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Smallbizlady’s Sales Advice for Start-up Businesses

By on February 14, 2011 in Cash Flow & Finance, Grow Your Business, Your Small Business

Generating sales is a task that many aspiring entrepreneurs sometimes feel ill-equipped to take on, but no sales = no money. So what is a start-up entrepreneur to do?

Have a detailed marketing plan and sales projections, but take on sales in your business in small chucks. I like to look at things in terms of 30-day sales goals.  All I care about is how much money I need to make this month. 

Here are SmallBizLady’s 5 tips for building one’s sales savvy

Have a strong 30 second commercial.  One of the most important jobs a small business owner has is selling themselves and their business.  If an entrepreneur dreads networking, they should find a fellow business owner that will attend events with them. Try to attend three networking events a month.  Approach all potentials contacts with a “give to get” mentality. To get the most out of any networking opportunity, it is best to focus on how you can help them first. Every entrepreneur should arm themselves with a killer elevator pitch or as I like to call it their “30 second commercial.” When a business owner can succinctly explain their business, it builds trust. Be sure to add background from the last job or a brief client list and describe the niche target customer.  Offer just enough information to get a target interested in chatting again.

Craft a sound sales strategy.  The first step in a sound sales strategy is identifying the niche target customer. Then the sales goal should be set for the year and for every 30 days. Once the monthly goal is set, the business owners should determine how many sales activities including developing proposals, meetings, weekly sales calls, emails, networking events and social media marketing activities must take place to meet the monthly goal.  If the business is achieving the 30 days sales goals, that’s a good indication that the sales process is working.  I also suggest investing in professional sales training, if developing a sales process is too difficult.

Develop an online brand and collateral materials. Small businesses must first invest in a professional website. Professional collateral materials are still appropriate, but electronic versions of all marketing materials should be a top priority. Entrepreneurs should use social media networking to meet qualified leads and then use professional marketing materials to close the business. After all, nothing is more powerful than a personal note on branded stationery.

Use Social Media as much as Possible.  Utilizing social media is the best way for small business owners to stay on top of the needs of their customer. Entrepreneurs should know their niche customer, and produce information and products that are needed by that customer. Business owners should monitor blogs in their industry and of their competition.  Small business owners should develop signature content as an attraction strategy including blogs, special reports, and white papers to distinguish themselves as a thought-leader in their industry.

Create a Referral Engine.  Small business owners should first do great job for their customers. Be sure to thank clients for doing business with a follow-up call or a personal note. Then ask for referrals and create incentive programs such as giveaways, coupons, and finder’s fees to get their customers to become advocates for their small business.  Keep in mind: “It’s cheaper to keep her or him. It’s much easier to keep a customer than to go out and find a new one.”  Take good care of your customers.

What other sales advice would you give to fellow small business owners?

Become Your Own Boss in 12 Months Books By Melinda EmersonMelinda F. Emerson, known to many as SmallBizLady is one of America’s leading small business experts. As a seasoned entrepreneur, professional speaker, and small business coach, she develops audio, video and written content to fulfill her mission to end small business failure.  As CEO of MFE Consulting LLC, Melinda educates entrepreneurs and Fortune 500 companies on subjects including small business start-up, business development and social media marketing. She has been featured on NBC Nightly News, in Forbes, the Wall Street Journal and Black Enterprise Magazine. Melinda is also the author of the national bestseller Become Your Own Boss in 12 Months; A Month-by-Month Guide to a Business That Works. (Adams Media 2010)

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Managing Positive Cash Flow in Your Small Business

By on February 7, 2011 in Cash Flow & Finance

The two most important jobs you have as a business owner is getting business and getting paid. Being a bill collector is one the toughest jobs you’ll have as an entrepreneur.  But if you take control of the situation up front, you can minimize any delays with payments.  The key thing to do is make sure you are not hit with any surprises. Does your customer pay vendors net 45?  You need to know. Here are some tips that I have used to in my business to manage cash flow:

1) Make sure you understand at the signing of a contract the procedure for getting paid.  Ask about their accounts payable policy. Ask about whether you can be paid via electronic funds transfer, you get your money much faster this way.  Then make sure you understand what you need to do to facilitate getting you payment.

How does your invoice need to be formatted?

Does your EIN number need to appear on the invoice?

Do you need to file a W-9 IRS form to become a new vendor?

Do you need to have an EDI system in place to get paid?

Note: An EDI system is Electronic Data Interchange (EDI), which is a way to submit invoices and receive payments electronically. If you are doing business with a major corporation or manufacturer, they may require this type of system for doing business with them. The great thing about EDI systems is that all of your transactions are web-based and available anytime and anywhere via the Internet.

2) Develop a contact in the Accounts Payable department.  You never want to annoy your actual customer with a payment issue until you have no other alternative.  If you start out knowing a name in accounts payable its makes things so much easier if there is an issue. Call this person at start of the contact to ask them what the procedure is for becoming a new vendor in the system and getting that first invoice paid.

3) Develop a discount incentive program for paying early. Please not do not discount for paying Net 30! That is what your customers are supposed to do.  Offer a 2% – 5% discount for Net 10 or Net 15 payment for your customers depending on the amount of the contract.

4) Make sure you get a deposit up front and create an incremental payment schedule.  You should offer your clients a payment schedule such as 50% at the start / 25% mid way / 25% on delivery or 25% / 25% / 25% / 25%. Do not even start work without a signed contract, purchase order and a deposit.

5) Start making collection calls at 30 days to inquire about the status of your invoice.   In this economy, people will easily ignore an email, letter or fax.  Do not ever be afraid to pick up the phone to ask about your money. Do not wait 45-60 days to initiate collection procedures. The polite, but squeaky vendor always gets the check.

Do you have any more suggestions for managing cash flow in a small business?

Become Your Own Boss in 12 Months Books By Melinda EmersonMelinda F. Emerson, known to many as SmallBizLady is one of America’s leading small business experts. As a seasoned entrepreneur, professional speaker, and small business coach, she develops audio, video and written content to fulfill her mission to end small business failure.  As CEO of MFE Consulting LLC, Melinda educates entrepreneurs and Fortune 500 companies on subjects including small business start-up, business development and social media marketing. She has been featured on NBC Nightly News, in Forbes, the Wall Street Journal and Black Enterprise Magazine. Melinda is also the author of the national bestseller Become Your Own Boss in 12 Months; A Month-by-Month Guide to a Business That Works. (Adams Media 2010)

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How Do You Make Business Decisions?

