For Entrepreneurs who have recently launched their business, frustration may set in when they don’t see their business growing as they would like. This may be due to problems that stunt business growth. These two articles from blog posts describe the problems, as well as the symptoms.

For aspiring Entrepreneurs, these may be the issues that can be addressed before launching by creating strategies to deal with these symptoms when they appear, and to execute solutions if the problems challenge the growth of the business.

As you will hear in this audio episode, the number “6″ is common when addressing the problems that deal with stunting the growth of your business.

The two articles are located on the web at these links:

(1) Top 6 Reasons Why Your Business Isn’t Growing by Tracey Lawton

and

(2) Six Reasons Your Business Won’t Grow by the Casey-Cardinia Referral Network Small Business Networking Group.

How similar are these reasons to one another? How visible could they be in your business? What strategies can you create to address these before it is too late?

Recognizing the symptoms will be important. Then, executing an existing contingency plan to address the problems will be critical.

Copyright (c) 2013, Matrix Solutions Corporation and Tracey Lawton and the Casey-Cardinia Referral Network. All rights reserved.

Sometimes the Entrepreneur who takes the risk and enters a new area as an early entrant or early adopter becomes successful in the new environment.

Such is the history of Gary Leland, an Entrepreneur who made his mark in the Retail environment with a “brick-and-mortar” store — and has also seen success in the tech environment via podcasting, video and information marketing — and is now launching into the online training environment by teaching his successful methods of e-Commerce.

Gary not only has built his small business to include the largest wallpaper store in Texas, but he has also been a success in a Sports store — with a niche in Softball.

However, he was an early adopter in Podcasting — and he learned how to monetize that with a couple of shows that he created, as well as being one of the first to create a Podcast Directory (which is still maintained, after 8 years in the Podosphere).

In addition, he moved into video and has over 200 episodes of Softball video. He also entered the virtual world of Second Life several years ago and had a fun run with Podcast Island, with a fair ROI.

Gary has shown that he will never stop getting creative ideas for new opportunities to monetize a situation, a product, a service or technology.

With his latest venture called Success With Online Stores, he will now be the PRODUCT of his own membership site to deliver the training needed for entrepreneurs who wish to understand and implement the world of e-Commerce from one who has been successfully doing this since 1996.

Note: for any of our subscribers or listeners that wish to get this training, Gary is offering a 20 per cent discount if they include the following text when signing up:  “I like Fred’s hat.”

This shows his never-ending sense of humor, and so he will always remain for us with his nicknames of “P-dilly” and “Podcast Pickle.”

You can find out more about Gary Leland and his info properties at:

You can visit his wallpaper & decorating store at LelandsWallpaper.com

.

Copyright (c) 2013, Matrix Solutions Corporation. All rights reserved.

We examine the update to www.choosewhat.com and explore both the FREE ONLINE ADVICE forum, as well as an update to the Startup Guide and the Reviews that Compare Business Products.

In a past episode of The Struggling Entrepreneur, we gave an overall description of the online tools offered at www.choosewhat.com.

Here, the update includes free online advice for entrepreneurs and small business owners by means of a forum. This can make the search for resources and comparison of products much more detailed and targeted for your own business requirements rather than search for endless hours in a FAQ (frequently asked questions) log or document.

Copyright (C) 2013, Matrix Solutions Corporation. All rights reserved.

-or-

Select this link to listen to the interview with CC Chapman at the SXSW (South-by-Southwest) event.

At the South-by-Southwest event (held annually in Austin, Texas, where 3 weeks are dedicated to music, film and Interactive), we had the opportunity to re-energize an old relationship with CC Chapman. He is an author, public speaker, podcaster, blogger, world traveler, photographer and multi-business or “concurrent Entrepreneur” (he does not feel comfortable with the term “serial entrepreneur.”

His passion for Social Value is his trademark, and it shows in his discussion. His passion for meeting people drives his love for world travel. In fact, his mantra (which he has tattooed on his forearm) is:  “Not all those who wander are lost.”

As you will hear in this audio episode, CC took the plunge by quitting his day-job in academia and launched a business. With luck and determination, he has been successful in so many fields that his real value now is HIMSELF as a brand.

CC has been successful in his many fields with the following intellectual properties:

He has his flagship podcast, Managing the Gray.

He also has written 2 books:   Content Rules and Amazing Things Will Happen.

(n.b.: The links are to www.amazon.com, but they are available everywhere books and e-books are sold.)

He has also been a blogger since 2002:

His aspirations include a couple more books to write and publish, and also to grow his new business, the Cleon Foundation.

At the event where we held the interview, CC will be doing a live reading of his book. Success at this key event is proof of his demand as a public speaker.

Copyright (c) 2013, Matrix Solutions Corporation. All rights reserved.

This is a REPOST of former episode 202. Due to technical difficulties, the final audio file was corrupted and could not be open. So, we bypass the music and audio intro to get you to the meat of the interview with Duncan McGhee. We apologize for any inconvenience that the corrupted files may have caused you.

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Besides funding and capitalization for a small business, two of the other top three challenges for a startup entrepreneur are addressing the feeling of being overwhelmed, as well as knowing where the resources for help are and have access to them.

This audio episode of The Struggling Entrepreneur delivers the success of a program for a growing type of entrepreneur — The Veteran Entrepreneur (also known as the Vetrepreneur).

As you will hear in this audio interview, Army Veteran and serial Entrepreneur Duncan McGhee describes the program he is building to address these issues for the returning military veterans who are moving to start their own business and become Solo-preneurs. The program has launched as part of the Texas Veterans Commission, and Duncan is the new Director. His success is proven — as he helped 10 small business launch within just a year (and another 20 more are on the way now).

You will also hear in this audio episode about the other resources available — from funding to mentorship to information specific toward the planning and launching of a startup or small business.

One of these resources is the Vetrepreneur Magazine.

In addition, this interview also mentions the ability for Vetrepreneurs to start their own local communities via the MEETUP facility at www.meetup.com.

In Austin, this community has already launched as the Austin Vetrepreneurs Meetup. Meeting at a central location, Veterans who are aspiring Entrepreneurs will gather to learn about free resources available to them for funding, training, education, bidding for government contracts, marketing skills, finance courses, and overcoming the situation of being overwhelmed as a solo-preneur — among many other topics with guest speakers.

As Duncan McGhee states, the knowledge needed to start a small business correctly and the resources needed are available as education and training for these Veterans. However, the key qualities of LEADERSHIP, EXPERIENCE in critical situations, the ability to improvise, address problems and overcome — these are what veterans bring to the table immediately. And, in some cases, these are learned qualities from experience that the MBA student fresh out of college may not have.

Duncan also addresses the growth of an employer force, as many of these Vetrepreneurs will hire other Veterans down the line.

Copyright (c) 2013, Matrix Solutions Corporation. All rights reserved.

An earlier episode in this series (#180) dealt with the lack of value and ROI in going to specific business and trade shows and conferences. In fact, we used as a case study BlogWorld and new Media Expo in New York during 2012.

However, we stand corrected concerning some of the statements we made in that episode. Why? We explored the situation of another entrepreneur who chose to plan attendance to this same conference at a later date and gain tremendous value.

In the case of Dave Jackson — an entrepreneur who is a web designer, Internet consultant and Podcast coach — there was significant value and ROI when he attended the January, 2013, conference of the New Media Expo in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Dave Jackson has multiple podcasts. Among them is his flagship podcast series called The School of Podcasting. Others include podcasts for musicians, web designers, podcasters and consultants — and other religious, physical fitness, monetization, motivational and human interest topics.

In this audio episode, you will hear from Dave Jackson, himself, what the ROI was for him in attending this Industry trade show and conference. He describes the VALUE received in executing a well-made plan and executing it for the benefits received for his business (and this includes NOT gambling at all while in Las Vegas, but concentrating his efforts on networking, interviewing, creating content, creating relationships, as well as energizing and reinforcing relationships, and gaining education on the latest hardware, software, products and services within his niche of New Media and Podcasting.

__________________________________________________________________

We can then examine some of the questions that we asked in earlier episode 180 about the ROI and value for an entrepreneur in attending a conference or business show event, and then compare it to the situation with Dave Jackson (the bold items were questions that were given in episode # 180):

Key questions for YOU as an entrepreneur could be:

- Do you know which events relate to your industry, niche, product, service, audience or community?

* Dave Jackson realized the importance of his industry niche (podcasting and new media). Although initially, he did not plan on attending this specific event, he decided that since this conference was only ONCE per year (instead of twice), he had to be there to accomplish his business objectives for 2013.

- Do you have a list of these events for the coming 12 months?

* Dave Jackson has a list of Podcamps in Ohio, as well as national conferences like this one.

- Do you have a set of MEASURABLE CRITERIA for ROI?

* Dave Jackson had to pay for all his expenses. Thus, the ROI had to be planned — both in quantitative and qualitative terms. In speaking with him, his ROI in revenue was met with the clients he developed for services; and his qualitative expectations were exceeded.

- Do you apply a cost-benefit analysis for each one?

* Dave Jackson had a cost-benefit analysis in mind, and he was happy that his costs were contained by using prudent cost-savings in travel. His new clients and their potential revenue were also reviewed for their positive results.

- Do you have an EVENT PLAN for your business that compares and contrasts each event for the best ROI?

* Dave Jackson had done this in late 2012. He knew which events would be of value. He compared and contrasted them in terms of ROI — both qualitatively and quantitatively.

- Do you have a STRATEGY for your planned events? For example, would you be an ATTENDEE, SPEAKER, EXHIBITOR or COMMUNITY CONTRIBUTOR?

* For Dave Jackson, this was the biggest positive action. Since he had been a speaker in the New York 2012 New Media Expo, he decided that 2013 would be a year of going to the event as an ATTENDEE, not as a speaker. In addition, he decided NOT to attend the sessions, but to purchase onsite, at the event, a Virtual Ticket (which allowed him to get a video recording of ALL the sessions). Thus, he planned his schedule and used his time for networking, business development, interviewing and creating content for his shows, etc. And he was satisfied greatly with the results.

- Do you have a PROCESS that you apply for follow-up AFTER attending or participating in each event?

* In our discussion with him, Dave Jackson was creating a task list to follow up with his new clients, with his energized relationships and industry contacts. He was executing his plan by including content that he had obtained at the show (in the form of recordings) in his podcasts and deliveries of video and audio in 2013.

- Do you include a LESSONS-LEARNED item in your follow-up process to ensure that you improve your ROI criteria after each trade show or event?

