Podcasts about SMB

In this deeply personal tribute episode of Business Coaching Secrets, Karl Bryan and Rode Dog reflect on the legacy and lessons of Adrian Ulsh, Karl's business partner and "big brother" of 17 years, who recently passed away. They discuss the principles, temperament, and business philosophies that defined Adrian's impact on their company, their clients, and the entire coaching industry. Karl shares invaluable insights into the operating system Adrian helped create, actionable strategies for growing and coaching small businesses, and practical approaches to prospecting and retention—all inspired by Adrian's stoic focus and unwavering dedication. Key Topics Covered The Legacy and Principles of Adrian Ulsh Karl Bryan shares heartfelt stories about Adrian Ulsh's influence, describing Adrian as the true "man, myth, legend" and the stabilizing force behind their partnership. Family first: Adrian's definition encompassed team members, clients, and the broader community. Wild loyalty, consistency, and frugality as core values that drove business and personal success. Building and Installing a Business Operating System The "Jumpstart 12" framework: Twelve core areas for incremental business improvement and profit acceleration. How small, strategic changes (2-5% gains in multiple areas) compound to produce powerful growth. The importance of standards over goals and repeating proven stories for impact. Real-World Example: Coaching a Landscaping Business Step-by-step, Karl details how Adrian would apply the Jumpstart 12: controlling costs, defining a market-dominating position, bundling services, creating compelling offers, joint ventures, upselling, and cross-selling. Emphasis on practical, low-friction implementation—no magic pills, expensive hires, or complicated training. The Magic of Incremental and Compounding Growth Why professionals focus on what could go wrong, systematize improvements, and avoid "hopium." Operating by numbers: using math and real metrics, not emotions or wishful thinking, to guide decisions. Client Prospecting and Scripting Mastery Adrian's approach to outreach: short, personalized, authority-driven messages sent consistently. Leveraging connections (Chamber, BNI, local hangouts), offering value, and asking for opinions to initiate real conversations. The importance of sending multiple messages daily, not expecting instant results, and using results—not emotions—as a barometer. Notable Quotes "He didn't have goals. He had standards. Create standards for yourself." — Karl Bryan "You want to build a great company, you want to build a great product—consistency and focus over talent all day long and twice on Sunday." — Karl Bryan "Don't get too up. Don't get too down… Warren Buffett doesn't walk into a boardroom all hopped up on hopium." — Karl Bryan "Send it out 50 times a day. If you want results, don't just do it once." — Karl Bryan (on outreach) Actionable Takeaways Focus on Incremental Improvements: Apply the Jumpstart 12 framework and aim for small (2-5%) gains across multiple business areas to produce exponential results. Systematize Everything: Build clear standards, document your operating process, and repeat proven stories and tactics for better client outcomes. Be Relentlessly Consistent: Don't chase perfection or get lost behind the screen—take steady, focused action daily on outreach and client delivery. Eliminate Distractions: Legendary business success comes from eliminating everything except your one core focus—whether it's live events, lead generation, or client retention. Outreach with Authority and Value: Use short, confident messages that reference known connections or groups. Focus on ideas and feedback to open doors. Let Results Be the Guide: Track progress by cash in the bank, referrals, and new clients—not emotions or subjective feedback. Serve the Fat Middle: Target the mass market of SMB "newbies," not just the 4% of $1M+ businesses, for scalable growth and reduced risk. Resources Mentioned Profit Acceleration Software™ (by Karl Bryan): Core tool to implement the Jumpstart 12 and Deep Dive 40 operating systems, delivering instant value to small business clients. Focus.com: Business coaching platform and software hub. Networking Groups: BNI, local Chambers of Commerce, Yacht Club, Golf Club—where coaches can build authority and prospect for clients. Group Coaching Software: For scaling to more clients with higher efficiency. Six Figure Coach Magazine: Free coaching industry resource: Get it here If you enjoyed the episode, subscribe, share with fellow coaches, and rate the show! Join our thriving community and level up your coaching business at Focused.com. Ready to implement these strategies? Get a demo of Profit Acceleration Software™: https://go.focused.com/profit-acceleration

From the acquisition of a tiny refrigeration business, Linh Tran has built an enterprise that earns millions annually.Register for the webinar: What a Good Investor Pitch Looks Like -TODAY!! - https://bit.ly/3LYM4H2Topics in Linh's interview:The "Three Rs" search criteriaBeing an undercover owner for 18 monthsEliminating 70-hour workweeks for his techsStruggling with work-life balanceImplementing value-based pricing80% rule for delegationWhy he doesn't want to exitFostering deep employee loyaltyCorporate philanthropy and legacyWhat money can't buyReferences and how to contact Linh:info@apexfundgroup.comLinkedInApex Fund GroupLearn more about Walker Deibel's done-with-you buy-side advisory:The Acquisition LabGet complimentary due diligence on your acquisition's insurance & benefits program:Oberle Risk Strategies - Search Fund TeamGet a free review of your books & financial ops from System Six (a $500 value):Book a call with Tim or hello@systemsix.com and mention Acquiring MindsConnect with Acquiring Minds:See past + future interviews on the YouTube channelConnect with host Will Smith on LinkedInFollow Will on TwitterEdited by Anton RohozovProduced by Pam Cameron

New episode! Excited to have Dean Lyulkin, Co-CEO of Cardiff who gives us insights on marketing a fintech and what’s holding back SMB lending. Also some interesting takes on the economy and the uses of AI this week on the Fintech Newscast https://cardiff.co Click Subscribe to keep up to date on the world of fintech!  Reach us … Continue reading Ep 268- Cardiff Co-CEO Dean Lyulkin

Mindbodygreen has built a global reputation as a go-to destination for wellness — combining expert content, functional nutrition supplements, and a thriving community to help millions live healthier, more balanced lives. But behind the scenes, this SMB is also leaning into the future of technology.In this episode of The Future Of Wellness, Powered by Gen AI , Tim Glenister shares how Mindbodygreen is moving Generative AI into production to streamline content creation, personalize customer experiences, and scale their mission in entirely new ways. We dig into the why, the how, and the lessons learned — plus what the future of AI means for the wellness industry and other SMBs looking to innovate.If you're curious about the intersection of wellness, media, and AI, or looking for practical inspiration on how smaller businesses can punch above their weight with Gen AI, this conversation is one you won't want to miss.Visit Mindbodygreen : https://tc.netlify.mindbodygreen.com/AWS Hosts: Malini Chatterjee & Priyanka SadhuEmail Your Feedback: rethinkpodcast@amazon.com

Canada is very well known for its coalition loyalty programs and proprietary programs that expand earn and redemption opportunities through strong partnerships. RMG Loyalty, nearing its 25th year, specializes in small business loyalty solutions and manages partnerships that link SMBs to major rewards programs. Specifically, they have managed SMB programs for the AIR MILES rewards program and More Rewards, which has extended the earning opportunities for members of these programs.Kate Booth is the President of RMG Loyalty and she has been instrumental in creating successful customer programs, consumer and small business, for RMG Loyalty's clients. We will get her perspective on the value of B2B/SMB loyalty programs and how consumer programs can benefit from an integrated strategy that considers both consumers and small business owners.Hosted by Aaron DauphineeShow notes:1) Kate Booth2) RMG Loyalty3) AIR MILES rewards program4) More Rewards5) Book recommendations: The Science of Scaling

professorjrod@gmail.comThe everyday internet feels effortless, but behind every click lives a maze of services quietly doing the heavy lifting. I pull back the curtain on the systems that make your workday possible—file shares that just appear on your desktop, printers that hum along until a 200‑page PDF wrecks the queue, and the alphabet soup of protocols that move data safely and fast.We start with the essentials: SMB and Samba for file and print, why SFTP on port 22 beats FTP for modern transfers, and how relational databases differ from NoSQL when your needs shift from consistent records to massive logs. From there we head to the browser, unpacking HTTPS, TLS, and certificates so you know what that lock icon actually guarantees. Email gets its due too: SMTP for sending, IMAP for syncing, and the trio of SPF, DKIM, and DMARC that keeps phishing at bay.Security and scale meet in the middle with proxy servers, spam gateways, and Unified Threat Management devices that filter, inspect, and sandbox threats before users ever see them. Then we look at load balancers that keep portals alive at peak times, plus the messy reality of legacy systems that refuse to retire. We don't ignore the industrial world—embedded devices, ICS, and SCADA that run utilities and factories—where one misstep can ripple beyond a single office.Troubleshooting ties it all together. I share real stories and checklists for wired faults, slow networks, Wi‑Fi ghosts caused by microwave ovens, and VoIP glitches fixed with QoS and VLANs. You'll leave with practical ways to spot the root cause fast, confidence with ports and protocols, and a clearer map of the services that keep everything running.If you learned something useful, follow the show, share this episode with a teammate, and leave a quick review to help others find us. Got a strange network mystery you solved? Send it my way and we'll feature the best ones next time.Inspiring Tech Leaders - The Technology PodcastInterviews with Tech Leaders and insights on the latest emerging technology trends.Listen on: Apple Podcasts SpotifySupport the showArt By Sarah/DesmondMusic by Joakim KarudLittle chacha ProductionsJuan Rodriguez can be reached atTikTok @ProfessorJrodProfessorJRod@gmail.com@Prof_JRodInstagram ProfessorJRod

