TEDx Speaker | Bestselling Author | Chief Coaching Officer for Positive Intelligence
Bill Carmody is the Chief Coaching Officer for Positive Intelligence, who, in 2023, was named the 567th fastest growing private company in the United States according to Inc Magazine. Together with CEO Shirzad Chamine, Bill has supported more than 100,000 coaches globally to become mentally fit through our coaching grant program (see PositiveIntelligence.com/100x).
Bill Carmody is also responsible for the creation and rollout of the Sage Business Development program, PQ WealthBuilder, and has a passion for supporting coaches in eradicating scarcity and tapping into their infinite abundance to elevate the business side of their coaching business.
Bill Carmody has had some epic adventures. From becoming a Top 100 sales influencer to standing next to Tony Robbins as he rang the opening bell at NASDAQ to dropping 75 pounds and finishing in the top 50% in his first 140.6-mile Ironman. He was even flown to Brazil to interview Sir Richard Branson. Bill’s pronouns are he, him, his, and he is a Diversity, Equity, Inclusion + Belonging Ally-in-Training and is a vocal advocate for transgender rights as well as the father of a transgender child.
Bill Carmody has founded and successfully exited two highly profitable and award-winning multimillion-dollar marketing agencies. With over 30 years of marketing experience, he has been in the digital marketing industry since its inception in 1994. Bill Carmody built the first commercial websites for AT&T, CBS, MasterCard, and Coors Brewing Company.
The purpose of Bill’s life is to be an inspirational leader who solves problems and creates breakthroughs for himself and others. His second book, Three Rules of Marriage, is a bestseller, and his TEDx talk on the power of storytelling has been watched by 25,000 people.
Bill Carmody is a former columnist for Inc, Entrepreneur, and Forbes Magazines, having written more than 350 articles. He has spoken at dozens of industry conferences across the globe and has had the opportunity to interview many high-profile industry professionals such as Tony Robbins, Sir Richard Branson, Malcolm Gladwell, Stephen M. R. Covey, Seth Godin, Rich Litvin, Grant Cardone, Jeffrey Gitomer, Tim Sanders, and many others.
Bill is a highly sought-after trainer and a well-seasoned Professional Certified Coach (PCC) with the International Coaching Federation (ICF). He works with world-changing visionaries who are brave enough to build a better future. You are in good hands with Bill. He’s here to support you in achieving your deeply desired outcomes. For more information, connect with him on LinkedIn, BillCarmody.com, or ThreeRulesofMarriage.com
Company: Trepoint, Inc.
We are thrilled to have you join us today, welcome to ValiantCEO Magazine’s exclusive interview! Let’s start off with a little introduction. Tell our readers a bit about yourself and your company.
Bill Carmody: I help coaches build and scale their coaching businesses. Through my Sage Business Development platform, I’ve helped over 10,000 coaches grow their coaching businesses, with some generating hundreds of thousands of dollars in as little as 12 weeks.
What were the most significant challenges you faced during the scaling process, and how did you overcome them?
Bill Carmody: The most significant challenge is to learn to “accept” or “convert” rather than judge something as “bad” or “wrong.” For example, when a client says “no,” I can either take that personally and judge myself, or I can “accept” that what they are saying is true for them at this moment. Once I have accepted what is true for this client, I can explore if there is an opportunity to “convert” the no into a yes. But I can only do that once I’ve fully accepted where they are and choose to meet them there.
Nobody wants to be sold, but everyone likes to buy. Rather than judging a person for their “no,” I can remain curious and learn something important. Even if the outcome is the same in that they choose not to move forward with me, my curiosity will ensure that I’m growing from this specific rejection rather than becoming discouraged by it.
I spent a full year in deep contemplation about where I choose to “accept” what is, and where I choose to “convert” opportunities that have the power to do so. The wisdom that comes from getting it wrong is also invaluable. When I attempt to convert something that I should accept, or accept something I could convert, I’m learning and growing. That’s how I’ve overcome the most significant challenges while scaling my business.
How did you ensure that your company culture remained intact as your business expanded?
Bill Carmody: By moving from ‘Command and Control’ to ‘Trust and Inspire.’ All too often, a company’s default culture is driven by executives who ‘lead’ by the authority bestowed upon them in their title. Commanding someone may get a short-term result, but I guarantee you that it’s the bare minimum. Conversely, trusting your team and inspiring them to their greatness is what builds an incredible culture that everyone would like to contribute to and be part of.
What strategies did you employ to maintain quality and customer satisfaction while scaling rapidly?
Bill Carmody: Listen. Adjust. Improve. Our customers will tell us everything we need to know if we just listen to them. Once we are clear on what is needed, we adjust. Those adjustments, driven by our customers, ensure we continually improve.
Can you share a specific turning point that was crucial for your business’s successful scaling?
Bill Carmody: In each of the multi-million dollar businesses I’ve built from either nothing or very little revenue (i.e., Seismicom, Trepoint, and Positive Intelligence), the turning point is always discovering market fit. What is it that we offer that our clients want more than anything? For marketing services, it’s delivering predictable results and a clear return on investment. For coaches, it’s building and scaling their coaching business so that they generate the income they desire while having the biggest impact in the world.
How did you manage the financial aspects of scaling, particularly in securing funding and maintaining cash flow?
Bill Carmody: I don’t seek outside capital until I have determined market fit and established my own profitability. Companies get into trouble by taking on debt and venture capital infusion too soon. Only once I’m clear on how I can grow organically do I choose to place strategic financial bets. It’s not that there’s ‘no risk,’ but rather ‘asymmetric risk’—investing a little for an outsized return. That might be hiring a rock star employee or investing in a technology that helps with scale. But where companies get into trouble is doing the opposite—investing too much money for a small incremental return. When the risk is high, it becomes more like gambling than growing a business.
