The Blog - Where Business Collides with Human Nature

A Small Business Opportunity for Entrepreneurship at 50+

The Encore Entrepreneurship Course will help you discover how to turn your entrepreneurial idea into a business reality.

Life after 50 opens the door to many opportunities and new interests, and being retired or near retirement may give you the time, resources and experience that will allow you to be more passionate about these than you have ever been before.

It may be time to find the answer to the “what’s next” question you’ve been pondering. In fact, we’re seeing a growing number of people over the age of 50 – we call them encore entrepreneurs – look to small business ownership as their next big opportunity. Think of it as a great concert. What’s the best part? The encore!

Topics: Training Entrepreneurship Solopreneur Government Program

The Easy Linkedin Marketing "Cheat" Tactic for Email Marketing

Linkedin is not just a marketing tool used for jobs, creating authority, making connections, collaboration and recruiting.  Linkedin is also a way to create an "Oprah Effect".  In other words, you can offer value each day which over time makes people comfortable with you.  Your consistency in offering value each day determines your reputation.  Are you pushy?  Or you a con?  Is it all about you or do you have a mission of offering value?

Topics: Guerrilla Marketing Ideas Social Media Marketing Linkedin

Does Your Business Need an Answering Service or Live Virtual Receptionist?

Key Takeaways:

Topics: Team Building Hiring Outsourcing

Three Ways to Establish a Good Reputation

You may feel like you are carrying a heavy burden on your shoulders, especially when first starting out. Keeping up is not enough to build success. There are also marketing considerations to take into account – especially when it comes to brand reputation.

Whether you have a product to sell or services to offer, it is vital to establish a good reputation with your potential client base. It is unwise to assume that consumers will automatically view you in a positive light. There is a certain amount of wooing that comes with the new business territory. Like any part of a small business strategy, setting up an accurate and effective view of your services can make a big difference in revenue.

Topics: Reputation Management Online Marketing

The Difference Between Vendors and Consultants [video]

This video walks through the basic thought process of a vendor vs. a consultant.  As you watch the video it will be important to remember that who you see yourself to be in the mirror matters little. The most important aspect is what the customer needs.  If you are hoping to market yourself as a consultant and not just a "vendor", your challenge is to build credibility, authority and be ready to share success stories.

Topics: Consultant Support Definition

Is It Time to Buy a Business Phone?

Startups and small businesses often use personal phone lines for business use when they’re first starting out. While this may seem like the easiest and most cost-effective solution for your early months, you could be doing more damage to your business than you think. Having a business telephone can build your brand and help manage calls when you’re off in investor meetings or visiting clients. As your business begins to get off the ground and you’re considering a business telephone, you might be asking yourself a few questions.

Topics: Business Technology Technology

Understanding the Content Marketing Explosion [Infographic]

According the a study by the Content Marketing Institute, content marketing is one of the top growing fields with an increasing number of marketers relying on content strategy for overall success.

Businesses of all sizes are beginning to realize how integral a solid content strategy should be to their marketing plans.   Even major corporations like Coca-Cola are betting everything on an integrated content strategy.   To illustrate this growth in content marketing, the Blue Glass team created an infographic called “The Content Marketing Explosion". with the most popular content marketing tactics employed by B2B marketers.

Topics: Content Marketing

Free Tools to Help Small Business Comply with Laws and Regulations

40,000 new laws went into effect this year.  It is impossible for a small business to perfectly comply with laws and regulations.  There are too many variable, the laws change without an email notification.  If you are not well read and staying in tune to the requirements, it is easy to get behind the game.

Topics: Government Free Legal