She Owns It

Celebrating, Connecting, and Supporting Women Entrepreneurs

What Does It Take To Turn A Summer Side Hustle Into A Small Business? by @DeborahSweeney

by Leave a Comment

by  | Featured Contributor

Summertime and the living is easy — especially when business is booming from your side hustle! If you’ve been running a successful summer side hustle for a few years now, you might want to consider spinning it off into a full-time gig.

What does it take to turn a side hustle into a thriving small business? It’s a much less intensive process than many entrepreneurs may realize, and follows certain step-by-step guidelines. Take a look at the best ways to prepare your side hustle to become its own year-round small business.

1. Draft a traditional or lean business plan.

You might have already created a lean business plan for your side hustle. If that’s the case, it’s time to add more details about the business. If you don’t already have a business plan, it’s also the time to draft one.

Most entrepreneurs choose to draft a traditional business plan or a lean startup plan. The format decided upon often depends on the needs of their business.

Consider a summer side hustle that has been around for several years. It has a proven track record of steady cash flow and offerings that continually appeal to consumers. As this side hustle pivots into becoming a full-time small business, a traditional business plan will provide an objective look into the company’s future.

A traditional business plan outlines the following areas:

  • Executive summary. The ability to explain who you are, what the business does, its industry, location, how it makes money, and why consumers want these goods and services.
  • Business description, concept, and strategy. What do your products and/or services do, and what makes them unique?
  • Industry analysis. A thorough analysis of your brand’s competitors.
  • Market analysis. A thorough analysis of your brand’s target audience.
  • Organization and management. The core responsibilities of your team members (if you have any employed).
  • Financial projections. Tables that provide information about cash flow, projected profit and loss, and a break-even analysis.
  • Financing request. A section specifically created for businesses seeking funding from investors.
  • Other additional information as it pertains to the company, like letters of incorporation and trademark registration documents.

A lean startup plan is a little less intensive, but covers these key areas:

  • Value proposition. A clear statement summing up the value your business brings to its market.
  • Key partnerships, resources, and activities. Information about any partners your business may have and resources that allow the business to create value.
  • Customer segments, channels, and relationships. The ability to define your target audience.
  • Revenue streams. How the business is able to make money.

2. Incorporate the business.

Incorporating a business, even one that starts off as a side hustle, provides the company with tons of valuable benefits. It allows you to build credibility much faster than businesses that do not incorporate, which shows customers that your company is legitimate.

Entrepreneurs may choose from a variety of entities to incorporate their side hustle turned small business. Some of these may include sole proprietorships, partnerships, corporations, and limited liability companies. LLCs, or limited liability companies, often tend to be quite popular with entrepreneurs. The entity is flexible in terms of management and also provides liability protection. This acts as a safeguard between personal and professional assets. In the event of an unforeseen circumstance, like a lawsuit, liability protection ensures that your personal property like cars and houses will not be impacted.

3. Register for trademarks.

Earlier I mentioned that trademark registration documents are generally kept in the appendix of a business plan. Chances are pretty high that your side hustle may have a unique name, phrase, symbol, design, or logo associated with it. This unique mark differentiates your business from competitors. However, if you do not register a trademark the unprotected mark may end up in the wrong hands and be plagiarized by copycats.

Kick off your plans to register your mark by conducting a trademark search. You may do this through the United States Patent and Trademark Office trademark database. This database provides more information as to whether or not another entrepreneur has claimed a mark similar to or the same as your own and if there are any pending marks. If it turns out your trademark is not available, you may need to go back to the drawing board in creating a new one.

However, if the trademark is available it’s highly advised to file a trademark application as quickly as possible. This allows you to register the mark for your business and have the peace of mind in knowing the trademark associated with your brand is exclusively yours.

4. File for any necessary business licenses and permits.

Every side hustle turned business is different with varying needs. Once certain side hustles become full-time businesses, they may require business licenses and permits to operate and remain in compliance. Check in with your local Secretary of State to determine which business licenses and permits your company is required to have by the city and state you do business in. These often vary, depending on the location and industry of the small business.

5. Conduct annual maintenance.

As your side hustle transitions into a small business, you may pick up even more legal necessities along the way like an employer identification number (EIN) and doing business as name (DBA). Remember that businesses incorporated as LLCs and corporations are required to file an annual report. This allows them to communicate any changes made in the business and stay in compliance with the state.

———————————————————————

Deborah Sweeney – Legal Expert, CEO, MyCorporation.com – Calabasas, CA

As CEO of MyCorporation Business Services, Inc., Deborah Sweeney is an advocate for protecting personal and business assets for business owners and entrepreneurs. With her experience in the fields of corporate and intellectual property law, Deborah has evolved from lawyer to business owner. She has extensive experience in the start-up and entrepreneurial industry as she has been involved in the formation of hundreds of thousands of businesses for MyCorporation.com’s customers.

