Small Biz Sanity

Don't hate...investigate!

Anyone who knows me knows that I love to run that phrase into the ground.  But where did it come from? 

The thing is, wherever I go I see folks doing their thing when it comes to small businesses both online and brick 'n mortar.  Now, I love it--it inspires me, and I feel that being around intelligent, motivated, creative folk only pushes me to step my game up, in turn.  But from time to time, I hear others looking at these types and picking them apart.  They may say things like, "Oh--he or she thinks they're all that," or find any kind of way imaginable to nitpick and tear apart what they're doing.  "Oh, that's cute," the haters will say--"but I see that they didn't include XY & Z in their offerings. Hmph!"  Meanwhile, these naysayers are sitting around doing what?  Yep, you guessed it--absolutely nada. 

This cracks me up.  I mean, what's the point in tearing down someone else who chooses to make moves and do positive things?  If anything, why not look at these success stories and study what they're doing?  Better yet, have a conversation with one of them.  How did they get there? What motivates them?  More often than not, they're "regular" folk with bills, struggles, etc. just like you--so if they can do it, shouldn't that tell you that you can do the same? 

Another thing that I try to keep in mind--even if it seems like they have the world on a platter now, you don't know what they've gone through to get there.  That's another reason to not "hate...investigate!"  If you're feeling like you don't have jack right now & they have everything, that person might have a story to tell that can inspire you & remind you that adversity doesn't last always. 

Okay...I'm going to climb down off of my soapbox now, lol.  But I say all that to say this:  There are so many more jewels in talking to & being inspired by success stories--instead of wasting energy hating on them.  Study how they did it, and you can be next!

What's Tyler Perry's "The Family That Preys" got to do with entrepreneurship? A lot!

So, this weekend I got a chance to catch one of my favorite Tyler Perry flicks, The Family That Preys.  , on DVD. of his movies I've liked more than others--but I had to give this one five stars, two thumbs up & a snap--all of that.  Suspense, intrigue, life lessons with a touch of humor here & there--by the movie's climax, I was shouting at the screen and everything, lol.

Although it was a film about two families and their inner tribulations, secrets, etc., there were a few things in it that small business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs can apply to their situations.

Why aren't you on Facebook? (Not an ad...I'm just saying...)

Okay, I'll admit--being that I am a Facebook aficionado,  I'm a little biased in favor of this following article.  Twitter? Meh.  (Although "small biz marketing rules" say that I should be more involved with it than I am, I'll admit I kind of fell off...I'll keep trying, lol.)  MySpace?  As a grown woman, I'll say "not so much." 

But Facebook?  Ah, The Face.  Not only is it a great tool in terms of marketing your business, it's wonderful for personal networking, keeping up with friends/family, and re-connecting with those about whom you've thought for years, "I wonder whatever happened to...?"  But of course, we all know them--the Facebook Holdouts (FBHs, I call them).  That good friend who's always asking about mutual friends you haven't heard from in years--yet they still won't get an FB account even after you tell them all the folks they've been looking for are on the site, lol.   Hey, maybe you're the FBH I speak of. 

If so, this article's for you.

Going broke this holiday season? Not!

As the clock ticks away down to Christmas, I'm increasingly aware of the main thing I dislike about the holiday season--too little focus on the real meaning of "holiday spirit"--you know, giving, good cheer & all that...and too much emphasis on the commercial aspect of it all.   Just turn on the TV, and you're bombarded with retailers telling you that basically, you're a selfish loser if you don't run out & buy their product(s) as a Christmas gift for your friends and/or family. (Okay, they don't actually say that; I'm paraphrasing of course, but that's pretty much the message sent, lol.)

With the current tight economy, though--it's imperative to keep your eyes open for consumer traps, because going into debt to fill some superficial shopping list is real old. 

Here, Credit.com's Gerri Detweiler tells CNN's Gerri Willis how to avoid the traps of holiday spending.

Yes, we ALL can.

“I never thought I’d see the day.” 

 

 That’s what many older black people said on the historical moment a few nights ago when Barack Obama strode to the podium in Chicago’s Grant Park to make his victory speech as the first African-American presidential elect.  Although I’m not one to get teary-eyed, the moment struck my soul to the core like nothing before.  There was always something about his positive, hopeful energy, not seen since JFK, that led me to believe in my gut that Obama would win Americans of all races over—but as his electoral votes reached—then sailed past—the required 270, I was happily dazed with a mixture of shock, awe & giddiness.  Did that just happen?  I thought.  Yep, it sure did.

