From The Trenches

90% of small businesses fail within their first two years. But it's not because their product is bad or they aren't working hard enough.

Business coach Tammy Johnston reveals the real reasons behind these failures and the practical solutions that can help new businesses thrive.

With over 32 years of experience working with small business owners, Johnston breaks down the three critical areas every new entrepreneur must master:

• Time management strategies that focus on revenue-generating activities
• Consistent marketing approaches that work in both busy and slow seasons
• Systems that transform your business from a demanding job into a scalable operation

Johnston shares battle-tested advice for building sustainable success, including:

• How to plan your marketing calendar a year in advance
• Why "smart, ambitious, and lazy" is the perfect formula for systems
• The key mistakes that drain cash flow in new businesses
• Practical ways to escape the "professional plate spinner" trap

Get your free Solopreneur Self-Assessment at https://ksabusiness.ca/gift

Digital marketing costs are soaring while response rates plummet. Smart businesses are rediscovering an overlooked marketing channel that's delivering massive returns - direct mail.

In this powerful episode, direct mail expert David Foley reveals his proven system for testing direct mail campaigns with as few as 400 customers. You'll discover:

• A simple 3-list testing method to measure direct mail against email
• Why customer lists outperform rental lists by 3X or more
• The truth about expected conversion rates across industries
• Strategic tips for standing out in the physical mailbox
• How to bond with customers through print newsletters
• Ways to leverage first-class vs standard mail effectively

David also shares real campaign examples, including one that generated a 35-40% response rate. Whether you're new to direct mail or looking to improve existing campaigns, this episode delivers actionable insights to boost your marketing results.

Request your free digital copy of David's book - Postal Mail Profits in a Digitally Obsessed Age - by emailing him at [email protected].

At 23, Michelle Jacobik maxed out her credit cards and turned to payday loans while working at a financial services firm. The irony wasn't lost on her. Today, after building and selling a $12M insurance agency, she helps entrepreneurs avoid the financial pitfalls that almost ended her own business dreams.

In this candid discussion, Michelle reveals the financial mistakes that threaten even promising businesses and provides a framework for sustainable growth. She challenges conventional wisdom about cutting costs and shares why understanding your "money story" may be more important than your business strategy.

Grab your free copy of 7-Financial Mistakes To Avoid As An Entrepreneurs at https://michellejacobik.kartra.com/page/7-financial-mistakes.

Connect with Michelle:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/michellejacobik/

https://www.facebook.com/michellejacobik

https://www.instagram.com/michellejacobik

Rob Anspach transformed his struggling carpet cleaning business into a thriving enterprise by doing the opposite of his competitors - giving away free services. This counter-intuitive approach led to his average sale increasing from $50 to over $500.

Now with 30+ years of entrepreneurial experience and 50 published books under his belt, Rob shares how breaking away from generic business practices and embracing authenticity creates lasting success. From crafting simple, readable books to using sarcasm as a strategic marketing tool, Rob demonstrates why being different attracts ideal clients.

Check out Rob's books - including several free ones - at www.AnspachMedia.com/shop.

Your office clutter is costing you money. Every minute spent searching for documents, every forgotten task, every overwhelmed moment staring at your inbox chips away at your productivity and peace of mind.

Certified productive environment specialist Carla Zwaan joins us to share her proven framework for office transformation. After helping entrepreneurs organize over 30 live events and managing complex business operations, she's distilled the essentials of workspace optimization into practical, implementable steps.

In this episode you'll discover:

• The FAT system for quick paper processing (File, Action, Toss)
• Why "finding systems" matter more than filing systems
• The three critical inboxes every business owner must manage
• The SOAR board method for capturing and organizing tasks

Zwaan's methods have helped entrepreneurs reclaim their time and sanity. Her approach focuses on sustainable systems rather than quick fixes, ensuring lasting results.

Find out your Productive Environment Score and get immediate access to your Office Transformation Blueprint™ at www.carlazwaan.com/get-your-score.

Your email marketing could be headed for disaster without you even knowing it.

In this revealing episode, guest host Dean Mercado interviews certified inbox optimization specialist Scott Hartley, who pulls back the curtain on what's really happening with email deliverability in 2025.

