Episode #193: "Issues 2 Impact" with Alex Kapelos-Peters

It’s Small Business Month! So, how befitting that we launch the special “Issues2Impact” episodes of our “I Have SOMETHING to Say” podcast by talking with the Founder and CEO of Cansulta, Alex Kapelos-Peters, about the challenges faced by small businesses. Dr. Xaulanda Simmonds-Emmanuel, Chris Majocha, and Samí Haiman-Marrero serve as a sounding board to Alex as she shares specifics about her 4-year-old business.

Cansulta’s specialty is vetting consultants who are subject matter experts in a whole host of disciplines, helping business owners gain access to much-needed high-quality professional services instead of hiring someone full-time. We all had a lofty goal of addressing of the Top 7 Hurdles that start-ups have to overcome to get their businesses running and MAKING MONEY. However, this one episode wound up solely focusing on tackling “The Financial Concerns of Small Businesses”, and a little bit regarding employee recruitment and retention.

The conversation kicked off with the importance of understanding cash flow, cost of living, and pricing to even attempt to run a small business, emphasizing the need for financial planning, forecasting, and finding the right team to navigate these challenges. In terms of employee recruitment and retention, we discussed the mindset shift required when you become an entrepreneur because it’s not the same thing managing someone else’s business and staff, to dealing with your own and building a team that understands this as well. These are two different animals.

The winning “Drop the Mic” soundbite was:  "Every unproductive hour that I spend at your place, is an hour I'm not making money."  For a small business, the difficulty of finding the right balance between pricing, quality, expenditures, and maintaining consistent cash flow is persistent if you are not born with a silver spoon in your mouth. Overall, our discussion provides valuable insights and tips regarding financial matters for start-ups and small business owners who are new to all this.

We stress the importance of networking, building relationships, and seeking advice from trusted advisors in the small business world. It is critical for small business owners to stay connected with others in the same boat and to seek guidance from those who are a few steps ahead. There is great value in attending intimate networking events and doing proper research to establish a clear vision and goals for your business before investing time, money, and resources into it.

Listen in on how we candidly tackle the following topics:

• Financial Challenges Faced by Small Businesses
• The Importance of Pricing and Financial Planning
• Quantifying Objectives and Financial Considerations
• Balancing Profitability and Impact in Business Ventures
• Seeking Advice from Trusted Advisors
• Staying Focused on Your Goals
• Understanding the Financial Health of Your Business
• The Value of Investing in Research and Development

Spoiler Alert: Alex Kapelos-Peters is coming back to complete an Issues2Impact Small Business 7-part series….yes, we’re going to tackle the remaining top issues entrepreneurs face on a daily basis. AND, we’re going to keep it REAL.

#Issues2Impact #IHAVESOMETHINGTOSAY #urbander #udou #xauskygroup #cansulta #mindset #podcast #entrepreneurship #smallbusinesses #keepingitreal