The New CEO Playbook: Robert J. Smith Of Smith Profits On Balancing Purpose, Profit, and Personal Brand
An Interview With Chad Silverstein
Lead by example. The people in your organization deserve nothing less. I would never ask anyone to do anything that I wouldn’t do.
The most successful modern CEOs are rewriting the rules of leadership. They’re not only building profitable companies but building purposeful brands with personal voices behind them. These leaders understand that in today’s world, people invest in people. Their stories, values, and visibility fuel loyalty, attract opportunities, and drive business growth far beyond traditional metrics. In this interview series, we’re sitting down with leaders who’ve learned to balance purpose, profit, and personal brand — and who are using their influence to shape the future of business leadership.
As part of this series, I had the pleasure of interviewing Robert J. Smith.
ROBERT J. SMITH, BBA, MFA, CLU, CHFC, AAMS, CCCC, CMP, CMPS is a prolific #1 Best Selling Author who brings adults and youth to #1 Best Seller rankings. Smith has ranked #1 in worldwide production with numerous Fortune 500 Companies, and others. He has ranked in the Top 1% worldwide in Financial Services and in the Internet Movie Database (IMDb). Smith is available for a no-cost, no-obligation interview to show you how you can do the same. https://SmithProfits.com/Contact
Thank you so much for joining us in this series. Before we begin, our readers would love to get to know you a bit better. Can you share your backstory and what led you to become the leader you are today?
I started with Mobil Oil right after I turned 18 and I was fortunate enough to set a world record for completing 4,464 oil changes in a month. At 19, I moved from metro Detroit to Tampa Bay and ran the #1 Home Market Merchandiser route for Coca-Cola. From there, I was able to convert the systems that I created for optimal blue collar efficiencies into systems for optimal white collar efficiencies. I was able to set production and other records at John Hancock, BankAtlantic, and New York Life. After that, I was able to lead the world in production at Mutual of New York (MONY), The Equitable, and AXA Financial.
What’s the “why” that drives your work? How has your personal sense of purpose evolved as your business has grown?
My why has always been my family. My girl, Sharon. My children, Ashley, Austin and Sabrina. My mother, Paulette and my brother, Ron.
Let’s now move to the core of our discussion. This series is about balancing purpose, profit, and personal branding. Can you help explain why each of those three matters, and why they can sometimes pull against each other? If possible, share a real example from your experience.
Purpose: Everyone knows or should know that great things may be accomplished with definiteness of purpose.
Profit: The end goal for all business is profit (unless you are running a charity, which I also do, after founding Junior Patriots). Turning a profit is your ultimate goal. Outside of your charitable work, everything we do should contribute to our bottom-line profit. If it doesn’t contribute, we let it go. It’s the same approach we take with our independent contractors. They have to produce to stay. As Michigan football says, “THOSE WHO STAY WILL BE CHAMPIONS.”
Personal Branding: Purpose and profit both begin with personal branding. You are your brand, as am I. Personal branding consists of many components, from interviews like this with great digital publications like yours to #1 Best Selling books, which we bring our clients into. We bring 8 business owners and professionals into our #1 Best Selling INFLUENCE IN ACTIONTM series, every month. Through our Junior Patriots charity, we encourage patriotism and aim to turn 10,000 American youths into #1 Best Sellers with our WHAT I LOVE ABOUT AMERICA!TM series.
Many CEOs focus heavily on strategy and profitability but hesitate to invest in their personal brand. What do you think about that? What have you seen work best?
Everything starts with personal branding. If you don’t have a strong personal brand, what have you got? Not much. I recommend investing at least a modest 10% of net revenues in your personal brand. As an example, the median increase income for business owners and professionals with a #1 Best Seller is $96,000.00 per year. And, that is just the median.
What are some misconceptions you’ve encountered about personal branding in the C-suite, and how do you challenge those narratives?
To start with, most C-Suite execs feel that they have advanced as far, as they can. That is never true for any of them. One of my clients, Ron Wallace, a retired president of UPS International had written several books with no #1 Best Sellers. We brought his book, American Madness: The Assault on American Values to #1, while his direct competition, Michelle Obama’s book, BECOMING ranked at #3.
What’s one specific way your visibility as a leader, through interviews, speaking, or social media, has directly impacted your organization’s success? Walk us through what happened. How did you know it worked, what changed in measurable terms?
In addition to a $96,000.00 median increase in annual income for businesspeople with a #1 Best Seller, the average increase in speaking fees is 350%. With my first #1 Best Seller, I was immediately able to increase my speaking fees by 400%. I also noticed something amazing about public speaking by attending conferences and watching others speak. When people start most conference days, they sit together, drink coffee, eat pastries, and scroll through social media on their computers, phones and tablets. When speakers are introduced, some stop and begin to pay attention. However, most don’t. By contrast, when a public speaker is introduced as a #1 Best Selling Author, the food and drinks are set aside, the audience talking stops and the only thing that electronics are used for is note-taking. In short, everyone pays immediate attention. Do yourself a favor and see if this is true at every single event that you attend, as I am certain that it will be.
