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You are here: Home / Archives for business growth

The SmallBizChat Podcast: How We Can Truly Take Care of Our Customers with Scott Romesser

October 1, 2026 By Melinda Emerson Leave a Comment

In this episode of The SmallBizChat, Melinda Emerson talks with Scott Romesser about why customer care is central to business growth. They discuss how to create a strong first impression, common service mistakes small businesses make, and why existing customers can become a business’s best marketing channel. Scott shares ways to stand out, support customers […]

Filed Under: SmallBizChat, The SmallBizChat Podcast Tagged With: business advice, Business Differentiation, business growth, Customer Care, customer experience, Customer Service AI, Feedback Importance, Frontline Empowerment, Marketing Channel, small business mistakes

How Do I Grow a Business Someone Else Built?

September 21, 2026 By Melinda Emerson Leave a Comment

Buying an existing service business can be one of the fastest paths to entrepreneurship. Instead of starting from scratch, you inherit customers, revenue, employees, systems, and a proven market position. Whether you purchased an accounting firm, marketing agency, consulting practice, insurance agency, HVAC company, cleaning service, home health business, or an existing franchise, you have […]

Filed Under: Branding & Marketing, Customer Service, Featured Post, Grow Your Business, Leadership, Sales, Starting A Small Business, Teams, Women in Business, Your Small Business Tagged With: acquired service business, building trust, business growth, business systems, buy a business, customer relationships, First-Year CEO

The SmallBizChat Podcast: How to Stop Being the Bottleneck in Your Business with Tonya Thomas

September 17, 2026 By Melinda Emerson Leave a Comment

In this episode of The SmallBizChat, Melinda Emerson is joined by Tonya Thomas to explore the pitfalls of becoming a bottleneck in business and how it can impede growth. They discuss the critical responsibilities of a CEO and the challenges associated with delegation, highlighting common mistakes when hiring operations or virtual assistants. The conversation includes […]

Filed Under: SmallBizChat, The SmallBizChat Podcast Tagged With: business growth, CEO responsibilities, delegation challenges, Entrepreneurship strategies, high-impact delegation, hiring mistakes, overcoming overwhelm, small business advice, US vs overseas assistants, virtual assistants

The SmallBizChat Podcast: How Global Artisans Are Building Scalable Brands with Susan Hull Walker

September 3, 2026 By Melinda Emerson Leave a Comment

In this episode of The SmallBizChat, Melinda Emerson welcomes Susan Hall Walker to discuss the inspiring journey behind the Ibu Movement and its impact on artisan networks. Susan shares the origins of Ibu and how it operates to expand and support artisan communities globally. The conversation highlights shifts in consumer preferences toward handmade goods and […]

Filed Under: SmallBizChat, The SmallBizChat Podcast Tagged With: artisan economy, business advice, business growth, consumer trends, entrepreneurship, global brands, handmade goods, Ibu Movement, operational challenges, small business

The SmallBizChat Podcast: Hit It and Quit It with Jane Veron and LaChelle Adkins

August 20, 2026 By Melinda Emerson Leave a Comment

In this episode of The SmallBizChat, Melinda Emerson kicks things off with a brief introduction and sponsor mention, followed by the engaging “Hit it and quit it” segment. The conversation shifts to a lively discussion about favorite business tools and marketing tips, offering listeners practical insights to enhance their business strategies. The episode also explores […]

Filed Under: Business Inspiration, Fix Your Business, Grow Your Business, SmallBizChat, The SmallBizChat Podcast Tagged With: business books, business growth, business tools, entrepreneurship, expert insights, marketing tips, podcast episode, small business advice, Small Business Management, small business strategies

America at 250: Why Entrepreneurs Will Determine Our Next Chapter

July 6, 2026 By Melinda Emerson Leave a Comment

As America celebrated its 250th anniversary on July 4th, there are a few things that I was thinking about. First, I can’t believe it’s only been 250 years since the Revolutionary War. The first settlers arrived in America in 1619, but it wasn’t until 1776 that a formal independent government was formed as America defeated […]

Filed Under: Business Inspiration, Featured Post, Grow Your Business, How to Start, Leadership, Solopreneurs, Starting A Small Business, Women in Business, Your Small Business Tagged With: america at 250, business growth, Business Opportunities, entrepreneurs, small business

Why Great Sales Calls Still Don’t Close

June 29, 2026 By Melinda Emerson Leave a Comment

One of the most frustrating experiences for any entrepreneur, consultant, coach, or sales professional is walking away from a sales conversation feeling confident that everything went perfectly, only to discover that the prospect never moves forward. The conversation flowed naturally. The prospect seemed engaged, asked thoughtful questions, expressed enthusiasm about your offer, and thanked you […]

Filed Under: Branding & Marketing, Customer Service, Featured Post, Grow Your Business, How to Start, Starting A Small Business, Women in Business, Your Small Business Tagged With: business growth, client acquisition, closing sales, Consultative Selling, decision making, lead conversion, revenue growth, Sales Calls, sales process, Sales Psychology, sales strategy

The SmallBizChat Podcast: Hit It and Quit It with Michelle Snow and Malcolm Reid, Sr.

June 18, 2026 By Melinda Emerson Leave a Comment

In this episode, Melinda Emerson kicks off the rapid-fire session where guests share their favorite podcast, app, marketing tip, and business book. Michelle Snow, CEO of Grow With Snow, The Coach Making Connections, is a business coach who helps entrepreneurs and organizations with tailored strategies and visionary insights. She specializes in professional development and outreach, […]

Filed Under: Business Inspiration, Fix Your Business, Grow Your Business, SmallBizChat, The SmallBizChat Podcast Tagged With: business advice, business growth, business management, business promotion, entrepreneurship, inspirational message, marketing tips, sales strategies, small business, small business resources

Why Trust Is the Ultimate Growth Strategy in Business

February 23, 2026 By Melinda Emerson Leave a Comment

Trust is not a “soft skill.” It is not a vibe. And it is definitely not optional. Trust is one of the most powerful and overlooked drivers of business success. Strong small businesses don’t just sell products or services; they build confidence with everyone they touch. Employees trust leadership. Vendors trust commitments. Customers trust promises. […]

Filed Under: Featured Post, Fix Your Business, Grow Your Business, Sales, Solopreneurs, Starting A Small Business, Teams, Women in Business, Your Small Business Tagged With: accountability, build trust, business growth, business integrity, clear communication, strong leadership, Team Building

For Better or Worse: The Vows Every Business Owner Eventually Learns

February 9, 2026 By Melinda Emerson Leave a Comment

We rarely describe small business ownership as a love story. We dress it up as ambition, independence, or strategy. We talk about growth plans, revenue targets, and market positioning. But if you’ve owned a business long enough, you know the truth most owners eventually discover, often the hard way. Business ownership is one of the […]

Filed Under: Business Inspiration, Cash Flow & Finance, Featured Post, Fix Your Business, Grow Your Business, How to Start, Leadership, Sales, Solopreneurs, Starting A Small Business, Women in Business, Your Small Business Tagged With: business growth, business systems, cash flow, exhaustion in business, managing budgets, profit and loss, resiliency, Setting Boundaries, small business ownership, vision

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10 Fixes to Get Sales Moving on Your Website

You’ve invested in a website. You’ve got a logo, great photos, an About page, and maybe even a few testimonials. You post on social media and send people to your site. But there’s one problem: nobody is buying, or at least not enough people are buying. Here’s the issue. Traffic does not automatically turn into […]

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