NEWARK, NJ—-James A. Kocsi, New Jersey district director of the U.S. Small Business Administration commends Bruce Freeman, also known as The Small Business Professor, upon the publication of his 250th newspaper column, representing five years of journalistic service to the small business community.

David Nielsen, assistant managing editor of Scripps Howard News Service joins the SBA in congratulating Freeman on his column’s longevity. “Scripps Howard is proud to provide a forum for a successful professional like Bruce Freeman. As a college professor, public relations executive, published author and radio commentator, Bruce gives our readers the practical perspective that small business owners appreciate.” Ask the Small Business Professor is distributed to more than 300 newspapers throughout the United States who subscribe to the Scripps Howard News Service.

Noting Freeman’s commitment to small business, Kocsi said, “In today’s economy, dedicated professionals like Bruce are playing an important role in helping small business owners navigate today’s business landscape. The Small Business Professor’s case studies and radio spots provide a host of inspirational stories for entrepreneurs interested in starting or expanding a small business. The more recent version of his column “Ask the Small Business Professor” focuses on expert answers to questions that many small business owners face every day.”

“Ask the Small Business Professor” covers topics that bring awareness and expert information in a concise manner,” says Julia Frankel, Director of Right Direction Educational Resource Services. Ari Rabban, CEO of Phone.com concurs. “Bruce Freeman understands the problems that small business owners face and provides concrete answers to their questions.”

In addition to his Scripps Howard “Small Business Professor” column, for which he won the SBA Journalist of the year (NJ) in 2006, Freeman is a successful entrepreneur, president of ProLine Communications, a public relations company headquartered in Livingston, NJ. Freeman co-authored Birthing the Elephant (Ten Speed Press, a division of Random House 2008) a start-up guide for women entrepreneurs. He demonstrates his commitment to young people by serving as an adjunct professor of entrepreneurship at both Seton Hall and Kean Universities. Freeman is also a frequent commentator for the Smallbiz America Radio Network.

The Midas Guide to Credit and Business Funding

The Business Credit Builder

Here are some of the questions guiding our discussion with Theresa M. Welbourne, Ph.D:

1. I wanted to start with the research you’re involved with. How are you conducting this research and what is it telling you about the qualitative connection between leadership, change management, human resources and a company performance?
2. If our listeners are interested in learning more about the research you’re doing or even about participating, how can they get more information?
3. Let’s shift gears. Your company is eePulse, Inc. What exactly does eePulse do?
4. What do many companies get wrong about how to manage growth and the resulting cultural changes that come with that growth? Give us a sense of the tone you might find struggling in this area.
5. How does Measurecom™ work?
6. You’re an adjunct professor of Executive Education at the University of Michigan Business School. Tell us about your activities there and how they inform the work your doing in the real business world.

Here are some of the questions that guided this segment with Mr. Groves:

1. You’ve been with Constant Contact since 2001. How has the email marketing space evolved since you first started in this space?

2. I know you travel around the world for various speaking engagements. What are you hearing in terms of the challenges small businesses owners are facing today in the area of email marketing?

3. What is Constant Contact?

4. What specific elements should a campaign include?

5. Are their particular email marketing FORMATS or tips you can share—-that tend to help increase open rates and conversions?

6. What can small businesses do to make the final quarter success and to prepare for the holiday season?

7. How does Constant Contact coach customers about the matter of integrating the various social networking tools like Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn?

8. Any other advice for small businesses looking to impress and delight their customers

9. Where do small businesses go if they want to learn more?

Scott Letourneau is an expert speaker and consultant on all matters relating to forming and funding your start up enterprise.
Here are some of the questions that guided this interview segment:

1. I do want to talk about getting capital for small businesses, but first I wanted to spend some time on the subject of business startups. Given the employment environment—-many new small businesses are popping up—entrepreneurs, solopreneurs, home-based businesses. Why do so many new small businesses fail?
2. What are the most common pitfalls for these new entrepreneurs and how can they avoid getting into trouble.
3. You’ve got a lot of expertise around getting capital for a business in any stage of growth. What are some of the best ways for a small business owners to secure cash or capital in this current environment—we’re sitting in early August of 2009.
4. Are we going to see a tsunami of credit card defaults soon?
5. Let’s shift gears—you’re the founder of Nevada Corporate Planners, Inc. What do newbees to the business arena not understand about the how and where to incorporate their new business startup?
6. You’re a contributor to the new book,“Entrepreneur Magazine’s Start Up series” Start Your Own Information Marketing Business—Your Step-by-Step Guide to Success. Tell us a little about the book—how is it structured and what kinds of ideas will we find in it?
7. What are some of the activities you’re involved with and how can we learn more about Scott Letourneau’s universe?

