Cheers To Business: Recent Episodes

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In this episode, guest-host Johnny Gwin talks with Tommy Wetjen about how he built Gamers N Geeks, the Gulf Coast's largest gaming store specializing in card games, board games, dice games, miniatures, and video games. Tommy also shares how he has grown his business by creating an economic ecosystem with collaborators and like-minded merchants and vendors, making a unique experience that encourages all ages and types of gamers to feel welcome.

Plus, Tommy spills the beans on purchasing, relaunching, and reinventing the CWL, the Combat Wrestling League, that will bring local wrestling back to the Gulf Coast.

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In this episode, guest host Johnny Gwin talks with Scotty White about how he takes another step in building his business empire of Geekdom with his new Scotty's Toy Shop specializing in action figures and other pop culture collectibles. Scotty is not just an entrepreneur, podcaster, and comic book creator; he is now an action figure curator, doctor, and bounty hunter to find "that special toy that someone wants from their childhood memories and will bring them happiness."

Cheers to Scotty White; he is creating revenue from doing something that he loves and is building a loyal and engaged community around his new toy shop, Scotty's Toy Shop.

**Check Out Gamers & Geeks

Listen to EP107: Just Make The Thing with Scotty White**

Scotty's Jedi Lessons On Starting A Retail Business

• Do your research. Know what you are getting into with a brick and mortar or online retail store and understand the market trends, opportunities, and challenges before you go "all in"

• Build your network. Reach out to similar and successful business owners in the market that you want to start selling.

• Start small. Before investing capital and time with a store, start selling from your collection to test the proof of concept for your store and products.

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**Learn More About Karen Simmons & CFO Consulting

Karen C. Simmons, P.C.

CFO Consulting Services**

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Business owners and employees leave money on the table year after year by not having the right retirement plan in place. In this episode, Karen talks with the Mobile, Alabama employer, employee, and personal retirement plan TPA specialist Crystal Sears of Azalea Administration. Crystal explains all the options employers and employees now have with 401(k) and other retirement plans and how to get started saving for your future. Plus, learn why setting up an employee plan is one of the best ways to hire, motivate, and keep your best team members and top producers.

{Editor's Note: this is a rebroadcast of a past episode. Karen is taking the week off the show to spend time with her family for the Fourth of July holiday.}

Learn more about Crystal Sears and Azalea Administration.

Key Takeaways:

1. A 401(k) plan is it's a way to save money, but you're saving it for yourself.
2. Employee retirement plans for your help you find, motivate and keep your best employees.
3. Hire a qualified third-party administrator to set up and manage your company's retirement plans.
4. Cheap index funds won't cost you a lot of money, but they won't make you any money either.
5. Start the retirement plan process with your CPA, Accounting Department, or your HR department.
6. Find the right TPA specialist to administer your retirement plans.

Learn More About Karen Simmons & CFO ConsultingKaren C. Simmons, P.C.

CFO Consulting Services

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On this episode, Karen talks with Trey Byrum, owner of the Alabama Pipe Welders Academy and Scottsman Tools in Mobile, Alabama, about the importance of learning a trade, creating a product, having faith, and giving back to your community. Trey details how his welding school started from chaos and tragedy into something magical from very humble beginnings. Plus, he will tell us what it is like to share the TV screen with Billy Bones on the National Geographic Channel.

Key Takeaways

• Learning a trade is transformative for the individual and plays a vital role in all communities.

• Sometimes moving forward in life starts with stepping back and having to overcome big obstacles.

• Making "giving back to your community" a part of your business model is rewarding and can be a big asset in motivating yourself and your team.

See Trey on National Geographic's Breaking Bobby Bones

Alabama Pipe Welders AcademyLearn more here.

Scottsman Tools
Learn more here.

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The most valuable resource for any business is their customers, and while new customers are essential, acquiring new ones can cost as much as 7 times more than retaining a customer you already have. On this episode, guest host Johnny Gwin talks with the co-host of The Insurance Guys podcast and owner of Portal Insurance, the incomparable Bradley Flowers. Bradley delivers real-world stories, insights and essential tools for keeping your best customers to make sure your business survives and thrives.

Check out Bradley on The Insurance Guys Podcast

Bradley Flowers Steps For Customer Retention

• Evaluate your clients and identify your VIP customers.
• Calculate the lifetime value of your customers.
• Determine what keeps your customers coming back.
• Find and use essential CMR tools, automation, and processes.
• Automate but keep the human touch.
  Train your team to buy into the "love your customer" mindset.
• Manage customer expectations and overdeliver.
• Keep listening to your clients.
• Communicate with your clients in the way that they prefer.
• Satisfy, surprise & connect with your customers.

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Learn More About DocRX

DocRx is a family-oriented company dedicated to tailor operational solutions for patient health and compliance programs that increases the quality and efficiency of patient-centered care and always with the mission of the patient's health 1st. With over ten years of experience helping doctors and their patients with diagnostic testing, patient monitoring, medical supplies, compliance, wholesale pharmacy, physician dispensing billing, and more.

DocRx is your patient and health compliance solution, both under one roof. To find out how DocRx can help your hospital, pharmacy, or physicians office see all their services at DocRx.com.

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On this episode, guest host Johnny Gwin talks with singer/songwriter, music producer, session guitarist, and professional music businessman Eric Erdman about creating a career where he is the brand, product, factory, and the skilled labor. Eric demystifies the rock star mythos with tales of hard work, serious practicing, endless touring, and power networking to be able to travel the world entertaining thousands as his songs and talent. Plus, Eric shares his love of the talented musicians and unique musical sound of his hometown of Mobile, Alabama.

Get To Know Eric Erdman MusicFollow Eric on Spotify
Hear Eric on Youtube

Key Takeaways

The music business is ever-changing with changing audience tastes to disruptive technology and isn't always glamourous.

Practice, practice, practice, and learn to be multifaceted and flexible with your skills and abilities.

Succeeding in the music business is not just practicing your craft but also putting sound business fundamentals into practice.

Be yourself, but don't ignore the trends and realities of your market, industry, and business environment.

Grow your industry network to increase your employment and learning opportunities.

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Learn More About DocRX

DocRx is a family-oriented company dedicated to tailor operational solutions for patient health and compliance programs that increases the quality and efficiency of patient-centered care and always with the mission of the patient's health 1st. With over ten years of experience helping doctors and their patients with diagnostic testing, patient monitoring, medical supplies, compliance, wholesale pharmacy, physician dispensing billing, and more.

DocRx is your patient and health compliance solution, both under one roof. To find out how DocRx can help your hospital, pharmacy, or physicians office see all their services at DocRx.com.

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Everyone is talking about Bitcoin, Ethereum, Doge Coin, and alt-coins. What the heck is this mass hype, and are you missing out if you are already not in "crypto"? On this episode, guest host Johnny Gwin talks with Mobile's serial entrepreneur, Scott Tindle, about why he has jumped headfirst into crypto and blockchain technology, the quickest way to get started in crypto, and his tips on trading bitcoin and crypto. Plus, Johnny and Scott run down all of the weird crypto jargon you are bound to hear over the next few years.

Start Trading Crypto! Open Your Coinbase Account Here
Use this link to open your Coinbase account, and you and Johnny will both get a $10 bonus.

Key Takeaways

Cryptocurrency and blockchain technology is an exciting, new, and expansive industry that has already touched most people's lives.

The first place most people start with crypto is to open a Coinbase.com account.

Bitcoin and Ethereum and the most well-known digital monetary asset, but there are thousands of cryptocurrencies and tokens.

Don't just invest in hype, do your research and understand the details and fundamentals about the crypto projects you are looking to trade.

Crypto markets are highly volatile, and all your principal capital can be lost.

Learn disciplined and be patient with crypto trading, and do not fall into FOMO.

This episode is for educational purposes only and should not be considered financial advice.

Resources

CryptoWendyO Youtube Channel

Bad Crypto Podcast

Coinstats App

Into The Block

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Learn More About DocRX

DocRx is a family-oriented company dedicated to tailor operational solutions for patient health and compliance programs that increases the quality and efficiency of patient-centered care and always with the mission of the patient's health 1st. With over ten years of experience helping doctors and their patients with diagnostic testing, patient monitoring, medical supplies, compliance, wholesale pharmacy, physician dispensing billing, and more.

DocRx is your patient and health compliance solution, both under one roof. To find out how DocRx can help your hospital, pharmacy, or physicians office see all their services at DocRx.com.

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In this episode, Karen talks with the bold and dynamic Bridgette Jerkins of Royal Barbers located in Mobile, Alabama. She explains her unique style of training and guiding her customers' behaviors and expectations to benefit their experience and her bottom line. Bridgette also shares her experiences, challenges, and successes as a young businesswoman in a world dominated by male barbers and patrons. And lastly, Karen and Bridgette talk about the joy and headaches of working with their amazing daughters. This show is filled with 100s of laughs, tons of knowledge, and two amazing and strong women. Enjoy the show!

Key Takeaways

Know your customers, location, and needs to customize a sensbile work schedule and profitable operation.

Strive to create more than a business and service to your customers. Building a community around who and what you do.

Learn to create a culture around your business that connects customers to your business and to you as an entrepreneur.

Be comfortable being bold, demanding, assertive, and discerning with your business.

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Learn More About DocRX

DocRx is a family-oriented company dedicated to tailor operational solutions for patient health and compliance programs that increases the quality and efficiency of patient-centered care and always with the mission of the patient's health 1st. With over ten years of experience helping doctors and their patients with diagnostic testing, patient monitoring, medical supplies, compliance, wholesale pharmacy, physician dispensing billing, and more.

DocRx is your patient and health compliance solution, both under one roof. To find out how DocRx can help your hospital, pharmacy, or physicians office see all their services at DocRx.com.

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On this episode, Karen and show producer Johnny Gwin have picked out the strongest and most brilliant moments of the most listened to guest of Cheers To Business, Dr. Gia Wiggins of Morale Resources. Gia is not just just an HR expert she is also a guru for motivating, maximizing and engaging your company workforce and leadership. Sit back, turn up the headphones, and soak up the brilliance that is Dr. Gia Wiggins.

Key Takeaways

• You don't always need an HR department, but make sure you can deal with your employee issues.

• Always treat someone with respect, whether you are hiring them or letting them go.

• Become adaptable. If you keep doing the same thing, you'll get the same results.

• Be open and connect. Listen more to new ideas from your teams and empower them to do their job with less micromanagement.

Check out all of Gia's Cheers To Business Episodes

• Hiring, Firing, Engagement, and HR Secrets with Gia Wiggins >>> EP27

• Communicating The “Why“ with Dr. Gia Wiggins >>> EP105

• Reinvention and Clean Brooms with Karen and Gia >>> EP106

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Learn More About DocRX

DocRx is a family-oriented company dedicated to tailor operational solutions for patient health and compliance programs that increases the quality and efficiency of patient-centered care and always with the mission of the patient's health 1st. With over ten years of experience helping doctors and their patients with diagnostic testing, patient monitoring, medical supplies, compliance, wholesale pharmacy, physician dispensing billing, and more.

DocRx is your patient and health compliance solution, both under one roof. To find out how DocRx can help your hospital, pharmacy, or physicians office see all their services at DocRx.com.

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On this episode, Karen talks with Cheers all-star guest and founder of the Fizzi Fest, Lady Stacy Wellborn. Stacy shares the spark for her to take her passion for champagne and turn that into a popular and successful community festival that celebrates the good life and all things bubbles. Plus, she shares all the essential steps for you to transform your passion and obsessions into a thriving event and business.

Key Takeaways

• Don't let inexperience, a long to-do list, or tough logistics stop you from creating an event or festival

• Build a team of partners, sponsors, supporters , and like minded organizations around your event and mission to make it happen.

• Be sure to know all the federal, state, and local laws, requirements and permits

Learn more about Fizzi Fest >>>

Get Your Fizzi Fest Tickets >>>

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Learn More About DocRX

DocRx is a family-oriented company dedicated to tailor operational solutions for patient health and compliance programs that increases the quality and efficiency of patient-centered care and always with the mission of the patient's health 1st. With over ten years of experience helping doctors and their patients with diagnostic testing, patient monitoring, medical supplies, compliance, wholesale pharmacy, physician dispensing billing, and more.

DocRx is your patient and health compliance solution, both under one roof. To find out how DocRx can help your hospital, pharmacy, or physicians office see all their services at DocRx.com.

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On this special installment of The Best of Cheers To Business, Karen and show producer Johnny Gwin have gone thru two and half seasons to find some of the finest moments from one of their favorite things to talk about, turning that passion or hobby into a profitable business. So, sit back, pour yourself a glass of your favorite beverage, and soak in this informational and inspirational packed show that we are calling Cheers To The Side Hustle.

Featured Past Guests On This Episode

- Scotty White: a self-described Comic book geek that's becoming a comic book author and animator.

- Abe Partridge: a one-time Baptist preacher that's now rising up the charts as a folk musician and artist.

- Tony Ingram: a sizzling hot homemade Salsa manufacturer.

- John Serda: a beer lover that is growing a beer (and coffee) empire.

- Chris and Laney Andrews: a couple that together is building a food tourism business from scratch.

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Learn More About DocRX

DocRx is a family-oriented company dedicated to tailor operational solutions for patient health and compliance programs that increases the quality and efficiency of patient-centered care and always with the mission of the patient's health 1st. With over ten years of experience helping doctors and their patients with diagnostic testing, patient monitoring, medical supplies, compliance, wholesale pharmacy, physician dispensing billing, and more.

DocRx is your patient and health compliance solution, both under one roof. To find out how DocRx can help your hospital, pharmacy, or physicians office see all their services at DocRx.com.

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On this very special first-ever best off episode, Karen and show producer Johnny Gwin have picked the best moments (so far) from the show talking about and giving insights on sales. Some of our brilliant guests share their knowledge on what makes a good salesperson, hiring a top-notch sales force, selling tactics for any audience, and how even to sell yourself. Thanks so much for listening to our first 130 shows; ya'll are the best podcast audience in the world.

Featured Best-Of Guests (in order of appearance):

Rhen Barlett - Episode 33
Mary Grothe - Episode 68
Cadie and Karen - Episode 49
Cam Marston - Episode 125
Melissa Cross - Episode 54
Ray Weinshenker - Episode 43
Cadie & Karen - Episode 1

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Learn More About DocRX

DocRx is a family-oriented company dedicated to tailor operational solutions for patient health and compliance programs that increases the quality and efficiency of patient-centered care and always with the mission of the patient's health 1st. With over ten years of experience helping doctors and their patients with diagnostic testing, patient monitoring, medical supplies, compliance, wholesale pharmacy, physician dispensing billing, and more.

DocRx is your patient and health compliance solution, both under one roof. To find out how DocRx can help your hospital, pharmacy, or physicians office see all their services at DocRx.com.

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On this episode, Karen talks all things marketing with Sarah Bumgarner, Marketing Director at Saad Healthcare Hospice. Sarah shares her marketing experience and insights from inside a company and from an outside agency perspective. She and Karen discuss the importance of CFOs, CEOs, and upper management to see the marketing budget as a capital investment and the lifeblood to growing a company.

Key Takeaways

• Sell marketing budgets and ideas in terms of ROI (Return On Investment) and increased productivity, not cost and expense.

• Know your brand, be consistent, and build for something long-term.

• Measure your social media marketing in ROI not in vanity metrics of likes and shares.

• Create an obtainable goal, strategy, and plan before initiating any marketing tactic or campaign.

• Be sure to communicate and connect with your internal audience just as much as your external targets.

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Learn More About DocRX

DocRx is a family-oriented company dedicated to tailor operational solutions for patient health and compliance programs that increases the quality and efficiency of patient-centered care and always with the mission of the patient's health 1st. With over ten years of experience helping doctors and their patients with diagnostic testing, patient monitoring, medical supplies, compliance, wholesale pharmacy, physician dispensing billing, and more.

DocRx is your patient and health compliance solution, both under one roof. To find out how DocRx can help your hospital, pharmacy, or physicians office see all their services at DocRx.com.

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On this episode. Karen talks with Cheers To Business podcast producer Johnny Gwin about his newfound interest in a Fixed vs. Growth Mindset. A Fixed Mindset sees an overall intelligence, talent, or skill to be a fixed entity - something that cannot grow. A Growth Mindset is one in which an individual sees themselves as in a state of development in learning a skill over time. Using Carol Dweck's groundbreaking book as a starting place, Johnny and Karen have a lively discussion about how this change in mindset can improve how you learn, lead others, work, and live.

Key Takeaways

• A Fixed Mindset can limit one's ability to learn and thrive in learning a new skill or talent.

• A Growth Mindset creates a process for one to develop and master skills over time using value over talent and process over results.

• Learning comes from the failing in the process of mastering a new skill.

• Learn to use the "not yet" technique. When struggling, remind yourself that you haven't mastered that skill, YET!

Buy Mindset by Carol Dweck >>> //////////////

Learn More About DocRX

DocRx is a family-oriented company dedicated to tailor operational solutions for patient health and compliance programs that increases the quality and efficiency of patient-centered care and always with the mission of the patient's health 1st. With over ten years of experience helping doctors and their patients with diagnostic testing, patient monitoring, medical supplies, compliance, wholesale pharmacy, physician dispensing billing, and more.

DocRx is your patient and health compliance solution, both under one roof. To find out how DocRx can help your hospital, pharmacy, or physicians office see all their services at DocRx.com.

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On this episode, Karen talks with author and entrepreneur advocate Christoper Ray Coleman. Chris gives his insights on the how he doesn't look at business and decisions as good or bad but in terms of healthy or unhealthy. Chris stresses the importance of your entrepreneur choices and business growth models to be sustainable, healthy, and aligned with your heart, mind, and soul. Plus, Karen talks about her upcoming panel discussion at his controversial entrepreneur meetup called - FuckUp Nights Mobile. This event series uses the public sharing of professional failures as a tool for business growth, personal inspiration, and intending to ease the stigma and fear of screwing up big time in your business and life.

Learn more about Fuckup Nights Mobile >>>
Get Your Ticket

Key Takeaways:

When starting a business, start where you are and build a strong foundation.

When starting a business focus on cash flow, sales and profits not just branding and marketing.

Look long term when building your business. It's about the compound interest of doing the hard work, not just overnight success.

