Featured Contributor | She Owns It

How to Transition From a Sole Proprietor to an LLC by @DeborahSweeney

March 27, 2020 by Deborah Sweeney Leave a Comment

by Deborah Sweeney | Featured Contributor

Is it ever too late to change the legal structure you initially incorporated as? Not at all. The entity formed for a business at its offset does not need to be its formation forever. Entrepreneurs have the option to change structures that best fit their needs, and many begin as sole proprietors. For those that are ready to make the leap from sole proprietorship to another entity type, like an LLC, here are a few tips to keep in mind.

1. Determine if you are truly ready to opt out of being a sole proprietor.

There are certain aspects of incorporating as a sole proprietorship that cannot be found in other legal structures. A couple perks include the ability to be the sole owner of the business and call the shots. This allows entrepreneurs to exercise complete control over their startup and truly act as the boss. A sole proprietorship is the easiest legal structure to form with a simplified tax process and affordable filing fees. It’s also a great entity if you run a business from home, like an Etsy shop or as an online consultant, where you don’t need a physical storefront.

However, the biggest drawback to remaining a sole proprietor is that there is no separation between personal and professional assets. The owner is liable for everything that happens within the business. This can include everything from losing valuable information to assuming the company’s debts and even being served with a lawsuit. Without liability assistance, it can be tough for an entrepreneur with a sole proprietorship to expand their business and protect their assets.

2. Decide whether an LLC or another entity formation is your best fit.

Before you can incorporate as a limited liability company (LLC), you’ll need to determine what each entity can bring to the table and your business.

As one of the most popular entities, an LLC allows entrepreneurs to keep their personal and professional assets separate. This is especially helpful in the event of an unforeseen circumstance and provides a growing startup with an extra cushion of liability protection. It also provides flexibility in being able to choose either an S Corporation or C Corporation as your tax entity. For those that qualify as an S Corporation, careful planning will allow you to avoid paying significant employment taxes. Keep in mind, however, that it’s not enough to incorporate as an LLC and be completely done with the process. You’ll also need to apply for permits (like a Sales and Tax permit, per obligations in your city, county, or state), business licenses and insurance, a DBA (Doing Business As name), and an EIN (Employer Identification Number).

For those with big expansion plans, a corporation offers the best of both worlds. You’ll receive liability protection for professional and personal assets within a formal business structure. This entity allows potential investors to invest capital into your business, provides the ability to issue shares, and makes it possible to take your business public. As far as taxes go, what you pay in taxes is based on what you choose to pay yourself from the corporation. You also have the option to elect an S Corporation status after incorporating to tax the shareholders, instead of the income of the corporation.

3. Look into a partnership.

Want a little extra support? A partnership is tailor-made for entrepreneurs that want to go into business with a partner, whether that’s a family member or friend. This structure allows entrepreneurs to share profits and losses with a partner and make decisions together.

Keep in mind that much like a sole proprietorship where you are liable for everything within the company, in a partnership you are liable for decisions made along with the actions of your business partner. Consider drafting a written partnership agreement together. This will allow you to establish partnership terms and outline capital contributions from each partner and their percentage of ownership in the company. You may also further detail the rules for admitting a new partner and outline procedures for the voluntary and involuntary withdrawal of the partner.

Once you have determined which entity formation you’d like to transition to, begin filing the proper paperwork with your local Secretary of State and pay the associated filing fee to make the changes.

Deborah Sweeney is the CEO of MyCorporation.com which provides online legal filing services for entrepreneurs and businesses, startup bundles that include corporation and LLC formation, registered agent services, DBAs, and trademark and copyright filing services. You can find MyCorporation on Twitter at @MyCorporation.

Deborah Sweeney

www.mycorporation.com

20 Ways to Grow as an Entrepreneur in 2020 by @DrRKayGreen

March 9, 2020 by Kay Green Leave a Comment

by Dr. R. Kay Green | Featured Contributor

The hallmark of an entrepreneur is someone who is always striving and working to be their best. As such, a lot of entrepreneurs benefit from setting goals that can help them grow into the best person they can be. I have put together a list of 20 goals that entrepreneurs can pursue in 2020.

