The Burn Podcast by Ben Newman
Join Ben Newman, highly regarded Performance Coach, International Keynote Speaker and 2x WSJ Best-Seller, as he takes you into the minds of some of the highest performers in sports and business to tell their full story. The "Burn" is something we all have, but rarely do people uncover and connect to it. Ben helps people from all walks of life reach their true maximum potential.
Ben has worked with coaches and players from the last 6 Super Bowl Champion teams and currently serves as the Performance Coach for the Big 12 Champion Kansas State football team in his 9th season (3 National Championships at North Dakota State) with Head Coach Chris Klieman. Ben served 5 years as the Mental Conditioning Coach for the 18x National Champion Alabama Crimson Tide football team. Lastly, Ben also has served at his alma mater as a Performance Coach for Michigan State University’s football and basketball programs.
For the last two decades, Ben has been serving as the Peak Performance Coach for the top 1% of financial advisors globally and for Fortune 500 business executives.
Ben’s clients have included: Microsoft, United States Army, Anheuser-Busch InBev, Quicken Loans, MARS Snackfoods, AstraZeneca, Northwestern Mutual, AFA Singapore, Mass Financial Group, Frontier Companies, Wells Fargo Advisors, Great West Life Canada, Boston Medical Center, Boys & Girls Club of America, New York Life as well as thousands of executives, entrepreneurs, athletes and sales teams from around the globe.
Millions of people and some of the top performers in the world have been empowered by Ben through his books, educational content, coaching programs, podcast, and live events.
The Burn Podcast by Ben Newman
Passion Over Profit: Relationship-Driven Publishing with Cris Cawley
In a sea of AI, bots, and disconnection Cris Cawley is blazing a path in the publishing space. Her emphasis on relationship-driven publishing is a testament to the model that they embody at Game Changer Publishing.
Her courage and willingness to help others tell their stories in a unique and authentic way is what drove us to her for the publishing of my newest book, The Standard.
This conversation is full of energy, truth, and passion. Don’t miss this one.
P.S.- There’s a bonus announcement in the episode for a brand new arm of BNC, BNC Publishing. Let us help YOU get your book publishing journey started. -Email info@bennewman.net
Full episode now live on Youtube and All podcast platforms.
Follow Cris: https://www.instagram.com/officialcriscawley
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Working with other entrepreneurs like you, people who are passionate and driven and doing amazing things in the world. I mean, that's what keeps me going, that's what lights my fire every day, that's what makes me get out of bed and be excited about what we're doing.
Speaker 2:Welcome back to another episode of the Burn. I am Ben Newman and you know how we do this every single week we're going to bring you a story of an athlete, a celebrity, an entrepreneur, somebody in the business world who has recognized that why and purpose is not enough. There's an underlying burn that actually ignites your why and your purpose and causes you to show up when you don't feel like it, but especially after you win. Today's guest I'm going to get right down into it is Chris Colley. And here's why I say I'm going to get right down to it, because I always say that to kick off the show and you don't feel like it, especially after you win, and I'm mad at her, but I appreciate her. And some just decided to even do it when they're on family vacations overseas. So Chris Colley is the founder of Game Changer Publishing. We had the blessing of working with Chris for the latest release of the Standard, which, not only because of her ability to publish, her ability to market, became a Wall Street Journal bestseller. So we have a deep amount of gratitude for Chris and her work.
Speaker 2:But, Chris, I do have to start by giving you trouble the book launch. You were on vacation. I didn't even want to be bothering you. You have a beautiful family. You always make a point of spending time with your family, which I know is your passion. All you guys have to do. If, after her mental toughness forum speech which was amazing if you went and followed her which if you didn't you need to you'll see like how important family is. I would have never expected you. I would have thought you were in your office at Game Changer Publishing during this launch, but you were overseas, in Greece, on an amazing trip. But you still cared enough. So I just want to start there, Chris Like why do you love doing what you do so much that you would take time away from a vacation to help make sure that everything was running smooth for us?
Speaker 1:Well, you know, ben, the passion for being an entrepreneur myself and working with other entrepreneurs like you, people who are passionate and driven and doing amazing things in the world I mean that's what keeps me going, that's what lights my fire every day, that's what makes me get out of bed and be excited about what we're doing, the active publishing and marketing books. I mean, yeah, that's what we do every day. I love it. But what really lights my soul on fire is being able to work with people like yourself and just you know everybody has an amazing story and what they're doing for the world and the impact you know we can only impact so many authors, you know every year.
