Category Archives: Startup and Planning

Ep. 035: Asheville Startup Weekend With Special Guest Leanna Miller

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Welcome to Episode 035 of Tom Ryan’s Success in Business Podcast, the weekday show that offers how-to advice for entrepreneurs. This show is a continuation from the previous episode on which Tom talked about the Asheville Startup Weekend.

But for the very first time in the history of this podcast, Tom and Jason the producer welcome their first special guest, Leanna Miller, from COMPOSIA. Leanna is one of the organizers of Startup Weekend, so it’s great to have her on the show to learn from her insights and perspective. Continue reading →

Ep. 034 – Startup Weekend 101

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Good morning! Welcome to Episode 034 of the Success in Business Podcast. In this show, your host Tom Ryan discusses a valuable resource that he believes will be beneficial to Brian and the rest of the listeners: The Startup Weekend.

That’s right! In lovely Asheville, North Carolina, from August 28 through August 30, 2015, attendees with various backgrounds in web development, coding, design, marketing, finance and law will assemble with a common interest in entrepreneurship. Each of these attendees works within a highly collaborative team to develop a product or business in just one weekend! Continue reading →

Ep. 033 – How to Build Your Value Proposition in Three Easy Steps – Business Model Canvas Part 3

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Good morning! This morning on the Success in Business Podcast we pick up where we left off in Episodes 27 and 32 answering a question from Brian. What is Value Proposition? The concept of Value Proposition is simply the value that you propose to bring to your clients. Now you must find out how the market feels about your product or service. Tom reminds us not to ask them, “Would you buy?” but rather to ask, “Will you buy?” This will give you a more accurate gage on the market. Tom and Jason continue the hilarious Kick-Ass Cat Sweaters example to illustrate just how to use reliable validation of consumer feedback. Thanks for listening! Continue reading →

Ep. 032 – What Is a Value Proposition? – Business Model Canvas Part 2

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Good morning! This morning on the Success in Business Podcast we pick up where we left off in Episode 27 with a question from Brian. What is Value Proposition? The concept of Value Proposition is simply the value that you propose to bring to your clients. If you are selling to businesses your value will fall into one of three categories. Your value may be that you:

1) help them make money,
2) help them save time,
3) or help them not get hurt.

If you are selling to consumers your value proposition categories widen and it may be that you:

1) help them make money,
2) help them save time,
3) help them not get hurt,
4) help them look good,
5) or, help them feel good.

Either way, as you assess and develop your Value Proposition, remember that this is the element about your business that is going to make your customers’ life better – either because it is innovative or because it is more efficient. Your Value Proposition is how you help your customers better than any other company can. Thanks for listening! Continue reading →

Episode 27: Turning Ideas Into Breakthrough Business Models, Part 1

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350x350What’s the process for turning a great idea into a real business? Host Tom Ryan explains the Business Model Canvas method in part one of this two-part podcast.

In this episode, Tom is joined by fellow podcaster Jason Piles to tackle one of the biggest questions faced by entrepreneurs: “How do I turn my product or service idea into a viable business?” This episode provides an introduction and overview of Lean Startup‘s Business Model Canvas method for launching a new business. Continue reading →

Ep. 026 – Top 10 Things to Consider Before Starting Your Business Part 10: Just Do It

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Good morning! Today on Episode 26 of the Success in Business Podcast your host Tom Ryan completes his 10 part series on what to consider before starting you business. The first 9 steps have prepared you so well that the only left to do is to jump right in and just do it! If you are waiting for every single star to align and for the time to be perfect, you may never get your chance. Go ahead and take the leap! Thanks for listening! Continue reading →

Ep. 025 – Top 10 Things to Consider Before Starting Your Business Part 9: Getting Ready to Fail

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Good morning! Today on Episode 25 of the Success in Business Podcast your host Tom Ryan gives goes on record saying that failure is just part of business. Let it make your business stronger. Take this chance to do research and development. Tom teaches you how to fail quickly and fail softly. Of course, you have to hang in there and fight when times get hard, but you also need to have a plan to land the plane and walk away safely if a crash is inevitable. Thanks for listening! Continue reading →

Ep. 024 – Top 10 Things to Consider Before Starting Your Business Part 8: Identifying Your Prospective Customers

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Today’s episode is a continuation of the series, “Top 10 Things to Consider Before Starting Your Business,” which was initiated by one of the show’s listeners, Kathy. She is making the shift from the corporate world to entrepreneurship, and is in the process of starting her first business; she asks, “What do you suggest that I consider and avoid before taking the leap of faith?” Tom discusses the eighth thing to remember before starting your business, knowing your customers.

Key Takeaways
A big part of telling your story includes knowing who your audience is, and today’s episode delves deeper getting to know your customers. Tom offers five tips to accomplish this in your own business.

Tip 1: Ask them

The first thing you must do is get out there and seek immediate and direct feedback from your audience or prospective audience. There’s no better way to figure out what someone is thinking than to go out and ask them. In order to do this, use whatever means you have to connect and test out your assumptions. Different ways include Continue reading →

Ep. 023 – Top 10 Things to Consider Before Starting Your Business Part 7.5: How to Tell Your Story Well Continued

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Today’s episode is a continuation of the series, “Top 10 Things to Consider Before Starting Your Business,” which was initiated by one of the show’s listeners, Kathy. She is making the shift from the corporate world to entrepreneurship, and is in the process of starting her first business; she asks, “What do you suggest that I consider and avoid before taking the leap of faith?” Tom discusses the seventh thing to remember before starting your business, how to tell your story.

Key Takeaways
An important part of connecting with your customers and audience is to know how to tell your story. Tom’s role as the Kauffman Foundation’s Entrepreneur-in-Residence for Western North Carolina allows him to work with startup early stage companies and founders; he continually encounters interesting patterns that emerge about companies’ ability to effectively tell their stories. In this episode, Tom reveals the last two tips for you to follow so you can get better at telling your story.

Tip 4: Answer the right question (not the comfortable one)

The order in which you communicate your story to your audience begins with answering the right question and not the one you want to or are most comfortable with. Frequently, people are asked the question—what do you do? Too often they Continue reading →

Ep. 022 – Top 10 Things to Consider Before Starting Your Business Part 7: How to Tell Your Story Well

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Today’s episode is a continuation of the mini series, “Top 10 Things to Consider Before Starting Your Business,” which was initiated by one of the show’s listeners, Kathy. She is making the shift from the corporate world to entrepreneurship, and is in the process of starting her first business; she asks, “What do you suggest that I consider and avoid before taking the leap of faith?” Tom discusses the seventh thing to remember before starting your business, how to tell your story.

Key Takeaways
An important part of connecting with your customers and audience is to know how to tell your story. Tom’s role as the Kauffman Foundation’s Entrepreneur-in-Residence of Western North Carolina allows him to work with startup early stage companies and founders; he continually encounters interesting patterns that emerge about companies’ ability to effectively tell their stories. In this episode, Tom reveals three out of five quick tips for you to follow so you can get better at telling your story. The fourth and fifth tips about storytelling will be delivered in tomorrow’s episode (023).

In order to successfully convey your company’s products and services, you first need Continue reading →