THE STERN TRUTH: Business Unfiltered

Marshall Stern
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The Stern Truth: Business Unfiltered is the no-BS podcast for overwhelmed small business owners & entrepreneurs who are tired of the noise, the hype, and the so-called “experts” telling them how to grow their business. Hosted by Marshall Stern, a seasoned business owner and coach with over 35 years of experience, this podcast cuts through the confusion to bring you real, practical advice that actually works. If you feel stuck, exhausted, and like you’re doing it all alone—this is for you. Each episode delivers honest conversations, actionable strategies, and straight talk about what it really takes to grow and lead a thriving business. No fluff. No gimmicks. Just The Stern Truth you need to move forward with confidence. It's time to stop spinning your wheels and start leading your business like the unstoppable force you are.

  1. Ep. 63 The Stern Truth: Business Therapy Thursday with Steve Hayek

    1D AGO

    Ep. 63 The Stern Truth: Business Therapy Thursday with Steve Hayek

    It’s another Business Therapy Thursday. This is a story so many small business owners will recognize. I sit down with Steve Hayek, a home inspector in year seven of his business, and he is still doing almost everything himself.  He’s got real growth happening for his company, All Branch Inspections, along with a solid reputation, and referrals coming in organically. But like so many entrepreneurs I work with, he’s stuck in a 90/10 split - 90% working IN the business, barely 10% working ON it. Steve tells how the marketing, business development, and all the repetitive conversations are his biggest drains when it comes to his day-to-day. It comes with the territory of growing a client base. Walking him through the Energy Audit, we find that his systems and automations need to get out of his head and into his business. We dug into exactly what’s been sitting on Steve’s to-do list, things like a proper client intro email, follow-up templates for buyers' and sellers' agents, and a buyer and seller checklist. He already knows what needs to go in them. Steve just needs to block the time and treat those tasks just the same as client work.  We also talked about a hidden revenue opportunity that most solo business owners completely overlook. Simply put, it’s reaching out to clients or prospects after your initial meeting. A simple, repeatable process that just needs to be built once. Steve already knew what needed to be done. Sometimes we just need an accountability partner, and that’s exactly what Business Therapy Thursdays are for. If you’re a small business owner who’s running on the hamster wheel, feeling isolated, and watching great ideas collect dust, I invite you to the ONtrepreneur Inner Circle. A small group of driven entrepreneurs who get real mentorship, coaching, accountability, and encouragement to make growth happen. Find out more here: https://marshallstern.net/landing/innercircle Subscribe to The Stern Truth Business Unfiltered so you never miss an episode and receive a FREE GIFT: http://www.thesterntruth.com/ Join my Business Inner Circle Community for free here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/thebusinessinnercirclegroup Book your complimentary business blindspot assessment with me here: https://attractwell.com/MarshallStern/landing/breakthrough-session I encourage you to reach out with feedback, topic suggestions, and share your own entrepreneurial challenges. Get in touch in the comments or head to... Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marshallstern/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MarshallDStern Email: marshall@marshallstern.net

