Shows
Franklin Taggart's Virtual Coffee BreakThe Value of Your Business - Stephen KrausseMost solopreneurs and freelancers don't start businesses with the idea that they might one day sell them. They usually just want to build something they enjoy doing that generates the income they want. But Stephen Krausse suggests there may be value being created that will someday be worth passing on.
Stephen Krausse helps entrepreneurs buy and sell businesses. In this visit with Your Own Bst Company, Stephen gives host Franklin Taggart a quick view of what makes a #business sellable, mistakes to avoid when buying and selling, and protecting intellectual property, and shares a simple way to...2022-05-2742 min
Business BeyonDIY | Improve Your Happiness, Impact, Profit & Company ValueBusiness Valuation Methods | Business BeyonDIY | Episode 007How will they value my business?That's what we're asking when we start to look at our exit strategy.If you research this you'll find what looks like a lot of possible valuation methods.Today I'll talk about what they mean and see if we can simplify the process.Spoiler alert... we can!Chapter MarkersTBD after the show!Because the stream cut me off... Remember that doing it yourself doesn't mean going it alone! :)Need Business BeyonDIY on the go? Check your favorite podcatcher!https://podcasts...2022-04-1129 minBusiness BeyonDIY | Improve Your Happiness, Impact, Profit & Company ValueInventory Transferability & Value | Run it Ready to Exit | Business BeyonDIY | Episode 006If you’re running a product-based business you’re dealing with inventory. Inventory management has a direct impact on the profitability of our business. How easy it is to transfer not only our physical inventory but the processes, sources, and relationships that power our inventory will have a direct impact on how the value a potential buyer will place on our business.At first glance, you might think inventory is one of the easiest parts of a business to put a number on when you’re getting a business ready to exit.Or is it?2022-03-2530 minBusiness BeyonDIY | Improve Your Happiness, Impact, Profit & Company ValueValuing Your Business | Seller's Discretionary Earnings | Business BeyonDIY | Episode 005Valuing Your Business | Seller's Discretionary EarningsWhen it's time to value your business it can quickly seem overwhelming.It doesn't have to be!There are a number of standard valuation methods that are used and in this episode, we'll go through one of them called 'Seller's Discretionary Earnings' or SDE.We'll talk about:1. What are Seller’s Discretionary Earnings?2. When the Seller's Discretionary Earnings method should be used.3. How SDE is calculated - with two examples.4. Resources available to help you DIY.Download the sample wo...2022-03-2038 minBusiness BeyonDIY | Improve Your Happiness, Impact, Profit & Company Value3 Warning Signs for Business Buyers | Business BeyonDIY | Episode 004There are no absolutes when it comes to ‘warning signs’ and just because a warning sign exists doesn’t mean there is a substantive problem with a deal.Warning signs are merely what I call notifications for specific due diligence.You may see warning signs in the initial numbers, the shared business plan, or other documentation. It is equally valid to explore warning signs that you just sense. If something feels off to you, explore that feeling enough to find verifiable ways to either confirm or disprove the concern.Today we’ll cover three sp...2022-03-1034 minBusiness BeyonDIY | Improve Your Happiness, Impact, Profit & Company Value3 First Steps to Sell Your Business | Business BeyonDIY | Episode 003Get off to a good start when you’re ready to sell your business by putting these three things in place as early as possible.I know you’re thinking about how much you’ll get. You might even be working on the project that you want to start after the sale, whether that’s your next venture, a long vacation, or retirement.Bear with me though, it will be worth it.While these are key elements of a successful sale, they are for you not necessarily for sharing. That means the format and form...2022-03-0334 minBusiness BeyonDIY | Improve Your Happiness, Impact, Profit & Company ValueWhy Ask Why? | Business BeyonDIY | Episode 002Why are you are buying a business?There’s no wrong answer but understanding YOUR answer matters!In some circles, the word ‘why’ is avoided and there are some good reasons for that. It can be off-putting and tends to put us on the defensive as we try to rationalize our position on a subject.“Why did you do that?”“Why is that important?”So, it makes sense that “Why are you buying a business?” might immediately make us uncomfortable.Answering this question isn’t about justification or defense. It isn’...2022-02-2434 minBusiness BeyonDIY | Improve Your Happiness, Impact, Profit & Company ValueRun it Ready to Exit | Business BeyonDIY | Episode 001Q: How do you get the best value out of your business when you’re ready to exit?Q: How do you get the best value out of your business while you’re still running it?A: Good News! We can use the same work to meet both outcomes!As entrepreneurs & business owners, it’s easy to get wrapped up in the doing. This puts both the day-to-day operational performance and our long-term value generation (exit value) out of focus.The ‘doing’ is important. In fact, it’s critical, it’s what our customers...2022-02-1739 minBusiness BeyonDIY | Improve Your Happiness, Impact, Profit & Company ValueIntroducing Business BeyonDIY | Business BeyonDIY | Episode 000Introducing our new show "Business BeyonDIY"!Buy a BusinessSell Your BusinessGet your business ready for sale!I'll be covering topics relating to the transfer of business value so if you're thinking of buying a business, selling one or have one that you want to prepare for sale in the future... you're in the right place!Contactstephen.krausse@b50p.comhttps://beyond50percent.comConnect on SocialLinkedIn | https://www.linkedin.com/company/beyond-50-percentInstagram | https://www.instagram.com/beyond50percent/Facebook | https://www.facebook.com...2022-02-1029 min
