Clearing The Way

Welcome back to Clearing the Way. A resource for small business. I talk with sales and HR experts, other small business owners, and anyone else that can provide you with information to clear your way to success. 

Today's topic: Websites... Do you actually need one? Today I am going to try to walk you through a list of questions that should help you determine and when you actually need to spend the time and money on a website.

Short answer is probably yes, you most likely do need one but maybe not as soon as you think.

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/clearing-the-way/id1632477169

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5j4bJQP9IrjXllbyVb9Td8?si=XsChciA4Qmi45zek91P0tA

YouTube: https://youtube.com/channel/UC70IdR2_OMcE16cmClr1nDA

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/clearingthewaypodcast/

Website: https://www.didius.us/clearingtheway

Brought to you by the City of Washington Citywide Development Corporation

This video is brought to you by the City of Washington Citywide Development Corporation. If you’re a business located in Washington, PA that needs help growing and working through your current challenges, or you are outside of Washington and looking for a place to get started or a space to expand into, reach out using the links in the description. The Washington CDC’s services are free. No strings, No gotchas. My salary is covered. You pay nothing. I don't know how else to say it. There are organizations out here to help.

Welcome back to Clearing the Way. A resource for small business. I talk with sales and HR experts, other small business owners, and anyone else that can provide you with information to clear your way to success. 

The holidays are upon us. Everyone is running discounts and promotions.

Should we be doing that? Should I just pick some random products to offer discounts on? How do I run a successful discount campaign?

Clearing the Way

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/clearing-the-way/id1632477169

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5j4bJQP9IrjXllbyVb9Td8?si=XsChciA4Qmi45zek91P0tA

YouTube: https://youtube.com/channel/UC70IdR2_OMcE16cmClr1nDA

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/clearingthewaypodcast/

Website: https://www.didius.us/clearingtheway

Welcome back to Clearing the Way. A resource for small business. I talk with sales and HR experts, other small business owners, and anyone else that can provide you with information to clear your way to success. 

Today, we discuss “pivoting.”

My guest today is Lauren Hyland. Lauren and I discussed Social Media and the importance of Finding Your Janice in Episode 10 (https://player.captivate.fm/episode/08a58dc6-f68b-461b-a9c6-11863874ff6d).

Lauren is a social media wizard. Someone is always on top of the most recent trends. Someone who is not on LinkedIn, although this might be changing. Lauren and I both started our businesses around the same time and were constantly bouncing our struggles off each other. We’ve both had to “pivot” several times in the few years of our businesses. Lauren will be starting her own podcast in the coming months.

In this discussion, we determine 4 key indicators that a pivot may be in your future.

-Your time and money are plateaued/maxed

-No one is buying

-You’re making sales but you’re not making money

-You're marketing / messaging feels forced and doesn’t come easy to you

Lauren Hyland

Website: https://stan.store/thelaurenhyland

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thelaurenhyland/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/laurenhylandco

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thelaurenhyland

Clearing The Way

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/clearing-the-way/id1632477169

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5j4bJQP9IrjXllbyVb9Td8?si=XsChciA4Qmi45zek91P0tA

YouTube: https://youtube.com/channel/UC70IdR2_OMcE16cmClr1nDA

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/clearingthewaypodcast/

Website: https://www.didius.us/clearingtheway

Brought to you by the City of Washington Citywide Development Corporation

This video is brought to you by the City of Washington Citywide Development Corporation. If you’re a business located in Washington, PA that needs help growing and working through your current challenges, or you are outside of Washington and looking for a place to get started or a space to expand into, reach out using the links in the description. The Washington CDC’s services are free. No strings, No gotchas. My salary is covered. You pay nothing. I don't know how else to say it. There are organizations out here to help.

Welcome back to Clearing the Way. A resource for small business. I talk with sales and HR experts, other small business owners, and anyone else that can provide you with information to clear your way to success. 

Today's episode about choosing your Point of Sale (POS) and knowing how to make sure you are getting what's right for you.

Understanding the fees, subscriptions, hardware costs, hardware compatibility, and everything else associated with your POS can be overwhelming. If you don't know much about the systems, how can you know if someone is actually providing the service that is best for your business. There are 2 keys takeaways:

1) Don't be afraid to "Pause" and do more research.

2) Ask the right questions.

What questions should you ask?

What do I pay? Is there a monthly subscription fee? Do you have a monthly payment for your hardware?

When do I need to pay? Daily? Weekly? Monthly? How does this impact your cashflow? Is the amount the same each month? If not, is there an easy way for you to track what that number will be?

How do I get my money? Can I make a transfer anytime? Can you schedule it?

What does it do better than the competition? What’s the cost difference?

What will it cost to change? What features will be lost? What will be gained? How much will it cost to implement the change? It will definitely take time, but do you need to hire someone else to implement the change or can you do it yourself? Are you even capable of doing it yourself? What will it cost to get out of your current system? Can you just stop using your system or are you locked in for a certain amount of time? What does that contract look like? What is the upfront cost for the new system?

