The perfect business trilogy!
Do you want your business to be a success? Want it to grow and continue booming for years? All the experts say that a strong business requires building up an excellent team and creating a culture of consistency. But what's the best way to do this? The perfect business trilogy, of course!
In today’s post, we talk about how to create the perfect business trilogy by using three very important points:
1. Perseverance: You'll learn from someone who has been at it for over forty years and is still going strong.
2. Openness: You'll hear from someone who insists on being as transparent as possible with clients, employees, partners – everyone else in their orbit.
3. Passion: You'll find out from a third person what it takes to be passionate about your business and your future.
We'd like to introduce you to Casey Berman, Founder of the Raven Project , Monique Knowlton, independent consultant to small businesses and Mark Milano, Director of Marketing at SCVNGR . These three entrepreneurs have a lot to share about how you can create the perfect business trilogy for yourself!
So without further ado... Let's get started!
The Most Important Step in Creating Your Business Success:
It's hard work but it's worth it. [1]
Casey Berman of the Raven Project [2] is a proud forty-year-old with four decades of building and nurturing businesses under his belt. He's been in business for more than half of his life, and has spent the last decade building a company that he believes in wholeheartedly. Casey's specialties include technology strategy and analysis, business development, marketing & growth, product management and entrepreneurship training. Check out Casey's book "Shameless Business" to find out how to grow your business using some harsh-but-effective honesty!
What sets Casey aside from other entrepreneurs is that he uses humor to help bring light to the subject matter around him. It is through this humor that Casey brings his message across. He speaks about the importance of picking a quiet office or getting a hotel room with at least seven outlets near the desk (or better yet, on the floor) because "business is noisy."
Casey's techniques are based on those of his mentor, Lou Gerstner.
What does Casey think are most important to focus on in order to scale your business?
"People will say what you do doesn't matter, but I say it does and without good people behind it, great things don't happen. The second part is to focus on doing it every day. A lot of people have great ideas, but as soon as they get busy, they forget about them. They take on other projects and their new idea gets buried."
The First Key to Creating a Successful Business: Passionate Employees. [3]
Meet Monique Knowlton, an independent consultant for small businesses. Her professional background is in flexible staffing and human resources management. She has worked and consulted with companies both big and small including Black Enterprise, Inc., Success Magazine, the Washington Post Company and the District of Columbia Public Schools. Monique's expertise in HR and business management allows her to quickly identify the best ways to market your business.
What are the six critical steps every small business should take before hiring employees?
"The first step is to find someone who can help you take your ideas to the next level."
What do you think are the most important elements of success for anyone who works for themselves? "A line I like when speaking to new clients is, 'Self employment is not a choice. It's a necessity. To succeed in self employment, you have to be resilient.'"
The Second Key to Creating a Successful Business: Authenticity [4] .
Mark Milano, the Director of Marketing at SCVNGR, is a New England born expert in social media, online communications and viral marketing. Ever since he launched his marketing firm, he has been helping clients with strategies for digital communications. His expertise in social media and viral strategies lead him to author the article: "How to Have a Viral Campaign" which was published by Small Business Trends . Mark has also been featured on Fortune Small Business , Forbes Small Business , as well as Mashable .
Mark is all about creating a culture of transparency at his business that allows everyone to see what's going on for themselves. Here's how he does it:
"Transparency is part of our philosophy. We have a set of values that sets us apart from other niche marketing agencies, and the transparency in our company is one of them. Everyone can see what's up on the website, and there are no secrets."
Mark feels that part of his success has come through his ability to establish a sense of trust with his clients. He explains: "I spend a lot of time cultivating relationships with my clients. I travel to them, meet with them in person. I'm very hands-on and I go back to them every quarter with feedback."
He also believes that it's important to realize that your business is personal. "Every business is a microcosm of the person who started it," Mark says. "If you feel like you need to be everywhere and do everything at once, that's probably a sign that your company isn't ready to be started yet."
Passionate about starting your own business? Read about what Casey, Monique, and Mark have to say about creating the perfect business trilogy! And if you're ready to start creating your trilogy today, join us in our Small Business Owner's Lounge . [5] With over 597 members , we can help you with any questions or concerns you may have. We have experts on hand to assist you, a live chat room, a section for classifieds and a whole lot more!
The Small Business Revolution [6] is in full swing. We've come a long way since 2008 and now we're fighting for our right to survive. Join the Revolution, become part of the Internet's newest social business network and help promote small businesses around you!
Sources: [1] http://www.artofmanliness.com/2009/04/24/15-rules-that-will-make-you-more-successful/ [2] https://www.linkedin.
Conclusion
If you're ready to start building your own business, whether it's a small side project or a more complex venture that could potentially turn into your business, there are many different resources available for you. These resources will help to guide you through the process and provide you with the tools needed to succeed.
But remember: the key to success is finding what works for YOU! Every business has their own unique path to success. The good news is that if you're willing to put in the extra effort, everything can be accomplished. If you need some guidance on where to start, feel free to join us in our Small Business Lounge [5] . We have around 597 members and experts on hand waiting only for you.