Successful Startup 101 Magazine - Women's Issue 2014

by Tabitha Naylor

  People that work for other people are helping THOSE people achieve THEIR dreams. Whether they are a sales executive making six figures or working in a cubicle for 50k a year, they are spending their time helping other people achieve their dreams.

  There is an old quote that says that 99% of people in the world can work for a company once it’s been created, but only 1% of the population can actually create those things or places that the 99% work at.

  Understand that you, already, are a part of that 1%. When you’ve made that decision to make the jump to starting a business, you’ve done something that only 1% of the population has the ability to do.

  So whatever you’re getting into right now - whether that be developing new business ideas, signing on with a new marketing partner or maybe still thinking about making the jump to opening a small business - realize that fear is going to be a part of the process.

  Realize that uncertainty, butterflies, and a tightened stomach are going to be with you every step of the way. But also realize that beautiful things will begin to happen when you start to accept that uncertainty and move forward anyhow. Realize that your potential lies right beyond that comfort zone.

  Entrepreneurship is a beautiful thing. It’s also an incredibly difficult thing. You’ve already made a decision that only 1% of the population has the ability to make. Now make the decision to put yourself at the top of that 1%.

  A wise person once said, ‘By leaving behind your old self & taking a leap of faith into the unknown, you find out what you are truly capable of becoming.’

  Face your fears, step out of that comfort zone, use that fear to fuel you and don’t ever look back again.

  7 Things I'd Do Differently If I Started My Small Business Today

  By Sarah Santacroce

  As an optimist I usually don’t spend too much time thinking about the past and avoid wasting time on the “what if” question regarding my small business. What if I had started blogging from the get-go? Would my site get more traffic today? Would I have built more relationships with other bloggers and my blog posts would be shared way more often?

  “Don’t cry over spilled milk”

  … is my motto. But I didn’t write this post for myself, I wrote it for the aspiring small business owner, for you, who is just starting your adventure into entrepreneurship. I wrote the following list with the hope that it might help you avoid some of the mistakes I made, or shorten the time it takes to get your business off its feet!

  7 things I’d do differently if I were to start my small business today:

  1. I’d start blogging from the get-go. It took me a while to realize the benefits of writing a regular business blog. I thought I had nothing to say, feared the time investment, and shied away from the exposure. And don’t think it was all easy when I finally did start. Not at all. I heard nothing but crickets and thought I was talking to myself. But if I start something I rarely give up (except for sports) and so I kept going. I advise you do the same. Maybe one day I’ll see your name on the list of AllBusiness Experts.

  2. I’d start my e-mail list from day 1. Along with blogging I’d also start building my e-mail list from day one. And I’d choose a tool with growth in mind. When I first started out I chose Mailchimp because it was recommended for small business owners. And I still recommend it to some clients, because it is a good tool. But for me it wasn’t enough anymore, because my list rapidly grew and became the centerpiece of my business. I changed from Mailchimp to Aweber (and lost a lot of subscribers in the process, which is inevitable). So my advice: start building your list from day one, but don’t choose the cheapest tool available. Consider the different options and then choose a tool with growth in mind.

  3. I’d build my website with WordPress. I’m only partly to be blamed for this one. Back when I started, WordPress wasn’t as popular, so I started building my website with another tool. But if I’d start today, I would definitely use WordPress and even though I learned a lot in building it myself, I would not do it again. I would outsource this task to someone who does not only understand design and code, but also has an idea about inbound marketing. Your website should work for you and get you new clients on a regular basis.

  4. I wouldn’t print 2,000 business cards. When you have finalized your logo and brand identity you will feel very proud! And you should! But rather than passing a print order of 2,000 business cards, just give yourself a good tap on the back, or treat yourself to a glass of wine. Businesses evolve and maybe already 6 months later you wished you had added another service to your business card. My advice: always print business cards in small batches.

  5. I’d work hard on my elevator speech. I still remember going totally unprepared to networking events and then stuttering when someone asked me, “What do you do?” You need to prepare your elevator speech! In 30 seconds you need to be able to communicate who you help and how you help them. Practice in front of a mirror.

  6. I’d immediately start building relationships with influencers. One of the best ways to get noticed fast is by building relationships with influencers in your industry. In the times of social media this has become easier than ever. Follow them on Twitter, comment on their blogs, invest in some of their one-on-one programs, mention them in your blogs, etc. There are endless ways of getting to know influencers in your field.

  7. I’d implement video into my marketing strategy from day one. Last but not least, I’d push myself harder to get over the fear of appearing on video. As small business owners, one of the main advantages we have over corporates is our uniqueness. Your uniqueness shows the best on video and it’s the best way to build trust with your community.

