Podcast Blaine

How do you know if your inventory is too old? Just blow on it. If you see dust in the air, your inventory has been there too long. Inventory is a real pain for small businesses. Have too much and you kill your cash flow, have too little and you lose valuable sales. In this episode, Mike and Blaine talk about the perils of inventory and a few surviv…

Take a deep dive into the age-old debate of buy versus build to drive business growth. Mike & Blaine explore the nuances of expanding your company, from hiring employees to outsourcing projects, and share insights on when to invest in existing assets or create new ones from scratch. Tune in for a discussion that will help you make strategic decisio…

In this episode of the Mike & Blaine podcast, join us as we dive deep into the art of resourcefulness and how to achieve remarkable results with minimal resources. We'll share personal anecdotes and practical tips on how to harness creativity, innovation, and a can-do attitude to make the most out of limited means. Tune in for a dose of inspiration…

Not every business has the chance to attract customers on a global level. There are lots of businesses that must fight tooth and nail to win customers in their own neighborhood or town. In this episode of Mike & Blaine, we discuss the Hyper-Local business. Those small shops we depend on for home-grown services. Featured Beer: @saintarnold @snakelak…

The internet is here for good, so small business owners need to embrace the idea of having a digital identity. After all, it may be the only impression a customer may have of you and your business. In this episode, discover actionable tips to enhance your online presence and avoid common pitfalls. Tune in while Mike and Blaine try to help you level…

It’s been said that a good plan executed on time is better than a perfect plan executed late. In this episode of Mike & Blaine, the duo dive into mastering the perfect balance of planning and taking action in your business. After all, business is faster now than ever. Can you take the right calculated risk to get ahead? Featured Beer: @RealAleBrewi…

Tune in to the latest episode of the Mike & Blaine Podcast as we delve into the fascinating world of AI adoption by small businesses with special guest Ron Saharyan of Profit First!. In this insightful discussion, we unpack the intriguing insights from a recent Fox Business article that highlights how small businesses are embracing AI solutions and…

In this week’s episode of Mike & Blaine discover how to craft irresistibly edgy messages that captivate your audience, resonate with their emotions, and leave a lasting impact on your small business. Get ready to take your marketing game to the next level and dominate your competition with our expert tips and tricks. Featured Beer: @LakewoodBrewing…

In the biggest episode yet, Mike and Blaine tackle the stigma of giving away things for free in your business, while giving away a massive amount of goods to the winner of The Hundo Super Pack. Mike and Blaine fearlessly discuss the misconceptions around giving freebies in your business. Learn how strategic generosity can build trust, loyalty, and …

Join Mike and Blaine in this riveting 100th episode of "Unbelievable Stats," where they uncover mind-blowing numbers that defy imagination. They also get into an epically silly argument over tactics for improving your profit margin. And they drink some great beer! Mike: Neighbor Pat’s - “Orange You Glad You Know Neighbor Pat” Ale Blaine: Beere and …

Delve into the crucial role of the entrepreneur in identifying and seizing business opportunities. Drawing from their own experiences and featuring inspiring success stories, Mike and Blaine explore the key indicators to look for in choosing whether to take or pass on an opportunity. Featured Beer: Anchorage Brewing and @TUPPSBrewery Mike: Tupps - …

Raising money is hard, especially if you go the traditional VC route, but what about crowdsourcing platforms like Kickstarter. Start-ups have raised a ton of money through crowdsourcing, but before you invest or try to raise funds, you better do some research. Mike & Blaine discuss their opinions and experiences with crowdfunding. Featured Beer: @A…

Discover winning strategies to master small business competition in this insightful episode. Mike & Blaine share actionable tips on differentiation, target audience understanding, and leveraging technology. Gain a competitive edge with real-life success stories and practical steps for sustainable growth. Tune in now! Featured Beer: @Einstok @driftw…

Featured Beer: @ShinerBeer @redhartbrewing We’re convinced that the art of effective storytelling is the key to giving your small business success. It’s the magic of capturing your ideal audience’s attention with a memorable experience that will set your business apart. In this episode, Mike & Blaine discuss what they think are the elements of a go…

Featured beer: @OskarBluesCANS @collectiveartsbrewing Every time we post something or plan a huge campaign we try to unlock the secret of riding the viral wave. Join Mike & Blaine as they explore the frustration and excitement attached with creating a campaign that vaults your brand across the internet. You truly can turn your underdog status into …

We are torn between two worlds. The lure of the new cryptocurrency and digital currency and the security of cold hard cash. Any more it seems inevitable that we don’t need a physical currency, after all most people stopped carrying it. Mike and Blaine discuss the future of money and what that means to business owners. Today's Beer: Mike: Texas Ale …

We get bombarded daily with offers to be “coached” or “trained” on one skill or another. Truth is, most of the time we think we don’t need it while we pour over the internet for some secret that we must have overlooked. In this episode, Mike & Blaine talk about the Rise of the Coach and how a small business can reap the rewards…or sometimes, risk d…

