Monday - August 01, 2011
Do you know how to conduct a “market scrub” for your great idea? John Bradberry joins Jim Blasingame to discuss the five questions you need to answer before you take your great idea to the marketplace.
Icarus had a great idea, until he flew too close to the sun. John Bradberry joins Jim Blasingame to discuss why entrepreneurs have to balance their innovative and creative energy with the realities of the marketplace.
As the economy recovers, will your team be ready? Bob Kustka joins Jim Blasingame to talk about how to use the ratio of revenue per employee to help you determine when to hire.
Every new hire should be preceded by a cost/benefit analysis. Bob Kustka joins Jim Blasingame to discuss how to plan for potential hires, and how to know if you can justify the new people financially.
Do you have a strategy to acquire qualified employees? Bob Kustka joins Jim Blasingame to discuss why you need a strategy for how you're going to acquire qualified employees, whether an intern or seasoned professional.
RatePoint found that 76% of customers read online reviews before they buy. Keith Cooper joins Jim Blasingame to discuss why you need to ask for online recommendations from customers and be aware of your online reputation.
Can you evaluate your online reputation and address negative reviews? Keith Cooper joins Jim Blasingame to discuss a free RatePoint service that will review and score your online reputation and help you pass the Moment of Relevance.
Improve accounts receivables management by looking at the big picture. Gene Siciliano joins Jim Blasingame to reveal that getting better at collecting accounts receivable requires that you consider the big picture, not just each line item.
Should you micro-manage accounts receivables? Gene Siciliano joins Jim Blasingame to reveal tips and best practices on why and how to micro-manage the trade credit you give customers that becomes your accounts receivables.
Can collecting accounts receivables really be simple? Gene Siciliano joins Jim Blasingame to reveal three steps that will help you simplify the process of getting accounts receivables collected from customers.
Tuesday - August 02, 2011
Why do politicians think the way they do business is normal? Rich Galen joins Jim Blasingame to discuss the debt ceiling/budget debate by America's Kabuki Congress, plus the impact of the Tea Party.
Who lost and who will come out ahead in the end? Rich Galen joins Jim Blasingame to discuss the influence of the Tea Party on politics, plus the winners and losers of the U.S. debt/deficit debate.
Are you open for international business? Doug Barry joins Jim Blasingame to discuss how to make your website relevant to global customers, including a statement of welcome to international customers.
Almost every country has import taxes and duties on items purchased outside that country. Doug Barry joins Jim Blasingame to discuss how to clearly state import tax and duty responsibilities on your website for international customers.
Could you use some sales growth? Doug Barry joins Jim Blasingame to report on ways to use the Internet to grow sales revenue by attracting international customers.
Local search is the best thing to happen to small business since the Internet. David Ramadge joins Jim Blasingame to discuss how eBay pioneered the online marketplace and now is redefining local search.
Can customers find you when they do a local search online? David Ramadge joins Jim Blasingame to reveal a new eBay tool, Milo Fetch, that is reinventing how local search works - and it's free to customers and businesses.
What good came from the final outcome of the budget debate? Karen Kerrigan joins Jim Blasingame to talk about why the result of the budget debate was to turn the tide away from more government spending.
What powers will the Congressional "Super Committee" of 12 have? Karen Kerrigan joins Jim Blasingame to explain how the new committee of 12 members of Congress will work.
Is the "Super Committee" of 12 members of Congress a good idea? Karen Kerrigan joins Jim Blasingame to explain why the so-called Congressional "Super Committee" is probably necessary and useful at this time.
Wednesday - August 03, 2011
Use the 65/35 rule of communicating – listen 65% and talk 35%. Karen Reisman joins Jim Blasingame to reveal two components for empathic communication, listen before you speak and, tell what you know and what you don’t know.
Do you explain your emotions or just get angry? Karen Reisman joins Jim Blasingame to discuss how to communicate more empathically in challenging situations by naming your emotions and staying calm.
If you survived the Great Recession, you've learned some things. Stephen Baum joins Jim Blasingame to discuss some of the decisions the best CEOs are making about growth, now that they've learned how to survive.
What are the most important issues for CEOs to focus on? Stephen Baum joins Jim Blasingame to discuss seeking growth opportunities consistent with post-recession operating strategy, plus looking for top talent.
Is it time to start accruing gratification it? Stephen Baum joins Jim Blasingame to report that many small business owners who survived the recession by finding efficiencies and are now more adequately compensating themselves.
Thursday - August 04, 2011
What do women need to know about their command voice? Renee Grant-Williams joins Jim Blasingame with tips on how a woman can use her voice to emanate authority without sacrificing her femininity.
Can women actually learn something from men or is that just crazy talk? Renee Grant-Williams joins Jim Blasingame to discuss how women should consider emulating some of the traits of men.
Are the Yellow Pages obsolete? John Audette joins Jim Blasingame to discuss the power of local search, the best thing to happen to small business since the invention of the PC.