  I’ve made more than 7 mistakes in the past 3 years of entrepreneurship. And as you probably know, making mistakes is part of the journey. But if we met over coffee and you asked me, “What would you do differently if you were to start your small business today?”, that’s what I would tell you.

  It's unlikely that we'll meet for coffee, but I'd love to count you among my loyal subscribers and see you on a future webinar about small business topics.  Sign up today.

  About the Author

  Sarah Santacroce is the Small Business & Social Media Marketing Mentor at Simplicity - Simple Small Business Solutions

  3 Successful Women Entrepreneurs Who Beat the Odds

  While starting a business is never easy, gender is one additional obstacle that women entrepreneurs face when trying to succeed in the business world, which can still be something of an “old boys’ club.” Add to that the additional hurdle of being a female immigrant entrepreneur, and the challenges are that much bigger.

  The truth is, many Americans have a hard enough time making their dreams come true in this country, but these three women came from across the world to turn their aspirations into reality. No matter what boundaries or obstacles they came across, they overcame the odds and made a life for themselves in a country that was once foreign to them.

  Sheela Murthy

  Sheela Murthy is a lawyer and entrepreneur. She was born in Baroda, India, and is the founder and president of Murthy Law Firm, which she founded in 1994.

  When she younger, Murthy’s father did not want her to become a lawyer. In 1985, she graduated at the top of her class from Stella Maris College. While on a trip to New York for a court competition, she took a chance and applied for her LLM at Harvard Law School. She returned to India and awaited a response, only to find out that she had been accepted.

  While attending school, Murthy had to work nights as a security guard to pay for her living expenses, working 12- to 14-hour days until she was able to open her own firm. In 2009, she was awarded “Entrepreneur of the Year” by Ernst & Young and today her firm is one of the country’s leading immigration law firms.

  Yolanda Voss

  Yolanda Voss came from Ecuador to the United States in 1962 with the hopes of becoming a fashion designer. She came to the U.S. after obtaining her Fashion Certificate from
the Institute of Quito Luz de América. After she arrived, she attended the Pier El Riff Institute to specialize in haute couture. She also enrolled in the Maryland Institute College of Art, where she began establishing apprenticeships with people she considered to be role models. She caught her first big break when Betty Ford, the former first lady, wore one of her designs.

  Voss tries to give back to the community. During the startup phase of her first business, she taught other young adults what she knew about the business out of the basement of her home. She is now president of her own fashion-design studio and showroom in Columbia, Maryland.

  Rubina Chaudhary

  Rubina Chaudhary was born in India and came to the United States in 1987 with her husband and three children. Her first business was actually started on a dare.

  She originally started running training seminars on business skills after earning her MBA. During this time, one of her clients dared her to start her own firm. She took the client up on that dare and entered the field of engineering consulting, a very male-dominated field.

  With her initial dreams of wanting to earn more money for her children’s future, she opened MARRS Services. Today, her business has a full-time staff, 35 percent of whom are female. Her husband is her business partner and their firm earns about $6.5 million annually.

  Regardless of where you’re originally from or what your dreams are, running a business is hard work. Whether you’re male or female, young or old, believing in yourself and your abilities is the first step to launching a successful business.

  Building a Startup Empire

  By Kriti Vichare

  "Rome wasn't built in a day either..." 

  I first saw this unapologetic declaration on a billboard sign on a highway that is perennially under construction. And it always reminds me that startups have to be treated the same way.

  Entrepreneurs and wantrepreneurs approach creating a startup empire differently.  Firstly, what's a wantrepreneur? They are the eager beavers who may look, act, and seem like entrepreneurs - but all without owning an actual business!

  Let's examine the wantrepreneur scenario when building a startup empire:

  1. This is the one…the idea of the century!" Wantrepreneurs rarely focus on the problem to solve. 

  2. "Oooooh features! I love features!" Wantrepreneurs don't create a foundation and work incrementally, but instead fast forward and jump in the deep end before learning to swim. 

  3. "I'll just whip together the business in no time!" Wantrepreneurs always underestimate the time it takes to grow a business. 

  4. "If you build it they will come." Wantrepreneurs believe the only thing stopping them from customers, is the lack of product. 

  5. "Money… I'll figure it out later." Wantrepreneurs severely minimize the needed funding for their projects.

  To build an empire you need a foundation, vision, support, and patience. Serial entrepreneurs know this; it is second nature to them. As they move with tremendous speed, they know they have to learn to walk before they run. A scalable, repeatable business model is necessary before expanding too big or out of reach. 

  About the Creator

  This comic was created by Kriti Vichare and Shivraj Vichare. It was inspired by the ironies they have seen and have experienced in their small business ventures. You can find their comics on www.entrepreneurfail.com. They are the creators of the book Cheating on your Corporate Job: A Comic Look at the Startup Dream.

