Indie Business Blog

The Opportunity Mindset

Donna Maria — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 14:44:21 +0000

These days, especially since we are experiencing a recessionary economy, many people are bogged down in the bad news of the moment. Mainstream media, as valuable as it can be, does a god job of keeping some folks in just enough of a panic that they are forever distracted from creating their own good news.

Well, I’ve got good news! You can overcome external negativity by creating and living The Opportunity Mindset. Here are three things I have learned to do (and continue to learn to do …) to live in The Opportunity Mindset:

Identity. The first step to creating an Opportunity Mindset is simply knowing who you are. This involves continually taking stock of things like your goals, your likes and dislikes, how you fit into your family unit, where you are spiritually, etc.

Knowing who you are is an exciting journey you take each day. It is not a one-time thing. You must constantly refine the notion of how you perceive yourself, and how you lead yourself to where you want to be. As you do this, you will discover more about what makes you tick, where you fit into the world at this time, and where you want to fit into the world in the future.
Focus. Once you embrace your identity, you can then focus on refining and defining it by focusing on specific things that will help you develop yourself as a business leader. For example, if you feel unsettled spiritually, you can invest some of your time focusing on developing in that area. Similarly, if you are clear on your passion in life, but unsure about how to incorporate that passion into a profitable business, you can invest time studying the habits of others who have turned similar passions into successful business ventures.

If you focus on the negativity that is so available through mainstream media, you will find yourself focused mainly on that. It will define your mind, and thus your mindset. Of course we all need to know what’s going on in the world, but we don’t need to focus on it. In fact, I have discovered that such focus can be detrimental.

So much of what you achieve is defined by what you focus on. If you focus on finding and embracing opportunities, over time, you will find that you will enjoy more opportunities. The things you focus most on will eventually define your life.
Action. None of the above will lead to success unless you actually do something. So, once you are in the habit of defining and refining who you are, and focusing on things that help you maintain a positive attitude, you must act on the opportunities that you create and that come your way.

What will you do each day to take you were you want to be? What specific steps will you take, and how often will you take them?

Using the examples above, will you actively seek out a place of worship or spiritual study group so you can find your spiritual center? Will you subscribe to the blogs of people you consider to be successful in your field of passion, or read their books, so they can mentor you from afar? Will you start or join a MasterMind group?

You can’t do everything, but you can set aside specific blocks of time to do specific things based on who you are and what you choose to focus on.

Not Rocket Science, But …

Embracing The Opportunity Mindset sounds kind of easy. To be sure, it is not rocket science. But it is a challenge to discipline yourself to take the steps outlined above.

If you have not already done so, take a moment to analyze (or reanalyze, if you haven’t done it in a while) who you are, what you will focus on, and what action you will take as a result. Over time, you’ll find yourself growing in exciting new ways. You’ll also connect with others who are doing the same, and all of you can be successful together!

Question: What do you think of The Opportunity Mindset? What did I miss? How do you maintain a positive, focused and action-oriented outlook each day?

Welcome To The New Indie HQ!

Donna Maria — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 17:33:01 +0000

Today is the big day! It’s the official first day for us in Indie HQ’s new digs in uptown Charlotte! As you know, my business partner husband and I have managed Indie from our home offices for ten years. In this video, I interview Tyler Ford, our new office manager, about the space we are leasing. (Sorry about the noisy truck during the last few seconds! It sounds like a roaring lion …)

We have always been in the virtual midst of the action. We are now thrilled to be more involved in our community physically. Since we’ve been working solely from home for a decade, you may be wondering why we decided to lease office space. There are many reasons, but here are three of them:

The Time Has Come. When I left my traditional job in January 2000 to launch Indie, I was planning a wedding, a marriage and a family. I wanted to be more available physically to my children while they were young, so it was logical for me to work from home. I didn’t consider any other option, and it’s been perfect for a decade.

My husband and children continue to be my highest priority, but since the kids are nearly 7 and 9, we can be available to them in different ways now without being as connected to them physically.

When the seasons change, you have to change. And so it goes.
To Avoid Complacency. Complacency is the enemy of progress. Over the past several months, as my parenting duties have changed, I have noticed that being at home has become a little too comfortable. My husband and I talked it over and decided that we didn’t want to become so comfy that we didn’t challenge ourselves.

It’s time to shake things up! We are changing our surroundings and exploring new ways of doing things so we can remain relevant and at the top of our games.
To Be More Involved Locally. The change of scenery has already opened new doors! We’ve established new opportunities to be of service to others, as well as to be served by them.

To celebrate our first day, we hosted a breakfast to introduce ourselves to everyone here. (FaceBook photos!) We discovered that many of them had not met each other, yet they’d been working side by side in the same office suite for weeks or months. They told us it was great to have a reason to come together for just a few minutes to connect and find out how they could be helpful to one another. I knew it would be, and that alone has confirmed the value of this transition.

Making The Virtual Physical

Here’s a little story to further illustrate the value of becoming more physically present as a small business owner.

On July 22, I encountered a woman named Casey Brewton after I started this conversation at the FaceBook Page. As you can see, we had a little exchange and discovered we were both in Charlotte. I didn’t make a note of her name, and I didn’t think anything more of it.

On August 20, I posted this to my Twitter page. Casey responded and we had a brief chat via DM where we confirmed that we had connected via FaceBook exchange the month before.

This morning, a young lady who looked familiar was the first person to join us for breakfast. I thought for just a second that it might have been the same person I had “met” before on FaceBook and Twitter, but then I thought, “What are the chances of that?”

Well, you know what happened next. We quickly discovered that we had met on FaceBook and Twitter. Suddenly, Casey was not a stranger. She was not a new person in my life. She was already a business colleague and friend, and I immediately felt connected to her in a strangely deeper way.

Casey blogged about it today at her blog! How cool is that?

That’s what I mean by shaking things up, doing things in a new way and remaining relevant and available to help others.

Coworking In Your Area?

Coworking spaces are cropping up nationwide, and I believe they are a big part of the future of small business, especially as location-based mobile and social networking tools become more widely available and popular. You may be able to find a co-working space in a city near you! If you’re in the Charlotte area, and are interested in leasing space where we are, visit Lightbulb Coworking to get the scoop! Spaces are going fast so check it out soon! We’re at 1430 S. Mint Street, Suite 103. Feel fee to come down and visit anytime! Our conference room is great for consultations, so let us know how we can help you!

We plan to celebrate later this afternoon with a special dinner at everyone’s favorite “fancy” restaurant, The Cheesecake Factory. I’m excited! Thank you for celebrating this moment with us!

Question: What do you think? Do you work from a home office? A traditional office? Both? What do you like about your work space set up?

Featured Indie: Maggie Hanus of A Wild Soap Bar [VIDEO]

Donna Maria — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 18:25:01 +0000

Last month, I traveled to Austin, Tx, for the first time, to deliver the keynote for the Lone Star Soap & Toiletries Conference. While there, I was excited to once again see Maggie Hanus of A Wild Soap Bar — located just outside Austin.

Maggie is one of IBN’s first members and it has been my honor to serve her for nearly 11 years as IBN’s founder and leader. (Geesh, I’m getting old …) Maggie’s successful business is a testimony to the benefits of small family business ownership. One of her sons is now employed as a chief soap maker, and Maggie does a lot of the bookkeeping for her husband’s landscaping business. One of her mottoes is “The family that grinds together binds together.” Love that!

You can find out more about Maggie’s products at her website, and you can follow her on Twitter and join her FaceBook Page.

My husband edited this video and I think he did a great job! You can find out more about his services at his blog.

Remember: the things we make, make us. I love sharing my members’s success stories. You can learn more about IBN at our benefits page, and you can procure affordable products liability insurance at our products liability insurance page. You can learn more and more about IBN members and their products and services at our comprehensive directory where you can search for people and products by business owner name business name, state, country and/or type of product desired.

