Latest / Share Your Fire / Share Your Fire, Ep. 10 - Creating Go-To Authority (Robert W. Jones)
Transcript
- John Verrico: Welcome to another episode of Share Your Fire. And I will tell you, today's guest is on fire. I met this guy a couple of years ago, actually, more than a couple now. He reached out to me on one of those, you know, 15-minute discovery calls. I'm like, goodness, what is he going to try to sell me? We first got on this call, and I accepted the call just to f figure out what it was about. We first got on the call and we started chatting and we instantly bonded. There were so many things that we had in common. But mostly what I found so attractive about him was his heart and where he was centering his entire focus. And I was just completely enthralled. But I tell you, 45 minutes into this 15-minute call, I finally said to them, hey, to to him, I said, Hey, Robert, why did you call? And he goes, yeah, I've got this book thing going on. So you know, completely not sales oriented, but all about getting to know people. Focusing on the human element, focusing on on interpersonal connection. That's what makes him so special. And what he's done is created some opportunities for people who are, you know, brand new entrepreneurs or established entrepreneurs to find new ways to build their authority and become known as the experts in their field through a variety of ways. I'm not going to talk anymore. I'm going to bring him in now and I'm going to introduce you to Robert. W The W what does that stand for? We'll find out. Robert W. Jones. Robert W Jones: hey, John. Thank you so much for having me today. And I love that you bring up the W. There it is right there. And I'll keep John Verrico: Ha ha ha. Robert W Jones: it a secret for a little while. A lot of people will say, Wow. Well, maybe not my wife yet. I'm still trying to get her to the point of wow, but I'm it's coming. Okay. It's coming. And and you know, I I I I want to thank you for for for that introduction and talking about how long we've known each other. actually, John, I I I wanna tell you we've known each other since twenty twenty two. John Verrico: Yeah. actually Robert W Jones: Yeah. John Verrico: it might even be before that. Robert W Jones: Yep. John Verrico: Cause it was the inspiration book. Wow. Robert W Jones: Yeah, so that that particular book came out in twenty twenty two and it John Verrico: All right. So we had to have met in twenty one because it was in the it was setting up for that. Wow. You know, it's just Robert W Jones: Yeah. Well John Verrico: it's amazing. Robert W Jones: it and and it's gone so far. And I I I have said this so many times. The people that I've met through the Art of the Connection book series, they're people just like you. You know, you know, big hearts, proper mindset, you know, just just work in their skills to to to share their genius to the world. And I think that that's what we had in our conversation. We we shared so much in what we wanted to see. How could we not keep going? And and that's what it looked like. And then we got to the hour point. We got to forty-five minutes. I was like, John, you know, you came and you said, like, what why did you call? And I'm like, I said, I forgot. I actually said, I forgot why I called. And I'm not even John Verrico: We did. We did. Robert W Jones: sure that it matters now. And then then we got to the to the book series, The Art of Connection. And yeah, that was when I was talking about the inspiration book, the second book in the series. John Verrico: Yeah, and you know, this has been an amazing series of books, by the way. and Robert, you actually started you're the the founder of two actually probably even more, but really major things. One is the INET publishing house, under which you publish the Art of Connection book series and other books, and then also INET Media and Events. And we're gonna talk about all of that. But really, what does this mean for people? I'm gonna give just a quick display. Quick description of the Art of Connection. The Art of Connection series of books. Each one is are is a series of quotes. It's 365 days of quotes. And each book has had a specific topic. And the first book I got involved with was Inspirational Quotes. And then the following year it was Transformational Quotes. Then it was Gratitude Quotes, and then Abundance Quotes. And then in 2026, we launched the Resilience Quotes. And Each one gets better and better. And there are over 300 authors that you have managed to to track down and find that are, you know, like-minded and and service-oriented and heart-centered. And it's just so amazing that there are so many people out there who are like that. So we're finding them, we're we're getting them some recognition. so where did this all come from? How did you even start this? Robert W Jones: Well, y and and I totally agree with you, John. It it it's turned into a a a major ecosystem, if not a marketplace. And I I say people who are tethered together stay together. And I think that that's a part of the magic as well, because we we actually get to read each other those inside