Business Brain – The Entrepreneurs’ Podcast

If your business includes shipping products, having a strong relationship with a packaging and logistics company is critically important – In our experience, you can “leak” a tremendous amount of your cash out through your packaging and shipping costs. To talk more about the importance of this topic, we’re thrilled to have Caitlin Corkill with us today. Caitlin is the founder of Paq-Source, a company that provides packaging and equipment, as well as logistics consulting to help you manage your shipping, packaging and warehousing.  There’s a lot to learn on this episode, join us, then visit the Small Business Support Group to ask questions and share your own story. Chapters/Timestamps: 00:00:00 Small Business Show #163 for Wednesday, March 21, 2018 00:00:56 Caitlin Corkill – Paq-Source 00:02:01 Worked for a family friend and then time to leave. 00:02:27 Eight months notice led to … not leaving! 00:03:37 Finding an overlooked city 00:04:10 Consolidating two offices Finding reliability inside efficiency 00:05:13 You learn so much about a business by being on a sales call 00:06:04 Are you ever surprised? 00:07:40 It’s like toner! 00:08:33 The importance of customer referrals Kyle Baccus from KC Tool on Small Business Show 00:09:50 No Catalog, Just Solutions! Avoid the bottom-feeders 00:11:38 “We sell commodities but we are not to be commoditized!” 00:12:50 Growing companies are our bread-and-butter “The companies where we thrive are the companies that are growing.” 00:13:35 What’s your sales/marketing process? 00:15:11 “Making money is easy, making it worth something is the fun in running a business.” 00:15:55 CARES = Customer Centric Adaptable Experts Solid. 00:16:19 Ten Paq Commandments (h/t to Biggie Smalls) 00:17:40 It’s a community you have, not just a business 00:21:27 Process, Process, Process (Process!) 00:24:40 Running between two cities 00:25:23 SBS 163 Outtro The post Small Business Interview with Caitlin Corkill of Paq-Source Packaging and Logistics – Small Business Show #163 appeared first on Business Brain - The Entrepreneurs' Podcast.

What does it take for your Small Business to rank high on search engines when customers are looking for your products or services? Should you be allocating most of your ad budget to search, or are there better methods for your particular business to connect with customers? Join us on this episode of the Small Business Show for these topics and much more! Don’t miss the episode where your co-host Shannon Jean admits: “I hate search, it makes me feel stupid.” Hear his story and either laugh at or commiserate with him as he shares his frustration about ranking high on page one of search results. You’ll also learn why he feels that search engines are just another marketplace, like eBay or Amazon, only focused on selling your business information and how that changed his focus and approach to success with search. Dave Hamilton shares his story of battling scraper sites that market his own content, while blocking the original posts on search engines and how he is working to solve the problem. We then spend time helping you to focus your SEO priorities to better achieve success with tips and tricks about using SEO companies, consultants and in-house talent to raise your rankings. We wrap up the show with advice about ignoring your competitors that you don’t want to miss. Listen in to episode 162 of the Small Business Show and then join us at the Small Business Support Group to share your story and get your questions answered.   Chapters/Timestamps 00:00:00 Small Business Show #162 for Wednesday, March 14, 2018 00:01:17 SXSW Conference and Festivals 00:03:22 Watch your intake 00:04:51 Drunk words are sober thoughts 00:06:29 Managing the party 00:07:40 Building a Different Bond 00:09:08 Near Me Searches on Small Business Show 00:09:51 SEO and Keyword Optimization 00:12:48 Value vs. Relevance 00:13:34 SPONSOR: Visit TextExpander.com/podcast for 20% off your first year. 00:16:48 Dave’s SEO Story with Duck Duck Go 00:18:52 Bing and Yandex feed Duck Duck Go 00:20:20 Scraper sites are the worst! 00:21:56 Your site has a block on it 00:23:28 DMCA Requests to the scrapers 00:24:45 Defining your SEO priorities 00:26:31 Is SEO the best method for you to connect with your customer? 00:27:52 Bring your SEO in house if it’s that important 00:29:10 Use Free SEO Consultations as Sales tools 00:30:00 Beware Black Hat SEO 00:32:05 Don’t forget the human aspect 00:33:59 Avoid Competitive Keyword Battles 00:35:26 SBS 162 Outtro The post Search Engine Strategies for your Small Business – Small Business Show 162 appeared first on Business Brain - The Entrepreneurs' Podcast.

