New Episode Drop!
How Much Should Small Businesses Spend on Marketing? (The Real Answer)

How much should a small business actually spend on marketing? The SBA says 7–10% of revenue… but that benchmark is built on Fortune 500 data, not your business. In this episode, Chris Flowers breaks down the real answer using 30 years of commercial finance: it's not what you spend, it's WHERE you spend it — and your margins decide everything.

Inside this episode:

• Why the 7–10% rule can break a thin-margin business

• The #1 mistake owners make in a downturn (and why you should double down instead)

• Why marketing is an INVESTMENT, not an expense — treat your budget like inventory

• The LTV:CAC ratio explained in plain English (the banker's rule: 3:1 or better)

• Where to actually put your dollars: short-form video, long-form video, live video, email, and SEO

• Meta vs. Google Ads — the honest take, and why you might be renting attention instead of owning assets

• The 'microwave mentality' that kills marketing ROI

Here's The Deal | Peoria, AZ

Podcast Coaching & Production — You Bring The Story, We Refine The Vision

Video Content & Marketing — Easy. Comfortable. Connected.

Ready to be seen? [email protected] | heresthedeal.biz/marketing

Subscribe for weekly straight-talk on business, marketing, and storytelling.

CHAPTERS (adjust timestamps to final cut)

0:00 Intro

1:00 The SBA 7–10% rule — and why it's not the whole story

2:50 Why your margins dictate everything

3:30 The #1 mistake: cutting marketing in a downturn

5:56 The $1,000/year trap (66% of owners fall in)

6:30 Marketing as investment, not expense — treat it like inventory

7:00 LTV:CAC explained — the banker's ratio

12:00 Where to actually spend: video, email, SEO

17:00 The 'microwave mentality' trap (90–180 days)

18:00 Meta vs. Google Ads: the honest answer

24:00 Renting attention vs. owning assets

25:48 Bottom line: judge against YOUR margins

#heresthedealbiz #mybizcoaches #videomarketing #easycomfortableconnected #smallbusinessmarketing #marketingbudget #marketingROI #businessgrowth

If I wiped your business out tomorrow, who would you be Monday morning?

This episode pivoted on me the second that question came up — because it's one most founders can't answer without flinching. Here's the deal: the business isn't the problem. The identity problem is — and it costs you money, your relationships, and sometimes your health.

In this one, Chris Flowers digs into:

• Why "I am the business" turns every lost deal and bad month into a personal failure

• The **Ego Tax** — the dead products and "nobody can do it like me" delegation quietly draining your profit

• How to train and trust the right people (and where the bottom lines stay locked)

• **Conviction vs. Ego** — conviction listens to the data and adjusts; ego just tries to prove a point

• The military rule that runs through it all: *slow is smooth, smooth is fast*

• The **Sunday Night Test**: Can you take a week off with no email? Got two close friends outside your industry? Can you describe yourself in 60 seconds without mentioning your business?

• Why you build your identity NOW — as a spouse, parent, friend, person of faith — not after the business sells or folds

The deals come and go. That time with your family doesn't come back.

🌐 Full episode + show notes: heresthedeal.biz

🎙️ Podcast Coaching & Production — "You Bring The Story, We Refine The Vision." → [email protected] · heresthedeal.biz/marketing

🎬 Video Content & Marketing — "Easy. Comfortable. Connected." → [email protected] · heresthedeal.biz/marketing

Here's The Deal | Educate, Elevate, Inspire | Peoria, AZ | heresthedeal.biz

#heresthedealbiz #mybizcoaches #videomarketing #easycomfortableconnected

Episode 12 of Here's The Deal — Jorge & Jesus Ruiz from @thetacospot tell us how they built a birria empire from a barbershop kitchen.

→ Signed the buildout with no money

→ First customer waited 30 minutes

→ Mom made them hug to save the business

→ Goal: 1,000 stores

Real story. Real grit. Real tacos.

▶️ To see the full video, go to our YouTube channel: Here's The Deal Podcast.

📍 Based in Peoria, AZ

📞 623-308-9732

📧 [email protected]

🌐 heresthedeal.biz/marketing

📅 calendly.com/heresthedeal/chrisflowers

🎙️ Podcast Coaching & Production — You Bring The Story, We Refine The Vision.

