Business Brain – The Entrepreneurs’ Podcast

We’re starting a brand new business year with a brand new tax reform act that will impact your Small Business. Get yourself ready by listening in to this episode of the Small Business Show! On the Small Business Show, we believe that you are a better steward of your money than the government, especially when it comes to investing in your business, your employees and your community. So why not learn the details of the new tax laws and work with your accountant to minimize what you have to send away to the federal government? Dave Hamilton and Shannon Jean jump right in to discuss the details of the tax changes and how you may want to start thinking differently about the structure of your business to take advantage of the new laws. You’ll learn about Pass-through business entities and the new 20% deduction for those types of businesses, along with the restrictions put into place for service businesses such as accountants and attorneys. You’ll be encouraged to ask yourself the all-important question: Are you an employee, business owner or both? Why does it matter and how do you use this decision to minimize your tax burden? We then spend some time talking about employee-driven businesses (manufacturing companies and restaurants for example) and how they are limited to a deductible that is no larger than 50% of their payroll amount in an effort to encourage Small Businesses to hire more awesome employees. Then it’s time to talk about capital investments and the fact that you now have a 5-year window to expense 100% of your short-lived capital investments within a calendar year. What’s a short-lived capital investment? We thought you’d never ask! Listen in to learn more. We close out the show with some juicy details about Carry-forward losses and Carry-back losses and how the new tax reform laws impact both. You don’t want to miss this part. Thanks for joining us today! After you listen, share your story by visiting the Small Business Support Group – we would love to hear from you! Chapters/Timestamps: 00:00:00 Small Business Show #153 for Wednesday, January 10, 2018 00:01:39 How Will the Tax Law Impact Small Businesses? Breakdown on New Tax Laws 00:02:37 Do your homework! 00:03:18 The New Pass-through 20% Deduction 00:07:28 Limitations for highly-profitable service-based businesses 00:10:17 Are you an employee, business owner, or both? 00:12:11 Learn the new laws as they apply to your business 00:13:03 Employee-driven businesses are limited to 50% of payroll 00:13:48 Find your own path 00:14:53 SPONSOR: Meet the PDFpen family – Powerful PDF tools for Mac and iOS. Edit, sign, scan, and OCR at your Mac or on the go. 00:18:00 SPONSOR: Create a FREE Beeya.com account today to find jobs AND find employees. Beeya.com’s algorithm is the first of its kind to match employees with employers based on each party’s specific requirements. 00:20:09 A note about the way we handle our sponsorships 00:21:08 You are a better steward with your own money 00:22:04 Expensing 100% your short-lived capital investments Like Section 179 deductions for your business 00:24:16 Changes to Carry-forward Losses and Elimination of Carry-Back Losses 00:27:02 Strategically Using Losses 00:28:22 Corporate tax reductions to rates and foreign earnings 00:29:59 Tax extensions are your friend! 00:31:58 “One Time” doesn’t always mean one-time 00:33:01 SBS 153 Outtro The post How will the 2018 Tax Reforms Impact Your Small Business? Small Business Show Episode 153 appeared first on Business Brain - The Entrepreneurs' Podcast.

Everyone is an expert…at something. Listen to this episode of the Small Business Show for tips about using your expertise to start a consulting Small Business that can help you transition from an employee to an employer. Listener James B. asks some great questions about starting his technical support consultant business and Dave and Shannon are happy to spend the entire show discussing consulting as a Small Business. You’ll learn about the importance of getting paid immediately for your work and options for how to make billing your clients simple and efficient. We then discuss accounting software options and service contracts to make your billing happen automagically each month. Dave focuses in on how to respond when problems recur and how to avoid any confusion on repeat work before you leave the worksite. Shannon offers up his theory that communication before, during and after is the critical piece of the consulting puzzle, with tips for each type of communication and how to make it effective. You’ll also learn about effective marketing of your consultant business using Google Local Ads, Yelp, word of mouth and other options as well as the importance of branding your business beyond just your name. We wrap up the show with a discussion about removing obstacles that might keep you from getting started. Just start and then adjust. Don’t worry about things like certifications that may help with future marketing, but are not necessary to get your first clients. Listen in for these tips and more, then join us in the Small Business Support Group to share your stories and ask questions! Chapters/Timestamps: 00:00:00 Small Business Show #152 for Thursday, January 4, 2018 00:01:42 James-Advice to get started consulting 00:03:59 Figure out how to get paid immediately when services are rendered 00:05:50 Service contract model with subscription billing Freshbooks QuickBooks Online 00:07:52 What to leave behind? 00:08:35 What happens if the problem recurs? 00:10:01 Prioritize effective communication 00:12:25 Don’t be afraid to talk money MacSamurai’s Rate Page 00:18:02 Marketing Your Business Google Local Ads Yelp Brand yourself (aka “Dave The Nerd” or “MacSamurai”) 00:19:30 SPONSOR: Create a FREE Beeya.com account today to find jobs AND find employees. Beeya.com’s algorithm is the first of its kind to match employees with employers based on each party’s specific requirements. 00:22:34 Don’t over-prioritize certifications 00:24:15 Just start your business 00:25:21 Communicating during the consultation 00:27:08 Talk through it actively 00:34:55 Don’t obsess over the hours 00:36:02 What happens after you do the work? 00:38:21 Get those referrals! Always Following Up! Define the “end” 00:38:32 SBS 152 Outtro The post Consulting as a Small Business – What you need to know – Small Business Show 152 appeared first on Business Brain - The Entrepreneurs' Podcast.

Join us for our last episode of 2017 where we share Small Business tips from our favorite shows of the past year. Dave and Shannon both have their favorite guests, topics and advice from episodes of the Small Business Show that aired during the year. We hope you’ve been able to live a Charmed Life during 2017 and we wish you the best for 2018! Chapters/Timestamps: 00:00:00 Small Business Show #151 for Wednesday, December 27, 2017 00:01:34 Lessons learned throughout the year 00:02:04 Jay Gentile from BoosterBots Created a business out of what he was building to help his other business 00:03:15 Jumpanzee – Live anywhere! 00:04:35 Effective problem solving – The key to being successful The Two Tokens concept 00:06:40 Lance from Bolt NWA – such a unique dude. 00:09:13 Mike Pile of Uppercase Branding “Brainstorming is a waste of time” 00:10:11 Learning to say No 00:11:41 Introduction of the Revenue Stack concept 00:13:05 Interview with Kyle Baccus of KCTool Selling your business and expanding on the Revenue Stack 00:15:30 SPONSOR: TextExpander.com/podcast gets you 20% off your first year 00:18:42 Listo Pencil – going low tech, and getting smaller to grow Challenges of taking over a multi-generational business 00:20:17 Interview with Cory and Doug from Tanglefree Waterfowl All about quality… lessons learned 00:21:32 Kelly Loudermilk from BuildHR 00:23:08 David Oliva of RD Appliance Raising prices a lot. Being a great tech doesn’t make you a great business owner Distinguishing yourself by going upscale – appliance repair 00:25:03 Entrepreneur Ethos – Jarie Bolander and Mihir Shah 00:26:34 Field Harmony The best mistake: forgetting that other people aren’t you. 00:28:02 The Turo Story… and the experience! 00:35:24 SBS Outtro The post The Small Business 2017 Year in Review – Small Business Show 151 appeared first on Business Brain - The Entrepreneurs' Podcast.

It’s your first year in business and with just a couple of weeks left in the year, what tasks should you be working on? Join Dave Hamilton and Shannon Jean for this episode of the Small Business show that is dedicated to helping new Small Business owners close out their first year of business. Listen in and learn about making sure you select the right type of entity for your business – should you choose an LLC, S corp or something different? Dave spends some time discussing how Pass-through business entities work and ways to protect yourself while saving on taxes with the entity type you select. We also spend time discussing multi-member LLC companies vs. single member and why you might select one over another. We then jump into a discussion about meeting with or finding a good accountant, identifying and tracking expenses and if you work out of your home, what type of deductions you may be able to take. All decisions that are important to discuss with your accountant, before they get busy with tax season. It’s also a good time to start thinking about what types of insurance you might need for your new Small Business. You’ll hear some tips on selecting an insurance broker and why you will want to add them to your Board of Advisors. We wrap of today’s show with a discussion about reviewing and negotiating supplier contracts and being sure to give yourself some credit for everything you’ve achieved and learned during the past year. Join us today for episode 150 of the Small Business Show and then visit the Support Group to share your story, get your questions answered or help another Small Business Owner. Chapters/Timestamps: 00:00:00 Small Business Show #150 for Wednesday, December 20, 2017 00:02:24 Welcome to your first year in business 00:02:53 What type of entity should your business be? 00:06:03 What is a Pass-through business like an LLC or an S-Corp 00:06:58 Multi-member vs. Single-member LLCs Legalzoom.com 00:09:01 Meet with – or find – your accountant 00:10:00 What are profits and losses and expenses? 00:12:42 Expenses for working out of your home? Internet Access Home office deduction Insurance Maintenance 00:13:36 Managing Freelancers 00:16:15 Administrative Fees are Fair Game 00:18:38 Find your deductions! 00:21:09 SPONSOR: Storyblocks.com/sbs gets you their Triple Bundle for just $149 00:24:05 Insurance Find a good insurance agent! 00:29:00 Negotiating any existing suppliercontracts 00:30:03 Pay all bills with your credit card 00:30:40 Inland Marine Insurance 00:31:25 Give yourself some credit 00:32:18 Don’t be afraid 00:34:59 SBS 150 Outtro [email protected] Small Business Support Group The post First Year Small Business End of Year Checklist – Small Business Show 150 appeared first on Business Brain - The Entrepreneurs' Podcast.

Timing plays a critical role in the success of your business. When you launch your products, when you hire new employees, and in the case of Jarie Bolander, when you publish your book. Join us this week on the Small Business Show as we meet Jarie to discuss his new book,The Entrepreneur Ethos along with his good friend, Mihir Shah CEO of Drobo. Listen in and hear why Jarie felt compelled to create a roadmap for entrepreneurial success by building more ethical, inclusive and resilient companies. We also have a bonus today with Mihir Shah adding his comments to the discussion about the “why” of being an entrepreneur and how stepping in to solve problems can be rewarding far beyond any financial gains. Listen to the show, then join us on the Small Business Support Group to ask more questions and to add your voice to the discussion! Chapters/Timestamps: 00:00:00 Small Business Show #149 for Wednesday, December 13, 2017 00:02:17 Mihir Shah – from VC to CEO… always turning things around 00:03:32 It’s fun to strategize, but more fun to be hands-on 00:04:25 Jarie Bolander – the classic, patently-unemployable entrepreneur 00:06:17 The Entrepreneur Ethos 00:07:45 What’s the “why?” behind being an entrepreneur – Speak your truth 00:09:33 “If you want to be the best entrepreneur in the world, you need to aspire to the ethos” 00:10:44 The importance of timing – Patience vs. Procrastination 00:12:18 “I’ve always wanted to run my own business” 00:13:24 Failure is an option, but never the end result 00:14:03 SPONSOR: TextExpander.com/podcast gets you 20% off your first year 00:17:28 SPONSOR: Storyblocks.com/sbs gets you their Triple Bundle for just $149 00:19:36 Always stepping on landmines and learning how to diffuse them 00:22:39 The Drobo 5C – first USB-C product of its kind in the marketplace 00:23:56 The meeting of two minds, focusing on the positive 00:27:21 Unacceptable behavior is (finally) being called out 00:29:36 Stay away from the hardware business 00:32:23 Self-awareness matters! 00:35:33 Focusing on how to grow “You” Founders Network 00:39:34 SBS149 Outtro The Entrepreneur Ethos theDailyMBA.com A gift from Mihir and Jarie: visit DroboStore.com and use code SmallBiz10 for 10% off The post The Entrepreneur Ethos – Interview with Jarie Bolander and Mihir Shah – Small Business Show 149 appeared first on Business Brain - The Entrepreneurs' Podcast.

