Empowering Healthy Business: The Podcast for Small Business Owners

Artificial intelligence is no longer optional — it's becoming part of everyday business. But most owners still ask the same question: how do I actually use it? In this episode, Cal Wilder sits down with Zach Francis — SEO systems builder, AI growth entrepreneur, and co-founder of Helm and Willow — to talk about practical, out-of-the-box AI tools businesses can use right now without building a...

This Utilizing Fractional Consultants recap brings together key insights from multiple Empowering Healthy Business podcast conversations focused on fractional leadership, business growth, operations, HR, marketing strategy, and organizational effectiveness. Topics discussed include: • Fractional COO support • Strategic planning and accountability • HR leadership and compliance • Employee relations...

This Financial Management recap brings together key insights from multiple Empowering Healthy Business podcast conversations focused on business metrics, financial reporting, cash flow management, accounting systems, and strategic decision-making. Topics discussed include: • Using financial metrics to improve business performance • Building systems for measuring success • Understanding the finance...

This Tax & Compliance recap brings together key insights from multiple Empowering Healthy Business podcast conversations focused on tax planning, compliance requirements, deductions, reporting obligations, and strategies that can help business owners make better financial decisions throughout the year. In this recap, you'll learn about: • Why tax planning should be a year-round activity  ...

At some point, many business owners begin asking what they should do with extra cash once the business becomes stable. In this episode of the Empowering Healthy Business Podcast, Cal Wilder talks with Adam Landrum about how he approached investing in real estate as a business owner. Adam shares how high lease costs pushed him to think differently, what happened when he bought commercial property,...

As marketing and technology businesses grow, they often become more chaotic, despite having more clients and more work. In this episode of the Empowering Healthy Business Podcast, Cal Wilder speaks with Jami Mullikin, founder of Wonder, about how to make EOS (Entrepreneurial Operating System) successful in agencies and tech-driven businesses. They explore how EOS creates clarity, accountability, a...

AI is already part of business life—but most small and midsize companies are not using it intentionally inside their sales process. In this episode of the Empowering Healthy Business Podcast, Cal Wilder talks with Jim Norton, MBA, Certified Sales Leader from Sales Acceleration, about how businesses can apply AI in practical ways to improve productivity, forecasting, lead generation, and coaching....

Most business owners think tax season is about filing returns. In reality, the biggest tax opportunities happen the other nine months of the year. In this episode of the Empowering Healthy Business Podcast, Cal Wilder talks with Greg Reed about what your CPA should be telling you—especially if you want fewer surprises and better decisions year-round. They discuss the difference between tax prep an...

Tax season doesn’t cause stress because of paperwork; it causes stress because business owners don’t know what’s coming. In this episode of the Empowering Healthy Business Podcast, Cal Wilder talks with Greg Reed, Head of Tax at SmartBooks, about how business owners can prepare for tax season in January to avoid surprises and reduce anxiety. They break down the difference between tax filing, proje...

Choosing the right retirement plan is one of the most important—and confusing, decisions a business owner makes. In this episode of the Empowering Healthy Business Podcast, Calvin Wilder talks with Charles Reichelt about how small business owners can design retirement plans that work for both the owner and the team. They cover the pros and cons of different plan types, how to manage costs and comp...

Many small and mid-size B2B companies extend payment terms—but struggle to know which customers are truly creditworthy. In this episode of the Empowering Healthy Business Podcast, host Calvin Wilder sits down with Brian Suthoff, CEO of Truverto, to explain how businesses can finally get value from credit bureaus and make better credit decisions without heavy IT or manual uploads. Brian breaks down...

As 2025 wraps up, smart business owners are already preparing for tax season. In this episode of the Empowering Healthy Business Podcast , Calvin Wilder speaks with Greg Reed , Head of Tax at SmartBooks and Certified Tax Coach, about the latest developments affecting 2025 year-end tax planning. Greg explains how to use new rules and deductions to reduce your tax burden and plan confidently before...

Crypto can be exciting — but it’s also one of today’s biggest financial risks. In this episode of the Empowering Healthy Business Podcast, Calvin Wilder talks with Jason Costain, a banking fraud expert with over 25 years of experience, about what business owners need to know to protect their money, data, and trust in the digital world. Jason explains where crypto risk really lives, how scams opera...

