Good Problems Mean Your Business Works | Businessing

Good Problems Mean Your Business Works | Businessing

You know that line in the old movies when somebody says it's quiet...it's too quiet? That's your business in the calm right before everything hits the fan, and today I make the case that having more problems is actually a sign things are working. I walk through three ways to go find better problems when your to-do list feels too comfortable, then Gjeret Stein joins me to talk about his new book, Cheap IT Is Expensive. If you've ever handed your website, email, or domain to a vendor and never looked back, this one's a wake-up call. We close with the daily Fridays Off framework: find free time, fund the business, finish the right stuff. It's a quick listen for any owner who wants to stop coasting and run for the ice cream truck while they still can. In this episode: 00:00 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YD_kFcEW10Q] - Why good problems mean your business is working 02:30 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YD_kFcEW10Q&t=150s] - Three ways to find better problems in your business 04:48 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YD_kFcEW10Q&t=288s] - Don't get old: run for the ice cream 05:40 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YD_kFcEW10Q&t=340s] - Gjeret Stein on why cheap IT is expensive 07:49 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YD_kFcEW10Q&t=469s] - You don't actually own your email or your domain 11:51 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YD_kFcEW10Q&t=711s] - A checklist to take back control of your business tech 14:47 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YD_kFcEW10Q&t=887s] - AI privacy: free tools versus paid enterprise tools 17:24 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YD_kFcEW10Q&t=1044s] - Headlines: the Iran timeline and falling oil prices 18:26 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YD_kFcEW10Q&t=1106s] - Toy Story 5 breaks an animation record 20:03 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YD_kFcEW10Q&t=1203s] - The positive AI story we actually need 22:36 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YD_kFcEW10Q&t=1356s] - How to discount without lowering your price 25:34 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YD_kFcEW10Q&t=1534s] - Find free time, fund the business, finish the right stuff Resources mentioned: * Gjeret Stein's book, Cheap IT Is Expensive (e-book on sale through Friday) * Athena Legal Solutions, today's sponsor: athenalegalsolutionsllc.com * Paul's Jewelers and the 7C's Cafe in West Allis: paulsjewelers.com / 7cs.cafe * Google's live translation feature * Check in live during the show: live.smallbusinesscommunity.com 🎙️ Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@PatMillerFri... [https://www.youtube.com/@PatMillerFridaysOff?sub_confirmation=1] 🎧 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast... [https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbW1nWFB6TUpCX19DcUZFQ1IzRHRMbDk3bVEzUXxBQ3Jtc0tsRFJRbUMwOENUZzVXNjk0VEpYTXdhTldDU20ycDN0cDFJTVFpaUd2MVRLRDFRRjBublRzWVVnVm9ial9tSUl1bC14d2tFYTUwX0pLaktqVkdjSjlpUzE5V3FvbmhTMm9zZHN2djV5MVJaTlkwTzFrdw&q=https%3A%2F%2Fpodcasts.apple.com%2Fus%2Fpodcast%2Fbusinessing-with-pat-miller%2Fid1870663109&v=YD_kFcEW10Q] 🌐 Listen anywhere: https://businessing.captivate.fm/listen [https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbUttVk13SWc2bzhGNmhhdGNBcjloSHdZdFY5QXxBQ3Jtc0ttUV9mNEp0NnR5M05MRFROZWpocWpTVFQ2N25nejhGS3VXS0FiYlNzMjhtSWVVbG9XZ2dIa0wyaUFGRDRHWWJrX1haanZMczFTQ080VzQyeTUteG84RDlpS2M2WUt1ZmI5YTdNRk8zX2RzMXI5WVhTQQ&q=https%3A%2F%2Fbusinessing.captivate.fm%2Flisten&v=YD_kFcEW10Q] 📬 Fridays Off Newsletter: https://fridaysoffnewsletter.com [https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbFNrZmxHQlFwczVtN2pCTXhWZ3RoYmxxX3g1QXxBQ3Jtc0tuR25mUjN0OG9yN2MxdGpMeEJyV0tJNVNTaWtXX3BWU2tJM01QVGRlUVpPaV9GamV6YXd2WHNxWnRINm93c0NUNzVEU09JT1FlMk1Db0o3SEJweldvU0FsMklKaUROUzUyMXJvVXVwbjg3X0NabGJSWQ&q=https%3A%2F%2Ffridaysoffnewsletter.com%2F&v=YD_kFcEW10Q] 👥 Small Business Owners Community: https://smallbusinesscommunity.com [https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbWFsS3BJMUxLUzNUM3NROXM4SHg1eFJMQjJvUXxBQ3Jtc0tseFRUVUVzOF9TVUFnTURRUnhYY2pDOHpqTzV6THNDN0dUZjRaVEtUMUpRQ005eHBuR2RDUEY4RGQyLVZpLXBlMGdrZWYxVWJfcFlCUkJoaFdnU0tuVnlJazFIVG9IWE1vei02OWs5M09zcXZuekN5WQ&q=https%3A%2F%2Fsmallbusinesscommunity.com%2F&v=YD_kFcEW10Q]#SmallBusiness [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/smallbusiness] #Entrepreneurship [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/entrepreneurship] #PatMiller [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/patmiller] #SmallBusinessIT [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/smallbusinessit] #Cybersecurity [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/cybersecurity]

