The $100 MBA Show

What’s the best venue for a productive retreat? Where your team or network gets together matters a ton — but with so many hotel alternatives available, is it smarter to go with a short-term rental?It’s Q&A Wednesday, and one listener needs to know.This fellow entrepreneur has a retreat to plan, and wonders whether an AirBnB or something like it is a smarter move than a full-on proper hotel. Fortunately, this is the right podcast to ask; Omar’s planned and executed several retreats over the years.From team retreats to founders' retreats involving multiple businesses, Omar’s learned that each event has unique goals and priorities, making the choice of accommodations more important than you might realize. And yes, he has a firm answer on the “hotel vs AirBnB” question.Join us as we explore the advantages and disadvantages of both options in the context of a business retreat. Retreats can be an invaluable way to forge stronger bonds among a team, generate networking opportunities, or both! Let our experience help you nail it, when it’s your turn.To submit your questions, visit 100mba.net/q.SUBSCRIBEYouTube | Apple Podcast | Spotify | Podcast Feed

Can you have both money and a ton of free time? Is it actually realistic to build a business that generates multiple millions in annual profit, but doesn’t take more than 4 hours a day to run?Turns out, yeah.Today, Omar sits down for an extended interview with Steve Chou. Steve doesn’t work all that much, because he’d rather hang out with his kids. And who wouldn’t? But making that dream a reality took serious strategy, work, and a clear vision of his priorities.As the child of extraordinarily hardworking immigrants, Steve wanted the best for his own children too — but without having to sacrifice the amount of family time his own parents missed out on. So he and his wife started an ecommerce business.After a while (and a few tough but critical lessons), they achieved both financial success and the freedom to prioritize family.Learn how they did it! From automation tips to balancing work and family priorities, discover the secrets to becoming a The Family-First Entrepreneur – providing for your loved ones while enjoying quality time together. You can have it all. Click Play!SUBSCRIBEYouTube | Apple Podcast | Spotify | Podcast Feed

How do you know the person sitting in front of you is a bad hire? We’ve found out — the hard way, and more than once. Today, we invite you to let our mistakes be your guide.Seriously. Listen to this episode before your next interview!It's exciting to build a team. It’s a sign your business is growing, and you’re about to experience the joy of delegating tasks to specialists so you can focus on leadership. But hiring the wrong person can be costly.When you make a bad hire, it’s not as simple as having to find someone else. All the time, resources, and effort you put into that person is…gone. Forever.Over the course of our team-building, we’ve seen a few clear signs that identify a candidate as a no-go. In this episode, we’ll share the biggest, reddest flags that are almost always a sure sign you should move on to the next resume.Pro tip: skills can be taught. Attitude can’t.Learn what to ask, and what answers to look out for, when evaluating someone’s potential to be an asset to your team. The longer a team works together, the better they get — so hire the right people the first time! SUBSCRIBEYouTube | Apple Podcast | Spotify | Podcast Feed

If you're a new entrepreneur, the best way to start is by "bootstrapping" your first business: as in funding it with only your own resources, rather than getting a loan or outside investment.Why? Well, that’s exactly what we’ll get into in today’s episode.Truly seasoned entrepreneurs will tell you that your first business is not likely to be the one that brings you long-term success. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t give it an honest try — but it’s more strategic to think of your first venture as (primarily) a way to develop your business skills.Real entrepreneurs don’t sink all their hopes, and other people’s money, into their first idea. Real entrepreneurs are agile. They learn and pivot. They fail until they figure out what works. It might be your second, third, or tenth idea that really breaks through!The fact is, taking outside investment creates unhelpful pressure. You'll be responsible for paying back loans or delivering an ROI, which can be incredibly stressful. But by bootstrapping, you'll have the freedom you need to succeed on your own terms. You'll also develop a sense of autonomy and self-reliance, which are crucial skills for any entrepreneur.Explore why bootstrapping your first business is the best approach, and get some tips and examples for how to pull it off. Until you know how to win, play with house money. SUBSCRIBEYouTube | Apple Podcast | Spotify | Podcast Feed

What makes a sales video convert? And what do you need to make it happen? The answer might surprise you — and cost less than you think, at least in strictly financial terms. It’s Q&A Wednesday, and we’ve got a listener who wants to sell their online course with a top-notch video pitch. But they need to know what tools are best for the job. Fortunately, we’ve been there. Many, many times.Today, we share what you really need to make a video do the trick, and what you don’t. The truth is, even if you have the fanciest equipment in the world, that doesn't guarantee conversions. Likewise, the right conceptual ingredients can make your video a winner with even a modest budget.It’s more about the process than the hardware.With examples from our own business (and some more famous campaigns), we’ll explore what’s proven to work. Plus, we'll share our own  process for creating sales video, starting with the most important ingredient — and it’s not a piece of tech.Whether you're a seasoned video creator or a total noob, tune in and learn how to create a sales video that'll bring you customers. Click Play!To submit your questions, visit 100mba.net/q.SUBSCRIBEYouTube | Apple Podcast | Spotify | Podcast Feed