Start a blog. Starting a blog is more than just a way to promote your business or grow your audience. It gets you thinking about what you do and why you do it in new ways. Writing a blog can help you solidify what is really important to you.
Join a new networking group. One of the best ways to grow as an entrepreneur is to meet new people. Networking groups are a great way to make connections and learn from people in your industry.
Join a LI group. What are people in your space talking about? LinkedIn Groups are full of relevant articles, conversations and more. If you want to keep up to date on latest trends and what other people are thinking about them, this is a great step to take.
Revamp your website. If your website is outdated, chances are good that you have not really considered how your business looks or how you would like to appear to your audience. A refresh can change the way that you think about yourself even as it changes the way others see you.
Try a new business venture. The best way to grow is to try new things. Even if you later decide that this is not for you, it does not hurt to at least try. Being open to new experiences moves your career in new and interesting ways.
Take a risk. It can be tempting to stay in our comfort zone. But real growth comes from trying things that might fail. Through risks, we learn — whether that is because we succeeded, or because we discovered a way not to do something.
Do public speaking. Public speaking is something that a lot of people are understandably frightened of. But it is great for improving your confidence, connecting with new people, and making you a better business person who communicates clearly.
Start a vlog. This combines the benefits of blogs and public speaking. It also encourages you to show off what makes your business great — and it means you will likely be keeping your workspace looking its very best.
Go on a retreat. Retreats are different from vacations (which, to be clear, you should also be taking). They are a chance to engage with what you do in a different location, learn more about your industry, and get away from the daily stressors that keep you from being your best.
Ask for help. As you grow, you might begin to feel as though you do not need help from anyone else. But this cannot be further from the truth. Never be afraid to reach out to others who are at different stages than you for help.
Find a niche. Who is your audience? If you cannot answer this question clearly and concisely, you probably do not have a niche. Finding one helps you to be more focused in your efforts, targeting people in more meaningful ways.
Know your limits. As much as it is important to “hussle” and do your best, you are not a robot. You need to know when to take a step back, when to stop for the night, and when to delegate tasks that you cannot do.
Start a podcast. Podcasts are becoming even more popular, and are an inexpensive way to get your voice and thoughts out there. Take the opportunity to listen to podcasts in your industry and see what others are doing.
Set actionable goals. Goal setting is an important part of growth and success, but something that many overlook. Take the time to set actionable goals and make sure you set deadlines to complete them.
Track metrics. How do you know if you are actually growing? You track your progress. This is why metrics are an important part of growing as an entrepreneur. They allow you to make sure that you are on target for completing your goals.
Do something that scares you. We do not grow by staying in our comfort zones. Facing your fears and overcoming obstacles is an important part of growth in any part of life, and entrepreneurship is no different.
Try a new social media strategy. Do you have a social media strategy? If so, when was the last time you updated it? Social media is constantly evolving and changing, so a refresh is always a good idea. Look at the new platforms available and see where your audience is.
Poll your clients. Do you know what your clients actually think about you? Are you in tune with their needs? Reaching out to see why and how you can meet the needs of your existing clients can be enlightening.
Take a class. No matter how long you have been in business, there is always room to grow. Take a class on something new or on something you feel you know well. No matter what it is, you will probably learn something.
Empower people to learn. This might mean running a class or a webinar of your own. But it could also mean hiring someone to create custom learning content for employees around you. This leads to you being surrounded and supported by an intelligent workforce.

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Dr. R. Kay Green – Marketing Expert from RKG Marketing Solutions Inc. from Atlanta, GA.

Dr. R. Kay Green is the CEO/President of RKG Marketing Solutions Inc. With over 190,000+ Twitter followers, 35,000+ Facebook Likes, and the Top 1% LinkedIn profile designation, Dr. Kay, a self-motivated trailblazer, is the Quintessential “New-Age” Professional Woman, and PhD Marketing Pro. She earned a Doctorate of Business Administration in Marketing, and has completed PhD coursework in Leadership and Organization Change. She also holds a Master of Business Administration in Marketing and Management, a Bachelor of Business Administration in Marketing, and an Associate of Arts in Marketing Management.

She is affiliated with several prestigious universities and has instructed over 350 courses online. A popular speaker on Marketing and Business topics, Dr. Green is currently featured on Huffington Post, Black Enterprise, Black News, The Network Journal, Business Review USA, Digital Journal, College View, Business New Hampshire Magazine, Bay State Banner, Reader’s Circle, North Dallas Gazette, Harlem News, Top News Today, One News Page, NE Informer, Women in Business PR News, Consumer News Today, Women PR News, San Francisco Chronicle, Houston Chronicle, Chicago Daily Herald, The Miami Herald, and Book News Articles.

Twitter – Facebook – LinkedIn

Kay Green

www.drkaygreen.com

20 Themes for 2020 by @DrRKayGreen

March 2, 2020 by Kay Green Leave a Comment

by Dr. R. Kay Green | Featured Contributor

When attempting to accomplish the business goals they set at the beginning of the year, some people get overwhelmed because they bite off more than they can chew. There are too many tasks, and they are all independent of each other, and there just is not enough time or stamina to complete all of them.

This can be avoided by choosing a cohesive “theme” for your goals. This ensures that every goal is related to itself and is focused on a single end result. It helps reduce burnout and increase motivation.

