Monday - March 01, 2010
Every entrepreneur should know the four stages of small business development, according to Ed Abel, as he joins Jim Blasingame to identify and define these four stages: infancy, toddler, adolescence and adult. Your small business is in one of these stages.
How is small business selling different in the Age of the Customer? Chad and Jeff Koser join Jim Blasingame to talk about how selling has changed as we learn more about the "new normal" selling practices in The Age of the Customer™.
How valuable could peer coaching be for a small business owner? Mary Hessler Key and Jim Blasingame talk about why peer coaching is extremely critical in the quest for business excellence, since it's very difficult to effectively critique our own actions and performance.
Inspirational stories of turning adversity into success are the topic of David Heenan's visit with Jim Blasingame as David introduces several real-life stories of people who overcame insurmountable odds and claimed success.
Tuesday - March 02, 2010
How do population demographics impact your small business? Ken Gronbach joins Jim Blasingame with new generational facts and perspectives that every business should pay attention to from both an offensive and defensive standpoint.
Is your small business prepared for business interruption? Rod Kurtz and Jim Blasingame talk about some of the things that could put you out of business, from temporary to worse, and what you need to do to prepare for such eventualities, from natural disasters to losing a hard drive.
Identifying the "3 Rs" of small business success, Tom Becka talks with Jim Blasingame about recognition, respect and reward, plus one secret "R".
Is your small business ready to sell? John Warrillow joins Jim Blasingame to discuss how to make sure your business is ready to be sold for the maximum price when you're ready to sell. He includes some of the mistakes he made the first time around.
Wednesday - March 03, 2010
More and more people are developing small business applications for the many "smart phones." Ruth King is one of those and she joins Jim Blasingame to talk about the new iPhone applications she's created and others she's working on so that small business owners can acquire information on their mobile devices.
What do recent Fed adjustments in interest rates mean for small business? Richard DeKaser joins Jim Blasingame to report on why small businesses should care when the Fed increases the interest rate at the "discount window."
Looking for ways to improve your business's capital picture? Linda Ireland joins Jim Blasingame to identify how doing a better job of serving customers is one of the best ways to find new capital organically.
Build trust by creating a performance clock. Trust expert, Arky Ciancutti joins Jim Blasingame to talk about how to foster and perpetuate trust within an organization. Jim identifies his "performance clock" idea for promoting trust. They also talk about how trust failure within cause customer problems without.
Reporting on economic conditions, Richard DeKaser joins Jim Blasingame to discuss some of the key elements of this recovery, including the positive signs as well as the troubling ones.
Reporting on the housing industry recovery progress, economist, Richard DeKaser, joins Jim Blasingame to identify some of the issues in this sector that he believes are more troublesome for recovery than even the current and extended jobless recovery..
Thursday - March 04, 2010
What does failed leadership look like and what are the dangers? Tim Irwin joins Jim Blasingame to talk about what happens when our character gets compromised by hubris and we fail to serve those we are supposed to be leading.
Carbon restriction is building: How should small businesses prepare? Bruce Piasecki joins Jim Blasingame to identify the forces behind this movement, what carbon restrictions will look like, what are the implications for small businesses and what we should do to prepare our businesses.
Kiplinger reports on the jobs growth picture. Joan Pryde joins Jim Blasingame to report on what is being called the "mother of all jobless recoveries," including some of the key elements that are holding back business hiring.
Kiplinger reports on recent economy-focused legislation. Joan Pryde joins Jim Blasingame to talk about the various proposals that are working their way through Congress to improve jobs growth, adjust employment benefits, tax estates, provide more capital for small businesses.
Reporting on several current events issues, Kiplinger's Joan Pryde joins Jim Blasingame to discuss the current state of health care reform legislation, plus a push by product producers to sell their goods directly to customers via e-commerce from their website.
Friday - March 05, 2010
Here's another great American entrepreneurial story. Tony Lamb joins Jim Blasingame to talk about how he took an unexpected "aha" moment and turned it into one of the fastest growing franchise organizations in the country, even in the middle of the Great Recession.
What are the typical jobs of the future? Futurist, Jack Uldrich, joins Jim Blasingame to talk about some of the most likely 21st century job opportunities, and all of them have technology proficiency as a requirement.
What is the role of gender communication in the marketplace? Pamela Perkins joins Jim Blasingame to discuss why it's important to have the communication perspectives of both genders represented in the workplace and the marketplace. Jim and Pamela always have a lively gender debate.
