Cheers To Business

Cheers To Business

Business insurance and Exposure

Dec 2 • 28 min

Karen and Cadie talk with Commercial Business Insurance whisper Tim Gould of Azalea Insurance Advisors. Tim will walk us through the ins and outs of the most common business insurance (and some exotic ones) and the best ways to find the right coverage for…

Business Skills, Podcasts and Fireworks with Jamie Tapia

Nov 26 • 24 min

Karen and Cadie invited a total stranger into the studio. She’s the owner of Port City Industrial and podcast fanatic Jamie Tapia. Jamie candidly shares her fear of not having a traditional business degree, even though she and her husband are running a…

Fighting Employee Theft and Bad Checks

Nov 19 • 22 min

Karen and guest-host Michelle Crowe talk with Mobile County District Attorney Ashley Rich. Ashley lays out how to handle receiving bad checks, employee theft, employee fraud, and what you proactive things you can do to avoid having this happen with your…

Mobile Moments and Business with Bill Sisson

Nov 12 • 26 min

Karen and guest host Michelle Crowe talk with the Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Bill Sisson. Bill gives us his insights and the lay of the land for the Mobile, Alabama business environment. He also shares all the leadership resources…

Destroying The Box with Brooks Conkle

Nov 5 • 22 min

On this episode, Karen talks with raconteur Brooks Conkle, founder of The Mobile Rundown and Gulf Coast BizCon. Brooks has built his brand on using social media to show all the things he is doing and spotlighting exciting activities and other things other…

Part 2 with Mr.X: Facebook Ads & Targeting

Oct 29 • 12 min

This is Part 2 of the power of digital marketing with Mr. X. Mr. X gives Karen more strategic advice for using targeted Facebook ads to increase your lead generations and increase sales conversions. Plus, Karen gets some specific marketing tactics on…

Just Be The Parent with Nanny Connie

Oct 22 • 33 min

Karen and Cadie get parenting, social media, and business advice from published author, Instagram influencer, and 30-plus-year nanny to the stars, Nanny Connie. With her amazing managing daughter Courtney, Nanny Connie discusses how she is teaching…

The Power of Digital Marketing with Mr. X

Oct 15 • 18 min

Karen talks with the mysterious and digital marketing svengali, Mr. X. Because of some double-secret probation legal entanglements, Karen cannot reveal Mr. X’s name, but trust her when she says you will get a ton of knowledge from this guest. Learn what…

Elizabeth Smart Today

Oct 8 • 17 min

Karen and Cadie talk with sexual assault activist, public speaker, and businesswoman Elizabeth Smart. They discuss who Elizabeth Smart is today, how she manages her media and speaker career, and how she turned being a victim into victory. Plus, the Cheers…

Pimp Your Office with Melissa Cross

Oct 1 • 18 min

On this episode, Karen discusses the importance of first impressions, consistent branding, and marketing a legendary local brand with McAleers Office Furniture President Melissa Cross. Melissa is a business development maven that has built a furniture…

Johnny Wants You To Be A Local Celebrity

Sep 24 • 23 min

In this episode, Karen talks with show producer Johnny Gwin about content marketing, podcasting, and becoming a local celebrity to grow your brand and business. Content marketing is any entertaining and informative digital media that makes your audience…

Pay Yourself First and Retirement Plans with Crystal Sears

Sep 16 • 21 min

In this episode, Karen talks with the Mobile, Alabama employer, employee, and personal retirement plans TPA specialist Crystal Sears of Azalea Administration. Crystal explains the ins and outs of all the options employers and employees have with 401(k)…

Value Pricing vs. Hourly Pricing

Sep 10 • 15 min

Karen and Cadie are talking about pricing, more specifically, value pricing versus hourly pricing. Pricing is one of the hardest things entrepreneurs and businesses have to figure. Karen explains the fundamentals of pricing and why value pricing is a…

