by Kathy Korman Frey (aka Chief Hot Momma) of Hot Momma's Project

A good friend of mine is a riding the entrepreneurial break, BIG TIME. She has all these brilliant ideas for businesses, but has a hard time pulling the trigger. “There’s not enough time,” she says. “What makes me an expert?” is another of my favorites. So I sent her an email: “Do this” I said, “Here are seven easy steps you can accomplish in half a day for under $200 to start a business.”

Want to get started fast? Here are a few steps you can take in a few hours:

MUST HAVE: Mentors

I am a mentor to this particular friend when it comes to entrepreneurship. Mentors are THE most important thing you can carry along with you on this journey, as we’re discussing at the SisU bootcamp event in October. The questions, problems, and triumphs will change. Have a good battery of mentors, advisors, or whatever you want to call them that you can call/email/text/I/DM/Tweet/Facebook or – GASP – have an actual face-to-face meeting with for support.

1. Get a quick, cheap domain name and site

You have a business name, and know what it will sell.  Go to GoDaddy.com & register your domain name. Next step: Go to WordPress and/or Blogger, and start your website there using their free blog sites. Need help? Meet with a buddy to work on the site and jam it out over coffee.

2. Set up a professional email

You can set up an email on Gmail.com & forward your domain email instead of hosting it with your site.

3. Business cards

Go to Vistaprint.com and make business cards you like. If you pay a little, you don't have to have VistaPrint stamped on the back.

4. Put together an email list and draft

The email should say “I am starting a business” as the subject line and then explain your business. People will be more likely to vote on a logo or give you advice on a a blog post vs. respond to a direct inquiry for referrals or business. Strange but true.

5. Develop your service packages, prices, and descriptions

Example:
a. Prep/advance work – $500. Completed by consultant or client.
b. In-home session -$500. Consultant and client together. Two hours and one travel.

6. Think about your top 10 tips

What are your thoughts and ideas about your industry/business? Take notes. Take pictures. Practice putting them on the site or the blog. Build a following. Experiment with your ideas.

7. Don’t freak out! You can do this!

Business can be enjoyable if you are doing something you love. Focus on THAT.

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Kathy is the Founder of the Hot Mommas Project, the world's largest women's case study library used by educators, though leaders, and trainers around the world. She is an Entrepreneur in Residence at the George Washington University School of Business, Center for Entrepreneurial Excellence. Her classes both in and out of the university result a 150 to 200 pct incr in skills and self confidence for young women. She lives in DC with her husband Josh, kids Maxwell and Deliah and dog Foxy.

Website: HotMommasProject.org | Twitter: @ChiefHotMomma

by Greg Kihlström of Carousel30 Interactive

Starting a business takes a lot of work. A lot. So, being the type of person that works long hours, sometimes doing things that I never intended to do while studying design back in school (Accounting? Contracts? HR?), I have always looked for ways to work smarter instead of simply working longer hours.

When I started Carousel30 Interactive just seven years ago, it was a four-person company with some complimentary skill sets amongst us, but it didn’t take long to realize that there were plenty of types of expertise that we had none of. At first, the temptation was always to read up on a topic and become an expert of it, but fairly soon it became clear that it made more sense to form partnerships with experts than to try to do it all ourselves.

Carousel30 Interactive is a digital creative agency – this means that we do online advertising/marketing campaigns and interactive and mobile design/development. But there are a lot of complimentary types of work that we are involved in, and it is due to our partnerships that we are able to be involved in a much wider variety of opportunities.

This has been everything from video production crews to augment our video/motion graphics post-production capabilities, to hiring writing talent to help shape our online campaigns’ messaging. The most dramatic example in my experience is this: in 2008, Carousel30 acquired one of our primary software development vendors because the partnership went so well. This has been a great move for all involved, and it all started with a strong partnership that grew over the previous 2 years.

From a business owner’s perspective there is also a bit of relief in the thought of not having to be an expert at everything, too. You can be truly great at your core capabilities and be honest and upfront when something is a little bit beyond your company’s expertise. Instead, you do what you’re great at, and suggest an expert that you feel comfortable working with to fill in the gaps. In my experience, clients are much more impressed with a straightforward approach in these situations. Pretending you are good at something you are not can cause a lack of confidence in even your core capabilities.

My suggestion is to never stop looking for partners and potential partnerships. At the very least, you will expand your network considerably, and you might even land some new work due to reaching out to the right people. Good luck with your new partnerships!

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Greg Kihlström is Chief Creative Officer and a principal at Carousel30 Interactive, a digital creative agency based in Alexandria, Virginia that specializes in interactive strategy, design and development.

Website: Carousel30.com | Twitter: @gregkihlstrom & @carousel30
 

by Heather Coleman, Future Entrepreneur

But...but...but…I can’t. Wait, that’s not true! The real truth is I just haven’t… yet. I am holding onto the hope that someday (in the not so distant future) I will start my own business. I often daydream about what the business will be named, what the office space will look like, the types of people I will hire and how I can help other struggling small businesses with my savvy communications skills.

So what’s stopped me? The usual culprits—fear, confusion, time and money. Let’s break them down, one by one:

FEAR

When I think about quitting a secure job to do my own thing, I get the same feeling that I get when I think about riding a roller coaster. I guess I am just not a thrill seeker.

However, I would appreciate any advice from other entrepreneurs that might help calm my nerves. I think the two biggest factors are the fear of the unknown and the fear of failure. I asked Pamela Slim (@pamslim) author of Escape from Cubicle Nation what one piece of advice she would give for overcoming fear and she says that “breaking down the big tasks into really small, doable steps will make things more clear, feasible and actionable.”

CONFUSION

The task of starting your own business seems to be so daunting, I sometimes become confused about what all of the smaller tasks are and what order they need to be completed in. What is the first thing I absolutely need to do? Where can I find guidance to help me through the process? Who’s going to be there to hold my hand when I need it?

The Small Business Association has a lot of resources on this topic and even outlines the steps and decisions you need to make along the way. Another resource might be my local economic development organization. I will keep an eye on my peers and the advice they have on how they started their own business through Sisarina’s blog and the Women Grow Business blog. As far as someone to hold my hand, I’ll have to look to my friends and family to find out who has my back on this one.

TIME

We could all use more time in the day, that’s a given. More time to spend with our friends and family, more time for work, more time to answer all those pesky e-mails or to harvest all our crops in Farmville. Whatever it is you enjoy doing or have to do, it always seems like you need more time to get it done. But we can’t change the number of hours in the day.

So I have a hard choice to make. I have to reprioritize how I want to spend my time if I’m going to truly make starting a business my life goal. It may be as simple as 30 minutes a day where I can work on a draft business plan, research the market I’m interested in, or ask questions of someone that is knowledgeable on running their own business.

I recently had a great phone conversation with Don Mayer, the owner of an Apple reseller company in Waitsfield, Vermont called Small Dog Electronics. I contacted him after my father mentioned hearing about the socially conscious small business on the local radio station. He started the business out of his house in 1994, and now has over forty employees and is just about to open his third retail store. It was great to talk to and get advice from someone who is actually a serial entrepreneur and loves what he’s doing. His best advice to someone contemplating starting their own business: “Just do it!” He said it is an incredible feeling to have made a much larger imprint on society than he would have as an individual.

MONEY

Just like time we could all use a little more of it. I would probably start by researching all of my financing options and identify what I needed to do in order to secure additional funding beyond my own resources.

But, at the very least I can test the waters. That would only cost me time. I can reach out to potential customers and determine if I they would like to use my services on a trial basis. I would gain experience and the customer would get a low or no cost service for a short period of time. Once I get ready to transition to the real thing, I will reach out to my peer network to determine the right pricing strategy and draft a budget for the business.

Are there any other resources that you’ve used that I’ve missed? Any special advice you’d give to a borderline entrepreneur such as myself? I’ll leave you with what has become my new favorite quote, from W.E.B. DuBois:

“The most important thing to remember is this: To be ready at any moment to give up what you are for what you might become.”

P.S. Don’t be too surprised if I just happen to pop up on your radar with a pitch for my new biz!

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Heather Coleman is currently a strategic communications specialist working as a government contractor for the Army. Her background is in website design, content management, SharePoint collaboration and social media marketing. She earned her MBA from the University of Maryland – go TERPS! She’s also a mother of two, but enjoys a reprieve every now and then to attend social networking events in the DC area.

Twitter: @boones6433

by Evelyn Bandoh, RFC of EAB Creative Planning Services

For over 8 years, I have been either teaching about, growing my own or helping to grow businesses. Currently, I have my own small business while working to establish two fashion industry related non-profits and teaching about small business and creative entrepreneurship on an academic and professional level. I won’t say that I have “seen and heard it all”, but I have seen, heard and experienced A LOT. Here is a list of things I've learned through my own experiences & those I've helped.

21 Points to Ponder Before Starting a Business

1. Entrepreneurship is not for the weak willed; it’s not for punks or for those who have no interest in responsibility. Evaluate your entrepreneurial potential. If you are getting started on the path to entrepreneurship, EAB’s seven key questions are a good place to start to do an honest self assessment. Decide if you want to be a biz owner or if you just need some good career coaching and counseling.

2. Lots of people will think that you are crazy. It’s perfectly normal. Embrace it. Accept it.

3. You will question your faith, hope and your DECISION to embark on this path many times before you accept the new you. Embrace it. Accept it.

4. You are not going to feel energized and excited EVERY DAY. It’s OK to have a bad day. Its Ok to have a few bad days or even a month of Sunday’s of bad days, but don’t stay in that “bad place” too long. Let me reiterate. If you feel off for a day or a few days, it’s probably ok. If the “bad feelings” are a persistent dull roar, please stop, re-evaluate and address the things that are causing you grief. If you are not emotionally healthy, your business will not grow.

