Business Infrastructure - Curing Back Office Blues

Growth is not a bad thing. But too much growth, too fast presents a set of challenges often overlooked when discussing small businesses. The emphasis tends to center on the marketing and promotion necessary to grow your business, and not on the operations and business infrastructure needed to scale your business in a sustainable manner. These back office operations can make or break your business. The Business Infrastructure show provides solutions and real life stories to owners and operators of fast growing small businesses seeking practical tips for dealing with growth spurts.

299: Growth Strategies Masterclass Recap - The Big Reveal

In our last episode, you heard from our team at Equilibria, Inc. on what it took to produce and promote the episodes for our Season 23: Growth Strategies Masterclass. We also shared important lessons we learned from the guests who participated in this masterclass. ย  Thereโ€™s also an important lesson, or conclusion, that producer Alicia Butler Pierre reached as a result. As you and other listeners went along this growth strategies journey, you may recall her hinting at a big revelation. Something that, once revealed, will change everything! ย  In this episode, Alicia reveals that important discovery. ย  ๐๐ฅ๐ž๐š๐ฌ๐žย ๐’๐ฎ๐›๐ฌ๐œ๐ซ๐ข๐›๐žย ๐š๐ง๐ย ๐‹๐ž๐š๐ฏ๐žย ๐šย ๐‘๐ž๐ฏ๐ข๐ž๐ฐ.ย โญย โญย โญย โญย โญ ยฉ 2024. Theย Business Infrastructure Podcastย is sponsored byย Equilibria, Inc. โ€“ a small business dedicated to providing resources to support fellow fast-growing small businesses in scaling back-office operations without pain and chaos. Listen to all twelve episodes of the Season 23: Growth Strategies Masterclass.

08-18
11:53

298: Growth Strategies Masterclass - End of Season Wrap Party

Ever wondered what it takes to put on a podcast show? The behind-the-scenes work is much more than what you might expect especially when producing an audio masterclass. But we pulled it off! ย  In our end of season wrap party, our team at Equilibria shares lessons we learned throughout the Growth Strategies Masterclass. We also discuss how we efficiently manage a remote podcast team thatโ€™s spread across four countries โ€“ India, Nigeria, Philippines, and the U.S. ย  Finally, we reveal things that surprised us about this season and some team members even ask producer Alicia Butler Pierre personal questions. You might find her answers interesting, but the only way youโ€™ll know is if you listen! ย  Thank you to the Black Panda team: Leena Nair, Rujuta Jamgaokar, and Simmi. ย  The Equilibria, Inc. team: Clarence Levy III, Grant Revilla, Gladys Jimenez, and Erika Revilla. A special shout out to our audio editor, Olanrewaju Adeyemo, who was unable to attend.

08-04
21:25

297: Using Christina Barsiโ€™s Circle of Ease Tool to Build Personal Infrastructure

This is part two of our interview with Christina Barsi, an entrepreneur with a revolutionary tool to help us align our personal infrastructure with our business infrastructure. That tool is called the Circle of Ease. Itโ€™s one of the things she mentioned during the first half of this interview. ย  As a reminder, she also talked about: The difference between your Zone of Genius and Zone of Excellence, ย How to be in alignment with work that gives you energy, Why delegating things that you are good at, but donโ€™t enjoy will free up your time to truly grow and scale your business. ย  Now, Barsi will describe exactly what her Circle of Ease tool is and how to use it. Similar to previous episodes, podcast host Alicia Butler Pierre shares how she will use this tool to figure out what work to focus on as Equilibria, Inc. transitions from a consulting business model to a training one. ย  This is the last episode of our Growth Strategies Masterclass. ย  Itโ€™s filled with eye-opening information that will cause you to personally reflect on the intersection of your personal and professional goals in ways you may not have before. Listen now to discover the possibilities that lie ahead for your businessโ€™ growth! ย  ๐๐ฅ๐ž๐š๐ฌ๐ž ๐’๐ฎ๐›๐ฌ๐œ๐ซ๐ข๐›๐ž ๐š๐ง๐ ๐‹๐ž๐š๐ฏ๐ž ๐š ๐‘๐ž๐ฏ๐ข๐ž๐ฐ. โญ โญ โญ โญ โญ ย  ยฉ 2024. Theย Business Infrastructure podcastย is sponsored byย Equilibria, Inc. โ€“ a small business dedicated to providing resources to support fellow fast-growing small businesses in scaling back-office operations without pain and chaos. Sign up for theย Smooth Operator Course to learn more about building business infrastructure.