Greg Geronemus bought a highly-profitable travel business at favorable terms, helping to ensure a great return on exit.Register for the webinar: What a Good Investor Pitch Looks Like - Nov 20th - https://bit.ly/47YbVXjTopics in Greg's interview:Challenges of searching in New YorkCobbling together a search fund in earlier days of searchStrategy of cold email outreachAcquiring at age 26Partnering with a friendSignificant challenges of running a tour operatorDigital marketing did not move the needleDirect mail was the silver bulletPartnering with universities and religious groupsExiting after 4 yearsReferences and how to contact Greg:LinkedInFootbridge PartnersKatherine & Rahul on Acquiring Minds: Why Choose Ownership Over Being a CEOWork with an SBA loan team focused exclusively on helping entrepreneurs buy businesses:Pioneer Capital AdvisoryGet a complimentary IT audit of your target business:Email Nick Akers at nick@inzotechnologies.com, and tell him you're a searcherDownload the New CEO's Guide to Human Resources from Aspen HR:From this page or contact mark@aspenhr.comConnect with Acquiring Minds:See past + future interviews on the YouTube channelConnect with host Will Smith on LinkedInFollow Will on TwitterEdited by Anton RohozovProduced by Pam Cameron

SummaryIn this episode of the Fuel Podcast, Grace Gill sits down with Amit Hasak, CEO of Transship Corp, to dive into the challenges and innovations reshaping the logistics and supply chain industry. As a seasoned supply chain logistics professional, Amit recounts his two-decade journey running a cold storage warehouse in Chicago. His deep involvement with exporters of perishable goods gave him firsthand insight into the chaos and inefficiency plaguing traditional shipping. After fielding endless complaints from clients about the unpredictable and costly shipping process, Amit saw the need for change, prompting the birth of Transship in 2020.Transship's mission is simple: empower shippers. By leveraging API connectivity, AI, and robust data analytics, Transship streamlines bookings, provides competitive rates, and delivers real-time shipment visibility down to temperature and tampering alerts, something the industry desperately lacks. But as Amit emphasizes, technology alone isn't enough; the human element in customer service remains crucial.The conversation also touches on the entrepreneurial realities of bootstrapping a startup. Amit candidly shares the stresses, risks, and ultimate rewards of maintaining control of his company, offering practical advice for founders navigating similar paths. Listeners get a glimpse of why he is excited about Bentonville, Arkansas, and how participation in the Fuel Accelerator is fueling Transship's global growth. The episode is a testament to resilience, innovation, and the ongoing importance of human connection in a tech-forward world!Show Notes(00:00) Introduction(05:30) Shipment Tracking Beyond Devices(08:41) Bootstrapping: Vision, Struggles, and Rewards(11:27) Transship's Global Expansion(14:12) Freight Tech Solutions and SupportLinksGrace GillFuel AcceleratorAmit HasakTransship Corp

The recent partnership between OpenAI and Search Kings, a digital marketing firm, aims to provide ChatGPT services to small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs), particularly in the home services sector. This collaboration is designed to facilitate the integration of artificial intelligence into SMB operations, addressing the challenges these businesses face in adapting to AI technologies. The initiative highlights a shift in focus towards rapid AI adoption, which may lead to operational instability if not managed properly, as it lacks clear governance and standards.Supporting data from the 2026 State of IT report indicates that IT budgets are projected to increase by 11% year-on-year, with 55% of organizations planning to allocate more funds to IT, primarily driven by a heightened focus on cybersecurity. Despite this growth, over half of IT leaders report insufficient internal resources to address issues effectively or foster innovation. The report also reveals that 60% of organizations are now relying on managed service providers (MSPs) to oversee their data infrastructure, reflecting a significant shift in how businesses are approaching their IT needs.Additionally, the server virtualization market is experiencing disruption following Broadcom's acquisition of VMware, prompting many customers to seek alternatives and develop exit strategies from their current vendors. This situation presents an opportunity for MSPs to engage in broader discussions about modernization and technical debt reduction, rather than merely facilitating migrations. The tablet market is also stabilizing, with a notable decline in shipments, indicating a shift towards predictable refresh cycles rather than explosive growth.For MSPs and IT service leaders, these developments underscore the importance of positioning themselves as strategic partners in their clients' digital transformations. As organizations grapple with the complexities of AI integration and modernization, there is a clear opportunity for MSPs to lead in governance and operational efficiency. By stepping into roles that facilitate organizational capacity and strategic alignment, MSPs can capture the growing budgets and demand for innovative IT solutions.Four things to know today 00:00 Rising Budgets, Overwhelmed IT Teams, and Sovereignty Demands Signal a Market Shift Toward Modernization — and a Strategic Opening for MSPs06:07 Surging Tech Hiring, Massive Workforce Reconfiguration, and Undefined AI Ownership Point to a Single Trend: Organizations Need Structure, Not Just Tools09:57 VMware Upheaval and Tablet Market Slowdown Both Point to One Trend: IT Providers Must Shift From Tools to Transformation13:20 OpenAI's SearchKings Deal Shows AI Entering SMBs Through Marketing, Exposing Governance Gaps and Creating Opportunity for IT Providers This is the Business of Tech.    Supported by: https://try.auvik.com/dave-switchhttps://scalepad.com/dave/

In this episode of Technology Reseller News, Doug Green interviews Lyle Pratt, Founder & CEO of Vida.io, following the company's announcement of a $4 million Series A funding round—a major milestone marking rapid growth, platform maturity, and expanding traction across MSPs, SaaS vendors, and business software providers. Pratt explains that Vida.io is an AI Agent Operating System for business, designed to help companies deploy, manage, monitor, and scale AI agents that perform real work across voice, SMS, email, and web chat. While many products offer a chatbot or voice agent, Vida.io delivers the full operational backbone required for real-world use: observability, SOC 2/HIPAA compliance, billing-as-a-service, UI components, and detailed interaction scoring. Since the last podcast, Vida.io has grown dramatically, surpassing 100 million AI agent interactions and onboarding a rapidly expanding network of partners. Initially focused on MSPs, the platform is now widely adopted by SaaS companies that embed AI agent capabilities directly into their vertical applications—roofing, moving, and other SMB-focused sectors—bringing instant scale to Vida.io's distribution. A key breakthrough discussed in the interview is Vida.io's ability to deliver low-latency, high-intelligence voice agents that reliably meet real-world customer experience expectations. “If latency is off even slightly, users get frustrated. We had to solve that,” Pratt notes. The result: AI agents that in many cases outperform humans, including one customer reporting 40% more meetings booked compared to human-based calling teams. Vida.io's partner program remains the company's primary growth engine. MSPs are now using AI agents to capture revenue from call flows they previously handed off to outsourced call centers—often redirecting hundreds of thousands of monthly minutes back into their own billing. The platform also supports direct SIP registration, enabling AI agents to function as standard PBX extensions across NetSapiens, Broadsoft, Metaswitch, and other systems widely deployed by MSPs. Pratt emphasizes that the AI revolution is fundamentally redefining UCaaS and business communications: “When the price of intelligence approaches zero, the entire enterprise software ecosystem transforms.” Even if LLM progress froze today, he argues, the impact on communications and business automation would still be historic. As the industry approaches 2026, Pratt sees a major new revenue frontier for MSPs—one that doesn't require deep AI expertise but does require timely action. Vida.io provides the tools to make AI agent deployment fast, repeatable, and profitable. To learn more or join the partner program, visit https://vida.io/. Software Mind Telco Days 2025: On-demand online conference Engaging Customers, Harnessing Data

While Target, Kroger, and Walmart and other bit stores create their own retail media networks, Paypal plans to one-up them all by democratizing things. Corey & Gordon offer their thoughts on Paypal's plan to facilitate ad placement on millions of SMB websites, sending ad revenue to those small businesses. The episode features an interview with the executive heading it up -- Dr. Mark Grether, SVP and General Manager of Paypal Ads. The hosts conclusion: Hmmm, this might actually work. Stay in the loop with all things Borrell when you join our Research Alert Lists. As always, thank you for listening. If you like the episode, leave us a review!  Want to join the conversation? Share your comments at borrellassociates.com/podcast.