* In our discussion with him, Dave Jackson had demonstrated that he has been creating a matrix of Lessons Learned in his follow up. He would compare the results of the past events with the actions of the current conference, thus summarizing the ROI for the event. In a couple of interviews with him, he verbally gave the Lessons Learned and plans for improvement in his mind during the last day of the conference.

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Thus, with a well-developed action-plan for execution during a niche Industry trade show and conference, an entrepreneur can reach (and exceed) the objectives and expectations for benefit of the business in terms of ROI and VALUE — especially in the area of Business Development and Professional Networking (i.e., creating, energizing and reinforcing relationships).

We wish the best for Dave Jackson and his follow-up from the success of his Business Development and Networking at the New Media Expo 2013.

Note: this audio episode was originally recorded for the benefit of Richard Cleveland of www.nakedapeprod.com (a podcaster and internet broadcaster who could not attend the conference in person).

Copyright (c) 2013, Matrix Solutions Corporation. All rights reserved.

Enter Kenn Renner, a self-made small business owner and independent contractor initially in the business of mortgage financing and as a real estate broker. And now Kenn is on his way to becoming an online  media business owner, author and professional public speaker.

As you will hear in this audio interview, Kenn has entered into the area of audio books, hardcover books, ebooks and seminars/webinars. He has also created a course on producing videos, so that his clients can take advantage of using a YouTube(R)  channel. In addition, he is also a musician and used to play in music bands.

However, his passion is now in public speaking — both on the “big stage” at large conferences (as a keynote, for instance) and the “local stage” (where he can present to others in a smaller setting).

Kenn has wanted to help other entrepreneurs and small business owners in the skills of goal-setting. His book, Power Goals, is available on www.amazon.com, as well as other outlets.

And he is in the process of finishing his latest book (as a co-author), which will be called Maximum Dream Achievement (scheduled for release in 1st Quarter of 2013).

As you will hear in this audio episode, he shares his lessons learned by over-extending himself when his business was booming and successful–and yet, he rode out the tough times and negative cycles. He feels that this is the best time to start a new business, where you can be your own boss and plan for your success within your planned niche.

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A SPECIAL OFFER:  FREE COPY OF HIS BOOK POWER GOALS:

Kenn has offered to give away his book, Power Goals, for FREE to the listeners of this podcast series. All that is required is payment for shipping and handling. To get a free copy of the book, contact Kenn at:

email:  Kenn [@] BuyAustin.com

Telephone:  512-423-5626

and mention that you listened to his interview on this podcast series, The Struggling Entrepreneur. And then Kenn will send you the book for free (just pay shipping and handling).

We wish Kenn the best in becoming a well-known passionate motivational public speaker (for hire) and his quest to help others in creating and achieving their goals for success.

Copyright (c) 2013, Matrix Solutions Corporation. All rights reserved.

Lessons Learned from small business owners are key cases in point that help us to avoid pitfalls — especially when they are CONFESSIONS from entrepreneurs who have been successful.

What are some ways that you can stray away from what helped you become a successful entrepreneur? What are some signs to look for in different “traps”? And what are some elements that draw you to others’ business models like a hypnotic trance, when it could be the wrong model for your business?

Jason Van Orden and Jeremy (whose stage name is “Sterling”) reveal this in their podcast episode # 182 from their flagship podcast and membership site business called Internet Business Mastery.

Now, I myself have met Jeremy at a New Media Expo in 2008. And I have known Jason Van Orden (and have interviewed him years ago in an earlier audio episode on The Struggling Entrepreneur). Thus, I applaud them for being open about their mistakes and their LESSONS LEARNED.

In this bonus audio episode of The Struggling Entrepreneur, we recommend listening to the audio episode #182 found in either iTunes(R) or on the blog site for Internet Business Mastery.  This business started in 2005, and the reached success as a flagship entrepreneur venture in the 2008-2009 time frame.

However, starting in 2009, they started to compromise their passion, their fulfillment (as they call it), their values and their business model when they tried to imitate others, adopt different business models and seek success only as a measure of revenues and profits.

Their passion was compromised, and they were not being successful in “their own way.”

Frank Sinatra said it best when he sang the words “I did it MY WAY.”

In addition, there are three other mistakes that were made by this team, as they confess in their audio episode.

We recommend that you listen to these, so that you can recognize the signs of the luring glitter of seeking others’ success when it is NOT your passion or business model, or when you are following the implied “dictates” of other entrepreneurs from their books or CDs — or, as Jeremy puts it — listening to the screams at the corporate table of the guy at the head of the table who is telling you how to do and what to do (from his perspective).

If you want to go directly to the podcast episode, you can either:

go to iTunes and subscribe to the podcast series Internet Business Mastery;

or

You can listen or download the audio episode #182 of Internet Business Mastery from their website or blogsite.

Copyright (c) 2013, Matrix Solutions Corporation. All rights reserved. iTunes is a registered trademark of Apple, Inc. Links provided to the web site for Internet Business Mastery at www.internetbusinessmastery.com.

This audio episode is about giving back to the community of our listeners with free audio training courses of:

- Finance for Startups ;

.

and

.

- Gain Control of Your Day;

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Why are we giving away Premium Content to our listeners?

We consider the year of 2013 as the Year of Giving Back to the Community of our listeners.

Well, it has been our misfortune to see that many aspiring small business owners and entrepreneurs did not become successful. They either ran out of money and resources (because they did not know what they needed to know about Finance for Startups); or they became too overwhelmed as Solo-Preneurs because they had too many things to do and not enough time to accomplish them. The latter led to frustration, unnecessary stress, and problems with their personal life — and, thus, they saw that their business was no longer fun. Without the passion, they folded up their startup or business.

So, we have seen that the 2 courses that we are delivering are of tremendous value and deliver great results to those who have taken the courses and put them into practical application. We have testimonials for each of them.

And thus, we want to give these 2 courses to our community of listeners for FREE from the podcast blog sites, delivering one episode each week (as bite-size chunks) of the PREMIUM content for their benefit. In this way, they can get the training and education to learn the skills and topics which they can internalize and make habits for themselves as lifelong skills.

__________________________________________________________________

How you can receive this Premium Content for FREE:

As you will hear in this audio episode, we deliver to you these topics:

- The reason for this FREE distribution;

- How to get the audio episodes FREE from the blog site (and, in the case of Finance for Startups, an optional way to get the content is by subscribing to the podcast in iTunes(R) );

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and you will also hear in this audio episode the topic of:

How to get ALL the CONTENT at once as soon as possible via DVD:

- How to get a DVD disc with ALL the content.

(NOTE:  there is a charge for creating the DVD, which will include all taxes, shipping-and-handling with tracking number, royalty payments and cost-recovery for creating the DVD.  For Finance for Startups, the cost is $20 US; for Gain Control of Your Day, the cost is $10 US). The process for ordering the DVD disc, the scheduled availability and details of this option are all explained in the audio episode).

________________________________________________________________

List of Course Content by topics of each Module in both courses

There are 2 documents available to give you this information.

(1) For Finance for Startups: (starting with episode 32)

- Select this link for the list of mp3 AUDIO FILES ONLY for Finance for Startups that will be delivered FREE via the audio podcast;

- Select this link for the list of ALL the CONTENT for Finance for Startups that will be included on the DVD disc (with a cost-recovery charge);

(2) For Gain Control of Your Day: (starting with episode 14)

- Select this link for the list of ALL the CONTENT for Gain Control of Your Day that will be included on the DVD disc.  (NOTE: the delivery of all these audio episodes and pdf documents will be available — one episode per week — via the audio player or the download function only on the blog site of

http://www.gaincontrolofyourday.com/podcast.

.

We hope that our listeners will benefit from the FREE delivery of this  PREMIUM CONTENT of training and education seminars for both Finance for Startups and Personal Productivity.

Copyright (c) 2013, Matrix Solutions Corporation. All rights reserved.

We deliver to you in this episode of The Struggling Entrepreneur a list of 10 Essential Tips for Starting Entrepreneurs.

This episode is an audio narration of a repurposed article written by Terri Zwierzynski which is called “10 Essential Tips for Starting Entrepreneurs.”

This article was re-published on the web and email on 2 January 2013.

For the Aspiring Entrepreneur, it is interesting to highlight the subtitle or tag line on the web post: “Ignore these at your peril!” 

For those of us who may not have had the benefit of a mentor or prior startups, we generally end up learning these 10 tips the hard way by experience. As one entrepreneur had put it years ago, “Good judgment comes from experience; and experience comes from bad judgment.”

As you will hear in this audio podcast, some of these tips are common sense from good judgment. But some of them can be good tips to help the aspiring entrepreneur avoid falling into the ranks of the 67 per cent of businesses that fail (see tip number 2).

Contact information for www.solo-e.om:

- email:  Solo Secrets <news@solo-e.com>

- web site: www.solo-e.com

- Course or e-book mentioned: “25+ Entrepreneur Experts ~ 350+ Years of Wisdom ~ Their Must-Know Advice: Priceless”

- Printed article:  For a pdf file of the article printed from the buttons on the email from Terri Zwierzynski, select this link: PDF file of the article.

Copyright (c)  2012, Terri Zwierzynski of www.solo-e.com

Copyright (c) 2004, Accel Innovation, Inc.

Today’s entrepreneurs may do efficient marketing and “sales-teasing” to get a prospect to go to the squeeze-page and sales page, then to buy their product, and thus create a paying customer . However, they need to realize that just delivering a product  (or content) alone may not be enough to KEEP a customer or grow the business — and especially to turn the initial paying customer into a LOYAL and REFERRING client.

By focusing on the product content alone, the entrepreneur can sometimes forget that the QUALITY of the delivery and service with positive results may be the key differential between creating a  satisfied, loyal customer and a request for a a refund. This may result in a negative experience from a dissatisfied customer.

This may occur when the prospect is an experienced individual or firm that is reasonably a demanding one whose expectations for quality, service and delivery are professionally high. This customer expects a professional and shuns the “amateur”.

And in many cases, it may not matter if the entrepreneur is a pleasant individual or a “nice guy”;  or if this individual has been skating by with a “cutesy” personality in the past.

This is especially critical for entrepreneurs whose product is education or training over the Internet.  Our case study highlights this environment.

A case-in-point for this theme  occurred when a small business owner entered a different  environment to extend the products of a venture. Like all entrepreneurs, this individual perhaps wanted to take advantage of an opportunity to bring speedy revenues in a short time frame. However, for one prospect that expected quality, service and professionalism (as experienced by the delivery of products by others in the Internet training environment), the experience resulted in a request for a refund — and for a variety of factors that we examine here.

