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Get Your Social Proof With Twiends

admin — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 07:34:05 +0000

Many businesses like to use Web 2.0 sites to market their business because they are free. Not only are they free but it is a good way to get in front of a target audience. However, just because they are free doesn’t mean that marketing on Web 2.0 sites is easy. It takes time and [...]

Table Top Trade Show Display

admin — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 22:02:00 +0000

A table top trade show display can be a good option for many small businesses to get their message across. A table top trade show display is a fair compromise between a freestanding, floor model exhibit and merely running a banner at the booth. Indeed, running a banner is inexpensive but it screams low-rent and [...]

MBDA National Director David A. Hinson

admin — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 20:51:14 +0000

President Obama’s administration has named a new head for the Minority Business Development Administration. David A. Hinson has been placed as the new MBDA National Director replacing Ronald Langston. Personally, I have been anxious to see who would be chosen to the lead the MBDA in the new administration. Not knowing much more than [...]

New Years Is Moving Time

admin — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 06:00:35 +0000

With a new year approaching many businesses use the New Year to change office space. Taking advantage of the Christmas break to move spaces. Individuals often do the same and use New Year’s resolutions to change homes. Moving can be difficult with the details and then there is the simple hard work. [...]

Why A Bad Economy Is A Good Time To Start a Business

admin — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 06:00:12 +0000

With credit tight, companies not spending, and double-digit unemployment, this could be the right time for a new business to get started. It is counter-intuitive with the economy being this bad and no relief in site, but as a entrepreneur who’s had his share of ups and downs. It is those very ups and downs that [...]

Upgrade Your Workspace

admin — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 06:00:23 +0000

When starting out in business making do is often the mantra that gets one through. However, as a business begins to prosper, upgrading office furniture should be considered, yet with an eye toward best price. There are all manner of outward influences that effect us internally- clothing, cleanliness, etc. So, the quality [...]

Stock Market Thought

admin — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 06:00:20 +0000

Making money in the stock market one has to do their homework. Finding reliable barometers that can call the market are a necessity. Something that can help you establish Stock Buy and Sell Signals for your trades, so you can keep your wealth. Unlike the masses that just keep their money sitting [...]

Private Jet Plane Options For Business

admin — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 06:00:36 +0000

All business owners (entrepreneurs) should have aspirations for their business beyond just simple numbers. Something they can enjoy as a tangible gauge of their success. Buying a private jet plane can be a target set to serve a business, that at the same time lets the entrepreneur know he has accomplished something. Bill [...]

A Favored Topic - Home Based Business

admin — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 06:00:42 +0000

Advertisements like Home Business $300 per hr FREE Info brings to mind a favorite topic of mine- home based business. Being a big advocate of working at home, I would argue all businesses should endeavor to start at home. Especially, if one is new to business or in a new field of business. [...]

Is MLM A Real Business

admin — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 06:00:22 +0000

A good exercise for the entrepreneur is to ask what is a business? Easy to think we know, but harder to behave as a business when one is the owner. Behaving as a business is made even more difficult when the challenges come. Ultimately, every endeavor can be made to be a [...]

Minority Business Articles

admin — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 06:00:13 +0000

Took a break from BusinessX to explore a few other writing possibilities. One of those exploratory discoveries was HubPages. At this point the only articles I have written are about minority business primarily focusing on government contracts. Some are more in-depth than others, and may revisit the more lite articles. Please visit, spread the word, [...]

Minority B2B or C2B, Good Business

admin — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 06:00:31 +0000

Embedded video from CNN Video I am a huge advocate for minorities doing business with other minority businesses. Actually, I consider it an imperative. No one else but a MWDBE will advocate for minority business enterprise, so we must do it ourselves. Also, if we as minority business owners desire the federal government [...]

Great Through Fundamentals

admin — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 06:00:11 +0000

Recently had an odd place for a reflection, while pursuing due diligence on an individual, found he had played college basketball for UCLA under John Wooden. He, the player, is now 54 and I wondered what kind of impact four years under Wooden’s tutelage would have. As we all have, he has had [...]