With just about a week to go before tax filings are due for LLC and S-Corp Small Businesses, it’s time to discuss what to do when your NOT ready to file and the repercussions of missing a tax filing deadline. Join us for episode 161 of the Small Business Show as we dive back into the world of Small Business taxes! On this episode, Dave and Shannon spend time discussing tax extensions, how they work, why you would want to use one and what do in the event that you don’t have the cash to pay your tax bill. We share our thoughts on relationships with Accountants and why a few weeks before taxes are due is not the time to be searching for a new one. You’ll also find out why keeping your Accountant involved in both your personal and business life can help you save money when filing your taxes. If you’re already having IRS problems, we’ve got some tips and tricks for changing the relationship you have with the them and what to do if you are not getting the kind of help you think you should be getting from a particular IRS agent. We wrap up the show with advice on how to not miss important deductions, tracking expenses and using retirement accounts as well as hiring your kids to lower your taxable income. Join us today for all this and more on the show that is by, for and about Small Business! Chapters/Timestamps 00:00:00 Small Business Show #161 for Wednesday, March 7, 2018 00:02:23 Taxes can be fun! 00:03:52 Find an accountant you enjoy talking with 00:05:30 Tax Deadlines for 2017 00:06:43 Understand Tax Extensions 00:10:00 Why aren’t you ready? 00:11:06 When should you send your forms to your accountant? 00:12:35 Let your accountant file your extensions 00:13:32 SPONSOR: Visit JAMF.com/SBS to get your first 3 devices free for life! 00:16:26 Don’t hire an accountant today 00:17:14 Humanize your Relationship with the IRS 00:18:40 You are the IRS’s customer 00:20:20 Request a different agent 00:20:48 Communicate with the IRS 00:23:07 The new 2018 Tax Laws 00:24:00 Tracking – and finding – your deductions 00:27:00 Put your business owner hat on and ask for NFL tickets 00:29:45 Look at your personal retirement accounts and options 00:31:37 SBS 161 Outtro The post Small Business Tax Tips for Filing your Tax Returns – Small Business Show 161 appeared first on Business Brain - The Entrepreneurs' Podcast.

Does your Small Business rank high for “Near Me” searches on Google, Siri and Bing? Join us on this episode of the Small Business Show for tips and tricks to be sure you are optimizing your website, your address and your business map records to steer more customers to your location. Local search is a critical part of Small Business success. Dave Hamilton and Shannon Jean focus on getting your company name to come up when potential customers are using the terms “near me” when searching for a product or service that you may be offering. You’ll learn about setting up local resource pages, how to hack your address, phone verification tricks, using reviews to show activity and much more. Join us for episode 160 of the Small Business Show, then tell your story, comment and ask questions in the Small Business Support Group! Chapters/Timestamps 00:00:00 Small Business Show #160 for Wednesday, February 28, 2018 00:01:20 Optimizing your business for “Near Me” searches 00:02:39 Create or Edit Your Business listing on Google Local Search Apple Maps Listings Local “Bing Places” Listings 00:03:54 Remember that this is all local – use your local number 00:05:14 Staying within the Google and/or Apple Maps framework 00:07:49 Different photos for each location 00:08:36 Requires regular attention 00:10:58 Consider your physical address 00:12:23 The UPS Store gives you a “Suite Number” 00:13:07 Phone number verification can be a problem 00:14:13 SPONSOR: Visit TextExpander.com/podcast for 20% off your first year. 00:17:35 end sponsor block 00:17:39 How to verify your phone number and your account Phone.com 00:21:08 Make sure your business name, local address, and local phone are on every page of your website Remove “Inc.” or “LLC” 00:21:48 Create different local pages 00:24:33 Become a resource 00:25:30 Your Local SEO Management System 00:26:27 Cross-linking your Google Reviews 00:29:20 Promote even some of the criticisms 00:30:09 Link Yelp, BBB, Chamber of Commerce on your Local pages Small Dog Electronics 00:32:00 Working to gain trust 00:33:33 Be sure to mention your location regularly on your blog 00:34:31 Contact us! feedback@businessshow.co Small Business Support Group 00:35:01 SBS 160 Outtro The post Optimizing your Small Business for Near Me Searches – Small Business Show #160 appeared first on Business Brain - The Entrepreneurs' Podcast.

