Rise and Shine: Your Daily Dose Of Business Tech Inspiration

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Ask Charly Leetham

620 episodes

3 days ago

Where small business tech meets plain English. Charly Leetham brings decades of hands-on experience helping business owners harness technology - without drowning in jargon or wasting time on fluff. Whether you're a DIY'er trying to make sense of your website, emails, or software, or you just want to know if your IT team is talking sense, this podcast is for you. Each episode is packed with practical advice, real-world tips, and insights from the trenches. If you've ever thought, "There’s gotta be a better way to do this tech stuff" - you’re right. Charly is here to show you how.

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Technology

Episodes (20/620)

Rise and Shine: Your Daily Dose Of Business Tech Inspiration

How Much Does Image Compression Really Boost Your SEO and Site Speed? (2025/630)

Think uploading big, beautiful photos helps your website? It might be slowing it down and killing your SEO.

In this episode, Charly dives deep into how compressing and resizing your images can drastically improve your page load speed, boost search rankings, and lower bandwidth use — all without sacrificing quality.

📌 You’ll discover:

✅ The difference between lossy and lossless compression

✅ Why image size impacts SEO, bandwidth, and mobile user experience

✅ Which formats to use: JPEG, PNG, WebP, or AVIF?

🛡️ Real tools to optimize:

- TinyPNG, ImageOptim, Smush for WordPress

- Lazy loading, responsive image sizes, and CDNs

🔗 Learn how Google’s Core Web Vitals factor in image size

Set it up once and let image optimization silently boost your site’s performance — every single day.

📢Join the discussion in my community: https://askcharlyleetham.locals.com

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https://rumble.com/askcharlyleetham

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https://odysee.com/@askcharlyleetham:4

YouTube:

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https://www.facebook.com/askcharlyleetham

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https://twitter.com/yourbizmgr

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www.linkedin.com/in/charlyleetham

LinkedIn Company:

https://www.linkedin.com/company/ask-charly-leetham/

Spotify:

https://askcharlyleetham.com/likes/rise-and-shine

Apple Podcasts:

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ask-charly-leetham-online-business-manager/id1659738721

iHeartRadio:

https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-ask-charly-leetham-online-105944212/

Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/662f1e44-115d-4094-862b-efe9307e0df4/ask-charly-leetham-online-business-manager

3 days ago

20 minutes

Rise and Shine: Your Daily Dose Of Business Tech Inspiration

How Do You Stop Spam Bots When Even CAPTCHA Isn't Enough Anymore? (2025/625)

Spam bots are getting smarter — filling out contact and newsletter forms with realistic names and fake emails. Even CAPTCHA, honeypots, and double opt-ins are failing to stop them. In this episode, Charly unpacks why spam is worse than ever and what business owners must do now to protect their websites and email deliverability.
📌 You’ll learn:
✅ Why junk leads hurt your deliverability and can get you banned from Mailchimp or AWeber
✅ What tactics bots are using to bypass traditional spam filters
✅ Why CAPTCHA might be hurting your conversions more than helping
✅ How to layer multiple protections like honeypots, time-based filters, and dynamic form tokens
✅ Why Cloudflare Turnstile is Charly’s top new tool for smart bot filtering
✅ How to keep your site fast and secure without annoying users
🔗 Tools mentioned: Cloudflare Turnstile, Zero Spam, Fail2Ban
🛡️ Don’t wait until your list is full of junk — secure your forms before bots do.
📢 Join the discussion in my community:
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Apple Podcasts:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ask-charly-leetham-online-business-manager/id1659738721
iHeartRadio:
https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-ask-charly-leetham-online-105944212/
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1 week ago

22 minutes 16 seconds

Rise and Shine: Your Daily Dose Of Business Tech Inspiration

Are You Falling for the “Domain Name Scam” Without Realizing It? (2025/622)

Ever received one of those urgent emails claiming someone’s registering your business name in Asia? It feels serious — but is it legit?

In this episode, Charly breaks down:

✅ What domain variations are and which ones really matter

✅ The truth behind scam emails pressuring you to “protect your brand”

✅ Simple ways to guard your business name without wasting money

✅ How to handle domain impersonation or fraud attempts

📌 You’ll also learn:

🔗 Which domain extensions to register (and which to ignore)

🛡️ How to spot and shut down domain scams fast

🛡️ Steps to monitor your domain name for potential threats

🛡️ Why maintaining trust matters more than owning 20 domain names

This is a must-listen for small business owners who want to stay safe online without falling prey to fear-based tactics.

