What should you do if you suspect your small business’s CFO is stealing from your company? Join hosts Elizabeth Larkin and Gene Marks as they discuss how to tackle this tricky situation in this week’s episode of the Small Biz Ahead Podcast.

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* Tesco: Relaxes Check Out Lane

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* Find the Right New Business Idea for You

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* Ultimate Guide to Business Credit Cards: The Small Business Owner’s Handbook

* How to Keep Customers Coming Back for More – Customer Retention Strategies

* How to Safeguard Your Small Business from Data Breaches

* 21 Days to Be a More Productive Small Business Owner

Transcript

Elizabeth: Welcome back to another episode of the Small Biz Ahead Podcast. We’re already laughing because we were just talking about sharks.

Gene: No. Let’s talk about this issue, Elizabeth. Let me ask you a question, Elizabeth. You have a, not an employee, but a contractor that works for you that’s doing work for you that you rely on during the week for your business. Let’s say it’s marketing work, right, that they’re doing. They’ve got responsibilities or whatever.

Let’s say that the contractor sends you an email on a Friday that on Saturday the contractor has to put their cat down, right. It’s very sad and so they “I won’t be able to come to work. I won’t be able to fulfill their services starting till the following Tuesday.” Right.

They’re going to miss a day’s worth of services because they’re putting their cat down. What’s your response to that?

Elizabeth: I would feel bad for the situation with the cat, but if they’re a contractor I don’t feel like I need that detail. They could just tell me, “I’m”- First of all, contractors, you’re not allowed to tell them when they can work, right?

Gene: No, not at all. In this case, let’s just say the hypothetical business owner, let’s say his name is, I don’t know.

Elizabeth: Sheen.

Gene: Sheen. Let’s say Sheen, who has a hypothetical business near say, oh, I don’t know, in the Pennsylvania area, that gets an email from a contractor …

Should your small business pay to increase the number of people following you on social media? And what’s the perfect marketing budget for a small business with limited resources? This week on the Small Biz Ahead podcast, hosts Elizabeth Larkin and Gene Marks are joined by social media expert Ryan Heisler to answer these questions from small business owners.

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Links

* Podcast: In the Dark

* Business Plans and Small Business Marketing on a Shoestring Budget (Podcast)

* The Right Way for Small Business to Use Social Media with Guest Ryan Heisler (Podcast)

Download Our Free eBooks

* Ultimate Guide to Business Credit Cards: The Small Business Owner’s Handbook

* How to Keep Customers Coming Back for More – Customer Retention Strategies

* How to Safeguard Your Small Business from Data Breaches

* 21 Days to Be a More Productive Small Business Owner

* Find the Right New Business Idea for You

* 99 New Small Business Ideas

Transcript

Elizabeth: Welcome back to the Small Biz Ahead Podcast. Gene, how are you doing?

Gene: I am doing fine, Elizabeth. How are you doing?

Elizabeth: I’m good. I wanted to make a podcast recommendation, because a couple episodes ago you recommended a podcast you were listening to on BBC.

Gene: Yeah, BBC Radio Four, “In Our Time.”

Elizabeth: “In Our Time.”

Gene: It’s a history. Yeah, it’s awesome.

Elizabeth: Okay. The one I want to recommend, a little different. It’s about a murder, and it’s called “In the Dark.” It’s like a “Serial” podcast. Did you listen to “Serial”?

Gene: Yes. Loved it.

Elizabeth: Now you’re missing “Serial” probably, because every week I would be like, “Oh, my God, I can’t wait until `Serial’ comes out,” and now it hasn’t been on.

Gene: Right.

Elizabeth: It’s about a case, like a kidnapping and murder in Minneapolis, so if you’re into that.

On this week's episode of the Small Biz Ahead Podcast, Elizabeth and Gene talk to writer Johnna Kaplan who recently researched the topic: what do small business owners really need in their offices to run a successful business?

In the second segment, we talk about the best ways to manage your vendors.