Ms. Sweeney received her JD & MBA degrees from Pepperdine University. She is active in the community and loves working with students and aspiring entrepreneurs. She serves on the Board of Regents at California Lutheran University and is a founding member of Partners of Pepperdine. Deborah has served as an adjunct professor at the University of West Los Angeles and San Fernando School of Law in the areas of corporate and intellectual property law. Ms. Sweeney is also well-recognized for her written work online as a contributing writer with top business and entrepreneurial blogging sites.  She is a regular contributor on Forbes, American Express, Social Media Today, and BlogHer among many others.

In her ‘free’ time, Deborah enjoys spending time with her husband and two sons, Benjamin (8) and Christopher (6). Deborah believes in the importance of family and credits the entrepreneurial business model for giving her the flexibility to enjoy both a career and motherhood. Follow her on Twitter @deborahsweeney and @mycorporation.

 

The Business Cloud for Small Business by @SaabyConsulting

by Leave a Comment

 “…Data security tops the list of cloud concern…”

Every Information Technology discipline has a lifecycle process. Before you choose a Cloud solution, there is a lifecycle process to follow that will match your business need with the right cloud solution.  (You don’t need to be an IT geek to get this.) 

Step 1.  IDENTIFY what you have.

ALL businesses are required to keep certain types of information.

(The first step in determining whether a cloud solution is right for your business is NOT to pick a cloud type. All clouds share fundamental characteristics and functionality. They use economies of scale to provide shared resources including storage, databases and applications, accessed via the Internet.)

1.      Inventory your software applications. If you are running Windows application, you can find all the programs on a PC in the Control Panel function. For IoS and Android applications, go to Settings, then Apps

2.      Identify existing cloud applications.   Where do you save your business bank statements? Your customer database? Receipts? Odds are, you are using some kind of cloud architecture already.

3.      Determine Industry compliance standards that may apply to your business

a.      professional licensing boards (like CPA’s)

b.      organizational standard boards like International Standardization Organization (ISO)

c.      Each state has different requirements at the Department of Corporation – make sure you are compliant with all filings, collecting state sales tax, paying re-employment (previously unemployment) taxes, etc.

4.      Define regulatory and corporate requirements that apply to ALL businesses

a.      Federal Tax Information (FTI)

b.      Canned Spam Act (mass emailing people for business is spam)

c.      Fair Credit Reporting Act (if you base employment decisions on credit scores, this applies to you

d.      HIPAA (compliance requirements for doctors/hospitals who collect, maintain and store patient information)

e.      Data Retention requirements (how long you need to maintain critical data)

f.       Data Disposal policy that identifies destruction method, i.e. key destruction, overwrite, magnetic overpass (degaussing) and/or physical destruction

g.  General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)

5.      Examine stakeholder-centric data (ex: email address, payment preferences, survey results). Does this data contain?

a.      Personally Identifiable Information (PII)

b.      Credit card payment information (PCI DSS)

c.      Protected Health Information (PHI)

These are only some of the examples of laws and governing bodies and policies that apply to data and software applications and the collection of information.

Now is a good point to determine if you have overlapping applications, software that is out of date and whether or not you need all the information/data you have collected and/or stored. If you don’t need data for regulatory, compliance and/or business continuity purposes – don’t collect it. The more information you collect from your business stakeholders, the more cumbersome and complicated the requirements for data protection, access and storage become.

Never buy cloud services just because someone tells you “everyone needs the cloud”. There are some great Cloud Service Providers (CSP’s). But there are also a tremendous amount of businesses claiming to be CSP’s who can seriously jeopardize your business. CSP’s are NOT legally responsible for data breaches or losses!!!

Step 2.  CLASSIFY the data by risk

1.      High – this is data at the greatest risk, meaning loss or compromise of this data would put you at high risk of going out of businesses

a.      Intellectual property

b.      Proprietary corporate information

c.      Protected by law or regulatory body

d.      Compromises of this type of data carry the highest penalties and present the highest risk to business continuity

e.      This data may also be identified as top secret or sensitive

2.      Moderate – this is data at moderate risk

a.      Internal emails/policies

b.      Trend Reporting

c.      Compromises of this type of data may carry penalties and jeopardize business reputation and revenue

d.      This data may also be identified as confidential, private or proprietary

3.      Low

a.      Marketing materials

b.      Catalogs

c.      Mission statements

d.      Real time updates

e.      tracking

f.       This data may also be identified as public or unclassified

Step 3.  SELECT & IMPLEMENT your Cloud

1.      Understand that NO cloud solution is 100% secure. Period.

2.      It’s more than likely that your cloud solutions will contain multiple characteristics:

a.      Encryption levels

b.      In transit/At rest

c.      Key access, maintenance and replacement

d.      Virtual Private Network (VPN)

e.      Service Level Agreement (SLA)

f. Public, Private, Community and/or Hybrid

Step 4. MONITOR with a Risk Management policy

There is absolutely no sense in going to all the trouble of identifying your storage needs, finding the right CSP, then not defining a policy of access.

