The $100 MBA Show

Pricing can be a tricky subject. It makes many entrepreneurs nervous. How much is too much? Too little? On today’s episode we’ve got the answers. We discuss price-setting policies that make sense for your business (and no one else’s). Plus, we help you learn how to communicate changes in pricing to your customers in a way that doesn’t damage your brand. Take the apprehension out of deciding what t...

Welcome to the third and final installment of our classic archived series on starting a new business! Parts 1 and 2 covered the basics of determining the nature of your business and setting it up. In Part 3, we discuss how to “onboard” your first customers, build momentum, and start innovating the product immediately. Make sure you’re caught up with Parts 1 and 2, and click play! SUBSCRIBE ON APPL...

Is there a better skill in business than overcoming and learning from mistakes? For an extreme recent example, we need to look no further than Samsung and their flaming phone debacle. When Galaxy Note 7’s started bursting into flame, many assumed the company was done for. However, they’ve addressed the problem and remain profitable. Today we discuss what small businesses can learn from Samsung’s a...

We’re back with the second edition of our classic series from the archives! Starting your first new business is tough. In fact, it may be the hardest part! Fortunately, we’ve got actionable steps that anyone can follow. Cut through the mountains of information, apprehension, and tasks to get going with a lean and mean startup. Make sure you’ve listened to Part I, and then click play! SUBSCRIBE ON...

A change is gon’ come. But how should you address it with your employees? Today’s special guest teachers are here to tell us just that. Nancy Duarte and Pattie Sanchez are the co-authors of Illuminate, a comprehensive guide to inspiring communication. They stopped by to discuss the best ways to prepare your team for changes, both good and (perceived as) bad. It’s a great lesson in leadership for t...

You’re ready to start an independent business, but deciding what kind can be incredibly tough! Today’s listener Q&A brings us the first question every entrepreneur has to answer: What business am I going into? Narrowing the huge variety of choices down to the one that’s right for you can seem intimidating, but we’ve got some practical, actionable steps for homing in on your best chance of success....

Hate is the price of success. The more your business grows, the more critics you’ll have to deal with. While many may be constructive and helpful, there’ll always be the trolls, the haters, and the misanthropes. In this classic Q&A episode, we helped one listener learn how to deal with the rudest and crudest comments professionally and effectively. Don’t let the vocal minority derail your plans. C...

Programming, weightlifting, crochet, you name it- if you have a skill, you can monetize it! Online coaching services are a great way to turn your own knowledge and experience into profit. The best part? You don’t have to be an expert or a guru. You only have to be further down the path than the novices you’ll be serving. Today we discuss the ins and outs of coaching services, and how to get starte...

You want to start a business, and you’ve done the research. Problem is, there’s just too much information to sort through! When you’re overwhelmed by the amount of decisions to be made to get your business running, it’s important to take it step by step. That’s why we outlined those initial steps in this archived episode that we’re bringing back today. We broke down exactly what actions need to be...

Big decisions can be intimidating. How can we take the stress- and the indecision- out of the process? There are ways! We’ve got some specific strategies to systematize your decision-making. By following these guidelines, you can make big, scary decisions confidently and in a timely manner. After a while, you’ll know you can trust yourself regardless of the outcomes. Click play! SUBSCRIBE ON APPLE...

There’s no such thing as success if your heart’s not in it. We’ve learned that the hard way ourselves. So how can you know when the business you’re in isn’t suited to you? In this classic episode from our early archives, we discuss the signs that your business- even if it’s making money- doesn’t jive enough with your own disposition to be sustainable. Plus, what to do about it! Click play! SUBSCRI...

We should be smart about how we schedule our week and our month. But how smart are we when it comes to scheduling our day? This week’s must-read offers a whole new perspective on time management and getting the most out of your day. Manage Your Day-To-Day by Jocelyn K. Glei isn’t a book of hacks or tricks. It’s a primer on how to see your daily schedule in a way that’s not only efficient, but enco...

It’s the weekend, and that means another great question from the audience. Today we’ve got a listener who wants to know if taking on affiliates is the best way to go when launching a new product. We weight the ups and downs, discuss the alternatives, and give our best advice to those who choose to go down the affiliate road. Click play! SUBSCRIBE ON APPLE PODCASTS Stitcher  |  SoundCloud  |  Podca...