By on September 6, 2010 in Cash Flow & Finance, My Recommendations

It’s great to have a nice website, a regular sales process and glossy business cards for your small business. All of these things steer sales, and sales is the engine that drives business. You must look credible in order for a corporation to do business with you, and you must have relationships to make a sale, and people must know where to reach you so business cards are important–but before you make any decisions in your business—you need up-to-date financial information about how your business is doing under the hood. 

By the 15th of every month, you should have three financial statements which should include a balance sheet, income statement, and a statement of cash flow. These statements will outline the previous month activity including what sales were made, who has paid you and who you owe, and how much cash you have on hand to make it through the next month.

Once you put a process in place to generate monthly financial statements (such as hiring a bookkeeper to reconcile your accounts monthly and generate the statements), get into the habit of referring back to your financial statements and annual budget for information. Do not make business decisions based on what the account balance is online. Also, do not make decisions based on what you want or think you need for your business. Ask yourself or your staff WHY three times before making any purchases. 

Always refer back to your budget and see what it says you have planned to spend, before committing to purchasing equipment, hire consultants or plan on attending any conferences.  Also never purchase a booth at a trade show the first year you plan to attend—walk the show the first year. Talk to the other vendors about whether they got their money’s worth.  It costs a lot of money to attend conferences—be sure it’s the right place to engage your niche target customer.  Here are four financial tips to keep in mind in your small business.

  1. Use a budget—Manage your business with an annual budget. In October, start working on the budget for the following year.
  2. Monitoring profit margins—It’s fine to know your gross revenues, but in the end, it’s really all about the profits you keep.  In every sale, know how much money is for you.
  3. Understanding the cash position daily—Cash is king. A business with contracts and no cash will soon be out of business.
  4. Know your numbers by the 15th of every month—Do not wait until tax time to deal with your financial statements.  Have them complied monthly, so that you can know where you stand as a business.

 What other financial tips should small business owners keep in mind? Add a comment below.

For more tips on starting or growing your small business subscribe to Melinda Emerson’s blog at www.succeedasyourownboss.com

Melinda F. Emerson, known to many as SmallBizLady is one of America’s leading small business experts. As a seasoned entrepreneur, professional speaker, and small business coach, she develops audio, video and written content to fulfill her mission to end small business failure.  As CEO of MFE Consulting LLC, Melinda educates entrepreneurs and Fortune 500 companies on subjects including small business start-up, business development and social media marketing. She has been featured on NBC Nightly News, the Tavis Smiley Radio Show, in the Wall Street Journal, Entrepreneur and Black Enterprise Magazine. She hosts #SmallBizChat weekly on Twitter for emerging entrepreneurs and publishes a resource blog www.succeedasyourownboss.com  Melinda is also the author of the national bestseller Become Your Own Boss in 12 months; A Month-by-Month Guide to a Business That Works. (Adams Media 2010) 

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How Entrepreneurs Can Develop Multiple Streams of Income

By on August 23, 2010 in Cash Flow & Finance, Grow Your Business, SmallBizRadio, Your Small Business

I recently interviewed Stephanie Chandler @bizauthor on Smallbizradio, my monthly show on #Blogtalkradio about how entrepreneurs can develop multiple streams of income.  Small business owners can grow numerous business lines by taking their knowledge and packaging it for sale in the ways that people absorb information: audio, video and written, of course.  The purpose of Smallbizradio is to create a place for entrepreneurs to learn how to grow a successful small business.  We feature top business experts to bring you helpful information to navigate the obstacles of building a growing business. Smallbizradio is recorded live every 4th Wed of the month at 1pm ET.  To listen or join in with a question here’s the link http://www.blogtalkradio.com/smallbizradio and the dial-in number is (347) 843-4182 AND PRESS “1”

Stephanie Chandler is the author of four business and marketing books including (one of my favorites) From Entrepreneur to Infopreneur: Make Money with Books, eBooks and Information Products (John Wiley & Sons). Stephanie is also founder and CEO of AuthorityPublishing.com, which specializes in custom book publishing and marketing services.  She is a frequent speaker at business events and on the radio; she has been featured in Entrepreneur Magazine, BusinessWeek, Inc.com and many other media outlets.

Listen to the complete interview with Stephanie Chandler http://tobtr.com/s/1063193

In this interview Stephanie answers questions including:

What types of information products are best and easiest to produce?—Teleseminars, tips booklets, workbooks or in-person classes?

Should a small business be paying attention to the competition?

How do you price infoproducts?

What are some ways to market my info products?

What are the keys to info product success?

Here are links to Stephanie’s books:

LEAP! 101 Ways to Grow Your Business

From Entrepreneur to Infopreneur

The Author’s Guide to Building an Online Platform

If you found this interview helpful, join us every 4th Wednesdays 1pm ET follow @SmallBizLady on Twitter for details on upcoming guests.

For more tips on starting or growing your small business subscribe to Melinda Emerson’s blog at www.succeedasyourownboss.com

Melinda F. Emerson, known to many as SmallBizLady is one of America’s leading small business experts. As a seasoned entrepreneur, professional speaker, and small business coach, she develops audio, video and written content to fulfill her mission to end small business failure.  As CEO of MFE Consulting LLC, Melinda educates entrepreneurs and Fortune 500 companies on subjects including small business start-up, business development and social media marketing. She has been featured on NBC Nightly News, the Tavis Smiley Radio Show, in the Wall Street Journal, Entrepreneur and Black Enterprise Magazine. She hosts #SmallBizChat weekly on Twitter for emerging entrepreneurs and publishes a resource blog www.succeedasyourownboss.com.  Melinda is also the author of the national bestseller Become Your Own Boss in 12 months; A Month-by-Month Guide to a Business That Works. (Adams Media 2010)

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5 Common Myths About Starting a Small Business

By on May 24, 2010 in Become Your Own Boss Tips, Cash Flow & Finance, How to Start, Mompreneurs, Pink Slip Entrepreneurs, Solopreneurs, Starting A Small Business, Women in Business, Your Small Business
The real deal on starting a small business.

What's the real deal about starting a small business?

This is national small business week.  In honor of that I thought I would use my blog to dispel 5 common myths about starting a small business. I chose these five as they are the most common questions I get when I speak around the country and do workshops on how to transition from a job to small business ownership. Entrepreneurship is the only way to build true wealth in America, but you need to make sure that you understand what you are getting into for the long haul.  

Myth #1: Starting my own small business will give me more control over my schedule.