It’s that time of year! With just a few weeks left before the end of the year, there are some important tasks to take care of for your Small Business. Join us on episode 148 of the Small Business Show to hear our take on what you should be doing before the New Year starts! We begin the show by discussing the importance of getting your financials (PL, BS, Cashflow) in order so you can review the data that will guide you in making end-of-year decisions that can impact your profitability, tax liability and much more. Without good data, you’ll have a much tougher time making decisions. If your Small Business carries inventory, now is the time to get your counts straight. You may want to write-down slow moving or old stock that can help to lower your tax liability – but you need to know what is actually on your shelves before you can see what you’re working with. Dave and Shannon then spend time talking about collecting on any overdue Accounts Receivables and making any last minute purchases that you may have been putting off. Both can impact your financials and taxes. If you’ve had a great year, is it smart to let some customers defer paying their bills? Listen and find out what we think of that tactic! It’s also time to do an HR review and think about bonuses and other rewards for your employees. But, how do you handle it if things have not been that great and you don’t have the funds to hand out this year? You guessed it, we have some tips on dealing with this situation that is sure to come up during your Small Business’ lifetime. We wrap up the show with a discussion about maxing out retirement accounts for both you and your employees, holding your annual LLC or Corp meeting and working on your annual Executive Summary. But wait, there’s more! Don’t forget to relax, reflect and recharge during this time of year with family and friends! We hope you enjoy this episode of the Small Business Show that is brought to you by Storyblocks! After the show, visit our Small Business Support Group to let us know what you think and to join the conversation. Chapters/Timestamps: 00:00:00 Small Business Show #148 for Wednesday, December 6, 2017 00:01:39 In two weeks, SBS 150 is specifically for first-year business owners 00:03:11 Your financials – P&L, Balance Sheet, Cash Flow Reports 00:04:22 Inventory 00:08:26 Recapturing Profits The IRS Episode on The Small Business Show 00:10:35 Patching up mistakes later 00:11:30 Matching your risk aversion with your accountant 00:12:49 SPONSOR: Storyblocks.com/sbs gets you their Triple Bundle for just $149 00:15:55 Accounts receivable 00:17:33 Cash vs. Accruals 00:20:20 Review your team – to Bonus or not to Bonus! 00:23:44 Executive Summary – Accomplishments, Mistakes, Expenditures, Income changes Make sure to have your Annual Meeting 00:26:39 Finding great ways to share revenue with your employees Pension, profit sharing, 401k 00:30:24 Just relax! The post End of Year Small Business Tasks to Complete – Small Business Show 148 appeared first on Business Brain - The Entrepreneurs' Podcast.

Location, location, location. You’ve heard it before – but there’s much more to picking the right spot for your Small Business than just the location. Join Dave Hamilton and Shannon Jean on this episode of the Small Business Show to hear their experiences and tips for choosing the right place. Listen and and hear about Retail, Office, Industrial and Flex spaces – what’s the difference and what to watch out for when considering moving your Small Business into one type of property or another. We discuss hidden costs, competition, being sure you get just the right amount of square footage and much more. It’s then time to learn about leases! The lease is the critical part of any rental contract and can save you, or bury you – depending on what’s in it. Learn about Gross vs. NNN leases, zoning issues, CAM, tenant improvements and more. We wrap up the show by discussing the benefits of owning vs. leasing a space along with a quick survey of other leasing issues you should be aware of. Join us today and then visit the Small Business Support Group to share your story or ask specific questions about where to locate your Small Business. Chapters/Timestamps: 00:00:00 Small Business Show #147 for Wednesday, November 29, 2017 00:01:16 Hacking badge codes! 00:02:53 Your Location 00:04:15 Retail Space 00:06:53 Foot traffic 00:08:53 Semi-retail Office Space 00:11:14 Competitive exclusion 00:12:06 Extra costs/Signage costs 00:13:58 SPONSOR: Storyblocks.com/sbs gets you their Triple Bundle for just $149 00:16:34 How much space do you really need? 00:18:30 Industrial Space 00:19:37 Build your own building 00:19:54 Zoning 00:20:30 Dealing with authorities 00:22:34 Be aware of the impact of your growth 00:24:08 Own or lease – Why not both? 00:25:54 Combo Space – Industrial/Retail/Signage Flex space 00:28:53 Signing a lease Gross Lease vs. Triple Net Lease 00:33:08 Learn what’s inside the “Common Area Maintenance” or CAM fees 00:34:45 Extra expenses Rent increases Utilities Insurance Lease cancellation Sublet Improvements Learn more about location and leases: Finding a location: https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/73784 https://www.business.gov.au/info/plan-and-start/start-your-business/choose-a-location Negotiating a lease: https://www.legalzoom.com/articles/5-tips-for-negotiating-a-commercial-lease https://www.thebalance.com/how-to-negotiate-commercial-leases-that-favor-tenants-3515429 00:37:09 SBS 147 Outtro The post Finding the Best Location for your Small Business – Small Business Show 147 appeared first on Business Brain - The Entrepreneurs' Podcast.

How important are the benefits that you offer to your employees? Are they valued more than cash? And how do you keep your benefit expenses down while maximizing the impact to your employees? Join us on episode 146 of the Small Business Show for all this and more! Benefits, beyond salaries and wages can have a dramatic impact on your employees and your bottom line. Dave and Shannon spend time today discussing how to best manage the increasing costs of health care and dealing with the impact of the Affordable Care Act. We also discuss outsourcing health care management before jumping into a discussion of benefits beyond health care. Paid time off – whether in the form of vacation, sick or personal time can be a powerful benefit to offer to your employees. We discuss using flex time and the idea of unlimited vacation and how they both impact your business. Shannon discusses the power of food as a benefit to your employees (and yourself!) – keeping your employees well fed can be a powerful performance incentive. We wrap up the show with a discussion of Checks vs. Cash vs. giving gifts to your employees – which has the biggest impact? Listen in for all this and more! When you’re done with this episode, join us at the Small Business Support Group on Facebook to share your stories and thoughts on employee benefits. Chapters/Timestamps: 00:00:00 Small Business Show #146 for Wednesday, November 22, 2017 00:01:30 Renting an apartment in NYC 00:02:04 The Benefit of Benefits 00:03:03 Healthcare Benefits 00:06:11 Managing Healthcare Costs Handling the HR requirements for your employees – time consuming and expensive 00:09:41 What is the impact of ACA? Zenefits 00:11:38 PTO = Paid Time Off 00:12:53 Offering your employees flexibility and empowerment 00:14:22 Unlimited Vacation Time 00:20:02 Research the laws Nolopress Legalzoom 00:21:09 USPS Informed Delivery/Insights Can be… your friend? 00:23:04 Comp Time/Flex Time 00:25:38 Aim for the bellies Cookout vs. Barbecue 00:30:41 Empty the trash 00:31:45 Bonuses – Checks vs. Cash vs. Gifts 00:37:58 SBS 146 Outtro The post Small Business Employee Benefits – Maximize Impact and Minimize Cost – Small Business Show 146 appeared first on Business Brain - The Entrepreneurs' Podcast.

Many Small Business owners would agree, it’s not “if” but “when”. Will you have someone file a frivolous lawsuit against your company, or perhaps have a disagreement with a supplier that winds up in court. Or maybe a disgruntled employee feels like they were mistreated and they want to be compensated. No matter how it comes about, lawsuits can be a tricky minefield that can cause you to take your eye off your business. Join us on episode 145 of the Small Business Show to hear how to avoid getting sued in the first place, how to respond if you are sued and where to turn for help. Dave and Shannon discuss both sides of the courtroom – suing or getting sued and offer some sage advice about leaving your ego at home and not bringing your sense of justice when trying to settle a case. But first, learn about the mechanics and timing of a lawsuit – the more you know the more you can avoid pitfalls that can sink your chances of winning a case. Once you know how things will unfold, we jump into the Demand Letter and what to do if you receive one. Along with how to work with your attorney, insurance company and banker to be sure you and your business are protected during the entire process. Listen in and then visit the Small Business Support Group to offer YOUR advice and comment on our stories! Sponsor: StoryBlocks. Get a “Triple Bundle” – images, video, and audio – for the price of one with our special deal. Visit StoryBlocks.com/sbs to get all of this for just $149 for a full year of unlimited access where all content is royalty-free! Chapters/Timestamps: 00:00:00 Small Business Show #145 for Wednesday, November 15, 2017 00:01:43 What to do when you’ve been sued 00:04:38 Lawsuits are like spiders 00:07:12 Opportunity Cost of lawsuits 00:08:43 Learn judgment 00:10:47 Demand Letter 00:11:14 SPONSOR: Storyblocks.com/sbs gets you their Triple Bundle for just $149 00:12:51 Shannon’s story about being sued because he didn’t license his images 00:15:19 End sponsor slot 00:15:25 Avoid ego with lawsuits, leave your sense of Justice at home 00:17:00 Watch your cashflow during a lawsuit 00:18:23 The process 00:22:24 Meet your attorney before the lawsuit arrives 00:24:40 Check your insurance 00:26:03 Talk to your employees, your banker… QuarkXpress 00:29:53 …and your spouse! Nolo Press 00:31:38 SBS Outtro The post What to do When Your Small Business gets Sued – Small Business Show 145 appeared first on Business Brain - The Entrepreneurs' Podcast.

When the time comes to let an employee go, what are some best practices to keep your Small Business running smoothly during the transition? Should you worry about how it will impact other employees? Are there rules about how you go about firing someone in your state? Should you apologize to the person you are laying off? Join us on this episode of the Small Business Show for answers to these questions and much more! Your co-hosts have been to the party, they’ve seen this movie before and it’s not their first Rodeo. Having experiences with firing and laying off employees during their 25+ years in business has made it clear to both Shannon and Dave that how you handle these “Exit” situations can have a profound impact (both positive and negative) on your Small Business. We start the show with Shannon’s belief that in most situations, it’s ultimately the fault of management (that includes YOU, small business owner) when you have to fire someone – listen in to find out why and then let us know if you agree with this concept. Then, we dive right into what type of message your actions send to the rest of your employees, how thinking of yourself as a Steward to your employees can help you to frame things correctly and how to handle layoffs that will impact your cashflow. Even the eternal optimists at the Small Business Show want to warn you about being overly optimistic during these situations and how it can ruin your layoff strategy, along with tips on keeping communication flowing during this type of transition and how to embrace the “art of firing”. Join us today – we have a lot to talk about. Then, come share your experiences on the Small Business Support Group!   Sponsor: StoryBlocks. Get a “Triple Bundle” – images, video, and audio – for the price of one with our special deal. Visit StoryBlocks.com/sbs to get all of this for just $149 for a full year of unlimited access where all content is royalty-free! Chapters/Timestamps: 00:00:00 Small Business Show #144 for Wednesday, November 8, 2017 00:01:01 Sponsorships… in the last episode! 00:01:18 Layoffs and Firing: Letting people go 00:03:37 It’s a failure on your part 00:04:52 Sending the wrong message 00:05:16 Never take this lightly 00:06:49 You are your employees’ steward 00:08:13 Your employees see things differently from you 00:09:35 Two different types of firings 00:10:01 SPONSOR: StoryBlocks.com/sbs gets you their Triple Bundle for just $149 00:12:33 Layoffs – the Burn rate vs. the Earn rate 00:14:15 Don’t let optimism ruin your layoff strategy 00:16:03 Layoffs: You don’t get to pick who stays, just who goes 00:17:27 Communicate with everyone 00:18:15 No closed doors allowed 00:19:38 Sacrificing yourself first 00:22:40 No “poor me” cards allowed 00:23:45 Draw the paycheck and loan it back to the company 00:24:37 Learn about Basis for your Investment in your Business 00:25:31 The art of firing 00:26:53 Employees that can’t transition with your business 00:30:32 The value of exit interviews 00:32:04 Do you apologize? 00:33:14 Be aware of becoming too comfortable 00:34:09 Don’t do it alone 00:37:08 SBS 144 Outtro The post How to Handle Layoffs, Firings and Exits from your Small Business – Small Business Show 144 appeared first on Business Brain - The Entrepreneurs' Podcast.

When is it time to turn a labor of love into a real Small Business? And what pitfalls do you have to watch out for during the process? Dave and Shannon try to answer those questions and more on episode 143 of the Small Business Show! Join us today as we discuss why we do the Small Business Show and the numbers behind our downloads and subscribers. Information that any potential sponsor of the show would want to know. We also discuss ad rates and how to go about avoiding future conflicts over advertising rates when your show is still small, but growing fast. We then chat about how working with sponsors has us thinking of ways to invest that revenue to make SBS better for everyone. Should we invest in a new website, new advertising to grow our subscriber base or something else? Here’s your chance to give us your two-cents and offer us some advice. Listen in for a behind-the-scenes look at the Small Business Show and the business of Podcasting. Then, join us in the Small Business Support Group to share your thoughts on just where to invest our earnings. Chapters/Timestamps 00:00:00 Small Business Show #143 for Thursday, November 2, 2017 00:01:11 Tangent: the business of leasing hunting blinds 00:03:26 Seeking sponsorships 00:06:02 The numbers 00:11:21 Managing the customer expectation 00:12:25 Strategies for customer success 00:14:04 Contact us at [email protected] and in the Small Business Support Group on Facebook 00:15:12 It’s time for a new bank account 00:17:57 Then what? Where to invest this back in the podcast? 00:21:16 Finding the right partner… under your nose! 00:23:22 Finding the right sponsors for your content 00:25:09 Glasses … for nerds! 00:26:27 Give us your feedback 00:27:29 SBS Outtro The post Podcasts as a Small Business – Sponsors and Where to Invest for the Biggest Impact – Small Business Show 143 appeared first on Business Brain - The Entrepreneurs' Podcast.

