Wednesday - January 01, 2014
Ken Davis joins Jim Blasingame to talk about the history of different calendars over the millennia, including the Gregorian calendar most of the world uses
Ken Davis joins Jim Blasingame to identify important historical facts that were made official on New Years Day.
Rich Galen joins Jim Blasingame to reveal that individual Supreme Court Justices have the ability and often responsibility to enter into legal arguments and proceedings independent of the larger court activity.
Rich Galen joins Jim Blasingame to talk about the nightmare that Obamacare will be in 2014 for most Americans financially and for Democrats politically.
Rich Galen joins Jim Blasingame to discuss what Obamacare will look like a year from now.
Your business needs a CEO. Jim Blasingame talks about the role of a small business CEO and why you must assume that position.
Gene Griessman joins Jim Blasingame Gene Griessman joins expert Jim Blasingame to share the wisdom of Abraham Lincoln on how to avoid creating enemies of people who should be your friends, on The Small Business Advocate Show.
Gene Griessman joins Jim Blasingame to share the wisdom of President Lincoln on how to make your argument with those who disagree without making enemies by quarreling.
Gene Griessman joins Jim Blasingame to talk about the way love and charity contribute to our friendships, especially with those with whom we sometimes disagree.
Thursday - January 02, 2014
Do you make New Year Resolutions? Jeff Zbar joins Jim Blasingame to say instead of making New Year resolutions, we should be seeking excellence every day of the year and always improving.
Are you ready for mobile in the cloud? Jeff Zbar joins Jim Blasingame to reveal what your future will be like as mobile and cloud computing continue to converge into the platforms that will dominate our future.
Who is driving your innovation plan? Robert Brands joins Jim Blasingame to reveal that today your customers, not competitors are driving your innovation goals and schedule.
Every innovation must be tested and measured. Robert Brands joins Jim Blasingame to talk about the elements of testing and measurement in your innovation strategy and why these are essential.
How comfortable are you with failure? Robert Brands joins Jim Blasingame to reveal the close relationship that successful innovation has with failure, and why the best innovators have to be comfortable with this.
Paul Casey joins Jim Blasingame to reveal three fundamentals you must focus on as the New Year gets started, including taking care of existing customers.
Paul Casey joins Jim Blasingame to reveal two more fundamentals to get right in the New Year, including meeting people face-to-face and developing a demographic strategy.
What was the motivation to create the Internet? As one of the pioneers of the Internet, Mike Daniels joins Jim Blasingame to reveal how the Internet was born, developed, funded and used until the 1990s.
We can't be naive about the politics of the Internet. Internet pioneer, Mike Daniels joins Jim Blasingame to shed light on the possibilities of the Internet as we use it today, as well as the political challenges.
How much will the Internet of the future be small business friendly? Internet pioneer, Mike Daniels joins Jim Blasingame to reveal that he things the Internet of the future will still be heavily influence by small businesses.
Friday - January 03, 2014
You're going to pay a lot more in taxes because of Obamacare. Giovanni Coratolo joins Jim Blasingame to report on the several kinds of taxes small business owners will pay as part of Obamacare.
When will Obamacare hit your organization. Giovanni Coratolo joins Jim Blasingame to report on what small businesses can expect from the unfolding of Obamacare.
How will Janet Yellen treat Main Street? Mike Menzies joins Jim Blasingame to talk about how favorable Fed Chairman Yellen will be toward Main Street's small businesses and community banks.
When will small businesses start borrowing money for growth? Mike Menzies joins Jim Blasingame to talk about why loan demand is going to be down in 2014 for the sixth year in a row.
Community banks are under regulatory duress today. Mike Menzies joins Jim Blasingame to talk about how community banks are facing unfair regulatory burdens and what small business owners can do to support them.
Performance reviews should be on a schedule. Bob Prosen joins Jim Blasingame to reveal the reason why you should conduct employee performance reviews the month after the close of your fiscal year.
Have you charted a course for the New Year? Bob Prosen joins Jim Blasingame to talk about the practice of identifying your major objectives for the New Year, with regard to finances, customers and people.
How to get and stay focused on your business.Peter Meyer joins Jim Blasingame to encourage you to identify the big elements of your business and focus on them as if through the lens of a camera.
Keep your business plan simple, like the recipe of a classic meal. Peter Meyer joins Jim Blasingame to compare focusing on just three big picture elements of your business like a simple, classic recipe.