Reality: Starting a small business is not a 9 to 5 job. In the beginning your business owns you—you do not own it or your time.  For many startups, 14-16 hour days are not unusual.  As an entrepreneur, you do 10-13 jobs at once including being the chief sales person, business planner, secretary, payroll manager, human resource manager, brand manager, chief financial officer, technology manager, project manager and bill collector. Carving out time for yourself will be a luxury. If you duck out early to run a personal errand, you’ll need the make the time up once the kids go to bed.  For the first three years, do not plan on spending lots of time on the golf course, or taking off every Friday. Your business will need every minute you have to spare.

Myth #2: I don’t want any loans to start my small business – I can get grants.

Reality:  There’s no such thing as getting a grant to start your small business. Expect that the money to start your business will come from your right or left pocket. Successful startup entrepreneurs save 20-40% of every paycheck for at least 12 months prior to starting the business.

In fact, there are three pools of money you should have before your start a business 

  • An emergency savings account 
  • Enough budget to go for 12-24 months without a paycheck 
  • The first year of operating capital to run your business

Banks do not typically loan money to start-up businesses either. You need to be in business for two to three years to qualify for even a line of credit. The only chance you have of earning money you don’t need to pay back is if you win a business plan contest or new inventor competition, but that’s a long shot.  Now there are some franchises that provide funding, but 20-30% of the loan must come from your own resources.   

Myth #3: My business idea is so great my products will sell themselves.

Reality: Do not fool yourself. Building sales requires time, money, and a disciplined sales process that starts with strategic relationship building. How strong is your network? That’s where your first customers and sales will come from for your business.  What are your weekly marketing activities? Marketing is the engine that fuels a small business — no marketing = no sales.  Even if you have a big client, you do not want to put all your eggs into one basket.  Make sure your client base is diversified.   

Myth #4: I have been successful in corporate America; running a small business will not be too hard. 

Reality: If entrepreneurship were easy, everybody would be doing it. The biggest difference between working in corporate America and self-employment is infrastructure. You must build everything. You will have to do every job until you can afford help. Your corporate job can survive without you for a day or a week.  In your own business, if you don’t work, you don’t eat.  Sick days, hour lunches, health benefits and 401K perks don’t really exist in the start up phase of a small business.  You must be prepared to learn everything you can. If you already know everything, keep your good job—if you can.

Myth#5: Anybody can use my product or service.

Reality: One of the top reasons why small businesses fail is lack of having a niche target market.  Do not make the mistake of trying to sell to anyone that you think has money.  Take the time to develop a customer profile.  You should be able to see the face of your customer and know everything about her. How old is she? Does she have children?  In what country does she live? Does she make purchases using the internet? How much education does she have? What is her income? How often does she buy your product or service?

What other myths are out there about starting a small business?  Please let me know.

Melinda Emerson “Smallbizlady” is a seasoned entrepreneur, professional speaker, and small business coach. Her areas of expertise include small business start-up, business development and social media marketing.  Melinda hosts #Smallbizchat, a weekly talk show on Twitter for emerging entrepreneurs.  Melinda’s first book Become Your Own Boss in 12 months; A Month-by-Month Guide to Start a Business that Works was released in March 2010 by Adams Media.

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Can You Afford to Become An Entrepreneur?

By on March 29, 2010 in Become Your Own Boss Tips, Cash Flow & Finance, How to Start, Mompreneurs, My Recommendations, Pink Slip Entrepreneurs, Solopreneurs, Starting A Small Business, Women in Business, Your Small Business

Everyone has good ideas.  Some of them may even be million dollar ideas, but if you live from paycheck to paycheck or way beyond your means, you may never be able to quit your job and start a business.

As the Smallbizlady, often I get emails, facebook messages and DM’s on Twitter from people asking me to help them start a business.  My first three questions are usually something like this. 

  • What is your business idea? 
  • How much money do you have saved?
  • How much money do you think it will take to launch this business? 

If question two brings on a case of stuttering, I start shaking my head.

You should have three pools of money before your start a business. 

  • An emergency fund for the household
  • 12-24 months of budget to run your household
  • 12-18 months of money to launch and operate the business.

Now hear this, “Your ability to save has everything to do with your ability to start a business!” 

Money is not everything.  It’s just a tool, but it is certainly the beginning of a business plan.  Banks rarely, if ever, loan money to start-up businesses.  Banks will typically not deal with you for a loan or line of credit until you’re been in business 2-3 years and can show growth in the business with your financial statements and business tax returns. 

There are some franchising opportunities that will provide some working capital, but 30-50% of the money will still come from you. And by the way, you will need to have significant net worth and assets to collateralize the loan.  Think of it this way, no credit = no business.  When you are first starting out in business, you are your business’s credit.

So what do you do if you have a great idea and no money? There are other sources of funds to start your business. There’s the 3 F’s Family, Friends, Fools.  Your family loves you and hopefully believes in you enough to invest in your business.  If you are fortunate enough to have a family that can afford to invest in you– you are fortunate, but beware.  Your rich Aunt Sally may think she’s your boss and might call you up every 30 days to check on how her $50K is doing.  You may not want that kind of pressure in your new business. 

Then there are your friends. Nothing can kill a friendship faster than borrowing money that you can’t pay back.  I have a rule.  I do not loan money to friends, I give it to them.  I make sure that I do not give away any money that I can not afford to lose.  Would your friends do that for you?  If so, they could be an option. 

Every once in awhile, a hungry entrepreneur will come across a rich guy who’s an idealist about business, who falls in love your idea but doesn’t wish to run the business.  That is an angel investor— who will invest money in the company for an equity stake and lend his or her network to help you.  Do not get your hopes up about finding an angel investor in this economy.  It can happen, but let’s just say you are better off using your own funds that you save to start your business.  Family, friends or an angel investor can be fools for investing in a half-baked business idea.  Invest your time, to make sure you have a sound business plan before you take anyone’s money.  And do have a plan to show them—for when and how you think you’ll pay it back.

If you do have assets, you are in a different situation.  You can borrow against your 401K, you can take out a home equity loan, you can sell your home or rental property, you can cash in a Roth IRA.  The money must come from somewhere—its best when it comes from your own coffers.

It’s essential that you start your business from a position of financial security. Otherwise, you’re finished before you get started.

WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR EZINE, E-NEWSLETTER OR WEB SITE?  You may, as long as you include this complete blurb with it:

Melinda Emerson “SmallBizLady” is a Veteran Entrepreneur, Small Business Coach and Social Media Strategist who hosts #SmallBizChat on Twitter.  #SmallBizChat is the trusted resource on Twitter to discuss everything entrepreneurs need to know about launching and running a profitable small business.  Melinda also publishes a resource blog on small business best practices at www.succeedasyourownboss.com  Her first book, Become Your Own Boss in 12 Months was released by Adams Media in March 2010.

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The Entrepreneur’s Job Description PART II

By on January 25, 2010 in Become Your Own Boss Tips, Branding & Marketing, Cash Flow & Finance, Grow Your Business, How to Start, Starting A Small Business, Your Small Business

Just as you would write a job description when hiring an employee, you need to understand what is fully involved in your new job as an entrepreneur and business owner. Everyone at some time or another has dreamed of becoming their own boss, but I’m here to tell you there’s a lot of work involved in running a successful small business. This post is the second of a two part series on what it takes to be an entrepreneur; click here to view Part I of this article.

This blog post is excerpted from my new book Become Your Own Boss in 12 Months; A Month-By-Month Guide to a Business That Works which will be released in March 2010 by Adams Media.  Become Your Own Boss in 12 Months walks you step-by-step through the Emerson Planning System, which will reduce your learning curve as you start your business.

Starting a business is a huge commitment of time, money, and personal energy.  Here’s a list of five more jobs you must hold as a small business owner.

Chief Operations Officer– Once you have your vision for your business, then you must run it.  Issues such as office space, banking, insurance, inventory management, budgeting and financial management are all things that must be handled in order to run a small business effectively.  You must also make sure there are processes in place for hiring, sales and customer service.

Chief Project Manager— You must know who is going to really get the work done once a sale is made to a customer.  Who’s going to communicate with the client, attend all meetings and make sure the project or delivery stays aligned with the timeline? Will you need to hire employees or freelancers to get the work done?

Web/Social Media Manager— In addition to having a website that is updated regularly, you also need to make sure that you are maintaining a presence on social media sites where your prospective customers are spending time. Three top social networking sites are LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook.  If you decide to launch a blog to keep your website updated and promote your expertise, you will also need to write regular blog posts. Using social media consistently is the best thing you can do to build your small business brand online.

Bill Collector— One you make a sale, you must have a process in place to collect your money.  In the current economic environment many businesses and corporations are paying their bills late.  Small businesses are always on the bottom of the list, so you must be aggressive about getting paid.  On day 31, you should be on the phone and emailing about the status of your payment.  This is one of the least fun things to do as a business owner, but you must be paid for your products and services.     

Secretary— In addition to writing your own letters, you will do your own mail merges, labels and take your mail to the post office or over night mail drop off.  You will probably answer your own phone as well.  It will be important to screen your calls.  Never hesitate to tell a caller you are on deadline and need to call them back. Be sure to use a message pad so that you can actually remember to return the call.

This information will help you think through having your own business – before you get too far down the road pursuing your entrepreneurial endeavor.

Click here to view Part I of this article.

What else do you think needs to go into the small business owner’s job description?  Please leave a comment.

WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR EZINE, E-NEWSLETTER OR WEB SITE? You may, as long as you include this complete blurb with it:

Melinda Emerson “SmallBizLady” is a Veteran Entrepreneur, Small Business Expert and Social Media Coach who hosts #Smallbizchat on Twitter.  #Smallbizchat is the trusted resource on Twitter to discuss everything entrepreneurs need to know about launching and running a profitable small business.  Melinda’s first book, Become Your Own Boss in 12 months; A Month-By-Month Guide to a Business That Works will be released by Adams Media in March 2010.

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SmallBizLady’s Reading List Part I

By on November 23, 2009 in 10 Things Lists, Business Inspiration, Cash Flow & Finance, Grow Your Business, Mompreneurs, My Recommendations, Pink Slip Entrepreneurs, Social Media, Solopreneurs, Women in Business, Your Small Business

readingglassesIn business, reading is fundamental. It is crucial to help you grow your expertise as a business leader.  One of my favorite things to do is read books about small business best practices, social media and leadership.  Here’s a list of best books that I think will have a major impact on your business strategy heading into 2010.  Later this week, I’ll have five more of my favorite books to share.

Small Business Cash Flow: Strategies for Making Your Business a Financial Success  by Denise O’Berry (J. Wiley & Sons, 2006)  The best thing you can do for your business is understand how much profit is in every sale and stay cash flow positive. Denise O’Berry writes a terrific book that explains the ins and outs of financial management in a successful small business. The book does a good job of pointing out how a small business owner can stay on top of the cash flow issue in running her business.  This is an incredible resource book that I highly recommend.

Get Known Before the Book Deal by Christina Katz (Writer Digest Books, 2008) It is not often I read a book that truly enlightening from cover to cover. On a scale of 1-5, Get Known Before the Book Deal is a 10! If you want to know what it takes to get a book deal, Christina Katz gives a very specific recipe, but this book is not just helpful to people who want to be authors.  This book is for anyone who needs to build a marketing platform and a brand for their expertise.  This book changed my entire business model and my brand. I could not recommend this book more highly.

Customers For Life: How To Turn That One-Time Buyer Into a Lifetime Customer by Carl Sewell and Paul B. Brown (Doubleday, 2002)  This is a must read for every business owner.  None of the ideas in this book are ground breaking, but the authors do a great job of explaining how they translate into loyal customers for your business. This book will help you create systems in your business to avoid customer service problems in the first place. This book was originally published in 1998 and has been updated three times since, selling over 1 million copies worldwide. Every business owner should have this book, and I’d also recommend buying copies for all your employees as well.

Blog Blazers: 40 Top Bloggers Share their Secrets to Creating a High-Profile, High-Traffic and High Profit Blog by Stephane Grenier (Levac Publishing House, 2008)   This is one of those books that serious bloggers will keep on their shelves.  I like that this book features 40 top bloggers and not just 10 or 15 like most profile books. I enjoyed learning great techniques and about what blogs these pros read.  Try reading a chapter a day, look at the blogs of the blogger featured, see what they are doing well that you can implement in your blog. Learning how successful bloggers approach their blogging is an exercise that will have lots of benefits.

Greening Your Small Business: How to Improve Your Bottom Line, Grow Your Brand, Satisfy Your Customers – and Save the Planet by Jennifer Kaplan (Prentice Hall Press, 2009)  Green is not just the color of money. Going green can be overwhelming, but Jen Kaplan provides a comprehensive guide to practical, meaningful, low-cost changes that can be applied today to go green in your business. Green practices are being measured by everyone including your customers-so use this book to build an additional competitive advantage in your business and save the planet as the same time.

