Best John Paul Iwuoha Podcasts (2024)

1
BIG ANNOUNCEMENT: The Birth of Activator HQ & Exciting New Changes In My Life And Business 1:04:42

1y ago1:04:42

1:04:42

I've been away from the podcast for a year due to an unplanned sabbatical. I'm back with great news and an important announcement. 10 years after launching Smallstarter Africa, we have re-launched as Activator HQ. Our mission to support entrepreneurs is the same, but our new strategic focus is to make it easier and faster for our audience to start …

1
SBP 097: How To Repair A Business That Makes Money (Sales) But Is Not Profitable 52:46

2+ y ago52:46

52:46

It’s frustrating to run a business that feels like a leaking bucket. That’s the situation in businesses that make money from sales, but there’s hardly anything left as profit. In this episode of the Smallstarter Business Podcast, I explore the common suspects in these kinds of businesses. I talk about how to look at your business data, and how to t…

1
SBP 096: The Art of B2B Sales: How To Sell And Do Business With Big Companies & Organisations 59:56

2+ y ago59:56

59:56

Big companies can make great customers. They have deep pockets. They’re less price sensitive, and they are more likely to work with you for the long term. That’s why B2B sales can be an important growth opportunity for your business. In this episode of the podcast, I explore the opportunities and considerations for targeting B2B customers and 5 pra…

1
SBP 095: 5 Tips For Enduring The Psychological Stresses Of Building A Business 1:03:21

2+ y ago1:03:21

1:03:21

How do you deal with the mental, psychological and emotional stresses of building a business? Building a successful business is a marathon that takes a toll on your mind. That’s why you need endurance and coping mechanisms to support you. In this episode of the Smallstarter Business Podcast, I explore 5 effective mental exercises that can help entr…

1
SBP 094: How To Start A Business In A Crowded Or Competitive Market 1:00:36

2+ y ago1:00:36

1:00:36

99.99% of businesses sell a version of a product or service that already exists. This means that if you plan to start a new business or launch a new product, you will likely be facing a crowded or competitive market. Crowded markets can be a big advantage and a huge opportunity for newcomers. However, they also come with dangers and risks you need …

1
SBP 093: How To Make Customer Service Your Biggest Competitive Advantage (A Masterclass) 1:15:33

2+ y ago1:15:33

1:15:33

Many small and mid-sized businesses are failing at customer service. This is a big opportunity for you because improving how you serve your customers can become a strong competitive advantage for your business. This episode is a mini-Masterclass in how you can achieve this. You’re going to unlearn some of the misconceptions you may have about your …

1
SBP 092: The 4 Types Of People Who Will Do Well As Employees In Your Business 43:57

2+ y ago43:57

43:57

You cannot build a successful business on your own. You will likely need the help of employees. But how can you tell the right kind of person to hire for your business? How much knowledge, skill, and experience should they have? What kind of personality should you be looking for? In this episode of the Smallstarter Business Podcast, I discuss the 4…

1
SBP 091: Vital Signs -- How To Make Sure Your Business Runs Well When You're Not Around 1:09:12

2+ y ago1:09:12

1:09:12

How can you be sure your business is in good hands while you’re away on travel, vacation, study, or just busy taking care of another business? In this episode, I’m going to introduce you to the interesting concept of “vital signs”. It’s an effective tactic that is used to great effect in hospitals around the world. And there is a lot you can learn …

1
SBP 090: Why Many Young Businesses Run Out Of Money And How To Avoid This Problem 51:39

2+ y ago51:39

51:39

Many young businesses fail because they run out of money. Some of these failed businesses had great potential and may have become successful businesses if only they survived a little longer. Fortunately, this is a fixable problem. In this episode of the Smallstarter Business Podcast, I explore the most common reasons why young businesses fail and h…

