Thursday - November 01, 2012
Who is the best small business presidential candidate? Jim Blasingame compares the two presidential candidates with regard to their policies on four key small business issues.
America has a choice to make on election day. Jim Blasingame compares the differences in the world-views of the two presidential candidates and how America would look under either on for the next four years.
How do we encourage our best human nature characteristics? Joe Bailey joins Jim Blasingame to talk about what causes our best behavior to emerge and how we encourage new thinking.
What happens when bad things happen to good people? Joe Bailey joins Jim Blasingame to talk about dealing with adversity and how the best of human nature is required to persevere.
How do we solve America's health care problems? Joe Bailey joins Jim Blasingame to discuss America's health care system and what is the best way to reform it for the long term.
Where is the leadership in promoting class warfare? John Tillman joins Jim Blasingame to talk about the bankrupt philosophy of promoting class warfare as a political strategy.
How long before Illinois becomes a red state? John Tillman joins Jim Blasingame to predict that the political dysfunction of Chicago will lead to Illinois turning into a red state by 2014.
What are your customer care algorithms? Adrian Ott joins Jim Blasingame to encourage small businesses to think of how they serve customers in a more disciplined and calculated manner, similar to the way search engines use algorithms.
Why relevance is trumping competitiveness. Adrian Ott joins Jim Blasingame to talk about the expectations of the 24-hour customer and how to herd these stray cats to your advantage.
The 24-hour customer is armed with many new tools. Adrian Ott joins Jim Blasingame to reveal tips and best practices on how to stay relevant to roadrunner customers who have a new competitive expectation for businesses.
Friday - November 02, 2012
There is a big difference between Ukrainian elections and those in the U.S. Rich Galen joins Jim Blasingame to report on his Ukrainian poll watching trip and how America helps train forming democracies.
How has the main stream media become the greatest danger to America's future? Rich Galen joins Jim Blasingame to discuss how why the moral and professional bankruptcy of America's main stream media is more dangerous than political scandals or foreign enemies.
The U.S. has 20 free trade agreements. Doug Barry joins Jim Blasingame to talk about the free trade agreements the U.S. has with 20 countries and why we need more.
It's not easy to negotiate a free trade agreement. Doug Barry joins Jim Blasingame to explain how many moving parts there are in negotiating a free trade agreement and why getting one done takes a long time.
America's small businesses should take advantage of free trade agreements. Doug Barry joins Jim Blasingame to reveal a new resource that will help small businesses benefit from the 20 free trade agreements, especially in the western hemisphere.
How does a small business convert to employee ownership? Larry May joins Jim Blasingame to share the story about how his company converted from founder ownership to being owned by employees under an ESOP.
How does an employee stock ownership plan (ESOP) work? Larry May joins Jim Blasingame to talk about some of the first steps a founder should take when considering selling the company to employees under an ESOP.
The process of looking for a job has changed. Bob Prosen joins Jim Blasingame to reveal some of the ways that looking for a job, and looking for new employees, has changed in the past few years.
To get hired, you must convert professional skills into benefits for the company. Bob Prosen joins Jim Blasingame to help job seekers learn how to convert what they know how to do into problem solving benefits for the interviewing business.
Should you assist employees you lay off? Bob Prosen joins Jim Blasingame to talk about some resources an employer can use to help employees they have to lay off for no fault of theirs.
Monday - November 05, 2012
Do you have a plan for protecting your trade secrets? Hillel Presser joins Jim Blasingame to talk about what a trade secret is, why a business should protect theirs and how to do it.
How do you protect trade secrets when your employees leave? Hillel Presser joins Jim Blasingame to explain how to use non-disclosure agreements with employees to whom you've given access to company trade secrets.
How much are your decisions guided by impressions and intuition? Ed Kopf joins Jim Blasingame to recommend way to incorporate your instincts and deliberation together in important decisions.
How much do you try to justify a management decision? Ed Kopf joins Jim Blasingame to talk about the problems with decisions you have to justify, and why a small business CEO needs a board of advisors of business peers.
How much are you including employees in decision-making? Ed Kopf joins Jim Blasingame to explain why the eyes, ears and experience of employees can be extremely valuable to your managment decision-making process.
What kind of a manager are you? Devora Zack joins Jim Blasingame to talk about how business owners who don't like being managers should go about dealing with that conundrum, including just to be yourself.