Do you know a book that should be added to the list?  Let me know, I love getting your feedback.

WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR EZINE, E-NEWSLETTER OR WEB SITE? You may, as long as you include this complete blurb with it:

For more tips on how start or grow your small business subscribe to Melinda Emerson’s blog www.succeedasyourownboss.com.

Melinda Emerson “SmallBizLady” is a Veteran Entrepreneur, Small Business Expert and Social Media Coach who hosts #SmallBizChat on Twitter.  #Smallbizchat is the trusted resource on Twitter to discuss everything entrepreneurs need to know about launching and running a profitable small business.  Melinda’s first book, Become Your Own Boss in 12 Months: A Month-by-Month Guide to Start a Business that Works! is scheduled to be released by Adams Media in Feb 2010.

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Greening Your Small Business to Save Money

By on November 19, 2009 in Cash Flow & Finance, SmallBizChat, Social Media

Every week as SmallBizLady, I conduct interviews with experts on my Twitter talk show #SmallBizChat. The show takes place every Wed. on Twitter from 8-9pm ET. This is excerpted from my recent interview with @Greenhance Jennifer Kaplan, Author of Greening Your Small Business and Founder of Greenhance, LLC. A business consulting firm dedicated to developing marketing strategies for small businesses who are going green. She’s an Adjunct Faculty in Marketing at Marymount University in Arlington, Virginia.  Jennifer brings her firsthand knowledge of going green to business owners everywhere. Jennifer is a regular contributor to Ecopreneurist.com. For more information visit http://www.greenhance.com

Smallbizlady:  All I hear about is going green.  Why so much talk about green?

There is a revolution going on in the American marketplace: Businesses everywhere are changing the way they operate by incorporating green practices, products and objectives into their business models.

Smallbizlady:  What Does Going Green Mean?

It’s the implementation of a broad range of policies and procedures focused on conserving and improving the natural environment, both for its own sake as well as to improve business strength and sustainability.

Smallbizlady:  Where do small businesses fit in to the green movement?

Small businesses have an indirect impact on climate; the electricity, heating, cooling and transportation and other services used all translate into CO2 output with global warming impact. A small action multiplied by 27 million has a significant impact-that’s the law of large numbers.

Smallbizlady:  Where do we begin as small businesses to get our companies going green?

Greening your business can be as simple as following your interests. Going green may seem like a daunting task, but it doesn’t have to be. If you start slow and take it one step at a time, you can keep the process manageable and still build a valuable green program that yields tremendous benefits. 

Smallbizlady:  Isn’t it expensive and difficult to go green?

You don’t have to be 100% green. In fact no business is. Pick and choose what works for your business. Not every green practice will fit everyone’s needs or budget.

Smallbizlady:  If you had to pick the three most common things a business can do to go green what would they be?

As an overarching idea, reducing the amount of resources used is the most effective way to quickly and inexpensively green a business. Often this means reducing the amount of paper, energy (electricity) and business travel.

Smallbizlady:  You talk about eight steps to going green, what’s the first step?

The first step involves making a commitment. This means creating a green management team. Depending on the size of your organization, it may be one person-you.

Smallbizlady:  What is step #2?

Step number two is to define your overarching goals and set some specific, measurable objectives that will help you realize those goals. Defining your goals early in the process is the first step in determining what you want from your green program.

Smallbizlady:  What is step #3?

 Assess your greenness by taking inventory of what you are already doing in terms of your use of energy, water and materials usage, products and packaging, transportation and travel, even your marketing and communications programs. You need to know where and when you’re expending resources-and where you can conserve. You’ll need this information to set priorities.

Smallbizlady:  What is step #4?

Assess the risks your business faces-the threats posed by the physical, regulatory and economic forces associated with climate change. Proactive risk management will open up a variety of opportunities.

Smallbizlady:  What is step #5?

Assess the strategic branding and product opportunities related to greenness. Don’t try to fit your identity into a green program, but rather make your green program fit your identity.

Smallbizlady:  What is step #6?

Create a plan. Set measurable objectives-and report measurable results.

Smallbizlady:  What is step #7?

Implement your plan by putting policies and procedures in place to achieve your goals, one step at a time.

Smallbizlady:  What is step #8?

Communicate with key stakeholders by engaging in a public dialogue about your green program, disclosing your assessments and plans in company communications, marketing materials and on-site signage in a transparent way.

If you found this interview helpful, join us on Wednesdays 8-9pm ET follow @SmallBizChat on Twitter. 

How to participate in #SmallBizChat: http://bit.ly/S797e

For more tips on starting or growing your small biz subscribe to Melinda Emerson’s blog http://www.succeedasyourownboss.com

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#SmallBizChat Live Telesummit Recap (Part 2)

By on November 13, 2009 in Business Inspiration, Cash Flow & Finance, Grow Your Business, Mompreneurs, Pink Slip Entrepreneurs, SmallBizChat, Social Media, Solopreneurs, Starting A Small Business, Telesummit, Women in Business, Your Small Business

(Dear readers: this is the second part of a two part post. Click here to see part one.)

smallbizchat_live_telesummitEvery week as SmallBizLady, I conduct interviews with experts on my Twitter talk show #SmallBizChat. This past week, I presented the first annual #SmallBizChat Live Telesummit. The goal was to give the audience the information to create a new plan for their business in 2010. After nearly a year of communicating in writing on this blog and using Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook, I wanted to interview small business experts over the phone. I also wanted our followers to have access to some experts who do not use Twitter, but who have fantastic information to share. In today’s blog post, I have prepared a recap of three key points that each expert shared with us.

Allyson Lewis @allyson7minutes is a renowned motivational speaker and business coach whose focus is on productivity, specifically developing systems to change your life. Her book, The Seven Minute Difference, grew out of the workshops she has been teaching for the past five years. For more information, please visit Seven Minutes Inc. Allyson talked to us about getting more out of your day as a business owner.

Here are Allyson’s key takeaways:
1. Use a daily written plan of action. The average adult has a 7 minute attention span. Take 7 minutes to write down your top priorities for the day. Regain your passion by doing what is most important to you.
2. Get 7-8 hours of rest a night. Stop watching late night TV and sacrificing a good night’s rest.
3. She introduced the 5 before 11am rule. Allyson advises us all to make an exhaustive list of everything in our personal lives and business lives that needs to get done. Then she suggests tackling 5 tasks per day before 11am, if that’s too tough try do 5 a week. Just get rid of the list.

