Capital to the Coast BNI

Mike Manning

The Capital to the Coast BNI Podcast features conversations with business owners, entrepreneurs, and sales professionals about how they grow their businesses through relationships and referrals. Each episode shares real stories and practical insights on networking, clear messaging, and building a strong book of business. If you're a service-based business owner who wants more referrals and stronger business connections, this show is for you.

  1. 6d ago

    One Problem at a Time: Brian Bennett's Approach to Small Business Growth

    In this episode of Capital to the Coast BNI, Mike Manning talks with Brian Bennett, owner of Clearline Experts, about operational clarity, delegation, business systems and the challenges that come with growing a small business. Brian helps business owners solve one operational problem at a time—then leave with it decided and written down. We talk about: Why business owners struggle to delegateHow to identify what only the owner should be doingWhy documenting your standards mattersHow to turn employees into a true support systemWhy "we've always done it this way" can hold a business backHow BNI helped Brian launch his businessWhy relationships matter more than simply promoting your servicesHow to create systems that allow a business to become more scalableThe difference between being an owner and being an operatorOne of Brian's biggest lessons is simple: You don't have to touch every part of your business to be in control of it. Capital to the Coast BNI is a podcast for service-based small business owners, entrepreneurs and professionals who want practical ideas for growing their businesses through networking, referrals, marketing and better business decisions. Hosted by Mike Manning, Business Coach and BNI Trainer, each episode features real conversations with BNI members, entrepreneurs and local business owners about how they started, how they grew, the challenges they faced and what they learned along the way. Topics include small business growth, business networking, referral marketing, messaging, sales, marketing, leadership, business systems, productivity and building a business that supports the life you want. Real business owners. Real stories. Real lessons you can use.

  2. Sep 3

    Stop Doing Everything Yourself: Carla Payne on Delegation, Referrals & Small Business Growth

    What do small business owners waste the most time doing? According to Carla Payne of Aging Care Matters: Trying to do everything themselves. In this episode of Capital to the Coast BNI, Mike Manning talks with Carla about building a service-based business, growing through referrals, hiring and delegating, and learning when it's time to stop trying to do everything yourself. Carla shares the personal story that led her into senior care management, how one unexpected experience changed the direction of her business, and why joining BNI helped her realize the value of building relationships with professionals outside her own industry. You'll hear practical lessons about: Small business growthDelegation and outsourcingHiring the right peopleBusiness networkingReferral marketingBuilding a professional networkGrowing a service-based businessFinding your ideal referral partnersKnowing when to ask for helpMoving from working in your business to working on your businessCarla also shares practical advice for families dealing with aging parents and explains why getting help before a crisis can save time, money and stress. Capital to the Coast BNI features real small business success stories from BNI members and business owners across central and eastern North Carolina. Hosted by Mike Manning, Business Coach and BNI Trainer, the show focuses on practical lessons about small business growth, networking, referrals, messaging, marketing and building a business that supports the life you want.

  3. Aug 28

    How Dr. Tim and Coach Jackie Built a Specialized Business by Knowing Their Expertise and Choosing Wisely

    What happens when you know you have a service that can help people — but you have to build an entire business around it? In this episode of Capital to the Coast BNI, Mike Manning talks with Dr. Tim Beck of Neurofit Connections about building a specialized service-based business with his wife, Jackie. Tim shares how they went from recognizing a need in their industry to opening their own business, finding their first clients, developing their pricing, building their website, hiring their first employee and using BNI to build relationships and generate referrals. We also talk about a lesson every small business owner can use: You don't have to do everything yourself. You need to choose wisely. Tim discusses finding the right professional support, learning from mistakes, reinvesting in the business and building relationships that help the business grow. For service-based business owners, this episode offers practical lessons about starting a small business, business growth, networking, referrals, pricing, websites, hiring and building a support system around your expertise. About Capital to the Coast BNI Capital to the Coast BNI features local small-business owners from BNI chapters across North Carolina's Triangle and Coastal regions. Hosted by Mike Manning, Business Coach and BNI Trainer, the show focuses on the real stories behind small businesses — how owners started, how they grew, the challenges they faced and the lessons other business owners can use. If you're a service-based business owner looking for practical ideas about business growth, networking, referrals, messaging and building a better business, you're in the right place.

  4. Aug 13

    Proactive vs. Reactive: How to Take Control of Your Small Business

    Are you building your business—or simply reacting to whatever happens next? In this episode of Capital to the Coast BNI, Mike Manning explores how service-based small business owners can become more proactive with business growth, marketing, referrals, time management and business systems. You'll hear practical strategies for building your sales pipeline before you need it, continuing to market during busy seasons, tracking where new business comes from, creating repeatable systems and protecting time to work on your business. Mike also explains how to work backward from the result you want and identify the specific actions that create new clients. If you want to spend less time reacting and more time intentionally building your business, this episode is for you. Capital to the Coast BNI is a podcast for service-based small business owners, entrepreneurs and professionals who want practical ideas for growing their businesses through better networking, referrals, business systems and strategic planning. Hosted by Mike Manning, Business Coach and BNI Trainer, the show features conversations with business owners, BNI members and professionals, along with solo episodes focused on the real-world challenges of building and growing a small business. Topics include small business growth, business coaching, networking, referral marketing, ideal clients, sales and marketing, productivity, business systems and processes, time management and building a business that supports the life you wanted when you started it. The show is built around a simple idea: Don't just react to what your business needs today. Build what your business will need tomorrow.

About

The Capital to the Coast BNI Podcast features conversations with business owners, entrepreneurs, and sales professionals about how they grow their businesses through relationships and referrals. Each episode shares real stories and practical insights on networking, clear messaging, and building a strong book of business. If you're a service-based business owner who wants more referrals and stronger business connections, this show is for you.