You can also just have fun networking with us and other people who love making their own beauty products for fun or business at our social networking site.

Question: Have you ever tried Maggie’s soap? (I have, and my favorite is Sunflower.) Do you love handmade soap as much as I do?

Early Bird Registration Now Open For Indie Cruise 2011

Donna Maria — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 01:18:12 +0000

I am pleased to announce that rearly bird registration for Indie Cruise 2011 is now open! You have until October 1, 2010, to take advantage of early bird, fully refundable deposit, registration so watch the video below, then click here to reserve your cabin at amazing prices starting at only $338.02!

Not only will you network in a relaxing atmosphere, but you’ll also benefit from several hours of carefully planned Collaborative MasterMind Discussions designed to meaningfully connect you with other American small and independent business leaders. There will also be a Bon Voyage Tweetup the night before we set sail at the beautiful Biscayne Bay DoubleTree Hotel. If you provide consulting services, you’ll also be able to reserve space for your consultations at no additional charge! This one-of-a-kind business networking event is ready to set sail — all we need is you!

If you have questions or comments, or if you need us to help you find another Indie to share your cabin, please post below! See you on board!

Thank You Indie Readers And Sponsors

Donna Maria — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 00:21:28 +0000

Can you believe summer is nearly over? Soon, we’ll be carving pumpkins, but while I still have a few weeks of sand and sun left, I thought this graphic was appropriate.

For the first time in many years, I didn’t make it to a beach this summer. But I’ve got lots of other great things to show for the past three months, and my time invested here with you is surely one of them. Thank you for allowing me to join you on your entrepreneurial journey. It’s an honor! Please take a moment to learn more about the companies that help me bring you this blog.

Essential Wholesale: Private labeling and custom formulation for your cosmetics products. Small quantities available. Choose from the largest selection of naturally derived cosmetics bases in the world. Hundreds of certified organic products and ingredients to choose from! Start shopping now! If you are a member of IBN, click here for your member discount!

Online Labels: A world leader in blank laser and inkjet labels, Online Labels offers over 150 label sizes in 30+ different materials! Just like you, Fortune 500 companies from around the globe buy their labels from Online Labels. You’ve probably seen their labels on everything from CDs/DVDs, food, candles, mailings, boxes, tins … and almost every type of product you can think of. Now offering lip tube labels with perforated freshness/security seals! Start shopping now!

The Box Co-Op: Custom and stock retail boxes and printed packaging. Full color printed boxes with your artwork; custom sizing to fit your product exactly; matte, aqueous or high gloss UV finishes; metallic foils, embossing and debossing. Box windows and packing inserts; minimum volumes starting at 1,250 boxes. Start shopping now!

Soap Equipment: Since 1996, we have designed and developed the finest soap making equipment available for professional or beginner soapmakers. Our equipment can be designed to your specifications: soap cutters, molds, bath bomb makers, oil and candle wax melters, soap drying and lip balm trays, melt and pour molds, mixing tools, safety equipment, lotion and oil pumps, bottling and labeling equipment and more. Start shopping now!

TKB Trading: Since 1997, offering pigments, dyes, micas and more! TKB Trading’s primary focus is on color additives and associated products for the soap, cosmetics and personal care industry. We also offer color additives for arts, crafts and industrial arts. Led by Kaila Westerman, the author of two craft books, TKB offers an informative blog and a forum to help you use the products you purchase from them. Start shopping now!

Mold Market: Mold Market designs and manufactures high quality plastic soap molds for all occasions. Our multi-cavity custom molds designs are suitable for hot and cold process soap making, melt & pour soap making, candle making, and ceramic crafts. You’ll find our customer service impressive and shipping turn-around time fast. Our ever-expanding mold line tips the scale in quality. Start shopping now!

Bramble Berry: Bramble Berry offers more than 2500 soap making products, including fragrance oils, soap molds, packaging, soap making kits, as well as supplies to make essential oils, lip butter flavorings, herbs and botanicals, cosmetics and much more. Watching industry trends carefully, Bramble Berry CEO Anne-Marie Faiola stays ahead of her customers’ needs by frequently adding new products. If you have a suggestion, please let us know and we’ll do our best to find it for you. She also tests all existing products herself to make sure that she’s offering her customers the highest quality in crafting supplies. Start shopping now!If you are a member of IBN, click here for your member discount!

SunRose Aromatics: Founded in 1997, SunRose sources quality essential oils from around the world and makes them available to you at affordable prices. She has scoured the globe investigating distilleries and their practices to ensure the product she imports is of the highest quality grade. To this end, she always ensures that her oils are GC/MS tested. SunRose has a vast array of well-known oils, and also hard to find exotic oils. All are certified organic or wildcrafted where possible. Start shopping now!

Garden State Naturals: Your source for wholesome ingredients, straight from nature. Our specialty is cold-pressed oils and butters from the Amazon rain forest. These are natural extracts long-prized in Brazil for their beneficial and healing properties. We supply Açaí oil, which has a higher amount of skin-protecting anti-oxidants than any other natural source in the world. Start shopping now!

Elements Bath and Body: If you need supplies for making cosmetics and toiletries, or some old fashioned soap making, we have everything ready to order. We offer a wide variety of wholesale soap making supplies, bath and body supplies, recipes, packaging, and accessories to suit any soap making or cosmetic requirements. We also carry lip balm tubes, beeswax, fragrance oils, liquid soap base, melt and pour soap base and recipes. Start shopping now!

Mountain Rose Herbs: Since 1987 Mountain Rose Herbs has been known for its uncompromising commitment to organic agriculture and steadfast focus on the pure aesthetics and freshness of botanical products. Every aspect of all our products, from the procurement, and the receiving, to the processing and packaging, is done in accordance to strict quality control and organic handling procedures. Start shopping now!

Ponte Vedra Soap Shoppe: The Ponte Vedra Soap Shoppe now supplies soap and toiletry makers, crafters, and aromatherapists with high-quality affordable products. What makes us unique is that we actually use most of the raw materials we sell in our soaps and toiletries so you can be assured that you’re getting the best possible raw materials for your own products. Start shopping now!

BioChemica: Home of “The Butter People!” First we start with organically grown, freeze dried berries which we micronize and infuse into a blend of certified organic ingredients like shea and palm butters. The result is a smooth butter with the beneficial attributes of the butter and the fruit: blueberry, Açaí, cranberry, pomegranate, and black currant. We offer a full range of plant-derived ingredients from all parts of the globe. Start shopping now!

Planet Label: Laser, inkjet, or custom printed labels. As one of the most established online resources for blank or custom printed labels & stickers, our quality and variety are second to none. Use our filtering system or product configurator to find a label by material, use, size or shape. Still not sure? Call us! Our friendly & knowledgeable staff are here to help you find the perfect label. Start shopping now!

Monave: Mineral Makeup by Monavé is makeup that you can trust. Full ingredient disclosure reveals a product line based in whole, organic botanical ingredients, and completely gluten-free formulas that are 95% vegan. Monavé has never engaged in animal testing, and chooses the highest quality mineral makeup ingredients, not simply for the press, but for the health and performance of the products. Monave: modern, versatile, natural. Start shopping now!

Samara Botane: We offer ready-to-use aromatic wellness products and formulated by our professional aromatherapist. We are an endorsed supplier to therapeutic spas, medical professionals, cosmeticians, massage schools, natural perfumers, educators and consumers. Start shopping now!

I Connect You To The Small Business Owners Who Want To Do Business With You!

Contact me for more information about supporting the work I do to support and advocate on behalf of small and independent business owners. Packages are available on a first-come, first-served basis, and include promotional consideration on my Twitter page (over 12,000 small business followers), FaceBook (over 2,000 active participants), Indie’s social networking site (over 6,500 engaged users), this blog, on Indie Business Podcast and at Indie Business Magazine.

Download my 2010 Media Kit here (PDF).

