Wellness Strategies For Busy Small Business Owners

Check out my radio interview on Sirus XM radio. (There's quite a few commercials in the beginning, but the dialog is well worth it!)

You can build a profitable company and still lose the one thing that makes it all possible: your health. Carl Brown sits down with wellness founder Nik Sweeney of Amani Nicol Wellness to get real about what entrepreneurship can do to your body over time, especially when the “grind” becomes your default setting. We talk about the hidden cost of always being on, how skipped sleep and nonstop pressure show up metabolically, and why fatigue is not something to brush off when you are chasing growth.

Nik shares the thinking behind her holistic health center for women and the behavior-change approach she uses to help clients who feel overwhelmed by the gym or stuck on meal prep. You will hear simple, practical meal planning advice that starts with identifying the meal you skip most, keeping food choices easy, and using what is already in your kitchen before spending more money eating out. We also dig into stress management for business owners, including emotional regulation, breathing resets, learning to say no, delegating, and taking daily pauses instead of waiting for a vacation to fix burnout.

Then Carl pivots to a topic he says too many small business owners miss: marketing. He breaks down why consistent small business marketing is an investment, not an expense, how to separate personal and business social media, and how to use low-cost tools like email marketing, short-form video, and clearer branding and storytelling to stay top of mind. If you want better health, better focus, and a business that can actually scale, this one connects the dots.

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Transcript

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SPEAKER_08 0:02

This is the Small Business Report, powered by PNC Bank. Your weekly access to all the tools you need to succeed. Stay tuned for expert advice from business owners, subject matter experts, and government agencies. Each week you'll learn tips on how to start, grow, and finance your business. The Small Business Report is supported by the DC Small Business Development Center, a partnership program nationally accredited by the Association of America's SBDCs. And funded in part by the U.S. Small Business Administration, Howard University, with Howard University serving as the network's headquarters. Stay tuned. Coming up next, your host, Carl Brown, State Executive Director of the District of Columbia Small Business Development Center.

SPEAKER_09 0:58

As an official bank of the Washington Nationals, PNC Bank is a big fan of the game. But it would like to remind everyone there's nothing wrong with keeping things boring once in a while, like when it comes to managing your money. Steady consistency is a winning approach. So go ahead and cheer for that base clearing home run. But don't forget to save a little applause for those sensible walks and interest-bearing savings accounts. PNC Bank, brilliantly boring since 1865. PNC Bank National Association, member FDIC.

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Tune in to the Small Business Report, where you'll hear expert advice from business owners. Subject matter experts, right? So we take care of businesses through all phases of the growth cycle and government agencies.

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It's amazing how many people never heard of the program.

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That's Tuesdays and Thursdays at 12 noon Eastern Time on Sirius XM, Channel 141, H U R Voices, the Small Business Report with Carl Brown.

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Here, we educate tomorrow's leaders today. The Howard Experience allows students to engage in self-exploration through sports, music, dance, and debate. A journey towards excellence in leadership for America and the global community. This is the Howard Experience.

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Why Entrepreneurs Must Prioritize Wellness

SPEAKER_04 2:53

Welcome to the Small Business Report here on Sirius XM channel 141. Hey, this is your boy Carl Brown. And I'm telling you, I got one for you today. We're going to be talking about wellness. Because it doesn't make sense to build your business and then die of a heart attack or have all kind of health struggles, diabetes, obesity, and all that. Well, you can learn how to take better care of yourself. So as you know, I try to talk to people who can bring us just more than success stories or challenges on running and managing the small business. Also talk to people that can help us out. So I have Nick Sweeney, and she's representing Amani Nicole Wellness out of Pikesville, Maryland. She's going to be talking about wellness. You know, how small business owners, meal prep, and all that good stuff. So we're going to have her at the top of the hour. And then I'm going to talk about a subject that is very dear to my heart. As many of you are not marketing your business the way it needs to be marketing. And some of you have been told me that all my friends and family think I'm marketing too much. Well, yeah. Well, McDonald's don't feel as though they're marketing too much. And they market to us 247 365 without fail on every platform known to man. They're on back of trucks, buses, they're on Instagram, LinkedIn, you name it. They're all over the place. They're everywhere. You need to replicate that. If you got a small business, you need to be everywhere as well. So hey, stay tuned. We'll be right back after these messages.

SPEAKER_08 4:55

The Small Business Report with Carl Brown is your source for vital information to help you start, grow, or sustain your business. You'll hear expert advice from business owners.

SPEAKER_02 5:06

Their biggest concern is can you deliver? Can you deliver on time?

SPEAKER_08 5:09

Subject matter experts.

SPEAKER_02 5:10

With all these different free resources, there's no excuse.

SPEAKER_08 5:13

And government agencies.

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SBIR is one of the best kept secrets in government.

