Post by Liz Cullen, contributing Women On Business writer Recently in the media, there haven’t been many positive stories about businesses doing well. As Amy discussed in her post last week, not only are there businesses surviving the downturn but also businesses who are doing the best they can to thrive in a downturn. Several women I have spoken to recently told me their … [Read more...]
Starting a Business in an Economic Downturn
Post by Amy Blais, contributing Women on Business writer In the current economic climate, it seems all we hear about is the bad news; people losing their jobs, companies going out of business, and banks failing. Oftentimes the overload of negative news makes us forget about the power of the entrepreneurial market in the US economy. However, entrepreneurs can be the answer to … [Read more...]
Fear of Failure
Chance is always powerful. Let your hook be always cast; in the pool where you least expect it, there will be a fish. ~ Ovid What great wisdom from a Roman poet. But how often are we willing to take risks and take chances. It's pretty scary, right? Have you thought about what your business would look like if you had NO fear of failure and rejection? Fear is such a powerful … [Read more...]
Business Model Selection: Contract Employee versus Entrepreneur
There are many former corporate employees in business for themselves today. This number has grown recently due to the layoffs and business closings prevalent in today's economic environment as is likely to continue growing in the months to come. These highly skilled people are either finding it difficult to get a new job or have decided they are tired of "making other people … [Read more...]
No business loan, no blueprint: How Jazzercise became a multi-million dollar business by staying true to core values
What do you really need to start a business? Most top 3 lists look something like this: 1. A business loan 2. A business plan 3. A detailed business model or structure According to Jazzercise founder and current CEO Judi Sheppard Missett, her incredibly successful business didn’t require any of these to get off the ground. I recently had the chance to talk with … [Read more...]
Self-Promotion is a Must Have Skill
Self-promotion is a must have skill in today's marketplace. How you use your reputational power and how you promote yourself is key to staying marketable. We, as women, are especially sensitive about selling ourselves, stepping into the spotlight, and talking about ourselves in a positive manner. In my 20+ years of business experience, I have seen the consequences when women … [Read more...]
Success Tips from Savvy Entrepreneurs
Post by Liz Cullen, contributing Women On Business writer I left DC in the pouring rain early this week to arrive at the Women Presidents’ Organization Conference on Coronado Bay in San Diego. The location was tempting and, I admit, was one of the main reasons I lobbied to attend our sister organization’s conference. I have been to WPO conferences for years in various … [Read more...]
When your staff aren’t up to scratch
I write a lot about how to be a fab boss, but what about when the staff aren’t up to scratch?! Employees that are in roles they aren’t actually passionate about can be a drain on company finances, the culture and productivity. There is plenty a boss can do to fix that. … [Read more...]
Networking: It’s About Giving
What is the real purpose of networking for business? Traditionally, it has always been about meeting people in order to acquaint them with your business, and hopefully, to solicit their support to build your business, or better yet, to get an immediate referral! The traditional goal has always been more about quantity than quality. How many people can I meet at one event? How … [Read more...]
How to Stop Scaring Big Prospects
Whale cultures can be maddening to smaller, more entrepreneurial companies. Have you ever been selling into a very large company and left meetings perplexed because they would not make a decision that was so clearly in their best interests? How can you explain their reluctance? How can you bring them to a decision? The nature of big companies and government agencies is to … [Read more...]