Business Made Easy Podcast

Taking on a Business Partner or going into business with a business partner can often be an attractive idea.

After all, it can be lonely at the top right?

There are many and varied reasons the idea of taking on a business partner can be an attractive proposition but it is critical that you do it under the right circumstances and fully educated on the positives and negatives and what it means to bring in a partner to your business.

I answer the following questions and provide an overview in this episode of what partnership is all about and how to do it right.

• What a business partnership is
• Why you would want to take on a business partner
• Why you shouldn’t take on a business partner
• Some of the pitfalls of taking on a business partner.
• A model that can work well for a business partnership.

There’s a great saying in business “Do It once and do it well”

But what if you have to do it more than once?  

What if your definition of doing it well is completely different to others in your business?

What if the person in charge of the task is absent?

Systems in Business play an important role in making sure the tasks, steps and processes in your business happen as they should and how they should predictably every single time without fail.

Systems in Business also act as a control and checking mechanism in making sure that the important things that should be happening are happening and efficiently.

While the Saying do it once and do it well is relevant in business I also believe more important is the saying “do it more than once turn in it into a system” in your business.

Both profit and cash flow are critical components to running a successful business. Profit is what generates cash flow and cash flow pays the bills and keeps your business running. But they are two very separate things.

We discuss in this episode:

• The difference between cash flow and profit
• Why it’s possible to have a high profit with little cash flow
• Why you can have cash flow with no profit
• Tips you can use to improve your cash flow

It is common and normal to get excited about starting your very own business. Maybe you’re passionate about a particular project or area that you think would make a great business. Maybe you have just always wanted to be your own boss and have some freedom in your life.

Whatever the reason you should always start with a well researched business plan.
The importance of a business plan can not be overestimated when it comes to starting and running a business.

A good business plan will:

• Explore the viability of your business idea
• Explore the opportunities that exist in your selected market
• Prevent you from making costly mistakes
• Prevent you from entering into high risk transactions
• Give you clarity and transparency about what you are signing up for.
• Ensure you are entering into a commitment that will achieve your goals both personally and financially

Business Culture is one of the most important elements to business success. Yet it’s so rarely discussed, mentioned or identified.

Business owners spend countless dollars & resources on marketing and growing sales to attract new customers. Yet often fall down on the promise once the customer is in the door.

Business Culture is the glue that keeps your team happy and feeling the love for your organisation. It’s the glue that keeps your customers coming back and loving your brand.

We go through a case study in this episode and highlight

• What exactly is business culture
• Why it is critical to your business success
• When you have happy, valued team members they are happy to show up and serve your customers.
• Actions you can take to identify and improve the culture in your business.
   

How bearing your vulnerable side more can benefit the growth of your business.

For some people, the idea of showing their true personalities in business can be a frightening and daunting idea.

However, it is more important than ever to be building personality and story into the branding of your business.

This week we answer a listeners question in helping them to be more vulnerable in bringing out their personality in their brand.

I share some simple tips you can employ in any business to help your personality shine through without the fear.

A Customer Experience Strategy is one of the most critical things you can have in your business. Gone are the days of just providing great customer service. Your customers are now more informed than ever when they engage with your business.  In Episode 48 we go through examples of how the little things can zap the overall customer experience in your business without you even realise it's happening!

Barry and Angela had a life long dream of owning their own business. Angela, a full time teacher on a great steady salary, Barry an electrician who had been on the tools all his life since leaving school.  They dreamed of becoming their own bosses and take back control of their lives and financial freedom. In this episode you will hear Barry and Angela's story and the process we went through to make their ultimate decision.

It can be common, as a small business owner, to wake up and not want to get out of bed at times when it all seems to be getting too much. So why do we do this to ourselves?

What is the secret sauce that gets us through this turbulent highs and lows? Listen to Episode 46 as we discuss the secret powers of persistence v's perseverance.

Matthew Barnett from Bonjoro knows all about delivering an exceptional customer experience to grow your brand and weld customers to it. Technology has allowed your customers to be more educated and informed when they are making buying decisions so it is imperative that, when they come to your business they are acknowledged, made feel special and appreciated. We talk about the importance of building these relationships and why they are so important to your business success. We also discuss how, with tools like Bonjoro, these relationships are easy to scale and deliver effectively and efficiently in your business.