The $100 MBA Show

Sometimes, the best way to find your audience is to borrow someone else’s.Content swapping is a classic, tried-and-true method of growing your brand awareness. It’s so well-established, it doesn’t even feel right calling it a “hack.” But whatever you call it, it works.Today, we’ll explain how to execute this smart, efficient way to boost your profile with a little help from a friend.The first step is choosing the company you’ll want to partner with. For some reason, many new entrepreneurs assume this should be a competitor. But as we’ll illustrate with examples from our own business, nothing could be further from the truth.In fact, your ideal collaborator may be in the last industry you’d expect.This is a tactic we’ve used over and over. We’ve developed some simple SOPs (Standard Operating Procedures) and best practices to make sure it goes smoothly. Feel free to use them for your next collaboration. Click Play!SUBSCRIBEYouTube | Apple Podcast | Spotify | Podcast Feed Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Not everyone is binging Netflix during this quarantine.As COVID-19 forces countless people to learn new ways of doing business, some companies and entrepreneurs are suddenly inundated with inquiries, new customers, and…just work. How can we handle it all?It’s Q&A Wednesday, and we’re helping one listener whose plate is too full for comfort. While new business is a blessing — especially in times like these — catastrophic success is a real thing. Can we assure our best work while doing more work than ever?Today, we’ll discuss how to draw the line between what you can do, and what you can do well.This advice applies to everything, not just business. From hobbies to vacations to personal improvement, trying to do it all will inevitably hurt you. With some experience from our own business, and some wisdom from abroad, we’ll help you determine how much is too much. Click Play!To submit your questions, visit 100mba.net/q.SUBSCRIBEYouTube | Apple Podcast | Spotify | Podcast Feed Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Online advertising is cheaper than ever. Cost-per-Click is down, and the whole world is moving their business to the web. It’s a very noisy Internet right now.Should you stand out from the competition by calling out the competition?Today, we’ll discuss what’s to be gained from taking on your competitors directly. When your marketing and advertising blatantly throws down the gauntlet, what are you risking? Does anyone win a tinkling contest, or is head-on advertising a recipe for conflict?There are different schools of thought on this.Let’s explore the practical and ethical factors you should consider before you drop a diss track online. If you do choose to take a swing at someone, there’s a right way and a wrong way to do it. Click Play!SUBSCRIBEYouTube | Apple Podcast | Spotify | Podcast Feed Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

As you might be able to tell by the title, this week’s Must-Read is, um…direct.That’s the best thing about it. Keith Cunningham’s The Road Less Stupid isn’t blunt for blunt’s sake. It strives to be practical, immediately applicable, and just as useful as possible.Read it, and you can pretty much take action right away.The general premise? Bad decisions have a massive impact. More massive than you probably realize, even. The domino effect of one bad call will echo through your business and life, so it’s crucial to do whatever it takes to avoid making one.This isn’t a book about making good decisions. It’s about not making stupid ones.Cunningham explores a truth that science and business is just starting to understand: that our decisions are not logical. We are not logical. Even when we think we’re being logical, it may just be our emotions deviously posing as logic to fool your frontal lobe.In other words, maybe don’t trust your gut.Learn how to step back, get a bird’s-eye view of your business, and proceed with clarity. Set realistic expectations, plan intelligently, and make more logical choices, more often. Click Play!The Road Less Stupid by Keith CunninghamAudible Free TrialSUBSCRIBEYouTube | Apple Podcast | Spotify | Podcast Feed Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

COVID-19 is cratering the economy. But not everyone is losing business. Just ask Netflix, Amazon, or your local takeout place.Even if your business isn’t naturally quarantine-proof, you can still find a way to thrive. By identifying and partnering with businesses better suited to ride this thing out, you can find a way forward.There’s always an opportunity somewhere.Today, we’ll discuss what kinds of businesses are doing better than ever under the cloud of coronavirus, and how your business can intersect with what they’re doing. It may take a little creativity, but by offering your value to someone in a better position, you can both benefit.Desperate times call for creative measures.There are no easy solutions in a situation like this. But there will be survivors, there will be beneficiaries, and there will be winners. You just might need a little help from the right partner to see it through. Click Play!SUBSCRIBEYouTube | Apple Podcast | Spotify | Podcast Feed Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

He’s been stuck in the house for 14 days. At first, it seemed like an inconvenience.So he turned it into an opportunity.We just came back from some time abroad. During the COVID-19 crisis, that made things a little awkward when we touched back down at home. By law, our intrepid host Omar wasn’t allowed to leave the house for a full two weeks.But that couldn’t stop him from finding new ways to reach his audience.Today, Omar shares the most important lessons he learned from trying something new, even if it was out of necessity (and a little bit of boredom). The willingness to experiment is always valuable to an entrepreneur. But you don’t always have the time — until you do.Learn what a few weeks of sharing his story via Facebook taught your favorite podcast host, and what you can learn by…just adapting. Click Play!SUBSCRIBEYouTube | Apple Podcast | Spotify | Podcast Feed Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Price doesn’t matter. Value does.When it comes to sales, the only thing that a high price changes is the amount of trust you have to build in order to convey the real value of the product. It might take more time or effort, but if the value is there, the sale makes sense.That’s why webinars are perfect for high-ticket items.It’s Q&A Wednesday, and like many of you, one of our listeners is suddenly forced to do business remotely. While live sales events are this coach’s usual bread and butter, webinars are the next best thing. But will they do the trick?Boy, is this the right podcast to ask.Call it a great opportunity to toot our own horn, but if anyone knows how to sell via webinar, it’s us. Webinars are specially positioned to move high-ticket items, because high-ticket items are just “high trust” items.And trust is a webinar’s biggest advantage.Tune in, and learn what techniques work best for the highest price tags on a sales webinar. And remember, it’s never about the price. It’s about your ability to gain credibility when you explain the value. Click Play!To submit your questions, visit 100mba.net/q.SUBSCRIBEYouTube | Apple Podcast | Spotify | Podcast Feed Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

