The How of Business - How to start, run, grow and exit a small business.

Entrepreneur Norman Crowley shares his remarkable journey and explains why ideas matter far less than the courage to start and the discipline to execute. As Norman explains, "Just begin. The customer will fix your idea very quickly." Show Notes Page: https://www.thehowofbusiness.com/r394-norman-crowley-just-begin/ What does it really take to come up with a good business idea, and does the idea even matter? In this compelling conversation, international entrepreneur Norman Crowley unpacks the truth behind entrepreneurial success, from his early welding business at age 12 to the billion-dollar gaming venture he nearly sold just hours before the 2008 financial crisis. Norman shares the mindset, discipline, and resilience required to build meaningful companies, including why execution - not the idea - is what actually determines whether you'll succeed. He also discusses the role of luck, navigating stress and health challenges, building world-class teams, and why big missions attract big allies. One of the most powerful moments of the episode comes when Norman explains his "hot coals" framework for overcoming fear: "Filling your mind with happy thoughts, being clear on the destination, and just keeping walking." Whether you're dreaming of your first business or wrestling with your next one, this episode offers rare honesty, inspiring insights, and practical wisdom from decades of entrepreneurial wins, losses, pivots, and reinventions. Norman Crowley is an Irish serial entrepreneur and climate-tech leader, best known as the Founder and Chairman of CoolPlanet, a global decarbonization and energy-efficiency group helping major corporations reduce emissions and achieve net-zero goals. Before turning to climate innovation, he built and sold several successful technology companies including Trinity Commerce, Inspired Gaming Group, and The Cloud. He also founded AVA, which converts classic cars into high-performance electric vehicles. Today, Norman is recognized for combining deep entrepreneurial experience with a mission-driven approach to solving climate change through technology, data, and industrial systems. This episode is hosted by Henry Lopez. The How of Business podcast focuses on helping you start, run, grow and exit your small business. The How of Business is a top-rated podcast for small business owners and entrepreneurs. Find the best podcast, small business coaching, resources and trusted service partners for small business owners and entrepreneurs at our website https://TheHowOfBusiness.com

A practical 10-step guide to creating your small business strategic plan for the year ahead. Show Notes Page: https://www.thehowofbusiness.com/590-annual-strategic-planning/ In this episode, Henry Lopez breaks down how to create a clear and practical strategic plan for the year ahead, without overcomplicating the process. Strategic planning gives small business owners a roadmap for growth, helping them stop reacting and start leading with intention. Henry walks through a 10-step framework that includes reviewing the previous year, refining your vision, conducting a SWOT analysis, defining strategy, setting goals and KPIs, breaking plans into quarterly actions, budgeting, and executing with discipline. He also explains why strategic planning matters even when circumstances change: "If we don't plan, then you really have no path to follow… things will happen to you instead of you making things happen." This episode is designed to help you clarify where you're going, stay aligned with your long-term vision, make smarter decisions about limited resources, and create a focused plan you can adjust throughout the year. You'll also learn Henry's five best-practice tips for more effective planning, starting with basing everything on reality, limiting priorities, tracking KPIs consistently, assigning ownership, and ensuring everything leads to real action. If you want to enter the next year with clarity, confidence, and intention, this episode provides the structure you need. This episode is hosted by Henry Lopez. The How of Business podcast focuses on helping you start, run, grow and exit your small business. The How of Business is a top-rated podcast for small business owners and entrepreneurs. Find the best podcast, small business coaching, resources and trusted service partners for small business owners and entrepreneurs at our website https://TheHowOfBusiness.com

