Who is your business? Powerful brands often go beyond pushing price, selection, or quality. To build a brand that resonates, create a likable “personality” for your mobile enterprise. You may have already identified what that is with a simple tagline or mission statement in your business plan. To develop the idea further, imagine your company as a person. Write down what that person enjoys, from music and TV shows to phrases and clothes. This simple exercise can provide insights that you can apply to all of your branding — background music, signage, promotions, social media interactions — and even how you treat customers. (For example, there are no customers at Target. They’re guests.)

Find your genuine voice. Technology has opened the doors of branding wide open for mobile businesses. Many free tools can be used to build existing customer relationships and reach new audiences. Once you’ve identified your brand personality, use its voice consistently in every “conversation,” from blog posts to Twitter updates and Google+ recommendations. A brand voice that is authentic and consistent resonates with customers over time. People connect with meaningful voices — and tune out posers just as quickly.

Deliver on your brand’s promise. Think about what entices customers to buy from you, no matter where you are. Develop a one-of-a-kind service or product that you can provide, consistently, no matter what. For example, a traveling fitness instructor who attracts clients with pumping music and a sweat-producing workout could deliver a consistent brand experience anywhere, but only with a sophisticated sound system and a climate-controlled indoor space. The same class taught outdoors in the pouring rain or blazing-hot sun may result in a different, disappointing customer experience. Make sure your brand delivers on its promises every time.

Hire people who share your vision. Without the community or resources that a physical location provides, your mobile business’s success may rely heavily on your reputation and interaction with customers. Make sure your employees embrace your company’s mission and “wear it” for the world to experience. If they’re just there to make a quick buck, you’ll never build a solid brand

This advice is courtesy of Spark & Hustle national sponsor Intuit GoPayment.  WIth GoPaymet you can accept credit cards right on your mobile phone or tablet so you never miss a sale! There’s no monthly fee, no start up costs and no commitment.  Change the way you do business and get your free card reader today!

About the Author: Stephanie Christensen

Stephanie Taylor Christensen holds a master’s degree in marketing and has 12 years of marketing management experience for Fortune 500 companies and small businesses. She founded Wellness on Less and Om for Mom Prenatal Yoga in Columbus, Ohio. She is a regular contributor to Mint, Minyanville, SheKnows, and Investopedia whose work has been syndicated and sourced by Yahoo! Finance, SFGate, TodayShow.com, and The New York Times.

Most complaints or issues have two components: the described content of the situation — and its underlying structure.  Think of it like this: when you see a wave on the surface of the ocean (the complaint, issue, situation), there is a current (the unseen cause of the problem) that is creating the wave.  In both work and life, by separating the two and identifying the underlying current, you can clarify and resolve many situations in minutes. How about that?

Here are 10 common “currents” running beneath the “wave.”
Use these questions to determine which one is the primary cause of the situation. It’s then much easier to resolve the problem.
1. Is there a lack of clear goals, or no goals at all?
2. Do the goals serve the needs or personal values of the individual(s) or organization?
3. Are those involved suffering from missing information or a communication failure?
4. Is the individual or those involved unable to manage an imminent or ongoing conflict?
5. Has the individual or group broken a commitment or had a commitment broken to them?
6. Is there a lack of knowledge about how to resolve the situation?
7. Does the individual or those involved not want to do what is needed to resolve the situation?
8. Do those involved lack the opportunity or resources to resolve the situation?
9. Is someone in the situation being mistreated or observing the mistreatment of others?
10. Are those involved overwhelmed by circumstances or obligations or unclear about priorities?

So, the next time you are faced with conflict, silence, upset or disagreement that is not obvious, take a peek at the “cheat sheet” above. Dig deeper to learn just what the real problem is.

It’s difficult to solve or resolve issues when what appears to be “the problem” is not truly the problem.

Unless they are “help-rejecting complainers,” who can’t be served by you no matter what you do, your friends, family and colleagues will be grateful for your steady skills and problem-solving inquiries.

About the Author: Debbie Phillips, a pioneer in the field of executive and life coaching, founded Women On Fire® to extend inspiration, strategies and support for women to be successful. She is the author of Women On Fire, co-executive producer of the video Inspire Me!, and has served as a columnist for ABCNews.com. Read more at the Debbie Phillips Blog

Use a business plan template to assist in the writing process.
Using a template will ensure that the basics are included in your plan. Don’t be shocked to find that there are hundreds of thousands of templates to choose from on the Web. Most have the same content. A good place to begin your search is with the United States Small Business Administration. The template that is recommended by the SBA is found on the Counselors to America’s Small Businesses Website. It can be found at http://www.score.org/.

Research, research, research.
Two crucial areas of your business plan that require large amounts of research are the marketing and finance sections. Investors and lenders want answers to questions like how large the target market is, and how much it will cost to startup and operate the business. The only way you can accurately answer these questions is if you have done your homework. Be sure the sources you cite for figures and forecasts are accurate and reliable. Check and double check your calculations before including them in your business plan. You will need to be able to support your statements if asked.

Describe your business in easy-to-understand terms.
A business plan serves as a tool to inform potential lenders and investors about the specifics of your business. It will include a description of your company, information about your products and/or services, your marketing plans and how you intend to operate and manage your business. A good quality business plan needs to be written in clear, concise language so those who may not be familiar with your area of business can still understand your objectives. Steer clear of industry jargon.

Take your time. 
This is a basic yet important thing to keep in mind when writing a business plan. A lot of research and planning must be done to write a plan that’s worth anything, and thorough research cannot be done overnight. Also, remember that writing a business plan forces you to take a closer look at what your goals are and how you plan on accomplishing them. Make sure that you take time to scrutinize each aspect of your plan. This will reduce the chance of missing any inaccuracies that might slow down the startup of your business.

Don’t be intimidated by the task of writing your own business plan. It will take a considerable amount of time and research, but it is time well spent. Remember that a business plan is a vital tool that will see you through the startup process and escort you into the reality of business ownership. Having a clear and well thought-out plan will serve you well as you pursue your business goals.

