Hi everyone,
By popular demand, I was asked to update my widely successful bestseller Become Your Own Boss in 12 Months: A Month-by-Month Guide to a Business That Works-2nd Edition.
I am very excited to share the revisions and added chapters that will propel new small businesses and existing business owners still trying to figure out social media to unparalleled success. These timely chapters deal with critical issues necessary in today’s small business, such as:
- How to Transition from a Job to Become Your Own Boss
- What it takes to become a “Social Media Ninja”
- How to Create Your Content Strategy
- Developing a Successful Crowdfunding Campaign
- How to Attract 300K followers on Twitter
The actual date of the launch is January 2, 2015. I would appreciate you to post a “shout out” on that day. If that date is not possible, then the week of January 5th would also work. Please use the hashtag #SmallBizLadyBYOB, if possible. Let us know if you would like a review copy of the book. I am also available for interviews. Please contact my publicist Janet Shapiro at janet@smithpublicity.com to schedule something.
I created this webpage to provide everything you need sample tweets, FB posts, G+ & LinkedIn messages, my QA interview, guest posts, book artwork, my headshot. Please use whichever suits your followers best.
I am also launching a YouTube contest Jan. 2. Using hashtag #SmallBizLadyBYOB to promote the book, please share our social media posts about this as well. Here is where you’ll find all the details: www.succeedasyourownboss.com/bookcontest
I value our relationship and I look forward to helping you in the future.
Any questions, please feel free to email me at Melinda@melindaemerson.com or call me directly at 610-394-3459.
Here’s to ending small business failure.
Happy Holidays,
Melinda Emerson
@SmallBizLady
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LinkedIn& Google+
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Melinda Emerson Q&A
Melinda Emerson, Twitter’s @SmallBizLady offers advice and encouragement to more than three million entrepreneurs every week online. Forbes magazine named her the top woman for entrepreneurs to follow on Twitter. She’s a successful businesswoman, a social media expert and journalist, and a dynamic and stimulating speaker.
We decided to turn the tables on her and put her in the interview chair for a change. Her new book Become Your Own Boss in 12 Months, 2nd Edition is being released January 2, 2015. http://amzn.to/1DGbZsV. She’s really excited about her updated book, which includes new information on crowdfunding, content strategy and social media marketing.
Q: You’re an amazing role model for all entrepreneurs, but especially women entrepreneurs. Can you tell us your story?
Melinda Emerson: I was 26 when I started my company Quintessence Group. I knew I didn’t know much about running a small business, but I did know I could never have another job. I am journalist, so I enjoy reading and doing research. I approached starting a business like a research project. I was in a male-dominated field, but I did well. After about 7 years in business, I had numerous professional accolades and awards, and I had the largest female-owned production company in my city. Then my former husband and I got pregnant, and I was immediately put on bed rest. I went from being the worst workaholic in the world, to not being allowed to leave my home. My business really suffered. In fact, I almost went out of business at that time. Unfortunately, I built a business that couldn’t run without me.
However, when I had six months to sit and think, I realized all the expensive mistakes I had made in business. I also realized that I did not have good advice starting out. It also occurred to me that other people would experience the same thing unless I started educating people about the right way to start and run a business. The first thing I did after my son was born, and I adjusted to new motherhood, was start working on my bestselling book Become Your Own Boss in 12 Months. It was completed in 2008, but when the global recession hit, my publisher postponed the release of the book until 2010. This was heartbreaking to me, as I was using the book to reinvent myself as a national small business expert.
When I first went to Twitter to sign up for an account, my name was taken. After I got over the initial shock, my publicist suggested that I come up with a nickname that would tell people who I am and what I am about. We came up with SmallBizLady, which was the best branding move I could have made. I have used that brand to build a social media machine to help small business owners, and now I reach 3 million small business owners a week online and have written regular columns for Entrepreneur Magazine, Inc and the New York Times. After I survived the huge bump in the road in my business, I figured out that the most valuable thing in my business was what I learned from running it, and I decided that I would make my focus to help other entrepreneurs. I made it my mission to end small business failure.
My mission is the focus of every speech I give, every video I create and every blog post I write on my blog www.succeedasyourownboss.com. Most people have great business ideas, they just don’t know how to run a business. I try to stand in the gap for those people and give helpful business advice before they realize they even need it.
Q: Why did you write Become Your Own Boss in 12 Months?