📢Join the discussion in my community: https://askcharlyleetham.locals.com

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https://rumble.com/askcharlyleetham

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https://odysee.com/@askcharlyleetham:4

YouTube:

https://youtube.com/askcharlyleetham

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https://www.facebook.com/askcharlyleetham

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https://twitter.com/yourbizmgr

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https://instagram.com/ask_charly_leetham

LinkedIn:

www.linkedin.com/in/charlyleetham

LinkedIn Company:

https://www.linkedin.com/company/ask-charly-leetham/

Spotify:

https://askcharlyleetham.com/likes/rise-and-shine

Apple Podcasts:

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ask-charly-leetham-online-business-manager/id1659738721

iHeartRadio:

https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-ask-charly-leetham-online-105944212/

Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/662f1e44-115d-4094-862b-efe9307e0df4/ask-charly-leetham-online-business-manager

2 weeks ago

23 minutes 43 seconds

Rise and Shine: Your Daily Dose Of Business Tech Inspiration

Should You Trust Website Speed Test Scores or Ignore Them? (2025/621)

Website speed scores can feel like a tech report card — but do they really matter? In this episode, Charly unpacks what those numbers from Google PageSpeed, GTMetrix, and others actually mean, and why obsessing over them might not be worth your time.

📌 Here’s what you’ll learn:

✅ What speed test tools measure (and what they don’t)

✅ Why results vary wildly between tools and locations

✅ The difference between synthetic scores and real user experience

✅ How caching and CDNs skew speed results

✅ Why chasing a perfect score can be a waste of time

🛡️ Charly also shares a real client story where speed optimization delivered minimal metric gains but huge improvements in user satisfaction.

🔗 Use speed test tools for guidance, not gospel. Focus on user happiness, not just numbers.

📢Join the discussion in my community: https://askcharlyleetham.locals.com

Locals:

https://askcharlyleetham.locals.com

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https://rumble.com/askcharlyleetham

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https://odysee.com/@askcharlyleetham:4

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https://www.facebook.com/askcharlyleetham

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https://twitter.com/yourbizmgr

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https://instagram.com/ask_charly_leetham

LinkedIn:

www.linkedin.com/in/charlyleetham

LinkedIn Company:

https://www.linkedin.com/company/ask-charly-leetham/

Spotify:

https://askcharlyleetham.com/likes/rise-and-shine

Apple Podcasts:

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ask-charly-leetham-online-business-manager/id1659738721

iHeartRadio:

https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-ask-charly-leetham-online-105944212/

Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/662f1e44-115d-4094-862b-efe9307e0df4/ask-charly-leetham-online-business-manager

3 weeks ago

13 minutes 49 seconds

Rise and Shine: Your Daily Dose Of Business Tech Inspiration

What Is Hotlinking and Should You Be Worried About It? (2025/620)

Ever found your images or PDFs showing up on someone else’s site — but still hosted on yours? That’s hotlinking, and it could be quietly draining your bandwidth, costing you money, and weakening your brand.

📌 In this episode, Charly explains:

✅ What hotlinking is and why it's considered bandwidth theft

✅ The difference between innocent hotlinking and malicious abuse

✅ Real costs and risks: server load, copyright issues, broken images, and SEO

✅ Practical ways to stop hotlinking using server rules or CDNs

✅ Why reaching out to small bloggers might work better than fighting them

🛡️ Whether you’re running a blog or a big e-commerce site, Charly recommends blocking hotlinking by default — before it becomes a problem.

🔗 Want help setting up server rules to protect your content? Reach out or ask your IT team.

📢Join the discussion in my community: https://askcharlyleetham.locals.com

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https://twitter.com/yourbizmgr

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www.linkedin.com/in/charlyleetham

LinkedIn Company:

https://www.linkedin.com/company/ask-charly-leetham/

Spotify:

https://askcharlyleetham.com/likes/rise-and-shine

Apple Podcasts:

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ask-charly-leetham-online-business-manager/id1659738721

iHeartRadio:

https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-ask-charly-leetham-online-105944212/

Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/662f1e44-115d-4094-862b-efe9307e0df4/ask-charly-leetham-online-business-manager

3 weeks ago

13 minutes 41 seconds

Rise and Shine: Your Daily Dose Of Business Tech Inspiration

Do Australian Websites Really Need Cookie Consent Banners in 2025? (2025/619)

Are cookie banners just annoying popups or a legal necessity? In this episode, Charly breaks down what cookie consent really means for Australian businesses, and why even local websites are starting to display those GDPR-style notices.

