good morning everyone. coming up on the final edition of msnbc's your business, i look back at some of my favorite stories and moments from the last 12 years. remember our makeover of this tea company. we'll talk to a founder to find out what's happened since. we sit down with someone to look at what lies ahead for small business in 2019. we have that and much more coming up next on the series finale of your business. >> announcer: msnbc your business is sponsored by

american express. don't do business without it. hi there everyone. i'm jj ramberg. welcome to your business. the show dedicated to helping your growing business. today is a big day for all of us here. it is our last show. 12 years ago i got a call out of the blue from msnbc asking if i wanted to be the host of a new small business program they were about to launch. i had been a reporter before but i quit to start my own company. it seemed like too good of an opportunity to pass up, so i said yes. it was supposed to be a six-month job. 12 years later, here we are. i cannot thank you enough for joining us every week and sharing the stories we've gotten an opportunity to tell. i've met truly the most incredible people along the way. i have gone home inspired

countless times. this has been a show about business, but the truth is, it's been a show about life, about success, about failure and how failure is really in the eye of the beholder. that's one thing i truly learned. turn it around, it's just another teaching moment. we've been through boom times together and a terrible recession. what remains constant is people's ability to dream and then make those dreams come true. hot air balloon companies, toy stores, app developers, purse companies, restaurants, river rafters. over the past 12 years, the businesses we've covered have run the gamut. it all started with this. time to open your business. >> since then, we've heard from people with no business experience who showed us what you can do with a dream and determination. ray petro built this indoor mountain bike park in cleveland, ohio. now it's a mecca for mountain bikers around the world.

when he first had the idea, nobody thought it would work. >> it's like a mountain bike miracle. like field of dreams type thing. there was no business plan, there was no business model. it was just blind stupidity, luck, passion. >> we met people who bet it all. kim benson was a part-time waitress with a mortgage, four kids and a husband who was unable to work because of an injury. she gathered all their savings and launched kim's low-fat bagels. >> it's a lot. but you know what, three years ago, we couldn't afford heating oil for our home and today we not only -- the business end provides for us and for eight other families. it's huge. >> we went to silicon valley to talk to the founders of twitter and pinterest. we learned from ceos of companies like washrby parker a others. >> i'm here in las vegas at the consumer electronics show.

>> we kept up with the newest innovations at ces in las vegas and south by southwest in austin. and we walked around main streets across the country. good morning from beloit, wisconsin. >> to learn how small business owners helped to revitalize their communities. >> we answered calls for your business makeover. the son of the owners of a jewelry store in monterey, california, wrote to us to ask for help for his parents who were not earning enough to retire from the company they put their heart and soul into. >> you must be joe. >> hi. i'm jj ramberg from your business. it's so nice to meet you and finally see your store. >> we brought in our team of experts who revamped everything and rewrote their future. >> i'm overdone. i mean, really. >> you are the best. both of you. >> our elevator pitchers sold their products at sam's club and appeared on hsn.

>> thank you so much. >> and to get the real story, we went diving in san diego. skateboarding with tony hawk. >> that's it. >> running through fire in new jersey. and what felt like the craziest one of all, swimming with sharks in hawaii. and from the beginning, we kept an eye on washington to see what it was doing to help business owners. we met every small business administrator and i testified in front of the mouse small business committee and we learned business is not just business. it's life. while hosting the show, i grew the company i founded with my brother, good shop.com. i wrote two books, one with two your business producers. i got married, i had three kids and got them involved right from the start. >> that's coming up next on your business. >> where are you excited to go in here?

>> i love unicorns. >> and we were inspired by all these people who started with nothing more than an idea and worked hard and then worked even harder and made it all happen. who wouldn't take no for an answer. who thought of failure as simply a learning experience and who taught us all, anything is is possible. as we begin 2019, i wanted to take a step back to talk about what is the next year going to look like for small businesses and who better to do that with than lindy mcmahon, the head of the small business administration. so good to see you. >> good to be here. >> i love having you here. >> you're such a strong oadvocae for small businesses. i know you shop in small businesses. >> i have a small business. i am the audience. let's talk about what's going on in 2019. there's been certainty around some things, great news about

others. if you had to talk to a small business owner and say what to prepare for, for 2019, that's number one? >> i think the thing i'm hearing the most going into 2019, one of the number one issues with small businesses, big businesses, too, but it is a shortage of skilled workforce. >> by the way, this is the one thing for years. for years. >> yes. but now, with the 3.7 unemployment rate, the pool has shrunk. now small businesses competing more and more with large businesses for the same skilled workers. >> what do we do? >> it's a blessing and not too much a blessing all at the same time. one of the things i'm doing is encouraging small businesses to work with their community colleges, technical schools, talking to the high school counselors. helping to design the curriculum and helping to let these