Ever have problems getting paid by your clients in a timely manner? We’ve all been there – that’s why it’s worth joining us today on the Small Business Show for tips and tricks that can improve your cash-flow by getting you paid on-time and in full. Oh, and there’s also another rant from Shannon about online banking and restrictions – you’ve heard these before, but he’s got a bit of a different take on it this time. Specifically, the inefficiency of banks when it comes to sending wire transfers on a regular basis. We then jump into the best way to bill for your product or service and how to make it so easy for your customers that they won’t have any excuse but to get you paid quickly. Of course, there will be those that still have problems and those folks require some special attention. Dave makes the case that an unpaid invoice is a customer service opportunity (or a disaster) and if you handle the payment collection correctly, you can solidify a customer relationship for a lifetime. We close the show with our thoughts on when to stop providing products or services to a company that has one or more past due invoices and some ways to negotiate a payment plan. Listen in and then send us your tips for getting paid on time! And if you’re looking for some cool Small Business folks to hang out with, jump over to our Facebook Small Business Support Group to learn more and to share your knowledge.   Chapters/Timestamps: 00:00:00 The Small Business Show #142 for October 25, 2017 00:00:36 Dave The Nerd’s Consulting Business… Kicks Back Into Gear! 00:03:17 Finding the right bank Online bank “High yield” savings Money Market Accounts and The Regulation D 6-Transaction Limit 00:06:16 Then the Roadblocks start 00:09:28 Approving your transactions 00:11:55 Wire transfer efficiency SWIFT Code 00:13:56 Contact your two favorite business geeks 00:15:37 Set yourself up to be paid easily! 00:21:28 What to do when they’re not paying 00:22:43 Keep emotions out of the process 00:25:30 An unpaid invoice is a customer service opportunity 00:26:42 What to do when someone doesn’t pay? 00:31:31 Radio silence is easy… and painful! 00:31:59 SBS Outtro The Small Business Support Group The post Tips for Choosing an Online Bank and How to Get Paid on Time – Small Business Show Episode 142 appeared first on Business Brain - The Entrepreneurs' Podcast.

Ever dream of driving an exotic sports car? How about having a dozen of them parked in your garage, all being paid for by your rental customers? This week Shannon and Dave meet two entrepreneurs who have built a fast-growing and successful Small Business using the Turo car rental platform. If you’ve ever dreamed of that new Porsche or Jaguar, but couldn’t figure out a way to pay for it, this is the show you don’t want to miss! Gurjit Singh and Kevin Chou started The Gentleman’s Garage about two years ago and have expanded it to a dozen sports cars with availability in San Francisco, Los Angeles and Vegas. The guys share their story today, talking about the challenges of getting started, dealing with problems and removing obstacles to growth. You’ll learn about managing risk, protecting yourself (and your cars) and the importance of having a strong platform that backs you up with insurance and background checks. We discuss how Gurjit and Kevin divide up their duties and how they have fine tuned their rental business to insure that each car is profitable – removing older, slower performing vehicles and adding newer models to keep their fleet fresh. One key aspect becomes clear during the interview, Singh and Chou are focused on creating and managing the customer experience for customers that value convenience over price. By distinguishing there rentals with concierge style service, they have built a strong reputation with continued plans for growth. Join us today to learn about these topics and more, then join the discussion on the Small Business Support Group! Chapters/Timestamps: 00:00:00 Small Business Show #141 October 18, 2017 00:01:36 Gurjit Singh & Kevin Chou – Using Turo as a Small Business platform 00:03:46 It all starts with two Mustangs … and a BMW 00:04:25 Turo covered the repair! Shift – online car buying and selling 00:05:36 Beware the damage claims 00:06:47 Think about how people will drive your vehicles 00:07:58 Turo manages the risk 00:08:46 Turo valet service 00:09:20 Each car makes 2-3x monthly payment 00:11:31 The logistics of management 00:13:34 One-way fee 00:14:41 With affluent customers, you’re managing an experience 00:17:17 If you’re going to rent it out, don’t buy new! Certified Pre-Owned works very well for Turo 00:20:23 Managing the fleet – new cars, selling cars, registrations 00:21:38 The bankers slow you down! 00:24:46 Did making it a business ruin your hobby? 00:25:44 “The cars are still a thrill to drive” Converting to a membership business 00:27:45 Visit Gurjit and Kevin’s The Gentleman’s Garage on Turo … and Facebook 00:28:57 SBS 141 Outtro The post Building a Rental Car Small Business on the Turo Platform – Small Business Show 141 appeared first on Business Brain - The Entrepreneurs' Podcast.

Ever been surprised by the small print in a contract that you signed for your Small Business? Join us today for episode 140 of the Small Business Show for tips on how to respond when companies try slip egregious terms and conditions into their contracts, how to shut down automatic bank withdrawals by using the Revoke Authorization tactic and much more. Dave and Shannon then jump into a discussion about setting up clear and concise payment terms to be sure you get paid quickly for your products and services. Setting a clear payment policy that is shown up front to your customers is critical to avoiding problems with getting paid in full and on time. Stay tuned in the coming weeks for part 2 of our Getting Paid discussion when we’ll discuss the best ways to manage debt collection. Next week, we’ll be joined by a pair of Small Business owners running their company on the Turo car sharing platform. Listen in and then jump over to the Small Business Support Group to comment and ask your questions. Chapters/Timestamps: 00:00:00 Small Business Show #140 October 11, 2017 00:01:20 Follow-up on Phone systems – Get enough data! Small Business Phone Systems – PBX, VOIP and Mobile Mac Geek Gab 00:04:20 Credit Card Follow-up 00:06:51 Pay attention to contracts 00:09:50 Learn about “Revoke Authorization” compliance 00:13:46 Send important emails with the recipient on the phone – to confirm verbal receipt. 00:16:45 Watch out for the arbitrary fees 00:17:52 Mind the details 00:19:15 Things you can do to make sure you get paid Brittany Alwerud from Handlr Business Management 00:20:32 Have a very clear payment policy 00:23:56 Get comfortable discussing money 00:24:45 “The value of your skill drops precipitously once you perform it” 00:27:12 Have a pre-services info sheet/agreement 00:28:16 Make sure to bill for your time 00:30:12 Debt Collection coming up! 00:30:40 Turo.com car sharing platform interview coming up next week 00:31:00 SBS 140 Outtro The post Small Business Contracts and Getting Paid on Time – Small Business Show 140 appeared first on Business Brain - The Entrepreneurs' Podcast.

What’s the best Small Business phone system? Join Dave and Shannon today on episode 139 of the Small Business Show to hear about options ranging from pricey PBX systems, to Voice Over IP services like Phone.com, RingCentral and Grasshopper. During the discussion, Shannon spends some time pointing out how critical your phone auto-attendant can be when showing your customers what type of company you are. Current and potential clients will quickly learn about your business, based on how they are treated when calling your Small Business. We then jump into a discussion about mobile phone plans using traditional carriers, along with new offerings from Xfinity Mobile. Watch out for hardware compatibility issues and be sure to do the math correctly when comparing plans. Join us today and then share your phone tips at the Small Business Support Group! Chapters/Timestamps: 00:00:00 Small Business Show #139 October 5, 2017 00:01:08 Beware of too much time on your hands 00:02:30 Gone is the $10,000 PBX Phone System! 00:05:25 Are wired phones obsolete for your business? Phone.com RingCentral Grasshopper 00:12:14 Your phone system’s auto-attendant defines you 00:15:53 Question your existing systems 00:18:57 Beware the snowballs Beware T-Mobile and iPhone Spectrum 00:23:26 Xfinity Mobile 00:27:15 Make sure you do the math! 00:29:14 SBS 139 Outtro The post Small Business Phone Systems – PBX, VOIP and Mobile – Small Business Show 139 appeared first on Business Brain - The Entrepreneurs' Podcast.

How important is it to understand and review your Small Business Balance Sheet, Profit and Lose Statement and Cash Flow Statement and how often should you be doing it? Join us today on episode 138 of the Small Business Show for our thoughts on these issues and more! Your financial statements are a window into your business. Failure to understand and review them frequently can lead to some massive headaches (take it from our own experiences!). On today’s show, we discuss where to get help in understanding what the data in your financials means and how to spot red flags that can be addressed early, before they become major issues. We then discuss the pitfall of focusing solely on Revenue instead of Cash flow that is the blood of your business. Many “profitable” Small Businesses have closed up shop for lack of cash. Then it’s time to roll out the idea of sharing your financials with your employees – in ways that protect your information but help to explain just how your Small Business makes money and where that money goes. There’s no doubt that your employees think your making more cash than you actually are, so it’s important to let them in on the data that shows how much it really costs to run your company. Finally, we discuss how often you should be meeting with your accountant – definitely NOT just at tax time. Join us for these topics and more and then click over the the Small Business Support Group to comment and provide your own tips!   Resources mentioned on this episode: The Balance: Guide to understanding financial statements QuickBooks: Warning signs in your financial statements The Balance: How to prepare a Cash Flow Statement The post Mistakes to Avoid and Tips about Small Business Financial Statements – Small Business Show 138 appeared first on Business Brain - The Entrepreneurs' Podcast.

Should you be worried about only using a .COM domain name for your Small Business? How do you deal with coming up with a domain name if your Small Business name is not available as a .COM web address? Join us for episode 137 of the Small Business Show to find out what longtime, serial Small Business owners Dave Hamilton and Shannon Jean think about this and much more. We then jump into a riveting discussion about old-school merchant credit card processing vs. newer solutions from Stripe, Square and Paypal. Dave shares his story of having to dig deep into actual paper reports to find out just how much his business has been getting charged and what roadblocks are being put in his way to keep his customers ongoing, subscription based payments intact when he changes processors. In the end, we agree with Paypal COO Bill Ready when he says “Talking about payment processing just for the sake of payment processing is just not that interesting.” The discussion needs to be about how transparent, contextual and portable can payment processing become. Listen in and then visit the Small Business Show Support Group on Facebook to ask your questions or comment!   Chapters/Timestamps: 00:00:00 Small Business Show #137 September 20, 2017 00:01:00 The concept of limited willpower 00:03:04 Todd-URLs for your Company name 00:07:25 Changing Merchant Providers Traditional gateway/bank processor vs. Stripe, Square, Paypal 00:11:06 The power of printing reports on paper to find out what’s going on 00:13:07 Watch the numbers! 00:15:27 Authorize.net tries one last time to screw Dave 00:17:50 Watch out for old-school, handcuff business models 00:23:19 Payments should be a boring thing, with the price going down 00:24:54 SBS Outtro The post Small Business Website Names and the Exciting World of Credit Card Merchant Processing – Small Business Show 137 appeared first on Business Brain - The Entrepreneurs' Podcast.

Do you take the time out to attend Small Business conferences and trade shows? Would you like to make some powerful connections, meet some great people and renew your energy? Listen in to episode 136 of the Small Business Show to find out how you can have all this and more! Shannon just returned from the Paypal cNow conference in Chicago and he’s ready to talk about the people he met and what he learned. The conference included roughly 50 Small Business owners from across the country that got a chance to meet Paypal, Braintree and Venmo executives to see their latest “Contextual Commerce” payment products and sit in on some excellent Small Business discussions. Dave and Shannon spend some time discussing the power of attending these types of events and why you should be seeking them out as part of your business development system and the building of your personal brand. You’ll learn how to engage with the speakers, make long term connections and how to work your way onto discussion panels and to ultimately become an invited guest. Shannon also discusses his meeting with Marcus Lemonis from The Profit and why Marcus thinks that we all need to be more vulnerable when managing our employees, customers and suppliers. We wrap up the show with a discussion of “handshake deals”, Working Agreements and how to sniff out the people that just want to make you their race horse. Join us on this episode of the Small Business Show for all this and more! After you listen, click over to our Facebook Small Business Support group to ask questions and comment on the show. Chapters/Timestamps 00:00:00 Small Business Show #136 September 13, 2017 00:00:43 Paypal cNow (C for commerce) conference in Chicago Venmo 00:03:46 The power of attending conferences 00:09:12 Don’t give in to feelings of inadequacy 00:10:55 Engage when you’re there 00:13:02 Contact us! [email protected] 00:13:14 Marcus Lemonis from The Profit 00:15:05 The Most Important Word in Business 00:18:03 Digging into vulnerability 00:20:34 Confidence erodes empathy 00:22:07 Be careful using other people’s tools 00:24:36 Lack of confidence… breeds lack of confidence! 00:26:10 Maybe “we’re struggling here” is OK to say 00:28:47 Handshakes vs. Lies 00:31:50 Working agreements 00:34:20 Beware the pitchers! 00:37:12 SBS Outtro The Peninsula Chicago The post Why You Should be Attending Small Business Conferences and Let’s Get Vulnerable – Small Business Show 136 appeared first on Business Brain - The Entrepreneurs' Podcast.