What's the best way for an entrepreneur to transition into being the manager of a growing business? Devora Zack joins Jim Blasingame to offer suggestions on how an entrepreneur can convert that energy into becoming a successful manager.
Young voters are not energized for Obama this time around. Paul Conway joins Jim Blasingame to reveal why young Americans are not expected to turn out and support Barack Obama in this election as they did in 2008.
How much will the economy and unemployment impact young Americans voting patterns? Paul Conway joins Jim Blasingame to report how much higher unemployment is for young Americans and how that is impacting early voting.
Paul Conway joins Jim Blasingame to breakdown the presidential election in some of the battleground states, including Florida, Virginia, Ohio and Wisconsin.
Tuesday - November 06, 2012
Does hiring your first employee say anything about your future success? Mary Cantando joins Jim Blasingame to suggest that hiring your first employee is the first step to telling yourself and the world you're serious about being a small business owner.
Do employees know how much production is required to pay their way? Mary Cantando joins Jim Blasingame to talk about the conversation to have with employees about their production as a way to justify their payroll and make money for the company.
How are current business conditions? Sam Norwood joins Jim Blasingame with the Tatum Survey that indicates business managers report conditions are discouraging overall.
The sales pipeline is not full. Sam Norwood joins Jim Blasingame with the recent Tatum Survey indicating the sales pipeline is not improving at the end of 2012, which is contributing to a bleak hiring picture.
What does capital and equity say about the economy? Sam Norwood joins Jim Blasingame with the Tatum Survey that shows business equity and loan demand are down based on a bad economy and continued uncertainty.
Is business ownership a path to career satisfaction? Melissa Luke joins Jim Blasingame to recommend if you're not satisfied with your current career, starting a business might be what you're looking for.
One of the top 3 things managers need today is creativity. Melissa Luke joins Jim Blasingame to discuss why colleges don't always properly prepare students for the marketplace, plus how to take charge of your life.
What does it take to be an entrepreneur? Terry Neese joins Jim Blasingame to celebrate National Entrepreneurship Month with three "Ps" on what it takes to be an entrepreneur.
Entrepreneurs should give back to the communities that support them. Terry Neese joins Jim Blasingame to encourage entrepreneurs to be visible and active in local communities, as well as in public policy issues.
What makes 2012 a tipping-point year politically? Terry Neese joins Jim Blasingame to talk about the especially high stakes that are on the table for Americans as they go to the polls to vote.
Wednesday - November 07, 2012
Want to go beyond the obvious advantages of business ownership? Jim Blasingame reveals one of the stealth benefits of business ownership, whichis to personally own the real estate in which your business operates.
Did Mitt Romney get the license number of that truck? Rich Galen joins Jim Blasingame to discuss what happened with the 2012 presidential election, why the GOP did do poorly and what they the party has to do to become relevant.
Did Democrats outpolitick Republicans? Rich Galen joins Jim Blasingame to explain that the GOP has to develop a more inclusive message to gain the youth & minority vote rather than relying on the white vote to be elected, plus why many people voted against their pocketbook yesterday.
How will politics be different in a 2nd Obama term? Rich Galen joins Jim Blasingame to say that Obama and the GOP leadership will have to work together now, plus the Benghazi scandal's impact on bipartisanship.
Will Obamacare be implemented full force now? Grace-Marie Turner joins Jim Blasingame to discuss how Obamacare will work going forward, including some lawsuits that could bring Obamacare back in front of the Supreme Court.
How did Republicans get so disconnected from the majority of the electorate? Grace-Marie Turner joins Jim Blasingame to discuss the impact of the youth & minority vote, plus how the GOP can regain relevance.
Which party is the best at the game of politics? Bill Brandt joins Jim Blasingame to discuss the two sides to the 2012 election: the demographic side & the tactical side, plus the two argue over whether Republicans are as politically-savvy as Democrats.
What has caused America to become so divided? Bill Brandt joins Jim Blasingame to explain that the social issues, such as immigration & women's rights, are among some of the issues that are dividing the U.S. electorate.
Could a Democrat teach Republicans how to win an election? BIll Brandt joins Jim Blasingame to explain that the Republican party needs to improve their message of inclusiveness of people outside their historic demographic.
