The need for a network

Who is in your network?

If it’s your current clients and customers, your circle is likely not large enough or of the quality you seek if business growth is a goal.

No matter how busy I am, forcing myself outside of my comfort zone into new groups always refreshes the way I view my business, myself, and how I can help the next person I meet.

Think about the last time you pushed yourself outside the norm and into a new environment. . .if you can’t remember when that was, it may be time to venture out. Nawbo, River City Express Network, Richmond’s Network of Enterprising Women (NEW) are just three amazing women’s groups that come to mind, not to mention the Richmond Chamber of Business.

The Extraordinary Women’s Exchange is an incredible Chamber function designed to help Richmond women grow their networks while grasping inspiration from amazing national speakers: highly reccomend this quarterly event. If you’re into Social Media, the Social Media Club of Richmond, known on Twitter as @smcrva is another must-attend event each month.

If you’re there for the first time, say hello! Love to meet you.

Try, try again. . .

Reading a great article from the Wall Street Journal digital network today on deciding when it’s time for Plan B reminded me of an important lesson that several entrepreneurial friends have shared with me:

If at first you don’t succeed, don’t throw out the baby with the bath water. Try, try again.

The business owners in this article are doing just that–and realizing greater results by changing their business plans.

Likewise, so many of my clients and I work together throughout an entire calendar year for this very reason to work on various ways of marketing their messages; this works well because it’s very difficult to knock a “one-hit-advertising-wonder” out of the park. If everyone could advertise somewhere once and have huge success, that advertising source would likely be so highly-priced as to squeeze some smaller or start-up businesses out of the market.

Although the article itself focuses on the business plan and changing that up if results aren’t seen, the same thing is true with marketing.

For example, if your social media plan isn’t working for you, try something new: we’re working with a client now to tap into the mommy blogger market as she never has before and growing her Twitter presence; both are helping greatly with SEO.

If your web ads aren’t providing the desired results, try surveying customers to find out what publications they read–perhaps their answers will surprise you.

In this economy, many high-end retailers have failed: this is the perfect time to diversify inventory and focus on services if the high-end schwag isn’t moving.

Making changes doesn’t mean that you’re doing something wrong, it just means working hard to try and do the right thing. So we work hard and try, try again.

Doors open the harder we work.

I was talking to a friend recently who also happens to be an entrepreneur about the amazing ways in which doors open to us as business owners.

At first–at least for me–it seemed like forever until clients were approaching me about partnering with me in some way. At a certain point though, after months and months of hard work, experimentation and building our site content the tide began to turn, and suddenly we were accepting instead of just making phone calls.

If we can see it through to that day when we begin to build a name for ourselves, do great things for others by helping them along, and giving back to the community, the doors begin to open in rapid fashion. Just walk through.

Create an account, then raise it like a baby.

I met with a new client today that I’m really excited about working with–she’s a second-generation business owner in a traditionally male-dominated field, and with a fun and feisty personality I know we’ll get along swimmingly as we help build her brand with the mom-set in Richmond.

When the topic of social media came up, shock came over her. “Can we just set up an account and tweet once a week or so?” she asked.

I answered resoundingly “No.”

It’s just not enough to create a Twitter, Facebook, Linked In or other social media account and barely update/build/share. It’s practically not worth having at all. With determination and the fire that most entrepreneurs or marketers have in their bellies, integrating social media into the entire strategy is the only way to achieve success. On the other hand, it doesn’t mean sitting at a screen and reading tweets all day, either. Overall, as I’ve stated in a past blog post engagement in social media is the key.

Creating these accounts is a new outlet into a new world of connectivity, branding, and learning that is much like birthing a baby. You can’t just leave the hospital and expect it to raise itself, right?

I screw up all the time. Kindness is appreciated.

This weekend was a crazy one. Got up early to leave the house at 7:00am Saturday morning in the brrrrrrr freezing Richmond temp of 30 degrees to run the Jingle Bell Run, then not even a shower before I was off to Home Depot kids’ workshop with the three rugrats, then home to shower (finally!) around noon and off to the Winter Bash at my boys’ elementary school.

We had a blast, got worn out, headed home then dressed to go out for a holiday when BOOM! It hit me: I was supposed to be at a Richmond Rocks reading at noon that day. And guess who forgot about it. Completely.

All the time women say to me: “Wow, you really have it all together!” which is a lovely compliment but couldn’t be further from the truth. While most of the time I am organized and have everything on the calendar, there are so many instances like this when I space out: completely.

I struggled with what to do, then decided that honesty is the best policy: I called the bookstore at 7pm that night where fortunately, they were still there to answer after their big day. “I honestly am not sure how I forgot, and I hate to tell you this,” I said to the book store owner, “but I just got caught up with my kids all day.”

Her response shocked me: “You know what? I’m happy for you. That’s a wonderful reason to have missed it. And honestly, we didn’t have as many kids here as we expected. So just be glad you enjoyed your day with your children, I know they appreciated it.”

Wow. Kindness in return for my major screw-up. For that, I am thankful.