A referable client experience is the key to earning organic referrals, and Stacey Brown Randall joins the show to break down how small business can get referrals without asking. Show Notes Page: https://www.thehowofbusiness.com/589-stacey-randall-referable-expereince/ In this episode, Henry Lopez welcomes back referral expert Stacey Brown Randall to explore how small business owners can generate referrals naturally, without asking. Stacey shares insights from her new book, The Referable Client Experience. She explains why great work alone doesn't create referrals, and why the emotional experience you deliver matters just as much as the deliverables themselves. Stacey breaks down the three stages of the client experience - new, active, and alumni - and how relationship-building touchpoints in each stage make clients feel seen, supported, and confident referring you. "Great work gets you repeat business," Stacey notes, "but relationships get you referrals." Henry and Stacey also discuss how to identify referral "hot zones," reinforce relationships without being pushy, and create organic moments where referral seeds can be planted authentically. Whether you're a consultant, creative, coach, or service provider, this episode will help you map your client experience, balance work vs. relationship touchpoints, and strengthen the natural referral engine inside your business. Stacey Brown Randall is an award-winning author, keynote speaker, and referral strategist who teaches business owners how to generate referrals naturally, without asking, manipulating, or creating awkward moments. Her newest book, The Referable Client Experience, expands her proven framework for building a referral-rich business through intentional client experience design. This episode is hosted by Henry Lopez. The How of Business podcast focuses on helping you start, run, grow and exit your small business. The How of Business is a top-rated podcast for small business owners and entrepreneurs. Find the best podcast, small business coaching, resources and trusted service partners for small business owners and entrepreneurs at our website https://TheHowOfBusiness.com

Bookkeeping essentials for small business with Jodi Arrant, including best practices, and the biggest mistakes to avoid in small-business bookkeeping. Show Notes Page: https://www.thehowofbusiness.com/588-jody-arrant-bookkeeping-essentials/ This episode brings a practical deep dive into small-business bookkeeping with financial professional Jodi Arrant, who shares her journey, best practices, and the most common bookkeeping mistakes business owners make. Henry and Jodi talk through essential topics like proper transaction categorization, the differences between Profit & Loss and Balance Sheet statements, and why regular bank reconciliation protects business owners from costly errors. They also discuss key year-end tasks, including cleaning up uncategorized expenses, preparing for 1099s, and reviewing financial reports before tax time. "Accurate coding and regular reconciliation are everything - your books simply can't be trusted without them," Jodi explains, offering practical advice for business owners who want cleaner books and clearer financial insights. Jodi Arrant is the founder of J. Arrant Consulting, a bookkeeping and financial operations firm based in Eugene, Oregon. With over 17 years of experience in bookkeeping, payroll, and QuickBooks consulting, she helps small business owners gain clarity, confidence, and organization in their financial systems. Jodi specializes in simplifying bookkeeping for entrepreneurs so they can focus on growing their small businesses. This episode is hosted by Henry Lopez. The How of Business podcast focuses on helping you start, run, grow and exit your small business. The How of Business is a top-rated podcast for small business owners and entrepreneurs. Find the best podcast, small business coaching, resources and trusted service partners for small business owners and entrepreneurs at our website https://TheHowOfBusiness.com

How to use the Eisenhower Matrix to cut through chaos, focus on what truly matters, and make faster, smarter decisions as a small business owner. Show Notes Page: https://www.thehowofbusiness.com/587-eisenhower-matrix-prioritization/ Feeling overwhelmed by your never-ending to-do list? In this episode, Henry Lopez explains how to use the Eisenhower Matrix—a simple yet powerful framework—to prioritize your daily tasks and regain control of your time. Originally developed by Dwight D. Eisenhower and later popularized by Stephen Covey in The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, the matrix helps business owners separate what's urgent from what's important, so they can focus on activities that truly move their business forward instead of reacting to every fire. Henry walks through how this framework complements the Big Rocks time management approach (Episode 569) and why most entrepreneurs mistakenly live in "urgent mode," constantly firefighting instead of leading strategically. He also shares how the Eisenhower Matrix inspired the creation of his free Task Management Tool, co-developed with his son-in-law, Colin Rhoades, using AI technology. "What is important is seldom urgent, and what is urgent is seldom important." — Dwight D. Eisenhower Henry and Colin also discuss how AI made it possible to create this simple browser-based productivity tool in just a few hours - proof that automation can make business life simpler in more ways than one. Listen to learn how to: Reduce overwhelm by categorizing tasks by urgency and importance. Identify your "Big Rocks" and schedule them intentionally. Use the Eisenhower Matrix for daily and even hourly decision-making... This episode is hosted by Henry Lopez. The How of Business podcast focuses on helping you start, run, grow and exit your small business. The How of Business is a top-rated podcast for small business owners and entrepreneurs. Find the best podcast, small business coaching, resources and trusted service partners for small business owners and entrepreneurs at our website https://TheHowOfBusiness.com