5. Develop intuition. I suspect that we are not naturally factual creatures and that we are actually naturally intuitive creatures. We learned about logic and facts as a way to adapt to a technologically advancing world. However, before we had fact, we had our “gut “ and our six (yes I said six) senses. Learn to use your “gut instinct” and ALL of your senses, because once you fine-tune it to the frequency that serves your best and highest good, it will never lead you astray.

6. The power of positive thinking works…but only if you have an unwavering faith in what you are thinking… or choosing to believe. Understand that “thinking good thoughts” is nothing more than a waste of brain energy if you put no action behind it. Creation is a process and without visualization and authentic action, the thought is just, well, nice.

7. Define your energizers and drainers. What feels good? What doesn’t? Spend time on what feels good (energizers) because that is eventually where you are going to make the most money for your business.

8. Understand how you are going to fund your life. If you are not the type of person who does well with financial uncertainty, or don’t feel up for the adventure, do yourself a favor: save as much as you can, and pay off what debt you can BEFORE you start on the adventure. If you are comfortable with money uncertainty then…

9. Accept that there will be a bout with brokenness and/or bad credit. Unless you are coming from a situation where you have a lot of cash, or a lot of funding. One of the worse types of anxiety to deal with is “money anxiety”. Save yourself the grief and set yourself up for success. Real Talk.

10. Personal relationships will change. Your friends and family may or may not understand and they may or may not support you in your entrepreneurial pursuits. In the natural order of progression, you will let some of those relationships go and some of those relationships you will be willing to fight for. Pick and choose your battles wisely.

11. Your friends cannot be your only customers and clients. Friends are a great source of support, but they will not keep your business financially viable. Be clear about who your target market is, how large the target market is and how you will access your target market.

12. Failure is GREAT. Through failure comes your best learning experience (if you choose to learn). I won’t lie; it is a tough pill to swallow though. Grace and humility through the ordeal, makes “the failure” all that more relevant and poignant.

13. Sit down and write out some type of plan. It may not be a full-fledged business plan, but answer some basic questions about why you are choosing to do what you do, what you are doing, who you are doing it for, how much you are going to charge them and how much it’s going to cost you.

14. Separate your home and workspace. This is particularly important for new business owners. The benefit of being in an office space is that you are able to (hopefully) be around other entrepreneurs just like you and you will be energized and motivated by that natural energy present.

15. Being “self-centered” is to your benefit. Being “selfish” is to your detriment. Contrary to popular belief, there is a difference in the two.

16. Integrity & Honesty mean everything. Period. Point. Blank.

17. How you listen and how you talk to people will play as big a role in the success of your business. When people hear your name, you want the first thought about you to be positive and welcoming. If people are cringing when they hear your name, that’s a problem for you and it will eventually become problematic for your business.

18. Romantic Relationships. There is a lot to be said about this point, but let me keep it brief. If you are not in a romantic relationship, it’s important to find a mate/partner etc, who fully supports your entrepreneurial endeavors, and is more than OK with it. Anything less is just not going to work in the long run.

19. Organized chaos is good. Confused chaos is not.

20. Safeguard your health with your life. The entrepreneurial lifestyle will quickly take a toll on your work-life balance and on your health. Eat well, drink water, get plenty of rest AND exercise, minimize stress and take time to enjoy life. This is a lesson that I am working on more and more every day.

21. Through it all- HAVE FUN!

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Evelyn is a writer, teacher, scholar, healer and creator. She uses her talents, skills and abilities in financial and business planning to help creative people become successful and financially independent creative entrepreneurs. In addition to the fun stuff, she is also a jewelry designer and a freelance makeup artist.

Websites: eabplanning.com & fiscallyfitfashionista.com | Twitter: @evieb & @f3fashionista

by Erin Pfiffner of The Epiffany Effect

I'd like to think I'm one of the lucky few who have had opportunities fall into my lap and moments of truth that snap me into reality and change me for good. But then again, that could happen to anyone, really. You just need to know how to recognize and seize them when they come along.

Unlike some of the bloggers in this series who stumbled into entrepreneurship, I had my heart set on going into business for myself at some point in my life and was taking steps to get me there by sometime in my early 40's. In July of 2008 (the year before I turned 30), my opportunity came early. After climbing my way up the corporate ladder of an in-house design group for nearly 6 years - painstakingly carving out ways to stay creative and fresh like I did when I worked at an ad agency -  realized I had exhausted my learning experience and lacked joy in what I was spending nearly 60+ hours a week doing. This was not the life I wanted... stressed, tired, overworked, under-appreciated. So when a voluntary leave package was offered to the staff during a period of lay-off's I had to pinch myself. It was like a red carpet to entrepreneurship was laid before me. I said to myself "They want to PAY me for how many months to start my own business?" After all of my experience in personnel management, budget ownership, process planning, and creative direction—I was ready.

Some in my field might say 10 years of experience in marketing, advertising, branding, and graphic/Web design is still pretty young to run off and leap into building my own business. But to you I say "bah!" If you want to start a business—why wait? Do some research and go for it! What no one really prepares entrepreneurs for are the things you can't read on a SCORE Website or "Starting a Business" handbook. So I will share with you these anecdotal morsels of advice that have kept me going strong despite many ups and several downs in my first year as a business owner:

Think Outside the Box

Don't do what everyone else is doing or expects of you. Do what feels right for you. Ask yourself if your boat is pointed in the right direction. If so, keep paddling. If not, you better turn it another way. For instance, I couldn't bring myself to put "Owner," "Founder," "Principal," or "President" on my business cards as my title. After leaving a corporate world that was riddled with title hierarchy, I wanted something zingy, like "Brand Therapist" or "Entrepreneur Extraordinaire" but discovered Proprietress in one of my million Thesaurus searches and instantly felt at peace.

Surround Yourself with Opposites

As an artist, I have a surprising number of friends who are scientists. My sister is an aquarist, my closest girlfriend is a chemist, her husband a surface physicist, and countless friends who will debate the psychology of color or behavioral sciences with me. While I love rapping with fellow designers about the latest tips and tricks in Photoshop or Web trends, I find much more inspiration and value looking to sources outside of the creative environment. When I set out to describe my unique design angle, I discovered that I am a designer inspired by biomimicry and nature. Moral of the story here is that though it may be comfortable to stick with the same birds of a feather, there's so much more to learn from, and about yourself, when you push your boundaries and challenge conventional wisdom. It's like holding up a wonderful new mirror to yourself. Enlightening.

Be Impeccable with Your Word

When networking to drum up business, it's easy to fall into the trap of becoming a lip-service addict. Constantly pushing your services, looking for every moment to drop in a little sales plug for what you do... it's exhausting. Don't push. Listen. It will go a lot farther. With so many business buzz words flying around, people often become the same disingenuous terd (no offense) as most of the folks out there trying to sell themselves, products, or services. Rarely do I meet someone who is refreshingly honest and so crystal clear on what they do it makes me stop in my tracks and take notice (whether I need their skills or not). Maybe it's because I'm in the business of visual and verbal messaging that I am a bit snooty about this, but I think we've lost our individual voices and it's time to reclaim them as ours. So I try to always say what I mean and if I don't have anything poignant to say, I become a very good listener (asking lots of questions to keep the other person talking) until something they say strikes me and I can jump in. It's not that people aren't interesting, it's just that they have a hard time communicating their interesting perspectives and I feel compelled to help them get to that point.

Come Prepared, But Expect to Be Flexible

I was a Girl Scout through early middle school (lame?), which taught me never to be unprepared. That's why I carry a giant purse everywhere I go. Aside from the bandaids, business cards, sewing kits, mini portfolio, fabulous lip gloss, hair tie, nail file, and journal, these are some must-have things I'm convinced you need to be prepared before you leap into your own business:

1. at least 4 month's worth of living expenses in savings
2. health insurance plan (no one gives you sick days, you have to earn them)
3. a first draft business plan (even if it's just written for you)
4. a risk-taking personality (don't ever be afraid to fail)
5. personal support system (family, friends, business coach, etc.)
6. a devil's advocate or sounding board (read: not a Debbie Downer!

And never expect your first year to go as planned. Be flexible, and use every success and mishap as a learning experience. There are messages delivered in emotions - so it's OK to laugh, cry, or do whatever feels right during this journey. Then think about it afterwards in order to move forward. Always move forward... never backward.

Talking to Yourself is Good, but Talking to Others is Better

It's one thing to give yourself pats on the back, or coax yourself into having the courage to cold-call someone, but let's face it, most entrepreneurial-types aren't introverts and thrive on human interaction. And especially in the creative field where I am paid to come up with new and innovative ideas, I sometimes hit a wall (literally) when working at home by myself. That's why I've created an emergency creative phone tree...a network of people who can keep me honest with constructive feedback (not "I don't like it but I don't know why" or "can you make it pop more?"), jumpstart my thought process, or reassure me that I'm on the right track. This goes for anyone who works from home...get out at least once a day and talk to someone, anyone. It will break your concentration just enough that you will probably be able to tackle that challenge with a fresh set of eyes.

Reward Yourself and Celebrate the Little Things

I'll admit it... I loath bookkeeping. I mean, that's common for us creative types not to be good with numbers, right? (just say yes). Until I can hire someone to periodically take over my books I schedule 4 hours out of every Friday to tend to the books... no distractions, no treats, no Pandora radio, nothing but doing the books. And once I finish, I can take the rest of the day off or work on a really exciting design project...but until they are done each week, I'm in my self-imposed confinement. It really works for me...that's the kind of discipline I need to play the role of CFO. (I'm a natural CMO or CSO)

Another thing I've struggled with is what is often called "the trance of scarcity." Learning the ups and downs of an entrepreneurial cash flow can be hard on the ego and leave some lasting psychological effects. This stems way back to my early relationship with money (I won't bore you with that) but I've since created a ritual for every paycheck that I receive. I make a photocopy to forever etch it in my mind. Say "thank you" to the check and then go deposit it and start my 5-step distribution process:

1. pay Uncle Sam
2. pay any contractors who helped me earn this
3. pay the bills
4. tuck away some for a rainy day
5. give myself a little treat with what's left over

Paying myself last is rewarding. I keep all of the photocopied checks in a special lock box near my desk so that if ever I am feeling low because I haven't closed a deal or think I'm destined to fail, I get out that box, look at all the compensation I've received so far and start to feel a little better. Also, compensation is not just money, people. I highly recommend that you list out other forms of exchange or compensation that motivate you to do what you do. Be open to receive just as much as you give.