But what are some themes for your goals to follow? Here are 20 to keep in mind in 2020:

Progress. This is a great theme for beginning businesses. Often, we have big dreams about where we want our business to go. But the work of actually getting there can be discouraging. Shifting or mindset—and our goals—to be more about the journey than the destination is a powerful tool.
Growth. Sometimes, we get so bogged down with small inconsequential goals that we lose sight of the big picture. That is what this theme is all about. It helps businesses focus on growing revenue, customer base, or whatever they are looking to improve.
Innovation. What problems are your customers facing? This theme challenges you to create goals that address those problems in new and exciting ways. If your business is beginning to feel stale or outdated, this is a theme you should consider.
Experimentation. As professionals, sometimes we get stuck in a routine, and a belief that the way that we have always done thing is the best way. This theme is all about challenging that belief. Picking goals that encourage experimentation can energize employees and open the door to new opportunities.
Positivity. A little complaining is to be expected. But too much of it can infect your workplace culture, turning it into a negative place that your employees want to escape from. If this sounds familiar, make positivity the theme of your goals this year.
Generosity. There are endless reasons and ways to give back. Making it the theme of your goals encourages you to not only get connected with your community, but also think of ways to meaningfully provide for your customers and employees.
Boldness. Businesses succeed when they take risks. Make being brave the theme of your goals this year. What scares you? Whether it is public speaking, trying a risky marketing venture, or a new technology, tackle it with your goals this year.
Connection. If we get too bogged down in the day to day work, we run the risk of becoming isolated, especially solo entrepreneurs. Make connection a theme of your goals, and reach out to more networking groups and professionals with the goal of making relationships, not just generating leads.
Mentoring. As we get further along in our business, it is important that we share the knowledge we learned with the next generation. Making mentoring the theme of your goals is personally enriching, and also helps those who are where you once were.
Confidence. This is something that people struggle with, no matter how much experience they have. Tackling confidence as a theme in 2020 will make you not only a better professional, but will overall improve your happiness and mental health.
Unique. What sets your business apart from the rest? Make cultivating this the theme of 2020. By doing so, you help yourself stand out in a business landscape that is increasingly loud and difficult to break into.
Acceptance. There are so many things about business we cannot change. For 2020, make the theme of your goals be acceptance. Focus on the things that you can do, and do not waste time worrying about the things you cannot.
Delegation. It is easy to fall into the trap of doing everything because we think that our way is the only right way. But this can quickly lead to fatigue and burnout. Make your goals this year revolve around delegation and training employees to take on tasks that are eating up your valuable time.
Opportunity. We often become blinded to good opportunities because we are too wrapped up in the here and now. This theme, then, focuses on recognizing and accepting those opportunities as well as actively seeking them out.
Disruption. Look at the fundamental truths of your industry. Which ones could stand to be challenged? Having this theme for your goals adds some much-needed excitement into your day to day work.
Relaxation. Excitement is important, but it is not the be all end all of your career. If some of your goals sound a little too similar to what you have been doing, you might be due for a break. There is nothing wrong with prioritizing self-care and relaxation as a theme.
Balance. Depending on your personality, you might work too hard or find yourself too distracted by other obligations. Make your theme this year, then, be about balancing your obligations. Whatever has been neglected should be your priority.
Activity. What new things could you be doing? Maybe this means finally starting that incentives campaign or launching a new hashtag to reach out to an audience. Whatever it is, make it tangible, and make sure you are actually doing something.
Talent. A business is only as good as its employees. This theme, then, focuses on finding the very best, and investing in the training that will make your current team be as successful as they can be. This is a theme that will yield amazing results.
Education. No matter how long you have been in business, there is always more to learn. And the same could be said of your employees. Investing in both your education and theirs makes sure that you are providing your clients with the very best service.

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Dr. R. Kay Green – Marketing Expert from RKG Marketing Solutions Inc. from Atlanta, GA.

Twitter – Facebook – LinkedIn

Kay Green

www.drkaygreen.com

How Public Relations Can Benefit Your Brand by @lucyrk78

February 24, 2020 by Lucy Rendler-Kaplan Leave a Comment

by Lucy Render-Kaplan | Featured Contributor

Public Relations is vital for increasing your brand’s visibility. Not only can it help more people learn about your company and services, it can strategically speak directly to your target audience. A successful PR campaign generates media coverage, builds your status as a thought leader, helps develop trust and increases your presence, which leads to more sales, new clients and even potential investors.

Develop Brand Identity

Getting the word out about who your brand is and why you exist is important! Only you can tell the unique story about your product or services and why people should choose you over other similar brands. If the public doesn’t know that you exist, you are missing out on sales and helping others via your services.

Grow Trust and Credibility

People buy from people they trust. More and more, consumers are growing wary of companies telling them who they are – they’re listening to others recommendations. When a company keeps popping up in the news or written about by a journalist people follow is not only beneficial in building trust, it can directly lead to sales. Being featured in the press – especially in this day and age, where social media outlets can distribute your articles across the entire spectrum of Internet users — allows you to leverage this attention as support for your cause. Create a press page on your company’s website so you can display your success in the press to viewers.

Thought Leader Spotlight

Your PR agency can work with the founder of your client’s brand or a spokesperson from the brand on how to best present on camera and in interviews with the press. They can then pitch them to talk as an expert in industry-related news. Having an internal spokesperson serve as an expert is a great way to grow awareness about your company and is key in growing brand awareness.

