The Small Business School Podcast

Hosted by Staci Millard

Business EntrepreneurshipInterviews guests

Website RSS feed

Episodes

407

Latest episode

Nov 2026

Language

EN-US

About the show

Ready to leave the small business struggle behind? The Small Business School Podcast supports small business owners in scaling a business that is profitable, purposeful, and doesn’t leave you burnt out. No matter whether you run your business online or you own a brick-and-mortar, you can expect our world class experts to support you with mindset, tactics, and everything in between so you can have the business you dreamed of. Based on our lived experience, we know that small business CAN be easy and we are here to show you how. The Small Business School Podcast is hosted by Staci Millard, a CPA by trade with over 15 years of experience seeing the behind the scenes of thousands of small businesses. After growing and selling her first 7 figure business, Staci has been on the ground running - mentoring small businesses and working to increase success rates. Staci strongly believes you don’t need to have gone to business school to be successful so you can expect nothing but simple, impactful advice. Tune in each Tuesday for a new episode of nothing but valuable advice to help you grow your small business. We are so excited for you to be on this journey with us!

Listen to episodes

60 recent

November 10, 2026Episode 40738 min

How to Lower Credit Card Processing Fees for Your Small Business with Nic Beique of Helcim

Credit card processing fees are one of those expenses that seem small until you add them up at the end of the year. And if you've ever tried to figure out exactly what you're paying for, you know the industry doesn't make it easy. I'm sitting down with Nic Beique, founder of Calgary-based Helcim, to talk about why payment processing is so confusing, how to protect your margins, and why small business owners have more negotiating power than they think. We also get into Nic's journey from bootstrapping his business to raising $100 million, competing with industry giants, and learning to lead a rapidly growing company. Key Takeaways Your payment processing fees are negotiable. Understand what you're paying, watch for hidden fees, and know that you have options. A 1% difference matters. Small changes in processing rates can make a big difference to your bottom line. Convenience has a cost. The right payment provider should balance affordable rates, customer service, and technology that makes your life easier. You don't have to be stuck with your software's payment processor. New integration options can give you more flexibility without disrupting your workflow. Financial discipline doesn't stop when you scale. Nic shares why the lessons from bootstrapping still shape how he runs Helcim today. We also talk about passing credit card fees along to customers, using AI to understand your merchant statements, hiring great people, and building a major tech company right here in Canada. One of the biggest reminders from this conversation is that small business owners don't have to just take what they can get. Learn more about Helcim today: https://www.helcim.com/ Staci's Links: Instagram . Website .

November 3, 2026Episode 40652 min

Five Women Entrepreneurs Get Honest About What It Really Takes to Build a Business with Kristina Bartold, Kimberley Hiebert, Kaila Pilecki, & Nicole Crone

What happens when you put five women entrepreneurs around a table and start talking honestly about what it actually feels like to build a business? In this joint episode, I’m sitting down with Kristina Bartold, Kimberley Hiebert, Kaila Pilecki & Nicole Crone for a candid conversation about podcasting, business metrics, networking, hard seasons, mindset, ambition, and the constantly moving definition of “enough.” We get into the things that look like success from the outside versus what actually moves a business forward, and why learning to appreciate where you are matters just as much as deciding where you want to go next. This conversation goes in a lot of directions (in the best possible way)! If you’ve ever wondered whether you’re measuring the right things, struggled through a hard season, caught yourself moving the goalpost again, or needed the reminder that you can want more AND appreciate what you have right now, this one is worth a listen. Listen to the full episode, and send it to a fellow business owner who needs to hear it too. My guests on this episode: Kristina Bartold - Community Podcast Kimberley Hiebert - Found-HER Podcast Kaila Pilecki & Nicole Crone - My Aligned Purpose Podcast Staci's Links: Instagram . Website .