The Up and to the Right | Small Business | Practical, Actionable, Sustainable ImprovementsUp and into the Future! | Up and to the Right | Episode 62Business Pivot TriggersPractical Approaches to PivotsWhat's Next for Up and to the Right?Contact Beyond 50 Percenthttps://beyond50percent.comstephen.krausse@b50p.comIG & TW @beyond50percent2021-10-0151 minThe Up and to the Right | Small Business | Practical, Actionable, Sustainable ImprovementsHappy Lucky’s Teahouse Owner Interview | Kari and George Grossman | Up and to the Right | Episode 061In this episode of Up and to the Right I'm excited to have Kari & George Grossman owners of Happy Lucky's Teahouse. We'll talk about getting started in 2009 and adapting to a wildly changing business environment in 2020.About Happy Lucky's With a commitment to quality, selection, and community, Happy Lucky’s creates a highly interactive, informative, and immersive tea experience. Whether you are already a tea lover or new to the brew, you’ll find the flavor, aroma, and feeling that speaks to you from over 200 loose-leaf options on our Great Wall of Tea.Fi...2021-08-1756 minThe Up and to the Right | Small Business | Practical, Actionable, Sustainable Improvements2021 Small Business Trends | Up and to the Right | Episode 060Is it click bait?To be fair, click bait isn't my plan. In fact, I think it's important that we separate the small business trends for 2021 that matter to us as owners from the 'trends' over which we have no agency, no resources to follow or that simply don't apply.Let's figure out which windmill to chase!See the full show notes: https://b50p.info/uattr0602021-08-1540 min
The Up and to the Right | Small Business | Practical, Actionable, Sustainable ImprovementsThe Best Book for Building Small Business | Up and to the Right | Episode 059Best Book for Small BusinessShow Contents00:00 Pre Show00:16 Program Start01:20 Introduction01:41 News & Updates04:40 Let's talk about reading!16:43 Let's get practical!17:35 Sidebar on book length...19:30 Working a Book24:48 My New Reading Experiment30:07 Show Close & Contact InfoI asked the internet... "What book was the most effective in helping you make REAL CHANGES to your small business?"In this episode I'm going to share how the internet replied!Let's get... well read!Contents:Chapters Added After the Show2021-07-2731 min
The Up and to the Right | Small Business | Practical, Actionable, Sustainable ImprovementsSmall Business Priority | 4Get 2020 Time to Move On | Up and to the Right | Episode 058Full Show Notes: https://b50p.info/uattr058Small Business Priority | 4Get 2020 Time to Move On2020 is finally over. There will be plenty of blogs, podcasts, articles and videos reviewing 2020 and predicting 2021. Not here... not today.As small business owners, we need to focus on what IS... NOW and figure out what needs to be done at this moment in time to move our business forward.Your time is a limited resource. How do you know what to work on? I'm going to throw out a quick way to think about what...2020-12-3135 min
The Up and to the Right | Small Business | Practical, Actionable, Sustainable ImprovementsStarting Up a Small Business - What is a 'Small Business'? | Up and to the Right | Episode 057Show Notes: https://b50p.info/uattr057What is a Small Business?Over the years I've come across a lot of misinformation about what it means to be a small business. Sometimes people think it's determined by the number of employees, sometimes by revenue, even by the corporate structure. As we'll see below it's actually easy to understand why there is confusion identifying what is a small business.Defining Small BusinessSo, if there's so much confusion around how to define a business as small then how can we go about doing it...2020-12-1732 min
The Up and to the Right | Small Business | Practical, Actionable, Sustainable ImprovementsStarting Up a Small Business - Small Business Regulations | Up and to the Right | Episode 056Full Show Notes: https://b50p.info/uattr056You've come up with a great business idea. You've started your business and things are going great when out of the blue a great potential customer asks: "What's your export control code?"Don't know? You're not alone and export control is just one of the seemingly endless regulations that may (or may not) apply to your small business.Let’s get… regulated!In short, small businesses are regulated by largely the same laws that regulate larger organizations. The only difference is that there may (or m...2020-12-1030 min
The Up and to the Right | Small Business | Practical, Actionable, Sustainable ImprovementsUsing the Power of Leverage in Business (in a good way) | Up and to the Right | Episode 055Show Notes | https://b50p.info/uattr055It's time to roll up our sleeves and get to work!Physics in Business. At first, it might not seem like the two are closely connected. I've found that the principles we use to describe our physical universe often have parallels in the business world.The power of leverage in business is often thought of as a negative. Something used to push someone else down in a negotiation or to artificially inflate value. These are the uses of leverage that we won't be talking about here...2020-12-0330 min
The Up and to the Right | Small Business | Practical, Actionable, Sustainable ImprovementsWhat did Newton Know about Action in Small Business | Up and to the Right | Episode 054Get the show notes: https://b50p.info/uattr054I put a lot of effort into running and growing my business. I'm sure you do too!What do we get for that effort? I'm not talking about. the long-term effects of our actions resulting in new revenue or market growth.What reaction do we expect from this particular action?Let’s get… mechanical!2020-11-1934 min
