The How of Business - How to start, run & grow a small business.

How to buy an HVAC (Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning) Business with business broker Patrick Lange. Show Notes Page: https://www.thehowofbusiness.com/518-buying-hvac-business/ Patrick Lange is back on the show to share the latest in HVAC business ownership opportunities. He helps people buy and sell heating and air companies. According to the Air Conditioning Contractors of America (ACCA): The U.S. HVAC services market is predicted to grow to $35.8 billion by 2030. This growth is partly fueled by the demand for energy efficiency, and booming construction. Patrick Lange with Business Modification Group specializes in the sale and acquisition of heating and air companies. Patrick has been an entrepreneur his entire life buying, growing, and selling businesses in multiple industries, including owning a residential heating and air company. Patrick is considered an expert in the field of business brokerage, having earned multiple awards for transactions and dollar volume of business sold. Patrick decided several years ago to focus exclusively on heating and air companies after seeing a need for someone with specific knowledge of the industry as well as the ability to market these businesses in an effective manner to help his clients achieve predictable results. Since he made that transition, he has sold more heating and air companies than any other broker. In addition to facilitating the sale of heating and air companies, Patrick also provides valuations for those who are interested in learning the current value of their business in the market as well as strategies to increase the potential selling price.. This episode is hosted by Henry Lopez. The How of Business podcast focuses on helping you start, run and grow your small business. The How of Business is a top-rated podcast for small business and entrepreneurs. Find the best podcast, small business coaching, resources and trusted service partners for small business owners and entrepreneurs at our website https://TheHowOfBusiness.com

Hiring front-line workers, the staff who work directly with your customers, clients, patients or other consumers of your services or products, with recruiting and HR expert Thad Price. Show Notes Page: https://www.thehowofbusiness.com/517-thad-price-hiring-workers/ Thad shares his experience, insights and best practices on how to hire essential front line workers for your small business. Thad Price is CEO of Austin-based ReadySetHire and Talroo. ReadySetHire is the new product for small-to-medium sized businesses, franchisees, and recruiters seeking to hire frontline and essential workers. It’s powered by Talroo, the multi-award-winning talent matching platform for enterprises designed for sourcing essential and hourly workers. Thad has more than 20 years of experience in the online recruitment and job search industry, is a recognized thought leader in the HR and talent acquisition space, and he genuinely believes that there is no industry that plays a more integral role in the economy. This episode is hosted by Henry Lopez. The How of Business podcast focuses on helping you start, run and grow your small business. The How of Business is a top-rated podcast for small business and entrepreneurs. Find the best podcast, small business coaching, resources and trusted service partners for small business owners and entrepreneurs at our website https://TheHowOfBusiness.com

How the Savannah Bananas baseball team stand out and get noticed with guest Jesse Cole. Show Notes Page: https://www.thehowofbusiness.com/r180-stand-out-get-noticed/ Instead of traditional marketing methods, Jesse applies unconventional promotional tactics that are fun and attract attention and a loyal following of fans. You might be thinking, what can I learn from an owner of a baseball team – well this is not your usual sports team. We are talking about the Savannah Bananas, which have become a huge success due to their unique approach to marketing. And so much of what they do can be applied to any small business. Jesse Cole, also known as “the guy in the yellow tuxedo” is the founder of Fans First Entertainment and the owner of the world-famous Savannah Bananas as well as the Party Animals and Firefighters. With the mantra “Fans First. Entertain Always”, the Bananas are on a mission to Make Baseball Fun by creating the Greatest Show in Sports. The team has sold out every game since their inaugural season in Savannah and has since grown a ticket waitlist of more than 2 million fans from all over the world. This episode is hosted by Henry Lopez with co-host David Begin. The How of Business podcast focuses on helping you start, run and grow your small business. The How of Business is a top-rated podcast for small business and entrepreneurs. Find the best podcast, small business coaching, resources and trusted service partners for small business owners and entrepreneurs at our website https://TheHowOfBusiness.com

Objection Handling – how to handle objections when selling, although these tips can apply to any situation when you are handling or responding to objections in your small business. Show Notes Page: https://www.thehowofbusiness.com/516-objection-handling/ Topics discussed on this episode include: What is Objection Handling? Top 3 Common Reasons for Objections. How to use the “FEEL, FELT, FOUND” objection handling method. Other sales objection handling tips and techniques. This episode is hosted by Henry Lopez with co-host David Begin. The How of Business podcast focuses on helping you start, run and grow your small business. The How of Business is a top-rated podcast for small business and entrepreneurs. Find the best podcast, small business coaching, resources and trusted service partners for small business owners and entrepreneurs at our website https://TheHowOfBusiness.com