Entrepreneurship In A Box

Sep 2 • 24 min

Karen and Cadie talk with the founder of Payroll Vault, and “Entrepreneur King” R Sean Manning. Sean will discuss outsourcing, disruption and the Core 24 Business Mastery Course. Called an “entrepreneurship in a box” this new e-learning program, custom…

Sales vs. Operations and Sausage

Aug 27 • 20 min

Karen is the voice of sales, and Cadie handles the POV of the operations side. They honestly share their successes and failures of limiting this gap of the sales team, management, and the operations side. Cadie counsels Karen on what she thinks might be…

Be Like Christine Cumbie

Aug 21 • 18 min

Karen and Cadie talk with their good friend, mentor, local change-maker, and cancer warrior Christine Cumbie of Gardberg & Kemmerly. Christine is the zen master of grace and is living proof that optimism, intentional living, and gratitude can be a secret…

Update Your Local Business Relationships

Aug 13 • 22 min

Karen and Cadie talk with the Computer Doctor, Chris Sayre. Chris is the owner of The Computer Doctor, a boutique IT service provider. Chris shares his best IT practices for small business and deep dives on the importance of nurturing local relationships…

Ep.46 - Empowering CommunIties & Building Teams

Aug 6 • 21 min

Karen and Cadie sit and talk with Devin Ford, a professional commercial photographer and the founder of the FOCUS Women’s Conference held each year in Mobile, Alabama. In this episode, Devin shares her insights on starting an event from scratch,…

Ep.45 - 7 Questions To Ask Before Buying A Franchise

Jul 30 • 15 min

Karen and Cadie bring back Commerical Real Estate expert and franchise consultant Chris Harle to the Deep Fried Studios. Prompted by the article “Seven Questions To Ask Yourself If You’re Thinking of Buying a Franchise” by Anthony Caliendo - Chris and the…

Ep.44 - Chris Harle: When To Make A Change

Jul 23 • 17 min

Karen & Cadie have a candid discussion with serial entrepreneur, former franchise owner and commercial real estate consultant Chris Harle. Chris shares his wins and losses, hard lessons, and advice on knowing when to change your business model from…

Ep.43 - Influencers and Word of Mouth Advertising

Jul 16 • 28 min

Karen and Cadie sit and talk with social media influencer, word of mouth marketer, all-around great guy, and Mobile, Alabama’s one and only Man About Town, Ray Weinshenker. Ray has leveraged his gifts, personality, refined taste, and local celebrity into…

Ep.42 - Connect with Your Chamber of Commerce

Jul 9 • 13 min

Business is all about relationships, and one of the best ways to forming those all-important local vendors and consumer connections is joining and engaging with your local chamber of commerce. In this episode, Karen and Cadie sit with Jamie Warren and…

Ep.41 - Employee or Independent Contractor?

Jul 2 • 18 min

There’s a comprehensive IRS manual for guiding employers on the classification of employees versus independent contractors. If you don’t know this regulatory mountain of legal classifications, rules, and tax liabilities for employees vs. independent…

Ep.40 - Small Business Owners Coaching Program

Jun 25 • 16 min

Karen and Cadie talk with Monica Wiggins, a HUD Certified Housing and Credit Counselor, with Lifelines Counseling Services about their new Small Business Owners Coaching Program that can help you untangle some of these common small business issues. Monica…

Ep.39 - Karen Has Some Big News

Jun 18 • 16 min

This episode is packed with laughs, tears, and some big ole’ life and biz lessons. Cadie gets very personal with Karen as she candidly fills us all in on some important news about her business KCS Accounting & Tax, the future, and the Cheers to Business.…

Ep.38: Accounting Software and Locking Up Toilet Paper

Jun 11 • 17 min

Karen and Cadie share one of the easiest ways to get a finally get a firm grasp on the running of your business, knowing the cost of goods sold, identifying your profit margins, or determining how much to charge for your products and services: finding and…

Ep.37 - Getting Out Of Your Business. The Right Way.

