What is a Value Proposition and Why Do You Need One?

As an entrepreneur or small business owner, would you be able to clearly state what your value proposition is? Personal experience has shown me that nine times out of ten, people are unable to answer this question truthfully, succinctly, and confidently.
If there is any one thing you should do before you launch a new business, [...]

Mompreneurs®: Real Life Wonder Women

In their own rights, being a new business owner and a new mother are some
of greatest challenges any woman can face. Doing both at the same time
requires a certain set of skills and characteristics including lots of determination,
patience, and multi-tasking. (And perhaps that occasional glass of red wine at
the end of a hectic day.) Introducing [...]

The Art of Listening: How to Gain a Competitive Advantage by Listening to Your Customers

Do you really want to know how to differentiate yourself from your competition? Pull up a chair and listen…
One of the most valuable, but grossly under-utilized, skills that any business professional should have in his or her bag-o-tricks is listening.

Small Businesses Feeling The Heat - What’s Next?

An article featured in the International Herald Tribune on 9/14/08 claims that small business owners are hit hardest when the economy takes a turn for the worse. Oftentimes, this equates to closing up shop and returning to a “regular” job, working for someone else. I’m a big advocate of pushing forward in good times or [...]

Business Plans Are No Longer “Optional”

You’ve heard it before. You’ve resisted. But you’re certain you don’t need to invest the time and money in developing a business plan.
News flash! If you are planning to launch a business and secure any type of funding, this is no longer an optional exercise given increased restrictions, requirements, and economic uncertainty. Whether you choose [...]

Using Pull Marketing to Build Your Clientele

I recently read an article published by the American Marketing Association on the importance and value of “pull marketing.” Now that so much our of marketing is done via the Internet, I thought I’d share a few tidbits to help you build a loyal customer base.
Instead of using “push” marketing techniques that are losing their [...]

Book Review: Law of Attraction: The Science of Attracting More of What You Want and Less of What You Don’t by Michael J. Losier

What a concept! Don’t we ALL have a desire to attract more of what we want and “86” the things that are holding us back or bringing us down?
Expanding on the work of Esther Hicks, Losier provides a practical guide as well as exercises to deliberately give your attention, energy and focus to the things [...]

Book Review: The Art of Possibility by Rosamund Stone Zander & Benjamin Zander

The Zanders bring a unique perspective and approach to finding opportunity and possibility in nearly every situation you encounter.
As entrepreneurs, we are naturally hard-wired to identify unique opportunities, but starting a business poses a variety of unique challenges as well. Altering your mindset and crafting a new framework can help you transform roadblocks, mistakes, and/or [...]

How will the next President impact you as an entrepreneur?

As a small, independent business owner, I am extremely tuned into this presidential campaign. I want to know which candidate will serve me best when it comes to tax breaks, economic impact, accessing funding, opportunities for health care, etc. In his acceptance speech last week, Barack Obama mentioned he wanted to help entrepreneurs and the [...]