Wednesday - December 01, 2010
Wally Bock joins Jim Blasingame to talk about the responsibility of a business owner at the company Christmas party – show up after it starts, don’t stay the entire time, and keep any remarks short.
Wally Bock joins Jim Blasingame to offer advice on creating a social media strategy for your small business – with all the new ways to connect with people, it’s important to be where your customers are.
Gary Shilling joins Jim Blasingame to discuss past eras of dis-inflation and the current possibility of deflation, plus the influence of the current saving attitude of consumers on deflation.
Is the U.S. doomed to repeat Japan’s economic failures? Gary Shilling joins Jim Blasingame to compare the U.S. economy and consumers with Japan, plus the effect of technology on productivity and a prediction of our economic future.
Gary Shilling joins Jim Blasingame to discuss some investments to avoid, including commodities, plus the future of rental property investments and the value of the dollar and treasury bonds.
Do you know how to do business with your prospects? Janet Christy joins Jim Blasingame to offer marketing tips, including the importance of researching how to do business with your prospects and doing it their way.
How can you better prepare to sell your prospects? Janet Christy joins Jim Blasingame to deliver ideas on how your small business can do a better job of getting in front of customers and sell them when you get there.
Should more high schools include an entrepreneurial curriculum? Doug Tatum joins Jim Blasingame to talk about the skewed opinions on profit and why more high schools should include an entrepreneurial curriculum.
Are small businesses under attack? Doug Tatum joins Jim Blasingame to discuss the issues small businesses are facing in this economy, including tax policy, and how uncertainty is causing small businesses to be under attack.
How do you run a small business in the new decade? Doug Tatum joins Jim Blasingame to offer tips to improve your attitude and customer service in the next decade, plus how the world is different for the entrepreneur from here out.
Thursday - December 02, 2010
Does Google follow through on their philosophy to “do no evil?” Jeff Zbar joins Jim Blasingame to discuss the complications in optimizing your website for Google and how Google algorithms discern between good buzz and derogatory buzz.
Jeff Zbar joins Jim Blasingame to discuss why it’s important to know what others post about your small business and how to productively redress unfavorable online comments.
Rick Maurer joins Jim Blasingame to discuss his recent trip to Moscow, the warm hospitality of his hosts, plus his experience in dealing with the language differences.
Rick Maurer joins Jim Blasingame to continue their series in understanding change, the motivation behind the need for change and the discipline required to achieve the desired results.
Rick Maurer joins Jim Blasingame to explain why change should be a process and the best way to lead change and motivate employees is to assess your team, delegate, step back and make small adjustments when necessary.
Friday - December 03, 2010
How can brainstorming help your ideation sessions? Roberts Brands joins Jim Blasingame to discuss how to create, process, and move ideas forward through brainstorming and how to brainstorm effectively.
What is brain writing and white boarding? Roberts Brands joins Jim Blasingame to talk about brain writing and white boarding, what they are and how they can help your brainstorming sessions through open innovation.
How can small business owners manage through the holidays? Debbie Meyer joins Jim Blasingame to discuss how small business owners have to keep their heads in the game year round and have staying power through the holidays.
How can you prepare for 2011 without suffering in the 4th quarter? Debbie Meyer joins Jim Blasingame to talk about front loading the first 3 quarters to "make your year" before the 4th quarter and holiday season rolls around.
How you can you better prepare for next year? Debbie Meyer joins Jim Blasingame to talk about the importance of planning and thinking strategically to prevent desperation at year's end, plus be proactive, not reactive.
Are economic recovery signs real or imagined? Rick Smith joins Jim Blasingame to report on the real economic recovery signs he is seeing in the marketplace.
Why is economics sometimes called a dismal science? Charles Wheelan joins Jim Blasingame to explain what economics really is and why some people view it as a dismal science when it doesn't have to be.
What is a liberal economist? Charles Wheelan joins Jim Blasingame to discuss the existence of liberal economists and what they are exactly, plus a look at socialist economies around the world.
What's the most important lesson in economics? Charles Wheelan joins Jim Blasingame to talk about an important economic lesson: why markets work as well as they do and how economics work in real terms.
Monday - December 06, 2010
Do you know about the "Happiness Advantage"? Jim Ballard joins Jim Blasingame to discuss the correlation between happiness and connections with other people, plus the effect of happiness on long-term success.
Can you be happy while dealing with unhappy things? Jim Ballard joins Jim Blasingame to talk about the paradox of happiness and how to be committed to happiness no matter your circumstance. A hint: It starts with being thankful.
What's the connection between optimism and business success? Fred Hochberg joins Jim Blasingame to propose that two of the characteristics of a happy person are optimism and energy, both of which are required for success is a small business owner.
Ex-Im Bank president, Fred Hochberg, joins Jim Blasingame to reveal the launch of the Global Access for Small Business initiative, which provides financial support for small firms that serve larger customers who are exporters.