Jun 4 • 11 min

Karen and Cadie talk about when and how to get out of your business. Do you want to retire? Do you want to sell it? Six considerations need to be addressed for this big business and life decision. Do you have an exit plan? Have you talked to your…

Ep.36 - Outsource Payroll. Strengthen Your Business.

May 28 • 12 min

Cadie enlightens us on the importance and benefits of outsourcing your company’s payroll services. She and Karen walk us through what to look for in a reputable payroll processing service, what questions to ask them, and how to get the most out of a…

Ep.35 - Get Schooled On Interns

May 14 • 12 min

Karen and Cadie talk interns and improving your company’s internship program. What are the pros and cons of hiring them? What legal and compensation issues to watch out for? Do you pay them, or do you not pay them? What you need to do to get the most out…

Ep.34 - Tax As A Tool

May 6 • 13 min

Cadie relinquishes the Cheers To Biz mic to Karen, and she explains why she wants to be in the highest tax bracket, doesn’t want to be able to itemize, and why (and when) you might want to pay more taxes too. The tax that you pay is the proof that you and…

Ep.33 - Building A Team with Rhen Bartlett

Apr 30 • 25 min

In this episode, Karen and Cadie talk with Rhen Bartlett, the COO of Irby Homebuyers and a locally known student of leadership, and guru for building a sales team. Rhen shares his insights on best practices for hiring, training, motivating, and…

Ep.32 - If It’s Connected, Protect It

Apr 23 • 29 min

Karen and Cadie talk with Abe and Carl Harper of Harper Technologies LLC about keeping our business data safe, firewalls updated and our online communication systems protected and impenetrable to hackers. The Harpers easily explain assessing your…

Ep.31 - Cadie’s 3 C’s of Email Etiquette

Apr 16 • 15 min

Karen and Cadie dive deep into some of the best business email practices and etiquette you need to consider and maybe brush up on. Cadie shares her best tricks, techniques and pro tips for getting the most out of our online interactions and some email…

Ep.30 - Makin’ It Rain In The Marketing Game with Michelle Crowe

Apr 9 • 22 min

Karen and Cady talk with web developer and marketing guru Michelle Crowe of e-worc about the professional in and outs of the branding, marketing and advertising of your company or small business. Michelle stresses the importance of starting out on the…

Ep.29 - Making SMART Goals with Stacy Wellborn

Apr 3 • 24 min

The Cheers ladies have a special guest in the studio, Stacy Wellborn (Wellborn Strategies, Container Yard, & the Swain Sinus Show) and she’s going to talk about SMART goal setting, how to start and how to maintain them throughout the year. Stacy teaches…

Ep.28 - Heads Up. 2018 Taxes Lower.

Mar 27 • 15 min

It’s all over the news and social media. Co-workers, neighbors and the fine folks at the boat ramp everyone is saying that their federal tax refunds are smaller this year. Did we pay more taxes? Is this true, or just a myth? Today, the tax whisperer Karen…

Ep.27 - Hiring, Firing, Engagement, and HR Secrets with Gia Wiggins

Mar 20 • 29 min

Karen and Cadie have Ms. Gia Wiggins of Morale Resources in the Deep Fried Studios. Gia talks about the difference between HR and payroll, the top do’s and dont’s, finding staff for small businesses, keeping them, and when you have to let them go. The…

Ep.26 - Let’s Do A Podcast With The Insurance Guys

Mar 13 • 38 min

Are you thinking about starting that business or passion project podcast? Well, this is the perfect podcast motivational episode for you. Budding new podcasters Karen and Cady talk with fellow Deep Fried Studios and veteran podcasters Scott Howell and…

Ep.25 - Waffle Brains and Maximizing Time

Mar 6 • 16 min

In today’s world, everyone is so go, go, go. You look up and the day has gone. In this episode, Karen and Cady talk about things that they do, tips and tricks that they’ve learned to maximize their time to be more productive and profitable.