I produce a steady stream of engaging, consistent, focused content that puts you in touch with the small and independent business owners who want to do business with you. I also offer sponsorship opportunities for events, sponsored giveaways and contests and custom partnerships designed to advance your business interests and enhance the level of engagement for you and your brand.

I look forward to serving you!

Indie’s Weekly Events Guide

Donna Maria — Sat, 28 Aug 2010 17:09:43 +0000

Since IBN members are always doing such cool things, I thought I’d post a listing of some of the exciting workshops, conferences and events that are coming up in the Indie community. If you like learning and sharing in a supportive and collaborative environment, you’ll want to connect with some of my members who are naturally giving sharers.

They can help you achieve your goals as a crafter, handmaker and an Indie Business owner. If your event’s not listed here, join IBN so you can post it at our social site and I’ll add it here and Tweet it for you too! Here’s what’s coming up:

18-19 September: Soap Making Boot Camp – 2-Day Weekend Intensive With Lori Nova & David Critchfield. This 2-day intensive soap making workshop held outside San Francisco covers four individual classes. David Critchfield has been teaching Big Batch / Production CP Soap Class for years, and Lori says it’s a *must take* for anyone in the soap business. More info.

18 September: Using Molds Creatively With Debbie Chialtas. Learn how to create very unique effects with fun detailed molds and glycerin soap. We’ll cover a range of techniques using multiple colors in each project, from double molding to intricate details. All materials are included and you’ll go home with all of your beautiful creations! More info.

24-26 September: Natural Skin & Body Care Product Making Course With Joan Morais. Learn to make over 14 natural skin, bath & body products in Suisun City, Ca. The high quality products you’ll make would cost at least $320 if purchased at retail. You take home what you make, plus an extensive and informative 100-page workbook with the recipes. More info.

21-24 October: Bath & Body University Boston With Marla Bosworth. This is an all-inclusive four-day bath and body intensive program that will get your current business or the one you’ve dreamed about owning off of the ground. You will receive four full days of training – and a course completion certificate. More info.

Question: Which events will you be attending?

Indie Cruise: I Heard It Through The Grape Vine

Donna Maria — Sat, 28 Aug 2010 00:57:08 +0000

Earlier this month, I asked the fabulous people at the Indie Fan Page what they thought of the idea of an Indie Cruise. Here’s what they said. So guess what? With the help of Rich Tucker and his amazing team at Cruise Deals, I’ve managed to land a fantastic 4-day deal on a cruise on the Carnival Destiny (pictured).

We’ll set sail on February 3, 2011 from Miami, then cruise to Key West, and then to Cozumel. I got some super great pricing and am planning collaborative Indie Empowerment Round Table Discussions so we can crowd source the best Indie Business marketing, sales and growth strategies for today’s Indie Business leaders. I expect to announce the juicy details over the course of the next few days so make sure you subscribe so you can be the first to snatch the best cabins at the Early Bird prices!

You can also follow the news on Twitter too!

Question: Wanna Indie Cruise with me?

Podcast: My Interview With Dan Marshall: How Small Business Owners Can Influence Public Policy

Donna Maria — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 18:58:58 +0000

This week’s Indie Business Podcast features my interview with Dan Marshall, founder and vice president of the Handmade Toy Alliance (HTA) and co-owner with his wife of PeaPods Natural Toys & Babycare in St. Paul, Minnesota. Dan is a small business advocate who focuses his efforts mainly on the impact on small businesses of the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008 (CPSIA). He has met with Consumer Product Safety Commission staffers and commissioners, rallied in Wash ington, DC and testified on Capitol Hill.

Dan, who once sold retirement plans for a large financial company, and his wife sell as many locally and domestically made products as possible, including bath and body care products. At the beginning of the podcast, Dan shared the story of how he and his wife started their business — an interesting story reflecting the growth of small and family-owned businesses nationwide. During the rest of the show, he shared tips and insights on how you can positively impact public policy as an Indie Business owner.

Get Involved Early. Dan says it’s imperative for small companies in all industries to become involved in legislative processes, nationwide and at the state and local level. The earlier you become involved in the lawmaking process, the better chance you have of influencing the outcome. It’s nearly impossible to change something once it becomes law. The time to influence the process is early on, when a bill is in committee and can be changed through the amendment and information sharing process.
Don’t Assume A Bill Is Tailored To A Specific Problem. Dan regrets concluding early on that CPSIA would specifically target a particular problem, and not impose burdens on small companies that were not causing that problem.

For example, when he first heard of the bill, he knew it would require third party testing of toys imported from other countries. He thought that was a good idea, and really didn’t investigate much further. Several months later, when it was far later in the process, he discovered that the testing requirements were not just for companies that imported toys, but also for small companies making toys in the USA — and not using any of the components that must be tested for in the legislation.
Get The Media’s Attention. In Dan’s experience, lawmakers do not seek out small companies to find out what the impact of legislation would be on tiny companies. They are also understandably hard to catch up with — unless the media is involved. In the podcast, Dan shares exactly how he used the power and leverage of the media at well attended press conference at his retail store.
Stories. In addition to the media, the most effective way to get a lawmaker’s attention is to tell the stories of his or her constituents. They can overlook a lot of things, but they can’t overlook the real life experiences of the people who vote for them.
Join Industry Trade Groups. Dan started HTA so that he could organize people like him into a cohesive group that could speak with one voice on the issues. He suggests that every small and independent business owner join an established trade group, or even start one as he did, so that the very small companies participating in that industry have an organized way to make their stories and positions known.

Listen to the Show

You can get more of Dan’s insights about how small and independent business owners can positively influence public policy wherever it’s convenient for you:

You can download it on iTunes.
You can stream or download it at my radio show website.
You can stay where you are and simply click on the arrow at the bottom of this post to listen right now!

Question: What do you think of Dan’s advice? How are you positively impacting public policy as a small business owner, in your hometown or at the national level?

Welcome To Sophia, The New Indie Assistant!

Donna Maria — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 16:50:12 +0000

This is a banner week for Indie! Remember I told you about embracing change? Well, I’m doing a lot of that this week. First off, I’m signing a lease for our first out-of-home office space since I started Indie Business in 2000. But even more exciting than that, I’ve just hired Indie’s first official in-office assistant. Meet Sophia President!

Originally from Oakland, Ca, Sophia has lived in Charlotte, NC, all of her adult life. I met her last year at Indie Business Breakfast Charlotte (FaceBook Photo Gallery), and was impressed with her kind spirit and eagerness to learn. Just look at that smile! We’ve remained in touch, and the time is perfectly right for Sophia to join the Indie Team!

Sophia is a wife and mom who loves crafting — especially making and telling others about Indie mineral makeup, hair products and bath and body goodies. (Does she sound like the perfect fit or what?) Sophia also enjoys leading women’s spiritual study groups. Darryl, my business partner husband, and I are excited to welcome Sophia, and hope you will welcome her too!

Please follow Sophia on Twitter, so you can stay up to date on Indie news and updates. Also, if you cannot get in touch with me for any reason, please contact Sophia, either on Twitter or via email at Sophia [at] indiebeautynetwork [dot] com. She is by my side and knows my every move!

Featured Indies: Dennis and Kayla Fioravanti of Essential Wholesale

Donna Maria — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 12:44:00 +0000

Last week in this video, I introduced you to Katherine Corkill of Sterling Minerals in Nampa, Idaho. This week, I’m excited to share Dennis and Kayla Fioravanti of Essential Wholesale in Portland, Oregon.

You probably remember Kayla from my reports (here’s one) on our multiple trips to DC to advocate for small beauty businesses, or maybe from my trip to Oregon last year or her birthday party — planned by her fabulous husband who few several of her friends out to celebrate with her. From humble beginnings in the family medicine cabinet, Essential Wholesale has grown to be one of the world’s largest suppliers of naturally derived and organic cosmetics bases in the world. They are also members of IBN of course, and one of my longtime sponsors. Visit their website, and you can follow them on Twitter and join them FaceBook Page.

