Small Business Podcasts

Inside the Issue: Protecting Company Secrets
Every company has secrets. But what's to prevent an employee from jumping ship and sharing this information? Non-compete agreements. And they're becoming more popular. Associate editor Hannah Clark Steiman explains.

Inside the Issue: Short on Cash?
They say cash is king. But it can take customers months to pay up, leaving you in the lurch. So where can you turn? Associate editor Hannah Clark Steiman explains.

Inside the Issue: First, the Merger. Then, the Culture Clash
Mergers may seem like a great way to expand your company. But at least 60 percent of them fail to achieve their goals. And culture clash is a big reason why. Associate editor Hannah Clark Steiman explains.

Entrepreneur of the Year: Turning Point
Every entrepreneur has an experience that puts them on a new course and ultimately proves instrumental in their success. For Michelle Tjelmeland, a loss of hearing proved to be a gain in many other ways.

Entrepreneur of the Year: The Problem Solver
Every company has problems. And Joseph Grenny, the co-founder and co-chairman of VitalSmarts has spent the past two decades helping businesses zero in on the answers.

Entrepreneur of the Year: Weight Watcher
It's no secret that America is facing an obesity epidemic. Jay Ferro, founder and CEO of Nutricate, thinks he may have a solution. And no, it's not another diet fat.

Entrepreneur of the Year: Medical Marvel
Synthetic body parts. It may sound like the work of Dr. Frankenstein, but Chris Sakezles, president of Animal Replacement Technologies, has found a way to test medical devices and surgical techniques -- without harming animals.

Entrepreneur of the Year: Printing with a Purpose
What if you could save the world, one box of cereal at a time? Bob Danielson Sr., the president of Amerikal Products Corporation, thinks he's found a way.

Entrepreneur of the Year: Entrepreneur of the Year: Elon Musk
He co-founded PayPal. He's building the coolest car ever. And he's ready to colonize Mars. Meet our 2007 Entrepreneur of the Year.

Inside the Issue: What's In Your Wallet?
Credit-card companies continue to roll out new offers aimed at business owners. How do you choose the right card? Reporter Ryan McCarthy explains.

Inside the Issue: When Good Deals Go Bad
Every company gets stuck in bad contracts. Think there's no escape? Think again. Reporter Sarah Goldstein explains.

Inside the Issue: Passing It On
Death and taxes -- the only two sure things in life. And for business owners, the estate tax combines the worst of both worlds. Could a permanent life insurance policy be the solution? Associate editor Hannah Clark explains.

Inside the Issue: Beyond YouTube
Online video is transforming the way companies communicate with customers and employees. How can your company take advantage of the trend? Associate editor Hannah Clark explains.

Inside the Issue: My Bad
Saying you're sorry -- it's something most of us hate to do. But as a CEO, sometimes you have to acknowledge mistakes. Associate editor Hannah Clark explains.'

Inside the Issue: Me Want Cash Up Front
Wouldn't it be great if your customers actually paid in advance? Unfortunately, for many small-business owners, that's easier said than done. But with the right incentives, that can all change. Associate editor Hannah Clark explains.

Expert Take: Small Business Recordkeeping
When it comes to taxes, many people simply toss receipts into a shoebox. But for business owners, good recordkeeping is essential. Inc. Expert Barbara Weltman explains.

Expert Take: eBay 101
Many entrepreneurs are making big money on eBay these days. Inc. Expert Barbara Weltman highlights everything you need to get started.

Expert Take: Maximizing Word of Mouth Marketing
How do you get customers to preach your gospel? Inc. Expert Nancy Michaels offers tips on generating grassroots buzz.

Expert Take: Generating Client Referrals
The best customers are those who bring in new ones. Inc. Expert Nancy Michaels explains how to boost your referrals.

Inside the Issue: Free Parking!
Not quite. But BestParking.com founder Benjamin Sann helps customers find the cheapest parking rates in some of the nation's biggest cities.

