Talk to five customers before you build anything: a script
Five short conversations can save you five months. Here is who to talk to, what to ask and what answers mean "go".
For Small Business Owners
Cash flow, profit habits and simple systems.
You have customers and costs. Your biggest levers are cash flow, margins and repeatable systems.
Start with these
- Profit-first budgeting
- A 12-month cash-flow calendar
- The 20-minute weekly money meeting
- Build a referral engine
Latest small business guides
Build a 5-email welcome sequence that sells without nagging
A plain-English plan for the five emails every new subscriber should get, with subject lines, what to say and when to send.
Productize your service: turn custom work into a repeatable offer
How to package what you do into a fixed-scope, fixed-price product that is easier to sell, deliver and scale.
Build a referral engine: ask, thank and make it easy
Referrals are the cheapest customers you will ever get. Here is a simple system for asking at the right moment and keeping the flow…
Profit-first budgeting for small business owners
Flip the formula: take profit and tax out the moment money arrives, then run the business on what is left. Here is the idea…
How to choose business tools without subscription creep
Software costs add up quietly. Use this four-question test and a quarterly audit to keep only the tools that earn their keep.
Tools small businesses use
Claude
AI and automationAn AI assistant for drafting, summarizing, brainstorming and working through documents.
Best for: Drafts, summaries and brainstorming
Price: Free plan available; paid plans vary
ChatGPT
AI and automationA widely used AI assistant for writing, ideas, research help and simple automation.
Best for: Brainstorming and everyday drafts
Price: Free plan available; paid plans vary
Perplexity
AI and automationAn AI search tool that shows sources next to its answers.
Best for: Fast research with sources
Price: Free plan available; paid plans vary
Zapier
AI and automationConnects apps so one event triggers another, with no code.
Best for: Linking forms, email, payments and sheets
Price: Free plan available; paid plans vary
Stripe
PaymentsOnline payments for cards and wallets, with payment links and invoicing.
Best for: Payment links and online checkout
Price: Per-transaction fees; no monthly fee for standard payments
PayPal
PaymentsA widely recognized payment option with invoicing.
Best for: Customers who prefer to pay with PayPal
Price: Per-transaction fees
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