Ex-Im Bank president, Fred Hochberg, joins Jim Blasingame to talk about the financial support his organization provides small businesses entering the export market, including capital insurance and guaranteed loans for both products and services as low as $5,000.
Should you be investing in gold? Joe Frisard joins Jim Blasingame to report on the relationship of rising gold prices with other investment alternatives, including the elements of investing in numismatic gold coins.
Should small investors invest in the gold market? Joe Frisard joins Jim Blasingame to reveal how small investors can get into the gold market by investing in fractional gold coins, which are less volatile than other gold options and a lower entry point.
Differentiate your small business by your customers' experience. Peter Meyer joins Jim Blasingame to discuss differentiating your small business from the competition by evaluating the entire customer experience – how you are perceived by customers.
Don’t underestimate the impact of the human touch. Peter Meyer joins Jim Blasingame to remind us that, as John Naisbitt predicted, more high-tech begets more high-touch - people still prefer to buy from people.
How can a guarantee lead to higher prices and margins? Peter Meyer joins Jim Blasingame to offer tips on how to use a guarantee program to increase sales revenue, unit prices and therefore, higher gross margins.
Tuesday - December 07, 2010
Want to give your business a good head-start on the new year? Jim Blasingame suggests a number of ideas for what he calls "December cleaning" so your business can start fresh in the new year with everything from stuff to employees to inventory - even customers are not immune to Jim's broom.
Jim Blasingame weighs in on the current debate including his belief that no taxes should be raised and the current rates should be made permanent. He also scolds Washington for favoring politics over leadership.
Why is there irony in the debate about tax rates and extending unemployment benefits? Nicole Gelinas joins Jim Blasingame to explain why lack of leadership in Washington has created the current tax debate and requirement to extend unemployment benefits.
Is Europe the U.S.'s canary in the mineshaft? Nicole Gelinas joins Jim Blasingame to discuss how the sovereign debt crisis in Europe is a cautionary tale for the U.S. and what can be learned from both the cause and the effect.
Is the Euro currency in danger of failure? Nicole Gelinas joins Jim Blasingame to discuss the future of the Euro currency and the market discipline, not government intervention, that will save it.
Where is the Main Street marketplace going? Norm Brodsky joins Jim Blasingame to talk about some of the issues your Main Street business must address in order to adapt to the fast-paced changes imposed by technology and the Internet.
What would you do if you had to start over with nothing? Norm Brodsky joins Jim Blasingame to offer the most important lesson for business start-ups: discover what customers want and give it to them.
What are the upcoming online trends for retail in 2011? Adam Boyden joins Jim Blasingame to discuss online trends for 2011, including the impact of combining social media and local search.
The many leverage tools Cyberspace offers Main Street. Adam Boyden joins Jim Blasingame to talk about how any small Main Street business can use the power of technology and the Internet to compete with any competitor.
Are you prepared to embrace the power of apps? Adam Boyden joins Jim Blasingame to discuss why customers like the user experience of apps and why that will determine how your small business will connect with them in the future on all platforms.
Wednesday - December 08, 2010
How do you know if you're paying too much property tax? Michael Slevens joins Jim Blasingame to explain the assessment and tax process for your real estate and how to determine whether you should protest for a lower tax bill.
Do you know how to protest your property tax bill? Michael Slevens joins Jim Blasingame to reveal the key steps to take when you want to protest the property tax bill you've received for both residential and business.
Are you taking the steps to start the new year off successfully? John Dini joins Jim Blasingame to identify seven key questions every business owner needs to ask themselves to give the new year the best chance for success.
How can you grow revenue and profits? John Dini joins Jim Blasingame to reveal how to start the new year fresh by projecting next year’s revenue and profit picture, then deciding the one thing that will help achieve those estimates.
What will your role be as the leader of your business in the new year? John Dini joins Jim Blasingame with questions to ask yourself about what role you will play in your business in the new year and what new things will you delegate.
Why are we dealing with Bush's tax cuts now instead of a year ago? Rich Galen joins Jim Blasingame to discuss the political party dynamics around extending the current income tax rates instead of allowing a tax increase.
Will President Obama find the pragmatic center in the next 2 years? Rich Galen joins Jim Blasingame to talk about Obama's decision to support not raising taxes on "the rich," and if this is a pragmatic trend we will see as he thinks about being elected for a second term.
How do we find a way to merge the worlds of marketing and social media? Rick Mathieson joins Jim Blasingame to explain why social media activity is morphing into less of a craze and more of a mature use of tools.
Where is social media going in the future? Rick Mathieson joins Jim Blasingame to reveal two social media trends for 2011, including a demand for more authenticity and an increase in local focus.
What will be the biggest social media trend in 2011? Rick Mathieson joins Jim Blasingame to predict events-based scenarios and special offers through social media will level the playing field for small businesses.
Thursday - December 09, 2010
What does the post-recession customer want? Terry Barber joins Jim Blasingame to talk about how customers are behaving in the 2nd decade of the 21st century, including demanding the companies they do business with to be authentic and deliver on their marketing message.