Create Buzz

A public relations campaign can help share your key messages, create or boost brand buzz and help you build an engaged following, leading to more exposure, clients and brand awareness.

Attract Donors & Increase Funding

Earned media coverage can attract donors and investors to help increase funding. Media coverage is often vital and can be a deciding factor in how they decide to give. A powerful PR campaign shows that you invest in your business, your reputation and have a commitment to growth, which is very attractive for funders. The right media placements at the right times can be used to attract the attention of VCs and other investors. With the right messaging and strategy, PR increases your credibility as a stable and potentially lucrative investment target. So why do PR? If you’re an early- or mid-stage company, your next round of funding may depend on it.

If any of these reasons appeal to you, securing a publicist or signing with a PR firm may be the next step to level up your business.

Lucy Rendler-Kaplan

Lucy is the founder of Arkay Marketing & PR. A writer from an early age (who could forget the 88 page “Bears” novel from an outspoken 3 year old?!) she’s excited to be writing for She Owns It and loves the feeling of camaraderie and empowerment of the group. When she’s not staying in and writing marketing plans or celebrating wins with clients, she can be found taking selfies with her 15 year old mutt, Desi.

arkaymarketing.com

20 Ways to Excite Employees in 2020 by @DrRKayGreen

February 11, 2020 by Kay Green Leave a Comment

by Dr. R. Kay Green | Featured Contributor

Business owners ask how to make their employees more productive, more focused, or more loyal. Less frequently, they ask how to make their employees more excited. And this is a problem, because learning how to excite employees can often lead to employees that are more productive, focused, loyal, and more.

Making your business somewhere they want to work, instead of somewhere they need to work to get a paycheck, is incredibly powerful. But how can you do that? Here are twenty suggestions to get your employees excited this year.

Call out good behavior. You might be surprised how effective simple acknowledgment is at exciting your employees. People want to be recognized when they do something well.
Start an incentives program. Rewarding employees for good work is a great way to get them excited about doing it! Little things like gift cards can make big impacts.
Let them try new things. If employees do the same thing day after day, the work gets stagnant. What excited them on day one might not excite them on day 30. Let them shake things up by trying new things, and you can make sure that they stay excited about what they do.
Give them ownership of their work. It is a lot easier to get excited about work that feels like it is uniquely yours. So by giving employees ownership over their work, you help make them feel excited about it.
Encourage volunteering. People like feeling like they are having a positive impact. Encouraging volunteering on company time helps make the day-to-day job more exciting, because they are able to help people as well.
Offer flex time or remote opportunities. These are very exciting to employees, because it allows them to take control of their own schedule. It also helps to remove some stressors that could impede excitement, such as difficult commutes.
Remember things about them. Employees will be excited to work for you if they think you see them as a person. Remembering things like their birthdays or hobbies can shows that you care.
Make sure there is room for growth. People will not be as excited for their position if they do not think that there is room for growth. Make sure you are checking in with employees about five and ten year plans.
It is all about workplace culture. If your workplace culture is one of excitement and innovation, it will rub off on your employees. If your workplace culture is one of stagnancy and complacency, that will rub off on them, too.
Keep them up-to-date on what the company is doing. It is hard to get excited about things when you do not even really know what is happening! Make sure your employees are up-to-date on whatever it is that your company is doing.
Take interest in their goals. This goes back to our point about growth, and showing interest in your employees as a person. Show that you care about their future as much as they do, and get excited with them about their opportunities.
Try to “gamify” tasks. People are predisposed to like games. Whenever possible, try to make tasks more entertaining and exciting by turning them into “games.” This can tie into the incentives mentioned above, with rewards being given out when they hit a certain point.
Focus on core values and intrinsic motivation. External motivating factors like incentives and perks are very exciting. But internal excitement is just as powerful. Make sure that your employees understand and share the core values that are at the heart of everything you do.
Make your office space amazing. Nothing energizes and excites us more than our surroundings. So make sure that your employees are surrounded by things that are thought-provoking or entertaining!
Encourage competition… Competition is a great way to get excitement into your employees’ days. It makes them get engaged in their work on a different level, and gets them communicating with other employees.
But do not pit employees against each other. All that said, at the end of the day friendly competition should be focused on the first word, not the second. Make sure that the competition is designed to encourage camaraderie and that no one is feeling as though they are being actively worked against or slighted.
Plan a retreat. Sometimes the best way to get employees excited by work is to get them all to take a break. And a retreat is a way to turn that break into something productive, whether it is used for team-building purposes, education, or just some well deserved relaxation time.
Be honest. They say that “honesty is the best policy,” and this certainly applies to keeping employees excited. Be up-front with them about what is going on.
Make sure employees know why they are doing something. If you want to get your employees excited about their work, make sure they understand the meaning behind it. It is hard to get excited about tiny pieces if you do not know where they fit into the big picture.
Give them the chance to learn. People love to learn, and find it exciting when they are able to put new lessons into use. Give your employees that chance by sending them to classes custom-tailored to their work.

