Small Business Survival Conversations
Small Business Survival Conversations is the weekly podcast designed to empower entrepreneurs, solopreneurs, and small business owners who are fighting every day to build, grow, and sustain their businesses in a noisy and unpredictable world.
Hosted by Anna Steinfest, business strategist, entrepreneur, and founder with decades of experience helping small businesses thrive, this show delivers practical wisdom, mindset fuel, and real-world strategies that small business owners can actually use.
What to Expect Every Week
Monday Morning Motivation
Kickstart your week with a powerful story—drawn from timeless fables, real business lessons, or classic wisdom—paired with three actionable steps you can apply immediately. Each episode is crafted to help you regain focus, protect your momentum, and make better decisions as a small business owner.
These episodes are short, energizing, and packed with practical insight. Think of it as your weekly dose of clarity, courage, and direction.
Occasional Expert Interviews
Throughout the season, Anna welcomes entrepreneurs, industry experts, and community leaders who share their experiences, failures, wins, and lessons learned. Whether you’re looking to scale, pivot, or simply survive another day of running a business, these conversations offer the guidance and encouragement you need.
Who This Podcast Is For
This show is built for:
• Small business owners
• Solopreneurs
• Startup founders
• Women-owned businesses
• Community-based and service-based entrepreneurs
• Anyone navigating growth with limited time, resources, and support
If you’re building a business from the ground up—and learning as you go—you’re in the right place.
Why Listeners Love This Podcast
• Practical, real-world strategies (no fluff)
• Story-driven insights that stick
• Weekly motivation designed specifically for small business owners
• Action steps in every episode
• Honest conversations about what it really takes to survive and grow
• Encouragement without sugarcoating
Running a small business is not easy — but you don’t have to do it alone.
Subscribe now and start your week with inspiration, direction, and the tools to keep moving forward.
Small Business Survival Conversations
Your journey. Your grit. Your growth.
Small Business Survival Conversations
Episode 9: Social Distancing doesn’t have to Disrupt Mentorship
The focus of this podcast is on B2B mentorship which aligns with the Green Bay Packers (GBP) Mentor-Protégé Program (MPP) and expands on a blog article written on April 6, 2020 by David Smith and Brad Johnson (HBR blog).
Mentors and protégés readily acknowledge that current recession/pandemic times are new to all. Potential benefits of practicing social distancing are:
· Growth fostering
· Role modeling
· Mentor learning opportunities
· Value-added learnings (tech, interaction with clarity, affirmations)
· Awareness of email shortcomings (unclear tone)
ABC Tip: Leaders eat last!
New video conferencing technology is stepping up to provide clean, honest interaction and offer flexibility in scheduling. During these extended times of self-quarantine, we can feel less isolated and more accessible for co-workers, clients and mentor-protégé relationships. Anna Steinfest and Dr. Michael Troyer outline three recommendations for building a solid mentor-protégé or mentorship relationship. To receive a copy of A Quick Action Guide for Coping with Recession contact info@affresearch.com. Our ABC Podcast: Lessons in Success, Episode 9: Social Distancing doesn’t have to Disrupt Mentorship.
Show notes:
Mentorship delivers varied results for protégés and mentors. Many mentors, typically from larger corporations, have noticed that small companies can react and implement change faster than their greater organizations. Protégés seek and receive expert mentorship guidance and someone to lean on. Michael and Anna explain the brighter side of social distancing. ABC Podcast Tip of the Week: Be a cheerleader! Give affirmation, validate each other and acknowledge the situation.