In business (and marketing especially), limitations exist everywhere—mostly in our minds and in the stories we tell ourselves. So how can we overcome them? Everyone can think big, but the art is in acting bigger.

So says Jeffrey Hayzlett, upcoming speaker at Austin AMA’s February luncheon, “Think Big, Act Bigger: The Rewards of Being Relentless” held Feb. 26 at Abel’s on the Lake. We definitely hope to see you there, but until then, we caught up with Jeffrey for a sneak preview of his upcoming talk:

Where’s the balance between being bold and brash – or is there one?

There shouldn’t be one. In fact, the job of a marketer is to create tension and push things beyond what they are to create growth.

As marketers, it’s not always easy being irrational – often because of board expectations, corporate politics and other obstacles. How can we steamroll those obstacles without steamrolling the people behind them?

One shouldn’t wake up every morning hoping to be stupid. No one wants to fight fights you can’t win. However, as marketers our jobs are to take things beyond where they are presently. In order to do that, you’re going to have to push some boundaries. Be irrational in saying you’re going to exceed customer expectations, increase revenue or higher growth margins.

One of the featured topics in your book is to “clean your own bathroom.” What do you mean by that?

Set an example for other people. That’s what I mean. Don’t be afraid to do any job that’s needed in order to get it done. Just because you’re the Chief Marketing Officer in a multi-million dollar retail business, doesn’t mean you can’t put a t-shirt on and visit the stores to learn more about customer experience. Know everything about your business from the bottom to the top.

From your experience, are there any Texas-based brands that have particularly embraced the “act bigger” mantra? Which ones and how?

The Dallas Cowboys. They have become not only a regional team but also a national team. A team that has fans not just all over the United States but all over the world. That’s saying something. That is a group that says we’re going to be bigger, badder versions of ourselves.

Another one, I think, was the early Dell. The verdict is still out on the new Dell, but the early Dell for sure. The Michael Dell who flew to Sioux City, South Dakota, to drop t-shirts off at his competitor’s, Gateway, offices. That’s bold. That’s thinking big and acting bigger.

What’s one action that we could start doing today—and everyday—to be more bold and relentless in our job roles?

First, have clear conditions of satisfaction. Know your role as a performer or customer and what promises you have made in that role. Then make sure everyone delivers on those promises. Second, focus on the things that matter today to get you where you need to go tomorrow.

Learn more Jeffrey at the Austin AMA’s next luncheon on Feb. 26: “Think Big, Act Bigger: The Rewards of Being Relentless.”

About The Speaker

Jeffrey Hayzlett is a global business celebrity, a prime time television show host on CSuite TV, and a radio host on CBS Radio’s Play.it and C-Suite Radio. From small businesses to international corporations, his creativity and extraordinary entrepreneurial skills have enabled him to lead ventures blending his leadership perspectives, insights into the c-suite and business strategy, mass marketing prowess and affinity for social media. He is a well-traveled public speaker, the author of the bestselling business books, The Mirror Test and Running the Gauntlet, and one of the most compelling figures in business today.

Jeffrey is a leading business expert, cited in Forbes, SUCCESS, Mashable, Marketing Week and Chief Executive, among many others. He shares his executive insight and commentary on television networks like Bloomberg, MSNBC, Fox Business, and C-Suite TV. Hayzlett is a former Bloomberg contributing editor and primetime host, and has appeared as a guest celebrity judge on NBC’s Celebrity Apprentice with Donald Trump for three seasons. Drawing upon an eclectic background in business, buoyed by a stellar track record of keynote speaking and public appearances, and deeply rooted in cowboy lore, Jeffrey energizes his role driving and delivering change. He is a turnaround architect of the highest order, a maverick marketer who delivers scalable campaigns, embraces traditional modes of customer engagement, and possesses a remarkable cachet of mentorship, corporate governance, and brand building.