TRANSPARENCY: transparency

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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.

Wednesday, October 6, 2010

Despite recession analytics consultant sets up niche business in 24 hours

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

Alex Caffarini, president
Analysights, LLC
www.analysights.com
acaffarini@analysights.com
blog: http://analysights.wordpress.com
847-895-2565

ABOUT MY BUSINESS
We’re a market research and analytics firm that helps companies make better marketing decisions based on analytics. In other words, imagine having a magic wand that would tell you which non-customers would have the best chance of becoming customers, or which current customers are at risk of leaving you and going to a competitor. We’re able to do this by comparing a customer’s purchasing history, demographics, and psychographics to those former clients who have left your company. We can also come up with a score for your current customers using similar data to better know on which ones you should be spending your marketing dollars. In addition, we’re able to provide information through surveys on how much the market is willing to pay for a new product concept as well as the size of the market.

IDEAL CLIENT PROFILE
My ideal client would typically include banks, credit card companies with $500 million to $2 billion in assets. Or associations with large memberships wanting to determine which non-members are likely to become members and which current members are at risk of leaving. Typically, any data-rich industry whose companies collect a lot of statistics on their customers for marketing effectiveness would be a perfect client – mobile broadband firms, retail catalog companies, direct marketers, credit unions, credit card companies.

MY UNIQUENESS
We’re strong in discussing complex analytical concepts in layman terms so that anyone not familiar with statistics or analytics in market research will gain a simplified understanding of everything they need to know. We don’t use any heavy technical jargon to which most clients can’t relate. And, our size allows us to offer a great deal of personal interaction between us and the client.

BUSINESS CHALLENGE
My primary challenge was to get this business flying in the midst of a recession. The company will be two years old this November. I had been working for the American Medical Association at the time doctors began dropping their memberships. I saw the writing on the wall and decided to start my business in 2008.

EFFECTIVE SOLUTION
I wasted no time in getting things moving. I got my tax papers in order, created my business plan, got my LLC designation, and set up my website all in the span of a single day. Obtaining that first client became my focus. I participated in countless networking events because demonstrating your abilities and capabilities is key to selling any consulting service, especially analytics. I worked on getting myself known as an expert in the field – “You’ve got to circulate in order to percolate.” There were no quick fixes. I called family members and sent relatives letters telling them I was in business. I soon realized that I was focusing on too broad a range of clients. I was looking at both small and large companies which would be impossible to manage. So, I honed in on what became my niche – financial companies and tech companies. In addition, I started a blog to build a following and I created a Facebook™ page. As a result of these efforts, things are beginning to move along steadily for Analysights LLC.

Wednesday, September 22, 2010

Remaining at cutting edge of craft results in sustainable customers

Tuesday, April 6, 2010

Consultant's specialized marketing efforts result in new clients and more business

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 conversation with

Glenn Turner, President
LDG Consulting, Inc.
http://www.resultswithldg.com/
glenn@resultswithldg.com
847-541-5299

MY BUSINESS
LDG Consulting, Inc. is a leadership development company that helps grow small to medium-sized businesses using leadership development type processes. These include strategic planning and organizational development for sales teams, customer service and executive staffs, project management teams, and all other teams put together within an organization to help achieve a specific goal. We work together to improve their leadership skills using a series of strategic planning or coaching processes. I find that many small entrepreneurs really want coaching and strategic planning, so I offer executive leadership. This helps entrepreneurs start thinking like an executive by looking at their business from that 30,000-foot view and by making more of their decisions strategically. For larger companies with existing teams, it’s more of re-energizing the group, getting refocused using their years of experience and knowledge. My ideal clients are positive-minded businesses that are looking to grow or improve – whether that be in sales, customer loyalty rating, or quality of work they produce. Companies with this profile are never standing still and are a great fit for me.

UNIQUENESS
Unlike many consultants, I stay with my clients for an entire year after we implement their process. When I do a strategic plan with a business owner or a larger organization it will take me nearly three months for it to become reality. But, I don’t leave them after that time. From months four through 12, I stay in contact with them at least once or twice a month to make sure they are on target to hit the goals we set. At the end of the year I’m only going to be successful if they hit those goals. This extended customer contact is the value that I bring to a business.

BUSINESS CHALLENGE
The biggest collective obstacle I had encountered in working my business was to learn how to market my business, to sell myself, and to effectively network. My previous experience had been as a police officer and as a lawyer – two professions in which you really didn’t have to do any selling of yourself. But, in operating this business I had to learn how to market myself, to let prospects know I was available. I also had to learn how to handle people giving me NO for an answer – something I was unfamiliar with especially coming from law enforcement.