SPEAKER_08 5:17

That's Tuesdays and Thursdays at 12 noon Eastern Time. On Sirius XM Channel 141, H-U-R Voices. The small business report with Carl Brown.

SPEAKER_13 5:26

Getting to work, heading to the shops, feeding the family. It feels like it will never stop. Except when it does. Breast cancer doesn't wait. A breast screen is the best way to find cancer early before you can notice a change or feel them up. 20 minutes every two years could save your life. Book your free breast screen online or call 132050.

SPEAKER_08 5:57

Looking to break through the clutter, generate more sales. Your business needs video marketing. You'll reach a wider audience, increase conversion rates, and build trust and credibility. Plus, video is easily shared and is well suited for mobile users. Video ads help drive engagement, bring your business's brands to life, and boost search engine visibility. Let HMG produce a customized and cost-effective spot just for your business. Contact us at hollowaymedia.com.

SPEAKER_16 6:25

Join me, Sharon Morton, host of the Skin Deep Show on Sirius XM Radio, channel 141, HUR Voices in the evenings on Fridays at 5 30, Saturdays at 7 30, and Sundays at 4 30 Eastern Time. Skin Deep scratches beneath the surface and brings you the power to make decisions about your physical, mental, and financial wellness. We touch on all topics from money, love, and sex to race relations. Listen to Skin Deep on Sirius XM Radio Channel 141 HUR Voices.

SPEAKER_04 6:54

Welcome to

Meet Nick Sweeney And Her Center

SPEAKER_04 6:55

the Small Business Report here on Sirius XM channel 141. Hey folks, like I told you at the top of the hour, we got my girl Nick Sweeney here. And we're going to be talking about wellness. And she is from the Amani Nicole Wellness Center. And we're going to learn a lot more about what she does, what inspired her, how did she create it, and who is it really for? So hey Nick, come on in and tell us all about your business and what you do over there and how to get in touch with you.

SPEAKER_18 7:31

Well, thank you, Carl. It's truly an honor to an honor to be with you this morning. I'm Nick Sweeney. I'm the founder of America's First and Only Holistic Health Center for Women, integrating infrared sonotherapy and a lifestyle medicine approach for women, especially women over 40 who are looking to improve their health. Why did I start this? Well, in 2019, an idea in my head became an actual vision when I opened up my first brick and mortar in Pikesville, Maryland. Why in the world does Amani Nicole wellness even exist? Well, for one thing, I'm my first client. And I saw that there was a gap between women who weren't ready to go to the gym, women who were overwhelmed about the idea of meal prepping, but they were also women who were in need of guidance and support. So it's like, so where do they go? And so Amani Nicole wellness is actually a behavior change psychology that helps women to see health different. Aldeema is actually healthy, is beautiful. So we're living a beautifully well lifestyle.

SPEAKER_04 8:45

So when you say women kind of hesitant to go to the gym, why do you think that is?

SPEAKER_18 8:51

Well, I I said before, I was my own client. I used to be a Zumba instructor teaching eight classes a week. My uh granddad was retired from the military, he worked out every day. I went to Western High School and all girls' school, and I took gym every day for four years. So I loved working out. But when my health went in a different direction, I noticed that what used to be fun and natural for me was no longer the case. And so the thought behind women not rushing to the gym is not that we don't enjoy exercise or one day want to do it. We're we're literally overwhelmed at the thought, and it doesn't fit at the moment. We're stuck between desire and action.

SPEAKER_04 9:36

Okay, okay. I thought I thought like like some guys, see you focus on women, which is fine, but some guys come into the gym and they're intimidated because they're not benching 400 pounds or whatever. And I'm like, yo, everybody had to start somewhere. So so once you don't bench press 400 pounds or 200 pounds, or you just doing 90 pounds or whatever, start where you start and build on it, you know? Don't be intimidated by these big muscle-bound people in the gym. Because I'm gonna tell you, some of them will be the most helpful giving you tips on how to work out, you know.

SPEAKER_18 10:19

Absolutely.

SPEAKER_04 10:20

So

The Grind Culture Health Tax

SPEAKER_04 10:21

many small business owners are constantly on the go. How does that lifestyle impact their health, especially long term?

SPEAKER_18 10:31

Oh, you already know the answer to that one, Carl. I know you didn't know you see this every single day. You know, there is even this culture of entrepreneurship that says that we should grind, we have to work from sunup to sundown, that you can't even go to sleep without first thinking about what you have to do the next day in a business. So, as small business owners, entrepreneurs, it really becomes a this thought process around putting our health first, because many of us are secondary. And even healthpreneurs like myself who understands health and the need to help people get healthy, our health is usually last on the list. The scary part about this though is especially for those over 40, when we keep neglecting our health, and even when I say health, I'm even just talking about being able to pause and take time to get a good night's sleep. Eventually it's going to show up metabolically, right? Pre-diabetes type 2 diabetes, hypertension. Yeah, it will show up.

