Monday, May 9, 2011

Horse and pet sitter relates personally to clients' anxieties

Showcasing experienced entrepreneurs offers an added marketing communications or social media element to help promote their businesses. In addition, it provides a forum through which they can share solutions to unique business challenges that might be the answer to a similar challenge with which yet another entrepreneur is struggling. This openness of information flows with the following story offered by

Sally Kazanis, owner
Mustang Sally
sallyspetsitting@aol.com
708-309-1316
http://www.sallyspetsitting.com/

ABOUT MY BUSINESS
I am an insured and bonded, full-time animal care professional. Through my business, Mustang Sally, I care for a wide range of animals including horses, dogs, cats, guinea pigs, reptiles and everything in between. I service pet-owner clients by travelling to their homes or locations and caring for their animals when they need to be away on vacation or a business trip. I will even visit their pets two or three times a day, if needed. And, if asked, I will stay overnight. In addition to pet-sitting, I offer equine and canine massage therapy for which I am fully-certified.

MY UNIQUENESS
What makes Mustang Sally unique is that I have a complete understanding of the needs of pet owners. I can relate to their anxieties of having to leave their animals in the care of someone else. I board my own horse because I have limited space on my property. So, I took a good deal of care and time in finding a facility that had the same ethics, standards and passion that I do – because like all pet owners, my horse is my life. I relate well to animals which is something they can sense. They feel comfortable with me.

IDEAL CLIENT PROFILE
My ideal client would be someone who has that same integrity and passion for animals as I do. These are people who will do whatever it takes to provide the best care for their pets.

UNIQUE BUSINESS CHALLENGE
Marketing and promoting myself and my business would be my greatest challenges at this point. This includes not only finding the right organizations to join and then learning how to present myself as a credible business owner, but also to learn about all technology and social media methods popular, today, for getting your message out into the marketplace.

EFFECTIVE RESOLUTION
To meet these challenges head on, I’ve been working with a coach to develop a plan that will help me become more proficient and at ease each time I present myself and talk about my business. I am on track to making each presentation better than the one before. With regard to becoming less overwhelmed with the technology aspect of marketing and promoting Mustang Sally, I have learned to tone things down a bit. I have come to realize that it is not necessary to do everything all at once. As a result, I am focusing on just two or three social media or eMarketing efforts each day. This makes promoting Mustang Sally much more manageable which, at this point, appears to be the best path toward success.

Wednesday, April 27, 2011

Entrepreneur chooses franchise that offers career opportunities to local community

Showcasing early entrepreneurs has a twofold purpose. One is to offer an added marketing communications or social media element to help promote their businesses. The second is to provide a forum through which they can guide other aspiring business owners around avoidable obstacles and toward a path of attainable goals. Sharing insights starts with hearing their stories firsthand as through this conversation with

Vern Jones, owner
Sign-A-Rama
www.signarama-barrington.com
vernj@signarama-barrington.com
224-848-4620

MY MOTIVATION
After working in corporate America for 35 years, I had an opportunity to retire. As a result, I took some time to reflect on what it was that I wanted to do. I looked into four or five franchise-type operations that I thought might interest me. A Sign-A-Rama business was one that I thought I could operate successfully in the local community. I had been travelling for so many years and didn’t want to get involved in any new business that required more travel. I also wanted to do something where I could actually see the fruits of my labor. At the same time, I wanted a business that wasn’t so highly technical and skilled that I couldn’t give younger people an opportunity to start a career and learn the industry. I wanted to be able to give opportunities to local people – those who are young and just starting out as well as those have a genuine interest in the business.

ABOUT MY BUSINESS
At Sign-A-Rama, we do all types of wide format and specialty printing for anything from a sign, banner or indoor directional signage to huge outdoor signs including in-ground monument signs, plexi-glass signs, and signs on buildings. Our specialty capabilities include taking a photograph and blowing it up to wall size. We can even print wallpaper that’s hard to find or out of print. We reproduce it as actual wallpaper ready for hanging. We do trade show graphics, sidewalk A-frames, metal and wood signage, custom lettering, and mounting.

OUR UNIQUENESS
We are on the cutting-edge of the sign industry. Our location has one of the first latex printers in the area. This is an eco-friendly printer in that it doesn’t use solvent-based inks which are harmful to the environment. Materials printed off these printers are approved for use inside K-12 schools because they are solvent-free. This truly sets us apart from our competition. We also have the capability of letting customers design and order their signs online which we can either ship or deliver directly to them.

IDEAL CLIENT PROFILE
The ideal Sign-A-Rama client is anyone looking for innovative solutions to help promote and grow their business. We cater to small businesses that don’t have or rely on large procurement sources. We fit that need for them. And, our methods of reaching these prospective clients include daily telemarketing, personal sales calls, and a concentrated direct mail effort.

SHARED ADVICE
As an aspiring entrepreneur, make sure you do your research on the front end. Know exactly what it is that you are going to be delivering. From a competitive standpoint, one thing that I could have done better would have been to understand the competitive nature of the business. Having a firm grounding in that respect will help you to better set pricing, target your markets and get on the fast track to success.

Editor's note: To all entrepreneurs who'd like to be featured in future TRANSPARENCY postings, please contact Jan Long at janice@janlongcommunications.com.