07-21
23:13

296: Christina Barsi Explains Why Your Personal Infrastructure is Key to Sustainable Business Growth

Itโ€™s hard to believe, but weโ€™re at the last topic of our Growth Strategies Masterclass. At this point, weโ€™ve had guests share their expertise on the following: ย  Vetting and validating growth ideas, Creating a strategic growth plan that includes validated ideas, Developing project plans to implement your companyโ€™s growth strategy, Growing your business through strategic partnerships, and Building your business to sell it for maximum value. ย  With all the planning tools weโ€™ve learned for strategically growing our businesses, thereโ€™s still the possibility that our plans may not unfold the way we envisioned. Our ability to handle unforeseen events or challenges that can halt our plans determines whether weโ€™ll stay in the entrepreneurial race. ย  The real question to ask yourself is, โ€œAre you comfortable with potentially having to pivot?โ€ ย  This is what our next guest, Christina Barsi, is here to talk to us about. As a former actor turned entrepreneur and owner of a successful podcast production company, sheโ€™s a shining example of what can happen when you intentionally integrate decision-making and fulfillment into your ย entrepreneurial endeavors. ย  Barsiโ€™s career transition experiences as a compelling example for entrepreneurs seeking to establish a personal infrastructure that resonates with their passions. ย  In part 1 of this two-part episode, Barsi explains why: Creating a personal infrastructure that aligns with your companyโ€™s business infrastructure is critical for achieving self-fulfillment, Distinguishing between internal data and external data is key to establishing a foundation for business growth strategies, and Calibrating your mindset is necessary for assessing the work that brings you joy and will ultimately enable you to create action plans to bring growth plans to fruition. ย  Navigating business pivots and transitions effectively requires intentional decision-making and introspection. Join us on this journey of self-discovery as a pathway to lasting business success! ย  ๐๐ฅ๐ž๐š๐ฌ๐ž ๐’๐ฎ๐›๐ฌ๐œ๐ซ๐ข๐›๐ž ๐š๐ง๐ ๐‹๐ž๐š๐ฏ๐ž ๐š ๐‘๐ž๐ฏ๐ข๐ž๐ฐ. โญ โญ โญ โญ โญ ย  ยฉ 2024. Theย Business Infrastructure podcastย is sponsored byย Equilibria, Inc. โ€“ a small business dedicated to providing resources to support fellow fast-growing small businesses in scaling back-office operations without pain and chaos. Sign up for theย Smooth Operator Course to learn more about building business infrastructure.

07-14
20:47

295: Scale to Sell โ€“ How I Plan to Exit the Business I Founded and Love

Weโ€™re at the next stop on our Growth Strategies Masterclass this season and it involves exit planning. Now, you may be thinking, โ€œI thought we were talking about growing our businesses, not exiting them!โ€ ย  But the truth is, exiting your business by selling it can in fact be a smart move especially if you are seeking what our last guest, Carl Nicpon, described as โ€œFreedom 2.0.โ€ Building your company to eventually sell it requires significant work in formalizing business infrastructure and strengthening financial health. ย  In this latest episode, our producer and host, Alicia Butler Pierre, reveals why she wants to sell Equilibria, Inc. (the underwriter of this show) as part of the companyโ€™s long-term strategic growth plan. This requires a level of honesty, introspection, and selflessness that few entrepreneurs dare to think about let alone act on. ย  Along the way, Alicia shares her story in hopes that it will also inspire you to: Focus on specific business infrastructure elements to build or improve, Discover the financial metrics required to attract future investors, partners or buyers, Build a dashboard to track core operational activity, Consider funding as a source for raising capital required to scale operations, and more! ย  Youโ€™ll also gain access to additional resources where you can learn more about how to: 1) sell your business, 2) find the optimal exit planning strategist, and 3) get maximum sale value for the business youโ€™ve worked so hard to build and grow. ย  ๐๐ฅ๐ž๐š๐ฌ๐ž ๐’๐ฎ๐›๐ฌ๐œ๐ซ๐ข๐›๐ž ๐š๐ง๐ ๐‹๐ž๐š๐ฏ๐ž ๐š ๐‘๐ž๐ฏ๐ข๐ž๐ฐ. โญ โญ โญ โญ โญ ย  ยฉ 2024. Theย Business Infrastructure podcastย is sponsored byย Equilibria, Inc. โ€“ a small business dedicated to providing resources to support fellow fast-growing small businesses in scaling back-office operations without pain and chaos. Sign up for theย Smooth Operator Course to learn more about building business infrastructure.

07-07
28:28

294: Carl Nicpon Explains How to Build a Sustainable Business You Can Sell at Maximum Value