1
SBP 089: Self-funded Businesses vs. Investor-funded Businesses -- Which Is Better? 56:41

2+ y ago56:41

56:41

It’s boom time for startups around the world. Last year alone (2021), startups on the African continent raised over $4 billion from local and international investors. But do you really have to raise money from investors? Or should you continue running as a self-funded business and ignore the temptations to raise money from banks and outside investo…

1
SBP 088: Insights and Strategies for Raising Money for A Business -- with Kristin H. Wilson of Spurt! 1:09:28

2+ y ago1:09:28

1:09:28

Many entrepreneurs struggle with the challenge of raising capital to start, grow and scale their businesses. How to overcome this seemingly insurmountable obstacle? In this episode of the Smallstarter Business Podcast, Kristin H. Wilson of Spurt! shares some interesting insights and strategies for overcoming this problem. During this interview, we …

1
SBP 087: Why Nice People Don't Always Succeed In Business And What To Do About It 48:39

2+ y ago48:39

48:39

Why does it often seem that ‘nice’ people are easily taken advantage of in business? And does this suggest that we have to be mean, nasty and brutal to win in business? The truth is, there are aggressive and domineering people out there who will take advantage of your “niceness”, generosity and patience. These people could be your customers, employ…

1
SBP 086: The 6 Types of Businesses I Never Want To Do In My Life 1:12:33

2+ y ago1:12:33

1:12:33

Some businesses are just deadends by design. They may look exciting on the surface, but the reality is much worse than your eyes can see. After investing your time, money, and efforts in them, you’re very likely to regret your decision down the road. But what if you could identify these kinds of businesses in advance? That’s exactly what this episo…

1
SBP 085: The Amazing Power of Building Redundancy In Your Business -- 🔥 Hot Topic! 48:14

2+ y ago48:14

48:14

Surprises and change are a constant in business. If the ups and downs of the economy don’t shake you, your customers, employees or suppliers may disappoint or destabilize your business. Unfortunately, you cannot plan for most of these surprises and changes before they happen. That’s why you need to build redundancies into your business. In this epi…

1
SBP 084: How To Export Products From Africa To The World -- Insights from Maxwell Adew, Founder @ Kuueza 1:12:16

2+ y ago1:12:16

1:12:16

In this interesting episode of the Smallstarter Business Podcast, Maxwell Adew of Kuueza shares his entrepreneurship story. You will learn how he stumbled on the painful problem that gave birth to the business idea that became his company, Kuueza. Maxwell also shares valuable advice and insights on starting a business, raising capital for business,…

1
SBP 083: "New Level, New Devils." Why You Should Be Careful What You Wish For In Business 58:45

3y ago58:45

58:45

Almost every entrepreneur wants to get to the next level of growth and success in their business. That next level could be to raise more capital, to make more sales, to build a bigger team, or to expand into more locations and grow the business. But for every new level, there will be new devils. For every new level, there will be new problems, chal…

1
SBP 082: Is It An Opportunity Or A Distraction? How To Resist FOMO and SOS In Your Business 38:16

3y ago38:16

38:16

Entrepreneurs love to find and chase new opportunities. It could be a new idea, a new product, a new strategy, or a new partnership deal. But how can you be sure that thing is really an opportunity, and not a distraction? Many entrepreneurs get sucked into distractions that cost them a ton of time, money, sweat, and tears. And that's why this episo…

1
SBP 081: What It Actually Takes To Grow & Scale A Business -- Insights from Kristin H. Wilson of Spurt! 1:22:41

3y ago1:22:41

1:22:41

Growth is often on the minds of most entrepreneurs and business owners. How can you grow and scale a business to reach more customers, make more sales, and grab more market share? This episode of the podcast is a peek into a Mastermind Strategy Session from our exclusive Insiders community. During this session, Kristin H. Wilson of Spurt! Shares in…

1
SBP 080: Is It Better To Be Feared Or Loved By Your Employees? This Is What I Think... 48:58

3y ago48:58

48:58

What's the best way to manage the relationship with your employees? Is it better if they fear you, or love you? In this interesting episode, I share my thoughts on how to handle the critical relationships with your employees. You're going to learn the upsides and downsides of using fear and love to motivate your staff. This is an episode that will …