October 27, 2026Episode 40531 min

What the Heck Is My Accountant Saying? A Small Business Guide to Financial Statements

Your accountant says your P&L looks fine, your shareholder loan needs attention, and your accounts receivable is aging. But what does any of that actually mean for your business? In this episode, I'm breaking down the accounting terms and financial reports every small business owner should understand, without the complicated explanations. We'll walk through your balance sheet, profit and loss statement, cash vs. accrual accounting, and how these numbers work together so you can make better decisions, ask your accountant better questions, and actually understand the financial health of your business. Key Takeaways Cash follows the money. Accrual follows the work. Understand how each accounting method affects your reports and why timing matters. Your balance sheet tells you where the money went. Learn what assets, liabilities, accounts receivable, accounts payable, shareholder loans and retained earnings actually mean. Your profit and loss statement shows whether you're making money. Understand revenue, cost of goods sold, gross margin, operating expenses and net profit. Profit doesn't equal cash in the bank. Inventory, unpaid invoices, debt repayments and prepaid revenue can all affect your cash position. Your numbers should help you make decisions. Know which financial levers you can pull, from pricing and supplier costs to overhead and how much you're paying yourself. You don't need to go to business school to understand your financial statements. But you do need to know what your numbers are telling you. Before your next meeting with your accountant, pull your balance sheet and profit and loss statement and write down one question about each. Listen to the full episode to start making sense of your numbers, and subscribe so you don't miss the next solo episode, where we're breaking down more of the business metrics and acronyms you keep hearing. And if you're ready for an accounting team that helps you understand your numbers, not just report them, that's exactly what we do at Thrive Accounting. We help small business owners get clarity on their finances so they can make better decisions and build more profitable, sustainable businesses. Learn more about working with us at Thrive Accounting: https://thriveaccounting.co/ Download my "What the Heck Is My Accountant Saying?" resource: https://stacimillard.kit.com/7f0f9b603e Staci's Links: Instagram . Website .

October 20, 2026Episode 40446 min

How to Get Clients From Instagram Without Chasing Followers with Jenna Harding

If social media has started to feel like a full-time job you never applied for, this episode will make you rethink what you’re actually trying to accomplish there. I sat down with Jenna Harding to talk about what’s working on Instagram, why business owners may be outsourcing too much of their personal brand, and how to create content with an actual job to do. We get into growth vs. nurture vs. sales content, why your best-performing posts might not make you money, and why booking your next 10 clients can be more useful than chasing a million followers. And yes, we also have some opinions about $27 digital products... Key Takeaways Your social media doesn’t need to do one job. Growth, nurture and sales content each have a different purpose and should be measured differently. Stop judging sales content by views. Fewer views can still mean the right person converts. Personal brands need the actual person. You can outsource pieces of social media, but your opinions and expertise are harder to hand off. Growth content needs wider appeal. Simple, relatable content can bring people in while nurture and sales content moves the right people closer. Experiments create the strategy. Test formats, topics and approaches, then pay attention to what works for your business. We also talk about going viral vs. building a business, the credibility of a larger following, why strong opinions can make better content, online-course fatigue, and the problem with selling “easy” digital-product income without a real audience, skill or solution behind it. One of my favourite reminders from Jenna was simple: it can be easier to book your next 10 clients on Instagram than it is to get a million followers. Know which one you’re actually trying to do. Links & Resources: Connect with Jenna: @jennaspaige Listen to Jenna’s Podcast: Shiny New Clients Jenna’s Program: Magic Marketing Machine Staci's Links: Instagram . Website .

October 15, 2026Episode 40333 min

She Said, She Said: Why Women Need to Stop Apologizing for Wanting Profit with Kimberley Hiebert