Does your website communicate in ways that potential customers can quickly grasp your story, what your services or your product line are? How do you simplify your message to capture the short attention span and should you rely on your Terms and Conditions to “protect” you from your customers? If your Small Business is getting interest from a larger company that wants to acquire you, who should you focus your energy on? The Deal Sponsor concept can help you narrow down your focus on which person you need to work closely with to make your merger or acquisition a success. Join us today on episode 159 of the Small Business Show for these topics and more! Shannon and Dave also revisit the “Beer Test” to insure that you have a cultural fit before entering into a partnership, joint venture or acquisition and why you need to have all office doors open during a crisis. We spend some time discussing Mihir Shah’s 5 C’s of a Turnaround and why these points surely apply to all businesses. Listen in and then join us in the Small Business Support Group to share your story or ask questions. Sponsors Jamf Now is a device management solution for your Apple devices at work. We make management tasks simple and affordable, so you can support your users; no IT required. Visit JAMF.com/SBS to get your first 3 devices free for life! Chapters/Timestamps: 00:00:00 Small Business Show #159 for Thursday, February 22, 2018 00:02:00 G4 Design – benefits of telling your story, and having people comment on it. 00:05:39 Teasing out the message 00:07:00 “Wow! I didn’t get that from your website at all!” 00:07:46 Learn to simplify your message 00:08:40 Don’t rest on your T&Cs 00:10:48 SPONSOR: Visit JAMF.com/SBS to get your first 3 devices free for life! 00:13:05 Mihir Shah from Drobo on Small Business Show 00:13:54 Mihir’s concept of a “Deal Sponsor” 00:15:44 “The Beer Test” 00:17:12 Spouse/Family Buy-in 00:17:37 Due diligence on your Deal Sponsor 00:18:32 What’s the “cost” of working with your acquirer? 00:19:16 “The business needs someone else” 00:20:36 Mihir Shah’s 5 C’s of a Turnaround 00:22:12 “Talk to 500 Customers per year” 00:23:45 Cash is King 00:26:22 Accepting when it’s time for Plan B 00:28:14 Culture is the “Fatalyst” 00:28:44 Your partners need to believe in your vision 00:29:29 Forced Vesting 00:31:42 “Nobody’s Door Gets Closed” 00:32:41 Owed money can’t be the elephant in the room 00:34:08 Jean-Louis Gassée’s Two Tokens Customer Service 00:37:34 The Hubris of Apple 00:38:30 A Customer problem is a customer opportunity 00:39:35 SBS 159 Outtro The post Website Feedback, Simplifying Your Message, Acquisition Deal Sponsors and more: Small Business Show 159 appeared first on Business Brain - The Entrepreneurs' Podcast.

Are you ready to be acquired? Is your Small Business in a position to deal with a larger company that is interested in buying you for your products, your technology or your service revenue? Join us today on the Small Business Show to hear from an expert in mergers and acquisitions, Mihir Shah, CEO of Drobo. Mihir has had years of experience helping companies to analyze possible acquisitions and mergers, working to implement policies and procedures to insure a successful combining of two entities. You’ll learn about the two most important aspects of creating a successful acquisition and how your work on the front-end of the deal can help to insure things go right after the paperwork is signed. We also dig deep into supply chain management and how embracing change and understanding that a crisis is just another problem to solve can propel your business success. Listen in for this and much more on this episode of the Small Business Show, then visit the Small Business Support Group to ask your questions or to comment on the show! Sponsors Jamf Now is a device management solution for your Apple devices at work. We make management tasks simple and affordable, so you can support your users; no IT required. Visit JAMF.com/SBS to get your first 3 devices free for life! TextExpander. Summon your snippets in any app on Mac, iPad, iPhone, and Windows using a quick search or by typing your custom abbreviation. Share your snippets with your team, and keep them up to date together. Visit TextExpander.com/podcast for 20% off your first year. Chapters/Timestamps 00:00:00 Small Business Show #158 for Wednesday, February 14, 2018 00:01:03 Mihir Shah from Drobo 00:02:19 Cadavers are … not for me! 00:04:15 Going into the generation-old family business … of business! 00:04:56 Acquisition advice: Find a product market fit 00:06:25 Ensure a cultural fit 00:07:21 Beware science projects 00:09:09 If you’re being acquired, understand your acquirer’s Business Case 00:12:04 Understand that process is instrumental 00:12:51 Get to know your deal sponsor! 00:14:25 Deal sponsor and founder should understand each other’s companies 00:15:44 Sit on the same side of the table 00:16:30 Use “We” 00:17:01 SPONSOR: Visit TextExpander.com/podcast for 20% off your first year. 00:18:28 SPONSOR: Visit JAMF.com/SBS to get your first 3 devices free for life! 00:20:35 Mihir’s arrival at Drobo 00:21:27 Hurry up and get money 00:25:17 Dialing for Dollars 00:25:35 “My Brand is Crisis” 00:28:00 Find revenues and expense-to-revenue ratios for a similar, larger company 00:28:45 Favorite mistake? 00:29:27 Don’t underestimate the hardware business 00:30:05 How quickly can you adapt to a mistake? 00:31:16 Everything’s a challenge! Embrace it. 00:33:38 Don’t stop learning! 00:35:21 SBS 158 Outtro www.Drobo.com Drobo on Facebook Drobo on Instagram The post Interview with Mihir Shah, CEO of Drobo – Small Business Show 158 appeared first on Business Brain - The Entrepreneurs' Podcast.

