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Are you a small business owner feeling intimidated by big corporations? This episode is for you. Inspired by a powerful quote from Mark Cuban, host Anna Steinfest reveals why being a small, nimble business isn't a weakness—it's your biggest competitive advantage.

Discover the "elephant metaphor" and learn why the very size and resources of big companies make them slow and unable to adapt. Anna shares real-world examples and three actionable challenges to help you leverage your speed, agility, and ability to innovate.

Stop trying to compete on their terms. It's time to embrace your size, play offense, and learn to run circles around the competition.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• Why big corporations are like "elephants" and what that means for your business.
• The three unique advantages you have over large competitors: speed, agility, and innovation.
• A powerful Mark Cuban quote that will change your perspective on competition.
• Three practical challenges to help you take action and move faster this week.

Tune in to learn how to stop just surviving and start thriving in the business jungle.

Subscribe to the Small Business Survival Conversations podcast for your weekly dose of motivation and practical strategies!

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Ever wonder what it really takes to succeed as a small business owner? It's not about being born with a special talent. It's about combining two crucial mindsets.

In this episode of the Small Business Survival Conversations Podcast, host Anna Steinfest dives into the powerful idea of being both a pirate and a Navy SEAL. Discover how to unleash your creative, rule-breaking side while building the disciplined systems and habits that ensure your business thrives.

Whether you're struggling to launch a new idea or keep up with daily tasks, this episode is packed with actionable strategies you can use this week to balance bold vision with relentless execution.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why the "born entrepreneur" is a myth.
• How to harness the bold, innovative spirit of a pirate.
• The disciplined, system-driven mindset of a Navy SEAL.
• Three practical steps you can take today to apply this powerful concept to your business.

Tune in to learn how to stop just surviving and start truly thriving.

#SmallBusiness #Entrepreneurship #BusinessTips #TimeManagement #Productivity #SmallBiz #Startup #BusinessOwner #EntrepreneurMindset #Leadership #Motivation #Success #BusinessGrowth #PodcastForEntrepreneurs

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Feeling stretched thin in your small business? You’re not alone—and you don’t have to do it all. In this episode of Monday Morning Motivation, Anna dives into the transformational concept from Dan Sullivan’s book Who Not How. Discover why asking “Who can help me?” instead of “How do I do this?” can be the breakthrough you need.

Anna shares personal stories, real-life examples, and actionable steps to help you delegate with confidence, reclaim your time, and focus on what truly matters. Whether you're a solopreneur or growing a team, this mindset shift could change everything.

Tune in and start your week with clarity, motivation, and a smarter way to grow.

👉 Listen now and learn how to build the right team around your vision.

#SmallBusinessSurvival #MondayMotivation #WhoNotHow #DanSullivan #EntrepreneurMindset #SmallBizTips #DelegateToGrow #BusinessLeadership #SoloPreneurSuccess #PodcastForEntrepreneurs #AnnaSteinfest

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Welcome to our new podcast episode, and in this episode, we'll be sharing four key lessons that every small business owner should know to succeed.
The first lesson we'll discuss is the importance of a profit plan. 
Our second lesson is to revisit your lending needs in good times. 
Third, we will discuss the importance of starting with small, steady steps. We'll explore how small business owners can avoid getting overwhelmed by their goals by breaking them down into manageable tasks. 
Finally, we'll share advice on setting circuit breakers when it's time to call it quits. 
Whether you're a small business owner, an entrepreneur, or someone interested in starting their own business, this episode is for you. Join us as we explore these valuable business lessons and gain insights to help you navigate the challenges of entrepreneurship and set your business up for success.

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In this episode of Small Business Survival Conversations, Anna Steinfest, and Dr. Michael Troyer delve into the topic of navigating uncertainty and the importance of asking the right questions to ensure the success of small businesses. Join them as they explore the four must-ask questions that small business owners should ask themselves to stay ahead of the curve in today's rapidly changing business landscape. Whether you're a seasoned entrepreneur or just starting, this episode is packed with valuable insights and expert advice to help you successfully navigate the uncertain waters of small business ownership. So sit back, relax, and get ready to learn how to achieve small business success with Anna and Dr. Michael.