Why should every small business owner have a smart phone? John Audette joins Jim Blasingame to discuss online marketing channels, including the explosion of online local search because of the recent proliferation of smart phones.
Want to reach more Main Street customers? John Audette joins Jim Blasingame to offer tips and best practices on how to refine your Google Places profile with accurate and consistent information.
What are the common attributes in great teams? Chester Elton joins Jim Blasingame to discuss how to build better teams with people and values, plus he offers the Rule of Three: wow, no surprises, and cheer.
Communication is key for team building best practices. Chester Elton joins Jim Blasingame to offer an example of a hospital using team building best practices with the sacred 60: communicating with each other face to face.
How can you learn from failure and appreciate successes? Walter Kiechel joins Jim Blasingame to discuss the importance of failure to appreciate success and how to learn from it by failing in the right areas.
There's a way to become comfortable with failure. Walter Kiechel joins Jim Blasingame to talk about getting comfortable with failure through your excitement of what you can learn, plus being prepared for employee failures.
This is the century of the entrepreneur. Walter Kiechel joins Jim Blasingame to discuss Wall Street versus Main Street and why small companies are better at serving customers and seeking excellence AND learning from failures.
Friday - August 05, 2011
The purpose of a brand is to create a strong connection with customers. Jonathan Salem Baskin joins Jim Blasingame to discuss how technology is helping to raise the value of authenticity in the marketplace, which is good news for small business.
The double-edge sword of customer reviews? Jonathan Salem Baskin joins Jim Blasingame to discuss how user-generated content (UGC), or customer comments, are becoming better at revealing authenticity than predicting your experience.
Are you ready for an unusual way to raise capital? Jorian Clarke joins Jim Blasingame to reveal a website that makes your creative idea available to the public who vote their acceptance by donating money to your plan.
Do you want to be healthier, but don’t like to exercise? Jorian Clarke joins Jim Blasingame to talk about a fun online game that teaches better nutrition and fitness and can be played in the privacy of your office.
Schools need more curriculum in finance and business for children. Jorian Clarke joins Jim Blasingame to discuss how interactive computer games can teach entrepreneurship skills to kids while they’re having fun.
Is email the best communication invention of the 21st century? Marsha Egan joins Jim Blasingame to discuss how to use email more efficiently and offers tips to gain control of your inbox so it doesn't control you.
What is your favorite way to connect electronically? Marsha Egan joins Jim Blasingame to discuss how each generation uses different technologies to communicate, and how to know which one to use.
Leading a business requires balancing the old rules with the new tools. Ruth Sherman joins Jim Blasingame to discuss leading a 21st century business by balancing new technologies with management fundamentals.
What has technology done to face-to-face communication? Ruth Sherman joins Jim Blasingame to talk about the importance of using all forms of communication, including face-to-face, in building business relationships across the generations.
Leadership and mentoring requires courage and time. Ruth Sherman joins Jim Blasingame to reveal why 21st century leadership requires you to be courageous enough to mentor the younger generations of reluctant mentorees.
Monday - August 08, 2011
Do your employees look forward to coming to work? JoAnna Brandi joins Jim Blasingame to talk about how to use positive psychology to create a culture where employees are happy to come to work.
Looking for ways to find and maintain happiness? JoAnna Brandi joins Jim Blasingame to discuss how to maintain a healthy level of happiness by keeping the good and the bad in perspective.
You don’t have to conquer social media to use it successfully. Manta's Pam Springer joins Jim Blasingame to talk about how to take baby steps to integrate your social media strategy with your traditional business model.
Do you know the social media platforms your customers use? Pamela Springer joins Jim Blasingame to discuss why you have to connect with your customers on the social media platform they prefer, plus how to measure your social media effectiveness.
Can something positive come of the U.S. credit rating downgrade? Pamela Springer joins Jim Blasingame to talk about the implications of the U.S. credit rating downgrade by Standard and Poor's.
What are the benefits of finding a mentor and positive role model? Ryan Blair joins Jim Blasingame to reveal his rags to riches story that took him from gangs to serial entrepreneurship through a mentor.
How can you survive and grow in the 21st century? Ryan Blair joins Jim Blasingame with advice for surviving and thriving in the new normal through persistence, refining your business model, and demonstrating values.
Was S&P right to downgrade the U.S. credit rating? Ray Keating joins Jim Blasingame to examine the motivations of Standard & Poor's for their recent downgrade of the U.S. credit rating, and whether this says more about S&P than U.S. credit.
What is a positive result of the S&P downgrade of U.S. credit rating? Ray Keating joins Jim Blasingame to reveal the factors causing the Standard & Poors downgrade of the U.S. credit rating and whether it could ultimately be a good thing.
What will the Standard & Poor's downgrade of the U.S. credit rating mean for small business? Ray Keating joins Jim Blasingame to discuss how the S&P's downgrade of the U.S. credit rating will impact small business.
