The SmallBizLady Buzz - Issue 24

What should you read to grow your business….

I am a confessed book junkie. Other than my son, my books are my most prized possession. Success leaves clues everywhere, especially in books. Throughout this pandemic, I hope you haven’t been just catching up on the latest Netflix series. I have used my business slowdown as an opportunity to sharpen my knife. Here are some of my new favorite books that I thought you could benefit from as well.

13 Things Mentally Strong People Don't Do: Take Back Your Power, Embrace Change, Face Your Fears, and Train Your Brain for Happiness and Success by Amy Morin

In 13 Things Mentally Strong People Don't Do international bestselling author, psychotherapist Amy Morin shares 13 powerful lessons filled with great wisdom. She highlights astounding stories from many amazing leaders and entrepreneurs. She teaches you how to perceive your problems and people from a different angle and from a more expansive perspective. The book explains how most of us make life harder for ourselves through false perceptions and limited beliefs based on irrational fears and veils of illusions. The book truly does empower a person to really look past beyond internal conflicts to pursue our dreams and happiness from a different approach. 

Disrupt You!: Master Personal Transformation, Seize Opportunity, and Thrive in the Era of Endless Innovation by Jay Samit

In Disrupt You, innovator and digital media expert Jay Samit reveals how to achieve your goals and permanently alter the status quo through the art of self-disruption. In today's ever-changing and often-volatile business landscape, adaptability and creativity are more crucial than ever. Jay breaks it down is terms that anyone can understand. I really enjoyed listening to this book on audible as read by Jay. He is a compelling speaker as well.

Fix This Next by Mike Michalowicz

Mike Michalowicz wrote an amazing diagnostic tool for every entrepreneur, Fix This Next. The biggest problem entrepreneurs have is that they don't know what their biggest problem is. If you find yourself trapped between stagnating sales, staff turnover, and unhappy customers, what do you fix first? Every issue seems urgent - but there's no way to address all of them at once. The result? A business that continues to go in endless circles putting out urgent fires and prioritizing the wrong things. Fortunately, Mike Michalowicz has a simple system to help you eradicate these frustrations and get your business moving forward, fast. I confess he’s my friend and college classmate, but his book is brilliant.

The Power Of Habit by Charles Duhigg

In The Power Of Habit Charles Duhigg gives us an incredible journey into how much habit dominates our lives. It can be a force for good, or bad in our lives -- and if you want your business to grow, you really need to understand it. This book has been out since 2014, but it’s a good book to re-read when you are looking for a new direction.

This week’s featured article: One of my great escapes is going for a walk and listening to a great podcast, so I wanted to share with you my Top 21 Best Small Business Podcasts.

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Top 21 Best Small Business Podcasts

Since the Pandemic hit, many small business owners are trying to balance work life and their home life. With kids back to school at the kitchen table and my numerous Zoom calls in a day, one of my great escapes is going for a walk and listening to a great podcast. I don’t do it every day. But I didn’t want more exercise equipment so, between cooking dinner and writing another blog post, I walk. I select the podcast I’ll listen to based on how much time I have to take a break. Today I want to encourage you in this beneficial habit by sharing the 21 best small business podcasts that will help you in your entrepreneurial pursuits. Continue reading....

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LEAN PROJECT MANAGEMENT. SIMPLIFIED.

I am a big fan of productivity tools. Small business owners can use KanbanFlow to assign tasks, upload documents and file attachments, schedule due dates and visualize overall workflow. This is especially helpful when working with a team of freelancers. The Kanban board is divided into columns to give you an overview of your current work situation. You can also divide tasks into subtasks to track progress more easily, and filter tasks to view only the ones that are assigned to you or someone on your team.

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Nine Secrets for Effective Sales Copy with Sean McCool

Check out this week’s Podcast: Nine Secrets for Effective Sales Copy with Sean McCool

Sean joins me to share his top marketing and sales tips, specifically focusing on how copywriting contributes to achieving sales objectives. Sean McCool is an award-winning digital marketing consultant, strategist, and performance coach with 34 years of experience in sales, marketing, and copywriting. Sean is the founder of Sean McCool Consulting, where he helps companies worldwide build their digital presence, enhance customer experience, and ensure that online visitors ultimately convert to clients. Sean is also the host of the podcast, Persuasion by the Pint, and the founder of the life coaching business, Rise Up Champion Enterprises, L.L.C.

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Take the stress out of growing your small business! If the pandemic has made you pivot, that means it’s probably time for a new business plan. If you want help to guide you through the process, invest in an online course that will help you do a deep dive on what you need to know to develop a plan for success. Invest in my  6-week online business plan course today. You won’t regret it. For the month of September, use promo code BIZ50 and get $50 off of the price too!

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I'm Looking....

I'm looking for black women high growth businesses. Are you a 51% black woman-owned, at least 2 years in business with $250K or more in revenue, specializing in clean energy, regenerative agriculture, tech-enabled or social entrepreneurship? If the describes your business or if you know someone, send them to [email protected].

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Melinda F. Emerson, “SmallBizLady” is America’s #1 Small Business Expert. She is an internationally renowned keynote speaker on small business development, marketing and social selling. Melinda is also the president of the Quintessence Group, an award-winning marketing consulting firm based in Philadelphia, PA, serving Fortune 500 brands who target small business market. LinkedIn named her a Top Voice for 2019 in Small Business and Entrepreneurship. In addition to being a former NY Times columnist, she is frequently quoted by media organizations including The Wall Street Journal, Fortune, MSNBC, CNBC and Fox News. She is the host of #Smallbizchat LIVE and The SmallBizChat Podcast. A prolific writer, Melinda has published more than 5000 articles on her blog www.succeedasyourownboss.com. Her small business advice is widely read reaching more than 3 million entrepreneurs each week online. She is the bestselling author of Become Your Own Boss in 12 Months, 2nd Edition. Her latest book is Fix Your Business, a 90 Day Plan to Get Back Your Life and Reduce Chaos in Your Business.