    39 min
  2. Ep. 62 The Stern Truth: Close More Sales By Doing This

    3D AGO

    Ep. 62 The Stern Truth: Close More Sales By Doing This

    You’ve already seen the title. This episode is a DOOZY, I promise you.  We always default back to spending, spending, spending on marketing. Facebook Ads, Google Ads, money on your storefront or your interior. But there’s a huge gap that stops you from closing sales.  That’s the failure to connect with your prospects.  Are you connecting with your customers? Let’s even take a step back from that - are you connecting with your team? Are they just a number? I share a story of going to a Nissan dealership with my friend, looking to purchase a Pathfinder, and immediately being ignored. No greeting. The staff was hanging out, smoking, not paying any attention to us, and we left. A classic example of a business that really doesn’t want to take your money. A great book that I recommend is “Everyone Communicates Few Connect” by my mentor, John Maxwell. He says that connection is what makes you feel heard, comfortable, and understood. For me, the price of that Pathfinder didn’t matter, but the connection wasn’t there. I wasn’t heard, let alone seen. I was uncomfortable, and I definitely wasn’t understood. So I walked. Part of connecting is listening. It’s being interested and not interesting. Be curious and connect with your people, be it your clients, your team, or your inner circle. If you’re looking for your own inner circle with mentorship, coaching, accountability, and encouragement to step up your game and achieve your goals, the ONtrepreneur Inner Circle might be for you. Check out more here: https://marshallstern.net/landing/innercircle Subscribe to The Stern Truth Business Unfiltered so you never miss an episode and receive a FREE GIFT: http://www.thesterntruth.com/ Join my Business Inner Circle Community for free here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/thebusinessinnercirclegroup Book your complimentary business blindspot assessment with me here: https://attractwell.com/MarshallStern/landing/breakthrough-session I encourage you to reach out with feedback, topic suggestions, and share your own entrepreneurial challenges. Get in touch in the comments or head to... Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marshallstern/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MarshallDStern Email: marshall@marshallstern.net

    13 min
  3. Ep. 61 The Stern Truth: From Click to Close: Why Marketing Alone Doesn’t Convert with Meghan Simington

    FEB 17

    Ep. 61 The Stern Truth: From Click to Close: Why Marketing Alone Doesn’t Convert with Meghan Simington

    As a Fractional CMO, Meghan helps clients make their marketing roadmaps on a part-time basis. She connects the dots between their CRMs, qualified leads, social media, and email marketing. From click to close, Meghan is there. She started out as an entrepreneur in her 20s. She bought a franchise, sold it all across Canada, and learned about business along the way. She’s also had retail stores, has put on conferences, and has worked with consumer-packaged goods. As busy as she was, she eventually found her niche with real estate. One of the biggest challenges Meghan has faced is asking for the budget. Even with the Golden Triangle of project management in mind, the quality might not be there and articulating that to clients can be tough. Meghan says that learning from the gaps and improving for the future is key. I bring Meghan up to speed with my story from Episode 2, “Why Marketing Can Fail You.” Long story short, big marketing budget but no customer service. As Meghan puts it, you can lose people in 3 or 4 days, and in that time, you’ve lost their trust. Meghan left us with two great golden nuggets. One, building community is the new flex. And two, niche down to talk to exactly who you want to talk to. Mine for this episode? Let pregnant raccoons lie.   That personal touch, within a few days, makes all the difference. Otherwise, you’re just wasting your marketing budget.   Get connected with Meghan here: Website: https://meghansimington.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meghan-simington/   Listen to The Stern Truth Episode 2, “Why Marketing Can Fail You”: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2453923/episodes/16770813 Subscribe to The Stern Truth Business Unfiltered so you never miss an episode and receive a FREE GIFT: http://www.thesterntruth.com/ Join my Business Inner Circle Community for free here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/thebusinessinnercirclegroup Book your complimentary business blindspot assessment with me here: https://attractwell.com/MarshallStern/landing/breakthrough-session I encourage you to reach out with feedback, topic suggestions, and share your own entrepreneurial challenges. Get in touch in the comments or head to... Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marshallstern/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MarshallDStern Email: marshall@marshallstern.net

    37 min
  4. Ep. 60 The Stern Truth: How Business Development Can Help Your Business with Kelly Kennedy

    FEB 10

    Ep. 60 The Stern Truth: How Business Development Can Help Your Business with Kelly Kennedy