1.      Who needs to access your type of data?

a.      Build access and “need to know” policies by type of data

i. High

1.      CxO’s

2.      Two Factor Identification required

3.      Inaccessible via external devices

4.      Significant Monitoring

ii.     Moderate

1.      Department Heads

2.      Need to know personnel

3.      CxO’s

4.      Two Factor Identification required

5.      External device access clearly defined by policy

6.      Significant monitoring

iii.     Low

1.      Read only access for all employees/public access users

2.      Random, routine monitoring for exploits/attacks

2.      What are the regulatory and compliance requirements for your type of data?

a.      Define Corporate, Compliance and Regulatory best practices by type of data

1.      This was previously defined in the IDENTIFY step

3.      When will the data need to be accessed?

a.      Archive and Access Policy

i.     Constant vs intermittent

ii.     Short, medium, long term

b.      Platform dependencies

i.     Software as a Service (SaaS)

ii.     Platform as a Service (PaaS)

iii.     Infrastructure as a Service (Iaas)

4.      Where will your type of data be stored?

1.      On premise

2.      In the cloud

a.      Public, Private, Community or Hybrid

5.      Why do I need policies on data collection, storage, access and protection?

a.      Business Continuity

i.     Small businesses that experience a breach go out of business within six months

b.      Compliance

c.      Regulatory

d.      Business reputation

6.      How do I monitor my business cloud compliance?

a.      This should be identified in your Service Level Agreement (SLA). It may also be listed under “Terms and Conditions”. These are MUST read documents.

b.      Consider hiring an outside auditing firm

c.      Work with your Cloud Solutions Provider to identify and test vulnerabilities

As small business owners, we wear a lot of hats. And sometimes we think we could save some money by cutting corners….but as the world becomes more global and the IoT expands, I think the small businesses that will survive are those that have been early adopters of best practices in information and emerging technologies.

Links are provided for information only.

Governments, Business and People rely on us for survival strategies. Call us for your strategy.

LinkedIn

Twitter

Facebook

YouTube

How to be brave and stop postponing by @mominbusiness_

by Leave a Comment

Mom this is what you need to do to crush your goals

How to be brave enough to start your life project

We all have a secret or not so secret project, something we dream about doing at some point in our life.

Your life project doesn’t need to be building an online business… maybe you want to run a marathon, learn a new language or going on a family trip to China.

I’m sure you don’t want to grow old and look back with regret because you didn’t give your project a shot.

Life is too short to keep postponing important things.

I’m sorry to be the one to tell you this but… YOU’RE GONNA DIE… Just in case you didn’t know it.

You only have this opportunity (life) to make things happen… or at least do your best.

If we wait until we’re ready, we’ll be waiting for the rest of our lives. – Lemony Snicket

I don’t know an easy way to tell you this, so I’m going to ask my friend Shia LaBeouf who is better with words:

 

The time is now

 

Ok… that wasn’t really a Ted Talk, but there isn’t much more to say: “JUST DO IT”

You need to know how to be brave enough to get off your butt and fight for your life project.

I’m going to share with you a challenge that helped me a lot to get things done and stay consistent along the way.

28-Days Free Email Course to become a successful mompreneur

From the moment we make the decision to start our project to the moment we are working hard to get things done, there are 4 stages we are going through.

Clarity

This is the moment when you feel that you need to change something in your current situation, you affirm it and you’re willing to commit yourself to achieve it. It’s time to take the reins of your life and work in your action plan.

Courage

It’s okay to have doubts and fears, it’s going to be a new adventure. You just need to be brave, not fearless. Keep what you want always in mind. This is the point when you decide to activate your action plan… the moment of truth.

Combat

You have completed the first two stages. You already have the clarity to know that you need a plan to reach your goals and you gathered the courage to activate that plan… Now you need to make your way through the action plan, execution is everything. If you want to succeed, you have to move into ACTION.

Consistency

This is the last stage to achieve your goals. Consistency can be the hardest part, but it’s what determines whether or not you will succeed, so pay attention here:

If you’re a mom you will be also running a family, breathe… and use it as your motivation, being an example of success for them, bring more money home, own your time, do something that you love, whatever.  Small actions every day.

The free email course is based on these 4 pillars. This is what we called the 4C transformation system.

28 days free email course

Stop telling yourself that there will always be a tomorrow.

Use every day to its fullest, feel the present moment, it’s your responsibility to create the best possible life for you.

