Practical Bizz Podcast

Who You Need to Know for Safe Reliable Tire & Auto Care in Rhode Island

Broadway Tire is a Rhode Island family-owned business that strives to provide excellent customer experience with multiple locations in Pawtucket, Warwick, and their latest location in Johnston. A flat tire or unfamiliar sound from under your vehicle's hood is always a cause for concern, leading to financial stress and anxiety for customers. Jim and his team understand the emotional and financial impacts this can have on their consumers. They're ready to answer your burning questions, "How long will it be until my vehicle is back on the road?", "How much will this cost?" and "Is my vehicle safe to drive?".

The Broadway Tire team is honest and hardworking with an open-door policy. If there is a problem, they have a solution to put your worries to rest. They stand behind their work, their brands, and their products. Broadway Tire offers many well-known tire brands, such as Michelin, Perelli, Hankook, and Continental. With access to extensive tire lines, they will make sure your car's new shoes match and are balanced correctly. As you pull off their lot, you will notice a difference in performance and handling with your vehicle. Broadway Tire is just the shop you've been looking for, with a full range of services from diagnostics, tune-ups, oil changes, brakes, mounting and balancing, and more extensive car repairs to keep you safe while driving your vehicle.

If you would like your business to be featured in a Beacon Communications Business Spotlight contact, their sales team at Home | Warwick Beacon (warwickonline.com)

For More Information on Broadway Tire visit:
Broadway Tire and Auto Service | Auto Repair & Tire Shop in Pawtucket, Warwick, Johnston, RI (broadwaytireri.com)

If you enjoyed this episode of Practical Bizz, please subscribe, rate, and review this episode on your favorite listening platform. If you prefer to watch this episode, head to our YouTube Channel at Practical BizZ Podcast - YouTube , and remember to hit the subscribe button. This support allows us to continue creating great content and spotlighting small business owners at no cost.

If you are looking for a great way to connect with the small business community and would like to be a sponsor of the Helping Small Business | Stellar Business Concepts, head on over to our website at www.stellarbusinessconcepts.com

According to the 2022 Census Bureau, there are currently 140,918 black or African-American-owned businesses, with 141. Billion annual receipts and 1.3 million employees with 42.2 billion dollars in payroll each year. We agree that these stats are impressive and continue to grow each year. However, you will find as you dig deeper into black business communities, they are still faced with many challenges. In an interesting article published in Forbes magazine this past February, they share some of the most frequent challenges black business owners face throughout the country. These challenges include facing systemic racism, issues locating and securing funding, and lack of support resources within their communities.

Even while faced with challenges, a great deal of hope and support is available. Black Business owners are very passionate business professionals who give back to their communities and seek to work alongside the side business owners and professionals who understand their unique strengths and challenges when starting and growing a business. In this week's episode of Practical Bizz, we are on location at the Providence, Rhode Island offices of the Rhode Island Black Business Association. We speak with Founder and President, Lisa Ranglin about how her association helps build black business through business development, workforce development, and advocacy to make better futures for black communities. 

Thank you for listening to Practical Bizz. If you enjoyed this week's episode, please subscribe to our channel and leave review on your favorite listening platform. This support helps continue to host amazing guests and the opportunities to spotlight local businesses and nonprofits at no cost.

If you prefer to see episodes in person, check out our YouTube Channel at https://www.youtube.com/shorts/JLmlvZ6lOcQ

For more information about RIBBA, click the link below.
https://ri-bba.org/

For more info about the challenges black business face in the US, click the link below for the Forbes article mentioned in the show notes
https://www.forbes.com/sites/allbusiness/2023/02/20/reports-show-black-small-businesses-still-face-major-challenges/#:~:text=Bank%20of%20America's%202022%20Women,a%20relationship%20with%20a%20lender

A special Beacon Communication Business Spotlight: Look behind the scenes and learn more about the fascinating man behind the famous Chef Walters Cooking School in Cranston, RI. In 1972 Chef Walter arrived in New York as a young man with energy and ambition, seeking the same future for his family as his grandparents gave him. He decided long ago that he would not compromise quality, and to this day, that motto has remained the cornerstone of his philosophy!