thoughts and and and sh and we put our hearts on the sleeves and we show the world who we are and and and what we want for others. And I think that's a lot of it. But it came about because there was this crazy thing called COVID. And unfortunately for my wife and I, I I now say that, unfortunately for my wife and I, we had we had to close one of our businesses. But with the the fire, the ashes that came from that, we were able to to to bring a new fire into the world. And that was the Yeah, John Verrico: How appropriate you're in Phoenix. Robert W Jones: and we we rose like the Phoenix out of the ashes. And and and so we came out with with this book and and what we were doing is we believed if If we could get entrepreneurs together, business owners, influencers, and we we shared stories of hope, inspiration, and support that we could have a positive effect on other entrepreneurs, business owners, and influencers in this world that were really in trying times. And at that time was trying times. And so we were able to get to that marketplace and not without without missteps. you know, I went to the United States Marine Corps boot camp and I said that. You know, I used to say that's the hardest thing I ever did in my life. Then I did this first Art of Connection book and the United States Marine Corps boot camp became the second hardest thing I ever did in life. But John Verrico: Well, you were tr corr trying to trying to corral. It was like herding cats, you know, trying to corral three hundred and some odd authors. Robert W Jones: Well and it and it and it becomes even harder when when it it's it's a heart project without having the head system to help get it out to the to the marketplace. But but I was very, very fortunate in the early days that I had enough people that actually believed in me. I mean, because I didn't have a book to show them. There was nothing There was no blueprint, there was no framework, there was no golden ticket or yellow brick road. Everything that I did to get 365 people in the book, I had to do on my own by scratch. When I went out to the meetings, John, in the field, when we f started to come back again, I was actually had I was I had chicken scratch on napkins and I was showing, well, this is what your page is gonna look like. But that that's what trust does. And they trusted me enough that I was gonna get the job done. And we became international best selling authors, that first book. John Verrico: And for many of those people, they were first time authors. Robert W Jones: Well, in that first book, we had over 200 first-time authors, and every single one of them gets to claim that they're an international bestseller and number one international bestseller. And I wanna t say just a little bit on that. You know, don't discount being a number one international best selling author. It's one of the the most prominent things that you can do in the world of authority and attribution. Those those labels, so to speak, are what help you get discoverable for your own audience. John Verrico: So many people struggle and think that they need to get their own book out right away. And so they they're always struggling to do that. I'm I'm one of them, you know, but I was always thinking, I'm I wanna write a book, I wanna write a book, and it just never really comes to fruition. But this offers an opportunity for people to write a smaller piece, much easier piece to put together, be able to share their thoughts, their inspirational messages, get them out, get it out there. get tagged as a number one international best selling author and they haven't even had to put together an entire book and they get the benefit of of that collaborative across the board with other authors and sharing that as well and getting the benefit of being associated with them. Robert W Jones: Yeah. It I I think that that in the world right now, w it it's starting to change a little bit. People are starting to find that these these large scale community books actually do far more for them than what we initially thought before. In the in the days of traditional search, when it was all about keywords, you know, it it didn't really create a great marketable penetration. you know, into different communities and and associations and et cetera. But what we're finding in in the new world of these community books, because we've become so much more weaved together, so to speak, it it's it's almost like a power strip to where where the community is a power strip and you start plugging into it author by author, and all of a sudden your glow gets to start multiplying. And and the other thing too I tell authors this, you know, what better way to become an author without all the time, effort, energy, and resources that it takes to come out of a solo book. Now I will never say don't do a solo book, but what I am saying is use the community books to help lightning rod your solo book because together you get so much more out of it. John Verrico: I know so many of the of the co-authors in the book, in the books I should say, have said that just doing that first writing piece and getting