For your business to be stable, your revenue stream needs a minimum level of predictability.That’s where smart, proactive cashflow management comes in.As a small business owner or entrepreneur, you have to have a plan for the ups and downs, for all the circumstances outside your control that can affect your business. And the better you utilize the ups, the less damaging the downs will be.Coronavirus won’t be the last crisis.Something else will go down, because it always does. The current situation is crazy, but it isn’t unique. The sooner you crazy-proof your business, the better.Today, we’ll lay out the exact steps you can take to fortify your business against…whatever. With a few simple strategies and a little forward thinking, you can be the one who rides out the next crisis with calm, confidence, and stability.Remember what the businesses who aren’t broken have in common, besides luck: preparation. Click Play!SUBSCRIBEYouTube | Apple Podcast | Spotify | Podcast Feed Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

A qualified accountant is a clutch hire, no matter the size of your business.If a penny saved is a penny earned, a penny well-managed is just as valuable. CPA (Certified Public Accountants) don’t just count beans – they increase the bean count, and make sure the beans you have are creating beans of their own.But enough about legumes.If you think you can’t afford an accountant, listen to today’s special guest teacher, Brian Hamilton. When he’s done explaining an accountant’s value (in his…signature style), you might realize how much money you’re losing by not having one.As the title suggests, it’s about so much more than tax compliance.While avoiding prison is nice, the power of an accountant to inform, enlighten, and co-strategize is the most undervalued business asset. Tune in to Brian’s lesson, and see what we mean. Click Play!Brian Hamilton FoundationInmates to EntrepreneursSUBSCRIBEYouTube | Apple Podcast | Spotify | Podcast Feed Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Nothing is “just business.” Feelings affect everything we do, no matter how calculated or logical we think business is. It’s time to stop trying to separate emotions from business, and instead learn to navigate the emotions around business. Pretending our feelings don’t affect our performance or our decisions is delusional. But if we work on being aware of our emotions and their influence, we can make smarter choices and accomplish more.It’s about recognizing feelings, not denying them.Today, we’ll discuss how to see your feelings, and work with them in a constructive way. Once you realize how logical your business decisions aren’t, you can learn to work within the feelings you have to find a better headspace in which to do your best work.If this sounds a little Self Help-y, understand that nothing can separate the emotional from the practical. The sooner we realize that, the better off we’ll be.SUBSCRIBEYouTube | Apple Podcast | Spotify | Podcast Feed Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Just before the corona-crisis descended, our intrepid co-founders Omar and Nicole headed to Japan for 10 days of decompression. It wasn’t a business trip, just pure travel for the fun of it. But as they explored this new culture for the first time, they couldn’t help but learn a few things.Now, it’s time to apply those things to business.Visiting a surreally different place can break you out of stagnant thinking, and help you see possibilities you hadn’t considered. Japan’s particular approach to life and business is much different from the rest of the world’s – and we all have a thing or two to learn from it.Omar & Nicole didn’t go to Japan for professional development. But the lessons were too good to ignore.Today, Omar will share the 5 most profound lessons they took away from the Land of the Rising Sun. Learn what a culture devoted to meticulousness can teach us about running our own lives and businesses more efficiently, effectively, and beautifully. Click Play!SUBSCRIBEYouTube | Apple Podcast | Spotify | Podcast Feed Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Let’s tackle the most FAQ about business in the COVID-19 era.It’s Q&A Wednesday, and one of our listeners (actually, make that a ton of our listeners) is suddenly forced to run a team remotely. How the heck do you manage people who are nowhere near you?We definitely have this one covered.Our company has always been remote. We currently have about two dozen employees spread across 4 continents, working, collaborating, and succeeding together despite being literally oceans apart. It’s not a hassle — it’s an advantage.Don’t just cope with switching to remote work. Embrace it!As more and more teams go remote, we predict that many or most will prefer it. Once people learn to love the autonomy and results-driven approach that works best with remote teams, businesses might never look back — even after coronavirus is under control.Learn how we manage our team remotely, as we always have. See why the switch to remote work might just be the silver lining your business could use right now. Click Play!To submit your questions, visit 100mba.net/q.SUBSCRIBEYouTube | Apple Podcast | Spotify | Podcast Feed Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

