Successful Blog

Secrets of an Enduring, Successful Business

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It was a crazy idea. What if we quit our regular jobs and went all-in on a business of our own? Could we really do that?

Turns out, yes we could. And have been for almost 17 years now.

In a world where we’re surrounded by “unicorns” and big exits, upstarts and startups, hardly anyone gives thought to what it takes to build an enduring, successful business. I’ve been in the trenches for a long time now, and here’s what I think the “secret sauce” is:

  • Be willing to do the hard thing
  • Go out of your way for your customers, treat them all the same, and with respect
  • Have a singleminded vision
  • But be flexible enough to change strategy when necessary
  • Watch the trends but don’t be a slave to them
  • Make all decisions as if you will be around for 15 years (no exit strategy unless you want your customers to be planning theirs)
  • Hire people who care as much as you do
  • Plant relationship seeds wherever you go, with no motive
  • Help others build their businesses
  • Don’t take anything (or anyone) for granted
  • Listen actively and constantly
  • Never burn bridges
  • Underpromise and overdeliver
  • Be accessible and real
  • Don’t be a doormat; stick to your guns on the important stuff
  • Decide what’s the important stuff
  • Make time for working on the business
  • Be a sponge; never stop learning, reading, growing your skill set
  • Inject humor whenever you can, and keep your sense of humor
  • Don’t be afraid to ask for help
  • Establish good partnerships with other business builders who compliment your own business
  • Let the competition worry about you; be aware of, but not focused on, your competition
  • Be loyal to your customers, even when they’re not loyal to you
  • Be gracious and kind, even if you’re not selected…you’ll get the next one
  • Internalize your customers’ dreams and their pain points
  • Take time to enjoy the fruits of your labor

Have you been in business for a long time? Please share your insights with us!

 

Author’s Bio: Rosemary O’Neill is an insightful spirit who works for Social Strata — makers of the Hoop.la community platform. Check out the Social Strata blog. You can find Rosemary on Google+ and on Twitter as @rhogroupee

 

 

Featured image via Flickr CC: scott1346

4 Networking Ideas for Introverts

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By Sarah Williams

By now, you’ve probably been to a couple of ‘networking events’, often held after work, and intended for those people who want to broaden their  professional connections. What might sound like an enjoyable evening of rubbing shoulders with the right people is, for many of us, intensely anxious and challenging; some would rather do almost anything than attend something so terrifying.

Well, the good news is that, if you feel this way, you’re not alone. There are easy methods for changing how you think about networking, and for making it a useful experience for your professional growth. Who knows, it might even be fun.

1. Reassess Your Attitudes to Networking

You might see networking as an irritating chore, but in reality, it’s a fantastic, low-cost way to bring in new business. Although it’s less direct than a cold-calling campaign, its indirectness is its virtue; at networking events, we get to treat each other like people, and not just as a set of walking business opportunities. Face-to-face gatherings, though scary for many of us, are inherently human, with all of us in the same boat, dealing with the same anxieties and trying to achieve the same thing. Once you view networking in this way, with yourself as one of the many who just want to get the best out of the event, then it might not seem so daunting.

2. Let Go Of Your Fears

Psychologists often quote from a list of ‘Cognitive Distortions’. A common example is the assumption that we’re not nearly as smart or capable as others assume we are, and that we’ve been pulling the wool over their eyes all these years: “I’m just a fraud, and I don’t deserve to be here”. This is merely an emotional and unbalanced form of reasoning; you’re letting your irrational fear dictate how you feel, and therefore how you act.

If you think that way about yourself, it’s time to let that distortion go, and see if for what it really is: an unreal, artificial superimposition of needless and crushing self-doubt. You’re exactly as capable as anyone else, and at networking events, you’ll see this in action. The secret is that everyone else feels the same way, to a greater or lesser extent.

The other classic worries, all of them equally groundless, are:

– I’ll be alone, I won’t know anyone, and they’ll all ignore me.

– I’m an outsider, and I won’t conform to their expectations. I’ll remain an outcast.

– I’ll be silently staring at my wine glass, unable to think of anything interesting to say.

– If I do say something, I’ll get nervous, start rambling, and just embarrass myself.

These fears might seem reasonable, but take a closer look: they’re predictions, based only on a glass-half-empty view of how things will be. Besides, in general, people aren’t knowingly vindictive or hurtful; they actually want each other to succeed. Humans aren’t nearly as competitive and ruthless as we see in the movies. Being new, for example, is a type of advantage, as you’ll be a novelty and the others will be curious about you.

3. Do Your Homework

Prepare for the event by finding out who’s coming, and then make a list of perhaps four of five people you’d like to talk to. Bring business cards and aim to actually hand them out. Practice the necessary skills by speaking and meeting with strangers whenever you can in your private life. This doesn’t need to be a long conversation; just toss in an ice-breaker about the weather or sports, or think of a question to ask about what they’re wearing, driving or shopping for.