Whether your growth idea involves starting a new business, a new product or service, or pivoting altogether, itโ€™s wise to begin with the end in mind. In other words, you need to know your exit strategy.ย  ย  It might seem strange to think about an exit strategy when you are focusing on starting either something new or doing work in a new way. However, another effective and potentially lucrative growth strategy could involve your exit as a founder or leader, the exit of one of your business partners, acquiring another business, or selling yours. ย ย  ย  While there are several myths about how to exit your business successfully, our special guest expert, Carl Nicpon says one thing is certain - โ€œYou only have one chance to get it right!โ€ย  ย  Carl is a Managing Director at Marsh Creek, a boutique business brokerage and mergers and acquisitions advisory firm. His career journey from school counselor to third-generation business owner to Merger & Acquisition (M&A) advisor brings a wealth of diverse experiences to his clients. ย  In this episode, Carl debunks several myths about selling a business while also educating us about the selling process. This includes providing a foundation for understanding:ย  How to increase the value of your business, Why your business needs to be able to operate without you, When to start preparing to sell your business, and What EBITDA is and the pivotal role it plays in determining the value of a business, and ย  Youโ€™ve worked hard to build, grow, and scale your business. Discover how to achieve what Carl describes as โ€œFreedom 2.0โ€ by assembling the right team of experts that will guide you to selling your business at maximum value. ย  ๐๐ฅ๐ž๐š๐ฌ๐ž ๐’๐ฎ๐›๐ฌ๐œ๐ซ๐ข๐›๐ž ๐š๐ง๐ ๐‹๐ž๐š๐ฏ๐ž ๐š ๐‘๐ž๐ฏ๐ข๐ž๐ฐ. โญ โญ โญ โญ โญ ย  ยฉ 2024. Theย Business Infrastructure podcastย is sponsored byย Equilibria, Inc. โ€“ a small business dedicated to providing resources to support fellow fast-growing small businesses in scaling back-office operations without pain and chaos. Sign up for theย Smooth Operator Course to learn more about building business infrastructure.

06-30
38:47

293: How We Leveraged Partnerships to Boost Growth and Revenue

Have you thought about forming partnerships with other people or companies to catalyze growth at your company? Achieving scale, more revenue, and greater profitability at a faster rate are just some of the many benefits that a strategic partnership can offer. ย  But you must be careful in forming these partnerships. There are legal aspects to consider like profit sharing, intellectual property protection, and even a plan for dissolving the partnership. These aspects should be formalized in a contract and then discussed, negotiated, and signed in writing to protect everyone involved. ย  In this latest episode of our Growth Strategies Masterclass, our producer and host, Alicia Butler Pierre, shares details about her behind-the-scenes work with Karen Mills. As a reminder, Karen was the lawyer featured in the last episode. She specializes in contract law, in particular teaming agreements. ย  ย  The information shared in this episode is a bit unique in that Alicia actually sketches out a workflow diagram (or flowchart) as she describes her work with Karen. As a result, you can expect to: ย  Learn the process for drafting a teaming or partnership agreement, Discover the different ways to construct a partnership agreement, Gain an understanding of the various types of clauses (i.e., first right of refusal and non-disclosure) you may want to include, and Walk away with a foundation required to form a strategic partnership with confidence. ย  Talk is cheap. Stop relying on verbal agreements ๐Ÿ—ฃ๏ธ or handshakes ๐Ÿค to conduct business deals that make you and your business susceptible to unexpected and costly pitfalls. ย  Instead, protect your business and its assets through clearly written contracts as you transition from the honeymoon phase of forming a new partnership. It can be one of the best investments you make!! ย  ๐๐ฅ๐ž๐š๐ฌ๐ž ๐’๐ฎ๐›๐ฌ๐œ๐ซ๐ข๐›๐ž ๐š๐ง๐ ๐‹๐ž๐š๐ฏ๐ž ๐š ๐‘๐ž๐ฏ๐ข๐ž๐ฐ. โญ โญ โญ โญ โญ ย  ยฉ 2024. Theย Business Infrastructure podcastย is sponsored byย Equilibria, Inc. โ€“ a small business dedicated to providing resources to support fellow fast-growing small businesses in scaling back-office operations without pain and chaos. Sign up for theย Smooth Operator Course to learn more about building business infrastructure.

06-23
32:37

292: Karen Mills Explains How to Structure Legal Teaming Agreements for Strategic Growth

Itโ€™s hard to believe, but weโ€™re already at the midway point of our Growth Strategies Masterclass! As a recap, weโ€™ve covered how to: Vet and validate your business growth ideas, Create a strategic plan that includes validated ideas, and Develop project plans to implement youur companyโ€™s growth strategy. ย  Growth comes in many shapes, forms, and scales of magnitude, and one viable way to grow is through partnerships or teaming agreements. ย  Have you heard the expression, โ€œTwo heads are better than one?โ€ Itโ€™s true! Forming partnerships with the right people or companies can accelerate your businessโ€™s growth in ways you didnโ€™t imagine. The legal aspects of forming partnerships correctly can be overwhelming. ย  But youโ€™re in luck! ย  Our next guest is Karen Mills, a founding member of Mills Law, LLC. She has 25 years of experience practicing law with a specialty in contracts law and mediation services. Her expertise in teaming agreements is invaluable, making her the go-to authority for entrepreneurs and business owners seeking clear and fair strategies for growth. ย  In this episode, youโ€™ll discover: The various types of teaming arrangements so that you set your business up for success, How to navigate the fine print of contracts to safeguard your business's future, The questions you should ask yourself before entering a partnership, Why you should always figure out an exit plan at the start of a partnership, and much more! ย  Stop relying on verbal agreements or handshakes to conduct business deals that make you and your business susceptible to unexpected and costly pitfalls. Instead, protect your business and its assets through clearly written contracts as you transition from the honeymoon phase of forming a new partnership. It can be one of the best investments you make!ย  ย  ๐๐ฅ๐ž๐š๐ฌ๐ž ๐’๐ฎ๐›๐ฌ๐œ๐ซ๐ข๐›๐ž ๐š๐ง๐ ๐‹๐ž๐š๐ฏ๐ž ๐š ๐‘๐ž๐ฏ๐ข๐ž๐ฐ. โญ โญ โญ โญ โญ ย  ยฉ 2024. Theย Business Infrastructure podcastย is sponsored byย Equilibria, Inc. โ€“ a small business dedicated to providing resources to support fellow fast-growing small businesses in scaling back-office operations without pain and chaos. Sign up for theย Smooth Operator Course to learn more about building business infrastructure.