Tuesday - August 09, 2011
Do you have a project that isn't doing what you had planned? Rob Prinzo joins Jim Blasingame to discuss how to conduct a health assessment of a project that may need an objective perspective.
How do you know when a project is sick? Rob Prinzo joins Jim Blasingame to discuss the steps to use to assess whether a project is healthy or in need of resuscitation.
What happens when 20th century political promises come due in 21st century reality? Paul Howard joins Jim Blasingame to talk about the 21st century reality – and liability – of government-funded entitlements.
Medicare needs reform and innovation. Paul Howard joins Jim Blasingame to discuss the problems with government regulated spending for Medicare, which does not encourage innovation.
Health care entitlements should incentivize people to go to the best doctors and utilize the most cost-efficient hospitals. Paul Howard joins Jim Blasingame to discuss why health care entitlements would benefit if people became health care consumers.
Could the U.S. credit rating downgrade be a good thing? Jim Blasingame talks about the domestic and global issues behind the stagnant economy and the irony around the S&P downgrade and the Tea Party philosophy.
Only pro-growth policies will solve America's economic problems. Jim Blasingame offers President Obama some advice about abandoning his anti-business rhetoric in favor of pro-growth policies.
How do you decide whose technology to use in your business? Ed Yourdon joins Jim Blasingame to discuss how business are dealing with the decision of when to use company technology and when to use that of employees.
Is the U.S. in a full-fledged tech security war with China? Ed Yourdon joins Jim Blasingame to talk about the online security issues all business leaders have to deal with, including the online hacking war China is waging on the U.S.
Technology innovations have given small businesses an advantage in the marketplace. Ed Yourdon joins Jim Blasingame to reveal how small businesses are gaining an advantage over big business because of incrementalized technology.
Wednesday - August 10, 2011
Do you want to do business with the government? Janet Christy joins Jim Blasingame to explain the significant steps that have to be completed in order to be successful in getting government contracts.
Who has to be certified to get government contracts? Janet Christy joins Jim Blasingame to discuss when certification to do business with the government is required, including women-owned, veterans, etc.
Why are business surveys getting less optimistic? Sam Norwood joins Jim Blasingame to report business owners have a cautious outlook for the future based on many levels of uncertainty.
Sales growth expectations continue to disappoint. Sam Norwood joins Jim Blasingame with the Tatum Report that indicates sales growth expectations are flat, which is probably why capital expenditures plans are also.
Did the S&P go too far in downgrading the U.S. credit rating? Sam Norwood joins Jim Blasingame to discuss the impact of the U.S. credit downgrade, why the U.S. is not in danger of default, and the outlook for treasury bonds.
Managers dictate, leaders remove obstacles to performance. Charlie Fewell joins Jim Blasingame to discuss how to lead employees by developing them with clear expectations and goals, including not fearing failure.
Behave like an executive, not a manager. Charlie Fewell joins Jim Blasingame to discuss how executives demonstrate leadership when they clarify, measure, model and review behavior expectations for employees.
Should small businesses continue to market in the print Yellow Pages? John Audette joins Jim Blasingame to talk about whether the Yellow Pages is a good marketing option for small businesses.
How does a small business find marketing opportunity on Facebook? John Audette joins Jim Blasingame to reveal some of the best practices for using Facebook as a marketing outlet for your small business.
How aggressive should your marketing be in a slow economy? John Audette joins Jim Blasingame to encourage small businesses to aggressively go after gains in market share during a slow economy.
Thursday - August 11, 2011
Are you maximizing keywords for search engines? Jeff Zbar joins Jim Blasingame with tips on writing for the Web, plus how to include terms that will help users with local search.
Without counsel plans fail, but with many advisers they succeed. Proverbs 15:22. Jeff Zbar joins Jim Blasingame to talk about the confidence gained when you are prepared to ask for advice or assistance from others.
Wall Street has become the tail that is wagging Main Street’s dog. Gary Moore joins Jim Blasingame to discuss the disconnect between Wall Street and Main Street values and dangerous over-leveraging in the stock market.
Wall Street greed, incompetence in Washington and collusion between the two. Gary Moore joins Jim Blasingame to discuss why the relationship between Washington and Wall Street is corrupt and dangerous for America.
Lenin said communism would not defeat capitalism, but will it defeat itself? Gary Moore joins Jim Blasingame to discuss why applying Calvinist principles would help to save capitalism.
What math system do Washington politicians use? Julia Seymour joins Jim Blasingame to reveal that the recent budget cuts proposed by Washington are not cuts, but really just lowering rising deficits.
America’s economy can grow, but it will require a combination of cuts and efficiencies. Julia Seymour joins Jim Blasingame to discuss the fallacious projections of the debt ceiling bill and how to get to real fiscal reform.
Dumb statement #1: "Marketing doesn't work." Ruth King joins Jim Blasingame to talk about why anyone who thinks they don't need a marketing strategy has a failure wish.