Beyond the Rankings: What's in a Name?
As it turns out, a lot. A memorable company name can leave a lasting impression on customers – and just might be the competitive edge you need. Carey Smith, CEO of the Big Ass Fan Company, explains.

Inside the Issue: Splitting Heirs
For every family business success story, there are cautionary tales. How can family businesses ensure a smooth transition from one generation to another? Senior writer Stephanie Clifford explains.

Inside the Issue: How Low Can You Go?
When it comes to setting prices, most entrepreneurs are playing a guessing game. How much should you be charging? Senior writer Stephanie Clifford explains.

Inside the Issue: Playing with Fire
What's the secret to backyard barbeque bliss? Our grillmaster-in-chief, creative director Blake Taylor, offers his tips.

Inside the Issue: No Free Pass
When it comes to doing business abroad, sometimes you have to pay to play. Problem is, it's usually illegal. Associate editor Hannah Clark explains the risks.

Expert Take: What to Do if You're Audited
A tax audit can be one of a small business owners most terrifying experiences. Inc. Expert Barbara Weltman offers some tips for dealing with the IRS.

Expert Take: Travel Tax Deductions
Planning a summer trip? Here are some tips on how to effectively write off your business travels, and avoid IRS scrutiny.

Expert Take: Summer Tax Tips
Use the slow summer months to consider how you might best decrease your tax burden. Inc. Expert Barbara Weltman offers five tips to help you get started.

Inside the Issue: The Cookie King
Seth Berkowitz started a late-night cookie-delivery service out of his dorm room. Today, Insomnia Cookies delivers fresh-baked goodies to hungry college students across the nation.

Inside the Issue: Case Study: The Reluctant Entrepreneur
Nanda Home creates cute, clever products that are intended to "humanize technology." Founder Gauri Nanda talks with staff writer Max Chafkin.

Inside the Issue: Leisure Pursuits
Vacations – a time to relax, try new things, visit new places. And that makes them a perfect marketing opportunity. Senior writer Stephanie Clifford explains.

Inside the Issue: Big Love
When you're starting a company, it can be tempting to hit up friends and family for that much-needed first investment. But, oh, can it backfire. Staff writer Max Chafkin explains.

Inside the Issue: Breakup Blues
Divorce can pose a serious threat to a company. Associate editor Hannah Clark explains how you can protect yourself.

Inside the Issue: Voicemail 2.0
A growing number of new voice mail tools are making life easier for business owners. Reporter Ryan McCarthy explains.

Inside the Issue: Perestroika Continues
Fidel Castro has given up power. The bad news is that he gave it to his brother Raul. Could the shift bring opportunity for U.S. entrepreneurs? Reporter Sarah Goldstein explains.

Inside the Issue: Thinking Small
When it comes to venture capital, small may indeed be the new big. A growing number of firms are giving away small amounts to young start-ups. Reporter Ryan McCarthy explains.

Expert Take: What to Do if You're Audited
Rule No. 1 – don't panic. Tax & Law columnist Barbara Weltman shares tips on surviving the IRS nightmare.

Expert Take: Don't Let the Telephone-Tax Refund Pass You By
The IRS is no longer collecting federal excise tax on long-distance and bundled telephone services. So how can you get your refund? Tax & Law columnist Barbara Weltman explains.

Expert Take: How to Avoid an Audit
It's one of an entrepreneur's biggest fears. Tax & Law columnist Barbara Weltman offers advice on keeping a low profile – and minimizing your chances of getting selected.

Inside the Issue: Reverse Auctions: A Supplier's Survival Guide
Shouting matches. Heavy perspiration. Tequila shots. Is this the future of sales? Staff writer Max Chafkin explains.

Inside the Issue: Where New Ideas Flourish
A recent report puts the new economy in perspective, ranking states for innovation. Reporter Ryan McCarthy offers his take on the most forward-looking and the least inspired of the bunch.