Michelle Villalobos @mivi is a business turnaround expert who teaches busy entrepreneurs how to improve their sales approach through networking skills, personal branding and word-of-mouth marketing. For more information, please visit MichelleVillalobos.com. Michelle talked to us about turning contacts into contracts.

Here are Michelle’s key takeaways:
1. Reframe the typical “elevator pitch” into an “elevator teaser.” Instead of a rapid fire 30 second commercial that describes everything you do, find the core of what you do and develop a tagline that encompasses your entire brand (if you can). Done properly, it will elicit the follow-up question, “that sounds interesting, tell me more.” One therapist who helps people get over their fears and anxieties described herself as “the couchless therapist,” which makes people want to know more.
2. Business card etiquette – Avoid “premature solicitation” – which is the act of handing out business cards before even saying hello. When you give someone a business card, it is all about timing. Your goal is to develop rapport and to connect with someone. The time to exchange business cards, more appropriately, is after interaction.
3. Follow-up is important. Michelle suggests offering a free newsletter signup to people in a follow-up email. And in the monthly newsletter have valuable tips and info, all focused on the needs of the customers.

Paul B. Brown is a long-time contributor to the New York Times and author of more than two dozen books, including the international best-seller Customers for Life. He is the author of Publishing Confidential: What it really takes to land a non-fiction book deal. Paul spoke with us about becoming a published author to build your business.

Here are Paul B. Brown’s key takeaways:
1. Once you have book idea, the first thing to do is to try developing an outline for the book, and then writing 2-3 sample chapters.
2. The title of your book should tell people exactly what your book is about. Do not be afraid to talk to potential readers about the book topic to get the right words to use in your book title.
3. A book proposal is what you need to approach an agent or editor to pitch your book. It’s fine to send a query letter first, but if there’s any interest, the next request will be to send a book proposal which is typically a 30-page document. Start working on the proposal before sending query letter, so that you can respond to interest.
Paul made a special offer to Telesummit participants – he will give out a copy of a book proposal that sold. You should email Paul at paulbbrown@aol.com and use “Melinda’s Telesummit” in the subject line. His offer ends 11/13/09 at 5pm Eastern.

Lisa D. Sparks @lisadsparks is an email marketing expert with nine years of experience developing and implementing marketing solutions for small business owners. Lisa taught us how to become email marketing rock stars. For more information, please visit lisadsparks.com

Here are Lisa’s key takeaways:
1. Typical open rate on email marketing is 22%. Be sure not use language in your emails that are triggers for spam filters such as: FREE, space available, special offer, only today, !!!, and ???
2. You should have multiple ways to build your email list for your business. Using an email sign-up for your newsletter/blog on multiple pages of your website is one strategy. You can also offer a special report in exchange for an email address. Conducting free monthly conference calls is another great technique to build your list. When you go to a networking function, be sure to ask someone who gives you a business card if you can add them to your mailing list.
3. Develop an editorial calendar for your e-newsletters and all of your auto-responders. Consider writing a year’s worth of e-newsletters all at once. Email should not be the only way that you communicate with your list – using video and/or audio and are nice ways to break it up.

If you missed the SmallBizChat Live Telesummit, do not worry! We are editing and packaging the calls to make them available shortly… so stay tuned.

I hope that after you read what these experts had to say, you will be ready to tackle 2010 with some inspiration and new tricks up your sleeve. Being in business is a spiritual marathon. Hang in there.

My co-host Cathy Larkin @cathywebsavvyPR and I presented the 1st Annual SmallBizChat Live Telesummit because it is our mission to end small business failure. We will be back November 2010 to do this again.

Please follow us at @smallbizchat and join us for #SmallBizChat every Wednesday from 8-9pm Eastern on Twitter. #SmallBizChat is the trusted resource on Twitter to discuss everything entrepreneurs need to know about launching and running a profitable small business.

How to participate in #SmallBizChat: http://bit.ly/S797e

For more tips on starting or growing your small business subscribe to Melinda Emerson’s blog at www.succeedasyourownboss.com

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#SmallBizChat Live Telesummit Recap (Part 1)

By on November 9, 2009 in Business Inspiration, Cash Flow & Finance, Grow Your Business, Mompreneurs, Pink Slip Entrepreneurs, SmallBizChat, Social Media, Solopreneurs, Telesummit, Your Small Business

(Dear readers: this is the first part of a two part post about SmallBizChat Live Telesummit. Part two will post on Friday, November 13, 2009.)

smallbizchat_live_telesummitEvery week as SmallBizLady, I conduct interviews with experts on my Twitter talk show #SmallBizChat. This past week, I presented the first annual #SmallBizChat Live Telesummit. The goal was to give the audience the information to create a new plan for their business in 2010. After nearly a year of communicating in writing on this blog and using Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook, I wanted to interview small business experts over the phone. I also wanted our followers to have access to some experts who do not use Twitter, but who have fantastic information to share. In today’s blog post, I have prepared a recap of three key points that each expert shared with us.

Mike Michalowicz @TPEntrepreneur kicked off our Telesummit. Mike is small business expert who is known as the Toilet Paper Entrepreneur. For more information, please visit toiletpaperentrepreneur.com Michalowicz talked about using social media a build your business.

Here are Mike’s key takeaways:
1. Use a 4 to 1 ratio in your content posted on social media sites. Only promote yourself once in every four times you communicate. Always seek to add value to your audience.
2. Take a non-traditional position to stand out among other experts in your field.
3. Blogging and participating in forums is a great strategy, but using Google ad words can be effective as well. 

Karyn Greenstreet @kgreenstreet was our second guest. She’s a self-employment expert who runs thesuccessalliance.com. Her website has all the resources a business owner needs to start or run a mastermind group. Karyn talked to us about mastermind group best practices.

Here are Karyn Greenstreet’s key takeaways:
1. Being involved in a mastermind group is something successful entrepreneurs do.
2. Think about the other skills you need in your business when you want to recruit members to start a mastermind group. Mastermind groups are typically four-to-ten people.
3. Develop set procedures for how your group will operate and get all participants to sign the agreement. Using an agreement is one of the best ways to get participants to commit to the terms and then fully participate.

Dr. Mel Gravely @melgravely kicked off day two of the Telesummit. Mel is the founder of the Institute for Entrepreneurial Thinking, the leading think tank on issues related to business development. For more information, please visit entrethinking.com Mel talked about how to retool your business in tough times.

