Business Reality Network
Archive Show PageIf you missed a show or are new to the BRN and wondering if a topic of interest has already been discussed, then this page is for you! Here we have the collected wisdom of previously broadcast Business Reality Network shows, completely free of charge! Just find the show or guest below, click the link and listen to any show you desire right now. Show Archives July 13, 2008 "Established Business Plan" Ren compares the business planning techniques for Established Businesses versus Start-Ups. Whether your business is in the Start-up or the Planning phase, Ren feels every Entrepreneur will benefit from putting together a business plan. Marty O’Neil, a State Farm Insurance branch owner, joins Ren this week. Marty describes his experience qualifying and buying into the State Farm Insurance business and how he got his Ferndale branch running in two years from the ground up. Marty discusses the importance of good customer service and how that separates his business from other insurance companies, especially those from the internet. July 6, 2008 "The 'R' Word" You hear it everywhere; our country is in a recession. Ren talks about what you can do to drive sales and make your business profitable even in tough times. He also talked about if your culture is focused on the downturn in the economy, it can affect every aspect of an entrepreneur’s business if they let it. Michelle Kluge Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of the Michigan Business and Professional Association spent the second half of the show talking with Ren about women in business. Michelle talked about the many challenges that women face even today in the business world. June 29, 2008 "Taxes" As Benjamin Franklin once said, “There is nothing certain in this life except death and taxes!” It’s the annual tax show! The weekend before April 15th, Ren discusses tips for dealing with last minute tax issues and audits. Bill Guertin and Andy Corbus co-authors of Reality Sells: How to Bring Customers Back Again and Again by Marketing Your Genuine Story join Ren this week to discuss marketing. Bill and Andy explain how to market with the truth about your business to serve as an asset. June 22, 2008 “The show not about get rich quick schemes” discusses the myths and realities of Multilevel Marketing (MLM) or Pyramid Schemes. People become involved MLM products and services for many appealing reasons. Ren discusses some interesting statistics on the success, income, and time commitments involved with MLM. Michelle Kubernick of Gourmet Today is our first guest on the show’s “Talk about your business” segment. Michelle’s company delivers healthy meals to homes in the Metro Detroit area. Daily meal plans include 3 meals and a snack. Her greatest success story lost 100 pounds and kept it off! June 15, 2008 "Soliciting" In this week’s show, Ren discusses how to solicit clients when your company is in the start-up phase, medium sized, and when it’s established and receiving referrals. He shares some interesting stories from his experience as a solicitor and as a customer himself, when he tries to hire other small businesses for products or services. Rob Jacobs from Short Sale Pathways joins Ren. Rob’s business helps people who are having difficulty making their mortgage payments and are at risk of losing their home. June 8, 2008 "Prospecting" In this week’s program, Ren discusses The Prospecting Toolkit by Jacques Werth. Jacques’ Toolkit helps identify methods of improving current prospecting, what to do when a potential client ignores messages, and the importance of persistence. Ren also shares some of his prospecting techniques and success rates. Eric Bates from My Virtual Detroit joins Ren for this week’s Promote Your Business segment. Eric talks about his easy to use website for business owners to advertise their services to prospective customers and the “real” incentives and prizes his site rewards. June 1, 2008 "Acquisition Targeting" Acquiring a new business is one way to grow your business quickly. Ren talked about the importance of targeting the correct acquisitions to properly fit into your business in terms of size, geography, price, and industry. Knowing which businesses NOT to buy is just as important as knowing which businesses to buy. Patrice Rennick from Arbonne International joined Ren to discuss the skin care products she sells. Patrice explained that the Arbonne products are made using quality ingredients which are safer than some store brands. Arbonne is a Multilevel Marketing company. Greg Johnson from 7 South was Ren’s second guest and discussed the importance of having proper IT support for your business. Greg discussed the many components of IT and how his company links them all