In an article this week, the author made the claim that travelers are likely to refuse an upgraded plane seat to sit with someone they know. That got us thinking. How effective are add-ons and upgrades as promotions? Do they work? Mike & Blaine take on the psychological effect of ‘free’ in this episode. Today's Beer: Mike: Texas Beer Company - Wild…

You wouldn’t think that. After all, I think we all see ourselves as pretty smart. But business has a way of bending your beliefs and making your challenge your gut instincts. In this week’s episode, Mike & Blaine take on the psychology of the buying customer. Today's Beer: Mike: Tupp’s IPA Blaine: Frontaal - Stick Mouse Trap Barrel Aged Barley Wine…

What? You read that right. There is a new trend among businesses to add a side hustle to their core business activity. In a lot of cases it doesn’t make sense, but every once in a while you run across an idea that just fits. Mike and Blaine discuss this issue in this week's episode. Today's Beer: Mike: SpindleTap Brewery - Heavy Hands Hazy DIPA Bla…

What is it that drives us to want to be entrepreneurs? Underneath all the stress and happiness is the addiction to achievement. We drive ourselves toward an endless pursuit of perfection with the confidence and state of mind of a warrior. But what’s behind the drive? Mike and Blaine tackle the entrepreneur's brain in this episode. Today's Beer: Mik…

Every once in a while you hear about the craziest thing someone has turned into a business idea. At times, you laugh. Other times you’re impressed. Especially if you are struggling in what we consider a traditional small business. Mike & Blaine talk about strange businesses you didn’t know existed. Today's Beer: Mike: Independence - Secret Stash IP…

We asked ChatGPT: “What do you think will happen to small businesses in 2023?” Being it’s politically correct self, ChatGPT said it couldn’t predict…but made five predictions anyway! Mike and Blaine discuss what our Robot Overlord told us. Today's Beer: Mike: Real Ale Brewing - Crispy Business Blaine: Blind Enthusiasm - Shattered Shadows Lager @Rea…

The idea of a 4-day work week is becoming popular. The benefits are obvious. More retention, better employee engagement and happiness, lower burnout rates, and fewer sick days. Join us as Mike and Blaine discuss the 4-day work week. Today's Beer: Mike: Duvel - Triple Hop IPA Blaine: Beachwood - Citraholic IPA @Duvel.beer @BeachwoodBrewing Watch on …

What took Netflix 3 ½ years to do, ChatGPT acquired a million users in 5 days. But is ChatGPT really all it’s cracked up to be. Mike and Blaine are going to take a totally uneducated look at AI and how small businesses may be able to take advantage of this technology, now and in the future. This episode is sure to haunt us later as we are proven ri…

Seriously, restaurants are trying to get into the subscription business model. I mean why not? Who doesn’t want pizza on a regular basis? But is there a limit to which businesses can successfully use a subscription based business model. Mike and Blaine take a closer look at our subscription based lives in this episode. Today's Beer: Mike: Left Hand…

It’s rare that we’ve seen a social media platform take the world by storm so quickly. What started out as a dance craze for teens, seemingly became a small business owner's dream overnight. Micro influencers popped up everywhere selling everything, and became millionaires. Now that the US Government is on the verge of banning the app as a Chinese s…

If there is one thing that is painfully obvious this week, it’s that fact that cash flow problems aren’t restricted to small and struggling businesses. Even the so-called “smartest guys in the room”, are prone to making decisions that can kill a company quickly. In this episode, Mike & Blaine stay on the topic of cash flow and how the recent bank c…

This week the tech industry and thousands of small businesses were rocked with the news that Silicon Valley Bank was closed by regulators. In this special episode, Mike and Blaine argue about the banks’ role in this mess and, more importantly, the overall impact on business owners. Today's Beer: Mike: Shiner Bock - Kryptek Edition Blaine: Beachwood…

I remember my first boss, Dale - the chef, had a variation of this quote. He’d say, “If you have time to lean, you have time to clean.” The whole premise here is that solutions and productivity are just as time consuming as complaining or wasting time. In this episode, Mike and Blaine explore the challenges of staying focused on results opposed to …

This is super interesting – most of the companies that appear to be an instant success are really just building on the past. It’s true that we are more likely to accept something that we already use or connect with that holds the promise of being better. In this episode, Mike & Blaine look at the difference between a new idea and just a new look at…

You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take and sometimes the moment to transform your life passes you by. That is the premise for Meg Whitman’s quote on not taking action has a higher price than making a mistake. Mike and Blaine take on the challenge of knowing when to pull the trigger on an idea, even when you think it might fail. Today's Beer: Mik…

We all know that feeling you get when something just doesn’t feel right. Sometimes we can’t place our finger on it, but we know something isn’t right. That’s when you should trust your instincts. But what about when you feel that something could be awesome, should you trust it then? Mike and Blaine debate this issue caused by a quote from Estee Lau…