published with that first writing piece was the inspiration for them to get to to move to to to larger things. And maybe they did a chapter in an an authority book, and then we'll talk a little bit about that type of thing too, and then ultimately moved on to their solo book. But there's kind of a cycle of how often you want to be out there. with things. And you know, w at first when you had first I I remembered we talked about this, you had said that when that first book came out, you were like, man, never gonna do that again. And then what happened? Robert W Jones: Right. Yeah. Well, yeah, Mark Victor Hansen happened. So I you know, the the second book actually came out and it it was kind kind of just happened. It it it was the three hundred and sixty-five days of inspirational quotes. And when I was done with that first book, I told myself I am never, ever, ever gonna do another book again. And then And then we we had a magazine as well and and we were doing things. We went from doing all in person events and and networking and and entrepreneurial enrichment to We we won products in in in coaching programs and other things. And so the magazine was one of the things that we brought to the marketplace. And Mark Victor Hansen was in a couple of our issues. And I remember getting on the phone with him and he was said, you know, Robert, you do that marketing thing. And I'm like, Yes, sir, I do. And he says, What would it look like if a network only showed up every three to five years? And I said, They probably wouldn't be successful. And so he goes, So when's that next book coming out? And I I I I I I remember I he stopped me and I said, Well, Mark, there's not gonna be a next book. And then all of a sudden, and and you can hear this right now. There the lawn pause. And then all of a sudden, he goes, What do you mean there's not gonna be a next book? Let me tell you about chicken soup for the soul. By the end he got through with John Verrico: Right, exactly. Robert W Jones: this chicken soup for the soul story, I said, He asked me again, so when is that next? Are you so he asked Are you gonna do another book? And I said, Yes, Mark, I'll do another book. John Verrico: And that was the inspiration for the inspiration book. Robert W Jones: Yeah. Yes, it was. It was. And and you know, and here's a here's another funny story. so I used to say that, you know, Marine Corps boot camp is the hardest thing I ever did. Then the first book was the hardest I ever did. You know. Then I do the second book and they said, Well, now Marine Corps boot camp is the third hardest thing I have ever did, and the first book is the second hardest thing I ever did, John Verrico: Yeah. Robert W Jones: because You know, quite quite frankly, there's that sophomore slump or something to it. And I was just like, my gosh. I I I wasn't sure that that book would ever come out. But you know, what happened after that is I I lived and I learned, and I learned that I needed to create a system for that book. And by the time I got into the third book, the the journey behind what we're doing has become so much more automated. And by doing so, I'm able to reach more people. produce a far better product and illuminate you know more authority with the authors that I get to work with. And that's what's beautiful about doing the series again and again. John Verrico: It it truly is. And I've watched since I've been with you in with in in several volumes of this book now, and I've watched it grow and I've watched the my co-authors just blossom. And and and like I said before, there's so many that have this as a first-time opportunity, a first-time author, and that is such a new experience for them, and they also can then grow from that because that first time author also gives them that bestseller status, which is I have had so many people just say over and over again how inspired they were from that, how thankful they were for that experience, and how that gave them the courage to try something else and something new in their journey in their entrepreneurial journey. Robert W Jones: You know, I I I'm glad you brought that up because I as as I think about that, one one of the things that I found w when people get back with me is something that I didn't know initi you know, initially. And when they order their book, there there's this sense of anticipation. And all of a sudden that book arrives. It's coming in on that Amazon truck and it comes in this you know, this package and then it's inside another package that you gotta open up and then out comes your book. And and what I've been told so much is when they get that that one page with all those other authors in their hand and they open it up and they see their name, I mean, it's emotional for them. It's an emotional moment for them and it's one that they will never forget because there are reveals and then there is a reveal. And there's there's nothing more personal and I think more liberating to say, you know what? I did something and I can see that something. And and I think that that's the most beautiful thing for them because it it it it puts a rubber