SMB Strategy Cast #17 - Municipal Wifi and the Small Business

• May 17, 2006


• Podcast Description – Cover business strategy topics that pertain to startup, small and medium business.


• In this episode - I will talk about the hot topic of municipal WiFi and how it affects small and medium business, as well as introduce the new format for this Poscast.


• I doubt you have been able to escape the articles on free and low cost wifi in Philadelphia and San Francisco over the last few months. Big names such as Google, Earth Link, and Cisco have been involved in the bidding process.
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• How will Municiapl WiFI affect your small or medium business? - The bottom line is that it will save you money and increase productivity. Some example how:
  

o You are staying in a Hotel in San Francisco – instead of paying the $9.99 a night in the hotel for access you log into the free wifi to check your email.
o You have remote sales people in Philadelphia that take orders on their laptops – now they can transmit instantaneously using the free wifi instead of waiting until latter when they have an Internet connection, are in the office or paying for wireless broadband.
o You employ people that work from home and need broadband which you pay for…


• This sounds great, but back to those Ads that the members of the press feel we should be worried about - I am not sure what to say, how about “there is no such thing as a free lunch” and we all realize this. Some one has to pay for the service and through advertising is much better that out of the small business’ pocket right?
  
• But the bottom line is that we the small business owners do get it. We want the free wifi and are willing to look at a couple ads in lieu of paying $6 for an hour at Starbucks, $12 for a night at a hotel or $80 for a month of wireless broadband.
  
• Link to article in eWeek by Andrew Garcia, "San Fran's Wi-Fi Plan Includes Ads".
  
• Music for today’s show was provided by to the podsafe music network at music.podshow.com. The artist is Bob Hughes (www.bobhughesmusic.com). Go to Bob's page on the podsafe music network.


• Email questions or comments to podcast@bizplanhelp.com
  
• For help with your business plan, startup or strategy project, check outwww.eaglestrategygroup.com and www.bizplanhelp.com


• Download this Episode

SMB Strategy Cast #16 - Business Plan - Financial Plan Part 2

• May 5, 2006


• Podcast Description – Cover business strategy topics that pertain to startup, small and medium business.


• In this episode - This is the second episode in a 2 part series on the FINANCIAL PLAN.


• Will cover what is included in the Financial Plan and give tips for creating the Financial Plan
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• Using Microsoft Excel or another spreedsheet program to set up the financial statements


• In general, create forecasted financial plans with 3 Years – 1st year by Month, 2nd & 3rd year by quarter.


• I like to build the Excel with 6 sheets, 3 are for internal discussions: Assumptions, Startup Costs, and Projections. The other three sheets are the financials that will get copied into the business plan: P&L, Balance Sheet, Cash Flow.
  
• Assumptions – Big Picture Text to set the reader’s mindset – Example: Revenue in the first year will be $2 million and grow 10% per year.
  
• Startup Costs – What is needed to get the business up and running or get a product into production? Examples: Equipment, Real Estate, Salaries, etc.
  
• Projections – Detailed profit and loss by month for the 3 years. On the P&L you show revenue, on the Projection you break down the revenue into its major components. Example – A product company may show major products or product lines and show the sales by month and use the assumption of growth by 10% per year.
  
• P&L – I actually put three statements on this sheet. Three year annual, which is just the total form the other two statements, 1st year by month, and 2nd & 3rd year by quarter. Most of the items on the P&L are just sums form the projection page.
  
• Balance Sheet and Cash flow are the final two sheets. – like P&L I include three statement: 3 year annual, first year by month, and 2nd & 3rd year by quarter.
  
  
• Podsafe Music at beginning and end of show - MSFF, “Brooklyn”. For more info on MSFF go to there page on the podsafe music network. Or, for more podsafe music go to music.podshow.com.


• Email questions or comments to podcast@bizplanhelp.com
  
• For help with your business plan, startup or strategy project, check outwww.eaglestrategygroup.com and www.bizplanhelp.com


• Download this Episode

SMB Strategy Cast #15 - Business Plan - Financial Plan Part 1

• March 21, 2006


• Podcast Description – Cover business strategy topics that pertain to startup, small and medium business.


• In this episode - This is the first episode in a 2 part (maybe 3 part) series on the FINANCIAL PLAN.


• Will cover what is included in the Financial Plan and give tips for creating the Financial Plan
.

• Using Microsoft Excel or another spreedsheet program to set up the financial statements


• In general, create forecasted financial plans with 3 Years – 1st year by Month, 2nd & 3rd year by quarter.


• Include P&L (Income Statement), Balance Sheet, and Cash Flow Statements
  
• Podsafe Music at beginning and end of show - Alex Brooke, “Goshfunk”. For more info on Alex Brooke go to http://japanese.libsyn.com/ or on the podsafe music network. Or, for more podsafe music go to music.podshow.com.