Have you ever asked your employees what really matters to them? Peter Meyer joins Jim Blasingame to encourage you to find a new level of employee engagement by asking them what really matters to them in their assignments.
Monday - January 06, 2014
What should a small business CEO think about social media? Jim Blasingame talks about how a small business CEO should think about a social media strategy, and how it differs from social media execution.
Don't be naive about your strategic relationship with the CEOs of Facebook, Twitter, Google, etc. Jim Blasingame helps small business CEOs understand that their interests are not the same as the CEOs of the big social media CEOs.
What does strategy have to do with innovation? Walter Kiechel joins Jim Blasingame to make the connection between your strategic planning and the execution of an innovative culture.
Consider these three elements of your innovation strategyt. Walter Kiechel joins Jim Blasingame to reveal that your innovation strategy should be be developed around cost, competition and customers.
Aligning CEO strategic planning with the innovation process. Walter Kiechel joins Jim Blasingame to reveal how to connect the strategic planning of the CEO with the innovation strategy.
Do you know what crowdfunding is? Judd Hollas joins Jim Blasingame to reveal the three basic kinds of crowdfunding, including donations, debt and equity, and how they work.
What is the future of crowdfunding? Judd Hollas joins Jim Blasingame to report on the adoption of crowdfunding around the globe and discuss which type might be best for your small business.
When is it the right time for a founder to bring in a new president? Paula Lovell joins Jim Blasingame to talk about her ownership journey and how she decided to hire a new president to run her company.
How this small business owner decided to sell to key employees. Paula Lovell joins Jim Blasingame to reveal her decision-making process that led her to pursue a sale of the business to the new president and key employees.
She's decided to sell to employees, but how will she get paid? Paula Lovell joins Jim Blasingame to reveal her decision to sell her business to employees, plus the details of how they will pay her over time.
Tuesday - January 07, 2014
Setting goals and accomplishing them require two different skills. Marsha Egan joins Jim Blasingame to talk about some of the things you have to do to set and achieve your goals, including using the "SMART" approach.
How organized is your email inbox? Marsha Egan joins Jim Blasingame to recommend best practices for how to organize your email inbox and folders.
Don't make impossible New Year resolutions. Pierce and Jane Howard join Jim Blasingame to talk about the best way to think about improving your performance in the New Year, by focusing on changing behavior, not personality.
Sometimes we just have to get out of our own way. Pierce and Jane Howard join Jim Blasingame to talk about how often we don't achieve our performance goals because we set ourselves up for conflicts within ourselves.
Think of goals in a holistic way. Pierce and Jane Howard join Jim Blasingame to explain that you should think about the different aspects of your life - business, spiritual, relationships, personal growth - when making resolutions and setting goals.
Are you ready to assume the role of CEO of your business? Jim Blasingame reveals the three Big Picture elements of being a small business CEO and explains why doing this job is not easy, but nor is it optional.
Use the P&L to differentiate your management and CEO duties. Jim Blasingame uses the P&L to explain how managers think about their jobs compare to a CEO.
Are members of Congress doing the job we're paying for? Rick Newman joins Jim Blasingame to evaluate the job Congress is doing compared to what we're paying, and recommend how we could improve their performance..
Last year was a tough one for Obama. Rick Newman joins Jim Blasingame to talk about the issues that may cause 2014 to be a better year for President Obama, including immigration and the economy.
The economy should grow in 2014. Rick Newman joins Jim Blasingame to talk about some of the reasons 2014 may hold a better economy than last year.
Wednesday - January 08, 2014
What is your experience with the power of appreciation? Steven Gaffney joins Jim Blasingame to reveal how employee engagement can be fostered with the application of appreciation, especially when it's delivered immediately.
How to show your appreciation to your team members. Steven Gaffney joins Jim Blasingame to talk about why appreciation shown to employees should have the added qualify of being specific and happening often.
Why is the economy still flat almost five years since the end of the recession? Sam Norwood joins Jim Blasingame with this month's Tatum Index that shows business managers are not very excited about the near term future of their businesses.
Sales are sideways and hiring is down. Sam Norwood joins Jim Blasingame with the Tatum Index that shows sales expectations among managers is flat and firing plans are essentially non-existent, largely due to Obamacare..
