Sign up to save your podcasts
Or
Share Unscripted Small Business
Share to email
Share to Facebook
Share to X
Share to email
Share to Facebook
Share to X
Or
Unscripted Small Business
Unscripted Small Business episodes
- Jon Morris: If You Want to Grow, Budget for It
Jon Morris founded Rise Interactive in 2004 and grew it from just himself to a little under $40 million in revenue before selling it. Now he runs Fiscal Advocate, helping service-based companies use their financial data to grow cash, profit margin and revenue. His question for every owner who says growth is all word of mouth: "How come I'm the only marketer that believes in marketing? ... If you want to grow, you can't wish it to happen. You have to budget for it to happen."
Read the full episode recap, with Jon's scorecard and diagrams: Jon Morris: If You Want to Grow, You Have to Budget for It.
What Jon and Jeremy cover
- The service-firm scorecard: 20% profit, 20% growth a year (you double every 3.8 years) and a 50 to 60% gross margin.
- Why the average agency spends 8% of revenue on sales and marketing, and why Jon wants clients on the half that spends more.
- A client with a 60% blended gross margin where paid search subsidized a social media line that was losing money.
- Growth company or lifestyle company: two $5M clients, one happy at $6M with 25% EBITDA, one aiming for $100M. Jeremy compares Raven Tools under Jon Henshaw with what happened after it was sold.
- Putting 5% of the budget toward lowercase-i innovation, and what GEO means for SEO agencies.
- Sales is three jobs: hunters, sales operations and closers. Why cold-calling BDRs rarely win net-new clients, and the golf-playing outside rep who won Rise's insurance business.
- Inbound leads are gold: track response time, then qualify from MQL to SQL to opportunity with BANT (budget, authority, need, timing).
- Referring out bad-fit leads on commission: "If the phone is ringing, why not monetize it?"
- What a CFO actually is, and why a true CFO hire usually waits until $20 to $50M in revenue.
Resources Jon mentioned
- His ebook on budgeting, forecasting and gross margin: Decision-Making Science for Agencies
- Fiscal Advocate's financial planning and analysis service and their webinars on benchmarks for professional services firms
- Jon posts on LinkedIn at least three times a week
Related episodes
Jeremy's Raven Tools story is the backdrop to his conversation with Jon Henshaw. Jake Melendy covers speed-to-lead, Karen Aucoin makes the case for referring work to competitors, and Sal Tirabassi explains fractional CFO services. More in the small business marketing that actually works collection and the interview archive.
Host: Jeremy Rivera. Guest: Jon Morris, CEO, Fiscal Advocate.
36 min - Shane Barker: Your Amazon Reviews Are a Ranking Factor, and Competitors Attack Them
Shane Barker runs TraceFuse, an Amazon review-removal service that took two years of research before it worked, and shanebarker.com, the consultancy he deliberately shut down for a few years so he could test AI on his own properties first. The useful part here is treating Amazon as a search engine whose main ranking factor is under attack.
Key takeaways- He qualifies clients on their follow-up before taking the work. He can guarantee traffic. He cannot guarantee they will answer the phone.
- Amazon is a search engine and reviews are its ranking factor. They feed best seller rank and they move your advertising costs in both directions.
- TraceFuse files on guideline breaches, not on negativity. Competitor mentions, pricing complaints, profanity. Not a service for burying honest criticism.
- Sock puppet attacks are targeted and cheap. A competitor buys your product, earns verified buyer status, and writes to your customers’ specific fear.
- AI flags, humans file. Thousands of reviews reviewed a day, every case still submitted by a person.
- The concrete visibility play. Find where competitors are cited in AI answers and go and get onto those same lists.
On this page- Qualifying on follow-up
- Amazon as a search engine
- What actually gets removed
- The trail runner and the ankle
- When the platform runs the campaign
- Getting onto the same lists
- People, ideas and sources mentioned
- Questions this episode answers
- Go deeper
Qualifying on follow-upI would rather drive five people and convert two than drive 500 and convert zero.
— Shane BarkerHe asks about lead handling before he takes an engagement, because the outcome he will be judged on depends on a process he does not control. If enquiries sit unanswered for three days, no amount of traffic produces a good case study.
It is also a filter for the kind of client who blames the agency for their own operations, which is the more valuable half of the question.
