Business Reflections

How do you build a successful partnership with another business? In this episode, we discuss how to collaborate well with other businesses to mutually benefit, how to take an empathetic approach to partnerships, and steps to take if a business partnership is not going well. We’re joined by Dr. Gregory Canillas, President and CEO of Soul 2 Soul, for this thoughtful discussion. 

Soul 2 Soul is a mission-driven company that provides LGBTQ+ couples and parenting retreats. Soul 2 Soul is also certified to provide the SYMBIS (Saving Your Marriage Before It Starts) Assessment to all couples. For show notes, visit maticsbilling.com/podcast. To submit questions or ideas, email us at [email protected]. Follow Business Reflections on Facebook and Instagram.

Feedback, whether positive or critical, plays an important role in the workplace. Our special guest, Dr. Kelly Waltman, Founder and CEO of SLR Leadership Consulting, joins us to discuss the importance of feedback for employee success and healthy work culture. We talk about why we fear feedback, ways to improve the feedback between peers, and steps leaders can take to create a safe space for communication in the workplace.   

Dr. Kelly Waltman is the Founder and CEO of SLR Leadership Consulting. Her consulting work focuses on business communication and workplace culture, with an emphasis on cultivating a feedback culture within an organization. For show notes, visit maticsbilling.com/podcast. To submit questions or ideas, email us at [email protected]. Follow Business Reflections on Facebook and Instagram.

When it comes to accounting and finances, how do you create a good foundation for your business? Join us as we discuss accounting basics and tips for setting up our business for success with special guest Linda Diakite Karressy, Owner of Insight Financial Group and Insight Business Academy. Press play to learn helpful tips, simple accounting tasks every business owner should know and biggest accounting mistakes businesses make! 

Insight Financial Group empowers, educates, and trains organizations to maximize their cash flow through building strong financial relationship management systems. For show notes, visit maticsbilling.com/podcast. To submit questions or ideas, email us at [email protected]. Follow Business Reflections on Facebook and Instagram.

We cannot predict the future, but how do we protect our business from future risks? A’Dream Starkey, Managing Partner of Arris Risk Management, joins us to discuss the importance of business continuity planning. By planning and protecting our business today, we can achieve the business dreams we have for the future. We discuss what is business continuity planning, where do you start, and what steps do you need to take to create a useful business continuity plan. 

Arris Risk Management works closely with businesses to identify, evaluate, prioritize, and minimize the risk associated with the change management process. They partner with business owners throughout the process to design sustainable, user-friendly workflow and customer service experiences. For show notes, visit maticsbilling.com/podcast. To submit questions or ideas, email us at [email protected]. Follow Business Reflections on Facebook and Instagram.

Let’s talk about how to manage employee stress! What are some of the causes of team stress? What are the best ways to approach it as a supervisor or leader? What are tangible steps you can take to support your employees to create a healthy workplace? We discuss all of this and more with our special guest Franchon Francees, Owner of Healing Your Almond.

Healing Your Almond helps companies build highly functioning teams through increased emotional intelligence for individuals, the people they serve, and the people they are serving with. For show notes, visit maticsbilling.com/podcast. To submit questions or ideas, email us at [email protected]. Follow Business Reflections on Facebook and Instagram.

How do you turn your customers and influencers into advocates for your business? Aja Bradley Kemp, Founder and Chief Experience Officer of Conversate Collective, joins us to discuss marketing tips for small businesses looking to increase sales. We discuss steps you can take to get to know your customers, influencer marketing, and how to build authentic relationships with your consumers.

Aja Bradley Kemp is a marketer who has spent 20 years creating consumer experiences and driving revenue for beauty, fashion, lifestyle, and tech brands in the United States and international markets. Her marketing agency Conversate Collective helps businesses increase revenue and earn brand love through authentic, engaging, and shareable experiences that turn consumers & influencers into advocates. For show notes, visit maticsbilling.com/podcast. To submit questions or ideas, email us at [email protected]. Follow Business Reflections on Facebook and Instagram.

In January 2021, President Biden announced the American Rescue Plan to support economic recovery, which includes funding, resources, and support for small businesses and small business owners. Join us as we breakdown the details and different ways the American Rescue Plan can provide relief and benefit you and your business. We discuss what type of support will be covered, how to utilize the support provided, and how to prepare your business so you can receive the maximize benefit included in the American Rescue Plan. Thank you to our special guest, Kathleen Menegozzi, Director of Jack’s Pizza, for helping us understand the American Rescue Plan and its impact for small businesses. 

Kathleen Menegozzi is a NYC trained and educated business strategist with 10+ years of career development and mentorship under her belt. Kathleen is leading the way on Jack’s Pizza’s development, training and transition to a B-Corp that takes on socioeconomic inequality. For show notes, visit maticsbilling.com/podcast. To submit questions or ideas, email us at [email protected]. Follow Business Reflections on Facebook and Instagram.

In this day and age, it is so important for a business to have a digital marketing strategy. So, where do you begin? We’re joined by Ticina Williams, Owner of Creativiti Custom Designs and Events, to discuss the basics of creating a digital marketing strategy for your small business. We talk about content marketing ideas, common digital marketing mistakes, how to decide which social media platforms are most relevant for your business, and free digital marketing resources.  

Creativiti Custom Designs and Events is an event planning and party supply company based in the Washington Park community on Chicago’s Southside. Creativiti was officially launched in 2015 and has planned a variety of social and corporate event including The Chicago Children's Business Fair, Christmas on 55th Street, and The Economic Empowerment Summit at New Life Covenant Church. Creativiti also offers (digital) project management services to small businesses, nonprofits, and faith-based organizations on the Southside of Chicago. For show notes, visit maticsbilling.com/podcast. To submit questions or ideas, email us at [email protected]. Follow Business Reflections on Facebook and Instagram.   

We are so excited to discuss growth and expansion for businesses who have a storefront. What are some of the pros and cons of having a brick and mortar business? How do you know when it's time to expand and open a second location? Tanisha Chea, Owner and Director of Marketing of IDEA Lab Kids - Ballantyne, joins us for this informative discussion on important considerations, factors, and logistics for growing and expanding a business with a physical storefront.

IDEA Lab Kids is on the quest to find the best programs out there for children for age 4-14 years. IDEA Lab Kids is a true innovator in the STEAM educational space. IDEA Lab Kids offers camps, classes, workshops, and birthday experiences using coding, engineering, arts, science, 3D design, augmented reality, and other innovative subjects. For show notes, visit maticsbilling.com/podcast. To submit questions or ideas, email us at [email protected]. Follow Business Reflections on Facebook and Instagram.  

Solopreneurs and small business owners are often overwhelmed from “having to do it all” both personally and professionally. When you start experiencing burnout gradually, the farther away you get from the passion you had when you started the business. So, what can we do? How do we, as small business owners, prevent overwhelm and avoid burnout? Tammy Schotzko, Founder and Owner of We Love Messes, shares tangible tips and small, actionable steps that we can take to prevent burnout before it begins. 
 
We Love Messes does more than just clean and organize homes — they give their clients more time to spend doing what they love! Cleaning is more important than just having a tidy home, it contributes to healthy families and happier communities. For show notes, visit maticsbilling.com/podcast. To submit questions or ideas, email us at [email protected]. Follow Business Reflections on Facebook and Instagram.