This advice is courtesy of Spark & Hustle national sponsor SurePayroll who is a leading online payroll provider. SurePayroll offers easy, comprehensive online payroll for over 35,000 small businesses across the country.  No matter the size of your business, from 1 to 100+, call today to find how the ease of SurePayroll can save you time and money.

‘Ah ha’ moment that led you to launching this business: We launched back in 2009 after babysitting on the side for four years. It was getting so big that I finally quit my job in public relations in September 2011 and have been running with it since.

Ideal Customer: Elite families, hotels, travel agencies and event planners across the United States.

First Customer: My first official LLD client was a family I had been helping with babysitting, housesitting and other family-centric services for years. I told them I was going to turn my passion for childcare into a real business – and they signed up.

Measuring Success: Success in my line of business is built around loyalty and trust.  My sitters are extremely loyal to me, as are our families. Both parties trust that LLD will take care of them and provide them excellent service. We have open communication in our company and strive to keep a positive energy. Every time a LLD sitter walks through the door the family knows what to expect: the best. An early success was expanding outside the tri-state area, once our families got to know our business, they told their friends and it grew from there. Recently we signed up as a preferred vendor with major third party agencies (travel agents, hotel concierges, etc.) It’s been great to have corporate validation of our concept and business (in addition to our families).

Biggest Struggle: Time is my struggle. I am your typical Type A personality. Each day I wake up thinking how can I successfully tackle each issue my business faces. At times I need to pull back the reigns, prioritize, my tasks and remember that my time is scarce and valuable.

Surprise!: I have been pleasantly surprised by how much competition we face – it validates the market opportunity and keeps me motivated.

Promoting Business: Customer service. Our best promoters are our existing clients and we get referrals all the time. We don’t advertise in order to maintain our exclusive image – so referrals are critical.

Two things I wish I would’ve known: It is impossible to make everyone happy. LLD is in a very sensitive line of business, there are lots of feelings and emotions involved.  As I always strive to keep a positive energy in everything that LLD does, there will always be bumps.  Secondly, intuition is key. In past jobs, I had to listen to other people tell me what to do, even though I did not feel right about it. Now I follow my intuition and that seems to be effective in most situations.

What keeps you up at night (business-wise!)?: My mind does not stop. There is always work to be done and I often feel guilty going to bed. Sad I know, but I love what I do and helping people. I always am thinking of the next best idea for my company or a new way to promote our services. I also get very connected to our families, so if something is happening in their lives, it affects me too. I often think of ways to better help them in their situation.

Ever tempted to throw in the towel and just get a job?: No, although I definitely get nervous at times. But the gratification of signing a new client, making a new business relationship or meeting someone who says “Wow, that’s a great concept!” keeps me going. It makes me happy to know that I am making a difference in the lives of our sitters, families and children.

Moving Forward: I want to continue adding stellar sitters to our pool of childcare providers and increase member families by 25% per month in each city.  I want to build Austin, LA, Atlanta, Chicago and Philadelphia into what we have in NYC and I will complete this by building our relations with elite travel agencies, partners, hotels, etc. across the United States. This summer, I want to hire an assistant, get an intern and secure office space to call home.

Pricing, Getting It Right: Ask your customer, research and follow your instincts.

Funding: I met a man interested in investing, I pitched LLD to him, he liked it, we discussed all details and then we signed papers. It may not be this simple for most, but LLD was already up and running for years prior to me needing financial assistance to leave my former fulltime job.

A Few Good Tips: Know your brand and stick with it. Do not change your mind because one person suggested it.  Consistency is key.  In promotion and PR always make sure that your messaging is on-par with who you reach out to otherwise the message gets lost. Make sure you trust your employees and clients. They talk and will be the biggest ambassadors for your brand.

Must-Reads: I read Parenting.com regularly; they have unique tips on how to engage children, Entrepreneur Magazine.com is always on my night stand; they provide quick and easy ideas on helping you save time and money. I write for Mommybites and always follow what they have to say. I also like Big City Moms, MomTrends & Macaroni Kid for local events and weekend picks for families.

The absolute best part of owning my business is: making a real difference in the world.

If you had to do it all over again, I would have: not worried as much and just enjoyed the experience.

I never imagined: legality would be so difficult.

If standing on a rooftop facing crowds of aspiring or struggling small business owners, I would shout: “Listen to the right people. Stay positive, talk to everyone and take in the good and the bad. Then evaluate and make it happen.”

‘Ah ha’ moment that led to launching this business:  Originally, I launched my blog as a personal project, but when my email inbox became full of requests to ‘chat’ more on the subject of rebranding and growing a business while maintaining the role of being a mom, a lightbulb went off.  Many moms were hungry for something of their own.

Ideal Customer: A woman or mom who either has been on a career break or looking for a career change that includes some flexibility and a feeling of ownership.  A woman who wants to see her ideas brought to life.

First Customer: Both of my first clients were high school and college classmates.  It was a relief that someone who I knew and valued already trusted in me, however, asking for payment was difficult.  I did it though.

Measuring Success: As a writer, I measure success in page views, time on the site, comments and interaction and how these statistics translate into women engaging in  projects with me.  As a woman, I gauge my success by hearing back positive feedback from other moms.

Biggest Struggle: Asking for money was a big hurdle for me in the beginning, especially when it came to former classmates.  Realizing that I wanted to help other women be successful, value their own time and expertise and achieve greatness made me think that I had to be a role model.

Surprise!: The busier I am, the more productive I am.  The fuller the agenda or my calendar, it seems as though the more I accomplish.

Promoting Business: Attending conferences – like Spark and Hustle – has been the best promotion so far, and more than likely will continue to be so.  The networking that evolves is tremendously valuable and ongoing.  The ripple effect of going to my first Spark and Hustle only a few months after deciding I wanted to launch a business continues to astound me.  It truly has evolved into a very connected ‘society.’