Since 1995 Chef Walters Cooking School has been the leader in the Recreational Cooking Business. After owning and operating restaurants since the mid-80s, he felt compelled to share knowledge acquired through cooking classes and culinary education. Hopefully, he will inspire you to enroll in a cooking class where you learn to cook healthier and simpler while developing fun culinary logic, which remains the essential ingredient in every recipe.

This local Rhode Island celebrity and entrepreneur has several business ventures, everything from running a cooking school, a local museum, brand ambassador, Chef Walters Fine Foods, and brand manager of his Federal Hill Sunday Gravy, available in local grocery markets in our region. Did we mention he serves as a travel consultant, creating memorable one-of-a-kind trips to Italy, hosts his own podcast called Flavors and Knowledge, and was a TV show host for several years? 

This Chef is on a mission to share his healthy cooking and love for his native land Italy with everyone who enters his school. His message is clear: when prepared right, food is made with love and simple, fresh, healthy ingredients often found in the Mediterranean diet. In today's interview, he shares how his school teaches others that good food is the key to a long healthy life. His passion goes beyond cooking, as he also loves educating others on his podcast Flavors & Knowledge, focusing on the direct correlation between our eating and our health. This outstanding Chef and his wife give back to their community with a significant emphasis on helping cure childhood diabetes.

For more information about Chief Walters, visit his website at Chef Walters Fine Foods - Food Products, Travel

Home (chefwalterscookingschool.com)

For more information on how to have your business spotlighted, visit Beacon Communications

Home | Warwick Beacon (warwickonline.com)

For more information about Practical Bizz Podcast, visit us at Helping Small Business | Stellar Business Concepts

In this week's episode, we interview co-owner Victor Regino from Papi's Coquito. The first, Latino millennial owned liquor brand in Rhode Island. He shares how he and his partners took a family tradition and created a brand for others to enjoy. This trio state that their Coquito evokes feelings of good vibes and tastes of the islands and brings official taste of their Puerto Rico culture to the masses. This team of entrepreneurs won a coveted space as one of the eight finalists in the Harbor One pitch contest in September of 2022. Although this brand is very successful, it has not always been smooth sailing as Victor shares the ups and downs of bringing their brand to life. 

We touch on everything from creating mood boards, branding and marketing decisions, the vision behind their logo design, working with a research and development team, finding a distributor, following your gut, the challenges of finding suppliers & expansion, and working with local businesses and influences to build a strong brand message and educate consumers. 

If you have yet to enjoy trying this fresh-tasting liquor, here is more about the rich culture behind this family tradition. "For generations in Puerto Rican culture, Coquito is a beverage enjoyed around the holidays. Culturally speaking, Latino celebrations are almost always connected to sharing a drink with your most beloved family members and friends. The creator of the original recipe is a mystery, but everyone from Puerto Rico remembers to bring the Coquito to the table! Most Puerto Rican families have their secret recipe created by a special someone. Each variation of this delicious drink is a twist to the standard recipe—one thing is for sure; you cannot make it without love and a strong Rum!"

If you are starting a business or ready to put your growth plan into action, chances are you will need financing, and a loan backed by the SBA may be the best choice for you. An SBA loan offers flexibility, longer repayment terms, and lower interest rates. In addition, the support from the SBA can help improve your odds of loan approval for funding with your local bank. This week, we are joined by a knowledgeable guest who understands SBA financing on a very integral level with his role as the Rhode District Director, Mark Hayward. Mark talks in great detail about the different types of loans. We will dig deep into Microloans, 7A loans, and 504, among other nonprofit agencies that distribute support and funds to the small business community backed by the SBA. Our host Erica Saccoccio gives her perspective on SBA loans as a business owner who has secured several different SBA loans during her business journey. After listening to this episode, you will better understand what you need to know to prepare to apply for an SBA loan and the details on what loans you should use when it comes to working capital, equipment purchase, or real estate. We have your guided tour into SBA lending, so grab a cup of tea and a notebook and turn up the volume on those headphones. If you need help with creating a business, a growth plan, or need a sounding board to help you get started, please contact us at www.stellarbusinessconcepts.com