Why aren't business managers investing in their businesses? Sam Norwood joins Jim Blasingame with the Tatum Index that shows business managers are not highly motivated to make investments, but when they are, they fund them with earnings.
One of our Brain Trust members is producing a full-length film. Tom Anastasi joins Jim Blasingame to talk about the screenplay he's written from Donna Anastasi's award-winning novel, that they are producing into a full-length independent movie.
What does it take to fund and distribute an independent film? Tom Anastasi joins Jim Blasingame to talk about his independent, full-length film he's written and producing, including how it's being funded and distributed.
Tax planning for 2013 and 2014. Cliff Ennico joins Jim Blasingame to recommend a tax checklist to filing for 2013 and planning for 2014, including expense deductions and retirement plan dates.
How do you estimate and reserve taxes? Cliff Ennico joins Jim Blasingame with a tax checklist for 2014 that includes getting your business incorporated and a plan to stay out of trouble with the IRS on estimated taxes.
How much taxes will Obamacare cost you in 2014? Cliff Ennico joins Jim Blasingame with a tax checklist for 2014 that includes some of the new taxes you're going to be paying as a result of Obamacare.
Thursday - January 09, 2014
Bob Bly joins Jim Blasingame to explain that B2B marketing is completely different today because of how and when prospects make buying decisions and a big part of that is because of social media.
Bob Bly joins Jim Blasingame to continue their conversation on how social media has changed B2B sales, plus how you content marketing can help you reach potential customers.
Rick Maurer joins Jim Blasingame to discuss a recent survey he did which showed that there wasn't that much difference between change that was successful and change that failed and that usually you only need to tweak a few small things to move in the right direction.
Rick Maurer joins Jim Blasingame to continue their discuss on the impact that op leadership had on change in an organization, including why the most successful changes happen when leaders are actively engaged from beginning to end.
Rick Maurer joins Jim Blasingame to explain that without 100% commitment from senior leadership, executing change will not happen in an organization.
Marie Dubuque joins Jim Blasingame to explain that it's important for people with intimidating personalities to work to level the playing field with those who may feel intimidated by them.
Marie Dubuque joins Jim Blasingame to discuss starting the New Year off right by setting smaller, more attainable goals planned with specific steps instead of big New Year's resolutions.
The greatest global problem we have is a lack of jobs. Jim Clifton joins Jim Blasingame to reveal that there is a global shortage of jobs, compared to the number of people who want to work, and what this means to our future.
Small businesses are the source of the jobs we need. Jim Clifton joins Jim Blasingame to explain that entrepreneurship, not innovation, is the way to solve the global jobs deficit, and that means a strong small business sector.
What does health care have to do with the jobs war? Jim Clifton joins Jim Blasingame to reveal the role runaway health care costs has played in holding back the jobs creating engine that is small business.
Friday - January 10, 2014
Gary Harpst joins Jim Blasingame to offer 5 steps for problem-solving: 1. Define the problem; 2. Identify root causes; 3. Developing a solution; 4. Implementing a solution; 5. What worked & didn't about the solution, plus why getting others involved in defining the problem offers clarity.
Gary Harpst joins Jim Blasingame to continue their discussion of problem-solving by explain that you should drill down and identify the root of the problem, then break it down to develop a solution.
Jim Canterucci joins Jim Blasingame to explain that if you give your team priorities, it takes creativity & initiative our of their hands and it means that you haven't explained your business strategy properly.
Jim Canterucci joins Jim Blasingame to explain that prioritization is not a bad thing, but should happen on the strategic level, not the transactional level.
Ramon Ray joins Jim Blasingame to explain you have must upgrade to new technology that is faster and more efficient, and can even help you run your business, plus how having a smartphone can help you understand your customers' expectations.
Ramon Ray joins Jim Blasingame to explain that there are great ways to blend old school ideas, such a taking notes and archiving information, with new school technology.
Monday - January 13, 2014
Gayle Buske joins Jim Blasingame to explain that virtual assistants are more common that you think and that they can become an extension of your business.
Gayle Buske joins Jim Blasingame to explain that you can hire virtual assistants based on the ebb and flow of your business, plus using virtual assistants allows you to break up the job, so that every task is handled by someone specialized in that field.
What is corporate America doing about resource sustainability? Bruce Piasecki joins Jim Blasingame to talk about his semi-annual workshop among corporate representatives who are working on resource sustainability.