stamp of accomplishment that in many ways you can't get in other ways. And that's so so beautiful to me. John Verrico: Yeah, it is it's it you not only can you see it, you can feel it, you can touch it, you have you have visible proof. Well, I mean if you wanna lick the page, you're welcome to give it a try. Robert W Jones: Yeah. Don't say taste it. Right. John Verrico: Like I said, you have you've created these opportunities and you do so also with your magazines and then your your networking groups and the events that you're now working on. And so all of these things and and they give people opportunities to grow in a lot of ways. And we've said and I've heard you say, you know, every author should be a speaker. Robert W Jones: Yeah. John Verrico: And every speaker should be an author. And every entrepreneur should be both an author and a speaker. Robert W Jones: Yeah. John Verrico: because because that's the way you you get out there. That's the way you market yourself and that's the way you prove your your authority and validate your expertise. Robert W Jones: Yeah, I I I always say and and and and I'm lucky, you know, John, because I I get conversations like this with you all the time. And that's what I love about relationships that develop over time. I I can also see the growth of that relationship over time. And and one of the things that I found with authors is is their words may speak their truth, but their book can't speak for itself. That's why we have to have the power of public speaking. Now, then you go on to the flip side, and the speaker may be able to speak the words, but it's the book that makes those words credible. And that's why I say it takes both. And then once you get both, then all and I and I say all loosely, I mean John Verrico: Ha ha ha. Robert W Jones: It's more than just this, but but but once once you get the speaking down, once you get the credibility of your book writing down, then you're you're put up into that place of authority that says, Now it's time to build my community. Now it's time to build those raving fans. And at the end of the day, it really is about now it's time to build up the people in my audience because great leadership Is getting them to the point where they have the confidence to say, I can go out and do this as well. That's the power of what we do in our community. John Verrico: You said something that that triggered in my mind for an entrepreneur, no matter what field they're in, this is appropriate. No matter what kind of business line they do, it it really clicks all along the way, right? To to have this validation, to to feel that sense of a of accomplishment that gives you the confidence to to take that next step and to to grow. Robert W Jones: Yeah. Yeah it it's really interesting. We just we picked up a new client and he's a roofer. And you think, Why would a roofer want to write a book? Why would a roofer want to be an author? And and and he told me, he says, Robert, I I've gone to a few of your meetings. And and he says, I'll tell you why I I want to be an author. He says, because in in my industry, all roofers look the same. I was like, wow, okay. And he says, by doing this, I do two things. One, I'm going to show that all roofers aren't the same. And he says, the other thing he told me is I'm going to show that this roofer is uniquely different. And that this roofer is the one that shows. that there are people like me who actually care and love about their business. They don't just do their business. And and I thought that was really interesting because it it was just a different take. Because he said it was for himself and it was for his client. And he said, that's why I want to do the book. You know, and he's like just be and he told me, he said he said the same words that I tell him. He says, just because it hasn't been done before doesn't mean it's not needed. John Verrico: I love it. I love it. And this is the these are the kinds of stories that come out of this, right? As Robert W Jones: Yeah. John Verrico: we as we and as this community has grown. And I think you've now impacted something like around fifteen hundred authors. and I'm calling them authors, but they're they're not. They're entrepreneurs in a variety of Robert W Jones: Yeah. John Verrico: fields who became authors as part of their journey. But there's at least 1500 of them that you have impacted by by bringing them into this number one international best-selling series. And then in these in some of these later editions that came out, the abundance, 365 days of abundance quotes, and then 365 days of resilience quotes, you just took it another step. You t you and this is this is part of a but wait, there's more, right? You but wait, there's more. You Robert W Jones: Yeah but wait there's more. Yeah. John Verrico: For the abundance book, there was so much enrichment in the book, so many wise perspectives that these things really served well as a journal prompt. And so you created a a a journal to go with the book. And so now you've got two books out using the same quote. And so the authors that are in them have an opportunity