 

I wish you happiness, love and the courage to live your life according to your priorities ♥

Vanessa Cast

The Secret to Successful Entrepreneurship: Learning by @DrRKayGreen

by Leave a Comment

by Dr. R. Kay Green | Featured Contributor

Many people ask successful entrepreneurs, “What is your secret?” And they will cite things like dedication, passion, or even strong networking skills. But here is something to consider: If you were to ask “On a scale of 1 to 10, how much do you know,” I would be willing to bet that not a single entrepreneur would answer this with a 10.

That is because successful entrepreneurs recognize that they are lifelong students.

Learning is the secret weapon that many entrepreneurs do not mention, not because they are ashamed, but because it is so natural to them that they do not even think about it. Most industries are complex, and there is always more to learn about them.

Even if you could learn everything about a certain industry, that industry is bound to evolve or change. If you are still operating in the exact same way you did ten or even just five years ago, you are likely missing out on some of the new and exciting updates.

This is why learning is so important. Entrepreneurs have their “finger on the pulse” of their industry, so when there are any new and exciting updates, they are one of the first to learn about it.

But, of course, the learning does not stop there. Once they learn that people are doing something new, they learn why, and how, and who it benefits. They make it a point to become an expert, even though that is a long and time-consuming process, because they want to be able to give their clients the best service possible. And the best service possible comes from knowledge.

Successful entrepreneurs love it when they realize that they do not know something, because they treat it as a chance to learn. They do not dig their heels in and insist that their way is better — they take the time to learn why things are being done, and if they make the choice to go against the status quo, they know why they are doing it.

These entrepreneurs have a deep understanding of their industry that comes from constantly being open to new information. And they recognize that there is always more that can be learned.

Successful entrepreneurs do not just accept new knowledge when it is presented to them, either. They actively seek it out, enrolling in classes and researching new learning platforms. They take advantage of exciting new opportunities, like elearning platforms.

If you want to be a successful entrepreneur, accept this mindset. Wearing the label of a “lifelong learner” proudly moves you from a fixed mindset to a growth one. And as you grow your knowledge, you will see your business follow suit, as you become more familiar with what the industry wants.

———————————————————————-

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

Dr. KayDr. 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

Potential Power Lies in Your Personality by @SBSLEducSoltns

by Leave a Comment

( A walk in the personality ‘park’ under temperament ‘trees’ & social style ‘leaves’  )

Personalities.

 

We all have one.

And we know others do, too.

Far from an earth shattering observation, mind you.  Yet, why do so many entrepreneurially minded pros, whether in a sales role, running a micro or small business, or self-employed ( CPA, consultant ), not lean into their personality type, or gloss over them entirely?

One root reason?  Conventional classroom based schooling, whether primary/secondary (‘K-12’), collegiate/undergrad, even graduate program studies, oft times don’t include it in curricula, required or elective.

I’ve discussed becoming a self educated, lifelong learner, with no expectation of credentials before; now this becomes ever more valuable, since there are so many ‘trees’, with multi colored ‘leaves’ in this ‘park’. Said another way, there’s much to share about how much potential power there is in knowing about your own personality & temperament, let alone those of your client/customer, your staff, & your prospects.

 

 

Going Beyond Generic Labels

 

“You’re too much of an introvert, Emma. Join us at happy hour to network! ”

 

“I think I’m an extrovert, Lianne; do you agree?”

 

Introvert. Extrovert.

Two commonly mouthed words in many professional workplaces in all industries, in your home office, & at the coffee shop.

 

We should be more specific; we mustn’t over complicate matters, however, the more we can unpack ( depth ) & expand our horizons ( width ), it’ll benefit our businesses in a number of different ways.

 

 

Everything DISC

 

The DISC model has a long & storied history

( to trace it: Timeline )

 

DISC ** is unencumbered by complexity; most anyone can clearly interpret the results from the assessment.

I stress that it’s an assessment & spotlights preferences & tendencies, and is not a test, nor an exam.

 

If you’re having challenges with closing sales, or tend to be someone who wants to please everyone, you just might be an ‘S’.

Are you often inadvertently forgetting appointments, or talking your way out of a deal?  Say ‘hi, ‘I’ !’

Maybe you’ve had issues with turnover, or staff satisfaction in your workplace?  Look into swapping your ‘leader’ , who is a ‘D’ style , for someone else.

Or, perhaps you need someone to do your financials for you that won’t miss a single number?  Put a ‘C’ in this position.

 

 

Personality Plus

 

This model was the first that I learned about, not long after my professional development journey began nine years ago this month.

 

While the roots of it are birthed in faith, please don’t assume or close your mind off to how it can apply to any type of workplace, for a sales manager/team, or in your home based business.

