The Rundown with Ramon - small business growth podcast for entrepreneurs

Ramon Ray breaks down a simple productivity idea with a modern twist: “critical ignoring.” He connects it to today’s business headlines, then brings in Alexandria Nicole (Elevate Your Growth) for a real conversation about social media addiction, personal accountability, and what it looks like to build systems that scale without burning out. Welcome to The Rundown with Ramon - Your daily show helpi...

In this episode of The Rundown with Ramon , Ramon Ray talked with entrepreneur and Syllaby.io CEO Austin Armstrong to unpack what it really takes to grow a business through content without burning out chasing algorithms. A powerful theme from the conversation was the idea that waiting for perfect content often delays growth. Austin emphasized that successful creators and business owners test quick...

Ramon Ray runs through a few fast headlines, then zooms in on a big question for entrepreneurs: should you use Substack for your business, and what do you risk if you move your content off your own website? Using Mark Schaefer’s thinking as a guide, Ramon breaks down content marketing, SEO, community, and why business owners should test, self-innovate, and avoid betting everything on one platform.

Ramon Ray breaks down three big business signals and what they mean for entrepreneurs. First, he reacts to a report that American public companies are changing CEOs at a record rate and ties it to AI, faster market shifts, and the pressure to adapt. Next, he unpacks Apple’s move into video podcasts and why creators and business owners who ignore video are leaving trust and attention on the table....

Ramon Ray talks with Judy Nam, LinkedIn’s VP of Small Business, about LinkedIn’s new Premium All-in-One offering and why it’s built for founders wearing too many hats. Judy breaks down the new central dashboard, daily prospect suggestions, ad and hiring credits, and how LinkedIn is using AI to save time without killing authenticity. They also dig into practical outreach and hiring advice, includin...

Ramon Ray breaks down three business headlines and pulls out the real entrepreneur lessons behind them. He talks about why Amazon is shutting down Amazon Go and Fresh, why Anthropic’s Super Bowl ad push worked for Claude, and why Dollar Tree is moving into wealthier neighborhoods. Then he goes deeper on the flagship idea: every entrepreneur needs repeatable systems, not random wins, especially aro...

In this episode, I speak with Verizon’s Mike Caralis about why customer experience and AI have become essential for modern businesses. We dive into how companies can use connectivity, digital tools, and smarter technology decisions to meet rising customer expectations. Mike shares practical insights on adopting AI without overwhelming teams, avoiding common technology investment mistakes, and buil...

Ramon Ray opens the show with a mix of growth advice, brand clarity, and a real-time reminder that scaling gets harder, not easier. He shares “fire” guidance from top podcaster Hala Taha about saying no to tempting opportunities, then connects it to his own season of travel, events, sponsorships, coaching, and the systems he needs to keep up. He also touches on AI anxiety and makes a clear case fo...

In this episode of The Rundown with Ramon , I talk about what it really takes to stay upbeat when life and business are heavy. I share how positivity is a choice, how grit and focus keep you moving, and why consistent follow-up and value-building turn “slow seasons” into future breakthroughs.

Ramon Ray unpacks a simple truth most entrepreneurs forget: people are watching your work in ways you cannot see. He connects that to three practical themes for business owners: take smart risks, design better customer experiences, and build personal standards that guide how you lead and grow.

In this episode of The Rundown with Ramon, Ramon Ray breaks down three big business headlines: OpenAI rolling out ads in ChatGPT, Spotify hitting record user growth, and Hollywood’s contract talks heating up as AI keeps reshaping media. He also shares Barry Moltz’s warning about the five types of people who can quietly kill a sales deal, even after everyone agrees on price. Ramon closes with a per...

In today’s episode of The Rundown with Ramon, Ramon Ray breaks down a powerful mindset shift: just because someone is close to you doesn’t mean they support you. He uses the Super Bowl as a masterclass in customer experience and brand-building, including why Bad Bunny taking a “small” check can still be a massive business win. Ramon also explains how creators are changing the Super Bowl ad playboo...

In this episode of The Rundown with Ramon, Ramon Ray breaks down major headlines and pulls out the “so what” for entrepreneurs. He covers how AI is shifting from general tools to industry-specific models, why Peloton’s slowdown is a lesson in subscription pricing, and how big brands fight for market share in public. He also highlights what Google’s massive energy investment says about thinking two...

