Case Study: Incorporating Philanthropy into Your Business Model

One of the things we discuss from time to time in the Indie Business Network is how to incorporate philanthropy into your business model. I hosted an exclusive member Success Call on this topic a few months ago, and it was one of the most well attended ever. The interview here shares a high level…

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Season 3: Episode 11: Makers on Main Street with Cindy Jones, Ph.D. [Podcast]

Welcome to Season 3, Episode 11 of the Indie Business Podcast! In this eleventh episode of my Makers on Main Street series, you’ll meet Cindy Jones, Ph.D. of Colorado Aromatics in Longmont, Colorado. Cindy started her business 10 years ago on the heels of a career as a chemist and microbiologist. After serving as a…

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Our August 2015 Access Q+A Coaching Call

Entrepreneurship can be lonely … but not for members of the Indie Business Network. Every month, I and IBN’s Head Coach, Christine Laureano, host a private coaching call exclusively for members of the Indie Business Network so they can get answers to their most pressing business and success questions. Today’s call was one of our…

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Soapmaker Alana Rivera in San Francisco Chronicle

Are you a soapmaker? Are you still making your soaps in a small room or two in your home? There is nothing wrong with that, but if you want some inspiration to take things to the next level by getting having your own soapmaking studio, then look no further than our member and soapmaker extraordinaire,…

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Seek First to Build Relationships

Business is built on real relationships with real people, yet too many Makers and Creative Entrepreneurs think that if a marketing strategy does not produce quick sales, it’s not a good marketing strategy. That’s not true, and I’m going to tell you why. After 15 years in business, I’ve learned that the marketing strategies that…

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#IndieCruise Mastermind 2016 Speaker: Stacia Guzzo: Use Video to Build Your Brand

Last month in this post, I introduced you to Anne-Marie Faiola who will be speaking on #IndieCruise2016 Mastermind on the topic of Practical Tips to Organize Your Business for Stunning Success and Unsurpassed Productivity. Today, I’m excited to introduce you to another speaker: the lovely Stacia Guzzo of Handcrafted Honey Bee in Tehachapi, California! Join…

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How to Become an Overnight Success

How you define success has a lot to do with how you interpreted the title of this post when you read it. Did you take one look and conclude that it was just click bait? Or maybe you read it and muttered that there is no such thing as an overnight success. If you thought…

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Maintain a Manageable Product Line

This quote from my Shareable Image Gallery makes it easy to remember why it’s so important to maintain a manageable product line. No matter what kind of business you have, if you have too many products in your line, you will never have enough time to actually marketing and sell them. “ It’s better to…

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#MakerBizChat No. 15: Donna Maria’s Philosophy on Different Stuff

On Wednesday evenings from 8 to 8:30pm ET, I host #MakerBizChat, an Instagram event to help Makers and Handmade Entrepreneurs build a solid business foundation, increase your income, and use your business to create the life you love. Our topic tonight was DONNA MARIA’S PHILOSOPHY ON DIFFERENT STUFF. I chose this topic because some random…

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Be An Entrepreneur First

No matter what kind of business you have, and no matter what type of product or service you offer, you must be an entrepreneur first. Most Makers and Creative Entrepreneurs do not start out with an entrepreneurial mindset (I didn’t), and that’s OK. It is a process. It does not happen all at once. But…

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How Entrepreneurship is Like Baseball

I spent last week learning how entrepreneurship is like baseball. Well, really, I spent it watching my son play about a million baseball games at the beach. Before last week, I knew little about baseball. I thought it was about hitting a ball hard, and running around the bases, with the goal being to get…

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Why You Should Not Hire Someone Else To Write for You

One of the most important jobs you have as an online entrepreneur is to regularly write and publish content that attracts people to your website, nurtures customer relationships and builds a solid platform for your business. At times, this job is so daunting that you may be tempted to hire someone to write for you…

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How to Make Money With Your Blog

If you have read my blog for even a few weeks, you know how important it is that you maintain a blog to support your business. When I first started blogging, my intention was simply to have a place to share my thoughts ideas, and connect personally with members and prospective members of the Indie…

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Your Success is in Your Systems

Other than incredible relationships, the things that have contributed most to the long-term success and sustainability of my business are the systems I use to manage it. Your success is in your systems, and this post is about helping you implement the systems you need to enjoy success as an entrepreneur. When I quit my…

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