Consider recording yourself speaking, however weird this may feel, to judge your speed and clarity. Write down some introductory sentences, such as:

– Hi, I’m Marlene from Integrated Systems. I really enjoyed your presentation on…

– I’d just like to introduce myself. I’m Carl from OrbComm, and I wonder if I could ask your advice on…

– Congratulations on the award from the Better Business Bureau. I’m Sanjay from MicroTech. I wonder if you have a moment to talk about…

Read the local, national and international news so that you’ll be up-to-date on current events. Keep rotating around the room, and resist the temptation to spend time with people you already know; it’s comfortable, but it’s not why you’re there. Don’t fold your arms, but keep good eye contact. Be thinking about what you might ask next, in contrast to most of the others, who will be pondering what they might say; this sets you apart as a thoughtful and genuine person who isn’t driven purely by self-interest.

Above all, have something ready to say when the classic question arrives: So, what are you doing at the moment?

4. Follow Up and Stay In Touch

On the back of each business card, note down how you met the person, and what they’re working on, then follow up with an email or phone call within the next few days. Building contacts relies on this kind of careful administration of data; eventually, you’ll have a large set of contacts who are prepared to help you drum up business, make introductions, or provide advice.

Networking need not be the gut-wrenching challenge it once was. You’re an accomplished person with plenty to say, and absolutely no need to be shy of those you think are more capable than yourself; everyone starts at the bottom, and we’re all the same on the inside. Relax, breathe, meditate every day if you can, and remember that we’re all working in the same direction, fighting the same battles, and quietly wishing each other success.

Sarah Williams is an entrepreneur and avid lifestyle blogger, passionate about self-development. You can check out her blog and get access to her life and dating resources at Wingman Magazine.

How to Discover Your Own Writing Ritual

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Woody Allen’s Olympia portable SM-3 typewriter has been used to type everything he’s written since he was 16 years old.

Stephen King sets up a specific tableau to get his juices flowing:

“There are certain things I do if I sit down to write,” he said. “I have a glass of water or a cup of tea. There’s a certain time I sit down, from 8:00 to 8:30, somewhere within that half hour every morning,” he explained. “I have my vitamin pill and my music, sit in the same seat, and the papers are all arranged in the same places. The cumulative purpose of doing these things the same way every day seems to be a way of saying to the mind, you’re going to be dreaming soon.

“It’s not any different than a bedtime routine,” he continued. “Do you go to bed a different way every night? Is there a certain side you sleep on? I mean I brush my teeth, I wash my hands. Why would anybody wash their hands before they go to bed? I don’t know. And the pillows are supposed to be pointed a certain way. The open side of the pillowcase is supposed to be pointed in toward the other side of the bed. I don’t know why.”  Lisa Rogak, Haunted Heart: The Life and Times of Stephen King (Thanks to St. Martin’s Press/Thomas Dunne Books and http://dailyroutines.typepad.com/daily_routines/2009/01/stephen-king.html)

As for me?

Mornings are best, after two cups of coffee, on my laptop, before I head in to the office. I usually marinate on my chosen topic for a few days without writing anything down. Then when I sit down with the intention to write, I am already mentally organized.

Problogger published a great list of bloggers’ daily routines. Do any of those sound familiar to you?

Discover Your Own Writing Ritual

You may already have a routine, but you haven’t noticed it yet.

Here’s a method for uncovering and fostering your own ritual:

Step 1: Document your writing habit for a month. In a notebook, jot down time of day, location, and general mood you were in, each time you write a blog post or article.

Step 2: Review the notebook data. Is there a pattern? Can you correlate your best posts of the month to specific locations, times of day, or other environmental surroundings? Think about the last time you felt “in flow.”

What was your environment?

Was there music, or silence?

Did you outline first, or just start writing?

Step 3: Create “flow” on purpose. If you’ve determined that you feel “flow” most often in the evening with a glass of wine and soft music playing, try replicating that environment for the next few weeks. Experiment with various factors to find the ideal “tableau” that supports your best writing. Do you work best on an empty stomach, or after a full meal? Do you need to be alone, or in a busy Starbucks?

The key is to be mindful, and notice your ideal writing conditions, so that you can create “flow” at will.

Featured image via Flickr CC: Heather

Author’s Bio: Rosemary O’Neill is an insightful spirit who works for Social Strata — makers of the Hoop.la community platform. Check out the Social Strata blog. You can find Rosemary on Google+ and on Twitter as @rhogroupee

 

Women in Small Business: Why They Thrive

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By Jennifer Jope

Women and business might just be the perfect match.

While we should applaud the recent growth in multi-million dollar female-owned organizations, women are also instrumental in bringing success to small businesses. An added perk? We’re gaining valuable experience at the same time. The best news? There are benefits both for the employers who employ women and for the women themselves.

For Employers: Women Are Good For Business

The numbers don’t lie. Women bring more money to the table.

