Simplifying Small Business: The Growth Table

If your business is growing but your energy isn't keeping up, this episode is your next step. Today I’m walking you through the real signs it's time to bring in help and the false signals that can lead you to hire too soon or for the wrong reasons.You'll learn the difference between a contractor and an employee in plain English, how to use a simple 3-category sort to figure out what to outsource first, and five steps to set up any contractor relationship so it actually saves you time instead of adding to your plate (and your stress). Plus, a quick money check to make sure the hire makes sense before you commit.Whether you're thinking about a virtual assistant, a bookkeeper, or a specialist contractor, this episode gives you a clear, practical framework to make your first move with confidence. Pull up a seat at the table and let's get into it.---------------------------------------------------------------If you feel like you've been building your business in a silo, come join us in the Growth Table Small Business Collective. We're a group of entrepreneurs who are either building or been there, done that! Some are making their first hires, just like you, and some have already made theirs and can help you on your journey. You can find us at https://growthtablesbc.com.

I'm just finished with the Women in Business Advocacy Day at the Missouri State Capitol and I'm pumped!So, I recorded this episode in my car immediately after the event to share my thoughts with you on networking.Business networking involves establishing and maintaining positive relationships with clients, peers, mentors, and industry professionals. It is not limited to exchanging business cards; it focuses on authentic connections, trust, and mutual value.So why do so many of us feel like we have to sell ourselves and our businesses at networking events?Let's dive into that.------------------------------------------------------The Growth Table Small Business Collective is the perfect place to bounce ideas off of other solopreneurs and microbusinesses owners and to build those connections and relationships that are critical to our business. Join us for free the first seven days at https://growthtablesbc.com.

There’s a season in nearly every business where you’re doing the work - showing up, posting, serving clients, improving your offers - and it still feels like growth is crawling.And that’s where motivation goes south and you start asking:“Is this working?”“Am I doing enough?”“What if I’m not cut out for this?”“Why does it feel like everyone else is growing faster?”So today, we’re going to build a simple system for staying consistent when the results are delayed, without relying on hype, hustle, or constant inspiration.It’s about the consistency and dedication that keeps the momentum moving forward when maybe motivation has waned. Let’s dive in.Resources:Skinner, B. F. (1953). Science and Human Behavior. (Reinforcement schedules and behavior maintenance.)Gollwitzer, P. M., & Brandstätter, V. (1997). Implementation intentions and effective goal pursuit. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 73(1), 186–199.Wood, W., & Neal, D. T. (2007). A new look at habits and the habit-goal interface. Psychological Review, 114(4), 843–863.Locke, E. A., & Latham, G. P. (2002). Building a practically useful theory of goal setting and task motivation. American Psychologist, 57(9), 705–717.-----------------------------------------------------------If you’re in a slow-growth season and you want support staying consistent without turning your life into a constant hustle experiment, come join us inside The Growth Table Small Business Collective.This community is built for microbusiness owners who want simple systems, clear priorities, and steady progress. You’ll get practical trainings, accountability, and a room full of people who understand what it’s like to build something real one week at a time.https://GrowthTableSBC.com

Sometimes something comes along that shouldn't land in your inbox. Sometimes you have a big idea that needs to live somewhere else until you can give it the attention it deserves without taking attention away from the other significant items on your "to do" list.Today on Simplifying Small Business I'm introducing you to your business's Idea Vault, the place where the shiny things live until you can give them space in your business. This is an important place for safekeeping things that may have an impact, but that don't need to be worked on yet.--------------------------------------------If you want more insights like this and a community of other small business owners doing this exact work right alongside you, join me in The Growth Table Small Business Collective. We're a group of entrepreneurs in various stages of our business all working through the same struggles together - because there's no sense in doing it alone. You can find us at https://GrowthTableSBC.com.

If you’re operating solo or with a very small team your biggest constraint isn’t talent or ideas. It’s attention. And attention is fragile.Today we’re talking about time and tasks … which sounds boring until you realize this is the difference between “I’m building a business” and “I’m trapped inside my business.”In this episode of Simplifying Small Business, I’m going to give you a simple, straightforward system that helps you:• keep tasks from living in your head• focus on the right work at the right time• reduce the mental load of “what am I forgetting?”• and create a workflow that still works when life gets busyNo fancy apps required. If you like tools, great, but this system works with a just notebook, a calendar, and a couple of lists.Let's go!____________________________________________If you want help putting these systems into place—without overcomplicating them—come join us inside The Growth Table Small Business Collective.It’s built for microbusiness owners who want practical support, simple tools, and real accountability. We take topics just like this and turn them into usable workflows you can apply immediately—plus you’ll have a community of business owners doing the same work right alongside you, including me.You can find the details at GrowthTableSBC.com .

