Hey what’s up! My name is Chris Altamirano and I just attended the Rise Business Conference in Charleston, South Carolina. Whether you attended this years event and just want to get a note refresher, or are thinking of attending next years conference and want to know what it’s all about, you’re in the right place! By the end of this post you’ll gather a lot of useful nuggets and know for certain whether this business conference is right for you or not.
Links to each speakers social media profile as well as links to book recommendations mentioned throughout the conference will be scattered throughout this post. Feel free to click through, follow the speakers, and link to book recommendations on Amazon.
Feel free to read from the beginning or browse through the table of contents to navigate to each section. Enjoy!
Table of Contents
What Is The Rise Business Conference?
If you’re looking to jump up and down Tony Robbins style, humorous punchlines, and are a small business owner looking to get in the right state of mind, this is definitely the business conference for you. While you’re most certainly looking to get motivated, I’d say the conference was 80% mindset, 20% tactical.
Who’s Behind The Hollis Company?
The Hollis Company is who created the Rise brand. The company identifies as “more than just a lifestyle brand.” The creators of the company are Rachel Hollis and Dave Hollis. Rachel is a #1 New York Times and #1 USA Today Bestselling Author, top business person, mother and Rise Business Conference host. She brings a ton of energy and calls it how she see’s it.
Dave is husband to Rachel and is CEO of the Hollis Company. He left his role as President of Theatrical Distribution at The Walt Disney Studios to take his experiences and creative abilities into growing and scaling the Hollis Company. He is also father to their four children, Jackson, Sawyer, Ford and Noah.
Who Is The Rise Business Conference For?
They Hollis Co. has a multitude of events, this event is specifically geared towards small business owners who are looking to grow and scale their business. Whether you’re in the product/service/experience industry––this conference has something that can benefit the ladder.
I’d say that after experiencing the conference, the key thesis of the event was focused on getting out of your own way, owning your story, making a mess and being a servant leader. With that being said, I believe large business owners would also greatly benefit from this event as well as mindset in any area of life is key.
What To Expect
This year’s Rise Business Conference was held in Charleston, South Carolina from November 7-9, 2019 at the North Charleston Coliseum. Upon arrival, attendees received a lanyard, printed out name card, and a clear bag containing your event workbook along with other miscellaneous items including an after party wristband that would be held on Saturday evening after the last speaker.
Unlike other conferences I’ve attended, this one is NOT a pitch fest. This is something I really loved about the event. Typically at other events, you’ll see the event hosts allow each speaker to promote their product or service after they speak. Or during intermissions there will usually be “coaching packages” ranging from $5,000 – $10,000. You will not have this experience at the Rise event.
Instead, you’ll get a high energy Rachel Hollis hosting an arena of 6,000+ attendees, great humor, practical mindset hacks, along with actionable business steps you can implement into your business right away. You can also expect a panel of the worlds most in-demand and accomplished personal development and business coaches.
Also, Rachel Hollis has an Instagram following of over 1.6million, and has a huge influence among female entrepreneurs. The result? An arena primarily filled with women. If you’re a woman who wants to get around other women to expand and grow your business, this event is definitely for you.
For my fellas out there, should you still attend the event? Absolutely! Not only will you be able to connect with the few men at the conference but you’re able to connect with tons of amazing women in the business space. The men’s restrooms are also almost always empty as well which is super dope.
As with any conference, expect the arena to be cold! If you’ve ever been to a conference, you’ll know that the purpose of the event is to keep you engaged. One way this is done is by making it as cold as possible. And of course, expect surprise speakers and reveals of new programs and tools that will help you thrive.
How Much Does It Cost?
Depending on what type of experience you’d like, tickets can range from $300 – $1,800 USD. Each specific price point depends on the venue, where you’re sitting and additional perks.
The following seating was available for Rise Business in Charleston, South Carolina:
- Terrace
- Terrace +
- General Admission
- General Admission +
- Premier
- Premier +
- VIP
Here’s a chart showing what’s included in each specific package.
What To Wear
When you think of a business conference, you think of suits, ties, heels, skirts and slacks. You know, something super professional. This event was definitely none of that. Depending on which speaker was on stage you got a variety of outfits. Marie Forleo came out in some spiffy bright colored top with jeans, whereas Ed Mylett came out in a suit and a polo.
