-the entrepreneurs at Infusionsoft
Top Small Business Experts Weigh In:
Be aggressive. In fact, be more aggressive than usual. Advertise and market more, and cut prices. That way, while everyone else is hunkered down waiting for this darn recession to end, you will be out there getting all of those new customers looking for a deal.
--Steve Strauss, USA Today Small Business "Ask an Expert" columnist
Be selective: Save your energy for the best projects and best customers.
Be flexible: Work with partners, employees, customers and clients to create new opportunities to create value—they are in this too!
Be Zen: You cannot spend your time worrying and you must focus on moving through this period with a positive mindset.
--David Wolf, CEO and founder of the SmallBiz America Network
To be successful this year, entrepreneurs should focus on how to do more with less; how to keep employees focused instead of fearful; and how to listen to the right advice in a world of increasing “noise.”
--Clate Mask, small business expert and CEO of Infusionsoft
Spend less time planning and more time testing your product/service in the market. Real customers will tell you more in one day than in three months of exhaustive research on your own.
--Pam Slim, author of Escape from Cubicle Nation
Small business entrepreneurs can generate attention for their businesses in many ways, but the time is now to EARN it by creating great information on the social Web that your buyers want to consume.
--David Meerman Scott, author of The New Rules of Marketing & PR
A down economy is a great time for an aggressive entrepreneur. Do what you have to to keep your current clients, develop content to establish your expertise, focus on emerging markets using inexpensive tools such as social media. And keep the faith!
--Melinda Emerson host of Twitter's #smallbizchat
Learn to say something interesting or produce something useful that will pull your best customers in. The best form of marketing is teaching. Make your market smarter and deliver value before the sale.
--Dharmesh Shah, founder of HubSpot and the blog OnStartups
Where is your current focus? What messages are you sending to the world? If you’re not attracting what you want—and also enjoying the process, it may be time to adjust your dial.
--Eva Gregory, CPCC and founder of Leading Edge Coaching
Embrace social media -- it is the new form of list-building. Look how far the Internet has come in the past ten years...even the past one year! It will change your life.
--James Hickey, founder of SD Entrepreneur
The rest of 2009 should be focused on improving your systems and process. When the economy recovers - and it will - the companies with powerful systems will explode in growth.
--Mike Michalowicz, author/founder of The Toilet Paper Entrepreneur
Customers will remember who treated them right and eased their way in the downturn – and as the economy improves they will continue to be loyal to your business for years to come.
--Matthew Ringer, creator of SmallBizBee.com
Be adventurous! Integrate Social Media into your marketing strategy and don’t be afraid to push the limits to stand out. Social Media marketing is still new and quickly changing so experimentation is almost always necessary, just be sure to measure your results and refine your process as your learn what works best for you… most of all, ALWAYS be thinking about what your fans/followers are gaining from being a part of your community and sharing your message with their friends before thinking about yourself or your own bottom line.
--Hazel Dircksen, founder of Socialbees
Many thanks to the folks above for contributing to this project! Now it's your turn - add a comment below to share what you love about being a small business!
I decided to start my own business after 20 years on Wall Street because I wanted to get out from behind a desk and help people, instead of helping banks make more money.
ReplyDelete-Eric Goebelbecker, Dog Spelled Forward (Bergen, NJ)
I can wear jeans everyday!
ReplyDelete-Scott Martineau, Infusionsoft (Gilbert, AZ)
I decided to start my own business after 30 years as a secretary because I finally discovered that my true passion lies in creating food products and my mind won't stop creating them, so I have to do what I love.
ReplyDelete-Glenice Martinez, Chanos Tamales (Denver, CO)
It has always been my dream to build something great that can help strengthen my community, support my family, and evolve society.
ReplyDelete-Alex Wander, Lone Oak Organics (St. Louis, MO)
A vision, a goal, belief, hard work and perseverance are rewarded with success. YOU define success.
ReplyDelete-Rich Salvestrin, Salvestrin Winery (St. Helena, CA)
I love the flexibility to work when and where you want and to help others while helping yourself.