Speaker 1:But the impact that you guys are having on the thousands and hundreds of thousands and millions of lives, that's what makes it like. That's what makes it like great, and we know what kind of impact the standard is going to have on people and thousands and thousands of lives, hundreds of thousands of lives. So that's kind of what lights my soul on fire. Weeks we go yeah, every book has to win. We have to win and win big on every book. So it was a real pleasure and, yeah, I don't stop, whether in Greece. No matter where we are, we don't stop.
Speaker 2:But I know we're just getting started in terms of the impact that we're going to have together in this world to help people share messages, which I'm going to make you all wait for the discussion on that. But 1998 is when you start in this industry. You know, chris, I always love to share that. You know, I've been doing this for 18 years with some of the highest performers in sports and in business, and we live in this world where everybody changes their Instagram bio immediately to be the expert in what they want to do, but maybe they haven't become the expert yet. So what is it in all those years over 25 years on the marketing and publishing side what is it that gives you the edge that you have to see things differently in this industry?
Speaker 1:I think it's relationship driven. I've paid a lot of attention to the relationships. We treat every book like it's our own. Every new relationship means the world to us and we're not just publishing thousands of books and just a number. It's a very relationship driven business and I feel like we've earned a lot of the business. We don't just go out there and market and do ads and do all the things. It's very relationship driven. The books that we take on and decide to publish under our imprint means a lot. We take it very seriously. We spend a lot of time nurturing those relationships. People matter that. The relationships come first. Over 25 years, way back when I was on the road and going to all the masterminds and speaking at all the events.
Speaker 1:It's about people. This is a people business. It's a people driven business. The people that we choose to do business with are all high-performance entrepreneurs. Those are my people. That makes me feel like I'm at home. I don't get that in my everyday relationships, in my kids' parents, at school, things like that. They all have jobs but they don't understand what we do. Being around other high-performance entrepreneurs, it's almost like a here to pier situation and it's all relationship driven. That's really the piece that. I think that that's what sets us apart. A lot of times we get invited to do some really cool things or we get to do some really big books and people say how did you manage to land that? It's relationship driven, every single bit of it. We take those relationships very seriously and we pour into those. It's what matters. We put people first. It's not transactional to us. It's really about transforming these people's lives and then helping them transform the lives of the people that are reading their books.
Speaker 2:I love it. No-transcript. The uniqueness of the process in partnering with you is the answer you just gave is exactly what you get. So if I could help people understand what I mean by that, a lot of publishers are in their office. A lot of publishers. They're not out discussing marketing, they're going to suggest marketing, but there's really not much marketing that they do. It is very transactional and the standard is my eighth book, so I've been published as one of the top five publishing companies in the world all the way to when I first started. I was self publishing, so I've kind of run the gamut.
Speaker 2:So I've been through it, I understand it and I know the differences and you are out front, which is unique, all the way to the point where our engagement which I don't know if I'll ever be able to explain why, but you sent me a direct message on Instagram, but it was the authenticity of that message coming from you and I knew it was you because we started engaging and it was voice notes from you and I'm like, well, this is, this is actually Chris, and we live in a world where it's either a bot or it's somebody on the sales team who's sending the message on your behalf and it's one of the methodologies that we have with our company.
Speaker 2:Like if you send me a DM, like I'm the one who's responding Occasionally as we get busy, it might take a little longer than I would want Like you're going to get a response from me and I'll leave those voice notes, or I'll put the phone out and I'll leave a video. And I think that personal engagement is what wins in today's world. It's how you won me over. Why is that so important to you? To not just say relationships are important but to actually be the face of your brand and company to build these relationships? Why are doing those little things, that personal touch, so important to you?
Speaker 1:Well, I feel like you know, when I turn the, put the shoe on the other foot and I'm engaging with other people and I see that I'm engaging, when I realize I'm engaging with a bot or I'm engaging with someone that's not them, I'm like it just doesn't feel authentic. You know, it doesn't feel good to realize that, oh, that's not even the person I'm talking with or, oh, it's a bot. I didn't realize that and I know that that's the way that AI and technology and things are moving that way. I'm old school, you know. I'm 50 years old. I've been at this game since I was 25. And I've seen it all the way up and back in the day 25 years ago, it was well. First of all, we didn't have social media, you know, but when you made phone calls and you talked to people and you were face to face with people and that's the stuff that mattered, and so I don't know, I mean, maybe I'm just a little bit old school and I feel like that's important.