Small Business Burnout? 3 Ways to Reset | Businessing

Small business burnout is real, and when you're the business, you can't afford to run at 80%. If things feel heavy and slow and harder than they need to be, this one's for you. I've got three ways to relight the fire. I just got back from a week off, a twelve hundred mile golf trip with my dad, and it reminded me exactly how a solo owner gets the spark back. Put the phone down and get off the algorithm. Get in person, where the stuff you can't plan for happens. And get in the car for a road trip, because there's nothing like being somewhere new to recharge your battery. Then Carolyn Jahnke from Athena Legal Solutions walks through why owners wait too long to call a lawyer and how to protect yourself before things go sideways, and we run a live Idea Slam with wedding DJ Alex Perez of AMP Events on how to book more gigs under his own brand. In this episode: 00:00 - Back from vacation and what's on today's show 01:50 - Why burnout hits solo business owners harder 03:10 - Beat burnout step 1: put your phone down 05:31 - Beat burnout step 2: get in person 07:51 - Beat burnout step 3: take a road trip 14:26 - Why business owners wait too long to call a lawyer (Athena Legal) 18:43 - Urgent vs important in your contracts 20:22 - What jurisdiction and venue clauses really mean 21:59 - What AI means for your contracts and terms of service 23:02 - The free Legal Confidence Review 26:13 - Paul's Jewelers and the 7C's Cafe 28:17 - Idea Slam: how a wedding DJ books more gigs (Alex Perez) 31:01 - Sell the transformation, not the service 35:28 - Positioning AMP Events: it's all about you 39:35 - QR codes, reviews, and recording the mix as a gift 46:59 - SBOC update and weekly Idea Slams in July Resources mentioned: - Athena Legal Solutions, free Legal Confidence Review with Carolyn Jahnke: athenalegalsolutionsllc.com/businessingwithpatmiller - Paul's Jewelers and the 7C's Cafe, West Allis WI: paulsjewelers.com / 7cs.cafe - Alex Perez, DJ AMP / AMP Events (Houston wedding and event DJ) - Gig platforms discussed: The Knot, The Bash, Thumbtack - Prairie Club, Nebraska (the golf trip) Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@PatMillerFridaysOff?sub_confirmation=1 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/businessing-with-pat-miller/id1870663109 Listen anywhere: https://businessing.captivate.fm/listen Fridays Off Newsletter: https://fridaysoffnewsletter.com Small Business Owners Community: https://smallbusinesscommunity.com #SmallBusiness #Entrepreneurship #PatMiller #Burnout #Solopreneur #SmallBusinessTips

