Business Insanity Talk Radio

SEGMENT 1 with Mary J. Nestor: Communication with team members has always been a tough part of any small business owner’s job. Working remotely has made it even tougher. What will happen when we head back to the office? Mary Nestor is here to help us communicate authentically at work.SEGMENT 2 with Tony Drockton: Under the Obama Administration, the SEC began allowing small businesses to crowdfund investments or go public directly to consumers and investors by using the legal process called Regulation A+. Regulation A+ is for rapid growth firms and has a high bar to be approved directly by SEC, but it allows you to raise up to $75M. Tony Drockton is here to share his current experience raising money through Regulation A+ for his company, Hammitt. See offering circular: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1769693/000110465921114370/tm2127162d1_253g2.htmSEGMENT 3 with Ken Rusk: With the new infrastructure bill before Congress, what effect will this have on blue collar jobs and opportunities in the US? Wha

SEGMENT 1 with Shawn Hill, starting at 0:00: 72% of consumers trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations from real people, and 90% of consumers say that positive online reviews influence their buying decisions. Sean Hill is here to help small business owners build their social proof, get more powerful reviews, and grow their business.SEGMENT 2 with Ruth King, starting at 18:15: Most small businesses don’t make the kind of profit in their small business that they think they do. Why is that? It starts with understanding your financial statements. Here to help is the Profitability Master, Ruth King.SEGMENT 3 with Victoria Jones, starting at 36:15: Companies are collecting our data from virtually every device and service and we as consumers have very little say in the matter. Do we actually have a way to protect our privacy online? How can we as small business owners stand out in the crowd by actually protecting our customers data?Sponsored by NiceJob and Plastiq.

SEGMENT 1 and 2 with Melinda F. Emerson, the “SmallBizLady”, starting at 0:00: It’s eighteen months after the pandemic has started and many small business experts think that now is a great time to start a new business. Why now? What do you need to know before you actually get a business off the ground?SEGMENT 3 with Kelly Knight, starting at 37:45: In a post-pandemic economy, how do you get everyone in your organization on the same page and moving in the same direction?

SEGMENT 1 with Hikari Fleurr: Being a “social media influencer” has become a legitimate way for people to make money, both part-time and full-time, as many brands are seeing the power of hiring influencers to push their products. What exactly does it take to become a social media influencer, and what goes on behind the curtain between brands and influencers?SEGMENT 2 with Joel Libava: With the rise of the COVID delta variant and with as many as 30% of the US population reluctant or unwilling to take the vaccine, is it time for private business to act by making it a requirement of their employees?SEGMENT 3 with Victor Ho: Contactless payment has been around for a while, but it really took off during the pandemic when consumers did not want to touch anything. How can small businesses offer this option to their customers without driving up their costs?

SEGMENT 1 and 2 with Melvin J. Gravely, II: Over the last year, the subject of race has been front and center in the news and business… and it’s time for all of us to care. Addressing this issue can help improve the economy of every community. Melvin Gravely is here to help us talk openly about race in America and our path to economic growth. Melvin is the CEO of Triversity Construction in Cincinnati, Ohio, one of the biggest construction companies in the region. He is the author of the book “Dear White Friend: The Realities of Race, the Power of Relationships and Our Path to Equity”.SEGMENT 3 with Senofer Mendoza: For a long time, venture capital investing has been a man’s world. Most of the VC firms are run by men who invest in male founders. Senofer Mendoza aims to change that. She is a Founder and General Partner at Mendoza Ventures and an advocate for diversity and inclusion across both her professional and her personal life.

SEGMENT 1 with Marcus Sheridan: We all know that video is a powerful sales and marketing tool… but why don’t more small businesses use it? Marcus Sheridan is here to help business owners and professionals get over their fear and aversion to video and show them just how it can explode sales, drive marketing, and grow their business in a virtual world.SEGMENT 2 with Victoria Jones: When Amazon could not deliver in two days, it was definitely the beginning of the apocalypse. The breaking of the supply chain during the pandemic has been a huge issue for small business owners. Victoria Jones is here with some advice on what to do and how to better manage inventory so you can meet customer demand.SEGMENT 3 with Maggie Ference: Is now a good time to start a business? What funding and lending options are available to prospective entrepreneurs right now? Do you actually need a business plan? Maggie Ference is here to shed some light on how to get your business off the ground.

SEGMENT 1 with John DeSimone: What motivates Gen Z and Millennials to start their own businesses? Do they actually have an advantage as entrepreneurs with their familiarity with technology?SEGMENT 2 with Dr. Heather Moore: The pandemic threw a lot of workout routines out of whack. What is the best way to start the habit of exercise, either for the first time or after a long period of absence, now that we need to wear something besides sweatpants?SEGMENT 3 with Zane Smith: As employees head back to the office and customers back into stores, there are a lot of legal issues that can come up for small businesses. We tackle some commonly asked questions: Can you require masks and/or vaccines for employees? Can employees or customers sue you if they contract COVID-19 at your location?