together to provide reliable support for his clients. May 25, 2008 "What Makes a Business Successful" How to make a business successful. The Business Reality Network is all about how to begin and run a successful business. In this week’s program, Ren discusses the common traits he has noticed personally that make a business successful. As a guideline, the BRN will be providing a list of Bob Parson’s “16 Traits of a Successful Business” in this week’s newsletter. Ron Cocquyt, from Highlander Management joins Ren to talk about some little known facts and processes for franchising your business. May 18, 2008 "Strategic Marketing" A business without a strategic marketing plan is akin to a ship without a rudder. A wise entrepreneur will use and update his or her plan regularly as the business grows and changes. Ren spends the hour talking about the benefits and importance of reviewing both your short term and long term goals and revising where you are and where your business is headed. April 27, 2008 "The 'R' Word" You hear it everywhere; our country is in a recession. Ren talks about what you can do to drive sales and make your business profitable even in tough times. He also talked about if your culture is focused on the downturn in the economy, it can affect every aspect of an entrepreneur’s business if they let it. Michelle Kluge Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of the Michigan Business and Professional Association spent the second half of the show talking with Ren about women in business. Michelle talked about the many challenges that women face even today in the business world. April 20, 2008 “The show not about get rich quick schemes” discusses the myths and realities of Multilevel Marketing (MLM) or Pyramid Schemes. People become involved MLM products and services for many appealing reasons. Ren discusses some interesting statistics on the success, income, and time commitments involved with MLM. Michelle Kubernick of Gourmet Today is our first guest on the show’s “Talk about your business” segment. Michelle’s company delivers healthy meals to homes in the Metro Detroit area. Daily meal plans include 3 meals and a snack. Her greatest success story lost 100 pounds and kept it off! April 13, 2008 "Taxes" As Benjamin Franklin once said, “There is nothing certain in this life except death and taxes!” It’s the annual tax show! The weekend before April 15th, Ren discusses tips for dealing with last minute tax issues and audits. Bill Guertin and Andy Corbus co-authors of Reality Sells: How to Bring Customers Back Again and Again by Marketing Your Genuine Story join Ren this week to discuss marketing. Bill and Andy explain how to market with the truth about your business to serve as an asset. April 6, 2008 "It is All in the Title" Ren discusses a recent presentation he gave entitled, “Greed is good.” His customers had mixed feelings about the title, which led to a discussion about the impact of marketing and the perception it can create. Patrick Casey, president of Visicom, offers advice to new companies for deciding when to keep IT in-house and when to hire an outside provider. Pat reviews the pros and cons of upgrading computer software to the latest version. He also provides some sound guidance to a caller regarding wireless routing. March 30, 2008 "Happy Birthday BRN!" This week The Business Reality Network celebrates its third birthday on the air. Ren talks about having a strategic plan and how it aligns your staff with uniform goals. We also introduce our first “Plug Your Business” guest, Barry Olson from Project12baskets. Barry’s business acquires unwanted, used items and then auctions them to benefit multiple charities. Michael Balloch from TEC Detroit and Balloch Coaching also joins Ren in the studio. Michael talks about the different situations in which a business owner might want to acquire a business coach. March 23, 2008 "The Substitute" For the first time in the history of The Business Reality Network, Ren was not behind the microphone. Rob Rickert filled in as guest host of the show. Rob works for Ren as a Director at DAS Professional Services. Rob’s show discussed the excuses people make NOT to start their own business. Brian Kelly from Detroit Comics joined Rob to talk about the challenges in his area of starting a small business. March 16, 2008 "Keys of Invention" Have a great idea for a widget or service? Ren provides “An Inventor’s Checklist” with the do’s and don’ts of being an inventor, and what to do first if you have a new product or idea. Todd Palmer, President of Diversified Industrial Staffing, discusses the myths behind the negative employment headlines. Todd offers suggestions on how to be marketable in a changing work environment, and gives tips to