The $100 MBA Show

Cold emailing works — just maybe not the way you think it does.Sending an unsolicited message to a complete stranger is…awkward at best. But ask any successful independent business founder, and you’ll find that it’s almost unavoidable.Creating a stronger network (and a stronger business) means you can’t be afraid to reach out, even when it’s downright uncomfortable. You have to power through the awkwardness to get results!But first, you can take a few steps to raise your odds of success.Today, we share 4 things that make our cold emails work more often. Note we said “more often,” not always. Yes, you will be ignored. Yes, you will be rejected. But not every time.It’s a simple matter of doing everything you can to improve your stats, and realizing that even one successful cold email can be worth a dozen fails. Tune in, and learn how a few consistent practices can make your cold emails a little warmer.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 charging too much?Most small business advice encourages higher prices for higher profits. But the somewhat controversial Price for Growth goes against that grain, suggesting entrepreneurs should play a longer game — even at the expense of profit.And frankly, we’re convinced.Jeff Robinson’s book flies further under the radar than it should. Today, we unpack its growth-centric pricing model, and share the philosophy behind the strategy. This isn’t abstract stuff; this book’s argument is so well-conceived that it led to a significant decision re: pricing in our own software company.There’s a sweet spot between low-balling yourself out of business, and strategically sacrificing profit for long-term customer loyalty. Hear about this book, and decide if that approach is right for you. Click Play!Price for Growth by Jeff RobinsonDiscover 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.

Desperation can cloud your business decisions and hinder success. Learn to spot signs of desperation and shift your mindset to one of confidence. Master your metrics and diversify your income to create stability. Discover the importance of a structured sales process that fosters brand loyalty and trust. Using luxury car brands as a key example, this discussion emphasizes the power of strategic, long-term thinking to transform your approach to business.

Can lower prices = more revenue? Sure — but only if you do it right.Yes, we spend a lot of time on this podcast advocating for higher prices. “Who can charge the least?” is a race to the bottom that no one wins (unless you’re Wal-Mart). But in certain contexts, a discount can be an investment in your business’ growth.Today, we explain how.We’ll discuss when it’s time to offer a discount, and how to execute a discount in a way that makes money in the long term (even while sacrificing some in the short term). It’s all about mastering the art of “value pricing” without slipping into constant discount mode.Hear our golden rules for offering discounts, and why just the right amount of price-cutting can be a boon. 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 good news: in-person events are a viable option again (finally).The bad news: it’s been a while. Do we still remember how to pull them off?It’s Q&A Wednesday, and we’ve got a listener who wants to organize their very first live, in-person event. As it happens, we’re planning one of our own — and we’ve done a few in the past. Today, we share our best tips.Think of the advice in this episode as “things we wish we knew before we threw our first event.”Based on his own experience attending and organizing events, Omar shares the most important lessons he’s learned. We discuss everything you need to look out for, and the most important ways you can ensure your big day is a success for you and attendees.If you’re thinking about organizing a conference or other business event, don’t stress! Let our experience be your guide. 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.

Udemy: it’s got a quarter million courses on just about every topic under the sun — and an audience of tens of millions of potential students.Sounds like a great place to sell your own course, doesn’t it?…or is it?There’s never been a better time to sell your expertise and create a revenue stream as an online teacher, trainer, or coach. But whenever you sell your wares in someone else’s shop, it comes at a cost.In Udemy’s case, the question is: is it worth that cost?Today, we break down how Udemy works for course creators — including how they calculate their cut of the money your courses bring in. We’ll discuss the upsides, the downsides, what kinds of courses do best on Udemy, and of course, whether or not you should do it.Find out if Udemy is the right move for you, or if it’s better to stay independent. 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.

Make the “Sunday Blues” yesterday’s news.If you struggle with getting things done over the course of the week, we have the episode (and the expert) for you.Demir Bentley is a renowned productivity expert who’s helped executives at major companies to…well, get their sh*t together. The problem, according to Bentley, isn’t a lack of effort or even time. It’s that we need a more active approach to tackling our priorities.And yes, by applying the strategies Demir shares today, you can finally enjoy your weekends again.Tune in (and get that notepad ready) as Demir shares a way to invest 30 minutes of your week into strategic planning, with a return of hours. Before your alarm even goes off on Monday, you’ll be set up to be caught up.You’re just a half hour away from saying goodbye to weekly overwhelm. Click Play!Winning the WeekSUBSCRIBEYouTube | 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.

Solopreneur-ing or running a small team? Have too much on your plate? Have everything on your plate?We’ve been there.Specifically, Omar knows what it’s like to be the developer, marketer, salesperson, janitor, and everything else you can think of in a small business — all at once. Today, he shares his system for getting it all handled efficiently, and still having time to breathe.The key is avoiding “context switching.”Learn what context switching is, how it demolishes your productivity, and how Omar eliminated it from his working life. With a fairly simple plan for your week, you can ensure that you get the most done in the least amount of time — and still have a life outside your 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.

No money in the marketing budget? There’s a way around that.For newer and smaller businesses, relying on content, word of mouth, and other organic marketing is normal (and smart!). But at some point, you’ll hit that growth plateau. With rare exception, most businesses have to invest in marketing to see results.But what if you don’t have any spare revenue? What happens then?You get creative, that’s what.Today, we lay out a plan for funding paid marketing — without actually cutting into your current revenue. At all. Sound impossible? Nothing in entrepreneurship is impossible! The key is to think outside your normal business model and products/services, and tap into a source of cash you might not have thought of. Sound mysterious? It’s actually pretty simple. Once you hear what it is, you’ll know how to level up your marketing without losing a dime. 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.

Entrepreneurship is about freedom. But if you take investments, how much freedom are you giving up?It’s Q&A Wednesday, and we’ve got a listener in a fairly common pickle. They started a business, grew it, and it’s doing great. The only problem: our listener can see that the business has hit a plateau — and the only way to grow is to get a little help from outside.Is it worth it? Is it possible to maintain control of “your” business after it becomes (partially) someone else’s?In this episode, we discuss what the founder/investor relationship can look like, and how to decide whether it’s right for you. We’ll discuss what to consider before making this very big decision, and how much autonomy is really possible with an investor to answer to.There’s no right or wrong to this one: there’s only knowing exactly what you want out of your own business, so you can determine whether an investor will help you get there or not. 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.