On this episode of the Massimo Show

Rod sits down with author, keynote speaker, strategic business coach, and global event promoter Tony Rubleski. Tony is the president of the Mind Capture Group and has been highlighted on the Detroit press, Fox TV network, ABC and CNN radio.  He is the creator of the mind capture book series, as well as the authors of Trailblazers: Leadership Lessons from 12 Pioneers Who Beat the Odds & Influenced Millions and he is about to release a new book: So You Want to Write a Book. His core expertise and message is designed to help people ‘Capture’ more minds and profits.

No Stranger to the Stage 

Tony spent his younger years in catholic school but eventually transitioned to a public high school.  He refers to himself as a curious soul who pondered the priesthood for about six months but ultimately played football and baseball in high school as well as played in a heavy metal band.  In his senior year of high school his band, The Creed, opened up for Green Day.  For Tony, music was an extension of creativity and joy.  

Once he got through college he began to understand the reality of having to get a job.  Today his creative extension comes in the form of writing books instead of music.   

At 19 Tony was cold-calling and door to door selling for Telecom. “I was having fun but didn’t know what I was doing.” Tony tells Rod.  “I enjoyed going door to door, was young and naïve.”  At 20 Tony came across Tony Robbins and he says it changed his destiny.  This led him to study Dan Kenndey and Jay Abraham.  “My marketing classes in college, we weren’t learning about setting goals.  I would go to my marketing classes after studying Jay Abraham and ask the strangest questions.  The professors would be like what planet is he on.” Tony jokes with Rod. His inquisitive curiosity and his appetite for the subject matter led him to seek out Tony Robbins, Jay Abraham, and Dan Kennedy a couple years later. “Looking back, there are moments that change your destiny.  Being around those guys in my early 20s was impactful.” Tony says. 

Making People Take Notice 

Over time Tony began to gradually transition from telecom sales to being a thought leader in his field of marketing.  Tony met with and worked for Dan Kennedy by age 23.  “I was able to get the CEO’s to call me back by using direct mail grabbers such as scratch off tickets, money bags with fake money.” Tony reveals to Rod.  “I had no fear of embarrassment to mail the CEO of a bank a bank bag with a funny note.  When you do different things, you may ruffle some feathers, but you sure do stand out.” 

Tony learned from Dan Kenned that when you are cold calling you are an uninvited pest.  As opposed to someone reaching out to you – that is a welcome guest.  It is about positioning.  Today, Tony teaches referral marketing around the world to big companies.  Through the evolution of working with Dan Kennedy, Bob Burg, Jay Abraham, and Ivan Meiser, he will often name drop to give credit to those who taught him and reference his source materials.  “I don’t have all the knowledge.  Universal knowledge runs through many teachers and masters.  And Then I teach it in my style or mind capture way.” Tony says. At Telecom Tony used successful direct marketing principles. He recalls how a lot of Jay Abraham teaching came into effect.  “was selling phone service, the most hated and boring service.  You had to be motivated.  It was Tony Robbins and Zig Ziglars who came in to motivate me to keep doing this.” 

Mind Capture 

About 17 years ago, Tony was still in Telecom sales and he would have agents he recruited come to him and say “you need to write a book. You are a great teacher who does these crazy marketing things!”  But people kept prodding him asking when his book would be done. At the time, Tony lied and said he was working on it but eventually that prodding pushed him to write a manuscript.  “When the manuscript was completed, I was the VP of Sales at an Ad Agency.  I was looking at my bookshelf one night and saw a Jay Abraham seminar called Mind Capture. That is when I thought, that is what I am trying to convey.  A year later I met Jay Ahrahmam in Detroit at an event.  I gave him a signed copy of my book and told him you were the inspiration for the title of my company.” Tony recalls. Tony describes Mind Capture as a battle we all face in business and doesn’t hesitate to give Jay Abrham credit for the brand and the source for what he now teaches around the world.  

Mind Capture is the ability to stand out and get attention in a world with too many choices and demands placed on our time.   Since Tony’s first book, attention spans have gotten shorter. We are trained and addicted to our phones.  Tony recommends that the best way to get attention is through referrals and introductions.  Still today, Word of mouth is still the most powerful.   

Build relationships and not transactions. 

How do we grab attention?  What is your story? What is your uniqueness?  Uniqueness captures attention.  In the 9 second world we live in you have to fight for attention at all costs. Get a client and you do such a great job providing exceptional service they want to refer you.  They send you more people via introduction.  Word of mouth accelerates, and you keep repeating the process.  

During this lockdown time everyone is doing soul reflection.  People are doing business reflection, life reflection.  It’s a good time to reach out to your current clients and referral partners and check in.  How do you do it?  Right now, Tony is doing more webinars and zoom interviews training for large groups because everyone is at home.   “I am not charging for that.  I am doing that as a value added to thank core clients.  I am here to serve them not sell them.” Tony says “ These are unpaid auditions for the right target groups.” 

Tony has written 6 books.   His latest book:   So you Want To Write a Book is available via e-book. “This is the time to put this book out.  We put out our E-book first.  Most people are home right now.”  According to a recent survey 81% of Americans want to write a book before they die. “The numbers are huge.  That means there are potentially 260 M people in the US that would like to write a book someday.  If you put a book out at the right time, it should fall at a better audience.  I didn’t see a pandemic or lockdown.  We rushed and pivoted to what was happening.” Tony explains. 

Tony and Rod end the show with Tony’s two best tips for success in business. Tune in to hear the full interview.