Monday, April 18, 2011

Everyday need develops into new business for entrepreneur-inventor

Showcasing early entrepreneurs has a twofold purpose. One is to offer an added marketing communications or social media element to help promote their businesses. The second is to provide a forum through which they can guide other aspiring business owners around avoidable obstacles and toward a path of attainable goals. Sharing insights starts with hearing their stories firsthand as through this conversation with

Grace Amante, owner
3J Group, Inc.
www.autotray.net
grace.amante@comcast.net
847-398-5772

MY MOTIVATION
Like many businesses, 3J Group, Inc., was formed out of necessity – the need to develop a product that did not exist. While I was working during the day and taking college courses in the evening, I found myself balancing a quick meal on my lap in the car before class. I tried using magazines or newspapers to stabilize my dinner, but nothing was working. Yet, I couldn’t find anything of substance in the marketplace that would work as an in-car lap table. So, I decided to build a prototype of what is now known as the AutoTray. It’s a compact, portable, lightweight food tray with a non-skid surface that rests comfortably on the lap. It measures only 8” x 15.5” and less than an inch high which makes it easy to stow away in any vehicle. Plus, it has a crumb compartment and an indentation to rest a cup.

MY UNIQUENESS
Similar type products to the AutoTray are heavy, more bulky, expensive tables designed not for food, but for reading and other tasks. Consequently, they are not easily stored in the car, especially if you’re stowing one per person for a normal-size family. My product is thin, yet durable, and fits under the seat, in the door’s side pockets and, of course, in the trunk where it takes minimal space. In addition, I made it a point to make the AutoTray affordable so that the everyday family can easily afford them.

CLIENT PROFILE
Several consumer groups would fall into my ideal client category – People who spend a lot of time in their vehicles and on the road either for work, school, running errands, or taking road trips. Naturally, these would include families, salespeople, truck drivers and students.

MY MARKETING METHODS
For the most part, I’ve been promoting the AutoTray by taking it on the road so to speak - attending networking events, conducting focus groups and by word of mouth. Right now, my immediate goal is to direct prospects to my website. To do this, I’m getting ready to advertise on Facebook™ and Google™, and am considering a YouTube™ promotional video.

SHARED ADVICE
What surprised me the most about developing this product was learning about consumer habits through my focus groups – what they buy and what drives them to buy. For example, how parents' tastes greatly differ from their children's when it comes to colors. The main thing that I would have done differently would have been to do more upfront consumer research to see exactly if this type of product would appeal to the masses and if so, what they would like to see in such a product. I could have avoided many expensive rookie mistakes had I conducted the focus groups first. But, at least, I know I will never make these same types of mistakes again. My advice to aspiring entrepreneurs would be to do your research up front so you don’t find yourself putting the cart before the horse.

Monday, April 4, 2011

Clinical social worker making public aware of insurance-covered talk therapy

Showcasing experienced entrepreneurs offers an added marketing communications or social media element to help promote their businesses. In addition, it provides a forum through which they can share solutions to unique business challenges that might be the answer to a similar challenge with which yet another entrepreneur is struggling. This openness of information flows with the following story offered by

Connie McKeogh, MSW
Licensed Clinical Social Worker
Adult Counseling & Therapy Practice
847-845-8033
connie@socialworker4therapy.com
http://www.socialworker-therapist.com/

ABOUT MY BUSINESS
Connie McKeogh, MSW, is a private practice in Barrington specializing in talk therapy. I am a licensed clinical social worker and certified alcohol & drug counselor licensed by the Illinois Department of Regulations. I received my Masters degree in social work from the Jane Addams College of Social Work in Chicago. My belief is that people are often confronted by life circumstances that have the potential to negatively impact their emotions, concentration, finances, employment, relationships, health and marriage. Human nature dictates that we turn to our friends and family to process these experiences. While this can be an effective method to relieve stress, over time, we are often stressing out our friends and relatives with our stories. I provide the safe environment where clients can confidentially process their personal and/or professional fears, concerns, ideas and goals. As part of this therapeutic process, I advocate, empower, encourage and link clients to services, as needed.

MY UNIQUENESS
What sets me apart from others in my field is that I maintain a multicultural practice. In addition to treating people of various ethnic and cultural backgrounds, I have also worked with clients from Poland, India, Iran, Guatemala, and Mexico. My practice is also unique in that I provide high-level treatment for substance abuse and mental health issues. For 12 years I provided such treatments to hospital emergency room patients. This training led to my practicing with an addictions psychiatrist in a group practice which propelled me into my own private practice.

IDEAL CLIENT PROFILE
Any one who wants to process personal life concerns in a safe and confidential atmosphere with a trusted therapist would qualify as my ideal client.

UNIQUE CHALLENGE
A great number of people are unaware that licensed clinical social workers are allowed to bill insurance companies in the same way that doctors do. As a result, these same people fail to seek the therapy that they desperately need. Medicare is another example of a well kept secret. It’s not commonly known by baby boomers and senior citizens that Medicare pays for talk therapy. My challenge is to do what I can to get the word out and educate every insured person on the fact that he or she can affordably take advantage of my services.