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Dr. R. Kay Green – Marketing Expert from RKG Marketing Solutions Inc. from Atlanta, GA.

Twitter – Facebook – LinkedIn

Kay Green

www.drkaygreen.com

20 Ways to Give Back in 2020 by @DrRKayGreen

January 28, 2020 by Kay Green Leave a Comment

by Dr. R. Kay Green | Featured Contributor

A common New Year’s Resolution, especially for businesses, is to “give back” to the community. But for as often as the concept comes up, few businesses actually follow through with it. Often, this is because the business has a base misunderstanding of what “giving back” is.

There are so many ways to give back. Here are just 20 of them for you to implement in 2020:

Start a charity program. The most common one is where you pick a charity for employees to donate to, and after a certain amount of time, you match the donation as a company. This encourages charitable giving and supports a good cause.
Give employees time to volunteer. Allowing employees to volunteer hours on company time does far more than help a good cause. It also encourages employee retention, as being able to give back is incredibly important for a lot of people.
Reward employees for volunteering. For every employee who is eager to volunteer their time, of course, there are some that are more reluctant. Make volunteering more enticing for them by offering rewards if they hit a certain number of hours, for example.
Start a scholarship. Scholarships are a great way to give back to your community. It encourages higher education in youth, and is a relatively simple way to show that you care. Making the scholarship a contest allows it to reach a wide audience.
Get involved in your community. Never underestimate the power of simply being there when people need you. Whether it is to help clean a park or providing aid after a natural disaster, find a place where you can be of use and go there.
Partner with a non-profit. Partnering with a non-profit allows you to give your services to those who are in need. An established non-profit will have an audience that you can provide for, making it easier to reach the people you want.
Sponsor a food drive or similar event. Sponsoring events allows you to provide for your community in an easy, effective way. It gets important goods to the people who need it, and it allows you to get involved in a real, tangible way.
Share your knowledge by running a class. Many people do not consider the amazing impact that sharing their knowledge can have on a community. An in-person class or a webinar allows you to educate people on what you are an expert in.
Buy from local small businesses. When possible, buying local does amazing things for your community’s economy. It also encourages loyalty and improves overall morale. And, of course, it supports small businesses.
Collect donations from customers. Many companies have a tip jar, and a similar process can be used to collect donations for the charity of your choice. Most people are willing to throw in a bit of change, and that sort of thing adds up.
Turn volunteering into a team building exercise. Encouraging employees to volunteer as a group has several benefits. In addition to providing even more aid to people in need, you also encourage employees to get to know each other outside of a professional setting.
Volunteer with causes that align with your core values. If you are going to donate time or money to a cause, do not just pick it at random. Instead, make sure it aligns with company values and how you want to present yourself.
Sponsor a youth sports team. Again, giving back to the community is not just about charity. Sponsoring a youth sports team is a great way to give back to schools and the students in them who are trying to shape their futures.
Hold a contest. This is a simple but fun way to get involved in your community. Holding a contest fosters a sense of fun and friendly competition between people. It will get people in your community interacting with each other, which is important.
Offer your skills when appropriate. If you notice a small business or family struggling with a service that you are able to provide, do not be afraid to lend a helping hand! People will remember you as the person who came to their aid.
Give free resources on your site. Want a less labor-intensive way to give back to the community? Offer free resources on your site—things like blogs or white papers provide valuable information to your community free of charge.
Offer special deals for those in need. An example of this is a restaurant that allows patrons to purchase a second meal so that people who cannot afford one can have one for free. You will see this frequently at pizza places.
Put a focus on “going green.” This does more than give back to the community — it gives back to the world by making it a healthier place to live. Making an effort to lower your carbon footprint and improve the environment is an important step in becoming a kinder business.
Auction off things you no longer use, and donate the profits. Sometimes items outlive their usefulness to your business. But that does not mean that they cannot be useful to someone else. Sell them and donate the profits.
Donate products that do not sell. This can tie into the action above. Simply donating the items you no longer need to people who could use them is a great way to give back. It also ensures that you are not being wasteful.

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Dr. R. Kay Green – Marketing Expert from RKG Marketing Solutions Inc. from Atlanta, GA.

Twitter – Facebook – LinkedIn

Kay Green

www.drkaygreen.com

Secure more stages in 2020 with these 3 Tips by @KerryHeaps

January 24, 2020 by Kerry Heaps Leave a Comment

by Kerry Heaps | Featured Contributor

If you want to secure more speaking engagements this year, make sure that you are not only providing great content that solves a problem, ensure that you are helping the meeting planner make the event as successful as possible. These three tips can be implemented with very little effort and will go a long way in your favor.

Help fill the room. One way you can help the meeting planner fill the room for the workshop or keynote that you are speaking at is to create a video under one minute, share a tip that you will be teaching. Make sure this is something that highlights one of the issues or concerns the attendees are facing in their industry. If you are speaking at a workshop for at a human resource show, you may want to share it tip to help attendees recruits the best talent. The video does not need to be fancy, it can be shot from your cell phone or laptop, it’s the quality of the advice that you’re offering not the background or fancy music.