Do you know what the post-recession customer looks like? Terry Barber joins Jim Blasingame to discuss the 5 markers that identify post-recession customers, including the way they buy, word of mouth, what they expect from your employees.
Are business conditions improving? Tatum's Sam Norwood joins Jim Blasingame to report on this month's survey on business conditions, and it looks like things are improving despite stubborn unemployment, even on Main Street.
Do rising order backlogs and increased capital expenditures indicate good news for the economy? Tatum's Sam Norwood joins Jim Blasingame to discuss this month's Tatum Survey, which shows growing sales trends and increased spending for capital expenditures.
How will increases in capital expenditures impact unemployment? Tatum's Sam Norwood joins Jim Blasingame to report on how increased capital expenditures is good for productivity and profitability, but not so good for long-term unemployment.
Will this holiday season be stronger than last? Alex Terry joins Jim Blasingame to discuss a Zoomerang survey that shows this holiday season is stronger than last, and the increasing trend for consumers to at least shop, if not buy, online.
Do you know how customers want to do business with you? Alex Terry joins Jim Blasingame to talk about how to get customers to tell you what they want through an electronic survey, plus why every business must offer online shopping options.
Do you know what a professional sales manager does? Brad Huisken joins Jim Blasingame to identify the specific things that a professional sales manager must be able to do in order to help the company accomplish its sales revenue goals.
What are the key elements of a successful sales manager? Brad Huisken joins Jim Blasingame to talk about having the knowledge, leadership skills, and incentives if you're going to be a successful sales manager.
Why training and incentives are critical for a professional sales team. Brad Huisken joins Jim Blasingame to reveal the importance of continuous sales training, plus the value of incentives, even for non-commissioned salespeople.
Friday - December 10, 2010
Get the word out about your business with proactive marketing. Tom Anastasi joins Jim Blasingame to talk about maximizing your marketing budget in creative ways and the effectiveness of symbiotic marketing and advertising.
Tom Anastasi joins Jim Blasingame to discuss using social media as a creative, and free, marketing tool – to get started, give people a reason to “friend” or “follow you” then provide continual information about your business.
Gene Marks joins Jim Blasingame to talk about some of the tax issues for small businesses, plus some year-end planning tips, including the Sec. 179 deduction for capital expenditures.
Gene Marks joins Jim Blasingame to discuss the tax advantages of writing off excess inventory and uncollectable receivables , plus the benefits of a SEPP employee retirement plan.
Gene Marks joins Jim Blasingame to talk about tax deductions for start-up expenses, the tax advantages for investments into small businesses, plus enhanced charitable deductions.
Are you using the fundamentals to run your business? Mary Cantando joins Jim Blasingame to talk about using the fundamentals to run your business, plus the value in imitation, paying attention, curiosity, and optimism.
Looking for a great daily calendar for next year? Mary Cantando joins Jim Blasingame to talk about the Woman's Advantage Calendar and how it offers small business advice through quotes from women business owners across the US.
What is an implication wheel? Joel Barker joins Jim Blasingame to discuss inventing the new tool, the implication wheel, and how it can explore possible risks and opportunities of change before they happen in a structured, radial way.
How can you use the implications wheel in your business? Joel Barker joins Jim Blasingame to talk about the problem identifying implications wheel and how you can use it in your business, plus how it can benefit men in particular.
What does it mean to be a futurist? Joel Barker joins Jim Blasingame to define futurists and offer tips on how to become one for your small business, including reading outside your industry - and they offer some examples!
Monday - December 13, 2010
Beverly Inman-Ebel joins Jim Blasingame with suggestions on how to reduce the pressures and stresses we often feel during the holiday season by helping others who are less fortunate, especially when very few, if anyone, knows you did it.
Beverly Inman-Ebel joins Jim Blasingame to talk about how to communicate better during the holidays by asking questions instead of being presumptuous or offering advice.
How can you be your best no matter what? Nance Guilmartin joins Jim Blasingame to discuss shifting from feeling like a victim to reaching within and being your best when times get tough, including pausing and taking care of yourself.
How do you make choices with intention? Nance Guilmartin joins Jim Blasingame to reveal how not to let circumstances overpower you and how to remain positive and set an intention for what you want to be when out of your comfort zone.
Nance Guilmartin joins Jim Blasingame with thoughts on how to how to be better at at the very difficult job of forgiveness.
What is the first thing to do when you start a business? Donald Hunter joins Jim Blasingame to reveal first steps in a start-up: identify demand, then find and deliver a solution.
What are the first financial steps for any small business? Donald Hunter joins Jim Blasingame to discuss why a start-up business owner should have an emergency fund before they start the business, plus learn how to create and manage with financial projections.
What can you do to get your business ready for the new year? Paul Casey joins Jim Blasingame with year-end financial tips, including start a retirement plan, pay yourself a bonus, make capital expenditures, and write-off bad AR.
Year-end is a good time to connect with customers. Paul Casey joins Jim Blasingame to offer year-end tips on how to get referrals from existing customers for the new year, plus what you can do to energize your brand.
