Monday - February 03, 2020

Jim Alampi
Jim Alampi joins Jim Blasingame to reveal that the best way to make sure you’re ready for the next economic downturn is to stay focused on management fundamentals, even when business is so good it seems easy.
Jim Alampi
Jim Alampi joins Jim Blasingame to reveal how to develop business and financial scenarios with spreadsheet projections that help you prepare for decisions you’ll have to make when the next economic downturn happens.
John Dini
John Dini joins Jim Blasingame to report on the current condition of the economy’s elder statesmen – Baby Boomers – who own businesses and will be divesting one way or another over the next decade.
John Dini
John Dini joins Jim Blasingame to report on how the SECURE Act made adjustments to the retirement options more immediately for Baby Boomers, including the ability to continue to contribute to their IRA after 70.
John Dini
John Dini joins Jim Blasingame to discuss some of the issues that Baby Boomer business owners will face as they prepare to divest of their businesses, including whether the business they founded is ready for the 3rd decade of the 21st century.
Andrea Nierenberg
Andrea Nierenberg joins Jim Blasingame to recommend how to make adjustments when networking – or prospecting – to your behavior based on the personality type and energy level of the person in front of you.
Andrea Nierenberg
Andrea Nierenberg joins Jim Blasingame to discuss the networking practice by younger generations of relying on social media, and whether in time they will discover the fundamental effectiveness of face-to-face.
Ted Fishman
Ted Fishman joins Jim Blasingame to put the current global healthcare scare around the coronavirus into perspective with the SARS outbreak a few years ago, and whether this outbreak could weaken the China Communist Party’s control.
Ted Fishman
Ted Fishman joins Jim Blasingame to reveal that he’s not that impressed with the China/US trade deal, including some of the specific elements that are deficient, and talk about how Phase II could bring improvements.
Ted Fishman
Ted Fishman joins Jim Blasingame to report on the many internal issues the Chinese Communist Party has to deal with, and whether they will still be in power five years from now.

Tuesday - February 04, 2020

Michael Stallard
Michael Stallard joins Jim Blasingame to report on the statistics showing suicides declining around the world, but doubling in the U.S. since 2005, and what could cause that.
Michael Stallard
Michael Stallard joins Jim Blasingame to discuss what could be causing a 50% increase in suicides in the U.S., including opioid crisis, disabled veterans, social media, lack of faith life, etc.
Michael Stallard
Michael Stallard joins Jim Blasingame to offer suggestions on how to help someone who might be suicidal, including paying attention to their behavior, and NOT minding your own business.
Tom Borg
Tom Borg joins Jim Blasingame to identify the direct connection between your corporate culture and the performance of your business.
Tom Borg
Tom Borg joins Jim Blasingame to recommend applying behavioral metrics, like the DISC system, to your people so you know how to motivate each behavior type to be more fulfilled at work.
Jim Blasingame
Jim Blasingame reveals what a business plan looks like, how and why to create it, and what to do with it after it’s in the binder (hint, not sitting on the shelf).
Jim Blasingame
Jim Blasingame reveals that planning is what you do to manage your business plan over time, and how to create the documents to make planning successful.
Dror  Liwer
Dror Liwer joins Jim Blasingame to reveal that phishing is a way cyber-criminals catch you in their “net” as they send emails you may be tempted to open, which would allow the bad guys to enter your digital and online world.
Dror  Liwer
Dror Liwer joins Jim Blasingame to reveal how unlike phishing, where cyber-criminals cast a wide net for victims, spear phishing is where you are being targeted individually, because the bad guys believe your network has significant value.
Dror  Liwer
Dror Liwer joins Jim Blasingame to reveal how a digital security program like his protects users like you from becoming a victim of spear phishing attacks that have the potential to negatively impact the future of your business.

Wednesday - February 05, 2020

Kristin  Zhivago
Kristin Zhivago joins Jim Blasingame to recognize the challenge small businesses have in keeping up with digital marketing pressures, and how to adopt the right new strategies while maintaining the fundamental ones.
Kristin  Zhivago
Kristin Zhivago joins Jim Blasingame to reveal how to conduct, or contract with people who conduct, your digital marketing strategy, including not minimizing what you know about your own customer expectations.
Ramon Ray
Ramon Ray joins Jim Blasingame to report on what he learned from a convention of photographers about how and when to focus on niches, instead of trying to be all things to all people.
Ramon Ray
Ramon Ray joins Jim Blasingame to discuss how to seek your highest and best use of your talents and develop your business model around that, while at the same time staying close to customers who don’t always need exactly what you offer.
Ramon Ray
Ramon Ray joins Jim Blasingame to reveal why your expertise is something you should use to your advantage, because people want to do business with people they believe they can trust, and delivering expertise without a sales pitch is powerful.
Jim Blasingame
Jim Blasingame reveals how mice, politicians and business owners should behave when the world shifts paradigms and someone moves your cheese.
Jim Blasingame
Jim Blasingame reports on a recent online poll that indicates small business owners are more optimistic about their businesses than they’ve been in decades.
Rick Maurer
Rick Maurer joins Jim Blasingame to reveal some of the factors that create energy and urgency for any new proposed change, including the need to make a compelling case.
Rick Maurer
Rick Maurer joins Jim Blasingame to reveal the essentialness of getting the attention of stakeholders before you try to implement your plan, so they understand the context of your idea.
Rick Maurer
Rick Maurer joins Jim Blasingame to reveal that any sustained, successful organizational change must include the engagement by your stakeholders, because they will be the ones who will carry out the transition.