Do you run your Small Business from your home? Are you tempted to wear sweatpants everyday and move your desk close to the refrigerator for convenience? Join us today on the Small Business Show to get some great tips on how to stay motivated and disciplined while working from home. Long-time home office Small Business owner Dave Hamilton answers questions today as Shannon transitions from going into the office each day (24-years!) to working out of his home. We discuss finding a routine that works for you, checking in with your remote employees or partners each morning and the power of regular video meetings in Google Hangouts. We also spend time going over ways to manage remote interruptions, since no one can “see” that you’re busy when they ask for your help, using Slack reminders and the importance of actually combing your hair before you start work each day. Join us for these topics and more and then jump over to the Small Business Show Support Group to comment and offer us your own tips about working from home. Chapters/Timestamps: 00:00:00 Small Business Show #135 September 6, 2017 00:01:19 Blue… and Normal 00:02:39 No office is a joy… until it’s not! 00:05:47 Finding a routine that helps motivate and discipline your workflow Slack: Good morning! Water Cooler 00:10:41 Regular, Virtual meetings with your team or co-workers – facetime is important. Google Hangouts, Skype, FaceTime. Keeping you connected 00:12:03 Get More Done: 18 Tips for Telecommuters 00:12:50 The Pomodoro Method with Bob Levitus on Small Business Show 00:13:21 Recognizing that remote team members don’t know if you’re available and may contact you at the worst time. 00:17:25 Slack Reminders to keep you (and your team) on task when you are tied up and need to come back later to review 00:19:52 Get dressed. No Sweatpants! Comb your hair, bro! 00:22:42 Set clear boundaries and work hours for family and friends 00:25:21 Use the kitchen wisely! 00:28:59 Watch that your routine doesn’t become a rut 00:30:00 Make yourself accountable to YOU 00:31:26 SBS Outtro The post Tips for Running Your Small Business from Home – Small Business Show 135 appeared first on Business Brain - The Entrepreneurs' Podcast.

What’s the best way to build your companies brand and create fans that are passionate about your products? Cory Fosket and Doug Butcher took a company focused on a single product line and expanded it over the last 13-years into a trusted brand for waterfowl hunters and outdoor enthusiasts. Along the way, they’ve learned about the importance of quality and how to step outside the business to plan 3-5 years ahead rather than just grinding it out day-after-day. Listen in to this episode of the Small Business Show to hear the Tanglefree story! During our discussion today, we get some great tips on creating strong relationships with your customers as well as your overseas suppliers to create a win-win environment where your company and suppliers profit while the customer gets a great value, high quality product. Cory and Doug spend some time discussing various measures of success and what means the most to each of them, as well as what they are doing to power through obstacles to propel Tanglefree into the future. We also learn about the pros and cons of selling to big-box retailers vs smaller stores and how to manage each different type of relationship. Finally, you’ll learn what to watch out for when developing products in China and how to create long term success with factory owners. Join us today on the Small Business Show for these tips and more! Then, jump over to the Small Business Show Support group to discuss the show. Chapters/Timestamps 00:00:00 Small Business Show #134 August 30, 2017 00:01:17 Duck season and Ducks Unlimited 00:01:24 Cory Fosket and Doug Butcher from Tanglefree Waterfowl Products 00:02:20 An Intentional Family Business 00:03:30 Acquire a minor line in someone else’s business and expand it 00:04:57 Expand the staff by bringing in more family 00:07:49 Building a brand in today’s world 00:10:28 Making brand engagement a daily focus 00:11:28 Relationships with Customers 00:13:40 Redefining a relationship ahead of its time 00:15:23 Favorite mistake: Not applying vision 00:16:38 The other favorite mistake: learning that quality is better than price 00:19:04 Success metric: Brand Engagement 00:21:40 Look three-to-five years out 00:22:46 Focus on relationships 00:26:01 For a business relationship to work, both parties need to make money 00:29:45 Reward Quality Control 00:30:12 SBS Outtro Tanglefree Waterfowl on Facebook and Instagram   The post Small Business Show Interview with Cory Fosket and Doug Butcher of Tanglefree Waterfowl – Small Business Show 134 appeared first on Business Brain - The Entrepreneurs' Podcast.

What’s the best method for naming your Small Business? Go with your instincts, listen to friends and family or use an online tool? Listen to this episode of the Small Business Show for tips to come up with a great name for your business and avoid some common mistakes with the help from our friends at Entrepreneur magazine. We also discuss the power of Taglines to enhance your Small Business name and just how much effort should you put into that killer logo? Then we’re on to listener questions with a discussion on how to power yourself up so you can best represent your Small Business during the sale process and a quick primer on why Cash is King to keep the gears of your business turning smoothly. Join us for these topics and more on episode 133 of the Small Business Show! Chapters/Timestamps 00:00:00 Small Business Show #133 August 23, 2017 00:00:41 Breaking your routine to keep you fresh 00:02:08 Should you be able to do each job? 00:05:16 Naming your business Infographic from Entrepreneur.com Fuzzywigs? 00:09:05 Make sure you and your team are happy with the name/logo 00:10:36 Taglines matter 00:12:49 Your online profile matters more than the SEO of your name 00:16:15 Find a name you like, and go! 00:16:43 Shary-Finding a buyer for your business 00:21:42 Jay-Cash Flow issues 00:27:03 Use credit cards instead of HELOC 00:28:00 Cash flow first, profits second 00:29:46 SBS Outtro The post Tips for Naming Your Small Business + Listener Questions – Small Business Show 133 appeared first on Business Brain - The Entrepreneurs' Podcast.

Do you know the signs that tell if a person is an Employee, Self-Employed or an Entrepreneur? Join Dave and Shannon for this episode of the Small Business Show to find out! During today’s episode, we get to spend time dissecting personality types so you can understand who would make a good employee vs. who would make a good business partner. We discuss Do’ers vs delegators and ways to create a Working Agreement to help you find out if you all have what it takes to build a successful partnership. Communication is key and your hosts speak about methods to keep the dialogue going when their is an inevitable problem with your business partner (Partner Therapy, anyone?). Find out why how much risk and accountability your employees are willing to take starts with YOU, the business owner and just how to get past the Superhero complex that is so common. We wrap up the show with a discussion about getting-out-of-the-way of your employees so they can do their jobs and grow your business along with the importance of sharing your crazy ideas (business or otherwise) with the right type of people if you expect to get a useful response. Join us for episode 132 of the Small Business Show and then visit our Small Business Support Group to talk about the show! Chapters/Timestamps: 00:00:00 Small Business Show #132 August 16, 2017 00:00:55 Love What You Do and You’ll Never Work a Day In Your Life 00:01:31 Passion vs. Motivation vs. Discipline 00:02:58 The Peter principle The E-myth 00:04:58 The differences between employees and entrepreneurs and self-employed people 00:06:00 Finding a good business partner: someone who is good at what you are not 00:06:23 Do’ers vs. delegators 00:07:15 Create a Working Agreement 00:11:34 Similar financial needs and goals 00:13:00 Beware the double-dippers, even yourself 00:17:17 Partner therapy 00:17:44 Different Mindsets: Employee vs. Business Owner 00:19:38 Mirror vs. Window Risk vs. Accountability 00:22:34 The Superhero Complex as it relates to Solopreneurs vs. Business Owners 00:27:02 From Business Owner to Investor 00:27:58 Give your employees autonomy 00:29:03 You are your own impediment 00:32:31 Break out of your own bubble Rich Dad, Poor Dad Don’t live your life by someone else’s dogma 00:35:47 SBS 132 End The post Employee, Self-Employed or Entrepreneur – who makes the best partners? Small Business Show 132 appeared first on Business Brain - The Entrepreneurs' Podcast.

What’s the best way to find real value in attending Trade Shows, Conferences and Workshops? Do you sit in the back row and head right back to the hotel after the event? You can probably guess what your Small Business Show co-hosts would say about that. Join us for this episode to discuss maximizing your time at these types of events as Shannon discusses attending eBay Open 2017 in Las Vegas a few weeks ago. During the eBay discussing, we touch on eBay’s dramatic shift during the last 2-years regarding their attitude towards the Small Business seller community and how your business can benefit from it. We discuss the new eBay Concierge customer service platform, ways to reach eBay’s 171 million buyers and new initiatives like eBay Authenticate, Shop with Images and Direct Shopify Integration to sell your products on eBay. Shannon believes that it’s time for another look at selling on eBay if you’ve been away for a few years. Dave then jumps in to discuss the critical difference between Motivation and Discipline and how you need both (but maybe discipline more!) to keep yourself successful as you work hard on your systems approach to achieve what you want with your Small Business. We wrap up the show with a discussion about working smarter with Bob Levitus’s tips from the Small Business episode 109 interview and just what the heck is the Pomodoro Technique? Listen in the find out all this and more! Want to join in the discussion? Visit the Small Business Support Group on Facebook and find answers and help others in the SBS community. Chapters/Timestamps: 00:00:00 Small Business Show #131 August 9, 2017 00:00:56 Being busy is better than the alternative 00:01:17 eBay Open Show eBay’s attitude towards the seller community again 00:06:16 Big change starts with lip service eBay Concierge Platform 00:09:17 Most people want to help you if they can 00:12:15 Connection with people – the real power of conferences 00:14:00 New stuff coming from eBay eBay has 171 million buyers eBay’s Designer Brand Authentication Program Shop with images on eBay Direct Shopify Integration 00:18:10 Don’t forget to “Use the Box” to acquire customers! 00:19:54 Motivation vs. Discipline 00:23:18 Systems are important 00:26:38 Feeds and Trends are your friends 00:28:00 Find – and Redefine – your own currency 00:29:40 Barter with yourself Bob Levitus’s Working Smarter SBS 109 Interview Pomodoro Technique 00:31:43 Next week: The differences between employees and entrepreneurs and self-employed people The post Being Productive at Conferences, selling on eBay and Motivation vs. Discipline – Small Business Show Episode 131 appeared first on Business Brain - The Entrepreneurs' Podcast.

Could you make the leap from dog walker / poop-picker-upper to creating a software platform for service related Small Businesses? Well, Britt Alwerud did just that, creating the Handlr Business Management suite of tools to help manage your employees or contractors, communicate with customers, generate reports and perhaps most importantly, get paid on time! Join Dave and Shannon for episode 130 of the Small Business Show and our awesome interview with Britt from Handlr. During our talk, you’ll hear about how Britt had to hit rock bottom and be told by a client that she was “…not a businesswoman, you’re a dog walker” before she realized she needed to create a software platform to help manage her company so she could become the businesswoman she knew she could be. We jump into a discussion about marketing (cold calling!) and we hear about mistakes (lessons learned) made along the way during the creation of Handlr. We explore what it takes to find and hire a reputable software developer and what methods Britt and her team are using to expand Handlr to create a complete ecosystem of businesses and customers that can benefit from using the platform. Wrapping up the interview, we discuss using Asana and SCRUM to keep your tasks moving forward and on time and the importance of advisors and mentors to help bring a product to market. Join us for all this and more before jumping over to the Small Business Facebook Support Group to comment and ask your own questions! Chapters/Timestamps: 00:00:00 Small Business Show #130 August 2, 2017 00:00:47 Next week: Shannon’s eBay conference experience 00:01:02 Brittany Alwerud from Handlr Business Management 00:01:58 From dog poop scooper to business owner “You’re not a businesswoman, you’re a dog walker” 00:05:06 Britt hit a wall… and needed a system DogZenergy 00:07:27 Uber for running your business on demand 00:09:02 Freemium… for businesses! 00:09:43 Find an ecosystem and then build it 00:11:47 Cold calling and SEO 00:13:27 $10MM/year from Dog Walking! 00:13:59 Make money by judging people’s appearances 00:14:41 Launch quickly, but not too quickly 00:16:26 Finding a reputable and reliable developer 00:18:37 Expanding the platform 00:21:38 Cross-promotion as a growth path 00:22:44 Letting your customers be your advisors Asana SCRUM Management 00:26:49 Steer clear of technology and invent a poop-eliminating spray! 00:28:26 Finding Handlr 00:28:58 SBS Outtro The post Brittany Alwerud from Handlr Business Management – Small Business Show Episode 130 appeared first on Business Brain - The Entrepreneurs' Podcast.