As you will hear in this audio episode that highlights the case study, several of the issues that were key differentiators between a successful product delivery and the customer dissatisfaction were:

- professional vs. amateur delivery in language: There is a difference between well-chosen dialogue with an appropriate professional sense of humor versus the “cutesy” remarks and language used by the individual delivering the course and content;

- experienced delivery vs. live mistakes that clearly demonstrate if the entrepreneur had done this before, or if this was the first time;

-subject matter expertise vs. an insufficient knowledge base to answer the questions from the customer audience; and

- “teaching down” to your customers vs. providing professional learning situations with the appropriate methods — especially by language and the use to technology to highlight the training and learning experience.

These are just a few factors, as this episode describes additional ones that were potential problems.

However, there are also some constructive recommendations for the entrepreneur to see the signs and avoid the pitfalls.

As a past trainer, educator and teacher, I learned my lesson about selling a training course over the Internet very early and very quickly from an experienced Internet Marketer (i.e., Paul Colligan) with one of his sayings:

“I should NOT pay for you to be learning on my dime and on my time.”

What he meant was that an entrepreneur should already have the skills and experience before the individual begins the marketing and delivery of a training course for the expected price with expected quality. For a professional-level price, one expects a professionally delivered course, and not for the trainer to stumble and fumble in what is a clear lack of experience.

In fact, one suggestion was to gain the experience by FREE (or close to free, due to such a low price) delivery of the course for a session or several sessions. In this way, the  kinks can be worked out, the entrepreneur’s training, confidence and experience level can then be increased to a mature level. And the testimonials from clients that have TAKEN the course and found value from the training can be received, and then promoted with the marketing materials.

Another recommendation was in the use of reasonable technology to add value to the experience without adding a lot of cost. As you will hear in this audio episode, a key training technology in this case study was creating screencasts for the practical application exercises with a product like  Camtasia Studio(R) from Techsmith Corporation(R).

Of course, this entire training situation in the case study is fine for the solo-preneur. But complications may arise if this entry into a new environment includes a joint venture with other partners that do expect the planned dollar percentages from the revenues obtained by the successful marketing of the internet training course. They, too, will quickly determine if too many refunds actually means too hasty an entry that forces the trainer to “learn on the customer’s dime and time.”

The quality, service and expert delivery of the course may be the real key competitive differential advantages — not just merely the content. These may end up determining whether the course is successful for the long run, or whether it is an amateur attempt that results in refund requests.

Copyright (c) 2012, Matrix Solutions Corporation. All rights reserved.

Entrepreneurs across the borders are also developing their niche markets. For one past broadcaster who spent 20 years in radio, music and the entertainment business, a return to this environment brings him into the realm of Internet Broadcasting. Thus, he is returning to his roots of Media after a 10-year span in additional careers in professional photography and as a certified IT and Computer specialist.

In this episode of The Struggling Entrepreneur, we deliver to you an interview with Richard Cleveland, the founder of a Canadian New Media network called Naked Ape Productions.

He currently has 3 webcast and podcast series in production or launching in January and early 2013. The content for these is classified as “edutainment” and entertainment.

Based in Calgary, Alberta, in Canada, he entered the world as a Podcaster and webcaster in March of 2012. In this short time, he has published over 30 episodes in a podcast series called Between the Pages — and he publishes his episodes with live recordings made with a co-host named Jason Bishop.

He  also is launching a learning environment and podcast show called  Podcast U — in which he will teach people the “ART OF PODCASTING,” which will be more than just the technical implementation of creating a podcast.

And finally, he will launch in 2013 a movie show called Popcorn Lobby.

As you will hear in this audio episode, Richard Cleveland has entered this environment as full-time entrepreneur with a studio in his home office. With financing as his biggest obstacle, he has turned to creative ways to get revenue streams and funding for this business — including sponsorship and advertising.

He also is using skills that he developed when he was in the Broadcasting industry — skills as a VOICE-OVER artist. These skills are used in his offering of services to his prospects and customers — and these services also enhance his revenues.

In addition to his Business Plan, Richard Cleveland has a strategy for delivering his content over various platforms, including iTunes(R).  He also has a VISION for his firm and knows where he wants to be in the next 5 years.

Most importantly, the listeners of this podcast show will get a ten percent discount for any of the services or products from Naked Ape Productions. All that is required to get this discount is for an individual to mention The Struggling Entrepreneur.

You can contact Richard via:

- web site:  www.nakedapeprod.com

- email:  Info [at] nakedapeprod.com (to prevent spam)

- Questions or comments:  www.nakedapeprod.com/contact/

- telephone:  (403) 910-9817

Copyright (c) 2013, Matrix Solutions Corporation and Richard Cleveland of Naked Ape Productions at www.nakedapeprod.com. All rights reserved.

For almost six years, we have brought to you the interviews of successful Entrepreneurs, as well as the dreams of aspiring small business owners and the organizations and individuals that provide resources to help the entrepreneur community. In this episode of The Struggling Entrepreneur, we recap the 27 podcast episodes and topics for the year 2012 in this annual Year in Review.

We first started 2012 with our episode number 168 and continued to episode number 194. Here are the titles of each episode, for your review:

168 – When the passion fades, do you quit or change?

169 – A growing small business owner – the “Vetrepreneur”

170 – Key resources & assistance for Entrepreneurs from the SBDC

171 – Should Solo-preneurs hire family and friends? — a word of caution

172 – Building a COMMUNITY can help your business

173 – Growth stages for an Entrepreneur Company

174 – The Due Diligence process overview for Entrepreneurs

175 – Resource for Entrepreneur financial health — BLUEPRINTS

176 – Specialized Entrepreneurship education in the high schools

177 – Tips on investor quality presentations for Entrepreneurs

178 – Entrepreneur succeeds in a market that is “saturated” — Max Flight

179 – Financial Damage Control for Entrepreneurs

180 – Entrepreneur ROI for conferences, business shows and trade show events;

181 – Available resources for Entrepreneurs to increase awareness

182 – Matt Cox — aspiring Entrepreneur with disabilities & New Media Publishing;

183 – Entrepreneur ADAM CURRY succeeds by providing “Value-for-Value”

184 – “Entrepreneurs with Day Jobs” — a resource from Jeff Yin

185 – Pitfalls for SoloPreneurs — possible setbacks, burnout & the risk of failure;

186 – Too many “pivots” may be dangerous pitfalls for Entrepreneurs

187 – Entrepreneur starts multiple businesses while employed in day-job: Scott Yates;

188 – Entrepreneur Professionalism with clients & colleagues: “Actions talk” ;

189 – The Best State for startups — but this may be “necessity-preneurs”;

190 – Lon Naylor has entrepreneurial success via “Strategy, Skills & Searching-around”

191 – Entrepreneur decision: Competition, Community or “Co-optition”

192 – Entrepreneurs decide to invest time & money to win an “Industry Award”

193 – Help for Entrepreneurs in creating a Web Marketing Strategy – Charles Pascal;

194 – Successful Entrepreneur delivers training & Support — Scott Johnson, aka “the COMPUTER TUTOR”

We thank you for your continued support and for consuming the free content provided to you from The Struggling Entrepreneur Podcast. We also wish a successful 2013 for every community member, small business owner, aspiring Entrepreneur or recently-launched entrepreneur, former entrepreneur, and every type of entrepreneur.

Copyright (c) 2013, Matrix Solutions Corporation. All rights reserved.

What are some key factors in the strategy of a successful Entrepreneur who has a service business that has been tried before — even with the same name — and is now growing his business in other areas? Scott Johnson, who is also known as The Computer Tutor, shares with us the top five areas that keep his business growing in this audio episode of The Struggling Entrepreneur.

But please note: Scott has had a prior successful entrepreneurial venture prior to this business. And you will hear about it in this episode.

The name “Computer Tutor” has been tried for over thirty years by various entrepreneurs in various states of the U.S. However, Scott has been able to “resurrect” the name and provide the services that go along with it to deliver real value to his customers.

With the Entrepreneurial “bug” in his mind for many years, Scott found that teaching people and helping them created a whole new career for him. And he is now expanding his business to include resales of computers (like laptops) to his ever growing list of customers.

Also, he describes his experience in slowly making the transition from a part-time solo-preneur to a full-time entrepreneur.

As you will hear in this audio episode of The Struggling Entrepreneur, he delivers five key differential benefits to his customers:

- Maturity (which gives confidence of experience and skills to his clients);

- Patience (which his clients find as a great value);

- Comfort (in knowing that he is dedicated to their satisfaction);

- Trust; and

- The Personal Touch (which is a key competitive differential advantage for him).

He does explain with some examples how he delivers these benefits within this episode.

If you wish to contact him, here are the methods of communication:

- email:     pctutor @ gmail.com [to prevent spam]

- web site :    www.computertutorFlorida.com (there is a contact page for messages);

- Twitter:  https://twitter.com/pctutor

- iTunes(R):  You can search for The Computer Tutor podcast; and

- telephone:  (727) 386-9468

Please Note: If you wish to engage Scott for his services or if you purchase any items (like a refurbished laptop) from him, he will offer you a key discount — as long as you mention that you heard about him from The Struggling Entrepreneur podcast episode.

Copyright (c) 2012, Matrix Solutions Corporation. All rights reserved.

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As an entrepreneur for over four decades, Charles Pascal has had numerous experiences with different business and ventures with different roles — as CEO of his own startup, as joint venture partner, as independent contractor, as well as partner for other entrepreneur firms.

Charlie’s linked profile gives his title as:

Search engine teacher and expert at Abco Technology.

As you will hear in this audio episode of The Struggling Entrepreneur, Charlie’s role specializes in SEO (search engine optimization) and other tactics for web marketing. He is a COUNSELOR for the learning center at Abco Technology that helps individuals learn skills, create web marketing strategies, put together marketing campaigns, select tactics and execute the campaigns and programs for their success.

In this episode, Charlie not only gives hints, tips, tricks and techniques that can help entrepreneurs in SEO and web marketing, but he also delivers the OPTIONS that an entrepreneur has when a web marketing strategy and marketing campaign  is created and executed.

For example, Charlie lets the entrepreneur be aware of negative reports that can affect your business — especially if it is used maliciously by a competitor. In his module of the courses he teaches, he delivers suggestions that can help overcome this situation.

In addition, he provides the options for the entrepreneur for planning a web marketing strategy, depending upon cost and time and skills that the entrepreneur chooses to invest.

