Struggling Entrepreneur

 

 117C- Reluctant Entrepreneurs- startup up out of necessity - by D.C. Denison [09:34m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

In this episode of The Struggling Entrepreneur, we deliver the audio narration of the Boston Globe article (complete and unabridged, with all appropriate attributions) called ‘Starting up out of necessity — Dismal Job Market breeds ‘reluctant entrepreneurs.’

Authored by D. C. Denison, who is on the Globe staff, this article (which was published on the web on 19 February 2010)  provides case studies of those entrepreneurs who became small business owners as a last resort after having been laid off — in some cases, where both husband and wife had lost their jobs around the same time.

As you will hear in this audio episode, the main objective of family members in the work force today seems to lean to having a structured job in an enterprise or in the Public Sector. However, sometimes the necessity of finding a revenue stream for a family’s income may come via a reluctance to enter the small business environment and become an entrepreneur. Hence the title “Reluctant Entrepreneur.”

We thank the author, D.C. Denison, for written permission to deliver this audio version to you in this podcast.

Copyright (c) 2010, Matrix Solutions Corporation and www.boston.com and D.C. Denison. All Rights Reserved.

 

 117B- Talmadge Boyd, Entrepreneur and organizer of VideoCamp [20:52m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

In this episode of The Struggling Entrepreneur, we interview Talmadge Boyd, Entrepreneur and organizer of the unconference event in Austin called VideoCamp.

 Tal’s firm is called Reel Social Media. He handles the sales and the business end of the company, while his partner is the operations and tech specialist in the area of online video.

As you will hear in this audio episode, Tal has been able to mix his passion for owning his own business and the world of social media, new media and video into a growing company.

In addition, his enjoyment for having collaboration among his colleagues and customers has driven him to organize and host the first VideoCamp unconference in Austin. Although there have been 3 other VideoCamps worldwide prior to this one, the feedback from the attendees of this event’s being a “great success” will undoubtedly have this event again in Austin in future years (thanks to Talmadge).

In promoting his business, Tal has become a speaker in many events locally–seeking leads, getting business and enjoying what he is doing much more than his prior time in Corporate america while working as a project manager in what others call “Cubicle Nation.”

However, Tal’s passion is tempered with good business sense, as he reminds us that the number one priority for a growing firm is to get sales from business development while operating the business.

We look forward to Tal’s success and to next year when he will probably be asked to once again organize and host the Austin annual unconference called VideoCamp.

Tal can be reached on twitter:  @talmadge or via email at

talmadge @ reelsocialmedia.com  [to prevent spam]

Copyright (c) 2010, Matrix Solutions Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

 

 117A- Sunk Costs- an invisible peril for the entrepreneur- by Jason Cohen [12:07m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

In this bonus episode of The Struggling Entrepreneur, we bring you the audio narration of the blog post by Jason Cohen from Smart Bear Software, which is titled Sunk Costs: An invisible, pervasive peril (from the post dated 15 February 2010).

It really is amazing to see how the “human element” can get in the way of rational and logical behavior that is sometimes mandated in business. Ego, legacy, apprehensiveness, fear or laziness can cause projects to deliver “sunk costs.”

In this audio narration of the blogpost from Jason Cohen, we see some examples of how startups, as well as enterprises, are prone to make these irreversible mistakes.

But with the emotional stress that an entrepreneur faces every day, rational behavior in evaluating when to call it quits is sometimes the cause of such sunk costs.

Copyright (c) 2010, Matrix Solutions Corporation and www.smartbear.com. All Rights Reserved.

 

 117- Social Commerce- what it means to an entrepreneur [22:49m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

In this episode of The Struggling Entrepreneur, we go beyond the hype and buzz of the terms “Social Media” and deliver a candid meaning of what is taking place by using SOCIAL COMMERCE–and what this means to the small business owner and Entrepreneur.

We get the description of this program that uses Social Media tools, networks and applications in order to deliver business results to the firm–and not just socializing with others.

Bazaarvoice is a firm with experienced entrepreneurs and business owners–as well as from enterprises–that has a mission of “helping all types of businesses capture, display, share, and analyze customer conversations online. A combination of technology and personalized services help brands build online communities that drive measureable business goals, therefore making it easy for you to let your customers share opinions, knowledge, and experiences.”

Thus, our examination of this business-based commerce.

This new area of business-oriented social media development for the areas of transactions and trade add to what Sales VP Michael Osborne of Bazaarvoice describes as part of the phenomenon of “Social Commerce.”

While it is highly encouraged for entrepreneurs to know about social media and its tools, networks and applications, the area of social commerce appears to be a necessity for doing business in the 21st Century.

In this audio episode, you will hear Michael Osborne address a meeting of the Social Media Club of Austin about the topic of Social Commerce–including the benefits to some its customers and how it can help the business.