Here are Dr. Gravely’s key takeaways:
1. It is more important than ever to focus on your niche market and your value proposition. Gone are the days of the generalist consultant.
2. Do not launch any new marketing initiative that you can’t afford to keep up for at least a year.
3. Business shouldn’t always be a struggle. If you have been struggling in your business for more than four years, and it’s never been profitable; it might be time to move on from that business or that business model.

Tim Berry @Timberry is president and founder of Palo Alto Software the makers of Business Plan Pro, and founder of bplans.com. He’s the author of The Plan-As-You-Go Business Plan, Entrepreneur Press. Tim talked about Managing Cash Flow in a Tough Economy.

Here are Berry’s key takeaways:
1. Make sure you know how your clients process invoices. When you can, build a relationship with someone in accounts payable. When evaluating a deal with a major corporation, make sure you’ve got enough cash reserves to wait on your money, or don’t do the deal.
2. Would you walk a city-block blindfolded? Well that’s what is it like to run a business without up-to-date financial statements. You must have a current statement of cash flow, profit & loss statement, and a balance sheet every month.
3. Do not use your line-of-credit to finance marketing efforts to generate sales. Use you line of credit of finance business you have already won.

(NOTE: This is part one of the #SmallBizChat Live Telesummit recap. Part two will post live on Friday, November 13, 2009.)

If you missed the SmallBizChat Live Telesummit, do not worry! We are editing and packaging the calls to make them available shortly… so stay tuned.

My co-host Cathy Larkin @cathywebsavvyPR and I presented the 1st Annual SmallBizChat Live Telesummit because it is our mission to end small business failure. We will be back November 2010 to do this again.

Please follow us at @smallbizchat and join us for #SmallBizChat every Wednesday from 8-9pm Eastern on Twitter. #SmallBizChat is the trusted resource on Twitter to discuss everything entrepreneurs need to know about launching and running a profitable small business.

How to participate in #SmallBizChat: http://bit.ly/S797e

For more tips on starting or growing your small business subscribe to Melinda Emerson’s blog at www.succeedasyourownboss.com

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Financial Help for Growing Inner City Businesses

By on September 15, 2009 in Cash Flow & Finance, Grow Your Business

Are you aware of all your financial options to support your company’s growth? 

Could your business benefit from:

  • Discovering the full range of financial options available to grow your businesses
  • Building and strengthening relationships with investors
  • Obtaining one-on-one feedback from seasoned investors and consultants
  • Optimizing your business growth strategy
  • Promoting your company products or services

The Inner City Capital Connections training program might be your answer.  ICCC New York 2009 features seasoned professionals who break down what you should know about debt, equity and other financing options for your small business.

Inner City Capital Connections (ICCC) is a free national program that identifies and prepares a select group of entrepreneurs searching for finance to support their business growth.  Unlike other capital raising events, ICCC is unique in its focus on inner city entrepreneurs. Since the inaugural event in 2005, nearly 150 inner city companies and 115 equity providers have been selected to participate. These companies have raised more than $140 million in capital.

On October 20, 2009, a full day training session will take place in New York City to prepare entrepreneurs to meet with potential investors.   The program culminates with an event on November 18-19th in New York that gives entrepreneurs the opportunity to connect one-on-one with investors also.

Any for-profit corporations, partnerships or proprietorships headquartered in or having 51% or more of their physical operations in an economically distressed urban area of the US that have revenues of $2 million or more in 2008 should apply for this program.

The 2009 Inner City Capital Connections (ICCC) program is co-sponsored by the U.S. Small Business Administration, the Initiative for a Competitive Inner City and Bank of America.

 For more information: www.icic.org

WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR EZINE, E-NEWSLETTER OR WEB SITE?  You may, as long as you include this complete blurb with it:


Melinda Emerson “SmallBizLady” is a Veteran Entrepreneur, Small Business Expert and Social Media Coach who hosts #SmallBizChat on Twitter.  #Smallbizchat is the trusted resource on Twitter to discuss everything entrepreneurs need to know about launching and running a profitable small business.  Melinda’s first book, Become Your Own Boss in 12 months! A Month-by-Month Guide to Start a Business that Works! is scheduled to be released by Adams Media in early 2010.

 

For more tips on how start or grow your small business subscribe to Melinda Emerson’s blog www.succeedasyourownboss.com.

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Finding The Money To Start Your Small Business

By on September 14, 2009 in Become Your Own Boss Tips, Cash Flow & Finance, Starting A Small Business

The following is an excerpt from my forthcoming book: Become Your Own Boss in 12 months or Less! A Month-by-Month Guide to Start a Business that Works! Scheduled to be released by Adams Media in February 2010.

If you are ready to take the leap into entrepreneurship, you must get really focused on your finances. It will be a real test to get back to only the bare necessities. Are you willing to reduce your lifestyle down to just basic living expenses? Most of the time, the initial capital to start your small business will come from you. Here are 8 tips you may not have considered to find money to start your small business.

Pay your mortgage twice a month to reduce payments. It is the accelerated payment program. Your mortgage company or a third party vendor offers this service for a low or no fee. The money will be automatically debited from your bank account. An extra mortgage payment is made each year; you can reduce a 30 year mortgage to a 22 year mortgage.

Go cash only. If you don’t have the cash, you don’t buy it. If you stop using your check card or credit cards to pay for everything, it’s much easier to stick to a weekly budget for yourself.

Avoid 90 days, 6 months or 1 year – same as cash deals. If you do not have the money the day you are making the purchase, chances are you will not have it in 90-days, six-months or a year from when it’s due. Keep in mind if you can’t pay, the interest rate is hefty and is compounded back to your original purchase date.

Cook at home and bring your leftovers to work for lunch. You’ll save money, get a healthier meal, and spend more quality time with your family. Look for free recipes online and start cooking!

Keep driving your car. Drive your car until it stops running. As a new business owner, you can no longer afford to upgrade your vehicle every two to three years. Buy a reliable car and take care of it, so you can ride without a car payment as long as you can. (I still do this! My car is five years old.) Try to plan your days so that you can do lots of major errands on the same day to minimize gas and parking expenses.

Grab a sweater. Turning down your thermostat five degrees and keeping a throw blanket nearby to save money on heating costs. The American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) says that for every degree you lower your thermostat, you’ll save about 3% of your heating bill. Putting your thermostat on a timer during the workday or while you are asleep will have an even greater effect on your heating bills.

Turn down the hot water heater. Heating water is the third-largest portion of the typical family’s energy bill. Heat water to 115-120 degrees to reduce power consumption.

