From Idea To Business: Common Obstacles, And What To Do About Them

SIBP-Blog-NEW-B-2One of the best parts of my job is working with young entrepreneurs. I call them my “baby birds,” and there’s something incredibly rewarding about taking them under my wing. I love being in a position to guide them through the early stages of starting a company, acting as a mentor as they turn an idea into a full-fledged business. When those businesses finally take flight, it’s a huge thrill.

Creating a viable business means going into the process with your eyes wide open, and I always love it when those young entrepreneurs ask me those simple-yet-tough questions I really have to think about. For instance, I hear a lot of variations on this question: “What obstacles can I expect to run into as I start to turn my idea into a real business?” Continue reading

Ep. 144 – The Four P’s of Scaling Your Business: Part 1 – People

SIBP-Blog-NEW-2It’s time to start the New Year off right! That means another multi-part series on developing your business. This week, we’re talking about the four big things to keep in mind as you scale and expand your operations. Growing a business is always challenging, and it can take quite a toll on your relationships, your free time, and your health.

Host and business coach Tom Ryan explains the core concepts of expanding your business, and how to do so without sacrificing your work/life balance. As always, Tom is joined by co-host and producer Jason Pyles. Continue reading

7 Steps For Getting Great Results From Initial Consultations

IMG_2329Running a small company is a lot of work, particularly when you run a one-person shop as a freelancer or consultant. At that scale, every client counts. When a new prospective client crosses your path, it’s only natural to want to give them plenty of time. Meeting face-to-face, perhaps sitting down for an hour over a cup of coffee, seems like the right way to have an initial consultation. From a sales perspective, however, it’s absolutely wrong.

More accurately, it’s ineffective and inefficient. Spending an hour on your initial consultation, only to find that you’re a bad fit for each other, represents more than a sale that didn’t happen. It also represents an hour that you can’t charge for, and couldn’t spend finding new clients. When you bill by the hour, time is money. Continue reading

Ep. 143 – Happy New Year 2016: Reflection and Goals

SIBP-Blog-NEW-1It’s a New Year! Here at the Success In Business Podcast, it’s time to take a look back at the highlights of 2015, and to cast our gaze towards the year to come. What does 2016 have in store for the SIBP?

In this free-wheeling discussion, host and business coach Tom Ryan talks with producer and co-host Jason Pyles about lessons learned (both personally and professionally), the value of being present, and some big ideas for the future. Continue reading