Thursday - February 06, 2020

Jim Blasingame
Jim Blasingame reveals why CEOs have to learn how to differentiate the signal from the noise, including how to identify the signal that looks and sounds like noise, only because it doesn’t fit your paradigm.
Jim Blasingame
Jim Blasingame shares his ideas on separating the signal from the noise in the marketplace and workplace, and how to help our teams made that distinction.
John Berlau
John Berlau joins Jim Blasingame to report on the kinds of real-time payment systems available from private banks and tech companies, and why this capability should remain in private hands.
John Berlau
John Berlau joins Jim Blasingame to report on the FedNow payment system proposed by the Federal Reserve Bank, and why this plan could create a regulatory conflict of interest with banks and businesses.
John Berlau
John Berlau joins Jim Blasingame to discuss the current monetary elements and payment systems, and what these will look like with increasing use of technology and cryptocurrency.
Jessica Moser
Jessica Moser joins Jim Blasingame to report on the MetLife/U.S. Chamber index research that shows small businesses are very optimistic about their own business and local economies in record numbers.
Jessica Moser
Jessica Moser joins Jim Blasingame to report on the MetLife/U.S. Chamber Index that shows small business owners want to increase their adoption of technology, especially AI, and are very concerned about cyber-security.
Donald Hunter
Clara Villarosa
Don Hunter and Clara Villarosa join Jim Blasingame to share their ideas on why Black History in America is important to celebrate and recognize every year, especially the direct contribution this group has made through their work and sacrifice.
Donald Hunter
Clara Villarosa
Don Hunter and Clara Villarosa join Jim Blasingame to discuss how the current strong economy has contributed to economic well-being for black Americans, especially black business owners who are increasing hiring more than other sectors.
Donald Hunter
Clara Villarosa
Don Hunter and Clara Villarosa join Jim Blasingame to share their ideas on why, going forward, the country should focus more on how all sectors of society work and live together, rather than dwell on what happened in the past, and why the grievance merchants have gone underground.

Friday - February 07, 2020

Adam Levin
Adam Levin joins Jim Blasingame to reveal how small businesses become digital tributaries to their larger customers, which means you become a target for cyber-criminals wanting to penetrate upstream. The big takeaway? Training your people.
Adam Levin
Adam Levin joins Jim Blasingame to reveal that the 20th century cold war has been replaced with World War III which is being waged in cyberspace, and how the Iranians continue to be one of our greatest enemies.
Harry  Dent
Harry Dent joins Jim Blasingame to reveal some of the demographic trends that caused the global baby boom trend of the 1960s to become the current equities and debt bubble that will have to be reckoned with sooner than later.
Harry  Dent
Harry Dent joins Jim Blasingame to discuss the ongoing disconnect between Wall Street delusions and Main Street reality, all driven by the Fed’s inability to let market mistakes happen and heal naturally, creating the current equities bubble.
Harry  Dent
Harry Dent joins Jim Blasingame to report on some of the Fed’s continued quantitative easing, which has fueled an unprecedented equities bubble (Wall Street) and may be resolved in 2020 with a major correction.
Beverly Flaxington
Beverly Flaxington joins Jim Blasingame to discuss your plans for the New Year, including whether you’re looking forward to backward, whether you’re focused on quality or quantity performance, and whether that fits you best.
Beverly Flaxington
Beverly Flaxington joins Jim Blasingame to discuss how managers have had to adjust their methods and styles over the past decade to compensate for the new generation of talent joining the workplace.
Doug Wead
Doug Wead joins Jim Blasingame to reveal the reasons Donald Trump decided to run for president many years before he announced in 2015, and what would have stopped him.
Doug Wead
Doug Wead joins Jim Blasingame to reveal the paradox that is Donald Trump, including his strong will and ability to perform against an unprecedented assault from numerous directions, as well as his tendency to be self-defeating.
Doug Wead
Doug Wead joins Jim Blasingame to reveal that the presidents he’s known are all good listeners, and have learned how to play the monopoly game that is played in Washington and on the global marketplace.