06-16
33:05

291: How We Developed a Project Plan to Implement Our Strategic Growth Plan

Now that you know more about how to leverage project plans to execute your growth strategy, itโ€™s time to create your own! ย  In this latest episode of our Growth Strategies Masterclass, our producer and host, Alicia Butler Pierre, explains how to take information from your X-matrix to build a project plan. ย  Be prepared to apply the principles youโ€™ve learned about business infrastructure in building a project plan that: ย  ยทย ย ย ย ย ย ย  Defines the tasks required to accomplish your strategic growth goals, ยทย ย ย ย ย ย ย  Identifies the people to perform those tasks in addition to due dates, ยทย ย ย ย ย ย ย  Includes monthly check points to measure success against targets in your X-matrix, and ยทย ย ย ย ย ย ย  Organizes information clearly and transparently. ย  This episode includes a discussion of the software we use for project planning. Just think - youโ€™re getting even closer to accomplishing those growth goals you and your team identified at the beginning of this journey! ย  ๐๐ฅ๐ž๐š๐ฌ๐ž ๐’๐ฎ๐›๐ฌ๐œ๐ซ๐ข๐›๐ž ๐š๐ง๐ ๐‹๐ž๐š๐ฏ๐ž ๐š ๐‘๐ž๐ฏ๐ข๐ž๐ฐ. โญ โญ โญ โญ โญ ย  ยฉ 2024. The Business Infrastructure podcast is sponsored by Equilibria, Inc. โ€“ a small business dedicated to providing resources to support fellow fast-growing small businesses in scaling back-office operations without pain and chaos. Sign up for the Smooth Operator Course to learn more about building business infrastructure.

06-09
21:13

290: Jon Reid Explains How to Use Project Plans to Implement Strategic Growth Goals

Letโ€™s continue the journey of our Growth Strategies Masterclass! At this point, weโ€™ve learned about how to validate and vet ideas for business growth as well as how to develop a strategic growth plan that includes those vetted ideas. ย  Now itโ€™s time to learn how to implement that strategy! ย  If you're feeling overwhelmed operating your small business and struggling to realize your growth goals, then you are not alone! As small business owners we often find ourselves juggling tasks, relying on sticky notes and phone reminders, but still falling short of achieving the strategic growth plans weโ€™ve worked so hard to create. ย  The feeling of being stuck in a cycle of disorganization, perceived lack of resources, and missed opportunities can be frustrating. But what if there's a simpler way to bring clarity order to the chaos and pave the way for plans that you can actually implement? ย  Here to show us how we can implement strategy through project planning is Jon Reid. Heโ€™s the Managing Partner of Tier1 Management Consulting Group. Jon offers valuable insights into the practical application of project management, emphasizing the importance of well-defined project plans in achieving desired outcomes. ย  In this episode, you will be able to: Discover effective ways to implement strategic growth plans for your small business, Learn about the essential stages of the project management process for strategic growth and, Understand what makes a project successful. ย  Let's explore how project management skills can transform the way you approach growth and bring clarity to the path for executing your business strategy. ย  ๐๐ฅ๐ž๐š๐ฌ๐ž ๐’๐ฎ๐›๐ฌ๐œ๐ซ๐ข๐›๐ž ๐š๐ง๐ ๐‹๐ž๐š๐ฏ๐ž ๐š ๐‘๐ž๐ฏ๐ข๐ž๐ฐ. โญ โญ โญ โญ โญ ย  ยฉ 2024. The Business Infrastructure podcast is sponsored by Equilibria, Inc. โ€“ a small business dedicated to providing resources to support fellow fast-growing small businesses in scaling back-office operations without pain and chaos. Sign up for the Smooth Operator Course to learn more about building business infrastructure.