Two things I wish I would’ve known: 1) How long some aspects of business take in setting up and  2) That there are really only 24 hours in day.

What keeps you up at night (business-wise!)?: Unanswered emails, planning for the weeks ahead and trying to remember whether my kids need a packed lunch or not.

Ever tempted to throw in the towel and just get a job?: I throw in the towel every month for about five minutes, and then I think to myself that my brand is me and if I quit, there will be nothing there.  No legacy, nothing for my kids to remember. Quitting would be an awful example.

Moving Forward: My goal is two-fold.  First, to finally launch my second business, a product line that I created and was the impetus behind my original blog.  Second, to maintain my blog and work with moms while launching.  It is a lofty notion, but I am determined, tenacious and have too much riding on it all working.  I expect to get even better at chunking my time into segments for each business, outlining specific times for specific groups of tasks.

Pricing, Getting It Right: I really try to get a feel for what the marketplace can bear in a certain category — and price accordingly.  It is a constant tweaking based on supply and demand. I believe that quality of services provided sets the tone.

Funding: To set up my blog and LLC for consulting required minimal funding.  What women really need to remember is time really is money, and it is so crucial to evaluate what is the best way to spend time. I have some experience with funding due to the products business, and it is not easy.  I used some money that I saved, and I am diligent over every financial choice in this regard.  Crowd funding seems to be a fantastic way to go, and I am intrigued with that avenue.

A Few Good Tips: Our lives are so virtual now, and it is very easy to hide behind a computer, but we must take our internet connections and turn them into real life relationships.  It is important to attend conferences, workshops, and networking events in order to meet others face-to-face and be able to refer one another and/or do business together.  Finding a few good mentors is key.  Do not ask someone right off the bat to be your mentor, but foster and nurture a relationship.

Must Read: The Spark and Hustle Blog, of course!  I really do love the stories and posts from real women and their success stories that Tory shares.  I find it important to stay on top of issues facing women in business through Entrepreneur Magazine, The Huffington Post, local news, and a large dose of other blogs on business related items.  StartUpNation, where I am a regular contributor is a fantastic resource for forums and information on starting a business.

The absolute best part of owning my business is: that something is MINE.  I still cannot believe what I have created, and I am often taken aback when someone compliments me.

If I had to start over again, I would: have planned better in the beginning, but my excitement took over.

I never imagined: staying on top of receipts would be so difficult. It is my worst nightmare.

If standing on a rooftop facing crowds of aspiring or struggling small business owners, I would shout: ”Do what you are passionate about, what you love, and what you do best.”

If you operate based on “gut instinct,” or you make assumptions on how your business is performing without knowing the facts, you can run into problems quickly.

Fortunately, there is a simple solution. By monitoring a few key business metrics, you can quickly gain a handle on your business and start on the path to improving your profitability.

Business Metrics
Business Metrics, or measurements of business activity, have long been seen as the exclusive tool of the pure number cruncher, the bookkeeper, and the statistician. That’s no longer the case.

In today’s increasingly flooded marketplace, the mantra must be: “You can’t manage it if you can’t measure it.”

By defining the metrics that are important to your business and monitoring them closely, you gain three key benefits:

• Focus. Defining the metrics that are most important to your business allows you to tune out everything that isn’t related to those key measurements. As a result, you’ll find that you and your business are much more efficient.
• Better Vision. Companies that monitor metrics can spot threats and opportunities faster than companies that don’t. Your metrics will give you keen insights into what’s happening within the four walls of your business as well as overall trends in your industry.
• Better Decisions. Metrics provide a framework for making business decisions. With the numbers in black and white, you can make well-reasoned decisions on how to proceed. If it improves your key metrics, consider it. If not, move on.

Implementing Metrics
Getting started with metrics is easier than you might think.

Many small business owners don’t understand how simple it can be to collect and analyze these important numbers. A simple seven-step process gets you started.

1. Define Your Goals. Make a list of business goals. Goals might include sales objectives, target profit margins, or success at signing up new customers.
2. Define the Metrics. For each business goal on your list, write down a metric that will help you track your progress to success. For example, if your goal is signing up new customers, your metric might involve stating the number of meetings you will have per week with perspective customers.
3. Benchmark Current Status. Now that you established your metrics, you need to measure them. You must determine exactly how your business is doing, even if the truth is hard to swallow. By establishing the current value of each metric, you will be able to track your improvements in the future.
4. Put in Place a System to Monitor and Report Metrics. You may need to add new business processes that will help you calculate and report your metrics. For example, is the number of your customers who view your customer service as being “excellent,” then you may want to survey your customers every month and ask them how you are doing.
5. Communicate Metrics with Employees. Once you’ve defined the key metrics that are important to your business, be sure to let your staff know. Then, everyone can make decisions that help improve the metrics.
6. Review the Metrics and Make Decisions. With your metrics in place, you have greater insight into which strategies work and which don’t. Review the metrics and take steps to improve your results.
7. Promote Successes. When your metrics improve, let your staff know and reward everybody that helped make things better.

Metrics Best Practices
As you move towards using business metrics to manage and improve your business, follow these suggestions:

• It’s important not to have too many metrics. Concentrate on only a handful of metrics that are necessary.
• Choose the right frequency of measurement. If you only measure a metric once a year, you may not get the information in time to take the necessary corrective actions.
• Periodically reevaluate your metrics. Your business priorities change over time, and your metrics will need to be modified accordingly.

Reaping the Rewards of Business Metrics
Effective use of business metrics can have a profound impact on your business. As you gain a better understanding of your business and move closer to achieving important goals, your day-to-day work will become easier and your staff will be more accountable to the metrics that matter. You’ll make decisions based on data, without the confusion of emotional input or informational overload.

What’s Next
Put aside a couple hours to get started with your business metrics initiative. Decide what metrics you need, do some initial benchmarking and get started.

Remember what you don’t know can hurt you.