President Obama On Minority Business - Part Two

admin — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 06:00:40 +0000

With President Obama being sworn in today, presented is part two of how President Obama will affect minority business. Yesterday reflected on the downside of Obama’s Presidency, today will focus upon the upside. Though my impression is that little will change with programs available, we all already know that President Obama is working on a [...]

President Obama On Minority Business - Part One

admin — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 06:00:39 +0000

With President Obama to be sworn in tomorrow, thought a two-day series would be in order. Thoughts on how President Obama will effect minority business. This will be a pros and cons dual piece with Con’s today and Pro’s tomorrow. Essentially, there is no strong downside to President Obama being elected affecting minority business. [...]

Dress For Entrepreneurial Success

admin — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 06:00:02 +0000

Years ago in my IT days I worked with a gentleman who by shear example showed me what good dress means. Daily he would come to work dressed well, but not over the top. The way I thought of it, he dressed just below where one would compliment him. The power of [...]

Census Time Opportunities

admin — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 06:00:12 +0000

Next year is census time. Every ten years the United States takes a count of the population and varied other demographic data. As this is a ten-year activity, the government does put a lot of dollars into gathering a divergent spread of demographic data. Special attention is paid to marginal groups as [...]

A Business Has Digits

admin — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 06:00:04 +0000

Writing for this blog, awareness dawns of reoccurring themes involving business, and some are unexpected. One unexpected reoccurring theme is the question of what is a business. Odd that with all these years, we think we know what a business is but do not bother to define. Sure, one could easily come [...]

Diversity Find While Surfing

admin — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 06:00:48 +0000

OK, this is a different kind of post than I usually do on BusinessX. But as the everything you need is all about you post showed, keep your eyes open. Was visiting and commenting on fellow blogger’s Power Maxx web site. On the Internet you are conditioned to see certain type of [...]

Business Cards- Prolific, Inexpensive, Powerful

admin — Sun, 28 Dec 2008 06:00:59 +0000

There is little more needed to start many businesses than a cell phone and a business card. The exceptions could be retail, restaurants, manufacturing, etc. But even there, I have heard of manufacturing companies that have gotten orders before they even had equipment (some used advances/deposits to buy equipment/materials). How do you [...]

Money Doesn’t Knock - Financing A Business (Part 3)

admin — Sat, 27 Dec 2008 06:00:21 +0000

This is the final installment in a three part series of options to start or finance a business. Part 1- Conventional and SBA Loans Part 2- Unconventional finance methods Part 3- Self-finance (pay as you go) Starting a business is always easy, the catch is making Return-On-Investment (ROI) quick enough that the business (and business owner) can survive. [...]

Money Doesn’t Knock - Financing A Business (Part 2)

admin — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 06:00:02 +0000

This is the second installment in a three part series of options to start or finance a business. Part 1- Conventional and SBA Loans Part 2- Unconventional finance methods Part 3- Self-finance (pay as you go) Conventional financing and the SBA aside, there are other options for financing a business. For many businesses these are more likely to [...]

Money Doesn’t Knock - Financing A Business (Part 1)

admin — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 06:00:11 +0000

This is the first installment in a three part series of options to start or finance a business. Part 1- Conventional and SBA Loans Part 2- Unconventional finance methods Part 3- Self-finance (pay as you go) Funding a business is never easy. Thankfully in the U.S. we have the Small Business Administration (SBA) for help. One good [...]

411 On Chambers Of Commerce

admin — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 06:00:16 +0000

“I got nothing for it.” Colloquialisms aside, I have heard that refrain numerous times from varied sources. Have heard it across geographic regions, across races, and across differing entities. This is line is most heard about Chambers of Commerce. First, let me state there are in any area, any number of Chambers of [...]