Today’s Q&A Weekend episode is a particularly serious one. That’s why we decided to bring it out of the archives and rebroadcast it for the benefit of all our listeners. A while back, one audience member asked if it was a good idea to take out a personal loan in order to save a business. That’s a pretty tough conundrum, and we had a very strong, very direct response to it that’s worth hearing agai...

Happy FREE RIDE FRIDAY!!! We’ve got a fantastic episode for anyone looking to jump-start their entrepreneurial career the only way we recommend: by getting in there and selling something! With very little capital, anyone can create valuable products that are easily sold online. With some effort and creativity, you can make the overhead negligible and the profits undeniable. Most importantly, you c...

What keeps customers loyal? What inspires them to bring more customers your way? Keeping the people who pay your bills happy takes some mindfulness. It also takes a conscious effort to avoid the slip-ups that plague so many inexperienced business people. Today we’re rebroadcasting a fantastic episode from the archives about the worst customer relations pitfalls. These are the things we wish someon...

Sponsors aren’t just sugar daddies there to pay the bills in exchange for exposure. Ideally, they’re your partners in serving your audience. Today we discuss how sponsorship shouldn’t just be a transaction. It should be a relationship. Like any relationship, it has to be nurtured. But like any relationship, the long-term rewards are worth the effort you put in. Listen in- click play! SUBSCRIBE ON...

Are you a quitter? Depending on the context, that might not be a bad thing! Giving up on what clearly doesn’t work allows you to focus on what does. While determination is an essential ingredient in entrepreneurship, clinging to a sinking ship is more stubbornness than determination. Today we discuss the signs that it’s the right time to throw in the towel, and how doing so can be the best move yo...

Facebook Live is here! Today, we’ve got a special guest teacher to tell you exactly how you can take advantage of it. Shama Hyder is the woman behind marketingzen.com, and she knows a thing or two about content. She’s also convinced that Facebook Live could potentially blow YouTube out of the water in terms of helping entrepreneurs reach new heights of exposure. She’s got specific tips on how best...

It’s easier than ever to produce and feature video content. But how can we add a little variety? That’s the question behind today’s listener Q&A, and we’ve got lots of answers. From live feeds to narration to animation, there’s lots of ways to spice up your content. You just need the right resources and know-how to do it professionally. Fortunately, we’ve got you covered. Click play! SUBSCRIBE ON...

It’s Q&A Weekend, and we’ve unearthed a classic episode from the archives that bears rebroadcasting! So many people are encouraged to “follow their passion” in business, but is that really the way to go? One listener seemed a little suspicious, and wondered if skill was more likely to produce success than passion. Good point! We discussed the reality behind what makes a business viable, and where...

It’s FREE RIDE FRIDAY!!! And have we got an important episode for you! We’d like to think we know a thing or two about marketing. If there’s one key to successful marketing, one fundamental ingredient that no business can afford to neglect, it’s the email list. This vital resource has to be built patiently, and used wisely. It’s the key to building customer relations, now and in the foreseeable fu...

Business is a marathon, not a sprint! Sometimes, when we move too fast and push too hard, the effect is counterproductive. We addressed this very problem on the podcast over a year ago. Now we’re bringing the episode back for those who haven’t heard it, or haven’t heard it in a while. Burnout is a business killer, so listen in and learn how to pace yourself for the long haul. Click play! SUBSCRIBE...

Sometimes, things don’t go according to plan. And sometimes, it negatively affects your customers. When you’ve got bad news for the people that support your business, how should you break it to them? From small businesses like ours to giant companies like Tesla, overpromising and under-delivering happens. Today we discuss how to be upfront, honest, and sincere with your customers without losing th...

Sometimes a lesson is so good it’s worth hearing again! Today we’re bringing you this classic from the archives, as it was no longer available to newer listeners. It’s a fundamental lesson on something that we often forget to look out for: growing too fast. Yes, there is such a thing, and it’s the reason “catastrophic success” is a term. When new businesses bite off more than they can chew, the wh...