catherine morgan

What do you get when you cross a Polish who can do math with an Asian who is allergic to alcohol? You’ll find out soon enough when you watch a very, special backstage episode Phil and I recorded off the cuff after fueling up on some margaritas.

I happened to be in Phil’s neck of the woods giving a shin kicking development training workshop on Friday. So Phil and I decided to huddle up at our Milwaukee hub (Phil’s coworking office at Hudson Lounge in the Third Ward) to record our first ever in-person backstage episode to recap the first 25 episodes of The SHUT UP Show!

Watch the show (uncensored & unedited)Listen to the show (coming soon)

Share Some SHUT UP Love:

We are not the authority in anything. We are guinea pigs and this show is an experiment. @BerniXiong on #shutupshow (click to tweet)

We all have feedback to give. We all have insight that someone needs. @PhilGerb on #shutupshow (click to tweet)

Fun Facts:

Berni and Phil do the robot dance right before every episode goes LIVE ON AIR
None of the questions are contrived. They are asked off the cuff to keep the conversation real and raw.
Phil may or may not have been twerking before this special backstage episode went LIVE
Berni really has Asian Flush, which means she “experiences flushes or blotches as a result of an accumulation of acetaldehyde, a metabolic byproduct of the catabolic metabolism of alcohol” (via Wikipedia)

Defining SHUT UP Moment:

Berni nixed a weight management coaching project the week she was about to launch it to the public because it was excruciating work. Even though she had clients lined up and a clear plan to monetize as a newly certified weight management specialist, she decided to instead pursue what she truly enjoyed. That’s when Berni shut up and chose to go all-in with The SHUT UP Show, a project that has no guarantee of monetization, because she’s having the time of her life.

Phil recently got his ass kicked by his accountability coach only days before he was about to launch a new project. His coach helped him to realize the project was not in alignment with his core values. After 3 hours of crying and reflection, Phil decided to follow his heart, instead of leading with the prospect of making a ton of money, and completely derailed his original plan to stay true to his values.

SHUT UP Tips (Highlights from First 25):

I told people to shut up a long time ago and decided now, as my life is changing and I want to start a family, is the time to shut up myself. – Scott Ginsberg

Don’t be afraid to look stupid. Get over it. It’s just a part of being an entrepreneur. You’re going to do things that don’t work. Lean Startup: fail fast, learn, regroup, retrench, relaunch. – Catherine Morgan

If you try to play this game on an island, you’re not going to succeed. If you think you have your little baby–your idea–and you’re almost afraid to show people because you’re afraid they’re going to tell you the truth that maybe its an ugly baby. You need the flip side too; you need good people to be honest with you. – Greg Hartle

If you don’t come up with ideas every day, after 2 weeks your idea muscle will atrophy. – James Altucher

Do what you love in the service of those who love what you do. – Steve Farber

The day it really hit me I realized this is my life and it is my one and only. There are no encores. There are no redos. I don’t get another one. This is it. When you recognize this is not your practice life. This is all you have. Everything changes when you really get that because your choices become more urgent and that fear of “Am I gonna make it?” is much less relevant. – AJ Leon

Special Thanks to Guests from Our First 25:

Scott Ginsberg – Scott Ginsberg on Shutting Up and Not Giving a Shit – Episode 2
Bryson Andres – Bryson Andres on Becoming Discovered by Playing From the Heart – Episode 4
Amy Clover – Amy Clover Moves Us to Be Strong Inside Out – Episode 7
Srini Rao – Srini Rao Teaches Us About the Art of Being Unmistakable – Episode 8
John Haydon – John Haydon Helps us Flip Our Middle Finger to Fear and Doubt – Episode 9
AJ Leon – AJ Leon Helps Us Define Our Moments So They Don’t Define Us – Episode 10
Greg Hartle – Greg Hartle Teaches Us How to Succeed Starting From Scratch – Episode 11
James Altucher – James Altucher Takes Us From Broke to Choosing Yourself – Episode 13
Dat Phan – Death, Sex and Fear: What the Hell Dat Phan? – Episode 15
Craig Price – Craig Price Gives Us a Reality Check & Lots of Laughs – Episode 16
Susan Baroncini-Moe – Susan Baroncini-Moe Breaks World Records & Runs a Profitable Business in Blue Jeans – Episode 18
Jia Jiang – From Foe to Friend: Jia Jiang’s Love Story with Rejection – Episode 19
Catherine Morgan – Catherine Morgan Helps Us Get from Point A to Point B – Episode 20
Steve Farber – Steve Farber On Being More You & Infusing Your Voice with Work You Do – Episode 21
Matthew Kimberley – Matthew Kimberley Helps Us Get a Grip & More Clients – Episode 22
Paul Jarvis – How to Be Whole-Assed & Awesome at Online Business Like Paul Jarvis – Episode 23
Bob Burg – Go-Givers Have More Fun (and Make More Money) with Bob Burg – Episode 24
Chris Brogan – Love in the Time of the Owner with Chris Brogan – Episode 25

Find Berni & Phil:

Never in the history of any Shut Up Show episode have Phil and I sat down to chat with a fellow coach/consultant/speaker until today. Aside from Catherine Morgan being Phil’s super smart accountability coach, she is a wonderful friend and amazing human being inside and out. In this episode, we talk in great length about why the three of us are not cat-scratching each other for clients, how collaboration is the new normal, and what entrepreneurs can do to get from point A to point B.

Watch the show (uncensored & unedited)Listen to the show (coming soon)

Share Some Shut Up Love –> Don’t be afraid to look stupid. Get over it. It’s just a part of being an entrepreneur. – @PointA_PointB #shutupshow (click to tweet)

Fun Facts:

Catherine is Phil’s accountability coach and works with business consultants and people in career transition
Catherine drove nearly two hours to support Berni’s effort in raising awareness and funds for Amy Clover’s 30×30 Project in Milwaukee
Catherine works very closely with Carol Roth as the Editorial Director for CarolRoth.com | Business Unplugged
Catherine gives talks on career transition, growing a solo service business, and productivity

Defining Shut Up Moment:

My fear moment was not leaving a cushy job. I saved up for 1.5 years. My fear moment was as I approached month 5 and 6 when I was not getting traction. Still to the day, this is the problem. So I continue to rework my business model. I’m in year three, I’ve done some great work and great things. But I’m still tweaking my business model. The picture I have is you have that screw, then you need that last quarter turn and all of the sudden the IKEA furniture clicks into place.

My defining shut up moment, I wrote a post on Carol Roth’s blog about that. My ideal clients were not at the places I was. They go to face-to-face meetings and I wanted to be in my pajamas. I was not where they were and they were not where I was posting stuff for them.

Shut Up Tips:

You cannot should not do it alone. You need to reach out, collaborate, inspire work with other people. – Catherine

We were raised to have fear of scarcity. If I don’t have money, it goes to you. It’s rich and poor. Fat and skinny. We were raised without that middle ground. – Catherine

You don’t have to take everything that comes your way. – Phil

It’s not a straight line. Naturally, the business shifts. – Phil

I need to be front and center because the more I do something, the more I am in demand. It’s like if you want to have a girlfriend, have three. You’re more attractive when you’re in demand. And when the perfect client comes along, you need to have room for them. – Phil

Shut up and be where our clients are. – Catherine & Phil

Catherine Recommends:

Catherine’s 5-minute talk at Ignite Chicago – Selling ‘We’ Is Easier Than Selling ‘Me’: Collaboration is the New Black

Catherine’s defining shut up moment post – Doing Everything Right… in the Wrong Place

Michael Port and the Red Velvet Rope Policy

Erie Ries – Lean Startup

Find Catherine:

Catherine is @PointA_PointB on Twitter

Catherine’s web site and blog is Point A to Point B Transitions