Paul Casey joins Jim Blasingame to discuss how to clean the elements of your business for the new year by evaluating your people, organization, mission statement and goals.
Tuesday - December 14, 2010
How do you keep great customers? Karen Cortell Reisman joins Jim Blasingame to reveal four keys to empathic customer communication, including listen, crisis communication, name your customer's unhappy feeling, and stay calm.
How is the landscape for raising capital? Bill Diffenderffer joins Jim Blasingame to talk about the difficultly of raising capital for start-ups arising primarily from an increased aversion to risk.
How is this recovery different from others? Bill Diffenderffer joins Jim Blasingame to talk about the disconnect between needing small businesses for the recovery, but limited capital available to help them.
How do you get start up capital for your small business? Bill Diffenderffer joins Jim Blasingame to discuss the importance of your story, whether you're seeking a loan or investment capital.
What is the new customer paradigm for the 21st century? Tom Asacker joins Jim Blasingame to talk about why making connections, delivering on values, being creative and authentic are what differentiates you.
Opportunity doesn't know, it screams. Tom Asacker joins Jim Blasingame to reveal the 3 doors opportunity is screaming about: engagement, interest, and beliefs, and how to used them for the advantage of your small business.
One of the father's of free trade was Frederic Bastiat. Bob McTeer joins Jim Blasingame to talk about the 21st century relevance of the 19th century free trade writings of French economist, Frederic Bastiat.
How far with the Fed go with QE2? Bob McTeer joins Jim Blasingame to discuss how far the Fed will go in balancing economic growth with preventing inflation, and why small businesses should care.
What will the 2011 economy look like? Bob McTeer joins Jim Blasingame to make some predictions about the 2011 economy, including consumer spending and saving, imports and exports, plus the elephant in the room: structural unemployment.
How do you elevate your business's X Factor? Karen Cortell Reisman joins Jim Blasingame with tips on how to elevate the X Factor of your company culture through appreciation, having fun in the office, and something Karen calls a great "Foam Day."
Wednesday - December 15, 2010
Jim Blasingame reveals questions to ask yourself, as your business’ owner, about the new year; not only about the business’ performance – growth and gross profit – but also what you, the owner, need to do to find more balance.
Will there be tax cuts in the current tax debate? Jim Blasingame explains the current tax rate debate is about leaving taxes as they are or increasing them - not cutting them, plus he talks about the estate tax.
What's the difference between Gen X and Gen Y? Mike Muetzel joins Jim Blasingame to discuss the differences between Generations X and Y, despite their being so close together in age, and they're now 50% of the workforce.
How do Gen X and Gen Y work together? Mike Muetzel joins Jim Blasingame to talk about how Gen X and Y work together and some difficulties for entrepreneurs as a result, such as disclosing information, not micro-managing, and more.
What will leadership look like in business in 15 years? Mike Muetzel joins Jim Blasingame to discuss the way Gen X and Y will run businesses in 15 years with fewer Boomers, and there will be more entrepreneurs, most likely.
What makes Arnold Palmer's hospitals so great? Chris Stowers joins Jim Blasingame to talk about the facilities Arnold Palmer has in his hospitals, what makes them different from the average hospital, and their legacy.
Do you want to make a difference this year? Chris Stowers joins Jim Blasingame to offer an opportunity to give to Arnold Palmer's hospitals and their passionate work to love and care for those who need it most.
Are Congress getting their job done? Giovanni Coratolo joins Jim Blasingame to discuss the fact the budget hasn't been set for this fiscal year by Congress, which is their ONE job, plus how they've done things we haven't asked them to do.
Will the new tax bill pass? Giovanni Coratolo joins Jim Blasingame to talk about the current tax debate and whether the bill will pass, plus a sidebar on what it would look like if businesses were run like Congress runs the government.
What's happening with the healthcare bill? Giovanni Coratolo joins Jim Blasingame to discuss how the bill was deemed unconstitutional and how we're looking at another 2 years of debate, which will likely go in front of the Supreme Court.
Thursday - December 16, 2010
Jeff Zbar joins Jim Blasingame to discuss new small business tax law changes that you may be able to take advantage of, including equipment purchases you can expense.
Jeff Zbar joins Jim Blasingame to discuss the importance of not only keeping up with your online passwords and where you use them, but also change them regularly to avoid being compromised.
Bill Dunkelberg joins Jim Blasingame to report on this month’s survey that although this is an atypical recovery based on the long duration, the economy is trending upward.
Bill Dunkelberg joins Jim Blasingame to discuss NFIB’s November 2010 trends survey which reveals an improvement in economic optimism in hiring, capital spending and credit availability and financing.
Bill Dunkelberg joins Jim Blasingame to reveal this month’s NFIB report indicates an expectation of gains in sales, an increase in pricing and improved profitability, plus the danger of inflation.
What will the workplace look like in 2020? Jeanne Meister joins Jim Blasingame to describe how technology will affect the workplace in 2020, which will be more global, age diverse and virtual.
