In this episode of Small Business Pivots, host Michael D. Morrison talks with Molly Ruland, Founder & CEO of Heartcast Media, a Washington D.C.–based full-service podcast production agency now operating from Costa Rica.

Molly shares how small business owners can start, grow, and monetize a podcast the right way — focusing on SEO (Search Engine Optimization), AEO (Answer Engine Optimization), and genuine relationship-driven content instead of chasing downloads.

💡 You’ll learn:
• How to build a podcast that fills your pipeline and creates real connections
• Why SEO and AEO matter more than virality in 2025 and beyond
• How to use long-tail keywords, show notes, and transcripts to get found
• Outsourcing tips that save time and maximize impact
• Monetization strategies that go beyond ads and downloads
• Creative ways to pitch yourself as a guest (think Loom videos + relationship building)

🌍 Molly’s Story: From Washington D.C. to Costa Rica, she built a global agency helping brands and creators launch powerful podcasts without burnout or vanity metrics.

Molly Ruland: Founder & CEO of Heartcast Media

Website: https://www.heartcastmedia.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/heartcastmedia/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@HeartcastMedia/videos

#SmallBusinessPivots #MichaelDMorrison #BOSS #BusinessOwnershipSimplified #OurBusinessIsHelpingYoursGrow #PodcastGrowth #PodcastSEO #AEOStrategy #HeartcastMedia #MollyRuland #PodcastProduction #PodcastStrategy #PodcastMonetization #PodcastTips #SmallBusinessMarketing #BusinessPodcast #EntrepreneurPodcast #BusinessGrowth #ContentMarketing #DigitalMarketing #RelationshipMarketing #AuthenticContent #SmallBusinessOwner #OklahomaCity #WashingtonDC #CostaRica #Entrepreneurship #BusinessCoaching #OnlineBusinessGrowth #MarketingStrategy #BuildYourEmpire

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Tired of hearing that cold calling is dead? Patrick William Joyce, CEO of Outboundless, joins Small Business Pivots to debunk the biggest myths in outbound sales and explain why human-to-human calling is still one of the most effective ways to grow a business in 2025.

From his early career as a math teacher in Boston to running a high-performance outbound SDR agency, Patrick shares how he built resilience through rejection, what most businesses get wrong about outbound sales, and why personalization in AI emails doesn’t equal connection.

We dig into:

• Why cold calling still works in the age of AI and automation
• The “95/5 rule” of rejection vs. success in outbound sales
• How early-stage businesses can use outbound to test their market and build pipeline
• Why the sales development role is one of the most important — yet overlooked — in business
• Patrick’s new book, The Illuminati Sales Manifesto, and the truth about personalization myths

If you’re a business owner, entrepreneur, or sales leader who needs qualified conversations that actually convert, this episode is packed with insights to help you break through the noise and generate results.

Patrick Joyce: CEO of Outboundless

Website: https://www.outboundless.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pwilliamjoyce/

Purchase Book: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FH7JC5QQ

#SmallBusinessPivots #MichaelDMorrison #BOSS #OklahomaCity #BusinessPodcast #SmallBusiness #Entrepreneurship #ColdCalling #OutboundSales #B2BSales #LeadGeneration #BusinessGrowth #Outboundless #PatrickJoyce #SalesStrategy

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In this episode of Small Business Pivots, host Michael D. Morrison, Founder & CEO of BOSS, sits down with Kristi Chaves, a seasoned business coach with over 11 years of experience helping service-based entrepreneurs grow and scale online the non-conventional way.

Kristi shares her journey of building her business organically without the “corporate safety net,” focusing on client retention, transformational coaching, and marketing that plays to your strengths. From overcoming mindset blocks to designing a business that aligns with your lifestyle, Kristi breaks down what it really takes to scale sustainably—without burnout, rigid rules, or chasing unrealistic revenue promises.

You’ll discover:

• Why clarity about your life vision is the foundation of business growth
• The early mistakes that kept Kristi “stuck” and how she broke through
• The role of mindset, nervous system regulation, and resilience in business success
• How to market to your strengths instead of forcing cookie-cutter strategies
• Practical insights for service-based business owners ready to scale beyond referrals

Whether you’re just starting out or feeling stuck after years in business, this conversation will give you a fresh perspective on creating a business that not only makes money but also supports the lifestyle you truly want.

📌 Small Business Pivots is ranked in the Top 10% of podcasts globally. Subscribe now for authentic conversations with entrepreneurs and experts who know the struggles and share the solutions.

Kristi Chaves: Business Coach

Website: https://kristichaves.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kristichaves/

#SmallBusiness #Entrepreneurship #BusinessGrowth #BusinessCoaching #KristiChaves #SmallBusinessPivots #MichaelDMorrison #BOSS #BusinessOwnershipSimplified #ServiceBasedBusiness #ScalingBusiness #MindsetMatters #EntrepreneurMindset #OnlineBusinessCoach #BusinessStrategy #BusinessLoansWithSupport #GrowYourBusiness #CoachingForEntrepreneurs #WestCoastBusinessCoach

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1. Want more resources to grow your business faster?
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3. Want professional business coaching with our Host, Founder & CEO?
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4. Want to set up a FREE business consultation with our Host, Founder & CEO?
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Small Business Pivots with Michael D. Morrison welcomes Tania P. Brown, a Job Exit Strategist from Lawrenceville, Georgia, who helps women over 40 build a confident path from corporate life to self-employment freedom.