You can be professional without having to look and sound professional.

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Learn More About DocRX

DocRx is a family-oriented company dedicated to tailor operational solutions for patient health and compliance programs that increases the quality and efficiency of patient-centered care and always with the mission of the patient's health 1st. With over ten years of experience helping doctors and their patients with diagnostic testing, patient monitoring, medical supplies, compliance, wholesale pharmacy, physician dispensing billing, and more.

DocRx is your patient and health compliance solution, both under one roof. To find out how DocRx can help your hospital, pharmacy, or physicians office see all their services at DocRx.com.

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On this special episode, the host of the radio show What's Working with Cam Marston, Cam Marston, and he takes over the Cheers To Business microphones to have an in-depth interview and conversation with Karen Simmons. Karen shares about her childhood, somethings you might not know about her, what Karen gets out of the Cheers podcast, and what drives her in her life and many businesses.

Key Takeaways

Karen likes to build, make and grow businesses and relationships.

Build a team to complement strengths and work around weaknesses.

Business owners need to build and grow their companies so that no company is dependent on them being ever-present to make it work.

Cheers To:I like to build, make and grow. That is exciting. I don't care if it's a tomato or a business. - Karen Simmons

Look for a win-win-win. I don't believe in two wins; I believe in three wins. A win for you, the customer, and the community. - Karen Simmons

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Learn More About DocRX

DocRx is a family-oriented company dedicated to tailor operational solutions for patient health and compliance programs that increases the quality and efficiency of patient-centered care and always with the mission of the patient's health 1st. With over ten years of experience helping doctors and their patients with diagnostic testing, patient monitoring, medical supplies, compliance, wholesale pharmacy, physician dispensing billing, and more.

DocRx is your patient and health compliance solution, both under one roof. To find out how DocRx can help your hospital, pharmacy, or physicians office see all their services at DocRx.com.

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On this episode, Karen talks with Cam Marston, President of Generational Insights and host of the radio show and podcast What's Working with Cam Marston.

Cam Marston is the leading expert and speaker on the impact of generational change and its impact on the workplace and marketplace. He studies and analyzes generational and demographic trends and points out the differences and similarities between people and generations. He then presents his insights to companies and brands to better connect and communicate with their employees, customers, and communities. It's not only selling and communicating better this is info that lets you know how to get the most out of every relationship you have. Hear how Cam's world has changed with COVID and the lessons he has learned over the past year.

Key Takeaways

• Millennials are committing more to employers and are lasting a lot longer than the historical two-year job hops.

• The primary tool for job retention for the millennial generation is for a company or organization to have a very clear mission and "why."

• When communicating or selling to a Baby Boomer, articulate your expertise and history.

• When communicating or selling to the Millennial or Gen Z markets, explain how you're going to change their future if they do business with you. Use more information about them and highlight the future benefits of your partnership.

• Many businesses sell and communicate by pushing something they like to receive instead of concentrating on how your listener prefers to receive it.

• Due to COVID many thought leaders, public speakers, and presenters have had to learn to become entertainers to deliver their messages online instead of live and in person.

• Minimize generational bias in your company's culture, communication, marketing and values.

Cheers To:

Most of my time is spent studying the demographic trends that are shaping the workplace in the marketplace. I gather the information, and then I organize it in a palatable way. - Cam Marston

Demographics are not typically a sexy topic. But, I organize and deliver this data in such a way that it's palatable for the listener or the participant to gain something from it, to enjoy it, and most importantly, to do something with the content to a change of behavior that will make them a little bit more effective. - Cam Marston

Many people sell, pitch, and write copy on their websites in their own generational values. And it's often very generationally biased and ineffective. - Cam Marston

At some point, committing to an employer is becomes wealth building. - Cam Marston

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On this episode, Karen talks with Tricia Petteys, COO/Co-founder of Payroll Vault Franchising, about the Employee Retention Tax Credit and how it can help your small business financially impacted by COVID-19. Overshadowed by the PPP loan program, the lesser-known and used Employee Retention Tax Credit was offered through the CARES act in 2020. Earlier in 2020, businesses were not eligible if they received a PPP loan, so almost no one took advantage of ERTC. However, with the updated Consolidated Appropriations Act that passed in December 2020, the government will allow businesses who received PPP loan funds to apply for the ERTC. So, get your pencils and notebooks out because Tricia outlines the Employee Retention Tax Credit major highlights, qualifications, and why it is essential for the operation and maybe your company's survival.

Key Takeaways

• ERTC encourages businesses to keep employees on their payroll.

• ERTC is a refundable tax credit and is 50% of up to $10,000 in wages paid by an eligible employer whose business has been financially impacted by COVID-19.

• Bars and Restaurants almost always qualify.

• Engage with a payroll or tax professional to take a look at your payroll journals, taxes paid, and your PPP and your forgiveness window ASAP.

• Consult with a professional about what 2020 and 2021 business revenue counts and what doesn't.

• Confirm with your CPA or professional payroll company to see if your company and which of your employee can qualify for ERTC.

Resources

Tricia Petteys - LinkedIn | Facebook | Youtube

Payroll Vault - Website | Blog

IRS - FAQ Page

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The last Cheers episode with Brandon Maye was so good that Karen asked him back to share more of his story from the football field to the business field. On this episode, Brandon talks more about his transition and lessons learned from peak-level athletics to his entrepreneurial life and his Brandon Maye Legacy Foundation. Plus, he shares his insights on having purpose, living a life without fear, and creating a cash flow business to fund your other companies and projects.

Key Takeaways

• The same principles and traits that make athletes successful can easily translate into the business world.

• Live the life that you want and don't operate in fear.

• Get maximum results by focusing on those things that you excel at and are the most important.

• Money creates opportunities for you to have time.

• Most business fail due to cash flow problems not infrastructure.

Resources:

Brandon Maye - Website | Youtube | LinkedIn

Check out the Brandon Maye Legacy Foundation

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On this episode, we hear the ups and downs of Brandon Maye's life journey from the football field to the field of business. A top high school recruit from a tough neighborhood, Brandon signed with Clemson University and eventually transferred to play for Mississippi State to be closer to his family. Unfortunately, an injury derailed his lifelong dream of an NFL career as he was never drafted. After falling into the "pit of despair," Brandon Maye picked himself back up, readjusted his life purpose, and using all of his acquired skills and a Master's degree to become a champion in life by building his kingdom and being an inspiration for his hometown's kids.

Key Takeaways

• Your past does not define your future.

• Excelling in business requires finding purpose, sacrificing the distractions, be humble, and staying hungry to chase the dream.

• Work to build a legacy and always create hope.

Resources:

Brandon Maye - Website | Youtube | LinkedIn

Check out the Brandon Maye Legacy Foundation

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On this episode, Karen talks with Sherrica Hunt, the Director of Institutional Advancement at Bishop State Community College. Sherrica shares her career journey from Mobile, AL to literally around the world and back to Bishop State, where she says she has found the best fit for her skills, experience, and authentic self. Plus, we hear how Bishop State is evolving and growing to be an educational and innovation hub that is working to create a symbiotic and beneficial environment for students, the local business market, and the whole community.

Key Takeaways

• Community Colleges can be an affordable and valuable secret weapon for educational opportunities and business resources for their whole community.

• Bishop State wants to create a space where anyone can come and get educational, business, manufacturing, and technical training so that our citizens can be productive.

• Beware of advice and lessons from mentors and teachers who do not have a track record of executing at a high level of success.

• Always bring your authentic self and strive to add value when starting a new career, project, or any interaction.

Resources:

Sherrica Hunt - LinkedIn

Bishop State Foundation - How To Give

Cheers To:

To have a successful department, business, or organization, you cannot have toxicity. - Sherrica Hunt

We can teach you everything you need to know, but we can't teach you what God has given you. - Sherrica Hunt

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On this episode, Karen talks to John Serda, owner of Serda Brewing. John talks about coming to grip with having to admit that his beer brands were not working with his market and audience. With tap room sales falling, retail production stopped, and dealing with a pandemic shutdown John starts to change everything about his company from the beers, the labels, the brewery leadership, and his brewmaster. In this candid and fascinating conversation John tells us how they decided to make the changes, how the changes are going and how much courage it takes to take a hard and honest look at your product, processes, and purpose.

Read AL.com's >>> For Mobile Beermaker, 2020’s Upheavals Made Rebirth A Complex Brew

Key Takeaways

• Make a product for your market, not just for yourself.

• Don’t look at only external factors when your product or service business is failing

• When cutting your budget to mitigate poor sales beware to not cut the most important expenses like marketing and workforce.

• To save a company, a total rebuilding from the ground up might be the best way to move forward.

Resources

John Serda - Facebook

Serda Brewing - Facebook | Instagram | Website

Learn More About DocRX

DocRx is a family-oriented company dedicated to tailor operational solutions for patient health and compliance programs that increases the quality and efficiency of patient-centered care and always with the mission of the patient's health 1st. With over ten years of experience helping doctors and their patients with diagnostic testing, patient monitoring, medical supplies, compliance, wholesale pharmacy, physician dispensing billing, and more.

DocRx is your patient and health compliance solution, both under one roof. To find out how DocRx can help your hospital, pharmacy, or physicians office see all their services at DocRx.com.

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When no one is going to let the good times roll with Mobile's month-long and city-wide Mardi Gras celebration, it's more than just a city missing a great party. Not having Mardi Gras, and especially all the parades, means millions of dollars of lost tax revenue, and hundreds of businesses, artists, and companies have been put into financial jeopardy. Instead of taking this laying down, Susan Sarver and Stacy Wellborn have started the Mobile Porch Parade to keep Mardi Gras revelry alive in Mobile, Alabama. Plus, in the process, they are saving a ton of jobs, giving a new permanent revenue source for desperate float builders for years to come, and uplifting the spirits of old and young during this most festive time in our city.

On this episode, Karen talks with Stacy Wellborn and explains Mobile Porch Parade in detail, why it was started, what has been the immediate impact with the community, and how anyone can get involved.

Check out the Mardi Gras Spirit on Mobile Porch Parade >>>

Mobile Porch Parade:

Key Takeaways

• Float builders have found a new revenue source with the Mobile Porch Parade.

• Mardi Gras being canceled due to COVID-19 is going to be devastating to the local.

• Creating or providing a valuable service that increases community involvement and positivity is a recipe for success.

• Work to build a stronger local community around your business and ask locals to support you when you're in need.

Resources:

Mobile Porch Parade - Facebook | Instagram | Website | Map

Stacy Wellborn - LinkedIn | Instagram

Suzanne Sarver - Instagram | Dribbble

Learn More About DocRX

DocRx is a family-oriented company dedicated to tailor operational solutions for patient health and compliance programs that increases the quality and efficiency of patient-centered care and always with the mission of the patient's health 1st. With over ten years of experience helping doctors and their patients with diagnostic testing, patient monitoring, medical supplies, compliance, wholesale pharmacy, physician dispensing billing, and more.

DocRx is your patient and health compliance solution, both under one roof. To find out how DocRx can help your hospital, pharmacy, or physicians office see all their services at DocRx.com.

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Last November, Karen talked with FOY Superfoods owner Liz Garza about the origins of Mobile, Alabama's first and only Juicery and Fresh Eats Restaurant, how she is managing her 2 locations during COVID, and how she and her husband kept the store open while they had to quarantine. Plus, Liz shares her insights on innovating, creating new revenue streams, leading by example, and preparing her staff to keep FOY running in any crisis.

Check out the healthy and fresh eats at FOY SUPERFOODS >>>

Key Takeaways

• Train and trust your staff to be able to run your business without you having to be there 24/7.

• Create systems and processes not to let your business "work you."

• Work to build a stronger local community around your business and ask locals to support you when you're in need.

Resources:

Liz Garza - Facebook | LinkedIn

FOY Superfoods - Facebook | Instagram

Cheers To:

We need to get stay at the top of people's minds. When they think of health food, I want them to think of FOY. - Liz Garza

I don't know how long we can sustain of operating at a loss like this, but it's a dream and it's a passion project. And it's something that I am going to take out kicking and screaming. - Liz Garza

If you do your job, you should not be needed as a business owner. It should want be able to run without you. - Karen Simmons

If everything is dependent upon the business owner, and if you go down, the business is done. - Karen Simmons

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Karen has been screaming from the rooftops, "calm down during this COVID crisis. look around, and see if there is some opportunity for your business in this chaos!" On this episode, Karen talks with Ashley Smith, the Vice President of Wholesale Pharmacy at DocRX, about how she and her company took control of the COVID-19 business chaos, their processes, and their services and products to serve their existing and new clients better. Their pivot to PPE (Personal Protection Equipment) products and fulfillment has led to new revenue streams, saved jobs at DocRX, and has helped many companies get back open quickly and safely. This a true COVID-19 business success story!

{Editor's Note: Karen consults with DOCRX and they are the presenting sponsor of this Podcast}

Key Takeaways

• Always look for an opportunity to fill and need, especially when your competition is distracted.

• Be a valuable resource for your customers, industry, and your own internal stakeholders.

• Strive to always maintain your company's mission and promise, even in a crisis.

• Control the controllables in your business, supply chain, and delivery.

Resources

Ashley Smith Website | LinkedIn

Learn More About DocRX

DocRx is a family-oriented company dedicated to tailor operational solutions for patient health and compliance programs that increases the quality and efficiency of patient-centered care and always with the mission of the patient's health 1st. With over ten years of experience helping doctors and their patients with diagnostic testing, patient monitoring, medical supplies, compliance, wholesale pharmacy, physician dispensing billing, and more.

DocRx is your patient and health compliance solution, both under one roof. To find out how DocRx can help your hospital, pharmacy, or physicians office see all their services at DocRx.com.

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On this episode, Karen talks with Dr. Darren Waters, owner and Medical Director of Greater Mobile Urgent Care. Dr. Waters discusses the challenges and opportunities that presented themselves to his Urgent Care practices when the COVID virus and lockdowns disrupted his normal clinical operations. Without laying off any employees, GMUC weathered low patient numbers, massive changes to the daily operations, and all the business unknowns to find new revenue streams while still delivering quality healthcare during a pandemic. Then Dr. Waters gives us the 411 on the new COVID vaccines being distributed throughout the U.S. Plus, Karen talks with Dr. Waters about his sharp entrepreneur instincts, partnering with a family member, and the most challenging issues at GMUC since March of 2020.

Key Takeaways

• If you find a need, fill that need, and make it available for a fair price, you have a business.

• There is opportunity in entropy and crisis.

• There is a lack of access to primary care in Lower Alabama, and urgent care bridges that gap.

• In a business crisis, you've got to find another niche, another way to get by. You have to be very fluid and adaptive.

Learn More About DocRX

DocRx is a family-oriented company dedicated to tailor operational solutions for patient health and compliance programs that increases the quality and efficiency of patient-centered care and always with the mission of the patient's health 1st. With over ten years of experience helping doctors and their patients with diagnostic testing, patient monitoring, medical supplies, compliance, wholesale pharmacy, physician dispensing billing, and more.

DocRx is your patient and health compliance solution, both under one roof. To find out how DocRx can help your hospital, pharmacy, or physicians office see all their services at DocRx.com.

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On this episode, Karen and Dr. Gia Wiggins of Morale Resource, LLC, have a serious talk about what they know, as of today, about the FRCA (Family First Corona Response Act), PPP forgiveness, and creating an official company telecommuting policy for your employees and staff. Karen shares some accounting and tax wisdom to navigate these tricky federal acts and Dr. Gia explains the HR and employment issues of these ever-changing federal programs. Now is the time to get all your records in order and know exactly the ins and outs of the 2020 FRCA and the PPP forgiveness submissions.

Key Takeaways

• The FRCA Speaker expires on December 31st unless something else is approved and extended.

• There are no additional hours, over 80 hours of payroll pay, that your company will get the credit for after December 31st.

• Make sure that they're keeping accurate employment and payout records; if not, correct them now.

• Find an HR or financial professional to help with any FRCA or PPP tracking, records, or reporting issues.

• All of your remote workers need to be under an official telecommuting agreement.

= Do not make any knee jerk reactions or payments. Consult with professionals for any FRCA, PPP, and PPP forgiveness questions or issues.

Resources

Gia Wiggins Website | LinkedIn

Morale Resource Website | Facebook

Learn More About DocRX

DocRx is a family-oriented company dedicated to tailor operational solutions for patient health and compliance programs that increases the quality and efficiency of patient-centered care and always with the mission of the patient's health 1st. With over ten years of experience helping doctors and their patients with diagnostic testing, patient monitoring, medical supplies, compliance, wholesale pharmacy, physician dispensing billing, and more.

DocRx is your patient and health compliance solution, both under one roof. To find out how DocRx can help your hospital, pharmacy, or physicians office see all their services at docrx.com.

Learn More About Karen Simmons & CFO ConsultingKaren C. Simmons, P.C.

CFO Consulting Services

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Tis’ the season for things to get pretty relaxed or hectic around the office and workplace. So, Karen invited HR strategist and guru Dr. Gia Wiggins of Morale Resources to deliver some essential Christmas do’s and end of year business and HR preparations you need to be discussing and wrapping up. Plus, Karen drops her three biggest holiday business don’ts and some solid advice on employee bonuses. At Cheers To Business, we love the gift of Dr. Gia being in the studio and being able to share her brilliant insights and gleeful good cheer.
Enjoy the show!

Dr. Gia’s 3 Big Christmas Do's:

1. Plan for the unexpected.

2. Treat people the way that they would want to be treated through recognition and respect.

3. Be purposeful managing your business team for the work and projects that need to be completed before the end of the year.

Resources

Gia Wiggins Website | LinkedIn

Morale Resource Website | Facebook

Learn More About DocRX

DocRx is a family-oriented company dedicated to tailor operational solutions for patient health and compliance programs that increases the quality and efficiency of patient-centered care and always with the mission of the patient's health 1st. With over ten years of experience helping doctors and their patients with diagnostic testing, patient monitoring, medical supplies, compliance, wholesale pharmacy, physician dispensing billing, and more.

DocRx is your patient and health compliance solution, both under one roof. To find out how DocRx can help your hospital, pharmacy, or physicians office see all their services at docrx.com.

Learn More About Karen Simmons & CFO ConsultingKaren C. Simmons, P.C.