How to Actually Take a Week Off | Businessing with Pat Miller

Taking time off isn't optional. You're going to take it whether you like it or not, because if you don't, you'll get sick or burn out or both. So you might as well lean into rest as part of a healthy business. This is Pat's last show before a full week off, so he walks through exactly how he gets ready to actually disconnect: the five steps to claim a week, clean it out, keep your business telling its story while you're gone, hand the work back to your partners, and then truly go. Then Katherine Breuss from AG45 joins as a guest and shares her "5 A's" diagnostic for finding the real problem in your business instead of the one that's just throbbing like a sore toe. Plus the news you need to know, why 45% of diners just switched their favorite restaurant and what that means for your client list, and Samsung letting new hires pick their own AI. In this episode: 00:00 - It's Thursday, and we are Businessing 01:05 - Big story: your next vacation isn't optional 03:25 - The 5 steps to actually take a week off 12:40 - News you need to know: Pentagon lockdown, Iran, and restaurant loyalty 17:05 - Sponsor: Athena Legal Solutions 18:50 - Guest interview: Katherine Breuss and the 5 A's diagnostic 33:40 - AI story: Samsung lets employees pick their AI tool 36:05 - Sponsor: Paul's Jewelers and the 7C's Cafe 38:05 - In the community: Substack vs blogging and a live Idea Slam 39:50 - Fridays Off Framework: find time, fund the business, finish the right stuff 41:35 - Where Pat's headed: a week of golf in Nebraska Resources mentioned: - Katherine Breuss, AG45 (Accelerate Growth 45), and her "Become a True Business Owner" assessment: AG45.com - The 5 A's diagnostic: All in, Aligned, Advocates, Act, Accountable - Samsung letting new employees choose their AI tool (ChatGPT, Gemini, or Claude) - Athena Legal Solutions: athenalegalsolutionsllc.com - Paul's Jewelers, West Allis, WI: paulsjewelers.com - 7C's Cafe, inside Paul's Jewelers: 7cs.cafe - Check in on the live map: live.smallbusinesscommunity.com 🎙️ Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@PatMillerFridaysOff?sub_confirmation=1 🎧 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/businessing-with-pat-miller/id1870663109 🌐 Listen anywhere: https://businessing.captivate.fm/listen 📬 Fridays Off Newsletter: https://fridaysoffnewsletter.com 👥 Small Business Owners Community: https://smallbusinesscommunity.com #SmallBusiness #Entrepreneurship #PatMiller #WorkLifeBalance #TimeOff #Burnout