You knew this episode was coming.During the coronavirus pandemic, so many people suddenly have to work from home. When your kitchen table becomes your office, how can you keep from losing your grip? How can you protect your home and personal life — not to mention your mental wellbeing — from your job?For many, bringing work into the home can feel like an invasion.Today’s episode is not about productivity or home office setup (don’t worry, we’ll get to that). It’s about what we believe is the first priority: your health and sanity. Secure that, and worry about your desk later!Fortunately, we’ve been working from home our entire careers as entrepreneurs. It wasn’t the smoothest transition for us at first, but over the years we figured out what works, what doesn’t, and what keeps us from going crazy. The good news? Working from home can be convenient, liberating, and enjoyable – if you do it right. Let’s discuss how. Click Play!SUBSCRIBEYouTube | Apple Podcast | Spotify | Podcast Feed Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Where does innovation come from? What about the greatest game-changers lets them see opportunities the rest of us miss? What is genius?Walt Disney is a perfect case study.Neal Gabler’s Walt Disney: The Triumph of the American Imagination is the most detailed, exhaustively researched portrait of Mickey’s creator ever written. It takes a deep dive into the personality that saw things as they were, but imagined what could be — and had the creativity to make it happen.This book is no PR-friendly fluff piece, though.The biography also explores the hard part about being naturally innovative: being different, being misunderstood, and struggling to make sense to the people around you. “Who is Walt Disney?” is a question that has as many answers as people who knew him – and they’re not all positive.In a way Steve Jobs would later bring to mind, Disney changed everything by seeing where things were heading and adapting existing products. But he ability to see through the fog of the present and get a jump on the future isn’t just for “geniuses.” It’s something we can all cultivate.That starts with studying the ones who did it best. Click Play!Walt Disney by Neal GablerDiscover all our must-read book reviews at https://100mba.net/bookreviews.SUBSCRIBEYouTube | Apple Podcast | Spotify | Podcast Feed Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Virtual assistants can be invaluable – but exactly how valuable are they?Having a dedicated person to handle administrative tasks online is a massive advantage for small business owners. We’ve used a VA since the early stages of our business, and she’s worth every cent. But just how many cents makes sense, business-wise?Let’s do the math.Today, we’ll discuss average rates for VAs from different parts of the world. With an entire globe’s worth of options, the price range can vary wildly – as can the quality. We’ll share some specific resources for finding the best virtual help a reasonable amount of money can buy, and define how much “reasonable” really is.Maybe you’re paying too much. Maybe you’re not paying enough! High-quality virtual assistants make a huge impact on a business. Ours is a great example. Click Play!SUBSCRIBEYouTube | Apple Podcast | Spotify | Podcast Feed Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Professional development is key, no matter what you do.As a small business owner, how much of your team’s development is your responsibility? How much training, resources, and opportunities should you provide? No matter how big or small the team, it’s a question we all should answer.You can’t be the only one who continues to learn and grow.Today, we’ll discuss what happens to employees in the absence of training and professional development, and why it’s so valuable. We’ll explore how much time is worth taking away from everyday tasks in order to improve skills. Plus, we’ll offer some creative ideas and resources for training your team, even on a tight budget.See what the educational world can teach the private sector. Make sure to invest in your team, so your business gets their best work. Click Play!SUBSCRIBEYouTube | Apple Podcast | Spotify | Podcast Feed Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Are you being served?Most of us use shared servers for our websites, at least at first. Whether you’re on WordPress, SquareSpace, Weebly, or another host, you’re probably sharing server space with a few hundred “roommates.” So when is it time to leave the apartment and buy your own house?Like so many things in business, it depends.It’s Q&A Wednesday, and we’re helping one listener decide if it’s time for their very own server. We’ll explain why businesses do this, but more importantly, we’ll discuss when. Depending on certain milestones, it might not be worth it…yet.Plus, we’ll discuss the one downside of using a private server.Learn what you get out of having a private server, and how to tell when it’s time to get yours. Get a sense of what it costs, and why it’s actually a money saver after a certain point. Decide what’s best for one of your business’s most important digital assets. Click Play!To submit your questions, visit 100mba.net/q.SUBSCRIBEYouTube | Apple Podcast | Spotify | Podcast Feed Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Does someone need to take the wheel at your website?Stop right there: this is not an episode only for the technologically…disinclined. Your website doesn’t have to be a mess for you to consider an outside expert. In fact, if your business and website are doing great, it might just be the right time.Especially considering how much a good web manager can boost your business.Today, we’ll discuss why you should (or shouldn’t) hire a web manager – regardless of your own technical ability. We’ll explain exactly what to look for in a good web manager, and all the ways one can help you get the most out of your site, and your time.Take a moment to assess the time you’re putting into your website. How much more valuable could that time be to your business? When you understand what a good web manager can do, you might think they’re worth every penny – and then some. Click Play!SUBSCRIBEYouTube | Apple Podcast | Spotify | Podcast Feed Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Are you getting the best from your team? If they’re not psychologically safe…probably not.In order to perform to their potential, employees have certain work environmental needs, aligned to commonly understood human needs. If that all sounds a little academic, it’s because we’ve got an eminently qualified guest teacher this week: author, entrepreneur, and Oxford doctor of social sciences Timothy Clark.Don’t worry : this lesson goes way beyond theory.Your team members don’t just need to feel “safe” physically. They need to feel respected, invited to contribute, and perhaps most importantly, free to disagree. If your people won’t challenge you, that’s a failure, of leadership – not a sign of strength.Today, Clark will show you how to assess the psychological safety of your company.Specifically, he’ll help you “score” your business (and your leadership) on the 4 key factors that indicate psychological safety. With this information, you can create confident, creative employees who think for themselves instead of simply doing what they’re told.It’s proven to be one of the single most important factors in team management. Find out how “safe” your team really is. Click Play!LeaderFactorThe 4 Stages of Psychological Safety by Timothy R. ClarkSUBSCRIBEYouTube | Apple Podcast | Spotify | Podcast Feed Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