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Cutting costs in your small business is an extremely important strategy that can help you find the extra cash to get more done. Today Anna Steinfest and Dr. Michael Troyer will share tips to help you cut expenses and increase your profit. 

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Join Dr. Michael Troyer and Anna Steinfest as they share their expert tips on how to turn your business plan into action in just 10 minutes. Learn the 5 steps to achieving success with a strategic approach and take your business to the next level. Don't miss out on this valuable information!

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In this episode of our podcast, we had the opportunity to sit down with Phil Hauck, the Envision Board President and former journalist for the Wall Street Journal. With a wealth of experience working with businesses throughout his career, Phil shared his thoughts on the current state of the job market and the challenges that many employers are facing when it comes to finding qualified candidates to fill open positions.
According to Phil, it has been a common issue for the past two years that there simply aren't enough people to staff many businesses, leading to intense competition for top talent. To help address this problem, Phil recommended the book "Winning the War of Talent" by Chris Czarnik, which he believes offers valuable insights for both large and small businesses that are looking to recruit employees.
Throughout the interview, Phil also provided his perspective on the importance of building strong company cultures, the role of HR in attracting and retaining top talent, and how businesses can adapt to changing market conditions. If you're a business owner or HR professional looking for ways to improve your recruitment and retention strategies, this is an episode you won't want to miss!

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No matter what kind of small business you run, you will want to increase your sales and grow your revenue. That’s why so many people are interested in how to grow a small business.
 
There isn’t an easy one-size-fits-all business growth strategy for small business owners. But, there are key strategies you can use to give your business the best chance at growing. Listen to the founder of PTI Lennie Shefchik and learn first-hand tips and tools for success.

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In an interview with Paul Tutskey, you will be reminded of the critical role of consistency in serving customers, the value of operating from a business plan that you re-visit on a continuous basis, and the challenge and importance of innovation and continuous improvement.

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Every business needs to do marketing to attract customers, increase sales and compete better. Many small business owners need help calculating how much money they should spend.
Anna Steinfest and Dr. Micheal Troyer advise that there’s no one-size-fits-all answer. So much depends on the kind of business you have, your business objectives and your revenue.
They offer tips for developing a marketing budget that fits your small business.

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Sales - Small Business Survival Guide

Today’s sales environment is hyper-competitive! Fine-tune your SBSG sales strategies for attracting and retaining customers that truly fit your mission and vision within your community. Improve your sales know-how with these real-world tips and lessons learned from the pros.

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Today Michael Troyer and Anna Steinfest will share with you three marketing tips that you can implement to be successful. Also, feel free to download our Free Marketing Survival Guide, full of free resources. Here is the link:
https://khanplanet.com/bookshelf/Marketing/Guide.html

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What happens when a doctor trades her stethoscope for a welding torch? Meet Maria Perl, founder of Spark Ops Metalworks, whose journey from a medical professional to a certified woman and minority-owned business leader proves the American Dream is alive and sparking.

Under Maria's leadership, Spark Ops has positioned itself to excel across Entertainment, Aerospace, Automotive, Defense, and Construction industries, delivering precise, high-quality solutions for major clients including the Super Bowl, Fox Sports, Tesla, and John Deere. With comprehensive capabilities spanning welding, forming, metal stamping, laser cutting, and design, Maria's team consistently exceeds industry standards and client expectations.

As a participant in the prestigious Green Bay Packers Mentor-Protégé Program, Maria reveals how mentorship has been crucial to scaling her WOSB and MBE-certified business. Her survival philosophy? "Focus on the outcome and the impact you're making—that will get you through the toughest moments." She also opens up about building an incredible internal culture that values every team member's contribution.

If you're facing challenges in your small business or considering a major career pivot, Maria's story will inspire you to keep pushing forward.

Learn more about Maria and Spark Ops Metalworks: https://www.sparkopsmetalworks.com/about-us

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Today Dr. Michael Troyer and Anna Steinfest will share with you three easy steps to manage your projects.