My husband edited this video and I think he did a great job! You can find out more about his services at his blog.

You can also just have fun networking with us and other people who love making their own beauty products for fun or business at our social networking site.

Question: I love seeing and learning from successful couples in business, don’t you?

Thanks To My Readers And Sponsors

Donna Maria — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 12:25:57 +0000

Each week, I have the pleasure of bringing you cutting edge insights and tips to help you maximize your potential in life and in business. If you missed any of last week’s commentary, you can get a few of my favorites — this one on FaceBook Places, a new location social networking tool, and this video commentary about small business leaders can approach change.

They say you’ll be more successful in business if you do something you’d do for free. I think that’s true. On the other hand, nothing is free, including you and me, and that’s why I’m grateful to my sponsors for making it possible for me to join you on your journey. Take a moment to check with them to see how they can help you, and don’t forget to scroll to the bottom so I can introduce you to some new sponsors!

I Connect You To The Small Business Owners Who Want To Do Business With You!

Contact me for more information about supporting the work I do to support and advocate on behalf of small and independent business owners. Packages are available on a first-come, first-served basis, and include promotional consideration on my Twitter page (over 11,500 small business followers), FaceBook (over 2,000 active participants), Indie’s social networking site (over 6,300 engaged users), this blog, on Indie Business Podcast and at Indie Business Magazine.

Download my 2010 Media Kit here (PDF).

I look forward to serving you!

Indie Business Podcast: 8/23: Dan Marshall On How Small Businesses Can Positively Influence Public Policy

Donna Maria — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 22:36:01 +0000

As you know, I enjoy advocating on behalf of small and home-based businesses. As an attorney, I am especially interested in exploring ways the small business community can work with lawmakers and policy makers to create laws that achieve legitimate legislative safety goals without unnecessarily decimating tiny companies. Monday’s Indie Business Podcast features a man who knows a lot about that.

Dan Marshall is the owner of Peapods Natural Toys & Baby Care, an alternative toy and baby supply store in St. Paul, Mn. He is also the founder and vice president of the Handmade Toy Alliance, an alliance of toy stores, toy makers and children’s product manufacturers from across the country who want to preserve American-made handmade and small batch toys, clothes, and children’s goods. Dan is a powerful advocate for his industry, having met with lawmakers and testified on Capitol Hill about the impact of the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008 on tiny companies like his.

On the August 23 episode of Indie Business Podcast, Dan will share his tips and insights on how individual small and independent business owners can positively influence public policy in their various industries.

Here’s how to join the show on August 23 at 1:00pm EST

There are two players to choose from to listen to the show. If you want to make sure in advance that you’ll be able to hear the show tomorrow, click the player you normally use below and if you can hear a current show playing (someone else’s show), it means you’ll be able to click the same link and listen live tomorrow. If the links don’t work, it means you do not have the player installed on your computer, so follow the “click to download” instructions below.

Click here to listen with Windows Media Player (Click here if you need to download Windows Media Player)
Click here to listen with QuickTime (Click here if you need to download download QuickTime)

If all you wish to do is listen, you don’t need to do anything else. Just turn up your volume and listen live.

How To Chat Live During The Show

If you’d like a more robust and interactive experience (which may also increase the number of people who care about this issue who follow you on Twitter), you’ll want to either TweetChat or TweetGrid to chat live.

TweetChat is an easy to use. Web application that uses text messages on Twitter to interact me, show guests and others participating in the live show and chat. To use TweetChat during the show, go to TweetChat, then type IndieLive. If you are not already logged into Twitter, you will be asked to log in. Once you’re logged in, you will begin to see the screen update with the real time conversations of everyone participating during the show and live chat.

As you can see, you can participate in the chat by using Twitter like you normally do. The #IndieLive hashtag will automatically be added to each Tweet you send out. You can use the icons on the right side of the chat windows to ReTweet, Reply, Favorite, etc., You can pause the chat and do other things to make it easier to keep up with the conversation. If you have not familiar with live Twitter chats, my suggestion is to use TweetChat.

Tweetgrid is the best choice if you want more robust interaction, and if you are already familiar with live Twitter chats. To use TweetGrid, log onto the customized TweetGrid link set up for #IndieLive. Log in as indicated by entering your Twitter name (include the @ symbol) and your password. Once you authenticate the account, you can start Tweeting using the Tweet window at the top of the page. Note that the #IndieLive hashtag appears to the right of the Tweet window. By using this link, the #IndieLive hashtag is automatically added when you Tweet. (If you do not see #IndieLive there, please add it so it is appended to your Tweets.)

Our TweetGrid link has three columns. The far left column is where you can see the Tweets of everyone using the hashtag during the show. The center column shows my Tweets as the host of the show, and I may or may not add some of the show guest to that column. You can use the far right column for you own twitter account so you can see who is replying specifically to you. Just put @ your twitter name (it’s best to include the @ symbol there), choose search, and TweetGrid will look for people speaking directly to you so you can chat with them.

You’ll notice above your username is a #hashtag box, which should say #IndieLive– if it doesn’t, please add it there, so that it adds that tag to each tweet you send.

Use the icons to ReTweet, Reply, etc. Things may move pretty fast, so if you feel like it’s too much to follow, choose “Stop” so you can kind of catch up a bit. When you’re ready to join live again, choose “Search” and you’ll rejoin the conversation as it unfolds.

Remember that I am having the show recorded so you can listen later. I may also be able to prepare and transcript but I’m not sure about that yet.

I know this may seem like a lot to people who are not used to using live chats, but I do want you to remember that your ability to use services like these will continually enhance your ability to participate in this new economy which requires us to continually learn how to use new technologies to reach the people who want to buy our products.

And remember, of the two chat systems above, TweetChat is far less complicated for a “beginner,” so if you are new to all of this, start with that. Or just listen this time and try a chat next week. As you know, from time to time, Twitter runs slow of stops altogether. If this happens on the show, it will not affect the audio. You will be able to listen even if Twitter stops working or slows down so don’t panic if the Twitter stream is slow or stops.

Let Your Followers Know

As a courtesy, if you plan to chat and interact during the show a lot, you may wish to tell your followers that you are joining a live Twitter chat so they know in advance that you’ll be Tweeting live for a bit. Here’s a suggested Tweet you can cut and paste:

I’m joining a live Twitter chat about #IndieLive and may be Tweeting about it for about an hour.

Question: If you have questions about CPSIA, Dan or how to join the show, please leave them in the comments.

How Indies Can Use FaceBook Places And Other Location-Based Tools To Increase Sales

Donna Maria — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 19:02:45 +0000

Yesterday, I shared some thoughts on how to view, embrace and incorporate change into your life as a small business leader. Today, I want to share an example of how you can do this right now in a really meaningful way if you are Indie. It starts with an understanding of location-based social tools.

In a nutshell, these tools include things like FourSquare, Gowalla and, as of today, FaceBook Places. Each allows people to use their smart phones to “check in” at locations so they can update their friends on what they are doing and where they are doing it. Sound creepy? It may be — unless of course you sell products to consumers and want to enable them to tell their friends where to go to buy what you have to offer. Here’s what I mean.

In a conversation yesterday, a dear friend asked me why an Indie with a home-based business would ever want to really bother with location-based social tools. She explained that, if you want to work from home and you have a website and a FaceBook page, you can make your products at home and use a FaceBook storefront and your website to sell your products.

This is true. However, looking toward the future (“anticipating change,” in yesterday’s post), with millions of people using location tools to communicate with their friends, it will become increasingly important for Indies to become more visible in their local communities. Whether it’s a regular appearance at a local farmer’s market or a retail store of your own, the easier you make it for your customers to tell their friends that they just checked in and purchased something from you, the more sales you will make, and the more influence you will have in your own back yard.