Dumb statement #2: "I can fix this by myself." Ruth King joins Jim Blasingame to talk about why thinking that the people who created the problem a business is in can solve the problem all by themselves.
Dumb statement #3: Written policies aren't necessary. Ruth King joins Jim Blasingame to talk about why written policies are not only critical to effective business operation, but also can be legal protection.
Friday - August 12, 2011
Are you using webinars in your small business? Jane Pollak joins Jim Blasingame to talk about the handy webinar, why you should do them, use them and leverage them.
Have you ever thrown a party for your customers? Jane Pollak joins Jim Blasingame to report on the customer appreciation party she is planning and why every small business should do it.
More and more, the execution of your business model will include some virtual team members. Rick Lepsinger joins Jim Blasingame to talk about the definition, evolution, and current state of the virtual team.
Do you know how to manage a virtual team? Rick Lepsinger joins Jim Blasingame to explain how a virtual team works when its properly managed, plus what it looks like when it doesn't work.
What does it take to have a successful virtual team? Rick Lepsinger joins Jim Blasingame to reveal what the best virtual teams do that make them successful.
What really motivates us to be innovative? Kelle Olwyler joins Jim Blasingame to introduce the paradox of design, which says that desire is the mother of invention, not necessity.
How could failure contribute to success? Kelle Olwyler joins Jim Blasingame to explain the paradoxical but symbiotic relationship between failure and success.
Do you know what a QR code is? Rick Mathieson joins Jim Blasingame to reveal the "quick response" technology, or QR for short, how it works and why you should care.
Could you use more business? Rick Mathieson joins Jim Blasingame to reveal several reasons why your small business should be using QR (quick response) codes to help drive sales revenue.
Do you know how QR codes works? Rick Mathieson joins Jim Blasingame to explain how the QR (quick response) technology works for both the owner of the information as well as the customer.
Monday - August 15, 2011
If Internet browsers are free, why would there be browser wars? Jim Blasingame reports on a recent Small Business Advocate poll on browser use, including a little history, a war, who won and why you should you care.
Are you ready to be promoted from manager to leader? Jim Blasingame talks about why every small business owner must find a way to stop managing in the trenches and start leading with vision.
Are you tracking customer expectations? Stephen Baum joins Jim Blasingame to talk about how executives have to track and deliver on the evolution of customer expectations.
How do executives look for opportunity? Stephen Baum joins Jim Blasingame with tips on where and how executives look for opportunity from within and without.
Are you open to women in leadership positions? Stephen Baum joins Jim Blasingame to discuss the value of diversifying company leadership, including women in leadership positions.
Speaking and advertisements both require white space. Renee Grant-Williams joins Jim Blasingame to discuss why proper positioning of pauses when you speak is the same as the value of white space in advertising.
When you speak, do people listen? Renee Grant-Williams joins Jim Blasingame with tips on how to evaluate whether your speaking style is hurting or helping you.
Rich Galen joins Jim Blasingame to report on the results of the Iowa Republican Straw Poll, what it means for the 2012 Presidential election process and why we should care.
After the Iowa straw poll, who leads the GOP candidates?Rich Galen joins Jim Blasingame to report on which candidates are likely to lead the Republican campaign for the 2012 presidential election.
What do Republicans have to do to beat Obama in 2012? Rich Galen joins Jim Blasingame to explain the strategy the GOP will use to try to beat Obama in 2012.
Tuesday - August 16, 2011
Who are you looking to for help with financial planning? Ellen Rohr joins Jim Blasingame to discuss where to turn to for help when managing the financial part of your small business.
You don’t have to be an accountant to develop financial documents. Ellen Rohr joins Jim Blasingame to discuss why you need cash flow and P&L statements and how to find an accountant who specializes in small business.
Big businesses have not created net new jobs for over 10 years. Doug Tatum joins Jim Blasingame to report on research that shows the majority of net new jobs are created by established, second-stage small businesses.
The 21st century marketplace favors those who have technology skills. Doug Tatum joins Jim Blasingame to discuss how technology has increased productivity, but created structural unemployment, especially for older Boomers.
The economy will recover when government gets out of the way. Doug Tatum joins Jim Blasingame to discuss how the government hinders growth and job creation through oppressive regulations, mandates and an ineffective tax policy.
The national average for paid sick days is nine every year. Dr. Bruce Kaler joins Jim Blasingame to explain the reasons why he thinks one of the mandated benefits of employment should be paid sick leave.
Is mandating annual paid sick days a good idea? Dr. Bruce Kaler joins Jim Blasingame to debate whether the government should mandate paid sick days or leave it to employers to do the right thing.
Are you using Facebook the right way for your business? Anita Rosen joins Jim Blasingame with tips and best practices on how to use Facebook effectively for business.
Are using a Facebook Fan Page to build community? Anita Rosen joins Jim Blasingame to discuss why your business should have a Facebook Fan Page in addition to your website.