CFO Consulting Services

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On this episode, Karen and Johnny let the listeners peek behind the podcast curtain when they share a Cheers To Business planning session for growing the show in the coming year. 2020 milestones will be reviewed, goals will be made, strategies will be formulated, and to-do lists will be completed to push the show into 2021. Listen close; the same issues discussed in this episode are the same issues in all types and sizes of other businesses. Are you preparing for next year?

This episode has been sponsored by DocRX

Karen and Johnny's Cheers To Business Plans for 2021

1. More focused shows and create more themed series.
2. Get back to fundamentals with more planning and prep.
3. Including more practical, tactical, and concrete information in the shows.
4. Less Facebook, more Linkedin. Find the right channels to target the business demographic.
5. More and better promotions for shows before and after the airing.
6. Start reposting and promoting relevant and evergreen shows from the past seasons.
7. Create specific show listener growth goals and KPIs.
8. Repurpose and maximize the use of all the past show content for other marketing uses and messages.

Karen and Johnny's Cheers To Business Goals For 2021

1. Document and adhere to the episode creation process.
2. Increase podcast listener growth of podcast plays on all channels by 25% by the end of Q2.
3. Incorporate more zoom, video content, and video vignette integration into the show and marketing.

Resources

Johnny Gwin Website | Twitter

Deep Fried Studios Website | Facebook

Learn More About DocRX

DocRx is a family-oriented company dedicated to tailor operational solutions for patient health and compliance programs that increases the quality and efficiency of patient-centered care and always with the mission of the patient's health 1st. With over ten years of experience helping doctors and their patients with diagnostic testing, patient monitoring, medical supplies, compliance, wholesale pharmacy, physician dispensing billing, and more.

DocRx is your patient and health compliance solution, both under one roof. To find out how DocRx can help your hospital, pharmacy, or physicians office see all their services at docrx.com.

Learn More About Karen Simmons & CFO ConsultingKaren C. Simmons, P.C.

CFO Consulting Services

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On this episode, Karen talks with Cheers To Business podcast producer Johnny Gwin about his Deep Fried Studio's challenges, growth, and evolution in 2020. Johnny shares his struggles with his podcast studio into an internet media company due to his inability to find the staff and talent for him to be able to work on bigger projects and opportunities. Karen delivers some good advice from her past business successes and talks about the importance of managing expectations and personally defining what success looks like. Plus, Johnny shares some news on the big direction that Deep Fried Studios will be pushing forward in 2021.

Key Takeaways

• Manage expectations internally and externally with your company.

• Calculate and add "learning curve" and failure into any employment hire and training period.

• Nothing happens without optimism.

• Plan for future business obstacles but do not fixate on "what ifs." Plus, have solutions ready when you confront them.

• Develop a process to handle growth and disruption.

Resources

Johnny Gwin Website | Twitter

Deep Fried Studios Website | Facebook

Learn More About DocRX

DocRx is a family-oriented company dedicated to tailor operational solutions for patient health and compliance programs that increases the quality and efficiency of patient-centered care and always with the mission of the patient's health 1st. With over ten years of experience helping doctors and their patients with diagnostic testing, patient monitoring, medical supplies, compliance, wholesale pharmacy, physician dispensing billing, and more.

DocRx is your patient and health compliance solution, both under one roof. To find out how DocRx can help your hospital, pharmacy, or physicians office see all their services at docrx.com.

Learn More About Karen Simmons & CFO ConsultingKaren C. Simmons, P.C.

CFO Consulting Services

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On this episode, Karen talks franchises and managing multiple locations with Michael Presson of 1-800-RADIATOR and A/C/. Michael describes his process for choosing 1-800-RADIATOR, handling the challenges of multiple locations, and his management and leadership style. Plus, Michael gives his insights of "building the airplane, as he is flying it," and why he was looking to own a business and not just a job.

Key Takeaways

• Franchises can be retail and wholesale opportunities.

• Trust and verify with your staff and locations.

• Michael's growth strategy was to acquire underperforming locations and investing in the right people and new inventory.

• Multiple locations allows you to build a business, and when all locations are performing well, that is what gets the interest of investors.

• Investors don't want to buy a job; they want to buy a business.

Cheers To:

Put out campfires before they become a forest fire. - Michael Presson

Pick your battles and start focusing on the dollars instead of the pennies. - Karen Simmons

Learn More About DocRX

DocRx is a family-oriented company dedicated to tailor operational solutions for patient health and compliance programs that increases the quality and efficiency of patient-centered care and always with the mission of the patient's health 1st. With over ten years of experience helping doctors and their patients with diagnostic testing, patient monitoring, medical supplies, compliance, wholesale pharmacy, physician dispensing billing, and more.

DocRx is your patient and health compliance solution, both under one roof. To find out how DocRx can help your hospital, pharmacy, or physicians office see all their services at docrx.com.

Learn More About Karen Simmons & CFO ConsultingKaren C. Simmons, P.C.

CFO Consulting Services

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According to American Songwriter Magazine, "Abe Partridge has established himself as one of the most respected songwriters and visual folk artists in the southeast." Karen talks with this rising creative artist about how he has turned his passion for songwriting, painting, and storytelling into a career, a brand, and a way of life. Abe has released two full-length records to rave reviews and sells his outsider art all over the country with his Alabama Astronaut Art Club. On this episode, he will tell us his journey from the Baptist preacher to the Air Force and the music stages and art gallery walls all over the Southern USA. Plus, Abe will give us some tips and steps for others who want to turn their talents and passions into purpose and a business.

Listen to Abe Partridge on Spotify >>>

Key Takeaways

• Create art for yourself first before you try to appease a market or a specific audience.

• Be yourself. Don't try to be someone else.

• Create multi-streams of revenue so that you can be adaptive and flexible in uncertain times and markets.

Resources

Abe Partridge | Website | Facebook

Learn More About DocRX

DocRx is a family-oriented company dedicated to tailor operational solutions for patient health and compliance programs that increases the quality and efficiency of patient-centered care and always with the mission of the patient's health 1st. With over ten years of experience helping doctors and their patients with diagnostic testing, patient monitoring, medical supplies, compliance, wholesale pharmacy, physician dispensing billing, and more.

DocRx is your patient and health compliance solution, both under one roof. To find out how DocRx can help your hospital, pharmacy, or physicians office see all their services at docrx.com.

Learn More About Karen Simmons & CFO ConsultingKaren C. Simmons, P.C.

CFO Consulting Services

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On this Passion To Purpose episode, Karen talks to magazine owner/publisher and podcast host Joe Baya. Joe has turned his passion for hunting deer and turkeys in the woods and fishing for Cobia in the Gulf of Mexico into a business, growing brand, and a career. Joe publishes Great Day Outdoors magazine, he hosts and produces the Alabama Saltwater Fishing Report and The Northwest Florida Fishing Report podcasts (and more). Plus, he has taken his knowledge of the great outdoors and experience to be a rural land specialty realtor that helps others find and sell rural land for hunting needs, investment opportunities, and country living with National Land Realty. Joe will give us some tips and the steps he took (and is using now) to take what he loves to do to build a multi-tiered media and marketing empire.

Key Takeaways

• Just because you're passionate about something, it doesn't mean that it will be a good business idea or concept.

• If you're thinking about a startup or buying an existing business, you want to look for something ubiquitous, and you can use technology to bring it into this day and age.

• Podcasts will become the third-largest search engine.

• Your marketing cannot be so solely focused on one particular media channel or platform.

• Find your "why" before you create and invest in a product or career.

• Look for the right mentors for advice and proof of concept.

Cheers To:

The best marketing is getting in front of the people that are looking for your product when they're looking for it, whether they know it or not. - Joe Baya

My prediction is that over the next five to 10 years, you're going to see podcasts become the third largest search engine. - Joe Baya

You've got to look at the era in which we're living; magazines are not what they used to be. It doesn't mean that the written word is dying. Now you've got so many different options. - Joe Baya

If you find the need, then you can have a business if you price it right. - Karen Simmons

Learn More About DocRX

DocRx is a family-oriented company dedicated to tailor operational solutions for patient health and compliance programs that increases the quality and efficiency of patient-centered care and always with the mission of the patient's health 1st. With over ten years of experience helping doctors and their patients with diagnostic testing, patient monitoring, medical supplies, compliance, wholesale pharmacy, physician dispensing billing, and more.

DocRx is your patient and health compliance solution, both under one roof. To find out how DocRx can help your hospital, pharmacy, or physicians office see all their services at docrx.com.

Learn More About Karen Simmons & CFO ConsultingKaren C. Simmons, P.C.

CFO Consulting Services

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On this episode, Karen talks with the writer, storyteller, and voice of the many with Our Southern Souls, Lynn Oldshue. Lynn has turned her passion for writing, art, and storytelling into a life of publishing and investigative journalism. After starting her magazine, The Southern Rambler, to write about her love of local arts and artists, she found her real writing purpose and her big "why, " sharing everyday people's hidden stories. After 1000's of interviews and building 31 thousand followers on her Our Southern Souls Facebook page, this journey has led her to write hard hitting investigative articles for print media like The Lagniappe, and now you can hear her on Alabama Public Radio. Lynn will give us some tips on the steps she is taking to keep doing what she loves to do, use her voice to share the stories of diversity and the extraordinary lives of people from all over the South.

Key Takeaways

Don't wait around to get the job or project you want; start doing it now even if that means doing it all yourself.
Get started, be patient with your work, and give yourself time to improve.
Validate yourself: make the work that satisfies your expectations.
Always be practicing until you have an audience and skills that you want.

Resources:

Lynn Oldshue
Our Southern Souls | Facebook

Cheers To:

To understand the role of what a CFO is or any "chief" position. When you put a "C" in front of the title, it should be a strategic position. - Dr. Gia Wiggins

Putting your ear to the ground is the best way to make sure that your business is viable. - Dr. Gia Wiggins

Make sure that your product and services offering matches the need and demands of your market and industry. Be able to give up an offering if it is not profitable or is problematic. - Dr. Gia Wiggins

I have to beg you for what I deserve; then you don't deserve me. - Dr. Gia Wiggins

Give the people what they need, not what you were trying to force them to have. - Dr. Gia Wiggins

Learn More About DocRX

DocRx is a family-oriented company dedicated to tailor operational solutions for patient health and compliance programs that increases the quality and efficiency of patient-centered care and always with the mission of the patient's health 1st. With over ten years of experience helping doctors and their patients with diagnostic testing, patient monitoring, medical supplies, compliance, wholesale pharmacy, physician dispensing billing, and more.

DocRx is your patient and health compliance solution, both under one roof. To find out how DocRx can help your hospital, pharmacy, or physicians office see all their services at docrx.com.

Learn More About Karen Simmons & CFO ConsultingKaren C. Simmons, P.C.

CFO Consulting Services

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From hobby to a job is one of our favorite topics here on the Cheers To Business podcast. On this episode, Karen talks with Scotty White, Chronicles of Limbo comic book writer, publisher, podcaster, and creative raconteur at his Mopcast Network. Scotty shares his love of pop culture, all of his creative projects, and some inspirational insights on taking those critical first steps to turn your passions and hobbies into a side hustle business or a full-time career. Plus, find out what internet platforms are the best places to distribute your genius work and find that all-important funding.

Key Takeaways

• Scotty White's driving passion has been following his hobbies and into turning them into a business.

• Conventions like Comic-Con have been Scotty's best marketing opportunities to build and meet your audience.

• Covid has disrupted Scotty's marketing plans, and he has had to adjust to more online advertising and marketing to maintain his audience and growth.

• Creatives need to keep their minds on the business, especially their taxes. Save those receipts and get help from the family and friends you have around you.

• The first step to turning a creative hobby into a job, start by making something. Just make it. Get it out there. And make the next one better. Just get started.

• There is a market out there, especially on the internet, for every hobby or passion.

Resources:Scotty White: scottywhite.com | Facebook | Twitter

Mopcast Network: Website | Facebook

Learn More About DocRX

DocRx is a family-oriented company dedicated to tailor operational solutions for patient health and compliance programs that increases the quality and efficiency of patient-centered care and always with the mission of the patient's health 1st. With over ten years of experience helping doctors and their patients with diagnostic testing, patient monitoring, medical supplies, compliance, wholesale pharmacy, physician dispensing billing, and more.

DocRx is your patient and health compliance solution, both under one roof. To find out how DocRx can help your hospital, pharmacy, or physicians office see all their services at docrx.com.

Learn More About Karen Simmons & CFO ConsultingKaren C. Simmons, P.C.

CFO Consulting Services

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On this episode, Karen and Dr. Gia Wiggins of Morale Resources LLC, have an energetic and freeform conversation in the Get Back Up series. Gia quizzes Karen on the role of a good CFO, how they should work with a company, and when it is time for a company to pivot or close up. Karen gives some advice on what to look for in a business consultant and getting the most out of this critical relationship. Lastly, the Cheers ladies share their views on surviving this crazy time, the importance of reinvention, and listening to the most critical internal and external voices to sharpen and strengthen your company.

Key Takeaways:

• The free market will tell you exactly what it wants and is most the honest insight into your business.

• A controller can report the past and process the now, but a CFO is somebody that strategizes, see the big picture, and can see into the future.

• When determining your business's viability, you need to have somebody willing to look at the stuff that everybody in the company is ignoring.

• A new broom, always sweets clean. An outside person looking in your business will always see something new you don't.

• Hire a CFO or a consultant that will tell you the truth and not what you want to hear.

• Reinvention is so essential. And if you're not listening to the market or clients, then you are making a mistake.

Resources:

Gia Wiggins - Facebook /// LinkedIn

Morale Resource LLC - Website

Cheers To:

To understand the role of what a CFO is or any "chief" position. When you put a "C" in front of the title, it should be a strategic position. - Dr. Gia Wiggins

Putting your ear to the ground is the best way to make sure that your business is viable. - Dr. Gia Wiggins

Make sure that your product and services offering matches the need and demands of your market and industry. Be able to give up an offering if it is not profitable or is problematic. - Dr. Gia Wiggins

I have to beg you for what I deserve; then you don't deserve me. - Dr. Gia Wiggins

Give the people what they need, not what you were trying to force them to have. - Dr. Gia Wiggins

Learn More About DocRX

DocRx is a family-oriented company dedicated to tailor operational solutions for patient health and compliance programs that increases the quality and efficiency of patient-centered care and always with the mission of the patient's health 1st. With over ten years of experience helping doctors and their patients with diagnostic testing, patient monitoring, medical supplies, compliance, wholesale pharmacy, physician dispensing billing, and more.

DocRx is your patient and health compliance solution, both under one roof. To find out how DocRx can help your hospital, pharmacy, or physicians office see all their services at docrx.com.

Learn More About Karen Simmons & CFO ConsultingKaren C. Simmons, P.C.

CFO Consulting Services

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On this episode, Karen is still kicking around the theme of "get back up," and is talking to returning guest Dr. Gia Wiggins of Morale Resources, LLC. Gia shares mindset and tactical insights on not only surviving the volatile 2020 events but finding a way to thrive and grow a stronger company and team. Dr. Wiggins explains the importance of communicating with your partners, employees, customers, and community. It's time for all of us to learn to be adaptable, efficient, and clear in internal and external communications. Let's take the lessons of 2020 and use them to find the "why" of our companies and jobs so we can all move forward together in 2021.

Key Takeaways

• Become adaptable. If you keep doing the same thing. You get the same results.

• Share the vision. Look for new market opportunities, rework your process, but make sure you have your people and team on board.

• Be the leader that your company needs to survive, innovate, and pivot to thrive in 2021.

• Implement kindness. Treat people the way they would want someone to treat your grandmother.

• Be open and connect. Listen more to new ideas from your teams and empower them to do their job with less micromanagement.

Cheers To:

Look at yourself in the mirror and say, "am I being the type of leader that empowers my people to bring innovation and fresh ideas?" - Dr, Gia Wiggins

If we're not changing course and looking at the things that we need to hold dear and the things that we need to do to make sure that we are giving our best selves to the community, to each other, to our neighbors, to our friends, to our customers then were doomed to repeat this again in 2021. - Dr. Gia Wiggins

Resources:

Gia Wiggins - Facebook /// LinkedIn

Morale Resource LLC - Website

Learn More About DocRX

DocRx is a family-oriented company dedicated to tailor operational solutions for patient health and compliance programs that increases the quality and efficiency of patient-centered care and always with the mission of the patient's health 1st. With over ten years of experience helping doctors and their patients with diagnostic testing, patient monitoring, medical supplies, compliance, wholesale pharmacy, physician dispensing billing, and more.

DocRx is your patient and health compliance solution, both under one roof. To find out how DocRx can help your hospital, pharmacy, or physicians office see all their services at docrx.com.

Learn More About Karen Simmons & CFO ConsultingKaren C. Simmons, P.C.

CFO Consulting Services

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On this episode, Karen is finally back in the studio with attorney and author of "Get Back Up" Rod Cate. Rod injured his spine in a football accident when he was 15 years and severed his spine. After being paralyzed for weeks, Rod overcame his diagnosis and eventually, with a cane, began to walk again and built a life. Rod talks with Karen about gratitude, the lessons learned by overcoming adversity, and why he wants to inspire others build their best lives with his book and podcast, Rocket Motivation.

Buy Get Back Up by Rod Cate

Key Takeaways

We all have adversity and obstacles, and cultivating a positive and mentally tough mindset is essential to tackling those issues.

While tragically changing his life, Rod's accident did not destroy his life and is a significant influence on the person he is today.

Rod wrote his book, "Get Back Up" and is starting a new podcast to inspire others to overcome the physical, mental, financial, and spiritual obstacles in their lives.

Rocket Motivation: Be aware of your obstacles, get over the grief, deal with the problem at hand, and build a better situation.

Kindness + Toughness = Fairness

Resources:

Rod Cate: Facebook | Hand Arendall

Rocket Motivation: Podcast (launches mid October 2020)

Learn More About DocRX

DocRx is a family-oriented company dedicated to tailor operational solutions for patient health and compliance programs that increases the quality and efficiency of patient-centered care and always with the mission of the patient's health 1st. With over ten years of experience helping doctors and their patients with diagnostic testing, patient monitoring, medical supplies, compliance, wholesale pharmacy, physician dispensing billing, and more.

DocRx is your patient and health compliance solution, both under one roof. To find out how DocRx can help your hospital, pharmacy, or physicians office see all their services at docrx.com.