It’s far too early to see exactly how this will all pan out. But with FaceBook’s Places, the company has staked a powerful claim in the location-based social field. I think it’s is going to be a powerful tool for Indies in the not too distant future.

What You Can Do

Here are some things you can do to begin to make location-based tools work for you:

Investigate getting your place added. Each location tool has a process that must be followed in order to have your location added. Unfortunately, the FAQ pages at their sites are not very helpful in this regard at this time. (Gowalla does not seem to have the information readily available at all, outside of possibly in a message forum; Facebook’s is here, and FourSquare’s FAQ is here. The FaceBook one looks most helpful of the three, but I’m not sure if following those steps creates a place for you as a user, or a place for you as a “place” or business owner owner.)

I’m thinking that, as these tools become more popular, each will have to be more forthcoming about how places are added, and they will have to create ways to incorporate very small businesses as they also delete or deny legitimate status to “places” that aren’t really places at all. (If I find this how to information, I’ll share it — if you have links, please share in the comments.) In the meantime, start using the tools yourself so you can see how they work, and then use your website, FaceBook page, blog, etc., to tell them how they can check in with you.
Tell others. If you don’t have a location of your own to add, consider asking retailers who sell your products to add their locations, then let your customers know that they can check in at retail outlets to buy your products, and tell their friends. At some point in the future, maybe someone will launch an app that allows manufacturers to manage check-in locations through the retailers that sell their products. I think that would be a great app, but I don’t know if it’s out there yet. In the meantime, be creative. Work with your wholesale customers that have locations to create win/win situations for both of you. (This is a good example of “initiating change,” as discussed in yesterday’s post.)
Consider co-op space. This morning, I visited the Light Bulb Coworking, Charlotte’s first coworking office environment. With a conference room, cubicle offices and open office desk space that people can rent starting at $50 a month, it’s a great way for people who work mainly from home to enjoy the credibility of a public location as they connect with other entrepreneurs in their area.

As I toured the facility, I pondered that a similar set up may be possible for small manufacturers. Consider renting a commercial kitchen and then leasing space to other manufacturers to make products on a daily basis. The products made by participants could then be offered for sale in a common retails area.

I haven’t thought this concept all the way through, but it seems to me that, if you could get 5 or 6 like-minded, hard-working Indies to participate, you could use location-based social networking tools to empower customers to check-in for manufacturing demonstrations, how to classes, and in-store promotions. The possibilities are endless, I think.

It’s still early to predict exactly how Indies can best use location-based social tools, and the jury is still out on the multiple privacy concerns involved. Having said, that, I firmly believe that the future of small business will include empowering customers on a local level to use smart phones to invite their friends to have fun supporting local businesses with them.

One initial hurdle is getting the men and women who run tiny companies from a home location to embrace the notion that their profitability may depend on allowing people to use social networking tools to find them at a place of business, and then check in with the world from that location.

Like I said, creepy on one hand. On the other, if you sell products to consumers, it’s worth watching how they use location-based tools and then being innovative about how you can take advantage of them to increase sales.

Question: Are you comfortable with the changes that will be required of your business where location-based social networking tools are concerned? Is it just too creepy? Or do you see opportunities to anticipate, initiate and respond to change in ways that benefit your business, your existing customers, and your customers coming down the pike. Or both??! Can’t wait to know what you think!

Three Postures Toward Change (Video)

Donna Maria — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 21:54:32 +0000

No matter how small or large your business is, if you own it alone, you are its sole leader. That means the buck stops with you, and it’s your responsibility to deal with change and handle the fallout, good or bad. This video shares three productive postures toward change that will help you lead your business where you want it to go.

The last few years have seen big changes in the world, and that has meant big change for everyone in business. In fact, business today is conducted in a constant sea of change, with everything evolving rapidly and at all times.

Anticipate change. As you deal with the day-to-day, remember that your antennae should always be sensitive to what seems to be up next in your industry. Stay connected to industry colleagues, attend trade conferences and read trade publications so you can know in advance about important changes that are coming down the pike.
Initiate change. This statement has been attributed to Charles Darwin: “It’s not the strong, but those who adapt to change who survive.” I think that’s true, especially in business.

If you are not a change agent for your business, it will eventually stagnate — and so will you. Whether it’s your staff, your product line or your blog, know when to make change, and why, and then initiate the changes that are necessary to create the outcomes you desire.
Respond to change. Sometimes, external forces require your response. You may not have to change in your responding, but the act of responding can itself initiate change in unexpected ways.

For example, for me, Twitter came out of left field completely. I watched as it slowly caught on in certain circles. I saw who was adopting it, and noticed it was a huge change from the status quo. In response, I could have ignored it completely, decided it wasn’t worth my time, or embraced it. I chose the last option, and when I saw positive results, I immediately passed on recommendations to IBN members and others so they could benefit too.

As a leader, you must constantly deal with change. You can’t always control it or make it happen the way you want it to, but you do have to roll with it. I hope these thoughts help you do that.

Question: What do you think of these thoughts about change? How do you anticipate, initiate and respond to change as you lead your business?

Featured Indie: Katherine Corkill of Sterling Minerals [Video]

Donna Maria — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 02:36:43 +0000

Last week, I shared my first “video short” featuring Tammy Brodbeck of Milk and Cookeez, a member of the Indie Beauty Network. It was so much fun that I decided to do another one, this time featuring Katherine Corkill of Sterling Minerals in Nampa, Idaho.

Everything is beautifully presented by Katherine: foundations, blushes, eye colors, lip colors, brush accessories and more. You can find out more about her products at her website, and you can follow her on Twitter and join her FaceBook Page.

My husband edited this video and I think he did a great job! You can find out more about his services at his blog.

You can also just have fun networking with us and other people who love making their own beauty products for fun or business at our social networking site.

Question: Have you ever used Katherine’s products? Do you love mineral makeup as much as I do?

Fancy Thanks, To My Readers And Sponsors!

Donna Maria — Sun, 15 Aug 2010 13:44:14 +0000

When I saw this graphic, I was reminded of my senior prom. My date was all dressed up in his handsome tuxedo and at dinner, the waiter brought our napkins on a silver platter. I felt so grand and fancy. Since you, my dear readers and sponsors, are also grand and fancy to me, I think it’s the perfect graphic to complement my heartfelt thanks.

There are tons of other places where you can invest your valuable time each week, and I want you to know how excited I am that you invest some of it with me. I like meeting with you here, and want you to feel comfortable to come back any time. Please take a moment to check out the companies that help me bring you this blog. If you’d like to be an Indie sponsor, scroll down to the bottom of this message to link to my Media Kit and find out more!

I Connect You To The Small Business Owners Who Want To Do Business With You!

Contact me for more information about supporting the work I do to support and advocate on behalf of small and independent business owners. Packages are available on a first-come, first-served basis, and include promotional consideration on my Twitter page (over 11,500 small business followers), FaceBook (over 2,000 active participants), Indie’s social networking site (over 6,300 engaged users), this blog, on Indie Business Podcast and at Indie Business Magazine.

Download my 2010 Media Kit here (PDF).

I look forward to serving you!

Farewell To Two Amazing Indies!

Donna Maria — Sat, 14 Aug 2010 13:32:53 +0000

In March, I told you a “Going Out Of Business Success Story,” featuring Jen Denslow of Blooming Lotus in Kansas City, Mo. Today, I bid a fond farewell to more amazing Indies. Toorrow, longtime IBN member Kristen Leigh Bell is closing Aromaleigh. Earlier this week, Chandi Plank announced that she is selling Mineral Basics. You can see Chandi’s announcement here, and read Kristin’s announcement here. As you can see, neither decision was precipitated in any way by HR 5786. Having said that, as you read their blog posts, you also get a glimpse of the kind of challenges today’s Indie Business owners face.

