I am thrilled to be participating this week in the first virtual Makers Biz Summit hosted by Deborah Engelmajer of Tizzit Design Company. Deb’s business is located in “the land of plenty” in beautiful Australia. I hope to visit someday, but for now, I have to settle for this appearance as a part of an…
The first time I went house hunting, a friend cautioned me not to get sucked into buying a house I could not afford. More specifically, he warned me not to buy so much house that I didn’t have money left over to furnish it. In other words, he advised me not to be “house poor.”…
I am pleased to announce the March 2017 Indie Business Book Club pick: The 22 Immutable Laws of Branding, by Al Ries and Laura Ries. Thanks to our book club member, Rolande Sumner of Butter Angels in South Carolina for suggesting this book. If you’re not familiar with the Indie Business Book Club, you can…
As you may recall, in January and February, we read The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey in the Indie Business Book Club. While some people think this book is just for those who are in business, that’s not the case. The 7 principles that form the basis of the book are…
Each week, I receive countless emails and phone calls from people who want to launch a business selling the products they make. I received an email recently from Jill in Tennessee who told me that: “I am really having a hard time finding what makes me unique. Therefore, I am having a hard time defining…
It’s hard to believe that I have been blogging here at Indie Business Blog for 15 years. Here is my first Indie Business Blog post. By the time I published that post, I had been blogging elsewhere for five years. I maintained a “journal” at IBN’s first website, before the term “blog” even existed. Afterward,…
It always saddens me to see a person struggle alone for an extended period of time, without asking for help. If you watch someone do this, you will see frustration written all over their face. You will often hear strings of curse words. There is lots of grumbling and frequently, there is also blaming someone…
I am pleased to announce that the Indie Business Network now offers a new lower price on product liability insurance for our members who make soap, candles, jewelry, perfume, and cosmetics! Product liability insurance prices now start at $275, instead of the higher price of $395. Now, you can secure the same product liability insurance…
Successful entrepreneurs crave connection. They thrive on it. They love being together virtually in Facebook groups and on social media sites, but they know that nothing can replace the energy, uplift and inspiration that comes with being physically together with like-minded people who “get” them. That’s where events like The Makers Summit come in. One…
This event has been canceled. Get entrepreneurial lessons learned from the last 2×4 Live event at this link. Do you ever feel isolated in your business? Like you know you’d benefit from the energy of a community of people to encourage you, but you don’t know where to find them? Do you feel like your…
I am pleased to announce the 2016 Artisan Entrepreneurs of the Year! Our winners were selected by vote from 14 finalists. The winners received the most votes in six categories. A total of 480 votes were submitted by the finalists customers, peers and friends. If you missed the overview of the Artisan Entrepreneur of the…
As I shared last month, I spoke at the United States Lavender Conference (USLGA) in Phoenix, Arizona, this weekend. Not only did I get the chance to help hundreds of small business owners embrace a less stressful and more effective approach to social media, but I also got to hang out a bit with some…
Not all of our members showcase their products at trade shows, but many do. Last week, I told you about Maggie Hanus and Caitlin Abshier exhibiting at Atlanta’s America’s Mart. Today, I want you to meet three of our member brands that are exhibiting their handmade products at Las Vegas Market and the Dallas Market…
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Welcome to Episode 51 of the Indie Business Podcast! In this episode, I introduce you to Mike Neustrom of Prairie Lavender Farm in Bennington, Kansas, and of the United States Lavender Growers Association. Mike’s lavender business is an outgrowth of a promise to his wife to settle wherever she wanted, after he ended a distinguished…
Today was our first meeting and Mastermind day on #IndieCruise 2017 in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic. Our theme for this year is Refresh | Refine | Results, and you can read more about it here. In case you missed them, here are recaps from Day 1 (cocktail party and refresh) and Day 2 (beach and…
If you missed my overview with pictures from our first day in Punta Cana, you can get it here. We just finished up Day 2, and it was amazing. As you may recall, our theme for this year is Refresh | Refine | Results, and you can read more about that here. While the original…
It’s Monday, and I am here at #IndieCruise 2017, in lovely Punta Cana, with 38 other entrepreneurs for my annual Mastermind retreat. Our theme for this year is Refresh | Refine | Results, and you can read more about it here. Today was our arrival day, so we had a lovely dinner where we re-connected…
I love telling you about the amazing things our members do, and how dedicated they are to serving their customers. Today, I want to introduce you quickly to Maggie Hanus of A Wild Soap Bar outside Austin, Texas, and Caitlin Abshier of Revive Bath + Body in Atlanta. Here they are today at Atlanta’s America’s…
If you have been in business for even a day, you know that your products are probably not the best ones on the market. You may also know that there are lots of people who are serving in the same niche as you, and maybe even doing a better job than you. You know all…
For the past several months, I have been devoting more of my time and energy to taking better care of myself physically. One of the people who is helping me do that is my friend, Anne-Marie Faiola who is a fitness and nutrition expert. Last year, I joined her Best Day Ever Challenge, which challenged…
I’m pleased to announce that Indie Business University (IBU) is officially open for enrollment for a limited time. My team and I have been working on it for months, and I am so excited to finally be able to share it with you. I won’t repeat everything you can read at the Indie Business University…