Here’s my recommendation: Dress the way you want to be addressed but more importantly dress comfortably. If there was one underlying thesis throughout the event it was to be yourself and own your mess. So whatever that looks like to you, dress like that.
Where Is The Next Rise Conference?
The Hollis Company has yet to release a specific date on the next Rise Business Conference but does offer a variety of other events through the Rise brand which can be found here on their events page.
2019 Conference Speakers and Notes
Below you’ll find some notes that I wrote down from the Charleston, South Carolina event. Unfortunately, notes from Dave Hollis, Tom Bilyeu and Amy Porterfield were some of the speakers I missed so there are no notes from them.
Rachel Hollis
• You don’t have to believe it, you just have to stand up and go again.
5 Differences To Help You Grow As A Leader
- Humility – Admit you don’t know it all. You aren’t supposed to know it all, you’re supposed to lead well. If you are not anticipating what’s going to put you out of business, don’t worry, it will. Stop fucking faking it. Stop pretending at business.
- Hard Work – Working hard on the right things. Book recommendation: The One Thing by Gary Keller. Work on the results. Work hard towards the results not on the to-do list.
- Health – Physical health and emotional health. The highest performers workout 7-days per week. The most important tool you have is your body. It is a gift, act like it!
- Honesty – Develop self-awareness. See your blind spots. The most important question you can ask yourself is, “Why did this happen?” Have business postmortems: “What do we want to replicate, what sucked?” Review and reflect.
- Optimism – You believe that tomorrow is going to be better than today! That you are in control of making things better. Daily gratitude practice. Write 5 things down to be grateful for whether that’s a sunset, coffee, etc. Spend your days looking for blessings and things to be grateful for.
Product/Service/Experience
How do I make my product/service/experience better? Pull every single piece of it apart. From the product itself, website, etc. Deconstruct and study it all.
Understand that it isn’t what you want, it’s about what your customers want. Pay attention to what people are saying. Don’t get romantic about how your product/service/experience should be. Listen to your audience.
Think of how you can improve your product, service, experience without it costing your any more money.
Get feedback by having people go through your product and seeing how they use it, then ask them where they get confused.
When you make your product or service excellent, you get word of mouth marketing.
You can scale products. What other products can you offer?
Get customer feedback by using forms. Ask them, “What is the most important part of your experience?” and give them survey based options to choose from. Feedback from your customers is GOLD.
Making millions is all about “stacking dimes.” One sale at a time.
Your customers should remember how you make them feel.
We’re all in the experience business.
– Rachel Hollis
Most of your business is going to come from repeat customers. Tap into your existing customer base.
Your customers are telling you what they want from you but you think it’s too simple to sell.
The stronger the experience, the longer they stay, the more they spend.
Focus on creating products that take you time, not money. Your mission requires money. Rachel meant that your greater cause for why you’re doing business is going to cost you money.
How can you make (your business) an experience? Rethink this.
Book recommendation: Excellence Wins by Horst Schulze
Book recommendation: Building a StoryBrand by Donald Miller
What is the brand you’re trying to create?
If you confuse, you lose.
Who is your customer?
Who is this for and what do they see from companies like mine?
Who are your dream clients and who are they already working with?
At least look like your competitors, dress the part.
Simplify the message.
The words that you use to describe your business has power. Example: Rachel said, “I produce luxury events.” The more specific you get with your business, the more specific your branding will be.
They need to know your name before they need your thing. That’s brand.
Business is an equation that can be taught. Be obsessed with your customer. Be excited about the company you’re creating. Play big, play full-out. Stop playing fucking small!
Customer Experience
Everything your customers see, hear, feel is an opportunity to brand. Think Chick-fil-A. They say, “My pleasure” and not “You’re welcome.”
Think of your customers journey, what does it look like from start to finish for them to work with you?
The Four C’s of Social Media: Content, Consistency, Community, CTA
Think of 5 things your business should be known for.
Do your best ideas now.
Never hire someone to do something you don’t know how to do.
Everything you want to learn how to do is on the internet for free. So if you don’t act, your ignorance is a choice.
People won’t ever be able to like you if you don’t put yourself out there. Give others the opportunity to get to know you.
Think of social media as a magazine.
Only 2 social media platforms offer full organic reach: TikTok and Linkedin.