Inside the Issue: How to Get Started
The global economy may offer a world of new opportunities, but it also means dealing with red tape, foreign currencies, and confusing local tax laws. Where do you begin? Senior writer Stephanie Clifford explains.

Inside the Issue: Where Opportunity Knocks
The world may indeed be your oyster. But not all countries are friendly to American entrepreneurs. Staff writer Max Chafkin highlights the best and worst.

Inside the Issue: Do Your Employees Qualify for Overtime?
There’s a good chance you might be shortchanging your staff. Reporter Ryan McCarthy explains.

Inside the Issue: Making Marketing Sticky
Ever wonder why some slogans stick, and others fall flat? Executive editor Mike Hofman explains how to craft a winning marketing message.

Inside the Issue: The Outsider
Some companies are now employing outside bloggers, to chronicle almost everything that goes on behind closed doors. Can it really help your business? Articles editor Larry Kanter explains.

Inside the Issue: Smart Questions for Your Accountant
Forget holiday shopping. Articles editor Larry Kanter explains why now is the time to huddle with your CPA and find some year-end tax breaks.

Inside the Issue: Best Bets: An Insider's Guide to Las Vegas
It may be known as Sin City, but Las Vegas has also become a business boomtown. Associate editor Bobbie Gossage highlights some of the hotspots for entrepreneurs.

Inside the Issue: In Memoriam
From the founders of K2 skis to the woman who invented tortilla chips, we lost a number of great entrepreneurs in 2006. Executive editor Mike Hofman takes a look back at their business legacies.

Inside the Issue: Contagious Commercials
How can cheap, homemade movies help you connect with customers? Associate editor Nadine Heintz explains why more and more companies are turning to YouTube.

Inside the Issue: Green 50: Recycline
Recycline’s toothbrushes, razors, and plastic flatware can be found on the shelves of Target and Whole Foods. Founder Eric Hudson explains the challenges – and benefits – of taking a green company mainstream.

Inside the Issue: Green 50: The Ryzex Group
The Ryzex Group recycles everything – literally. The company eliminated trash cans in 2006 and went 100 percent waste free. How? Founder and CEO Rud Browne explains.

Inside the Issue: Three Scary Words: 'Buy It Used'
With more people buying stuff used, companies have to rethink everything from a product’s durability to the terms of their warranties. Staff reporter Max Chafkin explains where the opportunities lie.

Inside the Issue: Your Office May Be Innocent
For decades, office buildings have been blamed for making employees sick. But bad bosses could be the real culprits. Ryan McCarthy shares insight on a new study.

Inside the Issue: Smart Questions for Your Credit Card Company
Credit card companies send out billions of offers every year. From introductory rates to rewards programs, articles editor Larry Kanter explains how to make sure you’re getting the best deal possible.

Inside the Issue: The Impostor Syndrome
Are you an imposter? For many entrepreneurs, success can bring a lot of self-doubt. Articles editor Larry Kanter explains.

Inside the Issue: Five Lessons from “Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?”
Can’t get a bank loan? More and more entrepreneurs are turning to online lending networks. Associate editor Nadine Heintz explains how they work – and how to get your hands on startup cash.

Inside the Issue: Smart Questions for Your Insurance Agent
Most business owners are not protected from catastrophe. Articles editor Larry Kanter explains which types of insurance can help keep your company afloat.

Inside the Issue: A Whole New World
Are there opportunities for your business in the Middle East? Staff writer Darren Dahl explains the benefits -- and challenges -- of expanding to the region.

Inside the Issue: Vacations of Steel
From yoga in the Caribbean to surfing in Canada, there’s no shortage of fitness retreats for burned-out CEOs. Associate editor Bobbie Gossage highlights the best of the best.

Inside the Issue: Smart Questions for Your Travel Agent
Booking business travel can be a logistical nightmare. Articles editor Larry Kanter offers tips on outsourcing the task.

