Think Outside the Bank

What can you expect from this week's Think Outside the Bank episode?

• We'll unpack one of the most intriguing articles published at TheLucyReport.com this week - stay up-to-date on financial and business trends by subscribing for free today! 
• The featured Business Plan Tip of the Week - ensure your business plan is ready for funding with each week's hard-working tip!
• Discover a SIMPLE path for explosive growth that doesn't even require funding! 
• Hear from our "Geek of the Week" and learn HOW small businesses like yours can de-risk their business from a funding perspective so you can more effectively vet your lender! 

This season is PACKED with actionable insights from start to finish. Make sure you don't miss an episode by subscribing!

Do you love what you learned today? Please consider writing a review - it will help other listeners find these episodes!

This season, Think Outside the Bank will be turning YOU into a highly fundable, savvy company - ready to VET THE LENDER! First, we’ll help to ensure your business is set up for success through de-risking and getting clear on the amount of funding you need. Then, we’ll explore various TYPES of funding such as SBA loans, used equipment funding, and business expansion funding. Finally, you’ll become EMPOWERED, learning how to vet the lender’s technology-efficiency rating, reputation, timeline, and more to carefully select a lender that WORKS for you.

You’re DONE gauging this elusive economy, and you’re READY to launch or expand your business right now. But, how will you fund this exciting new venture???  

 Great question! Business ownership in a competitive and fluctuating economy can be SUPER expensive, with only a small percentage of business owners reporting launch costs of less than $50,000.

 That’s right- over 27% of small business owners report a hefty price tag of between $250,000 and $500,000 to get their company going. And those business owners were verrry savvy about what TYPE of funding to use, and how to VET THE LENDER, since all lenders are NOT created equal… 

 In business, it pays to know what you don’t know. This August, we’re launching Season 4 of THINK OUTSIDE THE BANK podcast - for small business owners looking to earn, protect, and attract more money into their companies- by playing smart, and VETTING THE LENDER. 

 This season, Think Outside the Bank will be turning YOU into a highly fundable, savvy company - ready to VET THE LENDER. 

First, we’ll help to ensure your business is set up for success through de-risking, getting clear on the amount of funding you need, cleaning up your credit score, analyzing your debt to income ratio, time in business, and more. 

 Next, we’ll explore various TYPES of funding like SBA loans, leases, heavy equipment funding, used equipment funding, larger loans, business expansion funding, grants, and business plan competitions, to help narrow down what makes sense for you. 

AND, you’ll become EMPOWERED by learning how to VET THE LENDER’s technology-efficiency rating, reputation, terms, fees, timeline, and collateral requirements to carefully select a lender that WORKS for you.  

Think Outside the Bank is a podcast for small business owners, brought to you by lucy technologies. Empowering the Heart of America.

Especially at this point in history, employers need to be at the top of their game to attract and retain top talent.

One critical component of "being on top of your game" that many business owners overlook is having a smart succession plan in place.

If you're wondering, "What is a succession plan?" or "How can a succession plan help me build my dream team?" this episode so was made specifically for you!

Join us as our expert guest Jonathon Angell as we dive into this powerful topic.

Want to discover a bevy of other resources for YOU, the small business owner? Check out:

Legalucy.com

MyPandemicProofBusiness.com

ThinkOutsideTheFirm.com

Don't miss a single episode! Click HERE to subscribe today!

As we're in the middle of the Great Resignation, many small business owners are asking themselves, "Can I even compete against the high-salaried positions larger firms are offering?" or "Why should I even get attached to my best employees if they could be recruited out from under me at a moment's notice?"

If you've asked either of those questions, you're not alone! Many small business owners are wondering what they can do to compete with "better" offers and retain their key players.

In today's episode, we're talking about a little-discussed BUT wildly important topic of great management as being a powerful differentiator in the employee landscape today.

People love working for great people! And with just a bit of work, we can ALL be excellent managers and leaders for our teams.

Did you know that research shows more employees would prefer recognition over a pay raise, promotion, or many other benefits?

It's true! And as we know, the Big Quit (or the Great Resignation) or 2021 isn't slowing down. If you're looking to attract and KEEP your dream team, recognition is something to seriously consider.

In today's episode, we unpack what a recognition program is (Spoiler: it doesn't need to be complicated or expensive!) and how to maximize it to let your employees know how much you value them and encourage or incentivize excellent expectations.