    Kelly Kennedy started his company, Capital Business Development, five years ago, and he hasn’t stopped since. As an expert in business development, he has the itch to talk about it—like so many of us podcasters, he started his own, the Business Development Podcast. What is business development, though? Kelly says that it strategically brings in new revenue to your business by first focusing on the right opportunities. As he explains, it’s not the same as sales, which includes closing. It’s that valuable relationship building that comes before the sale. In this episode, we also touch on getting ghosted. As small business owners and entrepreneurs chasing growth, we’ve all been there. Kelly says it’s all about the conversations with the right people - that, and follow-up, is what will open those opportunity doors.  Kelly goes over the art of the LinkedIn request. First, identify the industry, then connect with the right people. After that, keep up the consistency of your connection requests. Connection is the name of the game for online growth. Kelly is also a coach and started his own program, which, through some incredible connections, became what’s called the Catalyst Club. As he and I both know, leadership is lonely, and we welcome any space where leaders can help leaders. There are so many golden nuggets in this episode – two that Kelly drives home are to manage your time and do a critical once-a-week follow-up with connections. Business owners, you won’t want to miss this incredible episode. Connect with Kelly here: Website: kellykennedyofficial.com Business: capitalbd.ca LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/kellykennedyofficial Podcast: businessdevelopmentpodcast.ca  Be my guest at the ONtrepreneur Inner Circle group. If you’re feeling lonely, like the decisions you make feel heavy, a community of your peers can help you break through your challenges. Get practical tools, accountability, honest dialogue, and more: https://marshallstern.net/page/ontrepreneur-inner-circle Subscribe to The Stern Truth Business Unfiltered so you never miss an episode and receive a FREE GIFT: http://www.thesterntruth.com/ Join my Business Inner Circle Community for free here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/thebusinessinnercirclegroup Book your complimentary business blindspot assessment with me here: https://attractwell.com/MarshallStern/landing/breakthrough-session I encourage you to reach out with feedback, topic suggestions, and share your own entrepreneurial challenges. Get in touch in the comments or head to... Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marshallstern/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MarshallDStern Email: marshall@marshallstern.net

    39 min
  5. Ep. 59 The Stern Truth: How to Really Build and Grow Your Business

    FEB 3

    Ep. 59 The Stern Truth: How to Really Build and Grow Your Business

    I’ve seen business owners throwing a lot of money at their marketing. But when prospects come to their door, their systems aren’t there. The experience doesn’t measure up to what was advertised. So how can we wow our customers SO much that they come back over and over again? The people and systems that create the experience hold so much weight. If you’re pushing out marketing without the processes or customer service, you’re throwing your money away. Not only that, your revenue just won’t increase, your business won’t grow, and you’ll stay stuck. My daughter and I recently had a “wow” experience at a Hilton Garden Inn in Edmonton. She had jaw surgery, and her healing involved applying ice to her face 8 times a day. No freezer in the room, so I was constantly switching out ice packs (you’re never done being a dad.) I ended up apologizing to the front-end staff each time, thinking I was putting them out. But at one point, something switched. The front-end staff really showed concern. They asked how she was doing. The restaurant team adapted their menu for her. They showed that they truly cared. I want to give them a shoutout because the way we were treated, with such incredible care and concern, was such a “wow.” It was a memorable experience because of that care. I want to ask, are we doing that with our own clients? Do we really care about them? Are we showing them empathy when we need to? After this episode, I encourage you to go back and listen to these episodes. They go more into what I’ve talked about today, including what not to do: Ep. 2 The Stern Truth: Why Marketing Can Fail You: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2453923/episodes/16770813 Ep. 14 The Stern Truth: Business & Life Lessons from a Lifeguard: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2453923/episodes/17197255   Ep. 34 The Stern Truth: Are You Making It Easy for Your Clients to Do Business With You?: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2453923/episodes/17784578 My question to you is, are you and your team showing up once you have your client? Are you wowing them or caring for them? The most powerful marketing that you can have is your exceptional customer service. The ONtrepreneur Inner Circle is a group that gives you mentorship, coaching, accountability, and encouragement to step up your game. Achieve your goals this year with the support you deserve: https://marshallstern.net/page/ontrepreneur-inner-circle Subscribe to The Stern Truth Business Unfiltered so you never miss an episode and receive a FREE GIFT: http://www.thesterntruth.com/ Join my Business Inner Circle Community for free here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/thebusinessinnercirclegroup Book your complimentary business blindspot assessment with me here: https://attractwell.com/MarshallStern/landing/breakthrough-session I encourage you to reach out with feedback, topic suggestions, and share your own entrepreneurial challenges. Get in touch in the comments or head to... Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marshallstern/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MarshallDStern Email: marshall@marshallstern.net