facilities -- as well as four-year universities, know what it is you need so that curriculum can get written. the instruction that's given, the training that's given will match what industry and business needs. there's a big gap right now. private sector has been doing it for longer than we've actually known because we've had folks like boeing, some of the big business that is have -- so i've been really coaching small businesses. i said look, take your time. i was at a technical school in charleston, west virginia, toyota has manufacturing plants down the road. they came into this college, brought equipment from their plant, said let's do a deal. you'll teach them here for a couple of days, trehey'll work r us as apprentices, toyota will pay them. offset the cost of their education. skilling the workforce on the equipment they'll be using when they go into the plant. we need more and more of that.

we're seeing it. betsy devos, secretary of education is really very much in favor, helping to work with four-year institutions as well who are -- so that we are mindful of what industry and business needs. >> let's talk about minority-run and women-run small businesses. what are we doing for them? by we, i mean you. >> it's interesting because, in the hispanic community, that's one of the fastest growing small business segments and in the hispanic community 44% of the small businesses are owned by women. and they are starting businesses more frequently than men. so one of the things we'll be working on, we've started now on in 2019 is our women's digital website. and it's going to be -- it's a whole platform. i think it's going to be pretty special because it's going to be interactive learning. we've opened 16 more women's

business centers and now 118 around the country for women to go -- again, no charge. go to, get counseling, how are you going to run your business, what do you need to get started. how do we connect you with capital. also how do we connect you with suppliers of goods and services that you might need. >> then i want to talk about the tariffs. because there have been a number of small businesses who are hit by this and can't beat the cost in the same way that big businesses can. what do you say to them? >> it's tough. i've asked them to understand this is a work in progress. try to hang in there. sba is helpful in some of that transition time. we can be because we know you've got a good program going forward. you just need a little time to get there. >> you mean helpful in terms of backing a loan they can get? >> yes. or connecting them with another business that they might partner

with. you know, the tariffs are going to work their way through. >> for people that are struggling, whether it's because of tariffs or something else, you're a small business owner and turned it into a big business, what do you say? how do people weather through, i can't pay my bills or make payroll. it happens to all of us at some point. >> it does. one. reasons -- probably the number one reason that small businesses fail is because they're undercapitalized. they don't know how to manage cash flow. that's one of the things we try to be instructive about is how to manage your cash flow. because what's good this month may not be good next month and you have to plan it. you have to understand what it's time that you ought to get a loan for a while to help you. some folks are so risk averse that they don't want to take out a little bit of monday that i might help them get through a bad part.

i'm not saying that to get people into debt. but sometimes opportunities are there that you need to take advantage of. >> i really appreciate that you've spent the last two years out there and talking to people and listening to what really goes on with small business owners. we are not a group that is completely similar. >> i have talked to over 800 business owners as of the end of october of 2018. i've talked to over 800 business owners when i'm out. i hear what they have to say. i'm the chief advocate for small business in washington. i want to be able to know what's impacting you. one of the things was health care. and now the department of labor has just rolled out association health plans. they did it in the fall of 2018. association health plans for the first time, restaurant association, manufacturing association, chamber of commerce. small businesses can buy into association health plans at much reduced premiums, even a sole

proprietor that's never considered a group before can now go in. >> i really appreciate knowing that you're listening to people and making change for them and letting them know what resources you have. >> thank you. >> thanks so much. as our show is coming to an end, i want to leave you with a library full of books to help you continue to grow your conditions. we've had a lot of amazing guests here. here are five books i've read from them and about them that i've enjoyed. one, do the kind thing by the ceo of kind -- two, thirst by scott harrison. founder of charity watch. >> three, shoe dog. a memoir by the creator of nike. phil knight. >> onward. about starbucks. five, getting there. a book of mentors by jillian segal. a little over a year ago we

got a letter from a business owner asking for a your business makeover. she had developed a delicious bottled drink based on her great grandfather's recipe for hibiscus tea. her labels and packaging were not helping. after six years in business, she still wasn't able to pay herself a salary. we looked at other design and distribution and now she has deals with sam's club. she's here to talk about her journey. you were one of the people that inspired our entire staff, i got to say. people watched that show and could not believe your determination. >> it's crazy. i don't really know how to feel. there's been tons and tons of growth since the makeover. >> doubled your revenue. >> definitely. more than doubled my revenue. sam's club gave me an opportunity, i'm not sure if you remember, along with the

makeover came new packaging and sam's club gave me an opportunity to roll out in michigan. since then, we're now working on closing on a deal for a long-term national distribution. >> that is so incredible. i'm so excited for you. i forget how calm you are. right? how calm. but what you've done is in spades. are you paying myself? >> i am finally paying myself as well. when i met you guys, i was not on payroll yet. >> six years. i want to make sure everyone understands, six years you believed in this drink and just kept at it and kept at it and kept at it. what was it, how were you able to get through the six years? it was you basically doing everything. >> it was actually ten years. it started out sell out of my trunk. i've been a production facility for five, six years. when i went into business, i had to ask myself the question, if there was no such thing as money, but you had to work, what would you do?