Amazon as a search engineTreating Amazon as retail rather than as search is the mistake that makes the rest of this invisible. It has queries, an index, a ranking system and paid placement, and its dominant quality signal is the review corpus.
Reviews feed best seller ranking, which feeds organic placement, which changes what you have to pay for advertising. Damage the reviews and every one of those moves against you at once.
You don’t own Instagram, you don’t own LinkedIn, you don’t own Amazon.
— Shane BarkerWhat actually gets removedThe important distinction, and the one that keeps the service legitimate. TraceFuse files on reviews that break Amazon’s own published rules, not on reviews that are simply bad.
- Reviews naming or promoting a competitor.
- Reviews about price rather than the product.
- Profanity and abuse.
- Anything else that violates the guidelines the platform already publishes.
Two years of research went into making that work reliably, which tells you how much of it is procedure rather than argument.
The trail runner and the ankleThe attack he describes is well designed. A competitor buys your product legitimately, which earns the verified buyer badge, and then writes a review aimed precisely at the fear your customers already have.
His example is trail running shoes and ankle support. Not a complaint about quality, which is arguable, but a claim about safety, which converts a hesitant buyer into a lost one instantly.
Because the purchase is real, most of the obvious defences do not apply.
When the platform runs the campaignAmazon’s own assistants and agents raise a strategic question he does not pretend to have solved. If the platform is running your campaign, optimising your listing and answering your customer’s question, what exactly is your competitive edge.
The honest answer is probably the product and the reviews, which is where this episode started.
Getting onto the same listsRight now, a lot of companies are being seen and don’t know why they’re being seen.
— Shane BarkerHis visibility method is refreshingly mechanical. Find the sources being cited when a model recommends your competitors, which is usually forums, question sites, press and podcasts, and go and get yourself onto those same pages.
It is not a growth hack. It is the old digital PR job with a clearer target list.
People, ideas and sources mentionedEntityWhat it isTraceFuseShane’s Amazon review-removal service, two years in developmentBest Seller RankingThe Amazon signal reviews feed intoSock puppet reviewsCompetitor-bought products used to earn verified buyer statusRufusAmazon’s assistant, and the question of what edge remainsCitation targetingFinding where competitors appear in AI answers and joining those pagesQuestions this episode answers- Is Amazon a search engine?
- Do reviews affect Amazon rankings and ad costs?
- Can you get a negative Amazon review removed?
- How do competitors attack a listing with fake reviews?
- Where does AI belong in review management?
- What happens when Amazon runs your campaigns for you?
- How do I get cited in AI answers the way my competitors are?
Go deeperEvery link above goes somewhere different. These are the ones not already mentioned above.
- Tom Fox on podcasts as the citation surface, which is one of the lists Shane is talking about.
- Seth Trammell on comparison content and why models cite it.
- Unscripted Small Business, for the rest of the interviews.
Find Shane BarkerHis learning hub is on his own site, TraceFuse offers a free Amazon review checker that flags guideline violations, and he is very active on LinkedIn.
Cite this episodeBarker, Shane. Interviewed by Jeremy Rivera. “Your Amazon Reviews Are a Ranking Factor.” Unscripted Small Business, 2025. https://unscripted-small-business.castos.com/episodes/shane-barker-your-amazon-reviews-are-a-ranking-factor-and-competitors-attack-them
49 min - Larry and Sue Pruett: Navigating Marriage and Business - Lessons from 35 Years Together
In this engaging conversation, Larry and Sue Pruett share their journey of marriage, homeschooling, and entrepreneurship. They discuss the importance of communication, mutual respect, and the foundational elements that have helped them maintain a strong marriage over 35 years. The Pruetts also delve into their experiences in e-commerce, the challenges of working together as a couple in business, and the significance of prioritizing their relationship to succeed in both marriage and entrepreneurship. Their insights provide valuable advice for couples looking to navigate the complexities of running a business together while maintaining a healthy relationship.
Key Takeaways:The foundations of marriage enable business success together.
Communication creates connection in relationships and in business.
Thirty-five years of marriage provides tested wisdom.
Homeschooling taught alternative approaches to life.
Twenty-one years of entrepreneurship experience guides others.
Connect time strengthens daily marriage relationships.
Difficult conversations prevent relationship breakdown.