Contact Information:
Scott Letourneau
Fast Business Credit, Inc. &
Nevada Corporate Planners, Inc.
7477 W. Lake Mead Blvd., Ste. 170
Las Vegas, NV 89128
Mailing Address:
PO Box 28909
Las Vegas, NV, 89126
Toll-free: (888) 313-6333
Toll-free: (888-627-7007
Local: (702) 367-7373
Fax: (702) 220-6444
Web Site: http://www.FastBusinessCredit.com
Web Site: http://www.nvinc.com
E-mail: info@FastBusinessCredit.com
E-mail: ncp@nvinc.com

Rick is publisher at Morgan James Publishing in New York. They’ve published over 150 books in 2008 and are always looking for wonderful non- fiction authors who have a “platform”.

Tom Krekel’s business and leadership skills grew from more than 30 years as a top executive and business owner in the newspaper industry. He started his own company that published weekly newspapers in suburban Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The companies Tom ran ranged in employment from as few as seven to as many as 200.

In 2007, he left the newspaper industry to return to New Mexico, retiring as President of an Advance Publications company in New Jersey which published 20 newspapers with over 300,000 circulation.

For ten years, Tom participated as a CEO member in a peer advisory board in Milwaukee. That experience plus his special interest in small business development led to his interest in building Executive Forums in New Mexico.

He has been selected to leadership in state and national associations having been President of the Wisconsin Free Community Papers, and First Vice President of the national Association of Free Community Papers (AFCP). He was President of the 100 member Waukesha Rotary Club during his fifteen year tenure with that organization. He’s a past board member of both the Wisconsin and New Jersey State Press Associations.

The Wisconsin native earned a BA in journalism at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Tom received his MBA from the University of Wisconsin—Milwaukee.

His interests include fitness, golf, and reading. He is a member of the Del Norte Rotary Club, The New Mexico Angels, Albuquerque Economic Development and The Executive Association of Greater Albuquerque.

Marc’s methodologies, models, and ideas are utilized by many successful organizations including Nokia, G.E., Marriott, Genentech, O.C. Tanner, Oracle, Dun & Bradstreet, Delta Systems, Sun Microsystems, and Siemens Medical.

Here are some of the questions guiding this interview segment:

1. In your new book, A Seat At The Table, you show how top salespeople connect and drive decisions at the executive level. Why is this so important?

2. Have you helped others earn “a seat at the table”?

3. Why don’t senior executives see salespeople as consultative partners?

4. What is the one key to achieving radically better sales results?

5. What misconceptions do salespeople have when it comes to selling to high-level executives?

6. How can a salesperson quit talking about expenses-products and services-and start having discussions about investments-productivity and differentiation?

7. What type of questions (FOCAS) should a great salesperson always ask an executive?

8. Why do most salespeople think they are providing strategic value when in fact they are not?

9. Why are salespeople reluctant to try and influence a senior executive to consider a new way of doing things?

10. How can salespeople get a better handle on their true competency level?

11. You developed something called the Sogistics Smartpen. What exactly does it do and how is it helpful to the sales process?

12. Why do you say every salesperson has to confront the same problems a potential client has?

13. What is a value pipeline and how does one develop one?

14. How is the economy influencing the behavior and mindset of salespeople and executives?

15. How can a salesperson “be like Velcro?” Describe your analogy…

16. Why do you say: “The first step in improving selling effectiveness lies in understanding that not all sales are created equal?”

17. What are the big four decisions that all senior executives will need to make in their quest to sustain growth of their companies?

18. Why do you stress salespeople discuss the strategic, not the tactical, and to build a foundation, not push a product while conversing with a senior executive?