Systematize Your Business To New Heights (With Orange Flavor)

admin — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 06:00:45 +0000

Having hung a shingle three years ago (business anniversary is January 1), a lot of hard knocks later, enlightenment happened. That clarifying moment when the breeze stops yet blows, there is silence yet you hear everything, you understand but are still where you are. Gladly, I share this knowledge. The ultimate goal of every business [...]

Not Doing What You Love, Pathway To Business Success

admin — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 06:00:05 +0000

Business writers and speakers across the land recite the same line when choosing a business to be in- “do what you love, and the money will follow.” Sounds great, it’s those honey words we all want to hear. Why would one want to hear that business success is hard work? It [...]

The Secret- Hype Undone

admin — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 06:00:40 +0000

Everyone has his or her theory of success. Many gravitate to the positive mental attitude path, which has spawned of late the Laws of Attraction. Though my personal feeling is a positive mental attitude is a healthy way to look at the business world, it does not lead to business success. [...]

The US Government Does Not Have Minority Set-Asides

admin — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 06:00:38 +0000

The federal government has no minority procurement set-asides. HUBZone is not a minority program, but a geographic program. 8(a) which is often thought to be a minority program, is a socio-economic program. Then other programs are marginal like veteran owned, well, that is more about service open to all who served. [...]

White People Rap

admin — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 06:00:23 +0000

A recent post by a blogger I really enjoy and respect brings an important topic to the fore. In his blog he felt the necessity to show his connection to the African-American community by 1). saying how he grew up in a city with a large African-American population, 2). had many black childhood friends, [...]

Top 50 Social Networking Sites (thanks to Jesse Grant - freewebsitecash.com)

admin — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 06:00:40 +0000

As a supplement to yesterday’s post about Web 2.0, I came across this list of the Top 50 Special Networking Sites. Wanted to share and thank Jesse Grant at freewebsitecash.com for providing this list. Things to remember about social networking: Start with just one first (for marketing purposes). Master it and then move on. Choose your [...]

Taking The Rose Colored Glasses Off Of Web 2.0

admin — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 17:00:52 +0000

The genesis of this post comes from Terra Andersen’s recent post 3 Priceless Tips On What to Do When SEO Isn’t Enough! This issue at hand is tip #3, social media. Social media was in an earlier BusinessX post Web 2.0 - A Personal Journey, but Terra’s site prompted some fuller thoughts, reactions. There is [...]

Procurement Marketing- Good For You, Good For Me

admin — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 06:00:18 +0000

There is a marketing technique that I am finally going to let out of the bag. Not saying that no one else is doing this, but I haven’t seen it. I do know of it being done in other forms. Have a friend who does this with industry articles, and her purpose [...]

HUBZone - A Great Way To Get Started

admin — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 06:00:17 +0000

Asked which minority certification is best, most will reply 8(a) as the pinnacle of government set-asides. Though, it does offer the most and best perks, I personally see less business (contracts) derived from it than HUBZone Certification. One primary reason is that it is often overlooked. As the calendar nears September (end [...]

A Going Away Party For Ronald N. Langston

admin — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 06:00:47 +0000

Regardless, of other measures President George W. Bush did place a good (most?) number of minorities in his cabinet and subsequent key positions in the Executive Branch of the government. One of the longest running appointees is Ronald N. Langston who is the National Director of the Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA), which is [...]

Finally! Someone Putting Their Money Where Their Mouth Is

admin — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 06:00:59 +0000

Allow me state this not a paid review or post. I am impressed with the sincerity of this organization’s belief in minority business and its ability to assist MWDBE’s. Having written a previous post how most government contract consultants are worthless consultants, I do have an organization that is willing to put its [...]

An Answer- Where are the minority tech entrepreneurs?

admin — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 06:40:51 +0000

Today, Jeremy Shoemaker, at shoemoney.com posed the question Where are all the black tech entrepreneurs-why there are no prominent black high tech businesses? This extended from a Q&A time he was doing on his web site. Upon leaving a comment/answering the question I found that this would be worthy of a post/answer here. [...]