No business leader can do it all. But here’s the good news: you don't have to! Today, learn why you should consider putting together a board of directors (even if your business is just getting started).Yes, this is something even new entrepreneurs should start thinking about.It might sound a little daunting or even corporate-y, but having a team of experts to help guide your decisions can make all the difference. Plus, it's a way to avoid "founder's syndrome," where you feel like you have to make every decision yourself, even if it's not your area of expertise.In business, nobody makes it on their own. And the more you “make it,” the more input you’ll need.In this episode, we'll walk you through all the reasons a board of directors can be valuable, and how to go about assembling one. We'll cover everything from figuring out what expertise you need on your board to how to approach potential members.Whether your business is new, scaling up, or still just an idea, it's always smart to think about what you'll do as the operation grows. Being a step ahead is always smart — Click Play!SUBSCRIBEYouTube | Apple Podcast | Spotify | Podcast Feed

Crazy thought: cold emails can work. Yeah, we didn’t think so either — until we realized how they work when you do it properly. All thanks to this week’s Must-Read for entrepreneurs!If you're like most people, you probably assume that cold emailing is a bad marketing strategy. It's too direct, too forward, too scammy, too annoying. Right? But what if you're wrong? What if cold emailing can actually do the trick? That's the premise of The Cold Email Manifesto by Alex Berman and Robert Indries.Omar chose this book specifically because he wanted to challenge his own assumptions about the efficacy of cold emails. And to his (pleasant) surprise, he learned more than he thought he would! Today, he shares key takeaways and explains how to approach cold emailing in a way that builds relationships — without pestering anyone.Short version: cold emailing is all about strategic intent. You have to be subtle, patient, and focused on building a connection. It's not about dropping unsolicited pitches and hoping for a response. It's about crafting a personalized message that speaks to the recipient's needs and interests.Then, you go from there.With this episode, you'll learn how it’s done. We'll break down the strategies, and show you how to create a plan for reaching out to people in a way that won’t get their guard up. Try something you might not have considered — Click play!Discover all our must-read book reviews at https://100mba.net/bookreviews.SUBSCRIBEYouTube | Apple Podcast | Spotify | Podcast Feed

Thinking about bringing interns into your business? Free labor has its upsides — but also its disadvantages. Even if you’re paying nothing, both parties in an internship need to get an ROI.So when do interns make sense? It all depends on what your business needs, and what role the intern is fulfilling. Some work, anyone can do. Other work requires the kind of skill, experience, or credentials that are always worth paying for. On top of that, no intern is truly “free” in the sense that your business will invest time and resources into them, even if it’s just to show them how to do the grunt work.And of course, an intern can always become a real-deal hire — but only if you approach it correctly.Today, we discuss where the internship opportunities might be in your business. If you’ve got a role that someone new to the game can grow into, internship may be a strategically sound option to give someone a way in. Weigh the pros and cons, and make the choice that’s best for your business. Click Play!SUBSCRIBEYouTube | Apple Podcast | Spotify | Podcast Feed

Looking to get started with paid ads? It’s the perfect time! Over the past year, the most effective strategies have become more clear and well-established — though some of them might surprise you. Today, you'll learn why paid ad campaigns can fail, and how to increase their odds of success. We'll discuss how to spend your time, money, and resources more wisely and effectively to get the best ROI. You'll also learn what services are worth spending money on when it comes to creating ad campaigns.Hint: the right creative is everything.We'll explore a few different options for getting your campaigns started, and help you choose the one that's right for your business. And, of course, we'll feature some great (low-to-no-cost) resources to learn even more.The paid ad game is less opaque and more understandable than it used to be. But you can still waste a ton of hard-earned revenue if you don’t approach it strategically. Learn where to focus your effort to get the best results — Click Play!SUBSCRIBEYouTube | Apple Podcast | Spotify | Podcast Feed

YouTube can be a gold mine — or a minefield. One of the biggest headaches for YouTube content creators is getting flagged for copyright violations. Even music you think is “safe” can trigger a demonetization.So how can you ensure your soundtracks won’t kill your revenue?It’s Q&A Wednesday, and we’ve got a listener whose videos keep getting flagged, despite their best efforts. Before losing yet another big monetization opportunity, this listener needs to know where to find music that won't raise the alarm. In this episode, we'll share resources to help you find the perfect copyright-free jams.You might be surprised to learn that there are low-and-no-cost options right at your fingertips (in some cases, literally) for trouble-free tunes. Hear what your options are, and go into your next video confident that you’ll get exactly what you deserve for your content.Click Play!To submit your questions, visit 100mba.net/q.SUBSCRIBEYouTube | Apple Podcast | Spotify | Podcast Feed