As entrepreneurs, we need to hire people that want to work for us, that want to work hard, and that can think and make decisions on their own. When you’re just starting your entrepreneurial journey, it’s easy to become the ‘momma’ - the micro-manager - of your operations. But, micro-managing your team comes at a cost.

So, how do you position yourself as the leader of your organization instead of the ‘momma of operations?’

On today’s episode, I discuss why you need to stop being the momma of your business and why you need to start leading a team of thinkers. I discuss why it’s crucial to empower your team to make decisions on their own and the impact that being the momma of your organization can have on your health as well as your business. I also explain how giving your team room to be proactive encourages them to be more invested in your company and share how to create a team culture that is rooted in empowering each individual.

“You want to make sure that you are creating a culture where it is okay for people to proactively see a problem - and figure out how to solve it.” - Melinda Emerson

This week on the SmallBizChat Podcast:

Your SmallBizChat Action Point for the Week:

It’s TIME to throw away the pacifiers. People work just hard enough not to get fired and you pay them just enough not to quit. Make sure you are hiring small people and empowering them to make decisions, otherwise you’ll be the momma making them.

Enter for Your Chance to WIN!

Do you love winning amazing prices?

In celebration of launching the SmallBizChat Podcast, for the next 30 days, I’m giving away some amazing prizes! Enter for your chance to win!

To enter:

Each week, one lucky winner will win one of the following prizes:

What are you waiting for? Enter for your chance to win today!

Fix Your Business in 90 Days

Does your small business need a tune-up? Are you ready to reinvent your business, increase your profits, and finally live the lifestyle you want? Enroll for the Fix Your Business Masterclass to learn how you can turn your business around and get back on the path to true freedom and success.

The Fix Your Business Masterclass is a 12-week course that includes 12 video lessons and over 20 hours of actionable content. You’ll learn everything from how to set your initial goals and how to build the systems you need to delegate and scale to how to brand your business online and offline and how to grow to seven figures and beyond.

So if you’re ready to unlock the true power and freedom of entrepreneurship - enroll today for the Fix Your Business Masterclass and start your journey to true business success.

Let’s End Small Business Failure - Together!

Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of the Small Biz Chat Podcast - the show on a mission to improve small business success. If you enjoyed this episode, head over to Apple Podcasts, subscribe to the show, and leave us a rating and review. Help us spread the word and end small business failure by sharing your favorite episodes with your friends and colleagues on social media. Visit our website or follow us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, or YouTube for more great content, tips, and strategies to improve your small business.

Small Biz Chat Podcast is produced by Auxbus Media. You can create your own great podcast - faster and easier - at Auxbus.com

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Shep Hyken is a Customer Service and Experience Expert and the Chief Amazement Officer at Shepard Presentations. He has presented keynote speeches and organization presentations for dozens of well-known companies including Energizer, Applebee’s, American Express, American Red Cross, and Georgia Oilman’s Association to help them build loyal relationships with their customers as well as their employees. Additionally, Shep is a New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestselling author and has been inducted into the National Speaker’s Association Hall of Fame for his outstanding performance as a professional speaker.

Shep joins me today to share how to improve your business and disrupt your competition through customer service, convenience, and amazing experiences. He explains the difference between a satisfied customer and a loyal one and how great customer service can make the price of your products or services irrelevant to your loyal customers. He also explains the concept of Customer Amazement and how to use customer surveys to measure your customer’s experience.

“Nobody is going to leave the business that they can count on day in and day out.” - Shep Hyken

This week on the Small Biz Chat Podcast:

• How to disrupt your industry through great customer service and customer convenience
• The difference between a satisfied customer and a loyal customer
• How excellent customer service makes prices irrelevant
• The difference between customer service for eCommerce businesses versus retail businesses
• How to enhance your customer service even before the sale
• How to successfully use surveys to measure customer experience

Connect with Shep Hyken:

• Shepard Presentations
• LinkedIn

Enter for Your Chance to WIN!

Do you love winning amazing prices?

In celebration of launching the SmallBizChat Podcast, for the next 30 days, I’m giving away some amazing prizes! Enter for your chance to win!

To enter:

1. Subscribe to the SmallBizChat Podcast on your favorite podcast platform
2. Take a screenshot after you’ve subscribed
3. Share your screenshot on Twitter or Instagram (Don’t forget to tag @SmallBizLady so we can enter your name into the drawing!)

Each week, one lucky winner will win one of the following prizes:

• One autographed copy of Become Your Own Boss in 12 Months, or…
• One autographed copy of Fix Your Business, or…
• A limited-edition The #SmallBizChat Podcast t-shirt!

What are you waiting for? Enter for your chance to win today!

Fix Your Business!

Are you ready to run your business with intention? Ready to create a business that allows you to live your dream life and take those dream vacations you deserve? Then you need a copy of my latest book: Fix Your Business: A 90-Day Plan to Get Back Your Life and Remove Chaos From Your Business.

Fix Your Business gives you concrete advice on the problem areas many small business owners face as well as the step-by-step process to find solutions so you can live the life of your dreams. It’s time to take back control of your business and change how your business is run.

Order your copy of Fix Your Business and design your business - and life - with intention.

Let’s End Small Business Failure - Together!

Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of the Small Biz Chat Podcast - the show on a mission to improve small business success. If you enjoyed this episode, head over to Apple Podcasts, subscribe to the show, and leave us a rating and review. Help us spread the word and end small business failure by sharing your favorite episodes with your friends and colleagues on social media. Visit our website or follow us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, or YouTube for more great content, tips, and strategies to improve your small business.