How do you feed the people of Africa? Bruce Piasecki joins Jim Blasingame to report on some of the things his organization is doing to aggregate strategic corporate partners to solve hunger in sub-Saharan Africa.
A micro-loan could help an African mother feed her children. Bruce Piasecki joins Jim Blasingame to report on how his company is working with large corporations to combine micro-loans with an improved food supply chain in sub-Saharan Africa..
A 2007 law, with bi-partisan support, banned incandescent light bulbs. Marita Noon joins Jim Blasingame to explain how the both political parties banned incandescent light bulbs ibeginning in 2014, by a law passed in 2007.
What will it take to repeal the incandescent light bulb part of the 2007 Energy bill? Marita Noon joins Jim Blasingame to report on what would have to take place before Americans can legally buy an incandescent light bulb.
Curved TVs and 3D printing. Jonathan Godfrey joins Jim Blasingame to report on what the were the big picture take-a-ways from the 2014 Consumer Electronics Show, including curved screens and 3D printing.
Do you need a curved screen phone? Jonathan Godfrey joins Jim Blasingame to report that the only apparent purpose of a curved screen is the ergonomics of holding it, not for viewing.
Mobile technology could be the future of much of your medical life. Jonathan Godfrey joins Jim Blasingame to report that the next big thing in medicine is not about medicine, but mobile technology.
Tuesday - January 14, 2014
What have your failures taught you? Russ Whitney joins Jim Blasingame to talk about his journey through success and failure, and what he learned about the purpose of life.
This is the purpose of your life. Russ Whitney joins Jim Blasingame to propose that the purpose of life is to leave the world better than you found it.
Do you think the U.S. is bankrupt? Gary Moore joins Jim Blasingame to refute the belief that the U.S. is bankrupt, by revealing that our total assets are over $100 trillion.
Here's a plan to pay off the national debt. Gary Moore joins Jim Blasingame to offer an idea for how the U.S. government could pay off all debts to foreign creditors by selling assets it doesn't need.
Is there an increasing spread between the haves and the have nots? Gary Moore joins Jim Blasingame to talk about the political reasons America has a problem with wealth inequality, and how to fix it.
The job of CEO of a small business is not optional. Jim Blasingame continues his series on why performing the duties of a CEO in your small business is not optional, and he offers the Big Four Factors on how to do them.
One of the Big Four CEO Factors is Capital. Jim Blasingame talks about why the most important CEO strategic Factor is Capital, and why this strategy should come first.
Where should you focus market activity? Rick Mathieson joins Jim Blasingame to reveal the three most important marketing trends, including social, mobile and video.
Big business doesn't own the franchise on new media alternatives. Rick Mathieson joins Jim Blasingame to encourage small businesses to use new media, like video, to create a new media strategy that rivals big companies.
Your customers expect you to serve them with mobile solutions. Rick Mathieson joins Jim Blasingame to talk about the increase of mobile computing expectations from your customers and how to meet them.
Wednesday - January 15, 2014
Will there be immigration reform this year? Tamar Jacoby joins Jim Blasingame to debate who will win the immigration debate this year, if a reform bill is even possible.
What are the key elements of the immigration reform debate? Tamar Jacoby joins Jim Blasingame to reveal the three key issues facing the parties to immigration reform debate.
Uncertainty has taken a significant toll on the U.S. economy for several years. Chad Moutray joins Jim Blasingame to say that U.S. manufacturers believe there is less uncertainty results from political compromise than political wins,
Is manufacturing around the globe improving? Chad Moutray joins Jim Blasingame to report on the slow but sure increase in manufacturing around the world.
U.S. manufacturing is up, but only slightly. Chad Moutray joins Jim Blasingame to report on the sorry growth rate of manufacturing in the U.S., and attribute that lack of performance to government policies that manufacture uncertainty.
What would you do if you had a bad boss? Chester Elton joins Jim Blasingame to reveal several ways to handle a bad boss without losing your job and still getting your work done.
Do you have a mentor you can turn to? Chester Elton joins Jim Blasingame to recommend turning to a mentor within the company when faced with a bad relationship with a boss.
Regulations cost small business owners billions of dollars every year. Karen Kerrigan joins Jim Blasingame to talk about her new Center for Regulatory Solutions, which works to lower reg costs for small business.