Need help with your Small Business Online presence? How about branding, marketing, search engine optimization and the overall look and feel of your company website? Listen in to today’s episode of the Small Business Show to hear how Corey Gauteraux of G4 Design House created a company to help Small Businesses prosper online. G4 Design House was created to leverage the skills of an in-house team of programmers and designers that had been creating websites and doing online marketing for 15+ years. They focused their efforts on Small Businesses, with an affordable subscription model that encompasses everything from logo and website creation, hosting, SEO, social media and other marketing efforts. After discussing what G4 does and how their services work, we spend time talking about how Corey markets G4 services, how they came up with their pricing structure and the value of referrals. Dave and Shannon ask about competing in what seems like a crowded design marketplace and how G4 distinguishes itself and Corey shares his “favorite mistake” that leads into a discussion about clear communication with clients. We wrap up the show with a talk about retaining staff and the pain that hiring the wrong person can cause. Join us today for this and more, then visit the Small Business Support Group to ask your questions and comment on the show! Chapters/Timestamps: 00:00:00 Small Business Show #157 for Wednesday, February 7, 2018 00:01:20 Corey Gauteraux from G4 Design House <https://www.g4designhouse.com/> 00:02:15 Taking a developed skill and turning it into your product 00:04:00 Tweaking the model from flat-upfront-rate to monthly plans 00:05:12 Ramp-up period to demonstrate value 00:07:06 If you build it… they don’t necessarily come. 00:07:30 Building the website is just the first step 00:09:29 Behind the curtain 00:10:35 Handling your sales and marketing with SEO 00:11:00 Cold-calling works, too! 00:11:29 Gauging each business: new, small, large, old 00:14:45 Homogenized pricing model 00:17:42 Return clients and referrals as your yardstick for success 00:19:11 Favorite mistake: not getting the details upfront 00:23:27 A WordPress-based Business 00:23:56 What’s the best part of your day? 00:26:01 Retaining staff and avoiding turnover pays off 00:27:31 Do what you can to avoid having the wrong staff Intern program is the “100-Hour job interview” 00:29:15 G4 Design House on Facebook The post Interview with Corey Gauteraux from G4 Design House – Small Business Show 157 appeared first on Business Brain - The Entrepreneurs' Podcast.

It’s time for a Grab Bag episode of the Small Business Show! Tips and short topics that Dave Hamilton and Shannon Jean have been waiting for an open episode to share with you. Join us today while we talk about: Why attending conferences and business events can have a huge positive impact on your Small Business and personal brand. The power of Referred Trust and being cautious when using your Social Capital with referrals. Pricing your product and services – is letting your customers set value and price a good idea? Using variable pricing in parts of your Small Business. Using Premium Pricing to up-sell your customers. Customer service and it’s impact on your brand. Using the Apple situation as an opportunity to learn. Listen in to this episode of the Small Business Show for these topics and more! Then, join us in the Small Business Support Group to ask your questions and share your comments. Chapters/Timestamps: 00:00:00 Small Business Show #156 for Wednesday, January 31, 2018 00:01:19 Grab Bag Episode Slack 00:01:38 Becoming eBay Event eBay buys Terapeak 00:04:04 eBay is trying to buy busses 00:04:53 SBS 136: Why you need to attend events and conferences 00:05:26 “Business is a Full Contact Sport” Tim Street 00:07:52 Referred Trust 00:10:00 Being cautious with your social capital Mike Dunn 00:12:20 It’s all about the nuance 00:12:48 The benefits and risks of inserting yourself as the middleman 00:16:11 Letting your customers set their own prices 00:21:51 What parts of your business make sense for variable pricing? 00:25:20 Situational Pricing “The $100 Pat on The Back” 00:27:07 Variable relative pricing 00:29:03 Alternative: showing the value of premium 00:31:35 The keys to success: Free shipping and free returns! 00:33:31 “Your profit margin is my opportunity” 00:34:23 Apple’s hubris impacting their customer service 00:39:25 Never forget: We’re all in the customer service business SBS 118: Pick the right customer service token! 00:39:59 SBS Outtro The post Attending Conferences, Referred Trust, Pricing Tactics and More– Small Business Show 156 appeared first on Business Brain - The Entrepreneurs' Podcast.