Are you building a customer community with Twitter? Anita Rosen joins Jim Blasingame to explain how you can use Twitter to grow your customer community and sales.
Wednesday - August 17, 2011
Are you doing the things that really count for your business? Beverly Inman-Ebel joins Jim Blasingame to discuss doing things that will add up and sustain your business like target advertising, PR, networking and cold calls.
What are you learning about new customer expectations? Beverly Inman-Ebel joins Jim Blasingame to talk about how to identify and deliver on the evolving and additional expectations of customers.
Should the name of this survey be changed to the pessimism index? Bill Dunkelberg joins Jim Blasingame to report the July NFIB optimism index indicated small business pessimism about the economy, even before the US credit rating was downgraded.
The housing market is still the biggest drag on the economy. NFIB’s Bill Dunkelberg joins Jim Blasingame to report small business is still experiencing weak sales and negative hiring which will not improve significantly until housing recovers.
The government has become too much of the U.S. economy. Bill Dunkelberg joins Jim Blasingame to explain why the economy will improve only when small businesses are more optimistic and government becomes smaller.
What does the 11th Circuit Court of Appeal’s ruling mean for small businesses? Grace-Marie Turner joins Jim Blasingame to discuss the implications of the recent ruling that the individual mandate of ObamaCare is unconstitutional.
Is there a precedent for the level of opposition to ObamaCare? Grace-Marie Turner joins Jim Blasingame to discuss the reasons why Obamacare has been so universally opposed, plus the status of the implementation of the bill.
Are you aware of how your company's culture impacts performance? Dave Anderson joins Jim Blasingame to reveal the five pillars of your business's culture and why you must know these.
Do you know what your business's core values are? Dave Anderson joins Jim Blasingame to explain that your business' performance is heavily influenced by its core values, which come from the founders.
How much do your employees contribute to the business's culture? Dave Anderson joins Jim Blasingame to talk about the role employees play in creating and maintaining a productive and healthy business culture.
Thursday - August 18, 2011
How can you ensure your web presence is relevant? Philippa Gamse joins Jim Blasingame to discuss the danger of becoming irrelevant and how to prevent irrelevance in your web presence by understanding what you need then doing it.
How can you improve your web strategy? Philippa Gamse joins Jim Blasingame to talk about improving your web strategy by understanding analytics, knowing where your problems are, and having the right keywords for your goals.
How can you maximize your time on your web strategy? Philippa Gamse joins Jim Blasingame to discuss your web presence and how to maximize your time to improve your web strategy through special offers and/or social media.
Starting a business is easy; running and growing one is not. John Bradberry joins Jim Blasingame to discuss how to give your start up the greatest chance to succeed, plus the importance of family support to your start up’s success.
How do you get your family to support your start-up? John Bradberry joins Jim Blasingame to discuss how to talk to your family about your vision, and possible sacrifices of resources and time, when you are starting a small business.
Focusing on long-term health is a best practice. Catherine Corley joins Jim Blasingame to talk about a wellness program available from Sam's Club to help small business owners get themselves and their teams on a path to better health.
Jim Blasingame says it’s redundant to say, “Undercapitalized small business.” Catherine Corley joins Jim to report on an SBA micro-loan program available for small businesses through Sam’s Club’s and Samsclub.com.
What does the small business landscape look like to big business? Catherine Corley joins Jim Blasingame to report on some of the challenges and opportunities she sees for small businesses, including how to grow sales.
Do you have a retirement plan in place? Charles Massimo joins Jim Blasingame to offer tips on planning your retirement from your small business through an investment strategy and not just using your business.
Charles Massimo joins Jim Blasingame to explain why many people are losing faith in Wall Street and how that impacts your investments, plus he explains the lack of fiduciary responsibility of Wall Street.
Friday - August 19, 2011
Is the Dodd/Frank financial law good or bad for Main Street banks? Mike Menzies joins Jim Blasingame to report on the Dodd/Frank financial regulation law and how it is a mixed bag for independent banks and small businesses.
Is market-to-market hurting economic recovery? Mike Menzies joins Jim Blasingame to talk about the short-sighted practice of requiring banks to value their holdings on a short-term liquidation basis, instead of the more realistic longer-term life of the asset.
What do we do about the big banks? Mike Menzies joins Jim Blasingame to explain why banks that are too big to fail should be broken up before they completely ruin the economy and capitalism.
How much do you know about personality and performance? Tom Anastasi joins Jim Blaisngame to reveal why you need to pay attention to pesonality as you run your business and hire people.
Do you know what personality type you are? Tom Anastasi joins Jim Blasingame to discuss types of decision-making personalities and why knowing more about them is important to your success.
What can we learn from the Great Recession? Steven Little joins Jim Blasingame to talk about whether business and political leaders we've learned anything in the past three years.