Balancing profit and purpose is easier said than done. What practices or principles guide your decision-making when those two goals seem to conflict?
Those two goals have never conflicted for me. Never. When your purpose is to always do right for your clients, stakeholders, and yourself, you can never go wrong.
Can you share a story about how aligning your personal values with your company’s mission created a breakthrough in performance or growth?
At Smith Profits, we always strive to increase sales, revenues and profits for every client. When they follow our methods, they always succeed. Reason being, these are the same methods that we have been using with Fortune 500 Companies for the past five decades. We know what works. The best news for clients is that everything that works in business is universal. Our proven strategies work for solopreneurs, Fortune 500 Companies, and every sized company in between.
In your view, what separates a leader who simply “runs a company” from one who builds a movement around their message?
Leading by example means everything to a company and everyone associated with it. Leaders always lead from the front and never from the rear.
How do you integrate storytelling into your leadership, both internally with your team and externally with your audience or clients?
Storytelling makes all the difference in the world. When I implemented storytelling into all of my work in financial services, I immediately began to set production records. I was even asked to speak at a financial services expo on STORYTELLING FOR SALES SUCCESS. That was a wildly successful breakout session that increased in size from start to finish, as I witnessed audience members texting their associates nonstop while I was onstage. When I was rushed by audience members after my talk, I asked what the texting was all about. Several of them responded with “I told everyone, ‘you’ve got to drop what you are doing and get in here to listen to Smith’.”
Can you share a time when taking a public stand or sharing your story authentically strengthened your credibility or influence?
I’ve taken a very public stand with our Junior Patriots charity where we encourage patriotism in America’s youth. We move them from a false sense of entitlement to a real sense of achievement. A University of South Florida saw my mentorship in Entrepreneur Pitching with high school students and asked me to mentor college and graduate school students. Within a 24-hour period, we had both a high school champion and a medical school champion mentee. These students’ achievements earned each of them sizeable cash awards to develop their new products with.
What are your “Top 5 principles for balancing purpose, profit, and personal visibility?” (Please include a short example for each, plus one action a reader could try this week.)
1. Write a #1 Best Seller.
As mentioned, you will receive an increase in income and speaking fees which will aid you in making more money in every aspect of your business. One action readers can take this week, is to create a powerful outline. Another action is to contact me to guide them through the process and to make it happen for them.
2. Write a chapter in a #1 Best Seller.
For anyone who doesn’t have the time or the content for a complete book, write a chapter in an anthology. We can place anyone of character in our #1 Best Selling INFLUENCE IN ACTIONTM book series.
3. Be interviewed in a top-rate magazine like Authority.
Build a portfolio of articles you are featured in. Post them in your social media accounts and place them on your website for added credibility and higher sales conversions.
4. Gain a television interview.
Once you have a #1 Best Seller, you are a lock for most television talk shows and other programs. If you don’t yet have a #1 or you just need help getting booked, grab some time on my calendar, and I will get you booked.
5. Guest on a podcast.
This is something I take the time to do, at least once a month. It’s always amazing to me how often I ask a new client, “How did you hear about us” and the answer is “I heard you on a podcast and I had to book this time as quickly as I could.” You can’t beat having motivated prospects like that.
Finally, if you could summarize your leadership philosophy in one sentence, what would it be — and why?
Lead by example. The people in your organization deserve nothing less. I would never ask anyone to do anything that I wouldn’t do. I don’t believe that any great leader would behave otherwise. It is important for a leader to achieve optimal results before expecting to lead anyone else to optimal results.
How can our readers continue to follow you or your company online?
Your readers may reach me directly at (407) 508–0200 and Robert@RobertJSmith.com. Our company is found at https://SmithProfits.com and our charity is at https://JuniorPatriots.us.
Thank you so much for sharing all of these insights. We wish you continued success and good health!
Thank you, Chad!
About The Interviewer: Chad Silverstein is a seasoned entrepreneur with 25+ years of experience as a Founder and CEO. While attending Ohio State University, he launched his first company, Choice Recovery, Inc., a nationally recognized healthcare collection agency — twice ranked the #1 workplace in Ohio. In 2013, he founded [re]start, helping thousands of people find meaningful career opportunities. After selling both companies, Chad shifted his focus to his true passion — leadership. Today, he coaches founders and CEOs at Built to Lead, advises Authority Magazine’s Thought Leader Incubator.
The New CEO Playbook: Robert J Smith Of Smith Profits On Balancing Purpose, Profit, and Personal Br was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.