Are you making a living with your Podcast? We need to talk. Join us today on the Small Business Show and learn about the business of podcasting. Specifically, what’s happening in the world of Podcast advertising, what are sponsors looking for and how is success being measured. Dave shares his expertise about how a typical Podcast audience is made up of Intentional Listeners that have made the effort to seek out your content, subscribe and in many cases, download it to their device for future listening. These people are valuable and they have put their trust in your hands. How do you educate advertisers (and ad agencies) about that value and protect that trust at the same time? Listen in to hear some tips! We round out the show by revisiting the 1000 true fan concept and how it might apply to Podcasting and what additional value your Podcast can bring to you, beyond revenue. Join us today on the Small Business Show for all this and more. Then, visit the Small Business Support Group on Facebook to join the discussion. Chapters/Timestamps: 00:00:00 Small Business Show #129 July 26, 2017 00:01:00 Being intentional with your time 00:02:35 Deadlines are awesome motivators 00:04:32 Recognizing the value of obsessing over the future “Did I achieve something today that moved things forward?” 00:05:34 Podcast sponsorship is changing 00:06:19 Intentional listeners – no accidental subscribers – leveraging that value to sponsors 00:08:03 The value of podcast sponsorships Cost per thousand subscribers: $15-50 for advertising 00:11:50 Tailoring the sponsor message to your listeners 00:13:44 QA to “test” the effectiveness of the advertisement 00:18:20 …and again! 00:23:14 You can’t quantify trust 00:24:00 You can’t leverage a relationship if you micro-manage it 00:25:36 Beware of the low-hanging fruit. 00:27:29 What’s your value? 00:30:30 1,000 true followers at $10/month is a living 00:34:57 SBS Outtro The post The Business of Podcasting – Small Business Show Episode 129 appeared first on Business Brain - The Entrepreneurs' Podcast.

What is the most important thing to remember when selling your business? Today on the Small Business Show, we continue our discussion about selling your business with advice from Abbi Vakil, inventor of the U-Socket USB wall plug. Listen in to hear us discuss cash-flow vs. profits and which is most important and what do to when you’re business is not succeeding OR failing. We touch on one of the tips from ReWork about ignoring your competition, since you don’t know what’s going on inside their business or if their profitable. Continuing on the tip from episode 127 of the Small Business Show, finding the right buyer and making it “easy” for them to buy your company is brought up with some tips on how to make this happen. Finally, we discuss how to keep growing your “Revenue Stack” after you sell your business with some creative ways to handle investing in startup companies. If you think (dream?) about selling your business now or someday, you’ll want to join us for this episode! After, click over the the Small Business Support Group on Facebook and share your thoughts and comments with Abbi, Shannon and Dave! Chapters/Timestamps 00:00:00 Small Business Show #128 July 19, 2017 We need your iTunes reviews 00:01:12 Abbi Vakil from AllMac 00:02:18 Abbi sold U-Socket 00:05:00 The hamster wheel of fame & cash flow, but no profit 00:06:18 Not succeeding or failing… what to do? Rework 00:08:13 When should you give up? 00:10:31 Finding the right buyer 00:13:26 The relief of selling mixed with losing your baby 00:15:18 The Todd Rundgren $1 Royalty 00:16:28 Never sell to your staff and finance that same staff 00:19:11 Valuation of U-Socket 00:22:06 Make it easy for this person to buy your company 00:22:30 What happens to the revenue stack after you sell 00:25:00 Startup Investing in what you know Asset investing 00:28:37 [email protected] or our Small Business Support Group 00:29:00 Keep good books … and have pride! Don’t drop your shorts! 00:32:12 SBS Outtro The post Selling Your Small Business – Interview with Abbi Vakil of U-Socket– Small Business Show 128 appeared first on Business Brain - The Entrepreneurs' Podcast.

What happens when you realize that you’re NOT the best owner for your Small Business? Join us today for episode 127 of the Small Business Show to hear the story from one of your co-hosts that made just such a discovery after 13-years of being at the helm of TechRestore. Dave and Shannon discuss how finding the “right” buyer is critical to any sale, tips to find that person (or company) and what requirements will you have after the sale is completed. Shannon talks about separating assets to streamline the sale, how to quantify “soft” assets like goodwill and reputation as well as working with your accountant to be sure to limit your tax exposure based on how you allocate assets in your purchase agreement. We spend time discussing how to be sure the sale keeps moving forward to completion and how history shows (in both your co-hosts cases), how things can go sideways at the last minute. Along the way, you’ll hear about making the sale more of a partnership with the buyer and seller – working in everyone’s best interest towards success can help accelerate your sale and keep everyone working closely together in a positive manner. Shannon gives his usual “watch out for bankers and lawyers” speech that can kill a sale quickly, even though you’ll need to have both involved to close your deal and we spend some significant time discussing how to actually figure out what your business is worth, before you start the sale process. Join us today and then visit the Small Business Support Group on Facebook to comment and ask questions about selling YOUR business! Chapters/Timestamps 00:00:00 Small Business Show #127 July 12, 2017 00:01:13 We need your iTunes reviews <http://businessshow.co/itunes/> 00:01:50 Shannon sold TechRestore! 00:02:54 It only takes one buyer 00:03:41 The slow realization that the best owner … is not you. 00:05:31 How to find a buyer 00:08:09 Sticking around after you sell 00:09:58 What’s the asset for YOUR buyer? Not just physical. Goodwill counts! 00:15:11 How to tax-leverage the sale 00:17:38 Get to know your buyer so they can get to know your business 00:18:39 Make sure you have a plan B for your funding structure Time Kills All Deals! 00:20:36 Dave and Shannon almost sold a company once! 00:21:42 Watch out for bankers …and lawyers! 00:23:23 Make the sale feel like a partnership 00:26:14 The emotional struggle of the sale: The Story of TechRestore 00:28:50 How to value your business The charmed life doesn’t necessarily look good on paper 00:33:33 The post-sale intensity 00:37:13 SBS Outtro   The post Thinking of selling your Small Business? Don’t miss this episode of the Small Business Show – SBS 127 appeared first on Business Brain - The Entrepreneurs' Podcast.

Longtime listeners of the Small Business Show know that we embrace optimism with a passion. However, today we’re talking about failure. Specifically, why Small Businesses fail and how to avoid it. Dave and Shannon jump right into today’s Small Business Show with a discussion of your ROE, or Return on Energy for projects within your business, or new ideas that may not make you a profit, but can make you a better person and help to increase your energy levels throughout your Revenue Stack. Then, it’s on to a detailed discussion of a report published by Small Business Trends that focuses on why businesses fail. The great news is that there’s never been a better time to start a new business, however, studies show that about half of all Small Businesses will fail within the first 5-years. Half! We think that number is much too high, so we’re digging into this report to help you avoid the pitfalls of the “other” 50% of Small Business owners that won’t make it to their 6th anniversary. Listen in to episode 126 of the Small Business Show to learn how to adapt, how to change, when it’s time to trust your gut and how to build a culture of change within your company. Join us, then click over to the Small Business Show Support Group to share your comments! Chapters/Timestamps 00:00:00 Small Business Show #126 July 5, 2017 00:00:54 Small Business Support Group 00:01:10 “Return on Energy” – ROE 00:03:16 Always chasing $100 bills 00:04:05 Half of all Small Businesses Fail Within 5 Years 00:05:00 Restaurants do not fail more than other businesses 00:05:47 Don’t make assumptions that customers aren’t going to like your product 00:06:30 If you’re not adapting, you’re failing 00:08:03 You’re making a choice not to change, too. 00:08:47 Trusting your gut 00:11:36 Building a culture of change 00:13:30 A Players hire A Players… B Players hire C Players But if an employee can’t adapt, you need to leave them behind 00:17:21 Transparency with your employees 00:19:17 99.7% of all businesses in the US are “small” 00:20:50 Only 19% are outcompeted Rework Make your customer experience unbelievable! Cash is King 00:24:33 P&Ls are living documents 00:25:10 Don’t ignore your customers 00:26:40 Listen to your customers 00:36:53 SBS Outtro The post How to keep your Small Business from joining the 50% of companies that fail within 5-years. Small Business Show episode 126 appeared first on Business Brain - The Entrepreneurs' Podcast.

Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality are popular buzzwords we read and hear about a lot these days. Much of it sounds like it “will be” great someday, but what about Small Businesses that are in the VR/AR space and creating businesses TODAY? Joining us for episode 125 of the Small Business Show is Chase Dittmer and TJ Dishaw, co-founders of GrowpoVR Studios and GovRed. GrowpoVR began as an arcade/studio business, offering up VR experiences for consumers. When Chase and TJ noticed lots of Police officers using the equipment, they quickly realized there was an underserved demographic, so of course, they launched a new business, GoVRed to focus on military and government agency VR use. During the show, we also got a chance to learn about the Iowa Startup Accelerator and how GoVRed became a part of this 12-month startup program. We discussed how the business incubator provides support for design and engineering as well as legal and marketing areas. The co-founders discuss how their youth has been a benefit as well as a challenge when developing their business and meeting new customers. One thing is for sure, there’s no lack of enthusiasm from either Chase or TJ. Listen in to this episode of the Small Business Show to learn about their *fast* journey, the problems they have faced and how they are making changes to their “virtual” business plan almost daily as they bring their new business to fruition. After the show, be sure to join us at the Small Business Support Group on Facebook to share YOUR story!   Chapters/Timestamps 00:00:00 Small Business Show #125 June 28, 2017 00:01:19 Chase Dittmer and TJ Dishaw – GrowpoVR Virtual Reality Studio and Govred Starting with the iPhone… of course 00:02:36 Having the right tech means… a partnership was born! 00:04:28 VR Arcade…to the military! 00:05:44 Attracting the Military with Facebook 00:07:08 Beware of being tied to your business plan 00:07:26 Iowa Startup Accelerator Accelerator provides Legal, Marketing, Design, Engineering Clerky 00:09:45 Don’t make assumptions about your customers 00:11:47 Make your mentors be mean… or at least honest 00:13:28 Age as a benefit as well as a negative. 00:15:01 Use your product to sell yourself 00:16:15 Be ready to move! 00:18:00 Support your family, even when they’re crazy 00:19:56 VR for your ice cream store 00:21:07 VR/AR to enhance any business 00:22:27 Use Vive for your Meetings 00:24:58 HoloLens is Fake AR – more of a 360 viewer 00:27:03 Learn about Govred, Chase and TJ 00:28:25 GG Outtro The post Small Business Interview with co-founders of GrowpoVR and GoVRed – Small Business Show episode 125 appeared first on Business Brain - The Entrepreneurs' Podcast.

You know the name, you’ve accepted the payment method. But, did you know that Paypal has a team of people focused solely on Small Business advocacy and public policy? Joining us today on the Small Business Show is Paul Disselkoen, Paypal Public Relations Specialist. Paul is charged with getting the voices of Small Business owners heard by politicians that are setting public policy that impacts Small Businesses throughout the country. Join your hosts Dave Hamilton and Shannon Jean to learn about what Paypal is doing to insure that it’s not just the big companies that are sending lobbyists to Washington. You’ll get a chance to find out about the Paypal Small Merchant Advisory Delegation and how YOU can join and get your message heard and get some great publicity for your Small Business. Paul takes us through the role that Paypal plays in helping to set policies that are favorable for Small Business owners and discusses the types of businesses they are looking for to connect with lawmakers locally, as well as in their annual trip to D.C. to connect with legislators on Capitol Hill. Listen in to learn more and find out how you can join the Small Merchant Advisory Board to protect and promote your Small Business. After the show, click over to the Small Business Support Group to share your thoughts about the show! Chapters/Timestamps 00:00:00 Small Business Show #124 June 21, 2017 00:00:49 Paul Disselkoen, PayPal Government Relations Specialist 00:02:45 Small Business Merchant Advocacy Delegation (SMAD) 00:03:48 Lobbying for Small Business – getting the voice of Small Business owners heard 00:05:26 Introducing SMB owners to their representatives in govt. 00:08:17 How do businesses join SMAD? Finding good stories from passionate SMB owners 00:09:28 What makes a good SMAD member? 00:11:09 Use PayPal to vet overseas suppliers 00:12:38 Using SMAD to overcome challenges Paypal SMB research report 00:17:00 Thought leaders in the Small Business area 00:18:21 PayPal hosts local events for Small Business Owners as well as trips to D.C. 00:19:24 Small Business Pitted Together with Politics 00:21:52 PayPal Public Policy on Twitter 00:24:05 Check the “Join” Link at PayPal.com/publicpolicy 00:24:34 SBS Outtro The post Interview with Paul Disselkoen of the Paypal Small Merchant Advisory Board – Small Business Show 124 appeared first on Business Brain - The Entrepreneurs' Podcast.

