Shows / Meddlesome
Meddlesome
Most podcasts are focused on big businesses, with hundreds of employees and millions in revenue. But what if you're just a small business? Maybe it's just you. Maybe you have a few employees. You may want to grow. Jim and Ken share short stories about entrepreneurship, growing a business, and related topics. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episodes
- Meddlesome
Project Management - 2 of X
In episode 1 of this series, we discussed starting a project and how a project should be sponsored. In this episode, we discuss how project teams should be…
- Meddlesome
Losing a Senior Person
Businesses will lose people. Some losses have a greater impact than others. In this episode, we discuss our experience with and the consequences of losing a…
- Meddlesome
Season 3 Promo!
Can you believe Jim and Ken are starting their third year doing the Meddlesome Podcast? Neither can we. In this short promo, we talk about finally implementing…
- Meddlesome
The Problem with Consultants - 1 of X
Consultants not only solve problems but also create or bring them. If you use a consultant, you should be aware of these. In recording this, we realized pretty…
- Meddlesome
Golf
Into golf? If so, you might want to skip this episode. We trash golf. What's golf got to do with business? Because it's often used as an artificial…
- Meddlesome
Spa Days
Retreat! Does taking your staff away from daily activities for an extended off-site meeting return benefits? We'd get together for a few days twice a year. The…
- Meddlesome
Branding II or Rebranding
Taking an existing brand and changing it comes with not only challenges but also hazards. In a follow-up on Episode 2.07 "Branding," we discuss rebranding an…
- Meddlesome
Man in the Street Interview
Ken puts Jim on the spot by having him dissect a load of corporate speak about layoffs and the impact of AI on a business. Unintentionally, this has ended up…
- Meddlesome
Core Competencies
What do you really do as a business? Do you need to become an expert in accounting or Human Resources to have a successful business? Or should you leave that…
- Meddlesome
Project Management - 1 of X
In the first of what will likely be a long discussion on project management, Jim and Ken introduce you to the idea of a project. This isn't some academic view…
- Meddlesome
Life on the Road
Unless you're very lucky, travel is an inevitable part of entrepreneurship. Long days, short nights, sleeping in strange places, and road food are par for the…
- Meddlesome
Rate Setting
So you're an independent contractor or have a firm with hundreds of employees. How do you set the rates you charge your clients/customers? Too low and you'll…
- Meddlesome
Consultant Lingo Bingo
In this episode, Jim and Ken investigate the pervasive use of jargon in the consulting industry and how it obscures effective communication. Hosted on Acast…
- Meddlesome
Making Decisions
In this episode, Jim and Ken share their journey through the complexities of decision-making in both business and life, highlighting our struggles with…
- Meddlesome
Is Chaos a business strategy
Jim and Ken examine the relationship between chaos and business strategy, questioning if chaos can drive productivity within organizations Hosted on Acast. See…
- Meddlesome
Conflict Management
In this episode, we discuss strategies for managing the inevitable conflict that occurs as a business owner or consultant or employer or... Hosted on Acast…
- Meddlesome
Hiring Interviews
We discuss the complexities of hiring interviews and all the mistakes we made! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
- Meddlesome
Clients who love their problems
Why some clients cling to their problems instead of seeking solutions Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
- Meddlesome
What our mom's though we did
In this episode, we delve into the humorous yet poignant reflections of a management consultant grappling with the challenges of explaining his career to his…
- Meddlesome
Branding
We had a lot of trials and tribulations over branding. From lawyerly to simple our brand evolved. But ultimately, it's the company's product that matters…
- Meddlesome
Report Writing
Jim and Ken discuss the value of consultant reports. You get a few tips on how to improve your reports. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more…
- Meddlesome
Loyalty Programs
Jim and Ken talk about loyalty programs. Airlines, stores, hotels, and online services all offer some form of them. Is it worth the effort? Hosted on Acast…
- Meddlesome
Silver Bullets
SCRUM, GTD, Object-Orientation, Seven Habits...All have some value but rarely do silver bullets cure all. Take the best parts and leave the rest. Hosted on…
- Meddlesome
Dress Code
Jim and Ken discuss how a consultant (or entrepreneur) should dress in front of clients or prospective clients. Client +1 is the take away...though we both…
- Meddlesome
Smart People Dumb Procedures - Addendum
A few minor clarifications to our Smart People Dumb Procedures episode Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
- Meddlesome
Smart People Dumb Procedures
Our philosophy was people are smart and will do the right thing...except when they don't. Smart people can, and often do, dumb things, particularly when it…
- Meddlesome
Origin Stories
Listeners demanded to know how we became consultants and entrepreneurs! Well OK, one listener asked politely if we'd tell this story. And he was related to…
- Meddlesome
Who's In Charge?
