Businessing with Pat Miller

Your to-do list has one job, and it isn't remembering. It's forgetting. Today Pat teaches the Forget to Finish system, the way to get everything done without carrying it all around in your head.

Running your whole business from memory is why you can't rest and why you feel stuck. In this episode Pat walks through the full framework: dump it all out, cut the tasks nobody actually cares about, hand work to your team or to Claude, turn vague guilt trips into real action steps, and schedule a work date instead of just a due date so you can forget a task until it's time to do it. Then the Idea Slam tackles whether an in-person event is worth charging more than the online version, and two AI stories close the show, including the big change coming to Claude on Friday.

In this episode:

00:00 - Welcome to Businessing

00:50 - The Forget to Finish system for getting stuff done

03:34 - The six steps to clear your to-do list

13:51 - Idea Slam: are in-person events worth more than online?

24:54 - AI story: Claude turns on auto mode Friday

27:46 - AI story: my call with Anthropic's PR team

29:30 - New member welcome and the SBOC Conference

32:55 - Tomorrow: how to clone yourself

Resources mentioned:

Athena Legal Solutions: https://athenalegalsolutionsllc.com

Crown Room Live and The Daily Crown: https://joindailycrown.com

Todoist: https://todoist.com

SBOC Conference, September 15 to 17: 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 #Productivity #Todoist #TimeManagement

The math on raising your rates is not what you think. Bump a price 10%, lose a quarter of your clients, and you still walk away with the same profit and more free time.

Today Professor Miller hits the whiteboard to show exactly what a rate increase does to your bottom line, and he hands you the three-sentence email that tells a client the price is going up without a single apology. Then it's the Idea Slam mailbag: a client you actually like is two months late paying and keeps saying the check is coming. When do you stop being nice about it? Plus two AI stories in plain English, ChatGPT dropping its message limits and the models that keep escaping their own sandboxes. It's Your Dream, Don't Grow It Alone.®

In this episode:

00:00 - Welcome and what's on today's show

00:46 - The math on raising your rates

02:29 - The whiteboard demo: what a 10% raise really does

06:11 - The three-sentence email that raises a price with no apology

09:18 - Idea Slam mailbag: the client who's two months late paying

12:04 - Late fees, revoking access, and when the relationship is just done

14:58 - Why every business owner needs a contract

16:24 - AI stories: ChatGPT drops its limits, and "Felony Bench"

20:35 - The permission-button pep talk: watch what you approve

24:58 - Friday Finish Line is back, and a new member welcome

27:28 - What's next: Wednesday's show on your to-do list

Resources mentioned:

Athena Legal Solutions: https://www.athenalegalsolutionsllc.com

Cruise Planners (Tanya Murphy): https://tripsalive.com

Grab an Idea Slam spot: https://event.smallbusinesscommunity.com/idea-slam-pat-miller

SBOC Conference, September 15-17: 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 #RaiseYourRates #PricingStrategy #SmallBusinessTips

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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