In this episode of the Need to Know Podcast, we explore the evolving landscape of learning in the Microsoft Cloud ecosystem, with a spotlight on the SMB market. From the latest in Microsoft 365 Copilot innovations to critical cybersecurity updates and the end of CIAOPS Academy, this episode delivers essential insights for IT professionals and business leaders navigating the modern digital workplace. Resources Explore the tools, communities, and content mentioned in this episode: CIAOPS Need to Know Podcast: https://ciaops.podbean.com/  CIAOPS Blog: https://blog.ciaops.com/  CIAOPS Labs: https://blog.ciaopslabs.com/  CIAOPS Brief: https://blog.ciaops.com/tag/cia-brief/  Join the Teams Shared Channel: https://blog.ciaops.com/2022/07/29/join-my-teams-shared-channel/  CIAOPS Merch Store: https://my-store-c5d877-2.creator-spring.com/  Become a Patron: https://www.ciaopspatron.com/  Direct Support: https://ko-fi.com/ciaops  Get Your M365 Questions Answered: https://blog.ciaops.com/2025/06/11/get-your-m365-questions-answered-via-email-2/  Test Your Microsoft 365 Speed: https://blog.ciaops.com/2025/07/21/test-your-microsoft-365-speed-in-seconds-for-free/  CIAOPS Email list - https://bit.ly/cia-email   Announcements Flight School: Mastering Copilot for IT Pros – https://blog.ciaops.com/2025/11/14/flight-school-mastering-copilot-for-it-pros/  Disabling Office Macros via ASR to Meet Essential Eight Requirements – https://blog.ciaops.com/2025/11/13/disabling-office-macros-via-asr-to-meet-essential-eight-requirements/  ASD OWA settings check script – https://blog.ciaops.com/2025/11/13/asd-owa-settings-check-script/  ASD Mailflow settings check script – https://blog.ciaops.com/2025/11/12/asd-mailflow-settings-check-sript/  CIAOPS Academy deprecation notification – https://blog.ciaops.com/2025/11/10/ciaops-academy-deprecation-notification/  Show Notes The next chapter of the Microsoft–OpenAI partnership – https://blogs.microsoft.com/blog/2025/10/28/the-next-chapter-of-the-microsoft-openai-partnership/ Automate with Workflows Agent in Microsoft 365 Copilot (Frontier) – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vvk1ScZT-lo Introducing Researcher with Computer Use in Microsoft 365 Copilot – https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/blog/microsoft365copilotblog/introducing-researcher-with-comput… Build apps in minutes with App Builder agent in Microsoft 365 Copilot (Frontier) – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v27H_R1ltB0 Microsoft 365 Copilot now enables you to build apps and workflows – https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/blog/2025/10/28/microsoft-365-copilot-now-enables-you Introducing Teams Mode for Microsoft 365 Copilot – https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/blog/microsoft365copilotblog/introducing-teams-mode-for-microso… Introducing MAI-Image-1, debuting in the top 10 on LMArena – https://microsoft.ai/news/introducing-mai-image-1-debuting-in-the-top-10-on-lmarena/ Building human-centric security skills for AI – https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/blog/microsoftlearnblog/building-human-centric-security-skills-… GenAI vs Cyber Threats: Why GenAI Powered Unified SecOps Wins – https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/blog/microsoft-security-blog/genai-vs-cyber-threats-why-genai-p… What's new in Microsoft 365 Copilot | October 2025 – https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/blog/Microsoft365CopilotBlog/what%E2%80%99s-new-in-microsoft-36… The 5 generative AI security threats you need to know about detailed in new e-book – https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/security/blog/2025/10/30/the-5-generative-ai-security-threats-you-n… SharePoint Showcase highlights: Smarter Copilot responses using metadata with the Knowledge Agent – https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/blog/microsoft365insiderblog/sharepoint-showcase-highlights-sma… Work smarter with Copilot in the People, Files, and Calendar apps – https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/blog/microsoft365insiderblog/work-smarter-with-copilot-in-the-p… The weakest link: Stolen staff passwords now the biggest cyber threat to workplaces – https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/the-weakest-link-stolen-staff-passwords-now-the-biggest-cyb… Cyber security priorities for boards of directors 2025-26 – https://www.cyber.gov.au/business-government/protecting-business-leaders/cyber-security-for-busines… Secure external attachments with Purview encryption – https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/blog/azurepurviewblog/secure-external-attachments-with-purview-… What's New in Microsoft Intune: October 2025 – https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/blog/microsoftintuneblog/what%E2%80%99s-new-in-microsoft-intune… Custom detections are now the unified experience for creating detections in Microsoft Defender – https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/blog/microsoftthreatprotectionblog/custom-detections-are-now-th… 10 ways Microsoft Intune supports a smooth upgrade to Windows 11 – https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/blog/microsoftintuneblog/10-ways-microsoft-intune-supports-a-sm… How Windows 11 and AI are transforming the future of work – https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/blog/windows-itpro-blog/how-windows-11-and-ai-are-transforming-… Security Copilot Agents: The New Era of AI, Driven Cyber Defense – https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/blog/microsoft-security-blog/security-copilot-agents-the-new-er… 6 truths about migrating Microsoft Sentinel to the Defender portal – https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/blog/microsoftsentinelblog/6-truths-about-migrating-microsoft-s… Microsoft named a Leader in the 2025 Gartner® Magic Quadrant™ for SIEM – https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/security/blog/2025/10/16/microsoft-named-a-leader-in-the-2025-gartn… Extortion and ransomware drive over half of cyberattacks – https://blogs.microsoft.com/on-the-issues/2025/10/16/mddr-2025/ Microsoft 365 Insider Round-Up: October 2025 – https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/microsoft-365-insider-round-up-october-2025-microsoft-365-insider-ub… Making every Windows 11 PC an AI PC – https://blogs.windows.com/windowsexperience/2025/10/16/making-every-windows-11-pc-an-ai-pc/ Microsoft raises the bar: A smarter way to measure AI for cybersecurity – https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/security/blog/2025/10/14/microsoft-raises-the-bar-a-smarter-way-to-… Building a lasting security culture at Microsoft – https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/security/blog/2025/10/13/building-a-lasting-security-culture-at-mic… Satya – My annual letter: Thinking in decades, executing in quarters – https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/my-annual-letter-thinking-decades-executing-quarters-satya-nadella-7…

A viral tweet calling entrepreneurship "just a lottery" hit my feed last week, and I had to respond. The author claimed successful entrepreneurs are lucky players who pretend their success was skill, and thousands of people ate it up. In this episode, I share my original reaction, but more importantly, I break down a powerful story from Alex Hormozi's $100 Million Leads about "The Many-Sided Die" that reframes the entire conversation. Yes, luck exists—some people roll green faster than others. But the real insight is this: you win by continuing to play. Every roll improves your odds, builds your skills, and gets you closer to success. The only guaranteed way to lose is to quit and blame your failure on everyone else getting lucky.//Welcome to Repeatable Revenue, hosted by strategic growth advisor , Ray J. Green.About Ray:→ Former Managing Director of National Small & Midsize Business at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, where he doubled revenue per sale in fundraising, led the first increase in SMB membership, co-built a national Mid-Market sales channel, and more.→ Former CEO operator for several investor groups where he led turnarounds of recently acquired small businesses.→ Current founder of MSP Sales Partners, where we currently help IT companies scale sales: www.MSPSalesPartners.com→ Current Sales & Sales Management Expert in Residence at the world's largest IT business mastermind.→ Current Managing Partner of Repeatable Revenue Ventures, where we scale B2B companies we have equity in: www.RayJGreen.com//Follow Ray on:YouTube | LinkedIn | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Gail Azodo discovered a method of buying audiology practices with 100% financing. She's moving quickly to buy and build.Register for the webinar:Financing Your Deal: SBA vs. Non-SBA - TODAY - https://bit.ly/4p4J2Q7Topics in Gail's interview:Managing brands at Proctor and GambleHer vision to run her own companyLife changing power of hearing aidsSwitching her search from Vision to AudiologyConsequences of untreated hearing lossFinancing through hearing aid manufacturersCross-licensing her providers in multiple statesAddressing the Audiologist shortageIntentionally acquiring where she does not live Find what “brings the flies to the honey”References and how to contact Gail:LinkedInReal Hearing USABruce Vann on Acquiring Minds: How to Grow a Manufacturing BusinessDownload the New CEO's Guide to Human Resources from Aspen HR:From this page or contact mark@aspenhr.comGet a free review of your books & financial ops from System Six (a $500 value):Book a call with Tim or hello@systemsix.com and mention Acquiring MindsGet a complimentary IT audit of your target business:Email Nick Akers at nick@inzotechnologies.com, and tell him you're a searcherConnect with Acquiring Minds:See past + future interviews on the YouTube channelConnect with host Will Smith on LinkedInFollow Will on TwitterEdited by Anton RohozovProduced by Pam Cameron

Send us a textMeet Rapid7's Deral Heiland—a self-described “visual historian” who balances high-tech research with hands-on artifacts from Roman coins to Civil War relics

URGREEN have recently launched the NASync DH2300 and the NASync DH4300 Plus for the UK and Irish market. We reviewed the NASync DH4300 Plus here, but today we are looking at the more budget-friendly NASync DH2300. The NASync DH2300 is a 2-Bay device which is really easy to set up and use and is aimed at the beginner market. Even so, it doesn't skimp on features, and the unit is very well spec'd for its price. What's in the Box Inside the box, the NASync DH2300 comes with a power supply, Ethernet cable, an instruction manual, a set of screws for fastening drives into the carriers for each bay, and a small screwdriver. Specs Initial Setup The setup of the NASync DH2300 is very straightforward, even for a beginner. The included manual will step you through each step if it's your first time, and for anyone else who has any experience with PCs, you will be up and running in no time. The two drive bays are accessed from a cover at the top of the device. Once removed it reveals two hard driver carriers which can be removed by squeezing two tabs together and pulling up. The carriers can accept both 2.5" and 3.5" hard drives or SSDs. UGREEN include the screws and a small screwdriver to help you secure your chosen drives in the carriers. We went with two 4TB, 3.5" drives from Seagate to test out how the unit will perform. It is best practice with NAS to use matching drives to avoid any performance or storage issues. We fitted both drives and then connected the power supply and Ethernet cable to a free port on a router in the office, and we were ready to power the device up for the first time. Time to Boot! We powered up the device and checked the manual to see how we could find the device on our network. To find your device, you open a browser on your PC and navigate to find.ugnas.com. From there, you are presented with a UGOS Pro operating system and UI, which will guide you through the setup. The UI guides you through creating an Admin account, linking an email address, and once that is done, it configures the system for a few minutes and then presents you with the UI of the operating system. In total, from pressing the button on the front of the device to turn it on, to the initial setup being complete, and the OS being available to use, took 8 minutes. The next thing you need to do is to create a Volume using the storage pool available and select the RAID option you require. As this is a 2-bay device, there are fewer RAID options than there are with the larger 4-bay NASync DH4300 Plus. We went with RAID 1, which is the recommended choice for a two-drive system. This allows for your data to be stored and backed up on each of the drives, so if one drive fails, your data will still be safe. The steps to set this up are easy and explained to you along the way. Once you have selected what you want, the system creates the storage pool. As we used large capacity spinning disks, this took about 20 hours to complete. The system is usable during this time, so you can get busy adding users, installing apps and setting up remote access. NASync DH2300 Features The NASync DH2300, while more budget-friendly, is still feature-packed and includes everything you need to a device like that. Multiple Users It is possible to add multiple users to the NAS and allocate certain access rights and storage quotas, all of which is easily managed from the Control Panel. Remote Access Remote access to the UI is available either through an intermediary server or through port forwarding if you choose to set it up this way. Ports The NASync DH2300 comes with three high-speed USB ports (2 x Type A & 1 x Type C) as well as a 1GbE port and an HDMI port that supports 4K/ 60Hz. File Services There is support for common file transfer services such as SMB, FTP and NFS, making it really easy to map/access the device's storage from your PC's file explorer. The range of services ensures support for just about any of the main PC operating systems. Security The sys...