The Up and to the Right | Small Business | Practical, Actionable, Sustainable ImprovementsWorking ON Your Business With FLOW and Megan Denae Anderson | Up and to the Right | Episode 053Get the Show Notes: https://b50p.info/uattr053If you picked two words to describe entrepreneurship they would very likely be longly and busy. Really... REALLY busy!I can speak from personal experience that being a small business owner can leave you feeling alone as well as fill your time with a stream of seemingly critical tasks.How can entrepreneurs like you find kindred spirits that share common experience AND get the opportunity to work ON your business by accomplishing focused work?Let’s get… into the FLOW!Accelerated Busi...2020-11-1244 min
The Up and to the Right | Small Business | Practical, Actionable, Sustainable ImprovementsWhat did Newton Know about Making an Impact as a Small Business | Up and to the Right | Episode 052See the full Show Notes: https://b50p.info/uattr052What did Newton Know about Creating Impact as a Small Business?Everything we need to know about making an impact as a small business... Newton knew in 1686!? Really?Newton’s 2nd Law states that Force = Mass * Acceleration.How can understanding one of the fundamental laws of physics help us make an impact as a small business?Is changing the world as easy as Force = Mass * Acceleration? Well yes... and no.Let's rewrite that a bit. Mass = ResourcesAcceleration = MomentumForce = Imp...2020-11-0529 min
The Up and to the Right | Small Business | Practical, Actionable, Sustainable ImprovementsWhat did Newton Know about Small Business Communication? Objects Rest and Motion | Up and to the Right | Episode 051Everything we need to know about small business communication... Newton knew in 1686!? Really?An object at rest tends to stay at rest unless acted upon by an outside force.An object in motion tends to stay in motion in the same direction unless acted on by an outside force.If these trends sound familiar ... A customer who is happy tends to stay a customer unless there's a sale at a competitor.A rock star employee tends to stay a rock star unless we e...2020-10-2925 min
The Up and to the Right | Small Business | Practical, Actionable, Sustainable ImprovementsDraining Content Creators Dry | Up and to the Right | Episode 050Show Notes: https://b50p.info/uattr050Consuming content has become a byword. We all want to learn and grow personally and professionally. To that end, we read or listen to books, watch videos, take online courses, and consume any number of other types of content.Have you ever stopped to consider whether or not the content you’ve consumed has actually generated a beneficial transformation in your business?How do we get the most benefit from the information we read, watch, or listen to? How do we drain these content creators dry?...2020-10-2227 min
The Up and to the Right | Small Business | Practical, Actionable, Sustainable ImprovementsSmall Business Startup Tips... You May Have Missed | Up and to the Right | Episode 049Show Notes: https://b50p.info/uattr049A small business startup can be overwhelming. So much so that many people choose not to and many of us who do start small businesses often miss a piece of the small business puzzle.In this episode, I’m going to share three things you need to do when you’re starting your business that might not be on your list… yet!Let’s get… started!2020-10-1531 min
The Up and to the Right | Small Business | Practical, Actionable, Sustainable ImprovementsWhen Should I Hire a Consultant? | Up and to the Right | Episode 048Full Show Notes: https://b50p.info/uattr048When Should I Hire a Consultant?Hiring a consultant is bringing an ‘outsider’ into your business and can be an intensely personal experience.What’s in this episode for you?!When should you hire a consultant?We’ll talk about hiring consultants in small businesses and my own 2020 adventure in bringing help into my own business.There are 3 consultants every business owner should have… what are they?You’ll find highlights below. Watch the livestream recording or listen to the podcast version on y...2020-10-0840 min
The Up and to the Right | Small Business | Practical, Actionable, Sustainable ImprovementsJeff Allen with Allen Service | Pivot to Profit - 002 | Up and to the RightJeff Allen, Allen Service, Plumbing, Heating, and Air Jeff, his brother Mike, and the team at Allen Service, Plumbing, Heating, and Air, have been operating as an ‘essential business’ through the current crisis. A small business succeeding during the COVID-19 pandemic, Jeff and his team prioritize employee and customer safety while still providing quality services. I’ve always thought that heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems in our homes were for comfort and convenience. I learned from Jeff that our indoor air often has more contaminants than the outside air and that...2020-08-121h 05
The Up and to the Right | Small Business | Practical, Actionable, Sustainable ImprovementsP2P - How the Pandemic Affected My Businesses | Pivot to Profit - 001 | Up and to the RightFull Show Notes & Resources: https://b50p.info/p2p001Being a small business owner is challenging in the best of times. During periods of economic uncertainty that challenge becomes more difficult. In 2020 we're faced with those economic concerns but they are combined with a serious global pandemic and the groundswell of difficult but necessary social and cultural shifts. Any one of these would be stressful enough on its own but combined it is understandable that many of us are under a great deal of stress. Social distancing has, in...2020-08-0542 min
The Up and to the Right | Small Business | Practical, Actionable, Sustainable ImprovementsPractical Profit in Small Business | Up and to the Right | Episode 047Reminder: What is a Business Principle?When I talked about what made a business principle I ended up here:A business principle is a concept that is both foundational and relevant to all businesses.This set a pretty high bar when it came to identifying what were business principles and what were strategies, missions and tactics.Profit made the cut and that’s what I want to cover today.Why Profit?Profit is the st...2020-07-0939 min