According to the infographic, Women Rising: Women, Work and What’s Next, companies whose boards include the sustained representation of at least three women board directors outperform those with no female directors:

  • Return on sales: +42%
  • Return on invested capital: +66%
  • Return on equity: +53%

Today, women are better educated than men earning 60% of bachelor’s and master’s degrees. Despite having the smarts, they have faced an uphill battle in the workplace, but we’ve turned it into a positive. Faced with challenges, women are better than ever at strategic thinking and finding creative solutions.

And, any good business owner knows that women influence the economy. As a recent Forbes article points out, the majority of consumer spending is female-driven indicating that women know what makes a good product or service.

For Women: Small Business Gives You Experience

Forbes called 2014 a breakout year for female entrepreneurs and 2015 is looking the same way. Why? Women have proven they can build robust teams and problem-solve differently than men. We’re experts in a variety of industries, but perhaps most importantly, we support each other.

By doing this, we are going from unknown status to business mogul status.

Women in small business are seeing their visions come to fruition. Strong communication skills and great networking chops are often innate in us, but as small business leaders, we can hone these abilities even further. With a stronger skill set, you’ll be able to conquer larger challenges that come your way.

Running a small business forces you to fight for what you believe in, get scrappy when necessary and thoroughly understand the bottom line. Who doesn’t want to be good at that?

Tips to Succeed:

  • Ditch perfectionism: Failures will happen. Learn from them.
  • Be supportive: Empower, mentor and support fellow women. It will pay off.
  • Keep learning: No matter how high you climb, learning should never stop.
  • Keep your eye on the prize: Stay passionate and trust your instincts to stay focused.
  • Have a voice: Speak up to make a difference.

If your small business is ready to expand, hiring women for the development phase could be the smartest move you make.

Running a company will always have uncertainties, but one thing is crystal clear: Women have the power to learn new skills on the job and shape the next generation of business.

Featured image via Flickr CC: Steve wilson

Jennifer Jope is a content manager for AllBusinessSchools.com. She is a former banking and real estate reporter and personal finance writer.

5 ways to become a referral magnet

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“I’d get more done, if only I could clone myself!”

Productivity is an elusive beast.

And if you’re a solo entrepreneur or small business owner, you’re always limited by the number of hours in the day.

Or are you?

Set yourself up as a referral magnet, and leverage those 24 hours.

 

What do I mean by “referral magnet?” I mean someone who has meaningful business relationships with people who are willing and able to refer potential customers to him/her.

Let’s break that down:

  • Meaningful business relationships = established, mutually beneficial support network of business colleagues (not friends and family, not drive-by Twitter contacts, not cold called sales leads)
  • Willing to refer = someone who has been asked if they will refer business, and has said they will do so
  • Able to refer = someone who has the knowledge of your skills and expertise in order to refer appropriate leads

It helps immensely if you are also a “referral machine,” willing to refer and connect others as well.

5 ways to become a referral magnet

  1. Put yourself out there. You can’t start building meaningful business relationships unless you’re attending conferences, joining online chats, and routinely talking to your customers (and I don’t mean by email). Just like it was in the schoolyard when you were the new kid, you have to be willing to jump into the double dutch.
  2. Establish a habit of asking for referrals. It’s not obnoxious to ask your fellow professionals, happy customers, or business partners to connect you with people who need what you offer. It’s good business practice, and yet so many are afraid of being “salesy.” It’s only “salesy” if you make it so. You’re not asking for “prospects,” you’re asking to be connected with people who are in need, so that you can help them. Simple as that.
  3. Arm your referral partners with information. They can only refer people if they know what you are offering, so come up with a crystal clear, punchy way to describe how you can help. Leave out the industry jargon, and the mission statement, and embed an easy phrase that they can associate with you. When they hear someone say “I really need to get my taxes sorted out,” they can simply say “Jane Doe does an excellent job. Want her number?”
  4. Reciprocate. It doesn’t always have to be quid pro quo, but look for opportunities to connect the right people, with no thought of “payback.” If you do this often enough, it will work magic all on its own.
  5. Say thank you. I don’t want to publicly “out” this person, but someone I referred potential business to once sent me a beautiful bottle of champagne with a note.  What a lovely way to say thanks. If someone gives you a referral, always follow up with a note, a call, or some gesture of thanks.

Have you activated a business referral network yet?

 

Featured image via Flickr CC: Jeremy Keith

Author’s Bio: Rosemary O’Neill is an insightful spirit who works for Social Strata — makers of the Hoop.la community platform. Check out the Social Strata blog. You can find Rosemary on Google+ and on Twitter as @rhogroupee

 

How to Ace Your Business Website Design

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By Linda Parker

There was a time when people assumed you did not need a website if you were not planning to sell your products online.

But with Internet usage exploding like there is no end to it, every business – big or small, local or international – needs a good website to establish brand presence, maintain customer confidence and boost sales.

So if you are planning to build a new website for your company from scratch or upgrade your existing one, you can use this handy infographic compiled by AddPeople to get your website design started on the right foot.

infographic - basics of a winning website

Featured image via Flickr Creative Commons: Team Dalog