Thursday - October 01, 2009
As you think about starting a business, look for niches to fill. Jeff Zbar joins Jim Blasingame to talk about focusing more on niches as a way to discover new market opportunities, instead of trying to be innovative.
How is starting a business different today from the last recession? Jim Blasingame offers some insight into some of the issues that start-ups are facing these days, including where to look for opportunity, finding capital and the need for being patient and deliberate in your expectations.
When will the consumer come back to the marketplace? Joan Pryde and Jim Blasingame talk about this topic, plus the pace of economic recovery, a look at global GDP, increase in government regulations on energy and other topics covered in this week's Kiplinger Letter.
Friday - October 02, 2009
What are some of the government proposals that will cost small businesses money? Peter Sepp talks to Jim Blasingame about health care reform, cap and trade and tax increases, all of which will become a financial burden on small businesses.
Injecting humor into your marketing strategy is one of the best ways to convey a memorable message, according to Lois Geller, who joins Jim Blasingame with tips about how to do funny successfully.
What does it take to be a successful restaurant owner? What does it take to be a successful franchisor? Listen to Todd Parent as he joins Jim Blasingame to talk about what went into founding and growing Extremem Pizza. This is a clinic on how to give yourself the maximum opportunity to be successful.
The words we use matter. What we say and how we say it matters, according to Ruth Sherman, who joins Jim Blasingame to talk about why it's important to learn how to use words that best convey what we want to accomplish.
Monday - October 05, 2009
Finding ordinary greatness inside of your small business might just be a few questions away, according to Pam Bilbrey, who joins Jim Blasingame to talk about how to tap into the brain power and "rubber-meets-the-road" perspectives that your employees have.
Discovering America's Coolest Young Entrepreneurs, Rod Kurtz is back to talk to Jim Blasingame about Inc's latest list of "30 entrepreneurs Under 30", and what all small business owners can learn from them.
Small business employee sabbaticals increase retention, according to Elizabeth Pagano and Michelle Rupp, who joins Jim Blasingame to discuss the the idea of employee sabbaticals, plus tips and best practices.
Should the Fed be replaced with the gold standard? Jim Blasingame interviews Bob McTeer and Wayne Allyn Root as they debate this issue. Don't miss this spirited discussion by these experts on a very timely topic.
Wednesday - October 07, 2009
Is having face-to-face meetings becoming a lost art? Have older professionals forgotten something the younger folks have never mastered? Jim Blasingame poses this question and then offers a number of tips on how to initiate, plan and conduct a successful meeting.
How have things changed on taking your small business public? Joseph Meuse discusses this issue with Jim Blasingame, including a comparison of the initial public offering (IPO) and the reverse merger.
Does your web strategy need some new energy? How is your website doing with regard to leveraging your small business growth? Adam Boyden talks with Jim Blasingame about some of the philosophy and the tools that will help you create a powerful online strategy.
How has leadership changed in the 21st century? Howard Behar joins Jim Blasingame to talk about the answer to this question, including some tips and leadership best practices that you can put use immediately.
What are the issues older managers have in training younger staffers on the importance of meeting with customers face-to-face? Joseph Meuse talks with Jim Blasingame about his experience with motivating his people to get out of the office.
Thursday - October 08, 2009
How is the near-term economy going? Sam Norwood joins Jim Blasingame to discuss this month's Tatum survey and the news is so-so. They report on sales, capital spending, credit availability and employment trends.
Joan Pryde joins Jim Blasingame to report on this week's Kiplinger Letter, including Afghanistan build-up decisions, banking issues, 2009 governor elections, air travel expenses and other issues.
How your brain handles multi-tasking is an important things to understand, according to David Rock who joins Jim Blasingame to talk about how to overcome distractions and working smarter all day.
Friday - October 09, 2009
What are some of the myths of business planning? Kelle Olwyler and Jim Blasingame discuss some of the reasons small business owners either don't plan or don't follow up on their plans.
Create non-negotiable standards for sales and service. Brad Huisken discusses with Jim Blasingame how to develop, train and execute on these minimum standards for performance when working with customers in sales and follow-up service.