1
SBP 079: How To Double Your Sales in 90 Days or Less -- Insights from Simon Severino of Strategy Sprints 46:14

3y ago46:14

46:14

Growing a business is tough for many people who own or run a business. But are there tested and trusted ways to boost the sales of your company? In this episode, Simon Severino of Strategy Sprints shares some interesting strategies for boosting sales and growth in a business. You're going to learn a lot from this.…

1
SBP 078: How To Enter A New Market Or Find Customers For A New Product 58:54

3y ago58:54

58:54

Some people claim that if you have a good product, customers will automatically find you. Unfortunately, this is not always true. The world is full of great products that cannot find customers. It’s hard to penetrate any market with a new product, especially when nobody knows you or your business. This is a common challenge faced by entrepreneurs w…

1
SBP 077: 5 Important Things To Consider Before Hiring Anyone in Your Business 45:36

3y ago45:36

45:36

People provide leverage in business. That’s why to grow a business, you need to build a team. But building a good team starts with hiring. And when it comes to hiring people, it’s often easy to make mistakes. You may hire for the wrong purpose, or hire the wrong person, or hire at the wrong time. Unfortunately, these mistakes can be expensive. Hiri…

1
SBP 076: I Had A Burnout -- Important Life Lessons on Health, Wealth and Happiness 51:55

3y ago51:55

51:55

At a point in your journey as an entrepreneur, you will experience “burn out”. After several months or years of working hard on your business, you will likely experience some form of physical, mental, or emotional exhaustion. Entrepreneurs are often too focused on the business that we don’t pay enough attention to ourselves. In this episode of the …

1
SBP 075: How To Know When It Is Time To Grow And Expand Your Business 56:48

3y ago56:48

56:48

Almost every entrepreneur wants to grow their business. Growth is exciting. Growth means a bigger business that makes more sales, has more customers, and is more visible and known by people. But guess what? Growth can kill a business if it’s not done well. In fact, if you grow your business too early, too fast, or too late, your business will likel…

1
SBP 074: The 6 Specific Ways To Quickly Improve The Profitability Of Your Business 54:22

3y ago54:22

54:22

Many businesses are struggling to survive. And most of these businesses make either very low profits, zero profits, or serious losses. How to improve profits in a business is a major headache for entrepreneurs. After paying suppliers, salaries, rent, and other expenses, there is almost nothing left for the owner of the business. And if this situati…

1
SBP 073: The Strategic Types of Capital You Need To Build A Successful Business 55:54

3y ago55:54

55:54

Running out of money. It’s the top reason most businesses fail. According to CB Insights, up to 40 percent of failed businesses were due to lack of capital. And that’s for the US, Canada, and Europe. In developing markets like Africa, I can bet the number is much higher. But what makes a business run out of money? And why can’t some entrepreneurs m…

1
SBP 072: How To Get Better At Business Development & Networking -- Practical Insights from Cynthia Lareine 1:08:30

3y ago1:08:30

1:08:30

If people don’t know you, they can’t help you or do business with you. That’s why networking is so important in business. Through networking, many people have found investors, business partners, and very good suppliers and distributors. Unfortunately, many people are not so good at networking. Most people think networking is just about introducing …

1
SBP 071: How To Handle Angry Customers -- A Practical Example 30:07

3y ago30:07

30:07

Your customers are not always right. Sometimes, this is especially true for angry customers. How do you handle a person who insults you, threatens you, and may likely tell other people bad things about your business? In your career as an entrepreneur, you will likely come across this kind of person. But guess what? Angry customers are a special gif…

1
SBP 070: The 5 Most Common Mistakes That Can Kill A Business 43:52

3y ago43:52

43:52

A friend of mine recently shut down his restaurant business. It was painful to watch him go through it. I still remember how excited he was when he first started the business. I still remember his vision to expand the business into other cities in the country. I still remember how much time, energy, and money he sacrificed for that business. But it…