Learn More About Karen Simmons & CFO ConsultingKaren C. Simmons, P.C.

CFO Consulting Services

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Between shutdowns, Hurricane Sally and Karen starting more companies, we have not been able to record in the studio, or we just couldn't get the guests we wanted to be on the show. So, Johnny went lurking through the underground wine cellar of past shows and found a vintage episode that never was released. But Luckily for us, I don't throw away anything, and now we can enjoy this lost episode with the wonderful Cadie co-hosting. Plus, listening to it now seems like a time capsule and a reminder of when we could all go out in public and not have to be 6 feet away from one another while hiding our much-needed smiles. Even though this show seems like it is from another time, Karen and Cadie discuss the importance (and substantial economic benefit) of making a conscious effort of supporting our neighbors and local businesses whenever we can. It is more important than ever to keep our local money local. We think this show is an excellent reminder of how we can all do our part to keep our favorite places open and growing the local economy during these difficult times.

Here are some of our favorite local businesses mentioned in this episode. Please support them if you can:

Domke Market
The Cheese Cottage
Old Mobile Antique Gallery
Briquettes
Opulence Design
Brooks Conkle and BizCon
SoCu Southern Cooking and Oyster Bar
Frios Gourmet Pops

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Learn More About DocRX

DocRx is a family-oriented company dedicated to tailor operational solutions for patient health and compliance programs that increases the quality and efficiency of patient-centered care and always with the mission of the patient's health 1st. With over ten years of experience helping doctors and their patients with diagnostic testing, patient monitoring, medical supplies, compliance, wholesale pharmacy, physician dispensing billing, and more.

DocRx is your patient and health compliance solution, both under one roof. To find out how DocRx can help your hospital, pharmacy, or physicians office see all their services at docrx.com.

Learn More About Karen Simmons & CFO ConsultingKaren C. Simmons, P.C.

CFO Consulting Services

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On this episode, Karen talks with Susan Shaw, President, and CEO at IMMIX Strategic, a digital experience platform marketing technology company that supports companies and other marketing agencies. Susan shares her business principle of building the relationship first, the strategy and tactics second, and then the automated systems. She then explains the game-changing marketing technology of IMMIX Strategic and how this marketing tool is "mixing" together all the right people, tools, customers, and content to make communication more relevant, effective, and profitable. Plus, learn what to do if you are ever confronted with a Gulf Bull Shark.

Key Takeaways:

Build the relationship first, then build the strategy, then automate the marketing.

If we don't know the heart behind your business or the "why,"
then we can't back out of that to help you build a strategy.

Lots of companies are operating at a point of fear right now.

IMMIX Strategic is a marketing technology partner with a multi-channel digital experience platform that puts a company's CMO's and CFO's to the same table and puts all digital marketing efforts on one dashboard.

IMMIX Strategic maps out your customer experience with your brand and can build a holistic, relevant, targeted, and results-based marketing campaign that is trackable, accountable, and powerful.

Cheers To:

It's not about when you want to communicate; it's about if you can communicate when your customers or your clients need you to communicate and lead them right back into your campaign. - Susan Shaw

Business ultimately is a game for me, and I don't say that lightly; it will knock you flat on your ass. But if I've learned anything from sports, you get right back up. - Susan Shaw

Resources:

Susan Shaw Linkedin | Facebook

IMMIX: Website | Facebook

Learn More About DocRX

DocRx is a family-oriented company dedicated to tailor operational solutions for patient health and compliance programs that increases the quality and efficiency of patient-centered care and always with the mission of the patient's health 1st. With over ten years of experience helping doctors and their patients with diagnostic testing, patient monitoring, medical supplies, compliance, wholesale pharmacy, physician dispensing billing, and more.

DocRx is your patient and health compliance solution, both under one roof. To find out how DocRx can help your hospital, pharmacy, or physicians office see all their services at docrx.com.

Learn More About Karen Simmons & CFO ConsultingKaren C. Simmons, P.C.

CFO Consulting Services

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On this episode, Karen talks with Jerry Golden, Chief Administrative Officer of CNI, Coastal Neurological Institute, and OHC, Occupational Health Center. Jerry describes how his newest company Forefront Medical Management manages to efficiently streamline the business operations of multiple health clinics so that the physicians and staff can focus on the patient and their care. Plus, Jerry shares how he works closely with his team to build internal infrastructure and systems that can be scaled to provide needed services to other practices nationwide. Jerry says what he does is not "launching a space shuttle," but it sure sounds like brilliant brain surgery to us.

Key Takeaways

Building an internal team allows you to scale operations and capabilities.

Refining and honing your company's business and operations aspect allows your team to focus more on your clients, customer, and vendor partnerships.

Look for outsourcing operational and technology services to lower the rising overall costs and headaches.

Resources:

Jerry Golden - LinkedIn

CNI - Coastal Neurological Institute

OHC - Occupational Health Center

Forefront Medical Management - Phone: (251)-255-5054

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On this episode, Karen talks with JJPR founder and president Jennifer Jenkins. Jennifer shares her story of starting her PR and marketing firm, what it takes to build a good team, and her philosophies on managing her team members and a diverse client roster. Plus, she shares how JJPR has dealt with COVID-19 workplace changes and what she is seeing with her clients and the Mobile and Baldwin County business communities during this massive disruption.

Key Takeaways

Growing a team requires the 3 C's: Chemistry, Competency, and Character.

Don't be so involved in your company you can't see the big picture.

Get involved with your community, especially with your local Chamber of Commerce and Junior League.

Give back as much as you can to others, your community, and your networks.

Stay connected to your business, teams, clients, projects, community, and passions.

Resources:

Jennifer Jenkins: Linkedin | Facebook

JJPR: Website | Facebook

Learn More About DocRX

DocRx is a family-oriented company dedicated to tailor operational solutions for patient health and compliance programs that increases the quality and efficiency of patient-centered care and always with the mission of the patient's health 1st. With over ten years of experience helping doctors and their patients with diagnostic testing, patient monitoring, medical supplies, compliance, wholesale pharmacy, physician dispensing billing, and more.

DocRx is your patient and health compliance solution, both under one roof. To find out how DocRx can help your hospital, pharmacy, or physicians office see all their services at docrx.com.

Learn More About Karen Simmons & CFO ConsultingKaren C. Simmons, P.C.

CFO Consulting Services

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On this episode, Karen talks with Christopher Ray Coleman, entrepreneur and author of The 180 Effect. Christopher's mission is to help student-athletes transition into their communities after college to leverage their personal brands and build profitable and sustainable businesses. Christopher shares his story of perseverance through life growth, his will to always innovating, and how to embrace failing forward in business and life.

Buy The 180 Effect: Homeless to Business Owner >>> Click Here

Key Takeaways:

Share and learn from your failures.
Failure is an important element of long term success.
Turn nightmares into dreams.
Focus on your legacy and results.
If one person can do it, anyone can do it.

Resources:

Christopher Ray Coleman: Website | Facebook | Instagram

Learn More About DocRX

DocRx is a family-oriented company dedicated to tailor operational solutions for patient health and compliance programs that increases the quality and efficiency of patient-centered care and always with the mission of the patient's health 1st. With over ten years of experience helping doctors and their patients with diagnostic testing, patient monitoring, medical supplies, compliance, wholesale pharmacy, physician dispensing billing, and more.

DocRx is your patient and health compliance solution, both under one roof. To find out how DocRx can help your hospital, pharmacy, or physicians office see all their services at docrx.com.

Learn More About Karen Simmons & CFO ConsultingKaren C. Simmons, P.C.

CFO Consulting Services

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On this episode, Karen talks with Co-Host of The Insurance Guys Podcast and founder of Portal Insurance, the incomparable Bradley Flowers. Bradley shares his "The Power of Podcasting" business insights, and "secrets" recently featured in Paradiso Presents "Last Agent Standing" Magazine. He discusses how he uses podcasting as a marketing tool, networking tool, lead generation sales tool, and why anyone in business should have one.

Check out Bradley and The Insurance Guys Podcast
As of this show's taping, The Insurance Guys Podcast is the biggest podcast in the insurance industry. Congrats and cheers Bradley and Scott!

Key Takeaways

Online and real-life lives have converged.

Podcasting can create warm leads and networking connections.

Podcasting is one of the best ways to expand your personal and corporate brand.

Podcasting can sell and can be monetized.

Get your Last Agent Standing magazine copy >>> Click Here

Learn More About DocRX

DocRx is a family-oriented company dedicated to tailor operational solutions for patient health and compliance programs that increases the quality and efficiency of patient-centered care and always with the mission of the patient's health 1st. With over ten years of experience helping doctors and their patients with diagnostic testing, patient monitoring, medical supplies, compliance, wholesale pharmacy, physician dispensing billing, and more.

DocRx is your patient and health compliance solution, both under one roof. To find out how DocRx can help your hospital, pharmacy, or physicians office see all their services at docrx.com.

Learn More About Karen Simmons & CFO ConsultingKaren C. Simmons, P.C.

CFO Consulting Services

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On this episode, Karen talks with Carita Koen, COO and Chief Marketing Officer for Green Magic Landscaping. Carita is a financial planner whose main job is to keep everyone accountable, focused on the company's mission, and on track for success. Today she shares Green Magic's process for finding new business and cultivating a proactive and profitable relationship with their clients and community.

Resources:Green Magic Landscaping: Website | Facebook

This episode is sponsored by: DocRX

Key Takeaways

Define a problem first to solve it.

Make sure that the developers and users of a process are speaking the same language.

Analyze a problem both internally and externally to see how all stakeholders are impacted.

Create a process to look at old problems with new angles and fresh perspectives.

Government processes should strive to be as user-friendly and intuitive as the best technology we all use.

Learn More About DocRX

DocRx is a family-oriented company dedicated to tailor operational solutions for patient health and compliance programs that increases the quality and efficiency of patient-centered care and always with the mission of the patient's health 1st. With over ten years of experience helping doctors and their patients with diagnostic testing, patient monitoring, medical supplies, compliance, wholesale pharmacy, physician dispensing billing, and more.

DocRx is your patient and health compliance solution, both under one roof. To find out how DocRx can help your hospital, pharmacy, or physicians office see all their services at docrx.com.

Learn More About Karen Simmons & CFO ConsultingKaren C. Simmons, P.C.

CFO Consulting Services

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On this episode, Karen talks with the Director of the Mobile, Alabama Mayor's Innovation Team (I-Team) Terrence DeShaun Smith. Terrence is a legit Mobile mover and shaker who leads a local government problem-solving think tank whose mission is to find new ways to solve perennial and entrenched government process problems. The Mobile I-Team's latest task is to design a smarter, faster, and more user-friendly process to start a new business in Mobile, Alabama. Terrence shares the details of this new initiative and how his team is fueled by hindsight, insight, and foresight to improve this maligned government and citizen interaction.

Resources:Innovation Team Mobile: Website | Facebook

This episode is sponsored by: DocRX

Key Takeaways

Define a problem first to solve it.
Make sure that the developers and users of a process are speaking the same language.
Analyze a problem both internally and externally to see how all stakeholders are impacted.
Create a process to look at old problems with new angles and fresh perspectives.
Government processes should strive to be as user-friendly and intuitive as the best technology we all use.

Learn More About DocRX

DocRx is a family-oriented company dedicated to tailor operational solutions for patient health and compliance programs that increases the quality and efficiency of patient-centered care and always with the mission of the patient's health 1st. With over ten years of experience helping doctors and their patients with diagnostic testing, patient monitoring, medical supplies, compliance, wholesale pharmacy, physician dispensing billing, and more.

DocRx is your patient and health compliance solution, both under one roof. To find out how DocRx can help your hospital, pharmacy, or physicians office see all their services at docrx.com.

Learn More About Karen Simmons & CFO ConsultingKaren C. Simmons, P.C.

CFO Consulting Services

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On this episode, Karen talks with Employee Benefits Specialist at Colonial Life, Brandon Kiser. Brandon is a school friend of Karen's daughter Cadie and has some "getting started" questions for his side hustle businesses. Karen lays out some LLC and S-Corp information, and then Brandon turns the tables and interviews Karen on the sale of her CPA firm.

This episode is sponsored by: DocRX

Key Takeaways

• Develop a relationship with your banker and CPA to help you set up your company to fit your needs.

• Consider liability issues and tax implications when choosing a business formation.

• Find business mentors to help formulate your business ideas and getting started.

Resources:

Brandon Kiser - Facebook | Linkedin | Contact

Learn More About DocRX

DocRx is a family-oriented company dedicated to tailor operational solutions for patient health and compliance programs that increases the quality and efficiency of patient-centered care and always with the mission of the patient's health 1st. With over ten years of experience helping doctors and their patients with diagnostic testing, patient monitoring, medical supplies, compliance, wholesale pharmacy, physician dispensing billing, and more.

DocRx is your patient and health compliance solution, both under one roof. To find out how DocRx can help your hospital, pharmacy, or physicians office see all their services at docrx.com.

Learn More About Karen Simmons & CFO ConsultingKaren C. Simmons, P.C.

CFO Consulting Services

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Covid-19 looks like it is here to stay, and testing for individuals and companies is as important as ever to ensure a safe and healthy environment for our families, customers, and businesses. On this episode, Karen talks with Leitha Boutwell of Coast Diagnostics, LLC, a growing clinical testing laboratory for hospitals, urgent care centers, doctor offices, and businesses in Mobile, Alabama. Leitha fills us in on why individuals and companies need to get COVID-19 tested. She also explains the process of getting tested, the types of tests, and which ones are the most reliable. Recently, Coast Diagnostics is witnessing an increase in companies setting up Covid-19 testing programs for their employees, and they predict that trend will continue. Find out why Covid-19 testing is a smart business decision and what is the easiest and most cost-efficient way to get it done.

This episode is sponsored by: DocRX

Key Takeaways

Coast Diagnostics is doing 2000 Covid-19 tests a day.

Coast Diagnostics is ramping up by hiring technicians and staff, improving capabilities, and refining processes to keep up with testing demands.

The average age of positive tests has gone done by 15 years over the last two weeks.

Individuals that want a 24-48 hour turnaround Covid-19 Test should contact Greater Mobile Urgent Care Centers.

Businesses looking to test their employees should contact OHC - Occupational Health Clinic at 251-434-6770.

Cheers To:

Coast Diagnostics test under strict quality control processes and follow all government requirements and report to all parties by the book. - Leitha Boutwell

Covid-19 rapid response testing is not what it sounds like, but our system and machines allow for 24-48 hour turnarounds for results, which is faster than other labs that have a backlog of testing. - Leitha Boutwell

Learn More About DocRX

DocRx is a family-oriented company dedicated to tailor operational solutions for patient health and compliance programs that increases the quality and efficiency of patient-centered care and always with the mission of the patient's health 1st. With over ten years of experience helping doctors and their patients with diagnostic testing, patient monitoring, medical supplies, compliance, wholesale pharmacy, physician dispensing billing, and more.

DocRx is your patient and health compliance solution, both under one roof. To find out how DocRx can help your hospital, pharmacy, or physicians office see all their services at DocRx.com.

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With possibly another COVID-19 business shutdown and disruption right around the corner finding new ways to get old and new customers to buy your products and services has never been more critical. Especially when foot traffic has evaporated, and normal operations have been dismantled.

In this episode, Karen talks with Yelp.com expert Juliet Hart and how she and Yelp's community of 145 million monthly users, 150 million reviews, and 150 local Yelp Elites can increase awareness and sales for any company. It's time to try something new and proven to get your business seen online. Plus, let's get your profile set up correctly to get more eyeballs on your digital footprint and more sales in the books. Yelp can help!

Resources:

Juliet Hart - Facebook | email: julietshart@yahoo.com

@YelpMobile - Twitter

Key Takeaway

150 million users, 145 million reviews, and 150 Elite Mobile and Baldwin County Yelpers are online.

Juliet is a Yelp resource that spotlights local businesses to her online and real-life community and helps local businesses leverage the power of the Yelp reviewers and influencers.

Yelp can help more locals and traveling consumers find you, even in a time of limited store operating hours and vanishing foot traffic.

Your company has to be as strong online as it is offline.

Listen and read your online reviews and see if they are valid criticisms and praise.

Respond professionally to all feedback and prove you're on top of your business's operation and reputation.

Learn more about Karen Simmons & CFO ConsultingKaren C. Simmons, P.C.

CFO Consulting Services

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On this episode, Karen talks with Josh Woods, the Executive Director at The Grounds and the Greater Gulf State Fair. Josh fills us in on how the Greater Gulf State Fair is planning to happen in 2020. Josh shares how The Grounds was not eligible for PPP and how he and the Jaycee's Board of Directors are not only surviving but also thriving in a post-COVID-19 world. Enjoy the show!

This week's show is presented by: Payroll Vault

Key Takeaways

The Grounds is a Not-For-Profit entity and was ineligible for PPP assistance.

The Grounds and The Greater Gulf State Fair is embracing the new world through a post-COVID-19 safety and planning process.

Josh is committed to having a fair. Mobile has never not had a fair since 1955.

Josh and The Grounds Team plan, work, and collaborate with The Jaycees Board of Directors to survive and grow even during a crisis.

Run a Not-For-Profit business like a business, not a charity.

ResourcesJosh Woods - LinkedIn | Facebook

The Greater Gulf State Fair - Facebook | Website

The Grounds - Facebook | Website

Learn more about Karen Simmons & CFO ConsultingKaren C. Simmons, P.C.

CFO Consulting Services

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It seems like everything is chaotic and scary in the business world these days. So, Karen thought we needed to hear some good vibes and inspirational messages. It was a no brainer to decided to replay the Christine Cumbie episode from last year. Christine is a local change-maker, entrepreneur, cancer warrior, and survivor. By always being the model of grace in any situation, Christine is living proof that optimism, intentional living, and gratitude can be a secret weapon in all aspects of your life. And we all can use some more of all these gifts in times like these. Cadie and Karen love Christine, and they are not kidding when we say they want to be like Christine Cumbie. Enjoy The Show and stay well!

Learn more about Karen Simmons & CFO ConsultingKaren C. Simmons, P.C.