Raising the federal minimum wage is a stupid idea. Karen Kerrigan joins Jim Blasingame to report on the Obama administration's desire to increase the minimum wage, and why this idea is the opposite of what the economy needs now.
New IRS regulations may dampen some political free speech. Karen Kerrigan joins Jim Blasingame to report on proposed IRS regulations that would limit free speech of 501.c.4 non-profit organizations.
Thursday - January 16, 2014
When are you going to get your video strategy going? Jeff Zbar joins Jim Blasingame to talk about the power of video to deliver the humanity of your business to customers, and why it's not as hard as you think.
What did we learn last year that can inform our decisions this year? Jeff Zbar joins Jim Blasingame to talk about why real performance numbers from last year can help as we make decisions for the New Year, especially with customers.
Why is small business sentiment so dour? Bill Dunkelberg joins Jim Blasingame with this month's NFIB Report that continues to show that small business owners are still less than optimistic about the economy.
What does small businesses sales and hiring look like? Bill Dunkelberg joins Jim Blasingame with this month's NFIB Report that shows small business sales and hiring picked up last month, but is still at record low levels.
Why is Washington so set on manufacturing uncertainty? Bill Dunkelberg joins Jim Blasingame with this month's NFIB Report and to talk about the policies and pronouncement from Washington that discourage small businesses, like raising minimum wage.
How successful are your conversations? Judith Glaser joins Jim Blasingame to reveal the first two of three levels of conversational intelligence, including transactional and positional, on the way to the third level in the next segment.
Can you become a transformational conversationalist? Judith Glaser joins Jim Blasingame to reveal a level of conversation most of us don't know exists, Transformational Conversation, what it looks like and how to get there.
Want to become a Martian? Joel Barker joins Jim Blasingame to talk about the scientific, logistical, technological and ethical issues surrounding the possibility of colonizing Mars.
New scientific and medical breakthroughs on aging and eyesight. Joel Barker joins Jim Blasingame to reveal recent breakthroughs in anti-aging science, plus 3D printers that can produce retina cells.
Another breakthrough in nanotechnology. Joel Barker joins Jim Blasingame to reveal new breakthroughs in nanotechnology that gives strength to nanobots you swallow and are controlled to do various medical tasks in your body.
Friday - January 17, 2014
Email may not be sexy, but it's still invaluable. Christina Cavanagh joins Jim Blasingame to say that we can't take the power of email for granted, plus how to stop the scourge of spam.
How many emails are in your inbox right now? Christina Cavanagh joins Jim Blasingame to try to coax us into cleaning up our email inboxes and get organized with email for better performance with this invaluable business tool.
The Main Street economy is going in the right direction, but not very fast. John Dini joins Jim Blasingame to report on how he sees the economy in 2014, based on his experience with the small business CEOs he advises.
Have you become a better manager in the past five years? John Dini joins Jim Blasingame to consider that, as slow as the economy has been, small business owners may have learned how to become managers in the process.
Do you have any pricing power? John Dini joins Jim Blasingame to talk about how to drop more to the bottom line, including not being afraid to test pricing power by raising your prices.
What will your professional legacy be? Donald Jordan joins Jim Blasingame to talk about the conflict we can have between what we're compelled to do professionally and what we really want to do.
How much do you listen to yourself? Donald Jordan joins Jim Blasingame to encourage us to listen to our hearts and find a way to make ourselves available to what we know we're meant to do.
Business cannot ignore social media. Tim Berry joins Jim Blasingame to dispel the myth that a business have the option of ignoring the imperative of developing a social media strategy.
Just because you don't like social media, doesn't mean you can avoid using it. Tim Berry joins Jim Blasingame to dispel the myth that social media is an option for your business, just because some people use it for gossip.
Social media use if free, but creating a strategy is not. Tim Berry joins Jim Blasingame to dispel the myth that social media is free, and to explain how to mount and fund a social media strategy.
Monday - January 20, 2014
There is a very fine line between our personal life and our small business. Jerry Silberman joins Jim Blasingame to discuss what it looks like when the financial problems of our business create personal problems, and vice verse.
Bankruptcy doesn't have to be your only alternative to debt problems. Jerry Silberman joins Jim Blasingame to talk about resources available to help you to work out of your debt problems other than bankruptcy.
