If you’re thinking about starting a business—or struggling to grow one—this episode will challenge everything you think you know about getting started.

In this episode of Small Business Pivots, Michael D. Morrison sits down with Mary Scott, founder of Pitch STL and longtime startup advisor, to break down what actually works in the early stages of business.

From validating your idea before spending money… to building a clear pitch… to finding funding and customers… this conversation is packed with real-world advice most business owners never hear.

Mary shares why most startups fail before they even begin, how to avoid turning your business into a hobby, and the simple framework you can use to clearly explain what you do in seconds.

If you feel stuck, overwhelmed, or unsure where to start—this episode will help you reset and move forward with clarity.

🔑 What You’ll Learn:

• Why validating your idea is the FIRST step (before spending money)
• The biggest mistake new business owners make when starting
• How to find customers where they already are (not where you think they are)
• The truth about startup funding and where to actually get money
• A simple 30-second pitch formula anyone can use
• Why most entrepreneurs spend time on the wrong things
• How to use video effectively without overcomplicating it
• The role of AI in startups (and what to watch out for)
• Why asking for help is the most underrated growth strategy

💡 Key Takeaway:

💡 If you’re not generating income, you don’t have a business—you have a hobby.

🎯 Who This Episode Is For:

• New entrepreneurs
• Business owners under 5 years
• Anyone stuck and not growing
• Coaches, consultants, and service providers
• Anyone thinking about starting a business

Support the show

1. Want more resources to grow your business faster?
https://www.businessownershipsimplified.com/

2. Want to connect with our Host, Founder & CEO on LinkedIn?
https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaeldmorrisonokc/

3. Want professional business coaching with our Host, Founder & CEO?
https://www.michaeldmorrison.com

4. Want to set up a FREE business consultation with our Host, Founder & CEO?
https://www.businessownershipsimplified.com/consultation


FOLLOW US ON:
- WEBSITE: https://www.businessownershipsimplified.com/

-WEBSITE: https://www.michaeldmorrison.com/

-LINKEDIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaeldmorrisonokc/

-YOUTUBE: https://youtube.com/@businessownershipsimplified

What if 25% of your digital marketing budget is being wasted… right now?

In this episode of Small Business Pivots, Michael sits down with Richard Kahn — entrepreneur, Inc. 5000 leader, and co-founder of Anora.io — to expose one of the biggest hidden problems in business today:

Ad fraud

With over $700 billion spent on digital marketing annually, Rich reveals how $140 billion is lost to fraud — and why most business owners don’t even realize it’s happening.

💡 In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

• What ad fraud actually is (and where it’s hiding)
• Why 1 in every 4 marketing dollars is wasted
• How bots fake clicks, traffic, and conversions
• The truth about buying followers and fake engagement
• How AI is making fraud harder to detect—and easier to commit
• Simple ways to immediately reduce fraud in your ad campaigns
• Why relationships still outperform digital-only strategies
• How to grow from $0 to $1M with real outreach (not just content)

🚨 Key Takeaway

There’s no longer a question of if you have ad fraud…

👉 It’s how much.

🎯 Who This Episode Is For:

• Small business owners running ads on Google, Facebook, or YouTube
• Entrepreneurs trying to improve ROI
• Marketers scaling digital campaigns
• Anyone spending money online and not seeing results

🔗 Resources Mentioned:

• Anora.io
• Traffic Quality Audit (free analysis mentioned in episode)
• Book: How to Win Friends and Influence People

Ad fraud is when fake users (bots or manipulated traffic) interact with digital ads, costing businesses money without generating real customers. On average, businesses lose up to 25% of their ad spend to fraud.

Support the show

1. Want more resources to grow your business faster?
https://www.businessownershipsimplified.com/

2. Want to connect with our Host, Founder & CEO on LinkedIn?
https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaeldmorrisonokc/

3. Want professional business coaching with our Host, Founder & CEO?
https://www.michaeldmorrison.com

4. Want to set up a FREE business consultation with our Host, Founder & CEO?
https://www.businessownershipsimplified.com/consultation


FOLLOW US ON:
- WEBSITE: https://www.businessownershipsimplified.com/

-WEBSITE: https://www.michaeldmorrison.com/

-LINKEDIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaeldmorrisonokc/

-YOUTUBE: https://youtube.com/@businessownershipsimplified

If you have ever wondered whether public relations is still worth it in a world full of ads, social media, and AI-generated content, this episode will help clear that up.

In this episode of Small Business Pivots, Michael D. Morrison talks with Ronica Cleary, founder and CEO of Cleary Strategies, about what PR actually is, why earned media still carries so much weight, and how business owners can think more strategically about visibility. Cleary Strategies describes itself as a full-service PR agency that helps clients secure media opportunities, preserve their image, and build the skills needed to thrive in today’s media climate.

Ronica explains the critical difference between earned media and paid placements. Paid media has value, but earned coverage — television, radio, digital, print, and podcasts secured because a story is genuinely newsworthy — tends to carry more credibility because audiences know it was not bought. Cleary Strategies’ own materials emphasize earned media, publicity planning, and strategic media exposure as a core part of its work.

Michael and Ronica dig into:

• what public relations really means for a small business
• why earned media builds trust in a way advertising cannot fully replicate
• how to spot “pay-to-play” publicity dressed up as real press
• what a good PR agency should actually be doing behind the scenes
• how Ronica’s journalism background shaped her agency’s process
• why niche focus and repeatable systems made Cleary Strategies stronger
• how media training should make you more authentic, not more robotic

Ronica also shares how her background in communications, systems engineering, and television journalism shaped the way she built Cleary Strategies. Her firm highlights media placements, crisis communications, and media training, and Ronica’s own founder page highlights agency press, contributed pieces, and award recognition including PRNEWS’ Top Women Awards “Rising Star” mention and Inc. Power Partner recognition.

If you are a small business owner trying to build trust, authority, and long-term visibility — not just get attention for a week — this conversation will help you think differently about PR.

What you’ll learn

• What public relations actually means for a business owner
• Why earned media and paid media are not the same thing
• How PR supports credibility, trust, and long-term brand authority
• What to ask before hiring a PR agency
• Why “featured for a fee” is not the same as real earned press
• How to think about media strategy in a more systematic way
• Why a focused niche often strengthens a business
• How authenticity matters more than on-camera perfection in media training

Support the show

1. Want more resources to grow your business faster?
https://www.businessownershipsimplified.com/

2. Want to connect with our Host, Founder & CEO on LinkedIn?
https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaeldmorrisonokc/

3. Want professional business coaching with our Host, Founder & CEO?
https://www.michaeldmorrison.com

4. Want to set up a FREE business consultation with our Host, Founder & CEO?
https://www.businessownershipsimplified.com/consultation


FOLLOW US ON:
- WEBSITE: https://www.businessownershipsimplified.com/

-WEBSITE: https://www.michaeldmorrison.com/

-LINKEDIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaeldmorrisonokc/

-YOUTUBE: https://youtube.com/@businessownershipsimplified