Monday - February 10, 2020

Teru Clavel
Teru Clavel joins Jim Blasingame to report on her significant experience and research that indicates the poor U.S. education outcomes against the world is due to the inequity in teacher support in education and compensation.
Teru Clavel
Teru Clavel joins Jim Blasingame to reveal her ideas on how to reverse the poor showing of American school children against their global peers by raising expectations, and increasing teacher equity.
Karen Kerrigan
Karen Kerrigan joins Jim Blasingame to report on the many economic accomplishments that President Trump identified in his SOTU speech, and that all are verified performance that are promises kept.
Karen Kerrigan
Karen Kerrigan joins Jim Blasingame to report on the PRO-Act, which is a bill passed recently in the Democrat-controlled House, which would give unions immense power and reverse the economic gains of the past three years.
Karen Kerrigan
Karen Kerrigan joins Jim Blasingame to report on the improvement the USMCA is over NAFTA for small businesses, plus the challenges they’re having in finding qualified workers.
Morag Barrett
Morag Barrett joins Jim Blasingame to reveal some of the ways to stay focused on goals that deliver the most performance by asking what, when and who questions.
Morag Barrett
Morag Barrett joins Jim Blasingame to reveal some ways to get others to help you accomplish your goals by knowing where to find the people who can and will help – but you still have to ask.
Joel Barker
Joel Barker joins Jim Blasingame to report on two new health science stories, including discovering a mitochondria blood product hiding in plain sight, plus a multi-mile atomic particle collider reduced to a few feet to speed up cancer research and treatment.
Joel Barker
Joel Barker joins Jim Blasingame to continue his long-term report on the discovery – and rediscovery – of new ways to produce graphene from sources never before imagined, from garbage.
Joel Barker
Joel Barker joins Jim Blasingame to reveal the new Airlander aircraft that will fill a cargo niche by carrying an eco-friendly payload, plus a new system that makes it easier to acquire water literally out of thin air.

Tuesday - February 11, 2020

Anne Baum
Anne Baum joins Jim Blasingame to reveal the power of self-analysis to recognize how we come across to others, how that defines our personal brand, and why it’s important for success as a leader.
Anne Baum
Anne Corley Baum joins Jim Blasingame to reveal that we all fit certain personality brands, mostly based on our behavior, and why successful leaders are aware of how they come across to others and modify when necessary.
Thomas Sullivan
Tom Sullivan joins Jim Blasingame to discuss the most significant challenge for small businesses – hiring new employees – and explain how to help them solve this.
Thomas Sullivan
Tom Sullivan joins Jim Blasingame to discuss the challenges facing small businesses, even in a great economy, including helping the community bank sector stay strong, which is the growth partner of Main Street businesses.
Thomas Sullivan
Tom Sullivan joins Jim Blasingame to report on a number of gatherings sponsored by the U.S. Chamber around the country in support of small businesses.
William Hubbartt
William Hubbart joins Jim Blasingame to discuss one of the challenges of growing virtual working practices, and how this can go against our innate nature as humans to need face-to-face connections.
William Hubbartt
William Hubbart joins Jim Blasingame to reveal the challenges of multiple generation workplaces, including creating an environment and culture of respect and tolerance, and how to capitalize on our differences.
Holly  Wade
Holly Wade joins Jim Blasingame to report on the current NFIB Index of small business, which indicates continued record levels of optimism across the sector, including increasing earnings trends.
Holly  Wade
Holly Wade joins Jim Blasingame to report on why optimism continues to grow on Main Street, in spite of the fact that finding and hiring qualified workers continues to be the greatest challenge.
Holly  Wade
Holly Wade joins Jim Blasingame to report on the many examples of strong economic fundamentals that justify the growing level of small business optimism for the rest of 2020.

Wednesday - February 12, 2020

Jim Schreier
Jim Schreier joins Jim Blasingame to reveal the role that humanity plays in defining the jobs of today and the future as not being all about technology.
Jim Schreier
Jim Schreier joins Jim Blasingame to discuss how over-using new tech communication platforms, like texting and social media, is harming society and our ability to relate to the human expectation of our customers.
Michael Harrison
Michael Harrison joins Jim Blasingame to discuss the current political landscape, from parties to campaigns to conversations among stakeholders, and how all of this is impacting our life and work.
Michael Harrison
Michael Harrison joins Jim Blasingame to offer his perspective on how to conduct business in a time when merely having a political philosophy could be professionally dangerous.
Michael Harrison
Michael Harrison joins Jim Blasingame to reveal how spoken word broadcast media has evolved, from terrestrial to digital, and will continue to find a way to be relevant as a thought-leadership medium.
Jim Blasingame
Jim Blasingame reveals the life and hard times of Abraham Lincoln, and how all his life’s experiences can serve as cautionary tales and inspiration for every small business owner.
Jim Blasingame
Jim Blasingame reveals the Lincoln model for maintaining your good humor and perspective even when the world has kicked you hard, by appealing to the “better angels” of your nature.
Skip Miller
Skip Miller joins Jim Blasingame to discuss the several different factors that have contributed to the erosion of tried-and-true professional sales skills that will always be powerful regardless of how much digital interference we have.
Skip Miller
Skip Miller joins Jim Blasingame to remind that the sales process is like mining for gold, and the treasure you seek is in the heads of prospects and customers, which can’t be extracted if you’re talking and not listening.
Skip Miller
Skip Miller joins Jim Blasingame to reveal how to turn around a person or team that is experiencing poor sales performance by returning to focusing on being relevant to the human on the other side of the desk.

