The $100 MBA Show

Sometimes, “just being yourself” is more complicated than it sounds. What if some aspects of “yourself” are potential turn-offs for customers? Where’s the line between authenticity and being…obnoxious? It’s Q&A Wednesday, and we’ve got a listener whose language skews a little salty (they are Australian, after all). The question is: would a bit of natural, casual cussing on their online content com...

Motivation ebbs and flows. But your ToDo list is always there — and it doesn’t care if you’re not in the right headspace. We get it! Some days, your pillow is just more persuasive than your business. That’s when you need a few strategies to get yourself out of bed, shake off the ennui, and get your rear in gear for another productive day. Fortunately, we’ve got a few of those. Today, we share spec...

There’s way more to employee compensation than a number. When you’re trying to figure out what to offer a potential new hire, the dollars and cents are only the beginning. It’s time to take a big step back, and think differently. Today’s guest teacher, Jen L’Estrange, is an HR firm founder with a holistic approach. Instead of living in a mindset that asks “What do I want to spend on this position?...

Facebook ads just ain’t what they used to be. A lot of that has to do with Apple’s bold decision: to let their users opt out of being tracked by Facebook for advertising purposes. But that’s not the only reason you might consider a different strategy. There are loads of other ways to find your audience and deliver content, ads, and more. Today, we explain our decision to drop Facebook advertising...

Do you have to be a “tech person” to start a software business? Turns out you don’t. Today, Omar shares the story of how he became a SaaS founder, despite never having been an engineer or software developer by trade. In fact, we never intended to become a software outfit. In trying to sell one thing, we stumbled onto something else…and ran with it. Sometimes, it’s our ability to respond to — rathe...

In business, arguments happen. But if they happen a lot, it’s time to evaluate why, and come up with a plan to turn down the heat. Otherwise, your business can become a serious source of (counterproductive) stress. It’s Q&A Wednesday, and we’ve got a listener who’s constantly getting into scraps with their cofounder. These arguments are heated, dramatic, and steal time and energy that would otherw...

What is social media really doing for you? Here’s the thing: we tell ourselves it’s important. It’s how we raise brand awareness, connect with our audience, keep the conversation going. Anyone who’s not spending significant time on social media is leaving money on the table, right? …right? Today, Omar shares why he’s taken every last social media app right off of his phone. Is he committing entrep...

How much revenue can you really make? Sometimes, the key is to simply not be afraid of thinking big. With $100M Offers, Alex Hormozi shares his unique strategies for maximizing revenue by making sales offers that make so much sense, it’s almost impossible to say “no.” That’s a big claim, but Hormozi’s track record speaks for itself — and loudly enough to make us take his philosophy seriously. With...

Sales: it’s a foreign, intimidating concept to many of us. But if we’re going to succeed in business, we all have to get comfortable with a few skills outside our comfort zones! Fortunately, there are a few strategies that can change your perspective on sales, and get you in the right frame of mind to move your products or services. Today, we prove that anyone can sell. In this episode, Omar share...

For an independent business, revenue is life. It’s the oxygen your business needs to breathe, the runway it needs to stay alive long enough to grow. And yes, the notion that your business needs money sounds a tad obvious — yet somehow, so many entrepreneurs could bring in more of it, and don’t. In fact, there’s a pretty simple way to do it. Today, we share how pretty much any business can signific...

Let’s be honest; we’ve all thought about it: writing a book. Whether you want extra credibility and authority in your industry, you think it’ll generate leads and sales, or you just have insights to share, a book is something most entrepreneurs consider at one time or another. But is it worth it? And what if you’re…not a writer? It’s Q&A Wednesday, and we’ve got a listener who thinks a book might...

Support isn’t just about solving problems. Building the best Customer Service/Support team should have way bigger goals! Support affects everything from marketing to sales to product development — not just retention and churn rates. Yet somehow, most entrepreneurs see Support as almost an afterthought. If putting out fires is all your Support team is doing…you’re missing out on some huge opportuni...

