:40
  SPEAKER_00: And then I do like to read novels as well.
• 13:42
  SPEAKER_00: So I'm a huge Clive Cussler fan.
• 13:45
  SPEAKER_01: Okay.
• 13:46
  SPEAKER_01: Fantastic.
• 13:47
  SPEAKER_01: What does he write about?
• 13:48
  SPEAKER_00: His are mainly action adventure type things, yeah.
• 13:51
  SPEAKER_00: So brilliant.
• 13:52
  SPEAKER_00: Very much boys' own stuff, of course.
• 13:54
  SPEAKER_01: It sounds like you have such an interesting life, and you've obviously had a fabulous career path so far.
• 13:59
  SPEAKER_01: And I can't wait to see where things end up for you over the next few years as well, as things continue to evolve so quickly in the areas that you work in, especially AI and especially leadership.
• 14:10
  SPEAKER_01: Thank you so much for answering all my questions today.
• 14:13
  SPEAKER_01: And I hope everyone has had a chance to get to know you a little bit better through what we've just had a conversation about.
• 14:18
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, exactly.
• 14:19
  SPEAKER_00: The key thing, remember, is that I'm always here to help businesses optimize and accelerate their marketing.
• 14:24
  SPEAKER_00: That's what I do, and that's what I love to do.
• 14:26
  SPEAKER_00: And I don't think I'll ever go away from that.
• 14:28
  SPEAKER_00: I think it's what to make my brain ticks.
• 14:31
  SPEAKER_01: Okay.
• 14:32
  SPEAKER_01: I have loved working with you these last few years and looking forward to more of the same.
• 14:36
  SPEAKER_01: So thank you so much.
• 14:38
  SPEAKER_01: And if you, the listeners, have enjoyed our conversation today, getting to know Brad a little better, please don't forget to log on to mrweedmarketing.com for any information about Brad's books and his podcasts and other tools and resources that he has, and of course the access to the YouTube and the Facebook groups.
• 14:57
  SPEAKER_01: And if you'd like to hear more about what I have to talk about, please go on to indiexpertspublishing.com and check out some of my books and the people that I work with there as well, and some free resources and links.
• 15:09
  SPEAKER_01: So thank you so much, Brad.
• 15:11
  SPEAKER_01: It's been a pleasure, as always.
• 15:13
  SPEAKER_00: No worries, it's been good to talk to you too.
• 15:16
  SPEAKER_01: Thank you, Brent.