How you make contact with your prospects and customers is critical. Ruth Sherman joins Jim Blasingame to talk about why, especially in a slow economy, we should be connecting with customers and prospects the old fashioned way - face-to-face.

How long with the recession last and how will it impact small businesses? Joan Pryde joins Jim Blasingame to talk about the recession, what it will take to recover, and other current affairs.

As he has done for several years, Jim Blasingame looks into his Small Business Advocate Crystal Ball and reveals several of the things he predicts will happen in 2009.

In the long-term, will government intervention be good or bad for free market capitalism? Jim Blasingame explains why he things government bail-outs are a blessing that could turn into a curse, in time.

What lessons can small business owners learn from the experiences of McDonalds? Paul Facella gives Jim Blasingame explains what made McDonalds great, including courage, leadership and team-building.

The world was introduced to the dramatic influence of paradigm shifts by futurist, Joel Barker, more than two decades ago. Now Barker joins Jim Blasingame to discuss shifts he sees taking place before us, and where the oportunity and danger will be found.

How does a small business owner balance the survival of the business with what really matters. Julie Lenzer Kirk joins Jim Blasingame to talk about how to balance customers and family.

What advice would President Lincoln offer small business owners about dealing with economic challenges? Gene Griessman joins Jim Blasingame to offer some Lincoln survival wisdom.

How does the European economy compare to the U.S.? Leslie Kossoff joins Jim Blasingame with a report on the EU economic challenges, plus some important advice on surviving the 2009 economic challenges.

Focusing on what he calls "positive reality," Jim Blasingame talks about what he thinks is in store for small businesses in 2009 - the good, the bad and the ugly.