In this inspiring episode, Tania shares her journey from growing up in Brooklyn, to military service, to financial services, and ultimately into entrepreneurship. She breaks down:
✅ Why financial strategy is the key to leaving your 9 to 5 without going broke
✅ The difference between what clients need and what they want when starting a business
✅ How toxic corporate experiences can follow you unless you heal before launching your business
✅ Practical boundaries and time-blocking tips that keep entrepreneurs focused and balanced
✅ Why hope, confidence, and clarity matter more than hype when planning your leap into business

If you’ve ever wondered how to quit your job, build a financial exit plan, and create a business that lights you up—this episode is for you.

Ranked in the top 10% of podcasts globally, Small Business Pivots brings you the raw stories and strategies from entrepreneurs who’ve been in your shoes.

Tania P. Brown: Founder & CEO of Tania P. Brown Services, Job Exit Strategist

Website: https://www.taniapbrown.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/taniapellewbrown/

Blog: https://www.taniapbrown.com/blog

#SmallBusinessPivots #MichaelDMorrison #BOSS #BusinessLoans #BusinessCoaching #AtlantaBusiness #GeorgiaEntrepreneurs #WomenInBusiness #JobExitStrategist #SelfEmploymentFreedom #CorporateEscape #EntrepreneurJourney #BusinessGrowth #SmallBusinessPodcast #WomenOver40 #QuitYour9to5 #AtlantaPodcast #BusinessOwnershipSimplified #OklahomaCityPodcast

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1. Want more resources to grow your business faster?
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3. Want professional business coaching with our Host, Founder & CEO?
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What does it really take to adapt in business when the rules keep changing?
In this episode of Small Business Pivots, host Michael D. Morrison sits down with Dave Burnett, founder of AOK Marketing and PromotionalProducts.com, to unpack 27 years of entrepreneurial lessons in sales, marketing, and digital pivots.

From handing out free samples for Bacardi in college to building one of Canada’s most recognized SEO and digital marketing firms, Dave reveals:

• How to spot the exact moment you need to pivot in business.
• The five stages of customer awareness—and why most businesses fail at the first step.
• What SEO for AI really means and how search is fragmenting beyond Google.
• Why adapting faster than your competition is the only way to survive shifting markets.

Whether you’re a small business owner just starting out or running a multi-million-dollar company, this conversation will show you how to create awareness, stay relevant, and actually get found in today’s noisy, AI-driven world.

Ranked in the top 10% of podcasts globally, Small Business Pivots brings you the raw stories and strategies from entrepreneurs who’ve been in your shoes.

Dave Burnett: Founder & CEO of AOK Marketing

Website: https://aokmarketing.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davebburnett/

Blog: https://aokmarketing.com/blog

Podcast: https://aokmarketing.com/learningcenter/podcast/

#SmallBusinessPivots #MichaelDMorrison #BOSS #OklahomaCity #BusinessGrowth #Entrepreneurship #BusinessPodcast #SEO #MarketingStrategy #DaveBurnett #AOKMarketing #SmallBusinessMarketing #DigitalMarketing #SEOforAI #BusinessAdaptability #MarketingTips #BusinessCoaching #CustomerAwareness #SalesGrowth #EntrepreneurPodcast #MarketingPivot #AIinMarketing #SearchOptimization #ContentMarketing #SocialMediaMarketing #BusinessSuccess

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3. Want professional business coaching with our Host, Founder & CEO?
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-YOUTUBE: https://youtube.com/@businessownershipsimplified

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What if your business decisions weren’t based on gut feelings or bank balances—but on clear daily insight?

In this episode of Small Business Pivots, entrepreneur Leigh Angman introduces the SPRUCTIS Framework—eight pillars (systems, processes, redundancy, urgency, communication, technology, integrity, and sales) designed to help small and medium-sized businesses turn insight into action.

Leigh shares:

• How he transformed a struggling restaurant into a $6M operation using simple Google Sheets systems
• Why tracking daily sales is the single most powerful habit for owners
• The mindset shift he calls “delusional optimism (done right)” and how it fuels resilience
• Practical ways to build redundancy, urgency, and communication into your company culture

Whether you’re running a $250K shop or a $15M company, Leigh’s lessons prove that clarity, systems, and mindset—not luck—drive sustainable success.

