Welborn Media’s Top Ten List of 2015

Lacey and her brother Zeb Welborn founded Welborn Media. She has designed and launched websites, several projects, marketing materials, a podcast, a book and more. Her passions include her family, her friends, creating things and helping businesses grow.
Latest posts by Lacey Welborn (see all)

At the end of the year, the Welborn Media team gets together to reflect on our successes and failures throughout the year. This meeting gives us an opportunity to fine-tune our direction and set new goals for the upcoming year.  These are the Top 10 things we accomplished in 2015.

Top 10 of 2015

10. Share Your Passion Scholarships

scholarshipsSince starting the Share Your Passion Scholarships in 2012, we’ve awarded scholarships to 17 deserving students. We have kept in contact with many scholarship winners and are still inspired by them. They continue to work towards following their passions and helping better the lives of others. This year we awarded 3 Share Your Passion Scholarships and gave out our first Student of the Year Scholarship Award to one of the hardest working students at The Tutoring Solution.

9. TV Appearance

11080661_10206382881436017_7712058961091484299_oZeb appeared on the Golf Life Video Channel for Fox Sports WEST. It was pretty darn cool to get on television.

8. Joined the Rotary Club

10984121_10154042856538840_6714998264776580589_nZeb was inducted into the Chino Rotary Club by Melinda Robbins, Dale Bright, and Steven Bremer. The Chino Rotary Club has been serving the Chino Valley since 1925. San Bernardino County Supervisor Curt Hagman spoke and my wife, Cindy, mom, Annie, and dad, Larry were all in attendance.

7. Speaking Engagements

zeb-speaking zeb-at-NGCOAOne of the things we enjoy most is educating others on growing their business. This year Zeb spoke with the San Bernardino County Workforce Investment Board, the Inland Empire Small Business Development Center, the Chino Valley Chamber of Commerce, Baldy View ROP, Small Business Summit, the California Golf Course Owners Association and the Golf Inc. Summit.

Topics for Zeb’s Speaking Engagements were:

  • Internet Marketing Strategies
  • Marketing with Facebook
  • How to Turn Your Business Into a Social Business
  • Marketing with LinkedIn
  • Marketing with Twitter
  • Social Media for Golf Courses
  • Innovative Marketing Tactics for Public Courses

6. #GolfChat

At the beginning of this year Zeb started #GolfChat. #GolfChat is a Twitter chat which happens every Tuesday at 5PM PST where some of the greatest minds in the golf industry come together to talk golf. #GolfChat has grown drastically since the beginning of the year and is a trending topic on Twitter every Tuesday. We’ve met so many amazing and passionate people working to grow golf.  A highlight of #GolfChat in 2015 was when professional golfer, Natalie Gulbis surprised #GolfChatters by giving away free tickets to the U.S. Open at Chambers Bay Golf Course.

5. Awards and Accolades

Screen Shot 2015-12-29 at 11.10.01 AMIt’s always nice to be recognized for the hard work you do. This year we were extremely grateful to receive a few unexpected awards:

4. Southern California Charity Golf Classic

11207321_10101061535855630_6436920246785791462_nWe hosted the 1st Annual Southern California Charity Golf Classic to raise money for several worthy charities on July 17 at Los Serranos Country Club.

With help from many in our community, the tournament helped raise $7,597.81 for charity.

We distributed the money to several charities including: Bark for Life, Boys Republic, California Scholastic Press Association, Chino Rotary, Corona Firefighters Benevolent Fund, House of Ruth, The Let It Be Foundation, Salvation Army, Share Your Passion Scholarship, and the Wounded Warrior Project.

We had such a great time with this, we’re planning on running it again in 2016!

3. Chairman of the Board at the Chino Valley Chamber of Commerce

11755429_1665688123649805_2385826912900505227_nOn July 27, Zeb was installed as Chairman of the Board for the Chino Valley Chamber of Commerce.

Becoming the Chairman of the Board has given Zeb an opportunity to help make local business owners more successful.