📌 Inside this episode:

✅ The difference between essential and non-essential cookies

✅ Why GDPR impacts websites globally — even in Australia

✅ What Australian law actually requires for cookie tracking

✅ Two clear choices Aussie businesses have when it comes to EU visitors

✅ How cookie banners can build trust, not just tick a box

🛡️ Charly explains how the Privacy Act 1988 and the Australian Privacy Principles apply, and what you must include in your privacy policy.

🔗 Want to avoid legal headaches and show visitors you care? Consider adding a cookie banner — even if you're not legally required to.

📢Join the discussion in my community: https://askcharlyleetham.locals.com

Locals:

https://askcharlyleetham.locals.com

Rumble:

https://rumble.com/askcharlyleetham

Odyssey:

https://odysee.com/@askcharlyleetham:4

YouTube:

https://youtube.com/askcharlyleetham

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https://www.facebook.com/askcharlyleetham

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/yourbizmgr

Instagram:

https://instagram.com/ask_charly_leetham

LinkedIn:

www.linkedin.com/in/charlyleetham

LinkedIn Company:

https://www.linkedin.com/company/ask-charly-leetham/

Spotify:

https://askcharlyleetham.com/likes/rise-and-shine

Apple Podcasts:

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ask-charly-leetham-online-business-manager/id1659738721

iHeartRadio:

https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-ask-charly-leetham-online-105944212/

Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/662f1e44-115d-4094-862b-efe9307e0df4/ask-charly-leetham-online-business-manager

3 weeks ago

12 minutes 39 seconds

Rise and Shine: Your Daily Dose Of Business Tech Inspiration

What Are the Best Free Alternatives to Zoom for Business Meetings? (2025/618)

Looking for a way to cut Zoom out of your business toolkit without losing functionality? In this quick episode, Charly explores free and low-cost alternatives for video meetings that won’t compromise your workflow.

📌 In this episode, you’ll learn:

✅ Why Google Meet is a solid option with any Gmail or Workspace account

✅ How Microsoft Teams works as a free replacement for Skype

✅ What Zoho Meeting offers at the free tier (and why it’s Charly’s go-to)

✅ The differences between personal and business-level features in each platform

✅ Questions to ask yourself before ditching Zoom

🔗 Explore Zoho Meeting:

https://askcharlyleetham.com/likes/zohomeeting

(Charly receives a commission for purchases made from this link)

📢Join the discussion in my community: https://askcharlyleetham.locals.com

Locals:

https://askcharlyleetham.locals.com

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https://rumble.com/askcharlyleetham

Odyssey:

https://odysee.com/@askcharlyleetham:4

YouTube:

https://youtube.com/askcharlyleetham

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/askcharlyleetham

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/yourbizmgr

Instagram:

https://instagram.com/ask_charly_leetham

LinkedIn:

www.linkedin.com/in/charlyleetham

LinkedIn Company:

https://www.linkedin.com/company/ask-charly-leetham/

Spotify:

https://askcharlyleetham.com/likes/rise-and-shine

Apple Podcasts:

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ask-charly-leetham-online-business-manager/id1659738721

iHeartRadio:

https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-ask-charly-leetham-online-105944212/

Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/662f1e44-115d-4094-862b-efe9307e0df4/ask-charly-leetham-online-business-manager

3 weeks ago

7 minutes 10 seconds

Rise and Shine: Your Daily Dose Of Business Tech Inspiration

Are You Building on Rented Land by Relying Too Much on Social Media? (2025/617)

Social media might feel like the best place to grow your business — but what happens when the platform changes the rules or disappears overnight? In this episode, Charly unpacks why your website should be your true digital home, not just an afterthought.

📌 You’ll discover:

✅ Why social media is risky “rented land” for business content and customer data

✅ The long-term benefits of owning your website and controlling your messaging

✅ How SEO and email signups create stability and direct reach

✅ Tips to repurpose social posts into evergreen website content

✅ A smart strategy to balance both website and social for sustainable growth

🔗 Treat your website as the hub — social media is just the spokes.

🛡️ Protect your digital business by investing in what you truly own.

