http://www.nawbonova.org NAWBO NOVA Chapter Mon, 12 May 2008 10:26:15 CDT en-us http://www.nawbonova.org/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/3947 http://www.nawbonova.org/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/3947 Mon, 05 May 2008 22:31:52 CDT Like many of you, each morning when I wake I turn on the coffeemaker (nothing happens without caffeine) and radio to listen and the traffic reports and business news. To my fellow business owner, does it seem that most mornings, the travel around the beltway, during rush hour, is much less painful than listening to the business reports? The market is down, gas prices are up, housing sales are down, and unemployment is up…I think you get the idea. These factors affect how we conduct... http://www.nawbonova.org/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/3899 http://www.nawbonova.org/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/3899 Mon, 21 Apr 2008 21:32:33 CDT In today's society, especially in the DC area, being frenzied and overbooked is almost a badge of honor. But it comes at a price that we often don't realize until much later. Running at full tilt all the time rarely produces sound strategic decisions. I'm writing this entry from Key West - sober. I had too much to do to get ready to leave a life that doesn't seem to have a moment's spare time. And my blog entry is late. But writing from this location after a couple of days of unwinding has... http://www.nawbonova.org/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/3886 http://www.nawbonova.org/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/3886 Tue, 15 Apr 2008 19:46:48 CDT I was talking to a client the other day, a woman who owns a boutique consulting firm, and she was telling me about a difficult situation with one of her employees. Despite counseling, the employee hasn't fixed some problem behaviors, and isn't generating the expected revenues for the company that he was hired to bring in. We chatted about possible ways to approach the situation, and at the end of our conversation, she said "you're so lucky that you have a business partner, you have someone to... http://www.nawbonova.org/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/3873 http://www.nawbonova.org/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/3873 Sun, 06 Apr 2008 22:05:58 CDT Have you stopped and thought about your network of business friends and contacts lately? I mean really thought about how they are helping you learn, grow and find new business? I had the opportunity to stop and think deeply the other day about this. A dear friend of mine has been trying to start a food-service business for several years, and it's been going slowly since she's also raising two small kids. Now she's ready to get back in the game full-time, and is worried about how to reconnect... http://www.nawbonova.org/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/3806 http://www.nawbonova.org/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/3806 Tue, 18 Mar 2008 09:56:19 CDT How much of your marketing and sales strategy relies on getting client testimonials and referrals? Does the thought of asking a happy customer to refer a friend make you uncomfortable? It shouldn’t. Let me share you a story of why it’s worth asking. My husband owns a very small massage therapy practice, which he opened last June. He decided that becoming a finalist in the Best of Fairfax would boost his visibility and sales. But, he had to compete in the Spa categoryâ€"he thought there... http://www.nawbonova.org/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/3788 http://www.nawbonova.org/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/3788 Sun, 09 Mar 2008 23:54:18 CDT When applying for a line of credit or a loan with a bank, your personal credit history counts a great deal in the decision to grant you credit or not. This is not the only factor but it a very important factor. Underwriters look at your past credit history closely to give them some indication on how you have handled your creditors in the past. Before applying for financing for your business or personally, make sure that you have requested a copy of your credit history from all the agencies.... http://www.nawbonova.org/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/3765 http://www.nawbonova.org/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/3765 Thu, 28 Feb 2008 20:45:06 CST We challenge each of you to make a gift of $100 to the NAWBO PAC , Margaret Chase Smith Giving Circle, by April 1 to help our NAWBO NOVA chapter be recognized as one with the greatest percentage of its membership contributing. The Circle is named after Smith, the first woman elected to both the House and Senate and the first woman to be nominated by a major political party for the office of President of the U.S. Currently, NAWBO member Melissa Bean (IL-8) was elected with NAWBO support,... http://www.nawbonova.org/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/3718 http://www.nawbonova.org/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/3718 Wed, 13 Feb 2008 08:09:42 CST NAWBO NOVA is pleased to introduce one of the most unusual member benefits in the country â€" AwardAssistSM. Everyone knows that awards can drive business to your door, boost employee morale, and generate great press â€" but the effort behind searching them out can be overwhelming to companies who don’t have staff dedicated to that task. Even if you identify awards, you often have to find someone to nominate you (or self-nominate, which many companies don’t want to do). Let us toot your... http://www.nawbonova.org/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/3713 http://www.nawbonova.org/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/3713 Mon, 11 Feb 2008 07:46:16 CST Last week we held our bi-monthly