Ep.24 - Uncle Henry: Advertising, Flea Markets and Protecting Parts

Feb 25 • 27 min

In this sober episode, Karen and Cadie talk to the Mobile, Alabama radio legend Uncle Henry of iHeart Media and Newsradio710AM WNTM. Uncle Henry shares his secrets and insights on maintaining a career and brand for 30 plus years and gives some pro tips on…

Ep.23 - Coffee, Connecting, and Being Real with Jeff Roberts

Feb 20 • 29 min

Karen and Cadie have Mr. Yellowhammer Coffee, Jeff Roberts in the Deep Fried Studio. Jeff shares his highly caffeinated journey from one coffee truck (and trailer) to a new brick and mortar location, his three biggest business lessons, and his brilliant…

Ep.22 - Partnerships, LLCs, S-Corps, and Forming A Company

Feb 13 • 24 min

Karen and Cadie answer a listener’s question concerning forming a new company and partnership. They will explain all the steps needed in filing the legal papers and will break down all the pros and cons between choosing to open an LLC or an S-Corp. Plus,…

Ep.21 - Share The Knowledge

Feb 6 • 15 min

Karen is going to teach Cadie and the audience about David Gurteen’s business philosophy of Knowledge Share. Knowledge Share is always revealing and teaching everything you know to your team and the people around you. By creating a culture of knowledge…

Ep.20 - Talkin’ Family Business and Surviving It

Jan 30 • 23 min

Karen and Cadie talk about something they know a lot about; starting, working, and thriving in a family business. Karen and Cadie share their personal family business ups, downs, tidbits, wisdom nuggets, warnings, and all the pros and cons. Plus, they…

Ep.19 - Common Business Taxes, W-2 and 1099 Questions

Jan 23 • 21 min

In this episode, show producer Johnny Gwin gets some small business and 2018 tax advice from Karen. Johnny asks some common questions business owners have every year trying to get all those financial reports finished, and in compliance with city, county,…

Ep.18 - Scott Tindle: Pivot, Grit and Gravy

Jan 16 • 27 min

Karen, without the super busy Cadie, interviews one of Mobile’s most known and infamous entrepreneurs, Scott Tindle. Scott went from having a multi-million dollar business on July 18th, 2018 to waking up the next day and having it snatched away like a…

Ep.17 - Starting A Non-Profit 501(c)(3)

Jan 10 • 13 min

Karen flies solo without Cadie and speaks with Jenni and Delaney Zimlich about how they formed and started their 501(c)(3) non-profit business, the Krewe of Kindness. They share their path and steps they took to get started, choosing a board of directors,…

Ep.16 - Johnny Gwin: 3 Words For A Better 2019

Dec 19, 2018 • 17 min

In this episode, Karen and Cadie let show producer Johnny Gwin take over the studio and talk about a different (and better) way to make those hard to keep New Year’s Resolutions. Johnny explains Chris Brogan’s 3 Word Mindset Practice and how it can be a…

Ep.15 - Holiday Business Dos and Don’ts

Dec 13, 2018 • 15 min

According to a recent study from Funding Circle, 70 percent of small business owners worked on Christmas even though they had planned to take that whole day off. In this episode, Karen and Cadie discuss the Christmas Holiday do’s and don’ts to get the…

Ep.14 - Financial Reports 101

Nov 21, 2018 • 22 min

Karen and Cadie explain the ins and outs of your business’s financial report. What is the balance sheet? What is the profit and loss statement? Why are these documents so important to your bookkeeper, CPAs, and the health of your company. Plus, Karen…

Ep.13 - Taxes and End of Year Prepping

Nov 15, 2018 • 25 min

The business owner and accountant (CPA) explain the things that need to be done, accounts that need to be rectified, documents required, and the decisions necessary to avoid trouble with Uncle Sam and the IRS. Plus, Karen describes the pros and cons of…

