The $100 MBA Show

You’ve hit a plateau. Whether your business is new, established, or even getting close to the endgame, anyone can get stuck. Surprisingly, it’s often because of this one thing. When you’ve looked into everything — sales, marketing, advertising — and you just can’t figure out what’s got your wheels spinning, there’s a very good chance it’s this. It’s not something most people expect, and it might s...

Entrepreneurship isn’t easy.  Anyone who says so isn’t telling the whole story. Sometimes it’s difficult. Sometimes it’s boring. Sometimes you put everything you have into a campaign or product, only to watch it flop. This is a reality of business.  The question isn’t how to avoid that — it’s how to handle it. It’s Q&A Wednesday, and one listener wants to know how we keep our chins up when the goi...

Let’s lower that CAC! Your Customer Acquisition Cost is one of the biggest factors affecting your bottom line. The total investment of marketing, advertising, and sales dollars to produce a single customer is a key metric, one that has to be studied carefully. As your business grows, so can your CAC — leading to an overall plateau. Fortunately, there are things you can do about that. Today, we sha...

Is poker the best analogy for entrepreneurship? The Biggest Bluff makes a very strong case for “yes.”  This fascinating memoir about a total novice’s quest to get really good at something is stuffed with insights that any business owner can learn from. By going from amateur to champion, Maria Konnikova demonstrated that in poker and business, it’s not all about the hand you’re dealt.  It’s about s...

In business, it’s not the idea that leads to success. It’s the execution. That said, not all ideas are equally viable — which is why it’s important to change how we think about “good” or “bad” product and service ideas. A product that seems ridiculous might strike a chord with consumers (remember pet rocks?). Likewise, the graveyard of failed businesses is full of seemingly great ideas that people...

As a business owner, you set the standards. But what do you do when an employee — even one you like and respect — isn’t clearing the bar? It’s one of the most uncomfortable aspects of running a business. But it’s also pretty much inevitable. Team members will fail you sometimes. The key is to fix it through collaboration, not just correction. We call our staff a “team” for a reason. Part of suppor...

We think of entrepreneurs as people who go their own way. But in truth, no one becomes successful entirely on their own. It’s Q&A Wednesday, and one listener wants to know who taught, coached, and inspired Omar into the entrepreneur he is today. We all stand on the shoulders of our teachers, whether or not we’re formal students. In his business journey, Omar is no exception. But he has to give cre...

Most online traffic is on mobile. That trend shows no signs of slowing down; Google even prioritizes mobile-friendliness when ranking for SEO. For many consumers, mobile devices are the primary, if not only devices they use. Whatever you’re doing online, it needs to fit and work as beautifully on an iPhone as on a desktop. Today, we explore how. We’ll talk about how to take a look at your site, an...

It’s about the person, not just the business. After all, your business can change. You can go through endless iterations of what you sell, but the one constant is who you are. If you can build a strong personal brand, it’ll follow you no matter where entrepreneurship takes you. Today, we bring on a pair of experts to help with that. Anne Candido and April Martini are the founders of branding and m...

Sometimes, life kicks your business in the teeth. We planned what we thought would be an awesome conference for entrepreneurs in Australia. Then came the Delta variant. With the country plunged rapidly back into lockdown purgatory, everything we’d worked for was dusted. Well, not everything. Today, we discuss how to navigate a big blow to your business plans. Yes, getting the shaft from fate sucks...

If you don’t focus on what matters most, what matters least will take up your time. That’s one of the first — and one of the hardest — lessons entrepreneurs have to learn. We all have limited time, energy, and resources. We have to prioritize. Because the uncomfortable truth is that when everything is important, nothing is. It’s easy to let non-priority tasks suck up your entire day.  Today, we sh...

Your “why” is everything. If you don’t have a single, super-clear motivation for building your business, it gets very hard to stick with it. Entrepreneurship is a commitment that requires constant motivation. It’s Q&A Wednesday, and we’ve got a listener who understands that. They’re thinking about getting into the software game, but there’s one missing piece: the big “why.” The interest is there,...