📢Join the discussion in my community: https://askcharlyleetham.locals.com

Locals:

https://askcharlyleetham.locals.com

Rumble:

https://rumble.com/askcharlyleetham

Odyssey:

https://odysee.com/@askcharlyleetham:4

YouTube:

https://youtube.com/askcharlyleetham

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/askcharlyleetham

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/yourbizmgr

Instagram:

https://instagram.com/ask_charly_leetham

LinkedIn:

www.linkedin.com/in/charlyleetham

LinkedIn Company:

https://www.linkedin.com/company/ask-charly-leetham/

Spotify:

https://askcharlyleetham.com/likes/rise-and-shine

Apple Podcasts:

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ask-charly-leetham-online-business-manager/id1659738721

iHeartRadio:

https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-ask-charly-leetham-online-105944212/

Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/662f1e44-115d-4094-862b-efe9307e0df4/ask-charly-leetham-online-business-manager

4 weeks ago

10 minutes 28 seconds

Rise and Shine: Your Daily Dose Of Business Tech Inspiration

Are Your Browser Extensions Putting Your Business at Risk? (2025/616)

Browser extensions seem harmless — until they’re not. In this episode, Charly dives deep into how those tiny tools could create massive vulnerabilities for your business. From malicious data leaks to compliance nightmares, you'll learn what’s really at stake.

📌 You’ll discover:

✅ Why excessive extension permissions can expose your business

✅ How even “safe” extensions might sell your user data

✅ Real-world cases of extensions turning into spyware

✅ The productivity costs of buggy or distracting add-ons

✅ Why compliance (GDPR, HIPAA) can be at risk from browser misuse

🔗 Tips include auditing your extensions, training your team, and using enterprise tools.

🛡️ Don’t wait for a breach — secure your browsers before it’s too late.

📢Join the discussion in my community: https://askcharlyleetham.locals.com

Locals:

https://askcharlyleetham.locals.com

Rumble:

https://rumble.com/askcharlyleetham

Odyssey:

https://odysee.com/@askcharlyleetham:4

YouTube:

https://youtube.com/askcharlyleetham

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/askcharlyleetham

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/yourbizmgr

Instagram:

https://instagram.com/ask_charly_leetham

LinkedIn:

www.linkedin.com/in/charlyleetham

LinkedIn Company:

https://www.linkedin.com/company/ask-charly-leetham/

Spotify:

https://askcharlyleetham.com/likes/rise-and-shine

Apple Podcasts:

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ask-charly-leetham-online-business-manager/id1659738721

iHeartRadio:

https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-ask-charly-leetham-online-105944212/

Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/662f1e44-115d-4094-862b-efe9307e0df4/ask-charly-leetham-online-business-manager

1 month ago

10 minutes 15 seconds

Rise and Shine: Your Daily Dose Of Business Tech Inspiration

Can Website Accessibility Really Boost Your SEO and Protect You Legally? (2025/615)

Most people think of SEO as keywords and content, but there's a powerful element that’s often overlooked: accessibility. In this episode, Charly reveals how making your website accessible not only helps users with disabilities but can also improve search rankings and shield your business from costly lawsuits.

📌 In this episode, you’ll learn:

✅ How accessibility features like alt text and headers improve SEO

✅ Why fast-loading, clean code benefits both users and search engines

✅ The legal risks of ignoring accessibility (ADA, WCAG, international standards)

✅ Easy steps you can take today to improve website accessibility

✅ Why accessibility is not a one-time fix, but ongoing maintenance

🔗 Accessibility tools mentioned: WAVE, Lighthouse

🛡️ Investing in accessibility is cheaper than lawsuits — and better for your brand.

📢Join the discussion in my community: https://askcharlyleetham.locals.com

Locals:

https://askcharlyleetham.locals.com

Rumble:

https://rumble.com/askcharlyleetham

Odyssey:

https://odysee.com/@askcharlyleetham:4

YouTube:

https://youtube.com/askcharlyleetham

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/askcharlyleetham

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/yourbizmgr

Instagram:

https://instagram.com/ask_charly_leetham

LinkedIn:

www.linkedin.com/in/charlyleetham

LinkedIn Company:

https://www.linkedin.com/company/ask-charly-leetham/

Spotify:

https://askcharlyleetham.com/likes/rise-and-shine

Apple Podcasts:

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ask-charly-leetham-online-business-manager/id1659738721

iHeartRadio:

https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-ask-charly-leetham-online-105944212/

Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/662f1e44-115d-4094-862b-efe9307e0df4/ask-charly-leetham-online-business-manager

1 month ago

11 minutes 34 seconds

Rise and Shine: Your Daily Dose Of Business Tech Inspiration

What Is Shadow IT and Why Should Small Business Owners Care About It? (2025/614)

In today’s episode, Charly dives into the world of “Shadow IT” — the unapproved tools and apps your team or subcontractors might be using without your knowledge.