Today we’re building a simple DIY marketing strategy you can run for 90 days without fancy tools, without a big budget, and without feeling like you have to be a full-time content creator.Your goal with sales and marketing is not to do everything. We want to pick two or three marketing plays we can repeat every single week.Consistency beats intensity. Every single time. So, if we can find two or three actions we can take every week, those actions will compound over time to create a real difference in your marketing which, of course, leads to sales.It is very easy to get caught up in the day-to-day operations of the business and neglect the parts that actually get us those clients or customers that bring in the revenue. It is important to be intentional about driving that part of our business on a consistent basis. Let's get into it.___________________________________________________If you want support staying consistent, join us in The Growth Table Small Business Collective. Monthly workshops, a resource library you can actually use, peer support, and access to me as a mentor when you need a nudge or a next step.https://GrowthTableSBC.com

You do not need a perfect website, a thousand followers, or a fancy funnel to start getting customers. Today we’re setting up your online presence in a way that’s simple and realistic.If you’re just starting out, your online presence should do one job: help the right people understand what you do and take the next step.And, yes, I'm going to preach to you about an email list. Because this is a key piece to the puzzle.Let's get into it.______________________________________________________If you want a calm place to build, off social media, come join us in The Growth Table Small Business Collective. You get monthly workshops, a growing resource library, peer-to-peer support, and access to me as a mentor when you need direction. https://growthtablesbc.com

If people don’t understand what you do quickly, they don’t buy. And that’s not because your business isn’t valuable, it’s because your message isn’t clear yet. Today, we’re going to fix that by Crafting Your Brand Message and Elevator Pitch!Today is all about your message: how to explain what you do in a way that’s clear, confident, and consistent on your website, in a DM, in a networking event, and anytime anyone asks, “What do you do?” By the end of this episode you’ll have:• a one-sentence brand message,• a 10-second hook,• a 30-second pitch,• and a simple way to keep your message consistent everywhere.Let's get into it.____________________________________________If you’d like a calm place to keep building your message, come join us in The Growth Table Small Business Collective. We host monthly workshops, keep a growing resource library, and offer peer-to-peer support, and you get access to me for questions and simple guidance. It’s a low-pressure way to get consistent help while you grow.https://growthtablesbc.com

The right professional help buys back your time, reduces mistakes, and lowers risk so you can focus on the parts of your business that actually move the needle.You don’t necessarily need a full team right away, just the next bit of support that returns more value than it costs.In today's episode, we'll define what accounts, bookkeepers, and lawyers do (and don't do) for your business, key factors that indicate it may be time to hire one, and how to get the most productive use of their time right away so you don't waste your precious small business money._____________________________________________If you need a little structure to put today’s topic into action, The Growth Table Small Business Collective has a resource library, monthly workshops, and a friendly community to keep you moving - plus you can tap me for quick mentorship when you’re stuck. It’s a simple, low-lift way to get support and it is free for the first 7 days!https://GrowthTableSBC.com

Good bookkeeping isn’t just about knowing your income and expenses; it’s about making better decisions, faster. Today we’ll pick an accounting method, set up a simple account structure, and lock in a rhythm so your numbers can inform you on what to do next in your business.These first 10 episodes are designed to be your roadmap to starting your new business or re-evaluating an existing one. Money matters can be scary so today I'm breaking it down in the simplest terms._____________________________________________________________if you need help staying accountable with your accounting join us in The Growth Table Small Business Collective. We have peer accountability pods around topics like bookkeeping, monthly workshops, and a resource library, all in a community of small business owners just like you. It’s a low-pressure way to get consistent help while you grow. Head to GrowthTableSBC.com.

Legal setup does not have to be a maze. Think of your setup as a simple checklist, and every item on that checklist protects your time and money.These first 10 episodes are designed to be your roadmap to starting your business or re-evaluating an existing one to see what can be improved.Last week, we talked about business structure. This week we’re tackling some of the legalities of operating your own business, including your banking requirements. As usual I’m going to break it down in the simplest terms.-------------------------Want help applying today’s topic to your business? Inside The Growth Table Small Business Collective, we work through these steps together with monthly workshops, templates, and peer support - and you can ask me questions directly. It’s low-key, no pressure, and built for real life and real business. Head to GrowthTableSBC.com.

