Businessing with Pat Miller

By Pat Miller

Solving small business problems so you can be more profitable, with less stress, and run a modern small business.

You got into this for freedom. The ability to choose how you work, when you rest, how ... more

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FAQs about Businessing with Pat Miller:

How many episodes does Businessing with Pat Miller have?

The podcast currently has 95 episodes available.

Businessing with Pat Miller episodes:

August 06, 2026 Most Deals Close After 5 Follow-Ups | Businessing
Only 2% of deals close on the first contact, so if you give up after one follow-up, you're leaving most of your sales on the table.
Today's Businessing breaks down why your proposals go silent and what the numbers actually say about closing more of them. Pat covers the five-follow-up rule, why custom proposals beat templates, the images that lift close rates by 72%, and the 24-hour speed window that wins deals. Then an Idea Slam mailbag on a file-naming system that will save you hours, and five questions that get real work out of your AI partner.
In this episode:
00:00 - Cold open and today's rundown
00:41 - Why your deals go silent after you send the proposal
02:41 - The five-follow-up rule, and why 44% quit too early
04:09 - Custom proposals, images, and what actually closes
06:37 - Send the proposal within 24 hours
08:00 - The conference sponsor I chased for two years
10:26 - Athena Legal Solutions
13:24 - Idea Slam: a file-naming system that saves you hours
20:03 - Cruise Planners
21:48 - Five questions to get more out of your AI
29:35 - A weekend off, SBOC events, and Monday's show
Resources mentioned:
SBOC Conference, September 15-17 in Brookfield: https://event.smallbusinesscommunity.com/26conference
Athena Legal Solutions: https://www.athenalegalsolutionsllc.com/businessingwithpatmiller
Cruise Planners with Tanya Murphy: https://tripsalive.com
Come on the show for an Idea Slam: https://event.smallbusinesscommunity.com/idea-slam-pat-miller
🎙️ Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BusinessingShow?sub_confirmation=1
🎧 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/businessing-with-pat-miller/id1870663109
🌐 Listen anywhere: https://businessing.captivate.fm/listen
📬 Fridays Off Newsletter: https://fridaysoffnewsletter.com
👥 Small Business Owners Community: https://smallbusinesscommunity.com
#SmallBusiness #Entrepreneurship #PatMiller #SalesTips #FollowUp #AIforBusiness
...more
33min
August 05, 2026 How to Name Anything So It Sticks | Businessing
Most owners name their best offer something boring and forgettable, and it costs them sales. Today I'll show you how to name anything so it actually sticks.

Seven hundred-plus Idea Slams in, naming is still the number one question I get. So here's the playbook I use: name the transformation, not the product. Use Cookie Monster language so a normal person gets it the first time they hear it. Lean on alliteration, because the Million-Dollar Mastermind just sounds like a name. Then twist a shared cultural phrase you already know, the way I turned a sales-habit app into the Sailteam. We also run an Idea Slam on killing the awkward first five minutes of a Zoom, and the AI story of the day on why most workers still don't trust AI at work even as more of them use it every day. Sponsored by Athena Legal Solutions and Cruise Planners.

In this episode:
00:00 - Welcome and the three things we do every day
00:42 - How to name your offer so it sticks (the 4-step playbook)
13:18 - Idea Slam: fixing the awkward first five minutes of a Zoom
19:55 - AI story: why workers don't trust AI at work
29:34 - What's happening in the SBOC this week

Resources mentioned:
Athena Legal Solutions: https://www.athenalegalsolutionsllc.com/businessingwithpatmiller
Cruise Planners with Tanya Murphy (travel advisor)
Money Masters Bookkeeping: https://www.moneymasters4biz.com/
Bring your challenge to an Idea Slam: https://event.smallbusinesscommunity.com/idea-slam-pat-miller