My daily dose of thriftiness...

So, you know I have to get my Oprah on, right?  In all fairness, sometimes her topics are kind of "eh..."--but today, Miss O had me hooked.  Those who know me know that I'm all about the thrift, and I'm always on the lookout for new ways to save money.  (Hey, I'm not perfect, but I do alright...and I keep trying!)  Thankfully I don't feel as though I'm feeling the financial crisis as much as some, mostly because I've been thrifty all the while.

Anyway, today's episode featured the Heinz family (nothing to do with the ketchup, I don't think)--better known as "the thriftiest family in America."  Their money-saving tips made me say, "Alrighty, then"--effectively making even my cheap behind feel like the most indulgent, overspending glutton on the planet. 

But nonetheless, I took notes & was excited to do so.  The clip below is just the episode intro, but you can also check out their tips on Oprah's site.  (I'll admit...I don't know if I'm ready to cut up my credit card yet...but I'm THINKING about it!)

Lessons from the rearview mirror...

As a small biz owner, I'm sure you're familiar with the ups and downs that starting & running a business entails.  I know I am.  More than once, I've looked back on past actions & decisions & wondered, "Why the heck did I do it that way, of all ways?!?" I've even got caught up in mini-pity parties, complete with the whole, "I'm an idiot; why am I even bothering with this?" attitude. (Only for a short while, though--sometimes, you just need to get it out of your system!)

But sometimes, words of wisdom can come from the most unexpected places.  And in this case, by "unexpected" I mean the MTV reality show "From Gs to Gents" (I know, I know)--as I sometimes I have the TV on in the background as I work and/or blog from my laptop.  In this particular episode, one of the contestants had an emotional heart-to-heart with his mom over some childhood issues.  The host, Fonzworth Bentley, happened to say something I thought was pretty profound:

"The best thing about the past is that it's in the past." 

He then added that it's okay to look in the rearview mirror--that is, as you're driving forward.  I think this is so true--especially when it comes to being an entrepreneur.  Sure, there are lots of articles, books, blog posts, etc. that give tips on running a business--but at the end of the day, it's all about good, old-fashioned trial and error.  And I'll be the first to say that there will be times that you second-guess yourself, or have a "what was I thinking?!?" moment when it comes to what you did or didn't do in terms of marketing, getting & keeping clients, maintaining the backend of your business, etc.   

We all make mistakes--nobody's perfect, of course.  But the key is having the cojones to face them, own up to them, and figure out what you can do to change & improve things.  Sometimes it takes a couple of little tweaks to your buisness strategies--or maybe a major overhaul.  Maybe it takes stepping out of your comfort zone.  Maybe you have to delegate or let go of certain things that may be holding you back.  But whatever it is, make sure you're moving forward!

What kinds of wrong-move business and/or life decisions did you have to face and move on from?  What are you doing to change things moving forward?

Chris Rock's lessons on perseverance

So, last night I was watching comedian Chris Rock's fifth HBO special, "Kill The Messenger," which featured his performances in South Africa, London and NYC.  I'm a huge CR fan--I've always loved how he fearlessly injects social & political commentary into his humor.  Whether you agree with his material or not, I like how he often just comes out & says what everyone's thinking, lol.

His huge success actually brings me back to 20 years ago(1)--when he opened for late-80s, "New Jack Swing" R&B crooner Al B. Sure!(2) (so you know it was ages ago) in my hometown of Stamford, CT during the summer of '88. 

Anyway, although I knew of him at the time, from a recent comedy showcase he'd been featured in on HBO--let's just say that apparently, nobody else in the audience did.  They gave him the "who's this clown?!?" treatment...and needless to say, Chris got booed off the stage quick that night.  (Sorry, Chris, it wasn't me--I tried to convince my friends to give you a chance!)

In the past two decades, he's gone from being a booed-offstage, virtually-unknown opening act (and not for nothing, but where's Al B. Sure! now?  Exactly...) to household-name status & arguably one of the greatest comics ever--and his perseverance played a big part in that. 

So, how can you apply this little tidbit to your small business? 

A.) Don't give up, even when things aren't looking too hot & your cheering section is either miniscule or nonexistent

B.) Being that said "not so hot" period is inevitable, make sure you love whatever it is you're doing!

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(1) I know I'm showing my age by telling you this story...let's just say I was still young enough then to feel psyched just to be able to get into the club that night.

(2) An unabashed late-80s, New Jack Swing guilty pleasure if there ever was one.  Watch the video, and count the many overused cliches.  Gotta love it--classic.