Thursday - February 13, 2020

Jeff Zbar
Jeff Zbar joins Jim Blasingame to reveal how all of the seductive technology we have, which is making us more productive, also has the potential to isolate us, and why we have to be intentional about seeking human contact every day.
Jeff Zbar
Jeff Zbar joins Jim Blasingame to discuss the exposure you have by delaying upgrading your Windows 7 operating system to the new version because of a lack of security updates.
Chris Moschovitis
Chris Moschovitis joins Jim Blasingame to discuss the World War that the U.S. is fighting in cyber-space, and whether there should be more focus by the government on a national regulatory approach to protection.
Chris Moschovitis
Chris Moschovitis joins Jim Blasingame to report on the perils business owners face in securing their data, networks and customer connections in a cyber-world that is populated by state-supported and independent cyber-criminals.
Chris Moschovitis
Chris Moschovitis joins Jim Blasingame to reveal how the handy and convenient digital and cyber tools we enjoy also have the potential to compromise our privacy, and why we have to balance those two aspects of our lives.
Robert Grede
Robert Grede joins Jim Blasingame to reveal the first five of his 10 rules for writing compelling ad copy that sells, including the headline, benefits and facts.
Robert Grede
Robert Grede joins Jim Blasingame to reveal the second set of five ad copy rules to follow in order to be more compelling and sell more, including use of testimonials, tell the truth, and review all of the foregoing nine rules before you send.
Lois Frankel
Lois Frankel joins Jim Blasingame to report on the current state of progress for women in breaking through the system that has favored men for millennia.
Lois Frankel
Lois Frankel joins Jim Blasingame to report on the things that women do that impede their progress, like not speaking up, not being sufficiently confident of their own competence, and taking more risks.
Lois Frankel
Lois Frankel joins Jim Blasingame to discuss the idea that in a male-dominated environment, sometimes its women who hold each other back, and the power of respecting someone even if you don’t like them.

Friday - February 14, 2020

Jay Mincks
Jay Mincks joins Jim Blasingame to discuss the current economic crisis of businesses not being able to hire enough qualified employees, and some of the management adjustments being taken to deal with the problem.
Jay Mincks
Jay Mincks joins Jim Blasingame to report on the recent Houston Sports Hall of Fame Inductions, including some very emotional moments, and why such sponsorships are important to the community and for the business.
Gary Pittsford
Gary Pittsford joins Jim Blasingame to report on the current demographic forces that are and will continue to drive how millions of Baby Boomer business owners will divest of their businesses, whether to family or not.
Gary Pittsford
Gary Pittsford joins Jim Blasingame to reveal some of the first steps to take as you prepare your business to have new owners after you retire, including assembling an Exit Team of legal, accounting/tax, and financial experts.
Gary Pittsford
Gary Pittsford joins Jim Blasingame to report that only 25% of children take over the family business for many reasons, including financial issues and the inability of the parent/owners/sellers to turn loose of the business to the kids.
Tom Anastasi
Tom Anastasi joins Jim Blasingame to discuss the challenge of making sure your non-sales employees are being compensated at a level that is competitive by using local compensation data, by zip code and job description.
Tom Anastasi
Tom Anastasi joins Jim Blasingame to discuss some of the ways to use leveraged comp plans so you’re competitive with your sales team, and driving your company sales growth goals.
Sarah Hiner
Sarah Hiner joins Jim Blasingame to reveal some of the things to do to minimize what causes you to wake up in the middle of the night, as well as some things to do after you wake up to get you back to sleep fast.
Sarah Hiner
Sarah Hiner joins Jim Blasingame to use a marathon runner attacking a steep hill as a metaphor for how to deal with the “hills” in business and life, and what kind of climber you are.
Sarah Hiner
Sarah Hiner joins Jim Blasingame to discuss the fact that life and the marketplace are always throwing us curveballs, and to offer some ideas on how to learn how to hit them instead of striking out.