19. What are examples of what you call “concern questions” and how do they move the processing of a sale along?

20. Why do you believe the most important tool a salesperson can bring to the table is a “mirror” that forces honest reflection on the current reality?

21. How does a salesperson paint an “end-game vision” to a prospective client?

In a business that’s one of the toughest when it comes to employees——Dave’s average employee tenure is 8 years—-amazing!

Here are some of the questions guiding this discussion:

1. When you listen to the plight of franchisees—-what are some of the biggest challenges they’re facing with their employees?
2. It’s been said that you’ve more or less cracked the code on employee recruiting and retention—-you’ve promoted many entry-level employees from delivery to management. What do you look for when you’re hiring at the entry level?
3. Many of our listeners have small businesses—-not only in the food service industry but all kinds of businesses. How do you recommend business owners keep the culture, the game, the day-to-day work environment interesting and engaging for their employees?
4. Let’s shift to marketing and advertising. It’s been said that the New York Pizza Market is one of the most if not THE most competitive out there. When you meet with the franchisees about marketing—-what does that discussion look like?
5. How do you break through the clutter?
6. In your advertising mix—-What is the relative balance of Domino’s Brand and, for example, coupons and more direct-response mechanisms?
7. Why do your think Dominos has been so successful in this crowded and competitive business?—-what do they know that the others don’t?
8. When you and Tim McIntire set out to write the book, Hire The American Dream, what did you want to say that other books have not said?
9. Who is the book written for, and what can readers expect to get from it?

Tonia Tomlin is a professional organizer and founder of Sorted Out™ organizing service, which offers a wide range of consulting and organizing services geared towards helping clients conquer disorganization. She has been featured in numerous local, regional, and national print and broadcast media outlets, including HGTV’s “Mission: Organization“program. She is also the author of Chaos 2 Calm – the moms-of-multiple’s guide to an organized family. Tonia talks about the challenges of running a business and a family and keeping it all organized and working.

Terry Ostrowiak
Author of: The Greatest Book on Coaching-For Small Business.

Currently operates as a Master Coach to The Small Business Company providing resources and coaching services to Small Business Owners.

He is The Quantum Leap Catalyst-A Global Coaching Consultancy.

Creator and Founder of SuperCatalyst.com—an alliance of select professionals designed to “Create Quantum Leap Results in Organizations”.

Conducted an Organizational Culture Change Project for the GTS group at ABN AMRO Bank and continues to provide ongoing Professional Coaching and Mentoring Services for Senior Managers and high potentials.

Coached the Management Team at Symmetry—a healthcare provider for people who suffer from pain

Appointed special advisor to the International Federation of Professional Coaches and Mentors—A South African based organization,
focused on developing and certifying Professional Coaches.

Main Focus: Executive Catalyst who inspires Business Leaders to achieve Quantum-leap, Bottom-Line Results.
Also measures and evaluates Organizational Culture and Values, then coaches executives and management for Long—-Term Superior Performance Results.

He has been a featured speaker at numerous international conferences, and has shared the platform with Earl Nightingale, a personal friend, and Og Mandino. In The Netherlands he was rated the most practical speaker at an international conference on Mergers and Acquisitions.

Terry Ostrowiak’s career in coaching, training and personal development spans over 40 years and includes experience in over 26 countries.

From 1975-1987, Terry ran one of the most successful independent Dale Carnegie© operations in the world from his base, in Johannesburg, South Africa. He received the much-coveted “International President’s Cup” three times for excellence in generating and conducting quality business.

In 1979, with sponsorship from Caterpillar, Terry pioneered the first “Youth Leadership Program” which trained mixed race and white high school students in communications, human relations and personal development to introduce them to the world of business. For most students it was the first time ever that they had interacted with other racial groups on an equal level.

From 1987 – 1998, Terry was based in The Netherlands where he organized and conducted Coaching Programs and Practical workshops for international companies in Europe such as: KPMG, KLM (Royal Dutch Airlines), Shell, AKZO NOBEL, ABN AMRO Bank, ING Bank, DSM, L’Oreal, EDS, IBM and The European Space Agency.

