He has worked with executive teams from major organizations, including Chick-fil-A.

He has helped lead 225 book marketing campaigns, landing 16 on The New York Times Best Sellers list. 

He works for a family business, serving as chief marketing and chief sales officer.

And he has been an entrepreneur, starting his own digital marketing firm.

Chad Cannon, chief sales officer at Michael Hyatt & Company, will be part of an exceptional lineup of speakers at the Prairie Family Business Association Annual Conference on Sept. 10 and 11 at the Hilton Garden Inn Downtown.

Speaking on the topic of  “The Double Win: Succeeding at Life and Business,” Cannon will offer actionable advice for those at any stage of their career.

To learn more and register, click here. 

We caught up with him for a look at his unique career and a preview of his appearance in Sioux Falls.

You serve as chief sales officer for Michael Hyatt & Company. Tell us about the business and what your role entails.

We are a leadership development company dedicated to helping overwhelmed, successful leaders get the focus they need, so they can win at work and succeed at life. My role as chief sales officer focuses on leading our sales team to grow the revenue side of our business and to always been on the lookout for new growth strategies for our company.

Michael Hyatt & Company recently was named to the Inc. 5000 list of fastest-growing companies. What do you credit for that?

I would say three things: our incredible team, the leadership of our executive team and phenomenal products. Michael has a way of breaking the complex down into simple, actionable steps. That plays out in our team culture and the way our customers are transformed by our products.

Before your current role, you owned a digital marketing firm, Chadwick Cannon Agency. What’s an example of a brand you helped through taking a different approach to digital marketing?

Most of my clients were well-known authors that were looking to build a business model off of their intellectual property. We had the unique skill set to develop products from their content through apps, digital courses, consulting, etc. that no one else was doing the way we were. Most authors would write a book, then speak about it, and that was their income stream. We didn’t want to do that. For example, we helped Lysa TerKeurst develop and launch an app called First 5 that was their biggest lead generator and a huge driving force for fundraising around a concept she taught in a book that we helped launch. 

You’re also a published author and have helped many others launch books. Many in business think of doing the same. What’s your best advice for prospective authors?

Writing a book is hard work. Marketing a book is even harder work. If you’re committed to spending 12 to 18 months to write a book, you should be committed to marketing a book for the same amount of time. Books can be great driving forces for your business. It might be your best business card, depending on the industry you’re in. 

The topic of your presentation at the Prairie Family Business Association annual conference is “The Double Win: Succeeding at Life and Business.” How do you plan to tackle that topic?

I will be sharing a simple, yet powerful, four-step system to business growth that allows business owners to achieve this double win when implemented in their company.

Family businesses have a unique work-life arrangement because, for many, work intertwines more tightly with life than in a non-family business. Are there some specific strategies they might need to apply to achieve “The Double Win?”

Yes, there is a challenge for any business owner to figure out how to shut “it” off, but it becomes increasingly harder when it’s family and you’re around family a lot outside of the traditional work hours. One thing I’ve seen done well in two family-owned businesses that I’ve worked with is that they have to be intentional to not talk about work when they’re together in the evenings or weekends. If there isn’t a hard-and-fast rule like this, it just blends, and there is no separation.  

What are some key takeaways you hope the audience gains from your presentation?

My hope is that people catch the vision for what “The Double Win” might be in their life and business — they walk away with a proven plan they’re confident in implementing. For some, this will mean they fall back in love with their business, family and/or spouse. 

I’m excited because I know the challenges family business owners are facing and that when this “Double Win” is achieved, the impact it can have on generations.

To learn more about the annual conference and register, click here.