Business Smarts

The art of public speaking can make or break an entrepreneur. From encouraging an investor to funding your business to inspiring employees' performance to going live on social media - the style, substance, and impact you make are crucial to your business' success. This week, we will learn the basics of becoming a great public speaker.Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review & share! https://bwm-cpa.com/podcast/

Are you tired of working in a corporate job? Do you dream of owning and running your own business? Most of us do, but do you have what it takes to build and sustain a successful business? Before you do that, tune in to this episode and ask yourself some questions to guide you in your decision. Being a successful business owner requires investing your money and a ton of your time and effort. Despite the appeal of being your own boss, in reality, only some are cut out to be successful business owners. Cindy Brown shares the traits needed and the quick questions you should ask yourself before quitting your job and moving into the "Freedom of Self-Employment."Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review & share! https://bwm-cpa.com/podcast/

With the help of productivity tools and strategies, we can smoothly move along in this fast-paced world. Coming down for a final push, Cindy Brown covers days 13 to 21 of our productivity series. In this episode, she dives deep into batching similar tasks, scaling through the use of templates, and finding apps to enhance productivity. When you have completed all the steps from days 1 to 21, you should find, at minimum, an extra three hours per week. Spend this newfound time on sales, operations, family, or a long lunch. You deserve it!Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review & share! https://bwm-cpa.com/podcast/

Did you do your homework from last week? Do you have a master schedule and know the most productive parts of your day? Have you automated routine tasks? Cindy Brown shares more of her secrets in moving forward with creating a more productive life in being a more productive business owner. This week in "becoming a more productive you," we will learn tips and hacks to "skip" it or "delegate" it. Tune in to this episode, and we'll pick up where we left off!Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review & share! https://bwm-cpa.com/podcast/

We hear it all the time, “Work smarter, not harder.” It's vital to make every minute count when you are a business owner. But how can you become more productive and less exhausted? Cindy Brown shares her strategy for helping you drop your exhaustion every day. In this episode of Business Smarts, we will start a 3-part series to make you more productive. If you commit to one hour per day for the next 21 days, I guarantee you will be more productive at the end. Tune in to this episode now to maximize your productivity!Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review & share! https://bwm-cpa.com/podcast/

As a small business owner, you already know it can be lonely at the top. Sometimes it's alright to ask for help so that you can level up your business. Sure, as an entrepreneur you get to call all the shots. But if you're like most business owners, there will be times when you wish you had the ear—and the wisdom—of someone who's experienced the same entrepreneurial growing pains you're going through. That's where having a great mentor, mastermind group or coach can make all the difference. It can get you unstuck, propel you to great success or just lend a supportive shoulder to lean on. Join Cindy Brown as she shares the why, when, and how to get a mentor, coach, or group mastermind.Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review & share! https://bwm-cpa.com/podcast/

Understanding business deductions can be very instrumental for your business financially. As long as you have a business and your expenses are "reasonable and ordinary" for your specialty, virtually all of your expenses are tax deductible. This week, Cindy Brown goes over the most common tax-deductible expenses a business incurs and explains non-deductible business expenses and startup costs. Plus, Cindy shares tips on how you can keep track of your expenses to make accounting easier. Grab a pen and take notes on ways you can keep more of your revenue by paying less in taxes. Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review & share! https://bwm-cpa.com/podcast/

Did you know that within your boring financial statements are five hidden secrets that could have a significant impact on your business? Never look at your statements as unnecessary paperwork anymore. Instead, give some time to dig into them and uncover golden nuggets deep within. This week we will learn those secrets - and more!Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review & share! https://bwm-cpa.com/podcast/

One way to recession-proof your business is to know and understand your key performance indicators. Why do KPIs matter? They help business owners achieve their short- and long-term business goals and know where to make adjustments to stay on track. They are particularly meaningful when analyzed alongside other relevant KPIs. They are the "dashboard" of your business. Join Cindy Brown as she goes into what you need to keep track of in today's episode so you can keep your business afloat!Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review & share! https://bwm-cpa.com/podcast/