You Can Do EVERYTHING Online

I don't know about you, but I didn't have a lot of cash going into this whole entrepreneurial thing and wanted to keep my operational expenses down. But I knew I needed to stay organized if I was to wear all of the hats necessary to be a business owner. So, I started looking for tools online to help me keep the back office running so I could be busy working in the front of the house (sales and actually designing). Here are some of my finds that cost very little per month to subscribe to:

• The Company Corporation: for legal needs like forming an LLC, assigning a registered agent, state business registration, name and logo trademarking, and more.
• Freshbooks: for online invoicing, time tracking, financials, and contractor management...I hate Quickbooks, so this was my replacement. Has an iPhone app for on the go and integrates credit card payment services!
• Shoeboxed: online receipt and expense tracker. Also has an iPhone app to take photos of receipts!
• MyFax: online fax number and send/receive services. There's no way I was going to buy an ancient fax machine.
• RightSignature: for digitally signing contracts and statements of work between multiple parties.
• Basecamp: collaborative project management (integrates with Freshbooks).

This August marks my 1 year anniversary of starting The Epiffany Effect and I couldn't be happier. My pipeline is overflowing and I've learned so much about myself and from the clients I've had - I've loved the start-up life so much I've also joined a mobile tech start-up in Reston, called Citrrus, as their Chief Creative Officer under an equity sharing agreement. I look forward to many more adventures as this journey continues to unfold. I hope I'm back here writing again about what this next year yielded for me. Until then, my friends, keep your eyes and ears open for opportunities you can't pass up. They say in the Silicon Valley, that if you haven't experienced at least 3 failed start-ups, you are not trying hard enough. You've only got one life - viva fellow entrepreneurs!

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Erin is a zealous and self-confident businesswoman with a fierce commitment to human connections and product relevance and is sought out for her ability to visually interpret complex messages into polished and concise design solutions that change behaviors and generate results.

The Epiffany Effect is a woman-owned branding and design firm specializing in identity, print, and web design by drawing from nature and real-world experiences to help entrepreneurs, start-ups, small businesses, and large corporations around the country to get noticed. Citrrus LLC is a mobile app company who builds location-based mobile products that influence the way people interact with the world around them.

Website: theepiffanyeffect.com | Twitter: @epiffanyeffect

by Nicole Skuba of Online Marketing Branch

I own a business and I don’t work nonstop or sacrifice time with my family. It is not the easiest accomplishment, but you can definitely do it, too.

Setting Up a Business

My particular business is online marketing. For more than eight years, I’ve done corporate, nonprofit, and start-up online marketing. I specialize in the strategy and implementation of mass email communications, Google AdWords, website development, search engine optimization (SEO), online advertising, blogging, and social networks including LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter. Say that three times fast! In November of 2007, I was laid off along with 20% of the staff at the start-up company where I was employed. I was lucky enough to be in the first round of lay-offs that received severance. I had time to regroup and really decide what I wanted to do with my career.

My choice was clear: I enjoyed online marketing and I needed to be able to devote time to my personal life. It would have to be online marketing as a consultant/contractor. Because I chose a business that I already knew, could be done from home, and did not require a large upfront investment, it was simple to get started relatively quickly. I didn’t have to figure out fulfillment for a physical product or how to comply with random governmental regulations. Networking, networking, and more networking is what landed my first contract with an international training corporation within months.

Right before my second contract (with the start-up that had laid me off!), a co-worker pulled me aside and asked if I’d done anything to protect myself. While I pulled my mind out of the gutter, she told me about limited liability corporations (LLC). In simplest terms, an LLC is a way to form a corporation that will protect an individual contractor from calamity if she is sued. I filed that information away.

Three contracts and 18 months later, I found myself on maternity leave with my first child. Personal time was more important than ever, and staying at home as a stay-at-home-mom wasn’t an option for me. With no contracts on the horizon and a burping baby always nearby, I filed with the Commonwealth of Virginia for an LLC (a surprising simple and inexpensive process), hired my designer to finally create a website for my own business, and sent out messages to my network letting them know that Online Marketing Branch had been born.

Setting Boundaries and Expectations as a Part-Time Entrepreneur

It has been hardest to stick to the time boundary I’ve set on my business. My toddler son is in daycare from 8am to 4pm every weekday. That is the only time I allow myself to work – and that includes commuting time in the heavy traffic of the D.C. metropolitan area. Not only do I refuse to do the 60-hour work week like my colleagues and competitors, I shy away from taking on a standard 40-hour schedule as well. I am upfront with my clients and the occasional employer about this restriction and so far it has worked.

This definitely isn’t an easy feat. I mainly take contracts that offer 25-30 hours of weekly work for a temporary time frame. I work my butt off when I’m “on” and only check my BlackBerry two or three times a night. Because I will not risk having too much work, I have had to refer potential clients to my network in times of abundance. And, when the economy slows down, I am left scrambling. This kind of gamble is not for the faint of heart. I don’t make as much money as I would if I took on every contract that came my way. My business isn’t growing as fast as it would if I took on the added responsibility of more contracts and more staff to accomplish the work.

My expectations on my business are realistic. Online Marketing Branch will not make me a millionaire (at least not in this decade). But, I am doing what I love as a career and raising my son the way I want. For me, this is success.

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Nicole Skuba is the founder and principal consultant of Online Marketing Branch, an agency that boosts ROI online for nonprofit, start-up, and small businesses. A graduate of Duke University, Nicole resides in Ashburn, Virginia with her husband and son. She spends her free hours writing a book, watching movie previews, and staring at the ceiling.

Website: OnlineMarketingBranch.com   | Twitter: @nskuba

by Veronica O. Davis, P.E. of Nspiregreen

There is the old business adage that says, “it's all about who you know.” It's nice to know the “right” people, but what is more important is “who knows you”. As a business owner building relationships with the right people is extremely important. I'm sure you will get plenty of advice about having a good relationship with a mentor, an accountant, and an attorney. I'm going to tell you about two important relationships with the “right” people that are often overlooked.

Administrative and Executive Assistants

One thing I discovered early in my career is that ninety-nine times out of a hundred, the assistants are the lifeline of the organization. They know everything going on in the organization, including important meetings, events, and management changes. They are the best source of information about the decision-makers: spouse's name, children's name, personal and business schedule, interests, what mood they are in at a particular moment, and how they like information presented. If they like you, they can always find time in the bosses schedule for you.

While you are sitting waiting to meet with a client, engage their assistants in a casual conversation. Commit their name to memory with correct pronunciation and always use it. Ask them how their day is going? If they have plans for the weekend? If they tell you personal information, remember it even if you have to write it down. This relationship is important to your success with that organization.

Peon in the Cubicle

Usually the people with “power” have important titles like “Vice President” or “Director”. Getting to know the people with power is important. However, do not overlook the people with no power” but have plenty of influence. Each organization is different, but usually some peon sitting in a dark cubicle in the back of the office with no title is the one that makes a recommendation to the people with “power”. Treat these people with the same or more respect as the people with power and they will be puddy in your hands.

Speaking as a former peon in a cubicle in the dark corner in the back of the office for the government, people who treated me with respect received glowing reviews to the people with power or I would move their documents to the top of my pile for environmental reviews. To all the people that treated me like a peon, I took the full amount of time allowed by law to review their information.

While I only discussed two relationships in depth, it is important to treat everyone you meet with respect. When you exchange business cards with someone, write on the back how you met that person and any information (personal or business) they give you. You never know when that business card and that relationship will come in handy in the future.

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Veronica O. Davis, P.E. is a Co-Owner of Nspiregreen, LLC, which is an environmental, urban and sustainability company located in Washington, DC. We specialize in helping clients identify their existing condition and create possible scenarios for the future.

Website: nspiregreen.com | Twitter: @dizzyluv25

by Beth Schillaci of VillageWorks Communications, Inc.

Reflecting on my 11+ years in business for myself, I thought about when I made the leap to start the business. I thought about the highs and I thought about the lows. I also thought about the great people I have met along the way as well as how much my personal life has changed in those 11 years.

The birth of my daughter 6 years ago, Little J has been my biggest personal change. I came to the realization that there are many parallels in starting a business and raising kids. The one trait I think is most important in running a business is a great sense of humor, so with that in mind, I give you:

Top 10 Ways Starting a Business is Like Raising a Child

1. You will never be 100% ready to do either. You really need to just jump in feet first with both. Your personal finances will never be where you want them to be, the timing will never be just right, and your house will never be the right size. Like Nike says, "Just do it".

2. There will be sleepless nights. The baby side is obvious enough on this one, but as a business owner you will experience this as well. All nighters to meet a deadline or worrying about whether a check will come in before payroll is due have both kept me up at night.

3. Listen to advice from others, but follow your instincts. When I was pregnant, I received advice from everyone including people behind me in line at the grocery store. Starting a business is the same way. People are good intentioned and some have really great advice that you should follow, but no one knows your child or business as well as you. The final decision needs to come from you. Trust your instincts.

4. The overwhelming pride you will feel when you receive a complement on your work or your child's behavior. As much as you try to not take things personally in business, it's almost impossible when it is your own. Insults cut deep, but complements put you on Cloud 9. The same happens when someone complements your child. Nothing fills me with more pride than when someone says how polite and sensitive Little J is.