Monday - February 17, 2020

John Berlau
John Berlau joins Jim Blasingame to discuss his upcoming book on the entrepreneurship of George Washington, including his relationship with failure as he learned how to make business decisions.
John Berlau
John Berlau joins Jim Blasingame to reveal how our first president understood the power of branding, and why intellectual property had value and how he created the earliest IP laws of our country.
Rich Galen
Rich Galen joins Jim Blasingame to discuss the similarities between the GOP primary process in 2016 and what is happening with the Democratic 2020 process as they choose their nominee.
Rich Galen
Rich Galen joins Jim Blasingame to discuss why the current selection process for the Democrats is likely to become a fight between Bloomberg and Sanders, but won’t wind up with those two on the same ticket.
Rich Galen
Rich Galen joins Jim Blasingame to discuss why the Democrats are not happy today, because of the Iowa caucus catastrophe, and the fact that their putative front-runner is an avowed socialist.
Kenneth Davis
Ken Davis joins Jim Blasingame to discuss the origins of the national holiday to celebrate our first president, and reveal the process of how the title “president” came to be, including how to refer to that person.
Kenneth Davis
Ken Davis joins Jim Blasingame to discuss how providential it was that our first president was George Washington because of his vision, leadership and willingness to walk away at the right time.
Bill Brandt
Bill Brandt joins Jim Blasingame to report on how Wuhan, not a small city in China, could become the epicenter of the coronavirus and a potential global pandemic.
Bill Brandt
Bill Brandt joins Jim Blasingame to reveal how the coronavirus became a political issue due to the way the PR was handled, and how it has taken Hong Kong out of the news, plus whether this disease is already a pandemic.
Bill Brandt
Bill Brandt joins Jim Blasingame to offer his appraisal of the coronavirus, which he believes is already at the pandemic stage, and how it will impact global trade, the supply chain and future allocation of capital.

Tuesday - February 18, 2020

Greg Kozera
Greg Kozera joins Jim Blasingame to reveal that while our failure to dispose of plastic waste needs to be addressed, the gift of plastics, created from oil and natural gas, is a gift to humanity in the form of performance and health benefits.
Greg Kozera
Greg Kozera joins Jim Blasingame to reveal the rethinking that U.S. energy independence has caused toward supply chain origination and sourcing, including our dependence on China.
Amanda Elam
Amanda Elam joins Jim Blasingame to report on this new research enterprise that is focusing on the unique issues women have in acquiring capital for their business growth.
Amanda Elam
Amanda Elam joins Jim Blasingame to address the differences between how men and women acquire capital investment and what can be done to close this divide from both sides of the transaction.
Amanda Elam
Amanda Elam joins Jim Blasingame to report on research that shows there are still impediments to women entrepreneurs acquiring venture capital, which might be resolved with more women being part of those investment decisions.
Olalah Njenga
Olalah Njenga joins Jim Blasingame to reveal what she was thinking and what was motivating her when she started her small business seventeen years ago.
Olalah Njenga
Olalah Njenga joins Jim Blasingame to reveal three trends in customer expectations, including the experience, the humanity and the endorsement.
Gleb Tsipursky
Gleb Tsipursky joins Jim Blasingame to reveal how we sometimes make very important business decisions based on our predisposition to see opportunity based on our own bias, and not facts.
Gleb Tsipursky
Gleb Tsipursky joins Jim Blasingame to discuss how often we disregard or fail to acquire facts and figures in making decisions, in favor of our own cognitive bias.
Gleb Tsipursky
Gleb Tsipursky joins Jim Blasingame to reveal that any cognitive bias we may have might be about things external to us, as well as the failure to recognize our own weaknesses, like not delegating enough.

Wednesday - February 19, 2020

John Huber
John Huber joins Jim Blasingame to discuss our increasing anxiety in society and the workplace, largely due to the conversion from analog living to the digital world, a shift no other generations have ever had to make.
John Huber
John Huber joins Jim Blasingame to offer suggestions on how to minimize productivity loss due to distractions, including imposing more granular and specific performance expectations.
Deb Calvert
Deb Calvert joins Jim Blasingame to celebrate the profession of sales, while at the same time lamenting the lack of professional sales training today.
Deb Calvert
Deb Calvert joins Jim Blasingame to reveal the power of having customer conversations that lead to engagement, that lead to long-term relationships, that lead to long-term sales performance.
Deb Calvert
Deb Calvert joins Jim Blasingame to discuss how to earn the admiration of customers so they become your biggest promoters, which also causes them to cut you some slack if – when – you make a mistake.
Laurel Delaney
Laurel Delaney joins Jim Blasingame to discuss why doing business with customers in other countries – global trade – is not only good for your business, but good for the world.
Laurel Delaney
Laurel Delaney joins Jim Blasingame to discuss how she’s helping women overcome challenges that are unique to women entrepreneurs when they attempt to conduct global trade.
Ray Keating
Ray Keating joins Jim Blasingame to debate some of the nuances of research that shows how small business owners feel about their business and the overall condition of their economy.
Ray Keating
Ray Keating joins Jim Blasingame to discuss whether it’s time to reconsider if 3% GDP growth per year is still the perfect number, and what role productivity plays in that calculation.
Ray Keating
Ray Keating joins Jim Blasingame to report on recent research that shows small business owners are very much engaged in the 2020 election cycle, including the top issues they think are most important to them.

