Change In Which We Can Believe

I passionately *despise* Barack Obama’s grammatically incorrect campaign message—even though my editing stylebooks no longer declare ending a sentence or phrase with a preposition as grammatically incorrect. I can’t help it. It’s how I was taught. I cringe every time I see one of those placards in someone’s window and have to correct it—out loud—every time.

The fact that we so often read, hear and use sentences that end in prepositions has made the practice acceptable. It is no longer incorrect. Our definition of intelligent grammar has changed.

And if there’s anything we can believe in, it’s change. (Cringe.)

Change is inevitable. Seasons change. Economic circumstances change. Consumer demands change. There is no such thing as static. Everything changes.

As a small business owner, how you handle change is a critical factor in your success or failure.

Proactively planning for change can open up new opportunities and lead your business into new directions. Embracing change as it comes can position your business for successful growth.

Allowing for change by being reasonably flexible, responding to external forces or events and keeping an eye out for ways to modify your business can prevent you from being left behind. When you are open to change, your business can stay current, fresh and continue deliver what customers want.

But in the day-to-day aspects of managing a small business, change can be an annoying time-suck.

Every year software programs require upgrades—many of which upset your delicately balanced electronic equilibrium. Why doesn’t the latest version of Ad-Aware work like the last one did? Now that I have the latest, fastest high-speed wireless Internet connection, my fax won’t answer calls. And let’s not even get started about upgrades to Windows operating systems and the problems those cause. Suffice to say I know a great many people who solved their Windows Vista troubles with a new Mac.

You can spend months researching, negotiating and securing terms for vendor accounts only to have your star performers suddenly discontinue your best-selling product line. Or change their names. And so you have to begin again to research replacements, negotiate new terms and update your materials with the new information.

Suppliers raise their prices. Dependable employees leave. Office Depot discontinues the specialty paper you use for your in-store promotions.

Yes, everything changes.

Dealing with those regular (sometimes it feels like daily) changes is part of a small business owner’s life. After more than a year of being self-employed, I have finally learned to build into my schedule some flex-time each week so I have room for those inevitable annoyances. Expect the unexpected, as the saying goes.

What techniques or tips do you have for dealing with change? Share with us your strategies for coping with change.

How Do You Define Success?

A headline in this morning’s NY Times caught my eye: “Why Some Succeed Wildly.”

The article is about the book Outliers: Why Some People Succeed and Some Don’t by Malcom Gladwell, author of The Tipping Point and Blink. In an excerpted paragraph quoted in 800ceoread.com, he says, “I want to convince you that the way we think about success is all wrong.”

Instead of looking at only the people themselves, he suggests, we need to consider their backgrounds and circumstances, as well as the contexts from which they emerged. As suggested the by NYT article’s author, Gladwell hints that it’s not so much the people who create success, as it is the necessity of the idea itself. If the timing is right, the wildly successful maverick is merely the most adept opportunist, able to take the ripe idea to its fullest potential.

As the book isn’t due out until November, the details of what Mr. Gladwell suggests will have to wait until later. But for now, the premise of the book and its title alone are enough to generate questions and thoughts from me about success.

Why do some of us reach for success and others find contentment where they are? What is it that makes some of us so damned dissatisfied with what we have and what we’re doing? Why is it that some of us always want more?

How do we know when we get THERE? Where exactly is success located? How is it that no matter where you set the bar for your own success—when you get there, or even come close to getting there, it always seems to move?

What exactly is success? How do I define my own success? What do I need to say I’m successful?

With just more than one year of self-employment to my credit, I still own my home. With no second income, no partner or husband or pick up the slack from my lost salary and no public assistance, I’m still afloat. I pay my bills on-time (at least as on-time as I ever did) and put healthy food on the table for me and my daughter.

I help small business owners reach more customers, convert more sales and lay the foundation on which they’ll grow and build their businesses. I earn money for my talents, skills and experience—and my ability to connect those with people who need them. My own belief in my value enables me to create mutually rewarding relationships and transactions.

I have friends who love me and help me. When I need a shoulder to cry on, when I’m scared, confused or not sure what to do next, I have a number of amazing women and men who are there to lift me and bolster me with their care and support. Whether they take me to lunch and listen to me vent, come help me work, or show up with wine and chocolates to just laugh together, they are the roaring, cheering fans who energize and excite me to push ahead.

I have a life that I share with my child. I am able to be both physically and emotionally present with her, creating and enjoying shared experiences—even the mundane ones such as making dinner together. I am also exposing her to the lessons of incremental success. When I reach my monetary goals and I’m taking her on trips around the world, she will know how it happened.

