CBR's B2U Podcast

For a lot of people, when they think of Charlotte businesses, they think of Uptown. On today's episode, we are hoping to expand their perspective and talk about how neighboring counties can help fuel business growth in the Charlotte region. Today we will be speaking with Terry Cox of TechWorks Gaston on how they are fostering entrepreneurship in Gaston County and how she thinks there's a benefit to the region as a whole.

Marketing a business, especially new business, is tricky. How do you find your target audience? How do you stand out above the noise? On this episode of B2U, we spoke with Daniel Boyce of Digimatiq Marketing to help us market successfully.

Becoming investible is important to anyone trying to get a business off the ground. But where do you start? How can you make yourself more appealing to investors? On this episode of the B2U Podcast, we spoke with Christopher Langford of IDEA Fund Partners to help us navigate these waters. 

Where are they now? On today's episode, we caught up with Aerial CLT founder Amy Chirico and Honey Butter Bakery owner Brandi Jones to see how CBR resources have helped their business throughout the years.

Today on B2U, we’re talking about COVID-19 and what the new normal looks like here in Charlotte. With us today is Robin McIntire from the Small Business and Technology Development Center and José D. Alvarez from Prospera.

Today on B2U we’re looking at mentorship in Charlotte. If you’re looking for a mentor, where do you go? What do you look for? How do you become a mentor? Where do you start? I am so thrilled to talk to Stacy Cassio of the Pink Mentor Network. Stacy helps women identify and utilize mentorship in their careers and their businesses.

So you have an idea for a great business but don’t know where to start. How do you incorporate it? Who can you turn to, to avoid those simple mistakes that can happen at the beginning of the process? In this episode of the B2U Podcast, Jim Weiland, Assistant District Director from SCORE, and inventors of The EZ Lift Vest, Cathy and Michael Foster discuss how to navigate these waters of starting and growing a business in Charlotte, NC.

On this episode of the B2U Podcast, Vanessa sat down with Richard Latorre of Latorre Insurance and discussed the importance of commercial insurance for small business owners. From workers compensation to general liability, learn why business insurance is essential for protecting your business and your employees.

On this episode, Vanessa talks with Mike Reddington, certified forensic interviewer and president of InQuasize, about one of the most critical skills small business owners and entrepreneurs need to master: Selling. Learn how to connect with your audience and strengthen relationships to sell like a pro. 

On this episode of B2U, we talked with Cate Marshall, Project Coordinator for the City of Charlotte permitting tool, OpenCounter on how the online wizard helps entrepreneurs looking to start and grow their business in Charlotte-Mecklenburg.

In this episode, we talk with David Dowdy, small business expert, who teaches entrepreneurs how to expand their profit and market their business for optimal results. 

In this episode of the B2U Podcast, we sat down with legal advisor, Kelly Jesson of Jesson & Rains, LLP, and discussed ways to help new business owners navigate the different types of Intellectual Properties such as Trademark, Copyright, Patent and Trade Secret.

In this episode of the B2U Podcast, payment processing experts, Brian Boxell and Kel Hodel of Heartland Payment Systems are back, discussing how to choose the correct POS system, a trusted payment processor, and pricing models for your small business.

In this episode of the B2U Podcast, Brian Boxell and Kel Hodel of Heartland Payment Systems give tips every business owner should know about payment processing and POS systems.

In this episode of the B2U Podcast, SBA representative, Levi Kinnard gives tips every business owner should know about how to get a loan with the SBA. 

Hoy tenemos a Prospera, una organización especializada en brindar asistencia gratuita y bilingüe a empresarios hispanos que intentan establecer o ampliar sus negocios a través de capacitación, asesoría y recursos. 

In this episode, we discuss emotional intelligence with Mic Alexander from the Carolina Smal Business Development Fund and talk about how employees can be more aware of their feelings in a workplace setting. 

22:38 no oms@cgrcreative.com (CharlotteBusinessResources.com)CharlotteBusinessResources.comThe CBR B2U podcast brings business resources and tools in Charlotte directly to you. Tune in for exclusive interviews, informative roundtables and revealing conversations with experts from Charlotte’s business c

Levi Kinnard, from the US Small Business Administration, discusses federal certification programs that are available to small business owners and how they can benefit from them.  

In this episode, we get the inside scoop from Small Business Banking Manager Jacob Pezold, about how to gain access to capital to start your small business. 

What exactly is a Hygge? In this episode, we connect with Garrett Tichy, founder of the trendy new co-working space that is popping up all over the city. Find out how to pronounce the name, and have all of your other co-working questions answered here in this podcast. 

We're diving right into part two of public relations for small businesses. In this edition, we talk about how to craft a PR pitch and what NOT to do when pitching. 

Everything you have ever wanted to know about public relations is answered here by a PR professional and a local journalist. 

Derrick Davis of IT staffing firm, Informatic Concepts discusses how he's landed large corporate contracts, and give must-know advice on how small business owners can win and maintain relationships with the big dogs. 

