Stop Being Busy. Start Being Productive.

About this episode

Mark Labriola II interviews Jacob Hicks about productivity and effective sales strategies for entrepreneurs.

In this episode of The Friday Habit, host Mark Labriola II sits down with Jacob Hicks, a sales strategist and systems thinker passionate about helping entrepreneurs push past their comfort zones, master their time, and build businesses that last. Jacob shares his journey from a shy kid in small-town Iowa to a sales pro who's learned that the best approach to selling isn't closing hard — it's serving authentically. He breaks down the systems, follow-up strategies, and time management frameworks that help small business owners stop being "busy" and start being truly productive. 🧠 Key Takeaways Follow Up or Leave Money on the Table – 80% of business is won after 5+ follow-ups; most salespeople stop after one Sell Without Selling – Build cadences around adding value, not pushing a close Chaos Time Is Your Secret Weapon – Block 30–60 minutes daily for fires so the rest of your day stays protected Time Blocking = Intentionality – Get granular; don't just block "work time," block specific tasks Parkinson's Law Is Real – A task expands to fill the time you give it; iterate your blocks accordingly Audit Your Time – Especially early on, track where your hours actually go We Rise or Fall…

People in this episode

Host: Mark Labriola II

Guest: Jacob Hicks

Topics covered

• productivity
• time management
• sales strategies
• entrepreneurship
• business systems

Keywords

• productivity
• time management
• sales
• entrepreneurship
• business systems
• follow-up strategies
• chaos time

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: James Clear

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