Business metrics can keep you aware of how your business is faring and ensure your business is in good health and on the right track. Collect appropriate metrics on your business, summarize and make them useful, and you will have a powerful new tool for managing your business.

About the Author: Michael Alter is President & CEO of SurePayroll, a leader online payroll provider. SurePayroll offers easy, comprehensive online payroll for over 35,000 small businesses across the country.  No matter the size of your business, from 1 to 100+, call today to find how the ease of SurePayroll can save you time and money.

ANSWER KEY:

1. Barbara Corcoran, real estate mogul and Shark Tank Star, New York
2. Lori Montag, creator of the Slapwatch and Zanybandz, Tulsa
3. Megan Duckett, founder of Sew What? which designs and manufactuers staging for stars like Katy Perry, Maroon 5 and more, Los Angeles
4. Katherine Kallinis and Sophie LaMontagne, founders of Georgetown Cupcake, and stars of TLC’sDC Cupcake Washington DC
5. Anastasia Soare, The Definitive Brow and EyeExpert, who shapes the brows of Hollywood A-listers like Kim Kardashian, Los Angeles
6. Jen Bilik, founder of Knock Knock, Los Angeles
7. Deborah Tillman, star of America’s Supernanny on Lifetime Network Television, Washington DC
8. Rhoda Olsen, CEO of Great Clips, Minneapolis
9. Emily Matson and Julianne Goldmark, co-founders of Emi-Jay, handmade hair accessories worn by celebs like Jennifer Aniston, Los Angeles
10. Jill Blashack Strahan, founder of Tastefully Simple, Minneapolis
11. Rochelle Behrens, creator of The Shirt by Rochelle Behrens, one of Oprah’s must-haves, Washington DC
12. Lisa Price, founder of Carol’s Daughter, New York
13. Noha Waibsnaider, founder of Peeled Snacks, New York
14. Lindsay Phillips, creator of SwitchFlops, Tampa and Dallas
15. Laura Geller, makeup artist and QVC-queen, New York
16. Paige Clark, creator of the MOGO charm craze, Dallas and Denver
17. Gina Butler, founder of Gigi’s Cupcakes, which brings in $30 million each year, Nashville
18. Sarah Caplan, co-founder of FootzyRolls, New York
19. Hayley Barna and Katia Beauchamp, co-founders of Birchbox, Boston
20. Alina Roytberg, co-founder of Fresh, Boston
21. Meg Hirshberg, Inc. Magazine and author on balancing entrepreneurship and family in her family business, Stonyfield Farm, Boston
22. Nikki Halbur and Tracy Reinhardt, co-founders of Adult Beverage Co., the maker of Adult Chocolate Milk, Phoenix
23. Joanne Shaw, founder of coffee giant, The Coffee Beanery, Detroit
24. Sari Crevin, founder of Booginhead baby products, sold in major retailers nationwide with celebrity fans, like Sandra Bullock, Seattle
25. Pam Turkin, founder of Just Baked cupcakes, Detroit
26. Dr. Vonda Wright, nationally known expert (shown here with Dr. Oz) and orthopedic surgeon, Pittsburgh
27. Charley Moore, founder and chairman of Rocket Lawyer, Seattle
28. Julie Aigner-Clark, founder of Baby Einstein Company, Denver
29. Gretchen Rubin, New York Times bestselling author of The Happiness Project, New York
30. Jessica Herrin, co-founder of Stella & Dot, San Francisco
31. Caroline Freedman and Lauren McCullough, co-founders of NuturMe Organic Baby Food, Houston
32. Melody Biringer, founder of The CRAVE Company, Seattle

‘Ah ha’ moment that led you to launching this business: I used to work at a sales and marketing firm and one of my clients made cake mixes. Looking at their past cake mix advertisements, I thought wouldn’t that be great if they made that for dogs? People love their dogs, myself included, and I imagined that many dog owners would want to provide their dog with a cake. That was my light bulb moment. I did a search for cake mix for dogs and found two disappointing options that lacked any appeal because of they used crude packaging, had strange flavors like pizza or pot roast and were expensive. Knowing that people are the ones who buy products — not dogs — I wanted to create a cake mix that was close to cake mix for people. People are accustomed to sweet flavors like chocolate or vanilla with professional packaging and easy to use instructions that require things that would already be in their kitchen. I spent the next several weeks researching canine nutrition and eventually came up with two recipes that were healthy, easy and tantalizing to dogs.

Ideal customer: Puppy Cake’s ideal customer is a woman who owns at least one dog and treats her dog like family.

First Customer: I began with just the website and advertised on Google adwords as well as a few dog websites.

Measuring Success: Every time I get affirmation that I have a good product, whether it’s a successful advertising campaign or a compliment from a customer, I feel like I am a success. I have goals that I post up on my cork board above my computer (so I can’t ignore them). They range from simple things like revamping the website to snagging the largest distributor of pet products.

Biggest Struggle: My biggest challenge has been getting capital. At first it was so easy because I have great credit and banks were freely lending. But by the spring of 2008, everything dried up. Most of my spending limits were dramatically reduced with little to no notice and by no fault of my own. It really stunted to growth of my company. I got creative in advertising my business. I require all of my advertising campaigns to have a 100% return on investment and I have sophisticated ways of calculating that before I make the ad buy. I also relied heavily on free publicity. To save money I purchased the book, How to Be Your Own Publicist — so that I wouldn’t have to pay a publicist.

Surprise!: I had no idea how difficult it was to make a dollar. Perhaps it was my youthful naiveté fueled by the American dream, but I really thought I would have $1million in sales in the first year. It takes time to build a brand and reputation.

Promoting Business: I have found that publicity is by far the most effective way to gain new customers, but I am limited in my control in that regard so I rely heavily on social media, especially Facebook. Posting pictures of happy customers is an especially effective way to encourage sales.

Two things I wish I would’ve known: I wish that I had had an understanding of the pet industry when I began. I thought that I could just grow my business with online sales on my website when, in fact, most of my business comes from selling to distributors and large chains. Getting a distributor to carry a new product has been a huge challenge and I didn’t know that having only one product is a major barrier for entry.