My daughter is not growing up with a mom who says “I wish I had done…” or "If only..." I’m teaching her that if you want something, you have to work hard and focus to get it. She watched me first try and fail to buy the business I wanted, then hang out my shingle as a copywriter, then work for my first clients, then form an S-corp and open an online store, then figure out how to juggle all of those endeavors. And she saw me do it all while still being there to pick her up at school on time (more or less). She knows that even as important as my own dreams and goals are to me, she is the most important part of my life. While together we may set a course for bigger, better things, the unit of “she & me” is the orbit around which those dreams revolve.

My skills are improving. I learn every day.

I am getting better at trusting myself. I am getting better at trusting other people, and knowing how to protect myself.

I have dreams to which I aspire and in which I believe.

No, I cannot afford a new car; I can barely afford the one I have. No, I cannot afford to landscape my yard or hire a full-time assistant. I cannot afford to begin my travels yet.

But that is not how I define success.

By my definition, I am already wildly successful.

How about you?

Finding Free Stuff for Your Business

I will let you in on a little secret I've learned as a boot-strapping entrepreneur and small business owner: the Internet is a wealth of special deals and free stuff.

Sure, you already know you could search on eBay or Amazon for great prices on name-brand merchandise. And maybe you've learned from my previous posts about how much free advertising you can get on Craigslist and how many free ways there are to promote your business online.

But did you know that you can find discounts, coupons, promotional codes and giveaways on many products and services that you use for your small business?

Bloggers like more successful than me, for example, arrange deals from the likes of Yahoo! and MSN to provide discount offers for new advertisers in their sponsored search programs. Don't believe me? Type "Yahoo advertising promotional code $75" in Google search to find some. When I opened my advertising accounts with Google, Yahoo and MSN, I loaded them up with more than $200 in advertising credits.

Similarly, I was able to refer a friend of mine to a partner website that offered a coupon code for 20% off all services for new e-newsletter account sign-ups. My friend saved a bunch on her custom designed e-newsletter and account management services.

I recently found another resource on John Jantsch's DuctTapeMarketing blog: free magazines. Makes sense. After all, publishers are always looking for ways to reach new subscribers. It doesn't cost them much to give away samples or subscriptions of their magazines—they print and mail by the tens of thousands; what's one more?! Sign up to receive free Business Week, Creativity and other business rags.

Free pens from promotional imprinting companies, free shipping boxes from the USPS, discount digital printing of postcards and business cards, advertising special offers...everybody wants your business, so every price is negotiable.

What are your favorite scores or resources for free stuff? Share!

Go Scare Yourself

After a six-week hiatus, "Boston Legal" returned to ABC last night with a new episode. It was the kind of occasion that would have warranted turning off my phone, except that the only person who would call me that late at night is my boyfriend, and he knows to wait until after the show.

Determined not to miss a single second of a new BL, I tuned in to ABC five minutes before 10 pm and caught the end of "Dancing with the Stars"—the moment where the hosts bid sayonara to celebrity comedian and radio show host Adam Corolla and his dancing instructor and partner, Julianne Hough.

In the final moments before the credits, the show host put the mike to Adam and asked him a question that was clearly intended to lead the comedian into an opportunity to do what he would normally do: make a joke. But instead, Adam said something to the effect of: “I did this show because it scared me and I thought it would be a good idea to do something that scared me. I’m glad I did. To everyone watching who is afraid, too, I say just go out and do it. You don't know what rewards you'll reap from the risk.”

This morning, I received a similar message.

For a week or so, I’ve been subscribing to CEO/Entrepreneur/Attention-Getter Peter Shankman’s Help a Reporter Out newsletter. The e-mail from Peter that greeted me this morning says:

So I spoke to a class at NYU last night, talking about marketing and creativity.
I suggested that they do one thing every day that scares them. I suggest the
same to you. Today, do one thing that scares you.

In less than 12 hours, I heard two people give the same advice.

Coincidence? Or divine instruction? Whatever you believe, when synchronicity like that occurs to me, I take heed.

Today, I will do something to scare myself. And I pass on the encouragement to you to do the same.

Taking the leap to self-employment was terrifying. Starting a second company, self-funding it, and taking the idea out into the world for people to judge has, at times, conjured sensations of being in mortal danger. These are intensely frightening undertakings.

But throughout my life, I have always found that confronting things I fear has been the right choice. It has forced me to challenge myself and my assumptions. As a result, I have always found skills, loves, friends and opportunities that I would otherwise not have discovered.

No matter where you are in the self-employment process, chances are you can benefit from a shake up, too.

If you're only considering starting a business, but haven't yet done anything more than talk about it, today is the day to put your foot forward.

If you've started a business, but there is an element of it that frightens you, today is the day to face it.

If you've successfully been in business for a period of time, today is the day to look at your dusty widgets and ask yourself, "What is holding me back from taking this business to the next level? What am I afraid of?"

Life is too short to be afraid, my friends. Go scare yourself.

Easily Ship and Mail from Your Business: Stamps.com

When I think of the US Postal Service, one word comes to mind:

Hassle.