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Sign up for the weekly newsletter so you never miss an episode.

Submit your question to the Small Biz Ahead Podcast.

Leave us a review on iTunes and we might read it on the show.

Links

Johnna Kaplan's This Land, This Year

Johnna Kaplan in Newsweek: Don't Just Call me Jane

Download Our Free eBooks

Ultimate Guide to Business Credit Cards: The Small Business Owner’s Handbook

How to Keep Customers Coming Back for More – Customer Retention Strategies

How to Safeguard Your Small Business from Data Breaches

21 Days to Be a More Productive Small Business Owner

Transcript

Elizabeth: Welcome back to the Small Biz Ahead podcast. I'm Elizabeth Larkin and I'm here with Gene Marks. Gene, how are you doing?

Gene: Doing okay today. Starting to enjoy the weather. We're hoping that the spring is going to stay springy.

Elizabeth: I doubt that. I think we're about to get a huge snowstorm.

Gene: Don't say that, man. I travel a lot and I hate bad weather, so I'm a big, big proponent of global warming, Elizabeth. Keep it warm.

Elizabeth: You're a fan.

Gene: Yeah. Yeah. Keep the runways dry.

Elizabeth: Great. Great. Today we have a special guest that I want to introduce. Her name is Johnna Kaplan and she's a writer. She's been working on some articles for Small Biz Ahead, so we thought we'd have her on to talk about office organization. Johnna, how are you today?

Johnna: I'm good, thank you. It's nice to be with you guys.

Gene: How do we spell Johnna. Johnna, how do you spell your name?

Johnna: J-O-H-N-N-A. Like John.

Gene: G-O-H-N-N-A?

Elizabeth: J.

Johnna: J.

Gene: Oh, J-O-H, so not Johanna but Johnna.

Johnna: Right.

Gene: Got it.

Johnna: Just like John but the extra na.

Gene: Okay.

Elizabeth: Actually, I'm going to link this in the show notes. Didn't you write an article for-

Johnna: Newsweek, a long time ago-

Elizabeth: Newsweek.

Johnna: -about my name, yeah.

Elizabeth: About how it's like the simplest name ever, but people-

Gene: Get it wrong all the time?

Elizabeth: Get it wrong.

On this week's episode of the Small Biz Ahead Podcast, Elizabeth and Gene talk to writer Johnna Kaplan who recently researched the topic: what do small business owners really need in their offices to run a successful business?

In the second segment, we talk about the best ways to manage your vendors.

Interact With Us

Sign up for the weekly newsletter so you never miss an episode.

Submit your question to the Small Biz Ahead Podcast.

Leave us a review on iTunes and we might read it on the show.

Links

Johnna Kaplan in Newsweek: Don't Just Call me Jane

Download Our Free eBooks

Ultimate Guide to Business Credit Cards: The Small Business Owner’s Handbook

How to Keep Customers Coming Back for More – Customer Retention Strategies

How to Safeguard Your Small Business from Data Breaches

21 Days to Be a More Productive Small Business Owner

Transcript

Elizabeth: Welcome back to the Small Biz Ahead podcast. I'm Elizabeth Larkin and I'm here with Gene Marks. Gene, how are you doing?

Gene: Doing okay today. Starting to enjoy the weather. We're hoping that the spring is going to stay springy.

Elizabeth: I doubt that. I think we're about to get a huge snowstorm.

Gene: Don't say that, man. I travel a lot and I hate bad weather, so I'm a big, big proponent of global warming, Elizabeth. Keep it warm.

Elizabeth: You're a fan.

Gene: Yeah. Yeah. Keep the runways dry.

Elizabeth: Great. Great. Today we have a special guest that I want to introduce. Her name is Johnna Kaplan and she's a writer. She's been working on some articles for Small Biz Ahead, so we thought we'd have her on to talk about office organization. Johnna, how are you today?

Johnna: I'm good, thank you. It's nice to be with you guys.

Gene: How do we spell Johnna. Johnna, how do you spell your name?