CFO Consulting Services

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In this episode, Karen talks with the CEO of DocRx and owner of Coast Diagnostics, Brian Ward. Brian explains how he saw and seized an opportunity to grow his small medical lab by providing much-needed testing for COVID-19. By investing and expanding his medical testing capabilities, the small Coast Diagnostics, LLC - Laboratory is now poised to create a huge opportunity for Brian and his team by helping the businesses and people in their community. Plus Brian shares his views on horizontal leadership, smart business growth and advocating work/life balance.

Learn more about Coast Diagnostics

Key Takeaways

Invest in opportunities in a crisis that fills a need.
Diversify your portfolio of businesses and business services
Create a culture of life/work balance with your employees and yourself.
Work to be productive and profitable, not just busy.

Cheers To:

Providing a solution to a need at a reasonable price is a win for a business owner. - Karen Simmons

I don't do a vertical approach; I'm more of a parallel approach leader. My team doesn't work for me; I work with them. - Brian Ward

You're supposed to spend eight hours sleeping, eight hours at work, and eight hours with your family. A third of your day is spent literally with your work and with your job. There is a big deal in work-life balance. - Brian Ward

I always told my teams, I want you to feel productive when you leave at the end of every day. - Karen Simmons

Get into work. Do what you got to do, get out, and just be smart about it. - Brian Ward

If work doesn't produce results for what you're trying to accomplish, I call it fluff sitting over there that nobody's going to use. - Brian Ward

Learn more about Karen SimmonsKaren C. Simmons, P.C.

Linkedin

cfocsi.com

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On this special gameshow edition of Cheers To Business, Karen quizzes Chris and Laney Andrews, owners of Bienville Bites Food Tours, on a game called Deduction or No Deduction. Karen throws out a common business tax deduction and Chris and Laney yay or nay that you can deduct that cost on their 2019 business taxes. Pop a top or pop a cork and learn while having fun on this special episode.

{Editor's Note: This episode was recorded right before COVID-19 became the only issue in our lives. When the COVID-19 virus hit, we decided to make some new shows focused more on the information that would be important to business owners to help with the shutdown, PPP, and other daily crisis issues. Due to the COVID-19 shutdown and mass disruption in the restaurant industry, they had to pivot their tours with Bites In A Bag. Now that the shutdown as been lifted, Chris and Laney are planning to restart their food tours, and they are taking time right now to work with the local restaurants as they are reopening and recovering.}

**Book a Tour With Bienville Bites

Check Out More Cheers Featuring Bienville Bites Food Tours**

Key Takeaways:

Not all business costs are a legitimate deductions.

When in doubt, ask your CPA or bookkeeper any questions on legitimate business deductions.

Keep all your receipts, use handy phone apps and technology to record all your expenses.

Learn more about Karen SimmonsKaren C. Simmons, P.C.

Linkedin

cfocsi.com

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On this episode, Noell Broughton talks to Karen Simmons about how difficult the COVID-19 shutdown has been on his bar and restaurant businesses. Plus, he describes the mountains of PPP paperwork, figuring out the maze of government regulations, and how he is getting his employees back to work and relaunching his operations at only 50% capacity. Karen and Noell deliver a feast of insights for business owners and employees concerning PPP, PPP loan forgiveness, understanding full-time and part-time employment issues, and how to gain access to the newly enacted Paycheck Protection Program Flexibility Act. It’s time for many of us to calm down, get off the ledge, and get back to work, and we hope this show helps out.

Paycheck Protection Program Flexibility Act Ins and Outs:

1. Allow forgiveness for expenses beyond the 8 weeks covered period
2. Eliminate restrictions for limiting non-payroll expenses
3. Eliminate restrictions that limit the loan payment to 2 years
4. Ensure access to payroll tax deferment for businesses that take the PPP
5. Extend the rehiring deadline to offset the enhanced unemployment insurance

Check out Noell's EP6 Cheers To Business Episode >>> Listen here

Key Takeaways

Consult with your payroll experts, accountants, lawyers, and business consultants to make sure you are in compliance with PPP loan regulations and rules.

Look into the Paycheck Protection Program Flexibility Act for more relief in getting your business back open.

Ask questions, do your own research and share the knowledge with other business owners on all these PPP and other government programs created to help in your business recovery.

Roll with the punches, be patient, and take all the business that you can at this time, but definitely know and play by all the rules.

Franchise Action Network - easily contact your federal, state, and local officials about issues of concern through the state-of-the-art Phone2Action platform.

Learn more about Karen Simmons & CFO ConsultingKaren C. Simmons, P.C.

CFO Consulting Services

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In this episode, Karen talks with strategic Information Technology consultant and specialist Abe Harper of Harper Technologies in Mobile, Alabama. Abe shares some simple and essential tools and procedures to ensure computer and network security, even when a company's workforce is primarily working remotely. Plus, Abe describes how the IT world has seen a boom in work and awareness of necessity since the beginning of the pandemic.

Check out Harper Technologies

Key Takeaways

Use tools and procedures to secure your data from ransomware, computer viruses, and hardware or software damage (fire, water or physical destruction)

Frequently audit your computer system, network, and procedures to determine vulnerabilities in your security and firewalls.

A network and information system is only the strong as your weakest link.

Consult with a reputable IT specialist to determine the appropriate firewalls, anti-viruses, data backup systems, and security protocols for your specific needs.

Learn more about Karen Simmons & Abe HarperKaren C. Simmons, P.C.

Abe Harper

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In this "let's get back to work" episode, Karen talks with Bienville Bites owners Chris and Laney Andrew. They created Bienville Bites to be a guided walking food tour of the best food spots in Mobile, Ala. You walk, eat, and learn about the historic sites in their town while making a few friends along the way. This hobby and side hustle became a bustling full-time job for this husband and wife business team. Hear their story, how they share the load running a business and raising a family, and what's next for growing Bienville Bites. Enjoy the show and please support Bienville Bites when you're ready for a night out on the town.

{Editor's Note: This episode was recorded right before COVID-19 became the only issue in our lives. When the COVID-19 virus hit, we decided to make some new shows focused more on the information that would be important to business owners to help with the shutdown, PPP, and other daily crisis issues. Due to the COVID-19 shutdown and mass disruption in the restaurant industry, they had to pivot their tours with Bites In A Bag. Now that the shutdown as been lifted, Chris and Laney are planning to restart their food tours, and they are taking time right now to work with the local restaurants as they are reopening and recovering.}

Book a tour with Bienville Bites

Key Takeaways

Look for opportunities to turn hobbies and side hustles into a full job.

When operating a business or running a family divide the work and responsibility.

Offer more than just a product, create a true experience or memory for your customers.

Learn more about Karen SimmonsKaren C. Simmons, P.C.

Linkedin

cfocsi.com

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On this episode, Karen talks with local attorney and host of Lawcall Bill Eiland of Eiland and Richie Law Firm in Mobile, Alabama. Bill gives his legal insights on business interruption insurance and how he is helping local businesses deal with insurance carriers who have denied policyholders coverage during this COVID-19 business shutdown. The insurance companies are smart, and you need expert help receiving the benefits that you are owed.

Need help with your Business Disruption Claim?
Contact Bill Eiland at 251-301-6167, or email him at beiland@erlawfirm.com for a free and no-obligation consultation. Visit erlawfirm.com for more information.

Key Takeaways

If your business claim has been declined, consult with a lawyer or local insurance expert and have them review your business liability insurance to see if your business is covered because of COVID-19.

Get your 2019-20 business financials in order now to prepare any claim or appeal to your insurance denial. You need to be able to prove damages with real numbers.

If your business disruption claim has been declined, do not give up and resubmit. All claims are denied at first.

Learn more about Karen SimmonsKaren C. Simmons, P.C.

Linkedin

cfocsi.com

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On this episode, Karen talks with HR expert and founder of Morale Resource, LLC, Dr. Gia Wiggins to discuss helping out employers, employees, and customers to transitioning back into the workplace after the mandated shutdown. What does this "new business normal" going to look like? Is the management playbook from the past is no longer relevant? Owners, managers, and employees all need to reevaluate their processes, protocols, and workspace. Gia lays out some sage-like advice to rewriting the employee handbook and transitioning back into working in the office to feel important, safe, and effective. It's time always to be thinking globally and building locally.

Check out Morale Resource, LLC: Human Resources + Consulting

Takeaways

Try to create a safe and flexible work environment to transition your workforce back into the office.

Management and staff need to create a new psychological contract of transparency and trust to all be moving forward in a time of uncertainty.

Reevaluate your business to pivot your operations and revenue streams to be pandemic-proof and crisis-proof in the future.

Leverage internal relationships and those with vendors, customers, bankers, and competitors.

Document all the conditions and obstacles you have encountered in this pandemic and business shutdown. Let's learn from this challenging period to prepare for the next crisis.

Learn more about Karen Simmons & Gia WigginsKaren C. Simmons, P.C.

Gia Wiggins

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On this quarantine special episode, Karen and Cadie are talking surviving and thriving through this coronavirus crisis, and business shutdown with the sage-like, hilarious, and Mobile, Alabama Radio Legend Uncle Henry. Uncle Henry shares what he is seeing now inside his company and with advertisers on WNTM 710AM and iHeartradio. And, he gives his thoughts on the effects of this mandated shutdown on the "nonessential" local businesses and the whole community. On a lighter note, Karen asks about the NEW FRIDAY NIGHT UNCLE HENRY INTERNET SHOW on FACEBOOK LIVE, Bedtime Stories for Seniors, and keeping your spirits up during these anxious times.

Stick around to the very end of the show to hear The New Neighbors from Uncle Henry's Bedtime Stories for Seniors. We promise it will make you smile and give you a big ole belly laugh.

Check out the New Uncle Henry Internet Show

Never Miss An Uncle Henry Show >>> Follow Uncle Henry

Learn more about Karen Simmons & Cadie Gaut

Karen C. Simmons, P.C.

Payroll Vault - Mobile & Baldwin Counties

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In this special episode, Karen takes a different perspective on the COVID-19 quarantine and its effect on businesses, specifically on young entrepreneurs. She talks with 10-year-old fashion and snack entrepreneur Anthony Allen, creator and owner of Snocks. Taking his hobby of fashion and his love of snacks, Anthony combined both into Snocks, an online gift packaging company of tasty snacks paired with snack designed socks. Anthony, like all local business owners, is struggling to survive and grow during this Coronavirus (COVID-!9) quarantine. He shares his plans weathering this disruption, how he and his Mom are looking to expand the product line, and how he is reevaluating what’s an “essential” job and product. Anthony is one smart cookie and has a lot to say about starting a business, building a brand, and how we all need to stay safe and help one another.

Check Out Snocks

Learn more about Karen Simmons & Anthony

Karen Simmons

Anthony Allen

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This episode is such a WIN-WIN-WIN Coronavirus business story that has gone viral and become a regional, national, and feel good media story.

Karen and guest co-host Stacy Wellborn talk with Joe Calagaz of Calagaz Printing, a Mobile, Alabama commercial printer known for their menu and restaurant printing. After deciding to find a way to keep his talented & skilled team employed and busy during this time when orders just disappeared overnight - Joe and his wife decided to take this downtime to cross-train and clean the whole company. Except something different and wonderful happened. An employee had a eureka moment to use some raw materials on hand to start making the much-needed protective face shields for medical and hospital workers. New orders are coming in, hospitals are ordering by the thousands, and Joe's team has possibly created a whole new revenue stream for their printing company.

Plus, Stacy, a college Marketing Professor and PR professional, explains her role in working with Calagaz and helping them spread this feel-good story in a time when we all need some good news.

Key Takeaways

Joe and his team turned disruption into much needed new orders coming in.

Slow down right now, analyze tour business, take care of your employees, and look for ways to strengthen your company.

In business, we all need to learn to prepare for the unexpected.

Calagaz employees are engaged and super excited to be a part of this business innovation, new revenue source, protecting front line medical workers, and a media story everyone is talking about.

Media, influencers, Mayors, and Governors are contacting Joe and sharing this success story to inspire others because they worked with a PR professional to maximize exposure.

Cheers To:

Let's not think about the dollars we make today. Let's help each other and support our community. - Karen Simmons

You don't make something go viral. It just has to happen. - Stacy Wellborn

When you do social media, you don't have to have perfect pictures and videos. Just let your images tell the story. - Stacy Wellborn

You stay in business because your customers, but what keeps your business going is your lawyer, your banker, and your accountant. Joe Calagaz

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April 1 has always just been April Fool's Day. But now, if you're a small or medium-sized business owner, it has taken on a whole new meaning. What are your requirements with this Coronavirus pandemic concerning your employees if they're affected by this disease? On the show today, we have Celia Collins, an Employment Law Attorney with Johnston Adams LLC in Mobile, Alabama. She's in the studio today to help us understand this constantly changing and legal labyrinth for employers and what they can do for their employees to manage unemployment and sick leave. We're talking what's your responsibility (and liabilities) to your employees under the Coronavirus Paid Sick Leave Act and the Extended Family Relief Act. You're going to want to hear this show.

Special thanks to Crow Shields and Bailey PC for assistance with this episode.

Resources

U.S. Department of Labor

Alabama Small Business Development Center

SBA Disaster Loan Assistance

Economic Injury Disaster Loans

Coronavirus (COVID-19): Small Business Guidance & Loan Resources

Families First Coronavirus Response Act

Mobile Chamber of Commerce

Learn more about Karen Simmons & Celia

Karen Simmons

Ceila Collins

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In this critical COVID-19 business survival episode, Karen and guest co-host Michelle Crow of e-worc marketing and advertising talk about the changing economy during this time of quarantines and mandatory "social-distancing," and the disaster loans and relief resources becoming available. It's such a tough time out there for so many business owners, and employees and this show hopes it can shed some light on the best resources, loans, and budgetary assistance out there to help all aspects of our businesses and workforce. The very nature of the way we do business is transforming daily, let's all stay calm, figure out what's working, prioritize expenses, manage our resources, stay positive, and let's all stick together to get through this uncertain time.

Resources

Alabama Small Business Development Center

SBA Disaster Loan Assistance

Economic Injury Disaster Loans

Coronavirus (COVID-19): Small Business Guidance & Loan Resources

Families First Coronavirus Response Act

Mobile Chamber of Commerce

Key Takeaways

Look for any additional and new revenue streams.

If possible, alter your business processes or pivot to a horizontal product market during this business disruption.

Seek out information on SBA relief loans, unemployment relief, and benefits from the family leave and sick pay act.

Protect your cash and look for debt relief from your creditors.

Manage your inventory, raw materials, and resources to get through this crisis.

Have a plan to maximize the growth opportunity when the economy recovers after the initial Coronavirus crisis.

Learn more about Karen Simmons & Michelle

Karen Simmons

Michelle Crowe | e-worc | Facebook | LinkedIn

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On this episode, Karen has a crucial conversation with HR management specialist Gia Wiggins (Morale Resource LLC) about employers and employees and what they need to do to keep their businesses healthy during this COVID-19 pandemic. Due to the nature of news, regulations, and information changing so radically during this time, Karen and Gia wanted to lay down some solid guidelines for businesses impacted by this global health and business issue.

Key Takeaways

Relax employee attendance policies concerning sick leave, vacation time, doctor notes, and remote working during this time.

Have open and transparent conversations early with your partners, employees, team members, and customers regarding difficult issues and problems during this crisis.

Find creative solutions and positive ways for the things that you can do to help your employees and customers.

Social Distancing can be used by spacing out your office and factory workers by spreading them out using your whole facility.

Look for ways to use remote working to continue to bring in revenue and find ideas for your employees to continue still to do work.

< If possible, use this time to retrofit your company or change some processes and structures that can improve the way your company can maximize new technology and 21st-century tools.

Resources:

Gia Wiggins - Facebook /// LinkedIn

Morale Resource LLC - Website

Guidance on Preparing Your Workplace for COVID-19 - OSHA

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On this episode, Karen and Cadie continue their Knowledge Nuggets Series with a discussion on the 12 (and more) steps to starting a business. Using and commenting on an article by entrepreneur.com Associate Editor Matthew McCreary, the Cheers ladies run through what you need to consider, analyze, prepare, and implement for starting that business the entrepreneur within you has been dying to launch. You do not need to be a Steve Jobs or an MBA to start your business empire, but having the right business knowledge, foundation, and a strong business plan get help you take that big idea into a successful new career.

Resources:

The Complete, 12-Step Guide to Starting a Business | by: Matthew McCreary

Key Takeaways:

You need more than just drive and passion for beginning a new successful business.

Do the research, test markets, and beta testing before going all-in on a new business.

Get real feedback for competitors, customers, and your closest friends with an open mind.

Use experts when forming the basic foundation of your company. It will save you a ton of headaches and money in the future.

Learn more about Karen Simmons & Cadie Gaut

Karen Simmons

Payroll Vault - Mobile & Baldwin Counties

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On this episode, Karen and Cadie uncork their Knowledge Nuggets Series and talk income management. Karen and Cadie explain what is and is not business income. Plus, Karen shares the ins and outs of Alabama Sales Tax.

Key Takeaways:

Report your revenue and all loans in detail on your ledger.

Make sure you are only being taxed for revenue streams and not any loans.

Sales Tax is not cash flow and is not your money.

Always charge sales tax on taxable items and pay your sales tax by the 20th of every month.

Some states charge sales tax on services.

Learn more about Karen Simmons & Cadie Gaut

Karen Simmons

Payroll Vault - Mobile & Baldwin Counties

Cheers To:

Know your income, identify all the income sources, and record them in detail on your ledger or accounting systems. - Karen Simmons

Loan payments are not expenses and not income. Make sure you are not mistakenly taxed on any loans. - Karen Simmons

Sales tax is based on only what the end-user pays. - Karen Simmons

Before you open up a business or reach out to other states, make sure you are fully aware of how that state works and what it charges sales tax on and what it doesn't. - Karen Simmons

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Everybody's business numbers sing, and they tell a story. Find out your KPIs or hire someone to help you. - Karen Simmons

On this episode, Karen and Cadie admit that they didn't know that KPIs stood for Key Performance Indicators, so you are not alone. Key Performance Indicators are the information metrics that quantify your business as a count or a percentage or any other type of measurement that reveals something specific about the status and health of your business operation. People, we all need to know our KPIs!

Key Takeaways

KPIs are the vital signs of your business.
KPIs help you monitor your company more closely
KPIs allow you to be more proactive in your business then reactive.
KPIs help you see patterns and trends in your business.
KPIs help you to see if your business is heading in the right direction.

