Self-confidence comes from believing in the value your business offers

Showcasing early 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 guide other aspiring business owners around avoidable obstacles and toward a path of attainable goals. Sharing their insights begins with hearing their stories like the one offered by

Pamela DeVos, Partner
A’nuyu, Lincolnshire, Illinois
anuyu@aol.com - www.anuyustyle.com
847-347-3831

OUR MOTIVATION
My business partner, Diane Smith, and I had been in the fashion business for years. When I retired from it a few years ago many of my clients asked if I would still continue to buy for them. So, when I would attend North American style shows I’d have my list of clients for whom I would shop. This rolled over into Diane and I starting our own personal shopping business we named A’nuyu. We began simply by refreshing people’s closets with jewelry, wrapped scarves, handbags, and accessories. Then we began getting requests for T-shirts, beach cover-ups, and other basics. As a result, we began expanding the lines we carried to the extent that, today, we’re even offering a line of cowboy boots hand-made in Mexico.

OUR UNIQUENESS
What makes A’nuyu different from other personal shopping services is that it’s comprised of three distinct parts – personal shopping, trunk shows and fashion consultancy. While there are other personal shoppers in Chicago, we don’t run up against many in the suburbs. And, unlike your major department stores who offer style assistants, we are not limited to shopping in one store for our clients. What’s more, we’re able to shop at the various style shows. Consequently, we don’t pay retail. So, our pricing is generally 20 percent less than retail. And, about 95 percent of the fashion lines that we work with are produced by women-owned businesses.

IDEAL CLIENTS
We’re targeting everyone from their late 30’s to 70’s – especially women who, over the years, devoted all of their efforts toward caring for their families and less effort toward themselves. Now, they are coming to the startling realization – what happened to me? Often it is truly emotional to see women literally change before your eyes. We look for people who you might hear say – “I have nothing to wear,” yet have closets stuffed with clothing. Our clients need to be open-minded because this sort of change is very personal. They must have the will to empower themselves. In the end, they become more enthusiastic and confident because no matter what anyone says, when you look good you feel good.

SHARED ADVICE
What surprised us the most when we started A’nuyu was how much work it would be. When you’re doing it all on your own you’re not able to chose the fun aspects of the business for yourself and delegate the rest to staff members. While we did have a business plan in place when we started, we probably should have stuck to it more closely. We tend to follow opportunities that come along that aren’t part of our plan. As a result, we often find ourselves in a “catching-up” mode. Just as we tell our clients that they need to “own” their new images, I’d tell new entrepreneurs that they need to own their new businesses. Listen to your own advice. Remain self-assured. Don’t become intimidated among other, more seasoned business owners. You business offers a worthwhile product or service, so stand tall and represent it with confidence.

Realtor leans on education to succeed in rocky marketplace

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

Jon Sesterhenn, realtor
Koenig & Strey
http://www.jonsesterhenn.com
jsesterhenn@ksgmac.com
847-874-6770

MY BUSINESS
I’m a residential realtor with Koenig & Strey specializing in helping people buy and sell their homes. I’ve been in this field going on seven years having started in 2003.

MY UNIQUENESS
I am not a high volume realtor – one who courts you and passes you on to an assistant the minute you sign on with me. I personally and patiently listen to people’s needs and wants. For example, a recent client took nine months to find his perfect home. I showed him nearly 120 listings, but by working closely with him he found the home that he truly wanted.

IDEAL CLIENT
Perfect clients for me are first time home buyers. It’s fun helping them find their first home. They listen to and accept the advice you give them. Compared to those of other experienced buyers who think they know more than you, first-time buyer transactions actually go much more smoothly. These clients are usually younger buyers who lean on your experience and expertise.

CHALLENGE
As everyone knows, over the last four years the real estate business has gone from a seller’s market to a buyer’s market. From the banking crisis to the recession to people losing their jobs and then their homes to foreclosures – things looked bleak. To make matters worse, many realtors didn’t know how to deal with these events and subsequently lost their own businesses. From all this emerged my challenge – understanding, confronting and achieving success in this troubled marketplace. Knowing the difference between a short sale and a foreclosure was confusing, how to deal with bank-owned properties had become very problematic, pricing homes became difficult, how to educate homeowners about their home values decreasing beyond their expectations was challenging. I needed to know clearly how to price a home today as opposed to when we were in a buyer’s market when you’d price a house high and let the market eventually adjust itself to reach the correct price. The problem in this decreasing market is that if you price a house wrongly you continue to chase the price as it continues to drop. Pricing the home correctly the first time is critical or you wind up making steep corrections to get to the current market price. Therein lay my challenges.

RESOLUTION
I boldly switched real estate agencies. I realized that my old firm was not adapting to the changing market situation. So, I looked for a broker that had the resources to educate its agents. I found that Koenig & Strey was a corporate-owned office and not a franchise-owned. As a result, they had the backing and the finances of the corporation and the resources to give every agent a proper education to deal with the changing market. Next, I needed to know the marketplace. Therefore, I took advantage of every course the office offered including a recent short sale and foreclosure certification course. The in-class and webinar course concluded with a certification exam. I learned how to deal with bank-owned properties, how to understand the complexities of the short-sale package, and how to submit it to the bank to help stressed homeowners stay out of foreclosure. Right now, I need to market myself as one who can meet the challenges of today’s economic times. I’m using social media to reach homeowners in local subdivisions through an email newsletter campaign to my contact list. But, meanwhile, I know that I am well equipped to handle any complex residential real estate issue that both buyers and sellers may find themselves facing.