  How to Close a Sale: The Only Thing You Need to Know

  By Jill Konrath

  Have you ever heard the phrase "detach from the outcome"? It’s a tenet of Eastern religions. For many years it was a concept that I found totally unfathomable. After all, sales itself is about outcomes. Our income is at risk. We need to get the business.

  But over the years, I’ve learned the wisdom of that message. In fact, the more I wanted to close a sale (or should I say – needed to close a sale) the less likely I was to get it.

  Why? Because my focus was on me, not my prospect. And, whenever you need something that much, you push too hard for it. You short-circuit the process and go for the close before the time is right and your prospect is ready.

  Do they feel it? You bet. They lean back, put obstacles in your path and don’t return your calls or respond to your emails. Then, you get desperate and your neediness shows – and you become even less desirable to do business with. All because you're so eager to get the sale.

  I’ve learned that the only cure is to detach from the outcome.

  To be willing to say to yourself, “I know I need this sale, but I’m going to put that aside and focus on helping my prospect make a good decision.” Sometimes, you have to say it over and over to yourself.

  When you stop focusing on closing a sale, everything changes because your prospect’s needs become your driving force.  And, paradoxically, that’s the best way to get what you want. Go figure.

  About the Author

  Jill Konrath is an internationally recognized sales expert, keynote speaker and author of three bestselling books: Agile Selling, Selling to Big Companies and SNAP Selling. To accelerate your sales, check out all the free resources on her website: https://www.jillkonrath.com/sales-resources 

  * This post originally appeared on Jill Konrath’s website and is republished here with permission.

  Manage Your Marketing: Remember You’re in Sales

  By Margie Clayman

  A few weeks ago I was in Barnes & Noble and I happened to glance at the business best sellers shelf (as I am wont to do). A book sitting there caught my eye. It was Daniel Pink’s To Sell is Human. The title got my attention for a couple of reasons. First, as we have discussed many times, there are silos between marketing and sales departments in most companies. The title made me wonder if Pink would offer an argument that would help to destroy that (needless) division between sales and marketing. The title also got my attention because as a marketer, I have always known in my gut that I also need to understand what’s happening in sales. As Pink notes at the start of his book, very few people like to think of themselves as sales people. Why is that?

  Pink suggests that most people equate “sales” to being shady, like the old stereotypes of the used car salesman. In fact, in a questionnaire that Pink cites in the book, many people, when asked, answered that sales made them think of primarily negative personality traits. However, Pink argues that “sales” is more than just trying to sell a product. “Sales” can mean trying to get a person to buy into your ideas or, as he says, “moving people.” If this is not marketing, what is?

  But I must reiterate – being in sales is gross!

  I think a lot of people have this gut reaction to the idea that they are in sales, especially people who are using social media as part of their marketing campaigns. The emphasis in the online world has long rested on relationships versus “selly” engagement. There is a sentiment that if you try to “sell” online it will be a real turn-off. For marketers, this creates a conundrum and this conundrum lies behind the entire controversy regarding whether it is possible to calculate social media ROI. If you are hesitant to sell anything online, it will of course, be extremely difficult to realize any return on your investment.

  Beyond the online world, it is also important to visualize your marketing content as if it is an army of non-human sales representatives for your company. Instead of knocking on doors, your ads appear before eyes of potential customers. Instead of traveling city-to-city, your email marketing calls for attention in someone’s inbox. Your content is intended to help increase sales. It may not be a direct line like it would be for door-to-door salespeople, but the intent is the same. You are striving to convince someone to buy your company’s product or service. If you are using social media marketing, you are like the old-fashioned store owner who knows everyone’s name, who cares, but who also is still trying to sell something. One does not need to be a snake oil salesman to be in sales.

&nb
sp; There’s no reason for silos

  Marketing and Sales departments are often pitted against each other in companies. When things go wrong these departments point the fingers at each other. “Sales are down because the marketing is bad.” “Sales are down because the sales team isn’t converting leads into sales.” When things go well, the departments compete for credit. The faulty logic is that sales and marketing are diametrically opposed. This is simply not the case. If you are truly enmeshed in marketing for your company, you are in sales. If you are trying to promote ideas that will help your company grow, you are in sales. Indeed, in an ideal situation, marketing will work with the sales team to make sure all messaging emanating from the company is consistent and effective.

  The next time someone says that marketers don’t really understand the world of sales, or the next time you hear a marketer talking disparagingly about the sales process, remember that marketers are also in sales. Marketers are humans. And, if you agree with Daniel Pink, to sell is human.