How virtual will your workplace be in 2020? Jeanne Meister joins Jim Blasingame to discuss how virtual the 2020 workplace will be, who will be participating, and how will the different generations handle it?
How are e-books growing around the world? Mark Coker joins Jim Blasingame to talk about what he learned about how the world is taking to e-books during his recent multi-continent speaking tour.
You can see the future of book publishing today. Mark Coker joins Jim Blasingame to talk about how his company, SmashWords, is one of the paradigm shifters for the publishing industry, including helping authors.
What is the future of publishing? Mark Coker joins Jim Blasingame to discuss the shift from traditional to digital publishing, and how this is affecting industry players - authors, publishers and consumers - and determining winners and losers.
Friday - December 17, 2010
What are the important issues when starting a small business? Andrew Oman joins Jim Blasingame to talk about why delivering value is more important than what you sell or your price and serving others is key to serving yourself.
How do you become a successful small business owner? Andrew Oman joins Jim Blasingame to discuss the importance of being unique and delivering a valuable product to a certain group of people, not necessarily the whole world.
Why is it so difficult to think about trust? Arky Ciancutti joins Jim Blasingame to talk about why we don't spend more time discussing the importance of trust due to past betrayals, despite the fact we use it every day.
How can you build trust in your organization? Arky Ciancutti joins Jim Blasingame to discuss the difficulty and importance of trust and how to begin building trust in your organization and rule out suspicions.
How can you eliminate the fear and open up for trust? Arky Ciancutti joins Jim Blasingame to talk about the fear in trusting and how understanding your fears can help you release the grip and open up for more trusting relationships.
What's the debate on regulations and restrictions for the Internet? Jonathan Zuck and Jim Blasingame discuss the beginnings of regulations and restrictions for the World Wide Web, including Net Neutrality.
Jonathan Zuck and Jim Blasingame discuss the current and evolving debate over "Net Neutrality," which is essentially about who controls the Internet: government, big corporations or the end user, including small businesses.
How does Net Neutrality affect small business? Jonathan Zuck and Jim Blasingame talk about Net Neutrality and how small businesses could pay more for Internet use due to companies who put more demand on the Internet refusing to pay more.
Monday - December 20, 2010
How can delegating and outsourcing help you synthesize time? Christina Perkett joins Jim Blasingame with tips on how to better manage your time and leverage yourself by becoming a better delegator and entering into outsourcing contracts.
Could you solve your sales deficit by just committing to a marketing budget? Christina Perkett joins Jim Blasingame to discuss how a commitment to marketing is an investment, not an expense, plus where to start with social media.
It’s redundant to say “under-capitalized small business.”Tracy Eden joins Jim Blasingame to discuss the constant need for capital in a small business and some of the challenges therein.
Tracy Eden joins Jim Blasingame to talk about the trend in small business capital demand and how asset-based financial lending can help bridge the gap when a bank loan is not possible.
Is factoring and other asset-based financial resources right for you? Tracy Eden joins Jim Blasingame to reveal how factoring and other asset-based lending works and tips on how to decide if it's right for your small business.
How have things changed in Egypt? Gene Griessman joins Jim Blasingame with a perspective on how Egypt has changed from his time there 20 years ago and his recent trip, including the influence of fundamentalist Islam.
Why Egyptians like Americans better than Indians? Gene Griessman joins Jim Blasingame with a travelogue on his recent trip to Egypt, and why the "Ugly American" has been replaced by the loved American.
How is technology is changing the sales process? Skip Miller joins Jim Blasingame to discuss how technology is bringing outsides salespeople inside and making them more productive.
What can you do to maximize your sales effort? Skip Miller joins Jim Blasingame to reveal two sales traps, including when to give your team their new year sales and compensation plan, plus how to focus on your top performers.
Have your salespeople allowed themselves to get caught in the 'maybe" trap? Skip Miller joins Jim Blasingame to discuss how to drive revenue and become a better forecaster by eliminating the "maybe" prospects and focusing on when the customer intends to take delivery.
Tuesday - December 21, 2010
Is courage the first virtue in your small business? Bill Treasurer joins Jim Blasingame to discuss how courage is the first virtue for leaders and why, plus the tone you set in your workplace is the setting for fear or courage.
Are you using courage to transform your workplace? Bill Treasurer joins Jim Blasingame to offer four tips for using courage to transform the workplace, including jumping first, creating safety, harnessing fear, and modulating comfort.
How engaged are your employees? Michael Stallard joins Jim Blasingame to talk about why now is the time to engage your employees by boosting unity and employee effort, and why you have to keep people's hearts in the business.
Are you implementing the key elements of engagement in your business? Michael Stallard joins Jim Blasingame to discuss three key elements of engagement, starting with vision and value, and how to practice them with your employees.
How do you give your employees a voice? Michael Stallard joins Jim Blasingame to discuss the third key element of engagement: giving your employees a voice and how to do that, plus a free version of Fired Up or Burned Out.