Have a conversation with the audience. Make sure during the event that you are having a conversation with the audience, talk with them not at them. Show up 10 minutes early and meet and greet people as they fill the room, you can always ask them why they signed up for your workshop or keynote and make them feel welcome. It is much better to be approachable as a Speaker those tend to get better feedback.

Create audience retention with video. Audience retention is something every meeting planner is facing these days. With so much packed into a two or three-day conference, sometimes it’s information overload for the Attendees. When they return to work most of what they learn goes to the side and is never picked up again. Create another video that can be shared a month or two after the event as a refresher. If you don’t want to create another video, you can create online quizzes, a review sheet or even an audio clip.

Kerry Heaps

A seasoned Entrepreneur of 14 years, Kerry Kathleen Heaps is a media maven, hosting two podcasts and publishing two magazines. She is also the Founder of Pitch like a B*tch Media, an online resource for Entrepreneurs that want to gain more media exposure. She also owns Book.Speak.Repeat. a speaker submission service helping Speakers gain more PAID speaking engagements.

She is the Author of Pitch like a Bitch, Top 10 tips to pitch like a Pro (December 2018) and the Create your own Media series for Podcasting, Publishing and Publicity. Kerry has an extensive background in Sales, Networking, Recruiting, and Training. She is a former Model who specialized in Trade Show and Print work, and an experienced judge on the beauty pageant circuit.

Kerry has interviewed celebrities such as Co-Host of Shark Tank, Barbara Corcoran, Authors Larry Winget, Jeffrey Hayzlett, Former Miss West Virginia and QVC Talk Show host, Kim Parrish and many more successful business entrepreneurs. She is a sought-after guest for many media outlets. Kerry loves animals, enjoys photography and is currently mastering the art of speaking French!

www.bookspeakrepeat.com/

20 Ways to Stay Motivated in 2020 by @DrRKayGreen

January 13, 2020 by Kay Green 1 Comment

by Dr. R. Kay Green | Featured Contributor

January has hardly begun, but already people are forgetting or giving up on their resolutions and goals. This is a process that happens every year, and it happens because once the “shine” is off the new year, it can be incredibly hard to stay motivated.

However, “hard” does not mean impossible, and with a bit of effort you can stay excited and engaged with your goals all year long. Here are 20 ways to keep your motivation up in 2020.

Break your goals into chunks. If you try to tackle a large goal, you might wind up discouraged by just how much work there is to do. But splitting your goals into smaller parts will help sustain a feeling of accomplishment across a span of weeks or months.
Set an intention for each day. This intention can be big, like starting on a project that you have been putting off, or small, like waking up five minutes earlier. But having at least one “win” every day can keep you feeling motivated and excited!
Practice positive thinking. Optimism is learned. And people who think positively often have more positive experiences in life. How you approach things will often attract the sort of results you want to see, so try your best to catch your self in negative self-talk and replace that with more positive thoughts.
Stay grateful. Practicing gratitude is an important part of motivation. At the end of the day, go over the things that happened that you are grateful for. This will help you to start the next day with motivation and excitement!
Make sure each goal has a “why.” Nothing kills motivation faster than not having a clear reason for your goal. After all, if you do not know why you are doing something, what is the point of doing it? Put your “why” somewhere you can see.
Get friends to hold you accountable. It is a lot harder to “slack off” on goals when you know that someone else is counting on you to do them. Make it reciprocal, too — help your friends stay on track with their goals, and you can get motivated by their success as much as your own.
Reread your goals regularly. As we get into the day-to-day grind of life, it can be easy to lose sight of our larger goals. So take some time to read your goals weekly, or even daily. Keeping them top of mind will help you stay motivated to achieve them.
Start slowly. When we set our goals, it can be tempted to jump into them all at once. But this can often lead to burnout and a lack of motivation. Instead, find a place to start small with your goals, and build your way up from there.
Track your progress. If we cannot see the strides we are making, we run the risk of giving up entirely because it feels like it is not making a difference. Finding a way to track your progress can help motivation. Daily trackers are a great way to do this, because it encourages you not to “break the chain.”
Schedule in time to work on your goals. It is easy to say that you will work on a goal “when you have the time.” But if you follow that train of thought, it will be easy to find excuses to never start. Set yourself clear deadlines and then schedule in time to work before your deadlines, too.
Schedule days off, too. As important as it is to work on your goals, constant work is not sustainable. Make sure that you are taking regular breaks in order to keep your mind and your motivation sharp. You will find yourself returning to your goals with renewed excitement.
Be sure to “unplug.” We live in a world with more distractions than ever before. It makes keeping up with goals very difficult, and motivation is hard to keep when it feels like there are a thousand more interesting things we could be doing. Schedule time to eliminate distractions like phone and internet.
Identify your procrastination triggers. Some people procrastinate when they are stressed, others procrastinate when things feel like they will take too long or go too slow. Realize what your procrastination triggers are and come up with a plan to combat them, to keep motivation.
Have a five and ten year plan. Where do you want to be in five and ten years? Identify that, and then take the time to consider how this year’s goals will help you reach the person you want to be in the future. This will make it much easier to stay motivated.
Mix professional goals with fun goals. Having “fun” goals is a great way to stay motivated. Make it a goal to take a trip somewhere you have always wanted to go, or to try something new that you have always wanted to try. Working on these goals will make it easier to work on your more professional goals.
Do nightly reviews. Take some time at the end of your day to review what you did to work on your goals, how it made you feel, and what you want to do next. Keeping track this way will help you stay motivated to take next steps.
Reward yourself for completing goals. Rewards and incentives are powerful motivators. Do not be afraid to give yourself some when you finish a goal! This will help you stay motivated for the next ones, as you will be excited for the next reward!
Help others set goals and intentions. Helping other people set their goals can be incredibly motivating. Seeing other people succeed gives you the drive and excitement that you need to succeed, as well!
Celebrate your successes. Celebrating and simply giving yourself a “pat on the back” feels good. So while it can be tempting to simply check off one goal on your list and move onto the next one, take some time to recognize that you did well.
Learn new things. Learning is a powerful motivator. When we educate ourselves, it empowers us and makes us want to take that new knowledge into the world. Employees are more motivated by custom classes, which is why more businesses are investing in them.

