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You are here: Home / Archives for Starting A Small Business

Is Passion Enough To Launch Your Dream Business?

August 2, 2016 By Melinda Emerson Leave a Comment

The saying goes like this, “Follow your passion and you will never have to work a day in life.”  Those who take this phrase too seriously and find courage to leave their stable job for a passion business idea soon understand that’s it’s not as simple as it sounds. There are various situations that crop […]

Filed Under: Featured Post, Guest Articles, Starting A Small Business, Your Small Business Tagged With: dream business, start your business

How to Get Over the Fear of Starting a New Business

June 13, 2016 By Melinda Emerson Leave a Comment

Starting a new business

Starting a new business requires a leap of faith in your own abilities, but fear can get in the way of that. Fear is our emotional response when we perceive a threat. It causes very real changes in our brains and other organs in the body. Responses to fear range from hiding to running away, […]

Filed Under: Starting A Small Business Tagged With: start a business

6 Things to Have Before You Start your Own Business

April 19, 2016 By Melinda Emerson Leave a Comment

There’s so much to learn in the entrepreneurial world, sometimes a little too much! Different modes of information keep spraying all kinds of statistics and breakthrough marketing updates; this surge of information is way too confusing! Who do I listen to and what do I follow? If you feel that way too, then look no […]

Filed Under: Guest Articles, Starting A Small Business Tagged With: start a business

How to Find the Perfect Business to Start

March 21, 2016 By Melinda Emerson Leave a Comment

I get asked a lot by wannabe entrepreneurs: what business should I start? Often people really want to go into business, but they don’t know which direction to go. Some people want an instant formula for small business success, but the answer is:   It depends. Entrepreneurship is as different as the people who run […]

Filed Under: Featured Post, Melinda Emerson @SmallBizLady, Starting A Small Business, Your Small Business Tagged With: entrepreneur, passion, restart your business, small business, small business startup, smallbizlady, start a small business

How to Validate Your Business Idea

January 11, 2016 By Melinda Emerson Leave a Comment

Sure, you have the passion and skills to be an entrepreneur, but is 2016 your year for starting a business? If you can genuinely see yourself taking care of the 10-14 daily tasks that come with being a business owner, then it’s time to pursue this business further. The first thing you need to do […]

Filed Under: Featured Post, Melinda Emerson @SmallBizLady, Starting A Small Business Tagged With: business, business basics

How to Write a Business Plan Part IV

November 30, 2015 By Melinda Emerson Leave a Comment

This is the final post in my four-part series on how to write a business plan. We have walked through Part I: How to develop a Business Model, Part II: Your Marketing Plan and Part III: Operations and Cash Flow Projections. Part IV will focus on developing your executive summary and is the last step […]

Filed Under: How to Start, Starting A Small Business

How to Write a Business Plan Part III

November 24, 2015 By Melinda Emerson Leave a Comment

You have developed your business model and your marketing plan. Now, in Part III of my four-part series on how to write a business plan, it’s time to develop your operations plan, budget and sales projections. This is where you go from dreamer to business owner, folks! If your business is not designed to make money, […]

Filed Under: Cash Flow & Finance, Starting A Small Business Tagged With: business plan, operations

How to Write A Business Plan Part II

November 16, 2015 By Melinda Emerson 2 Comments

A business plan is your strategy for bringing your product or service to the marketplace. This is Part II of my four-part series on how to write a business plan. Last week, in Part I of my blog series on how to write a business plan, we focused on developing your business model, which is […]

Filed Under: Featured Post, Starting A Small Business Tagged With: business plan, Marketing Plan

How to Write a Business Plan – Part I

November 9, 2015 By Melinda Emerson 4 Comments

When it comes to writing a business plan, the first step is figuring out your business model. This post is Part I in a four-part series on how to write a business plan. Today’s focus is crafting your business model. Developing Your Business Model There are a lot of moving parts when it comes to […]

Filed Under: Featured Post, Starting A Small Business Tagged With: business model, business plan

How to Get Ready for Opening Day

October 5, 2015 By Melinda Emerson Leave a Comment

It all started with a concept and now you’re here, ready to open for business. You’ve made it through what some consider to be the most challenging aspects of starting your own business. You’ve gotten startup capital, obtained licenses and permits, invested in expensive business equipment, and selected your team. Opening Day is just around […]

Filed Under: Starting A Small Business Tagged With: opening day, start a business

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Become Your Own Boss is a must read if you’re thinking of launching a business of your own.
Jean Chatzky, Bestselling Author of Money 911 and Financial Editor of NBC’s Today Show
Great step-by-step advice for anyone looking to start their own business.
Andrew C. Taylor, Chairman, Enterprise Rent-A-Car
Melinda Emerson has written a remarkable book. It is essential reading for anyone seeking to make the transition from working girl to successfully working it, as an entrepreneur.
Cynthia McClain-Hill, Past President, National Association of Women Business Owners
The perfect companion for those planning to go out on their own. Melinda delivers firsthand practical advice on how to be the successful entrepreneur. Read it if you want to get it right the first time.
Kenneth L. Shropshire, Professor at the Wharton School of Business, University of Pennsylvania
If you are looking for a versatile speaker who can talk about how to grow small businesses or get started with social media, look no further.
Heather Van Sickle Executive Director, National Association for Community College Entrepreneurship (NACCE)
Her wit and depth of subject knowledge were entertaining and empowering. Melinda is definitely on our short list of seasoned entrepreneurs and business leaders we look to invite back in the near future.
Tennille M. Robinson Senior content & Event producer for Inc. magazine
Melinda Emerson, “SmallBizLady,” is an engaging and witty speaker and a great addition to any conference. Her terrific presentation and compelling delivery give people the information they need and want to become their own bosses and grow success… Read more
Laurie Dalton White Conference Director, Pennsylvania Conference for Women
Melinda Emerson has been a fantastic small business and social media resource for the Pitney Bowes team. Not only is she personable and easy to work with, but she also has an innate understanding of the small business audience. My marketing programs … Read more
Justin Amendola, Former VP, Global SMB Digital Strategy, Pitney Bowes

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