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Liz Lynch QA How to Be a Power Networker

By on May 3, 2012 in Q & A Interviews, SmallBizChat, Women in Business

Every week as SmallBizLady, I conduct interviews with experts on my Twitter talk show #SmallBizChat. The show takes place every Wednesday on Twitter from 8-9pm ET. This is excerpted from my recent interview with Liz Lynch @liz_lynch.  Liz is an international speaker, business development expert, and the author of Smart Networking: Attract a Following In Person & Online. She’s appeared on CNN, ABC News, Fox Business News, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, CNBC.com, Forbes.com and BusinessWeek.com, and works with professional service firms and successful small businesses to create strategies that get maximum clients with minimum effort. For more information on Liz and access to free articles and resources, visit http://smartnetworking.com.

SmallBizLady: You have a different approach to networking, so tell us what is “power networking”

Liz Lynch: To me, power networking is not about how much time you spend networking, but about the results you’re able to get. In other words, rather than inputs, it’s more about the outcomes. Is your network responsive? When you ask for help, do you get it? Are your contacts sending you great opportunities on a regular basis? Do you have the confidence to pursue any goal you want in your business – whether it’s to write a book, speak internationally, expand into other markets, etc. — because you know you’ll have access to the right people to make it happen?

You don’t have to network 24 hours a day to be a power networker, I sure don’t. Small business owners are busy. If you’re strategic about how you spend your time, the kinds of relationships you build, and the tools and strategies you use, you can get great results without a great deal of effort. And that’s really what I help my clients figure out. What exactly is the right mix of strategies and activities they should be implementing that would be most effective for them? What should they be doing and what should their teams be doing, because networking should be a part of everyone’s job in a company.

 
SmallBizLady: What are some of the biggest mistakes people make with networking?

Liz Lynch: There are 3 big misperceptions that drive people towards the wrong actions:

  1. Misperception #1 “Networking is a numbers game” – Collecting lots of business cards at an event or sending mass emails in LinkedIn to grow your connections as quickly as possible is totally the wrong focus. Having someone’s contact information is not the same as having a relationship with them. And the only thing that counts in networking is the depth of the relationship you have with someone. Will they pick up the phone when you call? Are they willing to recommend you to others? If not, work on building that relationship or else throw that business card away because it’s not going to do you any good.
  2. Misperception #2 “All I have to do is show up” – Despite what Woody Allen said that 80% of success is showing up, it’s the other 20% that’s going to make the real difference in your business success. Yes, you can have a profile on Twitter, and LinkedIn and have a Facebook business page, but if you aren’t using those sites correctly, you can be doing a lot of damage to your brand. Same thing with networking in person. You can go to an event, but if you spend the whole time on the sidelines, or glued to the people you already know, then you won’t get as much out of your time investment.
  3. Misperception #3 “I can’t network effectively because I’m an introvert” – That’s totally wrong. You might network differently from your extroverted friends, but I assure you, you can be successful. I know because I’m an introvert too, and over the years, I’ve discovered so many of my colleagues whom I consider to be great networkers in terms of the results they generate, are introverts too. There are ways to increase your comfort level if you’re an introvert. You can start out with smaller events, or ask the host to introduce you to people you should meet. You can also try to connect with other attendees online first so that you will already know some people when you arrive. A lot of networking groups and event organizers use social media tools so you can see who’s coming and what their background is, and open up the lines of communicate before the event.

 

SmallBizLady: Given the popularity of social media, how important is showing up face-to-face these days?

Liz Lynch: It’s true that we’ve all have gotten a lot more comfortable doing business online and working with people whom we’ve never met. What I’ve found, however, is that face-to-face meetings speed up the progression of a relationship. It increases people’s desire to work with you, even if they have no idea what working with you would entail. When you have that chemistry and rapport from a face-to-face interaction, it’s easier for someone to think of you as the go-to person in your field, and to want to work with you or partner with you in some capacity.

One of the ways you can tell that face-to-face is still very relevant is by the number of social networking conferences there are all over the world. Even people who love to network online and are very comfortable doing so, still want to get together in person. And that’s a good thing because I believe the combination of both is extremely powerful.


SmallBizLady: What are some power tips for networking at events?

Liz Lynch: A big reason people don’t attend events is they feel awkward, they may be introverts and it’s hard for them to break into a crowd. Believe me, I’ve been there. The first networking event I ever attended, I lasted 5 minutes, so I definitely know the feeling of walking into a room full of strangers. So my power tip for them is to get to events early. Even 10-15 minutes before the event officially starts will make a big difference because at that point, there won’t be so many people in the room. It’s a lot easier to find someone to talk to, and before you know it, the event has built up around you and you’re at the center of things, rather than an outsider trying to break in. So that’s my power tip for introverts and anyone else who hates networking in person.

For everyone else, my biggest power tip is to pick the right events. Don’t go to an event just because it’s free or close to your office. Price and convenience shouldn’t be your criteria for attending events. Instead, find events where you’ll have a good chance of building the right relationships for your business, even if it costs you something, and even if you have to get on a plane to be there.

I’ve gone to conferences to meet one person. Someone I really wanted to partner with, but couldn’t get a hold of on the phone or by email. When I approached her at a conference where I knew she’d be speaking, we hit it off right away, and have worked together on numerous projects. I love conferences for networking because they tend to attract a high caliber of professionals, perhaps for the very reason that they do require a higher investment of time and money to attend.

 
SmallBizLady: What are the biggest pitfalls of online networking?

Liz Lynch: One of the biggest mistakes people make is not understanding that online networking is still networking, which means that there has to be two-way interaction. A lot of folks are stuck on one-way interaction, meaning they’re broadcasting out information, usually about themselves, but not engaging in conversations with their friends and followers. One of the things I look for on Twitter to determine whether I’ll follow someone is whether they talk to other people and share other resources, or posting links just to their own website and products.

It’s similar to if you went to a networking event and someone talked about themselves the whole time and never asked you a question. What would that say to you? It would give you the impression that they’re not that interested in you and all they want to do is get their message out. And if that were the case, how much do you think that person would be supportive of you and want to invest any time or effort in helping you advance your goals?

 
SmallBizLady: What are your recommendations for the best ways to use social media?

Liz Lynch: The good and the bad about social media is there aren’t any firm rules. You can choose how you want to use it, you can post whatever you want, you can connect, or not, with whomever you want. For example, some use LinkedIn to connect only with those they already know and some use it to expand their network and are willing to connect with everybody. Both approaches are totally valid depending on the goals of your business.

But just because there aren’t any firm rules, doesn’t meant there aren’t some best practices you should be following. If your intention is to use social media to build your business, there are 3 things you should spend your time doing, and everything else you should stop doing or minimize. If you’re killing hours of time playing games or watching videos of kittens, and then complaining that social media takes too much time and doesn’t work for you, you should re-evaluate what you’re doing.

The 3 ways you should be using social media are:

  1. To build credibility: The majority of your posts should be intended to increase your reputation as an expert in your field. That means posting articles and resources your followers would find helpful. And it’s totally okay to share something personal every once in a while, that’s what adds dimension to your profile and helps people connect with you on other levels, especially if they share your same interest.
  2. To keep in touch: Social media makes it easy to keep in touch with so many people in your network in just minutes a day. On Facebook, you can see which of your friends is having a birthday, and on LinkedIn you can see who just got promoted or changed jobs. And it takes seconds to say “happy birthday” or “congratulations” or to “like” a post. And when you do that, not only does the person you’re talking to see that, and they feel great that you’ve acknowledged them, but their friends and followers see that too.
  3. To add value to others: Again, it takes seconds to share a link or retweet a post on social media, which means that in seconds, you can help someone in your network spread their message. No matter how busy they may be, you’ll show up on their radar screen in a very positive way because you’ve helped them. Every little touch point helps strengthen your relationship.

 

SmallBizLady: How do you manage your time on social media?

Liz Lynch: To prevent social media from being a complete time sink, you really need two things: discipline and productivity tools. With respect to discipline, it’s the same thing most people face with email. Every time management expert tells you to set aside specific blocks in your day to check and respond to email, and you have to discipline yourself not to check it every two minutes because you’ll never get anything done. You should do the same thing with social media. Don’t have Facebook and Twitter on in the background when you’re doing work, and turn off all of your notifications so you’re not interrupted with pop-up alerts that so-and-so is now following you, or invites you to like their page.

Productivity tools that aggregate your social media feeds like Hootsuite or a new service I recently heard of called Nutshell mail, is critical, so that when you are ready to switch over to social media time, everything is in one place for you to look at and respond to.

Decide that you will set aside specific blocks in your schedule to focus on social media for your business, 15 minutes before lunch or the last 30 minutes of the day, for example. Set a timer if you have to and then train yourself to scan for relevant posts to interact with. And when that time is up, move on. Social media will suck you in only if you let it.

 

SmallBizLady: How do you get people to accept your social networking invitations? How do you choose which ones to accept?