RESOLUTION
I went through the sales training program of Resource Associates – my affiliate company that provides all of the training materials and processes that I offer clients. They have used these processes and materials with great success over the last 30 years working with Fortune 500 companies as well as with sole proprietor operations. I’ve also positioned myself to learn useful networking techniques from professionals I’ve met at various events. In my line of work, what seems to work best is meeting people and having them get to know and trust you. It’s all about developing relationships. So I’ve developed what I call an educational marketing plan that gets me speaking in front of different groups as often as possible. Several other things that I’ve done have started to make getting in front of slightly larger businesses a little easier - one of which is joining the Metropolitan Club in Chicago. Overall, it’s been a learning experience and one that’s starting to pay off. I’m beginning to reach more clients and gain more business by building a better network to market LDG Consulting, Inc.

Thursday, March 25, 2010

Prioritizing is key to success for multi-faceted entrepreneur

Liane Sebastian
Publishing pioneer who wears a designer's hat, an editor's coat and a publisher's shoes
http://www.lianesebastian.com/ - lsebast999@aol.com
Blog - http://wisdomofwork.wordpress.com/
847-570-0050

MY BUSINESS
As a graphic designer, publisher, author, speaker, and businesswomen, I claim to be the consummate entrepreneur. If you have the gene, entrepreneurialism propels every big decision. Although my focus has always been on visual communication, my writing and editing follow parallel career paths.

UNIQUE BUSINESS CHALLENGE
Most of what I design I don’t write. Yet, I MUST read it to represent it on the page. My publishing skills influence and distinguish my design work. I mesh the visual with the verbal message. However, this blend offers challenges of prioritizing and focus. I’ve learned many unexpected lessons in this blend.

LESSONS LEARNED
Visibility is strategic. It is more important to be seen by the right people than it is to be seen by a lot of people.

Work past self-education. I tend to analyze and read more books sometimes to procrastinate. There comes a time where you have to stop reading and start doing.

It is too easy to get distracted. In a tight economy, networking is under pressure to produce clients. It is too seductive to hang out with colleagues or collect conversations with friends online. Communication must be used as tools rather than as recreation.

Focus on core business. This is a necessity in a tight economy where margins are bare bones. It is unfortunate to work in a profession that has actually had to lower fees versus raise them.

Commit to simple themes. My choice is creativity. My blog applies creative thinking to business and has a running self-seminar workshop column hybrid to help readers polish their ability to access their own creativity.

Target promotion with a finer pencil. In defining my ideal client, the nonprofit association executive, I need to direct all my publications to that audience, even though it is a lot of fun to write to other professional communicators.

Avoid over committing. It is easier to start projects than it is to sustain them. I carefully grew my blog into a routine I can sustain. I learned my lessons from groups joined where I didn’t participate and publications started that I couldn’t support. I have new ideas every day. I am careful to put each away for a few days to reevaluate before serious consideration.

Stir the referral network differently than new business targets. They require very different strategies. I’ve become very cautious about referrals because I lost an opportunity where my referral dropped the ball.

My biggest challenge is building readership in a target market that is too busy to read, but needs the help. The proof can be seen in the state of most graphics - always fitting the 80/20 Rule. But, I add that the excellent are always less than five percent. I strive to be in that five percent and recognize excellence when found.

Monday, March 8, 2010

Qualifying referrals first leads to client relationships that last

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

Sue Kramer Harrawood, Owner
Peace of Mind Virtual Assistance
http://www.vapeaceofmind.com/solutions@vapeaceofmind.com
708-361-4863

MY BUSINESS
Since 2003, Peace of Mind Virtual Assistance has been providing clients - typically small business owners - with a network of highly skilled entrepreneurial veteran virtual professionals. Our clients outsource a myriad of items to us - bookkeeping, social media, events, speaker items (shopping carts, web updates, logistics, etc.), overall executive management and much more. Due to the Internet we are able to serve clients across the country saving them time which equates to dollars and peace of mind. We allow them to focus on what they love and are best skilled to do. As a 100 percent referral-based company our referrals come quite simply from those who know, like and trust us. The criteria for business owners to be considered a prospect are these: established business, enjoyable to work with, have the highest integrity, leader (business and community), possess and live traditional values, transparent communicator, committed to building long-term relationships, and “get” what we do and that we sincerely desire to help grow their businesses.