Not “efficiency.” Not “reliability.” Not even “mail.” No, my first reaction is to wince.

Sure, the USPS is attempting to be a more competitive, appealing choice for shippers and businesses. It wants to encourage people to keep mailing in an Internet age. It has a mission to dispel the label of “snail mail.”

But frankly, it still sucks.

Navigating the labyrinthine rules of mailing and shipping with the USPS is maddening. There are so many "if, then" equations that it's like being stuck in an SAT nightmare.

If you want Flat Rate Priority Mail shipping rates, then you must use Flat Rate Priority Mail shipping box A or box B, but not Priority Mail box A, B, or C, nor standard boxes A, B, C, or D. If you want your package to arrive in 1-2 days in Zone A, then you must choose First Class Mail or Priority Mail, but only First Class Mail if the package is sized below variable X and weighs below variable Y. If your package is larger than variable X and weighs above variable Y, then you may not choose First Class Mail, you may choose Priority Mail, but then your package will deliver in 2-3 days. If you have a package in a plain box, that weighs 2 lbs., 1 oz., and is traveling to Lansing, Michigan, then what label or postage should you choose for delivery in 2-3 days?

Without fail, the USPS website makes me pull my hair in frustration. Post offices make me tense and irritable. Postal forms stymie this user every single time. Rather than waste 45 minutes online trying to figure out which custom form it is I need to send my package into Canada, I've learned that it's faster for me just to fill out both.

When I started my online store, then, it’s no surprise that my shipper of choice was UPS.

Several months into shipping, however, the numbers made me reconsider my choice. My UPS account is expensive. And the benefits that used to make UPS stand out from the USPS—delivery notification, speed, reliability, carrier pickup—are all services that the USPS now offers. Plus, USPS packages will get across country in 2-3 days, whereas UPS packages take 5-7 days.

Oh, if only there were some way to harness the power of the USPS without having to DEAL with the USPS.

There is.

I’ve been trying Stamps.com now for a month and I love it. It is a fee-based service: for the standard plan, the cost is $15.99 per month. Packages for extra users and business that need to maintain higher postage balance go up to $34.99 per month.

Stamps.com is so easy to use: in less than 10 minutes, I had installed and customized my account, printed my first Priority Mail shipping label and set my package out for the mail carrier pick-up.

Ah, yes. That’s how it should be.

In addition to printing shipping labels from your computer, Stamps.com lets you:
* print stamps
* print postage directly to envelopes and postcards
* complete customs forms for international shipping
* custom design and order stamps with your business logo on them
* hide postage costs on your shipping labels
* receive instant email notification of package pick-up and delivery
* and more

Buying postage is practically instantaneous and the printing options are so flexible (print on basic 8.5” x 11” paper in your printer, cut and tape to package, or print on label sheets that you can get from Avery® or Stamps.com, choose from a variety of sizes for additional cost-savings and to ensure proper fit on package, etc.). Stamps.com has saved me money and time, two things that I guard carefully in my business’s start-up phase.

I recently learned of another service akin to Stamps.com: Endicia.com. A quick visit to their website shows a similar suite of product and service offerings at comparable rates. I haven't worked with Endicia.com, so I can't say which company has the better service, but I'm confident that whichever one you choose, either is better for business than working with the USPS directly.

Standard plan allowing you to print and ship packages from your office: $15.99 per month.

Postage printing supplies from Stamps.com store: $2.99.

Completely avoiding the Post Office forever: Priceless.

True Story

I met my friend for breakfast this morning.

“I went to Powell’s over the weekend,” I told her. “I found a book called The Procrastinator’s Guide to Marketing.”

“How is it?” she asked.

“I don’t know yet. I haven’t started it.”

Is Your Computer Slowing You Down? Tips for Improving and Maintaining Small Business Computer Performance

Spyware. Adware. Viruses. Spam.

These hi-tech nuisances can cause major mishaps for small businesses. Employees and business owners waste countless hours weeding out spam and re-doing work that was lost when the computer crashed. Not to mention the time wasted battling slow computer performance due to hijacking by one or more of the above pests.

Want your computer to run better? Here's a simple-but-effective guide to help you zap computer pests and get zippier computer performance—so you can spend time managing your business, not your computer.

Check the Hardware

First, find out what’s going on with your hard drive—it's the engine that drives your machine. Before you throw more resources at your computer, you want to diagnose the problem(s). Is the hardware outdated? Is your memory maxed out? Is it infected?

In Portland (Oregon), my ISP guys (that’s Internet Service Provider) provide a hard drive scan that’s reasonably priced and relatively quick. Bring your hard drive to Hevanet, where they’ll check it's performance, scan for contamination from malware and install free software to protect your computer against future invasions.

Not in Portland, Oregon?

In the US, try Geek Squad; worldwide, try Computer Troubleshooters. These franchises—and others—provide on-call computer service experts who can troubleshoot your slow-running computer and hook you up with the hardware or software upgrades you need for improved performance.

