Overview
On this episode of Business Insanity Talk Radio, we first discuss the Yelp’s first Local Economic Outlook report that uses Yelp data to rank the 50 metro areas where small businesses have the most economic opportunity in 2018. Then, we’ll show you how to optimize your website for e-commerce so you can convert visitors into customers. Plus, it seems that everyone wants to work remotely these days. But before you allow your employees to do this, we’ll show you the right processes and infrastructure to have in place. Also, most of us go through hard times when running a company. We’ll show you the alternative to bankruptcy that you can use if you ever need to close down your business. Finally, we’ll show you the key to presenting and speaking in front of others – an underrated skill that can make or break your company.
Listen
Segment 1: Carl Bialik is the data science editor for Yelp. Previously he wrote for FiveThirtyEight and, before that, for the Wall Street Journal, where he wrote the Numbers Guy column from 2005 to 2013.
1:15 – Yelp’s first Local Economic Outlook report uses Yelp data to rank the 50 metro areas where small businesses have the most economic opportunity.
3:30 – The methodology for ranking the best metro areas for small business.
5:45 – The characteristics of the highest ranking metro areas for small business.
7:00 – Advice for entrepreneurs looking to open a small business in a lower-ranking city.
9:15 – How can small business make their Yelp page better?
Segment 2: Johann Van Tonder is the author of E-COMMERCE WEBSITE OPTIMIZATION, and is COO at AWA digital. He has used the principles and techniques in this book to deliver massive sale improvements for big and small e-commerce businesses.
15:15 – What makes a good e-commerce website?
16:45 – How to understand your customers so that you can convert the sale.
19:15 – Survey questions you can ask customers that will ensure more accurate survey results.
21:00 – What are most buying decisions based on? What does this mean for optimizing your website for e-commerce?
23:30 – Why is it important to have two different versions of a website?
Segment 3: Chris Douglas is building a global network of top-tier training companies and Authorized Providers who share the philosophies of Fierce. Chris is a visionary who believes that Fierce offers 21st century solutions to leadership challenges
31:15 – Should you let your employees work from home?
32:00 – The keys to successful telecommuting/remote work.
34:00 – The power of flexibility + clear expectations in the workplace.
35:30 – The importance of providing opportunities for in-person interactions for remote employees.
Segment 4: Bruce Bowler began his forty year career in mortgage banking when he was 17, culminating as the CEO and half owner of Universal Lending Corporation, which he and his partner built into one of Denver’s largest privately held mortgage companies.
40:30 – The alternative to going bankrupt when closing your business: self-liquidation.
42:00 – What are the advantages of self-liquidation vs. bankruptcy?
43:30 – Who can help you through a self-liquidation process?
44:45 – What are the signs you either need to declare bankruptcy or self-liquidate?
Segment 5: Judith Humphrey founded Toronto-based leadership communications firm, The Humphrey Group Inc., in 1988. Originally geared to the speaking needs of C-level executives, the company now works with leaders at all levels, showing them how to inspire, influence, and lead every time they speak.
49:30 – What is the key to a small business owner being able to effectively communicate to their employees and clients?
50:15 – Why do you need to prepare for spontaneous conversations?
51:00 – How to prepare for spontaneous conversations.
