On this episode of The Small Business Radio Show…
SEGMENT 1, starting at 0:00: Something we need more of these days is fun, especially as most of us are working remotely during the coronavirus crisis. What role does fun still play in your business and how can you use it to support your culture? Here to help is “The Godfather of Fun”, Nick Gianoulis, founder of the fun dept.
SEGMENT 2, starting at 17:30: Online reviews are critical to the success of small business. But what happens if your company is now closed because of COVID-19 or you have had to adjust your hours or the services you offer? How will this affect your online reputation? Here to help is Yelp’s Chicago-based Senior Field Marketing Manager and Small Business Expert, Emily Washovick.
SEGMENT 3, starting at 34:30: What went well with the federal financial help for small businesses and what did not? Here to reflect on the state of small business and possible alternate funding options is Vijay Sundaram, Chief Strategy Officer at Zoho.
Sponsored by Nextiva
More on each segment below.
Segment 1: Nick Gianoulis is the founder of the fun dept., a consulting and training company that has been featured on CNN, BBC News, Washington Post, TEDx and numerous other media outlets. Its clients range from Fortune 100 companies to those with as few as 10 employees. Known as “The Godfather of Fun”, he began his company after experiencing firsthand the enhanced culture and business results of fun during his 20-year corporate management tenure with a company that embraced a “work hard, play hard” culture. He partnered with Delivering Happiness, the leading culture experts borne out of the Zappos culture and bestselling book.
1:30 – How do you engage remote workers and keep a culture of fun with a remote workforce?
3:30 – What tangible things are companies doing to keep a culture of fun during this time?
5:00 – Why fun and humor matter versus being all business all the time.
7:15 – What happens if you don’t have a culture of fun? What little fun things can you do that employees will appreciate?
11:00 – What advice do you have for leaders who aren’t naturally outgoing, gregarious, and fun, but want to incorporate fun into their company culture for their employees?
14:00 – How do you determine which experiences will be fun for your employees?
Segment 2: Emily Washovick is Yelp’s Chicago-based Senior Field Marketing Manager and Small Business Expert who is responsible for building a thriving network of local business owners, operators and marketers through education and networking events. She hosts a series of online and offline events to provide business owners with resources that help them succeed and grow in the world of online reviews.
17:30 – Advice for small business owners as they weather the covid storm.
19:30 – Communication with your staff and customers is paramount during this time! What is the best way to communicate with them?
23:30 – Advice for small business owners who are concerned their online reviews and customer satisfaction are going to suffer as they pivot to an area of business that’s new for them, such as take-out or telemedicine.
26:30 – Consumers are interacting with business owners in a completely new way right now. Sharing your experience can help others feel more comfortable during this time.
28:00 – The importance of prominent and consistent messaging across your website, review sites, social media, and signage in the window of your brick and mortar business.
29:45 – Some spotlight examples of businesses that have really done a great job of pivoting during the coronavirus crisis.
Segment 3: Vijay Sundaram is Chief Strategy Officer at Zoho where he is also responsible for the partner and channel program, in addition to global growth and marketing. He is a prior entrepreneur and company founder, in cloud supply chain software, mobile advertising technology, and renewable energy.
34:30 – What do you think of the latest action by congress to refund the PPP program with a few changes?
38:00 – What went well with the federal funding programs and what did not?
41:00 – What should be done differently now to get money to small business owners?
45:15 – What is the barrier for adopting a Canadian and European model for helping small business owners and employees in the US?
48:00 – What are other ideas for distributing federal aid to small businesses?
50:15 – What is Zoho Corp. doing to help their small business clients during this time?
Sponsored by Nextiva