And Charlie gives examples with real case studies of success from his services and counsel.

Charlie can be reached at:

- email:  cpascal @ abcotechnology.com  [to prevent spam]

- telephone in the US:  (310) 216-3067

Also Note:

Please be advised that a 15 per cent discount for any of the services offered by Charles Pascal is being offered for any entrepreneurs that engage him–all that is required is that the entrepreneur mention that the individual heard about the firm or services from this podcast episode of The Struggling Entrepreneur.
Copyright (c) 2012, Matrix Solutions Corporation. All rights reserved.

When pursuing an industry award, Entrepreneus need to understand if the effort, work, money and time needed to compete for this accolade will bring a good ROI for the business. Perhaps the result will be the appearance of a self-serving individual or firm that may actually backfire.

In this episode of The Struggling Entrepreneur, we examine not only the investment of pursuing industry awards, but also the attainment of certifications. We also use a case study to begin our discussion with the awards for my own industry, the Podcast Awards.

 Some recommendations are given to investigate and plan for pursuing such awards — especially for a solo-preneur. These include tools such as:

- a cost-benefit analysis;

- a results-cost-benefit analysis; and

- a risk assessment

In some cases, the pursuit of an industry award may actually backfire on the firm or the brand — depending upon the appearance that is given to the customers. The need to quantify the ROI and benefits from this pursuit can be delivered in terms of money, time, effort and goodwill. In this case, you also have to do a risk assessment to see what the results would be if you or your firm does NOT get the award or the certification. Much of this thought process is similar to the analyses done when you decide whether or not to exhibit at a Business show or trade show, or even attend or participate at these events.

You can get some help in understanding and creating a cost-benefit analysis from the free audio book offered at Finance for Startups. This audio book delivers over 6 hours of free content in several modules. For risk assessments, you can get various templates that are offered at this web site:

http://www.hse.gov.uk/risk/theory/alarpcheck.htm

Copyright (c) 2012, Matrix Solutions Corporation. All rights reserved.

In today’s environment, entrepreneurs are being pounded by the social media, the news media and other small business owners to “cooperate” and deliver value to grow their niche within the “community.”

However, this poses a dilemma — does the entrepreneur risk losing to competition by sharing or cooperating for the sake of the community? or by providing value within the small business niche that may be “similar” to a “competitor”? (that is, another entrepreneur that delivers products or services that seem alike) or should the entrepreneur believe that an honor code prevails within the entrepreneurial community and succumb to the present theory of “co-optition”? or does an “abundance mentality” really exist for entrepreneurs?

These ideas are continuous within the minds, worries and uncertainties of entrepreneurs. However, the perspective of this theme arose when I listened to a podcast episode from an entrepreneur named Dave Jackson who believes that you have to proceed with your passion — providing products or services that you deliver –even though you may have “competition.” His episode is found at his venture called The School of Podcasting.

Why does he say this?

Because he cites his own personal account of feedback from a customer that described WHY this individual preferred Mr. Jackson to his “competitor” — even though the competition provided content along the same topic. In other words, Mr. Jackson may have lost potential customers, or prospects, if he had just assumed that the content topic was covered and did not deliver HIS OWN content about the similar subject (since he provides audio and video podcasts and podcasting services to his customers).

Thus, we take it a step further and explore the areas where an entrepreneur may have to choose among the alternatives of following a path of:

- selecting the “competition” as a friendly or hostile adversary and decide to remain a distance from the competitor by just offering services and products and only have formal and brief communication as needed (e.g., for “community” purposes like goodwill and PR);

- selecting the “community” as a priority and dealing with a competitor as a friendly community member, which entails greater communication and “sharing” for the sake of the “community”;

- selecting the “abundance mentality” as a direction by believing that there is enough business for ALL competitors in your niche, and that there should not be any relationship which can be adversarial;

- selecting “co-optition” as a direction by UNITING with a competitor and creating a relationship much like a formal venture, where you and the competition will share some value, but also receive some value from others in a limited business venture (IT firms do this in sharing patents and with formal technology trade agreements;

- selecting a path to “do battle” with the competition in a fight for customers or market share or thought leadership or public relations or marketing (e.g., such IT giants as Google(R), Microsoft(R), Apple(R), IBM(R), etc. are good examples where their culture models state that “all we want is our fair share of the market, which is 100 per cent”).

As you will hear in this podcast episode,  there can be dangers where the entrepreneur may want to exercise more caution:

- because of the fierceness of global competition, which is usually not friendly;

- because of the “backstabbing” that goes on with some competitors, even though there is a formal agreement or contract in place (and this may harm or even destroy your firm);

- because of the self-serving attitude of your competition or those other entrepreneurs who provide similar value with their products or services;

- because of the possibility of their taking advantage of you (since some firms do not practice what you may consider “fair” dealings.

The recommendations that started with Mr. Jackson’s podcast episode focus on making your value, your firm, your brand and your assets UNIQUE to the customer:

- by not providing something that may seem to be a “commodity” where price is the only differential;

- by narrowing the niche and distancing yourself from the competition’s general niche;

- by providing added value to your customers so that they are not just satisfied, but DELIGHTED;

- by providing YOUR OWN PERSPECTIVE, if you have content that you deliver;

- by providing INCENTIVES to your customers

- by over-delivering on value and getting CUSTOMER REFERRALS from your customer service.

Whatever direction you take, perhaps you are on the right track when your customers and others say to you about what you deliver to them:  “It’s worth much more.”

Copyright (c) 2012, Matrix Solutions Corporation. All rights reserved.

Lon Naylor is a success story in the world of Internet High Tech and marketing. He is known as “the Camtasia Guy” by teaching others how to create high-quality videos via the screen-capture-video software from TechSmith called Camtasia Studio(R). In this interview of the podcast series of The Struggling Entrepreneur, we examine his  formula for success, which can be summarized by three words:  STRATEGY, SKILLS and “SEARCHING-AROUND.” (i.e., “looking-around”)

[Special note: We apologize for the audio quality and for the interviewer's voice. The recent hurricane had delivered poor audio recordings via the Skype network, and the interviewer had lost his voice due to the flu. So we wanted to ensure that we could get a one-time recording of the interview via an analog telephone speaker phone. However, we feel that you will benefit from the content that Lon Naylor delivers.]

As you will hear in this audio interview, Lon Naylor is a believer in a business plan–in fact, as an engineer, he has the habit of spending 2 months of the year in deep planning for the next year. He also established his legal entity as an LLC in 2007, and his current entrepreneurial membership site and venture is called LEARN CAMTASIA.

It is interesting to see how Lon Naylor’s earlier venture (at www.screencastprofits.com) was the driving force for his current membership site. Also, Lon has shared with us his planned entry into new markets for his business.

In addition to Learn Camtasia, his other current venture includes ScreenCast Studios at http://www.screencaststudios.com.

Also, if you would like to contact Lon for advice or for his services, you can go to

http://www.learncamtasia.com/support

and create a support ticket with his name as the requested staff member. His turnaround is swift and he likes to listen to others with ideas, and with needs for his products.

If you wish to purchase one of his products or services, listeners of this podcast series can be eligible for special discounts via coupon codes. To take advantage of this offer, please go to www.learncamtasia.com/support and fill out a ticket after you have seen the offerings or joined for free as a member to the site, and request the special coupon code discount for that specific product or service–but please be sure to mention that you heard about this on the Struggling Entrepreneur podcast episode.

Copyright (c) 2012, Matrix Solutions Corporation and LogicalDrive Marketing, LLC (i.e., Lon Naylor of www.learncamtasia.com and www.screencaststudios.com). All rights reserved.

A study shows that Arizona leads the way for the most startups created in the past year. However, the growth may be due to individuals being laid off and seeking entrepreneurship as another means of working and getting revenue.

The complete article is located at this link: goo.gl/ZEs9c and the author is Kent Hoover, the Washington Bureau Chief of the Phoenix Business Journal.

In a brief audio narration of this article — complete and unabridged, with the author’s name and title, as well as the publication fully attributed — you will hear the top states and cities in the US that have the greatest number of startups being created since 2011 by individuals. Arizona is the top state and the lead territory given in the title.

However, this type of growth seems mainly due to individuals resorting to entrepreneurship as a desperate measure of getting revenue after being laid off. We have earlier noted that this type of entrepreneur may be classified as either a “necessity-preneur” or a “hobby-preneur.” The main difference is that a hobby-preneur may have had a prior part-time pastime or hobby and then could have been forced to enter it full-time as a startup business.

[Note: in our earlier podcast about "hobby-preneurs," the main reason was due to the rapid growth of the hobby or pastime into a real business--and the signs of possible success. Here, there is more of a sign of desperation or necessity]

Although the article is from March of 2012, it serves to give an indication of the reason for so many startups due to the growing and continual unemployment due to layoffs. As was mentioned in the audio podcast narration, the Kauffman Foundation uses census data to track business formation.

In the article, other findings include:

- the industry with lowest entrepreneurial activity;

- the age ranges of the new business owners (it may surprise you to see the older generations now becoming startup entrepreneurs);

- the percentages of American and non-American new business owners;

- the greatest increase in entrepreneurial activity from the US State level;

and

- the entrepreneurial leaders and laggards among the US metro areas.

Copyright (c) 2012, Phoenix Business Journal and Blog and Kent Hoover. All rights reserved.

What does Entrepreneur Professionalism mean to you? And why is this so critical in dealing with your clients, customers, peers, suppliers and colleagues in your audience?

In this episode of The Struggling Entrepreneur, we discuss the message concerning Professionalism for the Entrepreneur:

Be professional in what commitments you make, what you promise to deliver, your punctuality for meetings, your impressions that you make and the courtesy that you deliver in the form of respect to others.

This may seem like something that is so obvious, it need not be discussed. However,  it is taken for granted. Today’s deeds show that these types of behaviors regarding professionalism in today’s entrepreneurs are being ignored–especially by the younger small business owners or startups.

What is not mentioned in the audio podcast episode is that startups following the “Lean Startup Method” that pivot excessively can create a feeling to potential customers that the firm is out of control (see an earlier episode that discussed the Harvard Business Review interview that gave the dangers of excessive “pivots”).

Excessive and disruptive pivots can signify a lack of fulfilling implied commitments that were made during the feedback process (as the startups may not be good communicators with potential customers). Customer expectations may be compromised on the implied agreements or commitments that are made too casually by the startups. These may give the impression of a lack of consideration for the customer by the younger startups.