• FYI - Alex's site includes a podcast on learning Japanese.
• Email questions and comments to – podcast@bizplanhelp.com


• For help with your business plan, startup or strategy project, check outwww.eaglestrategygroup.com and www.bizplanhelp.com


• Download this Episode

SMB Strategy Cast #14 - Business of Podcasting Part 3

• February 10, 2006


• Podcast Description – Cover business strategy topics that pertain to startup, small and medium business.


• In this episode - This is the final episode in a 3 part series along with episode 12 and episode 13 on the BUSINESS OF PODCASTING.


• To download episode 12 or 13 go to the Episode#12 Show Notes or the Episode#13 Show Notes.
  
• The Results - The following table shows the listeners by month of the SMB Strategy Cast and the unique visitors to www.eaglestrateggroup.com and www.bizplanhelp.com.

• Next episode - Financial section of the business plan.


• Podsafe Music at beginning and end of show Bluesmen Get Hungry – “Podigy”. For more info on Bluesmen Get Hungry go to www.bluesmengethungry.com or their page on the podsafe music network. Or, for more podsafe music go to music.podshow.com.
• Email questions and comments to – podcast@bizplanhelp.com


• For help with your business plan, startup or strategy project, check outwww.eaglestrategygroup.com and www.bizplanhelp.com


• Download this Episode

SMB Strategy Cast - Episode#13 - Business of Podcasting Part 2

• February 1, 2006


• Podcast Description – Cover business strategy topics that pertain to startup, small and medium business.


• In this episode - Continue the discussion of BUSINESS OF PODCASTING.


• Specifically -
  o Why I got into podcasting - what my goals where and are was covered in Episode# 12 - Part 1 of the Business of Podcasting. Go to Episode#12 show notes to download.
  o What the business decisions where and my business strategy going forward. Also touched in Episode #12 and summed up as "Getting Above the Noise".
  o The Results - what I have learned along the way - I am going to spend some time on Search Engine Optimization SEO and my stats since starting the plan.


• The Business Decision
  o Sales Funnel – get as many potential customers in the top and have touch points to closing a deal.
  o More traffic = more people in the top of the funnel
  o Podcast/Shownotes = another touch point with potential customers
  o Repetitive contact – in advertising there is a rule of thumb that you need to get an ad in front of a customer 10 times before it is noticed.


• Big Picture Results - will pick up the detail in next episode.
  o Listeners grew to 1,500 per month from 1st episode mid-October to the end of December.
  o Web traffic almost doubled in the same period.


• Next episode - What I have learned as well as my web and podcast stats.


• Podsafe Music at beginning of show was Barely Hi-Fi – “In Certain Circles” (www.barelyhifi.co.uk). Link to Barely Hi-Fi on the Podsafe Music Network or go to the Podsafe Music Network at music.podshow.com.


• Email questions and comments to – podcast@bizplanhelp.com


• For help with your business plan, startup or strategy project, check outwww.eaglestrategygroup.com and www.bizplanhelp.com


• Download this Episode

SMB Strategy Cast #12 - Business of Podcasting

• Friday the 13th, January 2006


• Podcast Description – Cover business strategy topics that pertain to startup, small and medium business.


• In this episode - I am taking a couple episodes off from the discussion of the Business Plan and instead going to talk about the BUSINESS OF PODCASTING.


• Specifically -
  o Why I got into podcasting - what my goals where and are.
  o What the business decisions where and my business strategy going forward.
  o I am going to spend some time on Search Engine Optimization SEO and my stats since starting the plan.


• Why I got into Podcasting – a short timeline
  o October 2004 – I saw a one paragraph article in Business2.0 or Wired Mag on what’s hot mentioning Adam Curry and podcasting. So, I began downloading his podcast and eventually downloaded the ipoder lemon (now called juice) to automatically add Adam’s and other podcasts to iTunes.
  o January 2005 – I say to myself I can do this, afterall I am a former college radio DJ. I hooked a mic to my desktop and downloaded some freeware and recorded a test show The sound card was so bad it sucked, so I never got going. I continue to listen to other shows.
  o February 2005 – I start Eagle Strategy Group and setup www.eaglestrategygroup.com. Podcast put on the back burner.
  o August 2005 – I setup a 2nd web site bizplanhelp.com. To center on business plan resources and drive traffic back to eaglestrategygroup.com. Start spending more time on SEO.
  o September 2005 – podcasts are on itunes, I need to put together a podcast to sell my work and from an SEO standpoint get above noise. Since my tests earlier in the year I had received a Sony laptop and when I tested again the quality was good and it is what I am using today.
  o October 2005 – recorded and published my first Podcast.


• Next episode - Goals for a business to get into pocasting as well as my web and podcast stats.


• Podsafe Music at beginning of show was Chub Creek Music – “Episode 9 Fake Band Intro” (www.chubcreek.com). Link to Chub Creek on the Podsafe Music Network provided by the Podsafe Music Network at music.podshow.com.


• Email questions and comments to – podcast@bizplanhelp.com


• For help with your business plan, startup or strategy project, check outwww.eaglestrategygroup.com and www.bizplanhelp.com


• Download this Episode