Side by side approach addresses problems as a team.
Business roles may differ from home roles.
Clear role definition prevents partnership conflicts.
Interested in working with Larry and Sue? Check out their website for a FREE connection card resource and to book a consultation call!
43 min - Building a Sustainable Marketing Agency - A Conversation with Lorraine BallGuest Information
Lorraine Ball is the host of More Than a Few Words, a marketing podcast celebrating 15 years on the air. She's a former marketing agency owner who sold her business after 19 years and now focuses on consulting, teaching, and podcasting.
Episode HighlightsFrom Traditional to Digital Marketing Evolution- Started her marketing company in 2002, pre-social media era
- Specialized in home services: HVAC, roofing, plumbing contractors
- Witnessed the evolution from direct mail (1,000-3,000 postcards) to email marketing to social media
- Transformed from traditional marketing to digital agency over 19 years
Strategic Business Growth Decisions- The 10-Person Cap: Made a conscious decision to limit team size to 10 people
- Capacity Management: Raised prices instead of expanding capacity when demand increased
- 30% Rule: No single client could represent more than 30% of business revenue
- Location Lock-in: Chose to renovate existing building rather than expand to larger facility
Customer Service Excellence- One-Ring Policy: Every phone call answered on the first ring
- Personal Touch: Any team member could handle client issues, not just account managers
- Friday Availability: Only agency answering phones on Friday afternoons for media deadlines
- Long-term Relationships: Clients staying 10+ years (flooring company: 11 years, Randall Beans: 10 years)
Key Business Philosophy- Hire for Attitude, Train for Skill: Southwest Airlines model approach
- Lead web designer had never built a website when hired, stayed 7 years
- Focus on personal connections over systems and processes
- Employee retention: Multiple 7+ year team members
Current Consulting Approach- Target Clients: Established businesses unhappy with current marketing results
- Service Model: Strategy and audits only, no execution
- Unbiased Perspective: No agenda since not selling specific services
- Teaching the Teachers: Works with other agencies to develop client strategies
AI Integration Strategy- Uses AI for content repurposing (10-minute videos into 5 shorts)
- Transcript summarization while maintaining personal voice
- Content brainstorming and topic generation
- Reformatting and recombining original content, not creating from scratch
Golden Rule: Answer the QuestionsLorraine's most actionable advice centers on one core principle: Answer the questions your ideal clients are asking.
The Framework:- Define Your Ideal Client - Get specific, not just demographics
- Identify Their Questions - What do they really want to know?
- Create Answer-Focused Content - For SEO, social media, and sales
- Remember: Traffic and leads don't matter if you can't answer the questions that close sales
Real Example:Instead of optimizing for "long plus pigeon plus cage," answer "I got pigeons in my roof, how do I get rid of them?"
Key Takeaways for Small Business Owners- Sustainable Growth: Consider lifestyle vs. scale when making growth decisions
- Client Concentration Risk: Limit any single client to prevent business vulnerability
- Personal Touch Matters: Small businesses can compete through superior customer service
- Employee Retention: Investing in people creates long-term competitive advantages
- Strategic Positioning: Sometimes raising prices is better than expanding capacity
Lessons from Corporate AcquisitionsLorraine shared insights from both sides of acquisitions:
- Buyers often don't understand what makes the acquired company special
- Personal relationships and service models don't always translate in acquisitions
- Maintaining company culture is crucial for retaining clients post-sale
Connect with Lorraine Ball- Podcast: More Than a Few Words - Available on all podcast platforms
- Website: morethanafewwords.com
- LinkedIn: Find Lorraine Ball on LinkedIn
- Resources: Hundreds of conversations, workbooks, white papers, and tools for small business owners
About Unscripted Small Business PodcastHosted by Jeremy Rivera, the Unscripted Small Business Podcast features real conversations with entrepreneurs, business owners, and industry experts sharing their unfiltered experiences and insights.
Listen and Subscribe: unscriptedsmallbusiness.com
This episode was particularly insightful for anyone considering agency growth, struggling with capacity management, or looking to build sustainable business relationships. Lorraine's 19-year journey offers valuable lessons in strategic decision-making and the power of putting relationships first in business.