Are there ways to take advantage of the new normal? Steven Little joins Jim Blasingame to discuss the various ways you can create opportunities in your niche of the marketplace, domestic and abroad.
America needs leadership in long-term vision and sustainable systems. Steven Little joins Jim Blasingame to talk about why we have to promote, value and encourage leadership both in our businesses and in Washington.
The value of customer relationships to sales has never been higher. Mary Cantando joins Jim Blasingame to discuss how to increase sales by focusing on customer relationships and customization.
Businesses have become more efficient with fewer people. Mary Cantando joins Jim Blasingame to discuss systemic issues of unemployment: increased use of technology, capital acquisition challenges and economic and political uncertainty.
Monday - August 22, 2011
A soybean is a commodity and so is everything you sell. Jim Blasingame talks about practices that will prove your relevance and differentiate your small business from competitors in The Age of the Customer™.
What will it take to get the economy turned around? Jim Blasingame talks about the results of a recent Small Business Advocate Poll which reveals over 75% of small businesses just want the government to get out of the way of businesses.
In the current economic environment, how do you motivate salespeople? Mike Stewart joins Jim Blasingame to discuss how to motivate your sales force by leading a culture of confidence.
The best sales skills are useless until you get in front of a customer. Mike Stewart joins Jim Blasingame to discuss the challenges that some sales people have about getting in front of customers and asking for the business.
How do you keep sales people motivated? Mike Stewart joins Jim Blasingame to discuss why having the right kind of leveraged compensation plan - commission-based - is the key to driving sales performance.
Money is powerful – it can either have power over you or instill power in you. Karen McCall joins Jim Blasingame to discuss why some people are afraid of money, and how to teach children to have a strong, healthy relationship with it.
Like dieting, any financial plan has to be sustainable to be successful. Karen McCall joins Jim Blasingame to discuss how to create a plan that corrects financial issues and maximizes resources in a sustainable way.
Use productivity tools to contribute to growth. Pat Sigmon joins Jim Blasingame to reveal ideas on how to incrementally grow your business by improving productivity with technology.
Could outsourcing provide the key to growth in a slow economy? Pat Sigmon joins Jim Blasingame to reveal how to grow your business by outsourcing tasks in your business to a contractor instead of using your own employees.
Could the "cloud" help you grow your business? Pat Sigmon joins Jim Blasingame to reveal innovative ways to use web-based tools - the "cloud" - to help you grow your business more efficiently.
Tuesday - August 23, 2011
Does President Obama's words and actions on jobs match? Diana Furchtgott-Roth joins Jim Blasingame to point out how the Obama administration is pushing onerous regulations that are creating a chilling effect on job creation.
Could Obama’s policies have a chilling effect on job creation. Diana Furchtgott-Roth joins Jim Blasingame to discuss how Obama’s current policies and agencies, like Obamacare, the EPA, NLRB, etc., are impeding job creation.
Could taking a week off be good for your business? Walter Kiechel joins Jim Blasingame to discuss why vacations are good therapy for small business owners to recharge, re-energize and refocus.
What if you returned from vacation and everything went great? Walter Kiechel joins Jim Blasingame to discuss the different ways your business can benefit from planning and taking a vacation of at least one week.
Do you require key managers to take annual vacations? Walter Kiechel joins Jim Blasingame to discuss why your key managers - and your organization - will benefit from a policy requiring them to take an annual vacation.
Are your marketing plans meeting customer expectations? Lois Geller joins Jim Blasingame to talk about why your marketing strategy has to do more than deliver value to customers, it has to meet their relevance expectations.
Customers expect authenticity, not manipulation. Lois Geller joins Jim Blasingame to explain why The Age of the Customer™ demands that businesses demonstrate authenticity in their marketing messages.
Does a gold monetary standard have success stories? Chuck Kadlec joins Jim Blasingame to report how gold has been used by sovereign countries over the centuries to stabilize and grow their economies.
Was taking the U.S. dollar off of the gold standard a mistake by Nixon? Chuck Kadlec joins Jim Blasingame to reveal the reasons why the U.S currency should never have been disconnected from gold and the damage that has resulted.
How would the U.S. benefit from returning to the gold standard for its currency? Chuck Kadlec joins Jim Blasingame to explain how returning to the gold standard for the dollar would work and how America would benefit.
Wednesday - August 24, 2011
Did you know your brand has characteristics? Tom Asacker joins Jim Blasingame to reveal how your brand has both dynamic and static characteristics that customers expect to find.
Make your brand authentic and relevant. Tom Asacker joins Jim Blasingame to discuss the static aspect of your brand - your authenticity - where customers know they can rely on you.
Washington D.C. experienced the strongest quake since 1897. Andrew Sherman joins Jim Blasingame to talk about yesterday’s historic 5.8 earthquake in the Washington, D.C. area and how it felt to him.
Every company has intangible assets that may have commercial value. Andrew Sherman joins Jim Blasingame to discuss the value of intangible assets of your small business which also includes your customers’ experience.