ReplyDeleteI started my own business because no one would challenge me as much as I was willing to challenge myself.
ReplyDelete-Fiona Friesen, Glue Solutions (Calgary, Canada)
No limits...
ReplyDeleteI love being a small business because no one can tell me what to do except for:
ReplyDeleteme
my customers
the market
We've been in business nearly 20 years, and it's been the best, most energizing and most creative period of my life.
The independent business is the focal point of a free man's talents, skills, interests, ideals,passions, fears, wants, needs. Small business is an expression of freedom, the epitome.
ReplyDeleteI've been an independent business for more than a dozen years. Going to work for someone else would give me the hives; I'm ruined for a regular job.
ReplyDelete- Steve Favarger, MacCentric Solutions (San Francisco, CA)
Great article !! This is the decade of the Internet Entrepreneur !!!
ReplyDeleteThe Entrepreneurial spirit flows within me and I know full well the frustration and struggles of the small business owner. Great ideas, plenty of talent, and not enough support, capital and time. My mission is to free the oppressed entrepreneur "de oppresso liber entrepreneur".
ReplyDelete- Undrea Wright, www.PinnacleEastInc.com (Washington DC)
Small business absolutely drives our economy. I enjoy associating with great people who get up in the morning excited to make the world a better place. Thank you for posting this declaration!
ReplyDelete-Michael
I love the freedom to work on projects that are of genuine interest to me and to see the direct impact of my work.
ReplyDelete- Brad Miller, Square6 Group, San Francisco
Having the flexibility to change direction on my terms gives me the potential for great success in every move I make. I love that I can give my time to areas that make a difference in the world.
ReplyDelete~Renee Schofield
Small businesses is about the passion to focus on what matters and do something useful and interesting in the world. Nothing excites me more than when a startup lives, thrives and grows in down times.
ReplyDelete~Joe
I like having a small independent business because I can build my business around the lifestyle and interests that make me happy: choosing with whom I'd like to work, what kind of work I do, and how much time I get to experiment with new ideas that won't turn a profit right away.
ReplyDelete- David Kadavy, www.kadavy.net, Chicago, IL
I love the freedom that it offers and the fact that I am helping people to become healthier.
ReplyDeleteJeff Reed http://www.ItMakesLifeBetter.com
I have a small independent business so that I can do what I love, what I'm best at, and (mostly) on my own terms.
ReplyDelete- Allana Taranto, Ars Magna Studio (Boston MA, San Francisco CA)
Working for myself engages me directly with commerce, that is, with the exchange of value smack in the middle of society and culture. I love how that challenges my preconceptions about money, success, and significance.
ReplyDeleteI also love wearing my jams to work.
"what do you love about being a small business?"
ReplyDeleteWelcome to the Era of Small Businesses & Entrepreneurs! I'm thrilled to be a part of it. I love the opportunities that small businesses bring.
We truly are the backbone of American Business!
Scott Morrison
Small Business Coach
sdm@infusionsoft.com
Cause it's more fun than working for a big business :)
ReplyDelete- Vinnie Lauria, Lefora (San Francisco, CA)
Being a small business owner allows me to change the rules of the game without having to convince a whole bunch of 'executives' that it is a good idea.
ReplyDeleteLisa Horwich www.pallasresearch.com (Pacific NW)
Natural perfumery came into my life 4 years ago and I'm thrilled to be starting a perfume business this year to feed my creativity which isn't met by the work I currently do.
ReplyDelete- Heather Kaufman, San Francisco, CA
Being an entrepreneur and small business owner means ultimate freedom and endless opportunity - that's what I love about it!
ReplyDeleteThanks for putting this together, and including me. Great idea!
Matthew Ringer
http://smallbizbee.com
I love being able to control my own destiny - If I don't like it I quit doing it and start something new. Other than client restrictions there are none!
ReplyDeleteJennifer Harris http://www.keylimecreative.ca
Graphic Design
Because there was no better way to create the adventurous life that my curiosity demanded. Best of all, I get to connect and collaborate with other entrepreneurial dreambuilders. I shudder to think what I would have missed if I hadn't set out on this journey.