06-02
21:54

289: How We Used the X-Matrix to Create a Strategy for Our Online Course

In the last episode, you learned about the X-matrix โ€“ a powerful visual tool to link strategy with execution. Now itโ€™s time to learn how to use one to create your strategic growth plan! ย  Donโ€™t worry, we wonโ€™t leave you alone! You can actually listen to our producer and host, Alicia Butler Pierre, as she describes how we completed an X-matrix to assist you in creating your own. In this episode, Alicia explains the events leading to the development of our long-term strategy to convert our business model from being 100% consulting to 100% training. ย  This shift in our business model laid the foundation for completing our X-matrix. It also includes our idea for an online course that we were able to vet and validate thanks to the Lean Canvas tool described at the beginning of this season. ย  Also included in this episode is: An explanation of how to complete an X-matrix, How to use the S.M.A.R.T. method to define strategic goals, A demo of our X-matrix, and Discussion of the action plans required to implement strategic goals. ย  Be sure to download the free X-matrix template provided in the show notes so that you can follow along. Good luck! ย  ๐๐ฅ๐ž๐š๐ฌ๐ž ๐’๐ฎ๐›๐ฌ๐œ๐ซ๐ข๐›๐ž ๐š๐ง๐ ๐‹๐ž๐š๐ฏ๐ž ๐š ๐‘๐ž๐ฏ๐ข๐ž๐ฐ. โญ โญ โญ โญ โญ ย  ยฉ 2024. The Business Infrastructure podcast is sponsored by Equilibria Inc. โ€“ a small business dedicated to providing resources to support fellow fast-growing small businesses in scaling back-office operations without pain and chaos. Sign up for the Smooth Operator Course to learn more about building business infrastructure.

05-26
19:44

288: Kenya Moses Explains How to Create a Strategic Plan Using the XMatrix

Welcome back to our Growth Strategies Masterclass! Our first two episodes featured how to vet and validate ideas for growing your business. Now itโ€™s time to develop a strategic plan around those ideas that made the cut. ย  Are you ready to take your business to the next level and achieve breakthrough growth? If you're feeling like strategic growth planning is just too โ€œcorporateโ€ and is something that only large enterprises do, then think again. In this next class, Kenya A. Moses, an operations executive at NSI Industries, talks about the X-matrix and how you can use this tool to revolutionize your approach to growth and scale your business. ย  With a keen focus on linking strategy with execution, Kenya's insights are invaluable for both small business owners and executives seeking the business infrastructure required for repeatable, profitable, and scalable growth. His practical approach and 25+ years of experience make him a trusted authority in the strategic growth planning process known as Hoshin Kanri. ย  In this episode, Kenya explains how to: Implement the 7-step Hoshin Kanri strategic planning process based on your growth ideas, Use the X-matrix as a simple yet highly effective tool for defining, linking, and aligning long-term strategic goals with tactical projects for achieving those goals, and Develop action plans and continuous check-in points to ensure your strategic growth goals are met. ย  Donโ€™t miss this opportunity to hear from a seasoned corporate executive with years of experience in operations, finance, and strategy as he provides a blueprint for small business growth. ย  Uncover the art of crafting innovative and effective growth strategies that can revolutionize your business's operations and lead to profits you didnโ€™t think were possible! ย  ๐๐ฅ๐ž๐š๐ฌ๐ž ๐’๐ฎ๐›๐ฌ๐œ๐ซ๐ข๐›๐ž ๐š๐ง๐ ๐‹๐ž๐š๐ฏ๐ž ๐š ๐‘๐ž๐ฏ๐ข๐ž๐ฐ. โญ โญ โญ โญ โญ ย  ยฉ 2024. The Business Infrastructure podcast is sponsored by Equilibria Inc. โ€“ a small business dedicated to providing resources to support fellow fast-growing small businesses in scaling back-office operations without pain and chaos. Sign up for the Smooth Operator Course to learn more about building business infrastructure.

05-19
26:36

287: How We Used the Lean Canvas to Validate Our Online Course Idea

We were finally able to launch our first episode for this season. It was such an amazing topic to listen to and it was also indeed a Masterclass! The previous episode featured the Lean Canvas, a one-page guide that Ash Maurya created. Martina discussed a tool she leverages to help us innovators, entrepreneurs, and operational leaders vet and validate our ideas. ย  Lean Canvas is a strategic document that helps managers assemble hypotheses of a particular business model for launching any start-up. It is an efficient approach to developing a one-page business plan for validating your business idea into key assumptions for better analysis. ย  In this episode, Alicia will tell us how Martina was able to help her with her ideas which she had some uncertainties with. Alicia will also show us her companyโ€™s very own Lean Canvas which Martina helped her complete, so that you can also follow along and see how she was able to vet this training idea and hone it. Take this opportunity to learn how to use the Lean Canvas and understand what could be pursued as part of a strategy not just to grow, but also to scale. So, sit back, listen, and learn as much as you can on how to use this tool in this Masterclass and find out how to vet and validate your ideas if they will be an asset or a loss. ย  ๐Ÿ”— Watch the Video Version of this Episode and Access Resources on BusinessInfrastructure.TV. ย  ๐๐ฅ๐ž๐š๐ฌ๐žย ๐’๐ฎ๐›๐ฌ๐œ๐ซ๐ข๐›๐žย ๐š๐ง๐ย ๐‹๐ž๐š๐ฏ๐žย ๐šย ๐‘๐ž๐ฏ๐ข๐ž๐ฐ.ย โญย โญย โญย โญย โญ ยฉ 2024. The Business Infrastructure podcast is sponsored by Equilibria, Inc. โ€“ a small business dedicated to providing resources to support fellow fast-growing small businesses in scaling back-office operations without pain and chaos. Sign up for theย Smooth Operator Courseย to learn more about building business infrastructure.