Celebrating customers during customer service week. Bob Negen and Jim Blasingame talk about the value of high quality customer care, including comparing the value of a transaction to a long-term relationship.
What's the difference between customer service and customer care? Jim Blasingame makes the distinction between these two terms, why it's important to know the difference and explains how to train your employees how to practice both.
Monday - October 12, 2009
What are you thankful for in your small business in 2009? Beverly Inman-Ebel joins Jim Blasingame to talk about what she calls "Thankful Thirteenth," where her organization is collecting all the things that aren't so bad about the recession, including tips on how to make things better.
Reflecting on the legacy of Christopher Columbus, Burt Folsom joins Jim Blasingame to talk about the impact of this legendary business and exploratory venture.
Do you have all of the right networking tools? Debra Fine talks with Jim Blasingame about how networking tools, including online social media, is critical to professional and small business success.
The ugly politics of health care reform is discussed by Tarren Bragdon and Jim Blasingame, including examples of state reform failures, the odds of a bill passing this year, any bi-partisan likelihood.
Burt Folsom and Jim Blasingame reflect on how much the Nobel Peace Prize committee do a disservice to President Obama by making the award before he has accomplished anything worthy of the prize?
Tuesday - October 13, 2009
One of the most powerful business skills is just knowing when to shut up. Rick Maurer and Jim Blasingame talk about how to do this, when to do this and offer several scenarios of how shutting up can make a difference.
Negotiating with creditors can be a very complicated issue, and Jerry Silberman reveals tips and best practices with Jim Blasingame, including how to find leverage and how to get help.
Wednesday - October 14, 2009
Is your small business prepared for swine flu? Jon Toigo joins Jim Blasingame to offer tips on how to be prepared for the H1N1 virus, including tips and best practices on health and organizational ideas.
Reporting on small business economic conditions, Bill Dunkelberg joins Jim Blasingame to review this months's NFIB report, including small business confidence levels, employment trends, inventory levels, etc.
Reporting on health care debate progress, Bill Dunkelberg joins Jim Blasingame to discuss the recent Senate committee vote and where this legislative step will lead.
Thursday - October 15, 2009
Running a small business is more like a marathon than a sprint, according to Jeff Zbar, who joins Jim Blasingame to discuss the endurance ability required of anyone who intends to be a successful small business owner.
Joan Pryde and Jim Blasingame examine this week's Kiplinger Letter, including impending new oversight and regulation on workplace issues, plus the economic recovery and several tax issues.
The economic recovery is going to be a long process, according to Jim Blasingame, as he discusses his thoughts on the patience and resolve small businesses are going to need to ride out an extended recovery period.
How relevant is face-to-face contact in world gone mad over social media? Jeff Zbar and Jim Blasingame discuss why you should integrate all connection options, including in-person meetings, into your market strategy.
Small business is not just tips and best practices, according to Jim Blasingame. There are intangible elements that are part of the philosophy of small business that entrepreneurs should also study and contemplate.
As the sponsor of the only PGA that celebrates small business and golf, Paul Sarvadi talks with Jim Blasingame about his tournament, the Administaff Small Business Classic, including how it began and how it is going.
This is a special economic report from a unique small business CEO, Paul Sarvadi, who joins Jim Blasigname to talk about his thoughts on the recovery, the future of business and the threats from government policy on the recovery.
Friday - October 16, 2009
Success perspectives from a world-class entrepreneur. The Lifestyle Diva, Debbie Meyer, talks to Jim Blasingame about her life as a serial inventor and entrepreneur, including some wisdom for women who want to be entrepreneurs.
The small business public policy series continues with Rich Galen and Jim Blasingame talking about the health care reform debate that's weaving its way through Congress. They discuss the likelihood of passage this year and how this legislation could hurt small business.
What will it take to be successful in sales in the future? Jay Mincks talks with Jim Blasingame about how he is leading his sales and marketing teams to find success in the coming years, including focusing on the customer and building trust.
A report on economic conditions from a real small business owner. Joe Cleary talks with Jim Blasingame about how he sees national economic conditions for small businesses, especially from the construction industry perspective.
Reporting on the Administaff Small Business Classic, Jay Mincks talks with Jim Blasingame about some of the details of this Champions Tours golf tournament, including how much money this event has raised for over 30 local charities in the Houston area.