5. You're not alone. Melanie mentioned in her post about Building Community that when you are dealing with headaches and issues, you feel like the only person to have ever had that experience. The good news is that you are not alone, there are others and they have survived. Reach out and talk to others to see how they handled it. The final decision is yours, but knowing you're not alone is huge.

6. It's just a phase. Phases and growing pains will occur with both a business and kids. Just when you think you have something figured out and are on the course for smooth sailing, here comes a new twist. Keep in mind that it is a phase and this to shall pass.

7. It will always cost more than you think. I remember hiring my first employee. I took into account his salary, but totally forgot about the insurance, the equipment needed for him to get his work done, taxes, and more. Same goes for kids.

8. Your time is no longer your own. Yes, your schedule is more flexible, you get to choose the 80 hours a week you work ;-) Vacations are never the same, and weekends can be interrupted. This is where an ultra-supportive family and friends come into play.

9. Expect the unexpected. There is nothing like a sick child to throw a wrench into your schedule, just like there is nothing like a client emergency to do the same thing. Lord help you if both occur in the same day, because it does.

10. It's the most rewarding thing you can do. While both can cause major headaches, there truly is nothing more rewarding. I don't regret either decision because both my business and Little J have taught me things about myself and others I would never have known. Neither are easy, but neither is more rewarding.

If you have a business, have I missed any? Tell me! Leave a comment so I can add to this next time.

If you're thinking about starting a business, make sure you know what you're in for. Don't jump in blind. Good luck with the first step of your new adventure!

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Beth Schillaci is owner of VillageWorks a marketing company that specializes in digital strategies including social media planning, implementation and training. She blogs about social media at Marketing Roadhouse.

Website: VillageWorks.net | Twitter: @bethschillaci

by Nellie Akalp of CorpNet

Starting a Business? ...Get your legal ducks in a row!

Yes, I know. Most of you did not start a business because you love dealing with tax law and legal fine print. Corporate regulations and company filings are hardly the things to get you out of bed in the morning. But as much as you'd like to procrastinate about those pesky questions like 'Should I Incorporate?' or 'Do I need to Register a trademark?', as a business owner, the day will come when you inevitably will have to address the legal aspects of your business – and the sooner the better.

You might be wondering why you'd need to incorporate your business in the first place. Many startups and small businesses consider themselves too small to worry about incorporation — that having a legal structure is only for those larger businesses with a big staff and mazes of cubicles. However, that couldn't be farther from the truth.

Incorporating or forming an LLC can be a smart idea, even for the self-employed marketing consultant or the family-run catering business. And here's why:

• It protects your personal assets: Once your business is incorporated, it exists as a separate legal entity. This means that the corporation (and not you, the owner) is responsible for all of its debts. Of course, most entrepreneurs don't start their business expecting to anger clients or default on payments. And most likely, you won't encounter such problems…however, what if a computer technician accidentally wipes out a client's hard drive during a basic upgrade? What if a copywriter unintentionally plagiarizes while working on a client's website? What if your major client fails to pay, making it impossible for you to pay your own vendors? Without incorporation, you, as the owner, can be personally liable in these situations, and this puts your own personal savings and property at risk.
• It can offer tax benefits: For some individuals and businesses, incorporating can help lower the tax burden. For example, through incorporation, a self-employed contractor could reduce his or her federal and/or state income taxes by avoiding self-employment taxes. And corporations may be entitled to additional deductions not available to individuals. Of course, specific circumstances vary, and you should consult with a CPA on your particular tax situation.

For example – and this is by no means meant to be a comprehensive look, just a quick synopsis to get you thinking – an LLC (Limited Liability Company) is great for startups that want legal protection, but minimal formality — i.e. no exhaustive meeting minutes or addendum filings. The LLC is also the perfect structure for a start-up who will have foreign owners. An S Corporation (or S-Corp) is ideal for those businesses that plan to make a profit soon after incorporation, and distribute that profit back to all the shareholders. A C Corporation (C-Corp) should be used for those businesses that plan to reinvest their profits back into the company or seek funding from a VC.

Unless your business is particularly complex, you should be able to incorporate your business or form an LLC online, without having to retain a business attorney. By working with a legal document filing service, you can represent yourself to create a legal business entity. And in the eyes of the law and IRS, your business structure will be just as valid than if a high-priced attorney sent in the documents for you.

Unlike a CPA or attorney, a document filing service cannot give you specific legal or financial advice; however, they can give you general information and tips to help steer you toward the right business structure (i.e. LLC vs. S-Corp). And there's exhaustive information on the web that explains the differences between these structures, and in plain English!

In addition to forming a Corporation or an LLC, there are a few other legal matters to address, such as:

• Registering your DBAs (“Doing Business As” aka Fictitious Business Name)
• Getting a Federal Tax ID number (also known as an Employer ID Number or EIN)
• Filing for trademark protection for your company name and/or logo
• Educating yourself on employee laws, such as payroll, anti-discrimination laws, OSHA regulations, unemployment insurance, workers’ compensation rules, wage and hour requirements.
• Obtaining business licenses and permits
• Purchasing business insurance

And yes… when you're hustling for clients or putting in 80-hour weeks to get product out the door, legal fine print and paperwork aren't exactly high on your priority list. But getting your legal ducks in a row from the start will enable you to scale far more smoothly and help you avoid any legal pitfalls in years to come.

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Nellie Akalp is the CEO & Co-Founder of CorpNet, Incorporated, her second incorporation filing service company based on the simple philosophy of truth in business and her strong passion to assist small business owners and entrepreneurs in getting their business off the ground in a fast, reliable, and affordable manner.

Website: www.corpnet.com | Twitter: @CorpNetNellie & @CorpNet

by Amy Phillips of Social Pollen

Remember that part in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade when Indy was finally going through the last tests to reach the Holy Grail. One of the tests was ‘walk with faith’ (I’m paraphrasing). He stands over a deep canyon and he needs to get to the other side. With no other means to get there he must step out over the precipice on faith. And there’s that moment there, that one moment while his foot is outstretched and he is taking that first step where you wonder if faith will be enough to keep him from plummeting down the canyon.

That moment there? THAT’s what it’s like to start a business.

In the movie, the moment is but a few seconds of screen time. In real life? That feeling can last for weeks or months on end. And where Indy gets to move on to the next challenge, the small business owner can find themselves at the precipice moment again and again.

I started my business a month ago. I am still working issues such as logos, branding, state paperwork, website, subcontractors, etc. - all the while trying to network for clients. It can be exhausting. It can be frustrating. It can be exciting. Sometimes, I’m not even sure I’m doing the right thing, but then I have to capture that feeling that caused me to start a business in the first place.

That feeling was frustration. For three nights in a row I was fixing someone’s blog, someone’s code or answering emails about social media strategy and branding. All for free. It was clear that I had the skill sets that other people needed, and it was time for me to earn money for it. I have a passion for blogging, Wordpress, and social media. I have knack for it, a vision, and now, finally a company for it.

I have been in the corporate world for over six years. In the corporate world other people go out and win the work, deliver the contracts. In your own business, it’s up to you. No clients? Didn’t network enough. Lost out on a bid? Your work wasn’t good enough or cheap enough. Running out of money to pay your creatives? You’ll have to put off buying a piece of software, because you must honor your contracts.

In addition to all this, I will be competing for business with other blogging friends. Everyone wants to feel like they are offering the best product, that yours edges out the competition, but now I have to say I can do it better than someone I know. It doesn’t do much for friendships.

All of this sounds like a headache, a headache I don’t need. So why do it? Because I believe in my ability to do it, and to do it better than most people. I know that I can carve out a place for my company and my services in here Maryland. In the end I can become reach my goals, all by believing in myself.

This is a company still in its infancy, my clients still few, but I have taken that step off the edge, and I have faith in my ability to make it a success, each and every time.

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Amy is a passionate entrepreneur, digital strategist, web marketer and blogger. Social Pollen is a full service web marketing company serving clients of all shapes and sizes. They specialize in helping companies leverage the web and social media to target their audience and consumers. Amy also chairs the Social Media Club for the Baltimore area and is the creative force behind Blogger Body Calendar 2011.

Website: TheSocialPollen.com | Twitter: @amydpp & @socialpollen

by Matthew Brock of Divergent Planning

“If we are together nothing is impossible. If we are divided all will fail”
Winston Churchill

Not every business owner desires or needs a business partner. However, many small business owners find themselves in a position where they at least contemplate finding a partner. It is not a decision to take lightly. Other than choosing a spouse, I don’t think there is another decision you should be more certain of before acting. My business partner and I began working together in 2003 at a national financial services firm. We were young and decided to share our client cases (and revenue) on a whim. We were lucky.

Most partnerships formed this way do not last. We saw no less than a dozen other advisors at our firm form partnerships that failed. Over the past 7 years we have come to fully understand what makes our relationship work or where others failed. Our strong partnership is part of the reason why we were able to leave the comfort of our large firm and start our own company this year.

Here is what we learned…

Share a Long Term Vision – It may go without saying but it is imperative a potential partner have the same vision for the company as you. Write down your vision and ask any possible partners to do the same. How close are the visions? You don’t need to have every detail the same but the general vision must be in alignment.

Agree on Short Term Business Goals – Similar to a shared vision, having the same short term goals are important. A partnership must get off to a good start so you certainly do not want to have any major disagreements early on.

Have Varying Skills – While you need to have some things in common, having a partner that is too similar can also be destructive to a small business. Look for someone who may have skills that you lack. For example, maybe you are excellent at operations and actually running the business but you are awful at networking and sales. Look for a partner whose strengths are your weaknesses.

Have Different Likes and Dislikes - Find someone who likes doing what you hate. I hate managing client investments (I know, weird for a financial planner) but my partner loves it. He hates operations and business development while I get a lot of satisfaction from that part of the business. I am an early riser and like getting things done early in my day but my partner is a night owl and is more effective late in the day. You have to embrace these differences.