This episode isn’t about your health.Well, it’s about that, too. But this is a business podcast, and here’s the bottom line: stress doesn’t only hurt your body and mind. It can destroy your business. It can make you think you’re “working hard” when you’re really just working against yourself.De-stressing isn’t a luxury. It’s a strategy.To prove it, we’ll explain how stress has done more than give us sleepless nights. It held us back during a crucial phase in the development of our business. It made us counter-productive, and blinded us to things we should’ve recognized.Ultimately, it cost us money, or at least time.There’s no such thing as stress-free entrepreneurship, but there is a such thing as stress competence for an entrepreneur. We know you’re “tough” enough to endure stress. But we all need to be smart enough to minimize and manage it.Let’s discuss how. Click Play!SUBSCRIBEYouTube | Apple Podcast | Spotify | Podcast Feed Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Ever Googled your own business? Sure you have. But what were you trying to accomplish?Today, we’re discussing how to use Google’s search results strategically. No, this isn’t exactly an SEO lesson. But it’s a way to use Google to shape and act on your broader marketing objectives, systematically.What can you learn? And what can you do about it?Those are the questions you should approach Google with. We’ll lay out a step-by-step procedure for Googling, organizing the data, and acting on it. This can be crucial to controlling the narrative around your brand. After all, if you’re not helping to tell your brand’s story, it’ll be left up to everyone else to tell for you.Get a handle on your online reputation. Have a voice in your own business’s story. Click Play!SUBSCRIBEYouTube | Apple Podcast | Spotify | Podcast Feed Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Nothing is guaranteed. But that doesn’t mean we can’t evaluate the viability of a business idea in advance, and give ourselves the best chance of success.But how?It’s like poker: while there are elements you can’t control, knowing the odds and acting strategically are what separates the winners from the rest – all luck aside. So what can we do to survey the landscape in the early stages of starting a business?It’s Q&A Wednesday, and we’re helping one listener find out what variables are predictable, controllable, and worth examining. Whether you’re a little nervous about starting a business, or just want to play it smart, there are steps you can take.Ask the right questions about what you want your business to be, then see if conditions are conducive to that endgame. You might decide to back out before it’s too late – or you might realize you have every reason to be confident. Click Play!To submit your questions, visit 100mba.net/q.SUBSCRIBEYouTube | Apple Podcast | Spotify | Podcast Feed Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