Our favorite definition of a reputation, or brand, comes from Jeff Bezos: "Your brand is what people say about you when you are not in the room"

Looking through this lens, it makes complete sense that your brand (what people are saying about you) plays an ENORMOUS role in attracting and keeping your dream team.

In today's episode, we dig deeper into this topic with Katie McConnell Olson, Founder and CEO of Hire Education Consulting Group.

You've probably heard about The Great Quit that's currently happening in today's economy. Employees are quitting their jobs at a scale we've never seen before.

And as you know, your all-star employees are your best assets. So with all of this in mind, how do you keep your all-stars on your team?

How do you minimize the risk of The Big Quit affecting your business and bottom line?

If you're at all concerned about this, today's episode was created with you in mind!

Listen now to learn more from Guillermo Borges, a Silicon Valley technologist passionate about creating a simple to use product to help employers collect feedback, and inevitably, build their dream team!

Want to discover a bevy of other resources for YOU, the small business owner? Check out:

Legalucy.com

MyPandemicProofBusiness.com

ThinkOutsideTheFirm.com

Don't miss a single episode! Click HERE to subscribe today!

Are you looking to expand your team and are wondering about how salary will fit into the mix? Is it the true bottom line or is there more to it?

If you've asked either of these questions, today's episode was made especially for you!

Want to discover a BEVY of other resources for YOU, the small business owner? Check out:

Legalucy.com

MyPandemicProofBusiness.com

ThinkOutsideTheFirm.com

Don't miss a single episode! Click HERE to subscribe today!

The typical workplace is forever changed with many teams now distributed across the country - and sometimes around the world. How do you set up your workplace to be as effective as possible in this new normal? What questions should you be asking and what resources should you be considering to bridge the gap from what was to what is (and will be)?

If any of these questions have crossed your mind, this episode was made just for you! 

Today, we welcome Mitch Zenger, VP of Future of Work, at M Squared to discuss these questions and much more! 

Want to discover a bevy of other resources for YOU, the small business owner? Check out:

Legalucy.com

MyPandemicProofBusiness.com

ThinkOutsideTheFirm.com

Are you looking to attract, hire, and retain top-tier employees in 2021 and beyond? Are you looking for some guideposts for future hiring as you set up your business right now?

If you answered yes to either question, today's episode was made just for you!

Join two members of the Legalucy team as we discuss the ins and outs of today's hiring environment.

Want to discover a bevy of other resources for YOU, the small business owner? Check out:

Legalucy.com

MyPandemicProofBusiness.com

ThinkOutsideTheFirm.com

Which one of these is your top challenge?

It should come as no surprise to you that business owners and hiring managers are facing significant challenges right now in this "seller's market" for employee talent.

Join us today as we unpack these issues and offer tools and resources to help you navigate this very specific and unique time. BONUS... even though these challenges are residual effects of the COVID19 Pandemic, these issues are cyclical. So, why not solve this problem now and bring your business ahead of the curve in hiring your DREAM TEAM!

Links Mentioned in This Week's Episode

60 Second Brief “hiring statistics” articles:

https://financesonline.com/hiring-statistics/

https://www.zoomshift.com/blog/hr-statistics/

https://www.visualcv.com/blog/hiring-statistics/

https://insights.myshortlister.com/recruiting-statistics

Want to discover a bevy of other resources for YOU, the small business owner? Check out: 

Legalucy.com

MyPandemicProofBusiness.com

ThinkOutsideTheFirm.com

Welcome to Think Outside the Firm! a podcast for small business owners looking to earn, protect, and attract more money into their business by hiring their DREAM TEAM.

In this episode, we dig deeper into what you can expect to hear this Season of Think Outside the Firm. Our mission is to resource you as you build your DREAM TEAM in 2021 and beyond!

We look forward to bringing the value each week so remember to subscribe so you don't miss a single episode.

On your side,
Harmony and Ginny, your Think Outside the Firm Hosts

Looking for more great resources? We've got you covered!

Legalucy.com

MyPandemicProofBusiness.com

ThinkOutsideTheFirm.com

Looking back over 2020, we wanted to wrap up our second season by sharing the most valuable nuggets we've uncovered over these last several months that could both provide insight in to protecting your business as well as some topics to think about as you GROW your business (despite the uniqueness of this year).

Both Harmony and Ginny took some time to think about their biggest nuggets of wisdom they found this year, the business trends they see sticking around, and the biggest takeaways they have for you, our listeners.