Cut back on trips to Starbucks, Dunkin’ Donuts, Dairy Queen and Blockbuster. The money you spend each week on unnecessary extras can really add up. Treat yourself only once in a while. You’ll be shocked how the money you save will add up.

When you get started in business, you need three pools of money – an emergency savings account for your household, 12 months of budget to run your household, and 12 months of operating expenses to start your business. If you employ these simple money management tools, you will have the money you need in no time.

Comment on this blog if you have any other money saving tips to share.

WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR EZINE, E-NEWSLETTER OR WEB SITE? You may, as long as you include this complete blurb with it:

Melinda Emerson “SmallBizLady”is a Veteran Entrepreneur, Small Business Expert and Social Media Coach who hosts #smallbizchat on Twitter. #Smallbizchat is the trusted resource Twitter to discuss everything entrepreneurs need to know about launching and running a profitable small business. Melinda’s first book, Become Your Own Boss in 12 months or Less! A Month-by-Month Guide to Start a Business that Works! is scheduled to be released by Adams Media in early 2010.

For more tips on how to start or grow your small business visit http://succeedasyourowboss.com and subscribe to Melinda Emerson’s blog.

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Healthcare Reform and Your Small Business

By on August 20, 2009 in Cash Flow & Finance, My Recommendations, SmallBizChat

Other than payroll, healthcare benefits represent the second or third largest cost center in any small business.  Subsequently, too many small business owners often cannot afford to provide health insurance coverage for their employees.  The current heath care debate presents an excellent opportunity to examine the pros and cons of the health care reform bill proposals.

Each week as Smallbizlady, I conduct interviews with small business experts on my weekly Twitter talk show #SmallBizChat.  This interview is excerpted from my #SmallBizChat interview with Dawn Rivers Baker, one of the nation’s most prominent experts on microbusiness.  Her activities on behalf of small businesses range from offering input on federal legislation to addressing audiences around the globe.  She has followed the healthcare reform debate very closely.

Smallbizlady:  What are the key features of the health care reform bill? 

Dawn Rivers Baker: First, there’s more than one health care reform bill. There’s one in the House and at least two in the Senate.  Common features include an individual mandate, tax credit for firms that offer coverage, “pay or play” provisions, and subsidies for poor folks. It also eliminates discrimination for pre-existing conditions, gender discrimination, and lifetime and yearly limits on coverage.

Smallbizlady:  Is the healthcare reform bill good for small businesses?

Dawn Rivers Baker: It’s a mixed bag, some good, some bad but much better than what we have now. There is a $1,000 tax credit per employee ($2,000 for family coverage) each year, more if an employer contributes more than 60% of the health insurance premium.

Smallbizlady:  Are their any down sides to the healthcare reform bill for small business owners?

Dawn Rivers Baker: There is a “Pay or Play” employer mandate that applies to firms with 10 or more employees.  There’s also still no allowable premium deduction as a business expense. This means that self-employed Schedule C filers will still pay FICA taxes on health insurance premiums.

Smallbizlady:  How will the health care reform bill affect small businesses who offer insurance benefits?

Dawn Rivers Baker:  The only impact will be that they will have more choices of plans and more tax credits for coverage.

Smallbizlady: I have seen some statistics that say small business owners on average pay 18% higher insurance premiums than large businesses.  A few years ago my firm’s healthcare premium was raised 62% with a month’s notice. Isn’t the health care insurance exchange designed to fix that?     

Dawn Rivers Baker:  The Health Care Insurance Exchange (HIE) can only be used by individuals (who don’t have acceptable coverage already) and (in two years) by employers with less than 20 employees.  So, the plans offered in the HIE will give individuals and small businesses the group-negotiating power of a larger employer. This will hopefully eliminate things like what you experienced.

Smallbizlady:  Will small business owners who do not offer health insurance before forced to do so?

Dawn Rivers Baker: You can’t FORCE them to provide health insurance. There will be a “pay or play” provision: cover your workers or pay into this kitty to help pay for premium subsidies.

Smallbizlady:  What about mental health benefits under the health care reform bills?

Dawn Rivers Baker: The House Bill, America’s Affordable Health Choices Act of 2009 H.R. 3200 requires covered services, including hospitalization, prescription drugs, mental health services, preventive services, maternity care, and children health care including dental, vision, and hearing services and equipment. It limits annual out-of-pocket expenses to $5,000 for an individual and $10,000 for a family.

Smallbizlady:  How are solopreneurs and 1099 freelancers covered under the bill? I believe it says if you don’t have coverage, you will have a 2.5% tax on   your adjusted gross income.

Dawn Rivers Baker: It is not clear. It depends on what happens with the public option and with the health insurance exchange.

Smallbizlady:  Will I get to keep my health insurance coverage, if I like it?

Dawn Rivers Baker: If you can afford to pay for it, yes.

Smallbizlady:  What if you are a business owner whose health insurance is covered by your spouse’s job, will you need to provide health insurance to employees?

Dawn Rivers Baker: Yes, if you have 10 or more employees. The “pay or play” employer mandate applies to firms with more than 10 employees.

Smallbizlady:  What should a business owner do who supports health care reform?

Dawn Rivers Baker: They should contact their elected representatives to express support. Use Congress.org to look them up if you don’t know who they are.

If you found this interview helpful, join us on Wednesdays 8-9pm ET follow @SmallBizChat on Twitter. 

How to participate in #SmallBizChat: http://bit.ly/S797e

For more tips on starting or growing your small business subscribe to Melinda Emerson’s blog at www.succeedasyourownboss.com

Additional resources:

“Reality Check FAQs,” WhiteHouse.gov, accessed August 11, 2009. http://www.whitehouse.gov/realitycheck/faq#i1

The List on Health Care (Insurance) Reform Bill Nowpublic.com August 7, 2009
http://www.nowpublic.com/health/list-health-care-insurance-reform-bill

“What exactly is in the Healthcare Reform Bill” Smallbiztrends.com, July 18, 2009 http://smallbiztrends.com/2009/07/what-exactly-is-in-that-healthcare-reform-bill.html

“Why We Need a Public Health-Care Plan,” Wall Street Journal, June 24, 2009. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124580516633344953.html

“5 freedoms you’d lose in health care reform” Fortune June 24, 2009 http://money.cnn.com/2009/07/24/news/economy/health_care_reform_obama.fortune/

“Healthcare Reform Fit For Small Business,” BusinessWeek Small Business May 6, 2009 http://www.businessweek.com/smallbiz/running_small_business/archives/2009/05/health_reform_f.html

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