Don’t be surprised if you’re told to get a new hard drive. Computer hardware doesn’t have a long lifespan. According to Chip Reaves of Computer Troubleshooters, “Studies have shown that the likelihood of physical problems with computer equipment goes up significantly after 24 to 36 months. Consider replacing computer systems every three years.”

Set Up a Computer Maintenance Plan

To maintain your computer health on your own, here’s a five-step solution that should meet small businesses computer maintenance needs:

1. Get an effective anti-virus protection software.

Download AVG Virus Protection Software for free. If you have Norton Anti-Virus software on your computer, uninstall it (remove it completely) before installing AVG. Run a full-system scan of AVG and make sure you have it configured to automatically update. Don't put Norton back on your computer. It slows down your hard drive and conflicts with many other popular and necessary software packages that small businesses need. Use AVG instead.

2. Install effective anti-spyware software.

Download Ad-Aware SE or Spybot (or both). Run a full system scan to remove spyware and adware.

3. Can the spam.

Is there an effective anti-spam software you can purchase for your hard drive? That's the question I asked the support team at Hevanet. Because my spam filter, Postini, is a free accessory with my Hevanet email account, I asked them for a recommendation to pass on to you.

"Since about 90% of current email is spam, I would not recommend that people do this themselves," Craig at Hevanet answered. "It is a big waste of desktop resources. Ask your email provider for a filtering service."

Your email host should include spam protection as part of your monthly service and it should have settings you can adjust, so you can block bad email addresses and white-list (or include) others. If you're unsure of how to adjust your spam filter settings, contact your email host.

If your email provider has no such service, change service providers!

It will be a minimal hassle to change to your email and migrate your information and it will make a world of difference in your productivity when you no longer have to spend an hour each day deleting unwanted junk.

Again, I can speak highly of Hevanet and the spam filter service they provide, Postini. Hevanet just announced national dial-up accounts, so even outside Portland, Oregon, you can sign up for their fantastic service.

Once you have your settings adjusted to the strictest level, check your spam folder at least once per week. Delete contents regularly (without opening them as they could be viruses!) and look for wanted e-mails that may have been filtered.

4. Clean up your hard drive.

a. To do this with a Windows XP or Vista, go to the “Start” menu. Select: Programs --> Accessories --> System Tools --> Disk Cleanup

b. Choose your main hard drive.

c. Select “Temporary Internet Files,” “Offline Webpages,” “Recycle Bin,” “Temporary Files.”

d. Click “OK” and confirm to remove those junk files.

e. Now open your Internet Explorer Web browser. Under the “Tools” menu in the top menu bar, select “Delete Browsing History…”

f. In the window that opens, just select “Delete History” for the Temporary Internet Files option. This will clear out other cached Web pages that may be bogging you down.

5. Defragment your hard drive.

a. In Windows, go to the “Start” menu and open: Programs --> Accessories --> System Tools --> Disk Defragmenter

b. Choose your main hard drive.

c. Click on “Analyze” to see if you need to defragment.

d. Click “OK” if it recommends that you run the defrag.

Now Rinse and Repeat

These five steps—virus scan, spyware/adware scan, spam filter check, disk cleanup and defrag—should be performed weekly. Make it your Saturday morning or Sunday night routine and keep up with it. You’ll appreciate how much better your computer runs and how much more efficient your feel when you’re not slogging through the junk anymore.

Other Resources

Miscellaneous Computer Use Tips & Recommendations from Hevanet

By the way, nobody endorses me to mention or promote their services in this blog. Because I've received some great connections through others' recommendations, I want to do the same. I do not receive any payment or kickback from any of the vendors or service providers I mention.

Taking Care of You: Surround Yourself with Supporters

(copyright for the above image belongs to Despair, Inc.)

Along the start-up path (and throughout life, really) you will encounter a variety of people. I’ve written about how helpful and supportive strangers, acquaintances and friends have been so far in encouraging my business’s start up (see "Don't Do It Alone When You Go It Alone"). But what about the others?

Not everyone is as helpful as they appear/claim/hope to be.

From vendors who supply a product you need—but they don’t pursue your account and take forever to answer your requests for information—to unresponsive or underperforming service providers with whom you contract, not everyone is able to give you and your business a hand up.

Some people actually bring you down.

One woman I met recently talked about how unsupportive her friends were during her business’s initial start-up. It’s not that they didn’t want her to succeed, they were just immature and more interested in partying than sitting and listening to their ambitious, precocious peer lament her start-up woes.

A friend of mine felt that she lost weeks of time moving her small business forward when a sales rep from a packaging supply company was dragging her feet in getting answers to her.

“I learned who I don’t want to do business with,” she told me. “It was just as important a lesson as finding out who I do want to give my business to.”