This is how we screwed up.Every mistake carries the gift of a lesson. Learning those lessons makes those mistakes valuable — to you, and anyone who can learn from you. To get the most value out of our stumbles, blunders, and fails over the last 12 months, we’re discussing them here – for you!Let’s call them…learnable moments.Most of these cringe-inducers happened because at the time, we weren’t mindful enough to see what was happening. By the time we realized, some damage had been done. Now, we’ll describe the warning signs so you can avoid learning the way we did: the hard way.That’s the thing about the really valuable lessons: they’re not just hard to learn. They’re hard to recognize.Of course, these lessons look more obvious in hindsight. But evaluating them now, publicly, will help us see the next big lesson coming — and hopefully, we learn them a little sooner this time. See what you can learn from our helpful misadventures.SUBSCRIBEYouTube | Apple Podcast | Spotify | Podcast Feed Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Are you stuck at “average?”This week’s Must-Read for entrepreneurs is all about making real change, one little bit at a time. Whether you’re not progressing enough, quickly enough, or at all, it’s time to take action.Because average will only get you so far.The good news is that becoming your absolute best — at whatever you do — isn’t some radical, mind-blowing transformation that happens on top of a mountain. According to Tom Connellan’s The 1% Solution for Work and Life, there’s a more realistic, attainable approach.You just have to start taking steps.Tune in, and hear the most valuable takeaways and insights from this short but powerful book. Start making moves, and see what a massive difference a tiny difference can make.The 1% Solution for Work and Life by Tom ConnellanDiscover all our must-read book reviews at https://100mba.net/bookreviews.SUBSCRIBEYouTube | Apple Podcast | Spotify | Podcast Feed Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Email is still the most important marketing channel you have. But your emails won’t do much for your business if no one is reading them. Part of getting those open, read, and click rates up is finding the right time for your message to hit the inbox — which isn’t as simple as you might think, despite tons of advice out there about certain days of the week or hours of the day.Spoiler alert: there is no magic day or hour during which emails get universally higher open rates. If there was, your inbox would be hit by roughly 40 gazillion emails every week at that exact time.You have to do a little investigating.We’ve seen companies send at days and times that seem terrible at first glance, but work for the audience in question. Over time, we’ve put in the work to figure out when our contacts are more or less likely to read our messages, and time them accordingly.You can, too. This episode will tell you how.Conduct a few exercises and experiments, just like we did. Get that engagement up, and start turning your ‘mails into sales.SUBSCRIBEYouTube | Apple Podcast | Spotify | Podcast Feed Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Ready to extend your reach way beyond your daily working hours? If you have a course to sell, there’s a method that can save you a ton of time and energy, all while bringing in passive leads and sales.Automated webinars.Some people call them “evergreen” webinars. Whatever the name, they’re more than just videos. They’re pre-recorded interactive lessons, optimized to generate leads, sales, or both. And they work! You can build your authority and sell your course around the clock.…but only if you do these webinars right. So many people do them so, so wrong.Yes, we also own a webinar software company. So we’ve seen what makes these increasingly popular lessons work – and what makes them totally crash and burn. Today, we’ll share the most important Do’s and Dont’s — no matter what software you use.Learn the unique advantages that automated webinars have, and the key elements necessary to make them effective. Your course is about to sell to a whole new group of people. Click Play!SUBSCRIBEYouTube | Apple Podcast | Spotify | Podcast Feed Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Lifetime memberships can be tricky, especially as your business grows. When something changes, how can you honor your long-standing arrangements without losing money?How can you change the terms of your service without ticking off your earliest supporters?It’s Q&A Wednesday, and we’ve got a coach who’s ready to add significantly more value to their original lifetime package. It’s not what those O.G. customers signed up for, but it’s also not something to exclude them from. So what now?This is going to happen. And there’s an honest, straightforward way to handle it.Learn how to keep your lifetimers happy, even as the success they first helped you find changes shape. Get to where you’re going without forgetting the ones who got you here. There’s a fair solution to every situation in business, including this one. Click Play!To submit your questions, visit 100mba.net/q.SUBSCRIBEYouTube | Apple Podcast | Spotify | Podcast Feed Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Almost everyone has a cool idea for a business. Almost no one will actually do it.Will you?Today, we’ve got your first step. Do this one thing now, and you’ll be closer to actually starting your business than most of the would-be entrepreneurs who never make it past a great idea. The best part? It doesn’t even have to take long.“Analysis Paralysis” ends today.Take this step before you even create your first product. If you already know what kind of product you want to build, use this exercise to refine it. But whatever you do, start with this crucial move.What is it they say about a journey of a thousand miles? Let’s get started. Click Play!SUBSCRIBEYouTube | Apple Podcast | Spotify | Podcast Feed Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The best product doesn’t win. The product with the best story wins.Narrative is how we learn. More importantly, it’s how we’re convinced. Stories take a lesson, person, or product past the gates of our conscious decision making and into the most impressionable parts of our minds.Ask any great teacher which lessons work best: the ones with facts and stats, or the ones with stories.Today, special guest teacher Graham Brown is here to explain how to find and use your business’s story. With examples from history and business, Graham proves how stories create the context for understanding that truly drives decisions on an emotional level.A business without a story is powerless. Tune in, learn how to harness the power of storytelling, and get access to a great free resource. Click Play!Asia Tech PodcastLeadership in the Exponential Era by Graham BrownSUBSCRIBEYouTube | Apple Podcast | Spotify | Podcast Feed Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Forget the dollar, the euro, the pound. The most valuable currency on Earth is time.So let’s get you more of it.Odds are, you’re doing things you don’t have to. These tasks are thieves, robbing you of the precious resource of time — a resource that can’t be replenished. Your time alive is a bank account from which you can only make withdrawals. When you run a business, it’s easy to lose track of how much is coming out.You might be surprised just how much time you can save, when you take a look at your day systematically.Today, we’ll explain how to conduct a time inventory, and offload the biggest time-suckers to other people. You may find that what you think are small, quick tasks are actually adding up to hours per week of waste. Don’t surrender another second!We’ll share strategies and resources you can use to accurately diagnose your time usage, identify the waste, and get it off your plate. The best part? As shocked as you might be by where your time is going, you may be just as surprised at how affordable it is to outsource. What’s the point of entrepreneurship, if not to gain the freedom to live life? Take these tips, get some time back, and use it however you want — before your time runs out. Click Play!SUBSCRIBEYouTube | Apple Podcast | Spotify | Podcast Feed Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Current events can produce more than anxiety. In fat, they might just be your secret marketing weapon.“Newsjacking” is a tried-and-true trick in which you tie your marketing to national and global events. Whatever the media’s fixated on, you can leverage it to promote your business– if you’re creative enough.And yes, it’s ok if it’s a (little bit of a) stretch.Today, we’ll review some of the best examples of newsjacking from hard-hustling entrepreneurs who looked at the news and found relevance for their target audience. Whether it’s sports, politics, or simply recurring items that always find their way into the news cycle, you can hitch a ride on trending stories to boost your brand.Heck, even we do it now and again.It’s a great traffic generating trick, and it doesn’t need to be scammy or disingenuous. You just have to see the relevance and value your audience sees when they turn on the news. Click Play!SUBSCRIBEYouTube | Apple Podcast | Spotify | Podcast Feed Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Always, always test the MVP – no matter what you’re selling.If you don’t know, the MVP (Minimum Viable Product) is the first iteration of a product you can sell. It’s the barest-bones, cheapest-to-produce version of something you can still sell at a profit, to test the market potential of your idea in the real world. And you should always start with one.It’s easy to create an MVP for a service or digital product. With physical goods…you just need the right resources.It’s Q&A Wednesday, and we’re helping one listener get their first units out the door. As it turns out, it’s cheaper and easier than ever to manufacture – and not just by outsourcing.Yes, manufacturing locally is an option, depending on what you’re making. It might even be a better option than good ol’ China.Today, we’ll give you the information and resources necessary to sell your 1.0 like a smart, lean startup. Plus, we’ll explain how you can start pre-selling your product before a single unit leaves the assembly line. We’ll also explore the creation of your MVP as a marketing asset. Get the gears turning – literally, in this case. Click Play!To submit your questions, visit 100mba.net/q.SUBSCRIBEYouTube | Apple Podcast | Spotify | Podcast Feed Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Sometimes, it’s not how you make decisions, but when.When you’re faced with a major choice, with significant stakes on the line, you have to make sure of one thing before you decide. You have to make sure that the context in which you make your decision isn’t putting the kind of pressure on you that distorts your thinking.Sometimes, it’s more important to make the best decision than it is to make a quick decision.Sometimes, we make decisions before we have to, just to relieve the pressure of having to make one. And while we’re all for moving forward generally, sometimes, pumping the brakes is the smartest decision you can make.Today, we’ll explore how to tell the difference between patience and paralysis.A long time ago, our host Omar made a decision he shouldn’t have. If he had just waited, a better option would’ve revealed itself. Faced with a similar context later, he remembered what went wrong – and found options he didn’t see the first time around.It’s a lesson he never forgot. Now, we offer it to you.Learn how to create the conditions for good decision-making. Find options outside the lesser of two evils. Make the call, not just any call. Click Play!SUBSCRIBEYouTube | Apple Podcast | Spotify | Podcast Feed Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Still thinking about starting a business?Stop.This week’s Must-Read book for entrepreneurs is a classic. It’s a short, simple analogy that our intrepid host Omar first got as a gift from an old boss. Who Moved My Cheese? is all about getting out of your head and into the game, whatever your ambitions.It’s just as relevant today as it was when Omar first read it.A parable for the self-starter, this book doesn’t take long to read, but it stays with you for…well, forever. Its timeless takeaways will get you unstuck from the paralysis of fear and hesitation, the biggest obstacle to entrepreneurial freedom.Hey, it’s a classic for a reason.Take a lesson from one great author, and some fictional mice. It just might be the story you need to actually, finally make your move. Click Play!Who Moved My Cheese? by Dr. Spencer JohnsonDiscover all our must-read book reviews at https://100mba.net/bookreviews.SUBSCRIBEYouTube | Apple Podcast | Spotify | Podcast Feed Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Marketing only has a few unbreakable rules. One of them is to never overwhelm the prospect with too much information.Confusion is kryptonite for sales. But it can be incredibly hard to know when you’re confusing your audience. That’s because it’s exceedingly difficult for someone on the inside of a business to understand the outsider’s perspective.Unfortunately, all customers are outsiders by definition.Today, we’ll discuss how to streamline, simplify, and otherwise make it easier for your audience to understand what’s going on. Because only then can they be expected to truly consider a purchase.You’ll never be perfectly inside your customers’ heads (wouldn’t that be nice?). But you can have a grasp of how much information an average person can process before they tap out and move on. Listen in , and see if your messaging needs a little whittling down. Click Play!SUBSCRIBEYouTube | Apple Podcast | Spotify | Podcast Feed Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