Speaker 1:I feel like that's the way I was raised, that's the way I've always done business, and I'm not really out there trying to build. I'm not out there at all trying to build my brand. I'm trying to build my company's brand and we're really. We leave with a heart to serve. We want to serve people, we want to help people, we want to transform people's lives. All of these connections are genuine and they're authentic and I feel like that will always, no matter how big AI gets or how many bots come out or whatever new sales method there is. Whatever, I feel like what we're doing will always win. It will always trump that, especially in coming at me, when people come to me. You know we get 700 messages a day in our, in my inbox. I mean that will always trump a bot or some sort of sales person reaching out. So I feel like it's important. I mean I've just, that's the way we do business.
Speaker 2:So, and I think from a from a results perspective, which is so unique. There's so many things that you all have done and different marketing strategies that you deploy that are so unique to the industry, but right behind you is actually a gold record from Russell Brunson and some of the amazing work that that you've done with them, and so those are the things that I look for as well, right Cause once again, somebody can put on their resume or they can change their bio and say whatever it is they want to say, and you know perceptions, reality these days but you just day in and day out. Historically, you just keep becoming and advancing as a disruptor is what I would refer to it as in this industry, doing it the right way, and it's been a wonderful experience for us, which created an opportunity, from a leverage standpoint, to do something that I had always dreamed of doing because, similar for you, people are actually contacting me, you know, as if I was a publisher, but people are always contacting me. You know, first book that I wrote came out in 2008. So I've been doing this for a long time, and so eight books later, two time Wall Street Journal bestseller. So people want to know and I always wanted to have BNC publishing. We've got BNC coaching and BNC speakers and all these things we do.
Speaker 2:But people always ask me these book questions and I was never able to say, yes, I can help you until I had the opportunity to meet you. So it's just interesting and I want you to speak to this that you reach out to me, the courage to remain unique in the industry, so it catches my attention. All of a sudden, the standard becomes our project together and then, through the process, I was able to say, well, wait a second, like this uniqueness, some of these advantages, I can now answer these questions and our organization can partner to say, yes, I can help you with the things that I know work, or maybe I can share ideas or coaching that can help you with the release of your book. But we're going to partner and we're going to be powered by GameChanger Publishing and so many of you. We've already been able to start the process of helping you write your first book and I just want to say thank you publicly, because a lot of people we haven't announced this in a big way.
Speaker 2:Maybe this is our big announcement, but I just appreciate the opportunity to leverage with you to help people's dreams come true Because, at the end of the day, that's really what you do. I believe everybody has a book in them and I know you won't publish everybody. It's because everybody's got a book and it's got to be the right fit. But how important is that to you? The finding and welcoming an individual like me to partner and to leverage and making people's dreams come true? Why do you stay so progressive and action oriented to do these things that are unique in the industry?
Speaker 1:Well, I love. I mean we're so grateful for the opportunity, ben, to work with you and your people and the fact that you've entrusted us to do that. We've met some incredible individuals and good people no, good people, right. So it's like all the people that we've had the opportunity to interface with and work with that have come through your channel have been amazing, absolutely epic, amazing, heart centered, impact driven, high performance entrepreneurs and everybody's like they're just great people and I feel like that that's it. I mean we just have you kind of know, you know when the pieces of the puzzle fit. You're like these are my people, right, and so generally, I mean you, you attract.
Speaker 1:I was talking to someone yesterday just I think he may have, he may have came from you and I honestly not 100% sure about you and he knew you and he knew your book and he was like he is like the most epic human being and he stands for everything I stand for and he believes in all the things I believe. I mean you just like sung your praises for like 10 minutes on the phone and I was like that is awesome. I mean that's the kind of thing when you meet like minded people who are out there doing big things and I love that. You are so just impact driven, your heart centered. But high performance, go, go be the best you know, setting the standard. I love that. By the way, I can't believe nobody's ever published a book called the most epic title. It's like the most epic. I'm like this standard. I'm like nobody's written that book.
Speaker 2:That's a good thing for both of us. Now.
Speaker 1:Amazing, amazing. But I mean I feel like it does set a standard. You know the publishing businesses. You kind of have the old school publishing and then you have kind of this new school stuff and we just sort of march the beat of different drama. We have our own way and I feel like just being rooted in our values and what's important in serving people is the most important thing and helping them transform. We transform their lives. Like I said, we can only transform so many lives a year, but then the lives that that book, those books impact, it's unbelievable, like the trickle-down effect. And that's our I feel like that's our stamp on this world and leaving the world a better place and putting out good information to people to help them learn and grow and develop and be the best they can be and have the best life they can possibly have. That's what it's all about. So it kind of comes back to that, just kind of what we stand for and what we believe in.