SPEAKER_04 11:39

It'll show up in many, many ways, and you know, hopefully you can overcome some of them because it could be cancer, liver disease, diabetes, hypertension, obesity, all of those things play a part in it, you know, because we're running, running, running, and we're eating all the wrong things, me included. I ain't gonna lie about it. I even though I lost uh, you know, a bunch of weight, uh, you know, you know, I you know, it's like, okay, I eat one meal a day, but it might be fried chicken and collard greens, and uh, you know, the doctor says, man, you gotta lay off that fried food, man. And I'm like, oh yeah, yeah, yeah. But look at me, man. I'm working out every day, blah, blah, blah. No, that stuff has an effect on

Meal Planning That Starts Small

SPEAKER_04 12:30

you. So you you talk about meal prep. Let's let's discover more about that. What what is that? And what can the audience do to understand and implement meal prepping?

SPEAKER_18 12:43

Oh, let me tell you, meal planning and meal prepping can be one of the most challenging things to do, right? To get up and go work out at the gym or go to the gym or or work out at home is a bit easier. But when you start talking about that food thing, like you just said, I'm working out, I can should be able to eat what I want or how I feel. But I just my my approach, our approach here is to keep it one. For women, most of us are not eating enough food. So the idea, the thought that we're gaining weight or not as healthy as we want to be, is that is that this thought that we're overeating. That's not the case. So for us, the first thing that we do is look at ways to help women eat more. And so the first step to your meal, your meal planning, this is planning out those meals called first, identify what meal are you skipping? Are you not doing a breakfast thing because you're drinking coffee first and it suppresses the appetite? Where's room to incorporate something a little healthier, right? A smoothie, yogurt, toast. Um, and then to make meal planning even easier, identify food you already have. Because that room refrigerator is full of food. The cabinet is full of stuff. And yet we're eating out as often as we can. So two quick tips. One, yeah, exactly. First, meal plan, meaning sit down and evaluate how many meals you're already eating and how can you keep those meals super simple, write it out and check that refrigerator for what's already there. Second, start small, just pick one meal a day to prep for first, because the thought of prepping for breakfast, lunch, and dinner and snacks that overwhelms me, and I'm the coach. One meal to start.

SPEAKER_04 14:38

That's a good thing. So I've seen people make like on Sunday make meals with a whole week. Put it in containers and everything, and then like it looked like in great shape. Oh yeah.

SPEAKER_18 14:58

Get that rotesserie chicken. Go get that already cooked rotesserie chicken if you want protein. And add stuff. Fresh salad greens, roasted potatoes, broccoli, favorite veggie. Keep it simple. If you had to buy something already cooked, like keep those veggies as as fresh as possible.

SPEAKER_04 15:20

Yeah, and then that reduces your your expenditures because you're eating out less.

SPEAKER_18 15:26

Yes.

SPEAKER_04 15:27

And you're eating better food because I'm telling you, sometimes sometimes you don't know what you're eating when you're out there. No.

SPEAKER_18 15:34

And you gotta protect your heart.

unknown 15:36

Yeah.

When Tired Is A Warning Sign

SPEAKER_18 15:37

Heart health is everything. You gotta protect it. Blood sugar is everything.

SPEAKER_04 15:41

Absolutely. So you've spoken about your own health journey. How did your experience shape how you approach wellness today?

SPEAKER_18 15:54

Oh my goodness. So I've been in this health and wellness space for a little over 14 years now. And I just I like to share the point that my health took a toll when I was uh I was a caregiver to my dad before he passed away. And my health declined. I didn't even realize it, right? Because I'm a coach, I should know. So what it taught me was our health decline isn't just about the chicken box or the cheesesteak, right? Because I'm from Baltimore. What changes are these circumstances, our situations in life, right? So my personal health journey, I was pre-diabetic, got those numbers down, you know, just eating comfort food emotionally through the grief process. Um and then, you know, later on I was diagnosed with breast cancer. Actually, my best year in business is was when I got the diagnosis of breast cancer, completely shocked me.

SPEAKER_19 16:53

Wow.

SPEAKER_18 16:54

And my only symptom was tired, right? So um, yeah, only symptom was tired of the time. If you get into why we need to look out for that, yes, and that's the whole point, Carl. So our therapies help women build up that energy because we need it, and we need to redefine what tired is and how we respond to those tired signals.

SPEAKER_04 17:21

Yeah, because a lot of people overlook that. Oh, I'm just not getting enough sleep. Well, it might be more than that.

SPEAKER_18 17:27

Oh, yes, and for me it was.

SPEAKER_04 17:30

You know, and then a lot of caregivers say the same thing. I've heard it over and over, you know, I I wasn't taking care of myself, I was taking care of my mother or my father, and I wasn't really looking out for me, you know, taking them to different appointments and everything. So we got we got about a minute left. Why don't you tell folks where you're located so they can get in touch with you, what your website is.