SEGMENT 1 with Sean and Thora Dowdell: During the height of the pandemic, a lot of small business owners pulled back to preserve their capital. Sean and Thora Dowdell did the opposite- they risked all but some reserve capital to remodel and improve their stores and keep their hard-earned brand identity strong and their staff intact.SEGMENT 2 with Victoria Jones: It’s hard to believe that about 15 months ago, the unemployment rate was at a record 15%. Now the number one problem small businesses are having is finding qualified team members.SEGMENT 3 with Leslie Tayne: New reports came out that in June that inflation rose 5% - the most since 2008. What does a small business owner need to know and what can they do about it?

SEGMENT 1 with Kenneth Cukier: There is a common expression that says “there is no truth outside yourself.” We need to realize that everything we see in the world is viewed through our own point of view. What are the positive and negative implications of that for your business?SEGMENT 2 with Michelle Boulé: How much time do you give employees in your company to work on projects THEY think will most benefit the company? Your answer could really affect your employees’ happiness and the level of productivity and innovation in your company.

SEGMENT 1 with Robert J. Lefkowitz, starting at 0:00: When we’re young, there’s so much pressure to figure out what we want to be when we grow up. But as we know, life doesn’t often work out the way we plan. Dr. Robert Lefkowitz is here to share that the sooner we let go and take life as it comes, the better. That’s how we discover where we’re meant to be.SEGMENT 2 with Sharon Miller, starting at 19:45: The challenges that small business owners faced during the pandemic were many… but what are the new challenges they face during recovery?SEGMENT 3 with Opher Kahane, starting at 37:45: COVID-19 massively accelerated an already fast-growing e-commerce market, and according to Opher Kahane, this will not change or slow down post-pandemic.

SEGMENT 1 with Tom Stern: You probably hate sales. You think it’s “low” or “beneath you”. Deep down you may believe if you have the best product or service in the marketplace, it will “sell itself”. More likely, you don’t like sales because you have a fear of rejection. How do we overcome all the anxiety and negative feelings so we can actually sell our way to success?SEGMENT 2 with Mike Chen: What is the future of remote work beyond the pandemic? Will people ever come back to the office? Will productivity, creativity, delegation, and company culture survive if remote work continues?SEGMENT 3 with Melissa G Wilson: Many people say that everyone has at least one book inside of them, and for small business owners, a book can be a great marketing tool for their company. What do small business owners need to know about today’s world of publishing?

SEGMENT 1 with Brodie Oldham, starting at 0:00: What are the latest financial trends in the economy and how does this impact small business owners?SEGMENT 2 with Jessica Williamson, starting at 19:30: The pandemic prompted a lot of people to change their definition of success. How can small business owners redefine success for themselves so they can live their dream lives?SEGMENT 3 with Ana Santiago, starting at 38:15: Many of us started working remotely in March of 2020. But there was an entire of economy of remote workers and virtual assistants for many years before the pandemic. Now that small business owners’ eyes are opened to the power of remote work, how can they now take advantage of hiring virtual assistants?

SEGMENT 1 with Al Kingsley, starting at 0:00: If there is one area that changed during the pandemic it was how we educate our children. Education technology, or Edtech, accelerated rapidly and we experienced both the advantages and the challenges on a large scale in real-time. What were the lessons learned and where does the Edtech industry go from here?SEGMENT 2 with Matt Phillips, starting at 18:30: Most of us know Waze as a beloved directions app that get us where we want to go. But did you also know that it is also a marketing tool for small business? Learn how small businesses take advantage of Waze for their marketing and drive traffic to their location.SEGMENT 3 with Case Kenny, starting at 36:15: Using journals to capture thoughts and feelings is not a new concept. But with mental health issues on the rise, it is time to take a closer look at how each of us can add this tool to our mental health toolbelt. Case Kenny created a podcast and business around this, and he’s here to share how exactly journa

SEGMENT 1 with Alison Levine, starting at 0:00: Leading a small business is full of challenges, and navigating them can be daunting. Sometimes it never feels like you’ll reach “the top of the mountain.” Alison Levine is a history-making adventurer who served as Team Captain of the first American Women’s Everest Expedition. She shares lessons for small business owners and leaders on how to lead teams in extreme environments.SEGMENT 2 with Laurence Sotsky, starting at 19:45: As relief from the pandemic, there are a lot of federal tax credits that small businesses are eligible for that they know nothing about - and therefore don’t take advantage of. One is called the Employee Retention Credit (ERC) and we share what you need to know about claiming this tax credit this year.SEGMENT 3 with John Brandon, starting at 37:00: We all struggle with productivity. For whatever reason, people refuse to block out the distractions and confuse being productive with being busy. Here is a 7-minute productivity solution that c