Use tools such as HootSuite, TailWind, and SproutSocial to manage your social media channels. Batch create content and then schedule your posts.
Instead of wanting more followers, ask yourself: “How do I take care of the followers I already have?” Think of this before wanting more.
Be in the community and police your community.
Have an end game in mind.
Ask yourself, “Why do I have social media? What am I using it for?”
Don’t build social for ego. Build your social to serve. The best thing you can do is to serve your audience.
What kind of content would inspire and motivate my current and potential customers?
What do you want to say to them?
What kind of content will serve your product/service/experience best?
How much time do you need to commit to social media marketing?
What tools can you put in place to better help you produce consistent content?
How much content will you need to consistently schedule posts?
Take some time to brainstorm ways you will: Find your community/customers. Empower your community/customers. Grow your community.
CTA (Call To Action) If you don’t know what do ask, how will your audience know what to do? Take a few minutes to define your goal with social media and define how you will guide your audience to take that action.
Mally Roncal
Trust your whisper.
You need to find your meaningful difference in business and know what it is.
Big failures tend to have enormous impact on our stories. Don’t forget that the little mistakes have huge value as well. Learn from the little failures as well as the big failures.
Listen to your customers, they will guide you.
When you feel like you’re not good enough, talk to your “Angels.” Whoever or whatever that might be for you.
Don’t mind the failure fuelers a.k.a. the haters.
You are blessed, you are worthy. Be a positivity preacher.
Dean Graziosi
Sales 101
Love what you do so much that not serving/selling is a disservice.
The biggest sales job you have is selling yourself.
What the world wants more than anything right now is the authentic version of you and your company.
The height of your enthusiasm and energy will always outweigh the depth of your knowledge.
Nobody wants to buy from you if you don’t have confidence.
Hook – Enter the conversation already going on in the minds of your prospects/clients then begin crafting your message.
Story – Share why you’re knowledgeable at what you do. What is an epiphany you had that changed things and made you different. Overcome their fear, share a result you had. Be more authentic about your story/yourself. Make them feel understood, take them on the journey with your story.
“People don’t buy things they need, they buy things they want.” – Dean Graziosi
Bridge – A bridge is nothing more than an excuse to get the prospects enthusiasm up. Ask them why they want it, get emotional with it.
Close – Be clear, concise, tell them what they need to do. Sell benefits, not options. Stop apologizing for the sale. Be confident and proud. Turn away sales that don’t fit you or your company.
All anyone wants to know is how they’re going to feel or what’s going to happen at the end (benefit of what happens after they buy).
Urgency – Create authentic urgency that makes people feel and think. Dean then referenced the definition of insanity quote by Albert Einstein. Dean said something along the lines of, “If you’re looking for a new possibility, I’d love to be the one to help.”
Be enthusiastic and authentic.
People buy from you or will learn from you when they feel understood, not when they understand you.
Remember: They don’t make statues of critics.
Marie Forleo
The Secret To Figuring Out Your Biggest Dreams
All problems are figureoutable. If it isn’t, it’s not a problem, but a fact of life. You may not care enough about what you’re doing to reach the dream you’re after, so pick a new thing and get back to work.
Build your email list. Don’t depend on social media. Control how you connect with your audience. Those platforms aren’t always guaranteed to be here.
3 Master Lessons In Business
- Define Success For Yourself – Decide what truly matters to you so you can make strategic decisions of what to say yes to and what to say no to. Don’t chase vanity bullshit. Pursue revenue/profit and impact. See if your team is happy and if what they’re doing is their dream job. Are they bringing in other A players? If not, change things. Get clarity on your business.
- Simplify to Amplify – What are the 20% of your activities that are getting you 80% of the results. Prune (kill) what’s costing you your spiritual, psychological and physical well being. Even if it means pruning a revenue stream in your business that’s killing you in one of those three areas of life. Remove clutter so you can simplify and amplify. When you know what’s important, it’s a lot easier to ignore what’s not.
- Fall In Love With Modern Marketing – Compassion, integrity, serving. When you all in love with marketing/sales, you will thrive in any environment. You understand how to create raving fans and customers.
The most powerful words in the universe are the words you say to yourself. What you say to yourself out loud and in the privacy of your mind matters. – Marie Forleo
Repetition is the key in neuroplasticity.
Everything is figureoutable as humanly possible.