Johnna: J-O-H-N-N-A. Like John.

Gene: G-O-H-N-N-A?

Elizabeth: J.

Johnna: J.

Gene: Oh, J-O-H, so not Johanna but Johnna.

Johnna: Right.

Gene: Got it.

Johnna: Just like John but the extra na.

Gene: Okay.

Elizabeth: Actually, I'm going to link this in the show notes. Didn't you write an article for-

Johnna: Newsweek, a long time ago-

Elizabeth: Newsweek.

Johnna: -about my name, yeah.

Elizabeth: About how it's like the simplest name ever, but people-

Gene: Get it wrong all the time?

Elizabeth: Get it wrong.

Gene: You must get questions about it all the time. My first name is Gene and last name is Marks and I'd say 10% of ...

On this week’s episode of the Small Biz Ahead Podcast, Elizabeth and Gene talk to writer Johnna Kaplan who recently researched the topic: what do small business owners really need in their offices to run a successful business?

In the second segment, we talk about the best ways to manage your vendors.

Interact With Us

* Sign up for the weekly newsletter so you never miss an episode.

* Submit your question to the Small Biz Ahead Podcast.

* Leave us a review on iTunes and we might read it on the show.

Links

* Johnna Kaplan’s This Land, This Year

* Johnna Kaplan in Newsweek: Don’t Just Call me Jane

Download Our Free eBooks

* Ultimate Guide to Business Credit Cards: The Small Business Owner’s Handbook

* How to Keep Customers Coming Back for More – Customer Retention Strategies

* How to Safeguard Your Small Business from Data Breaches

* 21 Days to Be a More Productive Small Business Owner

Transcript

Elizabeth: Welcome back to the Small Biz Ahead podcast. I’m Elizabeth Larkin and I’m here with Gene Marks. Gene, how are you doing?

Gene: Doing okay today. Starting to enjoy the weather. We’re hoping that the spring is going to stay springy.

Elizabeth: I doubt that. I think we’re about to get a huge snowstorm.

Gene: Don’t say that, man. I travel a lot and I hate bad weather, so I’m a big, big proponent of global warming, Elizabeth. Keep it warm.

Elizabeth: You’re a fan.

Gene: Yeah. Yeah. Keep the runways dry.

Elizabeth: Great. Great. Today we have a special guest that I want to introduce. Her name is Johnna Kaplan and she’s a writer. She’s been working on some articles for Small Biz Ahead, so we thought we’d have her on to talk about office organization. Johnna, how are you today?

Johnna: I’m good, thank you. It’s nice to be with you guys.

Gene: How do we spell Johnna. Johnna, how do you spell your name?

Johnna: J-O-H-N-N-A. Like John.

Gene: G-O-H-N-N-A?

Elizabeth: J.

Johnna: J.

Gene: Oh, J-O-H, so not Johanna but Johnna.

Johnna: Right.

Gene: Got it.

Johnna: Just like John but the extra na.

Gene: Okay.

Elizabeth: Actually, I’m going to link this in the show notes. Didn’t you write an article for-

Johnna: Newsweek, a long time ago-

Elizabeth: Newsweek.

Johnna: -about my name, yeah.

Elizabeth: About how it’s like the simplest name ever, but people-

Gene: Get it wrong all the time?

Elizabeth: Get it wrong.

Gene: You must get questions about it all the time. My first name is Gene and last name is Marks and I’d say 10% of the time when people email me or they talk to me on the phone or face to face, they call me Mark and I don’t know why. These are people that I know and they’ll just be like, “Yeah. Okay. Good speaking with you, Mark.” I’m like,

In Episode #37, we discuss networking tactics for busy entrepreneurs and aspiring entrepreneurs. If you’re sick of attending the same networking events over and over again, we have a new plan for you. In the second segment hosts Elizabeth Larkin and Gene Marks talk a business owner through the process of selecting a structure. What does it mean to be C Corp vs. S Corp? Finally, in the third segment, Gene and Elizabeth discuss how China is a big opportunity for small businesses.