Thursday - February 20, 2020

Paul Lester
Paul Lester joins Jim Blasingame to tell the story about how he became the most prolific and admired photographer of professional golf, and who among the pros he admired most.
Paul Lester
Paul Lester joins Jim Blasingame to offer his wisdom and advice on how what he learned as a professional photographer extends to every business owner: you have to offer something that other people will buy.
Gordon Chang
Gordon Chang joins Jim Blasingame to reveal that he first learned about the coronavirus outbreak a month after the first case was diagnosed, and why that revealed the information suppression behavior of China’s government.
Gordon Chang
Gordon Chang joins Jim Blasingame to reveal that early symptoms of the coronavirus is a fever, as it manifests as a respiratory illness like a very aggressive and, so far, untreatable form of pneumonia.
Gordon Chang
Gordon Chang joins Jim Blasingame to reveal how the coronavirus could become a threat to the Chinese Communist party largely because of how they’ve handled it, plus how it is making the supply chain rethink sourcing from China.
Jim Blasingame
Jim Blasingame reveals the difference between a Black Swan event and the Black Swan Theory, and why you should prepare your business for the latter.
Jim Blasingame
Jim Blasingame to discuss why the way you prepare for the next Black Swan event should not matter what hits you, as long as you’re prepared for a hit.
Ivan Misner
Ivan Misner joins Jim Blasingame to reveal how success as a networker is in direct proportion to your ability to demonstrate humility, and think of yourself less.
Ivan Misner
Ivan Misner joins Jim Blasingame to reveal that billionaire, Richard Branson, behaves in private as you see him in his public persona, which is humble and interested in those around him, and that is one of the keys to his success.
Ivan Misner
Ivan Misner joins Jim Blasingame to reveal why being a servant leader is not only the right thing to do for those around us, but also why it’s a business best practice that leads to success in the marketplace.

Friday - February 21, 2020

Suzanne Paling
Jennifer Leake
Why you need to know that professional selling is not for everyone
Suzanne Paling and Jennifer Leake join Jim Blasingame to discuss the fact that your quest for professional salespeople should begin with a screening process that helps you find people who have that predisposition.
Suzanne Paling
Jennifer Leake
How to conduct a hiring process for salespeople
Suzanne Paling and Jennifer Leake join Jim Blasingame to discuss the imperative of having a process that includes the ability to screen for sales candidates that have the highest likelihood of success, plus important training best practices.
John DiJulius
The power of customer-centric hiring
John DiJulius joins Jim Blasingame to discuss the management imperative of hiring salespeople who are the most likely to build relationships by being customer-centric.
John DiJulius
Five traits to screen for when hiring sales people
John DiJulius joins Jim Blasingame to reveal five areas to look for in a prospective sales person, including authenticity, being curious, having empathy, and at least two others.
John DiJulius
Use the “FORD” approach to collecting essential customer info
John DiJulius joins Jim Blasingame to reveal the “FORD” approach to nurturing customers, which is to collect information about family, occupation, recreation and dreams, as a way to focus on what’s important to them.
Bill Treasurer
How good are you at setting and achieving goals?
Bill Treasurer joins Jim Blasingame to discuss the fact that most of us aren’t that good at achieving the goals we set, how to differentiate reactive and proactive goals, and how to achieve the ones we set.
Bill Treasurer
Why setting and achieving goals begin with those that are measurable
Bill Treasurer joins Jim Blasingame to talk about establishing goals that you write down, that are measurable, and how to hold yourself accountable going forward.
Chad Moutray
NAM survey: over two-thirds of manufacturers are still optimistic
Chad Moutray joins Jim Blasingame to report on the Q4 2019 Manufacturers Survey, which shows small and mid-size manufacturers are more optimistic about the future than are large manufacturers.
Chad Moutray
How will the two new trade deals impact manufacturing optimism?
Chad Moutray joins Jim Blasingame to report on the impact the USMCA and China Phase One trade deals just signed will have on manufacturing, including report that the trade negotiation period didn’t have too bad of an effect.
Chad Moutray
What will 2020 hold for the economy, especially manufacturers?
Chad Moutray joins Jim Blasingame to propose that we will not have a recession in 2020, because there are no economic fundamentals indicating that, plus the economy should benefit from completing the two trade deals.

