Tuesday - May 01, 2007
Do you know what kind of tax advantages Congress has put into the minimum wage bill to offset the blow to small business' payroll expense? According to Barbara, not much, which she reports in this visit with Jim, plus other small business tax issues.
Is the new Microsoft Vista operating system worth the cost and trouble to upgrade? Alan talks with Jim about this and other current technology issues.
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Have you ever been bullied by a co-worker or boss? Robert joins Jim to report that 1 in 6 employees have. They talk about why it happens and what to do to prevent bullying.
Are you ready to become a 21st century business owners? This is the question Paul and Jim discuss, especially with regard to businesses that were founded in the 20th century and may be having trouble making the transition. Paul also talks about his "four corners" approach to business ownership.
Wednesday - May 02, 2007
What do women-owned businesses need to know to do business with government organizations and government contractors? Janet talks with Jim about this question and offers excellent advice on the topic of women-owned businesses getting certified to do business with the government.
How's the economy doing these days? Ray joins Jim with a little bit of a dour attitude and some facts to support his demeanor.
Do you know how to prospect in the 21st century marketplace? It's different this century and Paul talks with Jim about how to use his "wercs" method to improve your prospecting success.
What should small business owners do in the midst of what appears to be a slowing economy? Jim offers some suggestions about how to separate the short-term from the long-term when making management, growth and purchasing decisions.
Thursday - May 03, 2007
Does being home-based still a negative for some potential business owners? Beverley talks with Jim about this issue, plus how retiring Baby Boomers will impact home-based business in the future.
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Being honest in business is a best practice that has a straight line to efficiency, productivity and long-term success, as Steven explains to Jim in this interview.
After a short discussion about two fires of historic properties in Washington, D.C., Joan and Jim talk about the impact of the Sarbanes-Oxley law on the economy and whether it will ever be amended or abolished. They move on to talk about some economic indicators, including inflation, plus various tax issues and human resources best practices. They wrap up with thoughts on the Virginia Tech tragedy and what can and should be done.
Friday - May 04, 2007
Small business owners should learn what it takes to do business in other countries even before they plan to do it, and George and Jon join Jim to talk about a program that is designed to provide that information.
What does it take to be a good and effective boss? Ruth talks with Jim about what good bosses know about working with people.
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How does a small business owner make plans for the future with all of the conflicting economic information? Bill talks with Jim about how to manage all of this effectively and make good decisions.
There are three absolute ways you'll leave your business: sell, death or disability. Mark talks with Jim about the best ways to be prepared for either of these.
Monday - May 07, 2007
Rich and Jim talk about the recent election in France, the U.S. presidential debates and the enemies of free trade.
How do you get a new employee off on the right foot? Chester talks with Jim about some of the things you can do to give each new employee the maximum opportunity to be successful in your employ.
Are you getting the most out of your email communication? Steven talks with Jim about how to use email to communicate your ideas more effectively. They also talk about when NOT to use email.
What do you do when you find that you have a dangerous employee? Or at least one who isn't part of the team? Rieva joins Jim to talk about how to handle this difficult management situation and what you can do to prevent it from becoming a problem, as well. They wrap up their visit celebrating small business owners in a way that only Rieva and Jim can do.
Tuesday - May 08, 2007
Kristin joins Jim to talk about how small business CEOs can joins peer teams to build themselves into more effective professional managers.
Would you like to be the founder of a Women's Business Center? Wilma walks Jim through the process of how to do this, including what has to be done to get the government to help you with funding.
How has selling changed in the 21st century? Karen talks with Jim about some of the things we need to understand in order to sell successfully these days.
One of the keys to branding success is to create brand authenticity, and Kim talks with Jim about how to make your branding efforts and messages authentic.
Wednesday - May 09, 2007
There are many reasons why small businesses should begin the process of finding out what it takes to do business globally, and Tom talks with Jim about several of these reasons.
The economy continues to languish and Bill talks with Jim about why and whether we should be concerned. They also talk about what the Fed will do with rates in the FOMC meeting.
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There are many things we can learn from the great business leaders of the past, and Todd talks with Jim about the genius and the failures of some of the 20th century CEOs who have gone on to that great marketplace in the sky.
How has entrepreneurship changed over the past decade and what it will look like in the next decade? Catherine joins Jim to answer these questions and others, from a recent report produced by Intuit, which you can download from their site.
Thursday - May 10, 2007
What's the best way to make the most of your time when you're traveling. Jeff Zbar talks with Jim Blasingame about some of the things to do and some things you shouldn't do on the Small Business Advocate Show.
