{"podcast":{"title":"Profit by Design","slug":"profit-by-design-984581","podcast_index_feed_id":984581,"rss_url":"https://feeds.captivate.fm/profit-by-design/","website_url":"http://www.tapthepotential.com","image_url":"https://artwork.captivate.fm/279ca741-8722-4002-baa6-251513c8bcd8/ttp-profit-by-design-thumbnail-and-logo-4-1.png","author":"Dr. Sabrina Starling","episode_count":407,"summary":"You work hard in your business. On the Profit by Design Podcast, we ask the BIG question: What has your business done FOR YOU lately? Join Dr. Sabrina Starling, The Business Psychologist™ and founder of Tap the Potential weekly, as she brings you tips, tools and strategies to support YOU in making intentionally profitable AND sustainable business decisions to live the lifestyle you desire. After all, work supports life, not the other way around. Dr. Sabrina is the author of the The 4 Week Vacation® and the How to Hire the Best Series. Profit by Design is a Tap the Potential Production.","last_synced_at":null,"page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/profit-by-design-984581"},"episode":{"title":"385: How to Handle Employee Raises When Revenue is Low (Business Owner Strategies)","slug":"385-how-to-handle-employee-raises-when-revenue-is-low-business-owner-strategies","published_at":"2026-01-22T07:00:00+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/profit-by-design-984581/385-how-to-handle-employee-raises-when-revenue-is-low-business-owner-strategies","show_page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/profit-by-design-984581","url":"http://www.tapthepotential.com","audio_url":"https://episodes.captivate.fm/episode/e6aee922-f820-4667-8e3c-f196ab2e893a.mp3","summary":"If you’re worried about giving employee raises when revenue is tight, you’re not alone. In this episode, we explore ways to reward your team without putting your business at risk. You’ll discover smart ways to structure raises when cash flow is limited, how to communicate compensation changes without hurting morale, and strategies to retain top talent even when money is tight. If you’re a business owner trying to balance people and profits, this episode will give you practical steps you can implement now. Join Melissa Kay and Dr. Sabrina Starling to learn smart, sustainable strategies for handling raises without jeopardizing your business. Profit by Design is a Tap the Potential production. Show Highlights: Balancing an uncertain economy with the need to take care of your A-players The problem when a business owner isn’t cashing their paychecks in order to give employee raises Take an honest look at your team, identify your A-players, and give raises accordingly. (Underperforming “warm bodies” do not deserve a raise.) Strategies for protecting you, the business owner. These are a priority for a sustainable business. Maintaining profitability is the #1 priority; all other decisions flow from that foundation. More money is NOT the goal for many A-players; time flexibility and freedom often matter more. Learn to structure an A-player’s work schedule around the delivery of their key result. A team member’s perspective from Melissa: time flexibility and freedom matter most! Considerations for a growing business (Don’t grow your payroll across the board!) Have conversations with your A-players to find out what matters most to each of them. An action step to take today: prioritize systemization for each A-player’s role (Guard against being hostage to any A-player.) Need more…","meta_description":"If you’re worried about giving employee raises when revenue is tight, you’re not alone. In this episode, we explore ways to reward your team without putti…","key_points":[],"chapters":[],"topics":[],"duration_seconds":1231,"processing_state":"not_requested","actions":[{"name":"request_transcript","method":"POST","url":"https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/profit-by-design-984581/episodes/385-how-to-handle-employee-raises-when-revenue-is-low-business-owner-strategies/transcription-requests","description":"Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode."},{"name":"read_markdown","method":"GET","url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/profit-by-design-984581/385-how-to-handle-employee-raises-when-revenue-is-low-business-owner-strategies.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}