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MBA940 Q&A Wednesday: I’m an Online Business. Do I Need Business Cards?

It’s Q&A Wednesday, and we’re helping a listener with a very good, very 21st-century business question: do online businesses need business cards?

It’s easy to see why some would question whether paper business cards are still relevant in a digital economy. In fact, our host Omar hasn’t given one out in years! But just because business cards aren’t for every business doesn’t mean they’re not appropriate for some. In fact, they can be a valuable networking opportunity. Today, we discuss when — and how — to take advantage.

We cover which kinds of businesses can most benefit from physical cards, which aren’t likely to, and the ROI of cards given how incredibly cheap they’ve become. We also discuss what features and layouts best optimize a business card for maximum networking and lead-generating effect. It’s a digital world, but there’s still room for a little bit of old-fashioned paper. Click Play!

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When you’re working on projects you love, you need a laptop that hustles like you do. Surface Pro is fast, has a long-lasting battery, and works with your iPhone. It’s the lightest, most powerful Surface Pro ever. Run your business with the right tools. Check out Microsoft Surface.

Earth Class Mail

Transform the daily piles of mail, checks, invoices, and correspondence into digital documents.  Earth Class Mail office mail automation is the easiest way to set up a physical business address. Earth Class Mail will process paper mail into digital format, and put it on the on cloud for easy access. Get your first month free at earthclassmail.com/mbamonth

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MBA939 How to Deal With Evil Customers

No, they’re not always right.

Some customers are wrong. Some customers do not have valid complaints, or problems that your business can solve. Some customers do not seek solutions, but aim to cause problems. Some customers have issues that have nothing to do with you, but that — if you allow it — can become your problem. Some customers, to put it plainly, are jerks.

Just because someone pays you does not entitle them to abuse you. So how can you deal with straight-up evil customers? Today, we discuss practical, sensible ways to handle the worst of the worst, the ones who simply aren’t worth whatever revenue they’re providing. With calm, dignity, and grace, you can refuse to feed the impulse that drives strangers to drive you crazy. Learn how to deal. Click Play!

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Earth Class Mail

Transform the daily piles of mail, checks, invoices, and correspondence into digital documents.  Earth Class Mail office mail automation is the easiest way to set up a physical business address. Earth Class Mail will process paper mail into digital format, and put it on the on cloud for easy access. Get your first month free at earthclassmail.com/mbamonth

Microsoft Surface

When you’re working on projects you love, you need a laptop that hustles like you do. Surface Pro is fast, has a long-lasting battery, and works with your iPhone. It’s the lightest, most powerful Surface Pro ever. Run your business with the right tools. Check out Microsoft Surface.

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MBA938 Must Read: Born to Run by Bruce Springsteen

Bruce Springsteen knows music, but he also knows business. From his extremely modest upbringing to the top of the charts, the legendary rocker is a model of financial discipline, business sense, and plain old savvy. While other artists were blowing money on the finer (and more dangerous) things in life, Springsteen kept his business “why” in mind: to never return to the poverty of his youth.

Success leaves a trail of breadcrumbs for other entrepreneurs to follow. Continuing our series of Must Read Book Reviews featuring artists and entertainers, Born to Run is another phenomenal example of entrepreneurial achievement from the pop culture world. Find out what you can learn from a poor Jersey kid who made it all the way to the top. Click Play!

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Microsoft Surface

When you’re working on projects you love, you need a laptop that hustles like you do. Surface Pro is fast, has a long-lasting battery, and works with your iPhone. It’s the lightest, most powerful Surface Pro ever. Run your business with the right tools. Check out Microsoft Surface.

Robinhood

Buy and sell stocks and options for free! Robinhood makes the financial services industry accessible to everyone. Learn how to invest, and keep your profits. Robinhood is giving away a free stock to $100 MBA listeners. Sign up and get your free share at mba.robinhood.com

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MBA937 3 Business Rules You Should Never Break + Free Ride Friday!

Someone once said that rules were made to be broken. They were wrong.