SPEAKER_18 17:55

Yes, Amani Nicole, Nicole Without the E, Amani Nicole.com. Super easy. All of our Instagram and Facebook channels are at Amani Nicole Wellness. We're located in Pikesville, Maryland, right off the belt, way across uh from Target. That's what I say. But we do a lot of work uh via virtual, a lot of virtual coaching as well. But amanicole.com is where you want to start.

SPEAKER_04 18:24

Okay, so we're what kind of coaching?

SPEAKER_18 18:26

Lifestyle coaching, our whole beautifully well method. So, and we're not just coaching meal planning and meal prepping, we're coaching stress management. Can we say stress?

SPEAKER_04 18:40

Yes, yeah, we also stress. Yeah, we also stress.

SPEAKER_05 18:50

Keep it real. Channel 126, Karen Hunter. This is Clay King and Larry Cook. Hey, this is G.

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Get to see what America is supposed to look like.

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We are free to express our opinion as long as they're easy.

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But be careful if we come in, because your life might be changed.

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I'm super excited to be able to engage folks, and that's what's happening, man.

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Channel 126.

SPEAKER_05 19:20

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Here, we educate tomorrow's leaders today. The Howard Experience allows students to engage in self-exploration through sports, music, dance, and debate. A journey towards excellence and leadership for America and the global community. This is the Howard Experience.

What A Healthy Lifestyle Looks Like

SPEAKER_04 20:51

Welcome back to the Small Business Report here on Sirius XM channel 141. Hey, this is your host, Carl Brown. I got my girl Nick Sweeney here. And she's from the Amani Nicole Wellness Center. And we're talking about your wellness, folks, because we need you to be healthy. And you know, we bring it to you. We don't just talk about successful businesses and all that. We talk about wellness. We talk not just physical wellness, but also mental wellness. Because it doesn't help if you are not well and running your business. So and your longevity. So we need you to be around. That's why I bring you different coaches, different psychologists, psychiatrists, etc., to talk about our lifestyles and how we can be the best we can possibly be. So, Nick, when you say healthy lifestyle, what does that actually look like for a busy entrepreneur who feels like they don't have time?

SPEAKER_18 22:00

Of all of our lives, right? And we don't, we honestly on the surface don't have the time. So it's something we have to make. A healthy lifestyle for a business owner first starts with, huh? We have to get real about how much time we invest in our businesses. And I really believe, you know, we have AI, we got Chat GPT, we have all of these supports. I'm a social entrepreneur. So fortunately, I belong. I have an ecosystem of accelerators and organizations that are highly supportive of certain, you know, when it comes to certain aspects of business, and I use it. So the healthy lifestyle for the business owner first starts with navigating how much time they really want to spend in their business, in and off of it, right? Second to that is don't skip those physicals and doctor's appointments. Third, recognize, be recognize symptoms of burnout coming on so you can get in front of them, right? Because most of us, even with help and support, when we're out, I don't find too many entrepreneurs whose businesses can continue to float without them long term, right?

SPEAKER_04 23:11

That's right. Exactly.

SPEAKER_18 23:12

Yeah. So you got to get that get the health right by first carving out time for yourself.

SPEAKER_04 23:18

I like what you said, get the physicals, but also get your eyes checked, get your heart checked, get your your teeth checked, go for your your um you know, cleanings, you know, don't don't uh skip on none of that. I got all that coming up for myself, and I'm telling you, is always tell my doctor, I'm gonna die something, but it ain't because I ain't listening to you. I'm preventative health. That's right. Preventative health. You know, he does uh you know the blood workup, and he'll tell you, okay, you good here, good day. Look at this, check that, drink more water, you know, all that stuff. So, you know, but uh he he's gonna be getting in my in my grits when I get there then. He's gonna be like, yo, man, you you look good, but uh, I'm looking at these numbers, man. Thank goodness. So yeah, and that's why I got you on because so many of us overlook all these things. We're like, okay, well, I'm I'm gonna eat this, I'm gonna go ahead to this reception, I'm gonna eat this bad food, I'm gonna drink this, I'm gonna drink that. And you know, at the end of the day, then you start feeling sluggish, you're slow, you brain fog, you know, all that stuff, all the typical things that we overlook, and oh, we just try to push back on. Oh, it doesn't matter, I'll be better tomorrow. No, you you will not, you know, you gotta get you gotta take this thing seriously.

Stress As The Hidden Driver

SPEAKER_04 24:50

So there's so many wellness options out there. What makes your approach at the Amani uh Nicole wellness different?