Learn more about Karen Simmons & Cadie Gaut

Karen Simmons

Payroll Vault - Mobile & Baldwin Counties

Cheers To:

If you know your KPI numbers, it can prevent disasters in your business and prepare you for great streams of revenue. - Karen Simmons

To grow your business, you need to know and have your KPIs in order, and the sooner you start collecting the required data points, the better. - Karen Simmons

Find out what your KPIs are. You don't have to totally understand them to start looking at your numbers. - Karen Simmons

Do you want to run a successful growing viable entity? Determine your KPIs or hire someone to find them for you. - Cadie Gaut

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On this episode, Karen and Cadie are back in the studio together, and they are talking to food blogger, Instagram influencer, photographer, and wanna-be podcaster Amanda "Birdie" Gibson of the Lemon Baby food blog. Stuffed with Amanda's own original recipes, food photography, and thoughts on Gulf Coast cuisine, Lemon Baby, is an online blog created to educate and demystify the ingredients, instructions, and dishes that everyday people think are too complicated to make. Have you ever wanted to know how a blogger gets started and makes money? Amanda shares her secret recipe for getting started in blogging, content marketing, and online writing.

Key Takeaways

Lemon Baby is a labor of love side hustle for this college professor, advertising copywriter, and full-time Mom.

Adsense by Google is a good way to monetize your blog or website.

Make things happen for yourself. Don't sit around and wait for anyone else to start something you really want to do.

Learn more about Karen Simmons & Cadie Gaut

Karen Simmons

Payroll Vault - Mobile & Baldwin Counties

Cheers To:

It's not going to happen to me. I'm going to have to make it happen. And sometimes it works and then sometimes it doesn't. But I think it's always worth the effort. That is how I approach life. - Amanda Gibson

Most of the content on the blog is my own original recipes, but occasionally, if I want to try a restaurant, I'll go there, do a review, and take some photos. - Amanda Gibson

I started a catering company with a friend. I got a taste of the catering life, and that wasn't for me. - Amanda Gibson

If you want to start a podcast, get a professional producer to help you do the show or get started. - Cadie Gaut

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On this episode, Karen talks with CPA John Calderone, and he shares three ways on how to get the most out of your CPA when preparing your taxes and tips on keeping your tax bill lower. Plus, John reveals the best KPI's and financial reports for small businesses to monitor the health of their company.

3 Best Tips To Help Your Tax Preparer:

Accumulate your data and all your documents in a single delivery to your CPA.
Have separate personal and business checking accounts, credit cards, and other financial accounts.
Once your CPA gets the ball rolling on your tax return, be available to answer all questions.

Learn more about Karen Simmons & Cadie Gaut

Karen Simmons

Payroll Vault - Mobile & Baldwin Counties

Cheers To:

There are only three places your business money can come and go: operations, investing, or financing. - Karen Simmons

The Cash Flow Statement is an excellent way for small businesses to know where the cash goes and where it is coming from. - John Calderone

If your business cost percentages jump way up or down, it's going to show you where you have problems. - John Calderone

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In this raucous episode, the Cheers Ladies laugh and learn with John Serda, owner of Serda's Coffee and Serda Brewing Company. John tells the origins of his love and knowledge of the coffee business, becoming a teenage brewmaster, and dispels some common entrepreneurial myths. Plus, he candidly explains his philosophy of knowing your customers and not letting your business own you.

Key Takeaways:

Discipline is essential when working for yourself.

Don't let your business own you.

Never ignore your customer's tastes.

Be productive, not busy.

Resources:

John Serda: Facebook | LinkedIn

Serda's Coffee: Website | Facebook

Serda Brewing Co.: Website | Facebook

Cheers To:

You have to have discipline. That's the biggest lesson I've learned so far. - John Serda

Everybody thinks when they're getting into their own business, they'll get to work when they want to because I work for myself. That is not how it works. - John Serda

Sometimes the business will own you, so you have to have discipline. - John Serda

Nine out of 10 times when somebody says they want to start a business, I can tell whether or not they're going to do it and if they're going to succeed. - John Serda

It takes a lot of discipline to be able to wake up in the morning and sit down and go to work when you don't have somebody telling you to have to do this or that, have a real strict deadline, and write a real business plan. - John Serda

It's hard to write a business plan, especially if you've never written one. - John Serda

I like to make beers that I like, but it doesn't matter what you like. It's what your customers like. - John Serda

Am I being productive or just busy? - John Serda

I try to do the things on my list that are actually going to move me forward, and that keeps me busy. - John Serda

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On this episode, Karen talks about starting a retail shop from scratch, dealing with the challenges of retail, and pivoting when necessary with Elizabeth and Jennifer O'Brien of Opulence Designs. After opening her dream art and gift shop, Elizabeth found out that retail was one tough nut to crack. With months of ups and downs, inventory not moving, and things looking dark, Opulence Designs was able to relook at their business plan, mission, and opportunities and was able to pivot their shop to work for their customers and community.

Check Out Opulence Design at https://opulencedesigns.net/

Key Takeaways

Retail is not what is was five years ago, especially with online sales.
Be able to pivot, adjust your sales, and always be moving forward.
Don't just create a business, create a community.
Retail space is a commodity.

Learn more about Karen Simmons & Cadie Gaut

Karen Simmons

Payroll Vault - Mobile & Baldwin Counties

Cheers To:

Retail is a hard beast. Customer service is half the sale at least. - Jennifer O'Brien

With a consumer, you cannot read their mind. - Jennifer O'Brien

Most people that come into the shop are impulse buyers, unless they have heard of something or seen it online that they want to buy. - Elizabeth O'Brien

You have to accommodate everybody, and that's becoming more and more difficult. - Jennifer O'Brien

People are supporting me, I want to support them. So, therefore, take the first step and support them first. They'll want to support you. - Karen Simmons

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On this delicious episode, Karen and Cadie get real with The Salsa King of Alabama, Chef Tony Ingram of Tony's Tejas Salsa. Claiming to make "The World's Best Salsa" Tony shares the origin story of his tasty salsa product empire, building a food brand from the ground up, and scaling a company while never compromising your vision and quality. Do you think you have that secret "sauce" or product that can make it out of your kitchen and on to the shelves of Whole Foods or your local grocery? Tony and his Tony's Tejas Salsa reveal a damn good success recipe to follow.

Check out Tony's Tejas Salsa - Website | Instagram | Facebook

Key Takeaways

Create a product that you and your market can believe in.
Connect with your customers and vendors, don't just sell to them.
Have a positive effect on people and your community.
Never compromise quality and vision.

Learn more about Karen Simmons & Cadie Gaut

Karen Simmons

Payroll Vault - Mobile & Baldwin Counties

Cheers To:

It's one thing to advertise and to market. But if you're not driving sales directly, it really cuts into your margins because it's businesses is all about margins and volume. - Tony Ingram

If you don't build that grassroots following, you're not going to expand. - Tony Ingram

A brand is built around your core product; you get in front of enough people to make enough people want it, then you can put out whatever you want. - Tony Ingram

You have to get one aspect of your product right before you start delving into too many things. - Tony Ingram

The thing that separates my salsa from all the others you find in stores, it's not just a difference in heat. Each one has its own unique characteristics. - Tony Ingram

Make sure you know what your end goal is. Because that's going to determine how much time and effort you put into selling whatever you make. - Tony Ingram

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On this episode, Karen and guest co-host Michelle Crowe pick the brilliant legal mind of Jennifer Holifield of Speegle Hoffman Holman, and Holifield. She and her firm specialize in helping small businesses with all business formation, employment law, and other corporate legal issues. Jennifer shares the most common legal pitfalls business owners and managers she sees year after year.

Are you compliant with all Federal, State, County, and City business requirements? Listen up, this Cheers episode could save you a lot of headaches, time, and money.

Click here to contact Jennifer Holifield.

Key Takeaways

Incorporate and correctly form your business from the very first day.
Consult your accountant first, then your lawyer, and then go to your banker.
Stay on top of your Accounts Receivable.
Have a trusted lawyer review your business formation and your invoice and billing agreements.
NEVER commingle personal and business funds.

Learn more about Karen Simmons & Cadie Gaut

Karen Simmons

Payroll Vault - Mobile & Baldwin Counties

Cheers To:

I always tell my clients to go see an accountant first to decide which business formation is going to be best for your financial situation. - Jennifer Holifield

If you don't maintain the separation between personal and business, then it's like you didn't form your business at all in the first place. - Jennifer Holifield

If you are treating your business as if it's your own personal bank account, the law will disregard that liability shield you are trying to create when you're signing documents for your business. - Jennifer Holifield

A lot of the employment issues I see are wage and hour issues. Clients don't always know when they have to pay overtime or when they don't have to pay overtime pay. - Jennifer Holifield

E-Verify is a way to protect yourself under the immigration laws, which are pretty severe.

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In this episode, Karen speaks with Mary Grothe, Sales Coach, National Keynote Speaker and CEO of BQ®. Mary's superpower is uncovering the core selling abilities and sales DNA of the reps and managers she works with, developing high-growth sales strategies, and then implementing them with the CEO until the plans are profitable. Are you making that first salesperson hire for your company? Maybe you're hiring a whole new sales team? Are you trying to find that secret formula to hitting those 2020 revenue sales goals and productivity milestones? Mary shares with Karen some of her proven processes and insights for creating that revenue generating salesforce you've got to have to be successful in today's marketplace.

Key Takeaways

1. Dress the part, speak the part, and be the part.

2. Differentiate yourself from your competition.

3. Document and train your sales and operational processes.

4. Show up for yourself, but more importantly, be there for others.

To learn more about Mary, visit marygrothe.com

Learn more about Karen Simmons & Cadie Gaut

Karen Simmons

Payroll Vault - Mobile & Baldwin Counties

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On this week's episode, Karen talks with Pound Cake Maven and entrepreneur baker Carla Able of Cakes By The Pound. Carla shares her baking origins, leaping by faith into a cottage food baking business, and her recipe for business success.

Carla's Business Recipe:

Do something your good at.
Capitalize early.
Get a mentor you respect and admire.
Learn to use social media.
Be positive and persistent.

Cheers To:

Cake does something for people. That words cannot. - Carla Able

They don't teach you in college how to be in business. - Karen Simmons

Everything I do is homemade, and that's what makes it special. - Carla Able

Everyone needs cake. - Carla Able

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Need help to develop or refine your company culture, future view, and Best Model for your firm in 2020? Then this special international version of Cheers is just for you. In this episode, Karen "get's real" with the dynamic duo husband and wife leadership coaching and consulting team of Debbie Halls-Evans and Dave Evans of the Double D Podcast and RLC Global. FYI" RLC stands for "Real Leadership Consulting." Debbie and Dave's talent and passion are helping others in creating the best version of businesses, people, and teams. Plus, they create media content and products to make any business/life/leadership coaches and coachees engagement and interaction more efficient, effective, and more manageable. Focusing heavily on personal relationships, accountability, state control mindsets, and operational leadership development, Debbie and Dave's RLC Global challenges the paradigms of 21st Century leadership coaching and consultation.

Key Takeaways

To grow as a person and leader, you need coaching that creates the Best Version of yourself, and it must get "real."

Self-coaching and self-leadership skills are essential to develop better versions of ourselves.

You have to develop the best version of yourself to impact others and your company.

Learn to be the best version of yourself in all aspects of your life. That includes the office and the home.

Resources

Debbie Halls-Evans: COO, Coach at RLC Global - LinkedIn | Website

Dave Evans: Founder, Author Coach at RLC Global - LinkedIn | Mastery Network

CoachPad | Website

Double D for Business | Podcast

Cheers To

Our number one focus is spending our time helping businesses of all shapes and sizes globally, and in all kinds of different ways, to lock in our client's best version of their business. - Dave Evans

Everything we do all we start with self because you can tell somebody to go and run the business or give them coaching guidance if you don't make a change yourself. - Dave Evans

People are leaving a full-time job for passion and not necessarily understanding the complexities that go into running the business. And they are also getting some bad advice. - Debbie Halls-Evans

We've built CoachPad, software built for the coach - by coaches - to have one place to run their whole business and interact with their clients. - Debbie Halls-Evans

CoachPad allows coaches to schedule appointments, build a CRM, and run their whole business without having to jump from email, chat, and other platforms. - Debbie Halls-Evans

I think we live in a world that's got a lot of toxic positivity, either excessively pessimistic or excessively overly optimistic, and we want to bring back that reality check and real aspects of finding the best version of self. - Debbie Halls-Evans

We are about to launch a magazine called Best Version. It's a coaching and consulting magazine specifically and best version, and it challenges people on how we do that on a personal level. - Debbie Halls-Evans

Dave and Debbie create the best version of businesses, people and teams. - Karen Simmons

Learn more about Karen Simmons & Cadie Gaut

Karen Simmons

Payroll Vault - Mobile & Baldwin Counties

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The Cheers To Business Ladies got caught up in the holiday season and couldn't get into the studio this week. So, we are re-airing an oldie but goodie holiday do's and don'ts episode from 2018.

This Dec.18th, 2018 show is still an excellent show for workshop owners and worker elves. Karen and Cadie discuss Christmas Holiday do's and don'ts to get the most out of your time off, business productivity, family time, and your overall sanity. So, pour yourself a hot toddy, turn up the volume, and let's savor this joyous time of year.

Merry Christmas, and thanks for listening and supporting Cheers To Business. Cheers to you!

Join the Domke Market Wine & Cheese Club

Resources:

7 Holiday Dos And Don'ts For Every Entrepreneur - by Gene Marks

Sponsor:
Domke Market

Domke Market - Facebook Page

Learn more about Karen Simmons & Cadie Gaut

Karen C. Simmons, P.C.

Payroll Vault - Mobile & Baldwin Counties

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In this info and laugh loaded episode, Karen shares her new business marketing needs consultation with e-worc's marketing goddess Michelle Crowe. Michelle walks Karen through knowing your customer demographics, brand auditing, strategy creation, website development, email marketing, social media, and traditional print collateral. This fun and factual conversation is an excellent example of a productive marketing meeting you need to be having with your advertising agency, marketing directors, or anyone doing your business marketing...including yourself.

**Resources:

Michelle Crowe** | e-worc | Facebook | LinkedIn

Key Takeaways

Before you create any marketing collateral, or build your website, determine the real value your company provides and who are your ideal customers.

Determine the speed of growth and what financial objectives you are trying to achieve to determine the needed investment in your marketing budget accurately.

LinkedIn is Facebook for adults who all have jobs.

Consult with a marketing expert to set up the foundation (or refine what you already have) for all your business's branding, marketing, digital, and advertising needs.

A robust email marketing strategy is not only a powerful marketing tool but an absolute necessity.

Learn more about Karen Simmons & Cadie Gaut

Karen Simmons

Payroll Vault - Mobile & Baldwin Counties

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Protecting your business, personal assets, employees, and reputation is a must in today's marketplace. Is your business covered properly with insurance? What about you, personally? The average business judgment is around $50,000. And wait for it...you don't have to have done something wrong to get named in a lawsuit. In this episode, Karen and Cadie talk with Commercial Business Insurance whisper Tim Gould of Azalea Insurance Advisors. Tim will walk us through the ins and outs of the most common business insurance (and some exotic ones) and the best ways to find the right coverage for your professional needs.

PRO TIP: Don't do this alone; find a professional insurance advisor who knows your business and your specific needs.

**Resources:

Tim Gould** | Azalea Insurance Advisors | Facebook | LinkedIn

Takeaways:

There are tons of business insurance coverage because there are so many different types of businesses.

Business insurance can cover losses due to business property damage,
lost business income, employee illness and injury.

Determine what coverage your business needs before choosing a commercial business policy.

Each insurance agent is going to have their own take on coverage options and how to protect your business.

Not all insurance policies and agents are the same.

If you're sitting on a board of director seat, you may have liability. Make sure that the organization is paying for your insurance or you have covered your exposure.

Learn more about Karen Simmons & Cadie Gaut

Karen Simmons

Payroll Vault - Mobile & Baldwin Counties

Cheers To:

Each type of business has their own specific exposures. But somebody's coming to get their money. - Karen Simmons

You need to have somebody who can look after you as you run as fast as you can to grow in your business. - Tim Gould

If your company needs to go to court, and you need to pay for your defense, you need commercial insurance. - Tim Gould

With business insurance it seems that you're not selling insurance you're finding out what people need and you're giving them that solution. - Cadie Gaut

You've got to take the time to step back and think "okay, I need to plan what if something happens to my company or me." - Cadie Gaut

A business owner's policy it combines property and liability and contents all in one. It's a great start for a small business. - Tim Gould

If you got to protect yourself against property damage or any type of suit that would come to you towards bodily injury or property damage look at a business owner's policy. - Tim Gould

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I find myself in meetings with the bank lately, sitting with the people with the title Vice President of Commercial Lending. They talked to me because they assume because of what I'm doing that I have a business background. They are using terminology, like leveraging this and blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. I will look directly at them and say, " I don't know what I'm doing." They think I'm joking and playing coy with them. And I say, "no, really, I don't know what I'm doing." - Jamie Tapia

In this episode, Karen and Cadie invited a total stranger into the studio. She's the owner of Port City Industrial and podcast fanatic Jamie Tapia. Jamie is now a new Cheers To Business friend, and we want you to get to know her too. She candidly shares her fear of not having a traditional business degree, even though she and her husband are running a thriving business. Karen and Cadie explain how Jamie's situation is very common, how we all need to get a grip on our businesses, and some easy ways to learn how to take the bull by the horn. Plus, Jamie drops some of her favorite podcasts for you to consume.

Key Takeaways:

You don't have to have a traditional business degree to run a company properly.

It's a smart business decision to find a way to learn some basic (and real-world) business fundamentals and bookkeeping skills like quickbooks.

If you have business questions, hire a CPA or business consultant to help you get some control of your business or teach you how to run your enterprise.

Podcasts are a great way to learn business and life skills while being entertained.

Resources

Jamie Tapia - Website | Facebook

Learn more about Karen Simmons & Cadie Gaut

Karen Simmons

Payroll Vault - Mobile & Baldwin Counties

Cheers To:

Our business plan is that my husband will be sales, and I will handle the money. That is where we are right now, and we've had a lot of success in four years.