Naming your business is fun. Choosing a structure usually isn’t.But this choice does three important jobs: it sets your liability protection, it defines your paperwork, and it affects how you’re taxed. So, let’s make it simple.These next four episodes will focus on probably the most intimidating but necessary components of starting a business: your structure, some of the legalities, money matters like bank accounts and accounting systems, and how to know when it’s necessary to outsource some of the important services and when you can DIY.Some of this can be confusing so I’m going to try to give this to you in plain English so you know what decisions need to be made and how to make them. One of my favorite phrases is “we don’t know what we don’t know” and it’s hard to make decisions when that happens, so let’s break it down.Today, we’re starting with choosing your business structure.DOWNLOAD: Business Structure Cheat Sheets-------------------If today’s episode clarified your next step and you’d like a calm space to keep building (off social media) come join us in The Growth Table Small Business Collective. We host monthly workshops, keep a growing resource library, and offer peer-to-peer support, plus access to me for questions and simple guidance. It’s a low-pressure way to get consistent help while you grow. You’ll find us at GrowthTableSBC.com.

Learn how to choose a clear, searchable business name and create a one-page brand identity you can use everywhere.In this episode, we walk through five naming paths and three quick tests to help you choose a clear, effective name for your business. Then we build your brand starter: voice, values, visuals, and a one-sentence brand story that explains who you serve, the problem you solve, and the outcome you deliver.You’ll also hear practical tips for basic availability checks, when a DBA or trademark search may be appropriate, and how to stay consistent across your website, email, and social profiles. Perfect for new small business owners or a smart refresh for rebrands. Pull up a seat at the table and let’s dive in!---------If today’s episode sparked ideas and you’d like a calm space to keep building, off social media, come join us in The Growth Table Small Business Collective. We host monthly workshops, keep a growing resource library, and offer peer-to-peer support, plus access to me for questions and simple guidance. It’s a low-pressure way to get consistent help while you grow your business. You’ll find us at GrowthTableSBC.com.

Turn your idea into a simple, testable business model fast.In this episode, you’ll learn how to define one audience, one problem, and one clear promise, then package your offer with delivery and starter pricing. We walk through a one-page model and show practical ways to validate in 7–14 days.You’ll also hear what counts as real proof of concept versus vanity signals, plus tips for narrowing scope so you don’t overspend before demand is confirmed. Perfect for new solopreneurs and microbusiness owners who want to validate a business idea, choose pricing with confidence, and launch a lean offer without guesswork.Pull up a seat at the table and let’s dive in!---------------If today’s episode sparked ideas or maybe now you have more questions, and you’d like a super supportive space to keep building check out The Growth Table Small Business Collective.We host monthly workshops, keep a growing resource library, offer peer-to-peer support, plus you have access to me for questions and guidance. It’s a low-pressure way to get consistent help while you start and grow your business.You can check it out at GrowthTableSBC.com.

If you’re dreaming about starting a business or you’ve already started and you’re knee-deep in the busywork, today we get clear. Because when you know exactly why you’re doing this, decisions stop feeling like guesswork and start feeling like a plan.Your why is more than a motivational poster. Knowing your why is a decision tool. When you clearly define why you are starting your business, it becomes a simple set of filters when we have to make decisions about our workload or our investments or our systems: Does this move me toward my version of success? Does it fit my life? Is it worth it at this stage of my business?Today, I’ll help you put that that set of filters onto paper so you can have a simple north star you can point to every time a choice feels kind of murky.If you want a steady place to learn and connect with other small business owners without the noise of social media, I invite you to check out The Growth Table Small Business Collective. You’ll get monthly workshops, practical templates, and a supportive community of solopreneurs and microbusiness owners, including me, to help when you need it. You can check it out at GrowthTableSBC.com.

If you’re building a business around your passion but feel buried in the day-to-day grind, you’re not alone.Welcome to The Growth Table: Simplifying Small Business.I’m Karin Velez, a multi-passionate entrepreneur with over 25 years of experience starting, growing, and guiding small businesses just like yours.Each week, I’ll help you cut through the chaos, breaking down the systems, strategies, and mindset shifts that make running your business simpler, smarter, and a whole lot more sustainable.Whether you’re a one-person show or leading a small team, this is your seat at the table, where we turn big ideas into practical action for a business your size.I give you quick wins you can apply right away, and just the right amount of big sister motivation (and occasional kick in the pants) that you need to keep you moving forward.Stop spinning your wheels and start building the business you actually enjoy running. Pull up a chair every Wednesday for bite-sized business lessons at The Growth Table and let’s simplify your small business.