What keeps you up at night (business-wise!)?: I worry about capital more than anything. I am lucky to have a very small amount of debt, but it is just enough to take a major chunk of cash flow away from growing the business and paying myself. I worry about paying it back, accruing interest and how I will continue to finance growth.

Ever tempted to throw in the towel and just get a job?: I have thought that many times. Every time I come to a road block, I have prayed and asked God to tell me if I should stop doing this, but every time, a solution or affirmation to continue comes my way.

Moving Forward: To gain national distribution. To achieve this, I am working diligently to garner new distributors, chain stores and independent retailers across the country.

Pricing, Getting It Right?: Puppy Cake is a tangible product, which makes pricing a little easier. When I set the price for Puppy Cake, I considered the alternative to consumers and then other gourmet dog treats — plus the consumer mindset of cake mix. Gourmet treats run between $5 – $10 and a store bought cake for dogs cost between $15-30. I settled in at $7 which seems to be the sweet spot.

A Few Good Tips: Manufacturing is heavily dependent on cash flow because you can’t just order 200 branded boxes to fill your 200 box order this month; you have to order 5,000 boxes at a time which can tie up a lot of cash. It may take you a year to use all those boxes, so you have to be able to float an entire year’s worth of boxes right away. This makes adding new products challenging, because every new product comes with a hefty price tag, but it is critical to growing the business. You can’t be scared to create new products, but also wise with your money. Profit margins are usually between 40%-60%, so you have to remember a $10,000 sale isn’t really $10,000, its $4,000 – $6,000 that you can actually use for operations.

The absolute best part of owning my business is: taking ownership of all the successes of my company.

If I had to start over again, I would: have a business coach help me from day one.

I never imagined: getting distribution would be so difficult.

If standing on a rooftop facing crowds of aspiring or struggling small business owners, I would shout: “Don’t be afraid to ask for help.”

• Pay attention to time zones. It can be especially difficult to keep track of time when you’re outside of your usual zone — especially if the call’s participants are scattered around the globe. When scheduling a call, use a time zone calculator to find the most convenient time for everyone involved. Set an alert on your mobile phone that will go off 15 minutes beforehand as a reminder.
• Make sure your phone reception is up to par. Whenever possible, use a landline or an internet connection (to plug into a VoIP service, such as Skype, via your laptop). If you must use your mobile phone, verify in advance that the area where you’ll be during the call has sufficient coverage; if it doesn’t, you may need to relocate. If you’re a bit of a MacGyver, you could also try WiseBread’s strategies for hacking your phone to boost reception.
• Get the right gear. Portable speakerphones, such as the Jabra Speak 410, can plug into your laptop for use during a VoIP call. If you’re calling from your car, purchase a Bluetooth speakerphone unit, or consider buying a GPS device that’s equipped with built-in Bluetooth hands-free call technology, such as the TomTom VIA 1535TM.
• Use the Mute button when necessary. If you’re at an airport or another busy locale, or if you’re getting a lot of static on the line, press your phone’s Mute button to spare your fellow conversationalists the background noise. Just remember to “unmute” when it’s your turn to talk!
• Record the conversation. If you’re unable to take notes during a call, consider recording the conversation so you can listen to it again later. (Note: By law, you’re required to inform fellow participants that you’ll be recording the call.) Use an app like MP3 Skype Recorder for conducting calls over Skype or PhoneTap ($4.99 for iPhone). For easy reference, you may then want to send your audio files to a transcription service, such as Scribie.

This advice is courtesy of Spark & Hustle national sponsor Intuit GoPayment.  WIth GoPaymet you can accept credit cards right on your mobile phone or tablet so you never miss a sale! There’s no monthly fee, no start up costs and no commitment.  Change the way you do business and get your free card reader today!

About the Author: Kathryn Hawkins 

Kathryn Hawkins is a writer and editorial consultant who has worked with publications including Inc. and GOOD Magazine. She is principal and content strategy lead at the Maine custom content and web development agency Hawkins Multimedia.

‘Ah ha’ moment that led you to launching this business: It happened in the backseat of my 2002 Honda Accord. I have two teenage boys who are very active in sports. On this particular hot day in July, I asked my sons to wait for me outside while I finished getting dressed for a meeting, when I finally got everyone in the car I noticed sweat dripping from their heads and needless to say they weren’t actually smelling the best. When I opened the glove compartment to look for a napkin, it hit me a “shower wipe for men.” I thought “what if I can create a wipe that will take care of their on/off the court odors?” Later that evening, I began mixing together several essential oils until I found the right mixture, and that’s how Befresh Body Wipes was created.

Ideal customer: Women who buy for men ages 13-30.

First Customer: My first customer actually happen through social media. I sold several boxes to my family and friends. They have been my most loyal customers. I landed my first client by cold calling a buyer until he finally agreed to set up a meeting with me.

Measuring Success: I measure my success by how many people try Befresh and actually love the product. One of my early success stories happened when I mailed Daymond John, the CEO of FUBU who is also one of the hosts of ABC’s Shark Tank a box of Befresh Body Wipes. Daymond called me back to let me know that he liked the product. He also posted my product on his twitter page.

Biggest Struggle: Finding the right manufacturer for my product. I had to take my business out of the country to keep the cost low. Since I am a novice at international manufacturing, I had difficulty trying to explain my idea to my manufacturer to ensure that I received a quality product. I was able to overcome this by doing a thorough reference check and by making sure that I asked the right questions upfront before any contract was signed.

Surprise!: I am most surprised that I am always in work mode. Each day I know that I am getting closer and closer to achieving my goal. I am ok with foregoing shopping sprees and vacations because I have dedicated my time and money to making sure Befresh is successful.

Promoting Business: I do a lot of cold calling to businesses. I believe in my product and I know that buyers need Befresh in their stores. I refused to take no for an answer. I had a buyer tell me once that he wasn’t interested. I waited a few months and went back and he said yes. So persistence has been the key to promoting my business.