to. to be in not one book, but two books with the same writing. And it went Robert W Jones: Yeah, well John Verrico: to international bestseller as well. Right. Robert W Jones: Two times, two times. And and it's really interesting that you say that. that particular book was book number five, the abundance book, and it was the first book where we actually had we actually had a waiting list because people there was more people who actually wanted to get into the book than we had pages in the book, and that was three hundred and sixty-five pages. John Verrico: Yeah. Robert W Jones: And so you you could see the demand on that. And w and and what was really interesting about that is We had all these authors and and some of them were multiple time authors in the other books. And they were like writing in the books and they were doing book signings in the books. And they they were like going, Robert, you know, it you know, I I I I'm writing in my book and I'm journaling in my book and it's this I and and people ask me, you know, they want to read the book, they wanna look at it, and they're like, I can't give my book away. You know, John Verrico: Ha ha ha. Robert W Jones: you can Can you make a journal? So that way I I can keep my book, I can show them what it looks like, but then they can use the journal and journal in it. And that's kind of where the idea came from. But but to go deeper, but wait, there's more. What I thought to myself is can I program into my software the ability to say, you know what, John Verico, Susie Finley, you know, you know, you know, my people in the Art of Connection. Can can can I do this in such a way where they only need to contribute one time. And from one contribution, I make two books. And so I thought I'd test that out and and it worked. I was like, my goodness. We were able to, we were able to bring to the marketplace, create number one international bestseller, get it into the Library of Congress because it's human-written, human-edited, and then come out with a second book as a bonus. And it actually made number one international bestsellers too. And and to my knowledge, at least Chat GPT tells me so, that was the first John Verrico: Yeah. Robert W Jones: time in in in in hybrid publishing history that one contribution went into two number one international best selling books with and and and I was really proud of that. You know, and and John, you know, let's keep on going. And then all of a sudden we had this, but wait, there's more. John Verrico: Wait, there's more. Robert W Jones: Then all of a sudden, you know, we were talking, and I'm like thinking to myself, and in and I was like, I wonder if we could push it even further. And so what we did was is we we took that one contribution in the resilience book, and then we created the the journal book, and then we created a third book from it, along with the series, and it was the the resilience coloring book. And I I did it in the abundance book, but didn't quite work out the way that I wanted to because I was just learning the process, you know, Sean, my wife and I. And then, but we we had a better plan to do it. And we ended up with one contribution, John. We we just what was it last week? We got our our third time number one best selling book badge on the coloring book. And I know it was the first time in publishing history period that there ever had been a publisher that made three number one best selling books out of one contribution. John Verrico: And how many authors of any ilk can say that they had three number one best sellers to their name from one contribution? I I can say Robert W Jones: Yeah. I no one else John Verrico: I can name three hundred and sixty-five of them. That's Robert W Jones: Yeah. Yeah. A and and and and I I think that that's what's you know, and so what's really neat about that is statistically speaking, only only eighty eight percent of of entrepreneurs ever produce a book. I mean I mean I'm I'm sorry, I shouldn't say it like that. Eighty eight percent of entrepreneurial authors never do a book of any type. Eighty eight percent. Yeah. John Verrico: Entrepreneurs don't even put out a book. Robert W Jones: Right. And and of that 88%, only one percent of those authors that do put out the book, so that that 12% that's left over or whatever ever do a second book. And here's the here's the kicker. Only one percent of that one percent ever do three John Verrico: Talking decimal points now. Robert W Jones: books of any sort. And here we are with the Art of Connection Resilience book, and the authors were able to be attributable to three books with one contribution. That John Verrico: Yeah. Robert W Jones: is historic. John Verrico: It is. It is. And you're all about these these number ones. Robert W Jones: Well, you know, yeah, I mean, I know our our next our next big push is I'm gonna you know, once some things kinda calm down because we have the Authority Preneur Summit coming up, it's it's our signature event in creating authority. John Verrico: Yeah, we're gonna talk about that in a moment, yeah. Robert W Jones: but I I also believe as a community that