Small Business Development Center To Launch First Podcast Series With PodTopics

  • Thursday, March 4, 2021

PodTopics, a podcast development business of Missing Word Solutions, LLC., announces the release of a new podcast series that is being produced in collaboration with the Chattanooga office of the Tennessee Small Business Development Center. The How To Business podcast series features members of the Chattanooga TSBDC team discussing topics that address both the short-term and long-term challenges encountered by small businesses in the Chattanooga area.

The production of the first episodes of the How To Business podcast series is an example of the need to pivot and adapt while working within a global pandemic, said officials. Originally, TSBDC and PodTopics had planned to record all elements of the series through in-person sessions while still following CDC guidelines and best practices. However, as further CDC guidance regarding meetings within smaller enclosed spaces emerged, PodTopics provided TSBDC with a recording strategy utilizing a virtual platform that still ensured a high level of sound quality for the production.

The individual podcast episodes are being hosted by a rotating group of business counselors from the TSBDC team. Each episode, with a total running time of approximately 30 minutes, is highlighted by in-depth conversations with small business owners from the Chattanooga area as well as subject-matter experts. These guests share perspectives and examples of solutions that have helped to move their respective businesses forward.

“If you own and operate a small business, if you’re an entrepreneur, or if you have an interest how in organizations work to find answers to the challenges of the day, you should make time to listen to the How To Business podcast,” said Greg Thompson, founder of Missing Word Solutions and the executive producer of PodTopics.com. “As a small business owner myself and as the coordinating producer for this podcast series, I have found that all of the topics the TSBDC team has chosen to spotlight through How To Business are quite relevant and helpful. The conversations with the business owners and subject-matter experts that the TSBDC team conducts within the podcast series are very compelling. I find myself listening as much as a business owner as I do as a producer.”

“We had already been having conversations about how to reach our clients in new and interesting ways, but the pandemic pushed us to take action since we were no longer able to reach businesses face-to-face," said Lynn Chesnutt, managing director of the Chattanooga TSBCD. "It also affected everyone’s schedules, and we wanted to share information in a way that’s conveniently accessible, in a format they’re already using. Business owners can listen to our podcast on their way to work, on their lunch break, after their kids go to sleep, whenever.

“For each episode, we determine the topic based on what we’re hearing from our sessions with clients. We don’t choose topics because we want to talk about it, but rather because our clients are asking for it. They need help with e-commerce, legal issues, sales strategies, so that’s why we have prioritized those first. It’s important to us that each of our episodes has action items that business owners can implement right away in their own businesses.”

Mr. Thompson is able to speak from experience about utilizing the services of TSBDC. Missing Word Solutions became a client of the Chattanooga TSBDC office in 2019 when Mr. Thompson was looking to expand the podcast platform his company had built to serve its trucking clients through the PodWheels Network. The success of PodWheels Network, coupled with the opportunities to develop thought leadership content for businesses outside of trucking, inspired Mr. Thompson to start PodTopics.com in 2020.

“One of the reasons the How To Business podcast has been a passion project for my company is because of the experience I’ve had as a client of the TSBDC Chattanooga office,” said Mr. Thompson. “I’ve seen first-hand how the TSBDC works and how invaluable they can be to a small business at any point in the lifecycle of your business. They walk with you through all the issues you are facing, and they help you to back away and see the full picture. What really excites me about the How To Business series is that our listeners can get a sample of the topics and discussions that are key to the success of any small business. In my view, the topics covered within How To Business will have a long shelf life, which is another bonus for this series.”

The TSBDC of Chattanooga will release new episodes every other week starting the first week of March. The episodes will be available through the TSBDC’s dedicated client page on PodTopics.com, which is https://www.podtopics.com/page/tsbdc. The How To Business podcast will also be available through all of the major mainstream podcast platforms, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeartRadio, Amazon Music, and Google Podcasts. 


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