🎙️ Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BusinessingShow?sub_confirmation=1
🎧 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/businessing-with-pat-miller/id1870663109
🌐 Listen anywhere: https://businessing.captivate.fm/listen
📬 Fridays Off Newsletter: https://fridaysoffnewsletter.com
👥 Small Business Owners Community: https://smallbusinesscommunity.com

#SmallBusiness #Entrepreneurship #PatMiller #Naming #Branding #AIforBusiness
...more
32min
August 04, 2026 Less Friction Means More Sales | Businessing
Every time you make buying easier, people spend more. Amazon's new Alexa numbers prove it, and it should change how you run your sales process.
On today's Businessing, Pat Miller breaks down the Amazon report showing voice shoppers spend 40 percent more per order, and why less friction always means more money. He digs into the Fiserv Small Business Index, where transactions are down but prices are up, and what that means for your rates. Then he builds a networking skill in Claude live on the show, announces his second TEDx talk, and shares an AI story about Grok Imagine keeping video characters consistent. Practical, fast, and built for owners who want to sound like the most informed person in the room.
In this episode:
00:00 - Welcome and a second TEDx talk
04:49 - AI is a lie detector: when building gets frictionless
08:49 - The next big thing that keeps staying 12 steps away
12:06 - Alexa, voice shopping, and why less friction means more spending
16:46 - The Fiserv index: fewer transactions, higher prices
20:37 - Building a networking skill in Claude, live on the show
31:38 - AI story of the day: consistent characters in Grok Imagine
34:06 - Claude training today and this week's Idea Slam
Resources mentioned:
Athena Legal Solutions: https://www.athenalegalsolutionsllc.com/
Cruise Planners with Tanya Murphy: https://tripsalive.com
🎙️ Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BusinessingShow?sub_confirmation=1
🎧 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/businessing-with-pat-miller/id1870663109
🌐 Listen anywhere: https://businessing.captivate.fm/listen
📬 Fridays Off Newsletter: https://fridaysoffnewsletter.com
👥 Small Business Owners Community: https://smallbusinesscommunity.com
#SmallBusiness #Entrepreneurship #PatMiller #AI #Sales #VoiceCommerce
...more
36min
August 03, 2026 Stop Telling Customers You Use AI | Businessing
The more your customers use AI, the less they trust it, and a new Gallup poll says that's a warning shot for anyone bragging about AI in their marketing.
Thirty-nine percent of Americans now have a negative view of AI, up from thirty-one percent a year ago, and only twenty-seven percent think business owners will use it responsibly. So on today's show we dig into the question a lot of owners are avoiding: is telling your customers "we use AI" helping you or quietly hurting you? Use it behind the scenes to explode your productivity, sure. Just be careful about flaunting it. Plus monthly guest Michael Rampolla on why you start with the what before you ever get to the why, the news you need to know, two AI stories of the day, and the one sign that summer is officially over.
In this episode:
00:00 - Why bragging that you use AI can cost you customer trust
03:42 - Michael Rampolla on starting with the what before the why
15:57 - The news: Iran talks cool off and a Spider-Man surprise
19:16 - What Snickers hiring a chief online chill officer teaches your marketing
24:29 - AI story of the day: the platforms crack down on AI slop
31:02 - OpenAI cracks decades-old math problems for two grand
36:17 - The sign summer is over: the pumpkin spice latte is back
37:32 - SBOC Conference last call and Mike Michalowicz
Resources mentioned:
Athena Legal Solutions: https://www.athenalegalsolutionsllc.com/businessingwithpatmiller
Cruise Planners with Tanya Murphy
SBOC26 Conference (September 15-17, Brookfield): https://event.smallbusinesscommunity.com/26conference
🎙️ Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BusinessingShow?sub_confirmation=1
🎧 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/businessing-with-pat-miller/id1870663109
🌐 Listen anywhere: https://businessing.captivate.fm/listen
📬 Fridays Off Newsletter: https://fridaysoffnewsletter.com
👥 Small Business Owners Community: https://smallbusinesscommunity.com
#SmallBusiness #Entrepreneurship #PatMiller #AIMarketing #SmallBusinessMarketing #AITrust
...more
40min
July 30, 2026 Why McDonald's Bets on AI Its Customers Hate | Businessing
McDonald's and Wendy's are installing AI order-takers their own customers don't want. Here's the profit math behind the AI bet, and what it means for your small business.