Are you a Closer? On the Small Business Show, we often say that all business owners are in the Customer Service business – but, we’re also in the Sales business. Wether you’re selling a product or service, you’ve got to sell to make your business grow. This week on the Small Business Show, you’ll get to hear the story of Ryan Stewman, Founder of HardcoreCloser.com. Ryan is an incredibly enthusiastic sales trainer and motivator that has overcome numerous obstacles to create a successful business that helps others succeed. Listen in to learn how Ryan started out washing cars and moved up to selling mortgages before the “Police kicked in the door” and everything came to a screeching halt. Keeping motivated and overcoming adversity propelled Ryan and before long he was back on top and running his own company. As the Founder of Hardcore Closer, Ryan teaches salespeople and business owners how to succeed using social media, the sales funnel concept and all about grinding-it-out everyday to create the life you deserve. You’ll hear about going from $25 a week to $20-50,000 per month in Facebook ads and what that gets you, along with what Ryan wishes he would have done sooner as a Small Business owner. Join us today on the Small Business Show to listen to a guy who has dedicated his life to “creating millionaires” and then click over to the Small Business Support Group to comment and connect with other Small Business owners! Chapters/Timestamps: 00:00:00 Small Business Show #123 June 14, 2017 00:01:17 Ryan Stewman – Hardcore Closer 00:02:11 From Car Wash to Mortgages… just like that! 00:03:42 Hooked! 00:04:13 The Police Kicked in My Door 00:05:23 $770k in 2005 – all came to a screeching halt. 00:06:08 Then the laws changed… and I couldn’t work. 00:07:18 Putting that G.E.D. to Good Use 00:09:34 Practicing for your business while on the clock 00:10:24 Pivot OFTEN 00:11:45 Keep the momentum going 00:12:05 Daymond John – The Power of Broke 00:13:18 Put your mask on first … but then make sure you help others! 00:14:25 Dedicating to creating millionaires 00:16:43 “I advertise heavily” “Advertising is the thing that propelled me” Facebook Ads Retargeting 00:20:14 You have to learn your market 00:21:18 Writing the first book 00:22:54 I write every day Emails, Social Media, Books, Blog Posts 00:24:00 I am a prolific mistake maker 00:26:00 Embracing your mistakes -empowering yourself and others with your story 00:26:56 Don’t be a lone wolf for too long: get help faster! 00:28:53 SBS Outtro The post Small Business Show Interview with Ryan Stewman, Founder of HardcoreCloser.com – Small Business Show episode 123 appeared first on Business Brain - The Entrepreneurs' Podcast.

What’s your Exit Strategy? You have one, right? That’s the question a business mentor asked of Kyle Baccus a few years ago that led to the eventual sale of one of his businesses. Today on the Small Business Show, Kyle joins us for a second guest spot to discuss the sale and to spend some time exploring our Revenue Stack concept of developing multiple streams of revenue as part of your path towards world domination. We get a chance to learn about the three different types of business sales that Kyle has been involved in and what he’s learned from each of them, with the concept that you should “Keep saying Yes until there’s a reason not to” as a guidepost during the transactions. Business owners should consider going to a business-sales seminar to learn about selling a company, but be weary of paying cash up front to a business broker when you area ready to sell, according to Kyle. We then jump into a conversation about what is the most difficult part about selling a Small Business and how to avoid some of the usual pitfalls. Shannon and Dave then steer the conversation towards the Revenue Stack that Kyle has developed over time, how he’s moved from being self-employed, to being a business owner and finally an investor. We dig deep into how a missing revenue stream can be replaced with a varied Revenue Stack. Finally, we wrap up the show discussing how wealth can make you fear risk, how to leverage your strengths to overcome weaknesses and we discuss time management – or the lack thereof. Join us today for episode 122 of the Small Business Show, then visit our Small Business Support Group to leave your comments! Chapters/Timestamps 00:00:00 Small Business Show #122 June 7, 2017 00:01:43 Kyle Baccus – KC Tool 00:03:32 It’s a lot harder to count the failures than the successes 00:04:17 Selling 3 Businesses 00:05:19 Selling to a stranger is a different animal 00:06:55 What is your Exit Strategy? 00:08:00 Keep saying Yes until there’s a reason not to 00:09:26 Go to a business-sales seminar when you don’t need to attend 00:10:18 Learn how to price a business 00:12:41 The Most Difficult Part About Selling 00:14:33 Employees are the biggest challenge Be appreciative of the fact that they are working for you 00:15:35 Do Your Research! Google “Business Selling Horror Stories” Avoid the pitfalls 00:17:00 When a sale goes south 00:19:20 Avoid the embarassment of failure 00:19:46 “I’m self-employed and working towards being a business owner” Rich Dad, Poor Dad 00:22:36 Replacing a missing revenue stream and building a revenue stack 00:26:04 Money makes you fear risk 00:27:10 Leverage your strong suit 00:30:20 Maximizing your Time… For You Mr. Money Mustache 00:34:38 Avoid Wipeout Risk 00:36:07 SBS Outtro The post Selling Your Small Business and Developing Multiple Revenue Streams – Kyle Baccus of KCTool Revisits – Small Business Show 122 appeared first on Business Brain - The Entrepreneurs' Podcast.

Stop for a moment. Think about your day. Are you doing work that should be delegated to your employees or contract workers? Small Business owner Robert is feeling overwhelmed and looking for tips to save time and increase his profits at the end of each month. Would you be surprised to hear that your Small Business Show co-hosts have experienced this situation a few times? Dave and Shannon offer Robert some advice about delegating and keeping the phrase “Who is going to do this for me?” in his thoughts as he moves from working IN the business each day to working ON the business to become the manage and leader his company needs. Additional tips include saying no more often, raising your prices to reach an equilibrium between revenue and profit that works for you and your business and developing an Organization Chart to really see who’s doing what each day. We then jump into a question about the impact of an impending increase of the minimum wage to $15 on Gail’s local Ice Cream business. The guys suggest offering more self-serve options, “gamifying” your product to incentivize customers to spend more, starting a membership or loyalty program and more. Just as important, your co-host remind Gail to be unique; “Don’t sell Vanilla”, with some examples of other food small businesses that have succeeded by being different. Join us today for episode 121 of the Small Business Show! Then, follow us over to the Small Business Support Group to get YOUR questions answered. Chapters/Timestamps 00:00:00 Small Business Show #121 May 31, 2017 00:00:44 Happy to be alive…and take care to share the important details in case you’re not! 00:05:49 Our overflowing mailbag: [email protected] 00:06:20 Robert-We’re working a ton but not making enough money Scott Adams – How to Fail at Almost Everything and Still Win Big The E-Myth Who is going to do this for me? Rework Learn to say No Increase your Prices Don’t Just be a Sales Business 00:16:20 Gail-Will Rising Minimum Wage Kill My Business? SBS 59 – Would a $15 Per Hour Minimum Wage Impact your Small Business? Offer more self-serve Gamify your product: Incentivize customers to spend more Membership/loyalty program – Find perks Borderland Books membership Don’t sell Vanilla: be unique! Voodoo Doughnuts Yaks Create the story Give it away… once! 00:28:00 Take a breath Reactive vs. Proactive mode 00:31:08 SBS Outtro The post Delegating more in your Small Business, learning to say no and surviving the $15 minimum wage increase – Small Business Show 121 appeared first on Business Brain - The Entrepreneurs' Podcast.

You’ve got questions about your Small Business and we’re here to help! Join Shannon and Dave today on the Small Business Show to hear their thoughts on setting up data sharing for a virtual office and the pros and cons of freelancers vs a business partner that has the skill set you are missing. If you need to share real-time data with your team that is working from different locations, what’s the best solution? Dropbox? Google Drive? How about a private solution like the Synology CloudStation? Your hosts spend time discussion these options and more to help one listener keep the data flowing between team members. We’ve spoken at length on the Small Business Show about outsourcing talent to help your business. Todd M. wants to hear what we think about hiring a freelancer vs bringing in a business partner for his technical needs. The guys talk about their experiences in this area and what to look out for with both solutions before making their recommendation. Listen in to episode 120 of the Small Business Show for all this and more! Then, join us in the Small Business Support Group to get your questions answered. Chapters/Timestamps 00:00:00 Small Business Show #120 May 24, 2017 00:00:57 Hustling is a good thing 00:01:42 Sunk Costs aren’t just financial 00:02:16 Send in your questions! Small Business Support Group 00:02:33 Jeremy-Virtualizing Your Office Dropbox Google Drive Google Docs Synology Cloud Station Synology DiskStation Business apps 00:13:00 Todd-Hiring a web developer? Guru JobRack The post Answers to your Small Business questions – Small Business Show 120 appeared first on Business Brain - The Entrepreneurs' Podcast.

Have you used outsourced talent for specific tasks in your Small Business? Ever run into quality problems? We thought so. Neil Napier ran into so many problems outsourcing that he realized there was a business opportunity to minimize headaches and increase the quality of the talent pool and thus, JobRack was born! Listen in to episode 119 of the Small Business Show and learn about the importance of having systems and procedures in place BEFORE deciding to outsource projects and how to get help if you don’t have either. We also discuss the pros and cons of outsourcing and what type of tasks lend themselves to using outsourced talent. Neil offers up some great tips to increase the likelihood of success with your outsourcing by developing Key Performance Indicators to insure that all progress is measurable. We then jump into ways to use larger companies to jumpstart your business, riding on the “coattails” of a larger company to launch your own, how to educate your customers about quality over quantity and Neil takes the time to share with us how outsourcing is just like sex. Don’t skip ahead to this section! Join us today for these tips and more, then click over to the Small Business Support Group to comment and get your questions asked! Chapters/Timestamps: 00:00:00 Small Business Show #119 May 17, 2017 00:01:23 Neil Napier – JobRack Forced to become a business owner – lost job and found inspiration 00:05:00 Instant International Businessperson 00:06:19 Systemizing Outsourcing 00:08:36 Marketing Tool: Offering guidance 00:09:22 Who benefits from Outsourcing? 00:10:11 Managing expectations of your customers 00:10:50 KPI: Set Key Performance Indicators for tasks within your business 00:12:27 Riding on the coattails of a larger business to launch your own Joining business forums to market your business. 00:14:49 Quality over Quantity: Going beyond connecting people 00:19:28 Difficulty turning brand evangelists into affiliates 00:22:00 Best Mistake: subscription model priced too low 00:24:38 Beware the ego of the entrepreneur! 00:25:30 Outsourcing is like sex! 00:26:39 Educating your clients – critical to growing your business 00:27:45 Lesson: Be ready to serve each client individually Be more aggressive! 00:29:29 SBS Outtro The post Small Business Interview: JobRack Founder Neil Napier on Outsourcing – Small Business Show 119 appeared first on Business Brain - The Entrepreneurs' Podcast.

It’s as simple as it is powerful. If we were using clickbait headlines, this one would read: This One Tip Will Make Your Customers Love You! But, since we don’t do that stuff on the Small Business Show, join us this week as we dive in deeper to the Two Tokens concept of Customer Service, as so eloquently described by Jean-Louis Gassée in his Monday Note. Gassée, who has a storied history at Apple and founded Be Computing and the BeOS, uses the United Airlines customer service disaster to shine the spotlight on the concept of Two Tokens when solving customer service problems. In a nutshell, the Two Tokens concept states that: “When a customer brings a complaint, there are two tokens on the table: It’s Nothing and It’s Awful. Both tokens are always played, so whoever chooses first forces the other to grab the token that’s left.” Your Small Business Show co-hosts were so impressed with how Gassée explained this concept and how important it can be when solving problems, that they spent the entire Small Business Show today digging into the practice and discussing how powerful it is. Listen in, and then join us in the Small Business Support Group to discuss and learn more! Chapters/Timestamps: 00:00:00 Small Business Show #118 May 10, 2017 00:01:43 Balancing multiple businesses 00:02:53 Dangling the Carrot 00:03:40 Every business is the customer service business Helpscout 00:05:54 Jean-Louis Gassée and Customer Service Tokens 00:09:11 The customer is ready for a fight. They already don’t trust you 00:12:02 Get excited. Be demonstrative. 00:16:26 SBS 118 Outtro The post How to change the conversation when solving customer service problems in your Small Business – Small Business Show 118 appeared first on Business Brain - The Entrepreneurs' Podcast.