Small Biz Chat Podcast is produced by Auxbus Media. You can create your own great podcast - faster and easier - at Auxbus.com

SBC004 Get More Productive On Social Media with Stephanie Humphrey

Stephanie Humphrey is a technology and lifestyle expert and the founder of Til Death Do You Tweet, a company dedicated to teaching parents, students, teachers, and business professionals how to manage their online reputation. She is a nationally syndicated media personality and a frequent technology contributor to Good Morning America and Strahan and Sara. Stephanie is passionate about empowering everyday people to explore the digital world and equip them with the tech know-how to transform their lives.

Stephanie joins me today to discuss how small business owners can use technology and automation to get more productive on social media. She shares her favorite technology time-savers and collaboration tools when working with virtual teams. She also explains why she advises entrepreneurs to avoid jumping on the ‘hashtag bandwagon’ and how to increase engagement on social media.

“Do what you can, where you can. Figure out where your customers are, what network you can do consistently, and use automation tools to make it work for you.” - Stephanie Humphrey

This week on the Small Biz Chat Podcast:

Resources Mentioned:

Connect with Stephanie Humphrey:

Enter for Your Chance to WIN!

Do you love winning amazing prices?

In celebration of launching the SmallBizChat Podcast, for the next 30 days, I’m giving away some amazing prizes! Enter for your chance to win!

To enter:

Each week, one lucky winner will win one of the following prizes:

What are you waiting for? Enter for your chance to win today!

This episode is sponsored by… Adobe

Adobe is changing the world through digital experiences. With a vast range of digital tools and products, Adobe makes small business easier and more affordable.

Visit the Adobe website to learn more about all of the amazing tools available on the Adobe Creative Cloud and experience an easier way to conduct business.

Fix Your Business!

Are you ready to run your business with intention? Ready to create a business that allows you to live your dream life and take those dream vacations you deserve? Then you need a copy of my latest book: Fix Your Business: A 90-Day Plan to Get Back Your Life and Remove Chaos From Your Business.

Fix Your Business gives you concrete advice on the problem areas many small business owners face as well as the step-by-step process to find solutions so you can live the life of your dreams. It’s time to take back control of your business and change how your business is run.

Order your copy of Fix Your Business and design your business - and life - with intention.

Let’s End Small Business Failure - Together!

Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of the Small Biz Chat Podcast - the show on a mission to improve small business success. If you enjoyed this episode, head over to Apple Podcasts, subscribe to the show, and leave us a rating and review. Help us spread the word and end small business failure by sharing your favorite episodes with your friends and colleagues on social media. Visit our website or follow us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, or YouTube for more great content, tips, and strategies to improve your small business.

Small Biz Chat Podcast is produced by Auxbus Media. You can create your own great podcast - faster and easier - at Auxbus.com

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to the first episode of the SmallBizChat Podcast - the show that’s on a mission to help you improve your small business and avoid small business failure. I’m your host, Melinda Emerson “SmallBizLady,” America’s #1 Small Business Expert.

I’m the CEO of the blog Succeed As Your Own Boss, where I’ve published more than 5,000 articles about how to start and grow a business. I’m also CEO of Quintessence Group and the author of multiple bestselling business books including Become Your Own Boss in 12 Months, How To Become a Social Media Ninja, and my latest book: Fix Your Business. I’ve been a thriving entrepreneur for over two decades by developing marketing strategies and influencer marketing programs for Fortune 500 brands who target small business owners such as VISA, Chase, FedEx, American Express, and Staples.

On today’s episode, I share who I am, how I became known as the SmallBizLady, and the challenges I’ve faced throughout my entrepreneurial journey. I share how being on bedrest while pregnant with my son forced me to slow down and allowed me to discover the mistakes I’ve made as an entrepreneur. I share how I found inspiration and motivation from these mistakes and how it led me to help other entrepreneurs. I also share how the SmallBizChat Twitter talk show got started and what you can expect from each episode of the SmallBizChat podcast.

“Figure out what your calling is. Then, be ready to do the work.” - Melinda Emerson

This week on the SmallBizChat Podcas:t

Your SmallBizChat Action Point for the Week:

Figure out your calling and be ready to do the work. If you want fame, well fame costs. You will pay, but the reward is worth it.

Enter for Your Chance to WIN!

Do you love winning amazing prices?

In celebration of launching the SmallBizChat Podcast, for the next 30 days, I’m giving away some amazing prizes! Enter for your chance to win!

To enter:

Each week, one lucky winner will win one of the following prizes:

What are you waiting for? Enter for your chance to win today!

Fix Your Business in 90 Days

Does your small business need a tune-up? Are you ready to reinvent your business, increase your profits, and finally live the lifestyle you want? Enroll for the Fix Your Business Masterclass to learn how you can turn your business around and get back on the path to true freedom and success.

The Fix Your Business Masterclass is a 12-week course that includes 12 video lessons and over 20 hours of actionable content. You’ll learn everything from how to set your initial goals and how to build the systems you need to delegate and scale to how to brand your business online and offline and how to grow to seven figures and beyond.

So if you’re ready to unlock the true power and freedom of entrepreneurship - enroll today for the Fix Your Business Masterclass and start your journey to true business success.

Let’s End Small Business Failure - Together!

Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of the Small Biz Chat Podcast - the show on a mission to improve small business success. If you enjoyed this episode, head over to Apple Podcasts, subscribe to the show, and leave us a rating and review. Help us spread the word and end small business failure by sharing your favorite episodes with your friends and colleagues on social media. Visit our website or follow us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, or YouTube for more great content, tips, and strategies to improve your small business.

Small Biz Chat Podcast is produced by Auxbus Media. You can create your own great podcast - faster and easier - at Auxbus.com

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.