What matters most: quality, or fulfillment? What disappoints customers more: failure to deliver on time, or substandard performance?Meeting deadlines and maxing out quality can be opposing goals. Today, we discuss how to balance them.We’ve had this experience in our business, when delivering on a promise meant sacrificing a modicum of…let’s say, idealism. Over time, we’ve learned how to navigate both priorities.On the one hand, failing to respect deadlines can create terrible habits. On the other, sacrificing performance for expediency is no one’s idea of good business. But there is a way to make sure that whichever side you err on, your customers will know you’re committed to their best interests.We can’t do all things at all times. Tune in, and learn how a balanced approach can give your business the time and space to improve quality and speed at the same time — and at the right times. Click Play!SUBSCRIBEYouTube | Apple Podcast | Spotify | Podcast Feed Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

We all want to reach our goals. But where do we set them? How do we know which goals are realistic, and which are just setting us up for failure?It’s Q&A Wednesday, and we’ve got a listener who misses goal after goal. Is it because they’re too lofty? If so, how can we avoid setting goals that aren’t lofty enough?If we try to be more realistic, will we aim too low? If we try to be ambitious, will we aim too high?There’s gotta be a way to hit identify the sweet spot.Today, we’ll discuss how to expand your concept of goal-setting to encompass multiple layers of goals. By establishing a range of milestones, rather than a single target, you can move towards the “zone of proximal development:” the place where you strive exactly the right amount.Take a new approach to your goals — one that helps you grow. Click Play!To submit your questions, visit 100mba.net/q.SUBSCRIBEYouTube | Apple Podcast | Spotify | Podcast Feed Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