In this episode, we continue our conversation with Vanessa Vaughn of business resilience firm, Asfalis, and discuss early warning signs of potential business risk that every entrepreneur should know! 

Crisis management for small businesses is very different than for large, Fortune 500 organizations. In this episode of CBR's B2UPodcast, Vanessa Vaughn from business resilience firm, Asfalis explains common red flags that every small business owner should recognize as a crisis.

En este episodio, nuestra invitada nos cuenta que hacer para importar productos de nuestros países latinos a Estados Unidos y comparte con nosotros sus experiencias y consejos de cómo empezar e impulsar un negocio propio.

You have this great idea and are ready to start your business, but you're not sure where to start. During this podcast, we talk with Matt Vilmer, partner at Weaver, Bennett and Bland, to learn more about what you need to know legally to start and grow your business.

When we think of diversity in the workplace, there is a segment that is oftentimes overlooked - people with disabilities! During this podcast, we talk with Lindsay Haaser, founder of Advocations to learn more about how employing professionals with disabilities can empower your business. 

Meet Chris Metzler from The Entrepreneur's Source as we talk about franchising--what it is, what it takes, and why people do it.

In this episode, we talk to Chris Elmore of AvidXchange about the entrepreneurial journey, personal branding and more!

In this episode, we talk about what small businesses need to know about developing their workforce with Patrick Graham, the President and CEO of Charlotte Works.

In this episode, Andrew talks to Beth Scarborough, a librarian at UNC Charlotte, about how you can protect your entrepreneurial ideas with patents, copyrights and trademarks. 

Este es nuestro primer Podcast en Español y está dedicado a todos los empresarios que necesitan recursos para comenzar un negocio en Charlotte. Nuestro anfitrión se llama Luis Mata del Departamento de Relaciones Comunitarias de la ciudad de Charlotte y tiene como invitada especial a Rocio Gonzalez, Directora Ejecutiva de la Cámara de Comercio Latinoamericana de Charlotte.   ***

The Internet is a scary place: data breaches, identity theft, network security failures, and more. We're in an age of technology, and these are the realities that face small businesses when they have a real Internet presence. Tune in as we talk to Scott Burns and Ben Moore from BB&T about cyber liability.

Here with us again to talk about workers' compensation are Scott Burns and Ben Moore, our friends from BB&T. This is the second part of our conversation with these two. In this episode, we talk about workers compensation. When it comes to the law, what do small business owners need to know about workers compensation?

Scott Burns and Ben Moore, business insurance agents at BB&T in Charlotte, join us for this episode of the B2U Podcast. Part 1 of a three-part series, in this segment we talk about where entrepreneurs should start when it comes to business insurance. 

Today, we have Trisha Ridenour from The Employers Association. She is here to help us walk through the process of finding, hiring, and onboarding employees. By the end of our conversation, you'll have the tools you need to find people who are just as passionate about your business as you are. So, Trisha, thank you for being here with us today.

Hayley Lyons from CGR Creative has some high-level tips for entrepreneurs posting to social media. 

How can the Office of International Relations help small businesses take over the world? Alexis Gordon, the International Relations Manager at the City of Charlotte has the answer! 

In this podcast, we meet with Alexis Gordon, the International Relations Manager at the City of Charlotte, to discuss the IESBO meeting. Tune in now!

Are you posting blogs and wondering why no one's seeing them? Here are 5 tips for making sure your website content is seen and shared. 

Struggling to market your business online? Hayley Lyons from CGR Creative offers her 5 best tips for writing for web. 

What are the financing options outside the bank? Elaine Fairman from BEFCOR has the answer!

We've already talked about the paperwork needed to get a loan, as well as the pitfalls or fears of borrowing money. But what about expectations? What can business owners expect throughout this process? Elaine Fairman from BEFCOR has the answers!

Anytime a business is taking on debt, it's a scary proposition. Elaine Fairman from BEFCOR tells us about the pitfalls of borrowing money and how business owners can avoid the pitfalls, or at least manage them if something were to come up.

As any business owner knows, financing can be one of the hardest parts of starting your own business. From how to access capital to understanding the loans process, business owners have a lot of questions, and Elaine Fairman from BEFCOR has some tips. 

In this episode, we continue a previous conversation with Teresa McDow from the County’s Economic Development Department with the Minority Women and Small Business Enterprise (MWSBE) Program, and Nancy Rosado from the City’s Charlotte Business Inclusion (CBI) Program. If you haven't checked out Part 1 yet, please do at CBRBiz.com.    

Alexis Gordon, the International Relations Manager and the Chief of Protocol for the City of Charlotte, discusses the services that Charlotte offers for immigrant businesses, specifically the Immigrant Integration Task Force. 

In this episode, we were lucky enough to have two guests: Charles Thomas and Dan Roselli. We discuss why people come to Charlotte, why they stay, and why you should join the entrepreneur community!   

Intellectual property. You can’t touch it, you can’t smell it, but it exists, and it’s very important. What is it? And how can we protect it?