Monday - November 12, 2012
What is the real definition of a military veteran? Jim Blasingame celebrates Veterans Day by proposing that the term "veteran" be expanded to include National Guard members and Reservists who prepare themselves to be deployed.
Jim Blasingame celebrates the 15th anniversary of his radio program, The Small Business Advocate Show, as an example of how small business owners should celebrate every milestone as evidence of success.
What were the big surprises of the 2012 election? Burt Folsom joins Jim Blasingame to discuss some of the surprises that contributed to Obama's reelection, including unemployed people voting to reelect the president.
What are the historical similarities of Obama's reelection? Burt Folsom joins Jim Blasingame to report that the electorate's disregard for poor economic performance by President Obama was similar to the 1936 reelection of Franklin Roosevelt.
Why business experience is important for a president. Burt Folsom joins Jim Blasingame to report on the problems politicians create - especially presidents - when they try to govern without any business background.
Are you looking for problems or solutions? Jim Donovan joins Jim Blasingame to explain that businesses will be what helps to turn around the economy, plus the impact of being so busy working in your business, your forget to work on your business.
Are you taking the time to celebrate the good things in your business? Jim Donovan joins Jim Blasingame to discuss the importance of celebrating the successes of your small business, including recognizing your employees.
What did a gallon of gas or a loaf of bread cost 15 years ago? Chuck Kadlec joins Jim Blasingame to reveal how much the decline in the value of the U.S. dollar has resulted in inflation, especially food and petroleum.
What is Obama's agenda for wanting a weak dollar? Chuck Kadlec joins Jim Blasingame to talk about President Obama's lack of support for a strong dollar because high carbon fuel prices are necessary to promote alternative energy.
How much should American's be worried about the political agenda of the main stream media? Chuck Kadlec joins Jim Blasingame to talk about the dangers of a main stream media that has a blatant liberal political agenda.
Tuesday - November 13, 2012
Do you have customers that are hurting your business? Steve Martin joins Jim Blasingame to recommend small businesses take a close look at the profit picture for each customer and fire the ones that do not meet your profitability requirements.
Do you think of customers strategically? Steve Martin joins Jim Blasingame to talk about how to grow your business by picking customers that will contribute to your profit and growth strategy.
What can China learn about taxation from the U.S.? John Fox joins Jim Blasingame to talk about his work with the Chinese on how to structure their tax policy after the decentralized way we do it in the U.S.
Will Obama and Congress produce real tax reform? John Fox joins Jim Blasingame to talk about the prospects of Washington reforming the tax code in a way that broadens the base, not just raise tax rates.
Will Washington have the courage to accomplish real tax reform? John Fox joins Jim Blasingame to talk about whether real tax reform is possible, including broadening the base and cutting deductions, not just raising tax rates.
Do you know how to be a positive leader? JoAnna Brandi joins Jim Blasingame to explain the definition of positive leadership, including how to manage individuals based on their personalities and capabilities, not just your management style.
Improve employee engagement with positive leadership. JoAnna Brandi joins Jim Blasingame to identify positive leadership practices and reveal how they help promote employee engagement.
How has failure to resolve the impending Taxmageddon already impacted small businesses? Barbara Weltman joins Jim Blasingame to report on tax planning challenges of small businesses because they still don't know how to determine their tax bill.
There is still time to lower your tax bill this year. Barbara Weltman joins Jim Blasingame to remind small businesses that they can still lower their tax bill by making year-end equipment purchases and expensing it this year.
Will Washington solve Taxmageddon this time? Barbara Weltman joins Jim Blasingame to remind that Washington has very little time to solve Taxmageddon and she predicts they will make a quick fix for now.
Wednesday - November 14, 2012
Book publishing has changed dramatically since 1997. Wally Bock joins Jim Blasingame to compare the book publishing business today with what it looked like when Jim started his media company in 1997.
Do you have a marketing plan for your self-published book? Wally Bock joins Jim Blasingame to talk about how to monetize your self-published book, which might include not selling a single one in a book store.
What demographic revelations resulted from the 2012 election? Ken Gronbach joins Jim Blasingame to reveal some of the demographic indicators from the 2012 election, the minority and youth influence.
Will Generation Y become small business owners? Ken Gronbach joins Jim Blasingame to discuss the reasons Generation Y will start a record number of small businesses, and Jim identifies some of their unique start-up challenges.
