Small Business Saturday’s https://terrisayres.podbean.com Small Business Saturdays is the podcast for small business owners who are doing it all—and want practical ways to grow without the fluff. Each episode breaks down real-world topics like marketing, sales, expenses, profit, customer experience, and operations so you can make smarter decisions, tighten up what’s not working, and build a business that runs better week after week. Clear, actionable, and built for busy owners who want results.

]]> Sat, 07 Mar 2026 07:55:00 -0500 https://podbean.com/?v=5.5 en Copyright 2026 All rights reserved. Business 1440 episodic Terris Ayres Terris Ayres No false https://pbcdn1.podbean.com/imglogo/image-logo/21866394/Small_Business_Saturdays_Podbean.png Small Business Saturday’s https://terrisayres.podbean.com 144 144 Plant the Seeds: The Spring Growth System — Week 1 Plant the Seeds: The Spring Growth System — Week 1 https://terrisayres.podbean.com/e/plant-the-seeds-the-spring-growth-system-%e2%80%94-week-1/ https://terrisayres.podbean.com/e/plant-the-seeds-the-spring-growth-system-%e2%80%94-week-1/#comments Sat, 07 Mar 2026 07:55:00 -0500 terrisayres.podbean.com/33e58c4f-c795-33ea-a13d-ba9e722b85c0 Terris Ayres false No 1059 8 full New Year New Beginnings - Operations Audit New Year New Beginnings - Operations Audit https://terrisayres.podbean.com/e/new-year-new-beginnings-operations-audit/ https://terrisayres.podbean.com/e/new-year-new-beginnings-operations-audit/#comments Sat, 14 Feb 2026 07:50:00 -0500 terrisayres.podbean.com/55348f7f-bf7f-337e-b1d2-5801006f2a17 Welcome back to Small Business Saturdays — practical, no-fluff help for owners who are doing it all.

In Episode 7: Operations Audit, we’re tackling the reason so many businesses feel chaotic even when sales are good: weak operations.

If you’ve ever thought:

  • “Why does everything depend on me?”

  • “Why are we always behind even when we’re busy?”

  • “Why do the same mistakes keep happening?”

…this episode will help you find the bottleneck.

In about 20–25 minutes, you’ll run a simple 1–10 scorecard across 7 areas that make or break execution: workflow clarity, roles & handoffs, SOPs, tools & communication, scheduling & capacity, quality control & rework, and inventory/supplies.

Then you’ll circle your lowest score and choose one fix to run for the next 7 days — so your business gets more predictable, your team stops guessing, and you can stop being the system.

Want to follow along? Grab the worksheet from the blog and do the audit as you listen.

]]> Welcome back to Small Business Saturdays — practical, no-fluff help for owners who are doing it all.

In Episode 7: Operations Audit, we’re tackling the reason so many businesses feel chaotic even when sales are good: weak operations.

If you’ve ever thought:

  • “Why does everything depend on me?”

  • “Why are we always behind even when we’re busy?”

  • “Why do the same mistakes keep happening?”

…this episode will help you find the bottleneck.

In about 20–25 minutes, you’ll run a simple 1–10 scorecard across 7 areas that make or break execution: workflow clarity, roles & handoffs, SOPs, tools & communication, scheduling & capacity, quality control & rework, and inventory/supplies.

Then you’ll circle your lowest score and choose one fix to run for the next 7 days — so your business gets more predictable, your team stops guessing, and you can stop being the system.

Want to follow along? Grab the worksheet from the blog and do the audit as you listen.

]]> Terris Ayres false No 1258 1 7 full New Year New Beginnings - Customer Experience Audit New Year New Beginnings - Customer Experience Audit https://terrisayres.podbean.com/e/new-year-new-beginnings-customer-experience-audit/ https://terrisayres.podbean.com/e/new-year-new-beginnings-customer-experience-audit/#comments Sat, 07 Feb 2026 07:58:00 -0500 terrisayres.podbean.com/46a9766d-84f9-3dba-8394-9f20a1fbc1db In Episode 6: Customer Experience Audit, we’re talking about the part of your business you can’t “market your way out of”: the experience people have from the first message to the final handoff.