we we have the the impact, the clout to be also become Guinness Book of World Record holders. And so we're gonna be coming out with that as well. You know, it hey, you're you're in the Library of Congress, you're a number one international best selling author who also is in the Guinness Book of World Records. That John Verrico: Ha ha ha. Robert W Jones: to me screams authority. John Verrico: Wow, that's just over the top. Now you mentioned you mentioned the the author behind the Chicken Soup for the Soul series. And this series with it has been compared to that series in its impact. Robert W Jones: Yeah. John Verrico: And just as evidence of that, for the res when the resilience book came out, Mark Victor Hansen requested to be in that book. So the author of Chicken Soup for the Soul wanted to be in the Art of Connection book so that now the all the authors who were in the Art of Connection 365 Days of Resilience quotes, long title, Robert W Jones: Yeah. John Verrico: are now co-authors with Mark Victor Hansen. Robert W Jones: That's absolutely correct, John. Mark Mark and I talked and and we talked about it and and we talked about the the original conversations and and how he inspired me to do the second book and you know, it it was laugh and a great time and and I I I told Mark, I mean, you know, the greatest the greatest how would I say the greatest advice I ever have was just to keep going on. And that's what you did. And he said, You know what? How how about if we keep going on and I'm gonna I'm you know, because he has Mark Victor Hansen International, he said, Let me look into scene if if if I can get into the book and put my weight behind what you're doing. And it was a couple of weeks later he called me back and he says, I'm in. And then he goes, Can I have January first? I said, Mark, you can have any date you want. John Verrico: Ha ha. That's amazing. And so I I I want to shift a little bit now. We've talked about the books. We've talked about creating authors out of entrepreneurs. And and some of them are, you know, like, you know, I know of a a young lad who was 13 years old, can became a first time author, international best selling author, inspired to start a a nonprofit. I mean, you know, i amazing opportunities that that you've been able to create and offer. But then we talk about, you know. not just the pages, we also talking about getting people speaking opportunities and getting on stages. And so you started to create events where people can also grow their skill in that area as well. And now you've got this this amazing event coming up in Phoenix in the latter part of September. For those of you who are listening to this too late, that will be taking place in the latter part of September of 2026. But let's talk a little bit about this authoritypreneur summit. I I like the word authoritypreneur. Robert W Jones: Well, i and it was really interesting because authority preneur summit, you know, I went out there to get the word and I I really of course I wanted authority preneur dot com that had been taken for like twenty years ago, but no one's ever did done anything with it. Yeah, no one John Verrico: Nobody used it. Robert W Jones: they they haven't used it, so they're just sitting on it. But I thought that's okay. We're gonna be doing the Authority Peneur Summit anyway. And and the reason why I felt that I and and actually I'm gonna go back a step. the original name for this annual signature event was Ultrapreneur. But John Verrico: Yes. Robert W Jones: what I found was is is a lot of people weren't as understanding of what an ultrapreneur is. And I thought, hey, I I I just want to I want to go if into the flow state, you know, and and the why push it. What I do as a authority-driven publisher. is I help my clients create amazing authority so their genius can be shown to the world. And I thought, well, instead of ultrapreneur, why don't we call it authority preneur? Because I know firsthand what it is to create authority. And and that is and that is first step writing because that establishes your identity. Second step, carrying your voice into any means when you go out on stage in the public, you know, to the world. You know, so they w you know, to resonate with your audience. The third one John Verrico: And that includes that includes just to I'm just gonna add Robert W Jones: Yeah. John Verrico: to that, that includes not just standing up on stages, which sometimes terrifies people, but it also it also includes any way of getting the voice out. So it could be appearing on podcasts, appearing on on on Robert W Jones: Yes. Mm-hmm. John Verrico: radio, television shows, all of that stuff, anything that gives you the opportunity to share your actual voice out. Robert W Jones: Yes, absolutely. So so when you when when you write your truth and you speak your truth, what what you're really doing is you're sharpening your identity in in both manners. Your identity from a credible standpoint, your identity in a speaking standpoint, because clarity is everything, and also authenticity. And that's that's when you get to that next step, and that