Scaling Tiege Hanley, a direct-to-consumer men’s skin care product company, with co-founder Kelley Thornton. Show Notes page: https://www.thehowofbusiness.com/515-kelley-thornton-scaling-tiege-hanley/ Kelley shares his entrepreneur journey, and how he launched and scaled Tiege Hanley (starting at 15:11) - providing "Uncomplicated Skin Care for Men" through their online site. Tiege is an e-commerce company with the mission of Helping Men Look and Feel Amazing. With the help of Aaron Marino, a YouTuber with over 6,000,000 followers, and Rob Hoxie, the business has evolved organically, with over 500,000 customers globally and over $100MM in lifetime sales. Henry Lopez is the host of The How of Business podcast – helping you start, run and grow your small business. The How of Business is a top-rated podcast for small business and entrepreneurs. Find the best podcast, small business coaching, resources and trusted service partners for small business owners and entrepreneurs at our website https://TheHowOfBusiness.com

Fixing vs Solving Small Business Problems - how to identify and resolve the root cause of problems in your business, instead of just fixing the symptoms. Show Notes page: https://www.thehowofbusiness.com/r200-fixing-vs-solving-problems/ This is a re-release of Episode 200 of The How of Business podcast with additional new content and edits. On this episode, Henry Lopez and co-host David Begin discus the importance (and how to) of addressing root cause problems rather than just fixing symptoms - and why this is crucial for the long-term success and sustainability of your small businesses. It’s about the difference between just fixing the symptoms, versus identifying and solving the true root cause problems. By focusing on the 5 strategies Henry shares at the start of this episode, small business owners can more effectively solve the underlying issues affecting their businesses, leading to more sustainable growth and success. Henry Lopez is the host of The How of Business podcast – helping you start, run and grow your small business. The How of Business is a top-rated podcast for small business and entrepreneurs. Find the best podcast, small business coaching, resources and trusted service partners for small business owners and entrepreneurs at our website https://TheHowOfBusiness.com

How do we create extraordinary places for our customers, clients, patients, staff that support the growth of our small business? Show Notes page: https://www.thehowofbusiness.com/514-kevin-kelley-extraordinary-places/ Kevin Kelley is with us today to share his thoughts and insights on how to create extraordinary places that help us connect with people. The questions he will help us answer include: Do we still need physical places like grocery stores, restaurants, and office buildings? Or will the "Replacement Economy" led by the tech titans and retail giants wipe out these venues? What about museums, universities, and performing arts venues? Is there still a place for these thousand-year-old institutions in our lives? Or are we holding onto them out of habit, guilt, or nostalgia? Kevin Ervin Kelley, AIA, is an award-winning architect, experience designer, and co-founder of the bi-coastal strategic design firm Shook Kelley. As a lifelong advocate of bringing people together in prosocial settings, Kevin’s expertise is in studying how the environment of a place affects our behavior, perception, and decision-making. Since starting the strategic design firm in 1992, he has worked with executive leadership teams for some of the world’s most well-known brands, such as Harley-Davidson, Whole Foods, Kraft, JM Smucker, The Cleveland Orchestra, professional sports teams, universities, urban districts, and hundreds of local and regional businesses to stay relevant and profitable in our rapidly changing modern landscape. In addition to being a frequent speaker at retail, food, and other consumer conferences in the U.S. and abroad, Kevin taught courses at Harvard University and his alma mater, the University of N.C. at Charlotte. As technological replacements increasingly decimate the physical world and human interaction, Kevin gives away everything he’s learned in the field and the boardroom in his debut book, “Irreplaceable: How to Create Extraordinary Places that Bring People Together”. Henry Lopez is the host of The How of Business podcast – helping you start, run and grow your small business. The How of Business is a top-rated podcast for small business and entrepreneurs. Find the best podcast, small business coaching, resources and trusted service partners for small business owners and entrepreneurs at our website https://TheHowOfBusiness.com