At least they were wrong about these rules. Today, we discuss 3 immutable, no-exceptions, absolutely unbreakable rules of business. No matter the business type or size, these 3 principles are always true. Violating any one of them is a guaranteed success-killer! Whether you’re trying to sustain growth or simply get your business off the ground, keeping these rules in mind will save you a lot of trouble.

Some of these rules may seem obvious. Some may surprise you. You might be breaking some right now! Whatever the case, these simple formulas are reliable. They’re the basic, Business 101 pillars of any plan for success. Hear what they are, and find out exactly why they’re so important. Click Play!

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Earth Class Mail

Transform the daily piles of mail, checks, invoices, and correspondence into digital documents.  Earth Class Mail office mail automation is the easiest way to set up a physical business address. Earth Class Mail will process paper mail into digital format, and put it on the on cloud for easy access. Get your first month free at earthclassmail.com/mbamonth

Robinhood

Buy and sell stocks and options for free! Robinhood makes the financial services industry accessible to everyone. Learn how to invest, and keep your profits. Robinhood is giving away a free stock to $100 MBA listeners. Sign up and get your free share at mba.robinhood.com

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MBA936 Top 5 Cities For Digital Nomads

Location independence is a beautiful thing. If you work online, you’re free to live where you want, when you want. That leaves you with literally a world of choices. That’s a good problem to have — but it’s still a problem!

What should you look for in an international location? Is it safe? Can you afford it? Is there wifi? We’ve done some extensive traveling, even as we built our businesses, so we know what online entrepreneurs are looking for when it comes to finding your next “home” abroad.

Today, we discuss the five most attractive international cities for digital nomads. We review each one in terms of the metrics that matter most to would-be expatrepreneurs: value, safety, things to do, and yes, internet speed. From weather to  nightlife, we cover the ups and downs of these increasingly popular locations. Find out where to hang your hat (and your laptop bag) next. Click Play!

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Earth Class Mail

Transform the daily piles of mail, checks, invoices, and correspondence into digital documents.  Earth Class Mail office mail automation is the easiest way to set up a physical business address. Earth Class Mail will process paper mail into digital format, and put it on the on cloud for easy access. Get your first month free at earthclassmail.com/mbamonth

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MBA935 Q&A Wednesday: I had a lot of firings recently. Am I a horrible boss?

It’s not you, it’s me. Or is it?

It’s Q&A Wednesday, and we’ve got a tough question from a listener about an uncomfortable subject: firing. Almost every successful business has to let people go at one time or another. But after a few too many firings, is the real problem the employees, or the employer? If you’re even asking that question, we have good news — it’s probably not you. But it might be your hiring practices.

Today, we offer specific hiring strategies that can preempt problems down the road. We discuss interview strategies, along with ways to “test” your potential hires before you commit to a long-term relationship. The key is setting expectations, both for you and the potential hire.

Hiring well is a learned skill — and firing people is a learning experience. Hear how to improve your staffing outcomes. Click Play!

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WP Engine has your WordPress hosting covered. Take advantage of fast, secure, innovative hosting with expert support and service. We use WP Engine to host The $100 MBA for a reason! Head to 100mba.net/wpengine today for our special discount offer.

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MBA934 How to Start Saying NO. Practical Strategies

Sometimes, you just have to say no.

While entrepreneurs are driven to be positive, affirmative, and happy to take on a challenge, limits are our friends! And while fostering good relationships means helping people when you can, overextending yourself can lead to the worst reputation killer of all: failure to deliver. So how can we turn people down without turning them off? How can we say “no” in a way that maintains our reputation?

We’ve got you covered. Today, we discuss some easy, practical ways to decline. These strategies are polite, non-confrontational, and help preserve — or even strengthen — relationships. These declining techniques are appropriate and effective for everyone from clients to friends, with a focus on the relationship’s value.

Don’t spread yourself too thin. To paraphrase a famous wizard, you SHALL pass, when appropriate. And it just might save your business. Click Play!

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