Melinda Emerson: There are five main things that small business owners struggle with: how to get new customers, how to manage their brand online: i.e. website and social media, how to keep customers, and how to find and manage employees, and cash flow. The nature of business has changed altogether since 2008 when I first wrote this book. Small business owners have less time to hit it big with their niche target customer now, and they have global competition, mobile web marketing, and social media to deal with. It’s a lot to run a successful business these days, and there is a slim margin for error. I thought the best way to help entrepreneurs would be to provide a step-by-step proven method to start a profitable and sustainable small business. This book is based on all the expensive lessons I have learned in business.
Q: What is the book about?
Melinda Emerson: Become Your Own Boss in 12 Months provides a realistic, month-by-month planning guide to start a sustainable and profitable small business. If you’re planning to start a business soon, the key to being successful is not only to create a sound business concept, but also taking the time to figure out the business of running a business. This book will point out the important and necessary steps to take – so you will have the right foundation. Become Your Own Boss in 12 Months is everything you need to run your successful small business. I discuss my Emerson planning system, crowdfunding, building your website, leveraging social media, hiring your team, opening for business, and the things you should be measuring in your small business.
Q: What if you don’t have 12 months to plan?
Melinda Emerson: 12 months to plan your business is what I suggest based on research and experience. Have people done it in a shorter amount of time? Sure. Sometimes people are forced to start sooner. This is triggered by layoffs, getting fired, buyouts or retirement packages. I only planned for three months with my first business, but the challenge with that approach is you learn plenty of costly lessons the hard way. If you live by a budget, have your debt under control, and have a significant amount of savings, you will be able to start your business much sooner. Depending on your individual situation, it may take more than a year to get your money straight. That is critical because the money to start your business is in your right or left pocket.
Q: What are the 7 Essential Principals of Small Business Success?
Melinda Emerson: I have interviewed hundreds of entrepreneurs and after listening to what they said about running their businesses and observing how they did business, I realized that there were 7 things they all had in common. They include having an entrepreneurial mindset, utilizing strict fiscal discipline, and having a kitchen cabinet of advisors. They make use of a well-defined brand identity; have a niche market customer, excellent customer service, and a firm understanding every day of their cash position by carefully managing their banking relationship. Using these principles can help any business run at its best. It’s the gold standard all businesses need to strive for from the very beginning.
Guest posts
5 Questions Every Would-Be Entrepreneur Should Answer Before Starting a Business
Thinking of starting a business? Not only is there a lot of paperwork to fill out and decisions to make, but there are also questions you need to ask yourself to determine whether you’re really cut out for business ownership. Being an entrepreneur is not for the faint of heart; it takes soul, passion, and even bravery. Ask yourself these questions to see if you’re ready for the journey ahead.
- Do you have an “entrepreneurial mindset?”
There’s no roadmap for running a successful business. Sure, you can look at those who have done so before you, but you also need to thrive in a state of mind that can handle chaos, disruption, and quick changes. Having an entrepreneurial mindset means you aren’t afraid of challenges, and you can find innovative solutions to problems.
- Does risk scare you?
By nature of running a business, you need to not be risk averse. You can’t freak out every time you face an obstacle. Trust me: there will be many. You may not know how you will pay your staff when you, yourself haven’t been paid by clients. You may be faced with a flood of orders and no inventory to fill it.
As an entrepreneur, you have to be able to handle these situations with grace. You need to be able to think quickly on your feet to come up with the best decision for your company, not freeze in fear.
- What’s the big picture here?
If you just want to start a business because you hate your boss or have another situation you’re trying to run away from, becoming an entrepreneur is not the solution. You need to want to move toward something, namely running this business for the foreseeable future. Can you imagine your life as a business owner in 5, 10, 30 years? If not, ask yourself what your real reasons for wanting to start a business are.
- Do you see yourself as a leader?
You may or may not have employees in your business, but you need to feel confident in your ability to lead others, either way. That confidence will carry through to how your customers see you, and if you do hire employees, will help you run a competent team.
If you’ve never managed people before, don’t worry. You can take leadership courses and teach yourself the skills you need. And many entrepreneurs simply learn this skill through practice.
- Can you see yourself doing anything else?
True entrepreneurs answer this question with a confident “No!” Running a business in a particular field is all they want out of life, and can’t see themselves in any other role. They live for their passion, and they enjoy helping people every day.
The answers to these questions should give you some insight into whether you’re ready to take the leap into entrepreneurship.
