
The fact is, business advice isn’t one size fits all. You need advice that’s vetted by someone who knows what they’re talking about, and you need recommendations that are targeted for where you are — because a five-year-strong restaurant owner needs very different advice than a freelance photographer.
That’s why I’ve created the Localist Small Business Playlist. I’m so, so excited about this project: I’ve taken the very best of what I’ve found in over a decade in business, and I’ve packaged it into different “playlists” — each tailored for a different kind of business owner.
To get your free Small Business Playlist, head to thinklocalist.com. Take the 2-minute quiz so I’ll know more about your business — then check your email. You’ll have the personalized resources (plus a note from me) right in your inbox.
When I’m struggling with something in business, my go to strategy is to get a book on the subject. When I need inspiration, I’ll listen to business podcasts until I find one that sparks a new idea. And when I find an app that makes work more efficient, I’ve been known to text or Slack half a dozen people to tell them about it.
I didn’t take business classes in school — I learned everything I know about running a business from a book or a podcast or an online course. (Or from, you know, the school of hard knocks, but I prefer to learn from someone else’s mistakes than make them on my own whenever possible.)
These resources are, technically, available to everyone. But most people who are busy building their side hustle or growing their businesses don’t have time to slog through all the bad advice to get to the good stuff.
Let’s face it — most business books are garbage. (And even the ones with some good advice tend to have a few good chapters followed by 100 pages of fluff.) Most business podcasts just recycle the same old themes without any new insights or real-world experience. (If I hear another person talk about “SMART” goals I’m going to lose it.) And half the time, you realize halfway through reading a blog that the app they’re praising just happens to give them referral fees in exchange for content.
There’s no catch, and no charge. If you like what you see, just share the love by telling your friends and business owners about the Playlist — let’s share what we know with each other so we can make the world a little more creative.
This has been a labor of love for me. Thinking through the best advice I’ve gotten and thinking through which business owner it would be best for has felt fulfilling and exciting — like wrapping up a Christmas gift you can’t wait for someone to open. I’m so proud of these Playlists, and I can’t wait for you to discover them.
Carrie Rollwagen is host of the Localist podcast and cofounder of Church Street Coffee & Books. Currently, she works as Vice President of Strategic Planning at Infomedia, a web development company in Birmingham, Alabama. Find the Localist at @thinklocalist on Instagram and follow Carrie at @crollwagen.