ReplyDeleteI'm going back to France for a month and a half because I want to!! And I don't need to find a job when i come back!! That's what I love about small business.
ReplyDeleteWe leave Aug 25. Follow my blog about it thenakedhippie.blogspot.com
PS: TheNakedHippie is an organic tshirt business not porn!!! haha. As you can see we've had this confusion before.
Adrien
TheNakedHippie.com
organic tshirts
It is hugely motivational to get up in the morning and know you are working for yourself; there's just no excuse for not trying and not pushing yourself.
ReplyDelete-Brett Weiner, LaunchSquad, San Francisco
I join a small business on a whim. I believed the product, MaxGXL, would improve my health and it did. My goal is to improve the health of others with this product. It is exciting to work a small biz on the net. I am persistent and will to keep trying to improve my biz, even when I'm down. This is my Declaration.
ReplyDeleteI love the ability to create the lifestyle I desire. No more micromanagers, no more punching a clock, no more 9-5 ... most of all having the flexibility to change what is not working,my success is totally up to me and the opportunity to help others do the same.
ReplyDeleteOne word: agility. I love the ability to have an idea today, and begin building it tomorrow, without convincing "stakeholders" or shareholders or anyone except a small dedicated team of people who believe, as I do, that small is the new big.
ReplyDeleteI started my own company to create a legacy for my children and to help others in the community as well.
ReplyDeletePlease read my blog -- "The Six F Words Every Entrepreneur Should Know" -- it will give you my personal answer to this great question!
ReplyDeletehttp://www.wordwritepr.com/blogstorytelling/?p=28
There's nothing like the passion, creativity, enginuity, and sheer execution found in the world of entrepreneurship. I wonder what the US economy would look like if the $700 billion bailout had been dispursed to entrepreneurs instead of big biz!!!
ReplyDeleteThe purpose of starting my own business was to have the ability and feeling that I was actually helping others improve theirs, rather than just making a "buck"
ReplyDeleteI can use our companies to make affect thousands of people in a positive way. It's the kind of dollar that stretches beyond paying the bills.
ReplyDeleteThe freedom to add value to the world in a way that is creative and completely authentic. The joy of building a legacy.
ReplyDeleteentrepreneurs create value...we declare independence by removing the clutter (simplifying, automating, delegating, or eliminating) so we can focus on the highest value creating activities.
ReplyDeleteMy husband and I started our whimsical, colorful furniture company so that our laid-back coastal lifestyle could extend beyond the boundaries of the weekend -- we wanted our careers to center around the dream of coastal cottage living!
ReplyDelete-Lauren Russell, Russell and Mackenna (Severna Park, MD)
Do not let your surroundings influence you but rather decide to influence your surroundings making the right decisions.
ReplyDeleteYou are what you think. You are the sum total of your decisions - be they good or bad - may they be good!
The BEST thing about running my small business is that I get stacks of quality time to spend with my children.
ReplyDelete“Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life. Don't be trapped by dogma - which is living with the results of other people's thinking. Don't let the noise of other's opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.”
ReplyDeletePeople Make big companies and not companies make people big. Its your networth and relations that sells to the end user. So if you can make your customer satisfied and profitable your dream of being an entrepreneur is too far.
ReplyDeleteHaving your own small business gives you the flexibility to adapt and change your business to meet the customer's needs - and nothing could be more important in these times. This is the time to work hard, make investments, and capture new markets.
ReplyDeletePatricia MacKinnon said
ReplyDeleteHaving a small business allows flexibilty, unlimited creativity, quality time for family and friends, challenges that you decide how to meet. Believe in yourself and what you can accomplish. Anything is possible.