As you will hear in this audio podcast, we discuss the the following types of professionalism that each entrepreneur should be internalizing and delivering in their engagements with others (i.e., customer, colleague, client, peer, audience or supplier):

-  In Appearance (remember: you don’t get a second chance to make a good first impression);

- In Punctuality and Time Management for appointments and meetings;

- In fulfilling commitments (i.e., completing what you promised to do within schedule and budget);

- In preparation–especially when you demonstrate your subject matter expertise in a professional manner;

- In attitude–by not being “too casual” or “too assuming”

- In Courtesy and Respect for the other (and clearly, by not leaving him feeling “insulted”).

Engaging with everyone else and treating everyone as if that inidividual or firm were your best customer is paramount.

The “Golden Rule” applies to all entrepreneurs in their behaviors with others: “KNOW YOUR CUSTOMER OR CLIENT AND DELIVER RESPECT TO THAT INDIVIDUAL.”  And the way you internalize this saying is by putting yourself “in their shoes” and seeing yourself from their point of view.

Remember: the customer or client or colleague makes the decision whether they will like you or not (and sales are made by customers who like you). The customer will also determine if they will refer you positively to others or tell colleagues about a “bad” experience because you appeared to them to lack professionalism and respect (to the point where you may think that they disparage you).  Even though you may have your own “individuality” in your behavior for which you are comfortable, this may be annoying or even insulting to other key clients and customers — especially to the seniors who control and run most other businesses today that are called “frosty-hairs.”

In this episode, we point out 2 different resources that can help you to understand professional behavior for small businesses, so that you can model your own and become successful when understanding others during your engagements:

(1) The CUSTOMER(R) Program from Integrity Systems– especially with the study of the behaviors by Doers, Controllers, Supporters and Talkers; and

(2) Selected behavioral episodes from the archives of the podcasts called the Manager Tools and Career Tools Podcasts (which are free and can be found on iTunes(R)).

Copyright (c) 2012, Matrix Solutions Corporation. All rights reserved.

This is a repurposed audio interview (with written permission from interviewer Jeff Yin of www.entrepreneurswithdayjobs.com). In this episode, Jeff Yin  interviews Scott Yates of www.blogmutt.com — which is his most current venture.

As you will hear in this audio interview, Scott Yates describes how he started his businesses, as well as his lessons learned when he went from being an employee in a firm to a full-time entrepreneur.

It is interesting to hear how you can develop a strategy for your business where you can have multiple businesses and don’t have to “put all your eggs into one basket.” Some entrepreneurs have to build up their experience so that they finally land where their passion and expertise will allow them to grow and succeed — and such appears to be  Scott’s current business, www.blogmutt.com.

There is talk about passion, about timing and dedication. These are only a few traits of being an Entrepreneur with the desire to succeed.

Please note that, in this audio interview, you will see how a small business owner can be looked upon as a professional and expert, even though the individual Entrepreneur may not think so. This example is a “gem” that should be noted, for your expertise is what sets you aside from the rest.

We thank Jeff Yin for permission to publish this audio in this episode of The Struggling Entrepreneur. The entire interview and ending of the original podcast episode have been delivered in full; the interview and ending are complete and unabridged.

Copyright (c) 2012, Matrix Solutions Corporation and www.ewdj.co. All rights reserved. Interview audio repurposed on The Struggling Entrepreneur podcast with written permission from www.entrepreneurswithdayjobs.com.

What are some pitfalls that startups may fall into by adhering religiously to a popular idea today that drives entrepreneurs into believing that success can be reached overnight without a long road and consistent business model?

To give you an idea about the mindset that worships the “pivot” idea and the precepts of the movement that is known as “the Lean Startup” method, you can see the flaws in an interview with Dan McGinn, HBR (i.e., Harvard Business Review) senior editor and author of the forthcoming article “Too Many Pivots, Too Little Passion: What’s Wrong with Today’s Entrepreneurism.” There is also an audio interview on the same web page with Mr. McGinn that is available on iTunes(R) or on the web site. The interview states that the topic will be published in the September issue of the Harvard Business Review.

This interview mentions the book by Eric Ries that describes this method. You can check out the content of this cocept at amazon.com.

The flaws stem from the exaggeration of the concept of the “pivot” — which is the possible change or alteration of direction of a startup business or entrepreneur venture before the money, capital and other resources run out. However, as you will hear in this audio podcast from HBR, this popular concept has even seen young entrepreneurs in the tech sector change complete businesses, products and business models (which the entrepreneurs are not even familiar with) — mainly so they can be ready to receive venture capital funding or be acquired by Google (which may be every startup’s dream).

I myself know of some young entrepreneurs who espouse this method and practice it religiously–sometimes to an extreme. I know about this because I was supposed to be a part of the planning and implementation process with one of the main architects and founders. However, that was over 18 months ago–and who knows how many “pivots” later. No, I was never called in to the execution of the sketchy business plan, and the idea never was allowed to take off, due to the “pivots.” They are still in the “pivoting” stage today and don’t seem to get out of it. As some of my successful entrepreneur colleagues would call it, this concept results many times in delivering the “talking stage, paralysis by analysis, and continuous change–but no action.”

Thus, even though this popular concept may be “stamped” on the forehead of young startups and entrepreneurs, it also can be a winding road that may lead to possible pitfalls for failure when the “pivot” becomes the shiny, new toy to chase when it appears that quick-and-dirty money may be available (either as fast riches or venture capital–which may be the single objective instead of starting a business that can be successful).

The interview even points out that successful entrepreneurs who did not adhere to this new concept–but who stuck it out and grew their business slowly to make it a success–may not be where they are if they kept “pivoting” to other business models and products and markets without pursuing their business plan. Perhaps the entrepreneurs should focus on their passion for their businesses instead of an easy “exit strategy” where the startups only focus on the means just to have a business (that is, ANY business) without passion, where they don’t care what the idea of the company is.

However, the interview does point out a few positive ideas given in the concept book. You will probably find the discussion interesting, and we hope that you can avoid the pitfalls from the dangers described.

For those of you who wish to read the interview, the web page and blog post (which contains a link to the audio) also provides the transcript.

Copyright (C) 2012, Matrix Solutions Corporation. All rights reserved

When does a Solo-preneur (or any Entrepreneur) recognize the signs that the excitement and passion for running a business may lead to pitfalls and land mines of over-commitment and over-extension? This may lead to Entrepreneur burnout, and the end result may lead to the risk of failure of the business.

We examine a case-in-point of such a trend that led to almost being out of control in running the business.

As you will hear in this audio episode, there can be many factors that may influence your decisions to commit and extend yourself way beyond your scope to do justice and get a good return on investment–not to mention the priority and relevance to the business plan, business strategy and business objectives for the venture.

However, in this particular case study, there were things that could be done to gain control of the business again and ensure that these signs can be recognized, should they come up again:

- Regroup, re-examine and re-assign your priorities for the business;

- Review and re-commit to the Business Objectives and Business Strategy;

- “Pivot” or change direction in your Brand, Product or Services (if that is the right thing for your business);

- Trim excess activities that demand too much time–even if you do consider them of value (but there are just too many of them for you to take on as a burden);

- Restructure some of your programs or projects (if there are too many), and reconsider if they are “fun” hobbies or essential to the business;

-   Apportion a priority percentage of time for each project or program with your business strategy to which you have committed;

- Continue or launch negotiations with new joint venture partners (if you have had that as part of your strategy for your business) with the proper priority and apportionment of time;

- Schedule your key projects and tasks, and re-assign priorities in your Personal Productivity System that you use (e.g., Time Management);

- Create and monitor a RISK ASSESSMENT DOCUMENT by checking weekly (or periodically) for signs of possible over-committing, over-extending and possible burnout.

What is critical is for the Entrepreneur to recover from this possible situation, while still maintaining the passion and excitement of running the Small Business–which can then lead to success, while avoiding burnout and failure.

Copyright (c) 2012, Matrix Solutions Corporation. All rights reserved.

Many aspiring entrepreneurs who have a passion for the business which they want to start are currently in their day jobs, and they are sometimes current part-time entrepreneurs. But they are on a JOURNEY, as they are looking forward to the day when they can quit their day job and begin as full-time entrepreneurs to run their business.

Jeff Yin, a former scientist, is seeking to help these ENTREPRENEURS WITH DAY JOBS to “get over the hump” and make their business a success. He himself has a day job — one that has let him sharpen his skills in the area of Pay-Per-Click (PPC) marketing campaigns.

However, Jeff would like to take his ambition to a higher level with his short-range and long-range plans for his own small business. He plans to do this with his recently-started blog and podcast called ENTREPRENEURS WITH DAY JOBS.

As you will hear in this audio episode,  Jeff’s podcast takes his audience along with him in a JOURNEY toward career independence. The objective is for the part-time entrepreneur to finally leave the day job and go full-time as a small business owner.  And Jeff’s JOURNEY includes his thoughts, his changes and his “pivots” toward his goal of helping other part-time entrepreneurs.

His short-term plan includes using his PPC skills so that he can offer services that will assist other entrepreneurs in marching to their success with their campaigns.

But Jeff’s longer-term plans look toward a growth into being a coach–one that helps others achieve the final goal of starting their business, then going at it full-time by leaving their day job. And the road to that goal of becoming a trusted advisor and possible thought-leader will use the tools of social media, and it will also consider other resources that he can create, such as ebooks, education courses and other information products and services.

Jeff’s energy is just as great as his ambitions. Along the path of his Journey with other entrepreneurs, he agrees that one of the most important aspects is the nurturing of relationships and peer assistance programs. In fact, one of the areas that he is promoting in his podcasts is a program for part-time entrepreneur BARTERING. This trading of services and other products resulting from the skills of entrepreneurs and their offerings could possibly be a major part of his JOURNEY.

However, his podcast offers food for thought, contemplation of needed planning for decisions by aspiring entrepreneurs, and an invitation to chat with peers to assist them with communication and sharing of ideas — skills that will be valuable when he launches his own Mastermind Group for ENTREPRENEURS WITH DAY JOBS.

As such, this podcast becomes a good resource of value for his target market, the aspiring entrepreneurs. And to help his audience, he has a shortened link to get to his podcast, which is:

www.ewdj.co.

We look forward to the milestone in the Journey for Jeff Yin when he can move from his day job and become the full-time entrepreneur, and possibly his road to success.

Copyright (c) 2012, Matrix Solutions Corporation. All rights reserved.