For any questions about the presentation, you may reach Michael Osborne at

http://www.twitter.com/osborneosborne.

Copyright (c) 2010, Matrix Solutions Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

 

 116- Why First Mover Entrance may be Disadvantage for Entrepreneurs [10:30m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

In this episode of The Struggling Entrepreneur, we listen to Chris Benjamin, the Rogue CFO, talk about the caution and possible disadvantages of being the “First Mover” or “first entrance” in a new or existing market.

In most schools of thought and business seminars and training, the “First Mover Advantage” is usually heralded as a key differential competitive advantage. However, the elements of risk and cost need to be understood by the aspiring entrepreneur or recently-launched small business owner.

This content is repurposed from the iTunes(R) free podcast called “The Rogue CFO’s Expert Guide to Launch a Startup,” and it is episode number 8.

As you can see, we do bring the words of warning and caution in several areas where entrepreneurs may rush in too quickly before examining the benefits and exposures thoroughly. Chris Benjamin discusses his perspective why the first entrance into a market may actually be a disadvantage for the Entrepreneur or small business owner.

Copyright (c) 2009, Matrix Solutions Corporation and Chris Benjamin Consulting, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

 

 116B- Lindsey Allen of www.exploringnewmedia.com - inbetween-preneur or project-preneur? [43:02m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

In this espisode of The Struggling Entrepreneur, we discuss and describe the status of what is being referred to as an “inbetween-preneur.” What is this type of entrepreneur? Let’s compare it to the other terms that describe the different types of entrepreneurs that have surfaced in the online world:

- You’ve heard of Intra-preneur? –> an entrepreneurial semi-independent or independent business unit within a private sector enterprise, for instance, that is funded by the Corporation, but it acts as if were a small business–speed to market and little bureaucacy define its nature;

- You’ve heard of the “necessity-preneur” ? –> one who is usually unemployed (e.g., by a layoff, etc.) and cannot buy a franchise, and thus has to resort to becoming a small business owner to survive;

-You’ve heard of the “solo-preneur” ? –> the individual that will go it alone as a small business owner, without joint venture partners or assistants, and will not outsource at the beginning because this person cannot afford to (i.e., usually undercaptizlized);

- You’ve heard about the “unintentional-preneur”? –> this is the individual that planned to remain with a day-job, but due to circumstances (e.g., downsizing or layoff, etc.) took the opportunity to pursue a dream intentionally due to unintentional situations;

- Youve heard of the ; you’ve heard about the “hobby-preneur” ? –> this is the individual that pursued a hobby that began bringing in revenue (which usually was not the main objective of this pasttime or passion). And then at one point, the “hobby” became a business and was so successful that the individual quit the day-job and pursued the small business full-time as an entrepreneur;

-You’ve heard of the “part-time entrepreneur” ? –> this is the person that began a small business (like a home-based business or internet business) on a shoestring budget and worked it part-time, while still keeping the day-job. The hope of this person is to one day be able to leave the day-job and become a full-time Entrepreneur;

Well, here is the “inbetween-preneur”–and individual that may or may not be retired who “dabbles” in the environment of small business ownership or entrepreneurship by desiring the freedom and excitement of the benefits of being an entrepreneur, but is more inclined to do so with projects or programs, rather than take a plunge into running a firm or small business. Thus, you may say that this individual tends to be a “project-preneur.”

Lindsey Allen happens to fall into this category. A retired high-tech experienced instructor and project manager with IBM, AMD, Tivoli and also a veteran of the US Air Force), Lindsey is now entering the world of training and instruction with the objective of making it into his very small business–perhaps.

And that “perhaps” is what straddles him inbetween the positions of retiree and entrepreneur–or what we call an “inbetween-preneur.”

In this audio episode, you will hear Lindsey describe what drives him, what motivates him, what his priorities are –and how he will decide whether to enter the fray of small business ownership or just keep doing fun projects (like a “project-preneur”) based on his passion for the focus he has at the time.

Currently, Lindsey has his own site (i.e., “project”) called Exploring New Media:

In the pursuit of this passion for assisting others with training, as well as teaching the new media and social media skills to beginners, Lindsey will also be taking over the leadership of the Austin Podcasters and New Media Meetup Group. He will engage in topics ranging from blogging platforms to social media tools like twitter and facebook, as well as podcasting, video and other forms of New Media.

With a passion such as this, and with the success to date that he has had by receiving income from his endeavors, it seems that Lindsey is well on his way to crossing the line and becoming a part-time entrepreneur.

Lindsey can be reached via:

- email:  lindsey @ exploringnewmedia.com

- twitter:  www.twitter.com/xplorenewmedia

- web site:  http://www.exploringnewmedia.com

Copyright (c) 2010, Matrix Solutions Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

 

 116A- Trade Show checklist for the Entrepreneur from www.smartbear.com [19:41m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

In this episode of The Struggling Entrepreneur, we deliver the audio narration of a blog post from Smart Bear Software.

