In this episode of The Rundown with Ramon, small business expert Ramon Ray unpacks why memorable business cards still matter, how to convert self-doubt into leadership, what YouTube’s AI-driven reorg could mean for creators, and the biggest updates from Canva’s annual keynote. He also shares a personal lesson about lifelong learning as he recommits to formal piano study.

Entrepreneurs will find practical, immediate moves to strengthen relationships, protect their brand, and leverage new creative tools without losing the human touch.

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Key Takeaways

• Distinctive, easy-to-read business cards are still a powerful, tactile follow-up tool—use them strategically after real conversation, not as handout confetti.
• Turn self-doubt into momentum: inventory past wins, seek mentors/peers, and use gut checks to separate fear from valid caution.
• YouTube’s restructuring around AI signals a world where high-quality video can be created faster and cheaper—double down on story, trust, and distribution.
• Canva’s “Creative OS” push adds serious upgrades (Video 2.0, interactive forms, on-brand HTML email, data-driven apps) that shrink the gap between idea and execution for small teams.
• Cybersecurity is a business essential—treat it like locking your office and car; train your team and protect every connected device.
• It’s never too late to learn: commit to structured practice to remove long-standing skill gaps that limit growth.

Why Business Cards Still Work (If You Use Them Right)

The digital world makes exchanging info effortless, but it can also make follow-up forgettable. A well-designed business card creates tactile “stickiness” in a way a contact entry or quick phone tap often does not. Use cards as a capstone to a meaningful exchange: ask about the other person first, earn the ask, then trade cards so the follow-up feels natural.
Design guidelines that get kept: large readable type, clear positioning statement, and one primary call-to-action (not a cluttered list of everything you do). If your company issues standard cards you can’t change, consider a personal “owner’s card” you carry alongside them that reflects your brand style.

From Self-Doubt to Self-Leadership

Self-doubt visits every founder. The shift is to use it as a signal, not a stop sign. Audit your past wins to recalibrate confidence, ask for perspective from mentors and peers, and distinguish “I’m scared” from “this risk is misaligned.” Create a quick cadence—weekly or monthly—where you write down what worked, what didn’t, and what you’ll try next. Momentum compounds.

YouTube Restructures Around AI: What It Means for Small Businesses

As AI lowers the cost of video production, volume will explode. That raises the bar on differentiation. Your edge won’t be fancy effects—it will be:

• Point of view: a clear stance your audience can recognize in seconds.
• Personality and trust: faces, voices, and values travel further than effects.
• Distribution muscle: consistent posting, strong thumbnails/titles, playlists, Shorts repurposing, and cross-channel syndication.
  Action step: Script three evergreen “pillar” videos that answer the top buyer questions in your niche. Then spin each into Shorts, LinkedIn clips, email embeds, and a blog post.

Canva’s Creative OS: Faster From Idea to Ship

Canva’s keynote doubled down on speed and accessibility for non-design teams. Highlights worth acting on:

• Video 2.0: prompt-to-edit, tighter timeline control, quick captions/voiceovers, and instant edits help you ship more consistent video without specialist software.
• Interactive Forms + Websites: drag-and-drop forms pipe responses straight into Canva Sheets and insights—useful for lead capture or event RSVPs.
• On-Brand HTML Email: design and export responsive emails you can load into your ESP—great for small teams needing quick, branded campaigns.
• Data + Apps: “Sheets as a data layer” lets you build lightweight, interactive experiences without writing code—think simple ROI calculators, menus, or mini-catalogs.
  Practical playbook: build a monthly launch kit in Canva (hero image, Reels/Shorts variants, email header, one-pager, and slide) so each new offer ships in hours, not weeks.

Security Is Strategy

You lock your home and car; treat devices the same way. Institute basic hygiene: phishing awareness, strong password management with MFA, regular patching, and endpoint protection on every internet-connected device. Make cybersecurity part of onboarding and quarterly training—one careless click can undo months of work.

The Founder’s Edge: Keep Learning—Deliberately

Long experience can hide foundational gaps. Identify one skill that, if leveled up correctly, would unlock disproportionate results (selling on video, financial fluency, advanced CRM automation, or—in Ramon’s case—music theory to elevate a lifelong craft). Choose a structured course, set practice blocks on your calendar, and measure visible progress every 2–4 weeks.

Action Steps for This Week

• Refresh your business card: bold type, memorable tagline, single next step.
• Schedule a 30-minute “win review” to reframe self-doubt and set one stretch action.
• Record one pillar video answering a top customer question; repurpose into three Shorts.
• Build a simple Canva launch kit and an on-brand HTML email template.
• Run a 45-minute team security refresher and confirm protections on all devices.
• Pick one craft to upskill and commit to recurring practice.