Inside the Issue: Can This Man Turn Around the SBA?
Steven Preston, a little-known corporate executive, is poised to take over the Small Business Administration. Executive editor Mike Hofman shares insight on the problems plaguing the agency -- and what Preston can expect.

Inside the Issue: Smart Questions for Your Landlord
Finding affordable office space is no easy task. Articles editor Larry Kanter explains how to get the best deal possible.

Inside the Issue: What's in a Job Title?
Doling out flashy titles may seem like a cheap way to attract and retain top recruits. But it's also risky. Associate editor Nadine Heintz explains the hidden dangers.

Inside the Issue: TV Advertising for the Rest of Us
Small businesses are running commercials on ESPN and MTV for a few hundred dollars. Staff writer Darren Dahl explains how.

Inside the Issue: Summer Tax Breaks
You can save a bundle on your taxes during the summer months. Associate editor Nadine Heintz explains how.

Inside the Issue: Hatching New Revenue Streams
Associate editor Nadine Heintz explains how the maker of Marshmallow Peeps, the colorful Easter candy, learned to cash in on its cult following -- and how other companies can make use of their intellectual property.

Inside the Issue: Rewriting the Ending
Editor-at-large Bo Burlingham shares insights on the unfortunate demise and surprising rebirth of Kepler’s Books.

Inside the Issue: School Ties
Is college housing the next frontier of product placement? Staff reporter Max Chafkin explains why Kiehl’s, Red Bull, and other companies are now stocking campus apartments with free stuff.

Inside the Issue: Learning to Love Whistleblowers
Staff writer Darren Dahl explains why some businesses that once feared whistleblowers are now giving workers new ways to report wrongdoing.

Inside the Issue: Fed Up With HR?
Tired of dealing with health care, retirement plans, and other HR issues? More and more companies are learning how to outsource their biggest headaches.

Inside the Issue: Boomtowns '06
Contributing editor Joel Kotkin explains why some cities are thriving, why others are failing, and where the most opportunity for entrepreneurs lies today.

Inside the Issue: The End of E-mail
It’s supposed to make life easier, but e-mail has become a big pain. Staff writer Darren Dahl explains why the wiki will change the way you communicate.

Inside the Issue: Who Loves You in D.C. (and Who Doesn’t)
Most people in and around the government are beholden to Corporate America and don’t pay attention to (let alone understand) the needs of entrepreneurs. Executive Editor Mike Hofman highlights the Beltway movers and shakers who are trying to change that.

Inside the Issue: Insider Tips
What does it take to get your way in Washington? Executive Editor Mike Hofman offers some advice on making friends inside the Beltway.

Inside the Issue: In Search of Small Giants
Editor-at-Large Bo Burlingham, author of the new book Small Giants, discusses his search for companies that choose to be great instead of big.

Inside the Issue: There Is a Choice
Like a lot of entrepreneurs, Jay Goltz couldn’t imagine doing anything but building his company as big and as fast as possible. Editor-at-Large Bo Burlingham explains how it almost destroyed him.

Inside the Issue: Running Through the Legs of Goliath
Staff Writer Stephanie Clifford explores how Method is using cutting-edge innovation and design to take on the giants of the household-products industry.

Inside the Issue: The 2006 Economic Outlook
Talk to a bunch of entrepreneurs about the new year and you'll hear the same concerns again and again. We name them, explain them, and offer ways around them.

Inside the Issue: An Outsourcing Case Study
With revenue flattening, David Galbenski needed a bold new plan. But was outsourcing everything to India really the right move? Darren Dahl speaks to some of the complexities in outsourcing legal work overseas.

Inside the Issue: Alpha Dogs
The roof leaked, the financials were sketchy, the employees were unmotivated, and the customers were disgruntled -- so Mike Schwartz decided to buy the place. Now his Harley-Davidson business is a $53 million-a-year phenonmenon. Inc.'s Donna Fenn goes inside the issue and discusses the success of Mike's Famous Harley-Davidson.