By Jet Bunditwong
When you meet someone who owns a business, it’s easy to start with what they do. They own a restaurant. They run a service business. They’ve created a product.
But I always want to know a little more. How did they end up doing that? Was it something they planned? What did they have to figure out along the way?
That’s where The Personal Side of Business comes in.
Why I’m interested in these stories
My own background includes businesses in e-commerce and real estate, along with more than a decade in credit card processing and insurance. Over my career, I’ve worked with more than 800 businesses. Today, I also work with entrepreneurs as a business advisor with the SBDC in San Diego.
That work has brought me into contact with people at very different stages. Someone may have an idea and need help getting started. Someone else may have been in business for years and be thinking about growth—or what comes next for them.
Those situations give us plenty to talk about. There are practical questions about customers, money, and operations. There are also personal questions about confidence, responsibility, and what someone wants their life to look like.
I’m interested in both.
There’s more to ask after “What do you do?”
On the podcast, I want to give people room to talk about the journey. That includes the parts that went well and the parts they had to work through.
A few questions I think are worth asking:
- What made you decide to start?
- What was harder than you expected?
- Who helped you along the way?
- Has your idea of success changed?
- What are you still learning?
You don’t have to be in the same industry to be interested in someone’s answers. You might hear a different way of approaching a decision. You might recognize a situation you’ve been through. Or you might come away with a question you hadn’t thought to ask yourself.
That’s part of what makes these conversations valuable to me.
What does this mean for your own business?
If you’re building something right now, take a little time to think about where you are.
What are you trying to accomplish? What’s getting in the way? And where could you use some help?
You don’t need to have a polished answer. Being able to name the thing you’re struggling with gives you somewhere to start. It also makes it easier to explain what you need when you talk with an advisor, another business owner, or someone you trust.
And if you’re still at the idea stage, that’s a valid place to be. You can learn from other people’s experiences while you work through your own next step.
Let’s keep the conversation going
I’ve created a Personal Side of Business newsletter on LinkedIn to give these topics another place to continue.
I’ll share reflections from the podcast, business questions worth discussing, and resources that connect to the conversation. Articles here on the website will give us room to explore some of those topics further.
If you’re new to the podcast, meet the guests or browse the video interviews. Find a person or a topic that catches your interest and start there.
And if you’re looking for something practical to work on, the business resources page has a business plan template, a startup checklist, and an article on AI tools.
I’d also like to hear from you: What’s something about your business journey that you wish people understood better?
Come share it in the newsletter comments. Let’s talk about it.
Subscribe on LinkedInBy Jet Bunditwong
When you meet someone who owns a business, it’s easy to start with what they do. They own a restaurant. They run a service business. They’ve created a product.
But I always want to know a little more. How did they end up doing that? Was it something they planned? What did they have to figure out along the way?
That’s where The Personal Side of Business comes in.
Why I’m interested in these stories
My own background includes businesses in e-commerce and real estate, along with more than a decade in credit card processing and insurance. Over my career, I’ve worked with more than 800 businesses. Today, I also work with entrepreneurs as a business advisor with the SBDC in San Diego.
That work has brought me into contact with people at very different stages. Someone may have an idea and need help getting started. Someone else may have been in business for years and be thinking about growth—or what comes next for them.
Those situations give us plenty to talk about. There are practical questions about customers, money, and operations. There are also personal questions about confidence, responsibility, and what someone wants their life to look like.
I’m interested in both.
There’s more to ask after “What do you do?”
On the podcast, I want to give people room to talk about the journey. That includes the parts that went well and the parts they had to work through.
A few questions I think are worth asking:
- What made you decide to start?
- What was harder than you expected?
- Who helped you along the way?
- Has your idea of success changed?
- What are you still learning?
You don’t have to be in the same industry to be interested in someone’s answers. You might hear a different way of approaching a decision. You might recognize a situation you’ve been through. Or you might come away with a question you hadn’t thought to ask yourself.
That’s part of what makes these conversations valuable to me.
What does this mean for your own business?
If you’re building something right now, take a little time to think about where you are.
What are you trying to accomplish? What’s getting in the way? And where could you use some help?
You don’t need to have a polished answer. Being able to name the thing you’re struggling with gives you somewhere to start. It also makes it easier to explain what you need when you talk with an advisor, another business owner, or someone you trust.
And if you’re still at the idea stage, that’s a valid place to be. You can learn from other people’s experiences while you work through your own next step.
Let’s keep the conversation going
I’ve created a Personal Side of Business newsletter on LinkedIn to give these topics another place to continue.
I’ll share reflections from the podcast, business questions worth discussing, and resources that connect to the conversation. Articles here on the website will give us room to explore some of those topics further.
If you’re new to the podcast, meet the guests or browse the video interviews. Find a person or a topic that catches your interest and start there.
And if you’re looking for something practical to work on, the business resources page has a business plan template, a startup checklist, and an article on AI tools.
I’d also like to hear from you: What’s something about your business journey that you wish people understood better?
Come share it in the newsletter comments. Let’s talk about it.
Subscribe on LinkedInAre you looking to promote your business and are overwhelmed with where to start? Here are 5 ways to promote your business.
1. Leverage Social Media Marketing
Platforms like Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and LinkedIn can help build your brand, show off your work, and engage with your audience. So many business owners become overwhelmed with running the business that their social media gets put on the back burner. It’s a free and easy way to get your business out there to hundreds, thousands, sometimes millions of viewers.
Share behind-the-scenes content, customer testimonials, before-and-after shots (especially great for service businesses like cleaning or food).
If you are too busy to keep up with running your social media, I suggest hiring someone. Hiring someone local is best because they can take photos, videos and get a real sense of the business. But if you need cheaper options, Upwork and Fiver are good alternative options.
2. Use Google My Business (GMB)
Claim and optimize your Google Business Profile so people can find you in local searches.
This is a common mistake I see a lot of business owners make. They create their website, set up their social media and forget about creating their Google Business profile.
81% of consumers use Google to evaluate local businesses, and a 63% are likely to check Google reviews before visiting a business.
As a business owner you want to get reviews, add photos, update hours, and post updates. Also do not wait for customers and clients to review, ask for them, send emails and texts letting them know their review really helps a business grow. A great way is to create some reward like a discount for leaving a review.
3. Referral Incentives & Word of Mouth
Encourage happy customers to refer others by offering discounts or perks.
Word of mouth is still one of the most powerful tools—people trust people.
One of the best referral programs is to offer a discount to your frequent customer and to the one they are bringing in. For example if customer A brings in their friend,customer B, both people get a discount. While you might lose a little profit on that exact sale, you have not only made customer A happy and proud to bring in their friend to a new business, you now have a high potential of gaining customer B as a repeat customer.
4. Local Partnerships & Events
Team up with local businesses, sponsor community events, or attend farmers markets, festivals, and pop-ups.
Networking and being visible in the community can help a business build local support.
Donate your time to other organizations and businesses, donate money if you have it and be advocates for other businesses so they can be advocates for you.
I can’t tell you how networking and being involved in the community has helped me grow personally and professionally.
5. Online Ads (Targeted & Local)
Invest in Google Ads, Facebook/Instagram ads, and even platforms like Nextdoor to target specific areas and demographics.
Online ads are not for everyone and take work. If you do not know what you are doing in this area please consult with someone in marketing, watch youtube video or read up on this topic on the internet. While businesses can have great success with it, if you don’t know what you are doing, you can waste a lot of money and time as well.
Start small, test, and refine what works.
And those are my top 5 reliable ways to promote your business. Would love to hear what has worked for you in the comments so we can help each other learn as well.