Fractional CFO – how and when to hire a fractional CFO to help you grow your small business, with guest Dan DeGolier. Show Notes page: https://www.thehowofbusiness.com/513-dan-degolier-fractional-cfo/ When and why should you engage a Fractional or Outsourced Chief Financial Officer (CFO)? What are the services a fractional CFO can offer your small business? Dan answers those questions and shares how he helps his clients grow their small businesses. Dan DeGolier, a CPA, is passionate about helping entrepreneurs “upward” to help them understand their finances and cash flows, and obtain the capital needed to grow. Working alongside leaders of companies to help them reach their highest potential is the reason he founded Ascent CFO Solutions over 11 years ago. A fractional Chief Financial Officer (CFO) offers small businesses the expertise of a seasoned financial executive without the commitment to a full-time salary, providing cost-effective access to strategic financial planning, system optimizations, and risk management. An outsourced or fractional CFO can support your small business in making informed decisions for growth, improving financial processes, and navigating fundraising efforts. By bringing in unbiased, high-level insights on a part-time or contract basis, a fractional CFO can help small businesses manage complexity, navigate financial crises, and achieve a solid financial foundation, making it an ideal solution for small businesses seeking to enhance their financial strategy without the overhead of a full-time executive position. Henry Lopez is the host of The How of Business podcast – helping you start, run and grow your small business. The How of Business is a top-rated podcast for small business and entrepreneurs. Find the best podcast, small business coaching, resources and trusted service partners for small business owners and entrepreneurs at our website https://TheHowOfBusiness.com

“Brand Films” or videos, how to create and use them to grow your small business, with award-winning filmmaker Maxwell Frost. Show Notes page: https://www.thehowofbusiness.com/512-maxwell-frost-brand-films/ Maxwell shares his entrepreneur journey, and his current focus which is teaching businesses how to make 3-15 minute “brand films” with your smart phone, that grows your reach, fills your content calendar, and drives growth. Maxwell is the founder of Brand Film School - he serves business owners, marketers, and content creators. His innovative approach tackles a common challenge: creating content that connects with your audience, without draining resources, that drives growth. Maxwell believes that brand films will also allow your team to do more with less. By creating addictive content that connects with your audience on an emotional level through shared interests, experiences, and desires—in a way no pop-up ad or email campaign ever could. Henry Lopez is the host of The How of Business podcast – helping you start, run and grow your small business. The How of Business is a top-rated podcast for small business and entrepreneurs. Find the best podcast, small business coaching, resources and trusted service partners for small business owners and entrepreneurs at our website https://TheHowOfBusiness.com

How to connect for sales success with entrepreneur and sales expert John Humphrey. John explains why sales success is directly related to the depth and breadth of our relationships and our desire to help others. Show Notes page: https://www.thehowofbusiness.com/511-john-humphrey-connect-for-sales-success/ Connecting is more than just traditional networking. John Humphrey is a serial entrepreneur with experience in starting businesses ranging from restaurants to software and consulting. John currently serves as Chief Connector of Connect for Life, and is the author of “Connect for Life: Network your Personal Brand and WIN”. Henry Lopez is the host of The How of Business podcast – helping you start, run and grow your small business. The How of Business is a top-rated podcast for small business and entrepreneurs. Find the best podcast, small business coaching, resources and trusted service partners for small business owners and entrepreneurs at our website https://TheHowOfBusiness.com

Top 7 Small Business Start-Up Mistakes and how to avoid them and launch a successful business, with Henry Lopez. Show Notes page: https://www.thehowofbusiness.com/510-7-startup-mistakes/ How to identify and avoid or minimize some of the most common small business start-up mistakes. Henry shares his top 7 common small business mistakes to avoid, so that you can start and grow a successful and profitable business. Top 7 Small Business Start-Up Mistakes: 7. Poor Research and Planning. 6. Bad Partners and Hiring the Wrong Team. 5. Starting Too Big and not following the MVP or iterative approach. 4. Poor Marketing & Sales. 3. Getting in Your Own Way. 2. Not Starting! Getting overwhelmed and paralyzed. 1. No Money! Henry Lopez is the host of The How of Business podcast – helping you start, run and grow your small business. The How of Business is a top-rated podcast for small business and entrepreneurs. Find the best podcast, small business coaching, resources and trusted service partners for small business owners and entrepreneurs at our website https://TheHowOfBusiness.com