Monday - October 19, 2009
Why do sales people lie to customers? Why do customers lie to sales people? Can you find ROI in honesty? Steven Gaffney joins Jim Blasingame to discuss the return on an investment of being honest with customers.
Is your Intellectual property prepared for future opportunity? David Dawsey speaks with Jim Blasingame about how to get your IP identified and protected so that you can leverage it more profitably as well as be ready for a future opportunity with another party.
Legendary investment advisor, Howard Ruff, joins Jim Blasingame to discuss the current health care debate and the dangers that we face if the government takes over the U.S. health care system. They also talk about the dangers of oil changing from the U.S. dollar as a unit of value to another currency or commodity.
Do men have a "code" that works against women in the marketplace? Michael Johnson talks to Jim Blasingame about what women need to understand about men in order to successful in the workplace.
Is gold at a new high when adjusted for inflation? Legendary investment expert, Howard Ruff, says gold is still a good investment and explains why.
Tuesday - October 20, 2009
What does the future hold for small business success? Tom Asacker and Jim Blasingame talk about how opportunties are going to look different in the future for small businesses, including specific examples.
Jim Blasingame talks with three breast cancer survivors who are also members of his Brain Trust: Lois Geller, Judith Glaser, and Paula Lovell. These courageous ladies talk about their own experiences with breast cancer and how it has changed their lives in many ways.
The government is standing by to help small business experts, according to Fred Hochberg, as he explains to Jim Blasingame how the Ex-Im Bank will guarantee the financial elements of an export transaction to make sure small businesses get paid.
How to developing rewards systems that produce success is discussed by Steve Kerr in his interview with Jim Blasingame. They also talk about a new business education organization based on Jack Welch's management philosophy.
Wednesday - October 21, 2009
How can you prevent desperation from causing bad decisions? Janet Christy joins Jim Blasingame to talk about how to avoid the bad decisions that can result from feeling desperate and afraid, including tips and best practices.
Is Reaganomics dead or just currently misapplied? Bruce Bartlett joins Jim Blasingame to debunk current conservative economic “reasoning” and offer a surprising way forward, including a departure from what he helped create, Reaganomics.
Opportunities abound these days, but they look different than they did before, says Donald Hunter as he visits with Jim Blasingame to discuss how to find and take advantage of opportunities for investing and for business models.
Are you on a quest to be somebody? Are you seeking meaning in your life? Jennifer Read Hawthorne joins Jim Blasingame to talk about how to look for meaning and self-fulfillment in the right way and in the right places.
Thursday - October 22, 2009
Thinking about giving up? Remember, you may be only three feet away from gold, as Greg Reid explains to Jim Blasingame in this conversation about entrepreneurship, perseverance and having a healthy appreciation for the power of failure.
What are the chances of a health care reform bill being passed in 2009? Jim Ostroff joins Jim Blasingame to report that Kiplinger thinks there will be a bill in 2009, but doesn't know about the key elements, such as the public option, tax increases, etc. Kiplinger also predicts lower oil prices, plus other marketplace issues.
How could Net Neutrality impact your small business?Jonathan Zuck and Jim Blasingame talk about the definition of Net Neutrality, the upcoming vote in Congress, and what all that means for small businesses, consumers and producers of electronic content.
Reporting on the launch of an converting to Microsoft Windows 7, Jonathan Zuck, who has been a Beta tester for this system for over a year, joins Jim Blasingame to compare Windows 7 to XP professional and the ill-fated Vista operating system.
Friday - October 23, 2009
What would happen if small businesses became as politically organized as other interest groups, like unions and major industries? Jim Blasingame offers some insight into how the world would be a better place if political leaders were required to pay more attention to the policies that benefit small business.
Looking for a silver bullet to take your business to the next level? Brian Carney says you can do it without spending any money, just by freeing your employees to make a greater contribution, as he explains with Jim Blasingame.
One of the great challenges all small business owners have to deal with at some time is doubt about their abilities. John Dini and Jim Blasingame talk about how this emotion is especially a problem in the Great Recession and offer ideas about how to deal with it.
