Episode 64: Inside Small Business Editor: “I Want to Hear From Founders” with Tim LadhamsGuest: Tim Ladhams, Editor of Inside Small BusinessHost: Liz Nable Editor of Inside Small Business, Tim Ladhams, lifts the curtain on what it really takes to get your small business story published in one of Australia’s leading SME platforms. From founder features and Q&As to op-eds and data-led news stories, Tim explains exactly what he looks for in a pitch, why he actively prefers hearing directly from business owners (not PR agencies), and how to position yourself as a genuine thought leader rather than just another self-promotional voice in the crowd. If you’ve ever wondered how to get featured, share your lived experience, or turn your hard-won lessons into media coverage, this episode is packed with practical, actionable insights you can use straight away. Get in touch with Tim here: tim@octomedia.com.au Key Topics: Inside Small Business 101: How the publication works, the daily mix of founder features, news stories and expert op-eds, and who their audience really is. What Editors Want: Why Tim cares more about your “why, what, when and where” than your revenue, and the simple story elements that make a founder pitch stand out. Op-Eds That Get Run: The exact guidelines for opinion pieces (500–750 words, specific topic, clear takeaways) and why he ruthlessly cuts anything that feels like thinly veiled self-promotion. Feature vs Q&A vs Op-Ed: How Tim decides which format your story belongs in, when he’ll turn an email Q&A into a narrative feature, and the kinds of quirky, challenger or “against the odds” stories he loves. Data, Research and Policy Stories: How research from organisations like Xero and COSBOA turns into news, and why issues like payment times, government red tape and platform shutdowns (hello, Meta) matter so much to his readers. Print Magazine Opportunities: The bigger, deeper stories that make it into the quarterly print edition – from AI and social media acquisition costs to “devil’s advocate” debates and systemic barriers holding small businesses back. Thought Leadership vs Selling: Why being featured in Inside Small Business builds credibility in a way social media alone can’t, and how to use media to position yourself as a trusted voice among your peers. Pitching Etiquette: How to email Tim, what to put in the subject line, how long to wait before following up, and why a clear one-page bio or bullet-pointed backstory works better than a glossy PR pitch. Opportunities for Small Business Owners: Founder Features: Strategic, story-driven profiles focused on challenges, strategies and lessons – not fluff or hero worship. Q&As: Ideal for micro-businesses, side hustles and quirky ventures, where Tim crafts targeted questions and you supply succinct, insightful answers. Opinion Pieces: 500–750 word, tightly focused articles on one specific topic (e.g. staff retention, AI, digital marketing, psychological safety, payment terms) with 2–3 clear, practical takeaways. Advocacy Columns: Stories that highlight systemic issues like government policy failures, broken schemes or big-business behaviour that harms small operators. Tim’s Editorial Non‑Negotiables: Story over sales: No external links in articles, no sales copy masquerading as “insight”, and no paragraphs that exist purely to promote your product or service. Integrity and balance: Strong views are welcome, but not personal attacks or anything that could land the publication in legal hot water. Clear categories: Pitches should broadly fit within finance, technology, sales and marketing, planning and management, or growth and development (with subtopics like people/HR inside those). Respect for process: Expect an 8-week lead time on op-eds, be patient around magazine deadlines, and follow up politely if you haven’t heard back after about a week. Timestamps (Approximate): 00:00 Introduction, secret “code word” to get Tim to open your pitch email, and why this episode matters if you want media coverage. 03:00 Liz’s background as a TV journalist and why she created Media Magnet to teach founders how to DIY their PR. 05:00 What Inside Small Business is, who reads it, and how the online and print arms of the brand operate. 07:00 Daily content mix: news, founder features and expert opinion pieces designed for time-poor business owners. 09:00 The real challenges small business owners face right now – cost of living, rent, insurance, late payments – and how those issues show up in stories. 10:00 New recurring print features: “The Quarter Event” (system-level obstacles) and “The Smart No” (opportunities you should walk away from). 13:00 Case studies: Australian Open tie-in stories, impact-driven startups and creative founder angles that hook into broader news. 14:00 How op-eds work: word counts, structure, author bios and why specificity is key. 16:00 Q&A format for micro and quirky businesses (like teen founders and niche product makers). 17:00 What to include in your first pitch email: the who/what/why/when/where plus a one-page bio or bullet points. 18:00 How Tim chooses between op-ed, Q&A or feature and why email interviews often become long-form narrative pieces. 20:00 Why Tim prefers direct pitches from founders over big PR agencies and what instantly gets deleted from his inbox. 24:00 The print magazine: longer, in-depth, commissioned features on topics like AI, LinkedIn, and the rising cost of social media acquisition. 28:00 The real value of being featured: thought leadership, credibility, brand awareness and being seen by major small business service providers. 31:00 Editorial standards: no sign-off rights for features, why self-promotional paragraphs get cut and how house style editing works. 33:00 Links, legalities and integrity: where author promotion belongs and why article copy must stay non-commercial. 35:00 Content pillars and subcategories, including people/HR, psychological safety and women in small business. 36:00 Tim’s scheduling process and examples of time-sensitive pieces (e.g. International Women’s Day, LinkedIn’s 20th birthday). 37:00 Pitching etiquette: subject lines, timing, follow-ups and understanding the reality of production cycles. 39:00 Final advice, encouragement for early-stage founders, and an open invitation for genuine small business stories. Quotes:“Those are the people I want to speak to – people who are genuinely small business owners.” – Tim on who should be pitching him.“If you’re exclusively on social media, everyone is shouting. That thought leadership aspect goes out of the window.” – Tim on why media coverage still matters.“I ultimately have the final call on what does and doesn’t go on my site.” – Tim on maintaining editorial integrity and trust.“It’s not about sales. It’s about the story and the ethos behind the business.” – Tim on what makes a publishable pitch. The secret code word is: LIZ NABLE Tim's email address is: tim@octomedia.com.au Listen on Apple Podcasts:https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/media-magnet/id1612225266
