2 Small Biz Guys

Ray and Zen throw around a lot of stuff during the shows, but this one is different – no BS. The Guys square off to debate and discuss the notion of being a freelancer in today’s economy and what that really means as an employee and employer. This is not a book of theory – it’s Business without the Bullsh*t. It’s a collection of practical approaches to real-life situations that take place every day inside every company.

Business Blunders and Buses

Incoming President of NAWBO Phaedra Erhart tells how to make noise and how NAWBO grows and grows.

The Guys get caught up in a relevant and timely discussion about best business practices in the new millennium…. REWORK. It really is imperative for business owners to not just think about what to do. They need to DECIDE and ACT… That makes so much sense, doesn’t it? Why does it not happen more often? The authors of REWORK present some pleasant and unpleasant facts about what it takes to run a successful business in the 21st Century.

Ray and Zen interview Rick Murray, Arizona Small Business Association (ASBA) CEO and discuss a variety of aspects regarding small business in Arizona. You’ll want to hear about the legislation that was introduced and support by business leaders.

The Guys dive into another best-seller for business owners, pricing man confessions. It's one of the most important books an owner and/or price-setter could ever read. What every CEO needs to do: “Lead your company with a strict profit orientation. And keep in mind that price is the most effective profit driver.

Ray and Zen talk with SCORE members and mentors, Rod Houston and George Sezemsky, about the organization. Across the country, SCORE helps small businesses with consulting and mentoring from retired executives who want to give back to the community.

The Guys explore one of the toughest issues – dealing with confrontations in the workplace. No, it isn’t about breaking up fights, but it can result in one if not handled properly in some cases. Most of us avoid conflict at all costs, so confronting employees who aren’t meeting up to standards is certainly not an enjoyable process. How do good leaders create conversations to address work issues? The first few seconds of the interaction sets the tone for everything that follows.

The Guys launch into the first of a couple of discussions on the book, 13 Fatal Errors Managers Make and how you can avoid them, by W. Steven Brown. The subject matter is great for small business owners and managers who are developing employees to help grow their business successfully. We don't often think of them, although we often find them during the process of business building... usually because we make them. What are manager's fatal mistakes? How do you lead with vision?

Facebook tips and mainly, friendly is what is most effective. Here is how to market your bizz in a friendly way using facebook tools.

The life of Jerome Landau Scottsdale Mediator and Arbitrator.

Simon Sinek is a movement maker, a way-shower for building momentum that matters in our world today. He’s insightful and spot on in observations of how we behave and using those observations to create maximum results. This book is about a naturally occurring pattern, a way of thinking, acting and communicating that gives some leaders the ability to inspire those around them. Tempting incentives or the threat of punishment will often elicit the behavior we desire. Great Leaders are able to inspire people to act.

R U Entrepreneurially Fit

Goal Setting. How do you make them? What do you need to consider? Who should be involved? Those are just a few of the discussion questions. Ray has some great insight, has been a featured professional on Entrepreneur.com and many years of experience in his own companies and peer adversary groups. Of course, Zen is no novice to the process either. He’s helped many small businesses and entrepreneurs develop goal setting processes, too.

When things get bigger and better, your model changes. Prepare by scaling up.

Listen in to the Guys as they discuss another excellent guide for small business development, Scaling Up, by a collective lead by Verne Harnish. Gazelles as they may be, the Guys don’t treat them as prey yet they reveal the tasty morsels of intelligent business activity compiled by their efforts. Many companies struggle with growth after making it through their initial launch, if the business concept is sound and the market supports sales

In old school entrepreneurship, if you didn’t work an insane amount of hours, love marketing, selling, negotiating, and firing people, you were the inferior version of the entrepreneur. The old school, one-size-fits-all, black-and-white version needs to be archived in a museum somewhere. Instead, there is a whole new way for you and me to look at entrepreneurship.

How Do You GET the Orders? The Guys explore a 20+ year compilation of creating sales insights derived from Ray’s long-standing involvement with Peer Groups. His work, 7 Steps to Creating Sales, covers proven strategies for sales success shared by business owners. Sales drives business and techniques that bolster sales are plentiful. The Guys dive into just 7 that have proven value.

How do you use LinkedIn as a business tool? The Guys launch into looking at LinkedIn from multiple perspectives, discussing tasty tidbits for triumph in the use of LinkedIn as a business tool. Small business talk radio with these guys is a little out of the ordinary. Zen does workshops on developing LinkedIn profiles and company pages based on a workbook he wrote during his research into best practices on LinkedIn

The 2 Guys have talked about new combination tools, social media, and many of our listeners really do not know about the standards—radio & print. How has communication in the digital age changed? Ray Schey, Publisher of the Phoenix Business Journal and ‘The Mayor’ Dave Pratt, Founder/CEO of Star Worldwide Networks join us in the studio.