Should the federal government extend unemployment benefits? Diana Furchtgott-Roth joins JIm Blasingame to discuss the proposed unemployment benefits extension and the merits of both sides of this debate.
Should the federal minimum wage be increased to more than $10? Diana Furchtgott-Roth joins JIm Blasingame to discuss the implications of Obama's proposal to increase the federal minimum wage to over $10, and why it's a bad idea.
When government involvement in the marketplace goes too far. Diana Furchtgott-Roth joins JIm Blasingame to reveal what it looks like when politicians think they know what's best for the marketplace, like raising minimum wage, etc.
Do you know the signs of potential problems when visiting an elderly parent? Chris Orestis joins Jim Blasingame to reveal some of the warning signs that an aging parent may need to begin transitioning to a life with more help.
Financial transition for the elderly is often a traumatic process. Chris Orestis joins Jim Blasingame to talk about the complicated process of transitioning the elderly to financial self-determination, and some resources that can help.
What do we know about the new SBA administrator? Hector Barreto joins Jim Blasingame to discuss the new head of the SBA, her business background and how long he has known Maria Contreres-Sweet.
How much will Obamacare steal from Medicare? Hector Barreto joins Jim Blasingame to reveal that in order to fund Obamacare, over $1 trillion had to be taken from Medicare funds, and how this is already impacting retirees.
There are over 3 million Hispanic-owned businesses in the U.S. Hector Barreto joins Jim Blasingame to report on the progress and importance of Hispanic-owned businesses and their future impact on the economy and politics.
Tuesday - January 21, 2014
Why isn't the U.S. economy growing more? Jim Blasingame reveals three years of small business polling that shows how the performance and expectations of small business owners has declined, and why Washington policies are to blame.
Should online travel sites be nervous about Google's plans? Kathy Perry joins Jim Blasingame to reveal news about Google's plans to aggregate airline flight information and give back commissions to the airlines.
Use social media to transcend being competitive, like LinkedIn is doing. Kathy Perry joins Jim Blasingame to talk about the power of relevance and how to use social media to achieve it, plus LinkedIn's new volunteer program.
What's up with this Facebook "Paper"? Kathy Perry joins Jim Blasingame to report on plans by Facebook to get in to the news feed business, which is another attempt to become relevant to users.
Thought-leaders use their expertise to tell stories. Denise Brosseau joins Jim Blasingame to reveal the power of experts, like small business owners, turning that knowledge into thought-leadership.
You have all you need to be a thought-leader. Denise Brosseau joins Jim Blasingame to reveal the role trust has in converting your expertise into thought-leadership you can deliver to customers.
Are you intimidated to start a web marketing strategy? Anita Rosen joins Jim Blasingame to reveal that a web marketing strategy just combines what you already know about marketing with new digital tools.
Do you have the digital elements required for a web marketing strategy? Anita Rosen joins Jim Blasingame to reveal the digital resources and capability you need to accomplish a web marketing strategy.
How much does a web ad cost? Anita Rosen joins Jim Blasingame to explain some of the differences between traditional advertising costs and web advertising.
Wednesday - January 22, 2014
Is bitcoin going to be part of your business future? Jason Oxman joins Jim Blasingame to reveal that bitcoin is a peer-to-peer digital currency that is at once exciting and controversial, both monetarily and legally.
Will bitcoin, or some version of digital currency, be in our future? Jason Oxman joins Jim Blasingame to report on the legal and market dynamics that will determine the future of a digital, peer-to-peer currency like bitcoin.
Net neutrality has been around for a long time. Steve DelBianco joins Jim Blasingame to explain the origins and current debate about net neutrality and the related parties on both sides of the debate.
Like net neutrality needed more complexity. Steve DelBianco joins Jim Blasingame to report on the market, legal and policy players who are leading the debate on the very complicated Internet topic of net neutrality.
How do you keep score watching the net neutrality game. Steve DelBianco joins Jim Blasingame to talk about the net neutrality players and what's really behind the debate.
Alan Fox joins Jim Blasingame to discuss people tools and why you must know yourself before you can work well with others, plus why you should have a nonversation.
Alan Fox joins Jim Blasingame to explain that you can't let the desire to do things perfectly keep you from doing them at all, plus why you should strive for excellence, not perfection.
John Harrison joins Jim Blasingame to explain that small business owners should seek advice from experience people who have made mistakes and can offer prospective.