Economist, Ray Keating, joins Jim Blasingame to discuss lagging consumer confidence, stubbornly slow jobs growth and how some public policy issues are holding back economic recovery.
Monday - March 08, 2010
Celebrating International Women's Day, Nell Merlino joins Jim Blasingame to talk about the growth of women-owned businesses, plus some resources that are available to help women grow their businesses to their first million in sales.
Can you get educated in the discipline of entrepreneurship? Debbie Meyer joins Jim Blasingame to discuss entrepreneurship as a discipline that can be taught and learned, as it is being done in schools around the country. Even if you're already in business, it's not too late to get this training.
How do you establish an effective partnership? Ed Kopf joins Jim Blasingame to talk about some of the key issues that can derail a partnership and how to avoid them, including setting the partnership up the right way in the beginning.
The three pillars of quality deliver more profits, according to quality expert, Leslie Kossoff, as she talks with Jim Blasingame about the steps that help you be proactive, predictable and eliminate waste, on your way to predictable profits.
Tuesday - March 09, 2010
Delivering some tough love on acquiring a franchise, Joel Libava talks with Jim Blasingame about the key issues that are involved in buying a franchise, including cyclical headwinds and perennial challenges.
Reporting on the Tatum Survey of economic conditions for March 2010, Sam Norwood joins Jim Blasingame to identify the areas where the economy is lagging, like capital expenditures, and those that are improving, like employment and order backlogs. They also talk about some of the emotional issues that are holding back the recovery.
Promoting women-owned businesses internationally, Terry Neese joins Jim Blasingame to talk about some of the things that are being done to help women in Afghanistan, Iraq and other countries to claim their place in society and the global marketplace.
The shadow banking system caused the financial crisis, as David Adler reports with Jim Blasingame, when confidence collapsed in the unregulated banking transactions between Wall Street banks. Adler says this system is larger than the visible banking industry and the problem still has not been addressed.
There is a new franchise acquisition learning center. Joel Libava joins Jim Blasingame to talk about some of the educational resources he has developed for his new Franchise Online University.
Thursday - March 11, 2010
Broadcasting live from the Ex-Im Bank's 2010 Annual Conference, Jim Blasingame talks about the excellent experience he had during his stay and work at the Omni Shoreham Hotel in Washington, D.C., and why every small business should model their execution after this organization.
How much of a drain will commercial real estate have on the economic recovery? Joan Pryde joins Jim Blasingame to report on how much of a problem this sector will be over the next year. They also cover global economic recovery, plus proposed tax issues.
Talking about small business capital support from the U.S. Government, Jim Blasingame reports from the 2010 Ex-Im Bank's Annual Conference with a message about how a small business can acquire growth capital by incorporating a bank, the SBA and Export-Import Bank.
Don't miss this small business success story, as Luis Arguello joins Jim Blasingame to talk about how he has carved out a niche within a niche and has developed a global reach for his 40 employee company. He also explains how he has used resources from the U.S. government - Ex-Im Bank and the SBA - to help him grow his business.
How do you become the "ding" in branding when customers decide to buy something and immediately see a brand in their mind? Jim Blasingame talks about what a small business must do to differentiate itself in The Age of the Customer™.
Friday - March 12, 2010
How do you manage communication styles among e-channels? Jeff Zbar joins Jim Blasingame to talk about why you shouldn't use texting styles in email, plus other suggestions about business communication across all platforms in the 21st century.
What does it take to gain control and master your workday? Michael Linenberger joins Jim Blasingame to reveal a number of tips and best practices you can use to get your work and time organized and lose the crisis management and nervous breakdowns.
How will Apple's iPad change our world? Joel Barker joins Jim Blasingame to report on how Apple's iPad will change many things but especially how we consume magazines and, therefore, the magazine printing industry.
What's in store for us in a carbon-constrained world? Bruce Bartlett joins Jim Blasingame to talk about how we should be thinking about our relationship with carbon-based energy as we move into the rest of the 21st century.
What are the best ways to NOT create jobs? Bruce Bartlett joins Jim Blasingame to talk about some of the policy blunders the government makes and proposes that do not create jobs growth.
Should we worry about the national debt? Bruce Bartlett joins Jim Blasingame to put the national debt in perspective with other national financial indicators, such as the budget, GDP and the national net worth.