Finding your identity is your path to finding personal and small business success. Hosts Henry Lopez and David Begin discuss how to find your multidimensional identity. Show Notes page: https://www.thehowofbusiness.com/509-finding-your-identity/ Is your personal identity predominantly based on being the Small Business Hero or the Successful Serial Entrepreneur? Have you realized how this identity may actually be holding you back? Hampering you from achieving true success in your personal life and your entrepreneurial journey. Henry Lopez and David Begin share their experiences and tips on how to Find Your Identity. A person's identity refers to the way they understand themselves and their position in the world. It encompasses a wide range of elements that contribute to who a person is, including personal characteristics, values, beliefs, experiences, roles, and affiliations. Identity is both internally constructed, reflecting a person's self-conception and self-perception, and externally influenced by societal norms, culture, interactions, and relationships. Letting go of the business owner identity as your only self-concept is a journey that requires time and intentional effort. It's about finding balance and fulfillment in various aspects of life, which ultimately contributes to a more resilient and diversified sense of self. Henry Lopez is the host of The How of Business podcast – helping you start, run and grow your small business. The How of Business is a top-rated podcast for small business and entrepreneurs. Find the best podcast, resources and trusted service partners for small business owners and entrepreneurs at our website https://TheHowOfBusiness.com

How Bad Bosses ruin lives and Great Bosses enrich lives and lead the growth of a small business, with guest Debra Corey. Show Notes page: https://www.thehowofbusiness.com/507-debra-corey-bad-bosses/ Debra Corey is back on the show to share insights and highlights from her new book, “Bad Bosses Ruin Lives - The Building Blocks for Being a Great Boss” about how to avoid being a bad boss that can ruin lives and instead learn how to be a great boss that enriches lives of our small business staff and leaders. Debra is a highly experienced and award-winning HR consultant, world-class speaker, and six-time best-selling author who has been named as one of the top 101 global employee engagement influencers. Henry Lopez is the host of The How of Business podcast – helping you start, run and grow your small business. The How of Business is a top-rated podcast for small business and entrepreneurs. Find the best podcast, resources and trusted service partners for small business owners and entrepreneurs at our website https://TheHowOfBusiness.com

Legal considerations of buying and selling a small business with Danya Shakfeh, a mergers and acquisitions attorney. Show Notes page: https://www.thehowofbusiness.com/507-danya-shakfeh-legal-considerations-buying-small-business/ Attorney Danya Shakfeh shares insights and general guidelines, from a legal perspective, about buying or selling a small business. We discuss some of the legal considerations that apply when we are buying or selling a small business, and how to hopefully avoid some common mistakes. From a Letter of Intent (LOI) through the small business Purchase Contract, and all the due diligence steps in between, we discuss most of the important legal steps and considerations related to buying or selling a small business. Henry Lopez is the host of The How of Business podcast – helping you start, run and grow your small business. The How of Business is a top-rated podcast for small business and entrepreneurs. Find the best podcast, resources and trusted service partners for small business owners and entrepreneurs at our website https://TheHowOfBusiness.com

Learn the fundamentals of budgeting for small business. How to create an operating expense budget for your small business, with host Henry Lopez. Show Notes page: https://www.thehowofbusiness.com/506-budgeting-fundamentals-small-business/ Why should you create an operating budget, and how to create an annual budget that helps you maximize profitability. Henry shares some best practices and tips and the key steps to create a small business operating budget. Creating an annual budget is a crucial exercise for small business owners, as it provides a financial roadmap for the year ahead. Here are the key steps to follow: 9 Steps to Small Business Budgeting: 1 - Review Previous Year Financial Performance 2 - Define Your Business Goals – including Revenue and Profit 3 - Estimate Fixed Costs 4 - Estimate Variable Costs 5 - Plan for One-Time Expenses 6 - Calculate Working Capital 7 - Assemble the Budget 8 - Review and Adjust 9 - Monitor & Adjust Henry Lopez is the host of The How of Business podcast – helping you start, run and grow your small business. The How of Business is a top-rated podcast for small business and entrepreneurs. Find the best podcast, resources and trusted service partners for small business owners and entrepreneurs at our website https://TheHowOfBusiness.com

Justine shares her experiences and insights from selling her small business, a successful bookkeeping business. Show notes page: https://www.thehowofbusiness.com/505-justine-lackey-selling-her-business/ Justine Lackey is back on the show to share her experiences from selling her successful small business, and how she is currently helping people run and scale their own bookkeeping firms. Justine Lackey founded one of the very first virtual bookkeeping companies in all of America, Good Cents Management. Over fifteen years she grew her firm from a one woman show to a multi-six figure, multi-state firm which she sold in 2023. The freedom of owning her own company allowed Justine to raise her three children while never missing a school play or scrambling to find childcare on a snow day. One of proudest accomplishments though was creating an all-mom team - and giving her employees the freedom to build their job around their lives, and not their lives around their jobs. Today, Justine teaches bookkeepers (especially moms) how to run wildly efficient, highly profitable bookkeeping businesses while staying sane and having fun. Henry Lopez is the host of The How of Business podcast – helping you start, run and grow your small business. The How of Business is a top-rated podcast for small business and entrepreneurs. Find the best podcast, resources and trusted service partners for small business owners and entrepreneurs at our website https://TheHowOfBusiness.com