Bill Gates is credited with the quote that “Your most unhappy customers are your greatest source of learning.” Let’s face it. Nobody likes to deal with customers who are mad at you. Especially when they are emotionally charged. In this week’s episode, Mike & Blaine discuss the challenges of dealing with an unhappy customer and how you can turn this…

Ideas are everywhere. You can’t help but stumble on an idea everywhere you turn. If you’re a business owner, it triples the amount because everyone you talk to has something for you to consider. The problem is executing on the idea. In this episode, Mike and Blaine talk about what happens when an idea runs into obstacles. Today's Beer: Mike: Freeta…

One of the most difficult skills to master as a small business owner is advertising. What drives a person to first look at your ad, be inspired to act, and then take action. That is the secret that most businesses have to figure out. One thing is for certain, if you don’t advertise, chance are that you won’t have much business. Mike & Blaine talk a…

On the heels of a brand redesign, Mike & Blaine tackle getting the opinion of the market for your idea. What’s the right thing to do? Should you gather input from the market or do you know better because they haven’t been exposed to the idea yet. Henry Ford said “If I had asked people what they wanted, they would have said faster horses.” We unpack…

Season 3 starts off with a bang! You can’t begin a new year without a new set of expectations for yourself and your business. Nobody said it better than the founder of Wal-Mart himself, Sam Walton. Check out this episode to see what Mike and Blaine have in store for Season 3, and 2023 for themselves personally, and professionally. Today's Beer: Mik…

What probably should be required reading for any business owner, The Art of War, by Sun Tzu, is full of wisdom about confronting an opposing force. In this episode, Mike & Blaine consider how to spot the opportunity that is created in chaos. They even discuss whether or not chaos exists, or is it just an order that you don’t understand. Don’t miss …

There is something magical about being able to set your mind to achieve something. Henry Ford made the title quote a reality when he believed he could change the world by producing a car. We all have things that we have been able to achieve that we never thought we could. We’ve also been victims of failing, mainly because we just didn’t think we co…

Tony Hsieh once said to chase the vision, not the money, the money will follow. If there was ever a quote that hits the nail on the head, it’s this one. You can’t chase money is the topic of today’s episode, where Mike and Blaine talk about their attitudes toward how success and fortune connect. Today's Beer: Mike: Neighbour Pat’s Beer - Gingerbrea…

The first way to get known in business is to advertise. Not surprisingly, without advertising nobody will know you're in business. When you say it out loud it makes so much sense, but why do so many small business owners avoid buying advertising or promoting their business. Mike and Blaine discuss their experience with advertising and why some peop…

Looking back, this quote by Sheryl Sandberg, of Meta Platforms, is almost prophetic. It's interesting to consider the reasons we don’t take advantage of opportunities. In most cases there is a fear associated with the decision. In this episode, Mike and Blaine tackle the question of limiting fears and shifting beliefs. Find out what may be holding …

It’s Thanksgiving, so we always take a little time to reflect on the things that have brought us joy, happiness, and success. This Thanksgiving we dive into Lolly Daskal’s quote about falling is really the stepping stones for our journey. Mike and Blaine discuss the things that had the most impact on their future. It’s retrospective, but super cool…

In a variation of “none of us is as smart as all of us”, Mike and Blaine discuss the importance of building a good team. We would all like to think of ourselves as the smartest guy in the room, but when push comes to shove, the individual has limitations that don’t affect the team as much. The point is to surround yourself with world class people a…

Richard Branson is credited with the quote, “You don’t learn to walk by following rules. You learn by doing and falling over.” Mike and Blaine put their unique spin on this quote and break it down. Is it ok to break the rules? Is the only way to learn by doing? These are the questions being debated in today’s episode of Nobody Told Me with Mike & B…

If there ever was a company that delivered more than is expected, it’s Google. This quote by Co-Founder Larry Page sums up why you receive millions of search results in milliseconds on the web. But more importantly, it applies to everything you do in business and your personal life. Mike and Blaine bring this topic to life in Episode 63 of Nobody T…

Warren Buffet’s famous quote, “I don't look to jump over 7-foot bars: I look around for 1-foot bars that I can step over” contains a ton of wisdom for business owners. Too often, we want the big win and fast!...but sometimes the easy route is the best. Mike and Blaine unpack this logic in this episode of Nobody Told Me. @Nobody Told Me with Mike & …

Blaine went to a workshop this week and came back with this nugget. You’ve heard that an owner should eat his own dog food, but maybe we should be thinking about it as if we don’t know if our product or service is even dog food yet. This week we talk about product market fit on Nobody Told Me with Mike & Blaine. Today's Beer: Mike: Roughhouse Brewi…

This is an episode on timing the release of your products or services. Timing is an art, but it takes the ability to identify an MVP (minimum viable product). The MVP has a sole purpose of helping your set the foundation for your product/service and then evolve it into the market expectations. Mike and Blaine take about timing and what happens if y…