UNIQUE BUSINESS CHALLENGE
Not long ago, I had a lesson learned which profoundly changed how I see myself as a business owner and how I operate my business. It also changed how I perceive other professionals. Due to our service nature and support mindset, we occasionally bypass our in-place processes and take on new clients who need help quickly. As a result, I’ve learned my largest business lesson to date.

REALIZATION/SOLUTION
By letting my supportive nature supersede my processes at times, I realized a few things. My company cannot help everyone and there are those folks out there who are not who they portray themselves to be. As much of a “duh” moment as that may sound, due to the high caliber of clients we’ve had over the years, I forgot that not everyone portrays themselves honestly. My caution to other entrepreneurs is to screen, screen, and screen some more. Regardless of who refers a prospect to you, don’t assume that because they’re in a hurry to start working with, you should also be in a hurry to work with them. Do not circumvent your process for anyone. Go with your gut and if you pray, do so. Take time to find out if the potential client is a good fit. If you do bring them on continue to listen to your gut and to God. If something seems odd, it probably is – move on. I learned the hard way and am eager to save my fellow entrepreneurs from learning the hard lesson of taking on the wrong client, as well.

Monday, February 22, 2010

Experienced entrepreneurs sharing business challenges featured on Transparency online showcase

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

Gary Swiontek, Owner
GrooveMaster Graphics, Arlington Heights, Illinois
http://www.groovemastergraphics.com/ - gary@GrooveMasterGraphics.com
http://www.linkedin.com/in/groovemastergary on LinkedIn
847-394-8512

MY BUSINESS
GrooveMaster Graphics is a graphic design company that in reality creates “message delivery systems.” Attractive graphics are only a means to an end. We create logos, brochures, postcards, ads and other printed marketing communications to help clients build their brands. In the end, they’re able to sell their goods and services as a result of our broadcasting their messaging via professionally designed graphics.

OUR UNIQUENESS
Our tag line is “We Listen, We Deliver.” So listening to clients in order to understand their goals is important to us. We ask for specific information about the project as well as general information about their brand, philosophy and so forth. Most projects begin with a questionnaire used to gather this information so that we are in the right neighborhood before we start development. Ultimately, because we are listening we can deliver the appropriate artwork. But, much more importantly, we will deliver the client’s precise messaging. We seek clients who have solid marketing plans and are committed to them. We also look for prospects who understand the value a professional graphic designer adds to the success of their businesses. The ideal client is one who puts a great deal of trust in our judgment.

UNIQUE BUSINESS CHALLENGE
An ongoing challenge that faced GrooveMaster Graphics was how to handle the roller coaster environment of projects either coming in all at once or widely spaced apart. The main reason that this was occurring was due to the fact that we were not acquiring enough clients who required services on a semi-regular basis. This would have generated a strong, consistent revenue stream. This predicament affected our bottom line as well as our growth potential by never knowing for certain where the next project was coming from. At the same time, we found it even more difficult to be as creative as possible when squeezing multiple projects into a small time frame. Everything seemed out of balance.

OUR EFFECTIVE RESOLUTION
I decided we needed an action plan. It began by seeking advice on how to be more focused and organized in terms of marketing GrooveMaster Graphics. I got in touch with professional business and marketing consultants. Here is the result of working with them.

1. We have put our marketing plan in writing. Until we did, it wasn’t real. Seeing it in black and white makes it a concrete element for which we are accountable.
2. We’ve also clearly defined our services so that clients have no misconceptions as to what we provide. In addition, we have created service bundles to give clients an economical choice of “message delivery” options.
3. Next, we identified our specific target audience. This makes our own messaging process much more focused and effective.
4. A social media strategy came next. We are a social media participant, yet we are still exploring what forms of social media are most appropriate for reaching our ideal clients.
5. GrooveMaster Graphics does email a monthly newsletter. It is a major element in our marketing strategy. It provides informational and educational content to our readership.
6. A great deal of effort will be put into building a new website with easier navigation, more information and highly effective SEO and SEM initiatives as part of its overall scope.

While many of the plan’s elements are in action today, several others are in their development stages. Our evenly-spaced projects problem is not entirely resolved as of yet, but we are putting a stronger focus on new goals which our action plan should help us reach. We feel that a true commitment to our plan along with follow-through should help in GrooveMaster Graphics’ overcoming its roller coaster challenge.

TRANSPARENCY