What happens when two founders who have both built, scaled, exited, and started again sit down with no formal interview questions and start talking business? You get the conversations that usually happen behind closed doors. In the first installment of She Said, She Said, Kim Hiebert and I get into profit versus impact, why women need more reps talking about the numbers, what it really takes to earn market share, and the reality of getting scrappy when you’re building something new. This is the side of entrepreneurship that doesn’t always make it onto social media, but absolutely matters when you’re trying to build a sustainable, profitable business. What you’ll take away from this episode: Impact needs profit behind it. Wanting to help people is important, but if your business can’t financially sustain that impact, eventually you burn out or the business stops working. You can serve people without giving away all of your time. Instead of defaulting to discounted or one-on-one services, ask how you can create tools and resources that help more people without requiring more of you. Get comfortable talking about the numbers. Margins, customer acquisition costs, close rates, market size, and profitability aren’t conversations reserved for big businesses. Understanding these numbers helps you make better decisions at every stage. Wanting market share isn’t a strategy. Saying you only need a small percentage of a huge industry doesn’t explain how you’re actually going to get it. You need to understand your market and have a plan for reaching and converting customers. Getting scrappy can make you a better founder. More funding doesn’t automatically create a stronger business. Constraints can force you to question expenses, wear more hats, make sharper decisions, and figure out what the business truly needs. Some of the best business conversations happen when founders stop presenting the polished version and start talking about what it actually takes to build. That’s exactly what She Said, She Said is about. Stay tuned for the next conversation with Kim, and if this one made you think differently about profit, impact, or how you’re building your business, send it to another business owner who needs to hear it. Listen to Kim’s Podcast: https://foundher.buzzsprout.com/2541142 Staci's Links: Instagram . Website .

September 29, 2026Episode 40321 min

Changing the Funding Conversation for Canadian Women Entrepreneurs with Erin Sisko

What started as a $20,000 funding award three years ago has grown into an initiative worth close to $125,000, and a much bigger mission to change how Canadian women entrepreneurs access funding and build valuable businesses. Erin Sisko joins me to talk about the 2026 Capital Elle Business Impact Awards, why she wants more women thinking beyond simply starting a business, and how this year’s award is tackling gaps in networks, growth capital, and acquisition opportunities. What you'll takeaway from this episode: The Capital Elle Business Impact Awards have grown significantly. This year’s award is valued at close to $125,000, with nearly 45 partners coming together to support Canadian women entrepreneurs. Every applicant gets value. Applying immediately unlocks more than $500 worth of business resources from Canadian women founders across the country. The mission goes beyond funding individual winners. Erin wants to help change Canada’s funding ecosystem so more women can access the resources they need to scale and build valuable companies. Women need to think about their businesses as assets. The goal isn’t simply to create a job or income for yourself, but to understand the value-driving levers that can turn your business into an appreciating, wealth-creating asset. Don’t count yourself out before you apply. This year’s award focuses on three key access gaps: networks, growth capital, and acquisition opportunities. If you’re questioning whether you’re ready or deserving, Erin’s message is simple: put your name forward. If you’re a Canadian woman entrepreneur, take the 10 minutes and put your name forward. And if you know a woman building something valuable who should hear about this opportunity, send this episode her way. Links & Resources: Capital Elle Business Impact Awards: https://www.elleiance.ca/award (Application deadline - October 28 at 9:00 PM ET) Follow Elleiance through their newsletter , Instagram , or LinkedIn to stay connected to future awards and opportunities. Staci's Links: Instagram . Website .

September 22, 2026Episode 40133 min

Mindset, Money & the Math Behind a Profitable Business with Nicole and Kaila from My Aligned Purpose

Wanting a more profitable business is one thing. Building the strategy, understanding the numbers, and becoming the business owner who can actually execute it is another. Nicole and Kaila of My Aligned Purpose join me to talk about their Aligned CEO Method, why mindset and math have to work together, and how to move beyond trading more of your time for more money. We get into recurring revenue, pricing, business metrics, what your goals actually require from you, and their new book designed to help women build profitable businesses and get their time back. Key Takeaways Mindset and math have to work together. A spreadsheet can show you exactly how to hit a revenue goal, but if you’re not willing or ready to take the actions behind those numbers, the plan doesn’t matter. Stop relying on more hours to make more money. Moving from a “maxed-out founder” to a “visionary expert” means building a business model that can grow without requiring you to personally deliver every dollar of revenue. Recurring revenue still requires value. The goal isn’t to put customers on a payment plan and do less. Sustainable recurring revenue comes from delivering something people continue to value in a way that also works for you. Know what your goal is actually going to cost you. It’s easy to say you want a $250K year, but are you willing to build the audience, sell at the necessary price point, invest the time, or make the tradeoffs required to get there? Learn your business metrics. Customer lifetime value, acquisition costs, conversions, profit margins, and other key numbers aren’t just for “numbers people.” Understanding them gets you into the conversations—and decisions—that help businesses grow. A profitable business isn’t built on strategy alone, and it isn’t built on mindset alone. You need to understand the numbers, be willing to do what the goal requires, and create a business model that supports the life you actually want. Grab Kayla and Nicole’s new book at www.myalignedpurpose.com/book and start putting their Aligned CEO Method into practice. Staci's Links: Instagram . Website .

