The Business Behind Your Business - Real Advice to Help Small Business Owners Build, Lead and Thrive Podcast By Paul Sweeney cover art

The Business Behind Your Business - Real Advice to Help Small Business Owners Build, Lead and Thrive

The Business Behind Your Business - Real Advice to Help Small Business Owners Build, Lead and Thrive

By: Paul Sweeney
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Conversations to help your business grow and thrive — like having your own board of expert advisors in your pocket.


The Business Behind Your Business is the go-to podcast for small business owners who want practical guidance, clearer decision-making, and strategies that actually work in the real world.


Hosted by Paul Sweeney, each 15–30 minute episode takes you behind the scenes of how small businesses grow, lead teams, manage money, and solve the problems that keep owners up at night. Whether you’re running a team of one or twenty, you’ll find relatable stories, expert insights, and tools you can put into action straight away.


From improving cash flow and pricing for value to building systems, reducing overwhelm, and preparing for long-term success, our guests share straightforward advice without the jargon.


What you’ll learn:

* How small businesses make money — and where they lose it

* Leadership and team-building strategies that actually work

* Smart marketing ideas for busy owners

* Financial planning and forecasting explained simply

* How to scale without burning out

* What successful businesses do differently behind the scenes


If you want your business to run better, grow stronger, and give you more freedom, this show gives you the practical steps and confidence to make it happen — one smart decision at a time.


Subscribe and join thousands of business owners who are building better businesses, not just bigger ones.

© 2026 The Business Behind Your Business - Real Advice to Help Small Business Owners Build, Lead and Thrive
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Episodes
  • Going Global: Smart International Patent Strategies
    Mar 30 2026

    If you’ve built a great product or developed a powerful idea and are thinking about taking it global, one critical question quickly arises: how do you protect your intellectual property internationally without burning through your cash?

    In this episode of The Business Behind Your Business, host Paul Sweeney sits down with experienced patent attorney Austin Bonderer to demystify international patents and explain how small and medium businesses can protect their ideas, expand globally, and stay competitive — without making costly mistakes.

    With more than two decades of experience and over 700 issued patents, Austin breaks down complex patent concepts into clear, practical insights. Together, Paul and Austin explore why patents aren’t just for large corporations, how international patent systems actually work, and how business owners can take a strategic, staged approach to protecting their IP while preserving precious start-up capital.

    What you’ll learn in this episode:

    • Why patents are essential for protecting your competitive edge — even as a small business
    • When to start thinking about international patent protection (and why earlier is better)
    • How the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) works and how it can buy you time and flexibility
    • Common mistakes business owners make that can permanently destroy patent opportunities
    • How patents can be used strategically to attract investors and support business growth
    • Why controlling manufacturing locations can be just as important as protecting sales markets
    • How to work effectively with a patent attorney without exhausting your legal budget

    Paul and Austin also tackle misconceptions around disclosure, cost, timing, and global enforcement, offering real-world examples that help business owners make smarter, more confident decisions about their intellectual property.

    Whether you’re preparing to scale globally or simply want to safeguard the ideas you’ve worked so hard to build, this conversation will help you move forward with clarity and confidence.


    Austin Bonderer is a seasoned patent attorney with over two decades of experience. Austin's impressive portfolio boasts over 700 issued U.S. patents, underscoring his expertise and dedication to the field. Before his distinguished career as a patent attorney, he honed his skills as a U.S. Patent Examiner for the USPTO. Austin's professional journey has also taken him across the globe, enriching his perspective and broadening his knowledge. His extensive experience and international exposure make him a knowledgeable asset in the world of intellectual property. Notably, Austin also led the U.S. Nanotechnology prosecution for a Forbes World 100 company.

    Today, Austin is the principal at the Law Office of Austin Bonderer, PC, where he specializes in obtaining patents for his clients. His extensive experience and international exposure make him a valuable asset in the world of intellectual property.

    www.bondererpatents.com/contact-us

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    28 mins
  • Women, Wealth & Wellness: Redefining What True Wealth Really Means
    Mar 23 2026

    What does true wealth really mean — and who gets to define it? In this episode of The Business Behind Your Business, host Paul Sweeney is joined by Nancy Griffin, founder of Women, Worth & Wellness, for a powerful conversation that challenges traditional ideas about money, success, and legacy. If you’re a business owner, leader, or entrepreneur — particularly a woman navigating growth, responsibility, and long‑term planning — this episode will help you rethink how health, wealth, and values intersect, and why aligning all three is essential for sustainable success.