Bob Parsons- 5 Ways To Get Website Traffic Without Spending A Dime

admin — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 06:00:36 +0000

Go Daddy’s Bob Parsons had a great five ways to market your business without spending a dime. Video is here, but I must warn you it is very sexist. As you may or may not know, Go Daddy does believe sex sells. Still the content is worth following. You may also enjoy Web 2.0 [...]

Content Is King For Business Web Sites

admin — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 06:00:25 +0000

As necessary as business cards, a business’s web site is one of the initial stops people will take to doing business with you. Thereby, taking good stock of that first impression is vital. Unfortunately, what businesses look at first and put the must effort into is the design of their web site. That is [...]

Your Business And Contract Consultants

admin — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 06:00:28 +0000

Back in the 1980’s there was a joke about those who would say they are consulting - What is another word for consultants? Unemployed. The underlying truth of that joke has not much changed. Many who find themselves recently freed to explore other possibilities, dream of hanging a shingle and dispensing advice [...]

Better Be In A Good Old Boy Network

admin — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 06:00:33 +0000

You are the Good Old Boy Network. And if you are not, you need to start one. I am not saying that you are a member of the WASP-ish, old school form of the Good Old Boy Network, or that you need to be. You didn’t have to go to the right prep [...]

Maestro Method Of Marketing - Part Three

admin — Sun, 12 Oct 2008 22:30:45 +0000

Whatever you told your people to do in your advertising, make sure you are ready. This is where most marketing breaks down, yet people want something or someone else to blame. If you are telling people to give you a call, who is answering the phone? Sending people to a web site, [...]

Maestro Method Of Marketing - Part Two

admin — Sat, 11 Oct 2008 10:00:59 +0000

Finally, A Second Step After you have bought your time or space or whatever, now comes the tricky part. This is the part that will take time to master-, the creative. What do you say in your ad? That could be a whole post in itself, or even a whole blog could be [...]

Maestro Method Of Marketing - Part One

admin — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 10:00:09 +0000

Entrepreneurs can easily allow their marketing to get schizophrenic from all the sources trying to influence their actions and their dollars. There are the salesmen selling ad time, ad space, ad products, etc. There is the customer’s recommendation because they saw such and so doing it. Even family chiming in with their [...]

The Truth About Business Grants

admin — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 06:00:57 +0000

The business development community often jokes about the much-hyped grants to start your business. First off, who would ever GIVE you money so you can make money? Even if your family invested in your business, they eventually want the money back. The US government, yes the same government that buys $1,000 toilet [...]

8(a)? Is it worth it?

admin — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 06:00:07 +0000

With promises of golden coins falling from the sky I use to help people achieve their 8(a) certification. Having seen only a few prosper in the minority federal contracting game, the following is my conclusion of minority certification. Fifteen percent of 8(a) contractors do eighty percent of the 8(a) business. Pursue it [...]

Web 2.0 - A Personal Journey

admin — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 06:00:30 +0000

It took me quite awhile to accept Web 2.0. My background being Information Technology, I left IT full-time around 2002. I started hearing Web 2.0 and thought it had to do with IPv6 or many new technologies I had no desire to learn such as SOAP, XML, C#, .NET, or AJAX. It [...]

All You Need To Be Successful Is Around You

admin — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 06:00:28 +0000

Every entrepreneur needs inspiration. It is what fuels us. What may have driven us yesterday, may be getting low in the tank today. What kind of inspiration we need depends on the trial of the day. Sometimes it is the dogged determination of a Harland Sanders continuing to sell his chicken [...]

Yoda On Trade Shows

admin — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 06:00:27 +0000

One of my favorite movie lines is from Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back. Yoda in his training of Luke Skywalker delivers this edict concerning… well, everything- “Do or do not. There is no try.” Wow… If only, after all these years, I heeded those words. Entrepreneurs, that should be our [...]