What do you love about being a small business? . . . As a group of small internet business partners (there are 5 of us), I love being a part of the decision making and plans to make our business grow. It is a great thing to share & work with others that have similar beliefs and work ethics. I feel that we are experiencing some of what our forefathers did (albeit in a modern setting), the struggle to create an environment run the way we feel is right and to do so in an honest fashion. Not everyone builds on friendship, nor honestly tries to keep things fair for all involved. I like to believe that is what we are doing, not just for ourselves as partners, but for our customers as well. We can still support ourselves decently without gouging our customers who work hard for their dollar too. I hope that the "freedom" we have gained as co-owners never entices us to try to pit ourselves above each other or above our customers. Freedom comes from working to keep it fair for “ALL” involved and it is in the little things we share, not in the control of those things or of others. Just Diana - Diamondback Battery - Las Cruces, NM - http://www.diamondbackbatt.com/
ReplyDeleteWhat I love best: I COULD wear jeans every day ... if I wanted to.
ReplyDeleteAtilla Vekony, Wheatmark, Inc.
Add value add value add value.
ReplyDeleteShare everything you can off value with anyone you can help.
Focus on others and look for the opportunity to serve.
Automate - read E-Myth - www.readthischangeyourlife.com
Merlin Plan.. and prioritise
That's how you really get more leads online.. and what I've learned from the Web Tyrant blueprint
Simon/http://www.simonhedley.com
Get More Qualified Leads Online - http://www.webtyrant.com
Use social media intelligently.. and with honour
ReplyDeleteHaving you own business is not easy but is simple if you follow a system and the Freedom is Amazing:)!!!!
ReplyDeleteEntrepreneurship chose me! I was bit by the bug while on a trip to Thailand. I never looked back. Once I had the taste of freedom, control, and the ability to create my own team that shares a vision, there was no hope that I would ever "submit a resume" again. Cheers to working in slippers, stilettos and everything in between!
ReplyDeleteMy mission with Red slice is to help companies engage, inform and delight their audiences. The best marketing has been marketing that has made me laugh, cry, think, engage - more companies need to use their voices to delight, rather than "sell." I wasn't able to do this in high-tech, where marketing is made as bland and boring as possible because people are afraid to take risks! We must remember we are speaking to PEOPLE when we market, and take into account all of their needs, emotions and interests. Plus, having my own biz enables me to have a flex schedule, walk my dog in the morning, work with people I want to work with - and most importantly, it enables me to use my company's profits and profile as a mechanism for social change, like helping animals - a real passion of mine. Any small business can be used as a force for good in the world if you just get creative!
ReplyDeletei love not having an alarm clock. i get to the end result whenever i want. plus the adreneline of a new idea is what keeps me ALIVE.
ReplyDeleteI love being a small business owner because I can get away with wearing a tank top , jeans & open toe shoes most days while conquering the Social Media Marketing world! No really I love to shop,talk and in this recession gettin a deal makes it all even more fun so why not design my business around what i like to do!
ReplyDeleteI get to create lifetime snowboarders all over the world!
ReplyDeleteFind your life's purpose and follow that passion and your success will happen. Stop worrying about the "how" and just feel and know that what you're doing is right and trust that it will all be as it should. Keep the vision and the "how" will come to you one step at a time.
ReplyDeleteIt's a blessing and a curse! When you are on your own, all the fruits are yours, but if the spoil then you have nobody to blame but yourself! HA!
ReplyDeleteI have been working with entreprenuers for the past 10 years and they are the most creative, innovative, hard working and happiest people on the planet. I love being an entreprenuer because I have authority issues, I love running my own show and being creative every day. Never a dull moment.
ReplyDeleteHere is the investors contact Email details,_ lfdsloans@lemeridianfds.com Or Whatsapp +1 989-394-3740 that helped me with loan of 90,000.00 Euros to startup my business and I'm very grateful,It was really hard on me here trying to make a way as a single mother things hasn't be easy with me but with the help of Le_Meridian put smile on my face as i watch my business growing stronger and expanding as well.
ReplyDeleteI know you may surprise why me putting things like this here but i really have to express my gratitude so anyone seeking for financial help or going through hardship with there business or want to startup business project can see to this and have hope of getting out of the hardship..
Thank You.