What is the DREAM Act? Tamar Jacoby joins Jim Blasingame to talk about what the DREAM Act is, what it would mean for immigrated minors who are going to college or into the military, and why it didn't pass in the U.S. Senate.
How is immigration in Europe and America? Tamar Jacoby joins Jim Blasingame to talk about European and American immigration, including America's political aspect of immigration and Europe's lack of replacement of their workers.
How do you know what online services work for you? Anita Rosen joins Jim Blasingame to talk about new online services that are available and how to use them to your small business' advantage, such as Groupon.
What are the locals saying about your small business? Anita Rosen joins Jim Blasingame to talk about having a website and knowing what people are saying or tweeting about your business - you can't afford not to.
Why should you have an online presence? Anita Rosen joins Jim Blasingame to talk about how the future is online and especially mobile, so it's important you have at least a website, plus the future of apps.
Wednesday - December 22, 2010
What impression are you sending with your social media activity? Kathy Perry joins Jim Blasingame to discuss how to craft your social media profile and messages to make sure you're sending the impression that conveys the best possible image.
Are your social media posts good for business? Kathy Perry joins Jim Blasingame with tips on posting the proper mix of business and personal information, plus Jim makes a social media prediction.
There is no place to hide. Bob Negen joins Jim Blasingame to discuss why there is an increasing emphasis on customers connecting how what you say matches up with what you do, and how that impacts business performance.
Do you need to offer warranties and guarantees? Bob Negen joins Jim Blasingame to talk about the value of a warranty/guarantee strategy, why customers like them and how they may change in the next decade.
The money’s not yours until the customer is happy. Bob Negen joins Jim Blasingame to talk about why thinking of customers relationships, not sales transactions, will help you create a more successful return strategy that actually contributes to more sales.
How do you connect with prospects and stay connected to customers? Joyce Weiss joins Jim Blasingame to discuss strategic and practical ways to get connected to customers and stay connected across the generational divides.
building credibility by becoming a center-of-influence. Joyce Weiss joins Jim Blasingame to reveal why it's a good long-term business strategy to help customers heal their business pain with referrals to other professionals.
The November 2010 elections produced many long-term changes in the states. Pete Sepp joins Jim Blasingame to discuss the down-ballot issues that voters approved that has the potential to improve national tax policy.
What's in the new tax bill? Pete Sepp joins Jim Blasingame to talk about the details of the recent tax bill, including the treatment of income tax, R&D credits and resurrection of the estate tax.
Why are Europe's problems a gift to America? Pete Sepp joins Jim Blasingame to talk about the likelihood of the government actually getting control of spending and deficits, plus why fiscal problems in Europe should help the U.S. get it's house in order.
Thursday - December 23, 2010
How organized are your email, folders and boxes? Christina Cavanagh joins Jim Blasingame to offer tips and best practices on taking control of your email, including creating folders and other archiving steps.
Are you syncing all of your telecom tools and applications? Christina Cavanagh joins Jim Blasingame to talk about how to set up your electronic communication devices and applications more effectively.
Profitability is not just about buying low and selling high. Steve Martin joins Jim Blasingame to report that intellectual property that can be delivered or licensed can be an important profit driver for any small business.
What if you had valuable trade secrets in your business? Steve Martin joins Jim Blasingame to talk about growing your business by leveraging your trade secrets through intellectual property licensing or other distribution channels.
Successful licensing contracts begin trust. Steve Martin joins Jim Blasingame to discuss the components of an intellectual property licensing contract and the value of mutual trust between licensing parties.
There is real power in connecting your network of communities. Debra Fine joins Jim Blasingame to discuss the practices and tools that help you leverage communities as a network you can support and that can provide referrals and support for you.
Your network of communities could reach around the globe? Debra Fine joins Jim Blasingame to talk about leveraging your community building activity - virtually or in person - to create local and global networks.
Do you have policies that are good for your business but not for your customer? Leigh Branham joins Jim Blasingame to discuss how dangerous policies can be when they have the result of making you irrelevant to customers.
Could your policies be costing you good employees AND customers? Leigh Branham joins Jim Blasingame to talk about the damage that can result when you require employees to defend bad company policies.
Here's how to identify and eliminate your poisonous policies? Leigh Branham joins Jim Blasingame to discuss how to ferret out and kill your business policies that may be killing your business.
Friday - December 24, 2010
On his annual live Christmas show, Jim Blasingame celebrates this important season with Bible verses from the Old and New Testaments, plus a poem from the book, "Anam Cara" by Jim's friend, the late John O'Donohue.
On this Christmas Eve, Jim Blasingame defends his reputation as a scrooge while encouraging extending the holiday spirit of giving to help those in need all year round.
Andrew Sherman joins Jim Blasingame to discuss the new edition of Andrew’s book, Licensing and Franchising, and how these legal tools have changed in the last 20 years.
On this Christmas Eve, Andrew Sherman joins Jim Blasingame, a Jew and a Christian, to talk about the power of tolerance and diversity and the selfish reason why these concepts should matter to you.