25 min - Allen Halas: Every Artist Is a Content Creator Now
Allen Halas has run the Milwaukee music blog Breaking and Entering since 2014, and he has watched the ground move twice. Host Zaneta Chuniq Inpower walks him from the DatPiff and Mediafire mixtape era to a social-first landscape where the platform levelled the field and handed every artist a second job.
In this episode- The blog and mixtape era giving way to streaming and short-form video
- Why every artist now has to be a content creator, not just a musician
- Building Breaking and Entering as a fan-first platform to put Milwaukee on the map
- What makes a bad media pitch, and what a real one carries: EPK, lineup, links, context
- DIY PR and branding, and knowing when you actually need a manager
- Keeping your whole catalogue live, because songs break years later
- Consistency over virality, and why low-fi beats over-produced
“An artist has to be so much more than an artist at this point. They have to be a content creator.” — Allen Halas“You don’t need a manager until you need a manager.” — Allen Halas“It doesn’t happen overnight more often than not. 99.99% of the time.” — Allen HalasRead the full recap: What Allen Halas Taught Me About Marketing Yourself in the Social Media Age
Connect with Allen: breakingandentering.net
Hosted by Zaneta Chuniq Inpower. More at Unscripted Small Business.
30 min - Inside the Mind of an SEO Expert: Brandon Leibowitz on Backlinks, AI, and Business Growth
Summary
In this episode of the Unscripted Small Business Podcast, Daniel Hill interviews Brandon Leibowitz, from SEO Optimizers. They discuss the importance of SEO and digital marketing strategies for small businesses, focusing on how to increase website traffic through effective use of backlinks, content creation, and understanding the evolving landscape of AI in search engine results. Brandon shares success stories, common pitfalls in DIY SEO, and strategies for local businesses to compete against larger corporations. He also emphasizes the significance of quality content and backlinks in improving online visibility.
Takeaways
- Brandon helps businesses increase website traffic through SEO.
- Backlinks are crucial for improving Google rankings.
- Established websites see faster SEO results than new ones.
- AI is changing the landscape of search engine results.
- Quality backlinks are more important than quantity.
- More pages on a website allow for targeting more keywords.
- Blogging is essential for adding content and improving SEO.
- Local businesses can compete by focusing on community engagement.
- Creative marketing strategies can help small businesses stand out.
- Brandon offers free SEO strategy sessions and resources.
22 min - Jake Still: Running a Junk Removal Business on Systems, Tech, and Doing Less
People assume junk removal is all muscle and brawn. Jake Still runs Junk Rescue like a technology business. Host Zaneta Chuniq Inpower opens up the hood on the stack that keeps his trucks moving, the disposable-consumer reality behind the business, and where AI actually stands for a home-services company.
In this episode- Wearing every hat as a small business owner — including what Jake calls “vibe management”
- The actual tech stack: Vonigo, HubSpot, WhipAround, Zapier, QuickBooks, CallRail, ADP
- GPS plus AI facial recognition in the trucks for driver-safety and maintenance alerts
- What customers are really buying: convenience, trusted people, and source separation
- Why the bigger picture isn’t sustainable — landfills, fake recyclables, and cheap stuff
- What happened when they tried replacing chatbots with AI in the sales process
- Top-five advice for starting a business, anchored on The E-Myth and the “entrepreneurial seizure”
“As a small business, you’re wearing a lot of hats at all times. We’re getting better at delegating those hats, but still busy, always busy.” — Jake Still“I’m a big believer in tech, right? Because again, it takes the human error and human emotions out of a lot of things.” — Jake Still“Attention is the new currency, right, that everyone’s really competing on. And yet it is getting very very saturated, but the algorithms are getting more and more specific too.” — Jake StillRead the full recap: How I Run My Junk Removal Business on Systems, Tech, and Doing Less
Connect with Jake: junk-rescue.com
Hosted by Zaneta Chuniq Inpower. More at Unscripted Small Business.
22 min - Karen Aucoin: Your Competitors Should Be Friends
Summary
In this episode of Unscripted Small Business, host Zaneta Chuniq Inpower interviews Karen Aucoin, owner of JoBelle and Studio 131. Karen shares her entrepreneurial journey, discussing the challenges and pivots she faced while growing her business. She emphasizes the importance of collaboration, networking, and organizational strategies in scaling a creative business. Karen also highlights the significance of empowering women in business and the future trends in the creative economy, encouraging listeners to pursue their passions fearlessly.