During his term of office, he set five goals to work towards in 2015/2016:

  • connect and work with other local business-related organizations
  • collaborate more with organizations that work to educate business owners
  • encourage and promote the involvement of young business owners in our community
  • enhance our use of technology
  • focus more on giving back

2. Lacey Gets Married

11934520_10101096973568170_4628964527126702956_o10339951_10208018878287700_1976316121632257612_nIn August this year Lacey got married to Ryan Bernholtz at a fun wedding in Santa Ana, CA.

In June, Lacey’s twin brother, Rocky married Megan Hutchinson at a beautiful wedding in Corona, CA.

Truly a notable year for the Welborn Family and there was another addition to family this year…

#1. Birth of Sebastian Welborn-De La Torre

monsterbashSebastian Welborn-De La Torre was born on Friday, November 13th at 9:52pm in Ontario at 8 pounds, 9 ounces.

Sebastian is a happy, healthy, and super cute baby.

Zeb says it’s awesome being a dad.


 

Thank you all for everything!  We hope you all have an amazing 2016.

Sign up for our email list to become a part of Welborn Media in 2016 – http://eepurl.com/snLLH

How to Be a Podcast Guest

Lacey and her brother Zeb Welborn founded Welborn Media. She has designed and launched websites, several projects, marketing materials, a podcast, a book and more. Her passions include her family, her friends, creating things and helping businesses grow.
Latest posts by Lacey Welborn (see all)

Are You Ready to Be Interviewed on a Podcast?

Do you have a message to tell? Podcasting and podcast audiences are growing all the time. Be a podcast guest and expose a whole new audience to you and your message. Plus, with some practice and thoughtfulness you can be just as interesting as a best-selling author, give more useful advice than a multi-millionaire business owner, and maybe even be funnier than a world-class comedian.

Last week, I completed my 100th interview on the Defining Success Podcast.  I started the podcast nearly two years ago and have met some amazing people through the process.  My original plan when starting the Defining Success Podcast was to share the success stories of people in a variety of professions.

Be a Podcast Guest - from Zeb Welborn of The Defining Success PodcastSuccess to me was never financial and I wanted to interview people who experienced the type of success I feel is important.  In my mind, to be successful, a person must:

  • Love what they do
  • Be good at it
  • Be helping others

Through my podcast, I’ve had some realizations about what makes a great guest. You should be a podcast guest. I’m going to walk you through how to get on a podcast, how to interview well, and how to leave a lasting impression on the audience.

How to Get on a Podcast and Be a Podcast Guest

When I started my podcast, I announced to the world(via social media) that I was starting an interview-style podcast.  Some of my firsts guests I asked personally to be a podcast guest and others were connected to me through my social media posts.  Since my initial launch, it’s become a lot easier for me to get guests for the show because now they’re pitching me to be a guest on the podcast.

To get on my show used to be pretty simple . . . you just had to ask.  Every time someone asked to be on my show I’d ask them my three basic questions:

  • Do you love what you do?
  • Are you good at it?
  • Are you helping others?

If they said yes to all three (which of course they all did) I would schedule them for an interview.

Recently, I’ve changed the format of my show to highlight a specific learnable skill, trait, or ability. We really dive deep into the material, so I’ve become much more restrictive of who I have as a guest. Having said that, I’m always looking for new guests and I know many other podcasters are too.

Here are some quick tips to use when pitching someone on why you’d be the perfect interviewee:

  • Ask to be interviewed – In many cases, all you have to do is ask.
  • Contact the host in the format that seems most appropriate to them.
    • My preferred contact points for podcast interviews are:
      • Email
      • Twitter
      • LinkedIn
    • Other contact points could be:
      • Facebook
      • Instagram
      • Telephone
      • In-Person
  • Personalize the message
    • Don’t send the same email to all podcast hosts.
      • It’s really easy to tell which emails are sent out to multiple people.  I’d recommend avoiding it if possible.
    • Do send an authentic, personalized email to each host asking to be on their show
  • Familiarize yourself with the podcast
    • Listen to an episode
    • Read the show notes
    • Share your thoughts
  • Make it easy – make it as easy as possible for a podcast host to work with you to schedule an interview. Be sure to let them know your availability upfront and what you’d like to discuss during the interview

Pro Tip:  In your pitch to be a podcast guest, give some genuine feedback about the show and you’ll increase your chances substantially.