 

The four types which Mrs. Littauer discusses have history stretching back millennia, to ancient times. One small drawback is a need to learn, or brush up ( if you’ve been classically, or liberal arts centric educated ) on what ‘choleric’, ‘sanguine’, ‘phlegmatic’, & ‘melancholy’ mean, before you read the books *** & take the assessment.

 

I’ve found much value in combining DISC & Personality + together when I talk with others; it’s a double dose of learning how to better walk in the ‘personality park’.

*** please see below for all 3 #mustreads

 

 

MBTI   

 

Myers-Briggs [Type Indicator/s] usually is the 1st to be recognized: some would say it exemplifies what marketers refer to as the ‘First-Mover Advantage’

 

This isn’t to downplay its value due to age, or perhaps apparent complexity. There’s much value in being aware of it, & perhaps deploying in your assessment ‘toolbox’ for talent, or people development; sales training; & as a high value input into hiring, firing, & promotability decision making.

MBTI Online is a great place to start to build understanding of this model’s philosophical underpinnings and practical applicability to your business/workplace, and you’ll also find certain consultants, trainers, & coaches who leverage it, such as Jeff ( someone I know fairly well. )

 

Tying it Together

 

Silo’ed results, in any business let alone an academic setting, isn’t ideal. So, let’s do our best to intermingle all 3 measures of personality, temperament, & social style together.

 

MBTI’s ‘E’ & ‘J’ =  ‘D’ (ISC) = ‘Choleric’  while ‘N’ & ‘P’ = ( D ‘I’ (SC)) = ‘Sanguine’ , as ‘I’ & ‘F’ = (DI ‘S’ ( C)) = ‘Phlegmatic’ , & … lastly, MBTI’s ‘S’ & ‘T’ = ((DIS) ‘C’ ) = ‘Melancholy’

 

Lots of letters …

Some lingo/language that might be unfamiliar, let alone the acronym.

 

Please embrace your walk, and study the leaves under the trees. 🙂

 

 

Suggested Social Profiles

 

Everything DISC

 

MBTI

 

Personality + ‘s  Marita (daughter of Florence)

 

Interested in More?

 

There are gold & silver veins below the surface of this ‘park’.

Please invest time to buy your entrepreneurial pickaxe, plan a trip, and begin your dig!

 

Best Personality Assessment

Top 10 Most Popular

*** All suggested books in the series ( PP 4 Parents ; PP – Original Bk ; & PP 4 Couples )

MBTI to DISC

 

 

In short …

 

  • The ‘gap’ : why personalities, temperaments, & social styles oft aren’t utilized.
  • Generic labels
  • Model 1 > DISC
  • Pers + >> Model 2
  • Model 3 >>> MBTI
  • Intermingling all three models
  • To continue your journey

 

Thank YOU for reading!

________________

Disclaimer: I’m an authorized partner & recommend DISC ahead of others, however, I’m very open minded & often will intermingle other models/assessments in my 1:1 mentoring, consulting projects, & family advising.

The Fine Art Of Leaning Into Environments In The Workplace, Even When It’s Difficult By @ANGEKYOUMATTER

by Leave a Comment

by Angela Kambouris | Featured Contributor

Workplace conflict is on the rise. Whether it be with colleagues, clients, bosses, or navigating work relationships, you need to use your voice rather than avoid these situations. When you don’t speak up, you remain trapped in your conflict.

At times, conflict is needed.

Many humans skirt the chance to confront challenges or opt to avoid conflict when given an opportunity. Your fight or flight response kicks in when faced with potential threats, and often, the flight is much easier. When you avoid addressing workplace issues, they will fester than face away. Whether it be interpersonal issues, job function challenges, or personality quirks, conflicts are inevitable. Working towards a resolution is ecological for all involved – you, your team, and your organization.

Maybe your boss lashed out at you during a team meeting, or your direct report started to cry while you are giving feedback, or perhaps a business partner hung up the phone on you. Whether it be self-preservation, people tend to do everything they can to avoid the most obvious solution: talking. Recognizing the need for an awkward conversation is a starting point.

Being direct is an art-form that many people never master. Being too direct can have you labeled as rude, inconsiderate, or intimidating. On the flip side, if you avoid being direct, being a push-over or follower comes to mind. Either way, labels that you don’t want to adopt.

Most professionals are phenomenal at arguing on behalf of their clients, yet many don’t welcome having tough personal conversations. Rather than avoid, why isn’t your instinct to lean in? People invest their energy into all the negative consequences of their interactions.

The cost of inaction results in ongoing tension and stress. The feeling of being stuck only compounds over time. When you shift your approach and instill a new habit of stepping into difficult conversations, it can be a game changer. Imagine the benefits of not having to spend hours or weeks avoiding conversations, immersing yourself in the inherent underlying fear about them, and instead of the energy of possibility of a successful resolution.

The key is to learn how to produce a better outcome for all while keeping your relationship intact. Consider the following strategies to break through the resistance of mental obstacles by taking the first step to lean in.

