Microbusiness Mentor

An entrepreneur started an online home-based business and has “websites up the galore”. She blogs and, I assume figuratively, “is on websites from here to China.” This entrepreneur wants to know how to get clients for her business.

I can only speak from personal experience and my business is very much virtual and based on intellectual property (i.e. advisory, consulting, training and mentoring). When I hear new business owners say this, especially those operating web based business, is that their challenge is actually coming from “doing way too much of what everyone else is also doing”.

Participate in Business as Usual but Differentiate Yourself First!

Yes, we need a website. We need to participate. We want to be “out there” and “be seen” whether virtually or in real life. Where online businesses are concerned, entry barriers are low and this means everyone else will do the same things because of the access and ease of modern technology.
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Are you starting out as an entrepreneur, and like many of us, have limited resources? Here are my 3 favorite starting points that are valuable AND free:

1. Score Big with SCORE.

If you are an entrepreneur you must check out SCORE (http://score.org), which now brands itself as “Counselors to America’s Small Business”. Historically, SCORE comprises of retired executives (what the “RE” in SCORE stood for) who volunteer to mentor business owners. If you need help with any aspect of your new business, consider first asking a mentor for some advice. Even for legal and financial/tax-related issues, a SCORE mentor can help you with some talking points and questions you should ask when you do visit an attorney or tax advisor.
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The late comedian George Carlin has left an indelible mark in his profession, and a memorable if not controversial brand in the American psyche.

The evolution of Carlin’s personal brand exemplifies the power of reinvention and transformation that we can apply as microbusiness entrepreneurs. These 5 Personal Branding Lessons are:

1. Ride the Zeitgeist and Reinvent Yourself.
2. Identify Your Transformative Platform.
3. Be Very Specific About Your Brand: This is What Makes You Unique
4. With Any Success, You Will Face Hurdles: Don’t Give Yourself the Biggest Stumbling Block
5. Will You Age Gracefully or Cynically? You Choose.

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