Last week, I spoke with an Indie who said that one of the things she learned on Indie Business Podcast is the importance of having an email newsletter. She emailed me to tell me that she got a sale just hours after sending out her first ever email newsletter. It was the first sale she’d had…
Details… For The Better It finally happened. Television writers across America did something about the fact that they are not fairly paid for their work. The result? They are on strike, and with them goes the writing that sustains late night television shows like Letterman and Leno, daytime soap operas and prime time sitcoms. …
DetailsC’mon. Link Out! Everyone has a pet peeve or two. You know, those pesky little things that happen every day. And even though you know they shouldn’t bug you, they somehow manage to drive you nuts anyway. Blogs are great places to vent about your pet peeves. So here goes. My pet peeve is online…
DetailsIt’s Fall. Hibernate. Take Time For You. Recently, it occurred to me that the Indie Business Blog is all about business. That’s as it should be I suppose. However, for people who don’t know me personally, it may look like I eat, live, sleep and breathe nothing but business. Guilty. Sort of. Well, except when…
DetailsCheck Out The Latest Indie Beauty Gossip I love gossip — craft gossip that is. But with two young’uns, a radio show and a growing business, there’s not much time for crafting (or gossip) unless it’s done with safety scissors and crayons. But I can live vicariously through Craft Gossip. Former Indie Beauty Network member…
DetailsReal Coupon Queen To Appear On Indie Business Radio Would you like to get money through your computer? OK. I can do that. Your comments and requests for more Real Coupon Queen prevailed, so clear your calendar. That’s right. My neighbor, the shy but soon to be famous Real Coupon Queen has agreed to be…
DetailsHow Couponing Is Changing My Life For The Better Last night, a friend I’ll call "Jim" dubbed his wife the "Coupon Queen" because she saved $700 on groceries last year by clipping coupons. No offense, Jim, but your wife’s coronation is a fraud. My next door neighbor, a stay at home mom named Suzanne, is…
DetailsPrepare Business Proposals That Close Deals A happy shout out to freelance writer and editor Matt Alderton who included my advice in a new article he wrote for the Masterd Card Business Essentials Library to help Indie Business owners prepare proposals that land new business. Matt…
DetailsAARP May Have Some Money For You! But time is short! The deadline to apply for the women’s scholarship is October 31. A big shout out to Indie Jamila White for the heads up! If you are over 40 and enrolled or will enroll in a school or…
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Donna Maria shares some of the story of indie beauty entrepreneur Lela Barker of Bella Lucce.
DetailsTips for Being a Cheerful Giver All Year Long It’s mid-October and the season of opportunitites to donate to various worthy causes is upon us. For most Indies, philanthropy is not seasonal. Instead, we give back in numerous ways, not all of them financial, all year long. I believe that how much we give is…
DetailsIndie Herbalist Combines Three Passions To Make A Profit Like all new college grads, Maria Noel Groves of Wintergreen Botanicals in Allenstown, New Hampshire, looked forward to putting her degree to good use. As a journalism major who also loved herbs, it seemed almost predictable that she would make a living by using the written…
DetailsIndie Business Owners Redefine Working For A Living Last night, I watched a little of The Billionaire Inside. Donald Trump was the guest and one of the things he talked about was how his father worked all the time. "There was never a time when he wasn’t working," said Trump. "He hated to take a…
DetailsBeing The First To Market Is A Huge Leg Up In economics, a theory called "the first mover advantage" describes the benefit obtained by the company that is the first to market with a new concept, product or service. MCI, for example, was the first company recognized as going toe to toe with AT&T in…
DetailsDon’t Stop Your Online Sales Before They Even Start An Indie recently contacted me about joining the Indie Beauty Network. After talking with her, I realized that the business had a few significant problems, starting with their website address: BusinessName.info. Yick. It’s difficult indeed to launch a business with a unique…
Details7 Parenting Skills To Make Your Business Successful As the mother of two children, I have only just begun my parenting journey. But in the short time I’ve been a mom, home manager and business owner, I have noticed several parallels between raising a child and raising a business. Doing both…
DetailsEnter To Win Cash To Launch Your Business Need a cash infusion to launch your business? Or how about a new wardrobe so you can look the business part wherever you are? Either way, maybe Mirassou’s Make Your Dreams Come True Contest can help. The winner will receive $50,000 or a Talbot’s shopping spree. …
DetailsIndie Mom Turns Sewing Habit Into Thriving Business Like all new moms, Jill Bredow used soft blankets to welcome her babies into the world. Like me, she made them herself. Like me, she didn’t care whether anyone else liked them. Like me, she just wanted to make her kids feel loved. The similarities end there.…
DetailsAromatherapy Comes To The Small Screen Indies wear lots of hats and juggle a dizzying number of balls in the air. But a truly impressive Indie is one who can catch more balls than she drops. Take Indie Beauty Network member Noelle Katai (pronounced "Kay-Tai"), of Vim Essentials, for example. She contacted me earlier this…
DetailsHundreds Of Businesses Will Be Celebrated, Why Not Yours? In April 2008, we will celebrate Small Business Week. To mark the event, as it does every year, the US Small Business Administration will recognize small business owners for the contributions they make to our nation’s economy, to society and to communities across America. …
DetailsIt’s been 5 days since I started Indies For The Cure, and it’s getting embarrassing. I know the Surgeon General recommends at least 30 minutes of physical activity a day for optimum weight management. I also know there are studies showing that that’s the equivalent of taking about 10,000 steps each day. When I started…
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