Many Startup Entrepreneurs try different business models in their attempt to leave their full-time day jobs and become a full-time Entrepreneur, so that they can enjoy their passion, support themselves with their small business and deliver value to their customers. Celebrity Adam Curry is such an Entrepreneur.

After 5 years of building a loyal audience, he  has proven that the road to his full-time Entrepreneurship is with the business model which he has proven successful — known as the VALUE-FOR-VALUE model.

Adam Curry is also known as the “Pod-Father” –  since he and Dave Winer created the ability to implement successful podcasting. He describes in this interview how this development occurred and the success that followed.

This came after a career with MTV and broadcasting. His media experience saw him as part of Mevio.com, (previously known as Podshow) with different podcasts that he also started (like the Daily Source Code).

However, 5 years ago, he started his flagship podcast show called NO AGENDA with his co-host, columnist John C. Dvorak. As an entrepreneur, he has developed the format and content of the show

 In this audio episode, you will hear an interview that was conducted in an outdoor patio of an Austin, Texas, coffee house. We apologize for the ambient noise, wind rustlings on the sensitive microphones of the portable recorder used in the interview, as well as some interruptions that occurred.

You will notice that Adam Curry has several “firsts” in his success as a full-time podcaster-entrepreneur:

(1) He provides deconstruction, information of value and entertainment;

(2) He created his own position and title as a Government Legislation Analyst. Yes, he actually READS, analyzes and deciphers each governmental bill, proclamation, executive order, and United Nations document–and he even highlights the pertinent sections that can provide you, the listener, with critical thinking and and intelligent basis for making decisions and being well-informed.

(3) He has proven that his business model of VALUE-FOR-VALUE can be a successful one (and so far, a sustainable one) by building a loyal audience and receiving willing donations for the value that the audience receives.

You will find out in this audio episode what the simple secret of his success is.

Yet he still considers himself to be a “struggling entrepreneur” that travels to meet his audience during the summer in what is known as the HOT POCKETS TOUR.

His jingles are simple, but catchy; his audio clips are thought-provoking; and even though he sometimes has a nickname as “Crackpot,” we wish him the best of luck with his proven model by saying to Adam:  “IN THE MORNING!”

Copyright (c) 2012, Adam Curry and Matrix Solutions Corporation. All rights reserved.

Many people take for granted — or assume — that their audiences have all their faculties. For instance, they can see the video or hear the audio, etc. However, Matt Cox is a determined young man who is visually impaired — i.e., blind — but he is a man with a “vision” and objective. He has also seen success in Corporate America with his career, and he also is in his 4th year as a podcaster.

He is an aspiring Entrepreneur who wants to be a publisher of books — audio books, ebooks and even hard-bound and paperback books.

And in our audio episode, you will hear the interview with him  about his current entry as a part-time entrepreneur in the area of podcasting, with a future in publishing.

His podcast show, called BRUNCH WITH THE BRITS, is available for free subscription on iTunes(R). What is remarkable is that he has over 218 episodes of this series.

 In addition to getting a Bachelor or Arts degree in Communication, he also spent several years in the Peace Corps and served in Morocco. He has also worked in the public sector, but he has really found his home and enjoyment in his work with Marriott Hotel Reservations.

As you will hear in this inspiring audio episode, his future plans include publication of audio books for niche audiences (such as those people with disabilities), as well as other types of publications on the Internet. He also plans to create a podcast network with various podcast shows in the near future.

However, he plans to maintain his part-time entrepreneurship with the “value-for-value” model in his podcasts while continuing his full-time success at Marriott.

Thus, as a part-time solo-preneur (with an administrative assistant who also provides free technical support), it appears that Matt Cox has found a formula that works in the area of New Media, while he maintains his day-job. In fact, up until this year, his podcast did not cost anything. Right now, he is “bootstrapping” his part-time enterprise as a solo-preneur.

Copyright (c) 2012, Matrix Solutions Corporation. All rights reserved.

For Entrepreneurs, just having passion for the business is not enough. They should always be on the lookout for newly available tools to help them with increasing the awareness, exposure and marketing of the business.

These tools can assist the Entrepreneur with plans to deliver value and create a mass of raving fans that will then refer your product, service or value offered to others. The path is very simple:

a) Deliver your value with your subject matter expertise (by definition, you have this expertise by being an Entrepreneur and serving customers in your business);

 b) Create your audience or community of qualified prospects that would be interested in the value you can deliver to them in the form of your product, service, etc.

c) Convert or turn your qualified prospects into paying customers;

d) Over-deliver your customer promise along with your product to create loyal and delighted customers with your value;

e) Generate additional customer referrals by having these delighted customers praise the value of your brand, customer promise and product or service (as described in the book by John Jantsch titled The Referral Engine;

f) Brand yourself as a trusted advisor to additional audiences or prospects, usually from referral marketing;

g) Brand yourself as a thought leader to other audiences and prospects in different ways, so that you can be recognized as a pundit in your industry–with the potential for receiving requests for speaking at different events (with payment from honoraria).

In this episode, we discuss 4 of these tools — 3 in the tech and web environment, and 1 in the person-to-person environment.

In this audio podcast, we deliver to you how these tools can help you as an Entrepreneur, as well as give cases-in-point from our own experience, and from that of other entrepreneurs.

These 4 Resources that have been made recently available are:

(1) Creating a podcast (especially a “companion-podcast”) and making it available in the PODCAST app from Apple, Inc (R) that supports the iOS devices (i.e., Apple iPhone, Apple iPod Touch and Apple iPad). The free PODCAST app from Apple was made available from the Apple App store on 26 June 2012.

One of the original podcast pundits, Paul Colligan, gives you 5 reasons why this is a good path to take for your business in his podcast series called “Ask Paul Colligan.”

As you will hear in this audio podcast, you can use a successful model called the “companion Podcast.” This has been used successfully in selling the book Podcasting for Dummies.  It has also been successful in selling educational courses like Gain Control of Your Day and Finance for Startups. The companion podcast model has been used by Daniel J. Lewis in selling web design services and graphics services from his Audacity to Podcast.

(2)  Creating an ebook and publishing it with distribution in the major ebook delivery chains. An example of a resource from last November’s BlogWorld and New Media Expo is bookbaby.com.

(3) Creating your own Smartphone and/or Smart Pad App and placing it for availability in the App Stores for both the Apple and Android platforms. And if you happen to be a paid client of www.Libsyn.com, you can get assistance with a “cookie-cutter” approach to creating your own app.

(4) Becoming a Public Speaker for hire — with the final objective of receiving requests for speaking on your topics (or passion) of expertise, and thus, receiving honoraria. One example of an organization and community that focuses on professional speakers for hire is a local Speakers Bureau, such as the Texas Speakers Bureau.

 What can be most effective might be to use the first 3 resources (tech-web oriented) with an investment of time, energy and a bubble of activity–and then, if your business schedule permits, see about becoming a public speaker and go on the “speaker circuit.” And now you will be on the path to branding yourself as a thought-leader and your business as delivering value by referrals.

Copyright (c) 2012, Matrix Solutions Corporation. All rights reserved.

In this episode of The Struggling Entrepreneur, we deliver to you a discussion that covers several cases-in-point. The theme for this audio episode is Determining YOUR Criteria for ROI (return on investment) regarding trade shows, business shows, conferences and Meetups.

The delay in publishing episodes to date has been our preparation to attend a conference for our industry–namely the Blogword and New Media Expo in New York City next week. It was our intent to create more content for you during this event. However, after doing a  cost-benefit analysis, it was not a good business reason to go to the event in person. The rest of this podcast deals with these reasons, along with several cases-in-point which are purely from our own business experience.

As you will hear in this audio episode, I have attended this BWE conference (and its predecessor event) in the past. I was even a speaker at the last one in Los Angeles, California, in November of last year.

However, as Entrepreneurs or Solo-preneurs with limited resources (such as time and dollars), we  need to establish some measurable criteria for ROI when planning to go to one of these events.

The reason is simple: it is a business INVESTMENT of money, time and energy that will take away from the immediate activities of the business. Thus, a cost-benefit analysis must be applied instead of relying on emotion, enthusiasm,  or the “feel-good” euphoria that we get when we have a type of “reunion” to build on old relationships.

As you will hear in this audio episode, we include MEETUPS in the discussion and apply the same criteria for ROI as we do for trade shows and events.  The cases-in-point show how we looked at the various events and decided which to attend and which NOT to attend– and the reasons why.

Key questions for YOU as an entrepreneur could be:

- Do you know which events relate to your industry, niche, product, service, audience or community?

- Do you have a list of these events for the coming 12 months?

- Do you have a set of MEASURABLE CRITERIA for ROI?

- Do you apply a cost-benefit analysis for each one?

- Do you have an EVENT PLAN for your business that compares and contrasts each event for the best ROI?

- Do you have a STRATEGY for your planned events? For example, would you be an ATTENDEE, SPEAKER, EXHIBITOR or COMMUNITY CONTRIBUTOR?

- Do you have a PROCESS that you apply for follow-up AFTER attending or participating in each event?

- Do you include a LESSONS-LEARNED item in your follow-up process to ensure that you improve your ROI criteria after each trade show or event?

We hope that your strategy and criteria for ROI will help your business become focused and more successful when executing your plan regarding Business Shows, Trade Shows, Conferences and even MEETUPS.

Copyright (c) 2012, Matrix Solutions Corporation. All rights reserved.

What are some tips to mitigate problems with financial matters in your small business when you are an entrepreneur? Well, the Rogue CFO, Chris Benjamin, delivers suggestions on Financial Damage Control for your startup — and what you can do to prevent financial “gotcha’s” that may blindside you.

Thus, in this episode of The Struggling Entrepreneur, we deliver this discussion in a repurposed podcast episode from his Podomatic series called The Rogue CFO’s Expert Guide to Launch a Startup.

There are a myriad of financial triggers that can cause problems — from taxes due from your business, to receivables, to payables, to negotiation with vendors, etc.

In this episode, Chris Benjamin gives some pointers for Entrepreneurs to practice a type of Financial Damage Control for your small business that can avoid these issues.

We know that this topic is unpopular,  but necessary. However, it is one in which every Entrepreneur needs to address  these potential pitfalls.

As you will hear in this audio episode, it is recommeneded to have a planning system to check the financial health of your firm. This is extremely important for the solo-preneur who needs to wear the ‘CFO hat’ in addition to all the other responsibilities to manage the business.

Copyright (c) 2012, Chris Benjamin Consulting, LLC and Matrix Solutions Corporation. All rights reserved.