And she’s right.

Like the Will Rogers quip, we can learn from everyone. Only some people teach us what we don’t want and how we don’t want our business to run.

One of my business mentors told me once that a critical element of nurturing yourself as a CEO and entrepreneur is to surround yourself with supporters. While realistic and honest feedback is essential, people who drag you down emotionally, discourage you, or otherwise leave you feeling "icky"are toxic. They drain your confidence and hold you back.

If there are vendors who require you to do more than your share of the work, ask yourself, what I am paying for? Cut your losses and find someone you can work better with.

If your friends aren't able to take the time to listen to you, or you feel less excited about your business efforts AFTER you speak with them, then stop talking with them about it. Connect with a group of entrepreneurs or sole proprietors who can offer true support and encouragement.

If a supplier is unresponsive to your requests, find someone else who can provide the resource you need. You don't have time to waste on them! One of their competitors will be happy to prove to you that their service is the better choice.

Even people can be dusty widgets that you have to ditch to move forward toward achieving your goals. Take a look at your energy drains and then take measures to replace them with positive influences instead. It makes a world of difference!

Recession Panic

This morning's lead stories in both the NY Times and my local newspaper are all about the impending recession, with my newspaper even going so far as to use the phrase "Oregon's '08 recession."

Not such an auspicious time to be launching a retail store or trying to get a new business off the ground. Any other start-ups groaning along with me?

Helping Hands

Reciprocity. Good karma. I scratch your back, you scratch mine. However you want to term it, small business owners helping other small business owners is…good for business.

The goodwill gestures can be as easy as displaying complementary business information at your location, as straightforward as mentioning good services to your clients, or as personal as passing out others’ cards. However you choose to go about it, sharing information is a win-win. Not only do you help another business owner and potentially your customer, but you benefit, too.

What's In It for Me?

By promoting complementary businesses and services, you create added value to your relationship with your customers. When you assist your customers in accessing quality products or solutions, you underscore your commitment to service. You demonstrate your knowledge of their needs, reinforcing that both you and your business are a resource.

Let Someone Else Do the Work

Spreading the word about related business news or offers can also solve one of your problems: having an excuse to “touch” (contact) your customers. Maybe you don’t want to lower prices, haven’t introduced a new product or service lately or don’t have the time to write a zesty, engaging letter to your customers. Let someone else do the work. As long as it’s a referral you feel good about, you benefit from putting it on your letterhead and sending it to your list. Including information from others in your regular newsletter is a great way to keep your materials fresh.

It All Comes Back

And finally—the obvious—when you help other businesses, they may be inspired to help you, too.

Here are some additional suggestions for good business karma:

• Follow the café example: hang a bulletin board and allow other businesses to post messages on it
• Feature referral-of-the-month business cards at your point of purchase location
• Note upcoming events at complementary businesses in your print newsletter
• Introduce a new, complementary small business to your customers in an e-newsletter
• Offer to share your space for complementary services by sole proprietors
• Write a letter to your mailing list, including a special offer from a complementary service provider
• Highlight a valuable service or product by a complementary business on your blog
• Link to other small businesses on your Web site

This post was inspired by my massage therapist, Amanda, at Miss Fit. Not only does my monthly massage with her make my month (I’ve had to have ongoing massage therapy and chiropractic care for nearly a decade and Amanda stands out as one of the most effective therapists I’ve seen), but last week, she topped it by helping to share news of my new online maternity store to the prenatal fitness class at Miss Fit. Thank you Amanda for reminding me how good it feels to be helped by and to extend help to others.

5 New Year’s Resolutions for this Small Business Owner

Determined to be successful as a business owner in 2008? Me, too. Here are my New Year's resolutions. Have some of your own to share? Let us know!

1. Check out assumptions.

When I launched Maternitique last month, I had a promotional plan in place. I executed it. I held my breath and watched as the results fell short of what I expected.

I did the right steps of researching, planning, budgeting. What I didn’t do was ask those more experienced—or even anyone at all—what to expect. My steps were correct, but the expectations were too high.

In 2008, I resolve to more frequently ask fellow business owners for feedback and to consult with my team of advisors.

2. Enlist help.

Friends and family have been offering for months to help me check in inventory, spread the word about my store and take some of the grunt work off my shoulders. In 2008, I resolve to accept help.

3. Set SMART goals, not just goals.

I’m notorious for ingenious ideas, creative suggestions and out-of-the-box thinking. But my goals are often lofty, complicated and ambitious. There are often so many players to involve, so many elements to coordinate and so much labor entailed that they don’t come to fruition in the timeline needed or as flawlessly as imagined.

In 2008, I resolve to narrow down my big ideas into specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and timely (SMART) goals. At least I resolve to try.

4. Make better use of my time.

The most SMART goals in the world won’t go anywhere without investing time and effort into them. To select the best of my ideas, involve other people in testing them for appeal, and really sink my teeth into executing them, I need to focus, create detailed plans with objectives and show up to work each day to make it happen.