is community building. And that is a very, very important. And so our concept, the three first three parts are stages, pages, I'm sorry, it's pages, stages, and engages. Yeah. But now John Verrico: And engages. I love it. Robert W Jones: we we've entered this this whole new world of AI. And so what we're doing is we're training our authors to to not abdicate their voice, but enhance and amplify their voice by utilizing AI. And so And so when they go through the the authority preneur framework, you know, they're they're they're going from the from the book writing to you, we provide places where they can get on stage so they can pr practice their voice to the world. we help them come in and be a part of our community members. And we even have online access as well. And then it comes back to this this this other place. And that's trainers that come in to use to help our people use the right tools so they can have sustainable authority. And so that is our authoritypreneur framework, is by utilizing all these things because it's always about voice enhancement and uniqueness, because that's what AI is looking for. They're not looking to produce on what's already been done, they're John Verrico: Right. Robert W Jones: looking on creating discoverability for the uniqueness of what you're doing. John Verrico: And that allows the entrepreneurs that are out there. And some of these entrepreneurs, by the way, are not out with a business. Some of them are are with nonprofits. I mean, they're entrepreneurs who started a nonprofit or you know, created a nonprofit. So they're they're all out there serving in some Robert W Jones: Yeah. John Verrico: fashion. And so it's not about making money, although that's a necessary element. But it enables them to provide their service, their expertise, and to to meet new people, to meet new clients, to reach people that they wouldn't have any other way of reaching. You know, Robert W Jones: Yeah. John Verrico: your roofer, for example, or or or a local healer who works with people in energy work or whatever, they can only have so much reach in their physical environment, but through the books. through various stages where they can speak whether virtually or in person, it gives them that broader reach and maybe they can have that impact further out. I've always said, ever since I got involved in these things, you don't do these things to make money selling books. That's not what this is about. It's about being able to reach people with your expertise and make an impact. In places that you would not ever have a chance to do as a as an entrepreneur or a solopreneur, especially. Robert W Jones: Well and I'm I'm glad you brought that up because one one of the things it is from from an internal standpoint is it it creates confidence. But here's what it brings from the ex from the external part is before I do business with someone or something, I need to know of it. That's why authority matters, because if I don't know of it, that means I have found something or someone else that I know of. So our goal is I call it, we're in the being seen business. And if we're not being seen, we're not going to be in business very long. But if I know of John Verico or if I know of Robert Jones, I'm more likely to do business with them when we present an opportunity that I I want or I need. And so you said that the perfect word at the beginning of this show. You know, this is all about opportunities. And one of the things that I like to say is the greatest gift that one person can give another is the gift of opportunity. John Verrico: Well, know, that app that happens to be one of the words in my acronym. The acronym that I use of TORCH, which is trust, opportunity, respect, communication, and humanity. Opportunity is key. Without that opportunity, nothing happens. Robert W Jones: Absolutely. John Verrico: Robert, this has been absolutely amazing. I do want to ask how can people get in touch with you? And if it's not too late, if people are listening to this early enough, you know, how can they sign up for the Authoritypreneur Summit? Robert W Jones: we have a website. you can go to authoritypreneur summit dot com and there there are some specially priced tickets when you go through that which will take you to Adventbrite. And one of the tickets is two people for the price of one, which which is rather nice. yeah. John Verrico: Wow. Right. That's one thing too. You've always been very generous with your with your pricing in in the fact that you make all of these opportunities accessible. Robert W Jones: Yeah. Well you know what I have found is I I believe if if I can help people create impact immediately, they're more likely to want to keep creating impact. It's it's how can I help get them where their voice is heard? When I can do that first step, they will start pursuing the activities to be valued and seen. But the biggest thing I think that a lot of times we do is we push ourselves on them. It's not about pushing on, it's about pulling in. And that pulling is is the desired effect that this community is going to bring something to where. I can be heard