Learn from successful entrepreneurs, CEOs, executives and business leaders as they share their experiences, insight and tips. Topics include marketing, management, mentoring, money and many others. Improve your business by listening to this business series from SCORE, with Business Alchemist Dennis Zink as your host.

Will your business need access to additional funds to facilitate growth or to cover emergencies?  Many, perhaps most, will.  In this episode, Gerri Detweiler of Nav, along with host Dennis Zink and co-host Fred Dunayer, discuss the building of business credit, the proper use of debt, and the intersection of personal and business credit.

Credit expert Gerri Detweiler is Education Director for Nav, which provides business owners with free personal and business credit scores, along with simple tools to build strong business credit and financially healthy companies. Gerri’s articles have been widely syndicated, and she’s written five books, including Finance Your Own Business: Get on the Financing Fast Track. She’s been interviewed in more than 3000 news stories and has testified before Congress on credit legislation.

Direct download: 71_-_Credit_Strategies_for_Entrepreneurs.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00pm EDT

Customers frequently rely on on-line reviews to make their purchasing decisions, so you want to make sure that your business has a stellar reputation.  This online reputation is known as "Social Proof". 

This presentation by Nick Choat will focus on digital marketing, specifically focusing on how to cultivate positive and turn around negative reviews.  Formerly a Walt Disney Company executive, Nick is the owner of two Sport Clips Haircut franchises. He is a SCORE mentor and international best-selling author of "Online Or Flatline: The Small Business Owner's Guide to Digital Marketing".

In this presentation, you’ll learn how to make affordable yet effective investment decisions.  Nick provides real-world, understandable examples that you’ll be able to implement.

SCORE is proud to partner with the Venice Area Chamber of Commerce to offer podcast highlights of the Chamber’s Powerbites series to improve your business’ bottom line.

Direct download: Digital_Marketing_-_A_Small_Business_Owners_Discussion.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00pm EDT

How much is your company worth?  Whether you’re growing it or considering selling it, you want it to be as valuable as possible.  In these highlights from a recorded seminar, Dane DeSantis, owner of Hallmark Business Brokers, tells you eight things you can do to make your company more valuable. His experience and insight will help you get more from your business than you ever thought possible!

SCORE is proud to partner with the Venice Area Chamber of Commerce to offer podcast highlights of the Chamber's Powerbites series to improve your business's bottom line. 

Direct download: Eight_Drivers_of_Company_Value.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00pm EDT

Including eBay in your marketing strategy is a great way to expand your reach.  As an online market, eBay can be used as a secondary, or even the primary place to sell your products.  In this episode, Dennis Zink and Fred Dunayer speak with Danna Crawford, a nationally recognized and highly successful eBay sales expert, the founder and CEO of powersellingmom.com, and a SCORE mentor, who will tell you everything you need to know to get started selling in this worldwide marketplace.

Direct download: Episode_68_-_Ebay_Selling.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00pm EDT

Social Media and Video Marketing have emerged as important areas that business owners should consider when developing their overall marketing strategy.  In the second part of our two-part discussion with host Dennis Zink, co-host Fred Dunayer and Michael Skigen, Senior Manager of Digital Content and Social Engagement at DexYP, the focus is on the key elements of content and timing that belong in a social media and video marketing strategy. 

Direct download: 67_-_Growing_Your_Business_with_Social_Media_and_Video_Marketing.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00pm EDT

Developing and implementing an email and text marketing strategy can dramatically increase your sales.  Michael Skigen, Senior Manager of Digital Content and Social Engagement at DexYP, joins Dennis Zink and Fred Dunayer to discuss the key elements of an email and text marketing strategy and the tools that can be used to automate it. 

Direct download: Growing_Your_Business_with_Email_and_Text_Marketing.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00pm EDT

Franchise ownership comes with its own benefits and challenges.  In this discussion, Nick Choat, owner of a Sport Clips Haircuts franchise and a SCORE mentor, talks with Dennis Zink about how he selected this particular business and the processes of starting, marketing and running his franchise locations.  He also discusses the franchise model in general, and the relationship between the franchisor and the franchisee.

Direct download: Whats_It_Like_to_Own_a_Franchise.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00pm EDT

Every business is a reflection of its employees, and selecting, training and promoting the right employees are a key factor in long term success.  

Host Dennis Zink and co-host Fred Dunayer are joined by talent management specialist and SCORE mentor Howard Kilman, who shares some of his key concepts and experience in the staffing of Avenade, a joint venture of Microsoft and Accenture.  As Chief Leadership Officer, he grew the company from a handful of startup staff to thousands of high value, highly skilled employees.

Topics of the discussion include the creation and maintenance of a corporate culture and the things to look for when hiring and promoting employees.

Howard is now with WriteHeights LLC, specializing in Leadership Development and Business Coaching.

Direct download: Episode_64_-_Talent_Management.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00pm EDT

Managing your digital world is a key process in creating business success.

In this information-packed extended recording, Mike McCormick, CEO of Full Stack Marketing Consultants, discusses how you can use all aspects of digital marketing in your business. From startups to the enterprise level, Mike shares his insights on the digital landscape. He provides practical tips on lead generation and sales, advertising and promotion, content marketing, the customer experience, social community management and business management.

SCORE is proud to partner with Sarasota County Libraries and Historical Resources, and the Sarasota County Office of Business and Economic Development to offer this seminar as part of the ongoing Success Strategies for Business Owners Meetup Group.

Direct download: Episode_63_-_How_to_Grow_Your_Business_in_a_Digital_World.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00pm EDT

Nearly all merchants need to accept credit and debit cards, and an increasing number accept other forms of electronic payment.  Pat Moran, "Master Your Card" expert, has over 14 years of experience across the entire electronic payments ecosystem.

In his role with Master Your Card, a community empowerment program sponsored by Mastercard, Moran uses his deep knowledge of payment technologies to educate small business owners and advisers on how to maximize the value from electronic payment acceptance. In this discussion with Dennis Zink and Fred Dunayer, he promotes a deeper understanding of the process to empower business owners to limit the costs and headaches associated with electronic payments.

Direct download: 62_-_Managing_Electronic_Payments.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00pm EDT

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