Tag Archives: executive coaching

11 Networking Turnoffs Entrepreneurs Make

Posted on by

people2

Many of our clients are making the commitment to network more this year to help get the word out and grow their business.  A quick review of what not to do may help make this year’s networking lead to greater results.

Upstart Business Journal posed this Up Take and question.  The responses that follow are from entrepreneurs regarding their networking experiences.

The UpTake: Networking events are an opportunity to build future relationships, not sell your product and life story. It only takes two to form a healthy business relationship, so don’t waste it by dolling out business cards after saying “hello.”

Question: What’s one common networking mistake or turnoff that you see business owners make? Continue reading →

Where Are You When It Comes to Effort vs. Success?

Posted on by

effort

Every now and then it’s a good idea to take a step back from your day to day focus and take a look at where you are in terms of the success you’re trying to achieve. For business owners, the definition of Success is very personal, but usually it’s going to be measured by how much money and freedom your business generates for you.

“The road to success runs uphill.”  – Willie Davis

Mr. Davis makes a great point – you can’t achieve long term success without effort.  In a lot of things you do, your success is directly tied to the amount of effort you put into it.  The more effort you put in, the more success you’ll get. Continue reading →

The Power of Accountability

Posted on by

accountability

Personally as the entrepreneur in residence and business coach at the CBI, and our volunteer CBI business mentors, our job is to help business owners develop bigger better businesses.  If you are actively trying to build your company, then you could benefit by looking for an advisor/coach/mentor to help you.

What can an advisor/coach/mentor help you do? Continue reading →

Focus on the Benefits

Posted on by

focus

You’ve heard it before I’m sure: focus on the benefits to your clients, not the features.  When you are writing copy, talking about what you do, or in a sales presentation, it’s the benefits and results of the service or product you provide that people are interested in, rather than its features or how it works.  A lot of people struggle to get this right. Continue reading →

Is it Time?

Posted on by

track.png

Tyson Hartnett wrote the following blog.  He is a 20-something CEO who started his own business, Basketball Training Club, in May of 2013.  He did a great job on his blog and I wanted to share his words with you.

That Moment When You NEED To Start Your Own Business

“Dude, the margarita mix is only half full!”

“What?”

“You didn’t fill the margarita mix!  What the ^&*% have you been doing all day??” Continue reading →

Don’t Miss These…

Posted on by

STEM

Labville is a STEM – Science, Technology, Engineering and Math – group for all ages.  The goal is to highlight a topic each month and introduce it to the public at a level we can all understand.  August will be 3D Scanning that can lead directly to 3D printing or other means to create the model outside of the computer.  Continue reading →

4 Phases of Bootstrapping Your Business

Posted on by

bootstrap

Have you ever put on a pair of cowboy boots or other boots with the little tabs to help pull them on?  Using those is bootstrapping.  From Wikipedia:

Tall boots may have a tab, loop or handle at the top known as a bootstrap, allowing one to use fingers or a boot hook tool to provide greater force in pulling the boots on. The saying “to pull oneself up by one’s bootstraps” was already in use during the 19th century as an example of an impossible task.

Today “Bootstrapping” is the art of building and operating a business without outside funding.  Just you, standing on your own two feet, using your own personal money to fund your business. Continue reading →

What’s Your Tagline?

Posted on by

taglines

I facilitated an Elevator Speech workshop for our clients last week.  People did great work in the session and left with a new elevator pitch or polished up their old one.  What’s next?  Developing a good Tagline.  What is it?  A single phrase or sentence that describes your primary benefit.  Notice I didn’t say your primary product or offering – but your primary benefit. Continue reading →

Just What is it We Do?

Posted on by

cbi logo1

It’s fair to say that at the Cumberland Business Incubator we do “something different every day.”  As examples, a few things that have occurred recently: Continue reading →