John Harrison joins Jim Blasingame to explain that you should find out what kind of clients your adviser prefers to work with and why to ensure that you can get the most from the relationship.
John Harrison joins Jim Blasingame to explain that an adviser provides something that you'll realize in the future and you have to think in the long-term in your relationship with an adviser.
Friday - January 24, 2014
What does “Made in America” really mean today? Alan Uke joins Jim Blasingame to discuss why product labeling should be changed to reflect the true origins of all product components and assembly.
Consumer protectionism is good – government protectionism is not. Alan Uke joins Jim Blasingame to promote a law requiring the labeling of all products with the origin of any components, to help consumers make better decisions.
Can small business compete in a price-conscious environment? John Audette joins Jim Blasingame to reveal how small businesses can compete against the big boxes without joining the price war.
The only way to compete against price is with value. John Audette joins Jim Blasingame to reveal several value elements that will help your small business compete against low prices online.
Use technology to stay out of the price war. John Audette joins Jim Blasingame to reveal that one way to fight low price competitors is to meet customer expectations when they want to find your business online.
Helping veterans join the marketplace as better networkers. Andrea Nierenberg joins Jim Blasingame to discuss what she and others are doing to help veterans transition from the military to the marketplace by becoming good at networking.
Network with big companies by thinking how they think. Andrea Nierenberg joins Jim Blasingame to discuss how to effectively network with big companies through due diligence and a customized approach.
What should small business owners do when they don't like selling. Mary Cantando joins Jim Blasingame to reveal how small business owners who don't like selling should think about sales as something else you like to do, like sports or a hobby.
Six powerful words, “What can I do for you?” Mary Cantando joins Jim Blasingame to discuss how to strengthen connections with customers by finding out how to help them outside of the business.
Why you should have a many contacts inside a customer organization. Mary Cantando joins Jim Blasingame to discuss how to strengthen customer relationships by building a network inside the company, plus categorizing revenue by industry.
Monday - January 27, 2014
Is your business relevant to your customers? Beverly Inman-Ebel joins Jim Blasingame to talk about some of the powerful messages of relevance she found in Jim's new book, The Age of the Customer.
Your customers expectations are evolving all the time. Beverly Inman-Ebel joins Jim Blasingame to talk about what she learned from Jim's new book, The Age of the Customer, about staying current with customer expectations.
Don't miss this entrepreneurial story. Paul Berry joins Jim Blasingame to reveal the origins of his entrepreneurial desire, his journey in the trenches, and how he founded his Internet start-up.
Social media is big and most businesses need to get a handle on theirs. Paul Berry joins Jim Blasingame to reveal that his company, RebelMouse.com, helps businesses aggregate their social media content so it has a greater impact.
This social media entrepreneur is a leader, not a follower. Paul Berry joins Jim Blasingame to talk about how his company, RebelMouse.com, is a social media platform that has a different business model from the others.
How would you like to pay your house off in six or seven years? Jordan Goodman joins Jim Blasingame to reveal practices that will help you eliminate your home mortgage and car loan in a fraction of the original term.
It's not easy to keep personal and business finances separate when you're a start-up. Jordan Goodman joins Jim Blasingame to talk about why every small business has to get and keep business financial elements separate from personal.
Celebrity brands have changed in the past 30 years. Catherine Kaputa joins Jim Blasingame to reveal how personal brands, especially for celebrities, have evolved over the past several years with the advent of the Internet and social media.
What should Chris Christie do to repair his personal brand? Catherine Kaputa joins Jim Blasingame to reveal what Gov. Christie did and did not do well to help himself in his personal brand challenges, and whether his image can be redeemed.
You can be prepared for a negative brand experience. Catherine Kaputa joins Jim Blasingame to talk about some of the preemptive things you can do to withstand a negative personal or corporate brand experience.
Tuesday - January 28, 2014
Do we really need the big banks? Richard Bove joins Jim Blasingame to explain that in order to be globally competitive, the U.S. needs domestic big banks that can capitalize our domestic growth, even in the face of moral hazard.
What can be done to protect community banks from regulators? Richard Bove joins Jim Blasingame to report on how community banks have been harmed by a one-size-fits-all regulatory regime from a federal government that doesn't care about small banks.
France may be moving away from socialism? Guy Sorman joins Jim Blasingame to report on an apparent move by France's leadership to embrace more capitalistic policies.