About the author
Melinda F. Emerson, known as SmallBizLady, is America’s #1 Small Business Expert. Forbes magazine named her the #1 woman for entrepreneurs to follow on Twitter. She is the author of Become Your Own Boss in 12 Months, 2nd Edition.
Who’s Your #1 Support Staff as an Entrepreneur?
When it comes to who is your #1 support staff as you launch your new business, the answer might surprise you.When you think of support staff, you might think of your virtual assistant. Your secretary.Your accountant. Any one of the number of people who help you succeed in your business. But your top supporter is a little closer to home.
Ready for it? Drumroll please.
Your #1 support staff member is your spouse or partner.
It’s not such a stretch, really. After all, this is the person who accommodates you when you have to work late to ensure your business doesn’t fall apart. Who doesn’t miss a beat in picking up the kids when you have a long conference call. And yet, if you’re not treating your life partner as a cherished and respected member of your team, you only cause yourself (and yes, your partner) misery.
Switch Shoes for a Moment
Just for a second, imagine what it’s like to be married or living with you. Aside from fawning over your good looks and irresistible charm, I’m imagining your partner or spouse can identify with at least a few of the following points:
- Feeling let down when you can’t make an event you promised to attend
- Tired of explaining to the kids why you work so much
- Feeling like #2 to your business
- Wondering when the 65-hour workweeks will end
Living with an entrepreneur is no picnic. And yet we tend to take these people — the ones we care about the most — for granted as part of the landscape for our business. If you want to keep your partner from screaming and heading for the hills, treat him or her as if they were your number one customer. Here’s how you can keep them happy and ensure success both in your relationship and in your business.
Be Open and Honest. If you are going to miss dinner every night this week, let your partner know up front. It’s better than creating expectations you can’t deliver on. When you first start your business, it’s important to have a long conversation about what both of you expect, so that you can meet somewhere in the middle.
If, for example, he says he’s willing to let you work late but insists you’re home to put the kids to bed, find a way to make that happen. Maybe you work from home after the wee ones are asleep. Or maybe you both agree that for the first 6 months, you’ll have to put a lot of time and energy in the business, but after that, you’ll cut back on the hours you put in.
Include Your Partner, Without Overwhelming. Your partner cares about your business because you care about it. So share the wins, and even the frustrations. But don’t bog him down with the details, or use her to vent about a hard day at work. The most important think is to realize you partner shouldn’t be able to guess what kind of day you’ve had based on how you treat them.
When You’re Home, Be 100% Present. This is challenging for us technology-lovin’ business owners, but it’s essential for a happy relationship. Once you leave the office (even if it’s home-based), you take off your CEO hat and put your husband/wife/parent/friend hat on. You’ll be tempted to check work email or even sneak a few minutes of work in while you’re supposed to be watching The Voice, but resist.
This is for your own sanity, too. Keeping your personal time and work time clearly delineated will help you return to the office rejuvenated and ready to get back to work. And it’ll improve your relationship.
If you spend a little time focused on the success of your relationship. Balance between the two is possible.
About the author
Melinda F. Emerson, known as SmallBizLady, is America’s #1 Small Business Expert. Forbes magazine named her the #1 woman for entrepreneurs to follow on Twitter. She is the author of Become Your Own Boss in 12 Months, 2nd Edition.
Need a Little HELP with Social Media Marketing?
When it comes to social media marketing, who couldn’t do with a little assistance? We’re all looking for those tips and tricks that will give us an edge over our competitors. If you are trying to figure out how to connect with potential customers “HELP” is easier than you’d imagine.
By doing the following four things, you can successfully brand yourself on social media and become the go-to person in your field:
- Help others
- Engage authentically
- Listen first
- Promote yourself carefully
Let’s dive into each to see how you can use these strategies effectively.
- Help Others
While, yes, you want to find customers through social media, you can’t approach the medium selfishly. Just like you wouldn’t (or shouldn’t) run around a networking event shoving your business card in everyone’s hand and telling them about your latest promotion, you shouldn’t make yourself the center of your efforts on social media.
Instead, find ways to be valuable to others. You’ve got answers to their questions about your industry. Share your advice when it’s sought, and post links to content (both yours and others’) that may help your followers.
- Engage Authentically
There’s nothing I dislike more than following someone on Twitter and getting an automated reply saying, “Thanks for following me! Check out my new book!” There’s nothing sincere about these auto follows, and I’d rather hear nothing than get self-promotional drivel.
I have people I’ve met through social media that I’ve become close to, though I’ve never met them in person. That’s because the relationships are real, even if they’re digital. We joke, share links, and have meaningful conversations. That’s your goal. Give people a reason to follow you by being interested in them first.