Run in Different Circles – It is great to be friends with your business partner but it can also be extremely useful to have a different set of friends and a different network. Running in different circles expands the reach of your small business. Go to different gyms or churches, play on different sports team and go to different networking events. Both partners should be capable of representing the company on their own.

Communication – The need for communication cannot be understated. The person you partner with must be someone you feel comfortable criticizing and that is comfortable criticizing you. Of course, it is equally as important that both of you can take this criticism. Partners in a small business need to have somewhat thick skin. I have heard many times that one of the keys to a happy marriage is to never go to bed angry. I think the same holds true for small business partnerships. Never leave the office angry.

Operating Agreement – Make sure you have an Operating Agreement in place. The process of putting this together can bring out communication that otherwise may not happen. Not to mention the fact that it can help cover you just in case you find out you chose poorly.

A great way to test out a partnership before taking the plunge is by doing a volunteer project together. This gives you the ability to see how your potential partner acts under certain circumstances. It can give you a good sense of what it would be like to work with them in your business. The most important thing to remember is that partnering is not right for every business owner and definitely do not do it just so you can work less. Do it so you can work more on your strengths.

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Matt Brock is Co-owner of Divergent Planning, LLC in Rockville, MD where he oversees operations, business development and financial planning systems. Staying true to the name of his company, he believes there is a major difference between the financial needs of younger generations and this is going to drive major changes in his industry.

Website: www.divergentplanning.com | Twitter: @matthewbbrock
 

by Keri Kae Almstead

For some, new enterprises are born out of job dissatisfaction or financial need. After my position was eliminated, I spent the better part of a year taking on nonprofit contracts and consulting jobs. I thought about starting my own business, but I wasn’t inspired by the prospects. In the midst of professional chaos, I was inspired by a mission and embarked on a personal journey as a volunteer with a nonprofit organization in its infancy.

But startup stories aren’t always charming tales of hard work and successful return, are they? My journey is a bit of a war story. This post is a personal account of my experience with a startup nonprofit, its “growing pains” and, ultimately, the end of my tenure as a member of the Board.

Note: I refrain from naming the organization intentionally in order to protect the integrity of its participants, Board members and funders.

Inspiration, Hard Work and Returns on Investment

Shortly after I lost my job, I met the founder of an organization whose mission surprised and inspired me. The founder had come up with a way to creatively meet two charitable needs in a surprisingly cost-effective manner. Identifying and meeting a need or needs is what entrepreneurship is all about, right? After a series of discussions around operational efficiency and sustainable fund sources, he invited me to meet the Board and a couple of participants and then asked me to consider joining their team.

I was voted onto the Board and dove headfirst into fundraising planning. It was almost year’s end and I was ready to capitalize on the goodwill of the holidays. Writing the appeals, I learned my first lesson: Successful building takes planning, so lay the appropriate groundwork.

What do I mean by groundwork? In this case, I found that the Board had yet to identify or define clearly potential participants. This made drafting those appeals nearly impossible. I knew which populations we served and what made them eligible, but we hadn’t clearly stated it anywhere else.

Further, this realization prompted me to take a close look at our operations and long-term strategy. Collectively, we set to work revising and fleshing out the then-skeletal strategic plan.

I spent both rounds of DC’s Snowmageddon camped out in the lobby of the Dupont Hotel with the founder researching, drafting and revising multiple drafts of our new strategic plan. Countless hours and cups of coffee went into that sixty-page document outlining the first three years of local operations and our plans for national expansion.

The return on those hours was incredible… nearly unbelievable. In just a few short months, we changed the structures by which we did business and we saw more and more participants come through our programs. Not only did we attract more participants, but we also retained them as spokespersons. Many who had come to us with deep skepticism and fear were now enthusiastic advocates of our programs!

Despite the hours of volunteer work—many of which probably should have been devoted to securing contracts with financial return—I felt alive! We were the engineers of programs that were changing people’s lives!

Game-Changers, Game Over and Lessons for the Future

Shortly after the snows, two game-changers entered the picture. First, I secured a contract event planning job. Having neglected my job search in favor of volunteer work, turning down the contract was not an option. Second, our organization was featured on one of cable’s highest-rated morning programs.

We had planned for growth, but opportunities came our way at a rate much higher than we anticipated.

The entire Board worked hard to respond to hundreds of emails concerning expansion, sponsorship and interview opportunities and requests to participate in the program. In just a few weeks, the organization went from 1-3 participants per month to 2-3 participants per week!

With less time to devote to the organization and increased demand for our services, I quickly surmised that we might have overlooked yet another important lesson of the startup world: Set realistic goals—for your organization and for yourself.

Honestly, we weren’t prepared to ramp up operations. Perhaps we were all too ashamed to admit it, but the demands took a heavy toll. The Vice President of the organization fainted and landed in the hospital. Diagnosis: extreme exhaustion. I found myself working from 8:30am to 11:00pm in the office of my paying job and then going home to catch up on emails or review partnership agreements for the nonprofit. It became too much for me and for our small group.

Here’s the part where I admit my share of the blame for what happened next.

In the end, my relationship with the Board fizzled out and never formally ended. I was unable to complete a memo during the week of my big event and I attribute that day as the last of my tenure. I never found out whether or not I was formally voted off the Board. No one ever contacted me. I suspect they had grown tired, too.

I had come to respect and depend on this group of creative, passionate young people who empowered me to help build a program that supported dozens of families. They believed in me; I believed in us. Why, then, couldn’t I ask for help?

Perhaps I got too caught up in my zeal to realize that I couldn’t handle both the work coming from my rent-paying gala-planning gig and the volunteer work I set out to complete for the nonprofit? Maybe I was embarrassed? Or, possibly felt as though I had been taken advantage of? It was likely some combination of all of these things.

My journey might have ended differently if I had known this last lesson: Communicate with your team and know when to ask for help.

I’m not in business for myself. I wasn’t ready for that journey just yet. Still, I’ve been bitten by the bug… and I learned a lot along the way.

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Keri Kae Almstead is a nonprofit professional with experience in resource development, event planning and project management for organizations of all shapes and sizes. She’s often found working on a project that has captured her interest, tweeting or making new friends. She holds a degree in International Affairs: Middle East, studied Biological Anthropology and wishes she could speak and understand all the languages of the world.

Twitter: @kerikaeindc
 

by Dan Morrison of Citizen Effect

I never planned on starting an entrepreneurial nonprofit. It was a complete accident, but a happy one. I was running my own consulting firm and enjoyed my work but then met Reema Nanvaty of the Self Employed Women's Association at a conference and found myself in rural India two months later. I met numerous women that were walking hours a day for water, lacked toilets, travelled days for health care and spent the majority of their time procuring the basic needs to keep their family alive.

Then one woman stood up and said, "if you partner with me and provide $5,000, we can build a sustainable well and break this cycle in our village." I went home, sent out a holiday card, and to my surprise, started getting $500 checks from my friends and family. They all wanted a better way to give and to see the direct impact of their donation on this woman's community. And that was it. I built Citizen Effect around the model of finding high impact projects that can transform the lives of people in need and connecting them with Citizen Philanthropists that want to bring their friends and family together to fund a project together.

I knew very little about development work, never considered myself a fundraiser, and was not looking to start something new. But I really had no choice. Once I put the idea out to the world, it took on a life of its own. Soon people who gave to my first project were asking if I could help them find their own project. Then friends asked to get involved. Then strangers. I quickly realized that I could have a much greater impact on the lives of others if I empowered others to be Citizen Philanthropists rather than just doing project myself.

The greatest lesson I learned from starting Citizen Effect was to have the courage to put your idea out into the world. Then I quickly learned that my idea was deeply flawed, and the only way it was going to improve was if I allowed others to adapt it as their own and I integrated those changes into the organization. So as I helped more people fundraise for projects, I watched how they fundraised, what worked, what failed, what was fun and what de-motivarted people. In essence, our Citizen Philanthropists became our market research and innovation department that helped us adapt and improve our model.

Then the day came when all of this adaptation and change moved it from a side project to a full time gig. Citizen Effect would never have existed if I did not allow it to take on a life of its own. I would have smothered and killed it very early if I rammed through my original concept. So what started off as a happy accident, became a fun side project that is now my life's work. Be careful what ideas you put out into the world!

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Dan Morrison is the Founder of Citizen Effect. He is recovering from a career as a innovation and branding consultant and has a graduate degree in Middle Easter Studies. He finds skydiving to be a "amazingly peaceful experience."

Citizen Effect is hosting CitizenGulf events around the country on Wednesday to support fishing families devastated by the oil spill. Attend one by you or make a donation - CitizenGulf.org

Website: CitizenEffect.org | Twitter: @DanCitizen

by Jesse Bouman of Demeter Interactive

My Dive Into Entrepreneurism

Starting my own company is the most exciting and terrifying thing I’ve ever attempted. Nearly six weeks ago I abruptly left my job to start my own digital marketing and ad agency. In these brief six weeks I’ve learned so much more than I had in the previous year. Let me share my experiences thus far and help any hesitant would-be entrepreneurs take that next step in their lives.

The First Step

The first step is the hardest part about being an entrepreneur. There are so many people who talk about their ambitions and dreams of starting their own company but there are far fewer that go out and do it. It’s because that first step is so scary. There will always be an excuse as to why you haven’t started a company. Always. Don’t get caught up in all the “reasons” why you haven’t started a company. They’re excuses. If you really want to start a company… just start one.

It really is that easy. I had the good fortune of meeting with Jen Friel, founder of Talk Nerdy To Me Lover, who broke life down to me in a very black and white manner. Does it feel good or does it not feel good? That was her motto. It doesn’t get much simpler than that. That night I asked myself how I felt at my job and the next day I quit.