Have an online business? Want to know how to protect yourself against copyright claims, privacy policy litigation and more? Join us today on the Small Business Show as we talk with Richard Chapo, an attorney that specializes in internet businesses, small and large. Richard has been practicing law for over 24-years with a current specialty in advising businesses and keeping them in compliance within the ever-changing legal system. Listen in and discover the most common mistakes internet businesses make when first getting started, as well as how to prepare your company for legal claims and how respond to them when they do arise. Dave Hamilton and Shannon Jean dig deep with Richard when discussing the DMCA and how to use it to protect your business, along with the requirements to insure you’re compliant. We discuss why it’s important to sit down once per year with your attorney to talk about the weak parts of your business that may be exposing you to risk, and why full disclosure with your attorney is critically important. You’ll also learn about the new EU General Data Protection Regulations that you might be shocked to learn could impact your online business and we spend some time discussing the right way to handle recurring billing of your customers to not run afoul of the law. Listen in and then jump over to the Small Business Support Group to discuss the show, ask questions and help other Small Business Owners like yourself. Chapters/Timestamps: 00:00:00 Small Business Show #155 for Wednesday, January 24, 2018 00:00:49 Interview with Attorney Richard Chapo – Internet Business Lawyer 00:01:36 From sabbatical to Internet Law 00:02:46 Lack of getting legal advice – most common issue for online businesses 00:05:14 Charge ahead! 00:06:17 Common problem: Terms & Conditions 00:07:18 Beware your own Privacy Policy 00:08:48 Today’s Internet age is “The Empire Strikes Back” 00:09:52 Sit down once/year with your attorney 00:11:03 General Data Protection Regulation 00:13:10 Hidden trap with the fair use defense 00:13:32 SPONSOR: Meet the PDFpen family – Powerful PDF tools for Mac and iOS. Edit, sign, scan, and OCR at your Mac or on the go. 00:16:17 Digital Millenium Copyright Act (DMCA) Are websites liable for copyright infringement for content uploaded by their users? 00:17:32 Is Facebook liable for any infringement by users? 00:19:43 You must now designate an agent for DMCA complaints DMCA Agent Service.com 00:21:32 DMCA = Guilty until proven innocent. When you receive a takedown notice, take down the content first 00:24:05 Dave shares a tidbit when he was fought with the DMCA 00:26:08 Recurring billing can be an issue You must put up notice re: charges, contact info and how to cancel 00:30:09 On the Internet, charging by the hour doesn’t work as well 00:32:39 As an attorney: I care about the weaknesses 00:34:30 Resist your natural temptation to ignore your business’s faults 00:34:59 Meet with your attorney once per year 00:35:10 SBS 155 Outtro SoCalInternetLawyer.com The post Keeping Your Online Business Legal – Interview with Attorney Richard Chapo – Small Business Show 155 appeared first on Business Brain - The Entrepreneurs' Podcast.

The very essence of business success is all about finding a solution to a problem. When Ladan Davia was searching for employment, she found the process of using online employment websites frustrating and the results less than useful. Like any good Entrepreneur, Ladan founded Beeya.com to make things right. Recently, Dave and Shannon spoke with Ladan during a pre-sponsorship call for Beeya on the Small Business Show. During the call, they realized that Ladan would make a great guest and asked her to come on the show for an interview. Ladan joins us today to share her story. Beeya was founded on the premise that employment sites should be easier to use, provide a better experience and use better algorithm’s to match up prospective employees with employers. Along the way, Ladan wanted to level the playing field and provide everyone the same job opportunities, regardless of connections and to help effect positive social change with her company. Ladan speaks about raising capital to start the business, the importance of matching her company vision with prospective investors and working harder to protect other peoples money, and much more. Join us today on the Small Business Show, then visit the Small Business Support Group to share your questions and comments. Chapters/Timestamps: 00:00:00 Small Business Show #154 for Wednesday, January 17, 2018 00:01:32 Ladan Davia from Beeya.com 00:02:24 From Hard News to Entertainment Industry to Business Owner 00:04:54 “I had never applied for a job” It’s hard to find a job 00:06:54 Balancing everyone’s opportunities 00:08:14 Beeya’s algorithm is different 00:09:06 Starting a funded business 00:12:13 The process of raising money. 00:13:23 Matching visions with investors. 00:15:40 Working harder for other people’s money. 00:16:42 $50,000 is a very big loss 00:18:26 Paperwork doesn’t mean anything 00:19:41 Podcasts are better than Google AdWords 00:22:49 An employment website that can make positive social change 00:28:11 SBS Outtro   The post Leveling the Playing Field in Employment with Ladan Davia from Beeya.com – Small Business Show 154 appeared first on Business Brain - The Entrepreneurs' Podcast.