Enjoy and here are the episodes they referenced if you'd like to go deeper into any given topic.

Episode 2: What To Do if an Employee Tests Positive for COVID?
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/s2e2-what-to-do-if-an-employee-tests-positive-for-covid-19/id1481400664?i=1000476710955 

Episode 13: 7 Big Questions We Keep Getting About Doing Business Right Now
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/s2e13-7-big-questions-we-keep-getting-about-doing-business/id1481400664?i=1000489587104 

Episode 7: How Can I Secure Funding During the Pandemic?
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/s2e7-how-can-i-secure-funding-during-the-pandemic/id1481400664?i=1000485218740 

Episode 9: How To Stay Funded During the Pandemic
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/s2e9-how-to-stay-funded-during-the-pandemic/id1481400664?i=1000486506753 

Episode 10: Can Insurance Be a Business Life Saver?
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/s2e10-can-insurance-be-a-business-saver/id1481400664?i=1000487628681 

Episode 6: What Do I Need to Know About Marketing Online?
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/s2e6-what-do-i-need-to-know-about-marketing-online/id1481400664?i=1000480943703 

Episode 14: What About Online Privacy Concerns During a Pandemic?
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/s2e14-what-about-online-privacy-concerns-during-a-pandemic/id1481400664?i=1000491107136 

Thanks again for joining us this season! We look forward to serving you up some great content in Season 3!

With so many unknowns and rapidly changing dynamics, sometimes it makes sense as a business owner to talk with a lawyer to make sure you're protected and know all your options.

In today's episode, we talk about some specific and timely scenarios in which a lawyer might be very helpful to you, the small business owner.

In this week's "Caught Doing Good" Segment, we actually focus on a trend of rapid business growth... athleisure. It's a segment of retail clothing that has seen ENORMOUS growth during this season with so many people working from home. Why do we say this segment has been caught doing good? Not only does it provide a comfortable option for work clothes, it's also a fast-growing segment of clothing for those looking to launch a business in this space. So, the "good" is both now and in business potential.

Want to learn more about how to pandemic-proof your business during this time? Visit:
http://mypandemicproofbusiness.com 

Grab your copy of the Lucy Report today! In response to today's environment, we are making access to it FREE for a short period of time.

Learn more at http://thelucyreport.com 

2020 has seemed like the year of "whack-a-mole." We try to solve one problem over here, and something else pops up other there...

It may feel like this in your business, as well. Perhaps you solved the problem of moving much of your business online, but that creates another problem... There are SO many laws and regulations around online activity, and while we covered some on a previous episode (S2E6: Marketing Online and S2E4: Privacy Online), we're going deeper today on some of the implications doing business online can mean for you.

And in this week's Caught Doing Good, we're honored to feature a brilliant young entrepreneur, Paris Williams, a six-year-old from St Louis, Missouri. She founded Paris Cares to bring books and food to the homeless in her area.

To learn more and contribute, visit: https://bonfire.com/pariscares 

Together, we're ventured into the unknown of doing business during a pandemic. We all have questions about how this season will affect how we do business in the long-term, but in the meantime, this week's episode covers the 7 biggest questions we keep hearing from the small business community.

And in this week's Caught Doing Good segment, we're honored to feature Cleo, a company dedicated to solving the childcare problem that's arisen during this time. Want to learn more about their great work? Visit: www.hicleo.com 

Want to learn more about how to pandemic-proof your business during this time? Visit:
http://mypandemicproofbusiness.com 

Grab your copy of the Lucy Report today! In response to today's environment, we are making access to it FREE for a short period of time.

Learn more at http://thelucyreport.com 

Do you currently have a lease for your office or retail business? Are you considering opening a business that will need physical space during this time?

In this week's episode, we go over some very important and timely considerations such as:

- What if you're looking to get out of your lease? What options may you have?
- Understanding some very important verbiage in your lease
- Some questions to consider if you're looking to sign a lease during the pandemic

Also, in our Caught Doing Good segment, we're excited to feature Ocala Drive-In Move Theatre in Florida.

In fact, if you're looking for a unique movie-going experience right now, find a drive-in movie theatre near you at www.driveinmovie.com 

Want to learn more about how to pandemic-proof your business during this time? Visit:

http://mypandemicproofbusiness.com 

Grab your copy of the Lucy Report today! In response to today's environment, we are making access to it FREE for a short period of time.

Learn more at http://thelucyreport.com