In 2008, I resolve to be more respectful of my time.

5. Be a better boss.

Being my own boss is a joy. I love having freedom and no higher authority to report to. The downside is that when I’m not performing at my best, I become an irritating, frustrating boss.

Lately, I have lost my focus, thrown up my hands in frustration more times than I care to count, avoided working on problem areas and could probably have earned some kind of award for procrastination. Have you ever had to work with someone like that? It’s demoralizing. In 2008, I resolve to be a better boss to myself. I resolve to treat myself as if I were one of my employees.

Other suggested New Year’s resolutions for 2008:
Chicago Daily Herald

Small Business: Canada at About.com

Small Business Trends

San Francisco Chronicle

Find Your Passion and Follow It

Last night I was at a party and found myself answering a lot of questions about my businesses. Because I'm so close to the launch of my second venture, I naturally focused on how hard I'm working these days. I talked about the long hours and how focused I've been on dedicating my energy to both companies.

When one of the guys I was talking with said, "It must be a drag to work that hard," I was surprised. I hadn't meant to sound like I was complaining. I'm not. But it is what it is: a lot of work.

"I'm happy to work this hard," I said, "because I'm excited about what I'm doing. I love what I'm creating, and I love that it's mine."

On Thursday, I wrote to my public relations agent about my ideas for an editorial pitch to a major women's magazine. She responded this way:

"Looks good Tara! You can tell your heart is really in this. I was just reading
an article this morning from one of my favorite motivators and he quoted:
When starting your business look for a product that you really like, use and
enjoy yourself personally. You can only sell something to someone else if your
heart is in it. And if your heart is in it you will enjoy using the product
yourself and be successful and the money will follow."

I know the advice to "love what you do and the money will follow" is trite, but people keep repeating it because it's true.

As an entrepreneur and small business owner, you really do have to be passionate about the business you're starting or running. To keep yourself energized and pushing forward when the going gets tough, it takes something more than the draw of a paycheck. It takes love, passion, and intensity. And like the romantic equivalents, when you share your passion, you might be surprised at how it grows and turns into something more beautiful and amazing than you had imagined.

The Joy of Bookkeeping

October has been the month of QuickBooks.

I'm learning how to keep my business's books and all the component parts included with that responsibility: setting up the chart of accounts; viewing and reading reports; customizing invoice templates; and creating the record-keeping systems that will help me track my profitability, sales, and inventory.

Because the extent of my knowledge about QuickBooks, accounting, bookkeeping, and business reports could fit in a sandwich baggie, I planned on hiring professional help to get me up and running when I launched my new businesses. I wanted to be trained and at a conversational--if not fluent--level of competency by the time we were done. After all, I'm the CEO of one company and the sole proprietor of another. I should know my books like the back of my hand.

With a $2,500 budget for my first year's accounting expenses, I expected to be able to get the training and set-up I needed, plus my first year's taxes. Since I'm only going to be open for business for two or three months of the entire fiscal year, it seemed like plenty of money.

So in August I had a junior associate at my financial firm come and spend two hours with me setting up my chart of accounts--which she did incompletely. A week or so later, I opened a business bank account and in September I had to write my first check. Stumped as to how to enter my equity contribution and bank information into QuickBooks, then how to write a check, I called my firm and spoke for 20 mintues with another junior associate about how to complete those tasks.

Then last week, I received my first bill from my firm. It's more than $1,000.

Time-out.

At this rate, the $500 online course from Intuit sounds like a bargain.

But I'm a hands-on learner, not someone who retains and integrates information gleaned from a computer screen. Reading about the nuances of double-entry bookkeeping on a white window doesn't sound wise knowing my learning style.

It was time for a new strategy or a new accountant! I opted to seek less expensive help from someone who could walk me through the basics of QuickBooks and save the financial firm for tax time.

I reached out to Richard Witherspoon, of Witherspoon and Heath business consulting. My friend and fellow business owner had introduced me to Richard several months ago and I was impressed at the time by Richard's knowledge of IT systems and QuickBooks. How I wish I had begun my QuickBooks learning curve with him first!

For 1/3 of the price tag, I've been able to spend several hours with Richard setting up my systems and operations. Without fear of what it will cost me, I've been able to ask questions. What's even better, he's given me written, customized, step-by-step instructions. If I forget what we did together, I have typed notes from him after our session.

A god-send!

Plan A sounded good and looked good on paper, but like every part of my business plan so far, the reality didn't match the paper image. Thanks to Richard's help, however, I'm likely to stay within my budget, and even more importantly, I'm ready for business.

Celebrate Your Successes

Yesterday I hit an important and exciting milestone on the way toward my upcoming major deadline. Because I was in such a good mood about the accomplishment, I bought myself a bottle of wine and a bouquet of flowers when I went grocery shopping.