EFFECTIVE SOLUTION
Through networking and communicating via every possible method, I am sharing information on therapy awareness and affordability to all who need to know about it. The back of all insurance cards lists the Mental Health and Substance Abuse contact number. Calling that number will lead to a list of licensed clinical social workers in one’s local area – which includes Connie McKeogh, MSW. I am currently on the Blue Cross/Blue Shield, Humana, United Health Care and Medicare insurance panels – soon to include Aetna Insurance. The more people know about the services available to them, the sooner they will be on their way to good mental health.

Monday, March 21, 2011

Sustainable furniture refinisher helps clients see potential in reclaimed pieces

Showcasing experienced entrepreneurs offers an added marketing communications or social media element to help promote their businesses. In addition, it provides a forum through which they can share solutions to unique business challenges that might be the answer to a similar challenge with which yet another entrepreneur is struggling. This openness of information flows with the following story offered by

Kelly Rauch, owner
TWICE
P:773-467-9063, C:773-297-6396
www.kellyrauch.com
kellyrauch@sbcglobal.net

ABOUT MY COMPANY
Twice is an environmentally-sustainable custom furniture, upholstery, drapery and wall finishes studio. We acquire and refurbish reclaimed vintage and antique items that have been discarded. We find most of our pieces through auctions, garage sales, and estate sales across the country. While we do sell some re-purposed pieces that we completely refinish in our store, we are mostly interested in getting people to come in and select unfinished pieces that we can custom finish according to their personal tastes and requirements. At the same time, we encourage people to bring in existing pieces that can easily be refreshed and reused as opposed to needlessly tossed away. We also work with designers who are looking for one-of-a-kind pieces or custom wall or furniture finishes for whom we can put together an entire room schematic. On the other hand, they can give us just an idea of what they are looking for so we can suggest an item that they might select and sell to their client.

MY UNIQUENESS
We’re unique in two ways. One is that we are a little old school in the sense that we have everything in one place. All of our artisans are in-house under one roof. This includes an upholstery and drapery workroom, as well. Secondly, we are the only business in the entire Midwest that belongs to the Sustainable Furnishings Council which is a non-profit balanced coalition of industry players founded to promote sustainable practices among manufacturers, retailers, and consumers alike.

IDEAL CLIENT PROFILE
Ideally, our clients are interior designers, architects, and homeowners who share our sustainable practices mindset and are incorporating these ideals into their own businesses or lives. They need to be in tune with the moral and ethical purpose behind what it is we do.

CHALLENGE
Our number one challenge is getting people to see past the current condition of the pieces they’re looking at and see the potential and possibilities that lie within them. Designers don’t have this problem. They can envision what an unfinished piece will look like once it is completely refurbished with new wood treatment, fabric and detailing. However, we have a difficult time getting retail clients to experience the same vision.

EFFECTIVE SOLUTION
What seems to be working rather well, is our taking a rough piece and refinishing it as far as we can – treating the wood, replacing any necessary springs, doing the re-stuffing and then covering the piece in a basic muslin. While it is rather costly, getting pieces to this more final stage seems to give potential buyers a better idea of what the finished product will look like. All that's left for them to do is select a fabric and let us finish our magic.

Wednesday, March 9, 2011

Incorporating natural resources into landscape designs is mark of new entrepreneur

Showcasing early entrepreneurs has a twofold purpose. One is to offer an added marketing communications or social media element to help promote their businesses. The second is to provide a forum through which they can guide other aspiring business owners around avoidable obstacles and toward a path of attainable goals. Sharing insights begins with hearing their stories firsthand beginning with a conversation with

Asta Dzeveckaite-Buseman, owner
Asta's Landscape Designs
http://www.astasdesigns.com/
630-862-4069
d_asta2002@yahoo.com

MY MOTIVATION
The reason for starting Asta’s Landscape Designs is similar to the same one heard over the past several years – the economy. I have a bachelor’s degree in land management and a master’s degree in rural territory planning, along with post-graduate courses in landscape architecture. I also have over 12 years of experience in the landscape design business working for independent landscape firms most of that time. These were companies tied to the residential housing market. Not surprisingly, with the downturn in the housing market, the company I worked for began downsizing its number of employees of whom I was one. Since I truly loved my work and had some solid business connections, I decided to go into business for myself.

ABOUT MY BUSINESS
Along with providing landscape and hardscape design services to residential clients, I manage their entire installations, as well. I help homeowners make the most of their outdoor spaces either by adding a private patio, a functional walkway or peaceful garden surrounded with colorful flowers. It’s always a thrill for me and my crew to transform what the client has in mind into reality. As a dedicated conservationist, I also encourage the collection and use of rain water and the planting of shade trees to keep homes naturally cool while purifying the air. I’ve become involved with creating “rain gardens” of native flowers and plants that are fed with water redirected from the home’s gutters into a prepared ground area comprised of top soil, compost and sand. This combination acts as a filtration system that cleans the rain water before it reaches the deep root system of the plants.

MY IDEAL CLIENT
Any residential homeowner who needs help with either their overall landscapes or just portions of them would be considered my perfect client. Someone whose landscape just needs some attention by adding annual flower containers for seasonal color or refreshing such as trimming, pruning, removal of overgrown shrubs and replaced with healthy new plants. Or someone who would like to incorporate some water features, ponds or hardscapes into their existing gardens would fit my ideal client profile.