Jim Blasingame and his Jewish friend, Andrew Sherman, celebrate what we all have in common, a core set of values that have been with humans of all faiths for thousands of years.
What are the intangibles that hold you together? Jim Blasingame is live on Christmas Eve to share an editorial from 1897, 'Yes, Virginia, There is a Santa Clause,' and to talk about valuable intangibles.
Honor, duty, and sacrifice, even at - especially at - Christmas. Jim Blasingame shares a Christmas poem by James M. Schmidt to recognize the men and women in our armed forces who put themselves in harm's way for a grateful nation, even at Christmas.
"The greatest sin is an unlived life." Jim Blasingame is live on Christmas Eve with some insight from his friend, the late John O'Donohue proposed that one of the greatest sins is an unlived life.
There is still time to avoid - not evade - taxes for 2010. Barbara Weltman joins Jim Blasingame to offer tips on year-end tax planning, such as working with a tax advisor about pre-paying expenses, establishing a 401k, etc..
Americans have a lot to be grateful for. Barbara Weltman joins Jim Blasingame to discuss some of the most important reasons they are grateful to be citizens of America, including freedom of religion.
Monday - December 27, 2010
Does what you do make you happy? Karen Post joins Jim Blasingame to reveal how to develop a plan to reinvent yourself and offer tips on setting attainable goals through incremental planning.
How is small business branding changing in the second decade of the 21st century? Karen Post joins Jim Blasingame to discuss the impact 21st century customers are having on how your brand is being defined.
Attempting to explain what Net Neutrality means for small business, Morgan Reed joins Jim Blasingame to sort out the players in this very complicated world of Internet and content providers, wired and wireless firms and, of course, the government.
How is the economy for small business? SCORE's Ken Yancey joins Jim Blasingame to talk about what he has seen across the country during this marathon recovery for small business owners, including the challenges for start-ups.
How can SCORE help your small business? Ken Yancey joins Jim Blasingame to explain how his organization of volunteers help small businesses of all stages compete in the new marketplace, including how easy it is to just ask for help.
A new crop of small business owners is growing. Jori Clarke joins Jim Blasingame to discuss the next generation of small business owners - kids - and how they're learning online through KidsCom.com to start and grow a small business.
The power of community must be part of the education of our children. Jori Clarke joins Jim Blasingame to combining the virtual entrepreneurial education with an appreciation for the power of community and real-world relationships.
Teaching values and entrepreneurship? Jori Clarke joins Jim Blasingame to talk about why while we're teaching our kids about entrepreneurship, we also need to talk about the values of trust, honesty, fairness, courage, etc.
Tuesday - December 28, 2010
Are you at the top of your game? Pam Harper joins Jim Blasingame to reveal tips and best practices that will help you accomplish peak performance for yourself and business by focusing on intermediate outcomes.
Pam Harper joins Jim Blasingame to reveal how to achieve peak performance by establishing checkpoints and comparing what has been accomplished, what has changed and making adjustments as necessary.
Are the challenges to ObamaCare finding success? Grace-Marie Turner joins Jim Blasingame to discuss outcomes of the recent court cases that are challenging ObamaCare, plus the return of death panels.
Will Obamacare cause companies to drop employee coverage? Grace-Marie Turner joins Jim Blasingame to talk about how ObamaCare will impact a small business' ability to provide health care coverage for employees.
Will ObamaCare survive against the Constitution? Grace-Marie Turner joins Jim Blasingame to discuss the many legal, legislative, political and Constitutional obstacles facing ObamaCare . Plus Jim makes a prediction about the next presidential election.
Are your employees teams working? Chester Elton joins Jim Blasingame to discuss how strengthening the performance of employee teams by helping them feel they are working for a cause greater than the company or themselves, including being the best at what you do.
Are you following the Rule of Three? Chester Elton joins Jim Blasingame to talk about the Rule of Three for teamwork: Commit to be world class, No surprises, and Cheer for each other - these steps will help your team succeed.
Who are the next generation of entrepreneurs? Ken Gronbach joins Jim Blasingame to talk about the Generation Y wave of entrepreneurs who will be shaping the future and why educating them is important.
What happens as young entrepreneurs take over? Ken Gronbach joins Jim Blasingame to discuss how Generation Y entrepreneurs will impact the marketplace as they compete with more technology and less overhead.
How will new Generation Y small businesses disrupt the marketplace? Ken Gronbach joins Jim Blasingame to talk about the impact of millions of Generation Y start-ups entering the marketplace every year.
Wednesday - December 29, 2010
Do you say yes in negotiations waaay too soon? Jim Camp joins Jim Blasingame to reveal that, historically, negotiating meant compromising, but successful business relationships are recognizing that your position is strengthened more when you say “no”.
Why is it important to get "no" on the table quickly in a negotiation? Jim Camp joins Jim Blasingame to reveal that when you give vendors or customers permission to say “no” to you, it will bring down barriers in your negotiations.