Selling can be tough. But anyone can get better at it. The best way? Start with a framework — a proven, reliable overall method that you can learn, master, and ultimately personalize for yourself. Nikki Rausch is a sales expert, having worked with organizations like the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and NASA. Today, she’s here to share her basic framework, a 5-step process that guides your conve...

Almost everything is a business — including the arts. Which means you can learn how to do business better from almost anywhere, including artists. Like musicians, for example. What your successful recording artist does is exactly what any great entrepreneur does, only…y’know, it sounds better. Best of all, you can do exactly what the rock stars and hip-hop icons on the Top 40 do, in your own busin...

If you’re worried that running your own business is too complicated…don’t be! From the outside, it can seem like independent business is a maze of responsibilities and tasks that no one could keep up with or have enough expertise in. Product development, marketing, sales, hiring, the list goes on. Isn’t it all just too much? How do entrepreneurs do it? The truth is, all that stuff boils down to a...

How long is your “To Do” list? If you’re like most entrepreneurs, it’s longer than any single human being can actually handle. Which means it’s literally impossible to check every item off. Which means you have to choose which items you’ll actually do — and which you won’t. This can be tough. However, there is an answer. There’s a way to identify the “Must-Do’s” on your list, and make other plans...

Are your emails actually working to create leads or customers? How about your blog? Your social posts? Your YouTube channel? How do you know? UTM links is how you know! The “Urchin Tracking Module” is the secret weapon of every results-based marketer. These strings of characters might look unwieldy, but they serve an important purpose: telling you exactly how people ended up at the web address you...

How do you know what people want? You have to see their problems from their perspective. Michele Hansen, cofounder of Geocodio and author of Deploy Empathy: A Practical Guide to Interviewing Customers, is a master of the art of understanding a target audience. By making a concerted effort to get in customers’ heads, she’s multiplied the success of her product development and marketing. So how’d sh...

It should go without saying: you don’t want to burn out. Yet so many entrepreneurs do. Maybe it’s a question of perceived “grit” or toughness. We think that if we don’t work ourselves into the ground, then we’re not trying hard enough. But that attitude isn’t just unhealthy — it’s bad business strategy. The best entrepreneur is at the top of their game, not worn down to a nub. So how do you keep b...

Ah, the launch. The day you get to introduce your product or service to the world. It can feel extremely exciting — and extremely high-stakes. But is it? This year, we’re launching a new product, and we’re taking a different approach. We have different goals this time around, and different metrics by which we’ll measure success. It’s not that this launch is any less important than past launches. I...

When it comes to converting website traffic, friction hurts. Friction is anything that requires the visitor to take extra steps before they take a desired action — like signing up for your newsletter or reading your blog. The more obstacles are in the way, the less effective the website is at creating leads and customers. Unfortunately, some obstacles are legal requirements. It’s Q&A Wednesday, an...

Almost all entrepreneurs who succeed in the long term have one thing in common: commitment. But what is commitment, anyway? What does it look like? Most importantly, how can you tell if you have it? Today, we explore what real commitment looks like in practical terms. Spoiler alert: it doesn’t mean obsession, or being a slave to your business. But it does mean going beyond what 90% of people are w...

Not everything in every book is advice worth following. …but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t read it. Today, we review Verne Harnish’s Mastering The Rockefeller Habits , a primer on some of the best practices any business can use to strategically pursue growth. Did we agree with everything in it? Definitely not. But the good parts are so good, it’s worth it. We couldn’t call it a “Must Read” other...

Rainy days happen. How’s your umbrella? Every business needs to have a stash in place for market downturns, slow quarters, or even…y’know, mistakes. But how big should it be? Today, we offer a firm answer. We’ll explain how to figure out the right number, and how to get your business there. Having enough runway is critical to the long-term viability of your business. But there is a such thing as t...

When you’re running (and funding) your own business, it’s smart to avoid too much risk. …but you can’t avoid all risk. And at some point, risk avoidance starts to look like cheating yourself out of greater success. Every business reaches a moment where you have to ask if the time, money, and effort you invested is likely to pay off. If the answer is no, you bail or pivot (no shame in that). But if...