The fastest way to win more ISO and agent deals isn't adding more vendors; it's sharpening the story. We sit down with John Barrett and Andie Hill from Payroc to unpack how a focused core product strategy transformed recruiting conversations, accelerated close rates, and unlocked real wins in the SMB space. This is the third and final episode in our three-part series titled: Focus. Build. Win.John breaks down the four-part recruiting pitch that sets expectations and gets to fit fast: who Payroc is as a full-service acquirer, what the core solutions do, how infrastructure and culture support partners as customer number one, and where international expansion opens future lanes. Andie takes us into the field results: near sellouts of their terminal twice in a year, a step-change in win rates, and tangible gains when SMBs finally get pay by text, lightweight invoicing, and a polished countertop experience without enterprise POS cost or complexity. Service verticals like auto repair and landscaping benefit from simple scheduling, mobile-friendly payments, and fewer keyed transactions -practical improvements that agents can demo and merchants adopt quickly.We also walk through a vertical ISO case study that shifted to sending 95 percent of its business to Payroc after repeatable onboarding, underwriting alignment, and responsive support outperformed legacy processors. Throughout the conversation, feedback loops drive the roadmap: trade show questions, CRM win-loss data, and partner demos surfaced the need for features like scheduling, which moved from request to release. The core message is clear; focus doesn't mean fixed. The stack evolves, but the promise stays consistent: fewer products, better execution, stronger support, and a go-to-market that respects the time of the people closest to the merchant.

If your buyer can swap you out without pain, you don't have a USP — you have a pricing problem. In crowded markets (including post-pandemic), the game is won by changing the battlefield from price to value and risk reduction for the client. This playbook reframes features into outcomes and positions your offer so a rational buyer can't treat you as interchangeable.   Why do USPs matter more than ever in 2025? Because buyers default to "safe" and "cheap" unless you prove "different" and "better". As procurement tightens across Japan, the US, and Europe, incumbent vendors and new entrants flood categories, dragging deals into discount wars. Shift the conversation from line-items to business outcomes: time saved, revenue gained, risk removed. In Japan's consensus-driven buying, precedent and social proof are de-riskers; in the US, speed and ROI proof points get you shortlisted; in Europe, compliance and sustainability signals matter. Use comparative, sector-specific language (SMB vs. enterprise, B2B vs. consumer) so your value feels native to each buyer's reality. Do now: List 3 outcomes you deliver that a competitor cannot credibly claim, and make them the first 90 seconds of every sales conversation. Summary: Lead with outcomes and risk reduction, not features or price. How do you turn features into buyer-relevant outcomes? Translate specs into "jobs done" with timestamps and dollars attached. If you "sell training," your buyer actually wants higher per-rep revenue and lower ramp time; the workshop is just the tool. Frame cause-and-effect: "As of 2025, teams using our method cut onboarding by 30–60 days," or "post-implementation, win-rates rose 8–12% in enterprise accounts." Compare across contexts: startups prize speed-to-first-value; multinationals prize uniformity at scale. Anchor with entities to boost credibility: "Aligned to Dale Carnegie's behavioural change frameworks and Fortune 500 norms." Do now: For each feature, write: "So that the buyer can ___ by ___ date, measured by ___." Then delete the feature and keep the sentence. Summary: Convert every spec into a measurable, time-bound business result. What proof calms executive risk in consensus markets like Japan? Show durable track record and mainstream precedent, not hype. Tenure ("operating since 1912"), adoption ("serving a majority of Fortune 500"), and multi-market delivery ("100+ countries") signal you're not an experiment. Executives at firms like Toyota and Rakuten want to see that others have done due diligence and achieved consistent outcomes. Present proof as risk offsets: longevity = vendor stability; blue-chip logos = quality validation; global presence = repeatability across geographies and languages. In Europe, add references to ISO-aligned processes; in the US, reference board-level impacts and revenue KPIs. Do now: Build a one-page "Risk Reducers" sheet with 5 credibility markers and a 3-line narrative for each. Summary: Package track record as risk insurance for the buyer. How do you compete on instructor quality without sounding generic? Expose the standard, the filter, and the client-side benefit. "250 hours of train-the-trainer over ~18 months" is a rigorous filter; say what it fixes: variability. Many training vendors have star-and-struggle instructors; your certification process "cures" inconsistency, delivering predictable outcomes across cohorts and locations. Tie this to executive concerns: CFOs fear wasted spend; CHROs fear uneven adoption; Sales VPs fear lost quarters. As of 2025, quantify where possible (completion rates, manager NPS, behavioural transfer at 90 days) and compare to sector benchmarks. Do now: Turn your internal QA process into a 5-step visual the buyer can explain internally. Summary: Make your quality bar tangible and link it to reduced variance in outcomes. How do you avoid the price trap in late-stage negotiations? Re-anchor total value and introduce "switching cost of downgrade." When rivals discount, show the cost of failure: extended ramp, inconsistent delivery, and lost deals. Use a simple model: (Expected Revenue Uplift + Risk Reduction Value) − (Implementation & Change Costs). Add comparative caselets: "In APAC, an SME cut churn 3 points post-programme; in North America, a SaaS enterprise lifted ASP by 6%." Create a "good–better–best" offer that scales outcomes, not just hours. Do now: Bring a 1-page value calculator to every Stage-3 meeting; make the CFO your audience. Summary: Move from hourly rate to enterprise value and downgrade risk. How do you tailor USPs for global rollout without bloating the pitch? Modularise by region, role, and sector; keep a common spine. The spine: outcomes, risk reducers, delivery quality. The modules: language and cultural localisation (Japan vs. ASEAN vs. EMEA), regulatory anchors (EU GDPR, Japan's labour reforms), and sector examples (manufacturing vs. SaaS vs. consumer). Your global network isn't trivia; it's the operational proof that content lands locally — language, idiom, and facilitation calibrated to context. Keep sections tight: 3 bullets per role (CEO, CFO, HR, Sales). Do now: Build a 9-cell USP matrix (Region × Role × Sector) with one killer proof point per cell. Summary: One message, many modules — local relevance on a global chassis. What rehearsal builds salesperson muscle memory on USPs? Daily, 10-minute role plays that start with objections. Freshness decays; script drift is real. Start with the toughest objections ("We can swap you out," "Your competitor is 20% cheaper") and practise crisp, evidence-backed responses that land in under 30 seconds. Include a checklist: outcome first, proof second, risk reducer third, price last. Record, score, and iterate. By week two, rotate markets (Japan vs. US) and sectors to keep reps adaptive. Do now: Add a morning "USP stand-up": 2 reps, 2 objections, 2 minutes each, every day. Summary: Reps don't rise to your USPs — they fall to their practice. Conclusion Pricing fights are the path to oblivion. Position with outcomes, prove with precedent, operationalise with quality, regionalise with intent, and practise until it's muscle memory. That's how you make "different and better" undeniable — and un-swappable.  FAQs What's the fastest way to sharpen a dull USP? Start with outcomes and risk, cut features, and add one killer proof point per market. Then rehearse daily. How many USPs should we show? Three is plenty: one outcome, one risk reducer, one delivery advantage — tailored by role and region. What if a rival undercuts price by 20%? Re-anchor to enterprise value and switching-cost of downgrade; offer modular "good–better–best." Quick actions for leaders Commission a 1-page "Risk Reducers" sheet with proof. Ship a value calculator for CFO-friendly re-anchoring. Launch a daily "USP stand-up" with objection drills. Author Dr. Greg Story, Ph.D. in Japanese Decision-Making, is President of Dale Carnegie Tokyo Training and Adjunct Professor at Griffith University. He is a two-time winner of the Dale Carnegie "One Carnegie Award" (2018, 2021) and recipient of the Griffith University Business School Outstanding Alumnus Award (2012). As a Dale Carnegie Master Trainer, Greg is certified to deliver globally across all leadership, communication, sales, and presentation programmes, including Leadership Training for Results. He has written several books, including three best-sellers — Japan Business Mastery, Japan Sales Mastery, and Japan Presentations Mastery — along with Japan Leadership Mastery and How to Stop Wasting Money on Training. His works have been translated into Japanese, including Za Eigyō (ザ営業), Purezen no Tatsujin (プレゼンの達人), Torēningu de Okane o Muda ni Suru no wa Yamemashō (トレーニングでお金を無駄にするのはやめましょう), and Gendaiban "Hito o Ugokasu" Rīdā (現代版「人を動かす」リーダー).

Welcome back to our Engineering the SMB Capital Stack, sponsored by our friends at Fundbox. In this four-part series, we're exploring small businesses, small business lending, and the forces shaping how small businesses access capital. I'm joined by Prashant Fuloria, CEO of Fundbox, as cohost. In Episode 1, we explored why small business lending is so distinctly challenging. Now, in Episode 2, we turn to distribution: how capital actually reaches small businesses. To tackle that question, we invited Tanay Jaeel, Head of Product at Stripe Capital, who's spent nearly five years building and scaling Stripe's embedded lending products. Highlights include: How Stripe identified capital access as both a customer pain point and a platform growth opportunity The shift from serving merchants directly to powering embedded financing for vertical SaaS platforms Lessons from expanding lending internationally and balancing build-vs-partner decisions How AI is transforming contextual lending (helping SMBs understand why and when to borrow) Tanay also explains how embedded lending works best when it's invisible, surfacing capital in the exact moment a business owner realizes they need it. From coffee shops buying new equipment to SaaS founders bridging subscription cycles, context is everything. If you want to understand how distribution is becoming the real differentiator in small business lending, this conversation is essential listening. Don't forget to subscribe to catch future episodes and insights! This episode was brought to you by Fundbox.  As a leading capital infrastructure provider behind the digital SMB economy, Fundbox is focused on enabling platforms to embed financial tools directly into their user experiences. Learn more here.  Sign up for Alex's Fintech Takes newsletter for the latest insightful analysis on fintech trends, along with a heaping pile of pop culture references and copious footnotes. Every Monday and Thursday: https://workweek.com/brand/fintech-takes/ And for more exclusive insider content, don't forget to check out my YouTube page. Follow Alex:  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJgfH47QEwbQmkQlz1V9rQA/videos LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexhjohnson Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/AlexH_Johnson Follow Prashant: https://www.linkedin.com/in/fuloria/ Follow Tanay: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tanayjaeel/ Learn more about Fundbox here.

