Climbing Together - The Small Business Experience

Shipping is complicated.  Understanding weights, box sizes, and regions is essential to make sure you are charging enough. In this episode, Madison Clark of Grief Cards, talks about the excitement of getting orders from all over the country on her launch day… and the stress of realizing that she had set up a default shipping price that was only enough to cover local shipments.   You can learn more about Madison and Grief Cards at: Website:  https://www.griefcards.co/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/griefcards/  To hear more episodes like this, subscribe on Apple, Spotify, or Amazon Podcasts by searching for CLIMBING TOGETHER! If you'd like to join the book discussion with Climb - The Small Business Book Club, visit us https://www.climbbook.club. We'd love to meet you!

When you discover something isn’t working in your business, the knee-jerk reaction can be to hire someone to solve the problem. But hiring a coach or expert is just like any other expense – you must determine if the revenue created from that expert will be commensurate with their cost. In this episode, Sally Meyers of Rebel Unstuck, talks about panic hiring coaches and spending far more money than she needed to.  She realized if she just stopped and took some time, she already had a lot of information and expertise – she just needed to trust herself. You can learn more about Sally Meyers and Rebel Unstuck at: Website: https://www.happyripplescoaching.com/  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sally.skeltonmeyers Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/happyripplescoaching/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/happyripplescoaching/   To hear more episodes like this, subscribe on Apple, Spotify, or Amazon Podcasts by searching for CLIMBING TOGETHER! If you'd like to join the book discussion with Climb - The Small Business Book Club, visit us https://www.climbbook.club. We'd love to meet you!

Contrary to popular wisdom, your top marketing goal shouldn’t be to get lots of views since you aren’t an influencer. Your goal should be to get potential consumers to engage with your business. In this episode, Max Sheffield of Max Wilde Stories, talks about the excitement of having a writing piece go viral, and then the letdown of realizing it had no impact to their business because they were missing a call to action.  You can learn more about Max and Max Wilde Stories at:  Main Website: https://www.maxwildestories.com Bio Site: https://bio.site/maxwildestories YouTube: https://youtube.com/@maxwildestories Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/maxwildestories LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/max-sheffield-baird/ Discover Your Inner Magic Free Video Training: https://pages.maxwildestories.com/video-training Story Alchemy Strategy Lab Waitlist: https://pages.maxwildestories.com/waitlist   To hear more episodes like this, subscribe on Apple, Spotify, or Amazon Podcasts by searching for CLIMBING TOGETHER!  If you'd like to join the book discussion with Climb - The Small Business Book Club, visit us https://www.climbbook.club. We'd love to meet you!

It’s impossible to make time for success if you’re saying yes to everything. Learning how to say no is essential for your business and your sanity. In this episode, Rachel Blankenship of RR Mediation Services talks about the freedom she discovered by learning to say no. You can learn more about Rachel and RR Mediation Services at: Website: https://rrmskc.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rrmskc LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachel-blankenship-2715821a3/ Alignable: https://www.alignable.com/kansas-city-mo/rr-mediation-services-2   To hear more episodes like this, subscribe on Apple, Spotify, or Amazon Podcasts by searching for CLIMBING TOGETHER! If you'd like to join the book discussion with Climb - The Small Business Book Club, visit us https://www.climbbook.club. We'd love to meet you!

Social media is fine, but it doesn’t have nearly the sales power of an email list.    In this episode, LaToya Rozof of 79Roze, talks about moving her focus to growing her email list and how it helped her business grow.  You can learn more about LaToya and 79Roze at: Website: https://79roze.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/79roze Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/79Roze   To hear more episodes like this, subscribe on Apple, Spotify, or Amazon Podcasts by searching for CLIMBING TOGETHER! If you'd like to join the book discussion with Climb - The Small Business Book Club, visit us https://www.climbbook.club. We'd love to meet you!