Liz Lynch: Everyone uses social media differently and you have to respect that. Some want to use Facebook only for personal reasons, to keep up with their family and close friends. If you’re not a family member or a close friend, obviously there’s nothing you can do about it. But, they may be more open to connecting with you on LinkedIn or Twitter.

When people send you invitations, it’s up to you to decide whether to accept them or not. And you don’t have to be apologetic or feel bad about it. I used to be very closed with my LinkedIn network, accepting invitations only from people I already knew because I wanted to be able to vouch for everybody in my network. But since Smart Networking came out, I’ve become more open because people have heard me speak at an event, or saw me on TV, or read an interview in a magazine and want to connect with me. If someone sends a personalized invitation, that’s always a big plus. One of my pet peeves is when people use the default LinkedIn invitation. Take the 20 seconds and go the extra mile to write a customized note.

If someone declines or ignores your invitation, it’s most likely because you haven’t given them enough context about who you are and why you would like to connect with them. If you answer those two questions when you send your LinkedIn invitation if the first place, you’ll get a higher acceptance rate than if you just relied on the default message.

 
SmallBizLady: How does follow up play a role in networking and what’s the best way to do it?

Liz Lynch: Follow up is crucial, and the big tip here is that you have to take the lead. When you meet someone at an event, you have to make an effort to continue building the relationship and take the next step. You can’t rely on them to do it, because chances are they’ll get pulled back into their crazy-busy everyday world and never follow up with you, even if they want to. So if you want something to happen, if you think there is potential to work together in some capacity, you have to propose the next step. Suggest a follow up conversation by phone.

One of the things I like to do is find an excuse to follow up. During the initial meeting, listen closely to the things they are saying and watch specifically for openings where you can provide assistance, like sending them an article or connecting them to a resource. And then do it.

You don’t have to follow up in the same way with everyone you meet. Obviously not everyone you speak with at an event is going to be a fit with you and your business. One of the easiest ways to follow up that doesn’t take too much time, but allows you to keep the doors open is to invite folks to connect with you on LinkedIn.

 
SmallBizLady: What if you follow up with someone and they don’t respond back?

Liz Lynch: There are lots of reasons people don’t take you up on your offer for a follow up meeting or phone call. They could be very busy or just might not see a compelling reason to take that next step at that particular moment. Fortunately, with social media, you can stay connected and stay on their radar screen in very unobtrusive ways until they are ready.

 
SmallBizLady: You say that every business owner should focus on building strategic partnerships with other business. Explain what you mean by that.

Liz Lynch: There are companies out there who serve the same target market as you do, but with different services, and finding ways to partner with them can open up big sources of highly qualified leads for you. Strategic partnerships help channel more customers into your business much more quickly and easily than trying to find every lead yourself, and it’s one of the key components I cover in my talk on “Lead Generation Leverage: 3 Keys to Getting Maximum Clients from Minimum Effort.”

Leads are the lifeblood of a business. You can’t have customers until you first get leads. Of course you need a good process for converting leads into customers, but if the leads don’t come in the first place, you’re in trouble.

But, companies won’t partner with you or send you leads out of the goodness of their heart. You need to fill a need they have, and you have to be somebody they know, like and trust enough to recommend to their clients because they’re putting their reputations on the line. Positioning yourself as an attractive strategic partner isn’t all that difficult, but I’ve found that business owners don’t focus on this, and it’s a huge missed opportunity.
SmallBizLady: Given everything we discussed here, what’s the #1 piece of advice you’d like everyone to take away from this interview?

Liz Lynch: One thing I discovered early on in my journey that I tell every audience is that networking is so much easier when people come to you. You always have to be proactive, but it’s also great when opportunities fall into your lap. You have to be visible and accessible AND, you have to be someone that people want to get to know, and work with and refer business to. Every single thing I teach about networking is striving towards that goal, and encompasses everything I talked about today: show up, interact, and add value.

 
If you found this interview helpful, join us on Wednesdays 8-9pm ET follow @SmallBizChat on Twitter. Here’s how to participate in #SmallBizChat: http://bit.ly/S797e

For more tips on how start or grow your small business subscribe to Melinda Emerson’s blog http://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 Quintessence Multimedia, Melinda educates entrepreneurs and Fortune 500 companies on subjects including small business start-up, business development and social media marketing. Forbes Magazine named her #1 woman for entrepreneurs to follow on Twitter. She hosts #SmallBizChat Wednesdays on Twitter 8-9pm ET for emerging entrepreneurs. She also publishes a resource blog http://www.succeedasyourownboss.com Melinda is also bestseller author of Become Your Own Boss in 12 months; A Month-by-Month Guide to a Business That Works. 

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How to Grow a Billion Dollar Membership Site QA

By on April 26, 2012 in Grow Your Business, Mompreneurs, Q & A Interviews, SmallBizChat, Women in Business, Your Small Business

Every week as SmallBizLady, I conduct interviews with experts on my Twitter talk show #SmallBizChat. The show takes place every Wednesday on Twitter from 8-9pm ET. This is excerpted from my recent interview with Alexis Maybank @giltfounder Alexis cofounded Gilt Groupe with her best friend Alexandra Wilkis Wilson. Gilt Groupe took only four years to take the fashionista crowd by storm, transform online shopping, and attract five million members and earn a $1 billion valuation.  Previously, Alexis was an early member of the eBay team and launched eBay Canada and helped launch eBay motors; She has a B.A. from Harvard College and an MBA from Harvard Business School. She has appeared on CBS-TV, CNN and other networks. She and her cofounder recently authored BY INVITATION ONLY: How We Built Gilt and Changed the Way Millions Shop (Portfolio; 2012) www.giltfounders.com Alexis shares tales from her wild ride of launching a hyper-growth startup.

 

SmallBizLady: Gilt Groupe took both the fashion and e-commerce industries by storm with such a simple idea.  How did you do it?

Alexis Maybank: My partner and I were inspired by the popularity of New York’s designer sample sales, and we wanted to make this popular local pastime available online to customers throughout the US.  Gilt Groupe was designed to offer highly coveted fashion labels at insider prices to a passionate group of consumers. Today we’ve evolved to become a website selling diverse luxury lifestyle products to customers around the world.

 

SmallBizLady: In just 4 years you attracted 5 million members and a $1 billion valuation. What is it that sets Gilt Groupe apart?

Alexis Maybank: The most critical factor contributing to our success was its founding team. In addition, we enlisted the industry’s leading and most coveted brands to sell on our site, for the first time sought to curate the best of a season or collection and not feature everything, tapped cutting edge viral and social marketing techniques to scale the customer base quickly, and used leading site creative to cultivate a leading luxury brand online.

 

SmallBizLady: Common advice is to never go into business with friends or family, but you have turned that on its head.  How has it worked for you?

Alexis Maybank: In a startup, it is absolutely critical to be able to trust and rely on your co founders and/or team. If you are considering going into business with a friend or family member, you are likely to put a lot on the line. It is important to communicate. Lay out any potential issues or concerns on the table and talk about them in detail. We did this because people told us to have these discussions, but we were never all that concerned about working together. It is important to think about the context of your friendship. In our case, we were friends from business school, so we had seen each other’s work ethic and drive in action, and we were familiar with each other’s basic business acumen. Most important, we each had seen the other at our best and worst and knew we would not encounter any surprises as we hit the inevitable highs and lows any start-up faces as it grows. Our confidence and trust in each other was absolute.

 

SmallBizLady: You talk about relationships and execution being keys to your success. Why are these two factors so important?

Alexis Maybank: Relationships were absolutely critical to the success of Gilt. Our relationships with the fashion community were necessary in convincing brands to sell their wares on Gilt. Our relationships with friends were important because they helped to form our early base of members and customers of the site. Our relationships also enabled us to find and recruit top talent in all functional areas, from merchandising to marketing to operations technology and finance.  Execution is key; ideas are cheap.  We knew that we needed to execute our vision better than our competitors, and we started having competitors enter our industry very quickly.

 

SmallBizLady: Gilt Groupe’s success was largely built during the recession. What advice do you have for someone starting their business in this economy?

Alexis Maybank: There is no better time than now to pursue an idea you are deeply passionate about, and in fact there are many sources of financing available now to would-be-entrepreneurs. If you have an idea, here are some things that you might consider in determining if now is the right time to pursue it. First the idea should be easy for you to explain in one sentence to a friend or colleague.  Second, does this concept exist in any shape or form already? Why or why not? Take an honest look at the marketplace. Who else is out there? Has someone already tried this and failed—and if so, why? Have times changed? Sometimes an idea can be too ahead of its time and advanced for the market. Importantly, can you test your idea before overinvesting, just to make sure? These days the best way to make sure that the time is right for your idea is to get it out there and see what people think. Getting customer feedback from the start will help you build a better product, one that will maximize your investment.

 

SmallBizLady: In your book you discuss the value of naysayers especially early on in building the company.  Can you explain their value? 