How to Interview Well:

When I book a guest for the Defining Success Podcast, I typically have no idea what to expect.  Ultimately, I’m trying to create the best experience for the listener of the podcast so they can get as much valuable information from the interview as possible while still being entertained.

After interviewing nearly 100 guests, I’ve developed my list of things that really make an interview stand out:

  • Don’t use filler words – Everyone does it, including me but saying “um,” “like,” “you know,” and other words really distract from the interview.  Filler words tend to creep their way in when you’re either nervous, or not clear on the material you’re discussing. The good news is both of those can be corrected with practice.
  • Be conversational – Some people will over-prepare and come off as having staged answers and seem a bit robotic.  The best interviews are ones where there is an interesting rapport between the interviewer and the interviewee.
  • Be enthusiastic – Some of the worst interviews I’ve done were with people who lacked any kind of enthusiasm or passion in the topic they were discussing.  Make the interview interesting by being passionate about the topic you’re being interviewed on.
  • Don’t talk too much – Some guests get in the habit of rambling and talk too much.  The best interviews have a great back-and-forth between the guest and the interviewer. Make a point and stand by it. If it’s unclear, it’s up to the interviewer to make sure the listeners get the point.

Pro Tip: Before you start recording, have some quick, unscripted conversation.  Make sure you both feel comfortable with each other before you start the interview.

How to Leave a Lasting Impression:

Many guests on podcasts don’t have a clear call-to-action for their listeners.  A lot of times, a guest will have some really great insights and listeners will want to connect with them further but don’t know how or don’t have a compelling enough reason to. Give your listeners something compelling to make them want to connect with you after they listen to the interview.

  • Be quotable – The best guests are those that are quotable.  I can’t tell you how many times I’ve done an interview where someone starts to say something extremely profound only to cut their ideas off mid-thought.  Memorable quotes are something everyone can take away from an interview.
  • Give something away – The best thing you can do for yourself, the listeners of a podcast episode, and the host of a podcast is to give something away for free. The host will love it because you’re taking care of the audience. The audience will love it because they get something for free.  And you’ll love it because you’ll get people connected to you through your email list.
    • Make sure you can create something (a useful information-packed document) that you can give away for free before you interview on a podcast. Be sure to mention your free giveaway and how a listener can get a hold of it. Send them to your website where they can sign up for your email list in exchange for your free giveaway. (Leadpages.net is a great tool to get email addresses if you don’t have a system set up already)

Pro Tip: Plan out two to three quotable sentences, write them down, and read them at the appropriate time during the interview.  This will ensure your quote will have maximum impact.

If you have a message to tell, you are ready to be a podcast guest. The most important thing you can do to get your message out to the podcasting world is to start connecting with podcasters and asking to be interviewed. It’s not as hard as you think and once you get started, you’ll realize how fun it really is.

Good luck!

Interested in the Defining Success Podcast?  Sign up now to become a Defining Success Podcast Insider!

Become a Podcast Guest

Do You Have an Entrepreneurial Mindset or an Employee Mindset?

The owner of Welborn Social Media and the founder of The Tutoring Solution.My goal is to help business owners share the passion they have for their business with as many potential customers as possible.By helping passionate people achieve their dreams I am helping to create a society of passionate leaders that will help inspire others to make their dreams a reality.

Charlotte Clary and Beverly Vines-Haines were two grandmas who started close to thirty different businesses which all ended up failing . .  until they hit it big with Ice Chips Candy.  The world was introduced to Charlotte and Beverly when they were featured as the entrepreneurs who invented Ice Chips Candy on ABC’s hit TV show, Shark Tank.  

Beverly Vines-Haines, Charlotte Clary and Ice Chips Candy.  An Entrepreneurial Mindset.

Beverly Vines-Haines, Charlotte Clary and Ice Chips Candy

If you talk to many business owners, many of them will say, “I am unemployable.”  The reason for that is that these people who are entrepreneurial have figured out a way to make a living without becoming an employee.  They then use their time to work, and work, and work to create and test new ideas until they find the idea that will lead to their ultimate success.  Some people become successful on their first business, but most business owners who have become successful have started numerous ventures until they hit the one that makes them a success.  