As I shared news of the milestone to my friends last evening and sipped a glass of wine, I realized how good it felt to pause and celebrate the day’s success.

I still have the deadline looming in the not-so-distant future, but keeping myself encouraged is important.

I don’t want my enthusiasm for the project to wane. I want to keep my energy up for the hurdles I face on the way toward my goals. Taking the time to pat myself on the back for the progress I’m making helps keep me energized and excited for what’s to come.

Apple "Oops" Offers Lesson for Small Businesses

When I watched the news Wednesday evening, I was surprised to hear the announcement by Apple that it was cutting the price of an iPhone by $200 (photo courtesy of Apple).

“Wow,” I thought, “there are going to be thousands of very upset iPhone customers.”

People waited in line for days to get their hands on one of the new toys ~ I mean tools ~ and paid $599 (and up) for the privilege. Not only that, but those dedicated Apple disciples hyped the phone and added to its market value by giving it cache.

This is the thanks they get for that loyalty? To see new customers pay 2/3 of what they did?

Apple CEO Steve Jobs said yesterday in an interview published in USA Today that the first iPhone customers would have to understand “that’s technology.” He weakly suggested that they return to the store where they bought the iPhone and try to get some money back from them.

What the?!

Jobs must have heard the sound of pitchforks and torches from the angry mob by the time he returned to HQ from that interview because within hours, he issued an apology to iPhone customers and offered a $100 rebate to those who paid the full price.

While most small businesses will not be in a position to create so much outrage or offend quite so many of its loyal customers in one swift motion, small businesses can still take note of the importance of owning up to mistakes. Jobs’ quick turnaround provides the best “teachable moment” of this story.

Oftentimes, companies—especially small businesses—drag their feet and take too long to correct errors. I’ve seen small businesses take months, even up to a year, to remedy mistakes in shipping the wrong merchandise, or applying a credit for returned merchandise. By the time the error is corrected, the customer’s loyalty has already been lost.

When you make a mistake with your small business customers—and you will, it’s part of life—move swiftly and sincerely to make amends.

Delegate, Delegate, Delegate

As a small business owner, you love to do everything, don’t you?

Why not? You can. You’re a multi-talented individual who doesn’t know the meaning of the word “can’t.” You get things done. You move things forward. You’re a builder, innovator, visionary and technician. You aren’t afraid to roll up your sleeves and get your hands dirty.

But just because you *can* do everything, doesn’t mean you *should.*

To be able to grow your business, achieve personal and financial freedom, and lead others to be the best they can be, you have to turn things over to others. Otherwise, as your business grows, so do all of your job responsibilities. Sooner or later, all those balls you juggle will become more than you can handle.

Letting go doesn’t mean abdicating your managerial duties or ignoring how your business is running. It means setting expectations of what should be accomplished and how. It means documenting your expectations in writing and communicating them verbally to staff and contractors. It means monitoring people’s ability to meet those expectations and it means rewarding them and celebrating them when they get there.

Identify the jobs you do best and focus your energies on doing those things yourself. The other stuff – delegate!

Smart delegation is the best way to ensure that your business fuels your life, as opposed to sacrificing your life to fuel your business. As Michael Gerber says in the E-Myth, the excitement of being an entrepreneur is in working *on* your business, not working *in* it.

Have a story about how smart delegation saved your sanity? Share it!

What is a Dusty Widget? Part II

A reader (okay...my dad) just asked me today to explain more about the origins of "Ditch the Dusty Widget." (View Part I). So here goes:

In a previous small business in which I worked as the sales manager, I noticed piles of dusty merchandise in the warehouse. When I'd ask the owner what it was doing out there, she dismissed the inquiry and said the items weren't good sellers.

The merchandise appeared to be of high quality and from strong brands, so I was surprised at her reply. My Internet searches revealed that, in fact, the items seemed to be popular with online shoppers.

Day after day, I'd walk by that merchandise. Finally, I dusted off those items and put them on our web site store as limited stock. I found great photos of the products, wrote some sales copy and sold them all at almost full retail price.

In small business after small business, I see a similar scenario: dusty merchandise sits high up on the shelves or tucked away in a corner. I came to realize that most business owners face the same business development and marketing problems and need the same information at times. Hence...the blog.

The dusty widgets you have on hand are a visual barometer for your small business's vitality. The more piles of dusty widgets you have, the more likely your business is in danger of stagnation or decline.

Sometimes widgets get dusty because owners are overworked and the business is understaffed. Sometimes owners lose interest in moving those widgets because they're burned out on the business. Or perhaps it's time to realize that you just don't know the best presentation, market, and sales message for those widgets after all.

Use your widgets and think about what they say about your business. Whatever the cause, it *is* possible to ditch those dusty widgets!

