Monthly Archives: September 2015

Ep. 066 – The Pros and Cons of ABC’s “Shark Tank” Reality TV Show

Posted on by

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Shark TankWith the high-drama of a business pitch and razor-sharp commentary by celebrity-level investors, it’s no surprise that Shark Tank is a popular show among entrepreneurs. It’s good reality TV, but how does it stack up against the real-world process of pitching a business to investors?

As it turns out, host and business coach Tom Ryan has advised two companies that got pretty far into the Shark Tank selection process. In this episode, Tom shares his thoughts on this entertainingly vicious show with co-host Jason Pyles. Continue reading →

Growing A Business Through Capital and Traction, Part 2

Posted on by

SIBP-1While securing financial, knowledge and relationship capital is the biggest and most immediate challenge most entrepreneurs, startups and small businesses face, it is by no means the only challenge. A close second is gaining traction.

What exactly is traction? It’s basically all the things that help you sell more of your products or services. The more traction you have, the more momentum your business has. The more momentum your business has, the more viable it is and attractive it becomes to outside investors.

For an early stage company, gaining traction is really about building your sales. There are other kinds of traction that will become important later on, but for a business that’s just starting out, traction and sales are effectively the same thing. And there’s a good reason that these two concepts are connected. Cash is king. Continue reading →

Ep. 065 – Interview with Joel Robertson, co-founder of HalfSizeMe.com, Part 3

Posted on by

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

SIB-Blog-1As HalfSizeMe.com has grown, they’ve found themselves with an unexpected problem: Not wanting to grow too much. As co-founder Joel Robertson explains, part of the appeal of their business is the personal, somewhat exclusive relationships they build with their clients. Growing too quickly could mean losing that connection. As a result, HalfSizeMe.com’s biggest priority is sustainable retention rather than rapid growth.

In this episode, host Tom Ryan and co-host Jason Pyles wrap up their conversation with Joel about the next steps for growing HalfSizeMe.com, while retaining the strong, individual connections they’ve developed with their clients. Continue reading →

Ep. 064 – Interview with Joel Robertson, co-founder of HalfSizeMe.com, Part 2

Posted on by

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

SIB-Blog-5As an online-centric weight-management, health and fitness business, HalfSizeMe.com faces many unique challenges. From creating compelling products and services, to solving the riddle of subscriber growth and retention, founders and digital entrepreneurs Joel and Heather Robertson have innovated their way through some tough times.

In this episode, host Tom Ryan continues his conversation with Joel about the challenges HalfSizeMe.com has faced, and the lessons learned as the business has taken shape. Continue reading →

Growing A Business Through Capital and Traction, Part 1

Posted on by

SIBP-3Every small business, startup and entrepreneur I’ve worked with has run into the same two challenges as they have grown. These factors come into play regardless of the market, the industry, the nature of the business, and the business model. What are they? The need for outside capital, and the need to gain more traction.

To put this in non-business terms: Every business eventually needs more resources to support their growth; and they need the ability to sell more of their stuff. Let’s break these concepts down a little.

Capital is the number one priority for growing your business. Too often, it’s thought of as a one-trick pony. Capital isn’t simply a financial investment. Capital can also be knowledge and key relationships, for instance. That kind of capital can be much more valuable than someone just writing you a check. Continue reading →

Ep. 063 – Interview with HalfSizeMe.com’s Joel Robertson, Part 1

Posted on by

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

SIB-Blog-4When Heather Robertson decided to take control of her weight, her husband Joel was more than just supportive. Together, the two of them built a successful podcast, an online weight-loss support community and a growing business, HalfSizeMe.com. Joel takes his startup work seriously, and he was also one of the first listeners to submit a question to Success In Business Podcast.

Over the next few episodes, host Tom Ryan and co-host Jason Pyles talk to Joel about the challenges HalfSizeMe.com has faced, and the lessons learned as the business has taken shape. Continue reading →

Ep. 062 – Determining Your Highest and Best Use

Posted on by

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

SIB-Blog-3As entrepreneurs, we wear a lot of hats. We create business ideas, raise money, create product plans and develop marketing strategies. Particularly in the early stages of the business, we even take on all the tasks that simply have to be done, from keeping the books to taking out the trash. But is doing everything yourself always a good idea?

In this “on the road” solo episode, host Tom Ryan explores the real estate concept of “best use” as it applies to entrepreneurs. Continue reading →

From Entrepreneur to Business Coach and Podcaster

Posted on by

IMG_2329A few years ago, I came to a really important crossroads in my life. I had successfully launched a new company, and it was growing rapidly. Things were going really well by all accounts. But at the same time, I was terribly unsettled, and I didn’t know why.

I don’t do well with being unsettled. Something was nagging at me, and I couldn’t quite put my finger on what it was. So I did some really serious soul-searching, and I came to a realization that surprised me. Just having a successful business wasn’t enough. If I wanted to be truly fulfilled, I had to help others realize their own success. Continue reading →

Ep. 061 – Must-Have Entrepreneur Qualities and Strengths

Posted on by

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

SIB-Blog-2What are the qualities that make for a great entrepreneur? In this “on the road” episode, host Tom Ryan explore this fantastic listener-submitted question. To give the question more grounding, Tom explores this topic as a kind of “Entrepreneur Job Description.”

Learn the “must have” qualities every business creator needs to possess, as well as the “should have” traits and “big plusses” that help define great entrepreneurs. Continue reading →

Sales As A Core Business Competency, Part 5: Sales Staff

Posted on by

SIBP-2Let’s say you’re really far along in creating your business model. You understand exactly what your customers’ needs are, and you’ve crafted an outstanding value proposition for them. After a long decision-making process, you’ve decided that the best course of action for your business is to dive in with both feet and sell to your customers directly.

You’ve also decided that you’re not going to sell through your website, or rely on something passive like a kickstarter campaign. You’re actually going to hire people.

Hiring a sales staff is a big step. It’s time to ask yourself a big question: “How much will I have to pay in order to set someone else to sell for me?” Continue reading →