Startup BizCast

A production note for those of you who might be interested:

The latest episode of Startup BizCast, show 47, was recorded with a new microphone. I’ve been meaning for a while to swap out the mic I had, an AKG, because it seemed to have a bit too much high end. I’ve never been able to properly lower that high end without making the sound too “muddy”. My new microphone, an MXL 990, seems to be a big improvement the first time out. It sounds great and, much less importantly, it looks pretty cool! I can definitely tell the difference in the sound of the show, but I’m hyper-critical about these things.  I’ll probably continue to tweak the low end slightly, but I’m pretty happy with the purchase.

Let me know what you think!

 Startup BizCast Episode 47 [13:30m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

I was racking my about the topic of this week’s Startup BizCast, when Casey Quinlan came along. She suggested talking about business storytelling … and I think it’s a great idea. My guest this week is Casey, who is the owner of Mighty Casey Media. She says if I have to put her “in a box” she’ll answer to the title of communications consultant. She prefers to be called a business storyteller, however. In this week’s Startup BizCast interview, she gives us advice on how to leave the pie charts behind in your presentations, and start telling memorable stories.

I pre-empted this week’s BizCast Brief due to lack of solid news out there, but please check out this week’s Small Business Recommended Reading.

Links mentioned in this week’s episode:
Mighty Casey Media (www.mightycasey.com)

Startup BizCast is produced by BizPodz, the corporate podcast production service from EndGame Public Relations, LLC. For more information on how your business can take advantage of the social media revolution, please visit www.endgamepr.com/podcasts.

Startup BizCast’s theme music is “Dangerous Toys” by George Fletcher’s Bourbon Renewal. The full version of the song, along with other music by the same artist, can be downloaded at Podsafe Music Network.

Get each episode as it’s published: RSS - iTunes - Blubrry - Podcast Alley

Here’s this week’s recommended reading from Startup BizCast!

Reduce Your Company’s Carbon Footprint
TheStreet.com

Scrimping on your salary? Beware an audit
Fortune Small Business (via CNNMoney.com)

20 Questions with Shawn Boyer (Small Business Person of the Year)
Richmond.com

Most bosses ‘untrained’ in dealing with homeworkers
trainingzone.co.uk

What Tight Credit Can Mean for Small Business
The Entrepreneurial Mind

I don’t have a guest booked for episode 47, which is coming up next week. I kind of wanted to do a solo episode, so I didn’t work too hard to find a guest, to be honest. The only problem is that it’s occurred to me that I don’t have a topic. So, I’m opening it up to you … the listener. Hit me up on my contact form or, preferably, in comments on this post. Let me know what you’d like to hear about. Obviously the topic needs to be something I know a bit about, otherwise I’ll just have to make it up … so try to keep it related to marketing, public relations, social media, or Web 2.0.

Fire away!

 Startup BizCast Episode 46 [15:00m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

I’ve had a lot of “firsts” on this show recently. Just a couple of weeks back I had a co-host for the first time. This week, in episode 46, I have two guests at the same time! Jimmy Vee and Travis Miller are co-authors of the book “Gravitational Marketing: The Science of Attracting Customers”. They bring us some advice on advice on how to pull customers toward your business … without spending a lot of money.

I do have one correction from this interview. I referenced episodes of Startup BizCast that talk about online news release distribution. Those episodes are #5 and #7 … not #7 and #10 as I said. Those episodes can be found by scrolling back through the blog to summer 2007 … or by going to the 2007 archive. One cool bonus if you listen to those shows — you’ll get to hear the catchy old Startup BizCast theme music!

Links mentioned in this week’s episode:
Gravitational Marketing (www.gravitationalmarketing.com)

Feedback Hotline: (206) 339-4366

Startup BizCast is produced by BizPodz, the business podcast production service from EndGame Public Relations, LLC. For more information on how your business can take advantage of the social media revolution, please visit www.endgamepr.com/podcasts.

Startup BizCast’s theme music is “Dangerous Toys” by George Fletcher’s Bourbon Renewal. The full version of the song, along with other music by the same artist, can be downloaded at Podsafe Music Network.

Get each episode as it’s published: RSS - iTunes - Blubrry - Podcast Alley

Here is this week’s Small Business Recommended Reading list:

Book Review: The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Guerrilla Marketing
American Entrepreneurship

Size Matters
US News and World Report

Building your first business Web site
Fortune Small Business (via CNNMoney.com)

When Content Isn’t King
Small Business Internet Marketing Blog

 Startup BizCast Episode 45 [8:15m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

It’s time to hear from the winner! This week I interview Grant Mucha, the lucky winner of the Startup BizCast Small Business Week Contest. He was selected next week and wins about $2,000 worth of prizes. In episode 45, I talk with him about his business, Degrama, and how he became a small business owner. Just so you don’t think I’ve switched formats, he lays some small business advice on us!

In this week’s BizCast Brief, Bush on SMB, UK bosses want pregnancy details, and social networking for SMB in Baltimore.

Links mentioned in this week’s episode:
Degrama (www.degrama.com)

Feedback Hotline: (206) 339-4366

Startup BizCast is produced by BizPodz, a business podcast production service from EndGame Public Relations, LLC. For more information on how your business can take advantage of the social media revolution, please visit www.endgamepr.com/podcasts.

Startup BizCast’s theme music is “Dangerous Toys” by George Fletcher’s Bourbon Renewal. The full version of the song, along with other music by the same artist, can be downloaded at Podsafe Music Network.

Get each episode as it’s published: RSS - iTunes - Blubrry - Podcast Alley

Happy U.S. Small Business Week!  Here is this week’s Small Business Recommended Reading list:

City trying out Net platform to give small business a lift
Baltimore Sun

Bush Says Small Businesses Will Lead US Economic Recovery
Voice Of America

[UK] Bosses want ‘more rights’ to question candidates about pregnancy
More Th>n Business

It’s National Small Business Week. Should you care?
Fortune Small Business (via CNNMoney.com)

Small Business Marketing Unleashed: Blogging For Business
WebProNews

Consultant: Great time to start own business
Portsmouth Herald News (NH)

A quick self-promotional post:

EndGame PR Podcast Production, the service of EndGame Public Relations that’s responsible for Startup BizCast, has been renamed BizPodz! The name change comes for two reasons. The first is that the old moniker was too long. I wanted to reflect that the podcast production service was part of a PR firm, and it accomplished that goal, but beyond that it was just too hard to remember.

The second reason for the name change is that I wanted the name to show what the service actually “does”. BizPodz Podcast Production specializes in working with organizations of all types — profits, nonprofits, and even government entities — to create quality podcasts and other audio productions.

For more information on the service, check out the home of BizPodz on the EndGame PR website. To view a news release about this announcement, go to the EndGame PR News page.

I encourage you to listen to this week’s episode of Startup BizCast, as it’s different than anything I’ve ever done before. But, in case you haven’t heard …. here are the winners of the Startup BizCast Small Business Week Contest!

Grand Prize: Grant Mucha of Degrama

Second Prize: Pam Buttikofer of Proud Papa Gifts

Third Prize: Ray DiDia of ABCPayroll

I have an interview scheduled with Grant, and assuming nothing unexpected happens you’ll be hearing from him in SB #45!

Happy Small Business Week!