Startup BizCast - The Small Business Advice Podcast

A recent study from ABI Research indicates that the number of people watching videos online has doubled in the past year.   It’s obvious that people are becoming more comfortable using this technology.   What that means, is that you should be using it for your business!   My guest this week is Benjamin Wayne from Fliqz, an online video site that works primarily with businesses.   He has tips on how you can use web video to your benefit.

Also in this episode … news about the economy and an Australian maternity leave proposal … in the BizCast Brief!

Links mentioned on this week’s episode:

Also — donâ€t forget to join the Startup BizCast Group on Facebook!

Startup BizCastâ€s theme music is “Entranced” by Blake Emrys. The full version of the song, along with other music by the same artist, can be downloaded at Podsafe Music Network.

Startup BizCast is produced by BizPodz, the corporate podcast production service from EndGame Public Relations, LLC. For more information on how your business can take advantage of the social media revolution, please visit www.endgamepr.com/podcasts.

Are the worst enemies to your small office computer network banging on the gates, or walking around inside the castle?   Truly, there are plenty of people out there trying to harm your business, either by writing viruses or actively trying to gain access to your data.   You need to protect yourself from those threats.   However, another threat is just as much of a problem — your own employees inadvertently damaging your network.   This week’s guest on Startup BizCast is Ken Colburn from Data Doctors.   He has advice on how to secure your network from all threats, whether they’re from within or without.

In this week’s BizCast Brief — surveys covering the economy and traveling.

Links mentioned in this week’s episide:

Also — don’t forget to join the Startup BizCast Group on Facebook!

Startup BizCastâ€s theme music is “Entranced” by Blake Emrys. The full version of the song, along with other music by the same artist, can be downloaded at Podsafe Music Network.

Startup BizCast is produced by BizPodz, the corporate podcast production service from EndGame Public Relations, LLC. For more information on how your business can take advantage of the social media revolution, please visit www.endgamepr.com/podcasts.

Fall isn’t a time when you normally think much about taxes … unless, that is, you filed for an extension back in April.   If you did, that means your taxes are due next month.   Additionally, the more thinking you do NOW, the higher the chances you’ll lower your tax burden when you file next year.   Joining me this week is Glen Weilandt with Roni Deutch Tax Centers.   We’ll discuss a variety of tax issues relevant to small business owners.

Also in this episode — an announcement about the new Startup BizCast voice mail hotline, a reminder about the Startup BizCast Facebook Group, and small business news in BizCast Brief.

Links mentioned in this week’s episode:

Startup BizCastâ€s theme music is “Entranced” by Blake Emrys. The full version of the song, along with other music by the same artist, can be downloaded at Podsafe Music Network.

Startup BizCast is produced by BizPodz, the corporate podcast production service from EndGame Public Relations, LLC. For more information on how your business can take advantage of the social media revolution, please visit www.endgamepr.com/podcasts.

These days, if you only use your cell phone to talk to other people, you’re considered behind the times.   Today’s cell phones email, text, surf the web, and much more.   My guest this week is Mark Asnes from Wireless Zone.   He has tips for how you can use your cell phone to make your small business life easier.

Also in this episode, an announcement about the new Startup BizCast group on Facebook!   If you haven’t joined the group, head on over and do so!

In this week’s BizCast Brief, more hurricane preparedness tips, the SBA helping Florida nonprofits, and managing telecommuting workers.

Links mentioned in this week’s episode:

Startup BizCastâ€s theme music is “Entranced” by Blake Emrys. The full version of the song, along with other music by the same artist, can be downloaded at Podsafe Music Network.

Startup BizCast is produced by BizPodz, the corporate podcast production service from EndGame Public Relations, LLC. For more information on how your business can take advantage of the social media revolution, please visit www.endgamepr.com/podcasts.

I love it when someone emails a friend about my business.   How would you like it if thousands of people were emailing friends about something you created?   When something on the Internet gains that kind of traction and gets spread around from friend to friend, it’s said that it’s “gone viral”.   In this episode of Startup BizCast, I visit the office of Dave Saunders, president of advertising and new media firm Madison + Main, to talk about how you can use viral marketing to benefit your small business.

In BizCast Brief:   How to prepare for a disaster such as a hurricane, and problems with small business insurance subsidies in Maryland.

Also … a big thanks!

Links mentioned in this week’s episode:

Startup BizCastâ€s theme music is “Entranced” by Blake Emrys. The full version of the song, along with other music by the same artist, can be downloaded at Podsafe Music Network.

Startup BizCast is produced by BizPodz, the corporate podcast production service from EndGame Public Relations, LLC. For more information on how your business can take advantage of the social media revolution, please visit www.endgamepr.com/podcasts.

It feels good to get back into the studio chair after taking a couple of weeks off this month — one due to workload and one due to vacation.   This week we’re talking about another new media tool that you can use to promote and brand your small business.   Rich Baker, CEO of Glance Networks, joins me in Startup BizCast 61 to talk about webinars, and how you can use them to your benefit.

In this week’s BizCast Brief: Stories about improving small business owner confidence and missing planks in the U.S. Democratic Party platform.