America must return to the attitude that we can save ourselves. Andrew Sherman joins Jim Blasingame to discuss the intangible assets amassed by small businesses that are the key to unemployment and economic growth.
The biggest problem with social media for small business is trying to find the ROI. Kathy Perry joins Jim Blasingame to discuss the ROI of social media, brand visibility, website traffic generation and demonstrating your values.
Kathy Perry joins Jim Blasingame to reveal more ROI of social media, use it to recruit or outsource, manage and build your reputation and expand your market reach.
What should you do when you get a letter from the IRS? Eva Rosenberg joins Jim Blasingame to talk about the first thing you should do when you get a letter from the IRS - OPEN IT! Open it, read it and take the appropriate action.
Do you know your taxpayer rights? Eva Rosenberg joins Jim Blasingame to reveal several of your rights that you have as a taxpayer when dealing with the IRS, including courtesy and professionalism.
You're not defenseless when you deal with the IRS. Eva Rosenberg joins Jim Blasingame to reveal that you have the right to appeal and protest any claim or tax bill you get from the IRS, but you must respond with your protest right away.
Thursday - August 25, 2011
What happens to your business when a disaster happens? Jeff Zbar joins Jim Blasingame to talk about being prepared for a natural disaster or other emergency with online data backup, cloud computing and other resources.
Steve Jobs changed the world. Jeff Zbar joins Jim Blasingame to reflect on the entrepreneurial vision and global influence Apple co-founder, Steve Jobs, has had on businesses and consumers for over three decades.
There is danger when government picks marketplace winners and losers. Giovanni Coratolo joins Jim Blasingame to discuss how the NRLB's assault on Boeing dispute is detrimental to small businesses and job creation in South Carolina.
In 2013, government contractors will have 3% of all payments diverted to the IRS. Giovanni Coratolo joins Jim Blasingame to discuss the upcoming 3% government contractor tax that will actually cost more than it brings in, plus how you can join the repeal movement.
Will Obama or Republicans have the best "jobs creation" plans? Giovanni Coratolo joins Jim Blasingame with predictions on the direction of President Obama’s and various Republican "jobs creation" strategies.
Organizational and individual fear divides and defeats your plans for success. Tom Rieger joins Jim Blasingame to discuss the heightened evidence of fear in today’s workplace, the damage it creates and how to prevent it.
Is your organization manufacturing fear structures? Tom Rieger joins Jim Blasingame to discuss how fear begins with parochialism and evolves into Empire-building, but can be abated through team-building and common goals.
When employees feel they’re part of the solution, they become more engaged. Leigh Branham joins Jim Blasingame to discuss how to discourage fear and encourage employee engagement by specifically communicating your plans.
Do your employees feel lucky to be working for your business? Leigh Branham joins Jim Blasingame to reveal the definition of employee engagement, discuss the self-perpetuating benefits of a dedicated engagement strategy.
All parties are responsible for employee engagement. Leigh Branham joins Jim Blasingame to discuss the roles of both management and employees in accomplishing employee engagement, plus associated generational issues.
Friday - August 26, 2011
When should you stop selling and start telling your story? Jim Ballard joins Jim Blasingame to talk about how your story, including the story of your business, could be more interesting to customers than your value proposition.
You can become a storyteller. Jim Ballard joins Jim Blasingame to reveal how everyone can become a storyteller and why you should.
Putting your story and your marketing strategy together. Alan Maites joins Jim Blasingame to talk about why your marketing strategy has to include your story.
Customers want to do business with companies that connect with them. Alan Maites joins Jim Blasingame to discuss why small businesses have a competitive advantage when it comes to connecting with customers.
How big a deal in marketing is being helpful? Alan Maites joins Jim Blasingame to reveal the being helpful to customers is the best way to go viral in the marketplace.
Being successful requires a healthy relationship with failure. Carrie Wilkerson joins Jim Blasingame to discuss the challenges of being an entrepreneur and the characteristics that make a successful entrepreneur, including the relationship with failure.
Job security and other fairy tales. Carrie Wilkerson joins Jim Blasingame to discuss the myth of job security and how it connects to being a small business owner.
Should you be looking for higher quality sales people? Brad Huisken joins Jim Blasingame to report that now may be a good time to upgrade the quality of your sales people by seeing what talent is available.
How much damage could be caused by hiring the wrong person for a sales position? Brad Huisken joins Jim Blasingame to reveal how not doing a comprehensive effort in finding a qualified sales person can hurt your business.
Don't make these mistakes when hiring sales people. Brad Huisken joins Jim Blasingame to reveal several mistakes business owners make when interviewing and acquiring for new salespeople.
Monday - August 29, 2011
As your business grows, are you growing productive teams? Jim Blasingame says the evolution of small business growth requires extra attention to be paid to also growing productive teams.