Investing in experts increases sales

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 Becker, Founder and Owner
From Piles to Smiles®
www.pilestosmiles.com
http://www.pilestosmiles.com/blog/
http://www.facebook.com/FromPilestoSmiles
http://twitter.com/suebecker
http://www.linkedin.com/in/suebeckercpocd
sue@pilestosmiles.com - 630-724-1111

MY BUSINESS
I have been helping residential and business clients create substantial change by organizing and simplifying their lives since 2000. I have helped thousands of people around the world create customized systems to overcome their overwhelming paperwork, clutter, and schedules. My passion is helping people grow and thrive in the life they were meant to live by conquering the disorganization that holds them back. I specialize in helping people who are chronically disorganized - those for whom disorganization has been a lifelong struggle that negatively impacts every aspect of their life. I love helping people live a better life and educating them to make them self-sufficient. My tagline is "Simplicity • Harmony • Freedom."

MY UNIQUENESS
What sets me apart from other Professional Organizers? I’m highly credentialed – Illinois’ first Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization, and an ADD Specialist. I have the patience, knowledge, experience, and creativity to work with “hopeless” clients. I’m well-educated – CPA, and an MBA from Northwestern University’s J.L. Kellogg Graduate School of Management. I really care about my clients – I follow up with them to support and encourage them. My goal is to transfer my organizing skills, not to have people become reliant on me. I can help people in person or over the phone. And, I offer a number of products to assist people who want to get organized on their own http://www.pilestosmiles.com/products.htm.

THE IDEAL CLIENT REFERRAL
Small business owners, entrepreneurs, people who work from home, and employees who need help organizing their paperwork and managing their time - People whose homes are in disarray due to clutter, poor time management skills, and poor delegation of chores - Organizations that need a speaker on workplace organization, time management, home organization, organizing kids, or organizing students - Therapists, especially those who work with people with AD/HD.

CORE BUSINESS CHALLENGE
I have developed a number of products to help people get organized. I have invested a lot (I mean a lot) of time developing these products, and for one of them, I have also invested a lot of money (for a virtual assistant, graphic designer and printing). I thought I had enough traffic to my website and enough readers of my monthly newsletter (where I feature a different product each month) to drive sales, but orders were simply not coming in.

EFFECTIVE RESOLUTION
I hired a business coach to help me determine how to proceed. She convinced me that I needed to be more involved in social media. So, with much kicking and screaming, I started a blog and Facebook® Fan Page, got more engaged in LinkedIn® and started using Twitter®. I have been able to use these forums to demonstrate my expertise, and to offer examples of how my products can be of help to people. Since I didn’t have the expertise, and wasn’t particularly interested in spending the time to develop it, I hired someone to set up my Fan page and blog. I have sold more products in the 4 months I’ve been actively engaged in social media than in the entire prior year. Lessons learned: invest in experts to help you in areas where you don’t possess the needed skills.

Graphic designer finally realizes she was destined to remain an entrepreneur

Showcasing 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 guide other aspiring business owners around avoidable obstacles and toward a path of attainable goals. Sharing their insights begins by hearing their stories like the one offered by

Dagmar Persons, Owner and Creative Director
Design & Art LLC
http://www.design-n-art.com/ - dagmar.dna@gmail.com
630-2202800

MY MOTIVATION
I had been an independent graphic designer up until nearly twelve years ago. Then what I considered to be a terrific opportunity arose which was to become a full-time employee of one of my major clients. After six years, the business folded and I was back to square one. After freelancing again for two years, an identical opportunity came up. So, once more, I worked for another large client for four more years only to see them file bankruptcy, as well. As a result, I am once more building up my own graphic design business – Design & Art, LLC. I specialize in all forms of branding campaigns, print medium design and website development for businesses of every size that would need brand identity and graphic design, catalog and packaging design or photo art direction, styling and illustration.

MY UNIQUENESS
Unlike graphic designers in the U.S. who need only study graphic design if that is their career path, European-educated designers, like myself, must study every art discipline including, sculpture, architectural drawing, ceramics, fine art along with graphic design. This deep understanding of the essence of art in advertising gives me a unique versatility that enables me to keep the customer's brand consistent throughout all media - print, web, packaging, Point-of-Purchase displays and exhibits.

IDEAL CLIENTS
As a result of my education, I am very comfortable working within all industries. The ideal client for Design & Art would be a business that needed graphic and web design, POP displays, graphics for a trade show booth, and accompanying trade show promotional collateral. To reach these prospects I’ve been doing serious networking and emailing to potential clients.

ADVICE TO SHARE
Entrepreneurs should consider becoming an LLC, as I did, primarily to protect their personal assets. However, be aware that it is not an inexpensive venture initially along with having to renew your status every year. What I have learned from my experience of going from freelancing to full-time employment and back a few times is that I should have remained a freelance graphic designer. I feel that if I had, I would be well established at this point with a solid client base of national brand companies that I once had. My advice to all budding entrepreneurs is that if you have a real passion for your profession, nothing should prevent you from pursuing it. Even if you are struggling in the beginning or at some points along the way, you will survive if you have a true passion for whatever it is you are doing.

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.

Prioritizing is key to success for multi-faceted entrepreneur

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 offered by

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.

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.