What will homeownership look like in 20 years? Ken Gronbach joins Jim Blasingame to talk about the prospects of Baby Boomers selling their homes to Gen Y in 20 years.
This business owner kept working during Hurricane Sandy. Ilise Benun joins Jim Blasingame to report on how she kept working off-site, in the Cloud, when Hurricane Sandy kept her out of her office.
Does your prospect's excitement mean he's ready to buy? Ilise Benun joins Jim Blasingame to talk about some of the things to do so you know the difference between a prospects excitement and readiness to sign a contract.
Are you comparing your plans to actual performance? Tim Berry joins Jim Blasingame to reveal a critical planning step is to have a scheduled review of your plans against what actually happened.
Planning assumptions and milestones must be established. Tim Berry joins Jim Blasingame to reveal two more planning steps: establishing and recording assumptions for projections and identifying execution milestones.
Managing cash flow is a critical planning step. Tim Berry joins Jim Blasingame to reveal why cash flow management is arguably the most essential planning step of cash.
Thursday - November 15, 2012
What are the dangers facing America's independent banks? Mike Menzies joins Jim Blasingame to report on challenges facing community banks, including a regulations like Dodd-Frank and Basel III, plus the slow economy.
Looming regulatory challenges threaten the health of the community bank sector. Mike Menzies joins Jim Blasingame to report how regulations aimed at big bank reform could cause independent community banks to become collateral damage.
What will be the fate of small business with another Obama term? Karen Kerrigan joins Jim Blasingame to talk about some of the issues small businesses will face in another four years under Obama.
How much will the fiscal cliff hurt your small business? Karen Kerrigan joins Jim Blasingame to talk about what's at stake for small businesses if Washington doesn't resolve the fiscal cliff elements of tax increases and spending cuts.
U.S. competitiveness in the world has declined to #12. Karen Kerrigan joins Jim Blasingame to discuss some of the reasons the U.S. has lost its world competitive ranking and how we can recover.
Constant innovation is key to survival. Jeff Zbar joins Jim Blasingame to talk about why the pace of the marketplace prohibits small businesses from resting on their innovation laurels.
Use technology to help you time shift your work and life. Jeff Zbar joins Jim Blasingame to talk about the advantages of using technology to time shift work, but also the challenges this can create for your life and family.
Why did Republicans allow Democrats to define their brand? Steve Forbes joins Jim Blasingame to explain that if you allow the competition to define your brand, as Republicans allowed Democrats in the 2012 election, you will lose.
Is the nonobjective mainstream media from within more dangerous than enemies from without? Steve Forbes joins Jim Blasingame to talk about how a nonobjective and biased mainstream media contributed to Obama's reelection and why that's dangerous for America.
Is American exceptionalism diminishing? Steve Forbes joins Jim Blasingame to talk about the importance of American exceptionalism, why it is in danger of being diminished and what is putting it in jeopardy.
Friday - November 16, 2012
Has America become a post-faith nation? Gary Moore joins Jim Blasingame to talk about whether a majority of Americans are now disconnecting their economic politics from their social politics, and which force will rule their voting behavior.
Will small businesses borrow more money in the next four years because of low interest rates? Gary Moore joins Jim Blasingame to debate whether low interest rates will cause small business owners to take more risks in the next four years.
How will the business selling environment be in the 2nd Obama term? Russ Brown joins Jim Blasingame to predict that the 2nd Obama term will be a great time to start, buy or sell a business because there will be more financing available.
Will the Obama administration make starting or buying a business easier to capitalize? Russ Brown joins Jim Blasingame to predict that Obama will encourage banks to open up lending to start or buy a business in the next four years.
Is there a business capitalization bubble possible in the next decade? Russ Brown joins Jim Blasingame to debate whether the Obama administration meddling in business capitalization will create a small business bubble.
Could anything good for small businesses come from a 2nd Obama term? Jim Blasingame offers his thoughts on how the Obama administration may try to "help" small businesses in his next term, and how to avoid the "catch" that comes with all government intervention.
What will Obama's intervention in the economy in his 2nd term cost small businesses? Jim Blasingame predicts how Obama's policies will impact small business costs and growth plans in his second term.
Do you celebrate milestones and accomplishments of your small business? Jay Mincks joins Jim Blasingame to encourage small businesses to celebrate accomplishments and milestone dates to promote employee and customer engagement.
