Category Archives: Episodes

Networking: you’d better do it to get your business going – LOB 012

Episodes

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Network, network, network. Everyone will tell you, when you’re starting a business, you absolutely have to network. Greg Stoller talks with three networkers with different expertise: Juliette Mayers, CEO of Inspiration Zone; Steve Snyder of Gesmer Updegrove, LLP: Diane Darling, one of the original networkers featured in the Wall Street Journal; Henry Mitteleman, self-described un-networker and author of “Unstuck for Good.”

Using Consultants – LOB 011

Episodes

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They say a consultant is like a seagull. They fly in, eat something, poop all over everyone, then fly out. But consultants can be invaluable to a wide range of businesses. Greg Stoller talks with the consultant who saved the airline industry, with a specialist in recruitment, a consultant who can fix your computer from his home, and a specialist in making the plans for the big party into a turnkey operation. Guests are John Thomas of LEK Consulting, Julie Marcus of Information & Marketing Intelligence, Sean Sanker of Bay State IT, Adam Averback of Part Excitement Entertainment.

When to sell: Now? Later? Ever? – LOB – 010

Episodes

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With a new business, it’s always a struggle at first. Then you succeed. How do you know when it’s time to sell? Now? Down the road? Never?

The Language of Business looks at exit strategies. Host Greg Stoller talks with four experts on building a company and considering an exit strategy. Guests are CEO for Emerging Growth Companies John Lieber, Furquan Nazeeri of ExtensionEngine LLP, Robb May of Backupify and Ryan Trager of Achvr.

 

Risk Assessment – LOB 009

Episodes

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Every business deals with a certain amount of risk. How do venture capitalists really think about risk…and how they look at it from both a qualitative and quantitative perspective. Do analysts and investors feel the same about risk? How much do you tell your investor about the risk? How do people in the energy industry deal with risk? Do analysts and investors react the same way when it comes to risk? Do venture capital investors worry about your competition?

The Language of Business looks at risk assessment. Host Greg Stoller talks with Bill Contente, Partner at Gesmer Updegrove LLP; Christopher Mirabile, Co-Managing Director of LaunchPad Venture Group; Bob Goodoff, Principal of Sea View Global Advisors, LLC

Entrepreneur looking for an investor – LOB 008

Episodes

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You’re an entrepreneur looking for an investor. Do you go Angel, PE or VC? How does a family-owned small business wind up acting like a bank? The Langauge of Business looks at where entrepreneurs look for an investor. Host Greg Stoller talks with Venture Capitalist Don Nelson, Managing Director, Harken Capital Securities, about the size of return he’s looking for; Ben Littauer, Angel Investor, who also is a mentor to entrepreneurs and discusses the kind of return he expects; Dan Weller of Weller Carpets, a three-generation family-owned small business that acts like a bank to control cash flow.

 

Entrepreneurs dealing with lawyers…how to come out on top – LOB 007

Episodes

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Lawyers. There are a lot of strong opinions about them. And a lot of jokes. The Language of Business looks at small businesses dealing with lawyers.

Host Greg Stoller talks with Emily Taylor, Attorney at Latham and Watkins, a specialist who helps a startup get it right; Gene Barton, Partner at Pepper Hamilton, LLP, who understands what makes entrepreneurs tick; Chris Robinson, Partner at Seyfarth Shaw and member of the National Whistleblowers Group, who knows how a company will handle a whistleblower; Julio Gomez, General Manager of Attivio Financial Services, who shares ideas on how an entrepreneur can deal effectively with a lawyer.

 

The last three feet. How to hire the right people. How to be the right person to get the job. – LOB 006

Episodes

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The Language of Business looks at The Last Three Feet. That’s the distance between front-line employees and the customer. Managers often don’t get that close. Hiring the right people is key to making your business work, whether it’s a turnaround, a startup, or an expansion.

Host Greg Stoller, Harvard Business School graduate and Senior Lecturer at Boston University Questrom School of Business interviews Craig Sanders, Managing Director of C-level Interim Executives, who knows how to find the right people, and what the right people need to do to get the job; Paul Laskow of Save Energy Systems, a customer relations specialist who teachers managers about the last three feet; Jody Mendoza, owner of Mojito’s Latin Lounge and Nightclub in Boston. Her successful business expanded into a new and different venture. What were the challenges?


Host Greg Stoller


Craig Sanders


Paul Laskow


Jody Mendoza

 

Building an international sales team – LOB 005

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Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 26:29 — 20.4MB) | Embed

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The world is a huge marketplace. On this episode, The Language of Busines looks at how to get and keep customers in Asia, England and around the world.

Host Greg Stoller talks with Japanese entrepreneur Kumi Inoue, CEO of Here and Now, Inc., who consults Americans on how to conduct business there; International seles representative Robert Masland, an American businessman outsourcing work overseas with ideas on how to really make that work; Alan Lunder, CEO of Black Diamond Group, who consults overseas companies on how to do business in the US.


Host Greg Stoller


Kumi Inoue


Robert Masland


Allan Lunder

 

Building and motivating your team – LOB 004

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Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 25:59 — 19.6MB) | Embed

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You’re planning that new startup. How do you build a strong management team? How do you measure their success? How do you convince investors that you have the right idea and the right people?

In this episode of The Language of Business, host Greg Stoller talks with John Murphy, Venture Capitalist at Point Judith Capital about what investors are looking for in a management team: an A-rated management team with a B-rated venture, not an A-rated venture with a B-rated management team. Plus, we’ll get insights from Allesandra DeVaca, Chief Administrative Officer at Hebrew Senior Life about how to motivate employees from the C level to support staff, and Matthew Bellows, CEO of Yesware an IT specialist with software that can help your sales team make more money.


Host Greg Stoller


John Murphy


Alessandra DeVaca


Matthew Bellows

 

Starting a new business? How much do you know about your customer? – LOB 003

Episodes,

You’re an entrepreneur working on the plan for your new business. How much do you know about your customer? Are you marketing in the right places? Do you change your plans on the fly,…or trust your gut?  The Language of Business host Greg Stoller talks with three experts on starting a new business: Lisa Tanzer, Marketing Director of Life Is Good; Sarah Fay, Media Advisor to Adaptive Intelligence; Drew Hannah, CEO of RBM Technologies.


Host Greg Stoller


Lisa Tanner


Sarah Fay


Drew Hannah