The world tells us that entrepreneurs are rockstars, so it’s not surprising that we feel a lot of pressure to do and know everything.  But entrepreneurs are human beings too, and we have our limitations.  In this episode, Anika Jones of Head to Toe Blessing, talks about trying to accommodate every customer that came her way and how that impacted her business. You can learn more About Anika and Head to Toe Blessing at: Website: https://www.headtotoeblessing.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/headtotoeblessing/ YouTube: https://youtu.be/i3xdJAaYANY?si=YJaofEcyu2HNZZW8 To hear more episodes like this, subscribe on Apple, Spotify, or Amazon Podcasts by searching for CLIMBING TOGETHER! If you'd like to join the book discussion with Climb - The Small Business Book Club, visit us https://www.climbbook.club. We'd love to meet you!

When you have a brick-and-mortar space, it’s wise to consider all the ways that space can create revenue. In this episode, Shannon Carlton of Intentional Growth Strategies talks about having cash flow issues as the owner of a coworking space and how her ‘board of directors’ helped her find ways to fully utilize her space. You can learn more about Shannon and Intentional Growth Strategies at: Website: http://igspartners.net/ To hear more episodes like this, subscribe on Apple, Spotify, or Amazon Podcasts by searching for CLIMBING TOGETHER! If you'd like to join the book discussion with Climb - The Small Business Book Club, visit us https://www.climbbook.club. We'd love to meet you!

Contrary to popular marketing wisdom, lots of small businesses are successful with little or no social media activity. In this episode, Holly Martinson of Patient Minds talks about her realization that social media wasn’t the right strategy for her, and how she built a business around networking and strategic connections. You can learn more about Holly and Patient Minds Website: https://www.patient-minds.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/patientmindsllc/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hollymartinson/ To hear more episodes like this, subscribe on Apple, Spotify, or Amazon Podcasts by searching for CLIMBING TOGETHER! If you'd like to join the book discussion with Climb - The Small Business Book Club, visit us https://www.climbbook.club. We'd love to meet you!

While planning ahead is a great idea, people rarely buy something they can’t benefit from soon. In this episode, Jessica Eastman Stewart of Joyfully Managed Life, talks about her Black Friday offer that asked people to buy workshops months in advance, and how little response she got for the ‘great deal’ she was offering.  You can learn more about Jessica Eastman Stewart and Joyfully Managed Life at: Website: www.jessicaeastmanstewart.com/freebies Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joyfullymanagedfamily LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessicaestewart/ To hear more episodes like this, subscribe on Apple, Spotify, or Amazon Podcasts by searching for CLIMBING TOGETHER! If you'd like to join the book discussion with Climb - The Small Business Book Club, visit us https://www.climbbook.club. We'd love to meet you!

It’s easy to assume that the costs from a past project will reflect the costs of a current project.  But sometimes that’s not the case.  If you don’t do your research before you bill a client, you could end up eating additional expenses that you didn’t anticipate. In this episode, Jameela Adams of Jameela Adams At Your Service, talks about having to spend far more on a website build than she anticipated, and not discovering the extra cost until after she had quoted and billed the client. You can learn more about Jameela and Jameela Adams At Your Service at: Website: https://jameelaadamsatyourservice.com/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheJameelaAdamsExperience  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jameelaadamsatyourservice/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jameelaadamsatyourservice LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jameela-adams-at-your-service/ X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/JAAtYourService To hear more episodes like this, subscribe on Apple, Spotify, or Amazon Podcasts by searching for CLIMBING TOGETHER! If you'd like to join the book discussion with Climb - The Small Business Book Club, visit us https://www.climbbook.club. We'd love to meet you!