05-12
23:45

286: Martina Goss Explains How to Validate Ideas Using the Lean Canvas

Weโ€™re proud to present the first lesson in our Growth Strategies Masterclass! ย  With so many ideas for improving our business and boosting cash flow and profit, itโ€™s tempting to start pouring our energy, time, and money into those ideas. ย  But wait! ย  What if you end up losing a lot of money on an idea that ultimately doesnโ€™t work? Martina Goss warns against becoming a โ€œbusy fool.โ€ As a certified Lean Startup coach, sheโ€™s brilliantly transformed her career from a certified accountant crunching numbers for businesses to a trusted advisor for startups and existing businesses with new ideas.ย  ย  Martina introduces us to a tool she leverages to help us innovators, entrepreneurs, and operational leaders vet and validate our ideas. Itโ€™s called the Lean Canvas, a one-page guide created by Ash Maurya for testing the viability, feasibility, and desirability of an idea.ย  ย  In this episode, Martina explains: ย  What the Lean Canvas is, what it looks like, and how to use it, The 12 questions the Lean Canvas forces you to answer about your idea, How to use the Lean Canvas, Why your idea should โ€œcross the chasm,โ€ and much more! ย  She also makes the case for enlisting the help of a facilitator in completing your Lean Canvas. Listen as she details how to conduct customer discovery as a necessary measure of your ideaโ€™s ability for mass appeal.ย  ย  Avoid the dangers of becoming a busy fool with a tool that will help direct your efforts on the ideas that not only make sense, but also can make you money! ย  ๐Ÿ”— Watch the Video Version of this Episode andย Access Resources onย BusinessInfrastructure.TV. ย  ๐๐ฅ๐ž๐š๐ฌ๐žย ๐’๐ฎ๐›๐ฌ๐œ๐ซ๐ข๐›๐žย ๐š๐ง๐ย ๐‹๐ž๐š๐ฏ๐žย ๐šย ๐‘๐ž๐ฏ๐ข๐ž๐ฐ.ย โญย โญย โญย โญย โญ ยฉ 2024. The Business Infrastructure podcast is sponsored by Equilibria, Inc. โ€“ a small business dedicated to providing resources to support fellow fast-growing small businesses in scaling back-office operations without pain and chaos. Sign up for theย Smooth Operator Courseย to learn more about building business infrastructure.

05-05
28:15

285: Season 23 Intro/Opening with Alicia Butler Pierre

Weโ€™re embarking on yet another journey here on the Business Infrastructure podcast. This season focuses on growth strategies to scale your operations, finances, and sales to the next level. ย  The episodes are structured as a masterclass featuring a combination of different subject matter experts who share different tools and frameworks for developing and implementing a growth strategy.ย  ย  Following each expert guestโ€™s episode our host, Alicia Butler Pierre, will apply each tool and framework for Equilibria, the company behind this show. Weโ€™ll end the season with stories from friends of the show regarding their successful strategies. ย  Get ready to learn things that will help you achieve extraordinary results that are transformative, innovative, and groundbreaking!ย  ย  We certainly discovered something we didnโ€™t expect after applying all the tools youโ€™ll soon learn, and the outcome will surprise you! What is it? Well, youโ€™ll have to come along for the ride to find out. ย  ๐๐ฅ๐ž๐š๐ฌ๐ž ๐’๐ฎ๐›๐ฌ๐œ๐ซ๐ข๐›๐ž ๐š๐ง๐ ๐‹๐ž๐š๐ฏ๐ž ๐š ๐‘๐ž๐ฏ๐ข๐ž๐ฐ. โญ โญ โญ โญ โญ ย  ยฉ 2024. The Business Infrastructure podcast is sponsored by Equilibria, Inc. โ€“ a small business dedicated to providing resources to support fellow fast-growing small businesses in scaling back-office operations without pain and chaos. Sign up for the Smooth Operator Course to learn more about building business infrastructure.