In today's episode, we are joined by Mary T. O'Sullivan, she is an experienced Executive and Professional Coach specializing in supporting managers, executives, and professionals when they need to exhibit grace under pressure in a stressful career, leadership, or personal situations. We talk about her experience working in a male-dominated field during her amazing career spanning several decades. We touch on the impact of women in corporate work and how things have changed from working as a woman who worked for the CEO to the transition of being a CEO. Mary shares lessons that we can all use to be a great leader and how to avoid being the "Leader You Don't Want to Be." Do you wish to see Mary in person? Then register for the Rhode Island 2023 Small Business Summit on September 21, 2023, at the Event Factory, located here in Warwick, RI.

Links: For more about our guest Mary T O' Sullivan

Biography - Encore Executive Coaching Biography

Let everyone know you support local podcasters and Love Practical Bizz Podcast with our merchandise; grab yours today at Shop | Stellar Business (stellarbusinessconcepts.com)

If you own or are considering starting a women-owned business in New England, listen carefully. We had an informative conversation with a remarkable young lady named Lindsey Ramirez. She is a Rhode Island native, world traveler, computer coder, and entrepreneur that has her hands in everything. She inspires other women to feel empowered by encouraging them to try new things and take on any obstacle that comes their way. She is equally reflective in her practice and spreads the message of being your genuine self throughout the journey. 

We learn about support groups for women leaders, workshops in person and online, what it means to become a women-certified business, and how it can benefit your business. We dig deeper and talk about how women tend to shrink themself; people please and often discredit their worth. We are here to let you know we support you and we are changing the narrative. Did you know that in the United States, 41% of businesses are women-owned and that many of the highest-grossing companies are led by a women CEO? We know why. Women create positive work environments, retain staff, women are also great at collaboration, and value work-life balance. These are hot topics often discussed in today's workforce. So, grab your cup of tea, sit back, and learn about the resources available to help you start a women-owned business you will be proud of.

 Links:

For more information about the Center for Women in Enterprise please visit www.cweonline.org

Are you a Rhode Island Women's Business owner looking for support services? Do you want to reach out to more Rhode Island business owners while they are tuned in and focused on the business? Why not reach out for more information on how you can be a sponsor of our show at www.stellarbusinessconcepts.com for more details. 

In life and business experience, talent, focus, support, and knowledge are power. There is a great benefit to working with a mentor or industry expert who has a wealth of golden nuggets to share with you as an entrepreneur. Let’s face it, running your business is hard. Day-to-day decision-making takes many skills sets that one business owner may not have. We are often juggling so many pieces of running the day-to-day operations. There is a wide abundance of benefits in regard to working with another experienced leader.  By doing so frequently, they become a sounding board that can be open and objective. This can be significantly more challenging if you are a solopreneur because talking to yourself can become lonely. Perhaps you have a business partner, you will encounter situations where you may not agree on the direction where your business is headed. Having an outside source to help to resolve different viewpoints can help save not only the business dynamic but encourage healthy interpersonal relationships within the business.

In today's episode, we spoke with Jeff Bodenstab from the Rhode Island branch of Service Corps of Retired Executives also known as SCORE. As we head into a recession, the resources mentioned in today’s episodes are FREE. This is a great benefit to our small business community as we actively track our expenses. We discuss mentorship opportunities, online training, resources, business templates, events, and more. Regardless of the status of your business or where you might be headed on your business journey, SCORE can assist you with starting, growing or exiting your business with confidence.

Speaking of exiting your business, as a business owner, if you still want to be involved with your local business community, you can also become a mentor for SCORE. This will allow you the opportunity to give back. There are so many options and opportunities to working with such a wonderful organization. Not a Rhode Island business owner? There are SCORE offices located throughout the United States. 

We are certainly proud to have such an amazing chapter in Rhode Island. They were recently awarded for their hard work and recognized as profound leaders in the field. For more about the Rhode Island chapter, check out the article below.