Ramon Ray hits the day’s business headlines, from Alphabet’s AI spending and Uber’s CFO change to Washington Post layoffs and Walmart’s “tell me what’s broken” leadership style, then brings it back to one question: Are you stuck in the past or building for the future? The takeaway is simple: learn from yesterday but don’t live there. Stay innovative, keep your business secure as AI tools grow, and...

In this episode of The Rundown with Ramon , Ramon Ray sits down with Andreas, Head of Product at NordLayer, to talk about something most business owners don’t take seriously until it’s too late: cybersecurity. If you think your business is “too small” to be targeted, this conversation will change your mind. They break down how modern cyber attacks actually work in the real world. Not like in movie...

Ramon Ray tackles a big question: can everyone be a winner, or is winning reserved for the top one percent? He lands on a practical answer for entrepreneurs: anyone can win, but only if they define what winning means for them, then match their effort, choices, and consistency to that goal.

Ramon Ray breaks down how to hire your first virtual assistant and why it matters most for solo entrepreneurs. He walks through the real reasons to delegate, how to set your VA up for success with clear systems, and why treating remote team members like people (not tasks) creates long-term leverage. Along the way, he ties in headlines on brand awareness, smart product expansion, and why showing up...

Ramon Ray breaks down a simple truth founders ignore until it hurts: pivot or die. Using a real story of a youth leadership conference forced to move online because of a storm, Ramon shows why change is not optional, why leadership and messaging matter during a pivot, and how tracking the right numbers keeps your business steady when the market shifts. Welcome to the Rundown with Ramon Show, where...

In this episode of The Rundown with Ramon, Ramon Ray tackles a real entrepreneur tension: family vs. business, and whether the two can truly coexist without constant guilt. Along the way, he pulls lessons from big-brand headlines (Costco, Starbucks, Lululemon, Super Bowl ads, Apple). He brings them back to what founders can do today: communicate better, own mistakes fast, and build a business your...

In this episode of The Rundown with Ramon, Ramon Ray breaks down what it really means to build an unstoppable mindset as an entrepreneur. He shares practical traits of mentally resilient leaders, how to set measurable goals, how to bounce back quickly, and why small wins matter. He also covers major headlines on AI risk, layoffs, Meta’s AI spending surge, and Whole Foods' growth, then answers...

Ramon records from a new location while volunteering at a small private school, then tackles a question a lot of entrepreneurs wrestle with: can “nice” people win in business without getting walked on? He shares how relationship-first selling can close serious deals, where kindness can backfire, and why consistency still beats hype when you’re building something for the long run. Welcome to The Ru...

Ramon Ray goes live early and uses that moment to talk about the gift of failure, betting on yourself, and why entrepreneurs must keep adapting. He connects everyday setbacks to business growth, then riffs on headlines about the middle class feeling squeezed, TikTok disruptions, Super Bowl betting, Goodwill bargain shopping, and Southwest changing what made it different. He closes with a leadershi...

In this episode of The Rundown with Ramon, Ramon shares a simple idea with real weight: money is a tool, not a scoreboard. He talks about how childhood experiences shape money habits, why saving and investing matter, and how entrepreneurs can use money to grow a business without fear or reckless spending. He also reacts to AI headlines and closes with a short leadership lesson for the next generat...

In this episode of The Rundown with Ramon, Ramon breaks down the real question behind AI chatbots: not “Should we use them?” but “How do we use them without losing the human edge?” He walks through big headlines (Apple’s Gemini-powered Siri, OpenAI’s massive funding push, YouTube’s AI “slop” problem) and pulls out practical lessons for entrepreneurs who want to scale with technology while keeping...

Ramon Ray breaks down why real-world, in-person events are having a comeback moment, and how entrepreneurs should decide which events to attend, host, or skip. He also reacts to a handful of headlines (Kalshi, Lululemon, Beehive vs Substack, United Airlines, Amazon, Pinterest, Gen Z and AI, Netflix) and pulls simple lessons you can apply to your own business. The big theme is intentionality: take...