Two things Iwish I would’ve known: 1. Consult with a marketing team that specializes in product placement. 2. Research more US based manufacturers.

What keeps you up at night (business-wise!)?: I have my vision board beside my bed as a constant reminder of where I am going with Befresh but I do stay up most of the night trying to come up with unique marketing strategies for my business. I am not afraid of failure, it is the process needed for success that keeps me awake.

Ever tempted to throw in the towel and just get a job?: I never really thought of throwing in the towel because I knew that my opportunity had finally connected with my destiny.

Moving Forward: For Befresh to be in five different retail stores.

A Few Good Tips: I attended a Count Me In conference for female business owners. This gave me a platform to ask question to women who were already successful in their business. I asked questions about manufacturing and outsourcing. My suggestion: partner with any local or national group where you can grow and learn.

The absolute best part of owning my business is: knowing that I am leaving a legacy for my children.

If I had to start over again, I would have: started earlier.

I never imagined: website design/social media would be so difficult.

If standing on a rooftop facing crowds of aspiring or struggling small business owners, I would shout: “Don’t be afraid. Just jump.”

1. Make sure your signage is up to scratch. In a crowded venue, audience members may easily miss your merchandise booth on their way out the door. Put up a branded sign that’s large enough for people to see from across the room and that’s simple enough to read from any angle. Before the crowd arrives, take a look at your booth from various spots around the room to make sure that your branding materials can be easily viewed.
2. Offer custom goods. Of course, you want to put your core product — such as your CDs — on display. But you may win over more prospects by offering alternatives. For instance, consider selling a custom flash drive that features your entire back catalog, for fans who’d rather download music than buy CDs. In addition to pushing promotional staples such as T-shirts and posters, you may want to offer eco-friendly tote bags and water bottles, too.
3. Give something away for free. Everyone likes free stuff, even if it’s just a sticker or a bookmark. Handing a sample product (one that’s branded with your logo and includes your contact information) to everyone who passes by is a conversation-starter, and these samples can serve as unconventional business cards.
4. Present your products well. Make sure your merchandise booth’s surface or covering is clean. Crusted food or other stains are likely to turn off potential buyers, so eat your pre-show dinner elsewhere. When it comes to your products, make sure that they are neatly organized, with shirts folded, posters displayed on the booth’s back wall, and CDs and DVDs sorted into stacks or slotted holders.
5. Don’t leave until the last audience member is gone. Being on sales duty isn’t always exciting, but if you’re selling products related to your own talents, buyers will turn up at your booth as much to talk to you as to take something home. If you can avoid it, don’t outsource your role. Be friendly, ask people how they liked the show, and offer to sign any merchandise they buy. Being charming in one-on-one encounters here can help you build fans for life.

This advice is courtesy of Spark & Hustle national sponsor Intuit GoPayment.  WIth GoPaymet you can accept credit cards right on your mobile phone or tablet so you never miss a sale! There’s no monthly fee, no start up costs and no commitment.  Change the way you do business and get your free card reader today!

Pick a great team. People are everything and will make or break your business. Your organization is only as good as the people behind it.  Find people who have passion, commitment, and creativity.  I like to surround myself with a community of people who acquire some traits that remind me of myself in some way, but that have expertise in what I lack.  Hire people you respect most but don’t be afraid to be relentless about creating an amazing team

Your product or service should solve problems. Start with solving a problem instead of having a product and then searching for problems it might solve. When you create a problem-driven business, eventually you will be of great use to those who need a solution.  And if you are unique enough, and readily available, your business will flourish quickly.  Therefore, you’ll need to know your customer base and their needs.  And think about why someone should spend their money on your product or service.  Some of my clients travel to my shop from all over the country because they know I’m the best person to solve their hair issues.

Be financially savvy. Have a steady income. Don’t spend what you don’t have, and make the most of the resources you DO have, like the SBA, and spend your money wisely.  Always create a budget before spending any money and be realistic with your numbers.  And most importantly, build your credit.  You never know when you may need to borrow money from the bank.

Your marketing efforts should overlap.  That means, do spend your money on advertising, PR, social networking, direct mail, e-mail campaigns, and any other ways to build brand awareness through all outlets simultaneously.  Using only Facebook and Twitter helps a little, but it won’t work as your only means of marketing.  You need to attract a huge audience first before you can engage a small percentage of people who actually want to try out what you are offering.

Think outside the box. I knew I didn’t want to be a company that sold wigs made of synthetic hair.  There are thousands of those out there.  I had to stand out.  I had to be unique.  I had to be innovative.  My hair is the only of its kind.  100% Italian hair, hand-made, eco-friendly, and customized to each client’s needs.  Now that’s different.  But when it was time to start rebranding my company’s image and realign our vision this year, I knew it had to be so out of the box, that it would drive PR and generate new leads.  So I built my Mobile Hair Studio.  A Mercedes traveling hair showroom – it’s the broadcasting mechanism for everything I do. The story of the vehicle and its purpose to drive to women’s communities to help with their hair challenges got LeMetric noticed once again.  So make sure your brand will have everyone talking.  Standing out from the crowd goes a long way.

Be tenacious. If it were easy, everyone would be doing it. Recognize your biggest challenges and when you face them, push yourself to overcome them.  You have to decide what YOU want, not what others want you to do.  Focus on the bigger picture, and have a clear vision of where you want your company to go.  Trust yourself enough so that you are willing to do whatever it takes to make something work.

Elline Surianello is the founder of LeMetric Hair Solutions, and is a recognized expert with 25 years experience helping thousands of women.  She has been seen in major media outlets including The New York Times, The New York Post, Ladies’ Home Journal, New Beauty, ABC, CBS, FOX, Good Morning America and much more.