- Listen First
It’s challenging for many of us, but sometimes holding back and letting others speak first nets us better results than if we jump first into the conversation. You might find out, for example, that someone needs advice about something unrelated to your business. By providing suggestions, you build trust with that person. Do you think you would have had the same results if you had jumped in and started talking about your company?
- Promote Yourself Carefully
There is a time and a place for self-promotion on social media. It’s not meant for every update, so choose your promotions carefully. I use a rule of thumb, I share at a 4:1 ratio. I share four helpful posts before I promote my own content. For example, if you have published a new book, you certainly can promote it, but don’t make it the focus of every update. Find smarter ways to get people’s attention, like including quotes or statistics from the book that will pull people in. That works better than simply screaming “BUY MY BOOK!”
People pay attention to how you use social media and how you interact with others. Plowing through a conversation, pushing people to click your links, and ignoring the needs of others will get you ignored and unfollowed. Instead, be a good Samaritan and digital citizen with a little HELP.
About the author
Melinda F. Emerson, known as SmallBizLady, is America’s #1 Small Business Expert. Forbes magazine named her the #1 woman for entrepreneurs to follow on Twitter. She is the author of Become Your Own Boss in 12 Months, 2nd Edition.
The 5 Biggest Mistakes Entrepreneurs Make When Building Content
Your content is the engine that drives your website. It is critical that you pay close attention to the quality of your material as you set out to build your company’s brand on the Internet. Each audience is unique and there is no one-size-fits-all recipe for developing the appropriate content. You must be ready to put in the effort to discover what works for your business. However, there are also some serious mistakes that you can avoid from the outset. Here are five biggest mistake to avoid as you build content for your website:
- Your posts don’t have a point.
Every post should have a goal. Every entry should have a reason for being other than you need a post to adhere to your schedule. Yes, it is important to post consistently, but if your articles are merely placeholders to satisfy a checkmark on your to-do list, you are hurting yourself more than you are helping. Show your respect for your audience by working hard to ensure that every post has a clear purpose.
- Your content doesn’t focus on your audience.
While it is important to share your perspective and honestly render your experience, always remember that your blog is not a journal where you work out your issues. Always put your customers first when creating content for your business’s blog. Content is king for a reason!
- You are so afraid of offending your audience that you erase your personality.
Part of building your brand is allowing your unique light to shine. Of course, you want to avoid obnoxious or bullying behavior, but there are many ways to explore your unique perspective and share it with your audience. Ask yourself deeper questions about your business and answer those questions with examples from your experience or share your sources of inspiration. Don’t be afraid to share your viewpoint.
- You name names in a critical post.
Everyone makes mistakes. In fact, mistakes are some of our best teachers. It is perfectly appropriate to share situations that cause us discomfort, angst, or complications, but it is rarely acceptable to humiliate the culprit. Many times bloggers have used their status to put people and corporations on blast. There are some circumstances where this might be appropriate, but you could damage your own brand instead. In general, this behavior reads more like a tantrum than actual dialogue.
- You put too much effort into work that does not pay off.
You must find the right balance between investment and return with your blog. You can spend thousands of dollars building a website and developing content, but if the website only appeals to you and a few others, you won’t connect with your audience. Research and diligence pay handsome returns, so quantify your efforts and measure your traffic. It could take 6 months to year to gain traction, perseverance is important, but do the work up front to ensure that your investment pays off.
About the author
Melinda F. Emerson, known as SmallBizLady, is America’s #1 Small Business Expert. Forbes magazine named her the #1 woman for entrepreneurs to follow on Twitter. She is the author of Become Your Own Boss in 12 Months, 2nd Edition.
Author Bio
Melinda F. Emerson, known as SmallBizLady, is America’s #1 Small Business Expert. Forbes magazine named her the #1 woman for entrepreneurs to follow on Twitter. She has been a thriving entrepreneur for nearly 16 years and is an internationally known keynote speaker. Melinda’s online small business advice is widely read, reaching more than 3 million entrepreneurs each week. A pioneer in social media marketing, she is the creator and host of #Smallbizchat, the longest running live chat on Twitter for small business owners. In addition to being a regular contributor to the New York Times, and Inc., she is frequently quoted by other media organizations, including The Wall Street Journal, Fortune, MSNBC and Fox News. She is the publisher of her resource blog, www.succeedasyourownboss.com, which is syndicated by the Huffington Post.