The topic of this post deals with exhibition events, such as Trade Shows or Business Shows.

Written by Jason Cohen, the CEO of Smart Bear Software, this post provides recommended and suggested items that should be on your checklist when you decide to engage your firm in a Trade Show or Business Show. Not only does Jason cover the planning and preparation phase, but he also goes into the time-line planning during the trade show or exhibition, as well as follow-up and other items after the event.

This narrated post is complete and unabridged. As you will hear in the podcaster comments toward the end of this audio episode,  you should take this list and edit it or customize it to fit your needs.  It is a great–although simple–tool and resource for the Entrepreneur.

We thank Jason for giving us his practical experience in the form of this checklist, as it will help us to be better prepared when we decide that our presence is required at a trade show or business show to enhance our brand and our small business.

Copyright (c) 2010, Matrix Solutions Corporation and www.smartbear.com.

 

 115A- Dave Barnhart is a successful Entrepreneur who assists the Baby-Boomer market [42:49m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

In this episode of The Struggling Entrepreneur, we deliver an interview with David Barnhart, a successful entrepreneur with this website of Business Blogging Pros.com.

As you will hear from this audio podcast, Dave has been on the Internet since the beginning, when he was using powerful databases to help firms increase their marketing and competitive differential advantages.

A “Baby Boomer” himself, Dave has found a passion in assisting the Baby-Boomer entrepreneur audiences that are starting small businesses with the issues of using the new online and Social Media tools that have “leveled the playing field” in the world of competition for mindshare, awareness and marketing.

Besides the wealth of technical and marketing experience that Dave has under his belt, his work-ethic and dedication to his passion allowed him to bootstrap his own startup firm that initially focused on blogging (and how the Baby-Boomer audience could leverage that). Now, he has extended the focus to include the Social Media and New Media tools, such as twitter, facebook, video, etc.

Some key recommendations that Dave leaves with us are good food for thought–especially for the senior audience members that have spent a lot of their careers in ‘cubicle-nation.’

It was interesting to see that, in 2005 Dave – an avid gourmet chef – started a food and cooking blog, The Fumbling Foodie with an eye towards fully understanding how to leverage the power of the blogosphere for marketing and Public Relations. The Fumbling Foodie has been quoted on the CBS News website, and many Fumbling Foodie posts rank in the top 10 for Google searches returning over a million hits.

One last note of interest:  Dave’s challenges have never focused on funding, capitalization or money. With the understanding that he had to bootstrap a startup, he has managed to become a successful entrepreneur and trusted advisor.  The secret? Well, Dave knows his audience and provides solutions for their problems and needs–especially to the growing numbers of Baby-Boomers that are now starting their own small businesses as Entrepreneurs.

You can reach Dave via twitter with handle @dbarnhart, and you can get a sample of Dave’s “Social Media Slice” advice at:

http://mail.google.com/mail/?shva=1#inbox/12624041e9e4e207

Copyright (c) 2009, Matrix Solutions Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

 

 114A- HobbyPreneurs turn Passion into Profit - by Sam Thacker [7:45m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

In this episode of The Struggling Entrepreneur, we deliver a bonus episode, which is the narration of the blog post by Sam Thacker, a financial specialist.

From the www.allbusiness.com site, the blog post is titled “Hobbypreneurs turn Passion into Profit.”

As you will hear in this audio episode, there are several case studies and examples of how Entrepreneurs who create the business from a previous hobby are actually helping today’s economy.

Therefore, what hobby do you have now for which you have a great passion? Could it be that this may be your future small business and lead you to become a successful entrepreneur? Who knows what may be lurking in that exciting pasttime you may consider just “a hobby“–for it may be the future to your success.

The contact information for Sam Thacker is given in the audio episode.

Copyright (c) 2010, Matrix Solutions Corporation and www.allbusiness.com. All Rights Reserved.

 

 Ten Traits of an Entrepreneur [18:40m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

In this episode of The Struggling Entrepreneur, we begin the discussion of Entrepreneur traits for 2010 with a description from Chris Benjamin, the Rogue CFO. Chris has dealt for many years in delivering financial services and advice to small business owners and entrepreneurs.

He describes the 10 traits of Entrepreneurs in a casual discussion. As this topic is very relevant for aspiring entrepreneurs, they may ask themselves these questions:  “Do I have what it takes to enter the small business world and will I be ready for the challenges, as well as the excitement of owning my own business as an Entrepreneur?”

This episode has been repurposed from the podcast series, available on iTunes(R), from Chris Benjamin’s Rogue CFO’s Expert Guide to launching a Startup.

Copyright (c) 2010, Matrix Solutions Corporation and Chris Benjamin Consulting, LLC. All Rights Reserved.