‘Ah ha’ moment that led you to launching this business: I had lost my job during the 2009 economic downturn. I was unable to find another job that would allow me the opportunity to spend more time with my new grandchild. While using photos to teach my granddaughter who’s who in the family, she wanted to hold the photos in her hands — and she was destroying them. I decided to create a sensory, hands-on learning tool that could go beyond just teaching photo recognition, helping to teach other basic skills, facilitate language, memory development and creative thinking during our play. After seeing how much my granddaughter was learning, others who saw it said it was a great idea and wished there was something like when their kids were young.  At that point my journey took hold as I thought, “Why not me?”

Ideal Customer: The gift and early educational/special needs markets. Zatswho offers a broad range of use. For parents, Zatswho is an interactive activity to use to talk/bond with their baby and for families with a new adoption and for deployed military families with young children where pictures play an important role in keeping family connected. We also market to families who have children with special needs who play and learn differently, even in use for elder care. Even children four years and older love it because they can carry around their Zatswho photo cards in the tote as a comfort item when entering pre-school or away from their family.

First Customer: I was showing a prototype, while asking my doctor who was just coming back from maternity leave if she’d mind filling out my survey; she loved it and ordered two on the spot.

Measuring Success: Success for me can be measured in many ways. Although each sale is a monetary success, I feel that I’ve had many that aren’t monetary. From the get go I’ve believed that you can build a business while still extending the hand of kindness to give back.  My most personal success story is sadly from the passing of my father. He was a huge part of our family life and my granddaughter was only 15-months-old when he suddenly passed. Upon our first family gathering, when my step-mom arrived at my daughter’s home, my granddaughter ran into her room & brought out her great-poppa Zatswho card, not just reducing us to tears but also non-verbally letting us know she got the connection, asking where’s great-poppa? She is now almost 4 years old, and carries him along in her tote with her . When people see that card in particular, they will tell her stories about my dad, keeping his memory alive. That’s priceless to me.

Biggest Struggle: Gaining mass distribution has been hard because Zatswho is unique to the market and concisely describing it without being too wordy is a challenge. We are still working at it.

Surprise!: The fact that I’m not technology savvy or into social media has made it a bit more challenging having to learn on the fly and be engaging in these areas when you have so many hats to wear. I never anticipated that my story about how I created Zatswho would lead to speaking at events and being interviewed in national media markets.

Two things I wish I would’ve known:  I had zero experience in any area of the industry: manufacturing, retail, marketing or sales, so I wish I was a bit more patience, that I spoke with retailers with my prototype in hand to get more feedback on packaging. But early exposure in the press and positive evaluations/reviews led me to believe, foolishly, that Zatswho would be an overnight success. As a result I made mistakes that I could have avoided.

What keeps you up at night (business-wise!)?: Many things: can I keep this pace up, self funding, do I look to license or sell to another company with the same synergy? Am I not spending enough time with my husband and growing family?

Ever tempted to throw in the towel and just get a job?: Yes, but never just for another job. There has been nothing like this experience in my life. I’ve met some of the most amazing people through this journey. I’m learning so much daily that just going out to try to get a job would be so boring and besides, that’s what led me to create Zatswho in the first place — to create my own destiny.

Moving Forward: To continue to get exposure and distribution for my product. I believe as people get to know about my product they will buy it.

Pricing, Getting It Right: There is nothing like our product on the market. With nothing to compare it to, I walked around with prototype and a survey in hand to friends & strangers alike that asked the open ended questions: what would you expect to pay for this product & what would you be willing to pay for this product. It was consistently between $15 to $20, we have Zatswho priced at $15.95.

Funding: Funding is a real challenge. I’ve used our savings. I had applied only for the SBA loan for new businesses. I was granted a small loan that I turned down because I was shocked with the terms of the loan after I was told that the economy and abuses from previous loans forced them to offer less favorable terms.   My advice is to do as much research as possible in the industry you are entering first. Work on a business plan, which is really only a best guess at first. If it’s a new industry to you, such as mine was, add 20% more into the costs as you will most likely encounter unexpected ones. Use that for the basis of determining if you can self-fund or need the help of others before you get started.

A Few Good Tips: Make sure you ask for references and check them out before paying up front or contracting for services from sourcing materials to creating your website. Once you have made a decision to go with a source, after a sample is made find a testing, certification & verification lab service to ensure products meet safety standards and compliance requirements before you have anything mass produced. I also paid extra to have a quality control inspector on site to spot check in the factory as my product was being manufactured.

The absolute best part of owning my business is: knowing that I’ve created a useful and award-winning product that didn’t exist.

If I had to start over again, I would have: more patience learning before jumping into it.

I never imagined: losing my job and spending time with my granddaughter would lead me onto a new career path at mid-life.

If standing on a rooftop facing crowds of aspiring or struggling small business owners, I would shout: “Without risk, there can be no reward. It’s better to know you conquered your fears and overcame challenges to pursue a dream than to always wonder, ‘What if!’”

If you are looking to attract loyal followers and fans in social media, you may want to consider showing off your positive, optimistic, Pollyanna attitude. Being upbeat and cheerful really draws a crowd.

Let’s face it – we get enough negativity in our lives, don’t we? Between the negative outlooks on the economy or the latest depressing news stories, we’re bombarded with negativity.

Why would anyone want to follow someone who gives them more of it online?

Positive posts invigorate all who read them. People who are energized by your happy attitude are attracted to you, and want to hear more. A buoyant approach to social media is the best way to generate a community of active and loyal followers, and build lasting relationships.

How to Generate Loyal Followers Just by Being Positive and Friendly

#1: Be Authentic

Yes, it’s important to have a bright attitude, but people can see if you’re being phony. Don’t pretend to be happy when you aren’t. That’s like pasting a smile on your lips. If it doesn’t reach your eyes, everyone knows you are faking it.

If you want to share about something that is bothering you or making you angry, can you put a positive spin on it? Can you write it in an entertaining way? Add a little humor to your grumpy mood.

Computer froze up 4 times today. Wanna throw it through a window. Guess that’s a sign I should take a break & go shopping. Who’s coming with me?