Intention is everything

Catering to an audience is an important skill to keep in mind. Delivering constructive comments, without personalizing and finding a tone that adopts an empathetic approach is your priority. When being direct, remain to the facts, keep a measured tone, listen to the talking points, empathize with their response, and breathe when it’s time to respond. Listen to understand, not respond.

Get Uncomfortable

There is a certain level of messiness when dealing with difficult conversations. Getting comfortable with the uncertainty of the outcome is what often consumes people’s thoughts.

Adopt a frame of understanding the nature of difficult conversations and how to handle them, identify the preferred strategies for managing these conversations and use enhanced listening and empathy in a way that minimizes tension and conflict and strengths relationships

Adeptly navigate the murky waters.

When a swag of negative emotions is involved, people avoid talking to those whose behaviors create problems. You talk about them and not to them. Avoidance kicks in, and difficult conversations become foreign concepts.

People make the mistake of avoiding what is uncomfortable, scary or challenging. They choose to lay low or invest in seeking comfort from others who are just as uncomfortable and disagree with the behavior that is causing the difficulty.

When avoidance is the chosen response, people continue to stay stuck. Frustration accelerates, trust remains low, productivity lowers, health and wellbeing become compromised, and problems fester.

Decide to have the conversation or not.

You always have a choice, to have a conversation or not. Not choosing is still a choice. If you decide not to have the conversation, then you have the responsibility of moving on and letting it go.

If you choose to participate in the conversation, check the ego at the door alongside the soapbox of opinions, or morals. In the workplace, organizational values must be the platform for the discussion to launch from, to discuss workplace behavior and establish agreements on how to move on.

Kickstart the conversation

Begin the conversation by stating its purpose and your intention to come to some resolution. When you separate facts from emotion, you can articulate what you know to be true objectively and minimize the opportunity for the conversation to escalate.

By being present during the conversation, you are open to listening and acknowledging their views and engaging in a solution-focused discussion. Being problem-saturated helps no one.

Embrace the pause

During conversations, it can be tempting to fill the silence. Embracing the silence, and embodying the pause, creates an opportunity for the other person to feel listened and valued. Be respectful, patient, and open to walking in another person’s shoes.

Breathe in the Moment

The calmer and more centered you are, the better you respond to difficult conversations. Practice mindfulness where you focus on your breath. It creates a space where you can refocus and collect your thoughts.

Determine what is fact from the story.

Ask quality questions such as:

  • What do you know for sure?
  • What would add more value right now?
  • What are the facts? List all the facts and ask yourself, do you know that for sure? Is it a fact or part of a story l am telling myself?
  • What are you committing to move forward?
  • What is the simplest, fastest yet more thorough way to make this happen?

Find common areas of agreement on how you will both move forward and work together.

Lessons Learned

After a courageous conversation, it is worthwhile to reflect post discussion and consider what went well, would be improved, and what were the lessons learned from the experience. Reflect on the tone of the meeting, the responses, and could have there been a different approach. Investing in observing mentors leading these conversations is an opportunity to emulate their language, strategy, and tactics. Having courageous conversations is not just a skill, it is brave.

 

 

Engage and Retain Employees through Elearning by @DrRKayGreen

by Leave a Comment

Engage and Retain Employees through Elearning

by Dr. R. Kay Green | Featured Contributor

Employee retainment is a real struggle for businesses. High turnover rates are plaguing corporate offices, with many not knowing how to solve the issue.

A big part of the problem, I believe, comes from a lack of engagement. Employees do not feel invested in what they are doing. They go through the motions, but they do not feel ownership of what they do. They continue on autopilot and do not care about their job past getting a paycheck.

So, how can business owners solve this problem?

Some turn to incentive programs or competitive benefits. And while these are all wonderful things to have, there is one powerful tool that many businesses overlook: elearning.

Many people think of elearning as “a good thing to have.” And they can probably list a few reasons why someone might want to invest in it. But when it comes to the benefits of elearning, employee engagement and retention is probably not at the top of people’s minds. That said, it makes perfect sense that investing in this sort of platform would yield results.

Elearning helps employees think about their jobs in a new light. This will keep them from going on autopilot, as they are thinking critically about how they are working and what they are doing. Days will stop being routine as they begin implementing what they learn.

Employees should not just act and follow instructions. They should know why those instructions and policies are there in the first place. This will help them behave mindfully, and use critical thinking skills in situations where the rules do not have an easy answer. Elearning can help achieve this by teaching them why they are doing things and getting them to consider what they would do in certain situations.

Elearning also encourages employees to be independent and to take action in their careers. If done well, it can get them thinking about their future with the company.

Knowing that they have room to grow and expand with your business will greatly improve your retention rate. They will not go looking for a “better” position somewhere else if they know that they have room to grow with you.