Alexis Maybank: Don’t get discouraged by the people who tell you your idea will never work. Instead listen to them and see if you can apply any of their thinking into refining and improving your strategy. If you can anticipate pitfalls and those hard questions you will get from investors and partners alike in advance and more importantly be ready with great, well-thought-through answers, then you will be better equipped for the challenges ahead.

 

SmallBizLady: With the tech industry still being predominantly male, what are some of the unique challenges you faced getting started? 

Alexis Maybank: We launched a business initially targeting female customers; in fact we were precisely the target demographic. This was very clearly an advantage as we understood the consumer mindset better than anyone. Beyond that it can be more challenging raising money as a woman. Women led 28 percent of all U.S. businesses in 2002. Yet female entrepreneurs historically receive less of the invested dollars coming from venture capital firms, estimates are as little as four to nine percent.  So while this is clearly a challenge, keep in mind that as a female you are more likely to be a more memorable party pitching the partnership as there are not as many women to walk through there doors to begin with!

 

SmallBizLady: Entrepreneurs think that venture capitalists invest in ideas, but you argue they really invest in people.  So what makes them want to invest in someone? 

Alexis Maybank: Because there’s so little due diligence that can be done on most new start-ups, it’s natural that VCs concentrate most on the team involved. Many investors like to see a track record of success and will use this to guide them. Drive, ambition, leadership potential, integrity and the ability to motivate others are also important traits for an entrepreneur. You need to focus on the background and skill sets of the key team members in order to convince investors that you are the right team to back.

 

SmallBizLady: Growth is something all small business owners work towards, but growing too quickly can be detrimental.  How can this be avoided?

Alexis Maybank: There are two areas where you see companies suffer when growing too rapidly. The first is not anticipating the right type of people they will need to lead various teams or functions, hiring them too late or making the wrong choices in hiring.  Hire fast enough, but do not over-hire, and invest in recruiting the right talent so you do not have to rehire later, which is often a time consuming and sometimes costly mistake.  Second, if you grow too rapidly and are not investing enough in making sure your business infrastructure is strong enough then you can find yourself ground to a halt when the site crashes, the orders outpace what you can ship out in an acceptable time, or your accounting systems fail and lead to detrimental errors in expense reporting or others. Try to anticipate what could “break” next and get rigorous as a team in shifting focus fast enough to address these problems.

 

SmallBizLady: What advice can you offer for how to spot a trend that could reinvent an industry?

Alexis Maybank: There are no simple formulas here.  However if you are intimately familiar with an industry or a customer group, and you recognize a really tough problem that is universally faced or a so-called pain point that confronts all, and you have a pretty good solution that you could introduce or build better than the existing alternatives, then you are probably on to something important.  Some of these problems could have been left for dead or abandoned, and sometimes people need to just take a fresh look at them.

 

SmallBizLady: Can anyone transform a personal passion like shopping into a business?
Alexis Maybank: Not all personal passions should be transformed into a business, but if you think that your passion has a viable market, then explore it, and perhaps find someone who could join you in your venture. We believe doing a start-up with someone you trust is so much more rewarding and fun than going at a business alone.

 

SmallBizLady: What role should style play in a professional woman’s career?

Alexis Maybank: Style is important, not only in terms of looking well groomed and put together in a manner true to who you are as a person, but more importantly personal leadership style. In the book we discuss differences in leadership styles. Not every approach will work for every woman, but over time one can hone in on what feels natural and what is effective in reaching your goals and standing out amongst the crowd.  If you are true to your nature in presentation and style, then you feel most comfortable, and are inevitably at your most confident – the key ingredient to true style.

 

SmallBizLady: Gilt Groupe has since expanded beyond fashion with sister sites such as Jetsetter.com for travel and GiltCity.com for local deals and finds.  Was this always part of the plan?

Alexis Maybank: We have always been close to our customers. We both spend a lot of time with our members, listening to their perspective and ideas and responding to their feedback, as well as investing in regular customer research. Our members communicated clearly that they were not only interested in fashion and decorative items, but they lived or aspired to live a luxury lifestyle which included travel, local experiences, food and wine. We incorporated this feedback into our business and our offerings.

 

SmallBizLady: What are some tips you can share to help people maintain their corporate culture during major company growth?

Alexis Maybank: It is not always easy to maintain a corporate culture as a company grows, but it is important and is absolutely worth the investment. Establishing a vision and a mission and regularly communicating them to the employee base and to potential hires is important. Think about company culture when hiring. The cultural fit for a candidate is just as important, and sometimes even more important, than the candidate’s skill set.  The best way to select individuals who fit your company’s culture is to include employees in the hiring process who embody the culture and are really good at vetting for certain values in the hiring process.  Make sure they are involved in training new hires, too.  You can even do something as simple as hosting lunch or after-work cocktails.  No matter what however, the company’s culture will always be a reflection of the leader or leadership. So you must lead based on what you value culturally.  Any disconnect will lead to a shift, even if not intended.

 

SmallBizLady: What challenges is Gilt currently facing and what are you doing to overcome them?

Alexis Maybank: Our site has always centered on the excitement of fresh inventory daily at insider prices and our customers know we have selected the best of the best from a collection or a designer, so they don’t have to look at everything or spend hours shopping.  It’s a simple, fast and fun experience that revolutionized online shopping.  As we grow into more lifestyle categories and offer hundreds of sales weekly now, we must focus on keeping the shopping experience as exhilarating, speedy and entertaining. This means we have to invest heavily in anticipating what each customer wants to shop for when s/he visits our site.  People want to see the 15 sales best for them – not everything — and feel ‘wow, Gilt really knows me.’  Therefore we are investing in understanding people’s preferences and shopping patterns so that we can deliver the most personalized shopping experience on the web to each person and allow her / him to discover the right products quickly.

If you found this interview helpful, join us on Wednesdays 8-9pm ET follow @SmallBizChat on Twitter.  Here’s how to participate in #Smallbizchat http://bit.ly/S797e 

For more tips on how start or grow your small business subscribe to Melinda Emerson’s blog http://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 Quintessence Multimedia, Melinda educates entrepreneurs and Fortune 500 companies on subjects including small business start-up, business development and social media marketing. Forbes Magazine named her #1 woman for entrepreneurs to follow on Twitter. She hosts #SmallBizChat Wednesdays on Twitter 8-9pm ET for emerging entrepreneurs. She also publishes a resource blog http://www.succeedasyourownboss.com Melinda is also bestseller author of Become Your Own Boss in 12 months; A Month-by-Month Guide to a Business That Works.

 

 

 

 

 

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12 Bible Verses Every Small Business Owner Needs For 2012

By on April 9, 2012 in Business Inspiration, Grow Your Business, My Recommendations, Women in Business

I normally do this post at the top of the year, but I was inspired to wait until now.  With Easter upon us, I though this post would be particularly meaningful at this time of year.   My religious theme for 2012 is, “Either I win or I learn, but with God’s help I never lose.”

I pray that you are inspired by God’s word.  Your faith in yourself and your business are key to your long-term success. Starting a small business is a spiritual journey. You should pick a verse that will inspire you. I thought it would be helpful to share some of my favorites. Use these bible verses in the good and tough times in your small business.

  1. Deuteronomy 8:18 NIV But remember the LORD your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your ancestors, as it is today.  All of our skills and special talents that we use in our businesses are all given to us by God.  He gives us the ability to make money and cut deals.  He did it for our parents and mentors and he does it for us too.
  2. Romans 12:2 NIV Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.  The bible commands us to be innovative in our businesses. We should not ever try to be like anyone else. The world is still waiting on a better mousetrap, and we should never rest on our successes. We must renew ourselves by being lifelong learners and reading constantly.
  3. I Thessalonians 5:16-19 NIV Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances; this is the will of God for your life.  It is important to have a prayerful life as an entrepreneur; it will help you on those days when things do not go your way.  You need to have the strength to thank God, even when you do not win that big contract. God protects us when we do not get opportunities that we think we can’t survive without. Always be grateful.
  4. Proverbs 16:18 NIV Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.  Many entrepreneurs struggle with pride. Do not be afraid to tell clients or employees that you do not know the answer. Try to diffuse any issues with truth and by taking full responsibility for fixing the problem.  Never let your ego get in the way of doing what’s in the best interest of your business.
  5. II Corinthians 9:8 NIV And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. God always delivers to us what we need in order to do our best work.  Sometimes he sends a check we need just in time, and other times he sends us creativity to find the best solution to our challenges. Trust in the Lord at all times.
  6. II Timothy 1:7 NIV For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline. Fear is the enemy of entrepreneurship. God wants us to go out with the power he gives us to pursue our ideas in business.
  7. Hebrews 12:11 NIV No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it. You must be fiscally disciplined in business. You cannot put all your hard work at risk by not being focused on your big picture goals and your monthly sales goals. It is painful at times, but it will produce quite a harvest.
  8. I Corinthians 9:24 NIV Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Running a business is hard. It’s a marathon not a sprint. There will be plenty of stumbling blocks in your way. Everyone trips and falls while running this race, but winners get up faster than everyone else. You must do what you need to do to win your race.
  9. Mark 5:36 NIV Overhearing what they said, Jesus told them, “Don’t be afraid; just believe.” There will be times when you are the only person who believes in your business dream. Don’t be afraid. Believe in yourself and your business idea.
  10. Ecclesiastes 11:4 AMP He who observes the wind [and waits for all conditions to be favorable] will not sow, and he who regards the clouds will not reap. You must be willing to make decisions in your small business. No one is going to come along and do it for you.  Make hard decisions quickly, so you can move on to doing the work needed to help your customers.
  11. Proverbs 11:14 NIRV Without the guidance of good leaders a nation falls. But many good advisers can save it. It is critical to have a kitchen cabinet of advisors for your small business. Your business will not survive on your experience alone. Pull together four to five people who are invested in your success. The group should include an existing entrepreneur, a customer, a mentor, a lawyer and a accountant. Seek out a mastermind group or peer to peer mentoring program to help as well.
  12. Philippians 4:13 NKJV I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Whenever you struggle with your self-confidence read this bible verse to yourself.  There will be times in your business when you need to force yourself to stretch beyond what you think is possible. You can do it. I believe in you.