At our software company, we pride ourselves on customer support. We differentiate ourselves with it, and always have.It’s kind of our thing.So we weren’t surprised to field several questions about customer support when we attended a recent conference. What many people wanted to know was how many support personnel are really necessary. For new small businesses, it’s an important question. After all, a lean startup can’t afford to idle hands. That said, they can’t afford anything less than top-tier support, either.Today, we discuss our formula for keeping the right amount of support on hand. It varies from business to business, and depends on the amount of support requests you typically field, but there is a way to analyze your business’s needs. Spoiler alert: responding to tickets is not the only thing great support agents do. See how we keep pace with our customers’ support needs, as we continue to add agents to our growing team. See how our “Support Ninjas” take ownership of our customers’ success, and why that makes all the difference. Click Play!SUBSCRIBEYouTube | Apple Podcast | Spotify | Podcast Feed Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Company culture isn’t something we always think about. And when we do, it’s often…after-thinking.But it matters.If you don’t intentionally build a culture, that lack of intention becomes your culture. And in a culture like that, there’s no way to get real and lasting buy-in from team members. It’s always about more than just the job and the pay. It’s about personal fulfillment.Today, special guest Chris Meroff is here to explain exactly how to make every employee feel valued, heard, and respected. Think that’s all fluff and woo-woo? Once you see the difference between emotionally committed employees and those who just collect a check, you’ll understand what a difference fulfillment makes. Whether you’ve got a tiny team, or dozens of employees, you can learn how to do this. Once you do, your team will recognize it for what it is: the truest form of leadership. Click Play!SUBSCRIBEYouTube | Apple Podcast | Spotify | Podcast Feed Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

If you haven’t heard of ClickFunnels, you will.The company’s massive conference, Funnel Hacking Live, is like Coachella for marketing nerds. The energy is huge, the excitement is palpable, and the attendees are…devout, to say the least. But is there any substance behind the hype?We saddled up and headed to Nashville to find out.Today, we’ll share 3 deeply important, highly valuable lessons we learned from this conference. We cut through the noise and got to the core of why people are so enthusiastic about ClickFunnels and their philosophy.This huge, 4-day production was filled with marketing insights, strategies, and tips that anyone can use to grow their business. But most impressive of all was the sense of perspective and community that seems to drive the ClickFunnel faithful.Hear what we learned, and see how it can work for you — no airfare required. Click Play!SUBSCRIBEYouTube | Apple Podcast | Spotify | Podcast Feed Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Keep. It. Simple.The problem entrepreneurs often have with marketing is totally overcomplicating it. Too many channels, too much content, and no idea what’s working and what’s not. It’s time to stop being a jack of all things, and become a master of one…at a time, anyway.But how can you know what to focus on?Today, we discuss how to narrow down your focus, and tackle one marketing effort at a time. It starts with your own strengths, and leveraging those strengths to get measurable results you can double down on. It’s something we’ve had to remind ourselves to do lately, as our enthusiastic, growing team is tempted to take on…all of it.By taking things one funnel at a time, you can get the most out of your marketing budget and efforts. By recommitting to what’s proven to work — without excessive variables muddling the data — you can set yourself up for continued success. Learn how doing less can bring you more results. Click Play!SUBSCRIBEYouTube | Apple Podcast | Spotify | Podcast Feed Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Did you forget to raise your rates again? You’re not the only one.It’s Q&A Wednesday, and we’ve got a business coach who hasn’t raised prices in years. Whether you’re a coach, a freelancer, or selling a product, keeping prices flat for that long is slow suicide! Unless you run a dollar store, of course.For everyone else, price increases aren’t a matter of debate. You have to raise prices to reflect the increasing costs of doing business, to say nothing of the added value of your experience. If you don’t raise prices regularly, you will inevitably undervalue yourself.If you undervalue yourself, you will hurt your business. Price is a statement, one that reflects your confidence in what you’re selling. Keep it too low, and customers will get the wrong message: that your value is low. The best part? Your customers won’t be upset when rates go up. We’ll explain how to raise rates in a way that keeps customers happy, even if you’re nervous about it. We’ll also discuss how to figure out how much to raise rates, which you should (have I made that part clear yet?). Click Play!To submit your questions, visit 100mba.net/q.SUBSCRIBEYouTube | Apple Podcast | Spotify | Podcast Feed Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Get back in the saddle — even if you never fell out.Sometimes, we put our whole selves into building a business or product, only to watch it bomb. That’s normal. In fact, that’s good. Failure isn’t just a rite of passage in entrepreneurship. It’s a required lesson, and a necessary stepping stone to success.You just have to be willing to go another round.That said, we’ve all heard the old saying about insanity and expecting different results. Today, we’ll discuss how to make sure that your “do over” is a “do better.” With examples from our own failures, as well as much bigger missteps from much bigger companies, we’ll explore how taking another swing is always the right move.Unless you’re ridiculously lucky, don’t expect to get business right on your first try. Instead, build a bounce-back mindset. And even if your business is doing great, you definitely want to re-do some things in advance — before you grow stagnant. Click Play!SUBSCRIBEYouTube | Apple Podcast | Spotify | Podcast Feed Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