this beverage company is beyond money for me. it's about family legacy. in those days -- entrepreneurship is tough. it's emotional roller coaster. there are daisy want to quit. what keeps me going is the passion for freedom. at the end of the day, i want to be free. with this befrnl compaverage cos is my freedom >> i have to tell you a big thank you from all of us, particularly from me an frank who produced this piece, frank silverstein. you really opened your doors for us, you were vulnerable and let our experts in and tell to you revamp your labels and pick apart everything and it was very, very gracious of you. >> thank you guys. thank you so much for the opportunity. because it's been nothing but amazing since then. like, since the makeover, our following has grown

tremendously, my sales have increased tremendously. i haven't rolled out new marketing tactics, but the packaging alone has increased sales. >> the packaging. >> lot more visible. >> thank you for coming by. it's good to see you. >> thank you. >> good luck to you. still to come, one last tip from our experts. how to build a top notch sales force and a look back on our producers' favorite stories from the last 12 years. you're in the business of helping people. we're in the business of helping you. business loans for eligible card members up to fifty thousand dollars, decided in as little as 60 seconds. the powerful backing of american express. don't do business without it.

♪ we have an e-mail from art. he writes, how does a b 2b type business build a sales force. >> think about your sales goals. quantify how much you want a steals force to sell. then start by thinking about what you'll do to build the infrastructure to build successful sales. what will that look like inside your organization? what's worked and what hasn't worked? draw on the things that have worked to make your sales team successful. additionally, you want to be able to outline what your sales cycle looks like and develop a sales funnel to quantify how many targets, what industries and what products and services you're going to promote. develop sales and marketing collateral and then start to find people who have the same vision and same goals and ethics as your organization and who are able to follow the outline that

you've created with respect to your sales processes and your sales cycle. >> if you're still confused about tax reform and what it means for your business, now is the time to get clarity. here to help you avoid filing errors that could have lasting consequences is our guest. the head of the marks group, a columnist for the "washington post" and cpa. >> yes, a cpa. >> where are people getting confused? >> there's a lot of things to know about tax reform, jj. let's talk about four big things. the four biggest things that affect us as business owners and individuals. number one, if you're a business owner, the whole pass-through thing is a big thing. what's key about this year, if you own an s corporation, limited liability company, a partnership, where the income comes passing through your individual return, you might have a really big tax deduction this year. up to 20% of a tax deduction, which didn't exist before. however, the irs has specific

rules about who gets those deductions. >> exactly. it's not everyone. if you're a service business, a lawyer or in the financial services or whatever, you got to talk with your accountant and make sure you're maximizing what that is. along maximizing what that. along with that pass through deduction the corporate rates have come down significantly from 35% down to 21% as well. so if you're a regular c corporation you'll be benefitting from that too. big, big thing in tax reform, the lesser taxes for businesses. both pass through and corporations that's number one. number two, lower taxes for individuals. now, not everybody, right, i mean some of the different brackets have different impacts but the rule of thumb is this. if you're making married filing jointly, up to $250,000 a year, you're going to be seeing a pretty significant decrease in your individual tax rates. as much as 15 to 20% depending on the bracket. so that's a big, big change.

now, again, a lot of people are saying i don't know if i'm seeing that yet. but if you're paying in estimated taxes you have to talk to your accountant right now. these individual rates have gone down. the corporate rates have gone down. you might be paying too many taxes for 2018. you could make an adjustment to those estimated taxes. >> got it. >> so corporate rates big change. individual rates another big change. third big change is the depreciation for businesses. so you'll accelerate the depreciation deductions, they have gone up significantly this year. >> go by -- >> go by equipment, computers, furniture, all that kind of stuff. you know, the thing that most people don't realize you don't have to pay for that. you can buy them, put a down payment. you the finance it, interest rates are still relatively low. you have to put it into service before the end of the year. if you do that, you get the full tax deduction and the entire year and because of tax reform, it went up to a million bucks a

