Rayanne Thorn: Jobseekers: Understanding the Candidate Experience
LOOK: Mystery Man Gives Canada Animal Shelter $25,000 In Random Act…
Rico Elmore, Fatheadz: When Regular Glasses Just Won't Fit
At 6-foot-3, 300 pounds, Rico Elmore always had trouble finding a pair of sunglasses. Turns out, he wasn't alone. Continue Reading
Stories by Geoff Williams
Tombolo
Made in the USA: When the Beach Beckons
For generations, entrepreneurs have found inspiration at the beach. A look at how today's business beach bums are putting their own spin on products designed to improve our annual summer exodus. Continue Reading
Oxman Surplus
Meet the World's Oldest Entrepreneur!
Or so we think. At 96, Oxman's Surplus founder Jerome Oxman still clocks a full workday and even began an expansion of his business recently. "I just can't retire," he says. "I'd go crazy." Continue Reading
Vacation is Good
You're running a small business so you're obviously over worked, under appreciated and stressed out. Don't skip that family vacation this year so you can "get caught up." In Europe, it's typical to take 6-8 weeks vacation a year while most American's don't even take two. If you step away for even a few days you are going to come back to work energized and ready to make things happen. Don't think of time off as a bad thing - think of it as a way to kick start your business into overdrive. A well rested boss is a better boss! Continue Reading
PreOwnedWeddingDresses.com
PreOwnedWeddingDresses.com's Josie Daga: Giving Bridal Gowns a Second Life
Many brides spend thousands of dollars on dresses they'll only wear once. PreOwnedWeddingDresses.com gives them a way to make some of that money back -- and to help other brides' dreams come true. Continue Reading
Social Media Isn't Free
Everyone is jumping on the social media bandwagon and assuming it's "free advertising." Time isn't free and to really make social media work for you, it's going to take time and a tactical approach. Don't jump on all the networks at once--think about where your audience is and what networks might help your business grow and impact your bottom line. Set aside 15 minutes in the morning and afternoon to check your networks and respond to questions, concerns or queries. One day you can hire a social media manager, but until then manage your time and focus on what works. Continue Reading
Before Starting a Business, Read This List
Read at least one good book on starting your own business. Read everything you can about the specific business you're considering. Make a list of what you want to know. Talk to several different people in your field who aren't your competition. Go to trade shows. Talk to potential suppliers and supporting businesses. Work part-time in that industry, if possible. Research your competition. Create a profile of each customer type. Create a file of everything that can help you get started: where to advertise, marketing ideas, social media tools, etc. Continue Reading
Multiply Effort and Costs by Two
Plan for the work to start a new business to be twice what you estimate, because it will be. The same goes for the start-up capital involved. Do your best to estimate required start-up costs, then double that figure. If you can't handle that, then don't do it, because the figure will almost certainly be double. The average successful full-time business start-up loses money the first fifteen months. Don't assume you'll be any different. Continue Reading
Starting a New Business? Get a Second, Third and Fourth Opinion
Most entrepreneurs understand that starting a new business means being willing to work long, hard hours for at least the first two years and probably longer. You believe you can handle the pressures and the risks and you think you have the necessary skills. But before diving in, ask three people who know you well to honestly tell you what they think. Worst case: You'll hear something you didn't want to know. Best case: You'll learn something valuable about yourself that will help you succeed. Continue Reading
Understand the Three Buyer Stages
A key to boosting sales is to understand what prospective buyers go through before making their decision. Once you do, you can be more comfortable with the sales process and help move customers through it. Buyers go through three stages before they trust you and are ready to buy: awareness--noticing what they want; education--gathering information; and interest--asking questions about you to find out if you're trustworthy. Each time you help them pass to the next stage, their desire to buy increases. Continue Reading
Better Brand Awareness
I think the number one thing for any business is to know your brand. Know your brand’s tone, and know that your brand impacts how your website should look. It impacts how you speak to your customers, your product, everything. Defining, understanding and living your brand is so important for anyone. Continue Reading
Overcome Buyer Objections
Did you know that customers only object when they are considering buying from you? Discover which type of objection is holding them up so you can help them resolve it. Are they resistant to change? Do they have a misunderstanding about the value? Do they need someone's input, such as a spouse? Or do they simply need a bit more time to decide? Just as you would with a friend, find out what's bothering them and then make an honorable attempt to help them get beyond it. Continue Reading
Kim & Scott's Gourmet Pretzels
Kim & Scott's Gourmet Pretzels: A New Twist on Success
Talk about tying the knot. Not long after they were married, Kim and Scott Holstein decided to start a pretzel company in their kitchen. Today, they oversee a $10 million brand that can be found at Whole Foods, Walmart and other chains. Continue Reading
Never Make a "Cold" Call Again
There's a reason why you hate cold calls to prospective clients; it's because your clients hate them too. Here's how to take the chill out of cold calling, on both ends of the phone. Research your top five to ten prospective customers thoroughly. Now, write down what you think their chief challenges are and how your offerings could help them. Then craft an opening line based on that information. When you call them, tell them why your companies have great synergy and explain what you can do for them. Continue Reading
Remain Focused
Every day is a step to where you’re going. Every day needs to be focused and that can be hard when you have a million things to do, but you just have to prioritize and stay focused on those priorities. My first year, I only had 141 listings, and this year, it’ll be over 10,000. You put one foot in front of the other, and keep moving, and you’ll be surprised at how much you can grow. Continue Reading