This graphic displays Chandi’s mineral eye shadow (left) and Kristen’s mineral rouge (right). Many items are 60% off at Mineral Basics, as you can see here. Aromaleigh’s last day of business is tomorrow, though, as you can see here, there is a chance Kristen will open for a short period of time in September if there’s anything left to sell. If you order, read their blogs and policies carefully because shipping is delayed from the normal as they juggle everything business and personal. Having used both Mineral Basics and Aromaleigh products, I can tell you that it’s worth the wait. (In fact, this week’s Indie Product Showcase video features the products of Aromaleigh, along with other Indies-made goodies.

Kristen, Chandi are current members of IBN, and Jen was up until the day her business closed earlier this year. While I never met any of them personally, I served them with every fiber of my being. It has been my great pleasure to watch these tenacious women start businesses from scratch, make and market products, blog, Tweet and tend to their families and personal lives with grace, gusto and style.

Bittersweet indeed.

Please join me in wishing Kristen and Chandi much success, peace and well-being as they pursue new adventures!

Question: How do you feel when you see an Indie move on to new pastures? Bittersweet? Hopeful? Disappointed? Excited for them? All of the above??!

Some Of My Best Twitter Advice

Donna Maria — Fri, 13 Aug 2010 13:29:40 +0000

Through the years, I’ve blogged a lot about how Indies can use no-cost social media tools as their Number One Media Outlet. I have been told that my posts have helped many people expand their sphere of influence and increase business opportunities. If you’re new here, you may have missed some of them so I thought I’d share some of them today. Here is some of my best Twitter advice from 2009 and 2010:

How To Use Follow Friday For Maximum Twitter Influence [Video]. This post will help you make the absolute most of each and every 140 characters you share with your followers. Every single one counts! Respect the Tweet, and the people who sign up to get it.
4 Ways Your Email Newsletter Can Drive Traffic to Your Blog, FaceBook and Twitter Pages. Not just about Twitter, but how to use other tools to increase value you deliver on Twitter.
Why Twitter Is Not A Waste Of Time For Small Business Owners, In 29 Words. A thought provoking post about Twitter, life and relationships.
Top 10 Ways For Small Business Owners To Use Twitter Lists. In many ways, Twitter lists are more valuable that followers. This post discusses why that is, and helps you make the most of them — as a lister and a listee!
10 Actions To Increase Your Twitter Influence. The more influence you have, the more business you have. Use Twitter to help generate more of both.
Twitter Is Icing, Not Cake. As important as Twitter is, it’s still icing on the cake of something far more significant.
How To Make Useful Twitter Connections. Don’t just wander aimlessly around Twitter. Be intentional and you’ll see more results.

I think that’s a good start. I hope you find these posts helpful.

PS: This post was inspired in part by Chris Brogan, who shared some of his best Twitter advice yesterday at this link.

Question: What do you think? Can you share some of your best Twitter tips and posts?

How To Direct Informed Discussion At Your Blog [Video]

Donna Maria — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 18:33:19 +0000

As an Indie Business owner or any kind of public figure, you must maintain at least one informational website that invites customers and other members of the public to engage around issues that are important to all of you. You want to avoid trying to control those discussions by doing things like refusing to allow comments from people who disagree with you. I see a lot of people make this mistake, thinking they can silence opposing opinions. All this does it highlight your own lack of transparency and authenticity. Instead of controlling the discussion, you want to lead and direct it. Watch this video to learn my D-A-P Principle for doing this.

The D-A-P Principle is easy to incorporate, and it will help your blog enjoy increased readership and make it more fun and informative for others to invest their time with you there. Here’s the D-A-P Principle:

Disclose. Disclose your editorial policies, including when you will disallow or delete spam or comments that are mean-spirited, defamatory, nasty or otherwise aimed at humiliating or embarrassing another person. Also, make sure to disclose when anything you post at your blog is done in exchange for material benefit to you. Take a look at my Editorial Policies for examples of how you can do this.
Address. Address and and respond to as many comments as possible at your blog. This acknowledges your readers for taking time from their busy schedules to be with you and your readers. It also keeps your blog alive and vibrant. As the leader, you need to be present at your blog. If you are not there, don’t be surprised when no one else is their either.
Promote. Promote the people who take the time to comment at your blog. Share their comments on Twitter, FaceBook and in future blog posts. This lets other people know that there’s an interesting discussion going on at your blog, and they are invited to participate too. More importantly, it promotes the people who use their energy to share their ideas and opinions at your blog.

As a leader, you are responsible for multiple discussions stemming from your business. A blog is a great way to tie all of these discussions together, but you should never try to control the discussion. A blog is defined in large part by the existence of open discussion. When the editor of a blog squashes that, the blog becomes something else. Propaganda maybe. But not a blog.

The better practice is to disallow comments that violate clearly stated Editorial Policies, approve the rest, and then address and promote them so others can join an informative conversation and share their ideas and opinions. It’s not just important, it’s also fun!

Question: Do you agree? Disagree? What did I miss? How do you direct useful discussion at your blog?

Indie Product Showcase [Video]

Donna Maria — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 10:11:57 +0000

One of the many cool benefits to leading the Indie Beauty Network is that I have access to tons of cool American-made, handmade artisan products. I thought I’d use my blog to share some of them with you. I mention the websites where you can buy these products on the video.

My members make everything from candles and jewelry to soaps and sugar scrubs. Members who do not manufacture products provide services like graphics design, website and blog design and business consulting. Other members sell supplies, ingredients, bottles, jars and boxes. The all do an amazing job of proudly representing America, and I love showing them off. They are what I call “consumer business owners,” the new American success stories!

Companies mentioned in this video: Shea Radiance (Maryland), The Grapeseed Company (California), The Bead Dreamer (Virginia), MJ’s Herbals (New York) and Aromaleigh (South Carolina). I purchased all of the products featured in this video, except for those from Shea Radiance and MJs Herbals, which were gifts.

Aromaleigh is closing as of 8/15/20, so get the last of her mineral makeup stash while you can!

Remember: the things we make, make us.

Question: Do you support Indie and artisan manufacturers?

How To Get More Rest

Donna Maria — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 14:47:55 +0000

You may recall that Wisdom is my ThemeWord for 2010. One area I have been seeking wisdom in is the area of sleep and finding ways to get more of it. While I get 6 to 8 hours of sleep nearly every night, I still feel like I don’t get enough.

This morning, I discovered that sleep may not be the real issue at all. It may be rest. At least that’s what I heard on my local NPR station, WFAE, in the hosts interview with Matthew Edlund, MD, aka The Rest Doctor. Here’s how he described the four categories of rest we all need:

Physical rest. This includes things like deep breathing and simply staying still and quiet enough to pay attention to some part of your body.
Mental rest. Mental rest takes place when we use mental images, like visualization, to focus the mind on things that bring us pleasure and joy.
Social rest. When we are socially at rest, we are participating in brief conversations and enjoying light social interactions with people who are important to us. Social resting restores us and also helps minimize symptoms associated with depression, according to Dr. Edlund.
Spiritual rest. Spiritual rest occurs when we seek a sense of meaning and a connection of some kind to something larger than yourself. This can include traditional forms of worship or the study of spiritual texts. It could also include prayer and any other activity that embraces the notion that forces outside of yourself are at work in your life.

Clearly, we need different types of rest in order to be successful professionally and socially. I did not know that! I am intrigued by these concepts, and Dr. Edlund’s book, The Power of Rest: Why Sleep Alone Is Not Enough. A 30-Day Plan to Reset Your Body (affiliate link), is getting rave reviews. I think this will be a good investment for me, and I plan to purchase my own copy soon and incorporate some of his techniques into my life — and encourage my husband and kids to do the same.

Visit Dr. Edlund’s website here.

Question: Have you been appreciating the differences between sleep and rest, and making sure you get enough of both? What techniques do you use? What tips can you share?

Featured Indie: Tammy Brodbeck of Milk and Cookeez [Video]

Donna Maria — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 14:03:50 +0000

As the president of the Indie Beauty Network, I have the privilege of seeing up close and personal the amazing products offered by small US manufacturers.