Monday - February 24, 2020

Bridget Weston
Bridget Weston joins Jim Blasingame to report on the continued support of America’s small businesses by thousands of SCORE volunteers across the country, and that the support is still and always free of charge.
Bridget Weston
Bridget Weston joins Jim Blasingame to report on a new report showing how women and minority businesses are growing at the fastest rate of any, as SCORE continues to be a great example of the support available to U.S. entrepreneurs.
Sarah Hiner
Sarah Hiner joins Jim Blasingame to report on the good and not so much about creating a will online, plus how to make sure Amazon sends you the product you intended to buy.
Sarah Hiner
Sarah Hiner joins Jim Blasingame to discuss why we all have a problem admitting we don’t know something, and why it’s powerful to be able to admit you don’t know, including a better way to ask for help.
Sarah Hiner
Sarah Hiner joins Jim Blasingame to report on some of the legal and tax issues that could come into play if you try to avoid taxes by purchasing a home in a lower tax state.
Stephen Kuhl
Stephen Kuhl joins Jim Blasingame to report on the number of small firms that are engaged in regular international trade transactions, especially now with the passage of USMCA, and why they need support from community banks and credit unions.
Stephen Kuhl
Stephen Kuhl joins Jim Blasingame to report on the Western Union’s Foundation efforts to provide financial support for certain organizations that will be hurt by the coronavirus impact on international trade and travel.
JJ Ramberg
JJ Ramberg joins Jim Blasingame to talk about the success she and her brother have had doing business together, from startup to growth, and now adding a new startup together.
JJ Ramberg
JJ Ramberg joins Jim Blasingame to report on her new venture, Goodpods, which finds and aggregates the most interesting and listened to podcasts and puts them literally at your fingertips.
JJ Ramberg
JJ Ramberg joins Jim Blasingame to reveal some of the things every entrepreneur has to deal with in order to startup a business successfully, especially becoming comfortable with the stress of things not going your way.

Tuesday - February 25, 2020

Karen Cortell Reisman
Karen Cortell Reisman joins Jim Blasingame to encourage you to use the time-tested power of stories to get your message across and through the clutter, with employees and customers.
Karen Cortell Reisman
Karen Cortell Reisman joins Jim Blasingame to reveal some of the key components of storytelling, which remains one of the most powerful methods of connecting with and communicating ideas to others.
Scott Aurnou
Scott Aurnou joins Jim Blasingame to report on the increasing effectiveness of cyber-criminals as they increasingly target specific businesses – like yours – rather than use a broad net, like spear phishing that delivers ransomware.
Scott Aurnou
Scott Aurnou joins Jim Blasingame to report on how the System of National Accounts is proposing that nations count the illegal activity, including drugs, prostitution and business theft, as part of that country’s annual GDP.
Scott Aurnou
Scott Aurnou joins Jim Blasingame to report on how some cyber-criminals are delivering cryptic messages wrapped in seemingly innocuous memes, and why this practice is dangerous for safety and national security.
Sean Doyle
Sean Doyle joins Jim Blasingame to reveal how the Value Triad – revenue, cost and emotion – are the key factors in how we operate our businesses and how customers decide to say, “I’ll take it.”
Sean Doyle
Sean Doyle joins Jim Blasingame to reveal the four value types that we all expect to resolve before we make a purchasing decision, and why focusing on value – not price – is the Holy Grail of small business.
Tiana Laurence
Tiana Laurence joins Jim Blasingame to report on the concept of cryptocurrency – including the different kinds – and why it is filling a niche on many levels across the global, 21st century marketplace.
Tiana Laurence
Tiana Laurence joins Jim Blasingame to report that the federal government is moving the Secret Service back under control of the Treasury Dept., in order to focus on the rise of cryptocurrency adoption.
Tiana Laurence
Tiana Laurence joins Jim Blasingame to report on the difficulty that Facebook’s cryptocurrency/payment system, the Libra, is having being scrutinized by the federal government, and why the next move of both parties will be significant.

