America’s SBDC Blog

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Success Story: Idaho

February 5, 2014

State: Idaho
Center: Idaho SBDC, Region V
Client Name: Straight Forward Auto Service

Gary Warren worked for years to build his reputation as a trustworthy mechanic in the city of Soda Springs in rural southeast Idaho. In early 2012, Gary decided to fulfill his long held desire of going into business for himself and owning his own repair shop.

With assistance from the Small Business Development Center (SBDC), Gary’s market research showed he had the network to produce viable cash flow and secure ongoing clients. Yet finding funding for his new venture proved a challenge. (more…)

14 Creative Ways to Use Images on Facebook in 2014

January 30, 2014

Images were a huge part of Facebook and other social networks in 2013,  but you can expect these sites to get even more visual in the New Yea. And with good reason– pictures can drive big engagement on Facebook, as much as 120 percent more engagement than text-only posts.

Luckily, with the popularity of smartphones, it’s never been easier to snap a photo, add a comment or a question, and upload it to social media. Following are 14 creative ideas to help you get started with using images on Facebook :

1. Spark a conversation: Look for ways to engage your fans in a conversation. You can use an image to catch their attention and text to encourage a response.

2. Go behind the scenes: Give fans a peek behind the curtains with images that show all of the work that goes into the products you sell and the services you provide. (more…)

Improve Your Relationship with Your Business

January 29, 2014

As a business grows, entrepreneurs must often reinvent themselves as a rite of passage. It’s often the very work habits that help you achieve a level of success that hold you back from getting to the next level. Being involved in all areas of the business, making every decision, and managing every outcome in the company becomes unsustainable as your business grows. I’ve gone through several reinventions as my own business grew and changed.

I started my company in 1989 at the age of 21. I was involved in every area of the business including strategy, sales, management, and administration. I always put the business first and grew it with stubborn single-mindedness. The company was structured in a hub-and-spoke model and I made every key decision. As we grew, I began to feel overwhelmed by the increasing complexity of the business. There was never enough time in the day. It seemed there was no end in sight and I began to resent my business. In fact, the more we grew, the worse I felt.

In 1995 I was invited to join a Young Entrepreneurs Organization event (then YEO, now EO). My first EO educational experience featured Michael Gerber, author of The E-Myth. Gerber yelled at the roomful of entrepreneurs driving home this point: “If you’re trapped working in your business then you’re not an entrepreneur! You just have a job working for the most unreasonable boss in the world… yourself!” (more…)

8 Things a Joint Venture Agreement Should Cover

January 28, 2014

Combining forces to create a joint venture (JV) is nothing new, but the real trick is to do so in such a way that protects each venturer so that both parties are free to put their best creative foot forward. I’m talking “Captain Planet” levels of teamwork that can only come when all parties feel that they’re in a safe space to build an empire.

Just three little words are required to make your wildest joint venture dreams come true: joint venture agreement. Sounds dry. Sounds complicated. But they are absolutely necessary. By outlining each partner’s expectations, not only are both of your businesses protected, but the relationship between the people teaming up is protected, too. No passive aggressive emails or fighting over customer lists and trademarks — or worse.

Every agreement varies depending on the specifics, but when I joined forces with Ashley Ambirge of The TMFProject to create a comprehensive legal resource for entrepreneurs called Small Business Bodyguard, we made sure to cover the absolute must-haves. Here are some of the key items we included that you can use as a jumping-off point to craft your own agreement: (more…)

6 Methods For Making a Lasting Impression

January 23, 2014

You went to a networking event, chatted with new contacts, and collected cards. Now what? There are multitudes of things you can do to make a personal and lasting impression past the first interaction. Now that you’ve done your due diligence in attending a networking event and connecting with peers, it’s time to begin the process of staying top-of-mind.

Here are 6 tips to get you past a one-night networking stand — and into a long-lasting business relationship:

Connect quickly on multiple levels. Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, you name it. Today, there is even a great app powered by LinkedIn called Cardmunch that allows you to take a picture of a business card and it will instantly connect you with the person’s LinkedIn account. It doesn’t get simpler than that. I recommend doing this either the same day or the next day — it’s important to connect while the event is still fresh on everyone’s mind. Building relationships takes time, effort and genuine interest. You wouldn’t wait a week to connect with a new interest on social sites; consider timely interaction with new business contacts as proper business courting.

Get it on the calendar. Coffee, lunch, or drinks are preferred first methods of connection. Send an email to remind your new contact how you met. Make sure to include an important fact about the person too; we all love to know people were listening to us, and details can be great conversation starters. Request a time to meet to learn more about them, their business, and how you can help one another. (more…)