On today's show, Pat digs into a wild moment. Big brands are betting they can make more money installing AI than by running a better business. One AI order-taker could mean hundreds of millions in profit, so the customer friction doesn't stop them. The lesson for owners isn't to copy McDonald's. It's that AI is going to improve faster than you can drive down any other cost, so the smart move is to get AI fluent now. Plus the news you need to know, why small business grants always seem to go to bakeries, and an AI sales-coaching idea worth stealing.

In this episode:
00:00 - The AI robots nobody asked for
01:58 - Why fast food is betting big on AI order-takers
03:46 - The billion-dollar profit math behind the bet
06:17 - What the AI bet means for your business
07:03 - Three ways AI makes you money right now
10:47 - The news you need to know: Fed, GDP, inflation
12:02 - Why small business grants always go to bakeries
18:10 - AI story of the day: an AI sales coach
25:07 - Conference news: ticket prices go up Saturday

Resources mentioned:
Encore AI, sales call coaching
SBOC Conference, September 15 to 17 in Brookfield, WI: https://smallbusinesscommunity.com

Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@PatMillerFridaysOff?sub_confirmation=1
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/businessing-with-pat-miller/id1870663109
Listen anywhere: https://businessing.captivate.fm/listen
Fridays Off Newsletter: https://fridaysoffnewsletter.com
Small Business Owners Community: https://smallbusinesscommunity.com