Experts with the very best intentions may give you advice that doesn’t feel right for you.  It’s ok to trust your gut and go against the “common wisdom.” In this episode Audrey Mayrent of My Dancing Dragonfly, talks about being pressured to launch her business before she felt ready, and her disappoint when her website and messaging weren’t right for her desired customer experience. You can learn more about Audrey and My Dancing Dragonfly at: Website: https://mydancingdragonfly.com/ Email: audrey@mydancingdragonfly.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100079683517361 Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/mydancingdragonfly1/ LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/audrey-mayrent-b01290b/ Pinterest:  https://www.pinterest.com/mydancingdragonfly/ To hear more episodes like this, subscribe on Apple, Spotify, or Amazon Podcasts by searching for CLIMBING TOGETHER! If you'd like to join the book discussion with Climb - The Small Business Book Club, visit us https://www.climbbook.club. We'd love to meet you!

You’re amazing, but you can’t do everything.  Life + family + job + your own business = burnout! In this episode Leah Ledda of Lei’s Plant Shop, talks about trying to do everything including being a full-time mom, full-time employee, and running her own business. And then she discovered how much help was out there if she just asked. You can learn more about Leah and Lei’s Plant Shop at: Website: https://www.leisplantshop.com Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/leis_plant_shop/ Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/leisplantshop A big thanks to our sponsors – The Renaissance Entrepreneurship Center. If you would like to check out their resources, visit them at https://rencenter.org To hear more episodes like this, subscribe on Apple, Spotify, or Amazon Podcasts by searching for CLIMBING TOGETHER! If you'd like to join the book discussion with Climb - The Small Business Book Club, visit us https://www.climbbook.club. We'd love to meet you!

While hiring support for your business can be a great idea, you need to be careful about how many people you are hiring and how much money you’re spending on that support. In this episode, Nadya Tatsch of Coaching by Nadya, talks about bringing on 8 different professionals in the first six months of her business and the enormous debt that quickly created. You can learn more about Nadya and Coaching by Nadya at: Website: https://www.coachingbynadya.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CoachingByNadya Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/183423182230832 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/coachingbynadya/ Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/coachingbynadya/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCp1c7BrrgXIYSbh7-zOcD6Q To hear more episodes like this, subscribe on Apple, Spotify, or Amazon Podcasts by searching for CLIMBING TOGETHER! If you'd like to join the book discussion with Climb - The Small Business Book Club, visit us https://www.climbbook.club. We'd love to meet you!

When your business is just starting and you’re only taking a few orders, you don’t need to do a lot of planning.  But when things get busy, everything changes, and you need to have a plan of attack to manage the complexity that comes with growth. In this episode, Angela Aquino of Silver Dahlia Baking, talks about saying yes to too many baking orders without a plan on how to get them all made and safely stored. You can learn more about Angela and Silver Dahlia Baking at: Website: www.SilverDahliaBaking.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/silverdahliabaking/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SilverDahliaBaking To hear more episodes like this, subscribe on Apple, Spotify, or Amazon Podcasts by searching for CLIMBING TOGETHER! If you'd like to join the book discussion with Climb - The Small Business Book Club, visit us https://www.climbbook.club. We'd love to meet you!

When you are first starting out, it can be hard to see past the launch phase to the future needs of your business.  But change is inevitable, and you need to build flexibility into your operations. In this episode, Joanna Parzakonis of this is a book store & Bookbug, talks about building out her space with permanent fixtures that didn’t allow her to adjust the layout of the store as circumstances changed. You can learn more about Joanna and this is a book store & Bookbug at: Website: https://www.bookbugkalamazoo.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thisisabookstoreandbookbug Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bookbugkzoo/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/bookbugkzoo To hear more episodes like this, subscribe on Apple, Spotify, or Amazon Podcasts by searching for CLIMBING TOGETHER! If you'd like to join the book discussion with Climb - The Small Business Book Club, visit us https://www.climbbook.club. We'd love to meet you!  

