Talking Squarely | Running a Small Business

Talking Squarely | Running a Small Business

There isn't one playbook for running a business and the decisions business owners face are rarely straightforward. Every other week, we’ll bring together independent business owners to have frank discussions and share their perspectives on some of the most pressing issues impacting their lives—from the changing rules of commerce to work-life balance.

Episodes

Talking Squarely About What the Pandemic Has Taught Us

February 4, 2022 • 34 mins
The past two years have been an emotional rollercoaster, and many business owners had to reinvent their companies in order to survive. Here, three business owners look back at the difficult decisions they had to make, what they learned in the process, and what is helping them continue to stay positive. Featuring Jesse Jacobs, owner of SamovarTea.com and Joyride Pizza in San Francisco, CA; Astrid Rivera, co-owner of Taming Turtle Co...
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Talking Squarely About Supporting Your Employees

January 21, 2022 • 22 mins
The combined impact of the pandemic, challenging customer service issues, and staff and supply chain shortages has turned up the pressure across working environments. How are business owners keeping their sanity and supporting their employees through unpredictable and stressful moments? We talk to three business owners about how they've navigated the past two years when it comes to the mental health and wellbeing of their employees...
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Talking Squarely About Another Unusual Holiday

December 13, 2021 • 17 mins
This holiday season was supposed to be a full-on celebration. But with the pandemic still ravaging parts of the US, how are business owners coping? What are the new challenges? And what are the big opportunities as they look to 2022? We talk to three business owners about what they learned from 2020, how they’ve pivoted for this holiday season, what challenges they expect to face even beyond the pandemic–from ongoing supply chain d...
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Talking Square About Season One

March 3, 2021 • 23 mins
Throughout Season One of Talking Squarely, we’ve talked to business owners across America about the most pressing issues impacting their lives and livelihoods. In this episode, we’re taking a look back and talking about why Square decided to create the show, what we learned about business ownership, and some of the moments that stood out during the first season. Featuring host Nelson Murray in conversation with producers of Talking...
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Talking Squarely About Work-Life Balance

January 20, 2021 • 18 mins
For many small business owners, there is a balancing act between running their shops, having a family, and, now, dealing with a global crisis. In this episode, we talk with three business owners about how they balance both the professional and personal, what that balance actually looks like, and how COVID-19 has changed their approach. Featuring Cheryl Tisland of Burst of Butterflies in Chandler, AZ; Samir Idnani of NaanStop in Atl...
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Talking Squarely About Trying Something New

January 6, 2021 • 24 mins
As the world changes around us, businesses of all sizes are reimagining what and how they sell to customers. From the “new normal” to the “next normal,” business owners are leaning into a startup mentality — rethinking their pre-existing models of success and seeking out new or unforeseen opportunities. In this episode, we speak with two business owners who have evolved their businesses to meet the emerging needs of the time, and h...
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Talking Squarely About Supply and Demand

December 23, 2020 • 23 mins
COVID-19 has upended global trade. As the global supply chain moved in fits and spurts and infrastructure was rethought to accommodate just-in-time delivery, so too was consumer demand changing as consumers everyday habits dramatically changed. Locally, everything from farms to food processing plants have been affected by shutdowns, impacting how small businesses can restock their shelves. And regulations across the country have ch...
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Talking Squarely About The New Realities of Selling Online

December 9, 2020 • 25 mins
For many businesses, selling online is no longer a nice-to-have, it's a need-to-have. Instead of measuring success in foot traffic, businesses are thinking about clicks and online orders for the first time, which comes with its own challenges, many of them unanticipated, or even previously considered. We invited three business owners to discuss the reality of creating a successful online arm of their business when their previous fo...
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Talking Squarely About Seasonal Business Change

November 25, 2020 • 20 mins
Seasonality plays an important role in many businesses’ annual plans, as it often helps predict the ebb and flow of sales. But with the current state of the world, certain guaranteed seasonal boosts are less likely to come to fruition. We sit down with three business owners to discuss how they're preparing for these unexpected changes. Featuring Suzanna Cameron, owner of Stems Brooklyn in Brooklyn, NY; Kim Moistner-Bartlett, Kona I...
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Talking Squarely About Marketing Safely

November 11, 2020 • 21 mins
As new health data and guidelines are released, reopening plans across the United States are ever-changing. And, for business owners looking to encourage customers to return to brick-and-mortar locations, prioritizing the health and safety of their employees and community is both a tactical and marketing challenge. We sit down with three business owners to discuss how they’re ensuring their community is not only informed about the ...
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Talking Squarely About Black Businesses in America, Part 2

September 16, 2020 • 22 mins
In part two of this episode, we explore the day-to-day experiences of being a Black business owner in America. From getting started to fostering a community, we’ll discuss economic inclusion and entrepreneurship with Black business owners from across the United States. Featuring Shamar Cotton of Everett & Jones BBQ in Oakland, CA; Lauren Stovall, Director of Marketing at Hot Sam's Detroit in Detroit, MI; and Yolanda Owens, owner of...
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Talking Squarely About Black Businesses in America with Killer Mike

August 26, 2020 • 29 mins
In this special-edition episode of Talking Squarely, we talk with rapper and entrepreneur Michael Render, more commonly known as Killer Mike, about how to encourage Black economic inclusion and entrepreneurship during a time of increased racial tension in the United States. And we discuss what it means to be a community leader, and his own journey of entrepreneurship.
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Talking Squarely About Financial Survival

July 30, 2020 • 17 mins
From downsizing staff to navigating relief programs, businesses are being forced to make difficult financial decisions — more than usual. We ask three businesses how they are dealing with financial uncertainty in a time when simply paying the rent and utility bills seems daunting. Featuring Lauren Stovall of Hot Sam’s in Detroit, MI; Evan Kidera, owner of Senor Sisig in San Francisco, CA; and Brittany Sarhage, owner of Rudy’s Flowe...
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Talking Squarely About Doing Good

July 27, 2020 • 18 mins
In times of crisis, sellers are often motivated to help in whatever way they can. But, how can businesses contribute in times of financial struggle? We sit down with three business owners to discuss the creative ways they are lending a helping hand to those in need and building up their communities. Featuring Samantha Shih, owner of 9Tailors in Boston, MA; Yassin Terou, owner of Yassin’s Falafel House in Knoxville, TN; and Lauren C...
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Talking Squarely About What’s Next | Running a Small Business During COVID-19

June 23, 2020 • 17 mins
The COVID-19 pandemic has reshaped the global economy, and in many ways small businesses have been hardest hit. Four business owners from across the country discuss how their respective regions are approaching life after coronavirus, how they’re grappling with the potential return to a new normal, and their experiences navigating it all—from unclear local and federal guidelines to the ability to quickly adapt.
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