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* Sign up for the weekly newsletter so you never miss an episode.

* Do you have a question you’d like Elizabeth and Gene to answer? Submit your question to the Small Biz Ahead Podcast.

* Leave us a review on iTunes and we might read it on the show.

Show Notes

* Podcast from BBC: In Our Time

* How to Pick Your Business Structure

* Advantages and Disadvantages of C Corporations

* Advantages and Disadvantages of S Corporations

Transcript

Elizabeth: Okay we are back with another exciting episode of The Small Biz Ahead podcast. Gene, how are you doing?

Gene: I am doing well. How are you doing?

Elizabeth: I’m doing okay. I actually didn’t get woken up by my dog in the middle of the night last night, to go out.

Gene: Do we always get back to the pets, and the dogs?

Elizabeth: And you got up at what time to get here?

Gene: To get here I left at four in the morning, and drove to get here. I have been listening to podcasts along the way. Great podcast for your listeners, that doesn’t even compete with this one, I just want to say. BBC Four, it is on CastBox. You can get it as a podcast called, In Our Time, and it’s a history show.

Elizabeth: Nice!

Gene: It’s been going on for a few years. They have it every week. It’s one guy that hosts it. He has two or three very British academics that speak like, “You know, oh” .

Elizabeth: I love that.

Gene: They are all very much smarter than all of us, of course, because they are academics, and they are from England.

Elizabeth: Yeah.

Gene: They pick a specific topic in history like, The Dutch East India Company, Alexander the Great, The Great Wall of China, whatever it is. For forty-five minutes they just riff about it.

Elizabeth: Nice.

Gene: It’s absolutely fascinating.

Elizabeth: Then when you go to cocktail parties, you are like the most interesting man in the room.

Gene: Oh, I’m so smart. You know what it does? We talk about different things that help you with balance in your life and running a business and all of that.

Elizabeth: Yeah.

Gene: I’m listening for an hour about The Dutch East India Company and how they collapsed, or I listen about the Augustan Age, or whatever.

Elizabeth: Mm-hmm (affirmative)-

Gene: It really does put things into perspective.

Elizabeth: Yeah.

Gene: You know? This isn’t about the Spanish Inquisition.

Elizabeth: How, like, exciting CRMs are?

Gene: It does! Thank God we live in 2017. Whatever problems and issues there might be in ...

We tackle the hard job of getting your employees to give their best everyday in the office. How do you motivate your good employees to be great? In the second segment we talk a business owner through the process of paying quarterly taxes, and in the final segment we discuss business that only accept credit cards (remember when business only accepted cash?). Should your small business move to a credit card-only payment method?

Interact With Us

Sign up for the weekly newsletter so you never miss an episode.

Do you have a question you’d like Elizabeth and Gene to answer? Submit your question to the Small Biz Ahead Podcast.

Leave us a review on iTunes and we might read it on the show.

Download our new eBooks:

How to Safeguard Your Small Business from Data Breaches

The Ultimate Guide to Business Credit Cards: The Small Business Owner’s Handbook

Show Notes

CareerBuilder Survey

At Sweetgreen, a Suitcase Full of Cash Won’t Buy You Lunch

Transcript

Elizabeth: Welcome back to another episode of Small Biz Ahead: The Podcast. Today I wanted to start off by talking about a CareerBuilder survey that just came out that said 1 in 5 employers, which is 19%, think workers are productive less than 5 hours a day.

Gene: First of all, 1 in 5 is 20%. Just want to make sure that we're clear. It's not 19%.

Elizabeth: I know, but they specified it was 19%.

Gene: This puts all of their findings into question right now if they can't do a simple calculation like that.

Elizabeth: I would say workers are probably productive 6 hours a day.

Gene: They're productive how many hours a day? I got misdirected.

Elizabeth: They think less than 5.

Gene: 20% of workers are productive less than 5 hours a day. Okay.