The Up and to the Right | Small Business | Practical, Actionable, Sustainable ImprovementsPractical Cash Management in Small Business | Up and to the Right | Episode 046Reminder: What is a Business Principle?When I talked about what made a business principle I ended up here:A business principle is a concept that is both foundational and relevant to all businesses.This set a pretty high bar when it came to identifying what were business principles and what were strategies, missions and tactics.Cash management made the cut and that’s what I want to cover today.Why Cash?Using cash in...2020-07-0245 min
The Up and to the Right | Small Business | Practical, Actionable, Sustainable ImprovementsAdding Value as a Small Business | Up and to the Right | Episode 045Reminder: What is a Business Principle?When I talked about what made a business principle I ended up here:A business principle is a concept that is both foundational and relevant to all businesses.This set a pretty high bar when it came to identifying what were business principles and what were strategies, missions and tactics.Communication made the cut and that’s what I want to cover today.What is Value?According to Me...2020-06-2633 min
The Up and to the Right | Small Business | Practical, Actionable, Sustainable ImprovementsPractical Communication in Small Business | Up and to the Right | Episode 044Reminder: What is a Business Principle?When I talked about what made a business principle I ended up here:A business principle is a concept that is both foundational and relevant to all businesses.This set a pretty high bar when it came to identifying what were business principles and what were strategies, missions and tactics.Communication made the cut and that’s what I want to cover today.What is Communication?At its co...2020-06-1937 min
The Up and to the Right | Small Business | Practical, Actionable, Sustainable ImprovementsPractical Planning in Small Business | Up and to the Right | Episode 043Does Planning Matter to Small Business?The first thing we need to establish is whether or not planning matters to small businesses. At first, you might be thinking to yourself ‘Well of course planning matters!” but let’s be real here… as small business owners we have a tendency to fly by the seat of our pants more than we might like to admit.A lack of planning and over-planning can both have a negative impact on small business performance.So for us, plan...2020-06-1234 min
The Up and to the Right | Small Business | Practical, Actionable, Sustainable ImprovementsPractical Vision in Small Business | Up and to the Right | Episode 042Does Vision Matter to Small Business?Do we really need to write down our “Vision” as small business owners? Isn’t that just a Wall Street thing?Being clear about your vision is about more than wall hangings or motivational posters. It’s about more than a twitter post or an infographic. It’s about more than customer relationships or product development.Do a search on the web or your favorite book vendor for business vision and you’ll have mountains of material.I’v...2020-06-0441 min
The Up and to the Right | Small Business | Practical, Actionable, Sustainable ImprovementsPrinciples of Small Business Success | Up and to the Right | Episode 041When I started Beyond 50 Percent my aspiration was to connect business owners with ‘proven principles and practical action’. It made then, and still makes, perfect sense in my head but I’ve found that when someone asks for an example of a proven business principle I was suddenly less clear on what it meant in practical terms and left with something banal like ‘buy low sell high’.Since ‘practical’ and ‘actionable’ are features that I feel strongly about I felt compelled to arrive at some clarity.So, I went in search of busin...2020-05-2141 min
The Up and to the Right | Small Business | Practical, Actionable, Sustainable ImprovementsPlan it Like it's Software | Up and to the Right | Episode 040If you’re running a business or thinking about it you would be forgiven for feeling completely overwhelmed. It’s true, there is a lot to do and never enough time to do it. What is a business owner to do? Read, learn, get a consultant or coach? Yes… those are all good things but at the end of the day when you’ve read “Eat that Frog” and you’re ready to hunker down how do you know which frog is the biggest, ugliest and least appealing? Which frog do you eat...2020-05-1443 minThe Up and to the Right | Small Business | Practical, Actionable, Sustainable ImprovementsWow... That was Lucky! | Up and to the Right | Episode 039Full show notes: https://b50p.info/uattr039 (link will be live a few hours after the show!)We have an interesting relationship with luck. When something goes well we use it in a self effacing way like 'lucky break'.When things go badly we use it to distance ourselves from the event 'just bad luck'.When we're breaking outside norms… we're pushing our luck.According to https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/luck luck is a force that brings good fortune or adversitySo how do we deal with the 'f...2020-05-0728 minThe Up and to the Right | Small Business | Practical, Actionable, Sustainable ImprovementsFinding Business Wisdom Where the Wise Conflict | Up and to the Right | Episode 038Full show notes: https://b50p.info/uattr038 (link will be live a few hours after the show!)Have you ever read a business, leadership or self improvement book... or really any book... and thought "Wow that's really smart, insightful and helpful!" only to read another book two weeks later that recommends the polar opposite?Yeah... me too!This week I'm going to help you figure out how to parse out what really matters for your small business or startup when the gurus don't seem to agree.Let's get some business...2020-04-3033 minThe Up and to the Right | Small Business | Practical, Actionable, Sustainable ImprovementsGetting the Most Out of the Video Gear You Already Have | Up and to the Right | Episode 037Full show notes: https://b50p.info/uattr037Video was here to stay before COVID-19 but with the increased pressure of social distancing we're now seeing more businesses adopting video. Video can add value by allowing us to have a more effective conversation than a phone call alone (most communication is non-verbal and totally lost on the phone); it can provide new revenue streams and can reduce travel which, in turn, reduces costs and environmental impact. Video is good. How can you put your best foot forward on your next video conference call or sales pitch?2020-04-2357 minThe Up and to the Right | Small Business | Practical, Actionable, Sustainable ImprovementsGetting Value Out of Zoom and Video Conferencing | Up and to the Right | Episode 036If you haven't heard of Zoom, you probably will. Zoom is a video and teleconferencing platform that has seen a large increase in use as businesses change the way they communicate.They've been in the press for two major reasons lately. One - the explosive growth during social distancing. 