The Tutoring Solution | Chino Hills, Chino, Corona, Norco, Eastvale, Southern California

The Tutoring Solution

My first business is The Tutoring Solution.  We are a local tutoring company that serves Chino, Chino Hills, Corona, Eastvale and numerous other cities in Southern California.  I learned the skills I needed to create a successful business by building and growing The Tutoring Solution.  I still own The Tutoring Solution and hired my then girlfriend and now wife, Cynthia De La Torre to become the director of the business and to manage it.  The skills I learned while building the tutoring business directly led me to starting Welborn Media, devoted toward helping passionate business owners use the Internet to become more successful.  Welborn Media has even grown to expand to include 19th Hole Media and the Defining Success Podcast.  I have been bitten by the entrepreneurial bug and now I’m honing and growing my craft . . . working to make my business more successful every day.

A great example of someone who has an entrepreneurial mindset is my father-in-law who owns his own agricultural business. He grew up in Mexico and as a young boy of probably five years old, he would work to sell gum on street corners . . . his first taste of entrepreneurship.  When he came to America, he got a job at a young age in the agricultural business where he learned and cultivated his craft.  Others saw him as someone with a strong work ethic and someone who achieved results.  As a result, he was given more responsibilities and more pay until he was able to afford to purchase a piece of land where he could grow and sell ground cover at his business, DLT Growers.  His entrepreneurial mindset led him down the path towards a career in entrepreneurship and he’s constantly thinking of new ideas and new ways to grow and expand his business and even create new opportunities for others.

DLT Growers sells ground cover in Southern California

DLT Growers

Charlotte Clary and Beverly Vines-Haines are two of my favorite entrepreneurs.  For those of you that are unfamiliar with Ice Chips Candy, they are natural mints which are broken up into uneven pieces.  The way they explained it on Shark Tank, they painted the picture that they created this product in their garage and were breaking up these pieces by hand with a hammer in their home.  It’s a visual which always reminds me that becoming successful takes hard work, discipline and a willingness to get your hands dirty.  Charlotte and Beverly are a great example of entrepreneurs who fought and fought and fought until they hit it big.

There is a big difference between entrepreneurs and employees . . . the most important being in their mindset.

An entrepreneurial mindset is being someone who is constantly willing to make mistakes, learn from them and grow as a result. They are continually leaving their comfort zone, and experimenting with trial and error.  Most employees, I’ve found, are in the mindset of avoiding mistakes.  Employees who make mistakes are typically reprimanded for doing so and thus they lose some of their creativity in the process.  An entrepreneur is constantly making mistakes, failing at things and learning from them.

Three Reasons Why You Must Monitor Your Personal Brand

The owner of Welborn Social Media and the founder of The Tutoring Solution.My goal is to help business owners share the passion they have for their business with as many potential customers as possible.By helping passionate people achieve their dreams I am helping to create a society of passionate leaders that will help inspire others to make their dreams a reality.

My dad, Larry Welborn, has been a reporter at the Orange County Register for 40 years.  For as long as he could remember, he knew he wanted to be a journalist.  I asked him how he knew he wanted to become a journalist at such a young age and he gave me many of his reasons, but one of the ideas he liked most about being a journalist was that if you got your article published, you could see your name in print.

Today, everyone can see their name published across the Internet.  Our times have changed and the novelty of having your name in print has worn off because now you can have your name, your picture, a video online which is now communicating to the rest of the world what you and your name are all about.

Personal Branding Zeb Welborn

Zeb Welborn

Personal branding is one of the biggest changes that has occurred in our economy during the past decade.  Before the internet, for the most part, people lived anonymously. Now, people are able to create a reputation for themselves, for better or for worse online.  Personal branding is a critical component towards living a successful life in today’s economy.  Learn how to make sure that people are talking about you online . . . and when they do . . . make sure they’re saying something good!