#SmallBusiness #Entrepreneurship #PatMiller #AI #ArtificialIntelligence #CustomerExperience
...more
31min
July 29, 2026 How to Build a Collaboration That Works | Businessing
Collaborations and joint ventures are one of the best ways to grow your business when you don't have a pile of marketing dollars to spend.
Today I walk through the exact five steps to build a collaboration that actually works, from getting crystal clear on who you serve to creating something fresh you can take to market. I use a real example: a leadership consultant who partners with a downtown restaurant to run a power lunch series for CEOs. Then we hit the news you need to know, including a rough morning for the market and a possible Fed rate hike, plus an AI story about why being found online now means winning AEO and GEO, not just SEO.
In this episode:
00:00 - Good morning and a market that's tanking
00:45 - How to build a collaboration that works (Big Story)
04:46 - A step by step collaboration example
09:23 - The news you need to know: markets, a rate hike, workers in pain
15:37 - AI story: getting found online with AEO and GEO, not just SEO
21:16 - The SBOC Conference in September
24:22 - Planning a dream vacation without the overwhelm
27:07 - Wait, this is my workday?
Resources mentioned:
- Athena Legal Solutions: athenalegalsolutionsllc.com
- Cruise Planners, Land and Cruise Travel (Tanya Murphy): tripsalive.com
- SBOC Conference, September 15-17, 2026 (Milwaukee area)
Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@PatMillerFridaysOff?sub_confirmation=1
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/businessing-with-pat-miller/id1870663109
Listen anywhere: https://businessing.captivate.fm/listen
Fridays Off Newsletter: https://fridaysoffnewsletter.com
Small Business Owners Community: https://smallbusinesscommunity.com
#SmallBusiness #Entrepreneurship #PatMiller #Collaboration #JointVentures #SmallBusinessGrowth
...more
30min
July 28, 2026 How Scarcity Gets People to Buy | Businessing
Scarcity is one of the oldest moves in sales, and it still works: give people a real deadline and watch what happens.
Today I break down how to use scarcity to sell more, using the surprise theatrical run of Hadestown as the example, plus the one thing scarcity will never fix. Then my business BFF Jennifer Buchholz from Excel and Flourish joins me to talk Microsoft Copilot, cleaning up your inbox and your files, and how to tell if your business is actually ready to bring AI in. We also hit the news, including the Fox Valley tornado, inflation as the number one small business worry, an AI story about public Claude chats showing up in Google, and a reminder about strategic quitting.
In this episode:
00:00 - The big story: using scarcity to sell (Hadestown)
05:45 - Guest Jennifer Buchholz: is your business ready for Copilot and AI?
23:30 - Athena Legal Solutions
25:00 - The news: the Fox Valley tornado, inflation, and rising costs
31:00 - AI story: your public Claude chats can show up in Google
36:00 - Cruise Planners: planning your getaway
39:00 - Strategic quitting: kill the subscriptions you forgot about
43:00 - The SBOC Conference (ticket price goes up August 1)
Resources mentioned:
- Jennifer Buchholz, Excel and Flourish
- Athena Legal Solutions: athenalegalsolutionsllc.com
- Cruise Planners, Land and Cruise Travel (Tanya Murphy): tripsalive.com
- SBOC Conference, September 15-17, 2026 (Milwaukee area)
Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@PatMillerFridaysOff?sub_confirmation=1
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/businessing-with-pat-miller/id1870663109
Listen anywhere: https://businessing.captivate.fm/listen
Fridays Off Newsletter: https://fridaysoffnewsletter.com
Small Business Owners Community: https://smallbusinesscommunity.com
#SmallBusiness #Entrepreneurship #PatMiller #Scarcity #MicrosoftCopilot #AIforSmallBusiness
...more
45min
July 27, 2026 Your Judgment Is What People Pay For | Businessing
The cost of information is going to zero. The cost of your judgment is going up. If you lean on AI and only on AI, you're going to become a commodity.
On today's Businessing, Pat Miller makes the case that the way you think is the thing people actually pay for, and he gives you four ways to stay sharp when everybody has the same AI. Then it's the stuff you need to know: Iran and the US stepping back from the brink, a huge week of economic reports, and why Wednesday's Fed meeting matters to your business. Plus two AI stories worth your time, a customer service lesson from a torn golf headcover, and the SBOC Conference with ticket prices going up August 1st.
In this episode:
00:00 - What it means to be businessing today
00:51 - Why your judgment matters more than technology
03:06 - Four ways to stay sharp when AI makes information cheap
09:53 - Iran and the US step back, and what it means for your customers
11:51 - A big economic week: the Fed, inflation, and consumer sentiment
13:37 - How to get known for one thing (Orlando, the meeting capital)
16:47 - Why big companies are mixing frontier and open source AI models
23:29 - Anthropic drops Opus 5
28:04 - A customer service lesson from a torn golf headcover
30:07 - The SBOC Conference and why prices go up August 1
Resources mentioned:
- Athena Legal Solutions (today's sponsor): athenalegalsolutionsllc.com
- Cruise Planners Land and Cruise Travel with Tanya Murphy: tripsalive.com
- SBOC Conference, September 15-17 in Brookfield, WI, with Mike Michalowicz: smallbusinesscommunity.com
🎙️ Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@PatMillerFridaysOff?sub_confirmation=1
🎧 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/businessing-with-pat-miller/id1870663109
🌐 Listen anywhere: https://businessing.captivate.fm/listen
📬 Fridays Off Newsletter: https://fridaysoffnewsletter.com
👥 Small Business Owners Community: https://smallbusinesscommunity.com
#SmallBusiness #Entrepreneurship #PatMiller #ArtificialIntelligence #Judgment #SmallBusinessOwner
...more
35min
July 23, 2026 Shoppers Now Prefer AI Over Your Website | Businessing
For the first time, more shoppers say they'd rather buy through an AI than your website. If your products aren't in the AI yet, you're about to be invisible.
Bloomberg found 41% of shoppers now prefer buying through AI tools, and only 38% still prefer the retailer's website. That line just crossed for the first time. Pat walks through what it means for you: the friction of websites, carts, and checkout is going away, and the owners who get their products into the AI now are the ones people will find later. Plus the bad habit quietly costing you money (you didn't send the invoice), why 91% of small businesses using AI say they're making more money, and how to make your marketing relatable during back to school season.
In this episode:
00:00 - It's Thursday: today's bad habit big story
01:34 - The bad habit costing you money: you didn't send the invoice
04:13 - Another bad habit: never replying to your own comments
05:00 - News you need to know: Iran, $100 oil, and rising grocery prices
07:45 - Make your marketing relatable: back to school spending hits records
11:47 - New AI study: 91% of small businesses say they make more money
13:53 - Partner: Athena Legal Solutions
16:52 - AI story of the day: shoppers now prefer AI over your website
23:55 - Partner: Automation Bird Dog
27:05 - Inside the SBOC: today's Idea Slam
29:52 - Wrap up and see you Monday
Resources mentioned:
- Athena Legal Solutions: https://athenalegalsolutionsllc.com
- Automation Bird Dog (use promo code OWNIT for a complimentary automation readiness session)
- Bloomberg report on shoppers preferring AI over retailer websites
🎙️ Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@PatMillerFridaysOff?sub_confirmation=1
🎧 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/businessing-with-pat-miller/id1870663109
🌐 Listen anywhere: https://businessing.captivate.fm/listen
📬 Fridays Off Newsletter: https://fridaysoffnewsletter.com
👥 Small Business Owners Community: https://smallbusinesscommunity.com
#SmallBusiness #Entrepreneurship #PatMiller #AIShopping #SmallBusinessAI #BackToSchool
...more
31min
July 21, 2026 Bring Back What You Used to Sell | Businessing
You don't always need a brand-new product. Sometimes the smartest move is bringing back the one you used to sell. Panda Express and KFC are printing money doing exactly that, and you can too.