2nd they have been faulted for security concerns.There is a great opportunity here for us to lean in to a new tool that can help us add value to our business but how do we get real value out of Zoom and other video conferencing...2020-04-1647 minThe Up and to the Right | Small Business | Practical, Actionable, Sustainable ImprovementsLet's Build a Revenue Stream | Up and to the Right | Episode 035Full show notes: https://b50p.info/uattr035Any change in the economic environment will show us vulnerabilities in our business.A major disruption or crisis will drive the point home by showing us weakness in our business whether it's an unsustainable expense structure or too few revenue streams & narrow sales channels.Let's build a revenue stream!2020-04-0936 minThe Up and to the Right | Small Business | Practical, Actionable, Sustainable ImprovementsSometimes... You Just Grind | Up and to the Right | Episode 034Full show notes: https://b50p.info/uattr034Monday I didn't even take calls for work and I went from random task to random task not getting anything done.That's how the week started for me.Here's the story in my head "This week has been…"unproductivea bummerwastedlow vibrationharddisappointingI wasn't inspired for a topic for the livestream/podcast.That isn't where I wanted to be.I realized that there are times when you really do have to just put your energy to the task and just do it bu...2020-04-0225 minThe Up and to the Right | Small Business | Practical, Actionable, Sustainable ImprovementsBridging Crisis: Getting 'there from 'here' | Up and to the Right | Episode 033Full shownotes: https://b50p.info/uattr030If you're in business long enough you're going to have to endure some kind of economic crisis. In my professional career we haven't gone more the eight years without a major disruption to the economy.While the current crisis regarding COVID19 is serious, it only represents another in an unending series of external challenges any business owner will face.Understanding how a crisis impacts you and what you can do about it is vital to the survival of your business. In this episode we'll discuss some...2020-03-2638 minThe Up and to the Right | Small Business | Practical, Actionable, Sustainable ImprovementsDoes Your Small Business Really Need to Grow? | Up and to the Right | Episode 032Full Show Notes: https://b50p.info/uattr032"When you stop growing... you start dying!"Seriously...?! This is what we have to offer the people who have the courage to create value in our economy?Instead of setting your sights on arbitrary business 'growth'... let's talk about what you want out of your business and design a system to bring you there!Let's get growing... in the right direction!Why did you REALLY start your own business? Have your reasons for business ownership changed over time?Thanks...2020-03-1918 minThe Up and to the Right | Small Business | Practical, Actionable, Sustainable ImprovementsScaling Benefits for Your Small Business | Up and to the Right | Episode 031As a small business owner, it can seem difficult to compete with the benefit packages of well established, larger corporations.Startups can share this problem as well when they begin trying to attract talent.How do you design a benefits package for your team when you don't have the financial resources required to put a competitive package together?Let's scale those benefits!For more detailed information listen to the audio version of the podcast or watch the livestream recording.Business Principle...2020-03-1129 minThe Up and to the Right | Small Business | Practical, Actionable, Sustainable ImprovementsOpen Book Management | Up and to the Right | Episode 030Find the show notes at https://b50p.info/uattr030Open Book Management shares financial information with employees with the expectation that they use that information to feel confident that the owner trusts them and that they can see where the company is spending money and how they might be able to help.Let's get open... or maybe not?Benefits• Positive Employee/Employer Relationship - sets a stage of trust• Helps employees understand the company as a whole• Assists them in performing their job more effectively/efficiently• Gi...2020-03-0426 minThe Up and to the Right | Small Business | Practical, Actionable, Sustainable ImprovementsWhat's in My Business Bag? | Up and to the Right | Episode 029See the full show notes: https://b50p.info/uattr029Productive mobility allows us to add value to our businesses when we aren't in the office. This gives us the freedom to work from a wider variety of locations improving our quality of life. But how do we make the most of this time? I've been using this kind of mobility for quite a while now and I've developed a kit that really works for me that I thought I'd share with you.Let's get mobile!For more detailed information listen to the...2020-02-2629 minThe Up and to the Right | Small Business | Practical, Actionable, Sustainable ImprovementsExport Control for Small Business | Up and to the Right | Episode 028See the full show notes: https://b50p.info/uattr0282020-02-1939 minThe Up and to the Right | Small Business | Practical, Actionable, Sustainable ImprovementsGood Policy Bad Policy | Up and to the Right | Episode 027I'm on a mission to stop structured ineptitude this week and I have my sights on