My members make everything from candles and jewelry to soaps and sugar scrubs. They do an amazing job of proudly representing America, and I love showing them off. Just look at the beautiful products featured in this video. Everything is made by Tammy Brodbeck of Milk and Cookeez, or if she didn’t make it, she purchased it from an Indie who did.

Did you see those sugary treats? Don’t they look good enough to eat? It’s amazing what you can do when you have a passion and a desire to succeed! Tammy, who is also a wife and mother, is a good example of that. She’s one of those “consumer business owners” I told you about yesterday, and we must work together to preserve her ability to grow her business, provide for her family and set a positive example of self sufficiency for generations to come. Find Tammy on FaceBook and Twitter.

And I would be remiss if I didn’t tell you that my husband, Darryl Johnson, quickly edited this piece on a whim last night using photos taken by Tammy. What a partnership, huh? You can see more of his work and find out how to engage his services for your video needs at his blog.

Remember: the things we make, make us.

Question: On a scale of 1 to 10, how important is it for us to preserve these types of businesses in America? What are you doing to make it happen?

The New Consumer Business Owner: Are You One?

Donna Maria — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 14:42:12 +0000

I love being in business for myself. When I started my now-closed cosmetics business in the mid-1990′s, the world was wide open for entrepreneurs from all walks of life. You could start a business doing anything. A few years later when the Internet made its way to Main Street, not only could you start a business, but you could actually expand one by taking it national or worldwide. These are exciting times, made possible by the Internet and the creativity, innovation and tenacity of the people who are putting it to good use.

But despite all of this wonderment, there’s a big point that most people are missing. Even though the Internet is making it possible for “everyman and everywoman” to be an entrepreneur, political forces are slowly conspiring to squash the American dream. It happened last year with the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008, which put thousands of tiny toy companies out of business because of the behavior of a few companies that were not careful about the components they made their toys with.This country is founded on the truth that all people have the right to pursue happiness, and this includes the right to use your talents, gifts and other blessings to provide for yourself and your family. The ability to do that by starting a small business in a home, garage or local manufacturing area is now threatened by people who simply don’t understand that America must accommodate a new kind of “small” small business owned not by traditional corporate leaders, but by “consumer-business owners. Here are some of the reasons why this is important.

America’s Administrative Agencies and Laws

The United States Small Business Administration was formed in 1953 to “aid, counsel, assist and protect the interests of small business concerns.”

President Obama recently signed a bill creating the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to protect consumers from abusive financial products. (Read more about the new agency in the Wall Street Journal.)

He is also trying to push the new Small Business Jobs Act through the Senate. This legislation would eliminate capital gains taxes for some small business investments and create a $30 billion Small Business Lending Fund for community banks. (Reported on CNN.)

Congress is cutting into its summer recess to return to Washington tomorrow to vote on a $26 billion jobs bill that supporters say will save the jobs of as many as 145-thousand teachers and other public workers. (Reported in The Washington Post.)

The stated missions are great, but who’s looking out for what I call “consumer-business owners?”

What Is A Consumer-Business Owner?

I first publicly used the term, “consumer-business owner” last year in this letter to the Chairman of the Federal Trade Commission. The term encompasses consumers in the traditional sense, but it also encompasses consumers who are small business owners — so “small” that they are not effectively captured by the mission of the SBA or any other US regulatory or administrative body.

Consumer-business owners are the new kids on the block. We are wholly consumers and wholly business owners, yet we are not just either of them. Instead, we are a self-contained intersection between the two.

We are consumers because we have jobs. We have jobs because we created them.

This is a critical distinction between us and other consumers — we don’t work for someone else. The difference between us and other consumers is that we created our jobs, while traditional consumers were given a job by someone else.

Our businesses are our jobs! We created our jobs and we own them, and American policy makers and lawmakers don’t really know we exist. This makes us unique, even new, in the American economy, and the system is simply not set up to deal with the issues we face.

We’re half breeds, and our elected officials either don’t know about us or, if they do, they don’t know what to do with us.

Small, Is Not

The SBA defines “small” businesses largely to determine what companies can and cannot take advantage of in terms of government set asides and exemptions from requirements that “non-small” companies must follow. A cosmetics company grossing $7M a year is considered “small” by the SBA! How many “small” business owners do you know leading companies grossing that much on an annual basis?

What President Obama Considers “Small”

Take a look at the types of “small” businesses President Obama visits on his trips from state to state to promote his agenda. According to published reports like this one, he chooses who to visit by looking at a list of local business owners who had recently taken out small business loans through an SBA loan program.

It’s great that he’s promoting local businesses, but consumer-business owners rarely if ever take out small business loans. They finance their companies through a traditional job (full- or part-time), gifts or low- or no- interest loans from friends and family members, their savings and retirement plan accounts and whatever credit they can get on a consumer credit card. They are not looking to become rich, public trade stock or open chains of franchise locations. They just want to take care of themselves and their families and create a profitable asset that allows them to generate enough income to expand their professional horizons and perhaps retire comfortably.

(For a story reiterating how opposed consumer business owners are to small business loans, even with President Obama’s new plans, read this story about entrepreneurs Erics Duignan Minnhan and Susan Reiner, who “wouldn’t take out a bank loan if President Obama delivered it on a silver platter.”

That may have made sense in 1953 when the SBA was formed, but today, there is a new kind of “small” business. It’s bigger than Mom & Pop largely because the Internet and other new technologies allow Mom & Pop to expand beyond their geographical location. The Mom & Pop of yesterday was limited in terms of growth because it could not really sell anything beyond its immediate area.

Today, Mom & Pop can expand across multiple state borders, and even countries, and still qualify as Mom & Pop. These types of businesses are managed by people who will never gross $7M a year. They may never even gross $1M a year. But even so, they are successful. They are living good lives, raising their children saving for the future, paying for the own health insurance, putting their kids through college, paying mortgages off, paying their taxes and contributing to the local tax base.

Current Policy Does Not Address Consumer Business Onwers

So, the SBA is looking out for small businesses that are not really small at all.

The new Consumer Financial Protection Bureau will look out for consumers who might be duped by financial institutions when it comes to buying a home, auto and other consumer products.

The Small Business Jobs Act will look out for employees who work a traditional 9 to 5 job at a business owned by someone else.

And Congress is cutting its vacation tomorrow to look out for teachers and other public workers in cash-strapped states.

Who’s Looking Out For Consumer Business Owners?

Who is looking out for the cash-strapped consumer-business owner? I think no one is, and that’s how CPSIA became law with no one paying attention.

* Toys: Lawmakers thought they were curbing the behavior of a few big companies, but it turns out they were passing new laws that made the Consumer Product Safety Commission (the agency charged with promulgating rules under the CPSIA) take actions that forced consumer-business owners toy makers out of business.

* Bloggers: Something similar is happening to this nation’s bloggers, most of whom are consumer-business owner bloggers and not big companies, but which must nevertheless comply with the same FTC’s Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising that multi-billion dollar companies must comply with — even though the FTC apparently is not really concerned with the impact of tiny “individual bloggers.”

* Cosmetics: The same thing could happen in the cosmetics arena with H.R. 5786. If that law passes, thousands of consumer-business owner cosmetics companies will be put out of business by a well-meaning law designed to curb the behavior of certain companies, but not the ones owned by consumer-business owners.

What’s next?

Consumer-business owners are getting lumped in with everyone else, even though they are not similarly situated. Sound public policy demands that companies making 1,000 lip balms every sixty seconds be regulated differently than companies making 1,000 lip balms a year. Same for toys and people maintaining blogs on their own or with a few guest bloggers now and then.

Don’t you think?

There’s No Box For Us

We don’t fit into a box. We are not categorized according to traditional categories. We’re the new kids on the block, and Congress and everyone is busy passing laws that completely overlook us.