You are your brand. You just need to know how to tell the world who you are. This is where the brand roadmap comes into place. You need to set brand goals, define your brand, know your ideal client, and write your brand story. If you can do all those things, you'll build brand trust and loyalty. And once you have that, your brand is ready to grow.This week, Cindy Brown talks with brand builder, coach, and storyteller Giselle Achecar about the Brand Roadmap. Discover the four-pillar system designed to give you the clarity, confidence, and skills to define your brand. Craft a brand story and create content for your marketing materials. You know your business better than anyone. Leverage that knowledge to build your brand.01 — Set Your Brand GoalsDetermine your brand goals and develop the insights and growth mindset needed to achieve them. Know where you are today and where you want to be in 12 months, then set milestones to manifest that vision.02 — Define Your BrandThe road to defining your brand begins with knowing your brand purpose, your mission/vision/values, the problem you solve, and the benefits you provide your ideal client. Only then can you differentiate yourself in the marketplace.03 — Know Your Ideal ClientUnderstand your ideal client by determining who they are, how they behave, and what they value. Ideal clients become brand advocates when their experience with your brand makes them believe they are part of something bigger than themselves.04 — Write Your Brand StoryA great brand story emotionally engages your ideal clients and stakeholders, creating an experience that builds trust and brand loyalty. It's the foundation for all your marketing content. That foundation begins by crafting a story with a beginning, middle, and end; a hero on a journey; and you as the mentor and guide that leads the hero to their success.Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review & share! https://bwm-cpa.com/podcast/

Whether we like it or not, the “boom” has come to an abrupt end after a good run of 9 years, 5 months, and 13 days. If you look around, all the signs are pointing to it. We are in a recession.Recessions are a normal part of the business cycle. It's going to happen sooner or later. We don't know what this 2022 recession will look like, and we're all feeling a little bit anxious about our businesses and financial well-being. Today, let's identify some tools to not just survive but thrive in 2022 and beyond.Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review & share! https://bwm-cpa.com/podcast/

A lot of people think that investing in the stock market is just for those suits on Wallstreet. It's not. Anyone can invest now! All you need is confidence. Anyone can invest, regardless of gender or nationality. You just need to be able to reframe your mindset on investing because it can actually put you at less risk and double your returns. Diversification is one way to balance risk and reward in your investment portfolio by diversifying your assets. It is the practice of spreading your investments around so that your exposure to any one type of asset is limited. This practice is designed to help reduce the volatility of your portfolio over time. This week Cindy Brown talks to Andy Gupta, founder of Anyone Can Invest Now and former Goldman Sachs analyst. Joins in as he gives you the formula to maximize returns while minimizing risk!Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review & share! https://bwm-cpa.com/podcast/

Mistakes are an everyday part of being a business owners. But it doesn't mean we have to make all of them to learn from them. Previous entrepreneurs have already committed those mistakes, so it makes sense to just learn from their experiences. This week, Cindy Brown will review the top 20 things she learned that we should NOT do as business owners. In more than two decades of being an entrepreneur and mentoring entrepreneurs, she gathered tips for business owners. Are you planning on starting or running a business? If yes, tune in to this episode and learn these tips to avoid the most common mistakes many business owners make.Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review & share! https://bwm-cpa.com/podcast/

