Small Business Profile: Lead411
To follow up on a previous post requesting feedback on topics and offering to highlight members of the community, I learned of the BTS Blog started by Tom Blue, co founder of Lead411— BTS stands for Business, Technology and Sales. The BTS Blog is dedicated to discussing startups, business trends, bootstrapping, tech companies, sales and...
Small Business Profile: Guideposts.com
To follow up on a previous post requesting feedback on topics and offering to highlight members of the community, I learned of Guideposts.com—a site devoted to helping people find and reach their potential. This site interested me not so much from an entrepreneurial standpoint, but because of its history. The nonprofit organization was founded in...
Small Business Profile: Night Helper Watch
To follow up on a previous post requesting feedback on topics and offering to highlight members of the community, I learned of NightHelpWatchers.com.—a company based on an invention by Lisa Charleston. Lisa started NightHelpWatchers.com in 2004 after being laid off from a nursing job in a home-hospice facility. She transitioned into being a stay at...
Small Business Profile: Crossing Gaps
To follow up on a previous post requesting feedback on topics and offering to highlight members of the community, I learned of a company called Crossing Gaps — they help bring creative people (writers, artists, musicians, startups) online. Crossing Gaps helps them with everything from web design to marketing and monetization strategy so they can...
Small Business Profile: Visible Logic
To follow up on a previous post requesting feedback on topics and offering to highlight members of the community, I learned of visiblelogic.com. A well-designed message can position your organization, product or service to look unique, capable and strong enough to go head-to-head with any competitor of any size. That is just what Emily Brackett (founder of Visible Logic)...
Buy One, Give One
Referencing my prior post on Creative Capitalism, here is another business with a 1 for 1 model. A new project by California eco-urban design firm LJ Urban aims to make giving more concrete—quite literally—by matching its sales of homes domestically with funds to build homes in the impoverished African nation of Burkina Faso. Urban has...
Small Business Profile: OutspokenMedia.com
To follow up on a previous post requesting feedback on topics and offering to highlight members of the community, I learned of Outspoken Media, Inc.—an internet marketing startup that was founded in January by three women who wanted more for their clients. Partner Rae Hoffman just finished 20th in the recent Startup Mom competition, an...
Small Business Profile: Padosa.com
To follow up on a previous post requesting feedback on topics and offering to highlight members of the community, I learned of Padosa.com. Their goal is to provide the public with innovative and practical ideas that they can put into action today to save money, make money, and promote sustainable businesses and a sustainable planet-that is...
Small Business Profile: Heinz Marketing
To follow up on a previous post requesting feedback on topics and offering to highlight members of the community, I learned of Heinz Marketing. Matt has held positions at companies such as Microsoft, Weber Shandwick, Boeing, The Seattle Mariners, Market Leader and Verdiem. In 2007, he started Heinz Marketing to help clients focus their business...
Presidential Branding
Looks like the Obama's should have registered their last name to enjoy ongoing royalties. Some interesting examples of halo branding. Where businesses capitolize on the brand elements of another entity. Examples: ATT + TOMs Shoes, Obama Red Wine (below) Maybe I should pick up some Obama Red to wash down my Freedom Fries... From Speigel...
To Squeeze Or Not To Squeeze…
Great site: www.embracethelemon.com Terrific example of a website that is almost 100% twitter feeds + has great you tube promotion. See their youtube channel. The Lemon's Lament
Partner: Beat The Economy Together
I wonder if products have the same experience people do, that when they meet their match, they feel like they are "home?" I'll bet the product manager of this doosey has earned his bonus: Hillshire Farm ham and turkey + reusable Gladware = Green, Money Saving, The-Big-Corporation-Proves-It-Can-Still-Listen-To-Customers What partnerships could you consider in your business?...
Incorporating Mini Movements Into Your Business Model
When you consider your business model (which includes your marketing efforts), you generally concentrate on these core components: Why will people pay you? (money, votes, donations) What does it cost you to sell your item…margins? What protects you from competition, price-feature battles? How will you turn an agnostic audience into loyal customers? Early on when...
Diversify Your Revenue Streams: Spin What You Got
I picked up a book in the airport recently: Wishful Drinking by Carrie Fisher. It's a fast read and has enough tabloid photos to keep you interested. Her come-sit-by-me-and-dish point of view is disarming and I genuinely enjoyed her tales, her vulnerability and her wit. More importantly, I respect what she is doing. Wishful Drinking...
All Marketing Is Local
Just learned about EveryBlock, is a new way to keep track of what’s happening on your block, in your neighborhood and all over. You can choose your city and get a citywide overview of news by category. I might never eat in my own neighborhood again given the amount of violations reported.... The site is...
Creative Capitalism: one for one, from day one
Recently, I was contacted by a PR firm (Attention) and asked if I would profile Blake Mycoskie on my blog(s). I’m ashamed to say how long it’s taken me to turn this piece around, however seeing the latest ATT commercial featuring Blake after a long day of meetings (at my day job) shamed me into finishing. My...
Pick Good Influences For Your Advisory Board
Obviously John Wooden is not on my advisory board, but he is in my Pantheon-of-Wonderful-People. Quote to consider No written word, no spoken plea Can teach our youth what they should be; Nor all the books on all the shelves It's what the teachers are themselves. Given to John Wooden by his Father upon Graduation...
What three independent businesses would you miss if they disappeared?
I just learned about the 350 Project and thought I would share it out and ask everyone's opinion: 3 - Think about which three independently owned businesses you’d miss most if they were gone. Stop in and say hello. Pick up a little something that will make someone smile. Your contribution is what keeps those businesses...
Let ME help YOU to Shine…
We've hit the 70+ posts mark (or thereabouts) on Start Up Nation...which seems like sort of a milestone in a way. Balloons didn't drop from the ceiling (yet), and 70+ is a relatively low number but I'd like to know what issues are top of mind for you by writing a short feature on your...
We’re learning that free is a good price.
Just got a newsletter from the School of Visual Concepts, a Seattle-based org providing classes in several disciplines, giving small businesses that needed vitamin B shot of knowledge to immediately apply in their environments. "If you were thinking of attending our free "Get a Job in Tough Times" presentation tonight at the School of Visual...