Life Unexpected

People say you’re never fully prepared to be an entrepreneur. No truer words can be spoken, nor can they truly be understood until you have taken the plunge. Everyone starts their company with an idea, a skill set, and a grandiose vision and expect to be tremendously successful. Then you start your company and realize, “Wow, what did I get myself into?”

While you were dreaming your dream company, things like invoicing, accounting, and contracts never crossed your mind. When you actually start to get business, these new challenges present themselves. Things that were previously taken care of at your old job are now your responsibility along with running and building the company. You have to deal with the taxes of the company, paying employees, following laws you previously didn’t know about. Does it sound overwhelming? Yes it is. Is it fulfilling? More than words can describe. If the aforementioned chaos doesn’t sound exciting, then maybe entrepreneurialism is not for you.

The CEO Mindset

Now that you’ve taken the leap of faith, you must remember that you are no longer a file and rank employee. You may only be a one-person company to start, but your mentality must be that of a CEO. You can’t just focus on one job anymore; you need to oversee everything. The future of the company relies on your vision. When you speak with potential clients and consumers, you’re the boss. There is no one else to bail you out if you bomb your pitch or your campaign. Don’t think of yourself as self-employed. You are running a company and you want to build a company that can grow in your absence. Transitioning from the mindset of employee to employer is key to your future success.

Becoming an entrepreneur is a challenging and an equally rewarding endeavor. It’s not for everyone. As a young entrepreneur, the best advice I can give someone is to stop making excuses, start your company, and do what makes you happy. The rest will take care of itself.

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Jesse Bouman is the Founder of Demeter Interactive, a digital marketing and ad agency. He is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Madison and currently resides in Los Angeles, California. You can most likely find Jesse with is face buried in his iPhone at a coffee shop or at the beach.

Website: DemeterInteractive.com | Twitter: @DemeterInteract
 

by Gabe Hilado of Zenpo Software Innovations

Ten years ago, at the peak of the dot-com boom a group of friends and I decided to start a company. We were all working together for the same company at that time and whenever we would get together, as we talked about Information Technology work, we started opening up to the possibility of starting our own company. Hey, if all these dot-com companies were striking gold, why not us? As we deliberated about this possibility, we started scouting for potential customers. We had a few business opportunities in mind and convinced ourselves that they were something we could go after. My friends and I became business partners when we started our IT company and got incorporated.

The moment the company was incorporated, we tried to aggressively sell our services. As we talked to the potential leads that we had identified, we began to realize that they were not going to generate business for us. Harsh reality sunk in and our master plan wasn’t going to work! We tried the cold-calling approach to get other customers. We had to resort to cold-calling because we knew nobody. The dot-com bubble had burst. The economy was going into recession. To make matters even worse, we had all quit our jobs in order to pursue the dream of running a business. We were jobless and had no other customers lined up. Our personal savings were burning really fast. We had a few months. Eventually, we were forced to find employment.

Five years later (5 years ago today), I was working for a small boutique software company but got burned out working there. I turned in my two-week notice but had no job lined up. My boss thought it was odd that I would quit with no prospects. I just wanted to clear my head and recharge my batteries, I told him. Two weeks after I left that company, another opportunity to start a business presented itself.

While working for that small software company, I developed a mission-critical patient-information system for one of its customers, a medical institution. When they found out that I left the company, the medical institution contacted me and asked if I’d like to be a consultant and continue supporting the application that I developed for them. My former boss (who is the president of that company) was gracious enough to allow me to conduct business with that medical institution. There was no way I'd pass up on this second opportunity in starting a business. This was a lucky break!

Two years later (in 2007), I converted the sole-proprietorship into Zenpo Software Innovations, LLC. Zenpo Software Innovations has been in operation since and have an average annualized growth of 40% for the past three years. There are some lessons-learned that I’d like to share with you, things that I’ve learned in this journey in starting a business:

• Network and connect with others before you need to. Recall that in my first attempt to start a business, my partners and I put all our hopes in a handful of potential customers. This is fatal in business! If you nurture relationships now, it is very likely that you will get business opportunities later through referrals and such. When you network, be sincerely giving to the other people. In other words, do not network with the mentality “I have to make a sale”; it will never work. Since the beginning, all my sales have been from companies that know me or through referrals from friends!
• Cash is king. The more cash you can save up before and up to the early days of your business, the better you are. True, there are many ways to infuse cash to operate a business. But I’m not just talking about the initial seed money to start the business. I’m also talking about how you spend the money once the business is up and running. Defer getting an office in the beginning. “Donate” personal belongings such as computer equipment to the business instead of buying new ones. Be frugal in how the money is spent until you get a good cash flow in the business.
• Bootstrapping works. I never had to borrow money or ask for investor money to start my IT software business. Zenpo Software Innovations was created with only $1000 (incorporation fees plus initial deposit to the business checking account). Ten years ago, my partners and I made this fatal mistake of quitting our jobs to pursue the business dream. You can start a business today for very small amount of money while you’re still employed by another company. This way, if your business idea doesn’t take off, all you’re going to lose is time, not your home. Bootstrapping can give you the opportunity to start and grow a business while limiting your risks in case your plans don’t pan out.
• Prepare yourself for hard work. I will be honest with you—owning and operating a business is no cake-walk. Running a business requires a lot of responsibility. It will require that you put most if not all of your energy into it, especially in the beginning. There will be many things that you will need to educate yourself on: rules and regulations (local, state, and federal), sales, marketing, and accounting. This might mean less time to see your friends and family. This is a sacrifice you should be ready to make. The rewards of owning a business are well worth all the effort though.

I am the sole owner of my company now. But even though my former business partners and I are on our own separate paths now, we learned from our mistakes ten years ago and use those lessons to better ourselves. One of my ex-partners is now out of information technology industry and is successfully running a field-services company. Another ex-partner has turned into a networking “maven” and has this vast network at his disposal when he launches his own business soon. If you ever dreamt of starting a business, it can be turned into reality. Each person will have his/her own reason for starting a business. But whatever it is, if you are truly passionate about it, if you’re up for the challenges, and if you think you can contribute and make the world a better place through your products and services, go for it!

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Gabe Hilado is currently a SharePoint and Web applications developer and the principal consultant at Zenpo Software Innovations, LLC. He has 18+ years experience in solving business problems and improving existing business processes through custom software solutions and Web applications.

Website: ZenpoSoftware.com | Blog: SPDeveloper.net | Twitter: @GabeHilado

by Mary Kate of Mary Kate McKenna Photography

Note to self: be prepared for big answers when you ask for them.

In 2007, On my way back from the trip of a lifetime to Burma, on an 18 hour flight from Bangkok to New York City, I asked the universe for a sign.

I closed my eyes, brought my feet up to my chest, and wrapped my arms around my legs.

I asked for a sign that would tell me what direction I needed to be going.

I asked for something to happen to show me what I need to be focusing on.

I asked for a sign to prove to me that photography and travel were supposed to be such a large part of my life.

The first day back at my government job (as a contractor), I found out that I had been let go. A huge budget cut had ravaged our office, and my position, along with a few others, had been eliminated. BAM.

I mean, did I need a bigger sign?

For all intensive purposes, I was a cubicle monkey at my government job. I worked in a fantastic office with really great people. I walked four blocks to work. I got to travel a lot (to some really nice places, too) and the work I did I felt had meaning. I really liked my job, but I didn't love it. And in fact, unless I had been let go, I can't say I would have ever left. It was comfortable. I loved that steady paycheck every two weeks. I enjoyed being surrounded by co-workers who felt passionately about their work- I just wished I felt as strongly about it as they did.

I have always loved photography. I have been taking photos since I was nine. I did it on the side in college and that continued to do it when I was hired as a contractor. In fact, my bosses supported my photography and were always thinking of ways to incorporate it into my work. I was very lucky that I had management who loved that I had a skill that wasn't in the job description, but was eager to use for their organization. I got to photograph some amazing things for this large government organization and meet some truly inspiring people. My bosses were the type of people we all long to work for... except I didn't want to work for anyone.

I thought I was being a spoiled brat. I had a great job right out of college with benefits and perks that others would kill for, and I wasn't content. I dreaded Mondays. I counted down the minutes until I could go to lunch and leave for the day. I wanted to be anywhere else but in this office.

Soon I was working 7:30am-4:30pm at my cubicle, and going home at night to edit weddings and photo sessions until 2am. In the fall of 2006, I was working 40 hours a week at my “real” job and putting in 60 hours a week into my photography “business” and I realized that something had to change. I needed to do one or the other. But having no background in business or really in photo, I decided that keeping my safe job was best.

But the universe wasn't going to let that happen. Just as I was attempting to do less photo work, more came pouring in. I was being published in magazines. I had students calling me for internships. I felt like I was living two lives. 4:30 stopped being quitting time and became Round Two.

I was single and secretly loved it. Two incomes without a husband. But when you're 22, this type of lifestyle is OK. What I quickly realized was that this wasn't something I could do forever, especially if I wanted to enjoy my life. I never saw friends, couldn't date, and my mind was always in business mode. My family will tell you that when I came home for the holidays my laptop was always attached to my body. I knew it wasn't right, but I didn't have a choice... I was drowning.

When I walked out of that meeting with my bosses, I was sad. I truly enjoyed my work there. I felt I had more to give and offer. But it was over. They promised to help me find another job, but I knew, even then, that I'd never work for another company again unless it was my own. I was thankful and humbled by their kind words, but hey, I had asked for this sign. And now I needed to follow through.

News spread quickly through the office and everyone gave their condolences. It was hard not to blurt out, “I'll be fine - I'm excited!” But I really was excited. I couldn't wait to make Round Two of my routine Round One and concentrate on what I was passionate about. My friends and family were all supportive. I could do this. They gave me two months at my job. I took two weeks.

And close to four years later, I'm still my own boss. It's not always easy and I don't always know the right answer. Sometimes I don't get to pay myself. Sometimes I work 100 hour weeks. And now, after years of fighting an office environment, I share office space with two other creative businesses. And I love it.