Links:

To learn more about SCORE Leadership click the link below:

SCORE Rhode Island Recognized as a Top Chapter in the Country - PR.com

Love Practical BizZ and check out our shop for the coolest merch, click the link below
Shop | Stellar Business (stellarbusinessconcepts.com)

Print media is still king and there is a significant impact when businesses connect with their local newspaper. In today's discussion, we talk with John Howell, Editor/Publisher of the Warwick Beacon, among many publications, he is a contributor. The Beacon is a local newspaper published in little ole Warwick, Rhode Island and one we are very familiar with here at Practical BizZ. You will be surprised to find that many local papers are small businesses and rely on their community's support to stand the test of time. 

You may be shocked to uncover this is not your grandfather's newspaper. Most local newspapers offer the paper as an online subscription and provide links from your advertising to your website with one click. Only a few have even incorporated podcasting as a way to help the community learn more about your business and include a glimpse behind the scenes. A combination of print news, online, and podcasting is a great way to meet local business owners. Remember, people do more business with people they know, admire, and trust. 

This local journalism legend shares everything from how he and his partner found a creative way to fund their first of many publications and how they have kept the newspaper relevant and a significant part of the small business community. The local paper is an excellent resource for customers where they find everything LOCAL, from the news, sports, dining, arts and entertainment, exciting editorials, obituaries, legal notices, videos, and an array of happenings. In the world of social media, we have found that working with your local newspaper is often a grossly underrated resource and an opportunity many business owners do not take advantage of as part of a well-developed marketing plan. If you are a brick-and-mortar location, most of your business will come from within a five to ten-mile radius. This episode is a must-listen podcast if you are looking for an effective and affordable way to connect with your customers. 

Here are just a few ways to connect with your local newspaper:

• Advertising
• "Business Spotlights" or "Ask the Expert Segments".
• Sharing your business events ex: Grand Openings, moving to a new location, new product or service launch, employee recognition, awards, or new certifications.
• Show support for your community. 
• The local paper is a hyper-targeted resource and an effective way to increase your exposure to the people who do business with you. 
• Send a press release when you have breaking business news to share.
• Local newspapers are available online in the hand of your customers.
• The print publication helps you stay top of the mind of your customer and in the hands of your customers for at least 5 to 7 days (much longer than the 10-second Facebook reel).
• Link your website to the local paper website to gain more traffic and leads.
• Be a guest on their podcast to help others learn more about you.

Want to learn more about the Warwick Beacon? Click the link below.

John Howell: Editor/Publisher | Warwick Beacon (warwickonline.com)

Did you know Practical BizZ is now on YouTube? If you love our show, please subscribe to our channel and click the link below.

Event Ideas to make your business look like a Rock Star - YouTube

We are joined this week by our guest R.I. Secretary of State Gregg Amore and Maureen Ewig, Director of Business Services at the Rhode Island S.O.S. offices, to get the details on what you need to know and the services available to help small businesses just like yours. We know many business owners often dread the "red tape" that can often come with opening or expanding their growing business here in "Little Rhody." During this interview, nothing is off the table; we cover the process of opening and closing a business, the required paperwork and how to find business records, when you need to complete filings, with how to remain in good standing with the business department. It is not as dull as it sounds; we promise if you hate paperwork, they have so many solutions, but beyond that did you know they offer support services for businesses as well?

You may be pleasantly surprised by how down-to-earth this dynamic business duo is. Secretary of State Mr. Amore, a retired educator, who ironically was the civics teacher of Steph, our Social Media Manager. During our conversation, I found as an educator, Mr. Amore shared many of our core values and made himself accessible for our interview when we reached out to his office; as a business owner, I appreciated that to the point where they came down to record at our office. Not only did Maureen have a long history of service to the State of the R.I. business community, which made me honestly a little nervous for our interview since this was the first time having an elected official or state employee on our podcast until Maureen rolled into our parking lot in her 4-door Jeep Wrangler. I uncovered she was a Jeeper, and I was instantly at ease. How Rhode Island is that?