Ted Fishman joins Jim Blasingame to discuss the concerns of America's aging population, the social and economic conditions they want addressed, plus a comparison with the challenges in Europe.
What does the employment future hold for Baby Boomers? Ted Fishman joins Jim Blasingame to talk about the stubborn structural unemployment in America and its effects on older workers, whether for employment or to start a small business.
Ted Fishman joins Jim Blasingame to discuss why Baby Boomers are not ready for retirement and their concerns about social security, plus the realization that most of us are going to have to work longer.
What will be the big topics at the 2011 Computer Electronics Show? Ramon Ray joins Jim Blasingame to preview CES 2011, including telecom, mobile, physical security electronics, printers and Net Neutrality.
What did we learn from the Skype outage? Ramon Ray joins Jim Blasingame to discuss the two-day Skype outage and why you should have a back-up plan, plus more on CES 2011.
How did the 2010 economy turn out? Richard DeKaser joins Jim Blasingame to talk about what was good and not-so-good about the economy in 2010, plus whether there is a disconnect between Wall Street Main Street.
What will the 2011 economy look like? Richard DeKaser joins Jim Blasingame with his economic outlook for 2011, including better GDP, declining unemployment, consumer spending and more, plus exports and foreign trade.
How does 2011 look for small businesses? Richard DeKaser joins Jim Blasingame to talk about next year's economy for small business, including increase productivity and efficiencies through technology and hiring.
Thursday - December 30, 2010
How much will apps be part of your life and business? Jeff Zbar joins Jim Blasingame to talk about why consumers are more knowledgeable about technology than ever before, and why apps are going to be a big part of your future.
What's next in technology? Jeff Zbar joins Jim Blasingame to report on some of the new techno gadgets, including a hybrid of the tablet and the notebook computer, plus new smart phone capability and better mobile computing.
Will college and graduate entry experience a paradigm shift? Jack Uldrich joins Jim Blasingame with a prediction for undergraduates of online universities regarding their ability to be accepted into graduate schools.
Do online universities provide a comparable education to traditional colleges? Jack Uldrich joins Jim Blasingame to continue their discussion on the future of e-Universities as compared to traditional colleges, including the vast cost differences.
How much interactive marketing will you accept? Jack Uldrich joins Jim Blasingame with a prediction that interactive billboards will profile consumers as they enter stores and assist them as they shop, but will this help or intrude?
Do ALL of your presentations serve you well? Diane DiResta joins Jim Blasingame to reveal that every connection you make with customers is a presentation, whether a voice mail, email, business card or proposal. Take the time and effort to get it right.
Your presentation is NOT about you. Diane DiResta joins Jim Blasingame to remind you that your presentation is about the person your connecting with, not about you - get over yourself and focus on the customer.
Don't miss this great American family business success story. Jack Mitchell joins Jim Blasingame to talk about how his family business started with Mom and Pop in the 1950s and now has grown to nine family members and multiple locations across the country.
How do you leverage family business values across an organization? Jack Mitchell joins Jim Blasingame to discuss how to maintain family values as you grow and expand and take on more family members and employees.
How do you do maintenance on a healthy family business? Jack Mitchell joins Jim Blasingame to talk about his 3rd generation family business and how they've function daily, periodically and generationally.
Friday - December 31, 2010
Is there chivalry among men but not between women? Katherine Crowley joins Jim Blasingame to discuss the differences in how men and women compete in the workplace and reveal why women are not as direct as men, but should be.
Do women have more workplace competition than men? Katherine Crowley joins Jim Blasingame to reveal that women have unspoken rules of engagement in the workplace and how it holds them back by creating two different competitive fronts.
For the past 10 years, Jim Blasingame has made predictions for the upcoming year. At the end of 2010, Jim reviews his predictions for the end-of-year GDP and environment for start ups and reports on the results. Get the rest of his prediction recap in the other two segments.
Jim Blasingame continues to recap his 2010 predictions, what happened and his score. This segment is about small business lending, structural unemployment and the aversion to adding debt.
Jim concludes the results of his 2010 predictions, including what he believed would happen on Wall Street and in Washington, plus he reveals his 2010 accuracy rating and his 10-year batting average.
What do women have to do to acquire investor capital? Kim Lavine joins Jim Blasingame to encourage women to "man up" and get the nerve to stand up for themselves and get equity capital from angel and venture capital investors.
Why aren't women getting capital? Kim Lavine joins Jim Blasingame to talk about why women are not getting their fair share of investor capital and her event that will turn this trend around.
Will the second decade of the 21st century be that much different? Leslie Kossoff joins Jim Blasingame to discuss what Jim calls The Age of the Customer™, and what small business owners must do for their customers.
It's all about the customer, not your small business. Leslie Kossoff joins Jim Blasingame to reveal why every business owner has to ask what we do now and how well does that align with what customers want now.
What will product development be like in The Age of the Customer™? Leslie Kossoff joins Jim Blasingame to talk about how to determine if your product is aligned with what customers want today and in the future.