SEGMENT 1 with Sharon Lechter, starting at 0:00: Too many entrepreneurs push off planning for the sale of their business until the last moment. What can you be doing now as a small business owner to prepare for exiting your small business rich?SEGMENT 2 with Bill Sanders, starting at 18:33: There are many ways to negotiate. You can use hardball tactics or use principled negotiation techniques like in the book Getting to Yes. But my next guest says there is a third way that works best in business and it’s called Creative Conflict. What’s the process for this method of negotiating?SEGMENT 3 with James Chapman, starting at 36:45: What is the future of networking if it is no longer in person and so many people work for themselves or as freelancers?Sponsored by AT&T Business

SEGMENT 1 with Stacy Marx, starting at 0:00: The pandemic forced small business owners to speed up their own digital transformation. What are the top trends that you need to take advantage of and what mistakes do you need to avoid? SEGMENT 2 with Ali Tamaseb, starting at 20:15: What makes a successful startup? Ali Tamaseb has the largest dataset ever collected and analyzed on startups that helps us understand what separated those that became billion-dollar mega empires with those that did not.SEGMENT 3 with Steven Rosenthal, starting at 38:15: The Merger and Acquisition (M&A) business is skyrocketing. Learn why now is the right time to sell your business because of coming tax changes, and why it's a good time for buyers as well.Sponsored by AT&T Business

SEGMENT 1 with Michele Wucker, starting at 0:00: As small business owners, we take risks every day… but did you know that you have your own unique risk fingerprint? What does this say about you and the type of risks you will take and those you won’t? Learn what you can do to improve your relationship with risk and the culture around risk inside your company.SEGMENT 2 with David Bradford and Carole Robin, starting at 19:00: The pandemic of 2020 put a strain on a lot of personal and business relationships as we were shut inside and all of use made personal decisions to keep ourselves safe. What is the best way to reboot those relationships now that the pandemic may be coming to an end?SEGMENT 3 with Gloria L. Williams, starting at 37:45: Can you build a company based on a tweet from Oprah Winfrey? Well yes you can because this next guest did just that! Sponsored by AT&T Business

SEGMENT 1 with Eric Dahan, starting at 0:00: Influencer marketing used to be very simple- you paid a spokesperson to represent your brand. Now, there are thousands of micro-influencers that brands use to promote their products on social media. How can small businesses make influencers work for their brand?SEGMENT 2 with Emily Golden, starting at 17:00: How can you motivate and retain your employees after a very long year out of the office? What do your employees need from you as a leader beyond assignments and promotions? We share what leaders should be doing right now to connect with their team members to help ensure they stick around.SEGMENT 3 with Rich Michi, starting at 35:15: I am always surprised how many people have fear of negotiating anything in business, whether it’s compensation, a sale, or terms with a vendor. What are the keys for you to become a better negotiator so you can negotiate to win in business? Sponsored by AT&T Business

SEGMENT 1 with Troy Henikoff, starting at 0:00: What if you could create predictability across every aspect of your business – including your growth? Troy Henikoff says building repeatable revenue and creating predictable growth is all about knowing the levers in your business. He’s here to explain how.SEGMENT 2 with Jeffrey Korzenik, starting at 19:30: As unemployment goes down, it is once again hard to find people to fill entry level positions. Where can small business owners turn to find talent?SEGMENT 3 with Jessica Moser, starting at 36:00: It should come as no surprise that your employees are feeling anxious, depressed, and burnt out. This means that employee loyalty is on the decline. Jessica Moser is here with MetLife’s 19th annual employee trend study to share what small business owners need to be aware of so they can take action now.Sponsored by AT&T Business

SEGMENT 1 with Chris Cicchinelli, starting at 0:00: How do you grow a $1M business your mom started and take it to $350M? Chris Cicchinelli joined his mother's business when she asked him for help growing her female-centric company. But what made him think he could be successful? And how did he actually do it?SEGMENT 2 with Kevin McArdle, starting at 17:00: Some of the hottest businesses are the ones that operate on a subscription model, such as many software as a service (SAAS) businesses do. They sell the customer once and the customer continues paying every month. What are strong markers of success for these types of businesses and what strategies lead to growth? SEGMENT 3 with Tiffany Hughes, starting at 35:45: Divorce under any circumstances is a messy and ugly thing. But it gets worse when you have a small business and you’re divorcing your business partner or your business partner is your spouse. Tiffany Hughes is here to help small businesses navigate these messy challenges, and hopefully prevent