prospective employers looking for the right kind of talent. March 9, 2008 "FORE!" The Business Reality Network broadcasts for the first time LIVE from The Michigan Golf Show at The Rock Financial Showplace in Novi. The show features four separate interviews from the floor of the show. Bob Lavine from Air-Cool discusses his innovative golf shirt design. Debbie Oberle, President of TPI Golf, talks about hosting charity golf outings. Mike Chumbler, head of Golf at Boyne, describes his facilities and attractions surrounding Boyne. Bill Green from Greenskeeper Golf discusses his business of installing putting greens in individual’s yards and even basements. Each business owner offers some unique insight for entrepreneurs. March 2, 2008 "Getting the Financing to Make Business Happen" What do business owners need to obtain bank financing in a tough economy? Ren discusses the five C’s; Character, Capacity, Capital, Collateral, and Conditions, lenders use to evaluate whether a venture is going to get the financing it needs. Eric McCabe, contestant of EMU’s Entrepreneurs Competition and Joseph Venuto from Collegiate Entrepreneurs’ Organization visit the show. Ren and Eric discuss his first place winning business model submission, while Joseph talks about The Entrepreneur Competition at EMU. February 24, "Shopping for a Business" Those looking to buy an existing business need to make sure they understand exactly what they are getting into before making the leap. Ren discusses the importance of learning as much as you can about a business you are considering purchasing. Many unwary entrepreneurs have found themselves in situations they did not expect because they did not do their due diligence. Larry Short from TEC Detroit and Don Clayton from Clayton and McKervey join Ren for an interview this week. They discuss how to grow a business, motivate employees, and the importance of having a good, strong team and a good business model. February 17, "Reality of Really Making Money" There are many creative ways to make money. Ren describes how two of his clients have become profitable in unique markets. John Anderson, business consultant from The CEO Advantage, joins Ren to discuss The Rockefeller Habits and other business models that have proven effective over time. John discusses prospecting potential clients and how “tried and true” life applications lead to success in personal and professional fields. February 10, “How’s the Boss?” Ren describes how to be the boss everyone wants to work with and go the “extra mile” for. Barry Moltz, business advocate, internationally touring public speaker, and author of the book, “Bounce” discusses entrepreneurial success and failure. Business owners grow to become successful. Failure is sometimes a positive starting point for something new. February 3, 2008 "Wolf in Sheep's Clothing" Ren wraps up his comments on guest, Tom Searcy, from last week. Next discussion; Quality of name brands vs. generic. Are you sure the item you just picked off the shelf is what you really want to buy? Is it a good idea to earn sales by lowering prices or by disguising products to look like a competitor's? Some businesses charge a premium for superb quality and service. The BRN is joined by Mark Adler of the Michigan Production Alliance. Mark discusses the film industry in Detroit, past, present and future. January 27, 2008 "Thar She Blows!" COMING SOON!!! How to obtain bank financing to help grow your business in a slow economy. By having your “ducks all in a row” you will be able to get the capital you need to take the next step with your business. Not many people could read through Herman Melville’s epic about an obsessed man’s hunt for a whale and think it makes a perfect correlation to the business world, but Tom Searcy is that person. Founder of “The Whale Hunters”, Tom and Ren discuss ways small and mid sized businesses can close large sales (i.e. whales). January 19, 2008 "Small Fish Eats Big Fish" There are three important ways savvy entrepreneurs can use the size of their small business to steal sales away from the “big boys” in their industry. Peggy Beadle from TEC Detroit joins Ren discuss the varying methods, and the importance of, conflict resolution to any business. January 12, 2008 "It's All About the Numbers" Creating a budget, is not just another function of being a business owner, but is an essential tool in understanding where your business has been, where it is now and where it is headed. Ren tackles the importance of doing a budget. He describes the methodology of creating a budget and the benefit of having a budget that grows and changes as your business grows and changes. If you have been considering private equity to help your company, Mark Carroll from Superior Capital Partners