Elearning prepares employees for future hardships. Instead of making them learn in a “trial by fire” setting, it lets them anticipate problems in a safe space. This will improve retention, as it will decrease the chances of an employee leaving when they encounter hardship.

Finally, investing in elearning shows employees that you care about their futures. It shows that you want them to learn and succeed, and this can mean more to many employees than anything else you could do for them.

———————————————————————-

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

Dr. KayDr. 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

I’ve applied, now what? by @KerryHeaps

by Leave a Comment

by Kerry Heaps  | Featured Contributor

The process of applying for speaking engagements can be tedious, and frustrating because it does have a long turnaround time for a response. I’ve compiled a few tips on how to create a follow-up system after you’ve had a conversation with a meeting planner. Keep in mind after you apply for an open call for speakers, it can take a month or two before you hear back. Sometimes the email will be a “thanks but no thanks” email or they’re interested in your topic and would like to talk to you further. After that initial conversation it’s good to apply some of the techniques listed below, these are especially useful when you apply to colleges, universities, and private companies.

  1. Send a handwritten Thank You note. Sending a handwritten thank-you note in the mail is a lost art, it’s the little things that can make the biggest difference and help you standing out. You can buy thank you notes in bulk, so sending a note in the mail should be costing you less than a dollar per card including postage. It takes just a few minutes to say thank you for taking the time to speak with me, I look forward to establishing a relationship with you and your company. Then drop it in the mail. Meeting Planners get so few sentiments, especially in the mail so this is always a nice touch and it’s not forgotten.
  2. Send a copy of your book. If you have not written a book, I recommend that you do so, as we are asked 95% of the time if a potential speaker has written a book, more so than a request for video. Sending a copy of your book, not an electronic copy but an actual copy in the mail is a great way for you to establish a relationship with the meeting planner and it gives them the opportunity to learn more about what you do.
  3. Connect with them on LinkedIn. Another step to take is to connect with them on LinkedIn, do a quick search and see if they are listed and send them an invite to connect along with a personalized note.
  4. Pick up the phone. This last one seems to be a task that most speakers don’t want to do, however you will find out more when you pick up the phone and talk to the meeting planner then you ever could from an email or text. Having a conversation with them, just finding out more about their event, what’s going on, do they need additional information, etc. If you can’t reach them definitely leave a voicemail, I would recommend reaching out once a week until you get them on the phone, you don’t need to leave a voicemail every time, just once.
  5. Keep track of your results. Keeping track of your results is crucial, that way you know the date and time when you sent a thank-you note, when you connected with them on LinkedIn, and each time that you’ve reached out via phone. A follow-up system can be as simple as pen and paper or Excel, your choice. This will also give you an idea of the timeline for each event that you are pursuing.

Why Should Your Website Have a Blog? by @DONNAAMOS

by Leave a Comment

blogging

by Donna Amos | Featured Contributor 

If your business strategy includes inbound marketing, business blogging is essential. If you’re new to inbound marketing or blogging, you may have some questions. Why should your website have a blog? What is it? Why do we do it? What’s the goal of it all?

According to HubSpot, “Business blogging is a marketing tactic that uses blogging to get your business more online visibility. A business blog is a marketing channel (just like social media, direct mail, email marketing, etc.) that helps support business growth.”

Here are four major ways blogging helps support business growth, and why you should have a blog on your website.

Blogs Drive Traffic

A blog on your business website provides the opportunity for you to create relevant content for your customers and potential clients. This is a very effective marketing tactic to drive traffic back to your website.

  • You have a 434% higher chance of being ranked highly on search engines if you feature a blog as part of your website (Tech Client).
  • Businesses using blogs as part of their content marketing mix get 67% more leads than those who don’t (Hubspot).

The blog on your business website becomes the foundation for all your social media platforms. Posting links and relevant visuals from your blog articles to all your social sites gives your followers a reason to click through to your website. Plus, you can also post inbound links directly in your blog articles, to drive traffic to specific landing pages of your website.

Blogs Increase SEO

Blogs substantially increase your SEO. Fresh, quality content is still the key to beating out your competitors on search engine results pages like Google. Use keywords in your articles. List out the keywords, topics, and categories for which you want your business to be found, then these words and related expressions when writing your posts.

And, whether you actively seek these out or not, blogging regularly about your business, industry, products, services, or customer lifestyle will naturally increase your search keywords. Being intent about your words will only increase results. Keywords and topics on your website are a significant way in which Google (and other search engines) find your site for these searched words.

