Bossing Up In Business

As a successful business consultant, you take business new heights.  What is one of your strategies to do that? 

My strategy is breaking down their actual ideas. A lot of entrepreneurs have a thousand ideas and things they want to do. My main strategy is to pick one thing. Take that to the next level then we can move on. Everyone says they need 7 streams of income. You do, need an average of 7 streams of income, but they don’t have to be 7 different companies. You can take 1 company and create 5 or 6 streams from 1 company. Instead of us jumping to 3 or 7 markets, you can take 1 company, put it in different avenues and create 4-5 streams from 1 company. That’s what I do. I help them organize their ideas and plan it. You have an idea, we plan it, organize it and execute it. They have the idea; a lot of people don’t know how to execute. 

 I love that. This is going to help a lot of people in business.  

How would you advise someone who wanted to start a business with limited funds? 

Limited funds, I would tell people to plan. A lot of people with limited funds, they go into the mind of putting money out to make some money. You must sacrifice first. I have a lot of clients that come to be saying they need business funding for my new business, but you must think differently. Why would someone give you money if you don’t know how to use your money, first. Start sacrificing. You may want to stop eating out. You may need to cook. You must learn how to self-manage everything in the beginning, then you can ask others for money.  

Example, I have a client who is a hairstylist. She wanted to sell hair, but said the market is saturated. I told her she just needed to find a way to gain a competitive advantage. I asked her if she ever thought about a mobile beauty supply store. She could get contracts and supply other stylists with what they need. I also suggested starting a towel service. I advised her to offer more. Gaining advantages is the way. There may be 50 hair salons, what makes you unique. What makes you stand out? Price is never going to make you stand out. 

What would you say is the biggest challenge for small businesses? 

 Capital. That’s the biggest challenge. I can even use me for example. I’m trying to get out there. I am known locally in Philadelphia, New York, and New Jersey. I’m now trying to expand my business and I’ve even set budget for myself. I have been in business for 15 years and I am moving to the next level. My goal is to get national coverage. For me, I had to reevaluate my business and hire a Public Relations Firm. I had to budget and save to move to the next level. A lot of businesses think they must start big. You don’t have to start with a 3,000 square foot store front. You can start wherever you are and build up to that. 

I have one client who wants to open a boutique. She started off ordering too much and couldn’t financially afford it. You can start off wherever you are and build up. I advised her to research the “wants” of her clients then buy for seasons, not just a lot of merchandise. Start off small, then expand.  

I started my business with my $6,000 refund check. Everyone else was blowing their school refund checks, but I invested mine in my business. 

If someone hired you, how would you assist a business owner who wanted to broaden their business? 

First thing we do is a membership. Within that membership, is a 12-month roadmap to success. I break it down in quarters to find out where they want to be in business. One of the first questions I ask is, “Who are you and what does your brand stand for.” Once a business owner knows who they are, we can figure out the rest of it. You sell products or services, but who are you. People start marketing before they start branding. Branding should be first. Business owners need to know who they are first. 

What is the newest business trend? 

Digital, e-books, and “how to” classes are the latest trends. Learning from someone who knows. I went to college, but a lot of my professors didn’t even have businesses. In college I didn’t learn as much as I needed to learn. I learned when I opened my business. This is one of the reasons I have and teach my “Boss Up” university classes. I want you to learn, so you can teach someone else because eventually there will be a network of us. Knowledge without being taught is a mess. You must invest in your education. 

How can one utilize social media to strengthen their business? 

Be personable. A lot of people don’t want to show their flaws. If you think about it, a lot of people see the end result. They don’t know the story. I’ve learned, once you start being personable people start liking you. I was her; she went through a divorce too? Oh, she has kids, and this happened? Oh, she was stabbed in the back. Oh, Oh, she’s just like me. “I’m not alone. They can relate. A lot of go through the same things, but it’s only a few of us that talk about it. Everything isn’t good. Everything isn’t gravy. You have to tell that part. That’s what made you who you are. You can’t be afraid to talk about things. Some things are private, but I am transparent. I talk about everything. You must be willing to share your story. When God gives me a message, I share it. Right now, I want to share this…Elevation requires separation. That’s going to help somebody. 

How can readers connect with you to strengthen and promote their businesses?

They can go to my website and book a consultation. I am always willing to hear their thoughts. People have some really good ideas. They just don’t know where to start. Let’s make it make sense. We can work on a business plan. One client decided she didn’t want to do her business after that. Everyone’s purpose and passion is different. That’s what I do, I help you figure all of this out. 

Thank you for taking the time to speak with me today. This was amazing. Entrepreneurship isn’t easy, but with guidance and direction it can be less painful. Finding your passion work is the key to giving your business what it needs to thrive. Again, thank you for helping people more forth in business. This was some great advice for new small business owners, seasoned business owners who have thriving businesses as well as people looking to start a business. We can always do better. These are some great nuggets of  in your back pocket.

Photos courtesy of Chantel Price