I have been talking to quite a few small business inventors lastly, and the most common question that keeps coming up is how to find a manufacturer for your small business product. Most of the business owners in my network use foreign manufacturers, so that is where my advice is centered. Here are some tips […]
In Just 365 Days You Can Become Your Own Boss
If you have always wanted to become your own boss, now is a great time. I realize that you are probably saying to yourself a year, Really? But trust me, 12 months is a reasonable and realistic timeframe to make your transition from employee to entrepreneur. You will want to take the time to plan […]
Five Reasons Your Company Should Have a Platform
These days, you can’t go five minutes without hearing someone talk about platforms. The term is almost a buzzword. As I explain in The Age of the Platform, a platform is merely a structure made up of “planks,” or integrated features. For instance, Google in 1998 wasn’t a platform; it was a really neat search engine. By adding planks […]
How Do I Get New Customers Part 1
So often I am asked about how to get new customers that I decided to develop a two part series on the topic. No customers, no business. A simple and obvious fact, which leads new business owners to ask the question “How do I get customers to see and buy from my business?” The […]
How to Get New Customers Part II
There are numerous ways of getting new customers but not all methods are applicable to all businesses. I also need to remind you that getting repeat business from your existing customers is far easier than attracting new customers, but it is important to have a strategy for getting new customers in the door. In Part […]
How to Get Paid What You Are Worth
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 Alfred Edmond @AlfredEdmondJr is SVP/Editor-at-large of Black Enterprise. He is a content leader, brand representative and expert resource for all media platforms under […]
Pros and Cons of Running a Small Business with Your Spouse
What can be better than having your most trusted ally working with you while you are trying to navigate the challenging route to small business ownership? You can rely on him / her to face whatever challenge comes along the way. Your spouse also understands your strengths and weaknesses better than anyone else and can […]
Are You Ready to Work From Home?
When launching a small business, you need to keep your expenses low. One great way to do this is to work from your home. There are 26 million small business in the US today and 16 million of them are solopreneurs, who in most cases are building their business dreams from their back bedroom, basement […]
New Foundation To Support Minority and Women Business Owners
(Philadelphia, PA—Oct. 10, 2012) National Small Business Expert, Melinda F. Emerson, known online as SmallBizLady, proudly announces the launch of The Melinda F. Emerson Foundation for Small Business Success (www.melindafemersonfoundation.org). Melinda believes that through technical support and education, small business owners can overcome the challenges they face and play an important role in building the […]
10 Mistakes People Make When Starting a Business
1. Spending too little. Naturally as a start-up you would expect to keep your costs to a minimum, yet being too frugal can actually prevent overall efficiency. Ensure the use is functional and essential; products are only worth investing in if they will directly benefit the productivity and efficiency of the business. 2. Letting optimism overrule […]