by Chala | Oct 7, 2026 | Marketing, Small business growth
When I started training my clients’ sales teams on the phone, I knew the avoidance was bad. Then I looked at the numbers. Sellers are scared: A 2018 study by ValueSelling Associates found that 48% of sales reps fear making cold calls. It’s generational: A...
by Chala | Sep 30, 2026 | Marketing, Small business growth
It’s the last quarter of 2026, and I’ve been meeting with a lot of business owners who are worried about their numbers. They’re not imagining it. Four in 10 small businesses expect to fall short of their financial goals this year (Source: Live Oak...
by Chala | Sep 2, 2026 | Marketing, Small business growth
I’m about to go controversial again: I just got back from three events across Kentucky and California, running Executive Roundtables where business owners share their biggest obstacles to landing corporate clients. I’ve been doing these Roundtables for 10...
by Chala | Jul 22, 2026 | Small business growth
You spend months and thousands of dollars getting that corporate meeting. Then you blow it by handing over control to the buyer. I listen to call recordings from my clients all the time. They get in the room, lose control immediately, and walk out with nothing. Just...
by Chala | May 27, 2026 | Marketing, Small business growth
When I was a buyer for Pepsi, Pizza Hut, and Frito-Lay for 18 years, I was pitched to death. It was really hard to earn my trust – I’d seen a thousand pitches and was jaded, just like all my colleagues. Breaking a buyer’s trust with your content,...
by Chala | May 20, 2026 | Marketing, Small business growth, Uncategorised
I just got back from the Women’s President Organization conference in Fort Lauderdale, heading to WBENC in Salt Lake City June 15th. I noticed that businesses my size are cutting in-person events completely in the face of some market uncertainty –...