Here is a success story of a part-time Entrepreneur and hobby-preneur that entered an environment that most people described as “saturated” — especially when his revenue streams started as sponsors and advertisers that had come to him, asking to be on his web site.

Max Flight is a mature individual who wants to complete his career, while being a “hobby-preneur” that has a passion for podcasting. In fact, his subject-matter expertise is in a podcast called “PodcastPassion.com” .He started with his interest in aviation. Since 1996, he had a web site with an aviation directory at the web site called Thirty thousandfeet. He also has a podcast called AirplaneGeeks.com.

Calling himself both an “advanced professional” and an “audio perfectionist,” Max Flight devotes himself to helping others in the area of producing high quality audio podcasts. He himself has good equipment in his home studio, and he provides high-quality audio advice and content to aspiring podcasters.

Although many would have told him time and time again that this market for podcasting services and podcast instruction and podcast education is “saturated,” he proceeded in spite of the warnings, and his is a success story, both in terms of financial success and career success for a post-retirement option.

As you will hear in this audio episode, it is not just luck that provides the formula for success. For podcasters, the path includes hard work, good equipment, total dedication to quality, and the planning and execution of the tasks of starting a business. The path to pursue usually includes the stages of successfully becoming:

- a subject-matter expert; then

- a trusted advisor to a loyal and growing audience; and finally

- a thought leader in the community or field of interest (in this case, podcast consulting and training).

To communicate with Max Flight, you can go to the web site of his contact form at PodcastingPassion.com.

Copyright (c) 2012, Matrix Solutions Corporation. All rights reserved.

How do you know what your best slide deck should be if you, as an Entrepreneur, are going to present to potential investors when you decide to get funding for your firm to grow your business?

This episode of The Struggling Entrepreneur podcast series delivers a repurposed episode by Chris Benjamin, the Rogue CFO, from his Podomatic Podcast series called “The Rogue CFO’s Expert Guide to Launch a Startup.”

As an Entrepreneur looking for funding from investors, you may only have one chance to present to them in a brief, limited amount of time. Thus, you had better have the best set of slides (mainly done in MS PowerPoint (R)) to give to the investors exactly WHAT they want and communicated to them in the way that they need.

You need to be effective in:

- getting their attention;

- giving them crisp and clear information about your firm, the market, the company management, its products and services, and the competition, and your financial status and projections;

- delivering all the details of the growth of your firm and the revenues you expect as per your business plan and marketing plan;

-  persuading them WHY they should take a risk and invest in your firm and provide you the funding you need;

-  convincing them that you know what your business strategy, success strategy and financial exit strategy are.

Since Chris Benjamin has been heavily involved for the past 15 years in the area of presenting to investors and getting funding for entrepreneurs, his real-world experience can be of value to you.

As you will hear in this audio episode, Chris gets to the level of describing a recommended slide-by-slide approach for slide decks that has worked for Startups seeking funding.

Copyright (c) 2012, Chris Benjamin Consulting, LLC. and Matrix Solutions Corporation. All rights reserved.

Education for entrepreneurs has been available in many ways for many levels of aspiring entrepreneurs:

- within the Federal and local programs (e.g., Small Business Development Center and Small Business Development Program–both of which were described in earlier episodes in this podcast series);

- within the online marketing offerings in the Business area for both free and fee courses, modules, webinars, etc.;

- within iTunes(R) and iTunes University for free courses delivered in the form of podcasts (e.g.,  the Entrepreneurship and Business course);

- within the College and University systems, where courses, programs, internships, incubators and even majors for higher learning degrees are offered;

- and in many small, independent non-profit organizations and ventures (e.g., SCORE, Vetrepreneur Magazine and Entrepreneur Bootcamp, etc.).

Now the entrepreneur overview, exposure, education and  training is within the High School level.

As you will hear in this audio podcast episode, we explore an Entrepreneurship course at the high school level as a case-in-point.

As you will hear in this audio episode of The Struggling Entrepreneur, there is definitely a concern with the approach and the teachers of such courses in the areas of live, real-world experience, qualifications and appropriate education–including their abilities to TEACH and deliver value to the high school students.

Since we were invited to deliver a presentation within the discussion of entrepreneurship with such a class of high school students in a “Course for Entrepreneurship,” we explore briefly from our preliminary point of view “the good, the bad and the ugly” regarding the present day situations and these concerns.

As we mentioned in the audio episode, here is a link that provides to you the list of 20 topics that I delivered as suggestions in a discussion about the objectives of the invited session:

http://bit.ly/yFCNno

As was mentioned in the audio podcast, there is a course available for free on iTunes (R) (and others at iTunes University) with the title of

Entrepreneurship and Business Course.

The link for the podcast series of over 25 sections of content and subjects of the course is located at:

http://recordings.talkshoe.com/rss13431.xml

Note: this is just one course available to those iTunes listeners that want to get an overview of Entrepreneurship delivered by a professor. The quality may not be the best, but free content for an exploratory approach to entrepreneurship may be what some high school students, as well as Junior College students, may need at this time for an initial exposure.

In a future episode of this podcast, we plan to report on the results of the presentation and discussion with the high school class taking the Entrepreneurship course–including the attitude of the students, the quality of their learning and participation, and the future success for these students.

FREE WHITEPAPER

In addition, here is the whitepaper that was mentioned during the audio episode about challenges facing the Entrepreneur:

This whitepaper (taken from the blog of The Struggling Entrepreneur) is titled Addressing the Issues Facing the Struggling Entrepreneur.

The whitepaper is available in the way that YOU would like to consume it.

For the EXECUTIVE  SUMMARY VERSION:

If you want a quick 8-minute read or listen to get the executive level SUMMARY version:

- if you prefer to READ the whitepaper, it is available as a pdf document. Click here to access the whitepaper or download it: 

- or, if you prefer to LISTEN to the audio version of the whitepaper, Click Here for the mp3 audio of the EXECUTIVE SUMMARY VERSION of the Whitepaper.

However, if you prefer to get the FULL VERSION of the whitepaper in its entirety, with all the details:

- you can get the pdf version for Reading. Click here for the FULL VERSION of the whitepaper in pdf format .

- or you can LISTEN to the audio of the FULL VERSION of the Free whitepaper. We have divided the entire audio of the whitepaper into 3 bite-sized consumable chunks for you.

Click  on the episode you wish to get the mp3 audio of the FULL VERSION of the whitepaper:

- Click here For the audio mp3 of Challenges 1-4 that Face the Entrepreneur in the free whitepaper;

- Click here for the audio mp3 of Challenges 5-8 that Face the Entrepreneur in the free whitepaper;

- Click here for the audio mp3 of Challenges 9 and 10 that Face the Entrepreneur in the free whitepaper.

The choice is yours.

Copyright (c) 2012, Matrix Solutions Corporation. All rights reserved.

The Struggling Entrepreneur podcast series delivers not only interviews, but also web resources available to the small business owner to help that individual become a Successful Entrepreneur.

For assistance with improving the financial health of your Entrepreneur firm, there are the BLUEPRINTS from the Rogue CFO, Chris Benjamin — or, as he describes it, the web site that is “The Road to Success for Entrepreneurs.”

This is a repurposed episode from Chris Benjamin in his Podomatic platform podcast series called “The Rogue CFO’s Expert Guide to Launch a Startup.”

In addition to 10 free whitepapers and other no-charge deliverables, Chris Benjamin also describes in this audio episode both the fee-based deliverables (e.g., online and web tools, audio and video files, and ebook training modules) in the area of financial health for Entrepreneurs. He also includes templates and other educational offerings.

Chris Benjamin is also the subject-matter expert who delivers both the free audio-book modules, as well as the audio and video and screencast training in the 7-week online Premium Podcast education offering at Finance for Startups (at www.finance4startups.com).

Copyright (c) 2012, Matrix Solutions Corporation. All rights reserved.

When Entrepreneurs pursue getting funding from Investors, there is a due diligence process that is performed by the potential investors on behalf of their stakeholders.

However, many entrepreneurs are not aware of the extent of the detailed investigation and validation of every aspect of your business.

The Struggling Entrepreneur podcast series delivers a repurposed episode from Chris Benjamin, the Rogue CFO, from his Podomatic platform podcast series called “The Rogue CFO’s Expert Guide to Launch a Startup.”

As you will hear in this audio episode, the due diligence goes beyond just checking on cash flow and revenue projections. The extent that investors dig in goes all the way from investigating the market and potential product or service feasibility, as well as competitive advantage and your management team as individuals.

Being pro-active during this process is highly recommended. Verification, validation, proof, credit reports, background checks, legal liabilities — these all march to the goal of reducing the risk of the Investor organization.

Also, Chris recommends that you should do some due diligence on your own to investigate the investors.

Copyright (c) 2012, Chris Benjamin Consulting, LLC. and Matrix Solutions Corporation. All rights reserved.

For an Entrepreneur who has just launched a company, there are multiple stages with criteria that define a firm’s growth, especially in relation to the top reason why small businesses fail–money and funding.

In this podcast series of The Struggling Entrepreneur, we deliver a repurposed podcast episode from Chris Benjamin, who is known as the Rogue CFO,  from the Podomatic platform podcast series called The Rogue CFO’s Expert Guide to Launch a Startup.

As you will hear in this audio episode, Chris Benjamin briefly steps us through the stages of a Startup’s growth and how to recognize which stage you may be in–especially in raising capital.

Chris also describes the main stage in which he assists startups during their growth.

Copyright (c) 2012, Chris Benjamin Consulting, LLC. and Matrix Solutions Corporation. All rights reserved.

If you have launched your small business or Startup, then you will be looking for opportunities to promote and market your business. There are traditional methods using old media, and some using new media.

However, BUILDING A COMMUNITY can be a strategy where you can become a subject-matter expert or trusted advisor and perhaps a thought leader, and then word-of-mouth and viral marketing can be an effective method for referrals (and this can then act as a strategy for promotion).

In this episode of The Struggling Entrepreneur, we deliver to you some ideas on using an online tool that is available on the internet to help build your community and give you the credibility, awareness, exposure and expertise that you need in addition to traditional promotion tactics.

That tool is the Meetup(R) facility at www.meetup.com.

 As you will hear in this audio episode, this online tool and facility is sometimes considered a type of Social Media Network tool. This online facility provides a great deal of the tasks and “grunt-work” that is needed by an organizer who would like to host and provide in-person meeting sessions with members of the subscription group that share the passion, topic, idea or subject matter for the “meetup” group.

You can do the following as a result of holding your in-person and virtual meetups:

- promote an ebook that you have just written and published;

- promote your blog and podcasts (both audio and/or video) from your blog and web site.