Resources:

Leigh Angman: Founder of Mondofi Media, Managing Director of BC Frontier Housing Society, Director of Gentle Earth Products, President of Peak Hospitality, Director of HumanBeam Technologies

Website: https://spructis.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leigh-angman/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leighangman/

#SmallBusinessPivots #MichaelDMorrison #BOSS #BusinessLoans #BusinessCoaching #OurBusinessIsHelpingYoursGrow #OklahomaCity #LeighAngman #SPRUCTIS #FromInsightToAction #SmallBusinessGrowth #KnowYourNumbers #GoogleSheets #SystemsAndProcesses #EntrepreneurMindset #Sales #Redundancy #Urgency #Communication #Technology #Integrity

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Send us a text

What does it really take to reach — and stay in — the top 1% of your field? Legendary speaker and bestselling author Jim Cathcart shares the exact mindset, daily habits, and career strategy that took him from “likable ordinary guy” to National Speakers Association President, Professional Speakers Hall of Fame inductee, Sales & Marketing Hall of Fame (London), and author of 27 books including The Acorn Principle, Relationship Selling, and Mentor Minutes: How to Reach the Top 1% of Any Field.

In this eye-opening conversation, Jim unpacks the idea that changed his life: one extra focused hour a day for five years can make you a national expert — if you pick a narrow lane and stay the course. He explains how to transform fear of public speaking by reframing it as fear of judgment, why selling is “helping people for pay,” and how to build authority step by step until opportunities find you. You’ll hear the full-circle story of Earl Nightingale — from inspiring Jim on the radio to Nightingale-Conant selling Jim’s program a decade later — plus practical ways to design a career that compounds for decades.

You’ll learn:

• The “Hour-a-Day” approach to becoming a recognized expert
• How niching hard accelerates credibility and demand
• A simple reframe to eliminate public-speaking anxiety
• The difference between vendor thinking and solution thinking in sales
• How to architect a career that consistently creates serendipity
• What Jim teaches in his Certified Professional Expert (CPE) mentorship

Resources & Mentions:

• Jim’s site: Cathcart.com
• Free download: What to Do When You’re the Speaker → BookCathcart.com
• Books: The Acorn Principle, Relationship Selling, Mentor Minutes

Jim Cathcart: Founder & CEO of Cathcart Institute

Website: https://cathcart.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cathcartinstitute/

X: https://x.com/jimcathcart

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jimcathcart

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@JimCathcartvideos/videos

#SmallBusinessPivots #JimCathcart #CathcartInstitute #Mindset #PersonalDevelopment #CertifiedProfessionalExpert #Top1Percent #MentorMinutes #RelationshipSelling #NationalSpeakersAssociation #NSA #TheAcornPrinciple #PublicSpeaking #SalesTips #ExpertPositioning #AuthorityBuilding #BusinessGrowth #Entrepreneurship #MichaelDMorrison #BOSS #BusinessLoans #BusinessCoaching #OklahomaCity #GetSerious

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3. Want professional business coaching with our Host, Founder & CEO?
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-YOUTUBE: https://youtube.com/@businessownershipsimplified

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What does it really take to grow a small business from two people in a tiny Alaska office to a 30-person, multi-state digital marketing agency?

In this episode of Small Business Pivots, host Michael Morrison interviews Adrienne Wilkerson, co-founder and CEO of Beacon Media + Marketing, a nationwide digital agency specializing in mental health and addiction recovery marketing. Adrienne opens up about the struggles of entrepreneurship—burnout, hiring mistakes, and control issues—and how she learned to scale by defining roles, building systems, and hiring for culture.

You’ll discover:

• How to scale your small business without losing your freedom
• Why defining roles (instead of people) helps break growth bottlenecks
• The importance of constructive conflict and tough conversations as a leader
• How systems and SOPs actually increase creativity instead of stifling it
• The latest shifts in digital marketing: why AI is the new gatekeeper, how to adapt with Generative Engine Optimization (GEO), and why social media ads now outperform Google Ads

If you’ve ever felt stuck in the grind, overwhelmed by employees, or unsure how to pivot when the market changes, this conversation is packed with practical strategies and encouragement to help you push through the “messy middle” of business ownership—and build a company that lasts.

Adrienne Wilkerson: Co-Founder & CEO of Beacon Media + Marketing

Website: https://www.beaconmm.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adriennewilkerson/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/beaconmm

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beaconmm/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/BeaconMediaMarketing

#SmallBusinessPivots #AdrienneWilkerson #BeaconMediaMarketing #MichaelDMorrison #BOSS #BusinessOwnershipSimplified #OklahomaCity #SmallBusinessCoachOKC #SmallBusiness #Entrepreneurship #BusinessGrowth #BusinessCoaching #BusinessLoans #Leadership #ScalingABusiness #DigitalMarketing #AIandMarketing #MarketingStrategy #SystemsAndProcesses #GenerativeEngineOptimization #GEO #SocialMediaMarketing #SmallBusinessSupport #BuildYourEmpire #BusinessCoach

Support the show

1. Want more resources to grow your business faster?
https://www.businessownershipsimplified.com/

2. Want to connect with our Host, Founder & CEO on LinkedIn?
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3. Want professional business coaching with our Host, Founder & CEO?
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4. Want to set up a FREE business consultation with our Host, Founder & CEO?
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