September 15, 2026Episode 40023 min

How to Navigate Business Transitions (Like the Rise of AI) Without Letting Fear Take Over

AI is changing how we work, but fear around it can keep us from seeing the opportunity. In this episode, I’m breaking down how small business owners can navigate this transition without ignoring AI or blindly handing everything over to it. We’re talking repeatable tasks, systems thinking, and why your expertise and judgment still matter. Key Takeaways Turn down the fear and look for the opportunity. Get clear on what’s actually changing and where it could make your business better. Use AI for repeatable tasks. Clear, recurring work with minimal decision-making is often the best place to start. Think in systems. The better you can define how work gets done, the easier it becomes to delegate, automate, and create consistent results. Keep a human in the loop. AI can get you further faster, but your expertise and judgment still need to steer the ship. You still have to put in the reps. AI can shorten the learning curve, but it can’t replace the experience and discernment that come from doing the work. Transitions are part of business, and there’s always opportunity in the shift. Pay attention to what’s changing, use what makes sense, and make sure you’re still the one steering the ship. If this episode got you thinking differently about AI and your business, send me a DM and tell me what stood out. Staci's Links: Instagram . Website .

June 30, 2026Episode 3998 min

Episode 399 & Beyond: The Future of Small Business School

In this reflective solo episode of Small Business School , host Staci Millard shares a major milestone, episode 399, and announces a thoughtful pause and evolution for the podcast. As she steps into building new software alongside her accounting firm, Staci opens up about the importance of reinvention, intentionality, and allowing space for growth. She also shares what listeners can expect moving forward, including a shift in publishing cadence, more intentional guest curation, and a renewed focus on high-impact, strategic content. Key topics covered: Reaching 399 episodes of Small Business School The evolution of entrepreneurship over time and “delusional optimism” when starting something new Staci’s new venture: building software alongside her accounting firm Lessons from building multiple businesses from scratch The importance of evolving business models as you grow Why intentionality matters more as your workload and impact increase The decision to pause new podcast episodes for the summer Using the summer to focus on software development and long-term business strategy Reviewing and refining what’s worked (and what hasn’t) in podcast formats Staci is looking forward to celebrating episode 400 and beyond as a major milestone and turning point this Fall! Staci's Links: Instagram . Website .

June 25, 2026Episode 39835 min

Building a Business That Can Be Sold with Ola Adeyemi

In this episode of Small Business School , host Staci Millard sits down with business coach Ola Adeyemi to unpack what it really takes to build a business that is not only profitable, but also sellable. Fresh off her experience exiting a print and embroidery business in the UK, Ola shares the hard-won lessons that reshaped how she now coaches entrepreneurs through growth, leadership, and systems. Key topics covered: Ola’s entrepreneurial journey: from running a clothing line to scaling and exiting a print & embroidery business in the UK The reality of business exits (and why most founders aren’t prepared for them) Why “building a business to sell” changes everything The difference between hiring for growth vs hiring for gaps Using a skills matrix to restructure and right-size a team Why smaller, more aligned teams often outperform larger ones Letting go of tasks you’re “good at but don’t enjoy” The importance of DISC profiling in team performance The financial blind spots most entrepreneurs miss before exit Why knowing your numbers weekly can transform decision-making The “Five Ways” framework: leads, conversion, frequency, average spend, and profit margin How systems create freedom, scalability, and business value Building a business that supports the life you actually want From hiring missteps to financial blind spots and the emotional reality of exiting a founder-led business, this conversation challenges entrepreneurs to rethink how they build from day one. Connect with Ola: Instagram: @ola_bisi_adeyemi Staci's Links: Instagram . Website .