04-28
05:10

284: Season 22 Wrap-Up with Alicia Butler Pierre

Finally! We are at the end of another successful and exciting season of the Business Infrastructure Podcast! ย  This Season 22 of the Business Infrastructure Podcast is focused about the use of AI technology and how to take advantage of it. The guests lined up for this specific season are guests that has success on using AI for their businesses, and we also have some guests that we had a fireside chat with about the pros and cons of using AI. ย  It was such an amazing experience for all of us as we have learned a lot of ways to leverage AI and how it can optimize businesses. With all their different insights and approach in using AI, we were able to discover how AI can really make our work a lot easier and how it can sometimes be dangerous if to be wrongly used. ย  But you know what made it exciting? The demos! Yes, the demos! The demos that they showed us and how they walked us through to each AI tools. That experience itself is amazing because itโ€™s not just educational, but it also serves as a free tutorial from these professionals. ย  So, in this final episode for this season, Alicia Butler Pierre, our producer and host will give a very short and brief recap in all of the episodes. But wait, thereโ€™s MORE! Alicia will give you an idea on what to expect for the next season of the Business Infrastructure Podcast. So keep on tuning with us and learn how to manage fast growth and build a business infrastructure that supports scale, sustainability, and profitability. ย  ๐Ÿ”— Watch the Video Version of this Episode and Access Resources on BusinessInfrastructure.TV. ย  ๐๐ฅ๐ž๐š๐ฌ๐ž ๐’๐ฎ๐›๐ฌ๐œ๐ซ๐ข๐›๐ž ๐š๐ง๐ ๐‹๐ž๐š๐ฏ๐ž ๐š ๐‘๐ž๐ฏ๐ข๐ž๐ฐ. โญ โญ โญ โญ โญ ย  ยฉ 2024. The Business Infrastructure podcast is sponsored by Equilibria, Inc. โ€“ a small business dedicated to providing resources to support fellow fast-growing small businesses in scaling back-office operations without pain and chaos. Sign up for the Smooth Operator Course to learn more about building business infrastructure.

04-21
06:13

283: AI Conference | Building Your Own AI Tools to Unleash Operational Efficiency with Tracy Hazzard

Weโ€™re back! And now we are down to our last episode for Season 22 of The Business Infrastructure Podcast. In our previous episode, we learned how to leverage AI to make slides to streamline client presentations and trainings. This time, it will be a fireside chat with one of the OG in the podcast industry and she is going to specifically talk about how to build data sets and feedback loops to customize and train your AI. ย  Our last guest for this season is the Co-Founder of Podetize and she personally has conducted over 3,000 interviews and over 1000 shows with 50,000 episodes and counting. She non other than, Tracy Hazzard. Sheโ€™s also a serial entrepreneur and has a long and impressive background in technology. Tracy has some exciting things to share with you, things that can potentially revolutionize the way you operate yourย business. ย  ย In this final episode, you will learn how to: Make AI a Team Member, Build data sets and feedback loops to customize and train your AI, Maximize transcription accuracy with AI technology, and Enhance business efficiency through customized tool integration. ย  Come! Learn what you can, try it and most importantly, have fun in this final episode of this season. ย  ๐Ÿ”— Watch the Video Version of this Episode and Access Resources on BusinessInfrastructure.TV. ย  ๐๐ฅ๐ž๐š๐ฌ๐ž ๐’๐ฎ๐›๐ฌ๐œ๐ซ๐ข๐›๐ž ๐š๐ง๐ ๐‹๐ž๐š๐ฏ๐ž ๐š ๐‘๐ž๐ฏ๐ข๐ž๐ฐ. โญ โญ โญ โญ โญ ย  ยฉ 2024. The Business Infrastructure podcast is sponsored by Equilibria, Inc. โ€“ a small business dedicated to providing resources to support fellow fast-growing small businesses in scaling back-office operations without pain and chaos. Sign up for the Smooth Operator Course to learn more about building business infrastructure.

04-14
38:37

282: AI Conference | Using Gemini to Create Presentations, Handouts, and Online Courses with Dr. Terica Pearson

Here we are again with another episode of our AI audio conference session, a Business Infrastructure Podcast special. The last time we were here, we were able to witness how AI can help you decide a name for your business or innovation, and how it can make your life easier when taking down notes whenever you are in a meeting. Now, letโ€™s find out how AI can help us in making slides to streamline client presentations and trainings. ย  Are you spending hours digging through information and meticulously crafting slides, only to feel like the process is holding you back from focusing on revenue-generating activities? Let's transform how you educate and engage your clients with AI technology, reducing research time and streamlining your presentation creation process. ย  Our special guest Terica Pearson, the CEO of Pearson Consulting Group will show us her innovative approach to leveraging AI technology, particularly Gemini to provide tailored solutions to small and mid-sized businesses, highlighting the importance of tech-savviness in todayโ€™s digital era. She is the testament to the power of continuous learning and adapting in the business world. ย  At the end of this episode, you will be able to: Discover the benefits of using AI tool for creating compelling presentations, Learn the strategies for taking advantage of AI tools to optimize productivity, and Explore the different side of AI and its possibilities. This episode contains a demo of Gemini. ย  Listen, take notes, and take advantage of this innovative AI tool on how to optimize productivity when making a presentation for your clients. ย  ๐Ÿ”— Watch the Video Version of this Episode and Access Resources on BusinessInfrastructure.TV. ย  ๐๐ฅ๐ž๐š๐ฌ๐ž ๐’๐ฎ๐›๐ฌ๐œ๐ซ๐ข๐›๐ž ๐š๐ง๐ ๐‹๐ž๐š๐ฏ๐ž ๐š ๐‘๐ž๐ฏ๐ข๐ž๐ฐ. โญ โญ โญ โญ โญ ย  ยฉ 2024. The Business Infrastructure podcast is sponsored by Equilibria, Inc. โ€“ a small business dedicated to providing resources to support fellow fast-growing small businesses in scaling back-office operations without pain and chaos. Sign up for the Smooth Operator Course to learn more about building business infrastructure.