Let’s talk time management. It’s one of the pillars of a successful entrepreneurial lifestyle.  Today, our intrepid host Omar shares his exact weekly schedule. Hear how he manages to fit work, fitness, rest, and yes…even fun into his tight daily routine.  Is an entrepreneur’s life a total grind? Or a laptop-on-the-beach fantasy? Or something in between? In this episode, you’ll learn why flexibilit...

One thing successful entrepreneurs have in common? They’re strategists. They don’t just create or execute strategies. They see the entire world through a strategic lens, a mindset that’s constantly figuring out how to get it done — whatever “it” is.  Hanneke Antonelli is a celebrated life and business coach who specializes in strategic thinking. Today, she’s got a guest lesson that teaches you how...

Does your content marketing include videos? If not, it’s time to change that! We’re continuing with our deep-dive lesson on creating video marketing assets. Yesterday, we focused on the video itself and its content. Today, we explain where to put that video on your website, and how to turn it into a lead-generating machine. The best part? Once it’s set up, the rest mostly takes care of itself. Lea...

Not sure how to start video marketing? We got you. Today is the first half of a 2-part, in-depth lesson on setting up a video lead magnet. From nailing the content to creating a complete funnel, this is your guide to creating customers by creating great videos! We’ll explain how it’s done step by step, exactly the way we produce videos for our own products.  In this episode, we focus on the actual...

They say you “get what you pay for.”  But what if you could get much, much more? It’s Q&A Wednesday, and we’ve got a listener with a (possible) opportunity. An e-commerce store is on its last legs, and the owner has it up for sale — at a discount. But what makes the price so right is also what makes it a tough decision.  How can you know if a business is worth buying, at any price? Today, we lay o...

As your business grows, so will the contents of your inbox. Offers to collaborate, sponsor, or just network will pile up quickly. It’s a good problem to have, but it’s still a problem!  Time is your most valuable resource. To protect it, you need a consistent, efficient system for dealing with all the opportunities people will throw your way. And eventually, you’ll be saying “no” to the vast major...

Overwhelmed? You’re not alone.  Today, we’re thrilled to present a special bonus episode featuring a brand new podcast from the $100 MBA family. Nicole & Kate Can Relate tackles the big issues around entrepreneurship, from the perspectives of two highly driven women navigating the challenges of working and living by their own designs.  Listen as our very own Nicole Baldinu and EOFire’s Kate Ericks...

Businesses don’t die overnight. Usually, it happens gradually. It takes a year, or two, or five. That’s because what kills a business isn’t always something big, obvious, or dramatic. Systemic flaws, nagging problems, and other issues that seem small — but add up over time — are the most likely culprit.  So how can you protect your business?  How can you identify and address the problems you might...

The dream is real. Transitioning from regular work to entrepreneurship is totally doable.  How do we know? Because good ol’ Omar did it. Today, Omar shares 5 things he did to make that transition possible. While he was still employed as an educator, he had to find ways to get the most out of his limited time, energy, and motivation. It wasn’t totally easy, but with a few good habits, it worked. Yo...

We all start with zero. Whether it’s your email list, blog readership, social followers, or — yes indeed — podcast listeners, building a real fanbase takes work. The good news? While money can buy attention, it can’t buy engagement or loyalty. Only quality content can do that. But how do you bring the people to the content?  Today, we share how we went from 0 to 1k. We didn’t have much by way of a...

The “old normal” isn’t coming back anytime soon. With Australia and other countries remaining in lockdown, and cases rising even in re-opened places, COVID isn’t in the rearview just yet. That means businesses whose models were upended by the pandemic have to hold out — and adapt — a while longer. Case in point: today’s Q&A Wednesday listener. As the owner of a co-work space, our listener seems to...

It’s time to show, not just tell. “Product-led” growth is exactly what it sounds like: letting the product itself be its own primary marketing and sales asset. But while most of us associate the “freemium” model with software products, any product can “lead” growth. You just have to figure out how. That’s what this episode is all about. With examples from various businesses — not just the software...

This week, we take a look at a well-reviewed book from a surprising source: rapper turned entrepreneur 50 Cent. Despite growing up in abject poverty and having zero formal business education, Curtis Jackson leveraged what little opportunities he had to achieve wealth. But more importantly, he didn’t just make money. He created a diverse portfolio of assets and revenue streams that continues to evo...