policies! It makes me crazy when I get on the phone, chat, personal conversation or email exchange that results in the customer support person on the other end is basically hogtied so they can't actually assist me in solving my problem."I'm sorry... I don't have access to that information...""I'm not allowed...""I spoke with my manager and he/she said 'No.'""We can't do that..."Yeah it goes on and...2020-02-1528 minThe Up and to the Right | Small Business | Practical, Actionable, Sustainable ImprovementsMoving Your Small Business | Up and to the Right | Episode 026Visit the show notes page on our website! https://b50p.info/uattr026Well the 2nd Livestream went great... except that I streamed it on the wrong Youtube channel! Noob mistake #1. I also forgot to record the audio separately so I had to rip it from the stream. It worked but not quite the quality I shoot for.In this livestream/episode I wanted to talk about what it takes to move a small business from one location to another and some of the things you need to keep in mind as you go through...2020-01-1340 minThe Up and to the Right | Small Business | Practical, Actionable, Sustainable ImprovementsGetting Value Out of a Business ModelSee the show notes: https://b50p.info/uattr025Welcome to the recording of my first livestream! There were a few hiccups in the beginning but we got through it!In this livestream/episode I continue the discussion from the last episode (audio only sorry) of Up and to the Right when we talked about the definition of a business model. This time I talk about how to get practical value out of a business model in the context of small business. Can small businesses get value out of business modeling? Using a specific example from one...2019-12-2135 minThe Up and to the Right | Small Business | Practical, Actionable, Sustainable ImprovementsWhat is a Business Model? | Up and to the Right | Episode 24See the full show notes: https://b50p.info/uattr024It’s time to roll up our sleeves and get to work with another episode of the Up and to the Right Podcast.Have you ever tried to explain how your business makes money? At first it might seem like a silly question. But let's take a closer look and see if we can get some value out of the business model!“I buy stuff from a wholesaler and sell it to the public…” “I make awesome furniture and sell it…”We describe...2019-12-1624 minThe Up and to the Right | Small Business | Practical, Actionable, Sustainable ImprovementsMoney Doesn't Mix | Up and to the Right | Episode 23See the show notes: https://b50p.info/uattr023Let’s see…A little something from our personal account…A little from our business account…Let’s just give it a little mix here...Hi, I’m Stephen Krausse with Beyond 50 Percent and it’s time to roll up our sleeves and get to work with another episode of the Up and to the Right Podcast.When you’re running a small business it may seem easier to just use your personal checking account and credit card to operate your...2019-12-0617 minThe Up and to the Right | Small Business | Practical, Actionable, Sustainable Improvements4 Acquisitions 4 Lessons | Up and to the Right | Episode 022M&A or mergers & acquisitions might not be on the tip of your tongue as a small business owner but as we plan for retirement or other transitions, acquisition begins to find its way into our world.Hi, I’m Stephen Krausse with Beyond 50 Percent and it’s time to roll up our sleeves and get to work with another episode of the Up and to the Right Podcast.Over the course of the last twenty years I’ve been involved in four acquisitions and each time I had a different role to play. In 2000...2019-06-2624 min
The Up and to the Right | Small Business | Practical, Actionable, Sustainable ImprovementsPlancrastination… 1st Cousin of Analysis Paralysis | Up and to the Right | Episode 021http://b50p.info/uattr021On February 13, 2017 I published Episode 13 of Up and to the Right… I should have known that the 13th episode published on the 13th day of the month was a bad omen.Anyway, after Episode 13 I started planning...and stopped producing......and it took over a year for me to get back on track! In episode 21 of up and to the right we’ll:put off talking about Plancrastination! We’ll avoid talking about what it is. We’ll mindlessl...2018-04-2248 min
The Up and to the Right | Small Business | Practical, Actionable, Sustainable ImprovementsOrganizing for Practical Humans | Up and to the Right | Episode 020http://b50p.info/uattr020 Show Notes I have three places I really push organizationmy electronic files my backpack my office/podcast production desk I could do better but these are my major work areas so while I have piles of office supplies or old records that could definitely use a good purge… they don’t effect my day to day work.In episode 20 of up and to the right we’ll talk about why and how to get organized. It’s not as hard as you think and we’ll get some...2018-04-1528 min
The Up and to the Right | Small Business | Practical, Actionable, Sustainable ImprovementsSee the Problem, Hear the Customer, Speak Only Thoughtfulness | Up and to the Right | Episode 019Show Notes: http://b50p.info/uattr019Do you have customer service skeletons in your closet? Does the skeleton of your patronage linger in the closet of a business that just plain blew it? For me, sadly… both are true.Episode 019 of Up and to the Right we’ll take a look at some moldering bones in my own customer service closet along with two examples that made an impression on me as a customer.The good news is that by acknowledging problems, listening to customers and treating customers with thoughtful resp...2018-04-091h 11
The Up and to the Right | Small Business | Practical, Actionable, Sustainable ImprovementsWindows 10 is Great – Still Using a Mac | Up and to the Right | Episode 018http://b50p.info/uattr018If you put all the clever marketing campaigns aside does it really matter if you’re Mac or Windows?Episode 018 of Up and to the Right is about my journey from Windows to Mac; how and why it matters to business owners and what you need to think about when it comes to deciding on a technology platform for your business.Spoiler alert: if you’ve already chosen... you made the right choice... and even if you feel you didn’t the costs to change are lower than ever.2018-04-0245 min