Do you have any other bible verses that inspire you? Please share.

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

Melinda F. Emerson, known to many as SmallBizLady is one of America’s leading small business experts. As a seasoned entrepreneur, Melinda Emerson "SmallBizLady"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 Quintessence Multimedia, Melinda educates entrepreneurs and Fortune 500 companies on subjects including small business start-up, business development and social media marketing. Forbes Magazine named her #1 woman for entrepreneurs to follow on Twitter. She hosts #SmallBizChat Wednesdays on Twitter 8-9pm ET for emerging entrepreneurs. She also publishes a resource blog http://www.succeedasyourownboss.com Melinda is also bestseller author of Become Your Own Boss in 12 months; A Month-by-Month Guide to a Business That Works.

 

 

 

 

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How to Be Successful as a Franchise Owner with Dina Dwyer-Owens

By on March 22, 2012 in Mompreneurs, Q & A Interviews, SmallBizChat, Starting A Small Business, Women in Business

Every week as SmallBizLady, I conduct interviews with experts on my Twitter talk show #SmallBizChat. The show takes place every Wednesday on Twitter from 8-9pm ET. This is excerpted from my recent interview with @DinaDwyerOwens.  She’s the Chairwoman and CEO of The Dwyer Group www.dwyergroup.com over such well-known service brands as Mr. Rooter, Aire Serv Heating and Air Conditioning, and Glass Doctor. She is also a past chairwoman of the International Franchise Association in Washington D.C., the world’s largest advocacy group for franchising. She’s the author of Live R.I.C.H.: How to build success in your company and your life with a proven Code of Values. And many people now know her form her appearance earlier this year on the CBS hit reality show “Undercover Boss” where she went on the front lines of her business in search of her company’s Code of Values at work. For more information www.dinadwyerowens.com

 

Smallbizlady: What exactly is franchising?

Dina Dwyer-Owens: Franchising is a business strategy – a method of distributing products or services. The “franchisor” lends a trademark, trade name and business system. The “franchisee” pays an initial fee and ongoing royalty for the right to do business under the franchisor’s name and system.

 

Smallbizlady: Where do I start if I want to buy a franchise?

Dina Dwyer-Owens: The best place to start is by finding something that you’re passionate about — something that you can look forward to doing every day. That is true of any career. But it is even more powerful when you plan to be your own boss and invest in a franchise! There are over 825,000 franchise businesses across 300 business lines, so the key is identifying which franchise opportunity best fits you and your personal and professional desires.

  1.  Visit www.franchise.org – the website for the International Franchise Associate to look at franchise opportunities.
  2. Talk to existing franchise owners of concepts that interest you.
  3. Request a Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD), a document required by law that details the franchise opportunity.

 

Smallbizlady: What does a franchise cost?

Dina Dwyer-Owens: Investment levels range from $5,000 to multi-millions. There are home-based businesses and then there are large retail opportunities. There is something for everyone and your ability to finance an opportunity will also help define the franchise that is right for you.

 

Smallbizlady: Am I more likely to succeed with a franchise?

Dina Dwyer-Owens: Franchising is not for everyone. And buying a franchise does not automatically guarantee business success. The system works IF you work the system. You should not expect to join a recognizable brand and sit back and expect the customers to find you. A good franchise owner is still proactive about marketing the business and following a system that has been proven and replicated across a successful brand. The most successful franchises still require hard work and dedication.

 

Smallbizlady: What are the biggest advantages of owning a franchised business versus being an independent business?

Dina Dwyer-Owens: There is a popular saying that franchising is about being in business for yourself, but not by yourself. The advantages to joining a franchise include: (1) buying power with vendors that command a better price for things needed to run your business, (2) national branding and name recognition, (3) support and training from your franchisor, (4) peer-to-peer networking to share best practices with others who know your business and are not your competitors, and more.

 

Smallbizlady: What are a few important things people should know about franchising?

Dina Dwyer-Owens: A franchisee is not completely independent. The franchisee will pay ongoing royalties and advertising fees to the franchisor for the rights to operate under that business.  The term of a franchise agreement is usually limited until that time that it comes up for renewal.  And, likewise, there is often a well-traveled exit strategy at a time that a franchisee wants to retire or desires to sell his or her business.

 

Smallbizlady: Are there special programs to help assist in purchasing a franchise?

Dina Dwyer-Owens: There are several. Two that come to mind are VetFran (which was started by The Dwyer Group) and MinorityFran. VetFran is now supported by the International Franchise Association and the US Department of Veterans Affairs and the Small Business Administration. Today, more than 450 franchisors offer military veterans their best financial discount on purchasing a franchise, and more than 2,100 franchises have been awarded through the program.

MinorityFran provides one convenient place where minority prospects can explore franchise opportunities from companies actively seeking minority franchisees. The program partners with Small Business Development Centers, Urban League chapters, and Minority Business Development Agencies among others.

Then there are also franchisors (like at The Dwyer Group) that assist in providing financing.

 

Smallbizlady: What are some of the latest trends in franchising?

Dina Dwyer-Owens: In today’s economy, it’s increasingly difficult to secure a loan for a small business – even for people with perfect credit. Yet small businesses in America are what have led our country through tough economic times again and again. As bank lending remains tight, franchisors and franchisees are working together to help people into business. At The Dwyer Group, we have always offered financing to qualified prospects. And there is a growing number of people across franchising who are taking advantage of programs like VetFran and other discounts, because together we are making the business world stronger.
Smallbizlady: You have coined the phrase “Live RICH” Can your define that?

Dina Dwyer-Owens: At The Dwyer Group, we operate our businesses with a Code of Values, based on the themes of Respect, Integrity, Customer Focus and Having Fun in the Process. That is what it means to Live RICH, and it’s at the heart of our corporate culture. I consider it a big reason why we are successful across our brands. We do not claim to be perfect, but our values provide us a roadmap to follow that allows us to do our very best. And I’ve written about it to share it with others in my book Live RICH.

 

Smallbizlady: You are the second generation in your family to run your company, in a male-dominated industry, no less. How do you do it?

Dina Dwyer-Owens: I surround myself with a great team, and each team member brings strengths to our organization that work together to create a great company and successful service brands. As for being a woman in my industry, I am also the target customer for our service brands. I am the woman of the house who hires our service brands in a majority of the jobs our franchisees perform. That is a wonderful perspective that we have embraced across our franchise family in putting “Customers First.” For the woman of the house, concerns go beyond just a service repair. There’s a branded van, a service professional in a clean uniform, booties worn in the house, a doormat with a logo and so much more that enhance the customer experience. Being a woman is a win-win in leading an organization that supports this level of service.

 

Smallbizlady: How did you define success in your 30s and How do you define it now?

Dina Dwyer-Owens: In my 30s it was about proving myself capable in the tasks of leadership. It was about attracting private equity and getting back to our roots in focusing on our core service brands. I traveled a lot. I was away from home a lot. But all the work by our team laid the foundation for an even stronger future. In my 40s, success is about growing our team and our brands to the next level with our next private equity partner. It’s championing what we know, which in fact has given me more time to prioritize. I still work hard, but I make more time for my family and my faith on a regular basis. I have more balance today, which I call a huge success.

 

Smallbizlady: If you could stand on a roof and shout small business advice to the audience below what would you say?

Dina Dwyer-Owens: Small business is empowering, and we need much more of it. Small business is the future. We’ve heard enough about the ills of Wall Street. Now it’s time to get back to Main Street and honor the men and women who are truly the backbone of our economy. More people want to be their own boss, want to determine their own destinies, want to create desirable workplaces and do things they are passionate about. Small business is championing those answers.