MY UNIQUENESS
I feel what sets me apart from my competition is the fact that I am so conscious about the environment and intent on using as many natural resources in my designs as possible. Unlike some who are more interested in creating your generic landscape elements, I am more concerned about the well-being of the overall surroundings and health of the plantings. In addition, I always instruct the homeowner on how to take care of what was just planted.

HOW I MARKET MY BUSINESS
While most of my business comes from referrals, I promote my business through my website, some Facebook™, and by attending local business networking events. I may look into connecting with local real estate agents who have had houses on the market for quite a while and would need a refreshed landscape to help sell the property.

SHARED ADVICE
I’d tell others who are considering starting a new business to be aware that it is a long growth process. It takes time to build your business to where you want it, especially when the economic climate is questionable. Also, expect to do most of the work yourself until that time when you can hire help. Meanwhile, continue staying on top of your profession through continual education and new training. I would advise all soon-to-be entrepreneurs to carefully examine your potential, but don’t be afraid to follow your heart. Your success will come from your desire to do what you love to do. Like me, I have a passion for creating landscape artistry which I am confident will lead me to my goals of a successful business.

Monday, February 28, 2011

Inventorying party items for 135 guests is normal challenge for one event planner

Showcasing experienced entrepreneurs offers an added marketing communications or social media element to help promote their businesses. In addition, it provides a forum through which they can share solutions to unique business challenges that might be the answer to a similar challenge with which yet another entrepreneur is struggling. This openness of information flows with the following story offered by

Denise Murphy, owner
A Touch of Elegance Event Planning
www.aTouchofEleganceEvents.com
touch_of_elegance@sbcglobal.net
847-342-1599 – 847-877-4470

ABOUT MY BUSINESS
A Touch of Elegance is a full-service, ala carte event planning service that runs every kind of party be it a birthday, anniversary, shower, or wedding. Eighty-five percent of our business encompasses in-home parties, but we also handle the smaller scale business event. While we usually work with our client’s caterer of choice, we will recommend high-quality caterers when asked. All of our servers and bartenders are professionally- trained and along with serving the food and beverages, our servers help with most everything else ranging from on-site theme party decorations and buffet setups, to table staging and bar prepping. From the moment the food is delivered we begin managing its presentation, replenishment, and tidiness. We do kitchen cleanup, trash removal, put leftovers away so, in the end, you’d never know an event had ever taken place.

OUR UNIQUENESS
Unlike many others in the industry, we actually do have all of the party rental equipment available which eliminates the need for the client to go elsewhere for these additional items. We have enough place settings for 135 people – elegant china, silverware, glassware, chafing dishes, coffee urns. At the same time, we have decorations and accessories available for most every theme party popular, today. Not to mention that my son runs his own DJ business and is always available as part of our package. We truly provide an all-in-one party service.

IDEAL CLIENT
Anyone who would rather sit back, relax and enjoy their own party rather than have the hassle of trying to run the whole event themselves is who we consider our ideal client. Brides-to-be planning a wedding, couples throwing an anniversary party, someone surprising his or her spouse with a birthday celebration, or a small business owner hosting an employee holiday party – all of whom are looking for outstanding service at a great value – fall into our perfect client category.

UNIQUE CHALLENGE
My biggest challenge is managing our tremendous inventory of party-planning items and rental equipment in a limited amount of space. Keeping a horizontal and vertical inventory of what we have so that it is easily accessible is an enormous undertaking.

EFFECTIVE RESOLUTION
At first, this lack of space posed a real problem, but we took time to create a layout of our available space and installed some cabinetry that not only organized many items, but also concealed them so they were both protected and out of sight. However, my theme party accessories remain visible in bins so that I can mix and match themes easily. To better handle this challenge, I actually took an organizing class and since, have inventoried and documented all of my rental items for better tracking. However, I still find myself reorganizing everything on a regular basis in search of the perfect system. It is an ongoing process and one that works better as time goes by and, at the moment, is working fairly well for A Touch of Class Event Planning.

Monday, February 21, 2011

Aura image professional strives to educate mainstream on biofeedback benefits

Showcasing experienced entrepreneurs offers an added marketing communications or social media element to help promote their businesses. In addition, it provides a forum through which they can share solutions to unique business challenges that might be the answer to a similar challenge with which yet another entrepreneur is struggling. This openness of information flows with the following story offered by

Dianne Reddington, aura image consultant
Attune Aura Imaging Photography
Dianneaura1@aol.com
www.attuneauraphotography.com
847-981-1974

ABOUT MY BUSINESS
As an aura image consultant, I help people utilize their energy in the best way possible. This means getting their energy centers - or chakras - coherently effective or, if you will, Attuned. This biofeedback imaging camera actually counts your energy (vibration) and translates it into color (vibration). For example: 4500 vibrations = red; 6000 vibrations = orange; etc. These vibrations represent your energy centers. This is displayed via a PolaroidTM  photo, I then translate this bio-energy. One of the benefits of aura photography is that often I see something that might represent stress which could be manifesting in different areas of the body. I might gently suggest that, with my guidance, the person get in touch with this stressful feeling to clarify and, hopefully, clear it. Another benefit is these colors might represent values of which people are not fully aware and, therefore, not fully realized. The colors reveal the full energy spectrum from harmonious to disharmonious. In essence, the photo is a self-discovery tool. It shows your energy in brilliant color and with that knowledge, it can help you utilize the power of your energy. The aura does change as you change.