How to create an Annual Strategic Plan for your small business, with host Henry Lopez. Why you should create a strategic plan at the start of the new year and how to do so. Show notes page: https://www.thehowofbusiness.com/504-annual-strategic-plan/ Henry shares best practices and tips and walks through the 10 steps to create your strategic plan – giving you a clear strategy and actionable plan to help you achieve continued success with your small business this year. Visit the Show Notes page for this episode to get the free Strategic Action Plan Outline download. Creating an annual strategic plan for your small business involves several high-level steps. Your annual strategic plan is a crucial tool for guiding the direction, priorities, and actions of your business over the course of this coming year. Henry Lopez is the host of The How of Business podcast – helping you start, run and grow your small business. The How of Business is a top-rated podcast for small business and entrepreneurs. Find the best podcast, resources and trusted service partners for small business owners and entrepreneurs at our website https://TheHowOfBusiness.com

How Adam Siegel launched Recurate, a tech-enabled resale service that empowers brands and retailers to establish their own integrated resale platforms directly on their e-commerce sites. Show notes page: https://www.thehowofbusiness.com/503-adam-siegel-fashion-resale-business/ From Aerospace Engineering to starting a business in the fashion resale business, Adam shares his fascinating entrepreneur journey. Brands they work with include Steve Madden, Michael Kors, Christy Sports, and many others. Adam shares the details of co-founding and launching this business and their current business model. Henry Lopez is the host of The How of Business podcast – helping you start, run and grow your small business. The How of Business is a top-rated podcast for small business and entrepreneurs. Find the best podcast, resources and trusted service partners for small business owners and entrepreneurs at our website https://TheHowOfBusiness.com

Business owners share their Small Business Success Highlights, and host Henry Lopez shares popular resources from The How of Business. Show notes page: https://www.thehowofbusiness.com/502-business-success-highlights-pt2/ On this special episode Henry Lopez (Serial Entrepreneur, Business Coach, and Host of The How of Business podcast) shares some information about The How of Business podcast and popular resources to help you start, run and grow your small business - including top book recommendations and most popular episodes from the past year. He also features a few of his small business coaching clients as they share their small business success highlights – they share some of the challenges they have overcome this past year and insights into how they have grown their small businesses. Business Owners featured on this episode: Thomas Erickson, owner of Clark Distributing Company and Vegefood.com McKay Coombs co-owner of Coombs Landscaping & Hardscapes Natasha Londono, owner of Rumbita Top resources featured include: Trusted Service Partners for Small Business Top Book Recommendations Most Popular Small Business Podcast Episodes of 2023 Henry Lopez is the host of The How of Business podcast – helping you start, run and grow your small business. The How of Business is a top-rated podcast for small business and entrepreneurs. Find the best podcast, resources and trusted service partners for small business owners and entrepreneurs at our website https://TheHowOfBusiness.com

CPA Matt Chiappetta shares Year-End Tax Considerations for Small Business Owners (starting at 10:00). Show notes page: https://www.thehowofbusiness.com/501-matt-chiappetta-tax-considerations/ Matt is Henry's CPA, and he is excited to have him on the podcast to share his tips and advice on year-end tax planning for small business owners. He also shares his entrepreneur journey and why he decided to open his own business. Matt is the CPA for Solopreneurs and small business owners. Matt Chiappetta helps optimize the financial lives of Solopreneurs by focusing on personal and business tax planning, and all the other little details that encompass their financial life. In his past life, Matt was the CFO of a Registered Investment Advisory firm, and Corporate Controller for a manufacturing business where he assisted with a healthy 8-figure exit for the owners. Henry Lopez is the host of The How of Business podcast – helping you start, run and grow your small business. The How of Business is a top-rated podcast for small business and entrepreneurs. Find the best podcast, resources and trusted service partners for small business owners and entrepreneurs at our website https://TheHowOfBusiness.com