In this episode Judith Germain speaks to Stu Heinecke about the entrepreneurial mindset and business growth strategies. Humour reveals truths in unexpected ways and starts conversations. Cartoons, coffee spills and waiting butterflies disarmingly urge responses playfully instead of demands. Creativity works where crowds fail by interrupting patterns. Key Takeaways Stu has an unusual background as both a marketer and a cartoonist. He uses cartoons in marketing campaigns to get higher response rates. Stu coined the term "contact marketing" - using audacious means to get meetings with high value people. He wrote books on this topic. Stu had an epiphany seeing a dandelion growing tenaciously from concrete. This inspired his "weed strategy" for business growth. Weeds exhibit mindsets like persistence, resilience, aggression, urgency, and collaboration that businesses can emulate. To have the right growth mindset, make the choice to take action. Seek people already successful and learn from them. To get meetings with anyone: gain insight into their needs, challenges; humanise yourself; send creative communications. Stu uses printed direct mail (like cartoons and objects) to stand out and get responses when people don't reply. In this conversation Stu reminds us that we should engage targets with relevance and humanity. Know their challenges and interests to start useful discussions, not blind pitches. Stand out creatively to build curiosity and positive engagement when many seek meetings. Stu Heinecke is Bestselling Author of How to grow your business like a weed and How to get a meeting with anyone. You can find out more about our guest and today's episode in this Maverick Paradox Magazine article here. --- Maverick leadership is all about thinking outside the box and challenging the status quo. It's about having the courage to take risks and the confidence to lead in a way that is authentic and genuine. But amplifying your influence as a leader isn't just about having a strong vision or a big personality. It's also about having the right leadership capability and being able to execute on your ideas and plans. The consequences of not having the right level of influence as a leader can be significant. Without the ability to inspire and motivate others, you may struggle to achieve your goals and make a real impact. How Influential Are you? Take the scorecard at amplifyyourinfluence.scoreapp.com and see.  Judith's book: The Maverick Paradox: The Secret Power Behind Successful Leaders.  Judith's websites:  The Maverick Paradox Magazine - themaverickparadox.com The Maverick Paradox Website - maverickparadox.co.uk Judith's LinkedIn profile is here, her Twitter profile (MaverickMastery) is here, Facebook here and Instagram here.