joins Ren to discuss opportunities private equity firms seek, and what they can do to help grow your business. January 5, 2008 "New Year, New Luck" Is it always about being at the right place at the right time, or can we create our own "good luck"? Ren dedicates the first hour to strategies to improve your business in 2008 by planning for both external and internal changes. The second hour was highlighted by Robert Anderson, Counselor at Law, Dawda, Mann, Muchahy & Sadler, PLC. Ren and Bob discussed the legal aspects of running a business. December 22, 2007 "2007 In Review" This is the time of the year we look back and evaluate what we've achieved and how to do things better in the following year. Ren reviews 2007, and discusses key tips on improving in 2008. The second hour, Andy Buyting, President of Green Village Home & Garden and author of Retailer's Roadmap to Success discusses his life lessons and keys to "growing" a successful business. December 15, 2007 "Indicators of Trouble" Everyone loves surprises, but not when it comes to your business. Ren covers key tips for recognizing trouble in your company. He discussed the importance of knowing your financials in order to identify problem areas and eliminate surprises. The second hour featured John Bailey, President of John Bailey & Associates. John's firm specializes in Public Relations. December 8, 2007 "Everything You Need to Know About Hunting Whales!" Ren dedicates the entire show to selling large clients (e.g. whales). Ren shares the tactics and methodologies learned from two workshops he attended that week. Ren also emphasizes the importance of mapping out every step of the sales process. December 1, 2007 "Year - End is Here" 2007 is almost over. Have you thought about your taxes yet? Ren discusses the concept behind Michigan sales tax, income taxes, tax planning and year-end tax strategies. The second hour of the show features Bill Wagner, CEO & Co - Founder of Accord Management Systems, Inc. and author of the book The Entrepreneur Next Door. November 17, "The Magic Behind Disney" We all can learn from the great companies in the world. Ren reviews a recent family trip to Walt Disney World in Orlando from a business point of view. Ren talks about Disney's focus on customer service and operational excellence. The second hour is highlighted by Michael Agnello, Owner of Michael Agnello Jewels. Ren and Michael discuss the high-end retail sales industry and customer service. November 3, "Advice from the Experts" Ron Cocquyt, President of Hylander Management Consultants, joins Ren to discuss the do's and don'ts of new product introduction and market testing. The second hour is highlighted by Tim Burns, Public Relations Director of the Better Business Bureau. October 27, "How to Recruit and Hire the Best?" What are the challenges in finding the right talent for your business? Ren discusses articles, tips and ideas on how to find employees who fit the company's culture and move the organization forward. Ren discusses how to write effective marketing ads to attract potential employees, the interview process as well as motivating and retaining employees. The second hour features Nathan Stull, President of Stull PLC. and Edward Hudson II, Attorney of Stull PLC. Topics includes the legal aspects of owning a business and estate planning. October 20, "Get MAXIMUM Results for MINIMUM Resources" Building a brand, getting people to buy from you and doing it at a low cost could be one of the most challenging tasks for a business owner. Ren talks about low cost, high impact tactics of marketing, where time, energy and imagination are the primary investments. The second hour is highlighted by Larry Short, Chairman of TEC Detroit and Donald Levitt, President of Levitt Consulting, Inc. They discuss the challenges and advantages of family-owned businesses. October 13, "Tax Laws Revisited" Things can get complicated when it comes to taxes. Ren spends the first hour of the show sharing his thoughts on Michigan's potential new tax laws, their effect on businesses, and strategies to plan for the changes. The second hour of the show features Hector Barreto, previous Administrator of the U.S. Small Business Administration and author of the book The Engine of America. October 6, "The Road Map for Business Success" Having a strategic plan for your business and executing it are vital pieces to achieving success. Ren talks about the importance of having a Strategic Plan and its relation to the company's Growth & Profits, Business Development, Anticipated Market Opportunities and Changes, and Emerging Competitive Forces. Brad Sugars, Founder of ActionCoach Business Coaching, returns for the second half of his discussion on the Billionaire In Training. Ronald