Jim and Ken discuss what behaviors and rules an organization needs to thrive. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
- Meddlesome
Move Fast!
Jim and Ken talk about change initiatives in a company. How fast can you move? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
- Meddlesome
Season 2 Promo
In this special episode, Jim and Ken tease changes in our approach for our new season starting September 21st, 2025. It's a bit of a "sausage" being made but…
- Meddlesome
External Company Communication
Jim and Ken discuss external company communication. Hopefully entrepreneurs will take some of this advice to heart. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for…
- Meddlesome
Internal Company Communication
Jim and Ken discuss internal company communication - is there anything useful that comes of it? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
- Meddlesome
Managing Your Consultant
Advice for clients. Jim and Ken talk about how to manage your consultant. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
- Meddlesome
Inspiration
Jim and Ken explore their sources of inspiration. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
- Meddlesome
SWAG
Jim and Ken hit another critical topic: Swag. Ultimately we tried to decide if it's Art or Garbage. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
- Meddlesome
Presentations
Jim and Ken discuss their approaches to presentations. Ken gives Jim glowing reviews for his approach. Both discuss their philosophy and a few tricks behind…
- Meddlesome
Roles on a Project
Jim and Ken discuss the roles performed on a project to make it successful. This is not the same as positions (like manager); think of it as "starting a…
- Meddlesome
Work From Home
Jim and Ken discuss their "work from home" rhyme and reasons...spoiler: everyone loved it. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
- Meddlesome
Managing Underperforming Employees
Jim and Ken take a fairly deep dive into dealing with employee issues. This was not fun for anyone, employee or management, but it was always necessary. We…
- Meddlesome
Work and Politics
Jim and Ken talk about work and politics—not workplace politics but Politics with a capital P. Can and should a company take political stances? What pressures…
- Meddlesome
Moving Goal Posts
Jim and Ken discuss having the goalposts moved on you and moving the goalposts on others. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
- Meddlesome
Customer Alienation
How to make enemies and alienate customers. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
- Meddlesome
Utilization
Jim and Ken discuss the end-all and be-all of a professional services firm: utilization. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
- Meddlesome
Interstitial Time
What do you do while waiting for an airplane? Make money in the shower, of course! Jim and Ken discuss how they use interstitial time. Hosted on Acast. See…
- Meddlesome
The Changes in Client Sites
We talk about the cities our clients are headquartered in and how those sites changed. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
- Meddlesome
Corporate Culture
Following on from our talk about mission, Jim and Ken talk about corporate culture, how it develops, and what changes it, not always for the better. Hosted on…
- Meddlesome
The Public Business Call
Jim and Ken talk about conducting business calls in public. Really? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
- Meddlesome
Work Yourself out of a Job
Do your job, do it well, and then move on. It paid off for us in the long run. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
- Meddlesome
Unstructured Time with the Client
We're amazed most consultants don't get to know their clients on a personal level. We're not talking about schmoozing but developing an honest friendship with…
- Meddlesome
Support Staff
Support staff are slowly vanishing as a concept. It's too bad because they made us successful. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
- Meddlesome
Low Tech Tools
Once again, tackling the tricky question: What pen do you like? And the benefits of low-tech tools. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
- Meddlesome
Sense of Mission
Why do companies have a mission? How is it developed? Is it a written document? How is it best developed? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more…
- Meddlesome
Jury Duty and Time Off
Sometimes, going against the grain in a business has unintended consequences. Here we discuss time off and vacation policy. Hosted on Acast. See…
- Meddlesome
Worst Client Ever
What makes a "bad" client? Sometimes, we make our own bad clients; sometimes, they come that way. Either way, Ken still has issues. Hosted on Acast. See…
- Meddlesome
Workpapers
Carefully documenting your work is an important part of consulting...or is it? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
- Meddlesome
Why Hire a Consultant
Why on earth would someone hire a consultant? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
- Meddlesome
The Perfect Bag
Jim and Ken dive right into the important stuff - selecting a briefcase, well really something to cart your stuff around. Hosted on Acast. See…