Wednesday - February 26, 2020

Chris  Carosa
Chris Carosa joins Jim Blasingame to report on the new California law that hurts the ability of companies to use contractors for work that doesn’t fit an employment model, including Uber drivers.
Chris  Carosa
Chris Carosa joins Jim Blasingame to report on the contagious potential for the California law that restricts the use of contractors, and why this destructive policy could infect other states.
John Bradberry
John Bradberry joins Jim Blasingame to discuss how to evaluate whether you have what it takes to be an entrepreneur, and the four factors that are the most involved in this direction.
John Bradberry
John Bradberry joins Jim Blasingame to reveal how an entrepreneurial assessment works and why every business startup should know their strengths and weaknesses.
John Bradberry
John Bradberry joins Jim Blasingame to reveal the question you should ask yourself about your entrepreneurial aspirations, including some of the elements that come into play for entrepreneurs.
Jim Blasingame
Jim Blasingame reveals what makes up organizational sauce, including the ingredients, the results when you apply it, and the powerful leverage it can deliver.
Jim Blasingame
Jim Blasingame to reveal how to create organizational special sauce, what it looks like to customers and how to maximize it with a higher level of trust.
Arky Ciancutti
Arky Ciancutti joins Jim Blasingame to discuss the medical aspect of the coronavirus, including the role that trust plays in containing such a pandemic.
Arky Ciancutti
Arky Ciancutti joins Jim Blasingame to reveal some of the ground rules that are part of practicing trust, whether being transparent about a pandemic, or doing business.
Arky Ciancutti
Arky Ciancutti joins Jim Blasingame to differentiate between trust and ethics, while at the same time revealing how the two are inseparable.

Thursday - February 27, 2020

Jeff Zbar
Jeff Zbar joins Jim Blasingame to talk about the advantages of being home-based in your business, and how that corresponds to being prepared to live and work during a viral pandemic.
Jeff Zbar
Jeff Zbar joins Jim Blasingame to discuss being prepared for a pandemic, or any other major disruption, by conducting a test day where everyone works from home.
Rich Galen
Rich Galen joins Jim Blasingame to discuss keeping the current coronavirus pandemic scare in perspective with other things that kill hundreds of thousands around the world every year.
Rich Galen
Rich Galen joins Jim Blasingame to discuss the current state of the Democratic presidential nomination process, and whether Sanders continues to be in danger of having the nomination stolen from him – again -- by the leadership.
Rich Galen
Rich Galen joins Jim Blasingame to discuss Main Street business politics, and why the Democrats won’t get much help from small business owners because it’s STILL “the economy, stupid.”
Bob Negen
Bob Negen joins Jim Blasingame to reveal some of the unique challenges small business retailers have doing business when a pandemic scare has customers staying home.
Bob Negen
Bob Negen joins Jim Blasingame to offer suggestions on how to maintain perspective while developing a plan for your retail business during a period of pandemic worry and possible reality.
John Harrison
John Harrison joins Jim Blasingame to discuss the concept called, “Blexit,” which would be the game-changing shift of black voter allegiance from the Democrat Party to the Republicans.
John Harrison
John Harrison joins Jim Blasingame to reveal that when dealing with a possible disruption, like the coronavirus, it’s important to be prepared.
John Harrison
John Harrison joins Jim Blasingame to offer tips and suggestions on how to curb impulse spending whether online or otherwise, including discontinuing email notices from retailers you like.

Friday - February 28, 2020

Bryan Mattimore
Dan  Pfister
Bryan Mattimore and Dan Pfister join Jim Blasingame to reveal creative strategies that will help you win back customers who have left you, and why that’s a better plan than looking for prospects who don’t know you.
Bryan Mattimore
Dan  Pfister
Bryan Mattimore and Dan Pfister join Jim Blasingame to reveal how to approach customers who’ve left you, by approaching them with new ideas that are based on what’s relevant to them today.
Mike Daniels
Mike Daniels joins Jim Blasingame to reveal some of the people and ideas that were part of the origins of the Internet, and whether they had any idea of the level of disruption and opportunity they were creating.
Mike Daniels
Mike Daniels joins Jim Blasingame to reveal some of the opportunities and disruptions that represent both sides of the Internet coin, and the unanswered question of how we incorporate digital ethics in the application of digital leverage.
Mike Daniels
Mike Daniels joins Jim Blasingame to report on the current state of the Cyber War between the U.S. and global bad actors, plus how we’re going to manage the next level of technology, like blockchain and artificial intelligence.
Grant Leboff
Grant Leboff joins Jim Blasingame to debunk some of the myths of marketing, including that how you did marketing in the past is still valid, plus marketing and selling are the same thing.
Grant Leboff
Grant Leboff joins Jim Blasingame to dispel some of the classic marketing myths, like my business is too small to do marketing, and creating content marketing is too difficult.
Rob Jolles
Rob Jolles joins Jim Blasingame to discuss the fundamental role that selling has in making the world go round, because it is a natural law in the marketplace that nothing happens until someone sells something.
Rob Jolles
Rob Jolles joins Jim Blasingame to reveal the direct connection between your sales goals and putting the best people in front of customers with the best salesmanship training possible – not just project training.
Rob Jolles
Rob Jolles joins Jim Blasingame to discuss the question of whether having industry experience is more important than hiring a salesperson with a proven record of sales success.