    12 min
  6. Ep. 58 The Stern Truth: Business Therapy Thursday with Hanan Alameh

    JAN 29

    Ep. 58 The Stern Truth: Business Therapy Thursday with Hanan Alameh

    It’s been a while since our last Business Therapy Thursday session, but we’re back. Our guest on this episode is Hanan Alameh, who’s looking for guidance on where to take her business next and the steps to do it. Hanan has a luxury charcuterie board business she runs in Ottawa called Pretty Eats by Hanan. And she knows exactly where she wants to go—by the spring of 2028, she wants to have her own location, a café, while still catering. I kick off our conversation by reminding Hanan that she actually knows more about business than she thinks. Pretty Eats also had its one-year anniversary, so it’s an ideal team for Hanan to be here and get the guidance she needs for her business. As we go deeper into our session, Hanan reveals even MORE goals, like eventually turning her business into a franchise and writing a book. I love the big goals and vision Hanan has. And this is exactly the type of passion great business owners have, where they fall in love with the goals. But growth happens when you fall in love with the process. Hanan opens up about how fear has held her back throughout her life and how, at 42 years old, she's finally ready to pursue her entrepreneurial dreams without a backup plan. We tackle the concept of "doing it scared" and taking action despite fear, but not recklessly. One of the biggest challenges we uncover is Hanan's perfectionism. She's detail-oriented and creative, but she admits that hiring employees terrifies her because she feels like "an artist letting someone else draw a painting. " I help to explain the critical difference between perfectionism and having high-quality standards. If you're an entrepreneur struggling with fear, perfectionism, or feeling like you're not good enough, here's something I told Hanan that might resonate with you: the business will grow as much as you grow. See more about Hanan’s Ottawa and area business here: Facebook: facebook.com/prettyeatsbyhanan Instagram: @prettyeatsbyhanan The ONtrepreneur Inner Circle is a group that gives you mentorship, coaching, accountability, and encouragement to step up your game. Achieve your goals this year with the support you deserve: https://marshallstern.net/page/ontrepreneur-inner-circle Liking “The Stern Truth?” Rate us, review us, and subscribe! Spotify Apple Podcasts Audible Subscribe to The Stern Truth Business Unfiltered so you never miss an episode and receive a FREE GIFT: http://www.thesterntruth.com/ Join my Business Inner Circle Community for free here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/thebusinessinnercirclegroup Book your complimentary business blindspot assessment with me here: https://attractwell.com/MarshallStern/landing/breakthrough-session I encourage you to reach out with feedback, topic suggestions, and share your own entrepreneurial challenges. Get in touch in the comments or head to... Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marshallstern/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MarshallDStern Email: marshall@marshallstern.net

    46 min
  7. Ep. 57 The Stern Truth: Where is Your Hidden Revenue Opportunity? with Doug C. Brown

    JAN 27

    Ep. 57 The Stern Truth: Where is Your Hidden Revenue Opportunity? with Doug C. Brown