I feel like you meet people in business who are doing what you're doing, the knowledge that we all have and can share. That's priceless.

You don't know what you don't know. - Cadie Gaut

In business, that "what you don't know" will bite you in the ass. - Karen Simmons

I sometimes think when people are going off into business for the first time, they're intimidated, especially if they feel like they don't have all the knowledge they need. Jamie Tapia

You need to know you can't always make the best business decisions if you don't have control of all your business stuff. You have got to have that mud pie in your hand before you can throw it. - Karen Simmons

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It's your civic duty to file charges against somebody that's embezzled money from your company. If your gut isn't right, if your head is telling us something ain't right here, then it's probably not right. - Ashley Rich

In this episode, Karen and guest-host Michelle Crowe talk with Mobile County District Attorney Ashley Rich. Ashley lays out how to handle receiving bad checks, employee theft, employee fraud, and what you proactive things you can do to avoid having this happen with your business. Plus, Karen shares some CPA and payroll ninja tricks to protect your business from being taken advantage of and ripped off.

Key Takeaways

There's no amount too small or too big for the district attorney to work with the police department when investigating bad checks and employee theft.

Always file charges on employees that steal from your company or customers that write bad checks. It's your civil duty.

DO NOT create a payback arrangement with the bad check writer or guilty employee.

Work with your bank to set up anti-hacking plans for your business account and work with your CPA to implement internal checks and balances. Be proactive, not reactive.

Do background checks before you hire.

Resources

Mobile County District Attorney - Website | Facebook

Ashley Rich - Twitter

Michelle Crowe - e-worc website | LinkedIn

Learn more about Karen Simmons & Cadie Gaut

Karen Simmons

Payroll Vault - Mobile & Baldwin Counties

Cheers To:

Just because you don't make a payment plan doesn't mean the Court can't make a payment plan at the DH office after the defendant is prosecuted. - Ashley Rich

You need to work with the bank because there can be a lot of security measures that they can put in place at the bank to make sure that hackers don't come in and hack your online banking as well. - Ashley Rich

Have any questions for the DA? Go to mobileda.org under our protecting the community tab, and it will walk you through every step of the way of what you have to do, including the forms for you to use. - Ashley Rich

You've got to think about the circumstances of the next business that your dishonest employee is going to go to work for if you don't criminally prosecute them. - Ashley Rich

If you suspect something is going on, the first thing I would do is do a forensic audit. - Ashley Rich

If you suspect employee theft have your accountant or an auditor come in immediately, and do just a quick audit. - Ashley Rich

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Cheers to the Mobile business community, and the continued advancement of this economy. The prosperity that we're seeing, I think we've only scratched the surface. - Bill Sisson

In this episode, Karen and guest host Michelle Crowe talk with the Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Bill Sisson. Bill gives us his insights and the lay of the land for the Mobile, Alabama business environment. He also shares all the leadership resources available, networking opportunities, and all the ways for a local business to get the most out of their local chamber. Plus, Michelle Crowes explains how "Mobile is really a small town that acts like a big city" and why that a good thing.

This episode is sponsored by Payroll Vault - Mobile, Alabama
Click here to schedule your FREE Payroll Audit with Cadie.

Key Takeaways

Your local Chamber of Commerce has a ton of FREE educational and leadership resources to help grow your business.

When considering a Chamber membership, always think about what do you want to get out of your membership.

The most significant change in Mobile has been more and more focus on entrepreneurship and innovation.

Competition is good, don't see other people as competition. Consider feeding your market.

Don't stay in your bubble. Think about how large your business market can be.

Resources

Bill Sisson - Twitter | LinkedIn

Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce - Website | Facebook

Michelle Crowe - e-worc website | LinkedIn

Learn more about Karen Simmons & Cadie Gaut

Karen Simmons

Payroll Vault - Mobile & Baldwin Counties

Cheers To:

It's hard to define business chambers because each one takes on the character of whatever community in which they're located.

A chamber is only as good as its membership, and we would not be a chamber without that membership.

Over 95% of businesses are classified as small in the Mobile, Alabama, metropolitan region.

When considering a Chamber membership, always think about what do you want to get out of that membership. Then let us see if we can help you connect in the ways that will be a value add for you and your business. We are a large Chamber and have a big portfolio of opportunities for people to get involved.

We have this tremendous talent here in the Mobile community. Really smart people are working very hard in various sectors. I think that's something to be proud of.

The most significant change in Mobile has been more and more focus on entrepreneurship and innovation. The entrepreneurial ecosystem here in Mobile has exceeded my expectations in ways that I would have never imagined.

There are some 28,000 micro-businesses in this area, and this shows me that we have a lot of pent up demand for entrepreneurial activity.

What's unique about Mobile is that people are willing to work together and ready to come to the table together. And even though we're a fairly large metropolitan area, we culturally work like a small town.

You don't talk about people in Mobile because it's a big small town. Somebody knows somebody.

I've been here going on 17 years, and I still have every week have what I call a Mobile Moment where I realized that somebody is related to somebody, or is an ex-wife, or a best friend.

What I like about the Mobile Business community is that people feel like they can be a part of something here.

I think everybody truly wants to help each other out.

I have found tenfold that if you help somebody else succeed, you're succeeding.

Our phrase at the office is that we are a small town acting like a big city.

The Mobile Mayor is everywhere, and I'm starting to wonder if there's more than one of them.

I often hear that from newcomers to Mobile is just how connected everybody is here.

I think we do that through entrepreneurship, and making sure that minority businesses that are starting up are getting the support network that they need to be successful so that we can grow that part of our population.

Let's not be in a bubble. We need to be thinking about how large our market can be.

What a lot of people are surprised about mobile is just how international it is. Eight of our top 10 manufacturers are internationally based. We have a lot of people from other countries that live here. So our market is global. And our small businesses need to realize that as well.

Anybody who says there's nothing to do in Mobile, they're not trying to find something to do.

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We weren't made to be confined by 4 walls. Life and business are a giant adventure. Join me. And don't just think outside the box, completely destroy it. - Brooks Conkle

On this episode, Karen talks with raconteur Brooks Conkle, founder of The Mobile Rundown and Gulf Coast BizCon. Brooks has built his brand on using social media to show all the things he is doing and spotlighting exciting activities and other things other Mobilians are doing. Check out Brooks's story of living and working large and always "destroying the box."

Key Takeaways:

1. Keep creating, keep thriving, and keep enjoying life.

2. Do what you have to do so you can get to do what you want to do.

3. Collaborate with others and use your media to spotlight others.

Resources

Brooks Conkle - Website | Twitter

Mobile Rundown - Website | Facebook

This episode is sponsored by Payroll Vault - Mobile, Alabama
Click here to schedule your FREE Payroll Audit with Cadie.

Learn more about Karen Simmons & Cadie Gaut

Karen Simmons

Payroll Vault - Mobile & Baldwin Counties

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This is Part 2 of the power of digital marketing with Mr. X. Mr. X gives Karen more strategic advice for using targeted Facebook ads to increase your lead generations and increase sales conversions. Plus, Karen gets some specific marketing tactics on setting up a website that sells, filling a sales funnel, and getting the most bang for your marketing dollars.

Check out Ep.55: The Power of Digital Marketing with Mr.X >>> Click Here

Key Takeaways

Focus your marketing on sales conversions, not just branding.

Build a website that not only tells but sells.

Know your core customer, how to find them, and how to get them in your sales funnel.

Learn more about Karen Simmons & Cadie Gaut

Karen Simmons

Payroll Vault - Mobile & Baldwin Counties

Cheers To:

A digital paid ad is going to take your customer to your website. From there, you're going to need to have repeated exposures. And that's called a sales funnel. - Mr.X

After you've done this paid advertising and a lead gets to the website, your website should be able to make a sale. It must be able to accept a payment or at least get them into some type of telephone sales or contact situation. - Mr.X

Set up a buy now, call me, or request a meeting button on your website. It needs to be straightforward and easy; otherwise, you're going to run customers off. - Mr.X

Determine who your core buyers are and then go to Facebook and use their interest to target your ads to that specific market. Your ads will convert more. - Mr.X

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A lot of parents ask, "how's it like to hang out with Matt Damon?" And he puts his pants on just like everyone else. He smells like spit up just like everyone else when they have a little one in the house. So, I saw the same we're all just parents. - Nanny Connie

In this special episode, Karen and Cadie get parenting, social media, and business advice from published author, Instagram influencer, and 30-plus-year nanny to the stars, Nanny Connie. With her amazing managing daughter Courtney, Nanny Connie discusses how she is teaching America about parenting, her new book, their mother/daughter work dynamic, and how she is growing her media and social influence business. Sit back and enjoy this fascinating and fun interview, and remember what nanny Connie says, "don't be so hard on yourself, do the best you can with the tools you have, and just be the parent."

Buy Nanny Connie's Book: The Nanny Connie Way: Secrets to Mastering the First Four Months of Parenthood

Key Takeaways:

You can turn your God-given gifts and calling into a business.

We all need to do more to help parents than judging other parents.

When it comes to parenting, we are all just doing our best, and we all could use help, even the rich and famous.

The Mother/Daughter work dynamic can be complicated, tricky, and also very rewarding.

Resources: Nanny Connie - Website | Instagram

Learn more about Karen Simmons & Cadie Gaut

Karen Simmons

Payroll Vault - Mobile & Baldwin Counties

Cheers To:

It's been amazing to see parents from all walks of lives, get themselves together, and see that they are parents and understand parenting. - Nanny Connie

Parents do not have the confidence in themselves that they should have. They are not taking the time to talk to their children like they should. - Nanny Connie

I'm sorry. No, no, no, no, you did not suck as a mother. You did the best that you could as a mother with the tools that you had. And our kids need to understand that and adjust themselves and get into place. - Nanny Connie

Parents used to have a lot of carried a lot of clout. It doesn't carry that important anymore. We've let it dwindle because now we give our kids so much. - Nanny Connie

We need to do more helping parents as opposed to looking at parents and why is that child crying in the grocery store. - Nanny Connie

We have swung the pendulum way to the left and to the right. But the middle ground has always been the place for people to thrive. - Nanny Connie

There's good and evil, and they have to meet in the middle. One can't live without the other, and we have to understand that we do need each other. We have to get out of our corners and come back to the middle. - Nanny Connie

When your gift is your gift, and there's nothing that you can change about it. Nobody can take it away from you. - Courtney Simpson

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Business owners need to know that their advertising money is being spent to acquire customers and not just be reaching some random Facebook profiles. A Facebook post boost isn't actually acquiring customers. All it does is just increase your brand awareness. Focus on sales conversion, not on branding. Think about your customers and figure out who your core buyer is. Then, go to Facebook and segment and target your audience with their known interests with your digital ads to convert more. Turning paid advertising into profits is the most profitable skill any business owner or a digital marketer can have today. - Mr. X

In this episode, Karen talks with the mysterious and digital marketing svengali, Mr. X. Because of some double-secret probation legal entanglements, Karen cannot reveal Mr. X's name, but trust her when she says you will get a ton of knowledge from this guest. Learn what makes digital marketing so lucrative, why a business needs to look into these powerful marketing tools, and how to get started turning your ads into new customers and revenue.

Key Takeaways:

The three components of digital marketing: content marketing, Search Engine Optimization (SEO), and paid media.

Digital paid advertising is the most valuable asset that a business owner can have today.

Branding advertising is about getting awareness out. Digital Marketing is converting a customer.

Learn more about Karen Simmons & Cadie Gaut

Karen Simmons

Payroll Vault - Mobile & Baldwin Counties

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Karen and Cadie talk with survivor, author, public speaker, and businesswoman Elizabeth Smart. They discuss who Elizabeth Smart is today, how she manages her media and speaker career, and how she turned being a victim into victory. Plus, the Cheers ladies give their thoughts on Elizabeth's recent FOCUS Women's Conference keynote address, and why "profit" shouldn't be a bad word in the not-for-profit world.

Buy Elizabeth Smart's Books

Key Takeaways:

From the ashes of tragedy, Elizabeth Smart writes, produces, and speaks out about sexual assault to help others, grow a movement, and build a business media empire based on inspiration and courage.

Be kind and fight every day for yourself and what you believe.

Make choices in life to grow, be positive, and help others on their business and life journey.

Not-for-profit business models can be stronger and have more impact when they are viewed and run like a for-profit business model.

Resources:Elizabeth Smart | Website

Learn more about Karen Simmons & Cadie Gaut

Karen Simmons

Payroll Vault - Mobile & Baldwin Counties

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Are you giving your employees the right environment to be the most productive? Are you presenting your brand properly to your customers and the customers that you want? On this episode, Karen discusses the importance of first impressions, consistent branding, and marketing a legendary local brand with McAleers Office Furniture President Melissa Cross. Melissa is a business development maven that has built a furniture sales and consulting business that has evolved with the industry and with the changes in office furniture sales and marketing.

Check out McAleers Office Furniture
Tell them Karen & Cadie sent you!

Key Takeaways:

The perception of your customer is essential. Your office and office furniture reflect on your brand and reputation.

Evolve your marketing to work the best for you and your audience.

The right office furniture can increase worker productivity, limit workplace injury, and ensure positive first impressions.

Cheers To These

Ergonomics is so important. Facilities managers need to make sure that they get office furniture that can fit a large range of people because of workers comp claims. - Melissa Cross

You could have to have surgery because you're sitting at your desktop wrong. - Melissa Cross

If you want people to buy into you, then everything around you needs to reflect you. - Karen Simmons

My Dad misses seeing McAleers on TV, but I see my marketing dollars better spent somewhere else. - Melissa Cross

We've grown our business year over year, and it's through marketing. - Melissa Cross

I'm a big advocate for the Mobile Chamber of Commerce. The things they offer. I mean, I couldn't have done what I'm doing now without them. - Melissa Cross

Our staff is going to get at the heart of who are the customers you're trying to attract, and what kind of industry you're in, and what look you're going for. - Melissa Cross

Strong leaders are not afraid to ask for what we want. I always say I'm never the smartest person in the room. - Melissa Cross

The best thing you do is surround yourself with people that are smarter than you. - Karen Simmons

The perception of your customer is essential. You can't stick some folding chairs in a doctor's waiting room and expect patients to come back. - Karen Simmons

Do you really want a CPA that drives a Pinto? No. It's okay to look successful. - Karen Simmons

Older companies and newer companies forget how important it is to carry their branding throughout their customer experience, and you can do that with office furniture. There are affordable things that can help you reflect the "you" that you want to show the world. There's a lot of options out there, and you don't need to bust the bank to do it. - Melissa Cross

Learn more about Karen Simmons & Cadie Gaut

Karen Simmons

Payroll Vault - Mobile & Baldwin Counties

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In this episode, Karen talks with show producer Johnny Gwin about content marketing, podcasting, and becoming a local celebrity to grow your brand and business. Content marketing is any entertaining and informative digital media that makes your audience know you, connect with you, and drives them to become a fan and customer. In this day and age, we all need to think of ourselves as media companies as well as doctors, accountants, and artists. Johnny shares his podcasting secrets, personal branding insights, and what it takes to be the digital mayor of your town.

Learn more about and hear more DEEP FRIED STUDIO shows

Takeaways:

Content marketing educates, connects, and fascinates your audience to want to know more about you or buy from you.

Content media is delivered to your audience by social media.

Content marketing is real, raw and authentic but always on brand and made with purpose.

Share your wins, challenges, and real you.

Like any advertising and branding, there must be a trackable return on investment.

Content Marketing is anything that you put out into the world that connects you with the people you want to be connected to you.

Cheers:

Content marketing is the stuff you make with a plan that you put out into the world. It's organic advertising messages meant to send people to your website or to your store to convert them into a sale or a fan. - Johnny Gwin

Social media is the delivery system upon which content media is delivered to you. Content marketing is the meat of the sandwich. - Johnny Gwin

I want your content to make you a local celebrity. Yes, you're selling yourself, but you're doing in a way where I just can't quit looking at your stuff. - Johnny Gwin

Print ads, TV, Facebook ads, or Google AdWords only gives you eyeballs and awareness, but it doesn't make me connect to you. - Johnny Gwin

Content marketing is not just willy nilly posts on Facebook or Twitter. You have to know what you want to portray to the world and what your company is and what it does. - Johnny Gwin

I want you to think like you are a media company. If you sell shoes, you sell shoes, and you're a media company. That means you have your own TV station, your own radio station, your own magazine. - Johnny Gwin

Your TV station is Facebook Live. Your Radio station is your podcast. Your magazine is Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn. - Johnny Gwin

Learn more about Karen Simmons & Cadie Gaut

Karen Simmons

Payroll Vault - Mobile & Baldwin Counties

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Are you leaving money on the table year after year by not having the right retirement plan? In this episode, Karen talks with the Mobile, Alabama employer, employee, and personal retirement plans TPA specialist Crystal Sears of Azalea Administration. Crystal explains the ins and outs of all the options employers and employees have with 401(k) and other retirement plans and how to get started saving for your future. Plus, learn why setting up an employee plan is one of the best ways to hire, motivate, and keep your best team members.

Learn more about Crystal Sears and Azalea Administration, LLC.

Takeaways:

1. Pay yourself first. A 401(k) plan is it's a way to save money, but you're saving it for yourself.

2. Compete for top talent. Employee retirement plans for your help you find, motivate and keep your best employees.

3. Retirement plan management can be complicated. Hire a qualified third-party administrator to set-up and manage your company retirement plans.

4. Pay for good financial advisors. Cheap index funds won't cost you a lot of money, but they won't make you any money either.