Small business owners need fast access to capital, with fair rates.  That's the reality that Lukas Haffer, chief executive of AI-native loan origination provider Casca, tells FinAi News on this episode of “The Buzz” podcast. For small business owners, the “No. 1 problem is access to capital,” he says. The time it takes to close a Small Business Administration loan, one guaranteed by the SBA, is 90 days, Haffer says. No one has time for that, he says. And this is where AI and a streamlined experience come in. Manual procedures in the lending process, including document collection, analysis and communication, can be streamlined with AI, he says. In fact, Casca is working with financial institutions to do just that. For example, when a client sends an email, creating a response that includes personalized messaging, previous correspondents, and necessary information, it can take 20 to 25 minutes, Haffer says. With Casca, that message can be created in 63 seconds. Casca, founded in 2023, continues to grow. Its most recent fundraise consisted of $29 million in a series A round, bringing total funding to $33 million, according to the company. The round was led by Canapi Ventures. Live Oak Bank, Huntington National Bank and Bankwell Bank also participated. Listen to “The Buzz” as Haffer discusses the opportunity for AI in small business lending and where Casca plans to expand its business. 

After chafing under the constraints of being a CEO, Katherine Butler-Dines & Rahul Desai bought a business of their own.Register for the webinar:Financing Your Deal: SBA vs. Non-SBA - Nov 13th - https://bit.ly/47OQpUATopics in Katherine and Rahul's interview:Katherine's early CEO experienceBoard conflicts pushed her toward majority ownershipAcquiring without a traditional bank loanConvincing the seller to do a seller notePaying the seller note with float from advance bookingsRahul built custom software to increase marginsSearching nights and weekends while at their W-2sAffordability of living in the midwestVision of acquiring and integrating more travel businessesLearning to delegate and enjoying free timeReferences and how to contact Katherine and Rahul:Katherine's LinkedInRahul's LinkedInAffinity Travel Co.Shell Zhang on Acquiring Minds: Buying a Not Boring Business with $600k SDEJared Benoff on Acquiring Minds: Why Buy a Travel Agency (Because They Can Crush It)Get complimentary due diligence on your acquisition's insurance & benefits program:Oberle Risk Strategies - Search Fund TeamWork with an SBA loan team focused exclusively on helping entrepreneurs buy businesses:Pioneer Capital AdvisoryLearn more about Walker Deibel's done-with-you buy-side advisory:The Acquisition LabConnect with Acquiring Minds:See past + future interviews on the YouTube channelConnect with host Will Smith on LinkedInFollow Will on TwitterEdited by Anton RohozovProduced by Pam Cameron

SummaryIn this week's episode of Startup Junkies, hosts Daniel Koonce and Caleb Talley sit down with Patrick Pulliam and Thomas Burkholder, founders of the NWA Patio Community, to explore the power of building meaningful connections through local social events.The conversation kicks off with a deep dive into both Patrick and Thomas's origin stories—unconventional journeys into real estate and entrepreneurship that led them to Northwest Arkansas. Both found that authentic networking opportunities were in short supply, especially outside of the typical business settings. As a result, founded four years ago, NWA Patio Community's Patio Socials offer a fun, relaxed space for professionals and newcomers alike to meet, connect, and support each other. The free monthly events have grown rapidly, attracting crowds of over two hundred attendees and gaining nearly four thousand followers on Instagram.The episode highlights how NWA Patio Community thrives on collaboration, local sponsorships, and a community-driven approach. Patrick and Thomas share that most sponsors are event attendees first, ensuring genuine buy-in and engagement, and giveaways spark excitement and increase participation, while innovative merchandise creates a sense of belonging.Listeners get an inside look at the challenges and rewards of scaling a for-profit community-focused business, balancing fun with intentional networking, and making real, lasting impact. If you're searching for inspiration to build community or grow your business, tune in today!Show Notes(00:00) Introduction(04:41) Patio Socials: Community & Networking(09:10) The Growth of Patio Socials(14:35) Remembering Faces Without Names(20:35) Strategies for Engaging Sponsors(23:37) Navigating Business and Community Goals(29:34) How Opportunities Shape Our Lives(30:15) Closing ThoughtsLinksDaniel KoonceCaleb TalleyStartup JunkieStartup Junkie YouTubePatrick PulliamThomas BurkholderNWA Patio Community

I got a cold call completely by chance while recording content, and as someone who reviews hundreds of sales calls, this was like Christmas morning. The health coaching rep did a solid job overall—good tone, professional, not pushy—but missed some critical opportunities that would've moved the deal forward. In this episode, I break down the entire call and show you what happens when a prospect quantifies where they are (I said I'm an 8.5 out of 10), why phrases like "small needle movers" kill urgency, how speed to lead matters more than you think, and the mistake of pitching another call without giving a compelling reason to show up. This is raw, real-time call coaching you can apply immediately.//Welcome to Repeatable Revenue, hosted by strategic growth advisor , Ray J. Green.About Ray:→ Former Managing Director of National Small & Midsize Business at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, where he doubled revenue per sale in fundraising, led the first increase in SMB membership, co-built a national Mid-Market sales channel, and more.→ Former CEO operator for several investor groups where he led turnarounds of recently acquired small businesses.→ Current founder of MSP Sales Partners, where we currently help IT companies scale sales: www.MSPSalesPartners.com→ Current Sales & Sales Management Expert in Residence at the world's largest IT business mastermind.→ Current Managing Partner of Repeatable Revenue Ventures, where we scale B2B companies we have equity in: www.RayJGreen.com//Follow Ray on:YouTube | LinkedIn | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Clayton Collins acquired HousingWire with a big vision for the small media business. 9 years later, it has come to life.Register for the webinar:Overcoming Risks from a Lender's Perspective -  TODAY! - https://bit.ly/3WxDKAsTopics in Clayton's interview:Hire for your skill gapsFlying around the country to meet investorsAsking for warm introductionsSelling investors on his strategic visionWhat to look for in a media companyDirect relationships with advertisers vs. programmatic adsRebuilding the sales team over and overRiding the wave of the mortgage industryMaintaining the magic of annual eventsSelling print ads differs from selling digital adsReferences and how to contact Clayton:LinkedInHousingWireNathan Gregory on Acquiring Minds: Business-Buyer Fit in a 42-Year-Old Media BizGet a complimentary IT audit of your target business:Email Nick Akers at nick@inzotechnologies.com, and tell him you're a searcherLearn more about Walker Deibel's done-with-you buy-side advisory:The Acquisition LabGet complimentary due diligence on your acquisition's insurance & benefits program:Oberle Risk Strategies - Search Fund TeamConnect with Acquiring Minds:See past + future interviews on the YouTube channelConnect with host Will Smith on LinkedInFollow Will on TwitterEdited by Anton RohozovProduced by Pam Cameron

WHERE IS THE MONEY? The million dollar question that Kat and Ian cannot answer. Please leave a comment after minute 6 if you can answer this question for us. From here, your favorite duo hits the highlights on SMB pain points with marketing. From cost to time consumption, Kat and Ian debunk allll the myths for SMBs. AND if you're more interested in exactly what Cisco is selling, check it out here: https://www.cisco.com/site/us/en/solutions/small-business/index.html#tabs-a107e9a621-item-6caff3e5bb-tab

At the Wildix Partner Day in Venice, Technology Reseller News Publisher Doug Green spoke with Jon Arnold, Principal of J Arnold & Associates, for a candid analyst perspective on Wildix's strategy and its growing impact on the SMB and channel markets. Arnold noted that while Wildix may be lesser known in North America, its channel-first model, AI-driven innovation, and SMB focus set it apart from larger UCaaS players. “Wildix isn't trying to be everything to everyone — they're laser-focused on SMBs that want modern, ROI-driven communications, not just dial tone,” said Arnold. “They understand how to meet these businesses where they are, whether they're still on legacy PBX systems or rebuilding after the pandemic's patchwork solutions.” He emphasized that Wildix's message is no longer about PBX replacement, but about transforming communications into a strategic asset. “Voice is no longer just about making phone calls — it's data. Once AI enters the picture, conversations become business intelligence, and that's where Wildix is delivering real value,” Arnold explained. Arnold also praised the company's verticalized offerings, including AI-powered retail and healthcare solutions that demonstrate tangible returns for customers and simplify the sales process for MSPs. “They're giving the channel out-of-the-box vertical solutions with integrations already done — that's gold for partners, because it accelerates time to market and reduces disruption,” he said. From workflow automation and open APIs to remote-friendly deployment, Arnold concluded that Wildix exemplifies a vendor that both lives and delivers on the distributed-work model. “They've stayed true to their SMB roots while bringing the power of AI to that market — and that's a story worth paying attention to,” he added. Learn more about Jon Arnold's research and market insights at jarnoldassociates.com.

In this episode, I speak with Akhil Nigam, CoFounder at Finmo, and we answer the critical question: How can global businesses transform their fragmented treasury operations into unified, intelligent systems that drive growth?He shares insights on why SMEs deserve better treasury solutions, how real-time payment rails are transforming cash management, and why MO AI is becoming the intelligent co-pilot every finance team needs.