This week, you’re writing the Must-Read book.We couldn’t resist. After using The Five Minute Journal by Alex Iconn for a while, we just had to recommend it — even if it’s not a “book” per se. It’s an app, or a hardcover analog journal if you prefer, that helps you get focused, grow, and enjoy life a little more.Given the size of the investment (we actually do it in less than 5 minutes each day), it’s definitely worth your time to use this book.Today, we discuss what you can expect to get out of this journal, and why it’s perfect for people who hate journaling (like our host, Omar). Completely different from your childhood diary, The Five Minute Journal is a tool for creating good habits — that doesn’t ask much from you.Hear how this book can lead to increased well-being, and progress towards your personal or business goals. Click Play!The 5 Minute JournalDiscover all our must-read book reviews at https://100mba.net/bookreviews.SUBSCRIBEYouTube | Apple Podcast | Spotify | Podcast Feed Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Facebook groups can go really well, or really badly. They can increase engagement and loyalty, or they can embarrass you. They can drive growth, or they can hurt your reputation in the space.Let’s make sure your next Facebook group moves your business forward, not back.One of the best ways to build a brand is to build a community around it. But simply having a Facebook group won’t do that. There has to be an intentional, goal-oriented approach that purposely fosters the community, and nudges it towards relevance in members’ lives.Today, we’ll describe exactly what attributes your Facebook group needs to have in order to succeed, and what your role is in nurturing a productive and meaningful experience for your customers. We know how badly Facebook groups can go — a few of ours have crashed and burned over the years. We also know how well they can go, as our recent groups have demonstrated. Learn from our experience, and make your next group a win for everyone. Click Play!SUBSCRIBEYouTube | Apple Podcast | Spotify | Podcast Feed Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

That’s right: we said “only.”In our considerable experience, we’ve only found 3 ways to make our business stand out. In fact, we’ve only seen other businesses stand out in one of these 3 ways. Whatever you sell, you have to differentiate in order to compete.In fact, “differ” and “compete” may as well be the same word when it comes to business.But there are right and wrong ways to go about it. Today, we’ll outline the 3 categories of differentiation, and offer some great examples of companies who’ve found their groove with each one. We’ll also discuss how we do it ourselves, with our own SaaS business.We’ll also discuss how not to compete, because it’s not likely to work out in your favor.Tune in, and learn how to pick the fights you can win. Remember, competition is a sign that there’s a big enough market to sustain you. All you have to do is figure out what corner of that market is yours, and yours alone. Click Play!SUBSCRIBEYouTube | Apple Podcast | Spotify | Podcast Feed Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

We live in a golden age of political bipartisanship, religious tolerance, and cooperation among people of diverse viewpoints.Just kidding, we live in a never-ending mosh pit of political and social rock-hurling. So what does that mean for your business? It’s Q&A Wednesday, and we’re helping one Mommy Blogger decide whether to share her convictions, or zip it before she scares half her customers away.More importantly, we’re discussing how much you should share about your own views.Is revealing your most firmly held convictions part of being transparent, open, and relatable? Isn’t that what we’re always telling entrepreneurs to do these days? Or is your voting record and choice of deity TMI? Is business the right forum for any of that stuff?Spoiler alert: it depends. Today, we’ll discuss what to ask yourself before you over or under-share. Click Play!To submit your questions, visit 100mba.net/q.SUBSCRIBEYouTube | Apple Podcast | Spotify | Podcast Feed Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

There’s a ridiculously valuable, totally free resource you’re not using. It has all the information you need to target an audience, build them the perfect product, and stand out in your space.That’s right, Amazon (you read the title, didn’t you?).The “everything store” isn’t just a behemoth of online retail. It’s a treasure trove of reviews, complaints, wishes, and everything else you need to figure out what the heck consumers actually want. Today, we’ll explain how to mine Amazon for the data you need, and use it to create your next product. By extracting some key insights from Amazon, you can figure out exactly how to differentiate your business and completely nail your next offering. Plus, we’ll mention a few other websites where you can find similar info.Amazon has done a lot of work to get this data together. Take advantage! Click Play.SUBSCRIBEYouTube | Apple Podcast | Spotify | Podcast Feed Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Have you started speaking yet? You don’t have to be Tony Robbins to use the power of public speaking to grow your business. Even if you don’t plan to make a living off your speeches, you can build incredible authority and elevate your brand by delivering just a few talks per year. And if that seems wildly impossible for you, listen to today’s special guest teacher, Grant Baldwin.Grant is a speaking coach extraordinaire who’s helped thousands of people move their business forward with speaking engagements. He’s an accomplished speaker, author, and entrepreneur who also happens to be one other thing: an avowed introvert.That’s right — speaking isn’t just for extroverts.Today, Grant will lay out his “speaker success roadmap,” a step-by-step process for getting your first (or next) speaking gig. He’ll show you how to find your audience, find your venue, and make yourself a true authority on…well, that’s up to you.Tune in, and find out how to take the stage. Click Play!thespeakerlab.comThe Speaker Lab PodcastThe Successful Speaker by Grant BaldwinSUBSCRIBEYouTube | Apple Podcast | Spotify | Podcast Feed Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Who do you wish you could get to know? They say the fastest way to an entrepreneur’s heart…Ok, no one says that. But one meal can have a massive impact on your future, if you plan it right. Hosting a dinner is the ultimate networking power move, one that’s worked for us and others time and time again. And yes, you can do it, too.You just need a plan.Today, we’re sharing a few tricks from some of our favorite entrepreneurs on arranging a life-changing get-together. We’ve got a step-by-step process for reaching out to the leaders you admire most, even if they’re nowhere near your own circles.In business, relationships are everything. A friendly dinner can give you all the networking advantages of a conference, at half the cost (or less). Learn how to set it up, make it appealing for invitees, and start making connections.Everyone has to eat — including the fellow entrepreneurs you admire most. Use that, and the results can be astonishing. Click Play!SUBSCRIBEYouTube | Apple Podcast | Spotify | Podcast Feed Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.