I have been an entrepreneur since 1995 when I left my job to start a business. I knew what I wanted my business to accomplish and how I wanted it to make the world a better place. What I didn’t know when I started was that my business would teach me a lot about life.…
It’s two days before Thanksgiving and the holiday season is now in full swing! I’m thrilled to be traveling to my hometown of Washington, DC, to visit my family. Before I go, I’m excited to cue up a few introductions so you can get to know the people and products featured in IBN’s 2012 Handmade…
IBN member Jeanne Kissman of Plum Hill goes to CosmoProf Asia, the largest cosmetics show in the world.
Tips from #HandmadeChat No. 26: How To Use Awards Programs To Grow Your Business.
For those of you who don’t know much about my life before IBN, I quit my job to pursue my desire to turn my passion for making cosmetics into a business. In the process, one of the most exciting opportunities that came my way was the chance to become a published author. My book, Making…
All of us know someone who has been adversely affected in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy. Those of us in the Indie Beauty Community are no exception. In the midst of the devastation, one story stands out and I am asking for your help. Here’s why: This is a picture of the trash heap that…
Bramble Berry is featured in IBN’s 2012 Handmade Holiday Gift Guide.
HANDMADE ENTREPRENEURIAL COACHING AND MENTORING The best coaching and mentoring for handmade entrepreneurs is at Indie Beauty Network. Click here to connect at our social network.
I enjoy opportunities to use LinkedIn to recommend the work and/or products of people who have enhanced my life. Since I frequently receive requests for recommendation from people whose work or products I have never tried, I thought I’d share these tips to help you request LinkedIn recommendations that maximize your chances of receiving a…
As you probably know, I am the founder and CEO of the Indie Beauty Network (IBN), which offers coaching, mentoring and services like products liability insurance for handmade entrepreneurs. Since I founded the organization in 2000, I have watched your options for quality handmade products expand from items you would only come across now and…
While most of my posts are designed to help you maximize your potential through small business ownership, a few are designed to make me personally happy. This post is one of those. My son is Number 85 on our local Pop Warner football team. Like his Titans teammates, he plays offense and defense, and I…
Every Thursday evening from 8 to 9pm ET, IBN hosts #HandmadeChat, a Twitter talk show to help handmade entrepreneurs sell more products and make more money. While the show is aimed mainly at members of business owners and artisans who make handmade consumer products, the topics and discussions can empower and encourage the growth of…
I am pleased to announce that IBN member Lela Barker of Bella Luccè in Columbia, South Carolina, will join join me and dozens of other Indies on #IndieCruise 2013 as a speaker and fellow MasterMinder. The theme for #IndieCruise 2013 is Conceive! Believe! Achieve!, making Lela’s topic of How To Get More Retail Stores To…
“Even if something is left undone, everyone must take time to sit still and watch the leaves turn.” -Elizabeth Lawrence Walking through the North Carolina woods with the kiddos. HANDMADE ENTREPRENEURIAL COACHING AND MENTORING The best virtual coaching and mentoring for handmade entrepreneurs is at Indie Beauty Network. Click here to connect at our social…
Every Thursday evening from 8 to 9pm ET, IBN hosts #HandmadeChat, a Twitter talk show to help handmade entrepreneurs sell more products and make more money. While the show is aimed mainly at members of business owners and artisans who make handmade consumer products, the topics and discussions can empower and encourage the growth of…
All of us know someone who has been affected by the devastation left in the wake of Hurricane Sandy. One of the people I know, a member of IBN, lost her home, many of her pets and her business. Her name is Mariann Smith and she is the founder and CEO of Just Bubbly, a…
I am pleased to announce the publication of IBN’s 2012 Handmade Holiday Gift Guide! Inspiration is everywhere inside this 32-page publication. Click the cover to open the publication and start shopping now. Be on the lookout for discount codes throughout! We invite you to grab a cup of your favorite tea, sit back and relax.…
Each Thursday night at 8pm ET, IBN hosts #HandmadeChat, a weekly Twitter talk show designed to help you sell more of the products you make. If you’ve never attended before, now is the time. It’s fun, informative, and a super supportive environment where you’ll learn so much about making your business more successful. To learn…
Are you fan of the television show, Shark Tank, airing weekly on ABC? It’s always been one of my favorites, but it’s clout shot to the stratosphere when I learned that IBN members Charlotte Clary and Bev Vines-Haines, co-founders Healing Leaf in Yelm, Washington, will be featured on the show next week. A lot of…
I‘m a naturally upbeat person. Even so, there have been times in my life when I’ve been especially discouraged. Some of these times are fleeting — like when I was not selected to win this trip to the Black Enterprise Entrepreneurs’ Conference earlier this year. Other discouragements have been more jarring and long lasting —…
Fall is the perfect season for root vegetables, and butternut squash is one of my favorites. I love cooking it over a low flame with salt, pepper and chicken broth. Once the chunks of squash are soft, I mash them into a thick pudding-like side dish. It’s good paired with baked chicken and green beans.…