B. Rich, Managing Partner of Ronald B. Rich & Associates, discusses ways to protect your business from customers who choose not to pay their bills. September 29, "Boiling Water" What do good marketers know? 4 P's of marketing: Promotion, Product, Place and Price, and how their concentration, arrangement and implementation vary. Help your company achieve or maintain competitive advantage in the marketplace. The second hour is highlighted by Brad Sugars, Founder of ActionCoach Business Coaching and author of the book Billionaire In Training. September 22, "The Big Picture" Businesses of any size need a strong internal structure to best serve their clients and succeed. Ren Carlton spent the program's first hour talking about the strategies behind internal functions of a business and how these functions reflect on the end user - the client. He also discussed the importance of finding the right staff to bring value to the customers leaving the owner time to focus on what they do best. The second hour of the show featured Bob Prosen, founder of the Prosen Center for Business Advancements and author of Kiss Theory Goodbye. September 15, "The Road to Recovery" The road to success for many entrepreneurs can be bumpy at times and lead to a wrong turn. But don't worry, seek help to get yourself right back on track. Successful entrepreneurs realize that asking for help is not an admission of failure but a necessary step for success. Ren Carlton spent this week's entire program helping our listeners learn how and when to get professional advice for their business through Turn Around Consulting. September 1, "Budgeting for Success" It's a simple fact: Small Business success and failure is measured by the bottom line. Before you get to the bottom line, you need a budget to guide your path. Ren Carlton spent one of his favorite hours of the broadcast year with our listeners, helping Detroit's small Business community budget their way to success. The second hour of the program was highlighted by an appearance by Ronald L. Hollis, President & CEO, Quickparts.com, and Author of Better Be Running August18, "The Sales Staff" When your business is ready to take the next step in the growth process, chances are you'll need to bring in a professional sales staff. It's important to make sure that the staff you hire is generating the revenue you need, at a cost that fits your budget.. Ren Carlton has built his business by maximizing his staff's potential, and motivating and coaching them toward success. He shared his thoughts on sales staff success with our listeners during the first hour of this show. The second hour featured a chat with David Gage, Co-Founder, BMC Associates, and author of The Partnership Charter. David is a noted mediator and consultant for business partnerships. August 11, "The Real Back Room Deal" Small business owners face many challenges while turning their dreams to reality. Sales, and revenue eliminate most of the roadblocks to small business success, but only if your company has a strong "back room" infrastructure. This program featured advice from Ren Carlton on the keys to business efficiency that can keep you on the track to success. Safety and security for your computers highlighted our second hour. Greg Johnson, President of 7 South Consulting, appeared to discuss computer systems and security with our listeners. August 4, "Getting a Good Buy" Choosing the right time to invest in a business is as crucial a step as any a small business owner will take. Our first hour featured Ren Carlton's advice on the appropriate timeline to make the most of your decision to buy into a business venture. Our second hour helped to answer questions surrounding job searches. Todd Palmer, of Diversified Industrial Staffing and Diversified People, LLC chatted with Ren about the effectiveness of staffing services in today's job market. July 21, The RIGHT Customers! One of the most common problems that small business owners face is trying to serve too many groups of customers at once. Ren Carlton spent the first hour of this program assisting our listeners in finding the ideal demographic group for their business. The second hour of the program featured Pat Salo, a counselor at the Michigan Small Business Technology Development Center. This group provides assistance and resources at low, or no cost to help the Small Business owner succeed in our state. July 14, Help me out, Coach! Sometimes, the hardest thing for a business owner to do for success is asking for help from outside sources. We all think we can do it alone, but sometimes a professional business coach can put you on the fast track to success. Ren spent today with Dawn Drozd, of ActionCoach Business Coaching. Drozd, a former small business owner like many of