Time to Thrive - Marketing Strategies For Small Business
Time to Thrive delivers tactical, practical and results-driven marketing ideas, strategies and resources designed for small business owners and entrepreneurs ready to grow. Hosted by Bethany Meadows, president of Vertical Solutions Media for over 17 years, the show draws on real-world experience from leading a full-service marketing agency based in Birmingham, Alabama. From building a brand that stands out to crafting content that connects and implementing growth strategies that work, Bethany shares proven approaches to help you stop treading water and start moving forward. Get out of survival mode—it’s your TIME TO THRIVE! Discover free resources, marketing training, and strategy coaching for business owners at www.TimeToThriveInBusiness.com.
Episodes
Is your business running you instead of the other way around? In this episode of Time to Thrive, we're joined by Melissa Morris, operations expert and founder of Your Agency Authority, to show you how to reclaim your time, reduce stress, and scale smarter—not harder.
Melissa introduces her signature DISCO Framework, a simple yet powerful system for streamlining operations, onboarding clients efficiently, and ditching the chaos ...
Struggling to find the right people to grow your business? In this episode of Time to Thrive, Bethany Meadows sits down with Kasim Aslam—hiring expert, bestselling author, and serial entrepreneur—to break down a revolutionary approach to finding and keeping top 1% talent.
Kasim shares why traditional hiring methods fail, how to think beyond resumes and interviews, and the “flytrap” strategies he uses to attract high performers (and ...
What if your big idea isn’t landing—not because it’s wrong, but because your audience doesn’t understand it the way you do?
In this episode of Time to Thrive, host Bethany Meadows sits down with message strategist and Thinkers50 honoree Tamson Webster to unpack the real reason most leaders struggle to get buy-in. From her Red Thread® framework to the psychology of transformational change, Tamson shares how to make your message reson...
We’ve officially hit 100 episodes of the Time to Thrive Podcast — and we’re celebrating this milestone with a true marketing legend: John Jantsch, founder of Duct Tape Marketing, best-selling author, and host of one of the longest-running business podcasts out there.
In this episode, John unpacks what it really takes to create a marketing system that drives consistent growth — without chasing every new trend. From identifying your i...
ired of feeling like sales means being pushy or aggressive? In this episode of Time to Thrive, sales strategist Doug Brown reveals how to win more business by building trust, mastering follow-up, and using a predictable, data-driven approach.
With over 35 businesses built and nearly a billion dollars in revenue generated for clients, Doug knows what works—and what doesn’t—when it comes to converting prospects into loyal customers. Y...
Are your brand messages feeling a little “all over the place”? You’re not alone—and today’s guest, Kristen Sweeney, is here to help you fix it. As the founder of Every Little Word, Kristen works with purpose-driven entrepreneurs and technical experts to turn their jumbled thoughts into crystal-clear content that reflects who they are and what they stand for. In this episode, she joins host Bethany Meadows to talk about the power of...
What if your next business breakthrough could be as simple as a text message?
In this episode of Time to Thrive, Bethany Meadows sits down with Chris Brisson, founder and CEO of SalesMsg, to talk about why SMS is the most underutilized yet powerful communication tool for small businesses. From lead generation to customer service to AI-enhanced conversations, Chris shares how entrepreneurs can use text messaging to create personal, s...
In this episode of Time to Thrive, host Bethany Meadows sits down with Rich Brooks, founder of Flight New Media and host of The Agents of Change podcast and conference. With nearly three decades of digital marketing expertise, Rich unpacks what it really takes to create a digital presence that not only attracts attention—but actually converts.
From the early days of dial-up to the AI-driven landscape of today, Rich shares tried-and-...
Is hustle culture burning you out? In this empowering episode of Time to Thrive, Bethany Meadows sits down with business strategist and CEO Collective founder, Racheal Cook, to challenge the traditional model of entrepreneurship. Racheal shares her revolutionary approach to building a life-first business—one that prioritizes your health, your family, and your peace of mind without sacrificing profit.
From navigating the realities of...
