The $100 MBA Show

PayPal: is it a must?PayPal used to dominate the cardless transaction world. Even now, it’s a popular choice for millions of consumers. But is it so popular that your small business has to offer it? Do people’s ideas about security and convenience dictate that only taking credit cards is a mistake?It all depends.It’s Q&A Wednesday, and we’re helping one listener decide whether to go through the effort of enabling PayPal payments. We’ll discuss the advantages and disadvantages of doing so, and what other options exist. Plus, what’s true about your business now might not be true later — and that includes payment processing.Depending on your market (and whether you’re a B2C or B2B), the effort necessary to give customers the PayPal option may or may not be worth it. Let’s find out — 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.

Onboarding: it’s not just for customers!When you make a new hire, it’s your job to set them up for wins. So much time and effort is wasted by new employees when they aren’t quite sure how things really work, or when they’re trying to find their place in a new company culture. Here’s how to fix that.Today, we share our system for bringing new hires into the fold. With a little extra support and attention, you can minimize the “getting settled in” phase and help employees hit the ground running. Plus, you can make them feel like a real part of the team almost immediately.The result? Greater productivity and performance, sooner.These tips work for businesses of all sizes — if you’re small, set this process up now. When you scale, you’ll be glad you did. 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.

It’s the biggest question in digital marketing: how can I get people to stop and hear me out?Today’s guest teacher, Saksham Sharda, has an answer: hear them out first. By adding fun little tools like quizzes and calculators, you’re leveraging every consumer’s favorite topic (themselves) into crucial market research.It doesn’t just get attention. It creates qualified leads — emphasis on “qualified.”Today, Sharda is here to explain how these tools can work for just about any kind of business. He believes so much in the power of this approach that he represents an entire business built around a user-friendly tool for adding little quizzes and such to your marketing arsenal.In the era of ad blockers and shrinking attention spans, we need ways to hear from leads — not just talk to them. Click Play!OutgrowSUBSCRIBEYouTube | 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 whole “laptop on the beach” thing…it’s BS, right?Yes and no.As independent entrepreneurs, we’ve often wondered what we’re doing wrong. We see these other founders globe-hopping, working out of Parisian cafes and beachside bungalows for a few hours before getting back to the “lifestyle” of many people’s dreams.But it turns out there’s a little more to it.Today, we discuss where the marketing ends and the reality begins. From 4-hour workweeks to “passive” income and more, the promise of a certain lifestyle is dangled in front of would-be entrepreneurs by coaches, authors, and other popular influencers. It’s not all smoke and mirrors. But everything has its tradeoffs. Life can’t be “hacked,” exactly. But it can be approached creatively, differently, and independently. Tune in, and hear some examples of true “lifestyle business” leaders, and why what works for them (and you, maybe) doesn’t work for everyone — including us. 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’re all for affiliate marketing.It’s one of the best ways to monetize your expertise, content, and following. It’s a fantastic passive(ish) revenue stream, whether you’re a full-time affiliate, a side hustler, or just someone who likes to share great products with people who would benefit from them.But you can do it wrong. Way wrong.Unfortunately, many people run into some common pitfalls —  and destroy their brand and reputation. By blindly chasing commissions, you run the risk of spending the “trust capital” you’ve earned, earning a little money but losing the faith of your audience.Today, we’ll explore the 3 biggest ways in which affiliate marketers squander trust, cheapen their reputation, and lose business. While affiliate marketing is an undeniably great strategy, it’s one that requires careful attention to proper execution. Get your affiliate strategy right, and you’ll enjoy all the benefits without losing an ounce of credibility. 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.

Market research: you’re lost without it. But some markets are easier to research than others.It’s Q&A Wednesday, and we’ve got one listener in a very niche industry, unsure of where to turn for data to analyze. When you’re blazing your own trail, intel can be hard to find.But it’s always there somewhere.Today, we’ll discuss how to get the information you need to execute a business plan, no matter how specialized your industry is. From creating an accurate buyer persona to navigating pitfalls, we’re going beyond Google to get whatever facts you need.Remember: entrepreneurship requires creativity!When the answers you need aren’t in the usual places, that’s a good sign. It means you’re probably close to finding the Holy Grail of independent business: an underserved market with an unaddressed problem. And that’s a good problem to have. 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.

We’ll never stop saying this: your rest is just as important to your business as your work.Like any good trainer will tell you about muscles, a business can only grow when recuperation is a priority. If you’re a full-time independent business person, it can be very tempting to work yourself into a ditch. And that will always — always —  backfire.It’s time for some strategic relaxation. Today, we’ll discuss how to ensure that your investment in rest pays the dividends of productivity. With a few tips that can make your weekend much, much more refreshing, you’ll tackle every Monday like a champ. Is this about your health and wellbeing? Sure. But it’s just as good for your business as it is for you. Learn why: 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.

Former Disney CEO Robert Allen Iger shares insights from his book 'The Ride of a Lifetime.' Topics include Disney's success and lessons learned, the chaotic life of a CEO, leadership lessons, and the power of respect in negotiations.

It’s a global marketplace. Charge accordingly, or you’re leaving rupees on the table.Currency localization is way more than a convenience bonus. It’s a potentially game-changing tactic that can have a serious impact on your overall revenue. Not only do different nations have different currencies; they have different economies. The bottom line? It’s not just converting nickels to Euros. You can charge differing prices by localizing the currency.You read that right. Companies large and small have caught on to the fact that what you charge in Sweden should be more than what you charge in Canada, in terms of actual value. When the currency is converted back to your own, the differences in potential revenue from country to country add up — to say the least.Learn how currency localization works, and how to set it up for your own business. 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.

Is Google on to something? Those nap pods and free lunches must be worth the investment, right?Can the same perk-heavy approach work for smaller businesses?Today, we’ll explore the ROI of all those “extras.” From breakroom snacks to in-house gyms, some perks have historically worked better than others. Some have even done more harm than good, when they failed to align with employees’ actual wants and needs.Part of it comes down to defining “perks,” and differentiating them from what’s actually integral. We’ll discuss the benefits, downsides, and proper application of a wide range of perks, so you can determine what will actually have the biggest impact on your team’s loyalty and productivity. Before you go in for that company masseuse, give this a listen. 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.