He conducted workshops for the development of high-potential managers on the BOSNO Project for companies in Europe such as DSM, Heidemij, Ballast Nedam, Digital Computers and the Netherlands Police.

From 1998 to 2000 he served on the San Diego Board of the Professional Coaches and Mentors Association; was a Resource Speaker/Coach for TEC (The Executives Committee) on “Understanding Cultural Diversity for International Expansion” and continues his activities as President of Dynamus©International and is a Catalyst to business professionals world-wide.

They simply didn’t know the critical element in creating a successful business—how to
CREATE a certain financial result. At best, it seemed, a few business owners could
MEASURE historical financial results.
Steve discovered that most business owners simply did not know where their business
actually made money for them. And even worse, they didn’t “know how to know”.
There was simply no mechanism to take “traditional” accounting information and
transform it into something the business owner could use day-to-day in their business to
transform it.

So Steve started working hard to create that mechanism for business owners. And
when he delivered it the results were almost always amazing. One example is the client
who “found” over $10,000 in a one hour meeting with Steve. And that additional profit
was money that would continue to be realized year after year after year into the future.
Steve also started seeing that as soon as business owners “got” that connection they
wanted to talk about better marketing as the way to improve their profits.

Realizing a need, Steve started a concentrated study of marketing tactics, strategies, and methods,
and started working with clients to help them improve their marketing. Steve even
became a Certified Guerrilla Marketing Coach, a program endorsed by Jay Conrad
Levinson (probably the only accountant to also be a Guerrilla Marketing Coach).
Steve realized, though, that simply increasing and improving marketing efforts often still
resulted in a business that didn’t realize its total profit potential. And even worse, great
marketing targeted in the wrong areas could actually create a “business from hell”. One
where the owner was trapped working endless hours, not making enough money,
burning out, and always tight on cash flow.

So Steve wrote his first book,“Found Money-Simple Strategies for Uncovering the
Hidden Profit and Cash Flow in Your Business” to create yet another connection critical
for business owners. The book and its concepts empower business owners to
understand all the financial information already being created by their business, and
then use it to pinpoint where their business makes money, where it just “holds it own”,
and where it actually loses money.

Steve consults with business owners using the Found Money™ system modeled after
the tools and processes from his book. Steve also regularly presents at seminars and
speaks to groups of business owners to help them realize how and where their
businesses make money. He also delivers an online coaching program modeled after
the content of his current “Found Money” book.

His newest book, The Organizational Sweet Spot: Engaging the Innovative Dynamics of Your Social Networks, to be published in June 2009, pinpoints where the formal and informal elements of an organization overlap, and how that “sweet spot,” which he believes is where most of the productive work in an enterprise takes place, can be expanded.

Dr. Ehin was born in Tallinn, Estonia but fled his native country during World War II when it was torn apart by Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union.
In 1950, he immigrated to the United States, where he obtained a BA from Colgate University, an MBA from Syracuse University, and a PhD in Business Administration from the University of Oklahoma.

He joined the U.S. Air Force in 1960 and held several leadership positions including teaching at the Air Command and Staff College. He began teaching business at Westminster College, Utah’s only private nondenominational liberal arts college, in 1983 and served as Dean of the its Gore School of Business from 1983 to 1990.

Dr. Ehin coined the term “UnManagement” in 1995 at a conference management conference in San Jose, California, in reference to the informal (as opposed to formal) management that occurs within all organizations through informal networks that develop organically among workers based on their individual genetics, knowledge and social factors. A description of his work is found at http://www.unmanagement.com.

Our guest on this segment is an international speaker, and recognized expert in the field of “Technology Marketing” and “Mortgage Lending”. Chip Cummings has appeared on radio and television segments including Fox & Friends, FOX Business, NBC, The Neil Cavuto Show, and on CBS, and ABC. He’s been interviewed and quoted in newspapers and magazines such as Entrepreneur, Broker/Banker, National Mortgage News, Mortgage Originator and many others.

He’s the author of several books, including his latest best-selling release, “Cashing In on Pre-Foreclosures and Short Sales”.

