Japancast.net Audio Only Feed: Recent Episodes
Business Numbers Podcast
Real entrepreneurs discuss what they learned about their business numbers, to help you grow your business. Case studies and actionable stories, not dry theory. Profit, margins and cash flow, not just marketing conversion numbers.
Dominic Wells is the founder of Human Proof Designs. A tech company, Human Proof Designs builds niche websites for their clients. Dominic explains affiliate sites and marketing for newcomers. He tells me how he went from teaching English in Taiwan to designing websites and growing a successful online business. Dominic discusses hiring and keeping the delicate balance of profit and growth. He also has some practical advice for people wanting to jump into affiliate marketing. If you would like to ask me a business question, just send it along and I'll see what I can do!
Today I continue with my Q&A sessions. Today’s question comes from members of my group program, who have asked me to discuss some of my influences and inspirations. So, I have made a list of books and content creators who have really helped me navigate my career. Keep in mind that some of this is taken from memory as a young man, so some of these recommendations might not hold up as well in today’s market. If you would like to ask me a business question, just send it along and I’ll see what I can do!
My guest today is Shayna Oliveira, the creator of Espresso English and the host of the podcast Entrepreneurs in Motion. Shayna began her career as an English teacher in Brazil. After seeing her students would benefit from an online version of her lessons, she began a daily blog that reviewed her lessons for her students. Shayna tells me how her blog became a successful online course business. We discuss how she generates traffic and how she meets the needs of her customers. We also discuss the decision process behind hiring and outsourcing help for your business. Shayna also has some practical advice for anyone who would like to get into the online course market.
Today's Q&A question comes from members of my group program. Tim and Grant ask: "In all the years you have been doing business accounting/virtual CFO, etc. what are the common patterns or mistakes you see being repeated over and over again? What are the top three things that make you shake your head in frustration?"
My guest today is Ryu Noai, the owner of the Australian tax firm Impala Accountants. Ryu is a seasoned traveller who uses his international experience to help small businesses navigate the pitfalls of international taxes. He tells me about his adventures abroad and how his education allowed him some unique opportunities. Ryu answers some common questions that many Australians have and he addresses some international tax issues. We also discuss the common problems people create for themselves during tax season.
Q&A episode 11 answers the question "where can I borrow?" from one of the members of my group program, In this episode: Important points about debt funding in general. Personal borrowing, to free up funds for the business. Sources of debt funding.
Kylah Morrison is the CEO of the Karratha & Districts Chamber of Commerce & Industry. On today’s episode, she joins me to discuss her journey to this unique career opportunity. Kylah began her career as an engineer in the corporate space. She then pivoted into doing business coaching out of her home. When she realized she needed a change, she took her current position and found an area of business she fit into quite well. Kylah looks back on her time as a business coach and shares some of the lessons she took from the experience. We discuss the problem mental blocks can cause for entrepreneurs and how to break through them to move forward in your business. Kylah tells me about her own struggle with deciding on pricing and seeing the value of her services. And of course, she answers the big question, what does the CEO of a chamber of commerce do?
John Gillingham, the founder of AccountingPlay.com, is my guest today. John used his background in accounting to help CPA students expand their education and refresh their skills. He has also developed some top rated apps for the iTunes store. John’s lifelong goal has been to be his own boss and he has been able to do that with great results. We discuss John’s journey into app development and how remote teams have helped him reach his goals. We explore the challenge of working on a small budget and getting a service or product off the ground.
This is the 10th Q&A episode, and last week was the 30th episode of the podcast, which are great milestones to answer a listener question about what I'm up to and where can they find more of my helpful content.
My guest today is Michaela Light, the host of the Intuitive Leadership Mastery Podcast. She is also the author of the Intuitive Leadership Mastery book and What Would It Take? Michaela is also the founder of TeraTech, a cold fusion based software company. In recent years, she has been making her living doing coaching and consulting work. During today’s episode, we follow Michaela on her entrepreneurial journey. Her story is very dramatic and inspiring for those riding the highs and lows of the entrepreneurial road. Prior to 2008, Michaela was responsible for a nation-wide cold fusion conference. She describes what it was like organizing such a large event and some of the behind-the-scenes aspects that people tend to forget. TeraTech hosted the conference for eleven years until it was no longer feasible. Michaela has some fascinating insights from her time coping with the mid-2000s economy crash. Tune in for her amazing story!
John Ainsworth is the founder of Data-Driven Marketing, a digital marketing firm dedicated to helping online businesses maximise their marketing strategies. We talk about John's journey from door-to-door book sales, through using his knowledge to encourage people into sports activities, through to virtual CMO (Chief Marketing Officer) work through Data-Driven Marketing and explains his 5 steps to help his clients increase their revenue using marketing data.
Anna Rova is the founder and host of the Girlskill Podcast, a bi-weekly show that inspires women to live life on their own terms. We talk about her journey from becoming an email marketing specialist, in Malaysia and as a digital nomad, for personal growth companies, through to her "audience first" approach to building her business.
“Is it better to have fewer big customers or many smaller customers?” Well, the short answer is, it depends on what you want to achieve in your business. I elaborate on this in more detail, and I have some pros and cons about aiming for large customers versus catering to smaller customers. If you are not sure which method you want to try, I might have some insight for you to help your decision.
Question from a client: what are the pros and cons of raising prices for existing customers? Includes tips for many different business models.
My guest today is Mandi Ellefson of Hands Off CEO. Mandi helps service business owners to find more time, delegate better to their teams, and grow their profitability.
Question from listener Ben: How to invest excess business funds, without distributing to yourself first? There are many types of investments, but in this episode I focus on business-related options for investing (and "investing") excess cash. Disclaimer: No tax, legal, or financial/investment advice on this episode. Talk to a professional!
I recently did an AMA (Ask Me Anything) session in a facebook group for one of my clients, and I answered two of those questions again here on the podcast. If you have any questions for the next Q&A episode, or want me to do an AMA in your group, fill out the contact form at BusinessNumbersPodcast.com/contact.
Sam is a sales and business relationship coach. Her goal is to teach people how to build a rapport with people and make sales without high-pressure techniques. We talk about Sam’s process and online courses she offers to clients to help them have better sales conversations without selling. She also tells me about her unconventional work history and nomadic lifestyle. Sam is a fascinating person and she is a gold mine of sales advice. She offers some practical and very actionable advice to help you find your sales confidence and have better business relationships.
Takeaways from a small conference I ran on the Gold Coast with Meryl last weekend. In this episode: Business owners helping each other. Mansions and spontaneous conversation. Masterminds. Attendee talks.
In this Q&A episode, I talk about "spreadsheet daydreaming", a term that I've used in a few episodes: what it is in detail, the risks, what it usually means if you are spreadsheet daydreaming, and ways to deal with all of that.