A consumer-business owner’s business is his or her job. Passing a law that forces them to lose their job because they have to close their business is not necessary to protect the public.

What To Do?

Well, now, ain’t that the million dollar question! And I don’t know the answer. But I do think it’s an issue, and I’m wondering if you do too.

Question: Are you a consumer-business owner, or do you know someone who is? What do you think our nation should do from a policy perspective to ensure our seat at the table?

Thanks To The Indie Sponsors And Readers!

Donna Maria — Sun, 08 Aug 2010 20:02:15 +0000

It has been a crazy few days, including lots of collaborative engagement with amazing people following last week’s trip with Kayla Fioravanti, Anne-Marie Faiola, Leigh O’Donnell and Lela Barker to meet with staffers on Capitol Hill about the new cosmetics bill, H.R. 5786. (Learn more at this site.)

There are tons of other people involved in the advocacy as well, from the newest small business just launching to more established companies led by people who don’t want to see the trail they’ve blazed go unused. Many of these people are sponsors of my work. Please take a moment to check them out! If you’d like to be an Indie sponsor, scroll down to the bottom of this message to link to my Media Kit and find out more!

I Connect You To The Small Business Owners Who Want To Do Business With You!

Contact me for more information about supporting the work I do to support and advocate on behalf of small and independent business owners. Packages are available on a first-come, first-served basis, and include promotional consideration on my Twitter page (over 11,500 small business followers), FaceBook (over 2,000 active participants), Indie’s social networking site (over 6,300 engaged users), this blog, on Indie Business Podcast and at Indie Business Magazine.

Download my 2010 Media Kit here (PDF).

I look forward to serving you!

Sound Advice For Combat, Life and Business, Courtesy Of The US Military

Donna Maria — Thu, 05 Aug 2010 14:08:45 +0000

Athe airport the other day, I stood next to two young military recruits and their father. The recruits, dressed in fatigues, looked to be barely out of high school. I didn’t mean to eavesdrop, but since we were all cramped together in the boarding area, it was kind of hard not to hear their conversation.

As the recruits pinched each other to see which one would flinch first, their father, also wearing fatigues, gave them advice I found just as appropriate for military engagement, as it is for life and business. Here’s what he said:

“Leave your bad attitudes here.” As he said this, he pointed directly to the spot on the floor where his feet were. He told them that, as their father, he would temporarily hold onto their attitudes so they could succeed in camp. He said they would come back from basic training changed men, and that whether or not they changed for the better depended on what they did with their bad attitudes. If they left them with their father, they would change for the better. If they took them on the plane, they would change for the worse, and what’s more, they’d make their training even more miserable.
“Listen well.” He told them to pay attention to what they were being asked to do, and to do exactly what was asked of them — no less and no more. He said that listening well was half the battle of getting through training.
“Respect others, and think of them first.” The father told his sons that all people, even military leaders, want is to be respected. Listening and respecting orders would show for the men and women they would be serving under. He told them that if they ever needed help in the military (“and you will need help, I ‘gayantee’ ‘dat”), but had not shown respect, they would get no help.
“You will be accountable.” He ended his short message by telling his sons that they would be held accountable to God for the things they did, said and thought as they served their country. He was adamant that nothing they did would be done in secret, even if it seemed that way, and that there would be an accounting for every choice they made, both in training and in combat.

It was sobering advice, applicable I think not only to military service, but also to service in life and as a business owner.

The father’s sons boarded the plane before me, and I heard him sniffle. Since I was standing next to him (and I’m sure he knew I heard every word he said anyway), I just had to say something. I apologized for my eavesdropping, but told him that the message he gave his children was timeless. I thanked him that I got a chance to hear it, and told him that if every son and daughter entering the military got the same talk his sons got, our nation would be served well. He took a deep breath, shook my hand and walked away.

Question: Are you as moved by this as I am?

Small Business Success Notes To A Young Lady

Donna Maria — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 17:09:37 +0000

As I draft this post, I’m on a layover in Atlanta following briefings yesterday on Capitol Hill regarding pending anti-small business cosmetics legislation. (You can read more about those briefings here.) On my trip from DC to Atlanta, I had the pleasure of sitting next to a young lady who described herself as a young entrepreneur. Twenty-year old Brittany Reid is a New York City-trained and licensed makeup artist and a native Washingtonian (like me!). Here were are on the plane after an hour-and-a-half long impromptu business coaching session.

En route to Atlanta, Brittany shared her hopes and dreams with me, and picked my brain for some of my best and most succinct business advice. Here are a few of the things I shared with her:

Pick brand names you can own. Brittany said she was heart broken when she saw a line of makeup branded with the name she wants to use for her line. She said she loves her chosen name so much that she’s not going to change it just because she saw another company using the same name. My advice to Brittany: pick another name.

Using a name that someone else is already using in your industry is risky because it’s an invitation to a trademark battle down the line. Under no circumstances should you invest your resources building a brand when you know in advance that someone else is already using the brand name you are using. That’s called trademark infringement and you don’t want any part of it. Choose a name that is as unique as possible.

I like to tell my clients I’d rather have them be wealthy using a name they hate, than broke using a name they love. You can learn to love any brand name that is making you successful, so pick one that you and you alone can brand and own as you grow.

To find out if anyone else is using a name you want to use, check for it on your favorite search engines, and at the United State Patent & Trademark Office (USPTO) search database where you can search for pending and registered trademarks. If the name (or a similar name) you want to use is in use, including the Internet and the USPTO search database, pick another name. Be creative and innovative! You’re an entrepreneur, so you can do that!! (This is not legal advice, just information. For questions about your name, you’ll need to make your best guess or hire a trademark attorney. Email me privately for references.)
Leverage your unique assets. Brittany wants to start a mineral makeup line. Of course this is the perfect business for her since she loves makeup and is a professional makeup artist. I cautioned Brittany that she will be entering a crowded field, and that her success will hinge in large part on her ability to leverage things about herself and her business that no one else has. Of course, this starts with her, Brittany, the person.

Many people can launch, own and manage a reasonably successful business if they offer quality products at fair prices. But no one else on earth can be Brittany. In this regard, I reminded her that she is her greatest asset. I suggested she build her own personal brand (not just a product line), using social media tools including a blog and a FaceBook page, lots of video showing off her makeup skills and the colors in her line, and Twitter to leverage herself as the innovative thought leader behind the brand.

I also suggested she start blogging and “comment blogging” now, even though she has no product launch date in sight, so she can eventually launch her line to a waiting group of motivated prospective customers.
Know the lay of the legislative land. One of the products Brittany said she’s considering is a colorful, glittery makeup line for pre-tween girls. I cautioned Brittany that there is much Congressional focus these days on products aimed at children in that age group. I advised her to search online for existing or pending regulations that might affect her ability to sell products in the future. By doing so, she will arm herself with the information she needs to plan properly and account for any outside legal forces that may affect her venture, for better or for worse.

Brittany is a total sponge. I could literally feel her absorbing the insights and experiences I shared with her. She’s just the type of young lady I love talking to. She’s wide open and knows the world is her oyster. She reads a lot and has a teachable attitude. She does not shy away from working hard or taking reasonable risks. This is borne out by the fact that she held down a job at a DC-area fast food restaurant for 5 years (starting at age 15!) before moving to pursue her dreams in Atlanta, a hot bed of makeup and fashion in the African American community.

I am so excited for Brittany, and I know she is going places. I plan to stay in touch with her, and maybe keep you up to date on her entrepreneurial journey.

Brittany, if you’re reading this (and you promised you would!), remember that, at this time in your life, everything on your side. Stay humble, respect others, keep your attitude in check and you will amaze yourself and all of us at what you can accomplish. And work that pretty smile and those gorgeous dimples you have. You go! I’ll be watching … and looking for the “Small Business Success Notes To A Young Lady” you publish someday. Always pay it forward girl!

Question: What do you think of my advice to Brittany? What else would you tell her?