Here are the questions guiding our interview and discussion with Chip:

1. Capture new customers and turn suspects into prospects – without even talking to them! What are some of the key ingredients that make up a Top Producer a Top Producer

2. You have a system for generating quality website traffic and convert them into HOT LEADS – automatically! —Of course this is the dream of every online marketer on the planet—-give us a sense of how you help business owners do this…

3. You have 31 e-Marketing strategies used by Top Producers—could you share a couple of your favorites and tell us how they work?

4. What do we tend to get wrong about the way we construct business websites?—-and…how can we make them more effective? (6 secrets)

5. You’ve coined the phrase, “Sleep-working”—-referring to the creation of an automated system that produces a steady stream of customers while you sleep! How does this system work?

6. It’s difficult for many business owners to focus when it comes to marketing. Why is it so difficult for them, and how do you advise small business owners to create laser-targeted marketing strategies for their own business?

7. Learn how to answer the 3 critical questions EVERY customer wants to know!

Adrie Reinders (Founder)

is a serial entrepreneur. In 1975 he founded Microlife B.V., a company specializing in customer related services and training for mainframe environments. Clients included ING Bank, ABN-AMRO Bank and European Government Agencies, In 1987, Adrie sold the business , now 500 employees, with an annual revenue of 22.5 million euro.

In 1989 Adrie founded I.C.T. Rijnhaave, an I.T. firm specializing in systems integration. Shareholders included Bank Paribas, NOM Capital, DBG Bank, AG, CIN/VEN and ACHMEA (insurance). After selling the company to Syntegra (a subsidiary of British Telecom) in 1996, he served on the Syntegra Board of Directors until 2001.

Adrie founded his third I.T. business, Plus Integration Supply Chain Solutions B.V. in 1997. During the subsequent 4 years, he built the global business solutions firm specializing in supply chain management and software services into a robust business with interests in the Netherlands, United States and the United Kingdom. Customers consisted of major pharmaceutical manufacturers based in the U.S. as well as many of the largest retailers in Europe.

Over the course of his professional career Adrie has served as an advisor and board member for numerous successful private and public companies including Residex Ventures, as Chairman.

In 2004 – Adrie co-founded OHM Inc., which specialises in assisting technology companies achieve quicker and more effective sales results by offering his considerable expertise, experience and access to his global network of high level business contacts.

Adrie has a black-belt in Martial Arts and ran the New York Marathon in 1994. He is an avid sportsman allround.

Marion Freijsen (Founder & CTO)

has had over 20 years of extensive entrepreneurial experience in International business with a primary focus on Technology and Sales Management. From an early start in Merchant Banking in London in 1987, she has worked solely in commercial roles at technology companies, at five different hi-tech start-ups.

Throughout her career – Marion has been successful in expanding the organisation’s activities in greenfield regions across Europe. She has sold, or managed a wide variety of technology solutions ranging from highly complex enterprise solutions to serving the specific demands of on-line trading markets.

During the course of the past 20 odd years, Marion has set-up and managed offices in the UK, Germany and the Netherlands and built an extensive network amongst the financial services industry and blue-chip multi-national corporates across Europe and the US.

Marion is co-founder and Executive Board Member of OHM, and co-founder of The E.Factor and Cranevision. At E.Factor she has been responsible for the entire build from concept to finished product of the website and continues the development on an ongoing basis. She is advisor to a few start-up companies and is member of a think-tank in the Netherlands consisting of government, CEOs and board members of top organisations and other related individuals.

Marion is author of the book “The N-Factor – how Networking can change the dynamics of your business”, which she wrote with Adrie Reinders and which was published in the US in May 2007.
She is a frequent speaker at events on Technology and Entrepreneurship and Business Plan competition judge and panellist at Business Schools globally. Marion writes a weekly blog on “Do’s and Don’ts in Entrepreneurship” on http://www.Efactor.com

Marion holds a degree in International Sales & Marketing from the Chartered Institute of Marketing, UK.

Marion’s main passion outside of E.Factor is sports – she participated in sports from waterskiing and paragliding as well as enjoys more regular sports such as running, mountainbiking, swimming and fitness. Her main achievements were in Triathlon – culminating in her participation in the 1994 World Championships for the Netherlands (Amateurs).