SPEAKER_18 25:00

Oh, what's different? Everything is different. No, but yeah, but innovation. I'ma tell you it it is innovative, you know. Carl, type 2 diabetes runs rampant in America in general, but especially in the black and brown communities, right? Um, it's a disease that can be prevented. I've lost a number of loved ones to complications because of it. So the first thing that makes the Monty Nicole wellness different is that we're a social enterprise, which means that even though we like the fancy and fluff of our infrared sonotherapies, we believe in community access. So we're CDC recognized with the pre-diabetes program, we do diabetes self-management, and we're accessible to the community for those lifestyle options. Uh, what else makes us unique, second, is that we focus on the stress effect. So while all those things like eat well and exercise is important, stress is literally taking us out. And so our method, the psychology behind what we do, even in coaching, has a heavy layer of stress management because stress raises everything, blood pressure, glucose levels, you name it. Um, the so the biggest piece is to think that holistic health means that we are empowered enough to look at the woman as a whole and identify that every aspect of her health should fit seamlessly in her journey, right? And so we are innovative in that approach because we know when we're less stressed, don't we do better? Absolutely less stressed, we want to eat, we want to eat healthier and we have the energy to move more, so it's all connected, and we're more focused.

SPEAKER_04 26:47

Yes, when you're not stressed out, but I mean look at uh look at what's going on in the economy. Gas prices high, five thousand prices high. Who who is not stressed out? You know, like people like I ain't got no money, you know. Uh small businesses, you know, a lot of retail people don't got the customers they used to have because all the layoffs and all that. I mean, we we are really, really stressed out. So what like uh outside of say somebody's in Miami, Florida, because you know, this this uh radio shows coast to coast, border to border. So somebody in Miami sitting there going, Yo, I'm stressed the hell out. What are what are some tips that you can give them that would help them to deal with the stress they're dealing with?

Daily Stress Tools That Work

SPEAKER_18 27:40

Oh, love this question. Well, one thing, you know, I always say, you know, I'm not a therapist, so decide how stressed out you are, right? Because some levels of stress require you to pick up that phone or or or call up a doctor. So know the difference. But but today we're talking about you know that everyday stress because the world is crazy. But at the same time, what can we do first? Well, one thing we should be able to have emotional regulation, right? Stress regulation, but in a moment when we bring down, try those breathing techniques, those five deep breaths that are intentional. You know, inhale and exhale, count down to five. The second thing you do when you're stressed, really, we put too much on our plate. Learn how to say no, learn how to delegate. That seems um, take the superwoman cape off for the moment. God, you know, don't be afraid to say I can't handle it. Uh, we need to know our capacity. And beyond some of the things that naturally stress us out, like family and this economy, if there are things we can take off our plate, that alone can help reduce stress. And then take some time away, even if it's five or ten minutes, and don't wait for the vacation to be the cure all, right? We should we should find ways to pause and stress manage on a daily basis, and then take a day or two in the month where you don't have a long list of things to do, so you give your mind a chance to reset.

SPEAKER_04 29:18

I like that, and uh I like the fact that you say don't wait for the or don't take the vacation to be all the end all because you know what a lot of people say when they come back from vacation, I need a vacation.

SPEAKER_18 29:31

You need a vacation from the vacation. Oh, you know why vacation you haven't prepared your body to rest. How are you on hype and burnout? And then you think when you get on the get on that boat or jump on that plane, that all of a sudden, miraculously, I'm going to relax. No, you gotta build up to it.

SPEAKER_04 29:50

Yep, yep, yep. So, look, look, look, we got less than two minutes left.

Infrared Sauna Therapy Explained

SPEAKER_04 29:55

So, what is this infrared sauna therapy? What is that? Talk to talk to us about that.

SPEAKER_18 30:01

It's it's been around forever, Carl. But let me just tell you really quickly, infrared sauna therapy. I can only speak for a Monty Nicole wellness. There are a lot of saunas out there. All saunas are infrared therapy, they're science-backed, and they have clinical studies. So, because we, you know, we're big time in this. Infrared therapy is a cellular therapy that helps to rejuvenate the cells. It helps calm of cortisol, the stress hormone. It's amazing for a reset. It's also passive exercise. So we use it for natural weight loss as well. But most importantly, it's the quick pause that we need in order to recalibrate without us having to do the work. So it is light therapy. There's a science behind it, and it is absolutely refreshing. And it's the foundation for us to help women to feel good and energized so they're empowered on their journey to better health. Or I should say, living the beautifully well lifestyle.

SPEAKER_04 31:03

I love that. That's the best way to end the show, too, because I'll tell you, that's something else, boys. Give them your your contact info again.

SPEAKER_18 31:13

Yes, Amani Nicole Wellness on all socials is at Amani Nicole Wellness, Nicole Without the E, AmaniNicole.com. If you want to check us out on the website, uh, if you want to connect with Nick on LinkedIn, that's easy. That's just Nick Sweeney in IK.

SPEAKER_04 31:30

Alrighty. Well, Nick, thank you so much for being on the show. Thank you for dropping these pearls of wisdom because we need them. Our wellness counts. So, folks, we'll be back in a few minutes after these messages. This is Carl Brown, your host. Hold on, don't go anywhere. We'll be right back.