5. Find the right TPA. Start the retirement plan process with your CPA, Accounting Department, or your HR department.

Cheers To These:
First, talk to your CPA or financial advisor when setting up your personal or company's retirement plans and 401(k). - Crystal Sears

Your CPA or financial advisor will advise you on if a 401(k) plan is something you need to do or something that you should do. - Crystal Sears

If you're a business owner, and you do not have a 401k plan, you better call somebody because everything helps. - Crystal Sears

Once you start getting employees, you better have a 401k plan; and if you don't, it's like not offering them health benefits or anything else. - Crystal Sears

Pay yourself first, a 401k plan is it's a way to save money, but you're saving it to yourself. - Crystal Sears

If you start putting it away after a little while, you're not going to miss that money that you're putting away in your 401(k) - Karen Simmons

Retirement plans are the best thing for an employer because you want your people to be able to retire. You don't want to be paying health benefits to a 72-year-old employee because they can't retire because you didn't have a retirement plan. - Crystal Sears

You can get some cheap index funds that aren't going to cost you anything, but you're not going to get a return either. - Crystal Sears

Pay a good financial advisor to pick your retirement funds for you and make some money. - Crystal Sears

I've always seen offering a 401(k) plan for your staff is like giving them a raise. - Karen Simmons

A 401k plan has a tax return just like your company, and you got to know what you're doing to put that thing together, so hire a reputable TPA to make sure it's done right. - Crystal Sears

This show is sponsored by Crystal Sears and Azalea Administrators.

**Learn more about Karen Simmons & Cadie Gaut

Karen Simmons**

Payroll Vault - Mobile & Baldwin Counties

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In this episode, Karen and Cadie are talking about pricing, more specifically, value pricing versus hourly pricing. Pricing is one of the hardest things entrepreneurs and businesses have to figure. Karen explains the fundamentals of pricing and why value pricing is a smart and profitable way to charge for your services or products.

Key Takeaways:

1. Value pricing It's not what you can charge, it's what you can prove that you're worth.
2. Value pricing is not based on how long it takes you to do something, but rather, it's the perceived value of that service or product and the experience that went into that.
3. Know your true business costs and formulate a value-priced range for your services and products.

Cheersables and Quotables:

You have to know what your costs are first, and then what percentage you want on top of that. - Karen Simmons

If you ask me to negotiate my bill, I am devaluing myself. - Karen Simmons

Find your pricing comfort zone that other people are willing to pay for your value. - Karen Simmons

Value pricing is not based on how long it takes you to do something, but rather, the perceived value of the product, service, and the experience. - Cadie Gaut

Value pricing incorporates knowledge, excellence, tricks of the trade, reliability, credibility, perception, what you give to someone. - Karen Simmons

Value pricing is what you are giving to your customer and what they're willing to pay just to work with you. It's the perception of your value. - Karen Simmons

It's not what you can charge. It's what you can prove that you're worth. - Cadie Gaut

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In this episode, Karen and Cadie talk with the founder of Payroll Vault, and "Entrepreneur King" R Sean Manning. Sean will discuss outsourcing, disruption and the Core 24 Business Mastery Course. Called an "entrepreneurship in a box" this new e-learning program, custom advice and strategic advisory tool was created to teach business owners financial literacy as well as the top 24 essential business concepts needed for success. Karen shares why she is "all in" for this cutting-edge program, and Cadie lets you know how you can get your hands on this powerful learning and business tool.

Key Takeaways:

1. Business owners are starving for financial literacy education and simple tools to teach fundamental business practices and concepts.
2. Core 24 Mastery Course is an engaging online and on-demand business e-course that leverages business know-now, stategic advisors, and technolgy.
3. Outsourcing properly can be a massive boost for productivity and profits.
4. Managing current and future disruption is a must for any successful business.

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Sponsors:

Payroll Vault
Domke Market

Cheers-able and Tweet-able:

The good thing about the curriculum is we took all of the most commonly asked questions of business owners, just financial literacy. - R Sean Manning

My goal with this product: take our business knowledge that's been so challenging to deliver to business owners and put it in a form that leverages the one thing that's creating disruption, technology. - R Sean Manning

We leverage technology so that it's now an advantage, and now we supply it to advisors and business owners. - R Sean Manning

Our course is good way for business owners to not only double-check what they know but also learn new ideas and find ways to implement them through their business. - R Sean Manning

Outsourcing services can lead to greater success. - R Sean Manning

Identify where your business skillset is, you want to hire around that and or outsource it. Outsourcing is smart because it doesn't require a big commitment with staffing. - R Sean Manning

Find the right resources you need to outsource, then reduce staff. Build the right team around you that supports your business. - R Sean Manning

Core 24 is kind of like a college class for entrepreneurship. - R Sean Manning

It's almost like a virtual internship. - Cadie Gaut

This product is designed to create collaborative groups of professionals that can work closely with other business owners to help them through business ownership to be more successful. - R Sean Manning

There's so much more to business ownership than just being the leader. - Cadie Gaut

Core 24 sounds like online and real-world business learning tools, but also interactive. It's not just listening to an audiobook. - Cadie Gaut

A lot of businesses today are faced with the term called disruption. And what's causing that disruption almost in every single industry, is technology. - R Sean Manning

We all need to be accountable to something and having a mentor or professional supporting you provides that accountability. That is the great value at themastery.network Core 24 price range. - R Sean Manning

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In this episode, Karen and Cadie discuss the communication gap, misunderstanding, and tension between a company's sales staff and the operations side. Karen is the voice of sales, and Cadie handles the POV of the operations side. They honestly share their successes and failures of limiting this gap of the sellers, doers and the back of house processors. Cadie counsels Karen on what she thinks might be the communication barriers between these vastly different type of people. Plus, she suggests some real-world solutions for closing the huge gaps between the sales team and the operations side. It's time for your full company to start playing nice, performing as a unified team, growing sales numbers, and delivering on your service or product promises.

Key Takeaways:

1. It's essential for the sales team to understand the operation side.
2. Empowering your operations team to educate the sales team and customers could be a boom in sales and closing new deals.
3. A salesperson's personality differs significantly from a reliable operations team member.
4. Sales and Operations need to find a way to understand each others roles, communicate better, and work as a unified force.

Join the Domke Market Wine & Cheese Club

Sponsors:

Payroll Vault
Domke Market

Cheers To These:

To strengthen sales encourage the sales team to understand the operations side and process of the company. - Cadie Gaut

You can bring a hundred fifty thousand people to the door. But if you don't have the right people in operations to give them excellent service, it's meaningless. - Karen Simmons

Operations doesn't want salespeople involved in the operations. We just want you to understand our world. - Cadie Gaut

You could have the best process on the planet. But if someone isn't out selling what good is it doing. - Cadie Gaut

Are you trying to move people in the company? If you put the wrong ass into the wrong seat to make somebody a salesperson, it's going to cost you. - Karen Simmons

We do well when we go out networking because we are ourselves. I am sales, and you are operations. - Karen Simmons

There is a communication gap between the sales team and the operation team. We don't have to do what each other does. But we need to keep each other in the loop, and we have to listen to each other. - Cadie Gaut

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In this episode, Karen and Cadie talk with their good friend, mentor, local change-maker, and cancer warrior Christine Cumbie of Gardberg & Kemmerly. Christine is the zen master of grace and is living proof that optimism, intentional living, and gratitude can be a secret weapon in all aspects of your life.

Key Takeaways:

1. Be a positive influence and change-maker in your own life and the lives of those around you.
2. Even if you're challenged physically and mentally be optimistic and positive in all relationships and decisions.
3. Practice self-care and live intentionally.
4. Focus on what's important and surround yourself with smart and forward-thinking people.

Cheers To This:

A positive relationship or positive attitude can make a difference in every single aspect of your life or others lives. - Christine Cumbie

I enjoy being interested in other things in the community, and I look for ways to make a difference. I consider myself a change maker. - Christine Cumbie

There is a difference between going for your annual checkups and self-care. - Cadie Gaut

Do not take yourself so seriously. - Christine Cumbie

I get up, and I think about what are my intentions for this day. I focus on intentional living. - Christine Cumbie

You need to weed out people around you that don't have the same values and work ethic. Focus on what's important and surround yourself with smart and forward-thinking people, especially on social media. - Christine Cumbie

Be thankful and give thanks. Tell people how much you appreciate you know the ability to work with them or their opinion even if it's different than yours. - Christine Cumbie

Once you give it to God, you can't take it back. - Christine Cumbie

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In this episode, Karen and Cadie talk with the Computer Doctor, Chris Sayre. Chris is the owner of The Computer Doctor, a boutique IT service provider that works with clients from New Orleans, La. to Jacksonville, Florida. Chris shares his best IT practices for small business and deep dives on the importance of nurturing local relationships for selecting all your services and vendors. Choosing local sources that personally know your company for your direct and indirect processes is a smart business strategy and can save time, headaches, and money. Are your business service providers a consulting resource that wants you to grow? Do they have a vested interest in your success? Well, maybe it's time to start looking locally for those new resources.

Key Takeaways:

1. The importance of building local relationships with business service providers and vendors over impersonal remote and national options.
2. Building an IT provider relationship is just as important as the ones you have cultivated with your banker, accountant, and lawyer.
3. Find a local IT resource that understands your business, not just a provider.
4. Ask for local references when choosing any business services, especially IT services.
5. Choose an IT company that will be able to grow with you as your business grows, change.
6. An IT provider that knows your business and industry can proactively keep you current with all new technical updates regulations, and compliance.

Quotables

You should have four relationships in your business: your banker, attorney, accountant, and your IT. - Chris Sayre

It's a refreshing sort of relationship to have when my IT company can say we want to get you to whatever you want to go. - Chris Sayre

I don't want to be your IT guy. I want to be your IT resource. I want to be the person that partners with you. - Chris Sayre

Prior knowledge is invaluable to the client because when they pick up the phone, I can help them right then. I know what you need. That's value to you not only in time but in money. - Chris Sayre

IT is more than just installing a new computer. I feel like if your IT company isn't asking those questions to understand your business from A to Z, then that would be a red flag. - Cadie Gaut

If you're looking for a professional IT provider, I would rely on the same thing you do to find a doctor or dentist. Get some referrals and ask other people what they think about him. - Chris Sayre

The cost to a small business, not following or keeping up with new regulations and compliance issues could be devasting. - Cadie Gaut

The cost of a reliable IT provider is negligible compared to fees and penalties for non-compliance. - Chris Sayre

You need a service provider who is a consulting resource who wants you to grow and has a vested interest in your success? - Karen Simmons

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Karen and Cadie sit and talk with Devin Ford, a professional commercial photographer and the founder of the FOCUS Women's Conference held each year in Mobile, Alabama. After finding a lack of resources to help encourage, empower, and promote other women to achieve economic independence, Devin developed her own women's business network and an annual conference. In this episode, she shares her insights on starting an event from scratch, attracting world-class speakers, growing a community with purpose, and building rock star teams.

Buy Your 2019 FOCUS Women's Conference Tickets

Hear Ep.11 - The Women of the 2018 FOCUS Women's Conference.

Key Takeaways

1. Asking for help is not a weakness.
2. Have a mentor and a mentee.
3. The secret to success is building awesome teams.
4. Purpose-driven relationships can change lives and whole communities.

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Domke Market

Domke Market - Facebook Page

Cheers Worthy

While your mentors are pulling you out, reach back and grab the hand of a mentee. - Devin Ford

I always try to have a mentor and a mentee at all times because you know more than somebody and you know less than some. - Devin Ford

Never give up. Never let anything stop you. - Devin Ford

Don't let people steal your joy. Nothing is worth letting people steal your joy because we could all die tomorrow. - Devin Ford

I want to know that I can take care of myself, and I want to know my daughters can take care of themselves. - Devin Ford

You have to have an awesome team that you can give a job to and trust that the job's going to be done. - Devin Ford

The better your team does, the better you look. - Devin Ford

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In this episode, Karen and Cadie bring back Commerical Real Estate expert and franchise consultant Chris Harle to the Deep Fried Studios.
Prompted by the article "Seven Questions To Ask Yourself If You're Thinking of Buying a Franchise" by Anthony Caliendo - Chris and the Cheers ladies deep dive into the ins and outs, and specifics in buying a franchise business. If your considering taking the big leap into the franchise business world, this is a must-hear Cheers To Business episode.

Big Questions:
1. How much can you afford to pay for a franchise?
2. What industry do you want to be in?
3. How will you support myself until my franchise turns a profit?
4. Can you follow the rules?
5. Can you resell your franchise?
6. Do you have the right skills to own the intended business?

Resources:

Chris Harle - Website | LinkedIn

7 Questions To Ask Yourself If You're Thinking Of Buying a Franchise - by Anthony Caliendo

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Domke Market

Domke Market - Facebook Page

Cheers Worthy:

You have to have money to buy the franchise. Then, also the money to start the business. How much is it going to take to get this thing going? - Chris Harle

If you're serving people, you got to have employees. So there's going to be training cost. Before a dollar comes in you're going to have to pay employees to teach them how to do the job. - Chris Harle

If you don't like people not go into retail yes business yourself, so you're not going to do well. - Karen Simmons

Find your business fit and your passion. - Karen Simmons

Do you have the money to support yourself because you're not going to be making money on day one? - Chris Harle

Have money for at least six months because some franchises or businesses take longer to get off the ground than expected. You've got to think about the expense of promoting that business, marketing, and advertising. - Karen Simmons

It's not about eating today. It's about eating next month and the month after that, and the month after that. - Karen Simmons

Some franchises are stricter than others. Some have more stringent guidelines some are more flexible. - Cadie Gaut

If you knew more about a business, you would be the franchise owner, but you're not. You're looking for something to be successful, and you joined up with a franchise because it already is. - Karen Simmons

The franchise knows what works. Or else they wouldn't be franchising. So listen to them. They have already work the bugs out. - Cadie Gaut

A lot of franchises say they want to sell multi-unit deals where you buy a whole area and you're going to open three or four stores. - Chris Harle

Make the business about the business, not about you. - Karen Simmons

Get a lawyer to read the franchise agreement those things are two feet tall. - Karen Simmons

The creative partner is not necessarily the one that needs to be meeting with the lawyers going over the franchise contracts. - Karen Simmons

Just because you wear a hundred hats in your business doesn't mean that you can do everything. - Cadie Gaut

Partnerships have got to be a flow, a yin, and yang. - Cadie Gaut

Franchises can be great, especially if you've never been in a business, you know. But be ready to follow the process, know what you're passionate about and make sure that it meets all of your requirements. Figure out those requirements before you figure out what you think you want to do. - Chris Harle

Learn more about Karen Simmons & Cadie Gaut Karen C. Simmons, P.C.

Payroll Vault - Mobile & Baldwin Counties

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On this episode, Karen and Cadie have a candid discussion with serial entrepreneur, former franchise owner and commercial real estate consultant Chris Harle. Chris shares his wins and losses and advice on knowing when to change your business model from the hard lessons learned from opening, closing, and selling his restaurants. No longer a restauranteur, Chris uses his entrepreneurial ups and down to consult and help others find the right franchises, business concepts, and commercial locations for his clients' specific needs.

Big Questions?
1. How do you decide between a stand-alone business and a franchise?
2. How hard is it to sell a franchise?
3. What are some key indicators that should trigger you to consider rethinking, selling, retiring, or closing a business?
4. What are the biggest things to consider when opening a restaurant?
5. When is failure not a mistake in business?

Rules for Starting A Business per Chris Harle:
1. Know the WHY on wanting to start a business.
2. Be prepared for what it takes to make a business work.
3. Have the capital to go for six months without a paycheck.
4. Serve others before you serve yourself.
5. Go all in from day one.
6. Don't try to do everything yourself, hire well.
7. Create a work/life balance.
8. Know when it's time to make a change.

Resources:

Chris Harle - Website | LinkedIn

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Domke Market

Domke Market - Facebook Page

Cheers Worthy:

Selling a franchise, you've got to find the right person. - Chris Harle

I tried my own restaurant, and I found out there's so much that I didn't realize the franchise provided that I didn't know how to do. - Chris Harle

A restaurant is so much more than just the food. I had these great recipes, but there's so much more than you know. - Chris Harle

Partnerships are hard. - Chris Harle

My dad always says, "what's the one ship that doesn't float?" Partnership. - Chris Harle

You have to have an excellent staff. If the stores open, you're open. - Chris Harle

I worked open to close every single day until I finally just passed out on the floor and had to get somebody to help me. - Chris Harle

It's hard to promote. You need to get your name out there, and joining a chamber of commerce is a great way to do it. - Chris Harle

You want to be happy at what you do and when you're not happy doing that, it's time to make a change. - Chris Harle

You have a business, it's your life, but there's still another life outside of that business, and some people can forget that. - Cadie Gaut

I do commercial real estate. I help people who want to open a business or need to move to find the right location that works for their business. - Chris Harle

]If you don't go all-in for your business, odds are it's not going to be successful. - Karen Simmons

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In this episode, Karen and Cadie sit and talk with social media influencer, word of mouth marketer, all-around great guy, and Mobile, Alabama's one and only Man About Town, Ray Weinshenker. Ray has leveraged his gifts, personality, refined taste, and local celebrity into an online marketing force. He shares his rise from the ashes career journey from addiction and bankruptcy to today and his dream job connecting people with local merchants, businesses, events, and products available in the city he loves. Plus, listen carefully, because he will share his social media platforms, tools, skills, mindset, and secret sauce for you to become a local influencer.

Resources

The Man About Town - Website | Facebook

Ray Weinshenker - Facebook

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Your chamber of commerce is more than just ribbon cuttings, charity events, and luncheons. Business is all about relationships, and one of the best ways to forming those all-important local vendors and consumer connections is joining and engaging with your local chamber of commerce. In this episode, Karen and Cadie sit with Jamie Warren and Shilo Miller of the Saraland Chamber of Commerce. After Jamie and Shilo present Cheers To Business with the Saraland June Business of the Month, they tell us why it's smart business to join your local chamber of commerce.

Resources:

Jamie Warren - President // Saraland Chamber of Commerce

Shilo Miller - Executive Director // Saraland Chamber of Commerce

Click here to find out more about the Saraland Chamber of Commerce.

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Quotables & Tweetables

Local Chambers of Commerce help you to connect with other businesses with other chamber members the people in the community to expand your network and the contacts. - Shilo Miller

Join and engaging with the local Chambers has absolutely been a part of our success in growing Payroll Vault and my other companies. - Karen Simmons

It's about building relationships. And that's what the Saraland Chamber is doing right. - Shilo Miller

The chamber is not just about attending a luncheon. It's not just about coming to a business before hours or a business after hours. We do work on the back end to promote our local businesses through our city magazine, through social media. Whether you're participating heavily or not on the personal level. We're still working for you to make sure that your business is noticed and recognized within the community. - Jamie Warren

Learn more about Karen Simmons & Cadie Gaut Karen C. Simmons, P.C.

Payroll Vault - Mobile & Baldwin Counties