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Mike and Mayra have many years of experience making tough decisions and coping in difficulty times. However, 2021 turned out to be more than a tough year. Like many other entrepreneurs, Mike and Mayra found themselves struggling to keep their business operational. Even so, they rolled with the punches and kept their mind on positive thoughts by immersing themselves into a book project based on their personal story.

Mike and Mayra return after months of unexpected problems that kept them busy and explain how the pandemic affected their small business. In this short episode, they provide an explanation behind their absenteeism and express their optimistic outlook for a fresh new start.

Client management, also referred to as customer relationship management (CRM), refers to how a company handles and develops its relationship with customers and future clients. Client management is important for businesses of all shapes and sizes because satisfied customers are more likely to buy more products or services from that business, leave positive reviews that will build brand reputation and trust. Plus, it brings in new customers either through word of mouth or through a referral program. This week, Mike and Mayra discuss the attributes of a successful client management business.

Red Nose Day is a campaign to help children living in poverty in America and around the world. Through the power of entertainment, Red Nose Day raises money and awareness to ensure children who need our help the most are safe, healthy and educated. The last Red Nose Day was on Thursday, May 21, 2020. On that day, millions of Americans, celebrities and businesses came together to fundraise, donate, and tune in for a special night of programming on NBC. Mike and Mayra share their experience participating in theannual Red Nose Day campaign.  

What does pricing in 2021 look like? The answer is...it depends! Of course social media and web presence will continue to be important in the year. However, how you price your product or service will take center stage in 2021 due to the prolonged uncertainty surrouding the present state of the COVID-19 at least until vaccines reach the general public. Mike and Mayra discuss how business owners must adapt their pricing strategy to stay afloat amid pandemic.

Staying alive during the 2020 Covid-19 pandemic has been tough. However, year 2021 does not seem like it will be any better as quickly as we’d like. No doubt, the business world has been rattled in the wake of Covid-19. The unexpected chain of events due to the economic decline have led to stressful situations. Many employees have lost their jobs and entire businesses had to permanently close their doors. Despite the uncertain times, entrepreneurs must manage to adapt and make it through. Remaining steady during these times is critical. In this show, Mike and Mayra discuss strategies business owners can immediately use to make pivots to keep forging ahead.

There are plenty of occasions that call for giving your employees gifts such as Christmas, birthdays, to say thank you for their help in building your business or simply to celebrate an accomplishment. In any of those cases, you don’t have to spend a lot of money to show someone you appreciate them – especially during Christmas time. Buying presents for your staff may seem like a generous thing to do, but it is very doable if you plan ahead and put a price limit on gifts. Mike and Mayra remind us that regardless of what you decide to do, showing appreciation to those who helped you get through the year is a nice gesture that shouldn't break the bank. Plus, the best gifts are the ones that you put much thought into. 

Whether you celebrate Christmas in a big way or not, there is no reason to forgo any party ideas due to cost constraints. You'll still want to keep the festivities fun and that may seem challenging if your startup or small business is on a shoestring budget. Fortunately, there are literally dozens of ways to host an amazing company party - without breaking the bank!   This week, Mike and Mayra share their ideas for hosting your party while keeping cost to a minimum and the fun factor to a maximum. 

Do you have days when you wonder if you are going to get some real work done beyond attending unproductive meetings? After all, time is money. In our experience, most meetings are poorly planned, executed and often a waste of time. This week, Mike and Mayra discuss a short list of meeting guidelines that can help avoid this common problem. 

In order to have a successful company, you must have the right product, a well-thought-out process and the right people working for you. Internships can be a powerful vetting process. So, the idea of using interns to develop a talent pipeline is a no-brainer. Plus, it helps provide a trial run for them as much as a trial run for you. But, if your internship program is poorly run, there is no long-term benefit.Mike and Mayra discuss how a well-established internship programs can help you to attract the best talent from your local colleges and universities. 

Hiring the right employees is a crucial component of the success of your company. Specially if it’s the first addition to your team. In this case, hiring the right employee means looking beyond the resume to see firsthand if a candidate is right for the position. Attitude, experience and work ethic are just a few of the traits you must evaluate in each candidate you interview. Why is that? Because this new hire will be a reflection of how existing and potential clients will perceive your business. Mike and Mayra discuss the importance of hiring the right employee to help you grow your business. 

 Busy entrepreneurs should focus energy on effective time management as a daily goal and this is why. Time management is the process of planning and exercising conscientious control of how much time is spent on specific activities in such a way to increase effectiveness, efficiency and productivity. You'll have to juggle various demands (this includes work, home and other personal commitments) with calculated control.   This week, Mike and Mayra share ideas for managing your time so you can realize your goals and objectives within the shortest amount of timepossible.  

 Co-entrepreneurship eventually affects your marriage. Sometimes good but often times in a bad way. When couples create a shared vision for their future, their satisfaction in all areas of life increases. Getting to that point is half the battle. You still must recognize the reason you jumped into a business together and find the gravitas to make it work.     As in business, even the healthiest marriages remain in constant danger of failing. Mike and Mayra discuss how conflicting perspectives can set you apart and how the efforts you take will strengthen or weaken your marriage. 

 At home, you and your spouse will find yourselves at odds over some decision or situation. Your shared work-life will be no different. Truth is, in business you will encounter naysayers. This includes your spouse and cofounder, and being able to amicably disagree is crucial to the success of your business. The key to enjoying time with your spouse after a disagreement at the office is to remember that regardless of the outcome of your discord, the marriage must always win.  This week, listen to Mike and Mayra as they open up about their own experience with friction at work and how they learned to foster an environment that welcomes debate, rather than discourages it. 

Taking care of your health is an important part of entrepreneurship. If your health is terrible, your business would suffer due to lack of energy and focus. Prioritizing fitness into your daily routing will help you come back to work each day refreshed and deeply engaged. Mike and Mayra will provide suggestions for taking better care of yourself and reduce stress.

Some businesses are not a great fit for angel or venture capital funding. However; what if your startup is a good candidate, but you’re having trouble getting meetings and convincing investors that your company is the next big thing? Mike and Mayra discuss ideas to help you attract the eye of a potential investor and make your business a more appealing investment.

Competition in general is something that you will contend with no matter what you offer and where you are in the business cycle. You will be working hard to gain the attention and eventually win the business from a target audience. You can count on the fact that your target will also be in the cross hairs of other formidable and rival businesses offering similar services. As such, competition will affect your business' ability to increase sales, revenue, and market share. Join Mike and Mayra as they discuss how your reaction to competition will determine if you survive or not.

If you'd like to have more control over your destiny, then being an entrepreneur allows some control over how your future may turn out. Lots of people dream of becoming their own boss. But very few actually have an idea that can be parlayed into a business. For a business idea to succeed, you need to take methodical steps to ensure you launch from a firm base. This week, Mike and Mayra discuss the crucial steps for going from business idea to launch.

No marketing budget? No problem. Brainstorming a cost-effective marketing strategy is never easy work. But you don’t have to you wait for sales to begin pouring in to begin netting yourself some customers. There are some things you can do prior to rolling out your marketing plan that won’t require tapping into your funds. This week Mike and Mayra provide some suggestions and recommendations to help you ramp-up your marketing efforts quickly.

No business can grow without a proper marketing plan. And startups will have difficulty surviving without a marketing strategy that centers around customer acquisition. A marketing plan outlines a startup’s direction and approach (aka strategy) to reach its goals. In laymen terms, having no strategy is like walking across a desert without a compass or map. A sound marketing plan acts as a road-map.   It's time to discuss ideas and strategies to help you find customers!