Although every company is becoming a fintech now, Wix didn't set out to do so – the firm's entry into financial services started from observing what millions of small business owners actually needed when building their online presence. For Amit Sagiv and Volodymyr Tsukur, co-heads of payments at Wix, the path to serving these SMB customers well was paved through financial products: Wix had to take the payment infrastructure it had built for itself and transform it into tools that could help merchants manage their businesses. The foundation was already there. Wix had developed sophisticated billing systems to support its freemium model, accumulating deep expertise in payment routing, risk management, and global processing. "We built tremendous payment capabilities," Sagiv explained. "The billing manager of Wix wanted to take that offering and build a service for our users." What started as a small project evolved into a comprehensive financial platform serving businesses across the globe. The company now processes over $3 billion per quarter with a team of 160 people, covering payments, checking accounts, and capital lending. Listen to the podcast to hear how a chance collaboration between Wix's billing team and gateway developers turned into a fintech operation processing billions quarterly. Sagiv and Tsukur discuss why they deliberately avoided becoming a full-fledged bank, and how website data reveals creditworthiness before transaction history does. It's a conversation that dives deep into what it means to be serving SMB customers digitally and how firms can do embedded finance right.

MY NEWSLETTER - https://nikolas-newsletter-241a64.beehiiv.com/subscribeJoin me, Nik (https://x.com/CoFoundersNik), on Nikonomics as I interview Jesse Tinsley (https://x.com/JesseTinsley), the acquisition entrepreneur and CEO of Main Street, a company now valued at $750 million and on track for $500M ARR.In this episode, we break down how Jesse built a billion-dollar business through acquisitions, not venture capital, and why buying companies can be a faster, smarter path to wealth than building from scratch.What You'll Learn:How Jesse acquired distressed company Bench Accounting (with $40M ARR and 11,000 customers) over a single Christmas weekend, and turned it around with a $50M swing to positive cash flowThe exact acquisition-led growth strategy that's scaling Main Street into a $2B enterpriseWhy Search Funds and SMB acquisitions are exploding as a path for founders to build generational wealthHow a radical sense of urgency, Elon-Musk-style operations, and high-velocity decision-making can drive massive performanceThe MrBeast x TikTok acquisition story, and what it reveals about bold entrepreneurial thinkingHow improving customer satisfaction and NPS post-acquisition creates compounding growthThe flywheel effect behind Main Street's success and proprietary tech that detects employment fraud and optimizes payroll efficiency__________________________Love it or hate it, I'd love your feedback.Please fill out this brief survey with your opinion or email me at nik@cofounders.com with your thoughts.__________________________MY NEWSLETTER: https://nikolas-newsletter-241a64.beehiiv.com/subscribeSpotify: https://tinyurl.com/5avyu98yApple: https://tinyurl.com/bdxbr284YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/nikonomicsYT__________________________This week we covered:00:00 – Intro: From $20M startup to $750M valuation in one year00:26 – The crazy story: Buying Bench Accounting over a weekend02:45 – How Jesse pulled off the Bench acquisition with no prior talks05:15 – Turning a $40M ARR distressed asset into profit09:55 – Customer-first mindset: Fixing 10,000 tickets in 26 hours14:35 – Financing creative deals & integrating big acquisitions18:20 – Valuation jump to $750M & lessons from deal-making20:40 – Inside the TikTok bid with MrBeast & global investors25:25 – Advice for entrepreneurs: Buy vs. build and the search-fund model34:50 – Building Main Street into a $5B company & final lessons on speed and urgency

At the Wildix Partner Day in Venice, Italy, Technology Reseller News Publisher Doug Green sat down with Jason Uslan of Wildix to discuss how the European-born UCaaS and PBX provider is helping small and midsize businesses modernize communications while preserving the trusted channel relationship. “Wildix is 100% channel — we only go to market through our partners,” Uslan explained. “That local partner knows the customer, understands their workflows, and can tailor the solution to fit their needs.” Wildix's unified platform enables SMBs to consolidate fragmented communications — legacy PBX, Microsoft Teams, CRM tools, and email — into a single, flexible system focused on both customer and employee experience. Designed for scalability, the Wildix solution gives partners full control over deployment, billing, and customer ownership while offering end users a seamless, device-agnostic experience across office and remote environments. Uslan emphasized that Wildix fits the SMB market “because it's built for it.” The platform is fully customizable down to the user level, integrates natively with Microsoft Teams and leading CRMs, and supports open APIs for third-party extensions through partners like Red Cactus. “We don't want to disrupt how people work — we want to help them work smarter, faster, and better,” he said. Looking ahead, AI will play a central role in Wildix's evolution. Uslan noted that the company approaches AI “with an ROI mindset — helping SMBs do more without replacing people, by making their teams more efficient.” From improving coaching and analytics through its x-bees employee experience (EX) tools to driving better customer experience (CX), Wildix is positioning partners and customers alike for the next decade of intelligent, integrated communications. To learn more about Wildix solutions and partner opportunities, visit wildix.com.

Welcome to our new miniseries, Engineering the SMB Capital Stack, sponsored by our friends at Fundbox. This four-part series digs into small businesses, small business lending, and the forces reshaping how small businesses access capital.  In Episode 1, I sit down with Prashant Fuloria, CEO of Fundbox (and my cohost for the episodes that follow). We kick things off with The State of SMB Lending, level-setting with data from the Federal Reserve's 2025 report on small business credit (based on a 2024 survey of 7,600 business owners). For the first time since 2021, small businesses were more likely to report that revenues decreased rather than increased in the year prior to the survey. Translation: SMBs are surviving; not thriving. Then, we zoom out from the data to consider why costs are rising, why some businesses are defaulting instead of declaring bankruptcy, and how embedded finance is changing both borrower behavior and lender economics.  Prashant brings the long view of Fundbox's credit data to the table: how performance differs across industries, why CAC still kills standalone lenders, and how alignment among banks, fintechs, and platforms is the only sustainable model. It's a foundational conversation for anyone tracking the next decade of SMB capital: rich with data and grounded in the here and now (with a clear sense of where the stack's heading!). Subscribe now to catch what's next: candid, can't-miss conversations with leaders from Plaid, Stripe Capital, and Lead Bank! This episode was brought to you by Fundbox.  As a leading capital infrastructure provider behind the digital SMB economy, Fundbox is focused on enabling platforms to embed financial tools directly into their user experiences. Learn more here.  Sign up for Alex's Fintech Takes newsletter for the latest insightful analysis on fintech trends, along with a heaping pile of pop culture references and copious footnotes. Every Monday and Thursday: https://workweek.com/brand/fintech-takes/ And for more exclusive insider content, don't forget to check out my YouTube page. Follow Alex:  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJgfH47QEwbQmkQlz1V9rQA/videos LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexhjohnson Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/AlexH_Johnson Follow Prashant: https://www.linkedin.com/in/fuloria/ Learn more about Fundbox here.

Both buyer Jared Lenner and seller Dave Serwitz share their perspectives on the acquisition of a 20-year-old business.Register for the webinars: Investor-Backed Search and SBA: Buy Bigger, Keep Control - TOMORROW! - https://bit.ly/4qABMgnOvercoming Risks from a Lender's Perspective - Thu Nov 6th - https://bit.ly/4qDoJdVTopics in Jared & Dave's interview:Jared buying Dave's tutoring businessDave's motivation to sellChoosing to work with Search Fund AcceleratorTheir agreement to “assume positive intent”Why Dave didn't sell to private equityHow the in-person business survived CovidBookkeeper quit right after transition“Other people's money is scarier than a PG”Competing with AI in the futureHow it feels to sell your companyReferences and how to contact Jared & Dave:Dave Serwitz LinkedInJared Lenner LinkedInGrade Potential TutoringMarc Anderegg on Acquiring Minds: So Much Fun: The Buyer of Choice in a Fragmented IndustryGet a free review of your books & financial ops from System Six (a $500 value):Book a call with Tim or hello@systemsix.com and mention Acquiring MindsDownload the New CEO's Guide to Human Resources from Aspen HR:From this page or contact mark@aspenhr.comWork with an SBA loan team focused exclusively on helping entrepreneurs buy businesses:Pioneer Capital AdvisoryConnect with Acquiring Minds:See past + future interviews on the YouTube channelConnect with host Will Smith on LinkedInFollow Will on TwitterEdited by Anton RohozovProduced by Pam Cameron

In this episode of Above The Business, Bradley Hamner sits down with Conner Young, the Co-founder of Kairo Data, a groundbreaking acquisition platform designed to empower searchers, family offices, and investors in their journey to find, finance, and close deals with confidence.Over the past five years, Kairo Data has revolutionized the business acquisition landscape, serving more than 210 clients and connecting thousands to valuable opportunities. With an unparalleled database of over 18 million businesses, access to 4,000+ brokers, and a thriving network of over 1,000 industry professionals, Kairo Data has become the go-to resource for sourcing off-market businesses and facilitating seamless acquisitions.Conner shares his unique approach to deal-making, from building trust-based relationships with sellers to leveraging innovative financing strategies. He also opens up about his personal journey of resilience, including overcoming brain tumors and brain surgery, all while leading the fastest-growing SMB acquisition platform in the U.S.Whether you're a seasoned investor or just beginning your acquisition journey, this episode is packed with actionable insights on sourcing deals, negotiating effectively, and navigating the complex world of business acquisitions. Don't miss this inspiring and educational conversation with Conner Young.Connect with Bradley:1-1 Game Plan Call: Get Above The Business. Think Like an Architect. Design The Blueprint. Ready to Design, Systematize, and Grow a $1m-$3m Business? Begin building your business blueprint when you schedule your Game Plan Call at https://blueprintos.com.Bradley's company, BlueprintOS equips business owners to design and install an operating system that runs like clockwork. Through BlueprintOS, you will grow and develop your leadership, clarify your culture and business game plan, align your operations with your KPIs, develop a team of A-Players, and execute your playbooks. Register to join us at an upcoming WebClass or book your Game Plan Call when you visit www.blueprintos.com!Thanks to our sponsors...Coach P found great success as an insurance agent and agency owner. He leads a large, stable team of professionals who are at the top of their game year after year. Now he shares the systems, processes, delegation, and specialization he developed along the way. Gain access to weekly training calls and mentoring at www.coachpconsulting.com. Be sure to mention the Above The Business Podcast when you get in touch.Club Capital is the ultimate partner for financial management and marketing services, designed specifically for insurance agencies, fitness franchises, and youth soccer organizations. As the nation's largest accounting and financial advisory firm for insurance agencies, Club Capital proudly serves over 1,000 agency locations across the country—and we're just getting started. With Club Capital, you get more than just services; you get a dedicated account manager backed by a team of specialists committed to your success. From monthly accounting and tax preparation to CFO services and innovative digital marketing, we've got you covered. Ready to experience the transformative power of Club Capital? Schedule your free demo today at club.capital and see the difference firsthand. Make sure you mention you heard about us on the Above The Business podcast to get 50% off your one time onboarding fee!Autopilot Recruiting helps small business owners solve their staffing challenges by taking the stress out of hiring. Their dedicated recruiters work on your behalf every single business day - optimizing your applicant tracking system, posting job listings, and sourcing candidates through social media and local communities. With their continuous, hands-off recruiting approach, you can save time, reduce hiring costs, and receive pre-screened candidates, all without paying any hiring fees or...