You'll hear this a lot among business owners, but it's so true - if you love your work, you'll never feel like it's work. And that's true, most of the time, anyway. There are days when things are so difficult I think back to my cubicle days and wish I could punch out at 4:30 and just go home.

But then there are days when I photograph a wedding, and I'm starting to put my equipment away for the drive home, and the bride and groom pull me out on the dance floor, so happy I'm there, and wanting me to celebrate and dance with them, sans camera.

Or when I return to a family's home for a session and the children remember my name and can't wait to have some photos taken.

Or when I'm able to use my talents to raise money for incredible charities and give back to my community.

Those are my signs.


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Mary Kate McKenna is a lifestyle photographer in the Washington, DC area. Her work has been published in several magazines and newspapers including The Washington Post, The Washington Post Magazine, Washingtonian Bride & Groom, TheKnot, Get Married Magazine, Brides Magazine and Maryland Life Magazine. She lives with her husband and rescue dogs in Frederick, Maryland.

Website: MKMcKenna.com | Blog: MKsBlog.com | Twitter: DCPhotog

by Joe Natoli of Mind Over Machines

Some men see things the way they are and ask, "Why?"
I dream things that never were, and ask "Why not?"
- George Bernard Shaw

Start here: According to Webster's, Vision means "unusual discernment or foresight." Vision is that idea rattling around in your head that just won't leave you alone. Vision is the unshakable conviction that's keeping you awake nights. And if you're like most entrepreneurs, vision is something that causes most people you discuss it with to look at you as if you've suddenly grown an extra head.

Vision is authentic; it comes from the heart. And like most matters of the heart, it can be a little... well... illogical. Vision takes imagination and creativity, to be sure — but it also takes a hefty dose of sheer guts and willpower in order to make it reality. Vision is the starting point from which all business ideas and decisions emanate — it's the spark that lights the flame, the central idea behind your business that radiates both light and heat.

There's a quote I've carried around for more than 20 years from an old Nike ad that, in my mind, illustrates what an Entrepreneur is up against in the process of making a vision a reality:

"Those who follow the crowd will never get beyond it. Those who walk alone will now and again find themselves in places no one has ever been before. Risk-taking in the world is not without its serious downside, for the new and unfamiliar often breed ridicule. And an unfortunate thing about being out there is that when people finally realize you might be on to something, they'll say it was obvious all along, that anyone could have done it.

There are two choices in life: you can dissolve into the mainstream or you can be distinct. To be distinct you must be yourself. To be yourself you must strive to be what no one else but you can be. Remember, real failure actually comes from an excess of caution rather than an excess of courage."

Visionaries believe in their dreams enough to put everything on the line to make them real. They quietly push forward while the others shake their heads. Their minds may accept the possibility of failure, but their hearts contain the power to deny it ever happening. Jeff Bezos, the founder of Amazon.com was practically a laughingstock in the mainstream business community and media for nearly five years. Why? Because he had a vision of something that no one else could see. But Bezos not only saw it, he believed in it. He was immovably adamant that it could, should, would work.

Fast forward five years: Amazon.com becomes the most celebrated online retailer in market, period and Bezos is recognized as a game-changer. Fast forward another ten-plus years and not only has the vision of Jeff Bezos remained intact; one has even come close to replicating this kind of success on such a massive scale. Technology provided plenty of competitors with the tools and a level playing field – but none could match the vision, and the dedication to it that delivered the right action.

That's the key takeaway kids, because an essential part of having vision is staying true to it, especially in the early stages when there's no shortage of small voices talking very often and very loudly about how wrong or misguided or naive you are.

Something you must remember: most business leaders weren't christened "visionaries" until they proved they were right.

Sticking with your conviction and vision is the principle behind all you'll do as an entrepreneur. But (and it's a big one), you gotta learn to be flexible, too. Business markets, climates and the companies that work in them are constantly evolving, constantly changing. Web technology has multiplied that rate of change exponentially; change is constant now. Like living organisms, successful businesses mutate, synthesizing new ideas that — over time — build brand recognition and trust in the hearts and minds of employees and customers. Visionary biz owners are always trying to identify opportunities to expand, improve or simply solidify their vision.

So while I want you to remember that vision is the start of all great things, know that you're also gonna need a hefty amount of determined, decisive action to get the ball rolling and keep it there. It's not enough to know you're right; you have to get out there and prove it. And while you're at it, you'd better keep your eye on the ball. There is a Japanese proverb that will close this little essay better than I could ever hope to:

"Vision without action is a daydream; action without vision is a nightmare."

So tell me – what's your vision?

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Everything Joe Natoli has done and is doing revolves around a very simple premise, one that he believes in passionately: good design is good business. For 20+ years Joe has helped businesses and organizations large and small leverage good design and powerful user experience to create change, make money, save money or any combination of the three. He'd love to help you design something great. Get in touch!

Website: mindovermachines.com | Twitter: @joenatoli

~from a Women Grow Business blog at Boot Camp

Once upon a boot camp the young entrepreneur with the growing company and the old advisor with many entrepreneurs as clients came together to talk about building a business successfully.

Here’s what you can learn from their mistakes.

Blunder #1: Being too cheap in the early stages

Whether you are an individual or run a company, you need expert advice early to set your business up successfully. A small amount of guidance can save you time and help avoid major problems later.

Talk to a CPA, an attorney, your local economic development agency, check out the SBA, and even experts specific to your business, and learn the basics.
Don’t wait until the government is after you or you are facing your first lawsuit.
Being a business owner can be downright scary. Spend a little upfront to reduce your risks – and raise your comfort level.

Blunder #2: Not learning all you can about marketing, branding, and selling

Selling scares a lot of us. Marketing sounds so expensive and confusing. And branding seems a little too hyped to be real.

Yet every solopreneur and entrepreneur needs to know how to use each of these effectively for their own work and success.

Fortunately, the resources to learn about these aspects of promoting your business effectively are easily available. Start with some self-education. There are a lot of great tools online and even at your local library.

Once you have a basic understanding, decide what is most likely to work well for you.
Define your needs and goals. Create a plan. Develop your materials. Hire those services you need for support.

Blunder #3: Not networking

Each of them told their friends about their new businesses. But that is not enough! You need to be actively engaging your network.

Take all that you learned in marketing and branding above and start actually talking to people about your brand and your new ideas. Ask for their ideas and suggestions. As you build, you can also ask for specific contacts and then referrals.

Get out there to relevant professional meetings and events.
Ask questions.
Make connections.
Go to local business events where your target clients are likely to be and do the same.
Learn about social media and how to use it effectively. This is a great way to build and maintain your networks while also enhancing your marketing. Develop a plan so it doesn’t become a time sink, though.

Blunder #4: Not knowing your full value

One realized her clients were frequently surprised at her business acumen – somehow they expect her to only know one type of thing. And so she realized she was not effectively conveying her full value to potential clients. The other’s staff recognized before she did what a great evangelist she was and how responsive potential clients were to her ideas.

It is vital that you figure out what makes you different and what added value you offer.
Talk with friends, past mentors, and others who know you well. Ask them for the 5-6 words that describe you and see which you can weave into your branding. Research what your potential clients are seeking. Better yet, tap into your strengths and present them as solutions to issues clients face.

Blunder #5: Not learning from your mistakes

All business owners make mistakes. We’re only human, even if we have to pretend to be superhuman. We mess things up and sometimes it takes us awhile to admit that we did. Many businesses continue to make the same mistakes instead of being open to realizing them and changing their ways.

Be a business owner who can see through pride, worry, excitement and exhaustion and see what needs to be fixed, where things could be better and how you could improve.
Be proactive. The more you learn about yourself and your business, the better chance you have to succeed.

These five tips are only the top of our list of unforced errors … but they are among the most dangerous to your future success – and the most common! If you are starting out, you can avoid them. If you are just going along or rebuilding your business, take 30 minutes a day for the next six weeks and start tackling them.

Lots of links to help you with whatever you’ve been needing. We’d love your comments and ideas!

• Resources for entrepreneurs
• Taxes and benefits guidance for small business and self-employed
• “How to” guides – a long list of topics and guides
• More resources for applications and services
• Going Green: The small business greening guide
• Government information, resources, and law links for entrepreneurs

Common Free Resources

• Google Apps – email through your domain, calendars, documents
• Google Voice – can forward to multiple phones & text/email you the written message
• Mint.com – keep track of all your finances in once place
• QuickBooks Online – allow access from anywhere to anyone in your company
• TeamViewer.com – free screen-sharing software (downloadable or thru browser)
• Aviary.com – stripped down design programs with ability to access from multiple locations
• DropBox.com – online files storage syncs with multiple computers

Patricia A. Frame is an experienced management consultant, speaker, and executive with expertise in human capital. Launching a new Women Grow Business series on human resources for small business, Patricia is founder of Strategies for Human Resources. She helps small to mid-size organizations achieve their goals through more effective human capital strategy and management. She can be reached through her website SHRinsight.com, where archives for her ongoing management series can be found.

Melanie Spring is the principal and project director at Sisarina Inc. An expert networker, Melanie and Sisarina connect individuals and companies with the tools they need to market and promote their brand successfully and efficiently. Connect with her on Twitter where she’s @sisarina.

Humans are creatures of comfort.

We seek it in our friendships, our families, our homes, our jobs and more. Most of us tend stay within our comfortable circles instead of venturing out into the world to find new and exciting things.

As business owners we will fail if we don’t venture out. So I’m going to take you on a little adventure.

Get up and get out

As business owners, we’re the sales people. Although we don’t have to “sell” our services or products, we need to have people to talk to about them.

If you talk to the same people all the time, how will you get the word out?

Get out of the office: We all work a lot but we have to make time to get out and meet people or we’ll remain stagnant. Get out from behind your desk and TweetDeck and find people IRL (in real life).

Go to networking events: Find a networking event that is not focused on your industry.