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Knowing how to prioritize work affects the success of your business.  Today Dr. Michael Troyer and Anna Steinfest will share some tips on how to be more efficient in doing so. 

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Listen to our episode to understand how to improve your credit score.

Here are our 7 tips to improve your credit score:

 1.  Pay yourbills ontime
2.  Have the right credit mix
3.  Keep your credit utilization rate low
4.  Separate your business credit from your personal credit
5.  Check your credit report regularly
6. Avoid debt collection and bankruptcy
7. Be patient

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Michael Troyer and Anna Steinfest will explain in detail the questions your banker will ask you when you apply for a loan.
 Here are questions your banker will ask you:

1. What is your financial strength?
2. What will your project’s financial impact be?
3. What is your investment or collateral?
4. What’s your overall business plan? 
 5. What’s your personal financial situation?
 6. Have you done your due diligence?

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Today Dr. Michael Troyer and Anna Steinfest will share with you how to win your business loan request. Here is their checklist:
Your checklist for winning loan Request
1. Prepare a business plan

2. Prepare financial projections

3. Identify your investment and collateral

4. Check your credit history

5. Shop around

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It’s a tough time to be a small business owner right now.

Uncertainty and knowing what the future will bring are still in the air.

The harsh reality is that uncertainty is always present, and takes various forms, whether it is the  Coronavirus crisis, trade tensions, environmental concerns, or political unrest.
Today Dr. Micahel Troyer and Anna Steinfest will share some ideas on how to be better prepared for tomorrow.

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Think about your typical day.  What do you think are the most impactful roadblocks to your business productivity?
Learn some tips to manage your time as small business owner.  

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Today Dr. Michael Troyer and Anna Steinfest will teach you how to make sense of your financials

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Today you will learn some tips and tools to help you keep better financial score on your business.

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Today you will hear Dr. Troyer's and Anna's favorite hacks to manage their time

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Feeling stuck on a business challenge? Convinced there's only one "right" way to reach your goals? In this episode of Monday Morning Motivation, host Anna Steinfest shares a simple but powerful mindset shift that could revolutionize how you solve problems and make decisions in your business.

What You'll Learn:

• Why successful entrepreneurs think in options, not absolutes
• A 10-minute exercise to unlock creative solutions to any business challenge
• The Time-Money-Impact filter that helps you choose the best path forward
• A real success story of how one bakery owner increased weekday sales by 40% without discounting

Featured Story: Discover how Sarah, a boutique bakery owner, broke free from default thinking and found multiple ways to boost slow weekday sales—from baking classes to loyalty programs—proving that there's always more than one path to success.

Your Action Plan: Get a specific, step-by-step weekly assignment that will help you identify multiple solutions to your current business challenge and take concrete action by next Monday.

Perfect for entrepreneurs who feel overwhelmed by tough decisions or stuck on seemingly impossible problems. Sometimes the breakthrough you need is just a brainstorming session away.

Episode Length: 10 minutes
Best For: Small business owners, entrepreneurs, and anyone looking for fresh approaches to business challenges

Show Notes & Resources:

• Download the Time-Money-Impact evaluation worksheet
• Join our small business community for more creative problem-solving discussions
• Share your "more than one way" success stories with #MondayMotivation

If this episode sparked new thinking, share it with another entrepreneur who needs a reminder that they're not stuck—they just haven't explored all their options yet.

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Today we will share some tips on how to be more productive in setting your goals. 

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Today you will learn what a business exit strategy is, why you need it, and what are the best business strategies to consider.

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Today you will learn why it is important to have an accounting service and how to choose it.

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Want to increase your sales dramatically? Then shift your sales focus from attracting new customers to enticing your proven customers to buy again. The best sales prospect is a prospect that's already converted—in other words, one of your current customers.

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Payroll is a major expanse for any firm, and in some industries, it is the largest cost. Tracking employee labor percentage is extremely important for the small business owner because it is a key metric the owner must know so she/he can identify problems and opportunities to capture payroll savings. 