The Up and to the Right | Small Business | Practical, Actionable, Sustainable ImprovementsSocial Media Channel Surfing | Up and to the Right | Episode 017 http://b50p.info/uattr017Do you use social media to promote your product, service or business? Did you know that there or over 300 social media websites and that number is growing?!Whether your a social media luddite like yours truly... or a social media maven there's simply no ignoring the power and impact of social media. In episode 17 of Up and to the Right we'll see if we can surf the social media channels and keep our entrepreneurial sanity at the same time!We'll talk about how to answer these f...2018-03-2644 min
The Up and to the Right | Small Business | Practical, Actionable, Sustainable ImprovementsShould My Pricing be on My Website? | Up and to the Right | Episode 016It’s unanimous… according to article after article service providers should have pricing listed on their websites. Funny thing though… if you start looking at many professional service provider’s websites there is a distinct lack of transparent public pricing.In episode 16 of Up and to the Right we’ll explore this apparent conflict and I’ll share my own journey that started when I decided to cover this topic.2018-03-1825 min
The Up and to the Right | Small Business | Practical, Actionable, Sustainable ImprovementsRecycling the 4 P's of Marketing | Up and to the Right | Episode 015About 58 years ago Edmund Jerome McCarthy introduced us to the ‘four P’s of marketing’. It could be argued that a lot has changed since then. In this episode of Up and to the Right we’ll adapt this easy to remember marketing tool to our modern mar2018-03-1140 min
The Up and to the Right | Small Business | Practical, Actionable, Sustainable Improvements5 Moleskine Management Hack | Episode 014 | Up and to the RightHave you ever heard someone talk about running their business by ‘keeping all the balls in the air’? Now I can’t juggle… but I can certainly relate to the feeling that running a business can seem like a circus! So, how can one person keep “all the balls in the air”? In episode 14 of Up and to the Right I’ll share my 5 Moleskine Notebook Hack, how I set it up and how I work with it to run my business.2018-03-0432 min
The Up and to the Right | Small Business | Practical, Actionable, Sustainable ImprovementsUp and to the Right | 2017 Episode 04 | Three Kinds of Workhttp://b50p.com/2017e04How do you measure the importance of the work that you do in your small business? Sometimes I value the work I do by its impact on revenue; sometimes I value it based on how much I am interested in that particular activity and sometimes I value an activity by how long it can occupy me before I have to do something I've been avoiding.Over the years I have been found that the work that we do can be described by one of three categories. In this episode I...2017-02-1417 min
The Up and to the Right | Small Business | Practical, Actionable, Sustainable ImprovementsUp and to the Right | 2017 Episode 03 | Operating Profit Drives ExpenseGet the show notes: https://b50p.com/2017e03One of the most common reasons for small business failure is problems with cash flow (not having the cash you need to operate your business when you need it). Looking at this another way... by learning when to incur expenses you can turn this risk for other small businesses into an asset for your own.The secret sauce: operating profit drives expenseThe world of marketing would love for us to continue believe differently but we're not falling for it anymore... at...2017-02-0222 min
The Up and to the Right | Small Business | Practical, Actionable, Sustainable ImprovementsUp and to the Right | 2017 Episode 02 | Hiring for Small Business//b50p.com/2017e02Hiring can be rewarding when you've found just the right person with the right skills and experience that will fit perfectly into the culture of your business. It's a big commitment though... for both of you. As a business owner, there are a few strategies you can use that will increase the chances that your hiring process will go as smoothly as possible.The Three Question Test Determining & Evaluating the Cost Preparing to Hire and Bringing Them On-Board Where do I Look? In Episode 02 for 2017 I'll share my three qu...2017-01-2631 min
The Up and to the Right | Small Business | Practical, Actionable, Sustainable ImprovementsUp and to the Right | 2017 Episode 01 | Outsourcing for Small BusinessIt's true. We all need help. Whether it's seasonal sales cycles, end of year accounting or a full time staff position... there's always more to do that hours in the day. How do you decide what help you need, how to prioritize getting it and finally who you gonna call? In this episode our focus will be on outsourcing work without adding a permanent position at your company.What is outsourcing? How does it apply in a small business situation? What should I outsource? Where do I start? In Episode 01 for 2017 we look at each o...2017-01-1438 min
The Up and to the Right | Small Business | Practical, Actionable, Sustainable ImprovementsUp and to the Right | 2016 Week 51 | What's in an Email Domain?Still using @gmail, @aol, @yahoo or another generic email for your small business?Does it matter?In the 2016 Week 51 episode of Up and to the Right we're going to go over why using this seemingly economic choice for small business owners may actually be costing you more than you think.We'll also talk about how easy and inexpensive it is to get up and running with your own custom email address that will put a professional touch to the emails you send to customers, prospects and business partners.In the reading...2016-12-2325 min