When did Pope Frances become a global economist? Guy Sorman joins Jim Blasingame to point out that Pope Frances hasn't learned the lessons of Pope John Paul II on the value of capitalism over socialism in raising people out of poverty.
A new magazine focused on natives of France living in the U.S. Guy Sorman joins Jim Blasingame to reveal his plans to launch a print magazine that serves the 500,000 French natives living in the U.S.
How do you incubate ideas and solutions to challenges? Jim McCann joins Jim Blasingame to introduce the concept of conversation leadership as a way to incubate ideas within your team.
Every small business is a family business. Jim McCann joins Jim Blasingame to encourage conversation leadership practices as business owners manage their businesses and involve their family members.
Are you a freelancer or a business owner? Ilise Benun joins Jim Blasingame to talk about what makes someone a freelancer, which is typically that you deliver personal services, like consulting, etc.
How many ways are there for a freelancers to grow their businesses? Ilise Benun joins Jim Blasingame to reveal three ways for a freelancer to grow, including hiring more people, upgrading clientelle and fees, offering products.
If you're a freelancer, should you offer products as well as services? Ilise Benun joins Jim Blasingame to talk about the growth option for freelancers of offering products, in addition to services.
Wednesday - January 29, 2014
Are you ready for the Age of the Customer? Jim Blasingame explains that the Age of the Seller is being replace by the Age of the Customer, and why your business has to make the conversion from the old age to the new one.
Your prospects and customers have new expectations. Jim Blasingame explains that if you're doing business the way you've always done it, you won't meet your customers' new expectations and your business will not survive.
Doug Stives joins Jim Blasingame to explain that small business owners can't forget to call on their accountants when they're figuring out healthcare, plus details on 2 new taxes created to help pay for healthcare.
Doug Stives joins Jim Blasingame to explains why dropping healthcare coverage for employees may not be the best plan for employees in the long run.
Doug Stives joins Jim Blasingame to explain how Obamacare was supposed to look like a Heath Savings Account, but the result of this attempt was an epic fail.
Dave DeBarardinis joins Jim Blasingame to explain that marketing is not about selling the product, but connecting with people who have the same beliefs, find out what they need and addressing those needs.
Dave DeBarardinis joins Jim Blasingame to discuss FGXPress and FGXpress Power Strips, a plant-based biodegradable product which offers pain relief.
What will the Fed do to unwind their quantitative easing policy? Ray Keating joins Jim Blasingame to discuss this month's Fed Meeting, whether they will further unwind their easy money policy and if so, how much.
Did this State of the Union speech matter? Ray Keating joins Jim Blasingame to report on Obama's 2014 State of the Union speech, including his continued, failed approach to solving our problems with government solutions.
Obama wants to increase the federal minimum wage. Ray Keating joins Jim Blasingame to reveal why raising the federal minimum wage does not help the people it's supposed to help, and actually hurts the economy.
Friday - January 31, 2014
Are you enthusiastic about your business? Olalah Njenga joins Jim Blasingame to talk about the concept of entrepreneurial enthusiasm and how to sustain it.
What's the excitement level of small business owners in the U.S.? Olalah Njenga joins Jim Blasingame to report on surveys that indicate that even successful small business owners are not excited about the future of the economy.
What does it take to sustain yourself as a small business owner? Olalah Njenga joins Jim Blasingame to talk about the mental and emotional strength that is required to sustain yourself during tough times as a small business owner.
Are you courageous professionally? Bill Treasurer joins Jim Blasingame to reveal what courage in the workplace looks like and how to behave when faced with the opportunity to demonstrate it.
What motivates you to do the right thing? Bill Treasurer joins Jim Blasingame to reveal the power of having the courage to do the right thing, in the face of fear and uncertainty..
Is there a difference between being self-employed and a business owner? Barbara Weltman joins Jim Blasingame to reveal the definition of someone who's self-employed especially when dealing with taxes and the government.
How the self-employed get upside-down with the IRS. Barbara Weltman joins Jim Blasingame to reveal that the greatest challenge for the self-employed is getting behind with the IRS in filing self-employment taxes.
Millions of self-employed Americans will be impacted by Obamacare. Barbara Weltman joins Jim Blasingame to reveal what self-employed Americans will have to do to comply with Obamacare.