Scott shares the four critical metrics every business owner must track, including the surprising new benchmark for open rates and click rates that could make or break your email success. You'll learn exactly why most email marketing fails and the simple fixes to turn it around.

You'll discover:

• The 80/40 Rule: The new open and click rates
• How to prune your list for maximum deliverability
• Writing techniques that boost engagement and sales
• Microsoft's recent changes crushing email marketing
• Smart ways to leverage AI without killing results
• Building authentic relationships at scale

Plus, Scott shares the four core metrics to track and explains why most "best practices" are outdated. If you want more sales from your email list, this episode is packed with actionable tips.

Resources to accelerate your results:

Hit The Inbox Book: hittheinboxbook.com

Free Facebook Community: hittheinboxcommunity.com

Email Marketing Audit: hittheinboxaudit.com

Your business growth may be getting sabotaged by hidden friction points you don't even realize exist. In this episode, award-winning strategist Ryan Chute reveals the biological and psychological barriers blocking your path to rapid scaling.

After transforming his own approach from grinding in retail to running a thriving 8-figure agency, Ryan now helps businesses identify and eliminate the subtle forces creating resistance. He breaks down:

• The brain chemistry driving business growth and how to optimize it
• Why survival mode thinking limits success and what to do about it
• Three foundational pillars that remove friction: winning, trust, and gratitude
• How to audit your operations for hidden growth blockers
• Practical frameworks for building frictionless systems

Through real examples and proven strategies, Ryan demonstrates how small shifts in approach can lead to dramatically accelerated results. Learn how to get out of your own way and create the conditions for sustainable scaling.

Traditional Facebook advertising is broken. Most businesses waste thousands throwing ads at cold audiences, hoping something sticks. Jamie Gilleland knew there had to be a better way.

After building multiple seven-figure companies through marketing automation, Jamie now leads Rift Social - where she's flipped the script on social media marketing.

Her revolutionary "RIF" method (Reach, Impact, Frequency) first builds audiences of 3,000-10,000 engaged viewers through strategic video content before deploying targeted paid campaigns.

The approach cuts through the noise of traditional advertising by focusing first on building trust and authority. Only then does Jamie target paid ads at people who've already shown genuine interest - leading to dramatically lower costs per lead and higher conversion rates.

Key takeaways from this episode:

• The step-by-step RIF method for building engaged audiences
• How to create compelling video content efficiently
• Why most Facebook ad strategies fail
• Tips for authentic social media presence
• The power of batching content creation
• A simpler approach to social media advertising costs

Sign up for your own RIF Social account and get 10% off your first month using the promo code "Scott".

Or book a time to with Jamie to discuss your social media strategy.

"I got into sales by default, not by intention," admits Steve DeBree. After 30+ years training top sales teams, Steve knows exactly why most people struggle with selling - and it's not about tactics or techniques.

In this breakthrough episode, you'll learn:

• The real reason sales feels uncomfortable (hint: it's deeper than you think)
• 5 foundational beliefs that make or break your sales success
• A proven framework for natural selling conversations
• How to overcome sales anxiety and call reluctance
• Why pressure and manipulation never work long-term

Steve shares powerful insights to help transform your relationship with selling. Stop dreading sales calls and start having authentic conversations that drive results.

Want to have a conversation with Steve? Feel free to email him at [email protected].

After 16 years and over a million downloads, Dr. Robert Forto knows what works in business podcasting - and what doesn't. When skyrocketing yellow pages costs threatened his dog training business in 2009, he turned to podcasting as an alternative marketing channel.

This episode reveals the proven strategies behind his longevity and success, including:

• Why interview-based podcasts are uniquely powerful for consultants and coaches
• The production schedule that ensures consistent quality
• Equipment recommendations for various budgets and goals
• Smart ways to find and book compelling guests
• Common mistakes that lead to "pod fade"
• Revenue generation approaches that preserve authenticity

Dr. Forto also shares candid insights about download metrics, episode length, content planning, and what it really takes to create a sustainable business podcast. His practical, no-hype approach provides a roadmap for entrepreneurs ready to harness the marketing power of podcasting.