Center for Entrepreneurial Excellence series, and the topic was finding capital for your business. As business owners, this is an extremely important topicâ€"whether we just starting out or are poised for growth, the money equation is important. In an extremely candid discussion, our guests panelistsâ€"Kristina Bouweiri, CEO, Reston Limousine; Mary Rogers, CEO, Abrakadoodle; and Carolyn Sawyer, CEO Chief Strategist, Tom Sawyer Companyâ€"shared their... http://www.nawbonova.org/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/3689 http://www.nawbonova.org/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/3689 Wed, 06 Feb 2008 12:25:49 CST John F. Kennedy once said, "Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future” Just as change then is a law of life, so it is with business. I have heard recently a business owner very firmly saying that they should do the same way they have always done it (“even if, obviously it does not work) and people continue to leave. As in life, the law of change for business is constant. That's never been truer than it is today.... http://www.nawbonova.org/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/3665 http://www.nawbonova.org/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/3665 Mon, 28 Jan 2008 20:38:10 CST Online social networking is completely changing the way business can be done. Not only in the perceived ‘trendier’ markets geared towards younger people and teenagers, but even in the more traditional, conservative markets. Wikipedia has a page for social networking and specifically references its business applications. It reads the following: Business applications Social networks connect people at low cost; this can be beneficial for entrepreneurs and small businesses looking to... http://www.nawbonova.org/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/3660 http://www.nawbonova.org/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/3660 Thu, 24 Jan 2008 08:05:31 CST A recent edition of SmartCEO featured the 25 dynamic women business owners who received the first Annual BRAVO! Business Achievement Awards. These women encompass a key component of success: a consummate entrepreneurial spirit! Each award winner was queried about her most valuable lesson learned. Because I completely embrace the concept “work smarter, not harder”, I eagerly read each winner’s response. What struck me the most was how frequently humanity, integrity, and respect... http://www.nawbonova.org/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/3649 http://www.nawbonova.org/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/3649 Thu, 17 Jan 2008 15:51:15 CST I recently attended a strategic planning session for NAWBO National, and the discussions revolved around where the national organization is going and how it can best serve its customers, defined as several groups, with “chapters” being one, and “members” being another. I learned that 97% of NAWBO members are affiliated with a chapter, and that the majority of the people who participate in NAWBO’s national events (Public Policy Days, National Conference) are chapter leaders.... http://www.nawbonova.org/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/3632 http://www.nawbonova.org/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/3632 Fri, 11 Jan 2008 21:33:20 CST At our monthly speaker series this past Wednesday, the speakerâ€"Karen Zuckerman of design agency HZDGâ€"shared a story of an incredible risk the company took, and the payoff. Without going into too much detail, they made the decision to spend $60,000 to go on a cruise, where they’d have the opportunity to pitch some high-profile prospects. That was just to go on the trip; it didn’t include the investment in preparing the pitch and other costs. While $60,000 may be a reasonable... http://www.nawbonova.org/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/3596 http://www.nawbonova.org/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/3596 Mon, 17 Dec 2007 15:58:22 CST When the local high school band musicians ring my front doorbell, I buy whatever they’re selling. I want to be a good community member and pitch in. But increasingly, I am asked to donate at places where I don’t know anyone or the charity behind the ask. Whether it’s the grocery store checkout clerk or the telephone sales operator, I’m unlikely to donate to an organization where I don’t feel I know where the money is going. Community businesses are now starting to understand that... http://www.nawbonova.org/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/3565 http://www.nawbonova.org/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/3565 Sun, 02 Dec 2007 21:46:24 CST Everywhere you look these days you see something about developing your brand. Many of my fellow design agencies specialize in branding and brand management. As a business owner, you know you need to pay attention to your brand. You know it’s important. But in all the talk, have you figured out what it really is? Your brand is your most important corporate asset. A strong brand builds confidence and trust with your customers and distinguishes you from other organizations serving your client... http://www.nawbonova.org/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/3554 http://www.nawbonova.org/ht/d/ViewBloggerThread/i/3554 Sun, 25 Nov 2007 16:03:46 CST Women business owners very often spend most of their productive time in growing and nurturing their business at the expense of their personal financial well being. It is important that these intelligent and competent business owners also spend some time preparing a comprehensive financial plan that will address these following topics and issues: Goals Do I have enough money to achieve my goals? What are my investment goals? What are my children’s goals? How do I deal with the...