On this episode of The Small Business Radio Show…
SEGMENT 1, starting at 0:00: You crave feedback. Your organization’s culture is the key to its success. Strategic planning is essential. Your competencies should be measured and your weaknesses shored up. Leadership is a thing. These may sound like basic truths of our work lives today, but Ashley Goodall says they are all lies and he’s here to share why.
SEGMENT 2, starting at 18:30: Online networks are important for small businesses as we try to connect with an ever-expanding market for our products. But there are a lot of networks that small businesses just aren’t sure how to leverage. One of these important networks is Alignable, and here to help us make the most of it is their CEO, Eric Groves.
SEGMENT 3, starting at 36:00: Retail in America changing: online commerce and AMAZON have put a wrench in the growth of traditional main street business. But I believe at least one entrepreneur has found a successful formula to compete with all of this – Chris Rowland, CEO of Pet Supplies Plus, is here to help.
Sponsored by Nextiva, LinkedIn, efile4Biz, and vCita
More on each segment below.
Segment 1: Ashley Goodall is an executive, leadership expert, and the author, with Marcus Buckingham, of “Nine Lies About Work: A Freethinking Leader’s Guide to the Real World”. He has spent his career exploring large organizations from the inside. Ashley looks for the lessons from the real world that help people and teams thrive, and that make work a more human place. He currently serves as the Senior Vice President of Leadership and Team Intelligence at Cisco.
2:15 – Why people actually don’t need feedback to grow.
5:15 – What do they need instead?
6:30 – Why your organization’s culture isn’t your key to success, and what actually is instead.
8:30 – Why “strategic planning is essential” is a lie.
10:30 – Why are these lies about work so persistent?
12:45 – Why shouldn’t we push people to improve their weaknesses?
14:15 – Why do you take issue with placing a priority on “work-life” balance?
Segment 2: Eric Groves is CEO of Alignable, the online network where small business owners across North America drive leads and prospects, generate referrals, land new business, build trusted relationships, and share great advice.
19:00 – How does Alignable function as a valuable online network for small business owners? How is it different than LinkedIn and Facebook?
21:30 – What small business owners should start doing on Alignable to take advantage of the network.
24:30 – What are people commonly posting and sharing on Alignable? Does Alignable integrate with social media publishing tools?
28:00 – How make connections inside and outside your geographic area.
30:00 – What is your vision for Alignable?
31:30 – Why do you like coming to the B2SMB Global Conference?
Segment 3: Chris Rowland is the CEO of Pet Supplies Plus – America’s Favorite Neighborhood Pet Store and largest independent pet retailer. Chris Rowland has led Pet Supplies Plus to record growth and the franchise consistently adds 30 stores per year. The franchise now has over 450 stores.
36:00 – How is your company competing with Amazon in this age of retail?
38:45 – As much as people like the convenience of Amazon, people still enjoy shopping local.
39:30 – The growing trend of former independent pet store owners converting to Pet Supplies Plus franchise owners.
42:45 – Your tagline is “minus the hassle”. What does that mean for pet owners?
44:45 – Why this CEO took two pay-cuts to ultimately benefit his career.
46:45 – Using personalization to market strategically to customers.
48:30 – How retail employees using their cell phones at work can actually be beneficial!