Why do your employees come to work? Jim Blasingame talks about how to create a business culture where employees come to work thinking about something besides just a paycheck.
Good managers aggregate the success of their team members. Rob Jolles joins Jim Blasingame to discuss the way managers should think about how success is achieved through the teams they manage.
What is required of an employee when they have a difficult boss? Rob Jolles joins Jim Blasingame to discuss some tips for employees to consider when they find themselves working for a manager that is difficult.
Take extra effort to put the right managers between you and employees. Rob Jolles joins Jim Blasingame to discuss why the most important hiring work of a small business owner is acquiring the right managers.
In The Age of the Customer™, the competitive advantage has changed. Terry Murray joins Jim Blasingame to reveal how breakthrough success is being achieved by companies that know how to lead with their people.
It's okay to fall in love with what you do, but not with how you do it. Terry Murray joins Jim Blasingame to reveal that breakthrough success is created today by businesses that focus on creative solutions and being adaptable.
Where is your future sales growth coming from? Rob Levin joins Jim Blasingame to propose that small businesses begin to focus on international sales opportunities as a growth strategy.
Main Street can't wait for Washington or Wall Street. Rob Levin joins Jim Blasingame to talk about how Main Street small businesses must look to their own solutions, like acquiring a competitor, to grow the U.S. economy on sale at a time.
What can Main Street do to fix the dysfunction in Washington? Rob Levin joins Jim Blasingame to talk about some of the fundamental expectations small business owners must apply when supporting politicians.
Tuesday - August 30, 2011
Angel investors are filling the gap between banks and venture capitalists. Kim Lavine joins Jim Blasingame to discuss the capital available through angel investors for innovations and start-ups, especially women entrepreneurs..
Do you know what motivates investors? Kim Lavine joins Jim Blasingame to reveal some of the things entrepreneurs have to do to be attractive to angel investor groups.
Helping politicians understand the role of small businesses in the economy. Bob Prosen joins Jim Blasingame to talk about educating politicians about their role in the success of small businesses and the economy.
Politicians need to be held accountable for creating jobs and wealth. Bob Prosen joins Jim Blasingame to discuss why there is a disconnect between marketplace realities and governmental policies and regulations.
Does Gov. Rick Perry of Texas have a chance at the GOP presidential nominee? Texan Bob Prosen joins Jim Blasingame to discuss the strengths, weaknesses and authenticity of Republican presidential-hopeful, Rick Perry.
Are we doing enough for our heroes, America's military veterans? Tucker Smallwood joins Jim Blasingame to report on the great needs of our military veterans of many conflicts and how VeteransAid.us is helping.
Can you spare even $10 to help America's heroes? Tucker Smallwood joins Jim Blasingame to report that you can join the effort of VeteransAid.us to help provide funding for thousands of grassroots veterans organizations.
Here is one of the three strategy stories you need to be able to tell. Tim Berry joins Jim Blasingame to reveal why the "buying event" story is one that you must be able to tell if you expect to succeed.
How much do customers care whether your business exists? Tim Berry joins Jim Blasingame to reveal why it's important that you can explain the strategic story of why customers benefit from the existence of your business.
Can you tell the story of your business's future? Tim Berry joins Jim Blasingame to reveal why every owner must be able to tell the strategic story of what his or her business will look like in the future.
Wednesday - August 31, 2011
Steve Jobs is arguably the most innovative entrepreneur of the last 20 years. Leslie Grossman joins Jim Blasingame to discuss unique vision and instincts of Steve Jobs and whether you and I can be more like him.
If small businesses could get organized, they could rule the world. Leslie Grossman joins Jim Blasingame to discuss the potential political power of small businesses if they could only find a way to speak as one voice the way unions do.
You protect your inventory, so why don’t you protect your intellectual property? David Dawsey joins Jim Blasingame to discuss why you should protect your intellectual property as you do your inventory, equipment and buildings.
What value do you place on your intellectual property? David Dawsey joins Jim Blasingame to reveal that if you think protecting your intellectual property is a legal issue, you might be losing competitive advantage.
Why don't banks like to loan against intellectual property? David Dawsey joins Jim Blasingame to discuss how to make your intellectual property pay off when you need to borrow money from a bank.
What are the fundamental rules of great team-building? Chester Elton joins Jim Blasingame to reveal three critical elements of great team-building: commitment to “Wow”, no surprises and celebration.
Eliminate the surprises for your team. Chester Elton joins Jim Blasingame to reveal why successful business teams like to celebrate but they don't like surprises.
How is trust connected to leading change? Arky Ciancutti joins Jim Blasingame to reveal how critical trust is to a small business owner's ability to lead change.
What does trust look like in business? Arky Ciancutti joins Jim Blasingame to reveal the key elements of how a culture of trust is built and maintained in an organization.
Is trust volatile? Arky Ciancutti joins Jim Blasingame to explain why trust is both powerful and volatile, and therefore, must be handled and employed with great care.