1
SBP 069: Startup Strategy: Is It Better To Start Small or Start Big in Business? 53:13

3y ago53:13

53:13

Having an idea for anything is easy. But it is much harder to actually start. It could be a new business. A new product. Or a new sales strategy. So, what is the best way to start anything in business? Should you wait until you have all the resources you need so you can start BIG? Or should you start small even if you have all the resources you nee…

1
SBP 068: The 3 Important Leadership Styles Every Entrepreneur Should Master 50:32

3y ago50:32

50:32

By John-Paul Iwuoha

1
SBP 067: The Subtle But Important Difference Between A Customer And A Fan 35:20

3y ago35:20

35:20

Every business is looking for customers. The more customers you have, the better for your business. But there is a problem with customers. They can easily leave you. Make a small mistake. Increase your prices. Or delay their orders. And some of them will leave you. They will leave you for another business that sells cheaper. Customers will buy from…

1
SBP 066: 11 Intelligent Ways To Prevent Theft and Fraud in Any Business 54:58

3+ y ago54:58

54:58

Growth is a beautiful thing in any business. When you grow, you make more money, serve more customers, and hire more employees. But there’s something else that comes with growth. It’s called complexity. As your business grows, it becomes harder and harder to monitor everything. It becomes harder to monitor everybody that works for you, especially t…

1
SBP 065: What To Do When Your Employees Gang Up Against You 1:00:41

3+ y ago1:00:41

1:00:41

Most businesses depend on employees to function. But as your business grows, your employees will become key stakeholders. And they may start to ask for more. They could ask for higher pay and more privileges. Or more rights and improved work conditions. If you don’t handle these grievances, your employees may start to gang up against you. And trust…

1
SBP 064: The 6 Types of Advisers Every Entrepreneur Should Have 29:35

3+ y ago29:35

29:35

You see it everywhere. On social media, in magazines, and in casual gossip. We like to talk about successful entrepreneurs, how much money they have, and where they rank on the Forbes list of billionaires. We tend to see these people as successful INDIVIDUALS. But no single individual can build a fortune or a successful business entirely on their o…

1
SBP 063: How To Keep Your Job And Run A Business At The Same Time 32:07

3+ y ago32:07

32:07

Can you love your job and still be a successful entrepreneur? It's very possible. In fact, some people prefer it this way. They don't want to give up the fulfillment, steady income, and professional achievement that comes from a full-time job. But on the other hand, they want to do something about their passions and business ideas. Is it possible t…

1
SBP 062: 5 Sales Strategies That Have Helped Me Well in Business 44:32

3+ y ago44:32

44:32

Every business needs customers to survive. But like most people, I didn’t have any customers when I started my business years ago. I had to find the first client. And then I found the second, third, fourth client, etc. Till today, I still have some of my early clients who have stayed on with me. We have become friends and will remain so for a long …

1
SBP 061: How To Grow Your Business With Other People's Money 39:46

3+ y ago39:46

39:46

Many of the world’s most successful companies have one secret power. They know how to use OPM. Coca-Cola uses it. ExxonMobil uses it. And several other multinationals love to use OPM. OPM = Other People’s Money. Many of these businesses know how to use their market power to leverage other people’s money to run and grow their businesses. And if they…

1
SBP 060: How To Be A Better Negotiator -- Insights from Ayuli Jemide 1:01:17

3+ y ago1:01:17

1:01:17

The ability to negotiate well is a very powerful business skill. It can save you a lot of money. And it can also make you a lot of money if you know how to use it well. In business, you have to negotiate with people all the time. These people could be your customers, employees, suppliers or distributors. They could also be your business partners or…

1
SBP 059: Products or Services -- Which One Makes A Better Business? 51:18

3+ y ago51:18

51:18

There are only 3 ways a business can make money in this world. It can sell products. It can sell services. Or it can sell both. But is there any advantage in selling a product instead of a service? Or is it easier and more profitable to sell services instead of products? This is a question most entrepreneurs must consider before investing time, ene…

