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Artwork for Small Business Stories

Small Business Stories

Loralyn Mears, PhD
Entrepreneurship
Small Business
Artificial Intelligence
Leadership
Marketing
Real Estate
Franchising
Amazon
Podcasting
Responsive Answering Service
Emotional Intelligence
United States
E-Commerce
Google Ads
Law Firms
Playgroundequipment.com
Informed Now
Counsel Cpas
News Media
Angel Investing

Welcome to Small Business Stories, the podcast where we celebrate the real-life journeys of small business owners. We dig into inspiring tales of triumphs, challenges, and the tough lessons we learned along the way. Each episode is packed with relatable anecdotes and practical tips that you can use to fuel your own entrepreneurial dreams. Whether you're just starting out or looking to grow your bu... more

PublishesDailyEpisodes201Founded7 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
BusinessEntrepreneurship

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Artwork for Small Business Stories

Latest Episodes

S6:E63

An optional title for this episode is, "Agentic AI, Human Judgment & Cognitive Organizations with Kenneth Corrêa."

AI is moving faster than most organizations can absorb it.

The temptation is to automate whatever already exists. But Kenn... more

YouTube

S6:E62

Success becomes surprisingly heavy when you're carrying someone else's expectations.

In this conversation, Dr. LL sits down with leadership coach Michelle Pollack to explore why entrepreneurs become exhausted by constantly chasing external... more

YouTube

S6:E61

Building a business is difficult.

Building several businesses at the same time requires a different way of thinking.

In this conversation, Dr. LL sits down with entrepreneur Kelvin Abrams to discuss multiple revenue streams, planning for... more

YouTube

S6:E60

Not every successful business measures success the same way.

In this conversation, Dr. LL sits down with Vernon Oakes, founder of Everything Cooperative, to explore how cooperative business models create stronger alignment between ownershi... more

YouTube

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Accepts Sponsors
Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

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Recent Guests

Kenneth Corrêa
Founder/leader at Cognitive Organizations, expert on AI agents and organizational design
Cognitive Organizations
Episode: How to Use AI Agents Without Replacing Your Team with Kenneth Corrêa
Juliette Fassett
Founder of Happy Products Incorporated
Happy Products Incorporated
Episode: How to Know If Your Product Idea Will Sell with Juliette Fasset
Jason Fishman
Founder of Digital Niche Agency
Digital Niche Agency
Episode: Why Customers Don't Buy - and What to Do with Jason Fishman
William C. Davis
Seasoned leadership expert; founder of William C. Davis (WilliamC.Davis)
William C. Davis
Episode: How to Be a Better Leader People Actually Want to Follow with William Davis
Ryan Estes
Founder/CEO, podcasting and AI for founders programs; creator of Kitcaster and Wildcast
Kitcaster (acquired), Wildcast
Episode: How to Reinvent Yourself Without Starting Over with Ryan Estes
Abe Orgel
Founder of Simple Forwarding
Simple Forwarding
Episode: How to Prepare Your Business for Tariffs and Supply Chain Disruptions with Abe Orgel
George Thomas
Founder of Financial Freedom Builders
Financial Freedom Builders
Episode: Why You're Still Living Paycheck to Paycheck with George Thomas
Forrest Derr
Founder of Derr Consulting
Derr Consulting
Episode: Founder Fragility: Forrest Derr has Some Thoughts About Building a Business Dependent on YOU
Ismael Wrixen
Founder of ThriveCart
ThriveCart
Episode: How to Grow Your Business When Ads Stop Working in the AI Economy with Ismael Wrixen

Hosts

Laurel Mears
Host of Small Business Stories and intro/interview facilitation; co-host; affiliated with STEERus
Dr. LL
Host of the show and voice in multiple episodes; co-hosts and guest appearances

Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars from 226 ratings
  • Informative

    You’ll learn strategies from real people that have actually been on the trenches. And an Awesome host. Perfect!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    -Rachel-Tan-
    Japan9 months ago
  • Worthwhite listen

    If you're an entrepreneur or aspiring business owner, this is a must-listen. Love that it dives deep into the real-life experiences of small business owners, offering inspiration and practical advice!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    dianegervacio
    Philippinesa year ago
  • Smart Host, Real Value

    Grateful to have been on this show. Loralyn was sharp, prepared, and genuinely focused on creating value for the audience. No fluff, just real conversations that matter for small business owners. If you're serious about growth, this podcast is a must.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    MatthewStafford
    United Statesa year ago
  • Great takeaways!