Elizabeth: I really think it's closer to 6. I think people take an hour off for lunch and then they go walk around or they chat with co-workers or they check their phone or something. I think managers just have to be okay with 6 hours a day.

Gene: I think it depends on how you define productivity. Some people when they work from home are super productive.

Elizabeth: Oh my god. I'm crazy productive.

Gene: Me too. It's great. I have clients and people that run businesses complain about their employees spending too much time chatting. I think that that's all part of the culture of a company and it's all part of the relationships people have.

Elizabeth: I think it's okay.

Gene: I don't think there's anything wrong with that. Right? If they're working 5-6 hours a day and let's say the other 2 hours a day they're spending chatting with their workmates or whatever. I don't know if that's such a bad thing. It's all part of the company's culture and is probably a better thing than my company where my employee...

We tackle the hard job of getting your employees to give their best everyday in the office. How do you motivate your good employees to be great? In the second segment we talk a business owner through the process of paying quarterly taxes, and in the final segment we discuss business that only accept credit cards (remember when business only accepted cash?). Should your small business move to a credit card-only payment method?

Interact With Us

Sign up for the weekly newsletter so you never miss an episode.

Do you have a question you’d like Elizabeth and Gene to answer? Submit your question to the Small Biz Ahead Podcast.

Leave us a review on iTunes and we might read it on the show.

Download our new eBooks:

How to Safeguard Your Small Business from Data Breaches

The Ultimate Guide to Business Credit Cards: The Small Business Owner’s Handbook

Show Notes

CareerBuilder Survey

At Sweetgreen, a Suitcase Full of Cash Won’t Buy You Lunch

Transcript

Elizabeth: Welcome back to another episode of Small Biz Ahead: The Podcast. Today I wanted to start off by talking about a CareerBuilder survey that just came out that said 1 in 5 employers, which is 19%, think workers are productive less than 5 hours a day.

Gene: First of all, 1 in 5 is 20%. Just want to make sure that we're clear. It's not 19%.

Elizabeth: I know, but they specified it was 19%.

Gene: This puts all of their findings into question right now if they can't do a simple calculation like that.

Elizabeth: I would say workers are probably productive 6 hours a day.

Gene: They're productive how many hours a day? I got misdirected.

Elizabeth: They think less than 5.

Gene: 20% of workers are productive less than 5 hours a day. Okay.

Elizabeth: I really think it's closer to 6. I think people take an hour off for lunch and then they go walk around or they chat with co-workers or they check their phone or something. I think managers just have to be okay with 6 hours a day.

Gene: I think it depends on how you define productivity. Some people when they work from home are super productive.

Elizabeth: Oh my god. I'm crazy productive.

Gene: Me too. It's great. I have clients and people that run businesses complain about their employees spending too much time chatting. I think that that's all part of the culture of a company and it's all part of the relationships people have.

Elizabeth: I think it's okay.

Gene: I don't think there's anything wrong with that. Right? If they're working 5-6 hours a day and let's say the other 2 hours a day they're spending chatting with their workmates or whatever. I don't know if that's such a bad thing. It's all part of the company's culture and is probably a better thing than my company where my employee...

In episode #36, we tackle the hard job of getting your employees to give their best everyday in the office. How do you motivate your good employees to be great? In the second segment we talk a business owner through the process of paying quarterly taxes, and in the final segment we discuss business that only accept credit cards (remember when business only accepted cash?). Should your small business move to a credit card-only payment method?

Interact With Us

* Sign up for the weekly newsletter so you never miss an episode.

* Do you have a question you’d like Elizabeth and Gene to answer? Submit your question to the Small Biz Ahead Podcast.

* Leave us a review on iTunes and we might read it on the show.

* Download our new eBooks:

* How to Safeguard Your Small Business from Data Breaches

* The Ultimate Guide to Business Credit Cards: The Small Business Owner’s Handbook

Show Notes

* CareerBuilder Survey

* At Sweetgreen, a Suitcase Full of Cash Won’t Buy You Lunch

Transcript

Elizabeth: Welcome back to another episode of Small Biz Ahead: The Podcast. Today I wanted to start off by talking about a CareerBuilder survey that just came out that said 1 in 5 employers, which is 19%, think workers are productive less than 5 hours a day.

