Today, the world is filled with creative and handmade entrepreneurs. This was not always so. There was a time when terms like “handmade” and “creative-made” and “maker” were the very definition of quality and value. Those days are gone. Having a quality product is the baseline now, and nothing less will do. But there are…
I am pleased to announce that my family and I will host the grand opening party for the Indie Business Studio outside Charlotte, North Carolina, on Thursday, October 3, from 5:30pm to 8pm. The ribbon cutting will take place promptly at 5:30.* Our address is 206-B North Hayne Street in Monroe, just 30 minutes south…
Here is a question I received recently at our Facebook Page: “How do we stop running our businesses so reactively and start being more proactive? Do you ever feel like you’re running your business, reacting to sales, reacting to non-sales, and filling orders, and just not being proactive?” I answered the question in this short…
If you missed last week’s Throwback Thursday about Indie Business Network’s first media feature, you can get it here. Today, I’ll share about how my book, Making Aromatherapy Creams and Lotions, came to be published back in 2000. In 1998, I was still toiling away at a “real” job by weekday, but by night and…
This month, our member, Anne-Marie Faiola of Bramble Berry, celebrates the publication of her first book. Well, since she is a self-published author, it’s not exactly her “first” book. But it is her first book published by a publishing company. Check out this ultra cute sketch of Anne-Marie surrounded by the thing in the world…
Do you know what a caldarium is? Well, it’s time you found out. A caldarium is a room containing warm water baths, such as those you might have seen during Roman times. Lucky for you, you won’t have to be a time traveller to visit a caldarium today. All you have to do is make…
You are invited to join me for a complimentary Indie Business Network Member Access Q+A Call on Tuesday, August 20, 2013 at 8:00 pm Eastern Time (7:00 pm Central, 6:00 pm Mountain, 5:00 pm Pacific). As you may know, among the many ongoing benefits of Indie Business Network membership are our frequent coaching and mentoring…
My husband shared this video on his personal Facebook page the other day. It’s a bit longer than the videos I usually watch on Facebook, but I was riveted and insired by the life of Richie Parker, the man featured. I watched again, for the second time with my son. He was riveted too. I…
Last Monday, in our private member Facebook group, I challenged Indie Business Network members to choose one full 24-hour period this week to refrain from using Facebook entirely. I did it yesterday, and I’m excited to learn if any of our members took a break as well. One day is not a really long time,…
We recently learned that our member, Linda Balon Stein of of Zosimos Botanicals in Gaithersburg, Maryland, is being challenged to choose between moving her business outside her home or terminating some of her employees. The zoning laws in Linda’s area prohibit home-based businesses from having more than one employee. Linda has an employee and an…
Last week, I posted our second Throwback Thursday, sharing how the first thing I did when I launched Indie Business Network was publish a newsletter. Today, I’ll share how we landed our first media feature on January 31, 2001. Unfortunately, I did not retain the original tear sheet, but it still appears online today. Here…
Our member, Selena Cozart O’Shaughnessy of Salome’s Simply Delightful Creations in Charlottesville, Virginia, was recently featured in the C-VILLE (for Charlottesville, Virginia) Weekly, a local newspaper in her area. Selena’s show stopping smile is beautifully captured in this image, by photographer Sarah Cramer Shields. Salome’s Simply Delightful Creations is a woman-owned business specializing in handmade…
The question of how to hire someone to help with social media marketing comes up a lot in the Indie Business Network’s Secret Facebook Group. In this quick video, I share some basic but critical thoughts on how you should approach this issue. Many people make the big mistake of looking for someone who is…
Exciting news from our member, Leah Patterson over at Etniq Mineral Cosmetics in Little Rock, Arkansas! In this video, she announces that Etniq has been chosen as the official cosmetic line for Miss Black USA Pageant 2013, taking place tonight in my hometown of Washington DC. Not only are we super happy for Leah and…
We could not resist sharing this video with you. Oh yes, it’s one of our members’s Kickstarter campaigns, but that’s not why we wanted you to see it. We wanted you to see it because it will make you smile. Danielle Vincent over at Outlaw Soaps in Oakland, California has not only co-invented one of…
Podcast (indie-business-podcast-vault): Play in new window | Download (Duration: 25:17 — 46.3MB) | Embed
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | iHeartRadio | RSS
The Vault is an archive of my first podcasts so there is a record for you to enjoy. Welcome to the Vault Episode 235 featuring my interview with Scott Berkun. Stream Vault Episode 235 Click the play arrow to play the podcast. (You may have to click it twice.) On a laptop or desktop, use your…
I am pleased to announce our theme for #IndieCruise 2014: No More Beauty Business As Usual: January 26 to February 1, 2014. Our theme fully expresses the direction entrepreneurs must go in order to achieve as we look beyond 2013 to our long term success and fulfillment. Our speakers and topics reflect a strongly proactive…
If you missed last week’s Throwback Thursday, sharing some of the life changing experiences that compelled me to leave the “safety” of a “secure” job to start the Indie Business Network, you can get it here. This week, I take you through the first steps I took launching the business, and share some of the…
In this quick video, I share with you three simple steps to being productive when you have to work around your children. I’ve been doing it for nearly 14 years, and it’s not easy. But it can be done if you take it one step at a time. These tips are very basic and easy…
As you know, we maintain a private Facebook group for our Indie Business Network members. As the group grows and time passes, people may want to find out if specific topics have been discussed previously in the group. Members also want to find out if any of their friends or colleagues are a part of…
How exciting to share the latest news from our member, Brent Leonesio over at Smell Bent in Los Angeles, California. The Institute for Art and Olfaction has teamed up with artist and provocateur Austin Young for a collaboration unleashing Brent’s olfactory prowess in a new edition of perfume called, Accident. The unveiling, along with the…