Ep.12 - Self Care For Workaholics

Nov 7, 2018 • 18 min

In these days of always more, hustle, and grind some business owners (and other workaholics) aren’t valuing themselves or listening to that voice screaming to take some time to take a break, have some fun, and to define that blurry line between life and…

Ep.11 - The Fabulous Ladies of FOCUSWC

Nov 1, 2018 • 29 min

This is a special episode. On October 19th, 2018 Karen and Cadie attended the Focus Women’s Conference at the University of South Alabama in Mobile, Alabama. FTR - Karen was a panelist, and both CTB ladies were sponsoring vendors at this incredible event.…

Ep.10 - Second Locations and Smart Growth

Oct 25, 2018 • 29 min

Karen and Cadie talk with entrepreneurs, creatives, and proud new owners of the second location of Salon West Hairdressers, Julia Liller and Whitney Vittor. Julie and Whitney candidly share their career journeys, the ups, and downs of starting Salon West…

Ep.9 - Personality Tests with Maverick and Ace

Oct 18, 2018 • 33 min

aren and Cadie have talked about how much they are alike, but yet so different. This week they decided to put it to the test and thanks to our producer Johnny Gwin (who led us to the How To Fascinate Personality Test), and they took the test. Learn about…

Ep.8 - Hiring, Keeping and the True Costs

Oct 10, 2018 • 22 min

In this episode, Karen and Cadie talk about one of the biggest things concerning your company, hiring. Topics covered are knowing when it’s time to hire, how to choose the best fit, state and federal payroll taxes, offering benefits, and providing the…

Ep.7 - Brooke Goff: The Wine Dame of Domke Market

Sep 30, 2018 • 18 min

In this lively episode, Karen & Cadie talk with the wine dame of Domke Market, Brooke Goff. Brooke literally reveals a fun wine tasting game, shares her career journey into retail, discusses her philosophy of transitioning an existing business & it’s…

Ep.6 - Noell Broughton: The Restaurant and Bar Guru

Sep 26, 2018 • 21 min

Karen and Cadie welcome their first show guest and he’s a bonafide restaurant, bar business guru, and local legend - Noell Broughton. Noell shares his business journey and gives his insights on buying an existing business, starting out from scratch, and…

Ep.5 - Work/Life Balance: Having It All

Sep 20, 2018 • 14 min

In this episode, Karen & Cadie discuss juggling the duties of a Mom, manager, and mentor without being a maniac. How do busy working women manage to get it all done? Is getting it all done even a possibility? Hear Karen & Cadie’s advice on time…

Ep.4 - Turning That Hobby Into A Business

Sep 13, 2018 • 14 min

Is your hobby something that you can turn into a profit center? What should you consider before you launch a side business? When should you consider leaving your day job? Excitement hides the motivation and pain it takes to start a new business. Karen &…

Ep.3 - Conferences: Are They Worth It?

Aug 27, 2018 • 16 min

Karen and Cadie discuss how to get the most out of attending conferences, trade-shows, expos, and meet-ups. Learn how they prepare, manage time, retain information, implement new ideas, and network at these functions. These events can be expensive and…

Ep.2 - Starting A Business: Franchises

Aug 27, 2018 • 17 min

Karen and Cadie talk about different ways to start a business, specifically looking at, buying into, and opening into a franchise. Karen and Cadie have opened Payroll Vault, a payroll and outsourced HR service franchise, and have a lot to say about the…

Ep.1 - Meet Karen and Cadie

Aug 27, 2018 • 11 min

Welcome the first Cheers To Business podcast! In this episode, you’ll meet the show’s hosts, Karen Simmons (Serial Entrepreneur, CPA, Big Thinker, and The Mom) and Cadie Gaut (Business Owner, Payroll Rock Star, wife and mom, and The Daughter). Karen and…