What wakes small business owners up at night? Jay Mincks joins Jim Blasingame to report on an Insperity survey of small business owners that shows they are less likely to hire new employees and are concerned about the government's fiscal challenges.
What will the new normal look like for small businesses in Obama's 2nd term? Jay Mincks joins Jim Blasingame to talk about whether small businesses will push through their concerns about government policies and try to grow their businesses.
Monday - November 19, 2012
Don't put your franchise eggs in one bucket. Joel Libava joins Jim Blasingame to encourage you to do the proper research on more than one franchise, so if one fall through, you have the other one to fall back on.
Small businesses are still reporting low optimism levels. Bill Dunkelberg joins Jim Blasingame with the NFIB Index that shows small business optimism is still at recession levels and not likely to increase soon with the Obama reelection.
Why aren't small businesses hiring and investing? Bill Dunkelberg joins Jim Blasingame with the NFIB Index that shows small businesses are still not hiring and are not investing in capital assets.
Small businesses are experiencing continued slow sales and no profit growth. Bill Dunkelberg joins Jim Blasingame with the NFIB Index that shows small business owners sales and profits are still at recession levels.
Are you capable of being an entrepreneurial employee? Bev Flaxington joins Jim Blasingame to the employment dynamic between entrepreneurs hiring employees who will take risks and ownership.
Before you go looking for a job, be sure you know what you want. Bev Flaxington joins Jim Blasingame to encourage job seekers to think about all aspects of a prospective job in terms of what you want personally and professionally.
What kind of conversation are you having with prospects and customers? Kirk Cheyfitz joins Jim Blasingame to reveal the demand and power of conversations that customers are preferring over traditional manipulation strategies.
Customers are responding to their friends referrals more than your ads. Kirk Cheyfitz joins Jim Blasingame to reveal that customer communities are becoming more powerful than ad campaigns, and why you should "serve first - sell second."
What do your customers want from you? Kirk Cheyfitz joins Jim Blasingame to reveal that customers expect competitiveness from you, but the differentiator is how relevant you are to them before and after they buy.
Is the time right for you to buy a franchise? Joel Libava joins Jim Blasingame to talk about whether the next four years could become a great time to buy a franchise, plus making sure your family is involved in the decision.
Wednesday - November 21, 2012
Many thought this school was too far gone to save? Jim Ballard and Cindy Zurchin join Jim Blasingame to reveal how one principal used the Whale Done! method of re-enforcing good behavior as a way to turn around a dysfunctional school.
How the Whale Done! method turned this trouble school around. Jim Ballard and Cindy Zurchin join Jim Blasingame to report how she, the teachers and the students subscribed to the Whale Done! method and turned their school around in 90 days.
Here's a resource that focuses on small business fundamentals. Ruth King joins Jim Blasingame to talk about her Small Business World Summit, that features operating fundamental experts.
Here's a resource to help you with your cash and HR issues. Ruth King joins Jim Blasingame to report on her event that focuses on helping small businesses improve their cash flow and HR challenges.
What does leadership as an operating fundamental look like? Ruth King joins Jim Blasingame to report on her Small Business Summit that features leadership, marketing and coaching experts.
When a business is in trouble, what is the most likely cause? Sandy Steinman joins Jim Blasingame to report that lack of vision and not charging enough for products is the greatest reason businesses get in trouble.
What is your people and asset allocation plan? Sandy Steinman joins Jim Blasingame to reveal that improper allocation of people and assets could be costing your business money and possibly its future.
Small businesses are optimistic about themselves, but not about larger issues. Connie Certusi joins Jim Blasingame to report on the Sage survey showing small business owners are optimistic about their own businesses, but not the economy.
Are small business owners concerned about the European Union? Connie Certusi joins Jim Blasingame with the Sage survey that shows small business owners are concerned about the future of the European Union, including the current deep recession.
What are small business owners worried about? Connie Certusi joins Jim Blasingame with a Sage survey that shows small businesses are worried about inflation, consumer confidence, and political uncertainty.
Thursday - November 22, 2012
When one person chose to make a difference he changed the world. Jim Blasingame celebrates his 16th consecutive live Thanksgiving Day broadcast by relating the story of what happened to make the first American Thanksgiving possible.