Step back and do an analysis on your business and on yourself.
Don’t get lost in comparison land.
Push against societal norms.
Ed Mylett
Identity = Thoughts, Habits, Beliefs about ourselves.
The external won’t change unless we change the internal thermostat.
People don’t have to believe what you say, you do.
Influencing is having people believe you believe what you’re saying.
Be evangelical about your business. Sell your dream and your vision. Turn your business into a mission, bring that energy, that’s what great business leaders do.
Create a mess, have faith, the bigger the building, the deeper the foundation.
The greatest things in life don’t show up in ways you think they will, they make you feel a certain way. Happy. Special.
Honor those who love you with their life.
Don’t just be in business, win in business!
You anchor your goals when you move your body. Say your goals when you move (exercise), override your body. It’s science. It’s neuroplasticity.
Play to win, get the first win. Get momentum.
Be in a crisis to get to the next version of you.
Enjoy the wins as you go.
Who are the main characters in your life? Mom, dad, siblings, etc?
If your grand kids picked up the story of you, would they like the book? Would you be satisfied with what they’re reading?
Win for the main characters in your life.
If you sit on your dreams, they become outdated.
Chase the destiny version (heaven) of yourself so you don’t have to face the hell version of you (hell) at the end of your life.
Don’t think in terms of price, think in terms of worth. Is it worth it? Broke philosophy always considers price, “What’s this cost me?” Think worth. Is this worth it?
Trent Shelton
Developing A Championship Mindset
- Commitment
- Be Down For Whatever It Takes
- Develop Emotional Resilience
- Get Legendary At Saying ‘No’ to What Doesn’t Get You To Your YES. If it or they don’t add to your success, subtract.
When the money doesn’t show up, will you?
Some of us aren’t committed, just interested.
Reality will catch up to your vision if you are committed. Champions commit.
What is your rooted reason that’s going to keep you going?
Be down for whatever, keep going!
Why are you afraid to start small? Who cares what people think!
If you’re controlled by your emotions, you’ll be very inconsistent.
Understand what the struggle produces.
Think: I have to go through this because it’s a part of the process.
Nothing lasts forever, including hard times, the tide will change.
Understand that quitting isn’t an option but be honest with yourself.
If you leave the door open to quit, you’ll quit.
If you can’t be excited about your life, then what are you doing with your life?
ACT: Application Creates Transformation
Ask yourself, “How can I apply (insert action) to my life?”
Regarding social media: “I see a lot of people who look like a lot of people.”
Do not trade your identity for popularity. Be your unique self.
What is it about you that makes you unique?
If you don’t own your past, your past will own you.
Own everything that you’ve been through.
When it gets real, you’ll see if it’s real for you.
What can you control?
Make your perspective be your power not your prison.
AC Mindset: Accept and Change
There’s nothing wrong with cutting people off.
How To Build Discipline
- Build your self-control muscle
- Make decisions today that your future self will thank you for, not hate you for
- Understand that your time is limited
- Don’t waste time on things that don’t matter
- Every time you do or don’t do something, it’s a direct correlation of your life
- Ask yourself: Is this going to waste my time?
Going out was the worst investment of my life.
What are your actions saying?
Consistency makes you a goal oriented person.
Success doesn’t always depend on world-class talent but it does depend on world-class consistency. Consistency make you legendary. And if you’re not consistent, you really just don’t care.
You don’t have a consistency problem, you have a commitment problem.
– Trent Shelton
How To Develop Consistency
- Feel what would happen if you don’t show up.
- Understand who’s depending on you to deliver. Who are you letting down if you don’t go after your dreams?
- Know that you’re replaceable. If you aren’t consistent, life will replace you.
- Have faith: Have complete trust in something or someone. Have faith in your feet as well as your heart. Growth is impossible without faith. Believe in the unseen. Have confidence.
The only impossibilities are the one’s you create.
How To Build Confidence
Give yourself permission to fail and remember that failure is only final if you quit.
Visualize your environment. Be in the environment mentally before you get there physically. Visualize vividly.
Remind yourself of your greatness. Tell yourself in the mirror that you’re your own hero, it’s you. Who are you waiting on? It’s you! Go get it!
How To Create More Faith
Grow the muscle of what’s impossible. Run a 5k, 10k, etc. Do something that you’ve never done with yourself and with your team.