 

If you found this interview helpful, join us on Wednesdays 8-9pm ET follow @SmallBizChat on Twitter.  Here’s how to participate in #Smallbizchat http://bit.ly/S797e 

For more tips on how start or grow your small business subscribe to Melinda Emerson’s blog http://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. Forbes Magazine recently named her one of the Top 20 women for entrepreneurs to follow on Twitter. She hosts #SmallBizChat Wednesdays on Twitter 8-9pm ET for emerging entrepreneurs. She also 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 To Be A Pregnant Entrepreneur – #Smallbizchat QA with Darla DeMorrow

By on January 19, 2012 in Mompreneurs, Q & A Interviews, SmallBizChat, Women in Business

Every week as SmallBizLady, I conduct interviews with experts on my Twitter talk show #SmallBizChat. The show takes place every Wednesday on Twitter from 8-9pm ET. This is excerpted from my recent interview with professional organizer Darla DeMorrow @DarlaDeMorrow  Darla helps people find their desktops, keys, time, money, and sanity as a certified professional organizer, but her kids still leave toys on the floor. She was a pregnant entrepreneur twice and wrote the book The Pregnant Entrepreneur. Website: www.PregnantEntrepreneur.com

Smallbizlady: Once I realize that I’m pregnant , who should I tell and when?

 

Darla DeMorrow:  Disclosure of your news requires a plan.  Start with your spouse, then family when the time is right.  Tell employees, then clients.  Then figure that everyone else will already have heard the news, but still be prepared to tell people.  Don’t let people wonder too long, especially employees and key clients.  You want to assure them that there is a plan for business continuation.  Unfortunately, there is still a stereotype that most women decide to stay home after having children, even if that isn’t reality. It’s unbelievable, but you may be discriminated against for being pregnant, and you may not even know it.  But it’s almost never worth pursuing, other than to perform your best, just as you always have.

Smallbizlady: What kinds of things should I spend my time on while pregnant, getting ready for change?

Darla DeMorrow:  In your first trimester, start any new projects that can better sustain the business, especially passive income streams that you might want to develop. In your second trimester, wrap up any major projects and secure any agreements with colleagues or suppliers.  In your third trimester, spend time on building relationships, scheduling business for your return from maternity leave, and putting finishing touches on any new passive revenue streams.

Smallbizlady: How long will I be able to work while pregnant?

Darla DeMorrow:  Every pregnancy is different, but with good health, most women will work right up until delivery.  Physical changes do start almost immediately, though, so the golden rule is to listen to your body and don’t do something if it stresses your body.  Although I was able to do much of my normal workload right up until my ninth month, I did find that I was accomplishing work much more slowly.  So if you work alone much of the time, consider bringing in an assistant to help speed things up, even if you are otherwise healthy.

Smallbizlady: How long of a maternity leave can I take?

Darla DeMorrow:  The good news: you decide how long you can take.  Your bank account determines how long you can afford to take.  Do a review of your bank account to see how long your business savings will allow you to run the business and still pay the bills. Decide how to increase revenues or cut expenses if you want to take a longer leave.  If you aren’t good with numbers, use the Maternity Planning Guide I developed to help figure it out. The guide is in The Pregnant Entrepreneur and downloadable free at www.PregnantEntrepreneur.com . If you have the opportunity to establish any passive income streams now, like books, virtual consulting, tele-training and paid subscription programs, they may be able to add income even while you are not working.

Smallbizlady: Will I be able to run my business, even with a pregnancy and with a child?

Darla DeMorrow:  Yes, if you want to.  The keys will be organization, focus, and support. Talk to other business owners.  Read what you can.  Write down your plans for the business. Do it now.  Most women will tell you that flexibility is the most important factor as their family grows, and you probably already have high flexibility as a business owner, so you are ahead of the game.

Smallbizlady: Will anyone else help pay for maternity leave?

Darla DeMorrow:  Sadly, no.  Unemployment and health insurance don’t cover maternity leave for the self-employed.  If you aren’t yet pregnant, you might be able to buy a disability policy to cover time off, but do the math to see if it will pay enough to cover your loss of income.  Start with your insurance carrier or a local benefits and insurance broker to research this, but do it before you
get pregnant.

Who else can help me run the business, even if I am a sole proprietor? Get a team together.  Think like a big company and list out who your key suppliers and subcontractors are.  Figure out if any of them might be able to service clients while you are out.  Forge relationships with competitors to enable new clients to get serviced and old clients to get help.  Consider earning referral fees if you are willing to refer clients out to  Consider hiring help.

Smallbizlady: What if I don’t want to continue to run the business? When should I not continue?

Darla DeMorrow:  Being an entrepreneur is great, but only if you are profitable.  If your review of the business shows a deficit, and you can’t or don’t want to make changes to the business for profitability, then close the business without regret.  According to the SBA, 50% of small businesses close after just five years in business.  That doesn’t signal failure, but keeping an unprofitable business running while you could spend time on a new business or with your precious newborn is not a smart choice. This time will never come again. Having the option to devote time to your family is a luxury, and can be cherished.

Smallbizlady: I had a very difficult pregnancy and was on bed rest for nearly 6 months.  What advice do you have for entrepreneurs who run into complications?

Darla DeMorrow:  Complications that put you out of work are relatively rare, although they do happen.  Plan for the worst, from how you will handle clients or employees to the reserves that you’ll need to close operations for a while, should you run into trouble.  If you do get a bed rest prescription, talk with your doctor about how much work you should be doing, even with the help of today’s technology. Really, as a business owner, you should have a plan B anyway.  Anyone can run into events that would disrupt a business, from a death in the family to a car accident.  We don’t want to think about it, but successful business owners do.

Smallbizlady: Should I still try run my business with a small child?

Darla DeMorrow:  Yes!  If you are passionate about what you do, then your business will continue to be fun and rewarding, and possibly even a welcome break from all the pregnancy and baby craziness.  If you are profitable, even a little bit, the flexibility that you gain from owning your own business will be worth so much more when you have to work around another small person.  If you are passionate, you have a better chance of being successful than established businesses in your field.

Smallbizlady: What do I need to know about those first few weeks with my newborn?

Darla DeMorrow:  Turn off the technology. Everything changes, so plan but be flexible.  Give yourself a chance to unplug.  Six weeks is absolutely not enough time to get used to the new normal and handle a full work load.  Have a backup plan in place if you need to take a little longer getting your bearings.  You may want to keep in touch with key contacts, but don’t immediately jump back into the fray if you don’t have to.

Smallbizlady: What is the one thing you must do as a pregnant entrepreneur?

Darla DeMorrow:  If you don’t already do this, pay yourself.  Mark your paydays on the calendar.  Pay yourself when you sit down to pay your bills, once or twice a month.  Write yourself a check or get to the bank and withdraw cash.  If you haven’t started taking a salary from your business, start now, even if it is only $25 per week.  You’ve probably been pouring all of your profits back into the business, but you deserve a paycheck, too.  This becomes super important since you will probably need more income now, whether for necessities or just cute little baby outfits.  But if you are going to stay in business for the years to come, it has to be worth it, and working for free isn’t fun for long.  Make it pay for you and your family.

 

If you found this interview helpful, join us on Wednesdays 8-9pm ET follow @SmallBizChat on Twitter. Here’s how to participate in #SmallBizChat: http://bit.ly/S797e

For more tips on how start or grow your small business subscribe to Melinda Emerson’s blog http://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 Quintessence Multimedia, Melinda educates entrepreneurs and Fortune 500 companies on subjects including small business start-up, business development and social media marketing. Forbes Magazine named her #1 woman for entrepreneurs to follow on Twitter. She hosts #SmallBizChat Wednesdays on Twitter 8-9pm ET for emerging entrepreneurs. She also publishes a resource blog http://www.succeedasyourownboss.com Melinda is also bestseller author of Become Your Own Boss in 12 months; A Month-by-Month Guide to a Business That Works.

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How to Simplify Your Life in 2012- Q/A with Allyson Lewis

By on January 5, 2012 in Become Your Own Boss Tips, Women in Business

Every week as SmallBizLady, I conduct interviews with experts on my Twitter talk show #SmallBizChat. The show takes place every Wednesday on Twitter from 8-9pm ET. This is excerpted from my recent interview with Allyson Lewis @Allyson7Minutes Allyson has spent the last 29 years developing and teaching concrete, actionable business ideas all over the country. As a successful wife, mom, business owner and time management expert, this wasn’t pie in the sky talk, it was survival as she learned to juggle priorities. In her latest book, The 7 Minute Solution: Creating a Life with Meaning 7 Minutes at a Time, Allyson Lewis shares strategies to help you Prioritize, Organize and Simplify® your life for greater meaning and productivity. Enjoy the worksheets, webinars, and more – subscribe to the downloads for Member Tools area of her website www.The7MinuteLife.com 

Smallbizlady:  Why is understanding the power of 7 Minutes important for Small businesses? 