🎬 Video Content Creation & Marketing — Easy. Comfortable. Connected.

#heresthedealbiz #mybizcoaches #videomarketing #easycomfortableconnected #TheTacoSpot #BirriaTacos #PhoenixEats #PeoriaAZ #FamilyBusiness #FranchiseGrowth #EntrepreneurStory #SmallBusinessAZ #PodcastEpisode

RAW TO READY™

You already have the content.

Now turn it into fast, clean, credible content that represents your brand the right way.

✅ You send the photos, videos, or voiceover
✅ Professional editing & cleanup
✅ Fast, clean, credible content

HTD Marketing.

The story sells, not the numbers.

Easy • Comfortable • Connected

📩 [email protected]

Handshakes are making a comeback — and HTD is here for it.

Video calls aren't going anywhere. They built bridges that didn't exist before, and Chris does them every week with clients around the world. But there's a ceiling. You can't catch the side conversation, the energy in the room, or the "let's grab coffee after" through a Zoom screen.

In this episode of Here's The Deal, Chris breaks down:

→ Why video calls have a hard ceiling for trust and rapport→ The difference between productive networking and busy networking (a lesson from 30 years in commercial banking)→ Why one quality networking group beats five mediocre ones→ The "Unplugged" movement — and why young professionals are the ones leading the no-screens charge→ A simple 4-step framework for networking that actually moves the needle

He shares a story about being the oldest guy in the room at a young professionals' unplugged meetup — and what it told him about where business connection is heading.

If you're a business owner, content creator, or anyone who's been hiding behind email and DMs, this one's for you.

Wi-Fi connects devices. Eye contact connects people.

Work with HTD:Podcast Coaching — [email protected]/marketingVideo Marketing — heresthedeal.biz/marketingBook a call — calendly.com/heresthedeal/chrisflowersPhone — 623-308-9732

Educate. Elevate. Inspire.

Most entrepreneurs wait for opportunity…

But opportunity doesn’t knock.

IT SCREAMS.

In this episode of Here's The Deal, Chris Flowers breaks down:

✅ How market demand forced him to launch podcast coaching & production
✅ Why most entrepreneurs miss obvious revenue opportunities
✅ The real reason delegation, automation, and AI matter
✅ How to stay in your genius while scaling your business
✅ Why AI will never replace authentic storytelling
✅ The 3 questions every entrepreneur must ask before delegating

If you’ve been sitting on your podcast, business idea, or next revenue stream…

This episode may be the kick in the teeth you needed.

You bring the story. We refine the vision.

🎯 Book your strategy call:
[email protected]/marketing

#heresthedealbiz #mybizcoaches #videomarketing #easycomfortablecosteffective

HTD Episode 9 — Saturated? Nope. You're Just Late, And That's Still Early.Everybody's telling me the podcast market is saturated. The data says otherwise — and in this episode, I drop the receipts.The creator economy just crossed $200 BILLION and is growing 22% annually. The U.S. creator economy alone projects to hit $671B by 2035. There are 4.5 million podcasts in existence, but only 10–11% are actively publishing. *44% of podcasts quit before episode 3.* Just *21 episodes* puts you in the top 1% on the planet.If you're an entrepreneur, small business owner, or someone with expertise sitting on the sidelines wondering if you missed the boat — Chris has news for you: *the ship hasn't even been built yet.*00:00 The saturation myth01:00 Three keys: clear message, consistency, commitment02:20 The $200 billion creator economy04:58 Crowded market vs. growing market07:00 4.5M podcasts, 90% abandoned09:30 Your life is your unfair advantage13:00 Audiences don't want information — they want YOU14:55 Why podcast trust beats most other media17:20 Stay in your lane19:47 Block your recording time like a client appointment22:30 Why consistency beats talent (the Jerry Rice principle)25:00 The 100th episode mark27:00 HTD Podcast Coaching & Production launch🎙️ *HTD Podcast Coaching & Production:*"Bring Us The Story. We Refine The Vision."Message development → Show format → Weekly production → Thumbnails → Multi-platform distribution → Social clips. The full stack.📧 *FREE 30-minute consultation:* [email protected]/marketing🌐 *Subscribe for more:* Educate. Elevate. Inspire.*Easy. Comfortable. Connected.*—*Follow HTD:*LinkedIn → Chris Flowers / Here's The DealFacebook → Here's The DealInstagram → @heresthedealbizTikTok → @heresthedealbizBuzzsprout, Spotify & Apple Podcasts → Here's The Deal🎙️ *Subscribe via any podcast app:*RSS Feed → https://feeds.buzzsprout.com/2613143.rss#heresthedealbiz #mybizcoaches #videomarketing #easycomfortableconnected #podcasting #creatoreconomy #podcastcoaching #entrepreneurpodcast #howtostartapodcast #podcastproduction #businesspodcast #smallbusinesstips #contentcreator #podcastlaunch #podcaststats2026