MY UNIQUENESS
Outside of biofeedback being a rather unique field in itself, my vast knowledge of biofeedback energy and the fact that I continually teach the subject at various colleges and universities makes me unique from my competition. My history has been in working very strongly with the renowned Edgar Cayce's Association for Research and Enlightenment, Inc. that, as part of its mission, believes in the spiritual nature of humankind, and the connection of body, mind, and spirit.

IDEAL CLIENT PROFILE
Anyone who wants to know more about themselves or who wants to get deeper into his or her own psyche by making use of another self-discovery tool would be my ideal client. Up until now, I have been working with like-minded people. I am now turning my focus toward business professionals as a new segment of my clientele.

UNIQUE BUSINESS CHALLENGE
Until now, most of my clients were acquired by word of mouth from others in my field. Taking my talents and skills out of the classroom, so to speak, and into the business world is my immediate challenge. I have no formal business training, planning or marketing expertise, so I need to find and work with the right person or persons to help me promote my business. I am looking to take it full-time into the mainstream arena.

EFFECTIVE RESOLUTION
I’ve started using social media as a means of giving my business exposure. At the same time, I’ve been participating in business networking and have now launched a new website. I am exploring ways to reach professionals and possibly will do so through more lecturing. To gain non-professional clients, I intend to develop in-home Attune educational reading sessions. It continues to be a learning process, but by making the right business connections I’m confident that Attune Imaging Photography will soon become well known among professionals and non-professionals alike.

Monday, February 14, 2011

Small-budget startups become prime targets for developer of affordable websites

Showcasing early entrepreneurs has a twofold purpose. One is to offer an added marketing communications or social media element to help promote their businesses. The second is to provide a forum through which they can guide other aspiring business owners around avoidable obstacles and toward a path of attainable goals. Sharing insights begins with hearing their stories firsthand beginning with a conversation with

Tony Palumbo, owner
LocalTech4Hire.com
support@localtech4hire.com
www.LocalTech4Hire.com
847-331-8764

ABOUT MY BUSINESS
LocalTech4Hire.com provides economical website development for small business owners who know they need an online presence, but up until now, thought website development was cost prohibitive. Building basic websites that are affordable gives new companies the opportunity to get started with Internet sales and marketing. At the same time, it takes their goals and vision directly online. As they begin to prosper and outgrow their site, I’m then able to help them, at that point, with the development of a more advanced site to better suit their current needs.

WHY I GOT STARTED
I began LocalTech4Hire.com after realizing that I was as far as I was going in my current career. I had gone as far as possible in my position and advancement did not look promising so I needed to take control of my own future success. I knew that my true interest, talent and value lie in web development. So, I pursued the education and training necessary to become a professional website developer and, soon after, started LocalTech4Hire.com.

MY UNIQUENESS
Besides my very affordable pricing which, first and foremost, is what sets me apart from my competition, my ability to quickly understand the individual needs and requirements of my clients is also a unique capability. Finding the most cost-effective solution to what will work best has resulted in solid relationships among my customers.

IDEAL CLIENT PROFILE
Companies that don’t have any online presence and, as a result, are not prospering would, naturally, be a good client for me. In addition to that, businesses ready to upgrade or refresh their websites would also fall into my ideal customer profile.

MY MARKETING METHODS
I’ve found that doing a lot of face-to-face networking is working well for getting my business the recognition it requires. At the same time, I’m a member of the local Rolling Meadows Chamber of Commerce. MeetUp group networking is another means of meeting other business owners who might need my services. Another method for generating awareness is to engage in online Q&As and leaving a link to my website.

SHARED ADVICE
What I found more encouraging than surprising was how helpful people can be with regard to my business startup. I have received so many tips, ideas and advice from other professionals that it has truly been a most positive experience. I wish I had known about the great source of information and opportunity my local chamber of commerce provided. I spent quite some time not really knowing how to get my name out into the marketplace before becoming a chamber member. I’d recommend to other aspiring entrepreneurs that they prepare and follow a detailed business plan. Having a set direction will keep you on course and help to ensure that you waste little time building your business. Also, get involved in networking to make the important contacts it takes to move your business forward. It’s a good idea, as well, to research your competitors. Find out who they are, where they’re located, who they are targeting and what they are offering. By doing so, you’ll be in a better position to provide a greater value at the fairest price which is one formula for future success.

Monday, February 7, 2011

Graphic designer's full-circle career spans two continents and 30 years

Showcasing experienced entrepreneurs offers an added marketing communications or social media element to help promote their businesses. In addition, it provides a forum through which they can share solutions to unique business challenges that might be the answer to a similar challenge with which yet another entrepreneur is struggling. This openness of information flows with the following story offered by

Gabi Ladowski, owner
Gabi Ladowski Design & Creative Services
www.gabiladowski.com
gabi@gabiladowski.com
847-259-6415

ABOUT MY BUSINESS
I’m a freelance consultant graphic designer, art director and translator celebrating 30 years of full-service creative for all media. This includes graphic design, packaging, web design, logo design, branding, marketing consultation, and much more. I get involved in the entire project from concept to finish. A sampling of what I create would be corporate communications, brochures, editorials, catalogs, newsletters, advertising, website design, Internet marketing, optimization, brand identity, logos, and signage. More recently, I’ve been offering bilingual translation services used for documentation, instruction manuals, handbooks, newsletters, and advertising. I work with marketing professionals, web developers, copywriters, and others to provide a complete creative service.