What if the key to stronger marketing isn’t more automation—but more human connection?
In this episode of Time to Thrive, we sit down with Casey Cheshire—Marine veteran, marketing automation expert, and host of over 500 podcast interviews. As the founder of Ringmaster Conversational Marketing and author of Marketing Automation Unleashed, Casey helps brands ditch disconnected marketing tactics and replace them with authentic, one-on-...
What happens when you combine military precision with entrepreneurial heart? You get Walter and Tasha Carter—co-founders of Maximize Growth and a dynamic husband-and-wife duo helping organizations elevate their leadership, communication, and team performance.
In this episode of Time to Thrive, we explore the most common leadership pitfalls small business owners face—and how to overcome them. From building self-awareness and creating...
What does it take to go from life-threatening trauma to thriving entrepreneur? In this powerful episode of Time to Thrive, host Bethany Meadows sits down with Nick Prefontaine—top motivational speaker, 3x best-selling author, and founder of Common Goal. At just 14 years old, Nick suffered a devastating snowboarding accident and was told he might never walk or talk again. Not only did he defy the odds, he created a life and business...
In today’s polarized world, consumer decisions are influenced by more than just price and quality—values and worldview play a major role. In this episode, we sit down with Chris Peterson, author of Red & Blue Customers and co-founder of LifeMind, to explore how small business owners can refine their marketing strategies to better connect with their ideal customers.
Chris shares insights on:
✅ How political and cultural iden...
Want to start a side hustle but not sure where to begin? In this episode of Time to Thrive, host Bethany Meadows sits down with Nick Loper, founder of Side Hustle Nation, to share practical strategies for launching and growing a successful side hustle.
✅ Low-risk side hustles you can start while keeping your full-time job
✅ How to validate an idea before investing time and money
✅ Time management hacks to balance business, w...
In this episode of Time to Thrive, host Bethany Meadows sits down with small business expert and bestselling author Steve Strauss to explore the future of entrepreneurship. From leveraging AI and automation to streamlining operations and securing funding, Steve shares practical strategies for scaling smart and staying ahead in a rapidly evolving market. He also discusses the power of thought leadership, branding and maintaining the...
From struggling to make payroll to running multi-million-dollar affiliate programs, Matt McWilliams knows what it takes to scale a business through partnerships. In this episode of Time to Thrive, Matt breaks down the power of affiliate marketing and how entrepreneurs can leverage it to grow quickly with minimal risk.
Discover how to start your own affiliate program, attract top affiliates and avoid common mistakes that hold busines...
Most businesses compete on price, but what if there was a better way to attract and retain customers? In this episode of Time to Thrive, host Bethany Meadows sits down with John Dwyer, founder of the Institute of Wow, to uncover a simple yet powerful marketing strategy that 97% of businesses overlook—incentives.
John shares real-world success stories of businesses that boosted sales without slashing prices, including a restaurant th...
AI can feel overwhelming—especially for entrepreneurs who aren’t “tech-savvy.” But what if getting started was easier than you think? In this episode of Time to Thrive, host Bethany Meadows sits down with Diana Lee, founder of Waggle.ai, to break down the first steps to using AI in your business.
Diana shares her journey from pharmacist to AI entrepreneur and explains how small business owners can use AI to work smarter, not harder....
Are you drowning in daily tasks and struggling to scale your business? It’s time to simplify, systematize and thrive! In this episode of Time to Thrive, host Bethany Meadows welcomes Kate Erickson, the brains behind the systems at Entrepreneurs on Fire. Kate shares her expert insights on how to bring order to business operations, create repeatable processes and build the kind of structure that fuels long-term success.
You’ll learn:<...
Are you ready to transform your business with the power of predictable income? In this episode of Time to Thrive, host Bethany Meadows sits down with Stu McLaren, a leading expert in membership-based business models and the creator of The Tribe Experience. Stu shares his inspiring journey from a service-based entrepreneur to building thriving membership platforms that empower businesses to scale sustainably while creating impact an...
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