In this episode, Melinda Emerson kicks off The SmallBizChat with a discussion on favorite business tools and tips. She shares her own recommendations and invites listeners to explore new strategies for enhancing their business operations. The conversation transitions to recommended business books, highlighting influential reads that have shaped successful entrepreneurs. Joe Mindak is a connector, operator, […]
February 2026 #SmallBizChat: How to Get Paid for Making Connections
The SmallBizChat Podcast is a weekly interview show dedicated to helping small business owners. Each episode features practical insights, expert guests, and actionable strategies designed to help entrepreneurs build profitable, sustainable businesses. Hosted by Melinda Emerson, “SmallBizLady,” the mission of SmallBizChat is to end small business failure. From sales and marketing to finance, leadership, and […]
The SmallBizChat Podcast: How to Monetize Connections with Joe Mindak
In this episode, Melinda Emerson welcomes Joe Mindak to discuss the art of monetizing relationships. Joe shares insights into his background and emphasizes the importance of treating referrals as a viable revenue channel. They explore strategies for converting referrals into revenue and the practice of paying for introductions while maintaining strong relationships. The conversation highlights […]
The SmallBizChat Podcast: Hit it & Quit It with Melissa Muhammad, Karla Ukman, and Olivia Thomas
Melissa Muhammad is a Global Business Expert and International Tax Attorney who specializes in helping international businesses operate worldwide. For over 20 years, she has traveled to numerous countries negotiating billion-dollar transactions and has trained tax officials in over 153 nations. Now, she helps Black-owned businesses export globally and access government resources to turn concepts […]
New Year, New Focus: Elevating Holistic Well-being for Employees This Year
Sponsored by MetLife. Early-2024 is the perfect time to outline goals for the year ahead. As business owners, many of us will have professional goals that are unique to our companies, such as growing our revenues, attracting and retaining talent, training and developing, and supporting employees with their mental health and overall well-being. New […]
22 Top Resources for Women Business Owners
October is National Women in Business Month, and it’s a good time to look at the impact women business owners are having in the US economy. In this blog post, I will share some statistics, along with some great resources for women business owners who want to start a new business or grow an existing […]
8 Best Resources to Grow Your Small Business
As a small business owner, the deck is stacked against you. Most businesses fail after the first five years, and even if you do hang in there, the chances of you becoming the next Facebook are really not very likely. 95 percent of all small businesses in the world never gross over 1 million in […]