The Up and to the Right | Small Business | Practical, Actionable, Sustainable ImprovementsUp and to the Right | 2016 Week 50 | The Secret Life of RatiosWhat are Financial Ratios? Can they be used to run a small business or are they only for big companies and stock traders?In the 2016 Week 50 episode of Up and to the Right we'll learn the Secret Life of Ratios and how they can be used to operate and improve your small business.The tool this week is a ratio analysis calculator. All you have to do is download it from beyond50percent.com/2016w50 and enter 12 values from your own financial statements. Ratio analysis just got easy!In the Reading Room this...2016-12-2329 min
The Up and to the Right | Small Business | Practical, Actionable, Sustainable ImprovementsUp and to the Right | 2016 Week 49 | Statements of Cash FlowCash is king as they say and the Statement of Cash Flows is a key report that bridges the gap between the Balance Sheet and the Income statement.In this episode of Up and to the Right I'll discuss how to get the most out of the Statement of Cash Flows without investing hours of time or going to night school to understand the accounting behind it.I've provided some examples of both the entries on this report and the calculations used to arrive at the numbers. The point; however, is to understand that the...2016-12-0927 min
The Up and to the Right | Small Business | Practical, Actionable, Sustainable ImprovementsUp and to the Right | 2016 Week 48 | Effortless Income StatementsSo much for reducing the time huh? I am committed to getting these down to bite size pieces!Alright, I underestimated how much I had to cover when it comes to the Income Statement. Yeah... this episode is long... but the truth is that this is an important and probably the most widely talked about (if misunderstood) report of the three standard reports. What is an Income Statement? The income statement is, as its name suggests, a report that focuses on the sales (income) we receive from our customers and the effect of our expenses o...2016-12-0253 min
The Up and to the Right | Small Business | Practical, Actionable, Sustainable ImprovementsUp and to the Right | 2016 Week 47 | Balance Sheet BasicsHow often do you review the three standard accounting reports for your business. Accounting gets a bad rap but the reports that they generate are the first place to go to find measured results that you can use to improve your business. The Balance Sheet, Income Statement and Statement of Cash Flows can be a wealth of information and a great place to start looking for ways to improve as well as a great mechanism to monitor the results of changes you make. Why should you review your Balance Sheet? Get real (aka objective) insights into the p...2016-11-2343 min
The Up and to the Right | Small Business | Practical, Actionable, Sustainable ImprovementsUp and to the Right | 2016 Week 46 | Working Across PlatformsAre you a Windows or Mac? Are you iOS or Android? When it comes to finding solutions to getting work done, more and more these questions are becoming less relevant. What does it mean when an application or software package claims to be cross-platform? Why does it matter to your business? What does "cross platform" mean? We'll go over what it means that an application is "cross platform" or available not only for use on more than one operating system (Windows or Mac for example), but available to operate interactively on both operating systems. How does it w...2016-11-1734 min
The Up and to the Right | Small Business | Practical, Actionable, Sustainable ImprovementsUp and to the Right | 2016 Week 45 | Backups on a BudgetHave you ever lost valuable data on because of a hard drive failure? Lost a USB drive? Just accidentally deleted a file that you really needed?Data loss happens!It's actually easy to put together a working backup system that will give you good data protection and the piece of mind that goes along with it. The great news is that it doesn't have to be expensive or complicated and you probably already own most, if not all, of the equipment that you need. Why backup? Aside from simply wasting time recreating work y...2016-11-1042 min
The Up and to the Right | Small Business | Practical, Actionable, Sustainable ImprovementsUp and to the Right - 2016 Week 44 | Be a Choosey Tool UserTools are in important part of developing, producing and distributing our products, and in the operation of our businesses and in personal lives. Finding the best tool for your business may be less simple that a quick google search. A bit of introspection and answering a few specific questions can put you on the road to choosing tools that are well suited to achieving the results improvements that you're expecting. Change Costs Cash out to purchase the tool. Time to learn the tool. Time to implement the new tool across your business. Emotional/Personal Energy...2016-11-0238 min
The Up and to the Right | Small Business | Practical, Actionable, Sustainable ImprovementsUp and to the Right - 2016 Week 43 | Re-Introducing Up and to the RightWell, I tried something out that didn't work very well. I originally thought it would be helpful for Up and to the Right to support a month long 'mini course' for small business owners.As it turns out it was not as helpful as I'd hoped and difficult to produce so I'm switching things up.So... Re-Introducing... Up and to the Right, the no nonsense podcast bringing you the Art and Science of Business. This is where we cover things that matter to small business owners, startups and people interested in becoming entrepreneurs. We talk...2016-10-2736 min
The Up and to the Right | Small Business | Practical, Actionable, Sustainable ImprovementsUp and to the Right - Podcast 2 - March 2016You've listened to the first two episodes and you've done a little homework of your own and now it's time to catch up with how things went for me as I went through the same exercises that you did.My own notes for this project are here!Increasing ValueYeah... I changed the focus here a little bit. While increasing revenue is important (and what I originally wrote) it's more important to consider increasing value to your business not just the number of sales or the total revenue number.I shared a...2016-04-1518 min