year you can purchase. >> and the beauty of it is, you do it now and things are on sale. maybe not the big things but the printers, et cetera. >> plus they sell equipment on this kind of stuff. so a tool for your customers. >> so smart. that's what you need to use as part of your marketing. thank you for being our resident and animated tax consultant. >> looking forward to saving you more taxes. for the last 12 years you have seen me here on the show every week. but who you haven't seen is everyone who really makes this whole thing work. there is an entire fabulous team of dedicated people who have put their heart and soul into all the stories they have worked on and all of the programs we have put together. here in their own words are just a few of their favorite moments. >> main streets, mountain bikes, martha stewart and makeovers. that's what i think about when i

think of my 12 years. one resonated with our viewers when we were able to help two new york city firefighters rebuild their bagel business after hurricane sandy. >> we had security cameras here in the bagel store. i turned them on, i could see the water was in the store. i was like, this is bad. >> good morning, everyone. and welcome back to surf side bagels after hurricane sandy. >> as a daughter of two entrepreneurs in the supermarket business i have a lot of story ideas straight from the grocery aisle. going behind the scenes with tabasco was a dream come true. i can't live without it. >> i love covering the main states, nogales, arizona, was a real eye opener. it's right on the u.s./mexico border with a fence right through the center of it. the business owners have customers on both sides and if it weren't for the fence you wouldn't know it was two

different countries. >> families have lived here for generations where they have traversed the border and they have been very involved with trade. >> from candles to cookie cutters to the largest christmas store, who would guess i'd be hanging without the found ore after garbage company in company or a husband and wife who started an ag brand in new york. we interviewed three whitewater rafting company owners about the challenges of merging their three brands. >> river men are passionate, venture river tours was very passionate, guess what? there was a fair act of culture clash. >> i had j.j. shoot the open in a set of rafters. >> who's in charge, is it working? that's coming up next on "your business." >> then jj hopped on a roller coaster in maryland. >> as you probably know, one of the main focuses of the show is

shopping local. i got to work on a story about the community of richmond, virginia, which focused on their grass roots movement of urban farming. and i really enjoyed producing a story that was about one of the main aspects of the show. >> i think people resonate with our message as the larger sort of -- as amazon continues to take over, i think this sort of local grass roots movement is really growing. and i think people are really inspired by it. >> it has been a privilege to book so many smart and successful influencers across the country to come on the show and share their expertise, to help business owners grow their business. and it was an honor to book dr. deepak chopra an international, prominent figure to come on the show and to share his advice on how business owners could find more balance. >> if you stop and become a spectator of your thoughts, you'll have less stress.

if you feel the sensations in your body, you'll have less stress. if you think of someone you love, you'll have less stress. >> i don't have a favorite story per se. but i especially enjoyed learning about how communities all across the country would encourage shopping in their downtowns and main streets. like first sat did in asbury park. it's close to where i live. i have discovered many cool shops and great restaurants something i wouldn't have known if it wasn't for this story. >> 20 years ago i was in seventh grade and my dear friend ashley would chew my ear off incessantly about this band called hanson she loved. i can't believe i'm sharing this embarrassing photo but little did i know that 20 years later i would have the privilege of going to tulsa, oklahoma, to hang out with hanson and learn about their beer company. i may have shared an adult beverage or two with the hanson boys. >> before there was a shark tank

there was the "your business" elevator pitch. starting from the very first show in 2006. many have gone on to do great things but the first year some were a little unusual. >> top shot chest protector, i wear it when i play soccer. if it can handle that hitting you or an elbow, then it can handle a soccer ball. >> i'm here today to show you my invention which is a fish scaler. i can clean the fish in 30 second or less. >> i make a patented inflatable air bag. >> oh. i cannot tell you how much work all of those people put into this show. they have traveled around the country finding the best stories, sought out the smartest

experts and created this beautiful set and edited everything together every week. this was a team who has truly been dedicated to our mission of helping business owners and we were in essence our little business and there are so many others behind the scenes which is why this week your biz selfie has tried to capture everyone. here is your staff. we have the studio crew, makeup artists, editors and more. you guys are the very, very best. thank you from me for everything. thanks again so much to all of you for sharing the past 12 years with us. i have absolutely loved my time getting to tell all those stories. and all of us here hope that we are leaving you inspired and that you learned something along the way. so for one last time, i'm jj ramberg and thank you for helping us make your business our business.

the meeting of the executive finance committee is now in session.

and... adjourned. business loans for eligible card members up to fifty thousand dollars, decided in as little as 60 seconds. the powerful backing of american express. don't do business without it. ♪ welcome to "up." president trump now blaming democrats for the deaths of migrant children at the u.s. border and it's not the first time he's played his hand. >> democrat immigration policies are destroying innocent lives and spilling very innocent blood. >> but negotiations to reopen parts of the federal government