SPEAKER_09 31:53

As an official bank of the Washington Nationals, PNC Bank is a big fan of the game. But it would like to remind everyone there's nothing wrong with keeping things boring once in a while, like when it comes to managing your money. Steady consistency is a winning approach. So go ahead and cheer for that base clearing home run. But don't forget to save a little applause for those sensible walks and interest-bearing savings accounts. PNC Bank, brilliantly boring since 1865. PNC Bank National Association, member FDIC.

SPEAKER_08 32:23

The Small Business Report with Carl Brown is your source for vital information to help you start, grow, or sustain your business. You'll hear expert advice from business owners.

SPEAKER_02 32:33

The biggest concern is can you deliver feedback on time?

SPEAKER_08 32:37

Subject matter experts. And government agencies.

SPEAKER_06 32:42

SBIR is one of the best kept secrets in government.

SPEAKER_08 32:45

That's Tuesdays and Thursdays at 12 noon Eastern Time on Sirius XM, Channel 141, H U R Voices. The small business report with Carl Brown.

SPEAKER_17 32:54

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SPEAKER_07 33:35

We got a plant today. We got a million things to do.

The Marketing Wake Up Call

SPEAKER_04 34:03

Hey, I really enjoyed talking to Nick Sweeney. She is a wonderful individual and has got a really good thing. Check her out, Amani Nicole Wellness. Check her out. She's up in Pikesville, Maryland. So you can't miss her. But anyway, folks, what I want to talk about today, this is it's really important. A lot of people are missing the mark on this one basic thing. Marketing. Marketing. How you market your business, how you market your services, how you market your products. A lot of people are afraid to market their business. Believe me, I hear it all the time. I hear it all the time. Unfortunately. You need to follow McDonald's marketing campaign. Everybody knows about McDonald's. What what they sell. But anyway, that is the format that I say you need to follow. And the reason being is because McDonald's advertisers on the radio, TV, magazines, newspapers, buses, trains, billboards, etc., etc. etc. Now I know small businesses don't have the marketing budget that McDonald's does. But you have a lot of tools that are available to you, and I'm gonna talk about them later. But you really need to market your business. Now, let me also say this because I hear this as well. Well, my family and friends are tired of me marketing. Tell them don't follow you on social media. Well, number one, you shouldn't have your business account or accounts, whether they're on LinkedIn or TikTok or Instagram or Facebook or whatever. You shouldn't mix your personal and your business, okay? If it's for your business, it should be for your business. Have your personal to the side where it's just family and friends that are on your social, but your business is open to the public. You shouldn't have both. So, folks, if you got that going on, you need to separate those things. Have your personal, just like your bank, your business bank account, and your personal bank account. Two separate things. You want to have your business, social media, and website, and then your personal social media, and you might have a family website, I don't know. But you want those things separate. All right. So let's let's talk about it.

Marketing As An Investment

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Now, this is some feedback that I've gotten over the past couple of months, really, probably the past year. Many small business owners see marketing as an expense rather than an investment. So the question is, why is marketing essential to the long-term growth and survival of a small business? Well, just like I pointed out with McDonald's, they they're marketing as if they ain't never sold a hamburger and they sold a billion. All right, and you're afraid to even open your mouth about your business, and potentially the person standing right next to you right now could be a customer, but they don't know what you do because you're not saying anything. So marketing really is the engine that drives visibility, credibility, and revenue to your business. A business can have the best product or service in the world, but if customers do not know that it exists, sales will suffer. Effective marketing creates awareness, folks. Awareness, it builds trust. You want to be honest with your customers, it keeps a business top of mind with the consumer. Okay when you advertise it, it's like subliminal. You keep talking about your business people, remember. You don't talk about your business people, forget. And when they forget your sales, suffer, okay? For small businesses, especially, marketing is not optional. It is how you compete against larger companies and smaller ones. All right, strategic marketing helps attract new customers, retain existing customers, create repeat business. That's what you want. And in many cases, consistent marketing can be the difference between a business that survives and one that scales. All right. Now you don't want to just survive, you want to scale, you want to increase your sales year over year. So let's let's be let's be honest about this thing. You have to be consistent in getting the word out about your business in today's competitive environment.