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Hiring is one of the most important things an entrepreneur will do to grow their company. For a small business, each new hire has a tremendous impact and influences the company's culture. The stakes are high, so you need to ensure that each of your new hires is a passionate, engaged, and committed team player. Today we will share with you few tips you can implement to be more effective when hiring employees.

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How do you grow your business? What type of strategies you should implement to be successful? 

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What do you need to grow your company? Today we will take a look at what resources you need to help you grow from an internal perspective.

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Wasting money on ineffective marketing is easy. Dr. Michael Troyer and Anna Steinfest will teach you some low-budget high-impact marketing strategies to improve your small business. 

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Today Dr. Michael Troyer and Anna Steinfest will give a tool that you should use to accelerate your business success. The main takeaways are:
1. Shorten your feedback loop on the goals that you set
2. Prioritize your time
3. Measure your execution regularly 

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In this episode of Small Business Survival Conversations, we interview Scotty Smith, founder of Synergy Sports Performance in Green Bay, WI.

With over 20 years in strength and conditioning—and a career that began with the Green Bay Packers—Scotty shares the story behind launching Synergy, the challenges he faced as a small business owner, and the mindset that keeps him focused and growing.

We dive into how growing up on a farm in Iowa shaped his strong work ethic, problem-solving approach, and entrepreneurial spirit. That foundation of grit and discipline continues to influence how he leads his team, supports his athletes, and shows up in business.

We also talk about:

• Starting a business from passion and perseverance
• Pushing through moments of doubt and uncertainty
• The importance of community and relationships
• Building a strong team culture
• What does survival really mean as a small business owner

Whether you're in fitness, food, or finance, Scotty’s honest insights on leadership and resilience will inspire you.

🔗 Learn more about Scotty’s work: www.synergysportsperformance.com

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Today Dr. Michael Troyer and Anna Steinfest will share with you how to conduct a market analysis for your small business to be successful. They will answer three questions:

• What is a market analysis?
• What are the benefits of running a marketing analysis?
• How to run a market analysis?

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Solutions-Focused Customer Relationships

as a Means to Earning Business Opportunities 

With the consumer of today being much more aware, more knowing, and much wiser to sales tactics, there is a better way to approach a prospective customer/client.

It is to think of it as collaboration around solving the other person’s problem or helping them to complete a job that is important to them.

It is creating a value proposition of support for the other person – sharing ideas and knowledge and working together in a common effort. It shifts the focus from selling a product or a service (and the features they represent) to creating value by collaborating together to solve the person’s or company’s problem or job. 

It is especially appropriate to situations where the solution or tool has a degree of sophistication in its function and value or when the cost of acquisition is significant to the potential buyer. 

To begin, put your mind and the conversation into a collaborative perspective – how can we solve the problem together or complete the job in a better way together? How can this be a focus on the buyer rather than the seller (questions that drive a discussion versus statements to drive a sale)?

1.    Diagnose and frame the problem together;

2.    Generate solutions together, including what you are able to provide; 

3.    Cultivate a peer-to-peer relationship in the process of working together; 

4.    Identify achievable objectives/outcomes that can be realized; 

Keep in mind throughout the process that you are creating value together. 

Notice that this is not a pressure sales approach or a search for their pain, but a very natural process of working together, creating value and shared success for both parties, and building a relationship for the long term.

Adapted from “Is Your Sales Team Struggling to Sell Solutions” by Scott Edinger, HBR Online Blog, January 04, 2022

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Today we will share with you how to focus on your business growth through the New Year. 
At the beginning of a new year is a time to pause for reflection and it’s also an opportune time to plan your goals for the year ahead. Listen to our new episode to learn Anna's and Michael's best advice for setting and keeping your New Year’s business goals. 

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Today Dr. Troyer and Anna Steinfest are sharing their New Year's resolution for your business success.

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In this podcast episode, Dr. Michael Troyer and Anna Steinfest will teach you how to manage your most precious resource - time.  Listen and learn to how own your schedule and set priorities.

