Why Not Ask? Negotiate for More

The best time to borrow money is when you don't need it. Mark McShurely knew there were few alternatives when he realized he owed his supplier and couldn't pay. So, he asked for his supplier's help. He negotiated a deal. And still couldn't pay. So, he renegotiated. Hear his story and how he rebuilt his credibility one week at a time and created an unprecedented relationship with his supplier, one of the largest wholesale distributors in America. 

Being in the business of going to space is a big deal, and so are the contracts that go with it. Brian Mooney, President of Mooney Industries Precision Machining, Inc., has negotiated with all of the space industry's major players for decades. Knowledge, process, and details matter. Join Christine McKay and Brian and learn more about how he has successfully built long-lasting relationships with behemoth companies and kept his company profitable. 

Having an international business is always challenging. When you are a small business working with local tradespeople on different continents and creating products to sell in the United States, one of the biggest challenges comes in negotiating for things. Join Christine McKay and Mimi Darra, Co-founder of Maison Palo Santo®, as Mimi shares what she learned about dealing locally in Morocco and Ecuador and how it has changed her approach to business. 

Many people think of negotiation as a taking process, one with clear winners and losers. However, negotiation is fundamentally about giving and receiving.  Join Christine McKay for this dynamic interview with Meghan Gardner, Founder of  Guardian Adventures. We talk about how Meghan's rich experience, drawn from using live-action role-playing (LARPing) to help kids gain autonomy and agency to working in hospice care, informs negotiation. There is a lot to learn about negotiations from the power of storytelling and gaming. 

Sometimes, you just have to dive into the deep end and figure things out on the way. Negotiation requires flexibility and a willingness to test ideas and figure out what can work for all parties involved. In this episode, Christine McKay interviews Andre Champagne, an entrepreneur, international business executive, and inventor, who talks about taking risks and finding success. Andre shares his journey in the film industry and as an inventor. He talks about the importance of negotiating from abundance versus scarcity and why believing in yourself matters so much at the negotiation table.   

Whether you're an entrepreneur unsure of your next step or a business professional struggling to negotiate your way, having effective conversations with others and with yourself will drive your success. On today's show, Blair Dunkley joins Christine McKay to share engaging stories and insights on how understanding language patterns can tell you what people are thinking. There are so many golden nuggets to be gleaned from this conversation – from how to ask questions differently to the difference between clarity and certainty, the importance of being curious, and more. He also takes on the notion that you need to "know your why" and shares why he thinks it is total BS. 

To state the obvious, 2020 sucked for a lot of businesses. For Kim Bassett, 2020 was a year of trials and tribulations. Before the pandemic, Kim, co-owner of Fontis Nevada, experienced record growth and business profits. After March 2020, they lost 98% of their revenue. Through an arduous process of pivoting and renegotiating with clients, suppliers, and herself, Kim managed to bring the business back to just 25% of what it had been in 2019. Kim captures this inspiring story of rebuilding in her upcoming book, Pivot Point. Listen in with Christine McKay as Kim shares the things she learned along this journey. 

In most deals, there are outside influences that impact your negotiations. Sometimes, these have significant sway over your ability to close a deal. In today's episode, Christine McKay interviews Karla Silva, Vice President of Investor Relations for Vivative Ventures, Inc. When she talks to potential investors in Vivative's projects, Karla always has an invisible third-party at the table with her. Who is that? It's the voice of the community in which her project resides. Karla takes us on a tour of the real estate development world and shows us how all the different players come together to deliver large, transformative projects. 

Many small and mid-sized businesses get trapped in unfair negotiations, especially in David and Goliath situations, simply because they lack the appropriate skills. If you negotiate with organizations who you think have more power or leverage than you, this episode is a must! Join Christine McKay as she interviews Matthew Marini, President at Agile Resources, an IT staffing and recruiting agency. He has been in this highly competitive industry for nearly 15 years and frequently negotiates with large enterprise companies. Together, Christine and Matthew go over some of the essential skills and principles that every business owner should learn to get their fair share of the mutual win in every negotiation. 

Planning is everything in business, but you can't plan for everything. So, we negotiate. Join Christine McKay as she sits down with Founder and President of Cambridge Argillite, LV Randolph, to discuss how to navigate the negotiation table, so you don't flush money down the drain. In today's episode, we talk about critical factors to consider when negotiating with buyers. We cover everything from understanding your business valuation to learning marketplace trends. LV also talks about the importance of knowing when to call in the cavalry and get help with your business so you can move to the next level.