Speaker 2:I love it and one more thank you for you. Before I have one powerful question that I think is really important for everybody to answer for themselves when they reach the point that you have on your journey, and so I just want to say thank you for that opportunity to partner together and thank you for the support. Not only did you do an incredible job as a speaker at the Mental Toughness Forum, but you know, gamechanger Publishing also sponsored and they're a sponsor of our Las Vegas Bootcamp and Chris was like I'm not sponsoring, I'm coming to this event. So I can't wait for people to have the opportunity to meet and spend time with you and your energy and passion, and I know they're going to have all kinds of questions about books. He might be mad at me for accepting the invitation to come, but I know you're going to have a great time. Final question I have for you One of the things I love is the humble nature where you just keep attacking every day, which is something that I believe in.
Speaker 2:Why do you keep doing this? You have this beautiful family. You could have hung it up and been done a long time ago. What is it now that it's beyond things that are financial driven. Why do you keep going Like, tell me about the burn. Because clearly everybody can feel what your burn is and your energy. You said that fire within. Why is that fire lit brighter today than it was 25 years ago? Because whenever we connect, whether it's a text message, I feel the energy, whether it's an email, with this interaction I feel like she wired, like I am Like I don't think she's ever going to stop. So what is it that just keeps you going after all these years, when you really don't have to do it anymore?
Speaker 1:Sure, sure, no. We were blessed a few years back to. I could stop at any time, but it's interesting. Well, way back when, it was, like you know, building a life for my kids, building a life for my family, building the life that I didn't have as a kid, that I wanted for my own family. And now that they've gotten older, my girls are now what 22, 20 and 14. And now it becomes more of a not just legacy.
Speaker 1:I think legacy is important and but just being an example to my kiddos, because two of them have kind of ventured out into the entrepreneurial world, and being an example and just kind of living, because you know, when they were little it's like they see that you're working and doing things, but they don't really understand it. Now they're old enough to understand why I do, what I do and what we do and it's fun. I mean, they've kind of two of them have kind of ventured off into the, like I said, the entrepreneur world. So it's interesting that they're looking for guidance, they're looking for support, they're looking to model someone, right? And I'm thinking, okay, if I want them to model someone, I want to be their role model, not someone else. I want to show them the right way and open up doors and showing them how to do business, and because I feel like some of the values and the things and the way that we were raised is being lost. You know, in this next generation things are. It's a different world these kids are growing up in. So I just want to be a role model to them and show them and live by example, right.
Speaker 1:So that's kind of the interesting like just showing them how to do business and why we do business and how we care about people and why that matters and the relationship driven stuff not just everything over text messages and the face to face, all the things that feel like are valuable, that are important, that have served us well over the past 25 years. So now it kind of becomes more about that right and leaving my legacy that way, but also being an example to my kiddos and maybe passing something on who knows. I mean I don't know if they'll end up in publishing who knows, but that at least I'm. They can look back and go. That was really cool. My mom showed me this and this and this and I learned this from my mom and I just want to be a good example to those girls. So I think that's what drives me the most.
Speaker 2:Well, you are doing it. Thank you so much for all that you do, thank you for the opportunity to have you on the burn and thank you for being the example for your family. It's one of the big messages towards the end of the standard is that we all have an opportunity to be the example, and we live in a world where everybody wants to tell you how great they want to be, yet when we have a conversation with their action, we hear a completely different story. When you have a conversation with Chris Collie's action, you see exactly who she is, what lights her up and the fact that she is and will remain an example for her kids. So thank you for the example that you said. I appreciate you and all you do for us.
Speaker 1:Appreciate you too, and thank you so much for the opportunity. It's been such a blessing working with you and I look forward to many great things to come. So thank you for the introduction to all your amazing people. All of it I mean everybody you've introduced us to has been just as absolutely amazing as you are, and we're really grateful for the opportunity to work with you.
Speaker 2:Well, for those of you that are listening, that's your invitation to get in touch with Chris directly or to me if you've had that dream of writing a book, and I hope that Chris's words, whether it be from the mental toughness former today, have enabled you and empowered you to be a little more courageous, to send that initial DM, to put yourself in front and to believe in your brand and to set that example for your family.
Speaker 2:This is what is so important to us every single week on the burn is to be able to highlight individuals like Chris who understand what that burn is, that ignites that why and purpose that causes them to show up and want to win. So please share this message. I don't say this every week. Share this message with somebody who needs to believe more. Share this message with somebody who needs to be more confident. Share this message with somebody who needs to understand the importance of being the example, because that is the standard that you set for the people that are watching how you show up in your life. We appreciate every single one of you that joins us for the burn every single week Until next week. Continue to fight the good fight one day at a time.