At the Crexendo UGM, Wayne Landt, Vice President of Partner Operations and Success at RingLogix, spoke with Technology Reseller News Publisher Doug Green about how RingLogix is helping MSPs and resellers harness the power of AI-driven voice agents—bringing enterprise-grade innovation to the SMB market. RingLogix, a long-time NetSapiens partner, is best known as a white-label UCaaS provider, allowing MSPs to sell communications services under their own brands while maintaining customer ownership and stronger profit margins. But as Landt explained, the company's latest AI initiatives are expanding those opportunities even further. “We're making it simple for NetSapiens resellers to create and sell their own voice AI agents, directly within the platform they already use,” said Landt. “This gives them enterprise-level tools for SMB customers—tools that deliver real ROI.” RingLogix's new Prompt Builder and integrated workflow capabilities allow MSPs to design and deploy AI voice agents—from simple AI receptionists to complex customer-service and tech-support applications—without needing deep technical expertise. The goal is to help resellers enter the AI market quickly, profitably, and with minimal friction. At the event, Landt noted that interest among partners was high, reflecting a growing demand for AI-enhanced voice services across all business sizes. “MSPs are already hearing from customers who want to understand what AI can do for them,” he said. “Some are ready with defined use cases; others just want guidance. Either way, this is a ‘land-and-expand' opportunity. Start with an AI receptionist—then add more value as you go.” Looking ahead to 2026, Landt expects AI adoption to reshape how service providers build value. “There's a tremendous amount of opportunity,” he said. “The MSPs that embrace AI early will be the ones leading the next wave of growth.” To explore RingLogix's voice AI solutions—or try the new Prompt Builder—visit ringlogix.com or go directly to promptbuilder.ringlogix.com.

Ever been on a sales call where your gut tells you something's off, but you say nothing? That disconnect between what you're sensing and what you're saying is killing your deals and destroying your confidence. In this episode, I break down why ignoring red flags wastes your time and erodes your self-respect, and I share a real story where addressing the tension in a call turned a disengaged prospect into a signed client in 50 minutes. Learn how to trust your intuition, have candid conversations the right way, and why prospects will actually respect you more for it./Welcome to Repeatable Revenue, hosted by strategic growth advisor , Ray J. Green.About Ray:→ Former Managing Director of National Small & Midsize Business at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, where he doubled revenue per sale in fundraising, led the first increase in SMB membership, co-built a national Mid-Market sales channel, and more.→ Former CEO operator for several investor groups where he led turnarounds of recently acquired small businesses.→ Current founder of MSP Sales Partners, where we currently help IT companies scale sales: www.MSPSalesPartners.com→ Current Sales & Sales Management Expert in Residence at the world's largest IT business mastermind.→ Current Managing Partner of Repeatable Revenue Ventures, where we scale B2B companies we have equity in: www.RayJGreen.com//Follow Ray on:YouTube | LinkedIn | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Shaun Stimpson had worked for two decades before pivoting to buying businesses in a different industry. He's moved fast.Register for the webinar: Tax Issues: Entity and Deal Structuring - TODAY! - http://bit.ly/47CVZuiTopics in Shaun's interview:Staying in corporate was the riskier choiceCalling 1200 businesses during his searchGoing back to school to learn more about acquisitionAcquiring with his partner, Robert WolfRaising $6m from outside investorsLeaning on his professional networkChoosing his investors carefullyAcquiring in his mid-40'sLong-term hold strategyAcquiring 3 businesses in successionReferences and how to contact Shaun:LinkedInMitten FluidpowerFLN-MARFrank Murken ProductsWork with an SBA loan team focused exclusively on helping entrepreneurs buy businesses:Pioneer Capital AdvisoryGet a complimentary IT audit of your target business:Email Nick Akers at nick@inzotechnologies.com, and tell him you're a searcherDownload the New CEO's Guide to Human Resources from Aspen HR:From this page or contact mark@aspenhr.comConnect with Acquiring Minds:See past + future interviews on the YouTube channelConnect with host Will Smith on LinkedInFollow Will on TwitterEdited by Anton RohozovProduced by Pam Cameron

Building on last week's episode on AI and Operating Systems in SMBs, Dave West and PST Yuval Yeret dive into the challenges of scaling small and medium-sized businesses.Dave shares lessons from growing an organization from a small team to over 100 people—navigating silos, new stakeholders, and keeping teams outcome-focused. Yuval highlights common scaling pitfalls and explores frameworks like EOS, Scaling Up, and D4X, emphasizing vision, strategic goals, and evidence-based management.Learn how to maintain agility at scale, build cross-functional teams, and create an operating system that drives sustainable growth.Resource - Mastering Organizational Traction Trail Map

Mathew Pohl is a former data analytics professional turned small business owner and advocate for organizational growth. He applied the Stages of Growth methodology, achieving a 10x increase in his company's value. What was the driving force behind you becoming an entrepreneur? Tell us about the two seasons of your first business and why those were so different? Why is having a roadmap so important for SMB owners? What is the ReWild Group's roadmap based on? How does Organizational ReWilding differ from EOS? Mathew Pohl Mathew Pohl is a former data analytics professional turned small business owner and advocate for organizational growth. He applied the Stages of Growth methodology, achieving a 10x increase in his company's value. Pohl founded the ReWild Group to share this approach and authored the "Organizational ReWilding Rules for Business Growth" series. He is passionate about helping business leaders and advisers. Pohl enjoys the outdoors in Colorado and spending time with his family. He welcomes collaborations and aims to empower businesses to reach their full potential. Excellent Executive Coaching Podcast If you have enjoyed this episode, subscribe to our podcast on iTunes. We would love for you to leave a review. The EEC podcasts are sponsored by MKB Excellent Executive Coaching, which helps you get from where you are to where you want to be with customized leadership and coaching development programs. MKB Excellent Executive Coaching offers leadership development programs to generate action, learning, and change that is aligned with your authentic self and values. Transform your dreams into reality and invest in yourself by scheduling a discovery session with Dr. Katrina Burrus, MCC, to reach your goals. Your host is Dr. Katrina Burrus, MCC, founder and general manager of Excellent Executive Coaching, a company that specializes in leadership development.

Ania Aliev was so eager to buy her business, she worked the deal while in labor at the hospital. It's been worth it.Register for the webinar: Tax Issues: Entity and Deal Structuring - Thu Oct 30 - http://bit.ly/43tlhIPTopics in Ania's interview:Rushing to get a deal closed before giving birthUsing her people skills to connect with sellersSearching only in the Eastern USBuying an AED sales and service companyMyths about AEDsFiguring out the best pricing modelLack of competition in the industryDealing with “Mom brain”Willingness to say “I don't know”Stickiness of customersReferences and how to contact Ania:LinkedinLife Support SystemsLearn more about Walker Deibel's done-with-you buy-side advisory:The Acquisition LabGet complimentary due diligence on your acquisition's insurance & benefits program:Oberle Risk Strategies - Search Fund TeamGet a free review of your books & financial ops from System Six (a $500 value):Book a call with Tim or hello@systemsix.com and mention Acquiring MindsConnect with Acquiring Minds:See past + future interviews on the YouTube channelConnect with host Will Smith on LinkedInFollow Will on TwitterEdited by Anton RohozovProduced by Pam Cameron

This Week: Farrah Bostic, Saul Colt and Colby Vogt join Bob to discuss WPP's AI initiative for SMBs, whether "slop" is part of the plan, OpenAI's Atlas browser, why consumers still prefer short videos, plus this week's #FairFailFoul.