    I sit down with Doug C. Brown of CEO Sales Strategies in this episode. He and I talk about how to increase your revenue and increase the growth trajectory of your business. He first started his business journey when he was a kid working with his dad. That turned into working for a company owned by Tony Robbins. During his time there, Doug was able to do something amazing – look at the numbers, see where money was hiding, and free it up to make the company grow from $9 million-$27 million in just 18 months  Doug breaks down the power of finding hidden revenue with his own example, simply changing the sales script, the company dropped their refund rate to less than 1% within 48 hours. That’s something that ads and marketing just can’t do. We dive into one of Doug's many golden nuggets, speed to contact. He emphasizes that waiting even five minutes to respond to a lead versus one minute can drop your conversion rate significantly. Take the lead and show your prospect that you're a real person who cares. Start to build that trust from the first interaction. Doug also tackles follow-up strategy, which is something so many small business owners struggle with. And the golden nugget on follow-up frequency: it's only creepy when it's not value-laden. Doug shares something from a mentor that is a great golden nugget – “Whatever you try in life will take 2-3 times longer and cost two to three times more than you think.” But if you have someone helping you be more effective and efficient, it might only take 1-2 times what you thought. And it’s exactly why you need outside perspectives on your business, whether it's a coach, mentor, a group, or someone like Doug, who finds those hidden revenues. Grab a pad of paper and a pen (I know I say that all the time) because the golden nuggets in here are so incredible. I hope you enjoy this episode as much as I do. Connect with Doug here: www.ceosalesstrategies.com doug@ceosalesstrategies.com www.linkedin.com/in/dougbrown123   The ONtrepreneur Inner Circle is launching soon. If you need mentorship, coaching, accountability, and encouragement to step up your game and achieve your goals, check out the program: https://marshallstern.net/page/ontrepreneur-inner-circle Liking “The Stern Truth?” Rate, review, and subscribe! Spotify Apple Podcasts Audible Subscribe to The Stern Truth Business Unfiltered so you never miss an episode and receive a FREE GIFT: http://www.thesterntruth.com/ Join my Business Inner Circle Community for free here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/thebusinessinnercirclegroup Book your complimentary business blindspot assessment with me here: https://attractwell.com/MarshallStern/landing/breakthrough-session I encourage you to reach out with feedback, topic suggestions, and share your own entrepreneurial challenges. Get in touch in the comments or head to... Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marshallstern/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MarshallDStern Email: marshall@marshallstern.net

    46 min
  8. Ep. 56 The Stern Truth: The Power of Failing Forward with Audree McIvor

    JAN 20

    Ep. 56 The Stern Truth: The Power of Failing Forward with Audree McIvor

    Audree McIvor went from running a cannabis store to owning a counselling clinic. And this isn’t her first time around the business block - this is her third business, so she has a lot of golden nuggets to share. She’s quite comfortable with being active, moving from industry to industry (maybe it’s the mom in her). Audree even works part-time at another clinic to make sure she’s growing and learning to make her practice even better. One business mantra that she understands well is that you will fail but accepting that failure is a big piece of growth. Some people get comfortable being comfortable but that’s where the learning, the growth stops. Failing is part of the growth mindset, whether we like it or not.  We also get into coming out of your “safety bubble” and how to, essentially, fail forward. That risk that you take, whether it’s a business or a relationship or whatever it is, is a challenge, and Audree emphasizes that it takes patience to sit with that discomfort. Be realistic about what you want and take time to plan your goals. That planning is an investment in your future self. Have a network to support you for WHEN you fail. These are just a few of the golden nuggets Audree gave us this episode and they are truly golden. Sometimes, failure is the only option because you step outside of your comfort zone. But let me ask you this - what if you fail forward? Connect with Audree here: Website: www.momentouscounselling.ca Email: audree@momentouscounselling.ca The ONtrepreneur Inner Circle is launching shortly. If you need mentorship, coaching, accountability, and encouragement to step up your game and achieve your goals, check out the program here: https://marshallstern.net/page/ontrepreneur-inner-circle Subscribe to The Stern Truth Business Unfiltered so you never miss an episode and receive a FREE GIFT: http://www.thesterntruth.com/ Join my Business Inner Circle Community for free here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/thebusinessinnercirclegroup Book your complimentary business blindspot assessment with me here: https://attractwell.com/MarshallStern/landing/breakthrough-session I encourage you to reach out with feedback, topic suggestions, and share your own entrepreneurial challenges. Get in touch in the comments or head to... Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marshallstern/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MarshallDStern Email: marshall@marshallstern.net

    42 min
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About

The Stern Truth: Business Unfiltered is the no-BS podcast for overwhelmed small business owners & entrepreneurs who are tired of the noise, the hype, and the so-called “experts” telling them how to grow their business. Hosted by Marshall Stern, a seasoned business owner and coach with over 35 years of experience, this podcast cuts through the confusion to bring you real, practical advice that actually works. If you feel stuck, exhausted, and like you’re doing it all alone—this is for you. Each episode delivers honest conversations, actionable strategies, and straight talk about what it really takes to grow and lead a thriving business. No fluff. No gimmicks. Just The Stern Truth you need to move forward with confidence. It's time to stop spinning your wheels and start leading your business like the unstoppable force you are.

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