Everything’s coming up pumpkin this month, so I thought it would be a good time to review a book I read that has truly changed things for my business. This book, The Pumpkin Plan by Mike Michalowicz, was recommended to me by my numbers guru, Stephanie Robl at Ten Key, Inc. Bookkeeping and Accounting. Stephanie read the book and reviewed it on her blog, so I had to check it out!The book is based on the way farmers grow HUGE, award-winning pumpkins, and it outlines a very simple process for … [Read more...]
What is a “Reasonable Price” for Creative Services?
Very often, I am asked if a creative professional I recommend is "reasonably priced." I don't know what that means. In the current market, for example, logo design can cost you anywhere from $5 to $50,000 (or more--the new Rhode Island tourism logo, which is universally hated by Rhode Islanders, cost $1 million. Yet it was designed by the guy who came up with I♥NY, so who knows? Maybe it will be a sleeper hit.) What, exactly, is “reasonable”?The definition of professional is someone who … [Read more...]
Magic
Legend says, the natives who first saw the white men on the shores of what was then not even called America were at first blind to them. They'd never seen ships before, so they kept saying they saw distant "clouds” on the sea. Billowing sails can certainly look like clouds and they had no point of reference for such a thing. But the local shaman, which is kind of a cross between doctor, magician, and priest in native culture (depending on who you talk to) kept seeing something different. Every … [Read more...]
Where to Put your Focus: Business Lessons from a Yoga Practice
The Rhode Island Small Business Journal, or RISBJ, is a local business magazine featuring articles from professionals and business owners. In a few short years, it has become the premier business publication and the go-to resource for entrepreneurs of every stripe: aspiring, first-time, and experienced.I’m very proud to have had articles published in RISBJ! Check out this article ….. … [Read more...]
What Have You Done for Me Lately?
This article is excerpted from an article that originally appeared in the inaugural online issue of The Rhode Island Small Business Journal. I had an experience once that reminded me of something I preach constantly: it's easier and less expensive to cultivate customer loyalty than it is to go after new customers...yet many businesses do not do that! Here’s what happened: I signed my daughter up for soccer at a place we really like. The instruction and … [Read more...]
The 4 Bs for Social Media Success
The Rhode Island Small Business Journal, or RISBJ, is a local business magazine featuring articles from professionals and business owners. In a few short years, it has become the premier business publication and the go-to resource for entrepreneurs of every stripe: aspiring, first-time, and experienced.I’m very proud to have had articles published in RISBJ! Check out this article I wrote with my good pal and business contact Jen Osojnicki, about how to create and maintain kickass social … [Read more...]
Work Naked if You Have To…a Few Rules to Break for Work-at-Home Productivity
The Rhode Island Small Business Journal, or RISBJ, is a business magazine featuring articles from local professionals and business owners. In a few short years, it has become the premier business publication in Rhode Island and the go-to resource for entrepreneurs of every stripe: aspiring, first-time, and experienced.I’m very proud to have had several articles published in RISBJ. Check out this article on how to stay productive while working at home, we'd love to hear what you think! … [Read more...]