    In this episode, you’ll learn:

    • Why legacy planning is about purpose, not just assets
    • How women’s growing financial power is reshaping business, wealth, and philanthropy
    • Why prioritising health is foundational to confidence, leadership, and long‑term success
    • The importance of planning early for benefits, insurance, and estate planning — even at the start of your career
    • How philanthropy can strengthen your business, your community, and your personal sense of worth
    • Why collaboration and co‑creation are becoming essential strategies for modern business owners
    • How peer‑to‑peer advisory groups can accelerate growth and reduce costly mistakes

    With decades of experience across wealth management, philanthropy, and women’s leadership, Nancy Griffin offers timeless insights that are more relevant than ever. This episode is a reminder that your life is your greatest asset — and that building wealth without considering health, values, and legacy is an incomplete strategy. Whether you’re just starting out or well into your business journey, this conversation will encourage you to own your life, lead with intention, and create impact that lasts well beyond the balance sheet.


    Nancy Griffin is a connector and influencer. She attributes her success to personal courage, determination, and joy, when focusing on women’s health and wellness, hence creating Women, Worth & Wellness®. Nancy enjoys every opportunity to inspire and inform women about their personal health and wealth, net worth and self-worth, philanthropy and legacy—so that women feel fabulous, generous, joyful, confident, and on top of their game every day.

    Nancy Griffin established Women, Worth & Wellness in 1994 as a Private Client Wealth Advisor for her female clients and their families. Nancy continues to promote and inspire Daring & Caring Leaders, encouraging them to step up and lead in the world, following in the footsteps from many other powerful Women Leaders in the past.

    Nancy’s overall purpose is to connect and influence for positive impact every chance she gets.

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    www.womenworthwellness.com

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    27 mins
  • The Money Is in the Mailbox: How to Actually Win Business on LinkedIn
    Mar 16 2026

    Most business owners open LinkedIn with a sense of dread. Cold pitches, generic messages, and wasted time have led many to believe the platform simply doesn’t work. In this episode of The Business Behind Your Business, host Paul Sweeney is joined by LinkedIn expert John Nemo to challenge that belief and reveal how LinkedIn can become a powerful, predictable source of genuine business opportunities — without posting content every day or chasing the algorithm.
    John shares the simple, proven framework he’s used since 2012 to build a seven-figure business almost entirely through LinkedIn. This conversation cuts through the noise and shows business owners how to stop using LinkedIn like an online CV and start using it as a practical lead‑generation tool that actually delivers results.

    In this episode, you’ll learn:

    • Why most LinkedIn profiles are set up incorrectly — and how to fix yours in minutes
    • How to turn LinkedIn from a “cold pitch graveyard” into a consistent source of warm leads
    • Why the real money on LinkedIn isn’t in posts or content, but in the inbox
    • How a single, well‑written message can qualify leads and start real business conversations
    • Why niching down on LinkedIn dramatically increases trust, relevance, and conversion

    If you’ve been unsure how to use LinkedIn effectively, or you’ve felt overwhelmed by conflicting advice, this episode provides clarity and a refreshingly simple approach. It’s a must‑listen for any business owner who wants better conversations, better leads, and better outcomes from LinkedIn — without adding more complexity to their day.


    John Nemo is a bestselling LinkedIn Author & Trainer who has been featured by The New York Times, LinkedIn's official marketing blog, Social Media Examiner, Entrepreneur on Fire, Inc. Magazine, Huffington Post, Business Insider and many others. He runs Nemo Media Group, which provides “Done For You” LinkedIn Lead Generation for Small Business Owners, Business Coaches and Consultants.

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    Get a free copy (audiobook or digital version) of John's Bestselling Book "LinkedIn Riches" online at www.nemomediagroup.com

    Listen to John's Podcast "Nemo Radio" online at www.nemoradio.com

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    39 mins
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