Most small businesses are either over-insured or improperly insured, costing money and creating risk. This week, Adam Glenn brings the perfect formula of "just the right" amount of insurance for your business. With a background that includes working for a global public accounting firm and dealing with CEOs and CFOs of mid-market and Fortune 500 companies, building and subsequently selling a business, and nearly 10 years of successful business-to-business sales within the insurance industry, Adam brings a unique perspective to assisting middle-market companies with their commercial Property and Casualty Insurance. He approaches each challenge from the perspective of a business owner, utilizing his technical expertise and high-level problem solving to find solutions that are in the best interest of his clients. Insurance is just one form of risk management, and the lowest cost provider usually leaves a business exposed to loss beyond what they are prepared to handle. Successful and growing businesses need an insurance broker they can trust to assess their needs and provide a customized insurance program that is cost-effective but, more importantly, effective at managing the day-to-day risks of operating a business. Join this conversation as Adam covers the basics of business insurance. He shares how we can identify the right insurance broker and how to secure good business insurance. Plus, he reveals some of the mistakes entrepreneurs often fall into, revealing insights on how to avoid them.Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review & share! https://bwm-cpa.com/podcast/

Your organization holds many assets, but none more valuable than its people. This week, our guest, Lori Stohs (getyourmindon.com), bring us the fundamentals of finding and managing human capital. You will learn, as a business owner, when and how to find the right people for your organization to achieve growth. Lori is the founder of Lori Stohs Consulting Group, the author of Get Your Mind on Your People, and the Chief Strategy and Inspiration Officer at YogiTeas.Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review & share! https://bwm-cpa.com/podcast/

What does it take to have a brand that resonates so much with audiences that it leaves a lasting first impression? We learn from this episode with Patrice Bisiot, celebrity stylist, author, keynote speaker, and founder of Image Impact Index. Patrice gives us insights on what branding is all about and shares his process for building your individual brand based on how you want to be perceived. Tune in and learn how to make that unforgettable first impression.Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review & share! https://bwm-cpa.com/podcast/

For the first time in history, we, as business owners, are leading five generations in the workforce. Leading a diverse team can get challenging since each person has their own preferences or work ethics. This week, we will uncover the secret of leadership in the 21st century. Learn the positive and negative attributes of each of these generations and learn the tools to motivate and lead them.Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review & share! https://bwm-cpa.com/podcast/

Banks and lenders are not just there for transactional purposes. They actually want to build relationships with you. Those lenders are human just like you. They want to know how you're business or your family is going. Trust is the currency of relationships. Learn more about bank lending with Cindy Brown and her guest, Gus Staats. Gus is the Relationship Manager at a regional bank and he truly believes in building relationships with the lender. Join in the conversation to discover more about bank lending. Learn the 5 C's of credit and some tips on bank loaning. Start building that relationship and being honest with your bank today!Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review & share! https://bwm-cpa.com/podcast/

When was the last time you sat down with your accountant and discussed your financial plan, business projections, and profitability? Are there better ways to manage your accounts and save more money? In this episode, Mitul Mehta (mitul@bwm-cpa.com) joins Cindy Brown to talk about the strategic actions you can take to propel your business forward. Mitul Mehta is a CPA who has helped companies save thousands of dollars in taxes while becoming more profitable. Mitul holds the secrets on how you can grow your revenue twice its original value. Listen in as Mitul drops the best tax tips you can use to save as much as $50,000.Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review & share! https://bwm-cpa.com/podcast/

As a business owner, you have many, many priorities. And sometimes these can really get in the way of your focus as a business. Join your host Cindy Brown as she lists the top 10 things you should focus on as a business owner. From identifying the problem to tracking your financials, this episode has all you need to know about starting your business. Don't fall into the trap other business owners fell into; you're smarter than that! Learn how you can get the biggest return on your time today!Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review & share! https://bwm-cpa.com/podcast/

Unlike business owners who have a 5000-foot view of their entire venture and have leeway to make various adjustments, business operators cannot even step back from their work even for a short while. Learn how to successfully transition from a simple operator to a savvy owner here at Business Smarts! Join Cindy Brown as she breaks down the necessary tools and resources to increase profitability, build an efficient team, design an impactful brand, and cultivate a digital-friendly workplace culture. Tune in now and be on your way to establish the thriving business of your dreams!Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review & share! https://bwm-cpa.com/podcast/