Don't Do It Alone When You Go It Alone

Starting up a business as a sole proprietor or sole owner can be, well, lonely.

Sure, there are vendors to talk to, clients to work with, and all sorts of people to interact with during the day. But from the daily mundane minutiae to the gargantuan "what-ifs?" all the responsibility, the decisions, the risks, and the questions are yours and yours alone.

How-to books and business counselors are a help, but they can't take the edge off our human need for real support.

I had lunch this week with my mentor, a successful CEO of a leading women's health care products brand. I can't begin to express how grateful I am for the time she gives me. Her advice is invaluable, for one. But more than her answers, I rely on her validation.

In our lunch visits, I find space to put down the business burdens I'm carrying. I speak with her about my fears and ideas, the things I don't know and the things I'm finding out. When she relates to me the similarities on her own journey, it boosts my confidence. When I confess my worry that I don't have what it takes to be on my own, and she responds with empathy because she's felt the same way, it neutralizes my fear.

After I've had an hour with my mentor, I feel recharged and ready to take everything back on again.

Reach out and connect with other entrepreneurs. Join a networking group or club. Think about a person you admire and ask him or her to be a mentor. Take other entrepreneurs out to coffee and vent a little, share your fears, ask questions.

Going it alone doesn't mean doing it alone.

Creating an On-Screen To-Do List

The nice thing about other people being on vacation is that I can use the time to get organized. I'm rediscovering the joy of creating to-do lists.

Normally, I write down my to-do items on a piece of note paper or in a note book and keep it by my desk.

For the last week, however, I've been keeping a running to-do list on my computer desktop in a Word file. As I accomplish items, I highlight them, select "Font" from the "Format" menu and then click the "Strikethrough" option to cross it off.

For items that require further action, I type a note in parentheses on the same line. I change the type to red (to make sure I don't ignore it) and usually note what time or date I left a message, sent an email, or what my next step is.

Being a long-time user of to-do lists, I've been surprised to discover that this new way of organizing myself has many benefits. Chief among my unexpected success with the on-screen method is how much it's helping me prioritize.

When jotting things down on paper, I tend to try to "go down the list" and get things done in the order I've written them down. For some reason, I'm unable to effectively rank things in order of importance. Instead of marking the "big deal" jobs, I feel immediate pressure and jump in wherever I am most inspired.

On the computer screen, however, I can cut-and-paste. I easily move things around in order of most important to least important and I also group related tasks together, helping me cross off several action items more efficiently.

I still type down action items as I think of them, but after brainstorming, I reorder things sequentially. That way, I make sure I approach "first things first."

The list is open and showing on my computer screen at all times ~ except when I decide I'm done working for the day. Then I close it. Being able to actually "close" the file mentally helps me leave work when I walk out of my office ~ so important since I'm working from home!

On the Road to Building Business Credit

Congratulations are in order. My application for a corporate credit card was approved today. I'm officially beginning to take my company on its journey toward establishing good business credit.

But why a corporate card? And would my business need its own credit anyway?

Benefits of a Corporate Card

Business credit cards come in a range of exciting packages, some with travel rewards, some with rebates.

Many of the transactions I need for running my business can be done online, and my bank has included a business ATM/debit card for that convenience. If I use a business credit card to pay them, however, I can get the line-item detail I need for accurate record-keeping, plus leverage my regular spending into bonuses like free hotel stays or gift cards at office supply stores.

Today, my business is small enough that I can easily keep track of work-related purchases versus personal ones, but I have my sights set on growing. By having separate bank accounts and a separate business credit card, I can not only more easily monitor my business's finances, but I can also begin to point my business toward future expansion.

The Need for Business Credit

Someday I want to have an office, as opposed to working from my home. At that point my company will have to sign a lease, which may require a credit check. Then, I will have to purchase additional computers and workstations. Regardless of whether I choose to finance that purchase with a bank loan or a credit card, being able to access growth funds will be important. I might find better terms and even lower prices fromvendors if my company has a good business credit rating, too.

Business Credit Card Options

I searched for "best business credit cards" to seek side-by-side comparisons of various business credit card offers. One of the top search results on Google was a very useful article from Smart Money: "Five Things to Know About Small Business Plastic."

Because I'm just getting established, I opted for a card with a low APR ~ just in case I choose not to pay the entire balance each month. It was also possible to find that feature combined with rewards. The Advanta MasterCard, chosen by Smart Money as the best business credit card, offers business owners the choice between a Cash Bank rewards program or a point-for-dollar travel awards program.

Although an American Express rewards program was also very highly recommended, I've been in too many situations where AmEx isn't accepted as payment. I made the choice that would provide me the most flexibility with the least cost and called Advanta.

Before I applied for the card, I wanted to be sure that they would be reporting my business's performance to a business credit bureau. The customer service agent confirmed that they would, and in less than five minutes, my business was approved.

Now, does celebratory champagne count as a business expense?