For the March 2022 edition of the Indie Business Book Club, we read Get Different: Marketing That Can’t Be Ignored! by Mike Michalowicz. The book drives home the point that “different sells.” This article provides a summary of what we learned. If you’re not familiar with the Indie Business Book Club, you can click here for more…
People often ask me what to do with a Facebook group that seems to have outlived its usefulness. The short answer is you should shut down everything (including a Facebook group) that is useless or filled with dusty cobwebs. IBN recently closed this Facebook group. This article shares a little of our thought process and…
Our May 2022 Indie Business Book Club selection is The E-Myth Revisited: Why Most Small Businesses Don’t Work and What to Do About It, by Michael Gerber. Originally published in 1995, this classic book continues to be relevant and practical for entrepreneurs. In it, the author explores the critical distinction between working on your business…
If you are considering fighting Etsy’s marketplace transaction fee increase, don’t waste your time. For those who don’t know, effective yesterday, Etsy has increased the fee it charges Etsy sellers to sell products on the platform from 5% to 6.5%. The increase in this “marketplace transaction fee” has caused some Etsy sellers to put their…
Entrepreneurs Reveal the Game-Changing Path to American Maker Success The American Maker Revolution is here, and you are invited to take your seat at the table at Maker Mastermind LIVE Intensive, June 24-25, 2022, in Charlotte, NC. Every day here at the Indie Business Network, we hear stories confirming the challenges of entrepreneurship. But here’s…
In response to my marketing advice about effective publishing strategies, a client once told me she refused to get bogged down with publishing email newsletters. Her logic made some sense. She told me that she did not go into business to become a publisher. As I listened, a feeling of complete dread overtook me. Even…
Introducing Stephanie Hendricks of Stephanie’s Scents in Gloucester Massachusetts. Stephanie is our 2Q 2022 Maker Scholarship recipient. Stephanie’s makes candles with soy wax and cotton wicks, and she sells them at her website and on Etsy. Current popular scents include Pineapple Sage, Tomato Leaf, and Peppermint Mocha Soy. Here is Stephanie with her husband and…
Some of our members are finalists in the 2022 FedEx Small Business Grant Contest, which awards 10 American businesses cash, email marketing and website auditing services, sustainable packaging consultations, FedEx print services credits, and more. The top 100 finalists out of 18,000 entries have been selected, and some of them are Indie Business Network members.…
As an entrepreneur, you must invest a considerable amount of time working both in and on your business. However, when the balance consistently tips too heavily in favor of working in your business instead of on it, you run the risk of living in a constant state of overwhelm. Of course, no one wants that.…
The Indie Business Network was founded 20 years ago based on the transformative power of entrepreneurship. We believe it is time to replace traditional notions of entrepreneurship with the increasingly obvious reality that entrepreneurship is for everyone, and can be defined in different ways by different people with uniquely different lifestyle goals. You do not…
Our April 2022 Indie Business Book Club selection is Live Your Best Day Ever: Thirty-Five Strategies for Daily Success, by Anne-Marie Faiola. Everyone wants to live their best day ever every day, yet it often seems like a pipe dream. How can every day be a good day, not to mention the “best” day, when…
For the February 2022 edition of the Indie Business Book Club, we read Tribes: We Need You to Lead Us, by Seth Godin. The premise of the book is that every business owner can and should bring together like-minded people to create and lead a tribe, or a community, around their brand. If you’re not familiar…
Cold and dry winter air sure does a number on our skin. Not only that, but after a few years of constant hand sanitizing and frequent washing, your skin probably feels extra parched. If you’re feeling dry, flaky, tight, and downright uncomfy, we’ve got just what you need for soft, smooth, and moisture-kissed skin! Look…
It is critical that you operate your business according to a set of specific core values. Your brand’s core values form the foundation upon which you lead yourself, your team, and your business. Core values reflect why your business exists, what it stands for, and the principles you holds dear. This article shares IBN’s core…
The cold weather is rattling your bones and icy sleet batters the windowpane. Just when you’ve had it up to here with winter, that pesky groundhog promises six more weeks! So you scroll through your Instagram feed, swooning over breathtaking sun-soaked beaches glittering with teal tides and sugar-white sands. You can nearly feel the warm…
For the January 2022 edition of the Indie Business Book Club, we read Company of One: Why Staying Small is the Next Big Thing in Business, by Paul Jarvis. The book stands the notion of traditional entrepreneurship on its head. It’s exactly appropriate for our Indie Business Network members, who hack new definitions of entrepreneurship and…
One of the many, many things we love about our Indie members is our family-owned businesses. Whether you work alongside your husband or your wife, sister or brother, your kids or your cousins—we are in constant awe of our powerhouse Indie fams. This month, we want to share some of our black-owned family businesses with…
I am pleased to announce the March 2022 Indie Business Book Club pick: Get Different: Marketing That Can’t Be Ignored! by Mike Michalowicz. Do you sometimes feel like people don’t appreciate how unique and fabulous your products are? Does it seem like your brand is drowning is a sea of similarity, with no hope of…
Talking, eating, and kissing—we really put our lips through the wringer! And when the winter months bring added wear and tear, we need to give our lips a little extra lovin’ to defend against the elements. Because a dry, peeling, or cracked pout is no fun for anyone. These 9 Indies are lip lifesavers. They’ve…
At Indie Business Network, we LOVE to celebrate small business owners! We are always on the lookout for exciting ways to showcase the artisans that make up our thriving membership base. February is a special time of year to shine the spotlight exclusively on black-owned businesses from all corners of the United States! So let’s…
Valentine’s Day is only a few weeks away! If your list of ideas is full of the same humdrum gifts like last-minute flowers, drugstore cards, and that same heart-shaped chocolate box—we’ve got a treat for you! Whether you’re shopping for a girlfriend or boyfriend, husband or wife, secret crush or bestie, this year, it’s time…