to the point where my voice is gonna make a difference. John Verrico: And that is truly what we all really want out of life is to be able to make a difference, to know that we Robert W Jones: Yeah. Yeah. Absolutely. John Verrico: matter. Robert W Jones: Yeah. I love it, John. Gosh. I always you know, I love it. I love just getting it's like I feel like we're on the phone six years ago, just hanging John Verrico: Right. Robert W Jones: out and talking together and in in here we are. I you know, I I I I I wanna share this like you know, this one last thing is you know. One of the things that I've learned in in in my my my practices is in a way we are so powerful. You know, we do have a moral and ethical obligation to bring our genius into the world so those who can need us can actually find us. And and that's what I know more than ever. I mean, I I don't work with you know, authors and entrepreneurs. I also work with people who help our armed service members. And and in in the recording of this show, tomorrow is 9-11. And I always get a little bit emotional this time of year. And a part of what I do is is I always save space for for those who serve in the hardest capacity. And those who keep life living, you know, who keep love burning. And I I just didn't want to not mention that because there is someone out there, you know, who may be in life or death and your voice may be serving them. And certainly there may be someone out there suffering, and you're the person that can help lead them to success. And only you can do that. And the only way that we can can help you get there is by providing a platform that allows you to do so. John Verrico: You know, you never know what the impact of your words can be. Robert W Jones: Okay. John Verrico: and so having the ability to to share those words, to Robert W Jones: Yeah. John Verrico: share that those those thoughts, to share that expertise, to share that advice, that guidance, or even it's if it's just the perspective of your similar challenges that you have gone through, it helps people realize that whatever they're facing, they're not alone. And that is what this really truly is all about. And you mentioned 9-11. I was on I was a reservist on active duty at the time when 9-11 happened, stationed in Washington, DC, and I was literally just a couple of blocks away from the Pentagon when the plane hit. And I will tell you the things I remember from that time, the things I choose to focus on. was not the deaths, not the tragedy, not the losses, but how we came together and how Robert W Jones: Yeah. John Verrico: people reached out to help one another and the unification that happened from that horrific event. That is what I what I focus on in in how we all kind of came together to help each other because that was the light in the darkness that was nine eleven. Robert W Jones: Yeah, I I agree, John. And and and just at the end here, I just want to mention more information with that. And I can be if you want your story to be heard, because I want to help it get heard, my name is Robert W. Jones. My company is iNet Publishing House dot com. And you can reach me also via email at Robert at Network Together. And I will I will always live this fact. It is a lot funner networking together than it is apart. John Verrico: Absolutely. And I will put that contact information in the show notes for people too. But remember the principal companies here that we're talking about are INET Publishing House and INET Media and Events. Robert can be reached at Robert at network together dot com. sorry, dot Robert W Jones: Not dot net.net. John Verrico: net.net. And you Robert W Jones: Yeah. John Verrico: can find out information about the author authoritypreneur summit at authoritypreneursummit.com. Robert, thank you so much for taking the time to join me on this and for sharing your fire. you are you are truly in the in the business world where everybody's out there trying to to to make a dollar off of each other. You're out there creating opportunities for people to to grow in their own business. You're keeping things affordable and reachable that allow them to expand their authority. and build that that validity, that validation of their expertise and so that they can all be successful entrepreneurs, but even more so that they can reach more people with the services and and the heart that they are out there providing. Robert W Jones: Hm. Thank you, John. John Verrico: Robert, thank you again. Folks, listen to this episode a few times because there's a lot of gold in it. I'm just telling you. and I Robert W Jones: Ha ha. John Verrico: know I say that often, but it it's true and I and I don't make this stuff up. Robert W. Jones is truly one of the one of the greats out there and has he's doing some wonderful things and creating some fantastic opportunities and you want to reach out and get involved. And keep checking out the episodes of Share Your Fire. We've got a lot of great stuff coming up. in future episodes as well, but keep checking this one out. Robert, thank you again. Robert W Jones: Thank you, John. Thank you. Thank you so much.