Business, Beer & BS with Mike & Blaine
Dive into "Business, Beer, and BS" with seasoned entrepreneurs Mike Milan and Blaine Bertsch! Each episode is a lively mix of business insights and casual conversation fueled by cold beers and real talk. Mike and Blaine share their rollercoaster journeys of running businesses and tackling real-world challenges with humour and honesty. Expect practical tips, unforgettable stories, and plenty of laughs along the way. It’s the perfect blend of expert advice and laid-back fun. Don’t miss out! Subscribe, follow, and like "Business, Beer, and BS" for engaging stories, valuable lessons, and great entertainment. Catch every episode!
Episodes
Hiring isn’t just expensive—it’s complicated. Between salaries, onboarding, benefits, and the endless HR headaches, adding to payroll can slow you down more than it helps. In this episode of Mike and Blaine, we break down why efficiency often beats expansion when it comes to growth.
From SaaS founders to local business owners, we explore real-world examples of companies boosting revenue without adding headcount. You’ll...
Every entrepreneur begins with a vision of how their journey will unfold—but reality often takes unexpected turns. In this episode of Mike and Blaine, we dive into the essential skill of trusting the process, even when the road looks uncertain. Mike and Blaine share candid stories about adapting when things don’t go as planned, how to connect the dots looking back, and why resilience matters more than perfection.
We ex...
Most entrepreneurs think they know their business partners—until debt quietly takes a seat at the table. In this episode of Mike and Blaine, we explore how debt acts as a hidden partner in your business, shaping decisions around pricing, hiring, expansion, and risk—often without you realizing it.
It’s not about fear—it’s about visibility. If you’ve ever borrowed money, signed a lease, or leveraged financing to grow, de...
Artificial intelligence promises to revolutionize the way we work and live—but why does “smart” tech so often feel dumb? In this episode of Mike and Blaine, we dive into the real frustrations of AI in business and everyday life. From customer service chatbots that trap you in endless loops, to voice assistants that don’t understand context, to productivity tools that almost deliver but never quite work, we break down ...
We’ve all been there—stuck on hold, bounced between departments, or treated like an inconvenience. In this episode of Mike and Blaine, we dive into the frustrating world of bad customer service and how it silently kills customer success, retention, and brand loyalty. Poor service experiences cost businesses millions in lost revenue every year, and for small businesses and entrepreneurs, one bad interaction can be the ...
When you’re the boss, everyone looks to you for answers, paychecks, and stability—but who has the boss’s back? In this episode of Mike and Blaine, we dig into the hidden reality that many entrepreneurs and small business owners face: carrying the weight of leadership alone. From sleepless nights over payroll to tough decisions that affect employees and families, the entrepreneurial journey often comes with isolation t...
Some business phrases are so overused they make you cringe—yet we keep saying them anyway. In this episode of Mike and Blaine, we explore the world of business jargon and corporate buzzwords, from classics like “circle back,” “touch base,” and “low-hanging fruit” to terms like “red tape” that sneak into meetings, emails, and everyday conversations. These phrases may sound empty today, but they all have surprisingly re...
pisode 200 is here, and we’re celebrating with a big question every entrepreneur has asked at some point: should you turn your hobby into a business? In this milestone episode of Mike and Blaine, we dive into the real challenges and opportunities of turning passion projects into profitable ventures. From weekend hobbies that spark full-time startups to the risks of burning out when your favorite pastime becomes your p...
Everyone loves an underdog story—but in business, winning takes more than heart, it takes strategy. In this episode of Mike and Blaine, we crack open the story of a small craft brewery that dares to take on the beer industry’s biggest players by doubling down on quality, authenticity, and community. It sparks a bigger conversation about how small businesses can carve out their own space and thrive, even when they’re o...
Think your small business website is too boring for hackers to care about? Think again. In this episode of Mike and Blaine, we uncover the shocking truth about why cybercriminals target small business websites—and why ignoring cybersecurity could cost you big. From stolen credit card testing and brute force logins to DDoS attacks and outdated plugins, we dive into the most common threats that quietly put small busines...
Every entrepreneur claims they “know their numbers,” but do they really? In this episode of Mike and Blaine, we dig into the tension every small business owner faces: when to trust your gut instinct and when to let the data lead the way. Business decisions are rarely black and white, and sometimes the best path forward depends on striking the right balance between intuition and analysis.
We explore real stories where l...
Forget 80-page business plans collecting dust on a shelf—today’s entrepreneurs need something faster, simpler, and more effective. In this episode of Mike and Blaine, we dive into the Lean Canvas model and show how you can map your entire business strategy on a single page. This modern approach to business planning helps small business owners, entrepreneurs, and startups identify gaps, clarify priorities, and adapt qu...
Every business wants growth—but the real question is how to get it. Should you focus on winning new customers, or double down on the ones you already have? In this episode of Mike and Blaine, we dive into one of the biggest dilemmas entrepreneurs and small business owners face: scale wide or scale deep. It’s a battle of volume versus value, where every choice impacts margins, customer loyalty, and long-term sustainabi...
Every business owner knows the feeling—getting slighted, ignored, or disrespected and suddenly plotting revenge like a Bond villain with a balance sheet. In this episode of Mike and Blaine, we dive headfirst into the dangerously entertaining world of petty business decisions and explore the fine line between making a power move and throwing a pity party.
We share real examples of entrepreneurs who cut ties with clients...
No money? No problem—at least when it comes to marketing, if you know how to get creative. In this episode of Mike and Blaine, we dive into smart, cost-effective marketing strategies that help startups and budget-strapped small businesses get noticed without spending a fortune. From DIY branding and storytelling to guerrilla marketing tactics that turn heads, we share how creativity and hustle can beat out big budgets...
Every entrepreneur has been there—you invest in a shiny new tool or launch what feels like a brilliant idea, only to watch it backfire in real time. In this episode of Mike and Blaine, we dive into the unpredictable world of digital transformation and explore how even the smartest business upgrades can cause unexpected chaos. From software updates that crash your website to marketing campaigns that miss the mark, we u...
Remember when learning something new felt exciting instead of exhausting? As entrepreneurs and business leaders, the responsibilities stack up, calendars fill, and suddenly the spark for growth and curiosity starts to fade. In this episode of Mike and Blaine, we explore why learning gets harder with age, how mental fatigue sets in, and why many business owners fall into the trap of believing they already “know enough....
There’s nothing like standing in a 10x10 trade show booth, pitching your business over and over again, to learn what actually works. In this episode of Mike and Blaine, we dive into how trade shows act as a powerful marketing forcing function—exposing weak messaging, sharpening your pitch, and teaching you what really makes potential customers stop and listen.
We break down the hidden value of trade shows beyond the le...
You’ve built a name, a logo, and a business you’re proud of—so should you trademark it all before someone else does? Or is that just lawyer bait? This week, Mike and Blaine debate whether small businesses really need to worry about brand protection, and when it makes sense to spend the money. From horror stories of stolen names to the legal equivalent of locking your keys in your own trademark, they’ll break down the ...
From CRMs to chatbots to five different task apps—you’ve got tools for your tools. But are they helping, or just adding chaos? This week, Mike and Blaine unpack the tech overload hitting small business owners in 2025. They’ll dig into why more software isn’t always the answer, how to tell if a tool is costing you more than it saves, and how to simplify your stack without sacrificing performance. If your team spends mo...
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