Are you a multi-tasker? Pierce joins Jim to explain why he says there is no such thing as multi-tasking, only serial tasking, and why you should know the difference.
Joan and Jim begin their visit talking about the immigration challenge in the U.S., plus the economy and what the Fed is doing about inflation, some new drugs that are about to be released and good news for small businesses that want to get SBA loan guarantees.
Friday - May 11, 2007
The first successful step in the American experiment began with Jamestown in what is now the commonwealth of Virginia. On the 400th anniversary of the founding of Jamestown, Avery joins Jim to talk about the origins and the legacy of this great part of American history.
Sitting in for Sam Norwood, Doug joins Jim to report on the state of the U.S. economy through the eyes of the Tatum partners who report their experiences in running several hundred of American businesses.
What are the things your mother never told you about becoming wealthy? Stephanie talks with Jim about some of these.
Cherie joins Jim to help him celebrate Mother's Day by talking about motherhood and how it is different from other relationships.
Monday - May 14, 2007
Want to pick up some cost savings tips? Gene joins Jim with some tips on how to cut your business expenses, which they do after talking a little about small business ownership.
Believe it or not, most businesses have instant profit opportunities right under their noses, and Steve Martin talks with Jim Blasingame about how to identify a few of them on the small business radio program, The Small Business Advocate Show.
Networking isn't as intuitive as it might seem. It is possible to network badly, and Ilise talks with Jim about how to avoid that unfortunate behavior.
Just when you thought things couldn't get scarier, Congressional "leaders" announce their intention to raise the income tax, and Steve joins Jim to talk about why this is happening and how to stop it.
Tuesday - May 15, 2007
Is being a franchise owner for you? Joel and Jim talk about how to determine if you should consider buying a franchise, or if you'd be better off starting from scratch.
Jim takes a few minutes to celebrate law enforcement professionals and recognize them for the selfless work they do.
How do you eat chicken at a business meal? Is it ever okay to eat bacon with your fingers? How long do we have to send thank you cards? Colleen clears up these and other etiquette mysteries with this visit with Jim.
Tim has been judging several business planning competitions and he joins Jim to talk about the ones that won, the ones that didn't, what was the difference, and what can we learn from this.
Wednesday - May 16, 2007
Are you doing a good job of providing employees with periodic performance reviews? Bill talks with Jim about this process and what a survey shows employees feel about this process.
Why are gas prices REALLY so high? Myron joins Jim to explain who is really to blame for high gas prices and what can -- and is -- being done about it.
Do you know what an "enrolled agent" is? Eva talks with Jim about this profession that you can learn and practice from your home-based business.
Is your Web site an expense or a profit center? Joe joins Jim to talk about how to make sure the search engines know who you are and where your Web site is, so it becomes more about profit than expense.
Thursday - May 17, 2007
All small businesses have the challenges of when to grow and how to grow, including home based businesses. Beverley joins Jim to talk about how home based businesses can make these tough decisions.
Effective leadership is a multi-faceted endeavor and Judith talks with Jim about a number of these facets and how to make them part of your management practice.
Joan and Jim begin their visit discussing the Republican presidential hopefuls and then move on to discuss whether stocks are over-priced, the economy in general, a review of future energy prices and a number of other current topics.
Monday - May 21, 2007
Talent is fine. Passion is good. But all of this won't make you successful if you don't make the right choices and John talks with Jim about how to attain the proper balance between these three.
There are some new laws that protect employers who provide retirement plans for their employees, and Rick talks with Jim about these, as well as whether Rick thinks stocks are over-valued, and what he thinks about investing in the now-record stock market.
If information is the most important things small business owners need to acquire, how do they do that? John and Jim talk about getting the right information from the right people, including professional advisers.
Are you maximizing your ability to connect with prospects and customers later through marketing campaigns? Lois and Jim talk about why you should be collecting contact information about the people you meet and what to do with that information once you've asked permission to use it.
Tuesday - May 22, 2007
Jim talks about what has changed with regard to business to business selling in the 21st century, and how to make sure you're connecting with today's customers the way they want to be reached.
Email is the thing we often have a love-hate relationship with. Christina talks with Jim about how to get more love and less hate out of our email activity.
What should America do about our immigration problem? Tamar talks with Jim about the national immigration debate, including the proposal Congress is currently working on.to talk before the Senate.