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Meet the owner of Machine Plus - Jamie Veeser who grew from a 1000 sq ft machine shop to a 10,000 sq ft machine shop in one year. Learn what resources he used to do that.  He will share his tools and tips for success with our listeners. 
Veeser, a lifelong machinist, founded Machine Plus in January 2012 when he saw an opportunity to enhance the services machine shops provide customers. He said Machine Plus gives customers the online tools to track the progress of their orders, update cost information, and more input in the process.
One of his tips: "We concentrate on what the customer really wants and needs. A lot of shops are just about more sales, but I want to see what would help our customers, what they're lacking," Veeser said. "If they're successful, so am I."

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Listen to Emily Jacobson, the owner of Green Bay Doulas, and learn how she survived the pandemics. Currently, she is growing in double digits. What tools and tips you can learn from her?
Bio of our amazing guest:
Emily was raised in Green Bay, she has been a labor and postpartum doula since 2011. Emily’s strength lies in supporting families through the childbearing years, in whatever manner they envision it unfolding. Unbiased and judgment-free support are the cornerstones on which Emily has built Green Bay Doulas.
Emily’s accolades include:

• Future 15 award recipient- Young Professional of the Year by the Greater Green Bay Chamber of Commerce. (2017)
• 3 Nominations for Entrepreneur of the Year by the Future 15 and Young Professionals (2016 & 2017 & 2019)
• Nominated for Business Person of the Year for the Business Recognition Luncheon through the Greater Green Bay Area Chamber. (2016)
• Nominated for Entrepreneurial Award for the Business Recognition Luncheon through the Greater Green Bay Area Chamber.  (2018)
• On the Rise top 20 nomination- Rising Tide
• Packer Protege Mentoring Program (2020)
• 2020Mom National Ambassador of the Year

In her downtime, you can find Emily probably not wearing shoes! Her favorite things to do are to explore nature and enjoy an evening bonfire in the backyard with her husband and daughters. Cheering on the Packers goes without saying!

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Today Anna Steinfest and Dr. Michael Troyer will share 4 of their favorite books. 

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We all deal with rejections at some point. But it’s never fun to deal with rejections in your business. The way you handle rejection can make a big difference in your business so today Anna Steinfest and Dr. Michael Troyer will share with you some tips on how to handle rejection in your business, so you will thrive. 

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Today you will learn why Why is motivation important for an entrepreneur and How do I sustain my motivation when starting and running a business.
Share with us your favorite motivation hacks at Anna@koppagroup.com or Michael@koppagroup.com 

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In this week’s Monday Morning Motivation, Anna Steinfest explores one of the most powerful shifts small business owners can make in how they network: transitioning from a hunter to a farmer mindset.

Inspired by insights from Networking Like a Pro by Dr. Ivan Misner, Anna shares how the most successful entrepreneurs build long-lasting, referral-rich relationships—not by chasing quick wins, but by planting seeds of trust and consistency.

You’ll learn:

• Why traditional networking often falls flat
• How to build relationships that yield steady business over time
• Three actionable steps you can use to shift into a “farming” mindset
• Real-life examples of how small business owners create value without being pushy

If you’re ready to grow your business through genuine connections, not cold pitches, this episode is for you.

Let’s ditch the pressure and focus on relationships that actually last. 🌱

#MondayMorningMotivation #SmallBusinessTips #NetworkingLikeAPro #BusinessNetworking #ReferralMarketing #RelationshipMarketing #GrowYourBusiness #SmallBizGrowth #EntrepreneurMindset #FarmDontHunt

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There are two key points that every entrepreneur needs to understand about the new world of sales - persuasion and moving others.  We as entrepreneurs spend a huge portion of our time not only selling in the traditional sense our product, our service,  but selling in a broader sense; persuading and convincing people to do something different. That is a big portion of what we do as an entrepreneur is selling, persuading, and influencing. It’s the essence of our job. So listen to our new episode and learn how you can be more effective. 

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 Entrepreneurs are pitching all the time. So how do they do better? Today Anna Steinfest and Dr. Michael Troyer will share with you two of their favorite ways to pitch: the Pixar model and using questions when you pitch. Share with us what is your way of pitching your business. 

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Today you will learn how to improve your business productivity and create a work-life balance.