Can you work from anywhere? Is your dream to create a business that can be managed from Thailand, Europe, Florida and anywhere in-between? If so, you need to meet the folks from Jumpanzee. Join us on episode 117 of the Small Business Show! After spending years working for Ginormous Corp, David Denning and his wife Elle wanted to own a business that would give them the flexibility to live anywhere on Earth for months at a time. Jumpanzee, a branding, design and web management firm, allowed them to do just that. After spending time discussing the challenges of running your business from an island, we jump into a discussion of distinguishing yourself in a crowded marketplace without getting into a race to the bottom on pricing, how to manage customer expectations and understanding that you can’t be everything to everyone and still be the best at what you do. It wouldn’t be a Small Business Show interview without finding out about David’s “best” mistake that taught him some powerful lessons about making yourself accessible 24/7 and learning that time is your most precious commodity. We then talk about the obstacles in the way of scaling Jumpanzee and how David and his team are overcoming them. Shannon and Dave wrap up the show with a discussion about just what exactly an “Explainer” video is and how Jumpanzee uses them to market their customers businesses. Listen in and learn, then jump over to the Small Business Show Support Group to comment and connect with Jumpanzee!   Chapters/Timestamps: 00:00:00 Small Business Show #117 May 3, 2017 00:01:32 David Denning from Jumpanzee <http://jumpanzee.com> 00:03:27 Goal: Start a location independent business 00:04:53 The ups – and downs – of being a digial nomad in business 00:06:35 Managing time zones Helps if you are a night person. Bad internet access 00:07:57 Managing customer expectations 00:08:52 Balancing project work with ongoing revenue 00:10:10 You can’t be everything to everybody and still be good 00:11:28 Jumpanzee? 00:13:05 Buying a 3-month old business 00:14:00 Differentiating yourself without using price 00:16:35 But still post your prices! 00:22:37 Favorite mistake: live chat! 00:25:00 Biggest obstacle: How to scale 00:26:45 Explaining “explainer videos” 00:29:48 SBS 117 Outtro The post Small Business Interview with David Denning Co-Founder of Jumpanzee – Small Business Show 117 appeared first on Business Brain - The Entrepreneurs' Podcast.

We’re strong proponents of finding something you love to do and creating a business around it. Lance Lewsader had such a great time getting out of an escape room attraction a couple of years ago that he decided to create his own and Bolt NWA was born! Bolt NWA is an Escape Room Experience where customers have one hour to find clues, solve puzzles and work together to escape the room. Bolt has three rotating concept rooms, including Locked!, The Vault and Day Dream. Lance and his team have created a successful business while getting involved closely with their community to serve multiple “bottom lines”. We start the show with your co-hosts Shannon and Dave getting educated about the Escape Room phenomenon, a fast growing attraction that is increasing in popularity around the country. Lance spends some time discussing Bolt’s history and how they have grown the business quickly, while connecting with their local community and charity organizations. Not content to just enjoy fast growth of Bolt on his own, Lance has franchised the business concept and explains how that process works. Your hosts are impressed that what usually can be a very complicated process, is just one more way to grow the business to Lance. But enough about success, we also want to know about those all important mistakes that teach Small Business owners so much. For Bolt, it was partnering with friends that got the business off to a rocky start. We wrap up the show with a talk about measuring success, what’s important beyond profit and what obstacles stand in Bolt’s way and how Lance plans to overcome them. Join us today for a fun show about a fun business concept! Listen in and then visit the Small Business Support Group to comment and ask questions. Chapters/Timestamps: 00:00:00 Small Business Show #116 April 26, 2017 00:01:18 Ghost Pepper Salt! 00:01:49 Lance Lewsader – Bolt NWA Escape Room 00:04:37 Ride the wave! 950 to 2,500 in 18 months! 00:07:40 The F word: Franchising 00:11:09 Leverage your specific expertise 00:13:07 Repeat business? Keep it fresh! 00:14:51 When in doubt… and when in trouble: consult with a lawyer 00:18:00 Charity is success 00:22:56 Advice: make mistakes! 00:24:08 Can you Bolt? The post Small Business Interview with Lance Lewsader of Bolt NWA – Small Business Show 116 appeared first on Business Brain - The Entrepreneurs' Podcast.

Are you using video to market your Small Business? What problems does it solve and how about problems it can create? Join us today on the Small Business Show where we meet Adam Rahn of Droi Media to find answers to these questions and learn about Adam’s journey from freelancer to Small Business owner. Adam shares his surprise at just how many “hats” he is now wearing to get his business up and running and how to manage those non-billable hours that can eat up your time as a Small Business owner. Dave and Shannon suggest diving into the EMyth book to learn more about working “on” your business instead of always “in” it and developing an org chart, even if your name fills every job duty. We also spend some time talking about ways to promote yourself as an expert in your community, how to say no to new business when it is not in your (or your clients) best interest and what methods work well for communicating with new clients. Winding up the show, we focus on the importance of digging deep to find your niche and keeping yourself creative when creativity is your business. Join us today on the Small Business Show for these topics and more, then jump over to the Small Business Support Group to share your thoughts! Chapters/Timestamps: 00:00:00 Small Business Show #115 April 19, 2017 00:01:28 Adam Rahn – Droi Media 00:04:33 Wearing many hats 00:06:09 EMyth – Working ON your business, not just IN it 00:07:08 Non-billable hours 00:08:04 “15 Minutes is Too Long” – Finding out what the client wants 00:11:37 Turning away business is sometimes a profitable decision 00:13:44 Position yourself as the community expert 00:17:20 Choose the right communication tools with your clients 00:20:13 When your creativity is your business 00:22:37 Becoming a grunt! 00:24:07 Future planning: carving a deeper niche 00:27:19 SBS 115 Outtro The post Using Video to Promote Your Small Business – Adam Rahn from Droi Media – Small Business Show 115 appeared first on Business Brain - The Entrepreneurs' Podcast.

Have you been trained in Human Resource management? Things like legal hiring practices, at-will employment, harassment policies and employee manual development? We didn’t think so. HR issues can plague small businesses of all sizes, especially once you hit the magic 50-employee number that activates all kinds of regulations and requirements. You need some help! Today on the Small Business Show, Dave and Shannon meet and talk to Kelly Loudermilk, founder of BuildHR, a human resource outsourcing and consulting firm that can make your Small Business life much better. Come along for the discussion and learn how a few quick questions at a Rotary function set Kelly on the path to launch her own Small Business to help other business owners succeed, while not having to worry about their HR compliance issues. We touch on topics including recognizing your own expertise to create a business, why you need an employee manual and best practices during the hiring process – because you just never know if that question you really want to ask is actually legal. Finally, Kelly shares her marketing experiences with Facebook ads, answering questions on Reddit and getting involved in local Chamber of Commerce events. Join us on episode 114 of the Small Business Show for this and much more, then visit the Small Business Show Support Group on Facebook to discuss the show and get your questions answered! Chapters/Timestamps: 00:00:00 Small Business Show #114 April 12, 2017 00:01:40 Kelly Loudermilk 00:02:10 BuildHR <https://www.yourhrsource.com> 00:03:19 It started at the Rotary Club 00:04:42 Recognizing Your Expertise 00:05:13 Growing businesses need help from 15 employees and up! 00:07:07 Good HR means better recruiting – offer the Cadillac package 00:08:51 Marketing BuildHR Facebook ads lead to success! Networking, local chambers Reddit! 00:10:37 What you can’t ask during an interview! 00:13:07 Did you New Yorkers know you can’t ask about salary? Kelly did! 00:14:09 Get yourself an employee handbook… and more… templatized! 00:20:20 Being a consultant means still serving the client in the end Objective Key Results 00:25:16 Starting a business is all about the journey 00:27:20 YourHRSource.com Twitter.com/yourhrsource Facebook.com/yourhrsource The post Small Business Human Resource Interview with Kelly Loudermilk of BuildHR – Small Business Show 114 appeared first on Business Brain - The Entrepreneurs' Podcast.

In your Small Business, do you value being told when you are wrong? Would you like to have a Revenue Stack that generates cash from multiple sources? Do you know what the Scotty Principle is? Join us on Episode 113 of the Small Business Show for these topics and more! We all love it when we’re right. But as you know, Dave and Shannon love hearing about mistakes, the “wrongs” that teach us all so much. Are your employees or colleagues comfortable telling you when you’re wrong? Do you encourage it? Dave spends some time on the show explaining a new policy he’s enacted to be sure this happens in his Small Business. During the past year, we’ve discussed Scott Adams’ book and his Talent Stack concept. Shannon takes the stack concept and applies it to Revenue, discussing concepts to insure you’re not relying on just one source of cash to fuel your Charmed Life. We’ve invited some excellent guests to join us on the Small Business Show in the near future to discuss how they have developed their own Revenue Stacks – stay with us, it’s going to be awesome. Finally, when you have a Revenue Stack, you’re often faced with hiring outside service providers and contractors to help support those businesses. The guys discuss the Scotty Principle and frustrations with Small Business owners that don’t get the concept of under-promising and over-delivering. Join us today on the Small Business Show, then head over to our Small Business Support Group to discuss the show and ask questions! Chapters/Timestamps: 00:00:00 Small Business Show #113 April 5, 2017 00:01:00 Surrounding yourself with people who will tell you when you are “wrong” No “yes men” Requesting “You’re Wrong…” 00:05:48 Scott Adams’ Talent Stack 00:07:23 Key to Success: The Revenue Stack 00:08:35 Digging into the Serial vs. Parallel Entrepreneur Concepts 00:14:16 Revenue Stacks require the use of service providers/contractors – Can be frustrating 00:16:50 You’re gonna get paid: show up to do the work! 00:19:17 The Scotty Principle! – Underpromise and overdeliver if you can Managing your customers’ expectations. 00:22:28 Contact us at the Small Business Support Group The post Developing a Small Business Revenue Stack and being told when you are wrong – Small Business Show 113 appeared first on Business Brain - The Entrepreneurs' Podcast.

We often ask our guests on the Small Business Show to tell us about their biggest mistake in business, as well as what advice they would have given themselves if they could go back to when they were just getting started. A very common response: Better accounting, better bookkeeping! On today’s episode, we are thrilled to have Justin Sisley of Digidern Bookkeeping as our guest to discuss the how and why of keeping track of your cash, as well as lessons from his own business experiences. The show begins with a discussion about what makes a good bookkeeper, how NOT to choose one and what to look for when searching for someone to help guide your accounting decisions. We quickly move into business strategy topics such as pricing your services, replicating yourself to grow (can you?) and the best marketing practices for service and consulting businesses. As the show proceeds, we get back into some accounting basics, such as not doing your own payroll and how critically important it is to keep up with your bookkeeping so you can catch mistakes, problems and opportunities early. Join Dave Hamilton and Shannon Jean on episode 112 of the Small Business Show for these topics and more. Then, head over to the Small Business Show support group on Facebook to meet Justin and get your bookkeeping questions answered.   Chapters/Timestamps: 00:00:00 Small Business Show #112 March 29, 2017 00:00:55 Justin Sisley from Digidern Bookkeeping 00:03:11 How did that begin? 00:05:04 Anyone can be a bookkeeper… what separates you? 00:06:19 Take someone’s headaches away 00:08:00 Target the bootstrappers! Brian Tracy 00:09:26 You can’t replicate yourself, don’t try! 00:12:18 Pricing yourself: show that you’re serious 00:13:42 Marketing yourself as a solopreneur consultant Thumbtack Using social media to connect with small business owners – find businesses that you are passionate about. 00:16:39 You’re in a niche, target another niche 00:18:14 Stay the course, or use the shotgun approach? Following different business ideas Designated Driver business concept – first business. 00:21:21 Putting off Accounting – #1 mistake 00:23:34 Don’t do your own Payroll! 00:25:40 Back in time with advice! Resist the shiny objects – focus on your core business Don’t half-ass two things! 00:28:46 Uniquely Qualified … Unfair Competitive Advantage! 00:30:37 Finding Justin The post Small Business Interview with Justin Sisley of Digidern Bookkeeping – Small Business Show 112 appeared first on Business Brain - The Entrepreneurs' Podcast.