What does nano-printing, sea slugs and blood have to do with each other? Joel Barker joins Jim Blasingame to report on how discoveries and innovations in these three areas will have a big impact on our lives.
Monday - March 15, 2010
David Foss joins Jim Blasingame as he broadcasts live from the Association for Financial Technology's 2010 Conference in Orlando. David reveals how his industry serves small businesses through banks, including check and credit card processing, plus accounts receivable financing.
There are several current business tax questions that are going unresolved by Congress, according to Pete Sepp as he joins Jim Blasingame to talk about some of these, including the Alternative Minimum Tax fix, the Bush tax cuts, the research and development deduction, and others.
How you deliver the spoken word matters. Renee Grant-Williams joins Jim Blasingame to reveal how you may be derailing success by the way you deliver your message in a job interview or a sales call.
Some things should be non-negotiable, especially in sales. Brad Huisken joins Jim Blasingame to identify those practices that must be non-negotiable with your sales people if you expect to survive and thrive in your small business.
The current health care reform steps offend democracy. Pete Sepp joins Jim Blasingame to identify some of the process steps Congressional leaders are taking to pass health care reform that include passing a bill and the President signs the law without a vote by members of the House.
Tuesday - March 16, 2010
What will the small business workplace look like in 2020? Bob Kustka joins Jim Blasingame to offer his ideas on some of the ways the workplace will have evolved by the year 2020, including more teleworking, better management and even holograms.
Why is micromanagement a style that doesn't work in the 21st century? Stephen Baum joins Jim Blasingame to identify why micromanagement doesn't fit the the current and future workplace, the pace of the economy or competitive realities.
What's the difference between good customer service and the customer service experience? Micah Solomon joins Jim Blasingame to talk about why serving customers in a way that makes them loyal is different in the 21st century.
What will the Fed do with monetary policy? Former Fed insider, Bob McTeer, joins Jim Blasingame to predict what will be discussed in this month's Federal Open Market Committee Meeting, whether they will raise rates or just change their language.
How are leading small business CEOs preparing for the recovery? Stephen Baum joins Jim Blasingame to identify some of the ways CEOs are simultaneously staying operationally vigilant while keeping an eye out for new opportunities, such as acquiring distresses competitors.
How will proposed financial regulations hurt small business? Former Fed insider, Bob McTeer, joins Jim Blasingame to report some of the elements in proposed financial regulatory laws and why they will ultimately harm small businesses.
Wednesday - March 17, 2010
America needs health care reform, not health care politics. Jim Blasingame talks about his 12-year history of encouraging market-based health care reform, and why the politically motivated proposals are more about political control than true reform.
Interactive is the future of customer service, according to Joseph Jaffe, as he joins Jim Blasingame to talk about some of the paradigms that are shifting away from 20th century marketing toward 21st century connection and communication with prospects and customers.
Knowing when to listen to your mother for business advice. Ilise Benun joins Jim Blasingame to offer several pieces of advice we all have received from our mothers and which ones to follow and which ones to avoid as we grow our businesses.
How can you marketing your small business with little or no budget? Bob Bly joins Jim Blasingame to identify and discuss several low cost or free tools and practices you can use to reach and sell more customers.
Proposed financial regulations could hurt small business. Jim Blasingame talks about how new laws adding more banking and financial regulations could actually hurt small business, and he compares these proposals to the ill-advised Sarbanes-Oxley bill of 2002.
Thursday - March 18, 2010
Are you celebrating the incremental accomplishments of your small business? Even just the fact that you've survived the Great Recession? Jim Blasingame talks about why you should do this and how.
Delivering the NFIB March report on small business conditions, Bill Dunkelberg joins Jim Blasingame to talk about the slow pace of the economic recovery, including sales, price levels, jobs growth, capital expenditures and access to credit.
Reporting on progress in the war in Afghanistan, Kiplinger's Joan Pryde joins Jim Blasingame with the progress, and they compare this effort with that of past attempts at controlling this region.
What are small business owners happy about? Beverly Inman-Ebel joins Jim Blasingame to report on a recent survey of what small business owners are doing about maintaining a positive attitude.
Reporting on current economic issues, Joan Pryde joins Jim Blasingame to talk about productivity gains, challenges in the housing industry among other economic indicators.