Our guest on this segment believes that effective public relations is the most versatile, cost-effective component of a successful marketing program. Pat Harriman is the founder of The Harriman Group—-her company is a full-service public relations agency that designs high- impact PR programs based on the “3Bs“PR strategy—Build the Base, Build the Buzz, Build the Brand.

Here are the questions guiding this episode:

1. From your perspective, what is that many companies don’t understand about the value of PR and how to use it?
2. Many people believe that PR is all about creating and sending press releases—-but it’s really much more, isn’t it?
3. How has social media changed your approach to designing PR campaigns?
4. Your approach is based on the 3-B’s PR strategy. What is this strategy and how does it work?
a. Build the Base—-this phase includes the development of core press materials, identification of key media contacts and industry analysts, determining market position and defining strategic message points.
b. Build the Buzz —-this phase involves writing and distributing press releases, conducting proactive media relations activities, providing tradeshow support and identifying opportunities for media coverage.
c. Build the Brand—-as momentum increases, this phase focuses on continuing to expand awareness and enhancing relationships with media, analysts, partners, investors and customers by keeping them informed on the company’s activities and aligning PR strategies and activities with the company’s business model.

John Hayes has worked in the franchise community as a consultant, franchisee and franchisor since 1979. He is the author of several franchise-related books and countless articles that have appeared in media worldwide. Dr. Hayes has served as an advisor to franchisors, franchisees and small business owners internationally. His areas of expertise include management development, marketing, customer service, training, and strategic planning.

He is the author or co-author of 18 non-fiction books including the Franchise Pre-Investment Checklist, Franchising: The Inside Story, Start Small, Finish Big, You Can’t Teach A Kid To Ride A Bike At A Seminar and most recently Get It! The Secrets of Cultivating the HomeVestors Millionaire Mindset.

His articles about franchising have appeared in Reader’s Digest, Inc. Magazine, Wall Street Journal, International Herald Tribune, USA Today, etc., as well as many IFA-sponsored publications. Dr. Hayes leads seminars—How To Capture & Keep Customers—strategic planning workshops and Franchise Masterminds. He is the founder of FranchiseMastermind.com and he’s a popular speaker and trainer at franchise conventions and meetings internationally. He has provided services to more than 100 franchise companies during his career. Dr. Hayes served aas President/CEO of HomeVestors of America, Inc., the We Buy Ugly Houses company from 2004-2009. He is based in Dallas, TX.

Here are some of the questions that guided this segment:

1. You’ve been around the franchising universe for some 30 years. How has the environment for franchising changed since you started?

2. We’re sitting in early June 2009—-we are booking a 9.4% percent unemployment rate and likely to face still more job losses in the US. How has this changed the face of franchising and small business in general—-from your vantage point.

3. Franchising is not for everybody—-but how do you really know if it’s the patch you should follow?

4. I know you’re working with franchisees a lot—-are you also consulting aspiring or established franchisors?

5. When you do your speaking and consulting events, teleseminars and so forth——where is the pain with small business owners on the street and how do you find your work most helpful to relieve that pain?

6. Tell us about the Franchise Mastermind System you’ve founded—-what is it and how does it work?

Melanie Rembrandt and her team of experts can help your small business boost sales, credibility and awareness.

As the founder of Rembrandt Communications, LLC, Melanie is a public-relations consultant, SEO copywriter and published writer with over 15 years of extensive experience and an excellent track-record for success.

She specializes in helping small-business owners get the national media attention they need via targeted public-relations and SEO copywriting efforts. Melanie offers tips and insights via her blog and monthly newsletter, and she provides in-depth training presentations to various businesses and organizations nationwide.

A magna cum laude graduate of the prestigious UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television, Melanie is the official small-business PR expert for StartupNation and Pink Magazine Online.

Melanie only accepts a limited number of clients. Then, she acts as an extension of your team, provides the individual attention you deserve and uses her in-the-trenches media relations and SEO copywriting experience to help your business succeed.

Check out Melanie’s brand new program, “Secrets of Becoming a Publicist,“here: http://bit.ly/PRProgram

And with over 200 published articles related to e-commerce, technology, HR, small business, entertainment, and more, Melanie is also a member of the following organizations: