The longer I am in business, the more I appreciate the importance of managing my entrepreneurial energy. In the early years of my business, it was as simple as getting up, getting a bunch of stuff done, and then calling it a day. That’s still the big picture, but now that my business has matured…
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…
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…
Today, I purchased my ticket to the 2015 Martha Stewart American Made Summit, set for Saturday, November 7, in New York City. If you have not purchased your ticket, you can do so here … and save $50 if you share the event on Facebook as you register. (I did!) Whether or not you are…
In January 2015, I launched a training project called Blog Your Brand, exclusively for select Indie Business Network members. It was by application only, and one of the requirements was that you had to publish a new blog once a week or you would be removed from the group. Yes, that’s how serious I am…
To read this update or any links here online, log in at this link http://www.indiebusinessnetwork.com/ and LOG IN. After you log in you’ll land here http://www.indiebusinessnetwork.com/members/news/] This is a message sent out to ALL IBN members. It contains exclusive event reminders and important member forum discussion highlights you may have missed. Indie Business Network Member…
We are closing in on the end of Season 3 of the Indie Business Podcast. Our theme, Makers On Main Street, is one of the most fun topics I have covered since I began podcasting in 2005. It’s thrillling to draw out the stories of Makers and Handmade Entrepreneurs who own and manage retail stores…
If you have seen me recently, you have probably also seen my iPhone 6+. It’s a pretty big piece of equipment considering the 5.5″ screen, but I love it. It takes super clear and crisp photos and has lots of storage for the audio and video files I need to have at my fingertips so…
The 30-Day Blog Your Brand Challenge was a huge success, and dozens of Indie Business Network members won a complimentary year of IBN membership after they blogged consistently for thirty straight days. At the conclusion of the Challenge, I opened the doors to the Blog Your Brand Facebook Group to the public. Click here to…
Entrepreneurship is messy, but it would be a lot more messy for me if I did not intentionally operate my business in the midst of an entrepreneurial ecosystem that allows it (and me) to thrive. From very early in my business, I predicted that my personal life situation would not always be a bed of…
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 SIX FREE WAYS TO HOST VIRTUAL EVENTS TO BUILD YOUR BRAND. In my…
I will host Connection Day 2015: Portland, on October 11-12, 2015, with hotel check-in and Indie Yappy Hour the evening before! (I’ll be hosting Connection Day New York City in September, so I could not leave out my members over on the other side of the country now could I?) Sponsored by one of IBN’s…
Thank you for registering for Connection Day 2015: Portland! Here is what to do next. Make your hotel reservation To reserve your room at the Portland Hotel Monaco (squee!) located at 506 S.W. Washington Street, Portland, OR 97204 – By phone: call 1-800-546-7866 Reference Group Code Indie Business Network, to reserve at the discounted rate…
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 last night was How to Build a Membership-Based Business. While most people use the terms…
Every month, I and IBN’s Head Coach, Christine Laureano, host a private member call designed to give members an opportunity to get the answers to their most pressing business questions NOW! Today is that day for this month. This is the very BEST day of the month for me because it’s a chance to make…
The 30-Day Blog Your Brand Challenge was a huge success, and dozens of Indie Business Network members won a complimentary year of IBN membership after they blogged consistently for thirty straight days. At the conclusion of the Challenge, I opened the doors to the Blog Your Brand Facebook Group to the public. Click here to…
I am pleased to announce the launch of my new shareable image gallery, a collection of originally designed inspirational quotes and images you can share with your friends. Just click on an image you like, choose your social media channel and share! I began posting inspirational quotes a few years ago here at the blog…
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Welcome to Season 3, Episode 5 of the Indie Business Podcast! In this fifth episode of my Makers on Main Street series, you’ll meet Kismet Andrews of Bar Maids in Brush Prairie, Washington. Kismet held down a full-time job working eighty hours a week for several years after the started her business, and when she…
What sets apart Makers and Handmade Entrepreneurs who use Instagram successfully to grow their businesses and those who do not? According to our guest on today’s Success Call, it includes things like consistent posting and using a pre-determined schedule. In other words, like in so many other areas of life and business, discipline is the…
Today is the best day ever because it’s our coaching call day! Each month, I and our Head Coach, Christine Laureano, host a private member call designed to give members an opportunity to get the answers to their most pressing business questions NOW! This month, our Head Coach, Christine Laureano (left) will be joined by…
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Welcome to Season 3, Episode 3 of the Indie Business Podcast! In this third episode of my Makers on Main Street series, I introduce you to Jamyla Bennu of Oyin Handmade in Baltimore, Maryland. You’ll be so inspired by how Jamyla has grown her business from a tiny kitchen operation to a retail store with…