Reporting on tax issues affecting small business, Kiplinger's Joan Pryde talks with Jim Blasingame about jobs creation tax deductions, Section 179 direct expending and other elements of the evolving tax code.
Kiplinger on the looming states' rights battles with the Feds. Joan Pryde joins Jim Blasingame to talk about some of the federal mandates that various states are taking exception with and the plans being taken to resist these future obligations.
Friday - March 19, 2010
How did a 1st grade teacher become an inventor/entrepreneur? Rachael Smith joins Jim Blasingame with her Mompreneurial story about how she reinvented herself by inventing a better diaper bag. This is a fun and inspirational interview.
Are there global private investors who are willing to help capitalize American businesses? Andrew Sherman joins Jim Blasingame to talk about how some venture capital deals are courting foreign investors and why.
How does an entrepreneur know when to make adjustments? Greg Reid joins Jim Blasingame to talk about the importance of persevering as an entrepreneur instead of giving up, but also knowing when to move a little to one side or the other and look for opportunity there.
How do you make your small business attractive to angel investors? Tim Berry joins Jim Blasingame to talk about the concept and specifics of making your small business and your goals conform to the things an angel investor finds attractive.
How does a Mompreneur decide to take her invention to market? Rachael Smith talks with Jim Blasingame about the decision-making process she used to decide to market her own invention, rather than license it to another company.
How are lending conditions evolving in the U.S. banking industry? Andrew Sherman joins Jim Blasingame to discuss the incremental changes in borrowed capital availability for small businesses as well as larger ones.
What does the merger and acquisition market look like? Andrew Sherman joins Jim Blasingame to report on why the current state of mergers and acquisitions is drastically below pre-2008 levels.
Monday - March 22, 2010
What's the difference between planning and strategy? Walter Kiechel joins Jim Blasingame to talk about why business leaders must do more than just react with execution but must also incorporate strategic thinking into their future plans.
What will small business strategy look like in a carbon and capital constrained world? Bruce Piasecki joins Jim Blasingame to talk about what the future is going to look like with regard to energy and capital, including ideas on how to make more appropriate decisions.
With a case study on how to overcome too much debt, Jerry Silberman joins Jim Blasingame to talk about a workout case study to negotiate lowering debt that would otherwise have taken the business down.
What will be the impact of Obama Care on small business? Brian Moran joins Jim Blasingame to talk about the so-called health care reform bill, will it work as proposed and how small businesses will deal with this new program.
Tuesday - March 23, 2010
Paul Casey joins Jim Blasingame to reveal some of the key characteristics, traits and realities of being an entrepreneur, including important questions you have to answer for yourself and your family.
The impact of the health care law on economic recovery? Jim Blasingame delivers a sobering evaluation of the negative effect he thinks the health care law will have on economic recovery.
Protect your assets: Consider online data back-up. Jim Blasingame talks about his organization's experiences in backing up digital assets, why they most recently have turned to an online data back-up service and why he recommend this for you.
The health care reform bill is law: What now? Rich Galen joins Jim Blasingame to ponder what will be the economic and political realities as the new bill is promulgated and executed across the American society and marketplace.
What is the importance of leadership on our future? Pam Bilbrey joins Jim Blasingame to talk about how small business owners can become more effective leaders inside the four walls of their businesses, but also why they need to become the leaders of Main Street as we take back America from Washington and Wall Street.
Wednesday - March 24, 2010
Economic recovery is waiting on leadership, not policies. That's the information David Rock delivers in his visit with Jim Blasingame. He reveals that we are less productive when we're fearful and uncertain about the future, and that we will respond more positively to a hopeful message than a new policy.
Do you know what "green washing" means? Allison Diboll reports with Jim Blasingame that this term once meant you were a proponent of energy conservation. But now it has evolved to identify organizations that may talk about conservation, but their behavior doesn't match the marketing message.
More loans won't cause small businesses to hire more people. That's the message Tracy Eden and Jim Blasingame have to the question about lending to small businesses. The problem isn't more loans, it's minimizing fear and uncertainty.
Are you maximizing the available technology? Ranjith Kumaran joins Jim Blasingame to talk about some of the innovations that will help small businesses become more competitive, even with big business competitors. Examples include new file transfer platforms, plus cloud computing.
Going "green" is good for your small business, according to Alison Diboll, as she discusses with Jim Blasingame why the green movement is not only the right thing to do, but it's also good business. Jim also explains why you can be against climate change legislation and still be in favor of the green movement.
