Donna Maria is an entrepreneur mentor, the founder and CEO of the Indie Business Network, and the host of the Indie Business Podcast and the Indie Business Retreat. She has been recognized as one of the most trusted voices for Makers and Creative Entrepreneurs. Her coaching and consulting enterprise trains thousands of new and evolving entrepreneurs every day.
The name of this event has been changed from “Connection Day to Maker Mastermind Live, and this post has been updated to reflect the new brand. For more information about the Maker Mastermind Live Tour, to register for the city closest to you, or to request that we come to your city, click here. Hello…
Earlier this year, Amazon announced plans to launch a handmade market place. That should come as no huge surprise I guess since Amazon’s mission is to sell everything to everybody. Watch this video to learn more. What is really interesting about this is that Amazon is already selling in its main store tons of the…
Today, I am hosting one of my most popular member events — our monthly Access Q+A Coaching Call! Not only do we get to take a break from being in the weeds to connect and grow together, but our members get answers to the most challenging business, success, and lifestyle questions that are affecting them…
Welcome to Season 4, Episode 3 of the Indie Business Podcast! This season is all about celebrating finalists in the Martha Stewart American Made Awards. So far, I’ve connected you with Riche Holmes Grant from the Style category and Gilyn McKelligon from the Design category. Today, it’s about the Food category, and I’m pleased to…
If you haven’t been living under a rock, you know that I am hosting Connection Day in Portland next week. And unless you’ve been under a bigger rock, you know that Essential Wholesale EWL is my sponsor and co-host. What you may not know is how EWL can help you grow your cosmetics business, and…
Member Makeovers are here! Based on conversations with you, our members, I saw the need for a service offering live, tactical, hands on training to help you attract more people to your website to discover and buy your products. Member Makeovers is that service, and it starts right now! Member Makeovers take place via live…
Only 109 days until #IndieCruise 2016 Mastermind at the beautiful Club Med Luxury Resort & Spa, Cancún, Yucatán, Mexico on January 17 – 21, 2016. I have already introduced you to two of our speakers: Anne-Marie Faiola and Stacia Guzzo. Today, I am pleased to share that, based on the questions I receive from Makers…
Welcome to Season 4, Episode 2 of the Indie Business Podcast! This season is all about celebrating finalists in the Martha Stewart American Made Awards. Last week, we brought you Riche Holmes Grant, our choice from the Style category. Today, I am thrilled to introduce you to Gilyn McKelligon of Hannah Bergen in Portland, Oregon,…
Are you curious about what it takes to get media attention for your business? Are you afraid to pitch? Maybe you know you’re not ready and don’t know what to do to position yourself to be ready? Wondering what to do to get your brand ready for prime time media attention? If you find yourself…
Earlier this year, I opened my Blog Your Brand Training Project to all Makers and Creative Entrepreneurs. Since then, nearly 200 (189 as of today, to be exact) Makers with blogs businesses are leveraging our blogs to build community and attract increasing numbers of targeted visitors to our websites. Our first #BlogSwap is Monday, October…
I am thrilled to announce our members who are finalists in the 2015 Martha Stewart American Made Awards! You can vote for your favorites every day, through October 19. The Audience Choice Award Winner will be announced on or about October 23, 2015, and will win a trip for the winner and a guest to…
Welcome to Season 4, Episode 1 of the Indie Business Podcast! This season is all about celebrating finalists in the Martha Stewart American Made Awards. We start with the Style category, and our featured Maker of choice is Riche Holmes Grant of BambiniWare in Silver Spring, Maryland, and I am thrilled to introduce you to…
It is true that entrepreneurship requires big thinking. But today, its easier than ever to put the cart before the horse and begin thinking big before actually thinking, period. About six months into my career as an attorney, the managing partner called me into his office to question my billable hours. I was barely meeting…
It’s finally fall, and that means more farmer’s markets and shows for American Makers and Creative Entrepreneurs. It may come as a surprise to you, but there are simple things you can do as a buyer to enjoy a better shopping experience. Since I used to sell my own handmade products at a local market,…
Today is another great day because we are hosting what is fast becoming one of our most popular member events — our Access Q+A Coaching Calls! Not only do we get to take a break from being in the weeds to connect and grow together, but our members get answers to the most pressing business…
This event was originally called “Connection Day.” We changed the name to “Maker Mastermind,” and this post has been updated to reflect the new brand. For more information about the Maker Mastermind Live Tour, to register for the city closest to you, or to request that we come to your city, click here. Greetings from…
Iam so so tired of hearing people say “Not everyone can be an entrepreneur.” Why the heck not? Because you have to work hard? Because you weren’t raised in an entrepreneurial family? Because you must have tenacity and determination? Because you must have a certain mindset? Who is born with any of those things? Not…
I‘m very fortunate. I had a vision for my business from the moment it started. Over the years, I have taken it for granted that everyone else did too. I have learned that this is not true. If you don’t have a sustainable vision for your business, you will after you take the steps outlined…
You all know how critical I believe blogging is to the overall success of your business. One of the reasons blogging works so well is because you can use Rich Site Summary (RSS) to automatically deliver new blog content to subscribers via email or via a reader (like Feedly, the one I use). Well, today,…
As we pause to honor the workers and Makers who offer such valuable contributions to our nation, I am pondering the incredible merger of work and life we are witnessing today. This is not the first time America has seen the work-life merger. Life and work were a cohesive whole just two generations ago when…
What an amazing Season 03 we had on the Indie Business Podcast! It was such a thrill to share with you the stories of so many Makers on Main Street, Creative Entrepreneurs who are dotting the landscape with beautiful retail stores on Main Streets across the nation. I am gearing up for Season 04, the…