Make the fantasy your reality. Be around the people who are at where you want to be.
Brendon Burchard
If you have to force your work, you’re on the wrong path. If you want to change your business, get back to service.
Do not lower your ambition because other’s don’t expect it of you. Raise your ambition and deepen your discipline.
One of the biggest problems is the leader or the CEO who never steps into the role. You must own it!
Don’t be busy, be on purpose.
Questions Brandon asks himself after near death experience: “Did I live? Did I love? Did I matter?” At the end of your life you’re going to ask yourself questions to evaluate your life. Figure out what those questions are for you.
Re-evaluate your life and start living.
You get to choose to be more of who you are.
Don’t feel like people need to understand you.
Those who master their internal world master the outer.
“Excellence is an art won by training and habituation. We are what we repeatedly do. Excellent, then is not an act but a habit.” – Aristotle
Your habits are going to determine the rest of your life.
Fully engaged + Joyful + Confident = High Performers
If you can’t figure it out, find someone who knows and who can explain it to you.
High Performers ask, “What’s required to be of service here?”
Develop the strengths and skills that are required to serve in your space.
Part of your purpose is to grow into your purpose.
Developing Habits
- Seek Clarity – Seek a higher clarity, ask greater questions. Never limit yourself or your family based on your current circumstances.
- Generate Energy – High Performers don’t just accept the energy around them, they generate it. You are putting energy into your family. Be responsible for the energy you are projecting into the world. High Performers exercise 5x’s per week.
- Raise Necessity – Put pressure on yourself. It is a must for me to change.
- Increase Productivity – Drop the distractions and create the outputs that matter most. What are the needle moving actions and do those daily. Only do the things that push you forward and move the needle. Everything else is a no.
Oprah asks this question at the beginning of every meeting, “Ladies and gentlemen, what is our intention here today?” Be intentional.
Wherever you go, bring the joy!
You probably think a lot like where you’re from. – Brendon Burchard
None of us want our inaction to be the pain of our families.
Your mind goes to what’s comfortable instead of what’s possible.
If you have not yet chosen a year to make your health the best it’s ever been, now’s the time.
Learn what’s required and grow into it.
What are your measures for yourself and measures for your business. Self-evaluate. Use this as a tool.
No one is scared to start their dream, they’re scared to start small.
Develop Influence – Role model the way. Shape and challenge others thinking. Be yourself. Be honest. Do your best. Take care of your family. Be a great citizen. Follow your dreams.
We’re always influencing people, the difference is high performers do it on purpose.
Demonstrate Courage – No matter what people think, be courageous. Jump in, listen through the fear. That’s what courage is all about. Under performers stop at the fear, high performers go in anyway.
Scott Miller
Don’t screenshot people as you first meet them, allow them to grow out.
What are the paradigms you need to grow out of?
As a leader you have to have high courage discussions in and out of your comfort zones.
What are the dreams and goals of your people? Listen and bring the best out of them.
Any strength overplayed can become a weakness.
It’s more important for you to help people with their blind spots than for you to be liked.
Allow others to be smart.
Book recommendation: Multipliers by Liz Wiseman
Book recommendation: Management Mess to Leadership Success by Scott Miller.
Be the genius maker in the room, not the genius.
Humility births confidence.
The problem with thick skin is nothing comes in and nothing gets out. You have to have transparent skin.
Have you ever told yourself your story?
If you want to grow your business, you have to own your mess.
We learn more from our messes than our successes.
As a leader you set the culture.
Vulnerability is a leadership competency.
Listening is a leadership competency. Talking is selfish, listening is selfless. Assess how much you listen vs how much you speak. – Scott Miller
People will tell you what you need to know, and you will ask them what you want to know.
Interrupting is selfish. Don’t interrupt.
Declare your intent upfront.
Nearly all, if not all conflict in life, comes from mismatched or undeclared expectations.
Make time for relationships.
There’s a difference between an efficient mindset and an effective mindset. There’s a time to have both. Be efficient with things and effective with people.
With people slow is fast, and fast is slow.
Your people aren’t your most valuable asset, it is the relationships between your people.
Check your paradigms. We see the world not as it is, but as we are. We have deep beliefs about everything.
Chris Hogan
Spends the first 10-minutes of everyday writing thank you notes to his people.
Do the things you ask your team to do.