Death of a business=time for reflection

A friend and client recently closed the doors of her business which had been alive and kicking in Richmond for six years.

This sort of stopped me in my tracks as I started thinking: what causes the death of a business?

The owner, a mom entrepreneur much like me, put her determination, heart and soul into the business. She spent countless hours building her brand, minding the store, creating promotions and sites and coupons and. . .the thought of it just breaks my heart.

I did some research on why businesses fail and found a great article on Small Business Trends called 5 Reasons Why Start-Up Businesses Fail. And while she wasn’t a start-up, I think you’ll agree that these probably apply to businesses in every life cycle.

The first is the one that sticks with me the most, because people always say to me. “Oh that’s so cool you have your own business, you get to choose your own hours!” I often think: Yes, that means early before my kids get up, during the day, and often after they go to sleep at night, while I’m at the gym, while I’m watching the kids at gymnastics. . .seriously, entrepreneurs never really stop working.

Not developing a Life Plan-People start small businesses for many reasons. They hate their job. They need extra money. They always wanted to open an art gallery or bakery. The trouble is that too many people do not take the time to really think about what they want out of life first, and then build a business around that.  They also don’t think about what their life would be like as an entrepreneur. How long do you think you could physically sustain working 7 days per week? . . .You need to develop a life plan because you just do not want to start a business that is NOT a good business for you.

I’m not sure anyone could’ve prepared me for this life as an entrepreneur, and there are days when I’d like to bag it all for a paycheck, but the passion continues to drive me. I’ll revisit these pitfalls often to try and ensure the business stays alive, at least as long as I’d like it to.

No, not yet.

The most feared, hated, frustration-inducing phrase in my house with our kids is: “no, not yet.”

We have chore lists that allow our three kids to earn tokens they redeem weekly for cash, which amounts roughly to a few dollars each. The kids may buy whatever they wish with their “hard-earned” cash and outside of that they don’t receive much (in terms of wordly goods.)

I too have had to learn this lesson with my business. If at all possible I pay bills via PayPal, snatching my payment from my business checking account & whisking it away, never to be seen again. When there’s no more, there’s no more.

When I want something, like some great online ads or a site improvement or an iPad (our toys are always more expensive aren’t they?) I’ve got to have the cash in hand to buy what I want.

I get as frustrated as the kids do–”it takes sooooooo long!”and often it seems like forever, but it causes me to reflect on the purchase, ensure it’s not emotional (ooh we’ve got to sponsor this!) And that it will show a return for the business, not just make me feel good/excited/proud to see Richmondmom.com prominently somewhere to build the brand.

Often I change my mind by the time it takes to purchase. This inability to make lots of knee-jerk purchases I regret later. Like my boys and those Bakugan, thrown in the corner and long-forgotten.

Set a goal, reach it, then double it.

Today Richmondmom.com will reach nearly 10,000 visits. This was my monthly goal when I launched into entrepreneurship.

Today’s the 15th of the month.

I wondered at first how it would ever happen:

Would we provide content Richmond moms and families would seek?

How would we showcase Richmond events & information differently?

Could we possibly provide enough content, contests, meat to bring readers to us consistently?

Yes, yes, and yes.

Through collaboration, thought diversity and good old-fashioned elbow grease we’ve grown the site.

Hiring friend and creative Kate Semp was one of the best moves I ever made. Redesigning the site was another smart decision (a bit premature as it goes live 12/01/10 but I gotta good feeling about this one).

Inviting guest bloggers was another: more voices are always more to chew on.

We’ll continue to improve the site by listening to our readers–intently–and taking action. Then we’ll set higher goals.

A Valuable Meeting

I’m fortunate enough to be asked for my advice & guidance by new entrepreneurs quite often.

This week was no different. When I received an out-of-the-blue email from a Richmond woman starting her own site it was flattering that she’d like my input.

We met for lunch & talked about Richmondmom.com, my humble beginning (and current humble status for that matter!), taking it from concept to cradle, and how we’ve grown to the “toddler stage.”

I was able to share my mistakes, which are plentiful:

1. Not hiring a professional web designer from the start.

2. Not hiring someone to help me sooner.
3. Trusting that clients would pay on time & not having a back-up plan. (As my husband says “Notoriety is great but we can’t put it on the dinner table.”)

She asked fabulous questions, causing me to reflect & often only offering-up an “I don’t know” as a response. . .after all, I’m no expert, I’m still learning, too!

What I took away from our satisfying lunch together (literally & figuratively) was that I learned surely as much as this kind woman did, and that there still remains much to learn on this bumpy business-owner’s road. The time spent reflecting&  sharing was as valuable to me as I hope it was to this once-stranger from whom I expect much success.

Yes, you can.

Lately I’ve met with some amazing women who consistently say to me: “I can’t do what you do, the networking, relationships, the building.”

Yes, you can.

There is nothing special about me in that regard. when we’re in business for ourselves, we are positive, forward-thinking, collaborative, “always on.” In fact, most successful people build relationships that last, provide value, truly care.

Stop holding yourself back with self-applied labels, do whatever you dream of. You can.