If you need help, please reach out. Don’t get screwed or taken advantage of just because you don’t know any better. 

City of Washington Citywide Development Corporation

This episode is brought to you by the City of Washington Citywide Development Corporation. This video is brought to you by the City of Washington Citywide Development Corporation. If you’re a business located in Washington, PA that needs help growing and working through your current challenges, or you are outside of Washington and looking for a place to get started or a space to expand into, reach out The Washington CDC’s services are free. No strings, No gotchas. My salary is covered. You pay nothing. I dont know how else to say it. There are organizations out here to help.

Email: [email protected]

Schedule a consultation: https://calendly.com/washcdc/general?month=2022-11

Clearing the Way

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/clearing-the-way/id1632477169

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5j4bJQP9IrjXllbyVb9Td8?si=XsChciA4Qmi45zek91P0tA

YouTube: https://youtube.com/channel/UC70IdR2_OMcE16cmClr1nDA

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/clearingthewaypodcast/

Website: https://www.didius.us/clearingtheway

Welcome back to Clearing the Way. A resource for small business. I talk with sales and HR experts, other small business owners, and anyone else that can provide you with information to clear your way to success. 

Today's episode is a solo episode. The topic: Overcoming Overwhelm.

I've got a couple quick tools that I use when I am caught in overwhelm and feeling unproductive.

1) Make a list

It is super simple. Just write down everything that needs to be done. That alone can and likely will feel like a daunting task, especially when you are the owner of your company. You’ve got a TON on your plate. Don’t overthink it. But just make a list. Not in your head. An actual list. Use your tablet, paper, a napkin. Anything to actually capture the list. The level of detail necessary varies for me. If I am in a really deep slump, I need to be super detailed. If I catch it early, the list can be a little more “surface level”.

Some examples

Surface level - “Edit Neal’s video”. “Meet with Joe Bob”

Detailed - Find Music. Find Sound effects. Make selections. Edit Rough Cut. Color Grade. Find Joe Bob’s Contact info. Send Joe Bob my Availability. Prep for Joe Bob.

As you complete the tasks, mark them off. This is super important for me. If I don't do this step, I get to the end of the day and feel like I haven't done anything.

If you are feeling frisky, you can prioritize the list. Don’t spend too much time here though. It is easy to get caught “refining your list” over and over, rethinking whether this is more important than that.

2) Time blocking

Next up. Time blocking. Take that precious list that you just created. Open your calendar. Start adding these items to the calendar. I like to do this on Sunday, but do what works for you. I normally add everything for the week at once. You are going to have some things that come up through the week that may derail some of the plan, but stick to it as close as possible.

3) Productive Procrastination

This one is a little bonus. I am a procrastinator. Especially when I am stuck in these little ruts. I procrastinate and then get to the end of the day knowing that I didn’t get done everything that I needed to. In comes “Productive Procrastination.” These are the things that would be nice to get done, but they aren’t priorities. I use these to help me get into a rhythm. These are generally tasks that I want to work on. Updating business cards, updating your logo, things like that.

Clearing the Way

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/clearing-the-way/id1632477169

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5j4bJQP9IrjXllbyVb9Td8?si=XsChciA4Qmi45zek91P0tA

YouTube: https://youtube.com/channel/UC70IdR2_OMcE16cmClr1nDA

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/clearingthewaypodcast/

Website: https://www.didius.us/clearingtheway

Welcome back to Clearing the Way. A resource for small business. I talk with sales and HR experts, other small business owners, and anyone else that can provide you with information to clear your way to success. 

My guest today is James Protin, owner of the Protin Group, host of the James Protin Podcast, speaker, author, Leadership coach, and Director of Business Development at GPI. James started his career in project management. After 8 years, he transitioned to Business Development and Marketing. He spent the next 15 years working for Engineering and consulting firms as the Director and VP of Business Development and Marketing. In 2015, James started the Protin Group, providing strategic consulting services focusing on Business Development, Advocacy, Marketing, Public Relations, and Leadership Coaching. In 2020, he was brought on as the Director of Business Development at GPI. James was a Board Member for Leadership Washington County, President of the Mon Valley Chamber of Commerce, and Chairman of the BVA Charitable Trust. In February of this year, 2022 he entered the world of podcasting. The James Protin Podcast highlights people with powerful stories that focus on love, faith, gratitude, forgiveness, and redemption.

James Protin

Website: https://jamesprotin.com/

The James Protin Podcast: https://jamesprotin.com/episodes/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-protin-08109213/

Welcome back to Clearing the Way. A resource for small business. I talk with sales and HR experts, other small business owners, and anyone else that can provide you with information to clear your way to success. 