This isn’t just a big business problem. Even small businesses face real risks when team members use unapproved tech to get the job done. From data security breaches to duplicated costs and lost information, Shadow IT can quietly erode your business.

📌 In this episode, Charly covers:

✅ What Shadow IT is and how it shows up in small teams

✅ Why subcontractors often amplify this hidden risk

✅ Real data privacy, compliance, and reputational issues

✅ How to manage Shadow IT without killing flexibility

✅ A real example from Charly’s own CRM setup

🔗 Practical takeaway: Don’t lock everything down. Set smart guardrails, ask your team what they actually use, and keep communication open.

🛡️ Security starts with visibility and open dialogue — not crackdowns.

📢 Join the discussion in my community: https://askcharlyleetham.locals.com

Locals:

https://askcharlyleetham.locals.com

Rumble:

https://rumble.com/askcharlyleetham

Odyssey:

https://odysee.com/@askcharlyleetham:4

YouTube:

https://youtube.com/askcharlyleetham

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/askcharlyleetham

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/yourbizmgr

Instagram:

https://instagram.com/ask_charly_leetham

LinkedIn:

www.linkedin.com/in/charlyleetham

LinkedIn Company:

https://www.linkedin.com/company/ask-charly-leetham/

Spotify:

https://askcharlyleetham.com/likes/rise-and-shine

Apple Podcasts:

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ask-charly-leetham-online-business-manager/id1659738721

iHeartRadio:

https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-ask-charly-leetham-online-105944212/

Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/662f1e44-115d-4094-862b-efe9307e0df4/ask-charly-leetham-online-business-manager

1 month ago

10 minutes 20 seconds

Rise and Shine: Your Daily Dose Of Business Tech Inspiration

What's the Difference Between POP, IMAP & Exchange—and Which Should You Use? (2025/613)

Not all email setups are created equal. If you've ever wondered what POP, IMAP, and Exchange really mean — and which one is best for your business — this episode is for you.

Charly breaks down each protocol in plain English, helping you understand their strengths, weaknesses, and real-world use cases. Plus, he shares why modern cloud-based systems like Google Workspace, Zoho Mail, and Microsoft 365 might be your smartest bet.

📌 In this episode:

✅ POP vs IMAP vs Exchange explained simply

✅ How email protocols affect storage, syncing, and reliability

✅ The best setup for multi-device access and business teams

✅ Why modern hosted email platforms offer better security, storage, and tools

🛡️ Bottom line: The right email setup saves you time, protects your data, and grows with you.

📢 Join the discussion in my community: https://askcharlyleetham.locals.com

Locals:

https://askcharlyleetham.locals.com

Rumble:

https://rumble.com/askcharlyleetham

Odyssey:

https://odysee.com/@askcharlyleetham:4

YouTube:

https://youtube.com/askcharlyleetham

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/askcharlyleetham

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/yourbizmgr

Instagram:

https://instagram.com/ask_charly_leetham

LinkedIn:

www.linkedin.com/in/charlyleetham

LinkedIn Company:

https://www.linkedin.com/company/ask-charly-leetham/

Spotify:

https://askcharlyleetham.com/likes/rise-and-shine

Apple Podcasts:

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ask-charly-leetham-online-business-manager/id1659738721

iHeartRadio:

https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-ask-charly-leetham-online-105944212/

Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/662f1e44-115d-4094-862b-efe9307e0df4/ask-charly-leetham-online-business-manager

1 month ago

18 minutes 42 seconds

Rise and Shine: Your Daily Dose Of Business Tech Inspiration

Are Free Business Email Accounts Costing You More Than You Think? (2025/612)

Free email accounts sound great when you're starting a business on a tight budget — but are they really free?

In this episode, Charly dives deep into the hidden costs of using free Gmail, Outlook, or similar accounts for your business. From credibility issues to marketing limitations and serious security risks, you’ll discover why that "free" email might be the most expensive choice you can make.

📌 Charly breaks down:

✅ Why using @gmail.com can make you look unprofessional

✅ The hidden costs: lost emails, lack of support, and spam vulnerability

✅ Why free accounts don’t work with email marketing platforms

✅ What you gain with paid email: branding, security, control, and support

🔗 Tip: Start small with lower-cost business email options — and scale as needed.

🛡️ Bottom line? Your email is often your first impression. Make it count.