Is the free-market system and Reaganomics still valid in the 21st century? Guy Sorman says absolutely it is, and he defends these principles in this interview with Jim Blasingame, including making the case for lower taxes and encouraging entrepreneurship instead of growing the government.
What is the difference between your local chamber of commerce and the U.S. Chamber? Jim Blasingame explains how these two organizations are only somewhat similar and are not to be confused when it comes to small business participation.
Monday - October 26, 2009
Like many things, entrepreneurship will be affected by the current economic conditions and the coming recovery. Larry Robertson talks with Jim Blasingame about the importance of entrepreneurship and how it can be learned.
The politics of health care and cap-and-trade are topics covered in this interview with Gov. Pete du Pont as Jim Blasingame asks the Governor about these issues as they morph from worthy ideas to dangerous politics.
There is a danger, according to Jim Blasingame, of spending too much time inside of your four walls. There are several kinds of walls and Jim identifies them and talks about why we tend to hide behind them and how that can be dangerous for our small business future.
Understanding the recent economic impact on the different generations is critical to the survival of your small business, says Jim Blasingame, as he identifies how the coming recovery will influence the way people do business with us.
Tuesday - October 27, 2009
Are the new market conditions causing you to feel stuck in your business? Gail Kasper joins Jim Blasingame to talk about how to get unstuck with new perspectives on the new era we're entering in the economy and the marketplace.
How can you make good business decisions in bad economic times? Steve Martin talks with Jim Blasingame about adjusting your decision-making process to fit the new realities of the marketplace, including how to take advantage of new opportunities.
Could bartering help you preserve cash and grow sales?Steve Bolles joins Jim Blasigname to talk about the concept of bartering as a business strategy, including practical tips, tax issues, and the multi-party transactions that can happen with a barter network.
What happens to the U.S. economy if the climate change zealots are wrong? Phelim McAleer joins Jim Blasingame to talk about his documentary that exposes fallacies in the extreme global warming hysteria. Jim asks about the dangers climate change legislation could do to small businesses.
Wednesday - October 28, 2009
It's time to prepare your small business for 2010 and Jim Blasingame offers some insights, tips and best practices that will help you, including working with customers, your banker and other operational areas.
How will small businesses reach customers in the future? Kirk Cheyfitz and Jim Blasingame talk about this question and answer it by discussing the relevance of social media to your small business and how to blend this new community building activity with traditional marketing resources.
Have you valuated your company's place on the maturity timeline? Pamela Springer discusses with Jim Blasingame some of the growth elements to scrutinize as you grow your business from one level to the next, including how to know when to change key positions in your staff.
Listen to this small business wisdom from a woman entrepreneur as Clara Villarosa talks to Jim Blasingame about what she learned as an African-American start-up that grew into a model business from which she retired.
Thursday - October 29, 2009
Reporting on the Google Droid wireless device/phone, Jeff Zbar tells Jim Blasingame about his experience using this new "smart phone," which is on the Cingular network. It has a big screen, lots of apps and a real keyboard.
What should businesses do to get ready for 2010? Jim Ostroff and Jim Blasingame discuss some of the fundamentals to focus on, like customers, expenses, etc. They also talk about the economy, small business banking and other issues.
Reporting on the progress of the health care reform debate, Grace-Marie Turner talks with Jim Blasingame about the impact of health reform bills on small business, including the possibility of higher taxes and premiums if a public options bill is passed.
Friday - October 30, 2009
Reporting on the history of Halloween, Ken Davis joins Jim Blasingame to reveal the origins of Halloween and how it became what it is in modern times.
How to set up a successful partnership - even with family. This is the topic of discussion between David Gage and Jim Blasingame as he reveals the keys to bringing friends and family together in business by establishing how the relationship can end.
How customers want to be reached and served will be different in the future, and Alan Maites explains to Jim Blasingame what that will look like, by revealing the "Five Cs" of customer connection. Alan also reveals a bonus sixth "C" at the end. This is really good stuff.
Shawn Askinosie shares his American small business story with Jim Blasingame about how he went from being an attorney to a chocolate maker who buys his ingredients directly from the cocoa farmer and exports his candy and other products around the world.