92% of podcasts fail before episode 10. If you’re an entrepreneur or coach tired of sitting on the sidelines, this is your roadmap to building a platform that actually lasts.In this episode of Here’s The Deal, 30-year commercial finance veteran Chris Flowers cuts through the noise. We aren't talking about microphones or software—we’re talking about the three strategic pillars required to move from "hobbyist" to "industry authority."🕒 Timestamps0:00 — The Shocking Truth: Why 92% of Podcasts Die1:45 — Pillar 1: The One-Sentence Message Test4:10 — Pillar 2: The Consistency Rule (Better than 4K Gear)7:30 — Pillar 3: Why You Must "Hit the F'in Button"10:15 — How to Scale: HTD Coaching & Production12:45 — Your First Step to Launching🎙️ About This EpisodeWhether you're a small business owner or a coach with a story to tell, Chris breaks down:How to separate your message from the digital noise.The industry stats that predict your podcast’s survival.The mindset shift needed to stop planning and start producing.🔗 Ready to Launch or Scale?Don't do it alone. Get a professional production team behind you.👉 Book your Free Consultation: [email protected]/marketing📲 Connect with Chris & HTDSubscribe for weekly episodes built to Educate, Elevate, and Inspire.🔔 Hit the bell so you never miss a drop.LinkedIn: [Chris Flowers / Here's The Deal]IG/TikTok/FB: @HeresTheDealBizListen on the go: [Link to Spotify/Apple]#HeresTheDeal #PodcastStrategy #Entrepreneurship #ContentMarketing #SmallBusinessGrowth #ChrisFlowers #VideoMarketing #StartAPodcast

In this episode of Here's a Deal, I just got back from the Accelerate networking event at Phoenix International Raceway — and two-time Indy 500 champion Arie Luyendyk was the guest speaker. He said something that hit me hard:"You gotta push the car to the limit — but you gotta know what the car can do, and what it can't."In this episode we break down:✅ Why ambition alone doesn't grow a business — capacity does✅ How to identify your proven capacity vs. your imagined capacity✅ The difference between a dream and a goal (hint: one has a plan)✅ Why saying NO to a job can actually build your reputation✅ Cash flow, staffing, and operations — your tires, brakes, and fuel✅ When to push it and when to box (and who should be in your headset)Whether you're a contractor, service provider, or growing your brand — this episode will help you race smart, not just fast.🎙️ Here's a Deal — where we Educate, Elevate, and Inspire Entrepreneurs.📲 Let's set a meeting and talk about your business story: https://heresthedeal.biz/marketing#HeresADeal #Entrepreneurship #BusinessGrowth #SmallBusiness #ArieLuyendyk #CashFlow #BusinessPodcast #PhoenixBusiness #RaceSmart #IndyCar

Good help is hard to find, or is it?

In this episode of Here’s The Deal, we challenge one of the most common excuses in business and shift the focus where it belongs—on leadership, standards, and accountability.

If your business is growing but your quality is slipping, you’re not scaling… you’re eroding your brand.

We break down:

• Why leadership defines excellence
• The importance of clarity and team buy-in
• How lowering standards impacts customer trust
• The hidden cost of cutting corners
• Why integrity must come before profit

The truth is:
Customers don’t leave slowly—they leave after broken trust.

And once they’re gone, they’re not coming back.

Here’s The Deal:
Excellence builds brands, profit follows.

Want to take your brand to the next level with video?

Reach out:
[email protected]/marketing