Moreover, don’t forget voice searches that consumers now perform through platforms like Siri, Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, and Cortana. If you asked any of these voice search digital assistants where your business is located when it’s open, or what you offer, what would they say? According to AdWeek, 67 million voice-assisted devices will be in use in the U.S. by 2019. This changes the way that digital content is managed. And, 58% of consumers have used voice search to find local business information in the last year alone. Voice-powered services have created a seismic shift in how consumers find information about your brand. Voice search needs to be part of your SEO/content strategy.

Blogs Position Your Brand as an Industry Leader

Well-written, helpful articles position your company as an industry leader. By posting topics that resonate with your market and show your knowledge, you are marketing your skills for your business, service or product too.

If you are a retailer, for example, write blog posts about your products. Your customers will get to know you as the knowledge source for the products they want. If you are in B2B, post articulate, well-researched articles about your services. Become the hub or the place to get answers, for your industry.

You are building trust, too. The more you can show that you are well-versed in your field, the more likely your consumer will trust you to supply what they need. Your customers additionally benefit from the learning you provide them.

Blogs Develop Better Customer Relationships

Blogs provide another source to deepen the connection with your customer. By connecting directly on your website, your clients are able to get to know your business or product from the comfort of your online home. As discussed above, build trust by being a source of information. Consumers like to be informed, and they will remember that you are the one teaching them.

Also, just as on your social media sites, respond to comments and interact with consumers. If they have questions about a product you are writing about, respond to them directly on your website. Unlike many social sites, a blog is generally searchable on your site for some time. Your website comments last longer than a Twitter response or Facebook post. Other customers will see your interactions and learn from them, too.

A blog is a fantastic tool for your business in our digital age. If you don’t currently have one, start one and upload some high-quality content. If you currently use blogging in your marketing, how do you think it is working? We’d love to hear your thoughts. Share them in the comments below.

How to Make a Side Hustle Work by Jackie Burke of #tiniluxjewelry

by Leave a Comment

by Jackie Burke | Featured Contributor 

I started my business, Tini Lux, as a side hustle.  Tini Lux is the first line of fashion jewelry made with metals that are compatible with the human body. At the time, I had not worn earrings for years because they caused extremely painful reactions.  I really wanted a pair that I could safely wear but couldn’t find anything. After some more research into jewelry materials and the current market I decided that I would start my own line!

I was working full time as an engineer when I made the decision to start my business. I had no business background, or jewelry background, but I believed in myself and my idea. I had some money saved and wanted to my business to be self funded. However, I didn’t feel comfortable leaving my job completely because I had no idea how long it would take for the business to reach a healthy revenue or to be profitable.

Not only was I working full time with Tini Lux as a side hustle, I also moved to a different state AND was planning a wedding during the first nine months after I launched. During this time period I learned a lot about time management and what it really means to be “busy.” There were some days and weeks when it all seemed manageable and others that I thought I was going to lose my mind.

Since I’m a little bit removed from that crazy time period now, I have had a chance to reflect on the side-hustle skills that I learned then. Here’s my advice for making a side hustle work without going crazy.

Block Time

The best decision I made was to set aside specific days and times during the week to work on my side hustle. Two days a week I came home from my day job and worked on my side hustle until it was time for bed. I also worked during the day every Saturday.  Blocking off these times every week allowed me to be very focused while I was working on my business and also not feel guilty when I was not working on it.

When I started blocking out time I really realized how much time I used to waste on mindless activities. I used to love coming home from work a catching up on anything on Bravo or E!. But once I started my business I did not get as much joy from watching TV or scrolling Instagram because I knew it was taking time away from productive work that I could be doing.

Prioritize Your Life

My non-work priorities had to seriously shift when I started blocking out my time. I used have plenty of time in the morning to hit the gym and after work to go to dinner or catch up on social media and TV.  For better and for worse those activities were put on hold when I started my side-hustle. I wish I could say that I maintained my five day a week fitness routine but that definitely did not happen.  I try to fit a workout in whenever I can now, but I have not gotten back to my previous schedule. I don’t beat myself up about my fitness routine slipping though because I know I building something meaningful and that is my top priority right now.

Don’t Procrastinate

Whether it’s making a dentist appointment or answering a business email, get it done right away. When you put off doing something it just continues to take up space in your brain and on your to-do list. I also find that my anxiety around doing those things just builds and builds when I put it off. If something will take less than five minutes to do, I have gotten in the habit of doing it immediately or as soon as possible so that it does not linger and grow in my mind.

Accept (and Appreciate) Slower Growth

As I said before, I did not have a business background or jewelry background when I started my business. I had A LOT to learn when I started my business. At first I was frustrated that I could only put in a few hours a week of work on my business and knew that it was preventing me from growing the business as quickly as I wanted. Looking back now though, I appreciated the slow growth in the beginning because it gave me time to learn business skills and improve my product.

If you are thinking about starting a side business or have already done so, let me know in the comments! I’d love to hear your business ideas, your thoughts on side-hustling, and any tips you have picked up along the way.