How much time do you think about what you have to be thankful for? Jim Blasingame celebrates his 16th consecutive live Thanksgiving Day broadcast by talking about the things we should be thinking about on this day.
America has a long history of welcoming immigrants. Tamar Jacoby joins Jim Blasingame to talk about the history of how America has allowed and treated immigrants from other countries and how it has changed.
Celebrating Thanksgiving Day with Jim Blasingame, Tamar Jacoby talk about how the New World and eventually America had a unique and effective way of attracting people and then capital.
The U.S. needs immigration reform, but will it happen? Tamar Jacoby joins Jim Blasingame to talk about the political challenges of accomplishing immigration reform in the next four years.
What should the Pilgrims have been the most thankful for? Ken Davis joins Jim Blasingame on Thanksgiving Day to say that the Pilgrims should have really been the most thankful for Squanto, the Indian who save them from starving.
What impact did U.S. President have on the Thanksgiving Day holiday? Ken Davis joins Jim Blasingame to report on how U.S. president handled the evolution and progress of Thanksgiving Day.
How is the tri-state area handling the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy? Bob Dilenschneider joins Jim Blasingame to report on how the people of New York and New Jersey are handling the aftermath of superstorm Sandy.
Are Americans less civil these days? Bob Dilenschneider joins Jim Blasingame to make the case for civility in America and encourage tolerance and intellectual honesty as a form of citizen leadership.
Is American exceptionalism being devalued? Bob Dilenschneider joins Jim Blasingame to talk about why America is exceptional, to report on some of the things that would diminish it and why that would not be good for the world.
Friday - November 23, 2012
What were you thinking when you started your small business? Jim Blasingame talks about some of the motivation and realities of starting a small business that actually has a chance of surviving.
What can we learn about Obama's second term from his first? Jim Blasingame joins Jim Blasingame to review the things President Obama did that hurt small businesses in his first term in order to be prepared for his second term.
When do you become your customer's bank? Cliff Ennico joins Jim Blasingame to talk about the issues around doing business with customers on credit, where you allow them to pay on 30 day terms.
How soon do you call a customer who is late with a payment? Cliff Ennico joins Jim Blasingame to talk about how early you should email or call a customer who has missed a payment deadline.
Will offering credit terms to big customers hurt your cash flow? Cliff Ennico joins Jim Blasingame to reveal tips and best practices that will help you offer credit to big customers and still survive.
How good are you at facilitating employee ideas? Bryan Mattimore joins Jim Blasingame to encourage small business owners to learn how to facilitate the ideas of all company stakeholders, and he explains how to do it.
What can customers teach you about leadership? Bryan Mattimore joins Jim Blasingame to encourage small business owners to ask customers what they want and use those answers to foster facilitating leadership in your team.
Don't drive by Main Street businesses on the way to Big Boxes. Cinda Baxter joins Jim Blasingame to explain how the 3/50 Project helps consumers understand how they can get great value by supporting Main Street businesses.
Why would a small business thank Walmart? Cinda Baxter joins Jim Blasingame to explain that the biggest threat to their success is their own practices, not the Big Boxes.
With all its charm, Main Street businesses still have to be tech-enabled. Cinda Baxter joins Jim Blasingame to explain that even customers who want to do business with a Main Street small business, still want to use their smartphones.
Monday - November 26, 2012
Can you connect the dots to see your future? Cecily Sommers joins Jim Blasingame to talk about some of the tools and perspectives futurists use that small business owners can apply to help them develop their future strategy.
There are four forces that are future constants. Cecily Sommers joins Jim Blasingame to reveal the four constants that small businesses can use as a framework for forecasting what the future will look like for your business.
Are you guilty of being a helicopter employer? Peter Weddle joins Jim Blasingame to reveal how you could be a "helicopter employer" by the way you train and prepare employees how to manage themselves professionally.
When you train employees, you invest in them. Peter Weddle joins Jim Blasingame to talk about teaching employees how to be innovative through the right kind of training, and show that training is an investment in them.
Young employees have lots of content, but not much context. Peter Weddle joins Jim Blasingame to talk about how to help young employees understand that they need the context from a mentor to support all the content they have acquired.
How to make sure you hire the right person for your company. Vicky Oliver joins Jim Blasingame to reveal some of the best practices that will help you make a successful employee acquisition, including a trial period.
