The younger of my two daughters called this morning and told me about her excitement for the 2010 edition of the San Francisco International Film Festival to be held in April. According to their website, "...Founded in 1957, the San Francisco International Film Festival is the longest-running film festival in the Americas....." Her husband's company handled the tech solutions … [Read more...]
It’s a wide world of Business and Industry
They say to have the most enjoyment in deriving income is to either do what you love or do what you do best. In this difficult economy, however, that's easier said than done. Sometimes to make ends meet people are starting home businesses by finding a need and filling it. Some people are using what innate skills they have and building a small business out of that. I'm … [Read more...]
3 Rules for Business
There's a popular saying that goes, "Rules are meant to be broken!" After all, isn't that how one breaks out of the proverbial "box?" How could you possibly think outside the box if you're constantly following all the rules that demand you stay in the box? In the art classes I've taught, many times students would ask me about the "rules." The "you should always" things. … [Read more...]
Consistency is one part of a healthy business
What stands as the infrastructure of your business? If you are a solo-preneur, a home-based business owner or even just a small business with a partner, then the infrastructure isn't an organizational structure, rather it's how you do your business. Something holds your business together and keeps it going. I posit that one of the underlying structures for tiny businesses is … [Read more...]
Being in Business is Risky Business
Having a business of your own is a bit like being a creative writer. A creative writer loves to ask and answer the question: what would happen if....? What would happen if: the title character were a woman instead of a man the title character were 75 years old and slightly deaf the title character had a side-kick who was independently wealthy all the action took … [Read more...]
Everyone making predictions for 2010
Everywhere you look lately folks are making business predictions for the New Year 2010 and I'm going to chime right in. My topic is marketing. First, however, I want to give you my definition for marketing – it is not quite what others might say. Marketing is telling everyone, everywhere: what your business is, where it is, how to find it what your product/service … [Read more...]
Think long-term solidity rather than short-term success
There is no denying that this past year of 2009 has been tough economically for nearly everyone. In the U.S., 35 states were reported to have an unemployment rate of over 5% as reported for October on CNNMoney. That is a lot of people without jobs and income. My home state of California currently has an unemployment rate of 12.3% according to today's CNNMoney report - even … [Read more...]
The Work that Women Choose to Do
There was a time in my life when the work I did was work I could get...sometimes survival mode dictates our direction. I've worked as a waitress, a receptionist and file clerk to earn a paycheck. Those were not choices, those were positions available. And I almost didn't get those because I was "over qualified." In fact my first waitressing job I very nearly didn't get … [Read more...]
What is it 30-somethings want?
It's been a few years since I was 30. My younger daughter just celebrated her 30th birthday this past Monday. I do recall, however, that at age 30 I wasn't thinking about retirement. In fact, at that age I believe I was working as a newspaper reporter and loving every minute of it. The reason I bring this up is because I overheard two conversations while at lunch the … [Read more...]
Is Speed of Service an Added Value?
Customer service sometimes means how we approach our business...how we "do" our business. For our businesses to be profitable, we need customers and clients so we devote much time and attention to promotion and advertising. Another big percentage of our business is our interaction with our customers and clients in the buying and selling or product and service interface. A … [Read more...]