MY UNIQUENESS
My full involvement is what sets me apart. I go beyond the traditional graphic design project by getting involved in the client’s marketing strategy in order to provide the best possible service. I research the industry, the client’s competition and take all measures to ensure that the client gets the best return on his or her investment. I work to make the client competitive by anticipating in what other areas I can help with the client’s long-term rather than short-term marketing program. In addition, I’m able to be more competitive than most because I have no overhead, no employee salaries or benefits which allows me to pass along savings to my clients.

MY IDEAL CLIENT
Any business that is open to suggestions would be an ideal client. Also one that is ambitious and wants to get ahead of the competition. Or, a company that understands that graphic design is more than just hiring an artist to create a great one-time design, but it's collaborating with the graphic designer as a means of making their business successful. I guess the perfect client is one who understands the overall value that a designer brings to the table.

UNIQUE CHALLENGE
I came to the United States in 1989, after already having established a very successful graphic design business in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Upon arriving here I found myself having to start my career all over, again, from square one.

EFFECTIVE RESOLUTION
Initially, I looked for design work among some of the major advertising agencies and design studios, but with no success due to the recessionary economic climate that existed in the late ‘80s. I thought my luck had turned when a vice president of a major ad agency offered me a position – ironically, however, it was in Buenos Aires! Of course, I declined. I finally was hired as the art director of a start-up software company. After a few years there and then with other companies, I was becoming more and more of an independent consultant. At the time, companies were experiencing layoffs, yet realizing they still needed to get things done. I was in the perfect position to create the perfect combination for both them and me. So, in late 2001, I went back to my roots and, once again, started my own firm. Soon after, I was hired by one of the largest book publishers in the country on a contract basis to work on their bilingual educational books. That opened a new market for my business and I added bilingual translation to my list of services. I finally had come full circle – from business owner to creative-for-hire back to business owner and am proudly celebrating my 30th Anniversary of delivering full-service creative for all media.

Monday, January 31, 2011

Credential awareness campaign is 2011 goal of massage therapist Denise Blum Sepos

Showcasing experienced entrepreneurs offers an added marketing communications or social media element to help promote their businesses. In addition, it provides a forum through which they can share solutions to unique business challenges that might be the answer to a similar challenge with which yet another entrepreneur is struggling. This openness of information flows with the following story offered by

Denise Blum Sepos, MA, LMT
A Journey to Health
info@ajthmassage.com
www.ajthmassage.com
847-550-8716

ABOUT MY BUSINESS
I’m a licensed massage therapist, as well as a nationally certified massage therapist, specializing in all forms of massage therapy. I opened A Journey to Health in 2000 which provides clients with the simplest modality of the relaxing Swedish massage to deeper, more therapeutic modalities of myofascial release, sports massage, both
pre- and post-natal massage, Aruyvedic head massage, deep tissue work which incorporates trigger point therapy, foot reflexology, and warm stone massage that delivers deep penetrating heat to the soft tissues. So, literally, I offer full-scale therapy options.

MY UNIQUENESS
Outside of my being a nationally certified massage therapist, which is beyond what is required in the state of Illinois, I originally was a dance movement therapist in Massachusetts before coming to Illinois in 1995. Dance movement therapy is one of the creative arts therapies. I saw many parallels between dance therapy and massage therapy, so it was a very smooth change of career paths. I have always worked with people across many populations which I feel was very valuable in my development as a massage therapist.This diverse background has given me a greater depth of practice than many others in the field, today. I’m better able to know how to work with people, how to treat them and how to determine what their problem is and then to easily communicate that information back to the client.

IDEAL CLIENT
The ideal A Journey to Health client is someone who, as he or she ages, is interested in their own health and wellness and wants to prolong their active lifestyles. Other ideal clients are people who have some acute or chronic pain that they’ve been experiencing and want to get back to functioning to their fullest degree. Other clients would be those who want to take responsibility for and control of their health maintenance or want to step away from busy demands to replenish their energy and de-stress their minds and bodies. And, massage therapy is one way to help them reach these goals.

UNIQUE CHALLENGE
With the increased interest in massage, there are many more facilities that are opening with a lot more therapists coming into the field. While the growing awareness has brought massage more into the mainstream, not all the newer practices are necessarily offering high quality massage therapy. The challenge is educating the public on the differences among them. For example, how do you explain the wide range of pricing – from a discount level to one much higher? All massage therapy practices, today, are not equal – not in experience, value or results. Getting that information out to the public is my challenge.

RESOLUTION
To address this challenge, I am engaging in a lot of networking. This has become my number one way of getting my message of high quality message therapy out to my potential clients. In addition, I do presentations to both the public and to professionals. To further my goal of educating people, I’ve made a 2011 resolution to become involved in social media and use these platforms as a means of reaching more potential clients with the value of massage therapy that is offered at experienced and qualified practices such as A Journey to Health.