To experience a more meaningful life, you must consciously choose what you will pay attention to each moment. In business, what you focus on determines your level of fulfillment, productivity, and success. Most of the actions that consistently empower businesses are micro actions, actions that take less than 7 minutes to accomplish, yet in their simplicity, they are often overlooked. When we as business owners, become very focused on microactions, they get us moving. They are the starting point, and the difference between being stuck (doing nothing) and taking action and moving forward.  Making small changes, microactions, in your thoughts, expectations, and actions can compound to make monumental changes in your business life. If you focus on microactions, deliberate small steps, tiny steps, because they are doable, achievable, they do not overwhelm you and your business moves forward. Prioritize, Organize, Simplify ™ is the first concept The 7 Minute Solution focuses. Setting in motion microactions each day such as:

  • Outline a daily plan of action for specific business tasks to engage forward progress
  • Thank a co-worker or customer for their service or efforts
  • Build time each day to catch up or finish a task that may have been waiting for attention
  • Eating your meals, and drinking water, with time for short breaks for snacks…choosing health

Microactions add up, they compound in business and in your personal life. They train your brain to succeed by repetitive awareness of paths to success.

Smallbizlady:  How can getting control of your time & your MORE meaningful life improve business success?
Neuroplasticity is the capability of your brain to create new neural connections, to rewire itself for success or failure. When we strategize, organize, and simplify what we expect of ourselves each day in time management, we teach ourselves literally how to succeed in business. When we set small actionable microactions in our daily routines, we focus on five values based microactions before eleven o’clock. Those five focused actions literally in ninety days give us the opportunity to have 450 small changes towards goals we specifically identify. How many of us would find tremendous value in 450 consistent steps towards success every 90 days. Business success can be learned, business success is dependent upon hundreds of microactions that allow for customer service, sales, follow ups, accounting, etc. The majority of problems that hinder small business success are solvable, inactivity or lack of consistent action on the tasks you do know how to do, often are more destructive than the challenges business owners face that they are unsure how to accomplish.

Smallbizlady:  What would you advise entrepreneurs and small business owners to do to simplify 2012?

The requirements of small business can be overwhelming if a lack of focused attention on the priorities of your business are not engaged.  There are literally hundreds of things you can list that are a part of your success in business, but if most of us are focused, it boils down to five things:

  1. I think the first priority for every small business person should be to take the 50,000 foot view and it begins with thinking.
  2. Taking time to think without distraction or taking time to think with FULL attention will allow you to clarify your strategic plan.
  3. With your strategic plan, you can set boundaries for a clear path that leads to a meaningful destination.
  4. Next, prioritize your plan into high value activities to achieve your objective, take seven minutes each day to create a written daily plan of action so you will be much more likely on what is most important to your success.
  5. Finally, you cannot do 100 activities a day. Commit to accomplishing 5 high value activities before 11 am each day. We call these completing these your 5 before 11.

There are hundreds of microactions to support those five steps, but until the first sale is paid for, business is about finding out what you do, connecting clients who need what you do, and how to deliver that product, service, or consultation for a profitable payment.  It is very easy to spend an inordinate amount of time wishing you had clients, but when you shift into a specific, measureable, actionable expectation goals each day such as  “I will greet each person with smile and “How can I assist you?” or “I will call 10 of our clients to see if they need assistance and to make them aware of our current offer” we move from overwhelmed to on target for success. Imagine how doing 5 of these actions before 11 a.m. each day. How many of you have actually called, or checked up on 900 of your clients or potentials in the last 90 days? Could you see the value of consistent achievable microactions for your business?

Smallbizlady:  What is the biggest mistake you see small business owners making about their time usage?

The mistake I believe most of us make until we are aware of the issue is to over-schedule and over estimate what we can accomplish in a day. Just as we cannot play 24/7, we also cannot plan to work effectively without time for life as well as work. We need time for meaningful relationships, health, fun, play, etc.  So many business owners are beginning from the position of a side job or second job as they build their new business. My own career as an author, speaker, and facilitator is on the side of another full time role. I had to learn to truly become aware of the high value activities I could engage with my authoring.  There were many overwhelming things that could simply keep me making circles with no result until I learned that by focusing on what the high value activities are for the outcomes I desired, I could truly simplify how much time effective actions take.  It may take you all month long to worry about how a website should look, but it may only take visiting 6 websites of business websites you enjoy using, or ones that are like your business to know what you do and don’t won’t as you design your own. In my own experience, after 7 minutes of looking, browsing, and thinking about it, I was prepared to find out how to engage those qualities into my own. Did I complete a new website in 7 minutes? No. The website took longer, but I didn’t spend weeks and weeks thinking about needing it, I began where I was and we went forward in small, incremental steps until it was where it functioned in a way that was supportive.


Smallbizlady:  The favorite thing I learned from your book, is your 5 before 11 rule? Can you explain that?

The five before eleven process engages five meaningful high value activities into your day before eleven a.m. Those microactions are focused on  supporting the life you seek to live. By making them a priority, you are actively seeking to support the MORE life you identify as your goals to living and supporting a MORE life.

Smallbizlady:  How did The 7 Minute Solution come to be?

The 7 Minute Solution became the roadmap of my journey to create more meaning in my life. The Seven Minute Difference, the first book in this trilogy of tools, focused on how to make time for life.  After six years of focusing on how to get more into my day and helping businesses function effectively, I realized I wanted more than just more things done, I wanted MORE purpose, MORE joy, MORE family time, MORE meaning, MORE focused life goals, not just more done.  I wanted to learn how to bring more sustained attention to the values and life engagements I have identified as important to me. Completing a project, task, or goal using sustained attention carries an emotional reward. When you complete those tasks your body rewards you with chemicals called endorphins that give you a sense of well-being. I wanted that sense of well-being to exist in my daily life in many areas of my life.

Smallbizlady:  Why isn’t simple time management enough?

Each of us have passion driven purposes and we are empowered and happier when we engage them daily . Meaning and purpose are different for each person. Knowing what is most important to you is the beginning of the MORE life. You probably already know what you truly think is important, but you may not have approached your to-do list with activities that support those values in mind. As we learn to focus on those values, and provide supportive systems to engage those values in our daily life activities, we begin to live our values. When we live our values in our daily existence, our lives reflect more joy, more fulfillment, more success, more of the things and activities that we appreciate…a MORE meaningful life.

Smallbizlady: Why is it important to use a daily planner in business?

When you work in microactions that identify measurable, doable goals, you can improve your income, business, and enjoyment of life. We become what we repetitively do, think, act on. If we focus on the lack of clients without making microactions to create a new customer list or base, we continue to be in lack. If we use a system planner to help us focus, stay on priorities, and review success actions daily, we move our business forward and our life begins to support our desire for success.  When we choose high value activities and write them down, we hold ourselves more accountable to measuring the microactions that lead to progress on our goals.

Smallbizlady: How can the 7 minute solution help with goal setting?

What would it be like to step back for a time and THINK? How different would your business and personal life be if you could consciously plan what to pay attention to consistently? Goal setting  is about focusing your attention to success in business and in life. Knowing why you do what you choose to do will give you a harness to unlock the power of intention.  If your intention is to increase customer repeat business, setting micro action goals such as verbal appreciation to each transaction, a followup call, email, or thank you postcard, and/or customer reward based surveys to check how you are doing may be appropriate goals to support the desire to have more repeat interactions. By knowing the macro goals, the micro actions become very easy to focus and move forward with as you engage the 7 minute solutions.

Smallbizlady: How does your first book The 7 minute Difference compare to this new book the 7 Minute Solution?

The first book was about the “what” actions for time management, new book shares how and why to do those actions. The 7 Minute Difference was about what time efficiency would look like in business. After several years of training and the changes in real time media 24/7, I realized that a new path would have to include choosing value based activities with the understanding that a MORE life for me was more than simply performing in business. I wanted MORE meaning, MORE fun, MORE time with family, MORE giving and other activities that have a high emotional payoff for a meaningful life. This book gives you the “HOW” and “WHY” of how to implement that learning.
Smallbizlady: Do you have tools, free materials or a planner to review for small businesses?

It is my goal to provide as many tools in as many modalities of learning for people who want to find their MORE life as a service to our readers. Our online version and applications for ipad and for smart phones are underway.  We are constantly developing, updating, improving and providing new resources for those who seek them at absolutely a “no strings attached” model.  You can download the first chapter of the book, use tools to support your desired changes and even download the planner with no expectation of purchase. Of course, we believe once you learn The 7 Minute Solution concepts and tools, you’ll never want to be without them! Our team members are as diverse as this audience in age, background, and culture, we know the value of developing the tools so that each person finds one designed for their learning style and experiences.

What would your final advice be for small business owners such as yourself?

Take the time to truly think through what it is that is the MORE life for you. Set goals, talk about what matters with those who matter to you.  Work through the steps to finding your purpose with the tools we provide for free in Member tools.  Take time to Prioritize, Organize, and Simplify your life goals and activities.  Your life is truly worth taking the time to consider.