Your potential clients will be there. They’re not typically at industry networking events.

Go to local events: Just because an event isn’t a networking event doesn’t mean networking doesn’t happen. Find events in your area that allow you to mix with your neighbors.

Get offline: When you go to any event, turn off your phone and put it away. You can’t engage people when you’re behind your phone.

Find a new circle

I recently joined @MomzShare as a sponsor because I met a bunch of really cool moms. I’m only a dog mom but nonetheless, they accepted me because they need someone who can offer the advice I give to my other clients.

Step outside the box: Find a group based on your interests or the interests of your friends. Go to a “boys club” event, hit up a local gardening club & grow from what you learn, or join a wine club.

Make friends with your neighbors: Take a plant to your office neighbor, a plate of cookies to your neighbors at home or plan a gathering for your neighborhood (office or home).

Try your friends: Ask your friends about their circles. I bet they have circles that don’t include you. Knitting, church groups, running clubs, etc.

Randomize your choices: Open the events section of your newpaper or favorite website & point. Keeps it interesting!

Go be proactive!

Here are some places you can get started: ProfessionalsintheCity.com, Meetup.com, Sisarina.com/Events, and http://voices.washingtonpost.com/goingoutgurus.

What can you add? And where will I meet you?

More from:

* Making your personal life work for your business from regular contributor and What’s Next, Gen Y? editor, Robin Ferrier
* Regular contributor Thursday Bram and the value of online connections

Image: modenaroid’s Flickrstream, Creative Commons
By Melanie Spring - as published in Women Grow Business (Original Article)

by: Amy Liz Martin
Original Post on Gen Y Networking

Each Friday, its my goal to bring you an interview with someone who has walked many miles in your shoes: other employers. To kick off this new segment, we’re going to feature Melanie Spring, principal and project director for Sisarina. Her company is a unique website design, marketing and business branding “one-stop-shop” and has grown tremendously in it’s first year. You can also follow her on Twitter: @sisarina

While she’s been in the game for a while, Melanie is always on top of the latest digital trends and brings the best strategies to her clients. On top of it all, she is the queen of networking with Gen Y – one of the many reasons I wanted to interview her. Here are the highlights:

What stands out in your experience of working with Gen Y employees?
Motivation isn’t like it used to be. It used to be that people would want a raise, a bonus or time off. Now people just want reason to be working — purpose. Money is a little motivator but if you have collaborative space, a great company culture and dedicated people, motivation isn’t needed.

How do you adjust your communication style when talking to Gen Y employees or students you mentor?
I realize that it’s more about the impact we have, not the things we do that causes Gen Y people to grow. Being that I’m not too far ahead of that generation, I tend to identify as a ‘been there, done that’ mentor to my employees and interns. Too many people talk down to the younger crowd just because they’re younger. Allowing them to have an opinion is key since they have more resources at their fingertips earlier than even I did. They know a lot more than my generation did at their age.

You’re famous for your #DCTweetups (Twitter meetups) and they tend to pull in a significant Gen Y crowd. How do you best reach out to Gen Y and get them involved?
The old style of networking just doesn’t work anymore. Chamber of Commerce meetings are boring and just a ‘card-passing’ event. To keep up with the younger networkers, my events have become a social happy hour event with a friend-making and business connections component. People work with people they like, not people who sell them.

What do you feel motivates Gen Y to network in the ways they do?
The motivation for doing something that’s purposeful is the key. Paid or not, Gen Y is resourceful and understands they need to grow quickly to make it in the economy we’re in. Gen X is more of a social media generation right now but I believe Gen Y is growing in it and will just keep it at a steady growing pace as they get older. Being able to share what they know will only propel them forward.

What advice would you give employers in communicating/networking/mentoring Gen Y’ers?
Don’t talk down to them. Realize they probably know more than you and could mentor you in a lot of ways. Allow them to be heard but also give them the space to listen to you without feeling ‘young’.

Any other insights?
A lot of people say that Gen Y is a class of lazy slackers who just want more vacation time. In reality, they just want to work harder so they can play harder. I’ve rarely seen someone 10 years older who will work as hard at something. Congratulate them after they’ve done a great job instead of incentivizing them with money beforehand — they’ll work a lot harder if they get the recognition rather than the raise.

Melanie’s recommended reading: Dan Pink’s “Drive”

What insights would you add about motivating Gen Y to connect and perform to the best of their ability? Let’s keep the conversation going! And if there is anyone you would like to see interviewed for this feature, please let me know.

CNN came to Sisarina HQ in downtown Bethesda to interview us on how the downturn in the economy is affecting small businesses and came up with a piece on avoiding burn-out at work. We wrote a blog post in April about the experience giving tips on creating a better work life balance. Kudos to Sandra Endo for a great segment!

On CNN.com

“Will you walk into my parlor?”

Getting a client takes a lot of time, motivation and resources. Now that you have the client, how do you keep them coming back for more?

Being a business owner means keeping your best foot forward throughout the entire process to be sure they’ll talk about you or use you again. Making sure your clients are being taken care of while not taking advantage of you is the key.

Set expectations upfront

Make sure your client knows everything they’ll be receiving from and giving to you in the first meeting. Give them the full 4-1-1 on how you operate, your timeline for delivery, milestones for payments, and items they need to give you throughout the process.

If a client has their expectations set from the beginning, it’s hard for them to complain when you deliver just what you said you would.

Have a detailed agreement

People have been saying for years “the customer is always right.” As business owners we know that’s not true.

I believe we should change that to “the customer is always the customer.”

The first step of taking care of your customer is having a signed agreement in place detailing everything you will be providing along with everything they’re expected to provide. This protects them from getting less than they agreed to and protects you from having to give them more than you expected.

Be prepared to give a little

Although you have a detailed agreement you will still be asked to give a little to ensure the customer experience is up to par with their expectations. If the client isn’t fully happy with what they’ve received, realize you may have to put in extra time to appease them.

Being too stiff can cause you to lose your client or not tell others about your great products or services.

Don’t let the client walk all over you

In the same vein of giving a little, make sure your client doesn’t take license to walk all over you and your staff. Even though you set expectations upfront, giving a little sometimes gives clients the feeling you’re a pushover.

Reiterate what your agreement states and make sure they realize you have already gone above and beyond. If they continue to do so, they might not be a good client for you.

Be aware of the signals from the beginning and choose clients wisely in the future.

Up-sell to benefit the client

Up-selling typically benefits your company, but it should really benefit your client most of all. The initial meeting can flesh out a lot of what your client needs but other things will come up during the process of taking care of them that you can make a point of letting them know you also offer. Be sure you don’t try to sell them services they don’t need, as most business owners will realize your scheme.

If they feel you have their best interests at heart they will sing your praises for taking care of them.

Send a thank you card

Thank you cards are a nice touch as they are more personal than sending an email or just thanking them over the phone. Hand-written thank you cards are so rarely sent anymore that the recipient will typically hang it up near their desk.

Custom-branded cards are a great reminder of your business when they need to share your info with their colleagues or call you to discuss something new they’d like to do.

Send a survey

A short survey asking questions about your services or products gives your clients the chance to tell you how you and your staff did taking care of them. This gives them the power of suggestion to help you do things better, or a way to give you a reference you can use when finding new clients.

SurveyGizmo is a free service that allows you to setup a survey, which you can send directly to them through a link.

Keep them on your mailing list

Your regular newsletter will have new products or services along with reminders of things you’ve done which will keep you at the top of their mind.

You can also use these to feature your clients and the work you’ve done for them.

This gives them the sense that you really cared about their company and how you helped them. Stroking an ego is never a bad thing.

More from:

• Lori Saitz aka Zen Rabbit on the power of following up with customers
• How to become the “go to” person for your clients, again from Lori (there’s a reason she’s our customer service guru)
• Mayra Ruiz-McPherson on “PR drivel”

By Melanie Spring - as published in Women Grow Business (Original Article)
Image: William Cho, Creative Commons

Reflections from Melanie Spring:

One year ago, on May 1, after years of giving my skills to help entrepreneurs & corporations, I went back to what I was meant to do – be an entrepreneur myself. It’s been one year of hiring, setting up an office, growth, pain and excitement. The knowledge that you and those working for you are relying on you and your decisions is scary but can show you who you really are.

Over the last year I’ve gone from having an office in my bedroom and being a jack-of-all-trades to being a boss with employees and an office in downtown Bethesda. Being salesperson, project manager, admin and accountant is no easy task for anyone so I found people to replace my lesser skills and every one of them excelled. Thinking you know everything is one of the biggest hurdles any entrepreneur has to get over.

Starting #DCTweetup and watching it grow has been a wonder in itself. In June 2009 we had our first, consisting of 10 locals. Our April event had 90 attendees and now we’re sponsoring #TEDxPotomac’s pre-party & after-party. The amount of incredible people I’ve met through these events is astounding. Networking & friend-making at its finest.

Setting up an office seemed like it would be cut and dry until our painter turned out to be the maintenance guy who knows less than I do about painting. After having the flooring installed and throwing painting parties to finish the paint, we started ordering furniture. Every day brought a box full of goodies. Waiting in painful anticipation for 100-year-old door desks custom-made by my father, as we worked at our conference room table while sewing curtains between projects, had its own set of excitement and drawbacks.

While I sit here looking out my big open windows reflecting on the last year of clients ranging from restaurants to coaches and international non-profits to government contractors, I smile that things have gone so well. We've even been interviewed by CNN! I wouldn’t be a true entrepreneur if I didn’t have knots in my stomach about what’s to come but with the ups and downs that have already happened, I’ve learned I can’t worry about what I can’t control.

Being an entrepreneur has taught me so much about my personality, how I deal with good things and bad, and I’ve grown from being an employee for someone else to running a full-grown company in just a year. Thank you to all who have brought me to this point. Sisarina, my once imaginary friend, is now my life and I have all of you to thank you for that.