Gene: First of all, 1 in 5 is 20%. Just want to make sure that we’re clear. It’s not 19%.

Elizabeth: I know, but they specified it was 19%.

Gene: This puts all of their findings into question right now if they can’t do a simple calculation like that.

Elizabeth: I would say workers are probably productive 6 hours a day.

Gene: They’re productive how many hours a day? I got misdirected.

Elizabeth: They think less than 5.

Gene: 20% of workers are productive less than 5 hours a day. Okay.

Elizabeth: I really think it’s closer to 6. I think people take an hour off for lunch and then they go walk around or they chat with co-workers or they check their phone or something. I think managers just have to be okay with 6 hours a day.

Gene: I think it depends on how you define productivity. Some people when they work from home are super productive.

Elizabeth: Oh my god. I’m crazy productive.

Gene: Me too. It’s great. I have clients and people that run businesses complain about their employees spending too much time chatting. I think that that’s all part of the culture of a company and it’s all part of the relationships people have.

Elizabeth: I think it’s okay.

Gene: I don’t think there’s anything wrong with that. Right? If they’re working 5-6 hours a day and let’s say the other 2 hours a day they’re spending chatting with their workmates or whatever. I don’t know if that’s such a bad thing. It’s all part of the company’s culture and is probably a better thing than my company where my employees aren’t even … Everybody works from home.

Elizabeth: In every job I’ve ever had, I’ve always had a coffee crew.

In episode 35, hosts Elizabeth Larkin and Gene Marks discuss how much passion you really need to start a business. Specifically, we discuss starting a business if your passion is to make money rather than being passionate about helping people. In the first question we talk about ways to instill loyalty in your customers, and in question number two we go over the benefits of hiring a virtual assistant.

Interact With Us

* Sign up for the weekly newsletter so you never miss an episode.

* Do you have a question you’d like Elizabeth and Gene to answer? Submit your question to the Small Biz Ahead Podcast.

* Leave us a review on iTunes and we might read it on the show.

* Learn how The Hartford’s small business insurance can help protect your company.

Links

How to Keep Customers Coming Back for More – Customer Retention Strategies

Download Our Free eBooks

* Ultimate Guide to Business Credit Cards: The Small Business Owner’s Handbook

* How to Keep Customers Coming Back for More – Customer Retention Strategies

* How to Safeguard Your Small Business from Data Breaches

* 21 Days to Be a More Productive Small Business Owner

Transcript

Elizabeth: Welcome back to another week of the Small Biz Ahead Podcast. This episode we’re going to be talking about customer loyalty and if you should be using a virtual assistant to benefit your business, but first, we got a comment, not really a question, so I wanted to pick Gene’s brain. Oh god, I hate it when I say pick Gene’s brain.

Gene: Oh, I know.

Elizabeth: It’s so gross.

Gene: When people talk about picking my brain, I get those calls, “Hey Gene, can I take you out to coffee? I want to pick your brain.” I’m like, “Oh yeah, I got all the time in the world.” Alright, go ahead.

Elizabeth: We had a question. I believe his name was Bill from St. Louis, and he wrote in that he’s starting a business. It’s kind of a self-help business. I’m going to assume it’s like a book or online courses or he’s going to be like a life coach or something. He said that he’s really passionate about making money off of this business, but he’s not that passionate about actually helping people. He’s going to put it out there, and people will hopefully like it. He’s doing a lot of research.

Gene: He’s doing it for the money.

Elizabeth: He knows his stuff, but he’s doing it for the money.

Gene: Right.

Elizabeth: Is that a bad sign to you? We were talking in another episode about how you can tell a born entrepreneur right away. Is someone that’s not passionate about their work, should they just not open a business?

Gene: Right. See, you have to find what you’re passionate about in your...