Monday, January 24, 2011

Bold decision early on key to entrepreneur's 25 years of success

Showcasing experienced entrepreneurs offers an added marketing communications or social media element to help promote their businesses. In addition, it provides a forum through which they can share solutions to unique business challenges that might be the answer to a similar challenge with which yet another entrepreneur is struggling. This openness of information flows with the following story offered by

Dona Blunt, president
Newport Promotions
A certified WBE (Woman-owned Business Enterprise)
http://www.newportpros.com/
dona.blunt@newportpros.com
phone: 847-389-5500
fax: 888-884-9726

ABOUT MY BUSINESS
I'm in the business of building businesses. What Newport Promotions provides for clients is what will make their phones ring and bring them more sales. We offer promotional product advertising which is a specific form of advertising just as are radio, TV, Internet, and print. Our products range from employee recognition awards and trade show premiums, to custom golf outing prizes and corporate identity pieces designed to enhance marketing programs.

MY UNIQUENESS
What makes Newport Promotions stand out can be attributed to my years of experience, my firsthand knowledge of marketing, and a genuine concern for the success of my clients. We form long-term relationships as opposed to one-time transactional deals. And, because of my experience, I’m able to get my clients the most appropriate products at the most reasonable prices and get them delivered on time.

IDEAL CLIENT PROFILE
The business person who recognizes that there is value in what I bring to our relationship would be my ideal client. These are people who are not just shopping for the lowest price, but those who want to get the best value for what they are spending. They consider me a partner in their marketing programs and look to me to find and furnish the promotional items appropriate for both their plans and their budgets. Ideally, they are companies with annual or on-going promotions built into their marketing strategies. As I would begin to work with the client and come to know their business, they wouldn't need to seek out new vendors for each new marketing or promotional initiative, since I'd already have their past purchasing information on file.

UNIQUE BUSINESS CHALLENGE
Like most new businesses, when I started out in 1985, I was taking any and all clients. As a result, I soon found that I had two distinct client bases. One was that of independent real estate agents who were responsible for the cost of their promotions out of their own pockets. The second group consisted of business owners who knew the value of promotional items and had budgets for ordering them. While I did get a substantial amount of business from the real estate professionals, it was costing me more to market and sell to them than did doing the same to my other client segment. So, my dilemma became – should I let this business go or not. I decided to let it go.

RESOLUTION
After making the decision to let go of the real estate agents' business, I had to figure out a transition that would be in my best interest. I had been working within this industry long enough to came to know many of my competitors by meeting them at various real estate trade shows. I approached on about purchasing my list of agents with whom he was not already doing business and he agreed. As a result, I was able to free up marketing dollars that I could then spend on targeting only businesses and grow that customer base side of Newport Promotions which I have have been doing successfully for the past 25 years.

Monday, January 17, 2011

Raising industry awareness opens new client base for professional organizer

Showcasing experienced entrepreneurs offers an added marketing communications or social media element to help promote their businesses. In addition, it provides a forum through which they can share solutions to unique business challenges that might be the answer to a similar challenge with which yet another entrepreneur is struggling. This openness of information flows with the following story offered by

Pooja Gugnani, owner
Organizing With You, Inc.
www.organizingwithyou.com
pooja@organizingwithyou.com
312-282-8280

ABOUT MY BUSINESS
I am an expert professional organizer who offers residential and business organizing services. Simply put, I help people gain control of their environments by eliminating existing chaos and by creating functional organizing systems for them. However, it doesn’t end there. The systems that I develop are customized to the needs of the person so that he or she can easily maintain them after I’ve come and gone.

MY UNIQUENESS
There are many principles loosely applied to organizing projects across the industry, however, what makes me different from those who subscribe to the “one size fits all” theory is,again, that I customize every project. I spend a great deal of time interviewing my clients in order to learn as much about their processes and exactly what their vision is of the space in which they function. Equally unique, is that I realize I am not going to change people, so I actually incorporate some of their bad habits into their newly designed systems in an effort to have them gradually realize that the new process is more efficient. This often leads to their phasing out these inefficient habits on their own.

MY IDEAL CLIENT
Ideal clients for Organizing With You begin with your busy executive who needs to get his or her own space and daily processes in order. Then there are business owners who want to get their employees organized for better productivity which many major corporations across the country are now doing. And, thirdly, there is the busy mom who needs help in establishing better family-management processes for the home.

UNIQUE CHALLENGE
At the beginning of building my business, my biggest challenge was creating awareness of my services and the overall value of professional organizing as a whole. People were always quick to hire professionals in other fields, but at the time, they really didn’t understand what a professional organizer was let alone what benefits they provided. That has changed over the past few years with our profession being featured through various forms of popular media. But, in the beginning, creating awareness and recognition of my business was my greatest challenge.

EFFECTIVE RESOLUTION
To raise awareness, I began attending a number of business events at which I did a lot of networking and connecting with people who could leverage their connections to help me get the right introductions. In addition, I began utilizing social media, offering organizing tips on blog posts, writing articles for local publications which led to being featured in a Chicago-area business publication. As a result of this awareness push, my business began making great strides. As recently as last summer, I started partnering with healthcare professionals who work with both psychologically and physically-challenged people. I work with them to create more organized environments that help to make their patients’ daily lives more stress-free and manageable. I attribute this new client market to the time and effort I spent promoting organizing awareness along with the benefits offered to people in all walks of life by professional organizing companies like Organizing With You.