What kind of thinker are you? Mediocre or exceptional? Rosaline tells Jim that there is another level called Optimal thinking, which is not only preferred, but also attainable by mediocre thinkers.
Wednesday - May 23, 2007
Is your computer network protected from malicious programs such as viruses, worms, etc.? Paul joins Jim to talk about some of the dangers that lurk out in cyberspace and what we can do to protect our systems and information assets.
Do you know how to find the low-hanging fruit of your networking activity? Andrea talks with Jim about how to grow your business without spending any money.
While you work for money are you also working for meaning? Tim talks with Jim about how to make sure that your professional goals are balanced.
Is America on the right track for success in the 21st century? Are you? Bob joins Jim to talk about these issues and offers his thoughts on how to be successful in the 21st century global economy.
Thursday - May 24, 2007
Do you have a cell phone or a wireless phone? Do you just make calls, or do you want to also get email and manage your contact information? Jeff Zbar talks with Jim Blasingame about this on the radio program The Small Business Advocate Show.
What's the key to a small business surviving and thriving for 90 years? Mark Mayberry joins Jim Blasingame to talk about what we can learn from Chris' restaurant, which has been serving the same menu for almost a century.
Joan and Jim talk about why a weak dollar isn't all bad. They also talk about some new accounting regs that help private firms, followed by what would happen if NYC Mayor Bloomberg decided to run for president as an independent. They wrap up by explaining what a typo squatter is and how to defeat one, plus a little bit on the immigration debate.
Friday - May 25, 2007
Do you know how to define excellence? Do you know how to seek excellence? Gary joins Jim to explain the answers to both of these questions and much more of the quest for excellence in small business.
Do you know what Memorial Day is REALLY all about? Tune is as Ken and Jim talk about the origins of this holiday and those whom we should be remembering.
Do you know why real estate commissions are still at 6%, even though consumers are doing most of the home-buying work? Steve talks with Jim about this issue and what's being done about it.
Steve Forbes is one of the smartest people on the planet and he joins Jim to talk about an array of current events, including the war in Iraq, Congress fighting the President, the economy, global issues, etc. Don't miss this interview.
Monday - May 28, 2007
Jim begins this Memorial day by remembering the origins of this holiday and celebrating the men and women who serve our country. He also honors the small business volunteers who sacrificed their lives.
Rich joins Jim to help celebrate Memorial Day as they talk about the impact our soldiers have on our every day lives.
President Lincoln joins Jim to give an historic speech to commemorate Memorial Day.
While American's are grilling out and relaxing today, Robert and Jim reflect on what our soldiers have done to make our freedom possible.
Tuesday - May 29, 2007
What if your brand could lead your business into the future, instead of your brand being an afterthought? Karen and Jim talk about how to lead with your brand, instead of dragging it along.
Is the market overpriced? Gary talks with Jim about how to invest -- and in what -- when so many stocks are at an all-time high.
What do women need from their bank? Maria joins Jim to talk about the "four pillars" of the banking relationships with small business owners -- especially women business owners.
Supply-side economics and dynamic scoring work. So why don't some politicians get it? Governor du Pont talks with Jim about how well the economy has been doing as a result of the lower tax rates. They also talk about the need for a national energy policy, and of course, some presidential politics.
Wednesday - May 30, 2007
How are you at ebbing and flowing between your personal life and your business? Jim Ballard talks with Jim Blasingame about how to know when to push and when to let life happen.
Do you know what the paradox of performance is? Listen in as Stephen talks with Jim about how to identify this paradox and make it work for you.
If you own and run a small business, what kind of a job is it's CEO doing? By the way, you're that CEO, and Mary and Jim talk about how to evaluate your performance and determine how to make improvements.
What do trust and ethics have in common? Listen in as Arky and Jim talk about which comes first, trust or integrity, and why you need to know in order to run your business more successfully.
Thursday - May 31, 2007
When you buy and sell on eBay, do you know the tax and legal issues? Cliff joins Jim to talk about what you need to know about these issues as you do business online.
How is China doing with its relations with the U.S.? Ted has just returned from a trip to China and he joins Jim to talk about what's happening over there, how things are going with U.S. relations, and what all of this means for our small businesses.
Joan joins Jim to talk about whether a recession is in the cards for the U.S. anytime soon, as they cover several economic indicators. They go on to talk about the reducing deficit and Jim explains that it's because supply-side economics and dynamic scoring is working in reality. Next up they talk about the Supreme Court and business and something called desktop manufacturing.