📢 Join the discussion in my community: https://askcharlyleetham.locals.com

Locals:

https://askcharlyleetham.locals.com

Rumble:

https://rumble.com/askcharlyleetham

Odyssey:

https://odysee.com/@askcharlyleetham:4

YouTube:

https://youtube.com/askcharlyleetham

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/askcharlyleetham

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/yourbizmgr

Instagram:

https://instagram.com/ask_charly_leetham

LinkedIn:

www.linkedin.com/in/charlyleetham

LinkedIn Company:

https://www.linkedin.com/company/ask-charly-leetham/

Spotify:

https://askcharlyleetham.com/likes/rise-and-shine

Apple Podcasts:

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ask-charly-leetham-online-business-manager/id1659738721

iHeartRadio:

https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-ask-charly-leetham-online-105944212/

Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/662f1e44-115d-4094-862b-efe9307e0df4/ask-charly-leetham-online-business-manager

1 month ago

15 minutes 14 seconds

Rise and Shine: Your Daily Dose Of Business Tech Inspiration

How Long Should You Really Keep Website Backups (And Why It Matters)? (2025/611)

Backups are your insurance policy — but how long should you actually keep them?

In this episode, Charly breaks down the essential strategies for website backup retention. Whether you're running a small blog or a complex e-commerce site, understanding what to keep, how long to keep it, and where to store it can make the difference between quick recovery and total disaster.

📌 You’ll learn:

✅ Why backups matter — from cyberattacks to human error

✅ The key retention strategies: daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly

✅ How to balance storage costs with business risk

✅ Why off-site and cloud backups aren’t enough on their own

✅ The importance of testing your backups regularly

🛡️ Don't wait for a disaster to find out your backups failed. Use this guide to build a smarter, more resilient website recovery plan.

📢 Join the discussion in my community: https://askcharlyleetham.locals.com

Locals:

https://askcharlyleetham.locals.com

Rumble:

https://rumble.com/askcharlyleetham

Odyssey:

https://odysee.com/@askcharlyleetham:4

YouTube:

https://youtube.com/askcharlyleetham

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/askcharlyleetham

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/yourbizmgr

Instagram:

https://instagram.com/ask_charly_leetham

LinkedIn:

www.linkedin.com/in/charlyleetham

LinkedIn Company:

https://www.linkedin.com/company/ask-charly-leetham/

Spotify:

https://askcharlyleetham.com/likes/rise-and-shine

Apple Podcasts:

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ask-charly-leetham-online-business-manager/id1659738721

iHeartRadio:

https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-ask-charly-leetham-online-105944212/

Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/662f1e44-115d-4094-862b-efe9307e0df4/ask-charly-leetham-online-business-manager

1 month ago

18 minutes 55 seconds

Rise and Shine: Your Daily Dose Of Business Tech Inspiration

Do You Really Need Google Analytics 4 or Is There a Simpler Way? (2025/610)

GA4 might be powerful, but is it too much for your small business?

In this episode, Charly breaks down the complexity of Google Analytics 4 (GA4), explores why many business owners are ditching it, and reveals simpler, more usable tools that might actually be a better fit for your goals.

📌 Here’s what you’ll learn:

✅ Why GA4 feels confusing for so many users

✅ The real shift from session tracking to event-based models

✅ When GA4 is actually worth the effort — and when it’s not

✅ Alternatives like Beehive (from WPMU DEV), Google Search Console, and SEMrush

✅ Why usability and clarity matter more than power

🔗 Try WPMU DEV (Beehive) here:

https://askcharlyleetham.com/likes/wpmudev

(Charly receives a commission for purchases made from this link)

🛡️ Smart tip: Use the analytics platform you’ll actually check and understand!

📢 Join the discussion in my community: https://askcharlyleetham.locals.com

Locals:

https://askcharlyleetham.locals.com

Rumble:

https://rumble.com/askcharlyleetham

Odyssey:

https://odysee.com/@askcharlyleetham:4

YouTube:

https://youtube.com/askcharlyleetham

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/askcharlyleetham

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/yourbizmgr

Instagram:

https://instagram.com/ask_charly_leetham

LinkedIn:

www.linkedin.com/in/charlyleetham

LinkedIn Company:

https://www.linkedin.com/company/ask-charly-leetham/

Spotify:

https://askcharlyleetham.com/likes/rise-and-shine

Apple Podcasts:

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ask-charly-leetham-online-business-manager/id1659738721

iHeartRadio:

https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-ask-charly-leetham-online-105944212/

Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/662f1e44-115d-4094-862b-efe9307e0df4/ask-charly-leetham-online-business-manager

1 month ago

17 minutes 22 seconds

Rise and Shine: Your Daily Dose Of Business Tech Inspiration

Are QR Codes Still Safe for Your Business in 2025? (2025/609)

QR codes are everywhere — from menus to payments to marketing campaigns — but are they still safe?