04-08
24:40

281: AI Conference | Using Namelix for Creative Naming and Fireflies AI for Revolutionary Notetaking with Edie Woelfle

Weโ€™re back with another session of our AI audio conference. The last session featured tools for using AI to become a professional sound engineer. This time, we will give you a glimpse on how to make your life easier when taking down notes whenever you are in a meeting. ย  Have you ever had that experience when youโ€™re trying to listen attentively to what people are saying in a meeting but afraid youโ€™ll miss something important because youโ€™re also busy trying to take notes? Despite your best efforts, you just canโ€™t multitask during the meeting. ย  Or what about that feeling when youโ€™re having a hard time thinking of a name for your new business, project, or innovation? Well, worry no more! Our next speaker is a former game designer and developer turned software developer and entrepreneur. Edie Woelfle can personally vouch for the AI tools she shares in this session. ย  She and her team consistently use Fireflies AI to capture important notes during client meetings. And she also used Namelix to come up with the name for her software development agency, Keiboarder. ย  In this exciting episode, you will discover how you can: Give Namelix certain parameters to help it create a list of unique names, Leverage Namelixโ€™s AI to even create logos, Boost you and your teamโ€™s productivity with Fireflies AIโ€™s automated audio and video recording and transcription, and Take meeting action items documented by Fireflies AI and connect it to other tools to improve project management, and more! ย  This episode contains a demo of both Fireflies and Namelix. ย  Discover the possibilities of both of these AI tools to make your work and decision making a little easier! ย  ๐Ÿ”— Watch the Video Version of this Episode and Access Resources on BusinessInfrastructure.TV. ย  ๐๐ฅ๐ž๐š๐ฌ๐ž ๐’๐ฎ๐›๐ฌ๐œ๐ซ๐ข๐›๐ž ๐š๐ง๐ ๐‹๐ž๐š๐ฏ๐ž ๐š ๐‘๐ž๐ฏ๐ข๐ž๐ฐ. โญ โญ โญ โญ โญ ย  ยฉ 2024. The Business Infrastructure podcast is sponsored by Equilibria, Inc. โ€“ a small business dedicated to providing resources to support fellow fast-growing small businesses in scaling back-office operations without pain and chaos. Sign up for the Smooth Operator Course to learn more about building business infrastructure. ยท

03-24
29:11

280: AI Conference | Using Cloud Bounce to Create Studio Quality Sound with Clarence Levy

Now that youโ€™ve heard from another one of our keynote speakers, Dean Hamilton, weโ€™re ready to resume the demo sessions at our AI audio conference is here! Similar to the video editing demo, this one also gives you a sneak peek into how AI is leveraged to produce this very show, specifically โ€“ Cloud Bounce.ย  ย  Here to tell us all about it is our showโ€™s sound designer, Clarence Levy III. As the mastermind behind Sabor! Music Enterprises, heโ€™s no stranger to music production and sound design, having worked on various popular TV and film projects. He even created a salsa band once and currently manages a brass band. ย  In this episode, Clarence explains whatโ€™s required to take audio from good to great and how even amateurs can use AI audio editing tools like Cloud Bounce to make that possible. He speaks candidly about the music production process from creation to mixing to mastering and the business infrastructure required to make audio sound โ€œcommercial ready.โ€ ย  Specifically, he shares how AI audio editing tools can speed audio mastering, enhance sound quality, and level the playing field for creatives who donโ€™t have the backing of larger music companies. He even talks about the darker side of using AI in music and its implications. ย  This episode also contains a demo of Cloud Bounce. ย  Listen now and learn how even you can use AI to take your audio projects to the next level and even compete with professionals. ย  ๐Ÿ”— Watch the Video Version of this Episode and Access Resources on BusinessInfrastructure.TV. ย  ๐๐ฅ๐ž๐š๐ฌ๐ž ๐’๐ฎ๐›๐ฌ๐œ๐ซ๐ข๐›๐ž ๐š๐ง๐ ๐‹๐ž๐š๐ฏ๐ž ๐š ๐‘๐ž๐ฏ๐ข๐ž๐ฐ. โญ โญ โญ โญ โญ ย  ยฉ 2024. The Business Infrastructure podcast is sponsored by Equilibria, Inc. โ€“ a small business dedicated to providing resources to support fellow fast-growing small businesses in scaling back-office operations without pain and chaos. Sign up for the Smooth Operator Course to learn more about building business infrastructure.

03-17
28:59

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