You can be the best plumber, electrician, or home-service provider in town — but if your marketing isn’t connected, your phone won’t keep ringing. In this episode of the Empowering Healthy Business Podcast, host Calvin Wilder talks with Sean Garner, marketing strategist and founder of a full-service agency that helps small and local businesses grow through modern systems. Sean explains why local m...

Most business owners rely on data—but great leaders know intuition matters just as much. In this episode of the Empowering Healthy Business Podcast , Calvin Wilder sits down with Nick Musica , founder of Optics In , to talk about how intuition helps business owners make smarter, more confident decisions. Nick shares how he shifted from a data-driven marketing career to an intuitive leadership appr...

Most homeowners worry about credit card fraud or identity theft—but few realize their property title can be stolen on paper. Title fraud and squatters are fast-growing threats that can cost property owners thousands of dollars and months of legal battles. In this episode of Empowering Healthy Business , host Calvin Wilder speaks with Kurt Moore, founder of Mo Title Security and a veteran landman w...

Growing from small business to mid-market changes everything—especially in finance. What used to work in “survival mode” no longer scales. In the latest episode of the Empowering Healthy Business Podcast, Calvin is joined by Priya Chanduraj of FIN Team to talk about how finance becomes a driver of growth, not just a record-keeper. Here’s what you’ll learn: When to hire a controller, a CFO, or frac...

Most B2B service businesses pour time and money into “lead gen,” only to be swamped with unqualified prospects and wasted effort. In this episode of Empowering Healthy Business , host Calvin Wilder talks with Tom Freedman of Defiant Enterprises about a smarter approach: building growth on referrals, not cold leads. Tom shares his five-step framework for making referral-based selling repeatable and...

Running a business with scattered spreadsheets and one-off emails makes growth harder than it needs to be. In this episode of Empowering Healthy Business , host Calvin Wilder sits down with Jason Kramer of Cultivize to unpack how small businesses can use a CRM to bring order, consistency, and measurable results to sales and marketing. You’ll hear practical ways to: Build a repeatable sales process...

Working from home has become a permanent reality for many entrepreneurs, but too often business owners miss out on valuable tax savings. In this episode of the Empowering Healthy Business Podcast , Calvin Wilder talks with Greg Reid, Head of Tax at SmartBooks, about how to take full advantage of the home office tax deduction. You’ll learn: What qualifies as a home office under IRS rules Which expe...

Finance and operations often operate in silos—but when they align, small businesses grow faster, make fewer mistakes, and stay profitable. In this episode of the Empowering Healthy Business Podcast, we break down why this alignment is critical and how to achieve it. You’ll learn: The key differences between finance and operations priorities Common challenges that cause miscommunication and ineffic...

Filing taxes for your small business doesn’t have to feel overwhelming. In this episode, you’ll learn practical steps to make tax season stress-free and efficient, including: How to gather and organize essential financial documents Why your business structure matters for tax filing The most common small business expenses you can deduct When and how to pay quarterly estimated taxes Choosing between...

Does building a successful business really mean sacrificing your health, family, and freedom? In this episode, Calvin Wilder sits down with James Brown, founder of the Business Accelerator Institute, to challenge the myth that growth requires endless sacrifice. You’ll discover: Why the “sacrifice myth” leads to burnout and declining revenue How delegation turns from an expense into a high-ROI inve...

This episode's topic is near and dear to many business owners. There are probably a lot of misconceptions about it. There's a lot of gray area about it. Just because the business spends money on something doesn't necessarily mean it is tax-deductible on the tax returns. There are documentation, compliance considerations. Greg Reed, CPA joins the show to discuss the tax deductibility...

With the Trump administration's "Big Beautiful Bill" working its way through Congress, Greg Reed joins us to discuss expected tax changes including: Overview of the "Big Beautiful Bill" SALT Deduction and Tax Benefits Bonus Depreciation and Section 179 Tips, Medicaid, and Clean Energy Changes Key Takeaways and Quarterly Reminders Reach Greg Reed at greed@smartbookstax.com...