In this episode, Charly explores the surprising security risks tied to QR code usage and shares smart ways businesses can protect their brand and their customers.

📌 You’ll discover:

✅ The real reason QR codes exploded in use (hint: not just the pandemic)

✅ How fake QR codes (quishing) trick customers into giving up personal data

✅ Steps to prevent sticker tampering and spoofed redirects

✅ How to brand and secure your QR codes effectively

✅ Why HTTPS links and regular audits are essential

🔗 Use Canva or other design tools to brand your QR codes for security and trust.

🛡️ Tip for users: Check the URL before clicking — don’t scan blindly!

📢 Join the discussion in my community: https://askcharlyleetham.locals.com

Locals:

https://askcharlyleetham.locals.com

Rumble:

https://rumble.com/askcharlyleetham

Odyssey:

https://odysee.com/@askcharlyleetham:4

YouTube:

https://youtube.com/askcharlyleetham

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/askcharlyleetham

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/yourbizmgr

Instagram:

https://instagram.com/ask_charly_leetham

LinkedIn:

www.linkedin.com/in/charlyleetham

LinkedIn Company:

https://www.linkedin.com/company/ask-charly-leetham/

Spotify:

https://askcharlyleetham.com/likes/rise-and-shine

Apple Podcasts:

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ask-charly-leetham-online-business-manager/id1659738721

iHeartRadio:

https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-ask-charly-leetham-online-105944212/

Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/662f1e44-115d-4094-862b-efe9307e0df4/ask-charly-leetham-online-business-manager

1 month ago

17 minutes 43 seconds

Rise and Shine: Your Daily Dose Of Business Tech Inspiration

Is a Broken Contact Form Silently Killing Your Business Leads? (2025/608)

Your contact form might be working against you — without you even knowing it.

In this episode, Charly dives into how broken contact forms can silently sabotage your business by blocking leads, frustrating potential clients, and destroying your brand credibility.

📌 You’ll learn:

✅ Why broken contact forms go unnoticed until it’s too late

✅ The common causes — outdated plugins, spam filters, poor mobile optimization

✅ How to prevent lost leads with simple tests and backups

✅ The tools and habits that keep your forms reliable and responsive

✅ Legal considerations when saving form submissions

🔗 Try Gravity Forms here:

https://askcharlyleetham.com/likes/gravityforms

(Charly receives a commission for purchases made from this link)

🛡️ Pro tip: Don’t rely solely on your form — include clickable phone numbers, emails, and social media contacts too.

📢 Join the discussion in my community:

https://askcharlyleetham.locals.com

Locals:

https://askcharlyleetham.locals.com

Rumble:

https://rumble.com/askcharlyleetham

Odyssey:

https://odysee.com/@askcharlyleetham:4

YouTube:

https://youtube.com/askcharlyleetham

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/askcharlyleetham

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/yourbizmgr

Instagram:

https://instagram.com/ask_charly_leetham

LinkedIn:

www.linkedin.com/in/charlyleetham

LinkedIn Company:

https://www.linkedin.com/company/ask-charly-leetham/

Spotify:

https://askcharlyleetham.com/likes/rise-and-shine

Apple Podcasts:

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ask-charly-leetham-online-business-manager/id1659738721

iHeartRadio:

https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-ask-charly-leetham-online-105944212/

Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/662f1e44-115d-4094-862b-efe9307e0df4/ask-charly-leetham-online-business-manager

1 month ago

20 minutes 59 seconds

Rise and Shine: Your Daily Dose Of Business Tech Inspiration

Should Your Small Business Use a Web Application Firewall (WAF)? (2025/607)

Is that “WAF” checkbox on your hosting plan worth paying for? In this episode, Charly demystifies Web Application Firewalls (WAFs) — what they do, how they work, and whether your business actually needs one.