Monday, January 10, 2011

Entrepreneur stops future"scope creep" takeovers through careful contract negotiations

Showcasing experienced entrepreneurs offers an added marketing communications or social media element to help promote their businesses. In addition, it provides a forum through which they can share solutions to unique business challenges that might be the answer to a similar challenge with which yet another entrepreneur is struggling. This openness of information flows with the following story offered by


Rose Kostan-Schwartz, owner
Creative Design Solutions
www.creative-dzyne.com
rose@creative-dzyne.com
847-367-9278

ABOUT MY BUSINESS
As a graphic designer, I partner with clients to help them review and evaluate their branding in order to create strong visual solutions that are deliverable to both print and monitor. Often, small businesses begin with no budget or have no training to recognize why they need one. They get their business up and running with some family member or friend creating their identity pieces. Before long, they realize who their competition is and how they need to differentiate themselves from their competitors. This is where I can do my best work for them.

MY UNIQUENESS
My uniqueness lies in my background as creative director for a direct marketing group before the era of digital design. I thoroughly understand the principles of graphic design having successfully moved into the age of electronic web design along with all other aspects of the medium. I realize the need for and have the skills to deliver creative for all communication media. When people talk about the best use of their dollars, most believe a website is all they need. I believe you need a mix of materials to promote your business including print and the electronic medium. A valued graphic designer is able to create promotions that thread image consistency through both media.

MY IDEAL CLIENT
In the small business arena, my ideal client would be those who have been in business at least five years, understand who their competition is, recognize that they need a budget, and will partner with me in determining what elements their long-range marketing programs may require. Beyond that, they must show a desire to work with me in analyzing what we've developed so we can plan future programs accordingly. For those younger start-ups who don’t quite yet fit these criteria, I help connect them with designers who specialize in that new start-up business category.

UNIQUE BUSINESS CHALLENGE
One of the most painful, yet helpful, lessons that I’ve learned was about “scope creep.” In my field, the ability to communicate succinctly with potential clients creates a real challenge. This experience came from one particular job that was the poster child for scope creep. I began working with an inventor who had a start-up business. In the beginning, we didn’t talk about every aspect of developing his product invention and my proposal reflected precisely what we did discuss. When I got more into the project, scope creep began taking over big time. I was providing creative four times beyond what was in the original contract and I wasn’t objecting. It had to stop and I needed professional advice as to how to stop it.

RESOLUTION
I took my dilemma to a business women’s round table whose members helped me understand that both parties needed to be happy. They made me realize that just because the full scope became unclear and that I was not asserting myself properly to say as much, there was still time and room to initiate a renegotiation. Feeling confident in taking this action, I contacted the Chicago Artists Coalition that referred me to the Lawyers for the Creative Arts. They reassured me that the steps I was going to take were not out of line. After my renegotiation, we finished the project to everyone’s satisfaction. And, the client was most enthusiastic in saying that he wanted me in on his next project. The experience made me take a hard look at the content of my basic contract and how I needed to put together future contracts so that scope creep won’t ever, again, run rampant.

Monday, January 3, 2011

Recap of 2010 Featured Entrepreneurs' Stories

Throughout 2010, a great number of local businesses were showcased on this blog. I'd like to thank each and every entrepreneur who participated in sharing his or her story of both their
ambitions and anxieties. I hope you were able to glean some wisdom and new approaches to similar challenges facing your own businesses.

Two things surprised me while interviewing these professionals. One was the genuine willingness of each to be open about their concerns, and the other was the thread of similarities found among their stories. TRANSPARENCY will continue to present new and seasoned entrepreneurs in 2011 as long as the high interest and enthusiasm remains the same as that of 2010.

Thanks to all,

Jan Long
Janlong Communications
janice@janlongcommunications.com


BRIEF 2010 RECAP OF ENTREPRENEUR COMMENTS

Reasons for Starting Their Businesses
Many had personal reasons, while others experienced professional circumstances that caused them to venture out on their own. Freedom from the corporate culture was popular, the ability to operate a business from any location was unique, the opportunity to provide a resource for those in need surfaced, and the unexpected and uncontrollable career shift was the reoccurring reason among many for becoming their own boss.

Sampling of Unique Business Challenges
Starting over always presents a challenge as it did among some entrepreneurs. Starting a business just as the economy crashed presented major challenges to several. Knowing how and when to close the sale is something many entrepreneurs struggled with as did finding new ways to increase their number of clients. Getting prospects to realize how they will benefit from the entrepreneur's services, and finding new ways for potential clients to build the entrepreneur's products/services into their budgets challenged a few.

Some Shared Advice
Besides continually researching and constantly re-evaluating your markets, some entrepreneurs recommended working with professionals to outline your goals; don't be surprised if your business takes more time and money than you originally anticipate; find and build a business that you love doing; don't over-analyze everything - just do it; pay no attention to critics; and, just keep focused and you will surely succeed.

If you are interested in having your business showcased, please contact janice@janlongcommunications.com.