Some people on your team don’t have family, show up as that family for them.
Be intentional and grow yourself.
Do something worthwhile.
Leadership Lies
- Leadership is determined by title or rank
- Positional power doesn’t make you a leader.. it makes you a boss
- Leadership is only for a select few
What Is Servant Leadership?
- Treat your people as human beings, not as units of production. Love them
- A servant leader puts the team first and empowers others
Servant Leadership In Motion
- A servant leader listens
- A servant leader asks questions: How are you? What are you working on right now? How can I help you?
- A servant leader follows up with his people and see’s how things are going in their lives.
- A servant leader follows through and does what they say they will
- A servant leader helps the team grow (train your people)
Don’t be concerned about your status, be concerned about your impact.
– Chris Hogan
Every successful team has unity when they’re bought into the mission.
Your job as a leader is to polish and shine people.
It’s hard to be hateful when you’re grateful.
Benefits of Servant Leadership
- Servant leadership increases trust
- Servant leadership builds loyalty
- Servant leadership creates unity
Focus and plan for obstacles. Think for it, train for it, and execute when it shows up.
You have an opportunity to make an impact as a leader.
Opportunity vs Chance
- Grab the opportunity and skip the chances
4 People You Need In Your Life (Be These For Others As Well)
- Coach – They love you enough to push you
- Cheerleader – You need people/person who are TEAM YOU!
- Mentor – Pushes and guides you. They’ve accomplished some stuff in their life. Chat at least once per week with them
- Friend – You can talk about everything with them and they want you to win
Don’t make excuses, make plays.
An excuse is the skin of a lie wrapped in a reason.
Chase the feeling of what it’s like to serve others.
Revisiting old hurt just causes new harm.
Serve people in ways that you never have before.
Servant Leader questions: “What would I do for them? Are they worth it? Would I get out of my comfort zone for them?”
An expectation that hasn’t been communicated is just a thought. Be detailed, guiding, and specific.
Final Thoughts
In all honesty, I had no idea who Rachel Hollis or Dave Hollis were. I didn’t even know there was something called the Rise Business Conference for entrepreneurs. Like many of us today, I found out through the “grapevine” a.k.a. social media.
One of my mentors who I’ve been following for years, Ed Mylett, was actually holding an Instagram contest giveaway. You know, the whole “tag three friends, follow me on all social platforms and tell me why you deserve to win” type of deals.
This is something I never do.
But I don’t know what it was but I felt compelled to enter. Part of winning the contest was being able to actually meet Ed in the flesh along with getting a ticket to the conference.
Here’s the entry that won me the contest, along with 24 other winners: Click image to enlarge.
It wasn’t until 7-days later that I got a direct message from Ed with a message congratulating me that I’d been one of those picked. I was ecstatic! Unfortunately, due to logistical reasons (come on Ed), he wouldn’t be able to do a meet and greet.
He did however, throw in a max out shirt and an extra ticket. So I invited my friend and we set off to Charleston, South Carolina 7-days after getting that direct message.
We booked a modest hotel where I spilled pancake batter everywhere during breakfast time (that’s a whole different post) and made due with what we had. The point is that we got committed.
Call me corny but I believe that’s what the entire event was all about––getting committed to your vision no matter what. Having an abundant mindset and knowing that when you want something bad enough, you’ll figure things out.
We learned very few tactical things but I think Rachel and Dave did that on purpose. The event was made for connecting with the other attendees and cultivating relationships. It was for getting your mindset right.
To often we begin creating great habits and then a road block hits and instead of focusing on all of the progress we’ve made, we focus on the slip up and lose all of our momentum. We self-sabotage and then feel alone.
Attending events like Rise and being around like-minded entrepreneurs helps with that. I met some incredible people and am grateful to have attended. If you’re a woman who’s looking to get around empowering women, you should attend this event.
And if you’re a man who’s looking to get a refresher on what it means to attend a business conference minus all of the testosterone and male stunting, you should attend this for a change. Being around women who want to level up is something else. It’s amazing really.
Or maybe you’re a power couple and feel alone in your entrepreneurial journey. This is definitely the place where you can connect with other couples who feel the exact same way.
Regardless of where you are in your entrepreneurial journey, the most important step to take is to get to any event to begin building your support system and network. Maybe Rise is that event for you.