Use the freelance step to confirm a hiring decision. Vicky Oliver joins Jim Blasingame to suggest that a prospective employee be brought in as a freelancer temporarily until they prove they are a fit for the position and company.
What makes you think your email is secure? Kathy Perry joins Jim Blasingame to talk about how using Google, Yahoo and other major email hosting platforms could minimize your email security.
What makes you think your email is secure? Kathy Perry joins Jim Blasingame to with suggestions on how to make your email more secure against the bad guys and maybe even the government.
Is your business relevant on Cyber Monday? Kathy Perry joins Jim Blasingame with tips and best practices on how small businesses can be both competitive and relevant on cyber-Monday or any other day online.
Tuesday - November 27, 2012
Get your business ready for a clean start in the new year. Jim Blasingame offers six things you can do to help your business start the new year without the leftover baggage from the previous year - he calls it "December Cleaning."
The next four years will mean many more regulations. Jim Blasingame reveals some of the new issues small businesses will have to deal with in the next four years, including many new regulations, diminished privacy and U.N. influence.
What elements of Obamacare will we see in 2013? Grace-Marie Turner joins Jim Blasingame to report on Obamacare elements that will emerge in 2013, including state mandates and state exchanges.
How will your state deal with the Obamacare healthcare exchanges? Grace-Marie Turner joins Jim Blasingame to explain the role of exchanges in Obamacare, how states decide how to manage them and why they could become a nightmare.
Do you like your current health insurance plan? Grace-Marie Turner joins Jim Blasingame to report on how Obamacare will impact your current health insurance plan, including whether you can keep it or not.
What's keeping you from being really successful? Trevor Blake joins Jim Blasingame to talk about how to deal with the issues between your ears that hold you back by taking charge of your mentality.
Are you getting your great ideas off the ground? Trevor Blake joins Jim Blasingame to reveal how to take your great ideas and turn them into achievements, including how to make sure you're not listening to the wrong people.
How will you protect your portfolio from inflation? Joe Frisard joins Jim Blasingame to talk about the likelihood of increasing inflation and how gold can help hedge against it..
What form of gold should you own? Joe Frisard joins Jim Blasingame to reveal the difference between gold bullion, numismatic coins and rare coins, and how to decide which to own.
Is your retirement portfolio diversified with precious metals? Joe Frisard joins Jim Blasingame to reveal how to get gold and other precious metals into your retirement portfolio.
Wednesday - November 28, 2012
Do you ever have trouble getting paid for personal services? Jeff Zbar joins Jim Blasingame to with a cautionary tale about what he learned about getting paid for consulting services delivered, and what you can learn from it.
Are you delivering what you promise? Jeff Zbar joins Jim Blasingame to explain that ensuring all parties are clear on expectations and delivering what you promise are the most important parts of building relationships with customers.
You need your employees voices, but not their votes. Michael Stallard joins Jim Blasingame to talk about how to benefit from the knowledge and perspectives of your employees, with the understanding that you have to make the final decision.
Talking with employees about offering their input without expecting to have a vote. Michael Stallard joins Jim Blasingame to reveal how to ask employees for their ideas without giving them a vote so that they stay engaged and motivated.
How do you manage the different personalities of a contributing team? Michael Stallard joins Jim Blasingame to talk about how to make sure the team is benefiting from the contribution of all members, even the shy ones.
Are small business owners concerned about the new normal they are experiencing? Amy Friedrich joins Jim Blasingame to report on the most recent Principal survey showing small businesses are optimistic about their own businesses, but less so about the economy.
Small business owners have revealed their top three concerns. Amy Friedrich joins Jim Blasingame to report on the recent Principal survey showing small business owners are most concerned with uncertainty about healthcare, the economy and taxes.
Will Obamacare actually hurt the people it was supposed to help? Paul Howard joins Jim Blasingame to report on how some companies are making employment changes due to Obamacare that will not be good for their employees.
Are you prepared to change the relationship you have with employees due to Obamacare? Paul Howard joins Jim Blasingame to reveal some of the ways businesses are and will make employment adjustments in order to reduce the negative impact of Obamacare.
What is the ultimate goal of Obamacare? Paul Howard joins Jim Blasingame to reveal that a single payer health care system is the ultimate goal of Obamacare, not health care reform.
