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
S3E55: Beat the Ref: Winning Despite the Obstacles
In this week’s Monday Morning Motivation on the Small Business Survival Conversations Podcast, host Anna Steinfest shares a powerful lesson every entrepreneur needs to hear: stop blaming the obstacles and start focusing on becoming unstoppable.
Drawing from the story of a wrestling coach’s advice—“Beat the Ref”—Anna explains why small business owners can’t waste time complaining about unfair circumstances, tough competition, or external challenges beyond their control. Instead, success comes from becoming so good, so resilient, and so prepared that no setback, bad break, or “ref’s call” can keep you from winning.
You’ll walk away with practical steps to:
- Identify the “ref” in your business holding you back.
- Shift focus from what you can’t control to what you can.
- Build systems and habits that make your business undeniable.
If you’re ready to rise above the excuses and play to win, this episode will give you the mindset and motivation to make this week count.
#SmallBusiness #Entrepreneurship #BusinessGrowth #Resilience #Leadership #MindsetMatters #EntrepreneurLife #MotivationMonday #ScalingBusiness #BeatTheRef