———————————————————————-

Dr. R. Kay Green – Marketing Expert from RKG Marketing Solutions Inc. from Atlanta, GA.

Twitter – Facebook – LinkedIn

Kay Green

www.drkaygreen.com

Video Marketing Strategies for 2020 by @DONNAAMOS

January 8, 2020 by Donna Amos 1 Comment

by Donna Amos | Featured Contributor

The video revolution has completely transformed how we consume content. Now, information is delivered in a visual, entertaining, and even interactive manner that engages users better than any other medium. Video is also a natural storytelling medium, making it both compelling and persuasive. These combined elements are why video advertising is so successful.

Let’s look at some facts:

According to a Hubspot study, 96% of consumers between the ages of 18-34 watch videos several times throughout the week, and 75% of millennials watch at least one daily video.
64% of consumers claim that marketing videos have had an impact on their purchasing decision.
45% of people watch more than an hour of video on Facebook and YouTube each week.
90% of video viewers say that product videos are helpful in the decision-making process.
Videos are shared on social media 1200% more than images and text combined.
85% of Facebook users watch videos with the sound turned off.
Videos in Instagram get twice the engagement of videos on other social platforms.

Statistics are from this link.

Using Video Marketing for Your Company

Of course, to be successful using video marketing, you will need to perform some preliminary work. Just creating and posting random videos will not bring leads pouring in. Use the following steps and linked resources to craft an overall approach to video marketing for your company.

Research your target audience. Who is your target audience? What type of video content to they prefer? What social platform do they use most to consume video content? When are they most likely to be watching online video? What are the most effective types of video for reaching this demographic?

Resources:

Outline a Plan for Sharing Video. What types of video will you use? What social platforms will you use to share your company videos? Will you need to craft specific videos for each platform? When is the best time to share video on these platforms? How often should you share video content? How often should you repeat the same video content? How much budget is available for paid video ads and promotion?
Determine Who Will Create Your Videos. Do you need a professional media company? What types of video can your marketing team produce in-house? What do they need to produce quality videos? How much budget is available for creating custom videos? What is the best balance of video types for your company?

Gig – Sharing – Youpreneur – [Ec]onomy by @SBSLEducSoltns

December 23, 2019 by SJ Barakony Leave a Comment

by SJ Barakony | Featured Contributor

‘Lean in … it’s growing daily.’

As this blog goes live, we find ourselves on a chronological cusp; it’s not just A New Year’s Eve/Day: it marks an entirely new decade!

The 2020’s will bring us untold innovation which’ll make us do double-takes; one trend, though, that we can better understand since it’s been growing since ~ 2008 ?

A > It has multiple monikers: Gig / Sharing / Youpreneur.

All = synonyms for an independent workforce which’ll continue to improve day to day life, so long as we don’t stoke fear, assume, become too comfortable, or let corporate entities dictate the narrative.

Here’s a fundamental Q:

How can we entrepreneurs be trailblazers for our peer generation, those older, and, yes, younger, for this economic paradigm?

Gigs are Great

We’ve likely heard, or know someone who’s a ‘side’ hustler; this person’s also a side ‘gigger’. She’s pursuing gig economy income, driven not by trading units of time for currency/dollars & cents; rather, via representing a product/s, service/s, &/or sharing her specialized knowledge in/to the marketplace, earning $$ in return.

This infographic offers a flyover, showing how many ‘gigs’ are available, just via smartphone apps.

Yet, there is far more at ‘work’ here: Entire new business models have, and will continue to be formed. One recent example? Click here.