FREE OFFER: Would you like to receive a download of Chapter 1 and the free member tools such as our Daily Progress Report Planner? The 7 Minute Life materials are at http://www.the7minutelife.com . We would love to you’re your MORE life goals personally and professionally for 2012 on our Facebook wall.  www.facebook.com/the7minutelife (and know that one of MY goals is to give MORE away this year, so keep checking back with us for MORE gifts we’re giving away!)

If you found this interview helpful, join us on Wednesdays 8-9pm ET follow @SmallBizChat on Twitter. Here’s how to participate in #SmallBizChat: http://bit.ly/S797e

For more tips on how start or grow your small business subscribe to Melinda Emerson’s blog http://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. Forbes Magazine recently named her one of the Top 20 women for entrepreneurs to follow on Twitter. She hosts #SmallBizChat Wednesdays on Twitter 8-9pm ET for emerging entrepreneurs. She also 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 Tips to Create a Successful 2012 Marketing Budget

By on December 6, 2011 in Branding & Marketing, Grow Your Business, Women in Business, Your Small Business

It isn’t 2012 just yet.  But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be planning for it.  For any business to be successful, it’s necessary to have a marketing budget.  And while next year seems like a far off notion today, there is no better time to start establishing how you’ll invest your marketing dollars.  Below are five tips to create an effective marketing budget (whether budgeting is your thing or not).

  1. Start planning now.  Waiting until the start of next year to do a 2012 marketing budget is a great way to have a disorganized budget that leads to mishaps.  You need time to walk away from your initial budgeting ideas so you can come back to them with a clear head.  And when the numbers don’t add up (and often they don’t) you need time to develop a solution.
  2. Assess this year’s budget.  One way to get started with next year’s budget is to have a grasp of what was hot and what was not during 2011.  Were there areas you went well over budget?  Were there categories in which you never spent a dime?  Although this year’s activity isn’t an exact prediction of next year’s results, looking at your current expenses let’s you know where to make adjustments.
  3. Include an income column.  Not all marketing is an expense.  When you host a webinar or luncheon and charge people to attend, you are not only marketing your business but also deriving income from that activity.  Knowing what efforts bring in money is a great way to assess their impact on your business.  It also shows what is worth continuing and what needs to be scrapped.  If none of your marketing activities include income, it’s time to strategize a few income-producing endeavors.
  4. Expect the unexpected.  Keep in mind your marketing budget has many of the same characteristics as your personal budget.  No matter how well you plan for every eventuality, something will come up without notice.  Leaving a little wiggle room in your marketing budget for unexpected expenses lets you make sound decisions.  Label a special column for emergencies so the wiggle money doesn’t get needlessly spent on something frivolous for the office.
  5. Know the difference between a sound marketing strategy and a fad.  You may have your heart set on a marketing tactic, but if it doesn’t support your overall business or the numbers just aren’t showing, it’s time to let go.  If it seems that this tactic is being used by everyone else, keep in mind your business is different.  What works for one business might not work so well for another.  Know what your business needs so you can develop a unique, hard-to-copy marketing approach.

Creating a marketing budget (or any kind of budget, for that matter) is often NOT at the top of someone’s “favorites” to-do list.  But with persistence and a willingness to get started early, the process can help you build a solid foundation for the upcoming year.

By day Morgan Leu Parkhurst helps individuals put the pieces of their marketing puzzles together.  By night she teaches marketing to entrepreneurs.  Morgan is also   producer of the Magnetic Biz-Building Online Summit.  Connect with her on LinkedIn.

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Are You on the Path to Reinventing Your Small Business?

By on November 15, 2011 in Branding & Marketing, Business Inspiration, Grow Your Business, Women in Business

Small biz owners are reinventing their businesses all the time, especially in this economy. Old ways of doing business just aren’t working anymore. I’d love to be able to tell you that there are set of linear phases that every small business owner goes through while you’re reinventing your business and marketing models…

…but if I told you that, it would be a lie.

But there are some well-known phases that you might go through, sometimes circling back to one you thought you already finished, and skipping others completely. All these phases require you to put on your CEO hat and take a step back from daily busyness to look at the big picture.

Here is a short list of some of the signposts you’ll encounter on the road to reinvention:

  • I know/feel/sense/think something needs to change – You find yourself pausing in the middle of the day and asking, “What’s next for me and my business?” People report feeling restless or frustrated, knowing deep in their heart and mind that the business needs a fresh new approach.
  • Finding clarity on goals – If you spend time tapping into your goals for your business (and for yourself personally), you’ll find that it’s easier in the next phases to explore and choose the right business model for you. Is there a particular problem you need to solve? A particular dream you’d like to achieve? Values you’d like to express into the world?
  • Exploring the possibilities – In this idea-generation phase you explore every aspect of your existing business model, looking for places to add, modify and discard. Since there are 9 areas to explore, you’ll have plenty of space to be creative. Even the craziest of ideas can be a springboard to a new business and marketing model.
  • Making a road map – This is where you design your new business and marketing model, keeping what still fits from your old model and mixing in the new ideas you’ve generated. This is also where you create your transition plan and map out where and when changes will take place, and what resources you’ll need to make it happen. Now you’re thinking like a business owner and not just a worker-bee!
  • Taking the journey – Implementing your business model changes can happen in a week or it can be a two-year process, depending on how complex the changes are and how many resources you have at your disposal. This is often a journey through the weeds and can be rough going. Why? Because you have to continue to run your existing business (unless you’re independently wealthy!) while creating your new business at the same time. Managing change can feel like a juggling act.

You’ll know when it’s time to start thinking about transforming your business. And now you know you’re not alone in thinking that way: people before you have been down this path and emerged victorious!

Where are you on the path to reinventing your business?

Karyn Greenstreet is a self-employment expert and business reinvention strategist. She shares techniques, skills and strategies about the 9 areas in your business where you can reinvent and transform. Visit her business reinvention website at www.RoadmapToReinvention.com

 

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Shark Tales That Will Make You Swim

By on June 15, 2011 in Women in Business

“Shark Tales” by Barbara Corcoran is a hilarious and honest tale of how a business empire was built, and I loved every minute of reading it!

Her inspiring story of how she beat poverty, dyslexia, made D’s in high school, didn’t finish college, and survived a no-good boyfriend to start The Corcoran Group, which she sold nearly 28 years later for $66 million, is a remarkable story that could encourage anyone.

I believe that no one becomes who they are by accident, and this book confirms my theory.

Barbara is truly a product of her Catholic working class New Jersey family. One of 10 kids, she often reflects on situations from her childhood to handle business and personal issues. The book skillfully weaves her childhood stories of lessons from her mother with business lessons we can all learn from.

Barbara was influenced heavily by how her mother skillfully managed her huge clan, and made each of her children feel like they could do anything. Armed with her mother’s sage advice, Barbara used empathy, creativity and playing nice as her secret weapons in business.

In the end, she built a nationally recognized $5 billion dollar real estate business.

Chapter 9 (It’s Your Game, Make Up Your Own Rules) is my favorite chapter. It’s about when Barbara discovered the power of public relations. Two of the best stories in the book are when she took on Donald Trump and won, and later when she wouldn’t take no for an answer from Shark Tank creator Mark Burnett. Her tales are bold and motivating. It made me love her more than I already did from her regular contributor gig on the Today Show.

After her initial business success which made her an industry giant and multi-millionaire, Barbara wasn’t ready to retire and struggled initially to reinvented herself. I was amazed by how transparent she was about her insecurities throughout this book, but especially after she hit it big.

Her humanity is what makes this book such a great read.

For all the Shark Tank fans, she also gives tips on what attracted her to the deals she cut on Season one of the ABC primetime series. She shares the inside scoop on what it takes to catch her eye for investment.

Her principles include: Trust Your Gut, You Can’t Fake Passion, Dress The Part, Do Your Homework, Fancy Talk Don’t Work, Pushy People Deliver, You Gotta Have a Gimmick, Everybody Wants What Everybody Wants, Step Apart From the Crowd, Expand Before You’re Ready, Be Willing to Flop, Shoot the Dog Early, Fun is Good Business, and Pick Good People.

I would add another principle: Barbara Corcoran always made her weaknesses her strengths by facing them head-on and working hard to learn. I believe she wants to help as many people as possible hit it big in business.