Imagine you’re applying for a new job.  Your employer has a choice between two candidates.  In performing his/her due diligence, your boss performs a Google search on both candidates.  Candidate A has no to little information about them online; Candidate B, has continually written articles, posted YouTube videos and engaged with others on the way to developing a strong online reputation in their field.  As an employer, which one is going to be more appealing to you?

It doesn’t apply just to job interviews, it applies to business relationships.  If you’re a business owner, a sales representative or someone who deals with customers on a regular basis, make sure your online profile is not hindering your relationship with your customers or potential customers.

As the host of the Defining Success Podcast, I’m continually working to manage and monitor what is being said about me online and to make sure that when any customers or potential customers look me up online they will see how committed I am to my career.  The Defining Success Podcast demonstrates that I’m someone who is eager to become successful and understand what it takes to make success happen.  My credibility since starting the Defining Success Podcast has gone through the roof and I’m continuing to expand my efforts to increase my personal brand.

If someone does a Google search for me online they will see that I’m the host of the Defining Success Podcast, owner of Welborn Media, owner of 19th Hole Media and owner of the Tutoring Solution.  They will see that I’m very passionate about success and education.  If a company hires me, they know that I am going to do a great job, they know I work hard and they know I’m someone who gets things done.

A friend of mine called me last week, because someone had set up a fake Twitter profile and they were using this profile to poke fun at everything he was doing. They made him look really bad. But when you searched for his name, this fake Twitter account was the first thing that showed up.  He asked what he should do and I advised him to focus on building a personal brand around the positive things you do for others.  Trying to contact Twitter or any online platform to remove information posted online is difficult, time-consuming and often times doesn’t work.  Your best way to beat negative comments about you online is to be proactive and make sure what’s being said about you online are the things you want people saying about you online.

When my Dad began his career as a reporter, the most recognition he could hope to get was having a byline in a story he had written.  Today, videos, pictures and social media platforms can all represent who you are as a person online.

Personal branding is essential in todays day and age, and everyone should be aware of what is being said about them online.

To find out more about personal branding and how you can manage your reputation online listen to Episode 53 of the Defining Success Podcast titled, Personal Branding by Zeb Welborn.

If you’re concerned about your personal brand take the time to Google your name with potential keywords people would use to find out more information about you.  Make sure your personal brand is aiding and not hindering your goals.  If people are saying positive great things about you online then you’re on the right track.  And if they’re not . . . then it’s time to make changes to ensure that they are.

The Defining Success Podcast with Zeb Welborn

The owner of Welborn Social Media and the founder of The Tutoring Solution.My goal is to help business owners share the passion they have for their business with as many potential customers as possible.By helping passionate people achieve their dreams I am helping to create a society of passionate leaders that will help inspire others to make their dreams a reality.

Everyone has dreams, but why do some people fail to become successful?

Welborn Media has set out to answer this question in our new podcast launching today . . . the Defining Success Podcast with Zeb Welborn.

The Defining Success Podcast will be an interview style format where we’ll interview people whom we consider to be successful and share their insights and expertise with all of you.  The one questions we plan on asking every interviewee is to define success to us and then share whether or not they consider themselves to be successful.  I genuinely want to understand what makes these people successful, while so many others dream of being in their shoes.

The interviewees come from all walks of life and we’re excited at the people we have as guests for our beginning episodes.  We’ve lined up interviews with world famous tennis coach, Vic Braden; Orange County Register Sports Reporter, Rich Hammond; Reality TV Blogger, Ashley Majeski; and Author and Publisher, Tamika Newhouse.  This is just the start as we have many more slated to be interviewed in the upcoming weeks including some of the biggest names in business, education and in the online marketing world.

Go to iTunes to listen to our introductory podcast, An Introducation to the Defining Success Podcast by Zeb Welborn or visit the Defining Succest Podcast page.

Special Request:

In order to make our podcast successful, we need to build exposure.  Please help us reach more people by downloading all of the episodes of the Defining Success Podcast and rating them in iTunes.  Please also share our podcast with family and friends.  Lacey and I are extremely excited about this new opportunity and we promise to provide some of the most entertaining and insightful interviews.  Thank you all for being a part of the Welborn Media family!  Please let me know if there is anything I can do for you.