Today Pat digs into the nostalgia trend that's got fast food brands reaching into their catalog, and why your best "new" offer might be something you already crushed and quietly stopped doing. Then bookkeeper Barbara Fausett of Money Masters joins to share what she's seeing across her whole book of clients right now: steady revenue, faster expectations on return, cautious AI spending, and not one client who's cut a job because of AI. Plus the news you need to know, a ransomware attack on a dairy company, what Domino's s'mores lava cakes teach us about presentation, and the story of how the SBOC crew got Pat good at last night's meetup.

In this episode:
00:00 - Welcome and today's rundown
01:37 - Why fast food brands are bringing back fan favorites
03:28 - What you used to sell that you could re-release
06:32 - What a bookkeeper sees changing in small business right now
11:51 - Are small business owners getting a return on AI?
12:55 - Is AI cutting jobs? What one bookkeeper is seeing
18:26 - Why every small business needs a lawyer before trouble hits
20:13 - Gas hits $4 a gallon and what it signals
21:51 - The Fairlife ransomware attack and backing up your business
23:37 - What Domino's s'mores lava cakes teach about presentation
26:28 - Getting the tribal knowledge out of your head
28:52 - The SBOC meetup story that got me good

Resources mentioned:
- Money Masters Bookkeeping (Barbara Fausett): moneymasters4biz.com
- Athena Legal Solutions: athenalegalsolutionsllc.com
- Automation Bird Dog (use promo code OWNIT)
- Check in on the live map: live.smallbusinesscommunity.com

Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@PatMillerFridaysOff?sub_confirmation=1
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/businessing-with-pat-miller/id1870663109
Listen anywhere: https://businessing.captivate.fm/listen
Fridays Off Newsletter: https://fridaysoffnewsletter.com
Small Business Owners Community: https://smallbusinesscommunity.com
...more
34min

FAQs about Businessing with Pat Miller:

How many episodes does Businessing with Pat Miller have?

The podcast currently has 95 episodes available.