Common Mistakes That Kill Growth

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What are the biggest mistakes small businesses make when trying to market their products or services? Now, one of the biggest mistakes is inconsistency. All right? You do it one time. Hi, we're selling hamburgers over here, and that's it. Many businesses market only when sales are slow instead of maintaining a steady presence. What I'll tell you about McDonald's 24 365, 247, 365. They are everywhere telling you about their burgers. TV, radio, film, you name it, billboards, they are everywhere marketing as if they ain't never sold a hamburger. All right, you need to be doing the same thing. Another major mistake is trying to market to everyone rather than identifying a specific target audience. Now that depends on what you sell. If you're selling burgers, seafood, whatever, clothes, everybody buys clothes, everybody wears clothes. But if you got like some high-tech IT stuff, then you're gonna be looking for folks that are looking for that because everybody's not looking for that. All right, you're not gonna sell books to blind people, okay? Not unless they're bray. All right. So you gotta understand who your customer is and where they are, and then target them. Small businesses often focus too much on selling and not enough on relationship building. All right, customers respond to businesses that educate, inform, and provide value. Another issue is failing to track results. If business owners are not measuring engagement, leads, or sales conversion, they cannot determine what is working. And finally, many businesses ignore the importance of professional branding. And I'll tell you, Lord have mercy, I see it all the time. You get this stuff, you use one, two, three branding, or you go to some printer and they they use the same logo for 20 different customers, and you go, Yeah, yeah, I'll take it. So poor visuals, outdated websites, and inconsistent messaging can damage credibility quickly. Now, let me tell you Gen Z and Millennials first before they even walk in your store, what are they doing? They're going to their phone to find out what what do you sell, what are your hours, what are your specials, all that. And if you got a website that hadn't been updated in five years, 10 years, they're not gonna, they're not gonna come in there. Because your product on the on the website is old and outdated, so they're not gonna mess with you. You gotta stay current and relevant, all right? Current and relevant. I'm using words that I want you to really pay attention to because this makes the difference between staying in business, staying in business and growing, or going out of business. Or fast one or the other.

Low Cost Tools And Local Tactics

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For entrepreneurs operating with limited budgets, what are some of the most effective low-cost marketing tools and strategies available today? Well, we all know the internet. TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, you know, all these social media platforms, email, marketing. Here's one for you. I can't tell you how many places I go and get lunch, and they say, hey, drop a drop a business card in the fishbowl, and you can win a lunch. I don't know who anybody ever won, but this is what you could do to separate yourself from the herd. Put a little bulletin board up with the winner. And you can say, hey, Carl Brown from Small Business Report won in October. Got my card up there, you know. And hey, you might even want to take a picture of me getting my sand, my free sandwich or my free lunch. All right. So then people know this is legitimate and it's just not garbage. But that's a good way for you to collect business cards, information, emails. Okay? Understand. But you're showing them that, hey, we're really giving out this free food, and here's the winner, and it could be you the next time. People go for that. So look, folks, I'm gonna come back. We'll talk more about this when I come back from commercials. Because we got people like McDonald's advertising because they want it, they want your attention because this is the small business. We'll be right back.

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Email With Purpose And Value

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Welcome back to the Small Business Report here on Siri TechM channel 141. So yeah, folks, I was talking about platforms like social media, TikTok, LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, all of them, and tools that you can use. Now, you know, like I say, email marketing campaigns, you got to build that database, and the quick way to do it is to communicate with people that are already using your services. Anytime you got a sale or anything that you want to communicate with them, you know, you got their email address. But I'm gonna warn you about this. Communicate with a purpose. Just don't communicate, just don't send garbage emails because guess what? We all get a billion of them, and I don't need your garbage too. So when you communicate with your customers via email, please make it worth their while. Okay? Talk about a new product, service, or sale, but don't just communicate with them about some, you know, happy Easter, Merry Christmas, or whatever. I don't need that. You know, you can say that when I walk in the door, but communicate with a purpose via email. So social media has become the major marketing platform for businesses of all sizes.

Picking The Right Social Platform

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Now, which platform should small businesses focus on and how can they use them effectively without spending thousands of dollars? Now, what folks are saying is the best platform depends on your target audience, which I talked about already. So Facebook remains strong for the community engagement and local businesses, right? Instagram works well for visually driven businesses like restaurants, fashion, beauty, and lifestyle businesses. You know, if you're a barbershop, you know, you do nails, nail salon, beauty shop, you know, that kind of thing. Right. LinkedIn is ideal for professional services, B2B companies. TikTok and YouTube shorts are powerful for reaching younger audiences through short form media, short form videos, rather. Now, the secret to that is make them two minutes and less. Nobody wants to hear your lifelong story, my friend. Don't be on there ten minutes, because I'm telling you, they've done studies, and really at two minutes and like 30 seconds, the eyes start wandering, they're no longer engaged. So I would say even lower than 2.3 two minutes, the max. Be clear and you know, crystal clear about your message, what's going on, what deals you got, bing bang zoom, make it appealing, make it educational, instructive, and also friendly and kind with a nice smile, you know. So again, consistency is what it's all about. Don't just, you know, people always say, Well, well, we need to do a newsletter. Yeah, yeah, yeah. You know how long I've so many companies do a newsletter, and then within a couple of months, the newsletter is no longer coming out. It used to be one a week or one a month, now it's not even it's like one a year. I mean, don't start something that you're not gonna finish. It's about consistency, all right?