Links mentioned in this week’s episode:

Startup BizCastâ€s theme music is “Entranced” by Blake Emrys. The full version of the song, along with other music by the same artist, can be downloaded at Podsafe Music Network.

Startup BizCast is produced by BizPodz, the corporate podcast production service from EndGame Public Relations, LLC. For more information on how your business can take advantage of the social media revolution, please visit www.endgamepr.com/podcasts.

This is a packed show!

In this week’s interview segment: What if one of your customers became the victim of identity theft … and you were the cause?   Needless to say, it wouldn’t be good for your business.   This week we’re talking about protecting the personal information of your customers.   As someone who recently had his business credit card number stolen (don’t know HOW it happened) I’m particularly sensitive these days about making sure that anything that contains my personal information is shredded properly.   My guest is Joe Roberto from Shred-Tech, a company that produces shredding and recycling systems.   He provides advice on what to shred, and how to shred it.

Also in this episode: I answer a listener question about how to blog effectively for a gas station!

ALSO in this episode: The BizCast Brief, with information on the Fortune 100 fastest growing small businesses, and predicted growth in the amount of tech spending by small businesses.

Links mentioned in this week’s episode:

Startup BizCastâ€s theme music is “Entranced” by Blake Emrys. The full version of the song, along with other music by the same artist, can be downloaded at Podsafe Music Network.

Startup BizCast is produced by BizPodz, the corporate podcast production service from EndGame Public Relations, LLC. For more information on how your business can take advantage of the social media revolution, please visit www.endgamepr.com/podcasts.

This week we’re joined by an honest-to-goodness double agent.   It’s true.   Double Agent Derek Meister is with the Geek Squad, a service that provides technology solutions for consumers through Best Buy’s retail stores.   He joins us to talk about must-have technology for different types of small business owners.   If you’re anything like me, there are certain gadgets that you just can’t do without.

No BizCast Brief this week.   Not much going on, and this week’s interview was a rather long one, so there wasn’t time to include it.

Links mentioned in this week’s episode:

Startup BizCastâ€s theme music is “Entranced” by Blake Emrys. The full version of the song, along with other music by the same artist, can be downloaded at Podsafe Music Network.

Startup BizCast is produced by BizPodz, the corporate podcast production service from EndGame Public Relations, LLC. For more information on how your business can take advantage of the social media revolution, please visit www.endgamepr.com/podcasts.

I’m back!   After a one week hiatus, Startup BizCast returns for episode 58.   This show ran a touch long, due to having listener feedback and a longish interview.   Both were so good, however, that I just couldn’t chop any more out.   So … the show is 15 seconds longer than my self-imposed limit of 15 minutes.   I think we’ll all survive 😉

Here’s this week’s advice topic: Cold Calling

Those are some scary words aren’t they?   As small business owners, most of us at one point or another are going to need to pick up the phone, call someone we don’t know, and ask them for their business.   It’s just a fact of life.   My guest is Sam Richter, who has written a book called Take the Cold Out of Cold Calling.   He has some outstanding tips to make sure you know about your cold calling target, so you can be relevant and know what he or she wants.

In BizCast Brief this week: Blackwater under investigation for posing as a small business … a jump in the U.S. minimum wage … and small business owner optimism could be looking up.

Also … a Listener Voicemail!

Links mentioned on this week’s episode:

Startup BizCastâ€s theme music is “Entranced” by Blake Emrys. The full version of the song, along with other music by the same artist, can be downloaded at Podsafe Music Network.

Startup BizCast is produced by BizPodz, the corporate podcast production service from EndGame Public Relations, LLC. For more information on how your business can take advantage of the social media revolution, please visit www.endgamepr.com/podcasts.

On this week’s episode, we’re talking about small business owners who also happen to be stay-at-home moms. My guest and her partner call them “Mompreneurs”. These moms are running service or product businesses as a source of secondary or even primary income for their household, and they’re balancing it with taking care of the kids. Pat Cobe is the co-author of two books on the subject, and is co-founder of Mompreneursonline.com, an education and community website that provides assistance for small business moms. She joins us on this episode to provide some tips for Mompreneurs.

In this week’s BizCast Brief — the U.S. Senate votes for more money for small business programs, business owners don’t believe in the U.S. federal government, and new small business laptops from Lenovo.

One thing I didn’t mention during the show is a CONTEST for Mompreneurs. Whirlpool, the company you know as making dishwashers and such, recently announced the fourth annual Mother of Invention Grant Program. The program provides seed money and guidance to moms to turn their invention, business or service ideas into full-fledged businesses. For prize details and an entry form, go to the Whirlpool contest page.

Links mentioned in this week’s episode:

Startup BizCastâ€s theme music is “Entranced” by Blake Emrys. The full version of the song, along with other music by the same artist, can be downloaded at Podsafe Music Network.

Startup BizCast is produced by BizPodz, the corporate podcast production service from EndGame Public Relations, LLC. For more information on how your business can take advantage of the social media revolution, please visit www.endgamepr.com/podcasts.