Faculty Spotlight - Brad Semp

If I had to choose the type of seminar I would want to attend, I would probably go to marketing seminars all the time. I can talk about marketing and new marketing strategies constantly and not grow bored. Aren’t we all like that when it comes to areas that we’re really good at?

In all honesty, though, I admit that it’s not what I potentially don’t already know in the realm of marketing that prevents me from reaching a new level of success. It’s a lack of proficiency at some of the other areas – some that I can’t just delegate or outsource…. some like having good working systems or being able to recognize how a team member is motivated. That’s precisely why Extreme Business Makeovers was created as it was… in order to make sure that we could all (myself included) overcome some of the stumbling blocks that prevent us from reaching new heights.

Today, I’m spotlighting another one of our fantastic speakers – Brad Semp. I’m going to start with sharing his resume and then I’m including one of the articles he has written. If you read his information and article, I’m certain you too will see the value Brad is bringing to the event. However, for me, the bottom line is the Brad is a “get it done” kind of a guy who can teach even scattered, creative types like me how to formulate simple systems that can repeatedly drive business productivity and profits without making you crazy in the process.

Brad Semp is a world-renowned expert in using and teaching process-based approaches to help entrepreneurs and corporations to achieve their goals.  Most recently the head of a $100+ million dollar business unit for a Tier 1 automotive supplier, Brad has founded and grown a business process and consulting company that leverages the power of the internet to produce residual income 24/7.

His business, Cashmap Systems, LLC is headquartered in Shelby Township, MI and focuses on helping small business owners and entrepreneurs to apply a systems-based approach to profit generation.  Often referred to as “The Systems Guy”, Brad is an expert in helping people and businesses to take action that produces results.

His clients range from people currently working in the corporate world with aspirations to “do something else” to entrepreneurs to medium and large-sized corporations.  As a PhD candidate in Systems Engineering, Brad’s dissertation research has been uniquely developed and combined with his experience in business systems to generate a proprietary, Simple Action Success™ approach that he applies to successfully propel his clients to the next level of entrepreneurship and profitability.

Introduced to the online world of internet marketing and profit producing systems in 2005, Brad and his team have developed 100’s of specific, money-making Cashmaps® that he shares with his clients.  Seeking to make a significant impact on the lives of individuals who “want something more out of life”, Brad left the automotive industry in early 2008 to pursue his entrepreneurial dreams on a full-time basis.

Now as an industry recognized expert and speaker, Brad seeks to share his knowledge with others who aspire to change their lives and the lives of their loved ones.
To discover more about Brad’s business building systems, Cashmaps®, or other general information you can visit his corporate website at http://www.Cashmap.com.

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Here’s one of Brad’s articles to give you a feel for his expertise:

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Why Systems Are Essential For Competitive Advantage

By Brad Semp

Think of any enormously successful product or service – whether it’s the iPod, Coca-Cola or the Starbucks coffee chain – and you’ll find, at it’s core, a little discussed, yet immensely powerful system. Indeed, it is this proprietary and sometimes patented system that lies behind the competitive advantage enjoyed by the makers of that product or service. And it’s a system like this that is essential to YOU achieving a competitive advantage in your market place.

Systems are the lifeblood of any successful enterprise and its product and service offerings. Businesses that grow into large and profitable organizations only do so through the systemization of every aspect of their business. Indeed, they typically use process maps – such as a Cashmap – to document each of their key processes or systems. From how they hire people… to how people do their jobs… to business development… to internal entrepreneur systems… to how products and services are developed and delivered… to every element of the business operation as a whole.

Indeed a business IS a system. But the difference between a successful and failing business is often due to whether or not the business perfects, implements and improves every single system that makes up the overall business system. Much like the human body, which relies on various biological systems, a failure of any of the systems that contribute to overall business performance is likely to damage the business system as a whole.

The late business thinker, Peter Drucker, said that a business has only two purposes: innovation and marketing. In both cases – for innovation to lead to differentiated products and services, and for marketing to position those products and services as being superior to competitive offerings – unique, proprietary systems are required. Firstly, when it comes to developing truly innovative – and more importantly, unique and valuable products and services that cannot be replicated by others – it’s essential that a business protect its intellectual property. If possible, the business should patent any innovative and unique processes and systems.

However, regardless of the legal protection available, a business can also stand head and shoulders above its competitors by establishing its own, highly effective methods of marketing its products and services. How? By offering more value to customers… delivering an unmatched level of customer service… using more convenient distribution channels… promoting to customers in more appealing ways… And these are just some of the ways a business can achieve distinction through its marketing systems!

And, yes, each of these can, and should, be systemized in order to further cement a competitive advantage. And given the relative ease of doing so – by, for example, mapping out each process in a Cashmap – the business will have the means by which to avoid the commoditization of the product or service and the related risk of having to compete on price.

In conclusion, if you want to achieve a substantial competitive advantage for your business, be sure to develop, market and sell a proprietary system for your products and services. By applying this approach to business development, which can be relatively easily documented using a Cashmap, this will help create a space within your marketplace that cannot be challenged by your competitors.