#2: Rebroadcast Positive Posts

Connect with positive people, and re-post their inspirational messages to your community. These motivational posts will further the positive image of your brand, catch the attention of key influencers, and help build valuable, lasting relationships.

#3: Roll Out the Welcome Mat

Don’t be shy! Write on your new friend’s wall, give them a shout out on Twitter, or comment positively on one of their posts. When your community is growing very quickly, it becomes almost impossible to extend personal greetings to everyone, but don’t resort to automatic messaging.

These often evoke negative feelings. Select a few interesting new followers and send each a message. Include something personal you’ve learned about them from their page. This will engage new followers and establish authentic connections.

#4: Ignore Negative Nellies (Yes, it happens, even to us Positive Patties)

How do you respond to that guy who calls you names and tells you that your opinion is stupid? You don’t. Spending time and energy in negativity is a detriment to your positive branding. Breathe, smile, and move on.

This approach does not apply when a customer is complaining about your product or company. Ignoring that kind of post can lead to increased anger and retaliation. Use good customer service skills and keep a level head.

#5: Be Funny and Entertaining

What’s the number one thing your fans and followers want? To be entertained!

Get over it! People are not visiting your Fan Page or following you on Twitter to hear more about your products and services. They only come back if you are highly entertaining.

Give ‘em what they want, in your own friendly way, and you’ll generate a happy, loyal community.

Remember: social media is a virtual extension of YOU. Let your beautiful smile shine through, and you will establish loyal, lasting relationships based on happiness and success.

Nika Stewart, The Laptop Mom, is an eternally optimistic (yet often sarcastic) wife and mommy, a coffee addict, and a lifestyle entrepreneur who has seamlessly integrated her career into her life. You can learn more about the Laptop Mom’s most popular program, Social Media Done For You, at http://www.GhostTweeting.com

‘Ah ha’ moment that led you to launching this business: As a graduate of a public high school and then later an Ivy League school, I was always the “go-to” person in my community for assistance with reviewing college and scholarship applications, essay and resume writing, and targeting the best colleges to attend. After the birth of my second child, I was looking for a new business opportunity that would best use my strengths and interests while providing me with flexibility to be with my family. I realized that I had been providing these services for free for many years and it was about time to start charging. I did some research on the South Florida independent college counseling offerings and realized that there was nobody really providing the service and expertise that I could provide. In 2004, around my birthday, I incorporated International College Counselors and have been helping students get into the colleges of their dreams ever since.

Ideal Customer: Parents of children between the ages of 13-17.

First Customer: My mom is one of my biggest supporters and is involved in education; she touted my knowledge, connections and strong work ethic and introduced me to my first client. I helped my first client gain admission into Dartmouth, and after that, it became an easier sell.

Measuring Success: In my business, success is finding the best school for each student and his/her family. Whether a student comes from a long line of Ivy League graduates or is the first person in their family to go to college, success is different. Success has been getting students admitted into all the Ivy League schools but it has also been getting students into Florida Atlantic University, Arizona State University and other schools that may not seem like a top school but it’s the right fit of the student.

Biggest Struggle: Growing the business. I strongly believe that every business owner should have a mentor. I’ve been fortunate enough to have some amazing mentors who have helped me realize that I can’t do it alone and that it was time to hire help; helped me find patience; helped me find new business opportunities; helped me weed out bad business requests; made me realize that there will always be obstacles; and just lent me an ear.

Surprise!: My biggest surprise has been learning that things take longer than expected. Whether it’s fostering a new relationship, getting the first client, publishing a book or growing the business, it will always take longer than you think.

Promoting Business: We’ve partnered with some results-proven tutoring companies that have given us the opportunity to hold seminars and talk to their students. Because of the natural cross-over, we have received a good amount of clients through them.

What I wish I would’ve known: Having started my career in finance (a male dominated industry), I wish I had known how to sell to women a little more, especially when dealing with a high-end item. Selling to women and selling to men require different strategies and a lot of patience. I have adapted my selling technique many times and am still learning.

What keeps you up at night (business-wise!)?: My business depends on my students’ success. If a student got deferred from his/her first choice or did not get into one of their top schools, I am questioning why and strategizing next steps to get that student accepted.

Ever tempted to throw in the towel and just get a job?: No. I love my field of work, my colleagues and what I do. My job is flexible, enables me to meet interesting people, is intellectually stimulating and truly makes an impact on the rest of a child’s life.

Moving Forward: We are looking to expand our business and expertise into new markets. The problem is growing in a new market where no one has heard about you and finding the right person to represent you. Many people think they can be a college advisor or think they can get new business, but until they actually try it, they see how difficult it actually is.

Pricing, Getting It Right: We’ve played around with many different pricing options including lower prices, higher prices, hourly prices and other options. I am finally confident that our price reflects an all-inclusive product, high quality, and a fair price for the excellent service we provide. The key is to see what else is out there, make sure that you’re providing the best possible product/service and then pricing your product/service accordingly.

Funding: To keep costs low, I started the company out of my own house and clients would either meet in my home office or I would travel to them. I did not take a salary for the first year of business either. My business partner and I closely watch our money, discuss all major purchases prior to buying them and give raises/salaries in line with revenue.

A Few Good Tips: For our business, the biggest advice is to manage expectations. Many of our international clients, for example, initially tell me they want to go to Harvard, Princeton or Yale. If a student does not have the GPA or the grades to get into these schools, there is not much I can do. The key is to manage expectations, explore other opportunities and find the best school for the child. I also strongly believe in having patience. We have had parents who saw us present at an event two years ago and then call us two years later to hire us. With a high-priced item, it sometimes takes a few gentle reminders and patience to secure the client.

The absolute best part of owning my business is: being able to create something for myself and my community.

If I had to start over again, I would have: started the business earlier.

I never imagined: hiring good talent would be so difficult.

If standing on a rooftop facing crowds of aspiring or struggling small business owners, I would shout: “The worst anyone can say is no.”