1
SBP 058: How To Find, Hire & Keep Good Employees in Your Business 40:30

3+ y ago40:30

40:30

There are two things that can kill a business. The first is capital or funds. Many businesses die early because they can’t access the funds they need to grow or scale the business. But when you have the funds you need, the problem is solved. The second thing that kills businesses is a much more stubborn problem. That thing is staff or human resourc…

1
SBP 057: Should You Sell On Credit To Your Customers? 35:34

3+ y ago35:34

35:34

Should you give credit to your customers? I was training a group of entrepreneurs recently when this question came up. Credit is a very divisive topic for business owners. Some entrepreneurs love giving credit because it has helped to build their businesses. Some have lost money to customers who never paid back. And some others have a strong policy…

1
SBP 056: How To Make Money From Your Knowledge And Time 39:23

3+ y ago39:23

39:23

Knowledge is money. People will pay for what you know. People will pay for what you can do. And that’s why most of the highest earners in today’s world make their money from knowledge. Lawyers, doctors, investment bankers, consultants, computer programmers, sales professionals, etc. All these people make money from specialised knowledge. But not al…

1
SBP 055: A "House Brand" versus a "House of Brands" 35:33

3+ y ago35:33

35:33

Can you hate a company and still give them your money? It happens all the time. Take Facebook for example. Some people don’t use Facebook. They prefer Instagram or WhatsApp instead. But Facebook doesn’t care. It owns both Instagram and WhatsApp and will still get your time and money. Another example. Some people don’t like Coke because of its high …

1
SBP 054: The 4 Types of Businesses Most Entrepreneurs Have 41:53

3+ y ago41:53

41:53

What kind of business do you want to build? The Indians and Lebanese, for example, are famous for building legacy businesses. The father builds a business that his kids can inherit and continue after he’s gone. As a result, they start getting their kids involved in the business from an early age. In America and Europe, the taste is different. Many …

1
SBP 053: How To Make Word-of-Mouth Marketing Work for Your Business 53:58

3+ y ago53:58

53:58

I know some businesses that have never spent a single $$ on marketing. Still, they keep getting more customers. How’s that even possible? How do they do it? It’s the oldest marketing strategy ever created by entrepreneurs, but it still works very well even till today. It’s a marketing strategy your competitors will find hard to copy. And even if th…

1
SBP 052: Tricky Clauses To Watch Out For In Contracts With Investors 51:30

3+ y ago51:30

51:30

It's a wonderful feeling. After working so hard on your business, you have finally raised money from an investor. It feels so good to have big money in the bank. Now, you can stop worrying about paying rent and salaries, and focus on growing the business. But there is a problem. There's a contract you signed with the investor. It was a 16-page cont…

1
SBP 051: How To Create A STRONG Competitive Advantage For Your Business 33:16

3+ y ago33:16

33:16

“I will give you a better price.” This is what many entrepreneurs say when they want to convince a customer to buy. By offering a lower price, you can beat the competition, right? But there’s a problem. Pricing is easy to copy. Most of your competitors can see what you’re doing and lowering their prices to attract customers too. And as a result, al…

1
SBP 050: The Amazing Power of Discipline, Consistency and Patience in Business 34:00

3+ y ago34:00

34:00

Good things take time. But we now live in a generation that sees patience as weakness and stupidity. We now live in an age of fast food, fast money, and fast results. Most people don't want to wait. We want the rewards right now. But building a valuable business takes time. It takes discipline, consistency, and patience. And for entrepreneurs who a…

1
SBP 049: How to Get Out of Debt When Your Business Owes A Lot of Money 52:29

3+ y ago52:29

52:29

What do you do when your business owes a lot of money? You took money from people close to you. And you also borrowed money from the bank. You asked for that money because of the belief and confidence you had in the potential of your business. But then, some things went wrong. The market changed. The product didn't sell as much as you expected. Or …

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