Today on the Small Business Show, we discuss the launch of the Apple Market Forum, Dave’s new business venture with longtime colleague, Paul Kent. Shannon gets a chance to quiz Dave about the impetus for starting AMF and some of the juicy details behind the concept for the event that will be held this summer in Silicon Valley. During the course of the show, we discuss some critical aspects of partnerships including differing skill sets, mutual expectations and managing different types of communication. Other topics include finding an expert in a different field than your own to partner with, limiting the launch size of a new business and developing no-nonsense, clear communication with your business partners. We wrap up the show with a discussion about feeling nervous or apprehensive can be a good thing and the trick of insuring your success (or failure) by your thoughts. Join us today for these topics and more! Then jump over to the Small Business Show Support Group to share your comments. Chapters/Timestamps: 00:00:00 Small Business Show #111 March 22, 2017 00:03:18 Apple Market Forum – Dave’s & Paul Kent’s new gig 00:06:08 How long have you been planning? 00:08:06 Partnering with an expert 00:11:20 Limiting your launch in size – easier to manage, scarcity 00:13:25 Be careful of overwhelming yourself 00:17:39 Believing is Creating. Success/Failure 00:17:58 Do good partners make good partnerships? 00:25:27 Teach yourself to crave apprehension 00:26:52 SBS Outtro The post Dave Launches Apple Market Forum, Partnerships and Embracing Apprehension – Small Business Show 111 appeared first on Business Brain - The Entrepreneurs' Podcast.

What’s in a name? Everything when it comes to your company or brand! As founders, owners and stewards of Small Businesses, we all know how important your company or brand name is. Joining us today on the Small Business Show, Mike Pile, Founder of Uppercase Branding discusses his own business as well as sharing tips and methods for coming up with great names. Mike discusses how prioritizing tasks and projects when you are the boss can be one of the most challenging adjustments after leaving a corporate job, along with being sure to disconnect at the end of the day to keep your creative juices flowing. We then move on to discussing how Uppercase got its start and what marketing methods worked the best for them. You might be surprised to hear what traditional methods produced the best results. Later on the show, we spend time talking about how to come up with a great name for your business or brand with some examples of good and bad. Listen in to your co-hosts Dave Hamilton and Shannon Jean and then post your comments and questions to our Small Business Support Group on Facebook! Chapters/Timestamps: 00:00:00 Small Business Show #110 March 15, 2017 00:01:09 Mike Pile from Uppercase Branding joins us today 00:01:50 “Verbal Identity Consultancy” 00:03:42 Pulling out stories from companies 00:05:18 Prioritizing tasks and projects 00:06:43 Being your own boss: scary and liberating 00:07:49 Disconnecting to keep your creativity flowing 00:10:21 Marketing YOUR B2B Marketing business – using existing connections 00:13:43 A gift in the mail 00:18:09 “Brainstorming is a waste of time” Strategy and discovery 00:23:09 “A great name won’t help a bad business model” A bad name can be a distraction 00:25:09 Vetting your name is just as valuable as creating one 00:26:23 Norman Awards – Great new brand names. Good: “Adwash” – Samsung. Not so good: “Scion” – Hotels 00:30:07 Set a big stretch goal The post Small Business Interview with Mike Pile of Uppercase Branding – Small Business Show Episode 110 appeared first on Business Brain - The Entrepreneurs' Podcast.

We began episode 109 of the Small Business Show with a plan to chat with Bob LeVitus about his new book, Working Smarter for Mac Users. We talked about the book of course, but we also covered a treasure of information about being a “Solopreneuer” for 20+ years and how creating discipline techniques can be a path to success. Bob considers himself to be “virtually unemployable” and perhaps that has opened the doors for him to become an author with over 80 books to his name, a regular contributor to the MacObserver and a tech columnist for the Houston Chronicle. We jump right into one of the most critical issues to being successful when working on your own: being disciplined enough to get the work done on and done on time. Bob uses the Pomodoro technique that blocks out 25-minute time-frames with no interruptions to keep on task. Join us today if you find yourself easily distracted and have trouble getting things done – there’s some great tips that we think will benefit all of us Small Business owners. Chapters/Timestamps: 00:00:00 Small Business Show #109 March 8, 2017 00:01:16 Interview with Bob LeVitus – Author, Entrepreneur and Small Business owner 00:02:37 Virtually unemployable 00:04:53 The power of saying “yes” 00:06:34 The hardest part about being a _______ is keeping your ass in the chair 00:07:20 Crazy glue on my buttocks – developing a system that works to motivate and discipline yourself. 00:08:44 Pomodoro Technique 00:10:00 Making ADHD work for you – Why the rabbit holes are so attractive 00:11:26 A Plan for the Day – isolate things that are the most important. 25 min work sessions 00:12:28 The most important deal you make … is the one with yourself 00:15:06 “Driven to Distraction” 00:16:36 Bob’s Book: “Working Smarter for Mac Users” 00:18:43 No stupid PC tricks! Partnering with other experts, using your brand. 00:24:42 Set yourself up for success – using quotas to keep you disciplined. 00:28:49 Working Smarter for Mac Users, the website! 00:31:46 Invent something! The post Small Business Interview with Bob LeVitus – Managing Distractions and Being Disciplined for Success – Small Business Show episode 109 appeared first on Business Brain - The Entrepreneurs' Podcast.

Problems – we all work on solving them every-single-day. Maybe the solution to a problem is the entire reason for your business to exist in the first place? Today on episode 108 of the Small Business Show, join Dave Hamilton and Shannon Jean as they focus on problem solving for your Small Business. Here’s some of the good stuff we covered on the show today: Tips to get you and your customer on the same side when trying to solve a problem – a critical maneuver to remove the “us and them” mentality when problem solving. Managing customer expectations to avoid problems in the first place. How to deal with problems when your Small Business is the customer. Getting past the automated systems to work with real humans. Using Google Docs to document, share and track access to your problem. Using storytelling to get people on your side that can help solve your problem. And much more! Join us on the Small Business Show and then click over to the Small Business Support Group to share your thoughts! Chapters/Timestamps: 00:00:00 Small Business Show #108 February 29, 2017 00:03:05 Solve your problems with your customer – be on the same side 00:04:29 Make sure you manage your customers’ expectations 00:09:02 Solve problems together 00:10:46 What happens when you’re the customer with a problem? 00:12:12 Don’t let the robots win! 00:13:36 When complaining, Lead with love 00:14:36 Use Google Docs to track your issue 00:20:21 If I treated my customers the way you treat me, you wouldn’t have me as a customer 00:20:54 Always tell a story 00:21:12 Play the reasonable man 00:23:20 “You are better than this” 00:24:48 Make the document live and breathe 00:26:49 Using LinkedIn InMail for Customer Service 00:29:50 SBS Outtro The post Effective Problem Solving with Your Customers and Suppliers – Small Business Show 108 appeared first on Business Brain - The Entrepreneurs' Podcast.

What if you were tasked with taking a thriving brick and mortar business with an established clientele and transitioning it to an ecommerce business selling a completely different product line to a new demographic? How would you handle the stress of trying to keep existing customers happy while attracting new customers to grow the business? Sara Beznicki and Isabelle Tan jumped into this situation in 2015, leaving the corporate world to successfully launch A Gilded Leaf to find new customers and growth, while protecting the companies existing customer base. Join us today on the Small Business Show to hear about how the company sells on multiple marketplaces and converts customers to direct purchasing from their website, how independent user testing helped to change their website design and how focusing on specific customer groups rather than just sheer numbers has helped the business grow. After the show, join in on the conversation on the Small Business Support Group! Chapters/Timestamps: 00:00:00 Small Business Show #107 February 22, 2017 00:00:58 Sara Beznicki from A Gilded Leaf Jewelry <https://www.agildedleaf.com> 00:02:52 Changing your parents’ business 00:03:24 moving from corporate to small business – doing it all. Many tasks – 00:07:02 Going to where the customers are 00:10:13 Try, try and try again. Don’t get stuck. 00:10:41 Use UserTesting.com to test your site <https://www.usertesting.com> 00:12:24 Shopify Platform <https://www.shopify.com> 00:14:02 Use Pinterest and then boost 00:16:00 Brick and mortar to Appointment Only 00:17:24 Robots don’t buy your products! 00:19:33 Customer feedback as a success metric 00:21:06 Stay Calm The post Small Business Interview with Sara Beznicki of A Gilded Leaf – Small Business Show 107 appeared first on Business Brain - The Entrepreneurs' Podcast.

How many tasks are you “managing” at one time? How effective are you while doing those things and how does multitasking impact your creativity? Join us this week on episode 106 of the Small Business Show and find out how your hosts deal with the urge to instantly respond to Slack posts and Messages. Dave brings up the concept of Spotlighting vs. Multitasking after Shannon explains his typical method of quickly jumping in and out of many different tasks during the day. We also discuss ways to push back on distractions and how to bring back some of that missing downtime in your life. Finally, since the guys love “Spotlighting” from one topic to another, you’ll here about the concept of allocating as much time to the news as it impacts your life. This proportional allocation can help to put things in perspective. So, turn off all those distractions and listen in to this episode of the Small Business Show! Chapters/Timestamps: 00:00:00 Small Business Show #106 February 15, 2017 00:02:16 The power of powering through 00:04:20 Why You Shouldn’t Multitask 00:07:48 Don’t multitask, Spotlight instead 00:12:45 Implied urgency 00:15:33 Internal vs. External distractions 00:16:22 Downtime is when good ideas come 00:19:13 Allocating proportional time to the news 00:23:08 Understanding your own mental bandwidth… and living within it. 00:27:33 Synchronous vs. Asynchronous Messaging 00:29:48 SBS Outtro The post Evil Multitasking or Powerful Spotlighting to Manage Your Time – Small Business Show 106 appeared first on Business Brain - The Entrepreneurs' Podcast.

The thought of even pretending to fail is anathema to your hosts on the Small Business Show. However, Dave came across the concept of the Pre-Mortem and the guys go all-in today to see how it works. “A pre-mortem — also known as a premortem — is a managerial strategy in which a manager imagines that a project or organization has failed, and then works backward to determine what potentially could lead to the failure of the project or organization.” Can you see why this kind of freaks us out? Your Purveyor’s of Positivity, your Champions of the Charmed Life don’t like to let the concept of failure get in the way of their ideas. This has worked for both Dave and Shannon for decades, launching new businesses and letting new ideas develop before they get squashed by negativity. But, we think this Pre-Mortem idea has some real value and on this episode of the Small Business Show, we turn the tables and tear into our own show using the pre-mortem technique. So, how did we do? Listen in to find out and then jump over to our Support Group to share your thoughts on using a pre-mortem on your own business. Podcast Chapters & Timestamps 00:00:00 Small Business Show #105 February 8, 2017 00:03:40 A pre-mortem Apple’s Pre-Mortem Inc. 00:05:14 Is it a good idea? 00:06:18 Balancing optimism and pessimism 00:07:26 Pre-mortem of the Small Business Show 00:09:35 Danger: no financial gain Grow listeners to grow sponsors 00:12:27 Direct vs. Indirect revenue 00:15:17 1,000 True Fans 00:18:25 Danger: Not seeing the numbers 00:22:52 Voicing doubts without being a naysayer 00:28:07 Outtro Articles mentioned: Harvard Business Review: Performing a Project Premortem Riskology: The Pre-Mortem: A Simple Technique to Save Any Project From Failure 1000 True Fans The post Planning for failure? Use the Pre-Mortem technique to test your project or business concept– Small Business Show 105 appeared first on Business Brain - The Entrepreneurs' Podcast.

If you had the choice, would you continue the traditions of a multi-generational business that provided decades of support for those that came before you? Or would you turn things upside down and commit to growing the business and challenging yourself (and your company) to embrace new technology, new customers and a new workforce? If you are a Small Business Show listener, we think we know what your answer is. Join us today as we spend some time with David Oliva of RD Appliance Service as he describes the journey from a self-employed entity founded over 50 years ago to a fast growing company that embraces change and challenges traditional methods to become the very best they can be. During our interview, we covered a ton of great Small Business topics such as working with your spouse, expansion with new employees, raising your prices and finding a new high-end service niche and much more. Listen in to episode 104 of the Small Business Show, then jump over to the SBS Support Group on Facebook to share your comments! Chapters/Timestamps: 00:00:00 Small Business Show #104 February 1, 2017 00:01:28 Interview: David Oliva from RD Appliance Service 00:02:47 The multi-generational transition 00:03:42 Changing the vision 00:04:38 Working with your spouse 00:05:54 Expansion via hiring and partnerships 00:07:08 The challenge of employees – keeping your “edge” and challenging yourself 00:09:24 It’s time to raise prices … a lot! Being a great Tech does not make you a great business owner. 00:11:58 Making changes with your parent as a partner 00:13:22 Going upscale! Finding your niche – 00:21:02 Best mistake: Worker’s Comp is a variable cost! 00:23:14 Stock parts: arrive prepared for each client 00:24:08 Service providers: watch out for aftermarket warranties 00:25:51 Scheduling time to work on your business 00:26:35 Being the best is the best success 00:28:04 Learn from other Small Business Owners 00:28:31 Don’t underestimate the value of your skills The post Small Business Interview with David Oliva of RD Appliance Service – Small Business Show 104 appeared first on Business Brain - The Entrepreneurs' Podcast.