The truth about small business access to capital isn't what you hear on television or from Washington. Tracy Eden and Jim Blasingame talk about the why main stream media and President Obama are completely wrong when they say small businesses can't get loans, and identify a number of Main Street loan sources that never stopped working with small businesses.
Thursday - March 25, 2010
Cinda Baxter joins Jim Blasingame to report on what the 3/50 Project is, how it's saving Main Street one small business at a time, what you can do to help, and the next phase of this grass roots phenomenon.
What is keeping small businesses from hiring? Gene Marks talks with Jim Blasingame about several reasons why small businesses are delaying their plans to put workers back on payroll, including uncertainty about public policy issues, such as health care reform, and others.
What PR lessons can small businesses learn from the Toyota product recall fiasco? Ruth Sherman joins Jim Blasingame to offer several tips and best practices that you should apply when communicating with your customers, whether the news is good or bad.
When acquiring a small business, should you buy stock or assets? Attorney, Cliff Ennico, joins Jim Blasingame to identify examples of when you should buy just the assets of a company and when you should buy the stock. He also talks about when to incorporate and when to use a limited liability company (LLC).
Beware of the emerging franchise. That's the advice of attorney, Cliff Ennico, as he talks with Jim Blasingame about low-cost franchise opportunities offered by new or untested franchises with very few other franchisees.
Friday - March 26, 2010
How do you teach your organization to think of customer complaints as opportunities? Barbara Burke talks with Jim Blasingame about how to teach practices and instill attitudes that make customers want you to help them when they need it.
How do you build a complementary team? Stephen Covey joins Jim Blasingame to reveal the make-up of a 21st century organization, including an environment that fosters creativity, risk-taking, redemption for mistakes and servant-leadership by management.
Are you prepared to take advantage of the next bear market? Bob Fischer joins Jim Blasingame to reveal specific practices you can use that will help you execute an investment plan to take advantage of the next bear market.
Monday - March 29, 2010
Announcing a new channel devoted to the wonders of wildlife around the globe, National Geographic V.P., Geoff Daniels talks with Jim Blasingame about the launch of National Geographic's new network, Nat Geo WILD, including some of the specific programs.
How do you transfer your sense of urgency to make a sale to your customer? Robert Jolles joins Jim Blasingame with some tips and best practices to help you find the true cause of your customer's pain and then sell the cure.
With her award-winning woman-owned small business success story, technology entrepreneur, Sarah Stevens, talks with Jim Blasingame about winning the 2009 Make Mine a Million Contest.
Is a VAT in the future for the United States? After initial thoughts on a value-added tax by Jim Blasingame, Brian Carney joins Jim to discuss the truth about this dangerous tax and why it won't solve our budget deficit problems.
Tuesday - March 30, 2010
Minimum wage is not a poverty reducing policy. Michael Saltsman joins Jim Blasingame to discuss recent unemployment facts and research that shows how the current level of minimum wage has actually harmed the poor and increased unemployment.
Facing the new normal of our economy and marketplace requires a new leadership and service perspective. Nance Guilmartin talks to Jim Blasingame about pausing to gain a better perspective on how to add value to relationships, especially with customers, as we move into the future.
How can you be more innovative in creating strategic alliances? Pam Harper joins Jim Blasingame to discuss how to grow your small business though creative partnering.
How do you avoid the dangers of premature solicitation? Ivan Misner joins Jim Blasingame to talk about why premature solicitation, asking for a referral before you've earned the right, is a networking mistake.
Wednesday - March 31, 2010
Focusing on a capitalization plan for your small business. Jim Blasingame talks about the four sources of small business capital, which is best, how to acquire it and how to blend the different sources of capital together.
Is there more than one way to define the "grit" that is required to be a successful entrepreneur? Pierce and Jane Howard join Jim Blasingame to talk about two ways to define grit and why that is important to understand when you're a small business owner.
How are public policies and political attitudes hurting small business recovery? Rob Levin joins Jim Blasingame to talk about why policies such as the health care bill and other anti-business attitudes by politicians make small businesses hesitant to invest and hire.
How does the luxury consumer impact economic recovery? Pam Danziger joins Jim Blasingame to report on research that shows the current spending activity of high-income consumers, and to explain why their behavior impacts overall economic recovery.