📌 You’ll learn:

✅ The difference between regular firewalls and WAFs

✅ How WAFs protect your site from login attacks, form abuse, and malicious requests

✅ The pros and cons of software, appliance, and cloud-based WAFs

✅ Why plugins alone may not be enough to secure your website

✅ When a WAF is a smart investment — and when it might be overkill

🔗 Try Cloudflare's free WAF here:

https://www.cloudflare.com/plans/

(Charly receives a commission for purchases made from this link)

📢 Join the discussion in my community: https://askcharlyleetham.locals.com

Locals: https://askcharlyleetham.locals.com

Rumble: https://rumble.com/askcharlyleetham

Odyssey: https://odysee.com/@askcharlyleetham:4

YouTube: https://youtube.com/askcharlyleetham

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/askcharlyleetham

Twitter: https://twitter.com/yourbizmgr

Instagram: https://instagram.com/ask_charly_leetham

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/charlyleetham

LinkedIn Company: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ask-charly-leetham/

Spotify: https://askcharlyleetham.com/likes/rise-and-shine

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ask-charly-leetham-online-business-manager/id1659738721

iHeartRadio: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-ask-charly-leetham-online-105944212/

Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/662f1e44-115d-4094-862b-efe9307e0df4/ask-charly-leetham-online-business-manager

1 month ago

24 minutes 28 seconds

Rise and Shine: Your Daily Dose Of Business Tech Inspiration

Why Is Free Email Marketing Disappearing — And What Can You Do Instead? (2025/606)

Email marketing platforms are slashing or removing free plans — and it’s not just “greed.” In this episode, Charly breaks down the real reasons behind the shift and offers practical alternatives for small businesses, side hustlers, and local clubs who still need to build and maintain a list.

📌 In this episode, you'll learn:

✅ Why free tiers are vanishing across major email platforms

✅ The economic and technical reasons driving this change

✅ How regulation and spam filtering standards play a role

✅ Low-cost alternatives like list-holding, form tools, and pay-as-you-go credits

✅ Strategies for rare senders who don’t want monthly fees

🔗 Explore email alternatives like Amazon SES or Mailgun for credit-based sending

(Charly receives a commission for purchases made from this link)

📢 Join the discussion in my community: https://askcharlyleetham.locals.com

Locals: https://askcharlyleetham.locals.com

Rumble: https://rumble.com/askcharlyleetham

Odyssey: https://odysee.com/@askcharlyleetham:4

YouTube: https://youtube.com/askcharlyleetham

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/askcharlyleetham

Twitter: https://twitter.com/yourbizmgr

Instagram: https://instagram.com/ask_charly_leetham

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/charlyleetham

LinkedIn Company: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ask-charly-leetham/

Spotify: https://askcharlyleetham.com/likes/rise-and-shine

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ask-charly-leetham-online-business-manager/id1659738721

iHeartRadio: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-ask-charly-leetham-online-105944212/

Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/662f1e44-115d-4094-862b-efe9307e0df4/ask-charly-leetham-online-business-manager

1 month ago

27 minutes 26 seconds

Rise and Shine: Your Daily Dose Of Business Tech Inspiration

What Happens If Your SSL Certificate Expires — And How Bad Can It Get? (2025/605)

An expired SSL certificate isn't just a tech oversight — it can tank your traffic, stop your sales, and trigger total chaos in your email, CRMs, and customer trust.

In this episode, Charly breaks down exactly what happens when your SSL certificate runs out, why it often gets missed, and what steps you must take to avoid disaster.

📌 Here’s what you’ll learn:

✅ What browsers, users, and search engines do when your SSL expires

✅ Why auto-renew doesn't always work — and what to do about it

✅ How an expired certificate affects email, payment gateways, and APIs

✅ Simple tools (like Let’s Encrypt and Cloudflare) to keep certificates current

🔗 Check out our hosting:

https://askcharlyleetham.com/hosting-services

(Charly receives a commission for purchases made from this link)

📢 Join the discussion in my community: https://askcharlyleetham.locals.com

Locals: https://askcharlyleetham.locals.com

Rumble: https://rumble.com/askcharlyleetham

Odyssey: https://odysee.com/@askcharlyleetham:4

YouTube: https://youtube.com/askcharlyleetham

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/askcharlyleetham

Twitter: https://twitter.com/yourbizmgr

Instagram: https://instagram.com/ask_charly_leetham

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/charlyleetham

LinkedIn Company: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ask-charly-leetham/

Spotify: https://askcharlyleetham.com/likes/rise-and-shine

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ask-charly-leetham-online-business-manager/id1659738721

iHeartRadio: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-ask-charly-leetham-online-105944212/

Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/662f1e44-115d-4094-862b-efe9307e0df4/ask-charly-leetham-online-business-manager

1 month ago

14 minutes 9 seconds