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. Forbes Magazine recently named her one of the Top 20 women for entrepreneurs to follow on Twitter. She hosts #SmallBizChat Wednesdays on Twitter 8-9pm ET for emerging entrepreneurs. She also 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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6 Things Oprah Winfrey Taught Us About Business

By on June 5, 2011 in Become Your Own Boss Tips, Branding & Marketing, Business Inspiration, Customer Service, Grow Your Business, How to Start, Starting A Small Business, Women in Business, Your Small Business

Oprah Winfrey is my hero. I never thought about being an entrepreneur until she got on my radar when I was in college in the early 90’s. It was around that time that she opened Harpo Studios in Chicago, making her the third woman in the American entertainment industry (after Mary Pickford and Lucille Ball) to own her own studio. She immediately went from being just a daytime talk show host to becoming a media mogul. And it was awesome to watch. The biggest thing she did for me was show me that I could do it too. I have studied her every move in business. I had an Oprah file for a year before starting my production company in 1999. Any article I could get my hands on about her business I would devour, print and keep. What I love about her most is that she has never been about goals. Oprah Winfrey has always been about growth. She has constantly evolved.  That and her business acumen will leave a lasting legacy to all business owners to come.  Here are 6 Things Oprah Winfrey taught us about business. 1. Find your calling. Oprah said in her final show that every day she walked on stage she felt that she was exactly where she was supposed to be.  If you have no life plan, you are most likely following someone else’s agenda for your life. Live on purpose! Don’t be one of these entrepreneurs with an endless to do list, exhausted at the end of day– getting nowhere fast and not making any money. Oprah urged us to follow our own truth. God speaks to us though visions and dreams. Pay attention to what he is showing you about your destiny and build a business around that. 2. People show you who they are the first time. If a prospective customer approaches you, acting like an impossible nightmare, that is exactly who they are and how they will behave if you move forward in business. Do not allow your need for money or a contract force you to tolerate someone who does not value your professional expertise. You will never be paid enough money to make it worth it. 3. Oprah owned a broad niche. Oprah targeted a demographic that was women of all ages and income levels. She developed shows that would appeal to career women, working moms, stay-at-home mothers, grandmothers, retirees, high school and college students. And her audience was loyal because she helped them be better, live better, and find a correct fitting bra. 4. OWN your mistakes. In the wake of disappointing ratings at OWN, The Oprah Winfrey Network, Oprah’s latest venture in partnership with Discovery Networks, Oprah made a change at the top.  Network head Christina Norman, abruptly left the 4-month-old cable channel at the beginning of May. How many of us wait until it’s too late to make changes in our businesses? Evaluate what is going on in your business and do not be afraid to change course if you need to. 5. Know that you are worthy of success. Often times we know what we deserve, but the thing that keeps us from truly capturing it is internalizing that we are worthy of all God has for us in our lives and businesses. 6. Be willing to do what it takes. Oprah never missed a day of taping on her show in 25 years.  She knew that showing up was the most important element in her success equation. Are you willing to do all that it takes to make your business a success? I have begun to reach major success in my business, but I started being your SmallBizLady in 2007. There is no such thing as overnight success. What lessons have you learned from Oprah in your small business? For more tips on how start or grow your small business subscribe to Melinda Emerson’s blog http://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. Forbes Magazine recently named her one of the Top 20 women for entrepreneurs to follow on Twitter. She hosts #SmallBizChat Wednesdays on Twitter 8-9pm ET for emerging entrepreneurs. She also 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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Blogging, & Handling Corporate Inquires & Monetizing your Online Brand.

By on June 3, 2011 in Ask Smallbizlady, Become Your Own Boss Tips, Business Inspiration, BYOB2011, Customer Service, Featured Post, Grow Your Business, My Recommendations, Social Media, Technology, Women in Business, Your Small Business

SmallBizLadyCheck out  this quick video from the Black Enterprise Entrepreneurs Conference. Fellow blogger Jewel Figueras of http://www.JewelsFabLife.com was interviewed by LaShanda Henry creator of SistaSense blogs for entrepreneurs and the Black Business Women Online Social Network.

http://www.sistasense.tv/smallbizlady-and-jewelsfablife-talk-blogging-and-working-with-brands-part1/

We discussed blogging, handling corporate inquires and monetizing your online brand.  Enjoy!

I’m always here as a resource.
If you have a question for Melinda Emerson, SmallBizLady, leave a comment on this blog using thecontact us page or send me a note on Twitter @smallbizlady, on Facebook atwww.facebook.com/smallbizlady  or you can hit me up on www.linkedin.com/in/melindaemerson

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4 Things All Entrepreneurs Should Do On LinkedIn

By on May 31, 2011 in Ask Smallbizlady, Become Your Own Boss Tips, Branding & Marketing, Business Inspiration, Featured Post, Grow Your Business, Social Media, Solopreneurs, Starting A Small Business, Women in Business, Your Small Business

 

LINKED IN Logo

Linked in Logo

LinkedIn is important! 75% of all professionals in the US have a LinkedIn profile, which means if you want to do business you must have one too. LinkedIn is powerful tool that you can use to promote yourself if you are an individual consultant or a company with 2 or more employees. Here are my four tips that all entrepreneurs should do on LinkedIn.

Make sure your profile is 100%: If you do not have a headshot, please add a profession one. Typically, business owners who are not 100% lack recommendations. Look at your connections and ask at least three people to write why they love doing business with you. To make it easy, write the recommendation for them. This might be rough, but go ahead and do it.     Actually, you should get in habit of asking anyone you interact with to give to a recommendation. I have over 47 recommendations and counting, you can never have too many.

Know Your Keywords: Your keywords should be spread across your profile.  First your description of who you are should include keywords that your target customer would use to find you on the internet. Your summary and skills should also be peppered with keywords. This will also help you appear higher in Linkedin searches for experts.

Join LinkedIn Groups: You can join up to 50 groups on LinkedIn. You should join at least 10 groups that have your target customer in the group. You should have a strategy for how you will engage and attract members of the group to connect with you. Many groups allow fellow members to connect even though you do not know each other.
Answer Questions:  One of best ways to standout in LinkedIn is to answer questions.  It should become a part of your social media routine. Try to answer two to three questions a week and see how many new connections you will make for your business.

LinkedIn is a powerful tool and a great way to connect with decision makers.  Make sure you are in the best position to promote yourself and your business online. Do you have any other LinkedIn secrets to promote a small business? For more tips on how start or grow your small business subscribe to Melinda Emerson’s blog http://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. Forbes Magazine recently named her one of the Top 20 women for entrepreneurs to follow on Twitter. She hosts #SmallBizChat Wednesdays on Twitter 8-9pm ET for emerging entrepreneurs. She also 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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SharkTales and Small Biz Tips: My Interview with Barbara Corcoran

By on May 12, 2011 in SmallBizRadio, Women in Business

As a small business owner, author, speaker and social media enthusiast, I hardly ever have time to watch TV. That doesn’t stop me from making sure I catch Shark Tank – a weekly show where emerging small business owners and entrepreneurs pitch their business to the “sharks.”  The sharks are an amazingly successful group of profitable business experts looking for their next investment or partnership. Last month I had the opportunity to interview Barbara Corcoran, real estate mogul, bestselling author and the only woman “shark” to swim in ABC’s Shark Tank.

In our interview, Barbara talks about what inspired her entrepreneurship and her new book, SHARK TALES: How I turned $1,000 into a Billion Dollar Business. SHARK TALES is Corcorans’ inspiring true story of growing up one of nine siblings, suffering from dyslexia, making D’s in High School not finishing college, working 20 jobs before the age of 23 – and finally borrowing $1,000 to start a tiny real estate business out of her apartment. Relying on common sense, hard work, and guided by her mother’s unconventional wisdom (“If you don’t have big breasts put ribbons on your pigtails.”) she turned $1,000 into a nationally recognized $5 billion dollar business.

Click play to listen to the show! Enjoy

Listen to internet radio with Small Biz Lady on Blog Talk Radio

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Getting Started as a Work At Home Mom Business Owner

By on April 11, 2011 in Become Your Own Boss Tips, How to Start, Mompreneurs, Starting A Small Business, Women in Business, Your Small Business

Gettings Started as a Work-at-Home MomIf you’re a stay at home mom who’s ready to get back into the workforce as a work-at-home mom small business owner you are in for quite an adjustment.  I believe you should plan your business at least 12 months prior to starting your business as you already have two full-time jobs as a wife and mother.  As a small business owner you are now about to take on a third full-time gig.  Talk about a juggle!

Here are 5 steps that will help you get started so that your juggling act won’t make you feel like running away to join the circus:

1) START RECONNECTING WITH FORMER CO-WORKERS

Your network IS your net worth went starting a business.  Start reaching out through social media.  Everyone should have a LinkedIn Account.  If you haven’t had a picture done in a while invest in a professional headshot.  Facebook is another great way to connect with former work colleagues and potential customers.  Once a week try to schedule a lunch meeting with a former co-worker or mentor.  They will be able to give you valuable insight about getting back out there and pounding the pavement for business and quite possibly give you a lead or two.

2) GET YOUR BABYSITTING SUPPORT LINED UP

If you are going to work from home, you need be in the position to really get work done at home.  I can’t imagine being able to work with children at home all day, without them developing some addictive TV watching habits.  Prepare a budget that includes taking your kids to day care at least three days a week.   Line your night time babysitting support too. You’ll need to make sure that you can attend evening networking events, and you don’t want to get stuck if your hubby is traveling or has to work late.

3) EVALUATE YOUR SKILLS

When you start a business you immediately take on 10-13 jobs at once.  Be sure that you really know your strengths. Have an honest conversation with yourself and list your core strengths and what you like to do. Then list what skills you’ll need to have to run your business.  This will help you understand what kind of support team you’ll need to have to run your business. Continue Reading →

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