our listeners, met with Ren to discuss business coaching. June 23, "The Next Level" "I know the price of success: dedication, hard work, and an unremitting devotion to the things you want to see happen." --Frank Lloyd Wright. As Frank says, hard work is needed to see your business grow. Successful startups require work, a strong expansion plan and structure in order to grow. Ren Carlton spent the first hour of the program today helping our listeners take the steps that are needed to transform a desire to grow, into a plan for growth. The second hour of the program featured Randy Schwantz, President of The Wedge Group, and author of How to get your competition fired! June 16, "Marketing 101" Your business may offer just what the market needs, but unless you can get consumers in the door or on the phone, you're spinning your wheels. Effective promotion of your business is crucial to success. In the first hour of this Father's Day weekend program, Ren Carlton guided our listeners through the steps to creating an effective marketing plan. He also addressed the pitfalls many small business owners experiences when trying to market their business, and how you can avoid the most common mistakes. Michael Wickett, noted author, speaker, and owner of Wickett Corporate Training was Ren's guest for hour two. Michael gave our listeners many strategies for improving their chances for success. June 9, "Get the Word Out" Congratulations! Now that you've opened your dream business, you need to get customers in the door. There are many ways to promote a new business, from media advertising to mailers, and everything in between. Ren Carlton helped our listeners understand which options get you the exposure you need, at a price you can afford. The second hour of the program featured Dan Nichols, Founder of the Institute for Small Business Empowerment. Ren and Dan discussed the institute and its' impact on small business. June 2, "The Exit Strategy: Selling your Business" When you launch your business, it's hard to imagine the day when you hand it over to someone else. Ren Carlton reminds listeners on this show that an exit strategy is vital, even in the early stages. His steps to selling your business are key to your final success. The second hour featured some high-flying entertainment as Allison Williams, Co-Founder and Artistic Director of Aerial Angels appeared. May 26, "Service with a Smile" "Keep the customer happy" is the oldest rule in the book for business owners. Quality of customer service can make or break your business venture. Ren Carlton shared his thoughts on the vital issue of customer service with our audience this week. The program's second hour dealt with keeping your business productive and organized as we welcomed Karen T. Cynowa, from Time's Up Consulting to our microphones. May 19, "Money Talks" Whether you're an entrepreneur looking to start your dream small business, or a business owner looking to take your company to the next level, having enough money to make your move is essential to success. Ren Carlton spent time with our listeners on this program discussing the many options available to finance your dream, and the steps needed to find the right course of action for YOU. The second hour of our program featured a discussion of the sometimes overwhelming world of appraisals, liquidations, and auctions with Al Loewenstein, Director of Valuation Services U.S. Operations Maynards Industries, Inc. May 5, "The Laws of Attraction, and EMU, help YOU!" This rare two-guest show featured Nancy Wegierski, of Accelerated Performance, Inc. and Joseph Venuto, President , EMU CEO organization. In the first hour, Ren and Nancy discussed her upcoming seminar "The Secret is Out!" and the application of her "Laws of attraction" system. The show closed with a discussion of Eastern Michigan University's CEO group. April 28, 2007 "Where Am I Going?" The question "Where am I going" is one every business owner must answer for their venture to succeed. Ren Carlton helped our listeners begin to answer that question, discussing business growth and his Growth Guide. Sheryl Shenefelt, Certified Nutritionist & Author was Ren's guest for hour two. Her business, A Place to Be, L.L.C. has produced several books on leading a healthier life. April 21 2007 "Righting the Ship" Steps for turning around your business and putting it on the path to success highlighted this program. Ren Carlton shared his thoughts on the steps needed to help your business get back on the right track through Turn Around Consulting. The program's second hour featured a guest appearance by Rudy Merriweather from American Home Mortgage, Ren and Rudy discussed avoiding foreclosure of your property.
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