Gamify Your Customer Loyalty | Businessing with Pat Miller

Chipotle just gamified its rewards program with visit streaks, monthly challenges, and local leaderboards. You're not Chipotle, but that doesn't mean you can't borrow the idea and gamify the way you keep customers coming back. This one's about giving your customer loyalty a little life and a little bounce. Pat walks through a pile of low-budget ways to gamify referrals, your newsletter, your social media, and repeat business, no fancy app required. Then photographer Michael Cohn comes on for an Idea Slam, and together they take the entire world of photography down to one thing he can own, a personal storytelling business nobody else in his town is doing. Plus the inflation number you need to know, why today's a good day to raise your prices, Hasbro renting out cartoon personalities through AI, and Pat's honest review of Claude's new Fable model. In this episode: 00:00 - Wednesday, and we are Businessing 01:00 - Big story: how to gamify your customer loyalty 07:00 - Stuff you should know: inflation hits 4.2% and why to raise your prices 10:00 - The World Cup starts tomorrow, and why owners should care 12:00 - Sponsor: Athena Legal Solutions 14:00 - Idea Slam: Michael Cohn becomes a market of one 31:00 - AI story: Hasbro's behavioral licensing and a Claude Fable review 39:00 - Sponsor: Paul's Jewelers and the new 7C's Cafe 41:00 - In the community: 197 members and self-promotion Wednesday 43:00 - Fridays Off Framework: find time, fund the business, finish the right stuff Resources mentioned: - Chipotle's gamified rewards program (visit streaks, challenges, leaderboards) - ManyChat, the social messaging tool with a free tier (thanks, Nikki) - Hasbro's behavioral licensing, voiced through ElevenLabs - Claude's new Fable model from Anthropic - Michael Cohn, photographer, Birmingham, Alabama - Athena Legal Solutions: athenalegalsolutionsllc.com - Paul's Jewelers, West Allis, WI: paulsjewelers.com - 7C's Cafe, inside Paul's Jewelers: 7cs.cafe - Check in on the live map: live.smallbusinesscommunity.com 🎙️ Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@PatMillerFridaysOff?sub_confirmation=1 🎧 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/businessing-with-pat-miller/id1870663109 🌐 Listen anywhere: https://businessing.captivate.fm/listen 📬 Fridays Off Newsletter: https://fridaysoffnewsletter.com 👥 Small Business Owners Community: https://smallbusinesscommunity.com #SmallBusiness #Entrepreneurship #PatMiller #CustomerLoyalty #Gamification #AIForSmallBusiness

The Calculator Moment for Knowledge Work | Businessing with Pat Miller

The calculator moment hit knowledge work. If you sell training, education, or consulting, the way you make money just changed. When the calculator showed up, knowing long division stopped being the valuable part. Pat makes the case that AI is the calculator moment for knowledge work, and your clients won't be the ones pulling the levers anymore. They'll hand the how to their AI junior employee, so your job shifts from teaching the how to teaching the what must be done. Then Barbara Fausett from Money Masters Bookkeeping comes on for an Idea Slam about whether to launch a second brand for her fractional CFO work. Plus Sweden pulls phones out of schools, only 4% of new jobs are fully remote, and the books and music the SBOC uses to get fired up. In this episode:00:00 The calculator moment for knowledge work06:30 Sweden bans phones in schools09:30 Your content diet: what the SBOC is reading and listening to12:30 Guessing game: only 4% of new jobs are fully remote17:30 Sponsor: Athena Legal Solutions19:30 Idea Slam: Barbara Fawcett on launching a second brand31:30 AI story of the day: the new Claude model34:30 Sponsor: Paul's Jewelers and the Seven C's Cafe is open37:30 SBOC update and this week's events39:30 Fridays Off: free time, funding, finishing the right stuff Resources mentioned:Barbara Fausett, Money Masters Bookkeeping Athena Legal Solutions: https://athenalegalsolutionsllc.com [https://athenalegalsolutionsllc.com] Paul's Jewelers and the 7C's Cafe Books from the SBOC: Sahil Bloom "The Five Types of Wealth," Dan Martell "Buy Back Your Time," Cal Newport "Slow Productivity," plus Mel Robbins, Ed Mylett, Emma Grede, and Dean Jackson Small Business Owners Community: https://smallbusinesscommunity.com [https://smallbusinesscommunity.com] 🎙️ Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@PatMillerFridaysOff?sub_confirmation=1 [https://www.youtube.com/@PatMillerFridaysOff?sub_confirmation=1]🎧 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/businessing-with-pat-miller/id1870663109 [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/businessing-with-pat-miller/id1870663109]🌐 Listen anywhere: https://businessing.captivate.fm/listen [https://businessing.captivate.fm/listen]📬 Fridays Off Newsletter: https://fridaysoffnewsletter.com [https://fridaysoffnewsletter.com]👥 Small Business Owners Community: https://smallbusinesscommunity.com [https://smallbusinesscommunity.com] #SmallBusiness #Entrepreneurship #PatMiller #AIForSmallBusiness #KnowledgeWork #RemoteWork