If you’ve ever thought:

  • “We do good work… so why don’t people come back?”

  • “Why are we getting ghosted after quotes?”

  • “Why does it feel like we’re always putting out fires?”

…this episode will help you find the leak.

In about 20–25 minutes, you’ll run a simple 1–10 scorecard across the 7 places most businesses lose trust (and repeat business):

  1. First response speed (calls, texts, emails, DMs)

  2. Process clarity (what happens next)

  3. Quote/proof quality (easy to understand, easy to approve)

  4. Timeline reliability (deliver when you said you would)

  5. Convenience (payment, pickup/delivery, communication)

  6. Problem recovery (how you handle mistakes and changes)

  7. After-sale follow-up (reviews, reorders, referrals)

This is built for both walk-in customers and B2B buyers — because they want the same thing: clarity, speed, and follow-through.

You’ll also get practical “one fix for this week” options you can implement immediately, like simple response templates, a clear “what happens next” script, proof approval checklists, and a two-step follow-up that turns one-time buyers into repeat customers.

Your homework is straightforward: score the 7 categories, circle your lowest score, and run one fix for 7 days.

Next week, we’ll move into the Operations Audit — because great customer experience is usually just great operations showing up consistently.

If this episode helps, share it with another owner who’s trying to grow without adding more chaos.

]]> In Episode 6: Customer Experience Audit, we’re talking about the part of your business you can’t “market your way out of”: the experience people have from the first message to the final handoff.

If you’ve ever thought:

  • “We do good work… so why don’t people come back?”

  • “Why are we getting ghosted after quotes?”

  • “Why does it feel like we’re always putting out fires?”

…this episode will help you find the leak.

In about 20–25 minutes, you’ll run a simple 1–10 scorecard across the 7 places most businesses lose trust (and repeat business):

  1. First response speed (calls, texts, emails, DMs)

  2. Process clarity (what happens next)

  3. Quote/proof quality (easy to understand, easy to approve)

  4. Timeline reliability (deliver when you said you would)

  5. Convenience (payment, pickup/delivery, communication)

  6. Problem recovery (how you handle mistakes and changes)

  7. After-sale follow-up (reviews, reorders, referrals)

This is built for both walk-in customers and B2B buyers — because they want the same thing: clarity, speed, and follow-through.

You’ll also get practical “one fix for this week” options you can implement immediately, like simple response templates, a clear “what happens next” script, proof approval checklists, and a two-step follow-up that turns one-time buyers into repeat customers.

Your homework is straightforward: score the 7 categories, circle your lowest score, and run one fix for 7 days.

Next week, we’ll move into the Operations Audit — because great customer experience is usually just great operations showing up consistently.

If this episode helps, share it with another owner who’s trying to grow without adding more chaos.

]]> Terris Ayres false No 1381 6 full New Year New Beginnings - Income & Profit Audit New Year New Beginnings - Income & Profit Audit https://terrisayres.podbean.com/e/new-year-new-beginnings-income-profit-audit/ https://terrisayres.podbean.com/e/new-year-new-beginnings-income-profit-audit/#comments Sat, 31 Jan 2026 09:07:55 -0500 terrisayres.podbean.com/c072494e-5e81-3386-a375-097b62f68924 Episode 5 of Small Business Saturdays is an Income & Profit Audit to help you stop staying busy without getting ahead. We score pricing, margins, labor, costing, average ticket, cash flow, and your product mix—using restaurant and retail (hardware) examples—then pick one fix to apply in the next 7 days.

]]> Episode 5 of Small Business Saturdays is an Income & Profit Audit to help you stop staying busy without getting ahead. We score pricing, margins, labor, costing, average ticket, cash flow, and your product mix—using restaurant and retail (hardware) examples—then pick one fix to apply in the next 7 days.

