A family business; a wonderful situation if everyone is working together. But often there are situations; parents that won't give responsibility to a child; siblings that can't agree or siblings where one works very hard and the other does not. These are just a couple of examples. Tom Hubler visits to share an hour full of ideas of the important components of a family business. This was a fascinating visit with a gentleman who truly showed and shared a high level of expertise. If your business has multiple family members involved, this is a good investment of your time to listen.

With all the changes in the way people act and shop, what do you need to do differently with your point of sale system? What is the number one concern you should have for your business? What opportunities are there for you to take advantage of in your business? Can you easily handle cashless transactions? Dick Calio, POS expert, spent the hour with us to answer your questions about what opportunities and challenges are before us as the economy begins to reopen.

You utilized your gut feeling when you decided to purchase or start your small business. All small businesses have opportunities for growth that come their way. There are also what appears as an opportunity that turns out to be a trap. Jacob Curtis, CPA shares his methodology for determining how to make the decision in your small business.

Heidi Kaisand has quite the story that she shares on Small Business Conversations. A decade ago she started a quilting store. Eight years ago she added to those responsibilities her work with the industry magazine, American Quilt Retailer. A year later she purchased the publication and is now the publisher and editor. She also creates online academies for other business owners in the trade. Her business is unique in that it finds ways to include the customers with their purchases. Heidi makes equipment available for the customers to use and she has multi-day camps for customers who travel hours to buy and use the equipment. The second floor of the building is part dormitory and part workshop for the customers. Heidi has an amazing story and you can hear the details in this month's Small Business Conversations with Tom Shay

The July Small Business Conversations brings a very unique perspective to looking at small business. Dave Wendland has seen and worked with thousands of small businesses through his company Hamacher Resource Group. We ask Dave to share his experiences of the traits of the best small business owners he has seen and worked with; easy to understand with ideas of how you can duplicate these special traits.

Do customers identify your business because of low prices? Is it because it is you, the owner, is seen and heard in your advertising? Perhaps your business is known for supporting a local animal rescue organization. None of these are brand voicing. Listen as Devon Clements of J Schmid Creative Agency explains, discusses and shares examples of how developing the way you connect with your customers can retain customers and bring new customers to your business. That is brand voicing.

As we finish the first quarter of 2023, we are finding an increasing number of articles telling of large businesses facing challenges of theft. Is it internal theft? Is it accounting errors? Is it individuals stealing or is it organized theft? With the reports of big businesses we take the opportunity to invite our favorite loss prevention person, Jerry Obarski, to share his thoughts and experiences. These articles from national sources may have correct information but we find what is more important is to listen to a career expert on the topic.

The SBDC (Small Business Development Centers) is the best resource a small business owner could ask for. The bonus is that their services are free to new and existing small business owners. During this episode, Tee Rowe, president of America's SBDC and Greg Jordan, state director of the Kansas SBDC spend an hour with Tom Shay to tell of the many services that your business can receive assistance with through your local SBDC. Together they explain how to find your local SBDC office as well as give examples of the many success stories they have had over the years. Satisfaction surveys show an approval rating in excess of 93% by small business owners who have worked with the SBDC.

Ken Banks, branding, marketing and advertising expert with a career of  having worked with a "who's who" in the world of big business. Ken  visits to discuss with us what small businesses can learn for the  efforts of big businesses. We discuss trends with social media and  traditional advertising. Listening to our hour with Ken Banks is like  your having hired your own personal advertising consultant.

Soon we will all be bombarded with articles and television interviews telling us how to establish goals for the new year. Are goals only to be established to begin on January 1? Can you adjust a goal? Can you abandon a goal? Are all goals good? How do you measure your goals? Some goals are outcome based while others are activity based; what is the difference? These questions and many more during our hour long visit with Gwen Bortner on Small Business Conversations with host Tom Shay