    Packed with valuable and actionable insight! A must listen if you value your professional development.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    bex.ercise
    Canada4 years ago
  • Review of article

    Well presented and factual. Certainly has a grasp of the subject matter. Rates at 5 Stars.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    kobossa
    Canada5 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Guests bring diverse expertise, from marketing to operations to finance, with practical frameworks.
Hosts are praised for thoughtful interviews and actionable guidance for SMBs.
Episode quality and host engagement are consistently highlighted as strengths.
Hosts are sharp, prepared, and focused on delivering value for small business owners.
Real conversations with practical, no-fluff takeaways for growth.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

How to Use AI Agents Without Replacing Your Team with Kenneth Corrêa
Q: What are the most overlooked human capabilities that organizations need to develop to stay competitive with AI agents?
Kenneth highlights hard vs. soft skills, emphasizing critical thinking, questioning the status quo, and non-conformist thinking as essential soft skills that AI cannot replicate. These capabilities enable better decision-making and adaptation when collaborating with AI agents.
How to Know If Your Product Idea Will Sell with Juliette Fasset
Q: What about the market research on product-market fit—will people buy it the way you made it?
You test with real buyers, track cash flow early, and use early sales as a signal; even with a proven product, you must price and position for sustainable margins and scale, or you risk burning through capital before growth.
How to Know If Your Product Idea Will Sell with Juliette Fasset
Q: So how do you start when you've got an idea and think, yeah, I want to make this a thing? Where should people begin?
Begin by validating the underlying problem, studying existing solutions, and assessing market size; do extensive market research, buy and analyze competing products, and map out pros and cons to identify where your idea can fill an open space.
How to Be a Better Leader People Actually Want to Follow with William Davis
Q: How should leaders shift their hiring to better reflect effective leadership?
Rather than promoting based on project success alone, look for demonstrated care for others, the ability to nurture and support a team, and evidence of genuine relationship-building with people close to them.
How to Be a Better Leader People Actually Want to Follow with William Davis
Q: What is the biggest change you've seen in leadership over the years?
The decline in face-to-face communication and the rise of technology-driven, transactional interactions have eroded genuine relationships, making it harder to cultivate trust and loyalty.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About Small Business Stories

What is Small Business Stories about and what kind of topics does it cover?

This show centers on practical, real-world small business growth through interviews with founders, marketers, operators, and service professionals. Episodes span supply chains, personal finance, pricing, marketing psychology, AI-enabled tools, and leadership systems, all anchored by hands-on tactics, revenue-focused frameworks, and lessons learned from building and scaling SMBs. A recurring thread is turning adversity into actionable strategies—whether managing tariffs, redesigning customer experiences, or optimizing operations to scale without sacrificing culture. The format favors concrete takeaways, stories from the trenches, and frameworks listeners can apply to their own ventures, with guests who bring operational discipline, growth mi... more

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How many listeners does Small Business Stories get?

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How many subscribers and views does Small Business Stories have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Small Business Stories has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to Small Business Stories?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Small Business Stories:

1. Spirit Talk Show - Bedtime Stories for Grown Ups
2. The Tech Leaders Podcast

How many episodes of Small Business Stories are there?

Small Business Stories launched 7 years ago and published 201 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact Small Business Stories?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for Small Business Stories?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for Small Business Stories from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

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Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of Small Business Stories. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.

What guests have appeared on Small Business Stories?

Recent guests on Small Business Stories include:

1. Kenneth Corrêa
2. Juliette Fassett
3. Jason Fishman
4. William C. Davis
5. Ryan Estes
6. Abe Orgel
7. George Thomas
8. Forrest Derr

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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