]]> Terris Ayres false No 2147 5 full New Year New Beginnings - Expense Audit New Year New Beginnings - Expense Audit https://terrisayres.podbean.com/e/new-year-new-beginnings-expense-audit/ https://terrisayres.podbean.com/e/new-year-new-beginnings-expense-audit/#comments Sat, 24 Jan 2026 07:56:00 -0500 terrisayres.podbean.com/9bfec293-5d93-3702-82d1-0a73c612d053 Episode 4 of Small Business Saturdays is an Expense Audit to help you find the “leaks” draining profit. In 25 minutes, you’ll score subscriptions, materials/COGS, labor, utilities, marketing spend, fees, and purchasing habits—then pick one fix to focus on for 7 days. Simple, practical, and doable this week.

]]> Episode 4 of Small Business Saturdays is an Expense Audit to help you find the “leaks” draining profit. In 25 minutes, you’ll score subscriptions, materials/COGS, labor, utilities, marketing spend, fees, and purchasing habits—then pick one fix to focus on for 7 days. Simple, practical, and doable this week.

]]> Terris Ayres false No 1372 1 4 full New Year New Beginnings - Sales Evaluation New Year New Beginnings - Sales Evaluation https://terrisayres.podbean.com/e/new-year-new-beginnings-sales-evaluation/ https://terrisayres.podbean.com/e/new-year-new-beginnings-sales-evaluation/#comments Sat, 17 Jan 2026 07:56:00 -0500 terrisayres.podbean.com/823b22a5-97f3-3515-9ff7-d3da88441c79 In Episode 3 of Small Business Saturdays, we do a quick sales audit to find where leads are leaking and how to fix it. We cover response time, follow-up, offer clarity, and closing—plus tips for quote-based sales, walk-ins, and appointments. Homework: score your system and fix one leak this week.

]]> In Episode 3 of Small Business Saturdays, we do a quick sales audit to find where leads are leaking and how to fix it. We cover response time, follow-up, offer clarity, and closing—plus tips for quote-based sales, walk-ins, and appointments. Homework: score your system and fix one leak this week.

]]> Terris Ayres false No 1792 1 3 full New Year New Beginnings - Marketing Evaluation New Year New Beginnings - Marketing Evaluation https://terrisayres.podbean.com/e/new-year-new-beginnings-marketing-evaluation/ https://terrisayres.podbean.com/e/new-year-new-beginnings-marketing-evaluation/#comments Sun, 11 Jan 2026 16:18:43 -0500 terrisayres.podbean.com/b40925fc-657b-391c-86ee-1312c146379b Terris Ayres false No 1613 1 2 full New Year New Beginings - Time To Evaluate Your Small Business New Year New Beginings - Time To Evaluate Your Small Business https://terrisayres.podbean.com/e/new-year-new-beginings-time-to-evaluate-your-small-business/ https://terrisayres.podbean.com/e/new-year-new-beginings-time-to-evaluate-your-small-business/#comments Fri, 02 Jan 2026 18:33:15 -0500 terrisz.podbean.com/6835088d-2823-336f-a154-4f5c84ad889e Episode 1: The New-Year Business Checkup

In this kickoff episode of Small Business Saturdays, we walk through a simple, no-fluff way to evaluate your business for the new year—marketing, sales, expenses, income/profit, and operations. You’ll leave with a quick scorecard, a clear view of what’s working (and what’s not), and one focused action to take this week so you start the year with momentum instead of guesswork.

]]> Episode 1: The New-Year Business Checkup


In this kickoff episode of Small Business Saturdays, we walk through a simple, no-fluff way to evaluate your business for the new year—marketing, sales, expenses, income/profit, and operations. You’ll leave with a quick scorecard, a clear view of what’s working (and what’s not), and one focused action to take this week so you start the year with momentum instead of guesswork.

]]> terrisz false No 1313 1 1 full