When your gut tells you that you won’t be able to work with a certain client – listen.  Working with clients who don’t align with your worldview, your idea of quality, or your work style will drain your energy and create undue stress. In this episode Erica Lovecraft of Flynn Writes, talks about working with a client who she never connected with and eventually having to refer her to another copywriter.  You can learn more about Erica and Flynn Writes at: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/erica-flynn-writes/ To hear more episodes like this, subscribe on Apple, Spotify, or Amazon Podcasts by searching for CLIMBING TOGETHER! If you'd like to join the book discussion with Climb - The Small Business Book Club, visit us https://www.climbbook.club. We'd love to meet you!

For all us 40+ entrepreneurs, it might be tempting to keep doing things the same old way.  But business behaviors are constantly changing, and what we need to stay competitive isn’t the same as it was 10 years ago (or even 2 years ago.) In this episode Michelle Barone of Moksha Grace Consulting, talks about her unnecessary spending on outdated business purchases, and how grateful she is for her under 30 COO who helps keep her business in the modern world.   You can learn more about Michelle and Moksha Grace Consulting at: Website: https://mokshagrace.com Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/mokshagracecoaching/ Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/mokshagracecoaching LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/company/mokshagracecoaching/ To hear more episodes like this, subscribe on Apple, Spotify, or Amazon Podcasts by searching for CLIMBING TOGETHER! If you'd like to join the book discussion with Climb - The Small Business Book Club, visit us https://www.climbbook.club. We'd love to meet you!

While your business is unique, people have already done many of the things you’re learning to do.  Getting help from someone in your industry is a great way to leapfrog your business forward. In this episode Jubilee of Jordan Joel, talks about the impact they experienced from connecting with a fashion industry expert, and how they wish they’d done it sooner. You can learn more about Jubilee and Jordan Joel at: Website: https://www.jordanjoel.com/ Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/haus_of_jubilee Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/iamjordanjoel Email:  hausofjubilee@gmail.com A big thanks to our sponsors – The Transgender District of the San Francisco Bay Area. If you would like to check out their resources, visit them at https://www.transgenderdistrictsf.com/ To hear more episodes like this, subscribe on Apple, Spotify, or Amazon Podcasts by searching for CLIMBING TOGETHER! If you'd like to join the book discussion with Climb - The Small Business Book Club, visit us https://www.climbbook.club. We'd love to meet you!

As an entrepreneur, it’s easy to feel as though you chose to start your own business, so the responsibility should all be yours.  But people who care about you want to see you succeed and will give you a helping hand. In this episode, Avery Hines of the Concept Kitchen shares how he avoided asking for help, and the world of difference it made when he reached out to his community for support. You can learn more about Avery and Concept Kitchen at: Website: https://conceptkitchen.space/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/conceptkitchen.space/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/averyzeus/ A big thanks to our sponsors – The Transgender District of the San Francisco Bay Area. If you would like to check out their resources, visit them at https://www.transgenderdistrictsf.com/ To hear more episodes like this, subscribe on Apple, Spotify, or Amazon Podcasts by searching for CLIMBING TOGETHER! If you'd like to join the book discussion with Climb - The Small Business Book Club, visit us https://www.climbbook.club. We'd love to meet you! And a big thanks to our sponsors – The Transgender District of the San Francisco Bay Area. If you would like to check out their resources, visit them at https://www.transgenderdistrictsf.com/

If you don’t know how much it costs to make your product, you risk undercharging and even losing money on your sales. In this episode, Claude Hizon of Pound4Pound Grilled Burgers realized that his gourmet burgers cost far more to make than he had guessed, and once he ran his numbers, he discovered his margins were much too low. You can find Claude and Pound4Pound Grilled Burgers at pop-ups in the Oakland and Berkeley, CA area.  Follow him on Instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/pound4poundgrilledburgers/ To hear more episodes like this, subscribe on Apple, Spotify, or Amazon Podcasts by searching for CLIMBING TOGETHER! If you'd like to join the book discussion with Climb - The Small Business Book Club, visit us https://www.climbbook.club. We'd love to meet you!