The Growth Engine Guys

The Top 10 HR Mistakes Small Businesses Make

Summary
In this conversation, Luke and Glenn discuss the top 10 HR mistakes that businesses often make, drawing from their personal experiences. They emphasize the importance of making tough decisions quickly, the balance between loyalty and competence, and the need for professional HR support. The discussion also touches on the significance of mental wellbeing in the workplace and the dangers of overpromising a family culture. They conclude by highlighting the impact of leadership on business success and the necessity of hiring diverse talent.
 

The Challenges of Being Dads and Running a Business

In this chat, Luke and Glenn discuss being dads while running a business. They talk about managing kids at home, dealing with naysayers and bullies, and how having children affects their careers. They explore balancing work and family life and the changing dynamics of parenting. They also discuss using AI tools like ChatGPT for brainstorming and data tasks, the potential of AI, and taking risks in business. They emphasise the benefits of using AI to test ideas, the value of reading and learning from the past, and having a supportive community. They conclude that building a successful business in New Zealand is possible but stress the importance of diversifying and investing in other opportunities.

Data-Driven Decisions: Using Analytics to Inform Business Strategies

In this chat, Luke and Glenn talk about succeeding in small markets and expanding into new ones. They cover the challenges of shipping products internationally, the importance of customer service, and how to advertise to win over competitors' customers. They discuss pricing strategies and testing different prices. They also emphasize thinking big, being optimistic but realistic, and using data to make smart decisions. They highlight ways to increase website traffic and improve conversion rates, like better add-to-cart and checkout experiences, and using Facebook and Instagram ads. Finally, they stress the value of email marketing, having a good product, and the need for perseverance and time to build a successful business.

Making Time for Content Creation

In this chat, Luke and Glenn talk about business updates, tech, and cool tips. They highlight the importance of online businesses and how email marketing helps build trust. They also talk about how being consistent and getting people to spread the word can grow a business. They dive into making videos, using tools like GoPros, Canon cameras, lapel mics, and editing with iMovie and DaVinci Resolve. They stress making time for content creation, practicing, and being focused with videos. They also discuss targeting a specific audience and using Instagram for marketing.

Social skills pay the bills

In this chat, Luke and Glenn talk about using freelancers in business. They explain that freelancers are part-time workers who choose their own hours and get work based on that. They compare freelancers to contractors and mention the perks, like getting special skills and working with people from all over the world. They also discuss the challenges of having full-time employees and why focusing on profit is important. The chat ends with a talk about the importance of social skills and knowing your audience in business.

Negotiating with Suppliers, Managing Margins and Testing Social Media Strategies

In this chat, Luke and Glenn share recent business wins and challenges. Luke launched a mattress protector and explains the development and pricing process, while Glenn mentions a podcast on adding new products and dealing with suppliers. They emphasise knowing your profit margins and not rushing new products. Glenn's success with Instagram reels and collaborations boosted followers and sales, highlighting the importance of a physical store and good customer service. They also discuss the need to adjust strategies based on data, with Luke updating on his bunk bedding business and Glenn testing social media strategies while juggling multiple projects.

The Importance of Being Interesting and Telling Stories

In this chat, Luke Snedden and Glenn Edley talk about what it takes to grow an audience and make a podcast successful. They highlight how crucial it is to be interesting and tell great stories to keep listeners hooked. They also discuss the struggles of building a big business in a small market, dealing with bad internet connections, and the changing world of social media and email marketing. The main takeaway is the importance of being real and providing value to people in online communities.

How To Get Your First 100 Customers - Quickly!

In this conversation, Luke and Glenn discuss the importance of acquiring the first hundred customers when starting a business. They share their experiences with getting the first hundred customers for their respective businesses, Spike, Little Ones, and Glaamp. They provide tips on how to attract customers, including using blog posts and SEO, leveraging influencers, and utilizing LinkedIn. They also emphasize the need to treat the first hundred customers as a real business and the importance of knowing your numbers. The key takeaway is to take action and get started on acquiring your first hundred customers.

How to create a newsletter that doesn’t suck!

In this episode, Luke and Glenn discuss the importance of newsletters and why it's never too late to start one. They draw inspiration from Andrew Wilkinson, the founder of Tiny Capital, who has successfully used newsletters to engage his audience. The hosts emphasize the goal of newsletters, which is to stay top of mind and establish authority in your industry. They share tips on creating engaging content, using AI tools like ChatGPT to streamline the content creation process, and optimizing newsletters for mobile users. They also discuss the frequency and length of newsletters, as well as the value of personalization and segmentation. 

Recap: Motivation for Long Term Success, Email Marketing and ChatGPT

In this episode, Luke and Glenn recap the key points discussed in previous episodes. They emphasize the importance of pain over passion in driving motivation and long-term success. They also discuss the effectiveness of creating scarcity and waitlists to generate demand. The power of email marketing is highlighted, with a focus on its underutilization by businesses. Finally, they explore the benefits of using Chat GPT for content creation and generating ideas.