Takeaways
- Studio 131 began as a dance instruction space and evolved into a successful event venue.
- Entrepreneurship requires the ability to pivot and adapt to unexpected challenges.
- Collaboration with other businesses can lead to greater success and innovation.
- Delegation is crucial for growth, especially for women entrepreneurs.
- Using tools like Google Docs and CRMs can help maintain organization and efficiency.
- Creating packages that include multiple services can enhance client experience and profitability.
- Networking with competitors can foster collaboration rather than competition.
- Having a clear vision and planning ahead is essential for business success.
- Empowering women in business can lead to generational wealth and inspire future generations.
- The future of creative entrepreneurship lies in adaptability and embracing change.
Marc Pitts, founder of Discount Vape Pen, described exactly the network Karen is describing on his own Unscripted Small Business episode, and then watched regulation take it apart:
“It started out very much as a community — each one teach one. You had conventions… And then around 2018, once regulations started rolling in, it became more competitive. Once the regulations came, it triggered more or less a race to the bottom.” — Marc Pitts
His caveat agrees with Karen more than it argues with her: “it also depends on which hat you’re wearing. The retailer hat: very competitive… Wholesale is much more friendly than retail.” Collaboration survives where the two parties are not chasing the same customer.
26 min - Rebecca Prejean: Transforming Workplace Productivity Through Neurodiversity-Focused Accessibility Solutions
Summary
In this episode of Unscripted, host Zaneta Chuniq Inpower engages with Rebecca Prejean, an advocate for accessibility in corporate America. They discuss Rebecca's journey into making workplaces more inclusive for individuals with ADHD, autism, and other neurodivergent conditions. The conversation explores the challenges and opportunities in advocating for accessibility, the importance of self-advocacy, and practical tools for creating inclusive environments. They also touch on the role of AI in accessibility and the significance of upcoming events focused on these themes.
Takeaways
- Rebecca Prejean focuses on making corporate environments accessible for neurodivergent individuals.
- Her journey into accessibility advocacy began with her son, who has autism.
- Rebecca emphasizes the importance of self-advocacy for individuals with late diagnoses.
- Creating structured meetings can significantly help neurodivergent individuals.
- Accessibility should be framed in terms of productivity and retention in businesses.
- Advocating for oneself can lead to broader changes in workplace policies.
- Simple tools like agendas and summaries can enhance inclusivity in meetings.
- AI has potential in accessibility but has limitations in understanding nuanced needs.
- Everyone, at some point, may require accommodations due to aging or temporary disabilities.
- The conversation highlights the importance of empathy and understanding in creating inclusive spaces.
27 min - Andrew Lamppa: Building High-Performing Teams Through Employee Success Agreements
Summary
In this episode of Unscripted, Zaneta Chuniq Inpower speaks with Andrew Lamppa, founder of Built to Benefit, about the challenges small business owners face in building high-performing teams. They discuss the importance of creating clear expectations through Employee Success Agreements, engaging employees through the CARE framework, and the significance of transparency and vulnerability in leadership. Andrew shares insights from his experience in the restaurant industry and emphasizes the role of onboarding and core values in fostering a positive work environment. He also introduces his Team Clarity Snapshot offering, designed to help business owners gain clarity on their team's performance and dynamics.
Takeaways
- Building high-performing teams is crucial for small business success.
- Employee Success Agreements clarify expectations and reduce confusion.
- Engagement can be fostered through the CARE framework: Clarify, Acknowledge, Reward, Empower.
- Transparency and vulnerability are essential for employee commitment.
- Onboarding should integrate core values to ensure alignment from the start.
- High-performing employees want feedback and clarity on their performance.
- Identifying red flags early can prevent larger issues down the line.
- Core values help guide decision-making and behavior in the workplace.
- Business owners should seek support and resources to avoid isolation.
- Creating a culture of care enhances employee satisfaction and productivity.
33 min
About Unscripted Small Business
From the publisher's feed
Our Unscripted Collaborative hosts Keith Bresee, Zaneta Chuniq, Keiron Bailey & 17 year SEO industry expert Jeremy Rivera are having unscripted interviews small business owners, founders and…
creators across the United States, learning about their challenges, successes and insights into the world of SMBs.