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Small Business Snippits

Small business owners sharing ideas, advice and insight.

How many of you feel like there is something missing from your life? 

OK. You can all put your hands down now.  I chat with people all the time about their success, their failures, their passions and their roadblocks.  I am not a counselor or a therapist or even a business coach for that matter.  I am just a mom who listens and gives sound advice.

On a recent trip to Chicago, I met a thirty something woman at a conference that I attended.  She has a phenomenal career, a nice home, financially secure, decent boyfriend (basically all lollipops and rainbows dream life), but she still is missing one crucial piece: She wants to own a business!

She and I quickly became friends and chatted between every session, and even shared a cab ride back to O'Hare International Airport.  My new found friend and I had a very long discussion about the steps that are required to open a business.  She's working on her plan and developing the concept of how to strategically align the stars and moon to make it all work in her favor.  (If you started your own business, you know what I mean by having all the planets align.)

There is never a perfect time to start a business, but there needs to be a gut full of passion to get over all the humps and hurdles in the beginning of the journey.  It takes time and patience and a little bit of masterful planning to make it work, and it does work for many small business owners as they have been very successful in their endeavors.

Now, it's your turn. Any and all small business owners, please share some of the best insight and advice you have received over the years.  We are all ears!

 

 

Jeanene Arrington- Fisher April 24, 2012 at 10:09 pm
Have a plan - take your business serious and have a plan! I started Not a Clue Adventures the year the recession hit. I changed the business plan to fit the economy - stayed afloat with little to no profit and hung in there. I took the time to make relationships that were good for my business. I marketed myself as already being successful, I believed it and now it is happening. As I enter in the 3rd year of my business everything is looking great...but now the hard part - I have to continue to work it to watch it grow! No rest now. Customer Service, marketing and networking are the keys to success - you turn off the engine and you will stop moving forward.
Kim Kenney April 25, 2012 at 01:42 am
Thanks Jeanene for sharing your insight! I hope that more business owners will share their advice too...
Yvonne Guibert May 1, 2012 at 03:21 pm
I have 5 main tips / pieces of advice. 1) I agree with Jeanene - a solid business plan is key. Include sufficient market research in your plan - know who your competitors are and how much of a market there is. 2) Budgeting is critical. Don't underestimate how much things cost. 3) Staffing and resources. Decide what you can do yourself (focus on what you do best) and what you must pay others to do. Be honest with yourself from the start and don't waste any time getting the right people in place. This will vary depending on the kind of business you want to start. 4) Create your Identity. Cultivate it and set yourself apart from others. Pay a creative professional to design your company logo. It does not have to be crazy insane creative, but it must be tangible, easy to read, and it must be used consistently. As a marketing professional, I am amazed at how many people own their own business, but don't know what a logo is, much less how to use it. 5) Develop a marketing plan and execute it, tweak it and keep on marketing! Involve social media. Marketing is not something you can start and stop as you need it. In order for your business to grow and thrive, you can never stop marketing your business. There are many different ways to do this. I am a big fan of social media, co-op marketing and event marketing. Even if you own an a/c repair business, you can be creative in how you market your business. Make networking on a regular basis part of your marketing plan. Have fun!
Kim Kenney May 1, 2012 at 10:41 pm
Great advice Yvonne! I hope more business owners will read your comments, as they are honest and relevant!!!! Thanks for sharing :)

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