Consistency Authenticity And The Pivot

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Consistency and authenticity. All right. Businesses do not need expensive production teams, customers respond to real stories. You gotta tell a story why you in business and why you selling this. You know, and some people's story is so whack, you don't you don't even want to do business with them. And I'm telling you, I've heard some. You know, I've heard some really bad stories. And I was like, dude, you don't need to you don't need to tell anybody that you need to make one up. If that's the case, you really need to make one up. You know, guys telling me, I don't, I'm only in business to make money, you know. You I said you need to tell people you're in business to solve a problem. Keep it that way. But no, his his idea was I'm gonna be I'm in business to make money, and that's the way it is. And he was out of business within six months. I watched him close the doors, gave him all kind of good information to run his business and keep it going. And he was not listening to anything. He he had already had his mind made up, and that's what happens with a lot of people. They come in with a bad idea, and their minds already made up that they know everything, don't need to learn nothing, ain't nothing new, and they just want someone to validate the craziness that they bring to the table. And that's not what I'm about. I'm gonna I'm gonna be honest with you because I wanna see you succeed, but I'm gonna tell you at the same time, if you if I'm your coach, I'm gonna tell you I don't think that's gonna work. And here's why. Right? So you need you need that kind of that level of truthfulness in your business as well. You need to be consistent, you need to be authentic, but you also need to be mindful that you may not know the best way to go. And the sign of genius is to be able to change direction to pivot. Because you realize, okay, the road I'm on is not going anywhere. Let me pivot. That's the sign of genius. Think about it. If you're going, if you're heading down the road of failure and somebody points it out, and then you pivot and get on the road to success. That's a genius, my friends. You want to be on the smart road, you want to be going in the right direction, you want to build your business, you want to stay in business for as long as you can, meaning hopefully you can sell the business, make some money, and walk away like everybody else. You don't want to work every day the rest of your life, you want to enjoy life. But anyway, let's get back to this

Branding And Storytelling That Connect

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thing. So, how important is branding and storytelling and marketing? How can a small business create a memorable brand that connects with customers? So, think about businesses as I'm talking about this. Think about businesses that tell a great story. Why are they different than just a regular business that sells the same thing? Might be two doors down or across the street, but you're not going in there, you're going to this one here. Because they told you a great story. And their branding, their logo, their look, their feel, you know, it connects with you. And so that's why you're a customer and you're a repeat customer because you like what they bring. I mean, there's certain places I go, and I feel a certain way when I walk in the door because I know how they're gonna treat me, you know, with respect and kindness. They they know my name and they care about me and they want to they want to see me looking good. They want me to feel good, smell good, you know. So they take care of me. You know, when I go to the barbershop, you know, I know I before I even get there, how I'm gonna be treated. I feel good when I walk in the door and I sit down and get my hair cut. And I know that the barber is doing their absolute best to make me look good. And I know that's hard as hell, but hey, that's a whole nother story. So branding is and storytelling the critical in business, you know. People do business with companies they trust and feel good about. You know, a brand is more than a logo, it's an experience, the reputation, the emotional connection that customers have with the business. You know, I went I went recently went to a Marcus Johnson concert. And yeah, I know Marcus, he's a great guy. I love him to death. And I've been connected with him since the 80s. And let me tell you something, he never disappoints, never disappoints. So I know when I go to his concert and I might go three, four, five times a year to see him play. I'm I I know I'm gonna feel good about it. I know I'm gonna hear good music, and he always has a message in his in, you know, he'll stop the music and you know, and then talk about what's going on in the world and and what's going on with him. So he does storytelling, and I know that that I'm gonna have a good time and I'm gonna learn. So people are connected to that. Storytelling helps humanize a business or a person, right? Customers want to know why the business was started, what problem it solves, how it impacts the community. Small businesses have a unique advantage because they often have authentic stories that large corporations can replicate. They don't have them. We're just a big old business, you know, and we're taking up space with everybody. But um, a memorable brand starts with consistent, consistency in messaging, visuals, customer service, and values. Businesses should clearly communicate who they are, who they serve, and why that matters.

Final Takeaways And Sign Off

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So, hey, this is your boy Carl Brown. That's it for us today. I'll be back next week with vital information that'll help you grow your business.

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You've been listening to the Small Business Report, powered by PNC Bank. Your weekly access to all the tools you need to succeed with your host, Carl Brown, State Executive Director of the District of Columbia Small Business Development Center. Stay tuned to HUR Voices, Series Tech Tim Channel 141, every Tuesday and Thursday at 12 noon Eastern, 9 a.m. Pacific for expert advice from business owners, subject matter experts, and government agencies. Each week, you'll learn tips on how to start, grow, and finance your business. The Small Business Report is supported by the DC Small Business Development Center, a partnership program nationally accredited by the Association of America's SBDC and funded in part by the U.S. Small Business Administration, Howard University, with Howard University serving as the network's headquarters. This has been the Small Business Report on HUR Voices, Series XM, Channel 141.