The back to back [ ‘blue’ & ‘white’ collar ] industrial ages shall continue to be supplanted by gigs, although it will necessitate re framing, challenging 20th century assumptions, & being willing to exchange calculated risk for more time & financial flexibility.

For it matters not, how much we own, the cars . . . the house . . . the cash. What matters is how we live and love and how we spend our dash.

― Diane Mulcahy, The Gig Economy: The Complete Guide to Getting Better Work, Taking More Time Off, and Financing the Life You Want .”

Sharing = Collaborative = Interdependent

‘Share & share alike ..’ – weren’t we told this by a doting parent(s), or maybe a primary school teacher at some point?

However, as we aged into adulthood, and started our business(es), we might’ve forgotten this sage advice. We either learned how to be dependent ( ‘employ’[ee] – to be used (utilized)) , and/or that we had to be a cowgirl, & do entrepreneurship all by ourselves, as an in-dependent.

Not so fast! Sharing economic models enable us to rebuild trust with our peers, be inter-dependent, and find/leverage ways to collaborate & partner with others.

This visual is worth many words.

Multisided Platforms / ‘Matchmaker’ Economics

This new economic era is restoring and flat out creating new sparks of creativity that were lost in the very linear, centralized, & hierarchical industrial ages preceding it.

This terrific post will make you think; next time you grab your smartphone & search for an AirBnB, you’ll look at this research in a fresh way.

Matchmaker (‘ing) is worth trillions – it squeezes inefficiencies out of conventional producer/seller→ consumer/buyer bilateral relationships & builds bridges. It is beyond intriguing & sits squarely in this new [ec]-onomy.

What’s a “You” Preneur, anyway?!

YOU ‘re worth far more than a rigid, pre-defined wage, salary, or compensation package. Shouldn’t your pay be aligned with the absolute value you deliver to your clientele, & not based on the usage of space & time ( = occupar / occupation ) ?

Most, if not all, entrepreneurial minded people reading this would say ‘absolutely!’

Thus, we’ve 2 words fused together, creating a combo which richly reflects the spirit, heart, & mindset of this new economic model: YOU + [entre] preneur.

Overcoming …

There are 5 (‘for the hand’) root issues which stand in the way of ‘giggers’ & ‘youpreneurs’ ‘sharing’ more & building a stronger entrepreneurial edifice in the 2020’s:

Our 125+ year old schooling ( not truly education ) tracks, ‘K-12’
Fear ( cynicism, unhealthy skepticism, & negativity )
A completely broken political system
The incumbent hierarchies

Comfort/familiarity

We can hurdle over the first by focusing on self-directing our education & loosening the grip of credentialed degree signaling ( esp if we have staff ); next, we can win out over fear by being faithful & focused; thirdly, how about turning towards local elections to drive grassroots transformation upwards to state/provincial &/or national/federal offices?

Fourth, be wise to what the ‘status quo’ says, and especially does. Often times, they’ll attempt to buy influence through the deeply flawed politics of today. Don’t let them; put your trust in your own small business & those of your peers. Lastly, don’t rest on your laurels or read your own press clippings. Always strive to sit in a learning zone.

Future = Free: IF we Choose

Many step up to ‘be their own boss’ ; yet, the promises heralded in transition tend to be lost in the haze of working harder, not smarter.

Freedom is such an overused word; for the purposes of this post, let’s frame it this way: It’s having many conscious choices always available to match with our most irreplaceable asset, time.

The ultra flex & portability available in the gig/sharing economy is there for the taking. Lean into it!

Twitter ‘To-Do’s

Let’s ‘future’ proof …

… your business(es).

Be unique & willing to unlearn what you were taught in a conventional classroom about economics & entrepreneurship.

A dozen things I’ve learned about …

6 Ghosts of Fear

… Multisided Markets

The Matchmakers

Mutual Aid Societies & the Gig Economy

Rise of the Youpreneur

Read to Lead

25 Ideas …

Summing up …

A major milestone is upon us!
A fundamental question …
Multiple monikers
Multisided & matchmaker
5 challenges
“Free”dom
‘Future’ proofing

Thank YOU for reading!

____________________________________________

SJ Barakony

SJ Barakony is a serial entrepreneur, futurist, & connector.

He lives in Ohio & is the Founder of Service Before Self Leadership: An Educational Solutions Provider.

He offers four highly customizable solutions to encourage families, individuals, faith institutions, & business owners to create & cultivate lifelong learning cultures in our homes & workplaces.

He’s been a guest on an educational podcast; been interviewed for an online small business community; is a guest blogger for Innovate NA; and has been an invited speaker five separate times for HECOA.

He believes strongly in youth & social entrepreneurship: He continues to serve two chapters of the YEA program (student mentor, mock judge, ad hoc consultant ) & has co-facilitated a session of the SeaChange Accelerator program.

He serves as the TDD for Cleveland & Columbus (Ohio) for the H7 Network.

He also recently became an educational advisor for Tessr.io, a startup in the exciting world of blockchain/cryptocurrencies that will be establishing a cutting edge educational foundation.

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