angela lee duckworth on TED

In Business, Grit Trumps Everything

I was not a high performing young student. It’s embarrassing to admit, especially since today, I insist that my children pursue high levels of achievement in elementary school. (Translated loosely, this means “as many A’s as you can get.”) When I was their age, I did well, but after sixth grade, I started getting B’s…

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renegade members

IBN Members at Renegade Craft Fair – San Francsico

If you love all things handmade and you live in San Francisco, then you may have been at the Renegade Craft Fair over the weekend. If so, you would only have enjoyed yourself if you had been sure to stop by and meet some of our members there — in particular, the lovely ladies pictured…

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10 Signs Your Small Business Will Be Successful

This article is for all Makers and handmade entrepreneurs, but mainly for the newbies. One of the questions I get most often is: “How do I know my business will work?” The short answer is that you don’t know. No one knows. Entrepreneurship is about many things, and one of those things is risk. When…

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pure pitz deodorant from purely lisa

Natural Alternatives to Mass Market Deodorant

Did you know that several of our members offer alternatives to mass market deodorant? In this post, I will share some of them with you, and let you know about my personal experience with Pure Pitz from our member, Lisa Wynn Salvatore over at Purely Lisa in Greenwich, Connecticut. I have never used anything other…

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Eraka Watson, Esq. on Fox

Texas Business Law Attorney, Eraka Watson, Esq. Featured on The Black Voice

As you know, most of our members make handmade products or provide consulting services, ingredients, and supplies to people Makers and Handmade Entrepreneurs. One of our newest members is a Texas-based attorney offering legal and business law services to small business owners and the people who lead them. Eraka Watson, Esq. (left), was recently featured…

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Dawn Fitch Interview on WPIX-11

Small Business Success Tips from Dawn Fitch of Pooka Pure and Simple

Our member, Dawn Fitch of Pooka Pure & Simple, was interviewed this week by Sukanya Krishnan, news anchor at New York’s WPIX-TV (Channel 11), the flagship station of The CW Television Network, with an audience of over 10 million homes. Here is the interview (yes, there is a commercial at the beginning …) Enjoy the…

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Purchase a Telephone Consultation

[NOTE: If you click the link for this post, you will be re-directed to the original source at DonnaMaria.com.] There are numerous ways that I consult with my Indie Business Network members. A monthly Access Q+A Coaching call is included with their annual membership and we have Success Calls at least once a month. You…

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Donna Maria and Jamyla Bennu at Oyin Handmade

Entrepreneurship Buys Freedom, says Oyin Handmade

This week is so much fun! I am in my hometown of Washington, DC, for several days to enjoy time with my family and to set the stage for some exciting things coming up here at the Indie Business Network. You’ll be hearing a lot more details in the coming days, but for now, I…

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ba6 botanicals and christine laureano in long island business

Christine Laureano Launches Direct Mail Catalogs

Our member, Christine Laureano of Ba6 Botanicals in Hampton Bays, New York, is featured in Long Island Business Newsday this week for her new business strategy to use direct mail catalogs as a marketing tool. I am excited to see Christine create a niche publication that will reach her customers directly, providing them with colorful…

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mango fruit salad

Mango Fruit Salad with Honey Lime Dressing

Did you have a nice holiday weekend? I got some much needed rest and enjoyed hanging out with my children. I fired up our charcoal grill and got busy. While my chicken and burgers were a big hit with the kids and our guests, my personal favorite dish was this Mango Fruit Salad With Honey…

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mindset sphere

My Latest Owner Magazine Column: Make Up Your Mindset

Since last summer, I have been pleased to write a monthly column for Chris Brogan’s Owner Magazine. This month’s column marks my 10th for the online publication, and I’m excited to share it with you here because I think every Indie can relate. My July article is entitled Make Up Your Mindset, and it contains…

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Introducing My Maker Box, Powered by Indie Business Network

American manufacturing is not dead. It’s alive and well, and living here at the Indie Business Network. Need some proof? Today, we launched My Maker Box, an exclusive, hand-curated box of Handmade In America products. My Maker Box is a monthly subscription box For Makers, By Makers, and contains products created by Makers and Handmade…

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Start Your Handmade Business on the Right Foot

If you have read this blog for a while, you know that I don’t spend a lot of time tooting my horn, or even IBN’s horn. I much prefer to toot IBN members’ horns, and I do that very well. But no matter how much or how little tooting I do, the truth is that…

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