SummaryEn este inspirador episodio de Querido Emprendedor, Ignacio Balderrama conversa con Diego Angarita, un gerente de producto en Walmart con una trayectoria única que combina emprendimiento, trabajo en organizaciones sin fines de lucro y una profunda conexión con la comunidad latina.  Diego relata su labor en Massachusetts con jóvenes puertorriqueños, donde fomentó el respeto por la cultura y la participación activa en asuntos comunitarios como la mejora del almuerzo escolar, mostrando cómo la voz de los jóvenes puede generar cambios reales y significativos. También reflexiona sobre los retos emocionales que enfrentan los emprendedores, la importancia de rodearse de personas que comparten la misma mentalidad y cómo manejar la autocrítica para mantener la motivación.El episodio ofrece además consejos prácticos sobre la recaudación de fondos, destacando que es más efectivo pedir consejos antes que dinero y la importancia de elegir aliados estratégicos que aporten experiencia y compromiso, no solo capital. Finalmente, Diego comparte sus aprendizajes actuales como product manager y su visión para futuros emprendimientos, invitando a la audiencia a valorar la humildad y el aprendizaje constante en el camino emprendedorUn episodio lleno de sabiduría, experiencia y motivación para todos aquellos que buscan crecer y transformar sus ideas en realidades exitosas.LinksIgnacio BalderramaStartup JunkieKiva Northwest ArkansasDiego Angarita

We sit down with Jeff Perry, CRO at Carta, to explore how growth leaders redefine success when capital tightens, buyers get smarter, and AI reshapes cost structures.  We unpack how growth has changed, why IPO-ready now means post-IPO durable, and how Carta scaled from a cap table tool to an ERP-like platform for private capital while staying efficient and customer-first. Jeff shares concrete tactics for moving upmarket, using AI wisely, and building teams that perform under pressure.• redefining fast growth and IPO readiness in private markets• evolving from SMB velocity to enterprise endurance• expanding from cap tables to fund admin and private credit• measuring meetings as a leading productivity indicator• using curated events and customer proofs over vanity metrics• aligning sales, marketing and product around shared pipeline• adding K-1 tax and LP data products to deepen value• AI as a force for 10x productivity, not headcount cuts• disciplined acquisitions to accelerate the CFO ERP vision• leadership choices: pausing sales, saying no when not readyIPO dreams used to hinge on hitting 100 million ARR. That world is gone.  Jeff takes us from Carta's earliest days digitizing stock certificates to building a networked platform that now powers cap tables, fund administration, LP data, and private credit—an evolving ERP for the office of the private capital CFO.We dig into the hard pivots after the 2021 surge: why “more capacity” stopped working, how meetings per AE became a reliable leading indicator, and where curated events and customer-led storytelling outperform saturated digital tactics. Jeff explains the move upmarket into venture and private equity, the new enterprise seller profile it requires, and the partnership with marketing to identify real switching intent. He also shares how acquisitions like Accelex and Sirvatus support an end-to-end vision across funds, LPs, and loan servicing.AI looms large throughout. Jeff contrasts application-layer SaaS with AI-native companies carrying heavy compute costs, and why that bifurcation changes CAC, payback, and headcount plans. Rather than using AI to cut roles, he shows how Carta uses it to 10x productivity—accelerating RFPs, territory coverage, and performance workflows—while standardizing experiments so wins become reusable process. Along the way, we unpack bold leadership choices: pausing sales to protect implementation quality, and walking away from a marquee IPO transition when the product wasn't ready.If you care about efficient growth, enterprise GTM, and building products that compound value across a connected market, this conversation delivers practical playbooks and memorable lessons on performing under pressure. Follow, share with a teammate, and leave a quick review to help more operators find the show.Jeff Perry: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeff-perry-380233/Jeff is a proven revenue superstar, whose career journey spans Oracle and DocuSign.  Under his leadership as CRO at Carta, Carta's annual recurring revenue scaled from approximately $20 million ARR to $450 million ARR. Jeff attended Santa Clara University where he received a B.S. in Political Science and where he also played NCAA baseball.Website: https://www.position2.com/podcast/Rajiv Parikh: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rajivparikh/Sandeep Parikh: https://www.instagram.com/sandeepparikh/Email us with any feedback for the show: sparkofages.podcast@position2.com

I'm breaking down exactly how to handle one of the most frustrating situations in MSP sales: when you fix a break-fix problem for a prospect, mention managed services, and then get completely ghosted. The reality is they no longer feel the pain after you've solved their problem, so there's no urgency to move forward. Instead of making one or two follow-ups and giving up, I'm showing you how to build a simple five-email sequence that does the heavy lifting for you. This sequence educates them, shifts their mindset, and nurtures them from "not ready" to "let's talk" - without you having to badger them every week. I'll walk you through exactly what to include in each email, how to make it valuable enough that they'd want to share it, and how this same strategy works for any recurring sales objection you're dealing with. One of my clients tried this and got a callback four weeks later asking about security assessments - that's how you turn qualified prospects into qualified opportunities//Welcome to Repeatable Revenue, hosted by strategic growth advisor , Ray J. Green.About Ray:→ Former Managing Director of National Small & Midsize Business at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, where he doubled revenue per sale in fundraising, led the first increase in SMB membership, co-built a national Mid-Market sales channel, and more.→ Former CEO operator for several investor groups where he led turnarounds of recently acquired small businesses.→ Current founder of MSP Sales Partners, where we currently help IT companies scale sales: www.MSPSalesPartners.com→ Current Sales & Sales Management Expert in Residence at the world's largest IT business mastermind.→ Current Managing Partner of Repeatable Revenue Ventures, where we scale B2B companies we have equity in: www.RayJGreen.com//Follow Ray on:YouTube | LinkedIn | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Despite skepticism from her US investors, Ivona Butcher bought (and tripled) a business in her native Czech Republic.Topics in Ivona's interview:Doing business in a post-Soviet cultureDetermination to acquire in the Czech RepublicBuying a business as a married coupleGetting into exhibition services right before CovidLosing all revenue at onset of CovidPivoting to virtual eventsFinding work for their carpenters and metalsmithsAggressively re-negotiating their loan with the bankBuying back the seller note at a huge discountSurviving Covid and doubling EBITDAReferences and how to contact Ivona:Ivona ButcherCorbin ButcherBeireAdam Rao on Acquiring Minds: Reviving a Covid-Crushed Business: $0 to $6M in 3 YearsGet complimentary due diligence on your acquisition's insurance & benefits program:Oberle Risk Strategies - Search Fund TeamGet a free review of your books & financial ops from System Six (a $500 value):Book a call with Tim or hello@systemsix.com and mention Acquiring MindsGet a complimentary IT audit of your target business:Email Nick Akers at nick@inzotechnologies.com, and tell him you're a searcherConnect with Acquiring Minds:See past + future interviews on the YouTube channelConnect with host Will Smith on LinkedInFollow Will on TwitterEdited by Anton RohozovProduced by Pam Cameron

SMBs don't have access to the same level of sophisticated lending options as consumers.There is one fundamental problem that prevents this class of product from pushing forward: lenders juggle multiple data vendors, wrestle with disconnected point solutions, and these tools lack the ability to paint a full picture of the SMB customer and their needs. The result is an ecosystem where a majority of time is spent on solving operational blockades rather than building solutions that cater to the whole lending lifecycle of a SMB customer. “We need something that covers everything. There can't just be a bunch of point solutions," says Jon Fry, founder and CEO of Lendflow. Lendflow has tackled this challenge by building a unified embedded lending infrastructure that works with over 200 companies to streamline three critical pillars in the lending lifecycle: distribution, decisioning, and workflow automation. The firm is not a lender today, nor are they interested in becoming an embedded lender in the future; instead it has positioned itself as the technology backbone that enables existing lenders to become embedded lenders themselves. Lendflow's approach is paying off for clients like BHG Financial, which uses the firm's entire platform suite and has seen dramatic improvements in operational efficiency and approval rates through the partnership. Listen to this podcast to learn how Lendflow is helping lenders break out of the fragmentation quagmire and access a full agentic AI toolbox that helps re-engage borrowers, as well as improve efficiencies for internal processes.

Ruchik Gandhi was a diligence CPA when he decided to get in the game himself. Becoming an owner has been an education.Topics in Ruchik's interview:India > Australia > US immigrationDiscovery of the wonders of multiple arbitrageReceiving the deal from another searcherPaying a $20k finder's feeBuying a fabrics and upholstery workroomLearning how to manage a blue-collar workforceMishandling employee relationshipsTaking feedback from his managersEarning the employees' trustHis plan for growth in a fragmented industryReferences and how to contact Ruchik:LinkedInWindow 25Download the New CEO's Guide to Human Resources from Aspen HR:From this page or contact mark@aspenhr.comWork with an SBA loan team focused exclusively on helping entrepreneurs buy businesses:Pioneer Capital AdvisoryLearn more about Walker Deibel's done-with-you buy-side advisory:The Acquisition LabConnect with Acquiring Minds:See past + future interviews on the YouTube channelConnect with host Will Smith on LinkedInFollow Will on TwitterEdited by Anton RohozovProduced by Pam Cameron

Undeterred by self doubt, Danyelle Nys bought a $400k SDE business at a fantastic price. She's grown it 25% in year one.Topics in Danyelle's interview:Working in her family's asphalt businessLearning about ETA from a masterclassHiring a coach for the search processBuying a business for the price of inventory + working capitalThe seller was running it remotelyRaising prices and salaries after acquisitionDealing with an obstinate commercial landlordMoving 14,000 sq ft of inventory to a new warehouseHiring her mom as the bookkeeper“F*** your mood. Follow the plan.”References and how to contact Danyelle:LinkedInDecorus Home StagingKyle Boyden & Jake Furfaro on Acquiring Minds: Stacking Small Acquisitions to $5m in RevenueGet a complimentary IT audit of your target business:Email Nick Akers at nick@inzotechnologies.com, and tell him you're a searcherLearn more about Walker Deibel's done-with-you buy-side advisory:The Acquisition LabWork with an SBA loan team focused exclusively on helping entrepreneurs buy businesses:Pioneer Capital AdvisoryConnect with Acquiring Minds:See past + future interviews on the YouTube channelConnect with host Will Smith on LinkedInFollow Will on TwitterEdited by Anton RohozovProduced by Pam Cameron

Armand Farrokh reveals how to close a $3K, $30K, and $300K sales deal — and why each one needs a different approach. He breaks down the five buyer agreements that drive every close and shows how to spot deal momentum to accelerate your cycle. Whether you're closing SMB, mid-market, or enterprise deals, this video gives you real-world B2B sales tactics, SaaS closing strategies, and deal frameworks to help you sell faster, smarter, and bigger. RESOURCES DISCUSSED Join our weekly newsletter Things you can steal Save $50 on any 30MPC course with code “PODCAST” Free Sales Templates, Scripts and Guides

In this deep-dive 4Ds session, I give a group of driven SMB owners the actual system for social media success. We talk about why volume is the secret weapon you're not using, how to provide relentless value so your customers choose you over your competitors, and the biggest platforms you're probably ignoring that could scale your business. Forget the excuses; this is a practical game plan for execution. Hope you enjoy!