- create offers, discounts and “show specials” for events and business shows in which you will be participating, attending or sponsoring–from the National / International or local level (i.e., from South By Southwest or BlogWorld/New Media Expo or Consumer Electronics Show, etc. to your own regional or local events);

- promote any training courses or educational offers that you may have for both free and/or fee;

- hold roundtables for feedback about your niche or industry segment of your business;

- deliver great value in content by having guest speakers with interesting topics, how-to sessions, announcements or community buzz;

- and many other results, as well.

However, what was not mentioned in the audio podcast episode is that the management and development team at www.meetup.com conducts periodic Meetups for Organizers in the regional areas, as they travel to different cities. In these meetups, they get feedback from organizers about tools and tasks that they would like to see in the online tool, as well as speak to the developers themselves, and they listen to different updates and announcements.

I myself attended several of these when the meetup.com team visited Austin, Texas. I was quite impressed with the level of sensitivity and response from the visiting team, and this gave me more faith in the tool from www.meetup.com.

Copyright (c) 2012, Matrix Solutions Corporation and www.meetup.com. All rights reserved.

For entrepreneurs (especially solopreneurs), the thought of increasing the labor power of your business during its growth is to hire or staff with your spouse, family or friends. If you are contemplating this in the short term because it is the easy and “obvious” thing to do, perhaps you had better contemplate if the role is the right fit for the individual.

A word of caution (speaking from my own and others’ experience)…

Just because it is the simple and easy road to take, it may not be the least costly. In fact, in choosing the wrong individual with the staff role in your business — especially with the customer service and/or tech support responsibilities and duties — it may be a detriment to the business that may cost you immediate income and money, as well as customers, and even a damaged business relationship.

As you will hear in this audio episode of The Struggling Entrepreneur podcast series, the results can be significant and can impact your business. This episode goes into several cases-in-point (a couple of which are my own “lessons learned” from my experience — and one of them when I myself was the customer).

How can you tell if the individual’s personality and behavior may not fit the role you need in your staff position for your business?

There are detailed explanations of several tests (which are really “instruments” for measuring) which you can easily have the individual(s) complete.

(1) The DISC model. For details, you can go to the podcast on iTunes(R) called Manager Tools. They discuss all four of the profiles in detail, and you can see how to get this instrument.

(2) The other is the CUSTOMER (R) PROGRAM’s personality traits and behavior profiles from Integrity Systems, Inc.  You should know how to communicate and manage these types of individuals in the role which they will have. They are the:

-  Talker

-  Doer

-  Controller, and the

-  Supporter.

Once you have the personality and behavior profiles measured, you can then see if there could be potential problems in fitting the individual with the duties and responsibilities of the staff role.

Also, you should have an idea of the TYPE of relationship you will want with the individual. This could be that of an EMPLOYEE, or CONTRACTOR, or INTERN or PARTNER.

With a good, solid and “airtight” contract or agreement (which we recommend should be drawn up by your legal counsel who specializes in small business and entrepreneurship), you will then have the proper “exit strategy and commitment” if the individual wishes to leave your business environment of your firm–either because it is “not fun any more” or if it ends up being the wrong fit, or if there is a probability of conflict and problems up ahead. Also, be advised that you yourself should be able to terminate the relationship if the fit is not good for your firm.

In this audio episode, you will hear about our recommendation to hire outside via personal or solid references, where the individual can show and prove the abilities needed for the position and responsibilities from past, outstanding performance. Even a virtual assistant with specialized skills can avoid the problem of the “wrong fit.”

As Paul Colligan (of www.paulcolligan.com) stated when he was searching for talented individuals to hire:  “I don’t want you learning on my time and on my dime. I want to see what you have done. Show me which outstanding service you have provided in the past to others in the role that you would provide for me.”  (quoted from a public, live Paul Colligan webinar, 2010)

It is up to you whether or not you should hire your spouse or family members or close friends when your business is growing. In some cases, this works out wonderfully (if the individual and role are a good fit).

However, a word of caution resulting from our experience…

Hiring or Staffing the individual just because of the relationship may set your business back and damage personal and business relationships.

Copyright (C) 2012, Matrix Solutions Corporation. All rights reserved.

In an earlier episode of The Struggling Entrepreneur, we talked about the different organizations that assist aspiring entrepreneurs at the local level to launch their businesses–mainly the City and County levels.

However, there are other organizations with names very similar–but their mission, coverage of clients and funding are different.

In this audio interview, we speak to Joe Lam, the Associate Director of another organization called the Small Business Development Center — which is a federally funded group that is implemented at the State level to help entrepreneurs with programs and resources.

Joe On Lam is a Senior Certified Business Advisor based in Austin, Texas, for the Small Business Development Center (or SBDC). As you will hear in this audio episode, we investigate what the SBDC is, and how it is different than other entrepreneur-resource assistance organizations.  We also see how Joe On Lam’s group provides benefits to the Texas entrepreneurs to help them become successful–both during startup, as well as in growth stages.

What seems to be significant is the ROI for the services delivered by the SBDC. As Joe mentioned during the interview, for each dollar spent, there is a return of over six dollars that is delivered back to the local economy. This specific Texas SBDC region describes this in their annual report from a published study.

 As Joe Lam stated in our discussion, the mission of the SBDC is not to duplicate what other organizations are doing to provide services to the entrepreneurs in starting or launching their business. They also have a critical mission to help the entrepreneurs that have existing businesses and to provide support so that they can continue their success and maintain profitability.

The SBDC model is based on a partnership with the regional Universities to link sponsors and other resources to the entrepreneur. In addition to Texas State University (the Austin area of coverage), the University of Texas at San Antonio is another partner in the regional area.

 The recommendation is for entrepreneurs to visit the SBDC office and see what type of assistance and resources are available to them. As we said in this audio episode, since these Centers are funded with tax dollars,  we have paid for them as an existing asset in our entrepreneur toolbox.

Copyright (c) 2012, Matrix Solutions Corporation and the Small Business Development Center.  All rights reserved.

Small business owners have been flooded by a wealth of new titles, as different types of entrepreneurs are gaining specific meanings for their environment or their qualifications.

In the past, we have seen the following:

- Solo-preneur

- Necessity-preneur

- stage-two entrepreneur

and so forth, as there are many specifics growing every year.And now, as the conflicts where the military (in the form of the volunteer armed forces)  in the Middle East are winding down and the requirement for the citizen-soldier deployments are decreasing, we see the surge of the individual Armed Forces veteran that wants to start a wholly-owned business.

Welcome the VETREPRENEUR.

And this type of entrepreneur now has a myriad of resources, complete in some cases with a support structure. Of these, the most notable are a separate magazine for the Vetrepreneur.

For the background of this magazine, here are the links to see:

- the overview of Vetrepreneur Magazine;

- the cover of Vetrepreneur Magazine;

There are even new organizations to support the Vetrepreneur– some of them agencies of different levels of government, some non-profit, and some commercial.

Case-in-point: here is a web page for the association known as NaVOBA:

There are many other resources for the Vetrepreneur that include funding, networking, hiring, growing the business and assistance with aspiring entrepreneurs. Here is the link for the details from the panel discussion of Vetrepreneur resources from the Texas Veterans Commission 2012 Summit in Austin, Texas:

http://bit.ly/xAeae3

In addition, campaigns for awareness and action are also supporting the Vetrepreneur. Specifically, the “BUY VETERAN” slogan and recommendation is spearheading the campaign to encourage customers to buy their goods and services from Veteran-owned small businesses. This campaign is targeting federal, state and local governments and having them focus on awarding contracts to Vetrepreneurs who are submitting bids.

In one of the Veterans Commission conferences, I saw that the bumper stickers are now available that recommend “Buy Veteran.”

This campaign has a web site at www.buyveteran.com.

The statistics estimate that over 2 million veterans will be returning to civilian life starting this year. Of those, it is estimated that over 24 per cent will be veterans who will want to start their own small business and become the VETREPRENEURS.

We shall move deeper into this topic, as we plan to have interviews with aspiring and successful Vetrepreneurs in the near future — as well as dialogue with the organizations that will provide resources for the success of these small business owners.

Copyright (c) 2012, Matrix Solutions Corporation. All rights reserved.

We’ve all heard the story of the solo-preneur who was so excited at the start of the business that it seemed that the passion would never end. Working 90 hour weeks or 18 hour days was nothing compared to the excitement of “being your own boss” and seeing your entrepreneurial firm and venture grow and succeed.

But what happens when the passion is no longer there? or when it starts to decline? or, as they say, when “the thrill is gone”?

This episode of The Struggling Entrepreneur takes into account the scenarios that many entrepreneurs (especially solo-preneurs) describe at certain milestones of running their businesses when they discover that they are either “burned out” or that the “passion” that once drove them is no longer there.

This episode goes into the questions that each solo-preneur must ask concerning:

- the entrepreneurial venture (e.g., a service offered for a targeted market or audience)  and the entrepreneur’s firm  (i.e., the individual’s company);

- the product or service at the stage of its life cycle or success with its customer set or audience;

- the business model used by the entrepreneur and its validity at the moment and for the future (i.e., has it exhausted itself for this market or customer set?);

- the health of the entrepreneur (especially when medical problems or burn-out may be symptoms of problems that may interfere with running the business);

- the IMPORTANCE of passion in the criteria for the entrepreneur in the future of pursuing a business by this individual, as compared with the revenue and success of the business that is now successful; and

- the FUTURE of the entrepreneur by re-injecting the THRILL in the life of this individual. This could be by returning to Industry for a job; or  it could be by pursuing a direction with non-profit groups or contributing service to the community; or by being a serial entrepreneur and starting a new firm and new ventures.

We have a case-in-point from an individual who left his day-job several years ago and created his own podcasting business with his own network. The podcast episode is over an hour’s length. Yes, it could have been said in 15 minutes, but the style of this individual is repetitive stream-of-consciousness monologue.

However, this individual goes into the state of mind that he shares now that the passion has gone for some of his products, as well as the new directions that he is taking in the future (along with some new objectives).

You can listen to his story and the struggle he went through in realizing that “the thrill is gone” and how he made decisions to go in a new direction by not quitting.

Here is the link to this audio episode:

http://bit.ly/y4B1k3

The end of this audio episode of The Struggling Entrepreneur presents the process that we have followed, the questions we asked ourselves and the results for the new directions to which you may want to take your own business.

Copyright (c) 2012, Matrix Solutions Corporation. All rights reserved.