Today’s Topic: Communication

My guest today is Jeremy Widenhofer, owner of Chitwood Communcations. Jeremy graduated from Indiana University Bloomington with a Bachelors in Public and Environmental Affairs. He then attended the University of Pittsburgh to receive his Masters in Public and International Affairs. Jeremy spent a few years in the corporate world as an Account Manager before transitioning to over to the government. He spent the next 12 years within the government and Department of State where he was responsible for creating the Presidential Daily Brief, building national security solutions, and collaborating with the FBI and the military on high stakes situations. In 2020, Jeremy started Chitwood Communications. Chitwood Communications gives you the resources, knowledge, and confidence to elevate your interpersonal and sales skills that will grow your business.

Jeremy Widenhofer

Website: https://chitwoodcommunications.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremy-widenhofer-332283173/

Welcome back to Clearing the Way. A resource for small business. I talk with sales and HR experts, other small business owners, and anyone else that can provide you with information to clear your way to success. 

Today will be another “expert” episode. Financial Planning for Small Business Owners.

Topics include:

• Starting out
• Splitting personal and business finances?
• Planning for Taxes?
• Planning for “unforeseen” challenges?
• Retirement planning
• Should I still be focusing on a 401k?
• Should I be investing/saving still when I barely have clients?
• Planning for expansion?
• How do you begin think about scaling in terms of money?
• Hoe much can be done on your own and when do I need help?

My guest today is Joe Piszczor, Certified Financial Planner at Stein Wealth Advisors. Joe graduated from Mercyhurst College in 2005 with a degree in Business Management. In his time there, he was active in student government and was a member of both the Football and Wrestling teams. In 2006, Joe started his first job in Finance.He spend the next 12 years as a Personal Financial Advisor. In 2018, he became Director of Financial Planning. In 2020, Joe moved on to Stein Wealth Advisors where he is still a Certified Financial Planner.

Joe is super active in the community here in Washington. He has served on the Boards of Leadership Washington County, Literacy Council of Southwest PA, Financial Planning Association of Pittsburgh, and The David Bradford House Historical Association. He is a 15 year member of the Rotary Club of Washington and a Trustee of the Washington County Community Foundation.

Joe is the Host of a soon-to-be available Podcast, Cup of Joe, where he attempt to make people financially literate. In many episodes, Joe will choose a topic and try to explain it to me. I will ask the questions that many of us have and hopefully by the end, we will all be better informed.

Joe Piszczor

Website: https://www.steinwealth.com/

Email: [email protected]

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joepiszczor/

DISCLAIMER

The economic views shared are for informational purposes only and should not be considered investment advice for the viewers personal situation. Clients should contact us at Stein Wealth Advisors or your own financial advisor if your not an client for specific investment advice.

Financial Planning and Investment Advice are specific services provided by Stein Wealth Advisors. This content is not to be interpreted to be specific or actionable advice and is for education purposes only. Please consult your counselors for specific advice on your individual situation.

Investment advisory services provided by NewEdge Advisors, LLC doing business as Stein Wealth Advisors as a registered investment adviser. Securities offered through NewEdge Securities, Inc., Member FINRA/SIPC. NewEdge Advisors, LLC and NewEdge Securities, Inc. are wholly owned subsidiaries of NewEdge Capital Group, LLC.

Welcome back to Clearing the Way. A resource for small business. I talk with sales and HR experts, other small business owners, and anyone else that can provide you with information to clear your way to success. 

My guest today is Andrew Gradert, Co-Founder of Maestros' Sauce Company. Andrew graduated from West Liberty University with a Bachelors in Business Administration and Computer Information Systems. He received his MBA from Waynesburg University in 2012. Andrew began working at PPG as an IT Security Analyst in 2010. He moved on to become a Senior Auditor and Analytics Lead before starting his current role as a Global Data Governance Manager. In 2019, Maestros’ Sauce Company was founded. Maestros takes pride in their ability to create sauces that satisfy a craving for both heat and flavor. As of September 20th, Andrew sits in 15th place out of 49, 6 spots ahead of me, in the North Strabane Disc Golf Handicap League.

Andrew Gradert

Website: https://maestrossauceco.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-gradert-ab966b51/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/maestros_sauceco/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CoMaestros/

Welcome back to Clearing the Way. A resource for small business. I talk with sales and HR experts, other small business owners, and anyone else that can provide you with information to clear your way to success. 

Today’s Topic is a little different: Buying a Home as a New Business Owner

Topics Covered:

• Preparing to purchase a home
• How much cash is needed?
• What is different for a business owner?

My guest today is Bob Stienstraw. Real Estate Agent with RiverPoint Realty, Managing Owner of Leading Properties and Co-Owner of ACE Atlantic Investments. Bob graduated from Clarion University in 2015 with a Bachelors in Business Administration. He has worked in Real Estate since then. Bob and I graduated together, played sports together all through school, and have been friends for years.

Bob Stienstraw

Website: https://www.riverpointpgh.com/meet-the-team/robert-stienstraw

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robert-stienstraw-4308a1a8/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Bob-Stienstraw-Team-Real-Estate-Professionals-820412404691981

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stienstraw96/